An East Full Of Disappointments; Luka Dominates LA! 3.17.21
It’s a Wednesday night of NBA hoops and we have a very busy day with 10 games on the schedule.
Toronto Raptors vs Detroit Pistons
There’s No Real Excuse From This
Because of Covid, the Raptors recent losses to start the 2nd half of the season don’t really bother me. This one does. Siakam and VanVleet were back, and that paired with a red-hot Norman Powell and Kyle Lowry should be enough to be the Pistons. Right? Apparently wrong. The Raptors defense was just awful. Detroit scored 63 points in the first half on 55% shooting. They were torching the Raptors. The defense didn’t get much better in the 2nd half as Toronto just beat themselves.
Powell was incredible, shooting 14/18 from the field and 8/12 from 3, finishing with a career-high 43 points. But Siakam was awful (3/11), as was VanVleet (2/13). This team was playing really well but this Covid has hurt them a lot in the standings. They desperately need OG Anunoby back for defense and maybe a center although I doubt they can get anybody. The playoffs, which were once a lock for Toronto, isn’t so sure-fire anymore.
Promising
Like the T-Wolves, this team has a lot of young players I like. Games like these are flashes of potential. Jerami Grant was solid with 23 but Saddiq Bey was great. 8/14 from the field and 6/10 from 3, finishing with 28 points and 12 rebounds. He is turning into one of the better young wings in the league. Delon Wright and Josh Jackson were solid. Isaiah Stewart has been surprisingly good this season as the Pistons have some pieces. Now lets just see how they mess this up.
Brooklyn Nets vs Indiana Pacers
Who Needs Two All-Stars Anyway?
The Nets have struggled this season when it’s just Harden. However now they’ve beaten the Suns and now Indiana in that situation. They struggled early but came through for a very impressive win as they continue to dominate. In the first the defense was awful. Domantas Sabonis was dominating them and they trailed by double-digits. But in the 2nd the defense was much better and Brooklyn got right back into it. Entering the 4th the Nets were right in this game. They executed things to perfection in the 4th. James Harden got going, as his scoring and passing fueled the Nets to a 9 point lead. A James Harden floater with 35.9 seconds left sealed the deal as the Nets got a very impressive road win.
Harden had 40-10-15 as he continues to dominate. No matter if you like him or you don’t, he’s been special with the Nets. Joe Harris was 7/11 with 19 points. Green and Claxton each had 15 off the bench. Claxton and Green are both x-factors, and recently those two have been great. The Nets did a great job shutting down Indiana Pacers not named Sabonis or Brogdon, as they really only let those two score consistently. A great win for the Nets.
This Brooklyn team is very good. They can score 124 points with just James Harden. KD is coming back in the next couple of weeks and Kyrie has been amazing recently. If the Nets role players like Harris, Green, Shamet, and Claxton can offer some scoring, who can really stop Brooklyn?
Disappointing
This team is very disappointing, as it seems they’ve reached their ceiling already. Even with Caris Levert coming back they have struggled. They were great to start this game. 40 points in the first quarter behind 14 from Sabonis. Then they just went away from Sabonis the rest of the game. Sabonis was 6/8 in the first quarter. He shot the ball 3 times the rest of the game, which is just unacceptable. He had another triple-double, but give your All-Star the ball. The bench was ok but couldn’t keep up with Brooklyn. I don’t know if Indiana can go that far with this core. Sure TJ Warren is out, but does TJ Warren make Indiana that much better? Not likely. I just don’t know how Indiana can realistically get better other than hoping some inconsistent guys get better.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Philadelphia 76ers
The Ugliest Win Ever
This game was so weird, however the Bucks were incredibly resilient to comeback and beat a very good 76ers team. This was a very good win for the Bucks, one that makes me believe that there is hope. Then I see Mike Budenholzer on the sidelines and all that goes away. However the Bucks played a great 2nd half. The first half was awful. The Bucks couldn’t make anything. Giannis and Middleton were shut down and the Bucks were 1/17 (6%) from 3. They were getting dominated. Down by as many as 19, the Bucks started to make some ground in the 3rd.
