Luka Magic Stuns Boston; Can Anybody Stop The Nets? 2.23.21
It’s a Tuesday night of NBA basketball, and we have a busy night with 9 games on the schedule.
Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Atlanta Hawks
This team is so utterly disappointing. The Cavs had lost their last 10 entering this game, and you lost. In the first half the offense was good, but you trailed because the Cavs were shooting 60% from 3. The Hawks defense was getting torched. The game remained closed in the 2nd half, and the Hawks lost John Collins so the offense faltered a bit. The Hawks led by 4 with 2 minutes left, and then they didn’t score after that. The Cavs slowly chipped away, and a wide open Lamar Stevens dunk gave the Cavs the win.
This Hawks team is so bad. Trae Young was awful, and the Hawks gave him help. All 5 starters were in double figures, and even with John Collins leaving early this should have been a win. The Hawks are now 13-18, as they just haven’t been able to use all of their talent.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Well, at least you don’t have the longest losing streak in the NBA anymore. The bad news is this doesn’t change much.
Detroit Pistons vs Orlando Magic
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were in control for most of this game, as their defense was a lot better in this game. Saben Lee had 21 off the bench, and Josh Jackson added 18. 3 starters were in double figures including Dennis Smith Jr. who was solid. Good win for the Pistons as they improve to 9-22 on the year.
Orlando Magic
Yeah, about that offense.
Sacramento Kings vs Brooklyn Nets
Sacramento Kings
Defense, yeah that’d be nice to have.
Brooklyn Nets
Yeah, the Nets are good at the whole offense thing. When Bruce Brown is 11/13 and had 29 points, the other team’s defense must not be good. The Nets led for most of the way, and a late run gave them another win. Harden a triple-double, and Irving and Harris were solid as well. Even without KD, Jeff Green, and TLC, this team scores 127 points. Unbelieve.
Golden State Warriors vs New York Knicks
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors got Curry, Wiseman, and Looney back in this game, and it helped them greatly. In the first half, the Warriors offense was up and down, but their defense was getting torched as they allowed 59 points in that first half. Their defense had to be better in order for them to win. In the 3rd the Warriors started to take control as shots started to fall and they scored 39 points in the 3rd to take the lead entering the 4th. And the 4th was ugly for both sides. The two teams struggled to score, and Golden State couldn’t pull away. But the Warriors got a couple of key stops and they hit free throws to ice the game late. Golden State is now 17-15 on the year.
Steph Curry had 37 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9/22 shooting.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points and 8 rebounds on 8/18 shooting.
Having Wiseman and Looney back really helped the Warriors. Curry was amazing as usual, but just having some sort of inside presence helped Golden State a lot. Wiseman was very good off the bench, as when he’s been playing off the bench he’s been good. Oubre showed up late, and Green and Wiggins filled in. Now that Golden State is healthy, they can start to string together some wins and climb back into the top-tier of the West.
New York Knicks
The Knicks played well, but their offense couldn’t contend with a healthy Warriors team. In the first half, the Knicks offense was surprisingly good as they were torching the Warriors. They would need to keep up that type of offense to win, but that didn’t happen. The Warriors exploded in the 3rd, and now the Knicks found themselves down double-digits. They fought back slowly in an ugly 4th quarter, but the Warriors proved to be too much late. New York falls to 15-17 on the year.
Julius Randle had 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists on 8/21 shooting.
Elfrid Payton had 20 points on 8/19 shooting.
D-Rose had 16 points and 8 assists 6/15 shooting.
The Knicks offense was good for a half, but they just couldn’t contain Curry, something which most teams aren’t very good at. The Knicks defense was solid, but they’re offense has to be more consistent throughout a whole game if they really want to be good.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Toronto Raptors
Philadelphia 76ers
If Joel Embiid has had a kryptonite this season, it’s the Raptors as he was dreadful again. But even with that the 76ers won this game. In the first half, it was all on the 76ers 3-PT shooting. They were finally getting shots to fall and Furkan Korkmaz had 16 points in the first half. The 76ers were in firm control of this game. In the 3rd the 76ers held their lead, but things got dicey in the 4th. The Raptors roared back to cut the lead to 6 midway through the 4th, but the 76ers responded and they went back up double-digits. The 76ers cruised to the win, as they are now 21-11 on the year.
