76ers Struggle Without Embiid; Lebron Take Over! 1.25.21
It’s another day of NBA basketball, as we have 10 games on the schedule today.
Charlotte Hornets vs Orlando Magic
Charlotte Hornets
This game started off very well for the Hornets, and then things went downhill. In the first quarter, the Hornets offense rolling, as they shot 44% from the field, holding Orlando below 30%. The Hornets led by 11 after the first quarter, and then they played terribly the rest of the game. They were outscored by 12 in the 2nd quarter, and they lost their lead immediately. They got outscored by 10 in the 3rd, and then the game was out of reach. Charlotte falls to 7-10 on the year.
Gordan Hayward had 24 points and 5 rebounds on 9/16 shooting.
Terry Rozier had 24 points on 10/18 shooting.
Devonte Graham had 21 points and 5 rebounds on 6/15 shooting.
The Hornets started this game off so well, their offense really had things going. And then they just kind of lost that spark, and their defense couldn’t stop Orlando as they were dominated the rest of the way. Hayward, Rozier, and Graham were solid, but PJ Washington struggled, the Hornets bench struggled, as they just fell apart. Charlotte is now 7-10 on the year, and they take on the Pacers next.
Orlando Magic
The Magic played a very good game outside of the first quarter, as they rebounded very well from a slow start. The Magic offense was terrible early, as they shot 26% from the field early on. Things weren’t looked good as Orlando trailed by 11, but then they started to turn things around. Their offense got going, and they took the lead at halftime. They dominated the 3rd quarter as well, and cruised to a win they desperately needed, as they are now 8-10 on the year.
Nikola Vucevic had 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists on 11/23 shooting.
Cole Anthony had a career high 21 points and 5 rebounds on 8/12 shooting.
Evan Fournier had 19 points and 6 assists on 7/14 shooting.
The Magic offense got going, behind an all-around performance by Nikola Vucevic. Rookie Cole Anthony played very well, as his 3’s were falling. Fournier was solid, and even with Ross and Gordon struggling to shoot, the Magic still won. Their defense was solid for most this game, and they just cruised to a win, as they are now 8-10 on the year. They take on the Kings next on Wednesday.
Toronto Raptors vs Indiana Pacers
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors were still without Pascal Siakam, but Kyle Lowry returned to the lineup. But the Raptors defense was not good, as they allowed Brogdon and Sabonis to get going in the first half. The Pacers dropped 70 points in the first half, and the Raptors trailed by 10. The good thing for Indiana was Sabonis left with a knee injury, a chance for them to strike. And they did with a big 3rd quarter, and the lead was just one entering the 4th. The 4th was close for a while, but the Raptors couldn’t gain control. But the Raptors offense stalled, Kyle Lowry was ejected, and the Pacers jumped out to a big lead, and the Raptors couldn’t recover, as they are now 7-10 on the year.
Fred VanVleet had 25 points and 6 assists on 11/21 shooting.
Norman Powell had 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists on 8/19 shooting.
Other than Powell and VanVleet, the Raptors to find offense. Lowry shot 2/11 in his return, Boucher struggled, as did OG Anunoby as he dealt with a lip cut that sidelined him for a lot of the 2nd half. The Raptors needed more from their defense, and they couldn’t stop the Pacers even after Sabonis went down. The Raptors bench was thoroughly outplayed by the Pacers bench, as the Raptors lose another game they likely should have won. Toronto takes on the Bucks next on Wednesday.
Indiana Pacers
After a tough loss to Toronto last time out, Indiana responded in a big way, even with Domantas Sabonis for half the game. Brogdon and Sabonis were excellent to start this game, and helped fuel the Pacers to a 70-point half. But Sabonis left the game with a knee injury, and the Pacers 10-point lead at halftime went down to just one after 37 Raptors points in the 3rd. But the Pacers stood their ground. Their defense was excellent in the 4th, and they outscored the Raps by 14 in the 4th, getting their 10th of the win, even though they were short-handed.
Malcolm Brogdon had 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists on 10/17 shooting.
Jeremy Lamb had 22 points and 7 rebounds on 7/12 shooting off the bench.
Myles Turner had 21 points and 10 rebounds on 5/9 shooting.
