Late Mistake Costs Warriors; Bulls Lose Another Heart-Breaker! 2.8.21
It’s a Monday night of NBA hoops and we have 8 games on the schedule today.
Houston Rockets vs Charlotte Hornets
Houston Rockets
The Rockets played pretty well throughout this game, until the 4th quarter, which was ugly to say the least. The Rockets were without Wall and Wood, and they got some great shooting from Ben McLemore in the first half, as he couldn’t miss from 3. The Rockets defense wasn’t great, but they trailed by just 4 at the half. The 3rd quarter was the mainly the Rockets fighting to stay in the game, doing so nicely as they kept Charlotte within striking distance. Than came the 4th quarter. Houston scored just 7 points in the 4th. They didn’t score until the 8:31 mark in the 4th, and after that score, they didn’t score again until the 4:16 mark. The Hornets blew the game wide open, as the Rockets fall to 11-12 on the year.
Victor Oladipo had 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 7/18 shooting.
Ben McLemore had 15 points on 5/8, 4/7 3-PT off the bench.
Jae’Sean Tate had 13 points on 5/7 shooting.
The Rockets defense wasn’t great, and even without Victor Oladipo being great, this game was close. And then Houston’s offense just kind of went cold in a flash in that 4th quarter. They were playing well, but that 4th quarter was ugly. Not having Gordon, Wall, or Wood definitely hurts, but this was a winnable game until they shot themselves in the foot. Houston takes on New Orleans tomorrow.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets had themselves a good game without Devonte Graham, and after a big 4th quarter run they were able to run away with things. In the first half the Hornets offense was very good. Hayward and Ball were leading the way, as they were torching Houston for 64 points in that first half. But the Rockets shooting kept them in the game. The Hornets had opportunities to open up the lead in the 3rd, but it still was close. That wasn’t the case in the 4th quarter. The Hornets defense in combination with the Rockets poor offense allowed a big run for the Hornets, as they outscored the Rockets by 22 in the 4th. Charlotte improves to 12-13 on the year.
Lamelo Ball had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists on 7/12 3-PT.
Gordon Hayward had 19 points and 5 rebounds on 4/11 shooting.
Miles Bridges had 19 points and 10 rebounds on 8/12 shooting off the bench.
The Hornets offense looked good once again with Lamelo starting. Ball was knocking down his outside shots, as he has been lighting it up lately. Hayward was solid as usual, and Bridges continues to score, clearly benefiting from Lamelo Ball. The Hornets bench has been good, and they scored 119 points without 14 points from Devonte Graham. The Hornets have been heating up lately, and they take on the Grizzlies next.
Washington Wizards vs Chicago Bulls
Washington Wizards
This was a good game for the Wizards, as even without Westbrook the Wizards were able to win. The Wizards offense was very good, especially in that 2nd quarter where they outscored the Bulls by 13. Balanced scoring for the Wizards allowed them to score 58 points in the first half, as they were very good. But the offense slowed down a bit in the 3rd, but the game was close in the 4th. The Bulls kept chipping away at the lead, with the Wizards up one with 29.2 seconds left. Beal was fouled, but he only hit 1/2 free throws. Needing a stop, the Wizards didn’t play the best defense, but Zach Lavine missed the layup, and Washington survived, improving to 6-15 on the year.
Bradley Beal had 35 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists on 10/24 shooting.
Rui Hachimura had 19 points and 10 rebounds on 7/13 shooting.
The Wizards played solid on both ends in this game. Their offense was solid throughout this game, led by Beal as well as guys like Hachimura. The Wizards bench didn’t score a lot, but they were good in their minutes. The Wizards defense was surprisingly good, especially in that 2nd quarter, where they held the Bulls to 21 points and built their lead. Good road win for Washington, as they take on the Raptors next.
Chicago Bulls
Another close tough loss for the Bulls, as they just have lost so many games like this. The Bulls offense started off well, but a bad 2nd quarter made them fall behind by 10 at the half. The Bulls couldn’t buy anything outside the 3-point line, as other than Lavine and Thaddeous Young, nobody could get going. But the Bulls outside shots started to fall, and they kept fighting back in the 4th. Down two with the ball late, they went to Lavine. He got right to the rim, but missed a pretty easy layup, ending the Bulls comeback chances. Chicago falls to 9-14 on the year.
Zach Lavine had 35 points and 6 assists on 12/26 shooting.
Zach Lavine was really the only guy to get things going offensively. Thaddeous Young was their next best thing, as White and Valentine struggled mightily shooting the ball. The Bulls have been getting better on defense and limiting turnovers, but games like these hurt, no matter how short-handed you are. Chicago takes on New Orleans next.
