Houston Outlasts Portland; Suns Get Back On Track! 1.28.21
It’s a Thursday night of NBA hoops and we have 4 games on the schedule.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Houston Rockets
Portland Trail Blazers
This game was so disappointing for Portland, another game they should have won even though they were short-handed. This game started off so well, as Portland led 30-10 early. Dame was hitting his outside shots and the defense was getting stops. But then the 2nd unit came in to start the 2nd quarter, and the Rockets got right back into the game. Portland got cold, and Christian Wood got going to give Houston the lead entering halftime. Things didn’t get better in the 3rd as Portland’s defense continued to struggle. They trailed by 9 entering the 4th. But then Gary Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons hit some 3’s, and the game was close down the stretch. With 3:51 left, Portland had taken the lead. Then scoring become hard to come by for both teams, especially Portland. The Rockets got some big offensive rebounds, and they led by 3 with 26 seconds left. Gary Trent missed an easy layup, and Portland was forced to foul. The Rockets led by 4, and Portland only hit a 3 with 3.1 seconds left. Eric Gordon hit two free throws, and Portland had one last chance. But the Rockets took away everything, and Portland lost another heart-breaker, as they fall to 9-8 on the year.
Dame had 30 points and 9 assists on 11/23 shooting.
Gary Trent Jr. had 23 points on 8/16 shooting, 7/13 3-PT.
Anfernee Simons had 14 points and 8 rebounds on 5/13 shooting.
It’s so disappointing how Portland couldn’t hold that early lead for longer. That 2nd unit was absolutely terrible on defense, and Portland was facing an uphill battle the rest of the way. The Portland defense is never that good, and when it’s good and they get a big lead, they have to hold it. Dame was good, Gary Trent and Simons were big in the 4th. Both other than Simons the Blazers bench was terrible. Carmelo was forcing shots, and Enes Kanter struggled against Christian Wood. Another winnable game for Portland, one that they are just not able to execute well enough to win. Portland takes on the Bulls next.
Houston Rockets
Saying how this game started for the Rockets, impressive comeback. The Rockets shots weren’t falling from 3, and they fell behind by 20. They couldn’t contain Damian Lillard, and the game seemed over early. But then the Rockets dominated the Blazers 2nd unit. Christian Wood, Wall, and Oladipo started to assert themselves, and the Rockets outscored the Blazers by 18 to lead at halftime. The Rockets continued to be hot from 3, and they led by 9 entering the 4th. But the Rockets defense allowed Gary Trent to get going, and the Rockets lost the lead with 3:51 left. Then the Rockets defense was excellent late, and they got some key offensive rebounds to take a 3-point lead with 26 seconds left. They played great defense on the final possession, and they came back to win, winning their 4th straight and improving to 8-9 on the year.
Victor Oladipo had 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on 11/23 shooting.
Christian Wood had 22 points and 12 rebounds on 8/12 shooting.
John Wall had 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists on 6/16 shooting.
Give the Rockets credit, they really fought in this game. They fell behind early, but they started to play fast and took over the 2nd quarter thanks to their Big 3. Things got dicey in the 4th, but their defense was excellent late. The Rockets look like geniuses for trading Russell Westbrook, as John Wall has been very good. I would have liked for Christian Wood to attack a poor defender like Kanter more, but he was very good and efficient. The Rockets bench was ok, but they scraped out this win. They’ve won their last 4 games, as they’ve been finding their identity. Houston takes on the Pelicans next.
LA Lakers vs Detroit Pistons
LA Lakers
I know AD was out, but this was just so disappointing. Their offense still has talent, and it’s not like AD has been excellent this season. They were missing so many layups at the rim, and they just looked out of it on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. It’s not the loss for me, it’s how they lost. Lebron started this game 7/7 from the field, and then he finished the game shooting 8/19. Kuzma and Horton-Tucker were very good, but Schroder was just 2/8 and they didn’t get too much from Harrell. Disappointing losses in the last two days, but LA has to rebound fast as they take on the Celtics on Saturday.