Very impressive win for the Pacers. Sabonis’s knee injury is believed to be a left knee contusion. An x-ray revealed no structural damage, and an MRI is scheduled for Tuesday. Some-what good news, but the Pacers might be without their All-Star for a bit. But if Malcolm Brogdon plays like this, it’ll be tough to stop Indiana, as he was great, bouncing back from a 5/22 shooting night. Jeremy Lamb has been excellent off the bench, not missing a beat from that knee injury. We don’t know how long Sabonis will be out, but Indiana’s offense has to score like this for them to win. Indiana takes on the Hornets next on Wednesday.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Detroit Pistons
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers were without Joel Embiid, but this was still a bit disappointing. Their roster still has talent without Embiid, and they should have at least remained competitive with the Pistons. But no, their defense was awful throughout this game. Their offense wasn’t great, as Ben Simmons refuses to step out when the MVP front-runner is out. Seth Curry struggled, and Tobias Harris was one of the few bright spots. The 76ers defense has gotten exposed by the Pistons twice in a row, as the 76ers just haven’t locked in. Philly is now 12-6 on the year, and they take on the LA Lakers next.
Detroit Pistons
Another impressive offensive output by the Pistons, and this time they won as they didn’t have to deal with Joel Embiid down low. Delon Wright was excellent, nearly posting a triple-double with 28 points. Wayne Ellington has been the best shooter as of late, and Jerami Grant continues to show out. Blake Griffin played, and somehow gets minutes. Saddiq Bey didn’t get minutes, which is very frustrating. Stewart and Doumbouya did, but they need all their young guys to play. The Pistons better not think they are good and play their young guys more. Detroit is now 4-13 on the year, and they take on the Cavs next.
Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets
Miami Heat
I expected the Heat to be much better on offense in this game against a poor Nets defense, but I was wrong. Neither team could shoot well, and the Heat just couldn’t match the Nets in the 4th. In the first half, things were ugly. Miami shot 45% from the field and scored 45 points. The Nets managed just 41 points. But the Nets started to get going, but the Heat still led entering the 4th. But in the 4th, the Heat couldn’t score as they got away from Bam Adebayo, and James Harden dominated the 4th for Brooklyn, as the Heat managed just 85 points against one of the worst defense in the league. Miami is now 6-10 on the year.
Bam had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 rebounds on 10/19 shooting.
Goran Dragic had 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 7/13 shooting, 6/9 3-PT.
Bam had 15 points in the first half, but the Heat didn’t give him the ball as much in the 2nd half. Dragic was solid, but Duncan Robinson was horrible. The Heat’s zone defense only worked for so long until the Nets started to hit shots, and James Harden was a problem in the 4th. Not having a fully healthy roster again hurt the Heat, as they lose another game. Miami takes on the Nuggets next.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets defense was solid throughout this game, and while their offense struggled for most of this game, it came through in the end. The Nets defense was solid on all guys outside of Bam, but they only managed 41 points in the first half. They were sloppy, and they couldn’t hit any shots. But things started to change in the 2nd half, especially in the 4th. The Nets defense continued to stifle the Heat, and then they worked through Harden. Harden was aggressive as he should be, and he really turned things up for Brooklyn, as they won again, improving to 11-8 on the year.
James Harden had 20 points and 8 assists on 7/10 shooting.
KD had 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists on 6/21 shooting.
Kyrie Irving had 16 points and 8 rebounds on 6/17 shooting.
The Nets were getting the looks, but they just weren’t falling. Joe Harris missed a lot of make-able shots, but bad shooting is something that won’t happen to the Nets often. Their defense was strong, as they finally clamped down for long stretches of time. Harden was aggressive in the 4th, and did a lot better job picking his spots. KD and Kyrie struggled for maybe the first time this season, but don’t expect that to be a trend. Sold performance all around for the Nets, as they take on the Hawks next on Wednesday.
LA Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers
LA Lakers
Now this is more like it. This was a prime Lakers coast game, as they allowed the Cavs to stick around for most of this game before finally winning. Lebron had a big first half with 23 points, but the Cavs only trailed by 9 after the Lakers led by double-digits. The Lakers had a bad 3rd quarter, and the game was tied entering the 4th. The Cavs kept battling, but LA did just enough to win, as they are now 14-4 on the year.
Lebron had 46 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists on 19/26 shooting in his return home.