Toronto Raptors vs Memphis Grizzlies
Toronto Raptors
Kyle Lowry played just 8 minutes and Nick Nurse was ejected. And the Raptors won by 15. Lowry left the game after just 8 minutes of action, and the Raptors defense was terrible in the first half. They allowed 70 points on 48% shooting from the field in the first half, as they couldn’t stop a parked car. However their 3-PT shooting kept them in the game, as they shot 54% from the 3-PT line. Nick Nurse was ejected in the 3rd, and then the Raptors dominated the 4th. They made some stops, and they outscored the Grizzlies by 18 in the 4th and cruised to a win. Toronto is now 11-13 on the year.
Pascal Siakam had 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists on 11/18 shooting.
Fred VanVleet had 32 points and 9 assists on 8/14 shooting.
Norman Powell had 29 points on 10/17 shooting.
Without a true point guard for most of this game and without their head coach, the Raptors dominated that 4th. Their defense allowed just 43 points in that 2nd half, as they were doing a much better job on that end. Siakam and VanVleet stepped up big-time with 64 combined points, and Powell added 29 points to fill the scoring void left by Lowry. Toronto takes on Washington on Wednesday.
Memphis Grizzlies
Another disappointing loss for Memphis, as they have been struggling lately. Their offense was very good in that first half, as they shot 47% from 3, and scored 70 points behind 4 guys in double figures. They looked unstoppable, and with Lowry and Nick Nurse not available, it seemed like a prime chance to put the Raptors away. But that wasn’t the case. They scored just 16 points in the 4th, as they again just shut down when if mattered most. Memphis falls to 9-10 on the year.
Jonas Valanciunas had 27 points and 20 rebounds on 8/12 shooting.
Dillon Brooks had 22 points and 5 rebounds on 8/20 shooting.
Ja Morant had 18 points and 9 assists on 5/17 shooting.
Maybe we all were a bit quick to call Memphis a sure-fire playoff team.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Dallas Mavericks
Minnesota Timberwolves
This game wasn’t close for a while, but a late Minnesota rally made things interesting, but it wasn’t enough in the end. The T-Wolves were down big in the first half. The T-Wolves offense wasn’t shooting well, but they scored 51 points. The problem was they were getting destroyed by Dallas. Dallas scored 71 points on 59% shooting, as guys like Hardaway and Porzingis were red-hot. Things weren’t looking good entering the 4th, but then Malik Beasley got going. Beasley started to make everything, and the T-Wolves cut the lead to just 3 at one point. But Josh Richardson hit a floater, and the T-Wolves comeback attempts came up short.
Malik Beasley had 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists on 10/21 shooting (22 in 4th).
Anthony Edwards had 22 points on 8/19 shooting.
Jaylen Nowell had 18 points on 6/9 shooting off the bench.
The T-Wolves can’t afford to play this poorly on defense if they want to win. They allowed 83 points in the first half against OKC, tried to comeback and lost. They gave up 71 points to Dallas, tried to comeback and lost. Their defense will have to be better if they want to win. Minnesota falls to 6-18 on the year.
Dallas Mavericks
I’ll keep this short. KP and Hardaway Jr. combined for 35 points in the first half, as Dallas scored 71 points in that first half. Their offense looked like it did last year, as they were dominating this game. They slowed down a lot in the 4th, but gave themselves just enough to win. Luka wasn’t amazing, and he didn’t have to be. Hardaway Jr. had 24 points off the bench. Richardson had 18, as he has been playing much better. Porzingis had 27 points. This is how the Mavs offense will have to play if they want to win. Dallas takes on the Hawks next.
Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs
Golden State Warriors
Yeah, about late game execution. The Warriors had a prime chance to tie this game, but a Draymond Green blunder gave them a loss. The Warriors started this game off very well. Curry and Kelly Oubre, yes him, were excellent in the first half. The two of them combined for 33 points in the first half, as Golden State was excellent shooting the ball. But they slowed down considerably in the 3rd, and they led by just 2 entering the 4th. In the 4th, the Warriors started slow and fell behind by 10. But Steph Curry refused to go down, as he kept Golden State within striking distance. With 38 seconds left, he had cut the lead to one. But then Dejounte Murray hit a tough 3, only to have Curry respond with a 3, putting the Warriors down one with 9.2 seconds left. DeRozan hit both free throws, and the Warriors had a chance to tie the game with the greatest shooter of all time. Instead Draymond Green just chucked it at the rim. Nom he literally did that. He caught the ball and instead of looking for Curry, he just shot it, trying to draw a foul. And he did that even though he had just missed 2/2 free throws. This one might be on par with the JR Smith blunder, as Golden State falls to 12-12 on the year.
Steph Curry had 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 10/17 shooting.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 24 points on 9/16 shooting.
Draymond Green is the smartest man alive. Try saying that with a straight face.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs played pretty well down the stretch of this game, and a Draymond Green miscue sealed their win. In the first half, the Spurs again struggled to shoot, but because of 5 steals and 16 points from Dejounte Murray, the Spurs remained close. Their defense would have to be better in the 2nd half if they wanted to win, and that’s what happened. The Spurs allowed just 21 points in the 3rd, and it set them up well in the 4th. An early spurt put them up 10, and they kept trying to stop Steph Curry, a very hard task. A Dejounte Murray 3 with 12.6 seconds left should have sealed the game, but it didn’t. After some DeMar DeRozan hit 2/2 free throws, the Spurs needed a stop. And they kind of got one, as Draymond Green, we already went over this. The Spurs hung on to win, as they improve to 14-10 on the year.