Tobias Harris had 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8/12 shooting.
Furkan Korkmaz had 19 points and 7 rebounds on 5/11 3-PT shooting.
Joel Embiid had 18 points and 12 rebounds on 3/13 shooting.
I don’t why Joel Embiid struggles against Toronto, but in these last two games he has struggled shooting wise. Tobias Harris was very efficient, and Furkan Korkmaz stepped up in the absence of Seth Curry. The bench still needs work, but the 76ers 3-PT shooting came alive. Their defense was solid, but if they can hit some 3’s they are more of a complete team.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors again contained Embiid, but they couldn’t get the win. In the first half the Raptors had no life on offense, as none of their 3’s were falling. They were down double digits and hardly made a dent in the 3rd. In the 4th, they rallied and cut the lead to 6. But they couldn’t their momentum as the 76ers pulled away late. Toronto is now 16-16 on the year.
Norman Powell had 24 points and 6 assists on 9/19 shooting.
Pascal Siakam had 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on 9/18 shooting.
When you hold an MVP candidate to 23% shooting and still lose, it’s a tough game. The Raptors couldn’t stop the 76ers 3-PT shooters, and their 3’s weren’t falling so they fell behind. VanVleet and Anunoby both struggled, as that can’t afford to happen in games where there is no Lowry on the floor. The Raptors still have their problems offensively at times, as they aren’t full rolling yet.
Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks
Boston Celtics
The Celtics had this game in their hands, but fell behind. A late rally put them right back into the game, but Luka Doncic is kind of good at the whole basketball thing. In the first half Tatum and Brown combined for 29 points in the first half, as the Celtics offense was rolling. Their defense was the polar opposite, as they couldn’t stop the Mavs. In the 3rd the Mavs went scoreless for a while, but the Celtics never pulled away and the game remained close. And in the 4th, things started to go south for Boston. Their offense hit a roadblock, and Dallas led by 12 with under 4 minutes to go. But 3’s from Tatum and Walker got them back in it, and a Jalen Brown score with 38 seconds left game them the lead. Then the Celtics faced the wrath of Luka Doncic. The Celtics switched Theis onto him for some reason, and he drilled the 3. Brown responded to tie the game, but then the Celtics watched as Doncic buried a 3 with 0.1 seconds left to give the Celtics another heart-breaking loss. Boston is now 15-16 on the year.
Jalen Brown had 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on 12/20 shooting.
Jayson Tatum had 28 points and 6 rebounds on 10/23 shooting.
Kemba Walker had 21 points on 8/19 shooting.
pain.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs played solid throughout this game, but sometimes your great players do incredible things, and Luka Doncic did just that to give Dallas a miraculous win. In the first half, Dallas kept up with the Celtics in a battle of no defense. Josh Richardson complimented Luka well, and Dallas remained right in the game. The Mavs dodged a big bullet in the 3rd. They went scoreless for about 4 minutes, but their defense kept them in the game, setting up a wild 4th quarter. The Mavs defense shut down Boston, and Jalen Brunson got going to put Dallas up 12. But then is was Dallas’s turn to shut down, as they allowed Boston to take the lead with under a minute to go. Enter Luka Doncic. Doncic hit back-to-back tough step-back 3’s, including the game winner with just 0.1 seconds left that gave Dallas the win as they improve to 15-15 on the year.
Luka had 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists on 11/23 shooting.
Jalen Brunson had 22 points on 6/11 shooting, 5/7 3-PT off the bench.
Josh Richardson had 16 points on 7/12 shooting.