AD had 17 points and 10 rebounds on 5/16 shooting.
I really don’t think Lebron playing 38 minutes is a good thing going forward, but he was playing well. But again, Lebron shouldn’t have to play this much against the Cavs. AD struggled against Drummond and Allen down low, as did Schroder and KCP. Harrell was the only scorer on the LA bench, as they need more from Kuzma. No matter how ugly, a win is a win, as LA prepares for a bout with Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Cleveland Cavaliers
I would like to say the Cavs played well, which they did. But I can also attribute a lot of this game to the Lakers not trying. The Cavs fell behind early as they should, as they were getting torched by Lebron in his return home. They didn’t let the game get away, remaining somewhat close. Then the Cavs defense was great in the 3rd, tying the game in the 4th. But the Cavs offense struggled in the 4th as LA seemed to wake up a bit, and the Cavs lost a game after a valiant effort, as they fall to 8-9 on the year.
Andre Drummond had 25 points and 17 rebounds on 11/21 shooting.
Cedi Osman had 20 points on 6/11 shooting.
Collin Sexton had 17 points and 6 assists on 6/17 shooting.
The Cavs tried their hardest, but the Lakers are the Lakers. Andre Drummond was very good, and did a good job slowing down AD. Sexton has cooled off considerably since his Nets explosion. The Cavs bench was very poor outside of Darius Garland, as they need more scoring. But not a bad performance for the Cavs, as they take on the Pistons next on Wednesday.
Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
I really don’t know how the Nuggets won this game, with Jamal Murray getting ejected in the 3rd for being an idiot. The Nuggets offense was very good in the first half, with Murray playing very well. The Nuggets shot 55% from the field and 59% from 3, and they were just outpacing Dallas. But they had a very bad 3rd quarter, scoring just 22 points and allowing Dallas to take the lead entering the 4th. The 4th quarter was back and forth, but Denver led by 5 with 2:21 left. And an MPJ 3 with 42 seconds left sealed the game, as Denver wins another close game, as they are now 10-7 on the year.
Michael Porter Jr. had 30 points and 8 rebounds on 10/18 shooting off the bench, 6/10 3-PT.
Nikola Jokic had 20 points and 10 rebounds on 8/13 shooting.
JaMychal Green had 17 points and 8 rebounds on 5/9 shooting off the bench.
Good win for Denver, yeah, yeah yeah. I’ll get to that later. Jamal Murray was having one of his best games of the year, a game that could have really changed his confidence going forward. And then he just decides to punch Tim Hardaway in the groin, for no reason. Like what the is the thought process? But MPJ was absolutely on fire off the bench, as I really hope he stays on the bench, as he gets more freedom to score, which is what he does best. Jokic was solid, as was Green off the bench. Having Murray would have been good in this game, but Denver has been getting more consistent, as they are now 10-7 on the year, and they take on the Heat next.
Dallas Mavericks
Considering how this game went, and how short-handed the Mavs still are, this was a decent game. I really feel bad for the Mavs, they’re missing so many guys. They trailed by 12 at halftime, even though Luka was doing everything he could. The Mavs defense was struggling, especially with their 2nd unit. But the Mavs offense got going in the 3rd, and they took a lead entering the 4th, and the Nuggets would be without Jamal Murray. But the Mavs offense slowed down, and Denver made some big shots late, as Dallas is now 8-9 on the year.
Luka had 35 points, 11 rebounds, and 16 assists on 11/23 shooting.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 19 points and 7 rebounds on 7/18 shooting.
Kristaps Porzingis had 16 points and 6 rebounds on 6/18 shooting.
Get Healthy.