Thanks to some great bench play, the Bucks took the lead in the 4th. The game was tied at 80 with 5:42 left. After that, nobody scored until the 2:23 mark. Then the Bucks went on a 11-4 run and the game was in their hands with under a minute to go. But the 76ers hit 3 straight 3’s, including a Furkan Korkmaz 3 with 1.1 seconds left that tied the game. Donte DiVincenzo stupidly went for the steal, and Korkmaz hit a wide-open 3. That forced OT, after the Bucks basically had the win in hand. But in OT the Bucks dominated. Giannis specifically. Giannis had 10 in OT, including a 3 and a step-back mid-range jumper. The Bucks played so well in that 2nd half, and they got a big-time comeback win.
Giannis had 32 (28 in 2nd half), 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. He was a beast in that 2nd half. Donte DiVincenzo was great with 20 points, although he stupid mistake let there be an OT in the first place. Jrue Holiday got back to what he does best, defense. He was great on Ben Simmons and in the passing lanes as the Bucks need him to play like this.
Bryn Forbes was 0/10 off the bench. Lucky for the Bucks they’re getting PJ Tucker and gave up nothing. DJ Wilson never did anything, DJ Augustin was a bust signing. Giving up Torrey Craig does hurt them on wing defense, but PJ Tucker is a great defender and shooter, a good add for the Bucks. Milwaukee has to shoot better and their bench has to be better if they really want to be good. But this was a very good comeback win in a very, very ugly game.
This One Hurts
No Embiid is obviously an excuse, however the 76ers should have won this game. In the first half they shut down Giannis and they opened up a big lead. It was all on the 76ers defense. When the Bucks started to comeback, the 76ers just curled up. They went away from Tobias Harris and just kind of let the Bucks comeback. The game was tied for a while, but Philly found themselves down 7 with under a minute left. Then they hit 3 straight 3’s, including a Korkmaz corner with 1.1 seconds left to force OT. But in OT Giannis dominated and the 76ers lost a tough one.
Harris was ok but struggled shooting. Danny Green missed some open shots, Curry left the game in the 4th with an ankle injury. Ben Simmons was shut down, as his inability to hit outside shots (except in garbage time) really helped the Bucks. The bench was solid, but again, no Embiid so this is a semi-pass. But this should have still been a win.
Sacramento Kings vs Washington Wizards
Didn’t Choke For Once
The Kings are very bad at closing games, but they finally got a win. The Kings offense was good as usual in the first half. With Bagley out, Tyrese Haliburton came into the starting lineup and the offense didn’t miss a beat with 4 guys in double figures and 66 points. In the 3rd the Kings built a lead but the 4th looked like a similar story to how many Kings games had been lost this season. The Wizards kept fighting and fighting until the game was tied with 22.6 seconds left. Lucky for the Kings, they have De’Aaron Fox. Fox hit a tough left wing mid-range jumpshot with 0.7 seconds left to give the Kings a much needed win.
Fox had 28 points, 7 assists, and 5 steals as he was good as usual. Barnes and Holmes were each great with 18 points. Tyrese Haliburton got back on track with 17 points as a starter. The Kings were solid in this game and they desperately needed to close out this game.
The Kings have the talent to win more games than they have this season. No Bagley could be a good thing as Tyrese Haliburton is much more dynamic on offense with his passing and shooting. We all know the Kings have talent, it’s just a matter on if they’ll use it or not.
Disappointments
I don’t think this team is making the playoffs. Perhaps rebuilding would have been a better choice.
Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers
What Is Wrong With Boston?