Detroit Pistons
Impressive win for Detroit, as their defense looked like the 2004 Pistons rather than the 2020 Detroit Pistons. The Pistons hanged in there with LA in the first half, weathering a big Lebron James start. Wayne Ellington was shooting well, and the Pistons were still in the game despite not shooting great from the field. But in the 2nd half, the Pistons just wanted it more. LA left a lot of points at the rim, and Detroit took advantage as they outscored LA by 17 in the 2nd half. Griffin and Ellington were good from 3-point range, Plumlee and Grant were also in double-figures. But I am still very mad at Detroit. They didn’t play Saddiq Bey who was injured, and it’s so disappointing how Detroit just doesn’t play their guys. Like beating the Lakers doesn’t make Detroit any better, they’re still 5-14. Nothing really changes. You’re still rebuilding and you need to play your young guys. The Pistons take on Golden State on Saturday.
LA Clippers vs Miami Heat
LA Clippers
The battle of the crippled short-handed teams went to the Clippers. LA started this game off very slow as they couldn’t hit anything from outside, trailing by 14 at the end of the first. But then they dominated the 2nd quarter, as their defensive intensity was much better. Even with Miami shooting 50% from 3 in the first half, LA was down just two. And similar things happened in the 4th, as the Clippers offense rolled, scoring 40 points and leading by 19 entering the 4th. However, the game wasn’t over. The Heat kept rallying and cut the lead to 3 late, but the Clippers held on to win, improving to 14-5 on the year.
Nicolas Batum had 18 points and 6 rebounds on 6/9 3-PT.
Lou Williams had 17 points and 5 rebounds on 4/9 shooting off the bench.
Marcus Morris had 16 points and 5 rebounds on 5/13 shooting off the bench.
Impressive win for the Clippers. They played excellent in the 2nd and 3rd quarters of this game, as they dominated on both sides. They started off this game and slow and the 4th was a little dicey, but a win without your two best players is still a win. They had 6 guys in double figures, as it was a very balanced shooting night. Morris and Williams were excellent off the bench, as they need that type of production without PG and Kawhi. The Clippers take on the Magic tomorrow.
Miami Heat
The Heat had their chances to win this game, but they weren’t nearly as consistent as they needed to be. With Tyler Herro back in the lineup, the Heat were shooting red-hot from 3, and they led by 14. And then their offense shut down, and the LA Clippers got right back into the game, as the Heat didn’t hold their lead for long. The 3rd didn’t go much better, as LA hung up 40 and the game seemed over. But the Heat made things interesting late, but their comeback came up just short, as they are now 6-12 on the year.
Tyler Herro had 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8/21 shooting.
Gabe Vincent had 18 points on 6/13 shooting off the bench.
Bam Adebayo had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists on 6/16 shooting.
The Heat played pretty well for about half this game, and they played bad for the other half. They were red-hot shooting the ball early, and that didn’t return until the 4th where they were down double-digits. Herro was good but rusty in his return. Adebayo struggled for most of this game against Serge Ibaka, but still played very well all-around. But not having Bradley, Butler, and Dragic continues to hurt the Heat, as they desperately need to get healthy. Miami has lost their last 5, and they take on the Kings on Saturday next.
Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors just looked a little off in this game, after getting into their groove against Minnesota. Golden States defense was poor early, as they trailed by double digits in the first quarter. Their 2nd unit was solid, but they couldn’t take advantage of the Suns scoring just 16 points in the 2nd. The Suns dominated the 2nd half on both ends, as Golden State was outscored by 16. They managed just 46 points in the 2nd half. Outside of Curry, there wasn’t much help. Wiggins was solid, as was Paschall off the bench. Kelly Oubre was 1/11 as he was back in a Suns uniform for this game. Wiseman was 2/9, as the Warriors couldn’t get the same type of production from their role players. Not a great way to lose, as the Warriors are now 10-9 on the year. They take on the Pistons next.
Phoenix Suns
After losing their last 3 games, mainly due to their inability to hold leads, this was a good win without Devin Booker in action. The Suns looked a lot more focused in that first half, as the ball was in Chris Paul’s hands and he was doing it all. Ayton was very good down low, and Phoenix was in control for most of that first half. And in the 2nd half, the Suns just outworked the Warriors. When Golden State went cold, the Suns took advantage. They outscored the Warriors by 16 in the 2nd half, as it was a blowout for most of the 4th. 7 guys were in double figures, including all 5 Phoenix starters. Paul was very good as a game manager, Ayton was good in the first half, and Bridges returned to form with 20 points. The Suns desperately needed this after some tough losses, as they are now 9-8 on the year. Phoenix hopes to get Booker back for their next game against the Mavs.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 4 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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