Boston Celtics vs Chicago Bulls
Boston Celtics
The Celtics got All-Star Jayson Tatum back, and they again dominated. Kemba Walker was out, so Brown and Tatum took turns just dominating. Brown had 26 and Tatum had 24, along with another nice game from Daniel Theis. Now if the Celtics can avoid getting another Covid spell, and get their Big 3 back and healthy, they will be a very dangerous team in the East. Boston is now 10-6 on the year, and they take on the Spurs next.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls defense really couldn’t handle both JT and JB on the perimeter. Zach Lavine was very good with 30 points, and Markkanen continues to play at a high level. But Coby White wasn’t aggressive, only shooting 6 shots. Patrick Williams only played 10 minutes, and the Bulls bench was really their best scoring unit. The Bulls offense has to be better for them to win, but they continue to struggle with turnovers as they had 18 in this game. They can’t afford to turn it over a lot and expect to win. Chicago falls to 7-10 on the year, and they take on the Blazers next on Saturday.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves
That’s more like it for the Timberwolves. After a surprising win against the Pelicans, they came back down to reality. I know D-LO was out, but it really wouldn’t have mattered if he was there or not. Anthony Edwards continues to struggle shooting the ball, as he has been horrible this season. Malik Beasley was very good, but Rubio and Reid shot a combined 6/24. This T-Wolves team has been terrible without star center Karl Anthony-Towns, and that will likely continue, as the T-Wolves take on the Warriors again on Wednesday.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors controlled this game from the tip, as they should have, they were the much better team. After getting lit up by the Jazz, this was a good way to bounce back. Curry had 36, and Wiggins continues to be that reliable 2nd option. Oubre was ok, as I would rather give Paschall/Wiggins his shots. Draymond did his usual things on both ends. James Wiseman was benched for defensive proposes, as it was the right move. Now I want Wiseman to play 20-25 minutes off the bench, as he still needs to develop. But I do think it’s the right move to start the veteran Looney in his place, as he still has a lot to learn. Golden State is now 9-8 on the year, and they take on the T-Wolves again next on Wednesday.
OKC Thunder vs Portland Trail Blazers
OKC Thunder
The Thunder just outplayed the Blazers, even though they were missing George Hill and Horford. Their offense took advantage of a poor Blazers defense, and they did a good job making Damian Lillard take tough shots. In the first half, OKC shot 53% from the field and 57% from 3. Mike Muscala was excellent off the bench, hitting 5 3’s. The Thunder were rolling, but they slowed down a lot in the 2nd half. Their offense slowed down, and Portland continually trimmed the lead, but OKC still led by 3 entering the 4th. In the 4th, the Thunder jumped out to a big lead, but Portland fought right back, but it was too little too late, as OKC came up with an upset, improving to 7-9 on the year.
SGA had 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists on 8/12 shooting.
Mike Muscala had 23 points on 8/12 shooting, 6/10 3-PT off the bench.
Darius Bazley had 19 points and 7 rebounds on 6/11 shooting.
The Thunder played a really good game, as their shots were falling. They got going, and really never slowed down. Darius Bazley hit 3 3-pointers after struggling mightily before this game. SGA was on fire, Roby was very good. Lu Dort did most of his work on defense, and Mike Muscala torched Portland from deep. The Thunder shot 45% from 3, as they just couldn’t be stopped, as they are now 7-9 on the year, and they take on the Phoenix Suns next.
Portland Trail Blazers
Words cannot describe my anger/disappointment. I know Portland was missing a lot of guys, but really? The Thunder? Portland’s defense was just bad, from the start. The Thunder got whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. They scored 69 points in the first half on 57% shooting from 3. Portland got a boost from guys like Carmelo, Trent, and Simons, and they cut the lead to 3 entering the 4th. But then the Blazers offense stalled and the defense went back to normal. Portland tried to comeback, but it was too little too late, as Portland falls to 9-7 on the year.
Damian Lillard had 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists on 8/23 shooting.
Anfernee Simons had 26 points on 10/17 shooting, 6/10 3-PT off the bench.
Gary Trent Jr. had 22 points on 9/17 shooting.
Offense wasn’t the problem for most of the game. Simons, Carmelo, and Gary Trent Jr. all stepped up and had 20+ points. But Dame struggled. He got very good looks most of the time, and he just missed. Plain and simple. But the defense, that’s what hurts. We were missing some guys, but I really don’t care. Instead of putting a smaller wing of Mike Muscala, we just kept leaving him open, and he hit 6 3-pointers. I have no problem losing to SGA, he’s good. But guys like Bazley and Roby, we just didn’t respect them, especially Bazley on the outside after he hit a few shots. We just always assume a bad shooter will shoot bad, and then never try to cover them when they get hot. The defense still has to be better, and Dame has to be better, as we won’t be getting 4 guys over 20 points often with CJ out. Definitely should have been a win, as Portland now hits the road for a long road-trip, starting with the Houston Rockets on Thursday.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 10 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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