Maybe magic does exist. Luka was absolutely amazing late, as he saved Dallas. But Dallas played solid throughout this game. Their defense in the 4th was good for a while and was the main reason they pulled ahead. Richardson and Brunson were great in helping Doncic offensively, especially Brunson in the 4th. The Mavs have been finding their way, and in the last few games without Kristaps Porzingis. If the Mavs keep scoring like this, they are very tough to stop.
Minnesota T-Wolves vs Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota T-Wolves
Well, no place to go from here except up. Or sideways. That’s also a possibility.
Milwaukee Bucks
Yay! You beat the… T-Wolves with a new coach.
Washington Wizards vs LA Clippers
Washington Wizards
Well the Wizards tried, but they met their match. They were probably a little fatigued from yesterday’s OT win, and they started off slow. LA jumped on them early, and even with the Wizards valiantly fighting back in the 3rd and 4th, they just didn’t have enough juice. Not a bad loss, as the Wizards still have been playing better overall. Beal and Westbrook were good, as was Wegner. But defense still remains a question mark for this team, and is perhaps the biggest thing holding them back.
LA Clippers
Well as least you didn’t have to pull PG in this game, as it wasn’t close. The LA wing duo dominated throughout, pacing LA. The lead went back to single digits in the 2nd half, but LA said enough mess around lets just win. Kawhi and PG combined for 62 points, both being very efficient. And the bench returned to it’s normal form. Morris, Zubac, Jackson, and Mann were all in double figures. They were able to score even without Lou Williams playing. Good bounce back game for LA as they improve to 23-10 on the year.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Denver Nuggets
Portland Trail Blazers
Portland fought hard in this game, but they left a lot to be desired. But it’s amazing this game was close considering how poorly they were playing. Denver jumped out to an early lead and Portland looked dead in the water. Then Carmelo Anthony turned back the clock for 16 points in the 2nd quarter, keeping Portland in the game despite Lillard struggling. Dame got going in the 3rd, but both defenses were good, setting up a very interesting 4th. Unfortunately for Portland, their defense was just too poor. Jamal Murray got going and had 19 points in the 4th. Portland’s offense wasn’t bad, but they fell behind and it was just too little too late.
Dame had 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 13 assists on 9/21 shooting.
Carmelo Anthony had 24 points on 9/17 shooting off the bench.
Gary Trent Jr. had 18 points on 7/16 shooting.
The fact this game was close is amazing. Dame was very poor throughout this game and only got going in the 2nd half. He played ok at best. But Portland’s offense was fine. Trent hit some shots, Melo kept Portland alive and Derrick Jones Jr. played his best game of the year. But the defense wasn’t good. They did a good job making Jokic the main scorer, but as soon as Murray got going it was game over. Portland’s defense has to be better, and Dame has to be better if Portland wants to stay afloat. Portland has some tough games to end their break, as they sit at 18-13. These next few games become very important.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets desperately needed this game, and it took a Jamal Murray explosion late for them to win. In the first half, it was all Jokic. He was dominating his matchup with Kanter, but he wasn’t getting much help. He had 23 points but yet the game was still tied. In the 3rd, the offense for both teams slowed down and yet it was still all Jokic. The Nuggets desperately needed Murray to get going in the 4th. After hibernating all game, Murray woke up. He hit some tough shots, and finished with 19 points in the 4th and he gave Denver that extra punch to win this game. Denver is now 17-14 on the year.
Nikola Jokic had 41 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on 17/32 shooting.
Jamal Murray had 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists on 7/18 shooting.
Denver won, but their supporting cast has to be better. When Jokic has to score a lot, Denver usually doesn’t win. He’s better as a passer, and you saw what was happening in the first 3 quarters. Jokic was great, but Denver made any ground. It wasn’t until Murray got going that they pulled away. Denver is banged up, but guys like Porter, Barton, and Morris struggled in this game. Until Denver gets healthier, those guys have to get better. But Jamal Murray saved this game, as if he had continued to struggle I doubt Denver wins this game. Denver takes on the Wizards next on Thursday.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 9 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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