This team just can’t get stops when they need to. Yesterday against Utah and now today against a very poor Cavs team. They couldn’t stop the Cavs backcourt as this team has gone back to being poor again after looking like they had figured things out. Tatum was ok with 29, Brown was ok with 28, and Smart was good in the starting spot. The bench was ok but the Celtics should easily win these games. Against inferior opponents. But they just haven’t figured things out. They were 10/38 from 3. Their free agent signings of Teague and Thompson haven’t done much. Aaron Nesmith hasn’t done anything either for being a lottery pick.
The Celtics have major flaws and I doubt they’ll be contending this season. They miss that glue guy like Gordon Hayward. They could have traded Hayward for Myles Turner, but didn’t do that. They didn’t have a very good draft, especially when Saddiq Bey was on the board at 14. It wouldn’t surprise me if Boston doesn’t do much in this year’s postseason.
Good Win
The Cavs played well and they deserved this win. Sexton had 29 as he got out of his shooting slump. Garland added 25. Larry Nance had 18 and rookie Isaac Okoro added 15 points. The Cavs have nice pieces like Okoro, Sexton, Garland, and Allen. They have a good future, so it’ll be interesting to see what they do in the future.
San Antonio Spurs vs Chicago Bulls
Well That Was Unexpected
The Spurs were getting dominated in this game and it wasn’t really close. But then all of a sudden in the 4th, they exploded and came back to win. The Spurs scored just 40 points in the first half as they continued to struggle without DeRozan. They trailed by double-digits entering the 4th and all seemed lost. But a 12-0 run to start the 4th got them back into the game. At the 7:03 mark, the Spurs trailed by 8. They went on a 17-0 run until the 2:24 mark and took a commanding lead. So the Spurs got a 12-0 run and a 17-0 run in the 4th. The Spurs outscored the Bulls by 20 in the 4th to somehow win this game.
All 5 starters and 6 Spurs overall were in double figures. Poeltl had a 20-16 double-double. Johnson, Mills, Walker, White, and Murray were all solid at the guard spot. The Spurs didn’t play great, but they were great in the 4th to get this win as they improve to 21-16 on the year.
Pain
Yeah…….. The Bulls had this game in hand. But that 4th was awful. They were up by 23 at one point in this game, their new starting lineup has been amazing and it was no different through 3 quarters of this game. But the offense just shut down in the 4th. The Spurs went on two separate runs, combining for 29 straight points over those two runs. The Bulls just shut down as they seemed to regress in a matter of minutes. Even with the lineup change the Bulls seem to be the same, misery filled team.
Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors won this one in a very weird fashion. Yes it’s the Rockets but this was still weird. The Warriors were 10/12 from the line and they won by 14. Nothing crazy. But Houston was 21/40 from the line. The Warriors had 26 fouls and the Rockets missed 19 free throws. If they had made like 10-11 more, the game would have been close. Find that funny.
What’s not good is Steph Curry. Curry landed awkwardly on the Rockets sideline in the 3rd and hurt his tailbone. It is a tailbone contusion and I don’t find it hard to believe that he’ll miss time. The Warriors better hope he’s fine and fast, because he’s the only reason this team is ok.
17
Even with Christian Wood back, this team is terrible. 17 losses in a row now. Inching closer to that record of 28 held by the 76ers.
Miami Heat vs Memphis Grizzlies
You Blew It
This was another ugly offensive game for both sides, but Miami had momentum and got themselves back into this game late in the 4th. But poor defense and a terrible pass cost them in this game. In the first half things were close as both teams struggled to score. But in the 3rd the Grizzlies went on a 17-0 run to end the 3rd and that gave them a 9-point lead entering the 4th. The Heat slowly tried to comeback and they got 7 straight points to tie the game. Down 2 Dragic hit 2/2 free throws with under 10 seconds to tie the game. Then came the terrible defense. Bam Adebayo was out of the perimeter as Ja raced the ball down the floor, getting a pretty easy layup with 1.6 seconds left. Out of the timeout, Bam Adebayo threw the ball away and Miami lost.