Dejounte Murray had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 steals on 10/19 shooting.
DeMar DeRozan had 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists on 6/15 shooting.
Thank god for the idiocy of Draymond Green.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Phoenix Suns
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs remained surprisingly close in this game for most of the game, but their offense again couldn’t produce enough for them to win. The Suns were deathly afraid of the Allen/Drummond combo in the starting lineup, it gave Collin Sexton a lot of room to operate, as he had 16 points in the first half. The Cavs scored 61 points in that first half on 58% shooting. The only reason they were down was because of Devin Booker. In the 3rd, the Cavs regained the lead as their offense was seemingly unstoppable. And then they went back to normal in the 4th. They didn’t score in the final 2:26 of the 4th, as the Cavs fall to 10-15 on the year.
Collin Sexton had 23 points and 5 assists on 10/15 shooting.
Darius Garland had 17 points and 7 assists on 6/18 shooting.
Even when their offense plays better than usual, they failed to score when it mattered the most. Sexton and Garland were solid, although Garland struggled to shoot the ball. Drummond and Allen were great defensively and rebounding the ball, but this one hurts because this game was there for the taking. Cleveland takes on Denver on Wednesday.
Phoenix Suns
Even without guys like Chris Paul and Jae Crowder, the Suns battled tough in this game, and they were able to win. Devin Booker scored 17 points in the first quarter, as he and the Suns offense was very good in that first half. The Suns shot 60% from the field in the first half, yet they led by 3. The Suns struggled a bit in the 3rd, and they would need a comeback in the 4th. Things were back and forth in the 4th quarter, with Phoenix trailing by two with 2:26 left. But after that, the Suns scored 8 unanswered points to seal the game, as they survived to improve to 14-9 on the year.
Devin Booker had 36 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists on 14/27 shooting.
Mikal Bridges had 22 points and 5 assists on 8/10 shooting.
E’Twuan Moore had 17 points on 7/10 shooting.
Devin Booker went back to his old ways with the Suns, as he once again had to carry the load without CP-3. Guys like Mikal Bridges and E’Twuan Moore were big, as was Deandre Ayton who had his hands full down low. Good win for the Suns even though they were short-handed, as they take on the Bucks next.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Denver Nuggets
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks offense really couldn’t be stopped in this game. In the first half, both teams were very good offensively. The Bucks shot 46% from the field and scored 59 points behind 14 points from Middleton. And in the 2nd half, the Bucks still couldn’t be stopped. They scored 34 points in the 3rd and led by 5 entering the 4th. They held their lead and scored 32 more points in the 4th, as they cruised to a big win. Milwaukee improves to 16-8 on the year.
Giannis had 30 points and 9 rebounds on 11/23 shooting.
Khris Middleton had 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists on 9/16 shooting.
The Bucks have looked good, even without Jrue Holiday in this game the Bucks managed to score at will against a weak Denver defense. Giannis and Middleton were great, but I still don’t trust Coach Bud. He’s a system coach that never deviates away from that system, because it works during the regular season. I still think this Bucks team is destined for failure, but hey, good win.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets won’t be winning anything with this defense. I’m not going to keep this up for long. The Bucks were torching them. Denver was able to stay with them in the first half with excellent 3-point shooting, but they were dominated in the 2nd half like they were against the Lakers. Nikola Jokic is doing everything he can, but it’s not enough. Murray wasn’t 100% with a knee injury, as he only had 11 points on 4/17 shooting. It all comes down to defense for Denver. No defense in the brutal Western Conference won’t get them very far.
OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers
OKC Thunder
Hats off to OKC, they fought. Another team that doesn’t seem to care that they’re facing the defending champs and just plays their hearts out. The Thunder scored 60 points against the best defense in the first half, as they were torching LA. Entering the 4th, the Thunder led by 8. But LA woke up, and it seemed like OKC would lose. But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was fouled with 1.2 seconds left. It was a 3-pointer, and he had a chance to tie the game. And he knocked down all 3 free throws, forcing OT. And while OKC lost convincingly in OT, they put up a good fight. OKC falls to 10-13 on the year, and they take on the Lakers again on Wednesday.
LA Lakers
Again? Really? Another game that goes to OT because you’re not trying? Really? The Lakers always seem to do this, and it is just needless that they have to work this hard. I get that AD wasn’t playing and that they are still likely going to win a title. But they should be blowing teams like this out of the water. No matter, LA’s defense once again was good when they needed it to be, and they shut down OKC in OT. Not overly impressed with LA lately, as they seem to only play well against good teams. LA is now 19-6 on the year.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 8 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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