Butler had 24 and 7 rebounds as he was solid. Adebayo had 15-12-6 as he was also very good, except for the end of the game. Herro hit a couple of big shots but the Heat offense has to be better. Duncan Robinson has been considerably worse than he was last year and losing Jae Crowder has hurt this team. Maybe getting Trevor Ariza can help them, but getting a 35-year old wing won’t help much in my estimation. The Heat offense has to be better if they want to compete in the loaded East.
Thank You Ja Morant
While I think Ja Morant is incredibly overrated, he came up big late in this game. This game was a slow, tough, a game that Memphis likes. The game was very close but that 17-0 run to end the 3rd was big as Memphis got some ground. Miami fought back, but a Ja Morant full-court drive for the score gave them the win. The Grizzlies win most low-scoring games, as their offense isn’t good enough to keep up with the high-flyers. But to make the playoffs the Grizzlies are going to need everything they can get, no matter how ugly.
4 guys were in double figures and nobody scored over 13 points. Again, not the prettiest of wins.
Charlotte Hornets vs Denver Nuggets
Ever Heard Of Defense?
When this team doesn’t have their offense going, they are going to be getting rolled. Example A. The Hornets defense was awful and they couldn’t keep up with themselves. Denver wasn’t anything special from 3, it’s just that they got whatever they wanted and Charlotte couldn’t do anything about it. The Hornets offense will have to be better, because their defense is awful.
Nuggets Offense Rolling
After a strong start, Denver has found its footing. Their offense was unstoppable in this game. Barton has been very good lately, adding 23 points for Denver. MPJ was 11/17 with 28 points and 13 rebounds. He has been finding his offense after being terrible to start the year. Jokic had a triple double shooting just 7 shots and Murray added 19. These 4 did the most damage for Denver, as they have won 7 of their last 8 games.
LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks
Mercy Rule
The Clippers couldn’t stop Luka. It’s really as simple as that. Shots weren’t falling but the game was close. But Luka kept things just out of reach as he continues to dominate this team. After a good start the Clippers had an awful 2nd quarter. They couldn’t make shots and Dallas got out and running to take the lead at the half. Entering the 4th LA would need to pick things up. Scoring 18 points doesn’t help. Some Luka Magic ended this disappointing offensive display, as LA continues to struggle on the road.
PG was good offensively with 28-7-5, but he was dominated by Luka. Kawhi had 20-7-7 but he was inefficient. The bench did nothing and LA was 9/32 from 3. Yikes. The Clippers have lost 5 out of their last 6 road games as they have struggled lately. I don’t know what’s going on with LA on the road, but it sure isn’t good. The offense has a lot of firepower but they haven’t used it that much recently. LA is facing similar problems that it did last year, not being able to win games they should be winning. It is a little bit concerning for the postseason.
All Hail Luka Magic
Luka Doncic is good, but especially against the Clippers. When his jumpshots are falling, it’s game over. The jumpshots were falling, so it was game over. After a slow start, Luka and Dallas got going. Their defense was much better thanks to guys like Josh Richardson and they got the lead. The 3rd quarter was slow for both sides but Dallas maintained the lead. The 4th was more of Luka Magic. Luka had some very difficult shots and he topped it all off by dropping Paul George and scoring in the lane. It was the finishing touches on a masterpiece as Dallas continues to win.
Luka had 42-6-9 with 3 steals and 2 blocks on 16/28 shooting. Luka was hitting his 3’s and his mid-range jumpers. He wasn’t even getting to the free throw line that much (4/5). Hardaway had 15 and 6 rebounds as a starter in place of Finney-Smith. Porzingis had a double-double and Richardson was very impactful. But this win was all Luka. The Mavs have won 12 of their last 16 games all thanks to Luka who is so incredible. Most people don’t know just how good Luka is, but if he’s shooting well you really can’t stop him. Dallas has turned their season around all thanks to their franchise player, as Dallas now looks to make a final playoff push in the West.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 10 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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