Milwaukee Has Another Meltdown; Clippers Control Suns! 4.8.21
It’s a Thursday night of NBA action and we have 7 games on the schedule tonight.
LA Lakers vs Miami Heat
A For Effort
LA’s offense is so bad without their two superstars. They just can’t score even though they have some talent. No Kuzma did hinder that a bit but without an offense, it’s going to be tough for LA.
Why Was This Close
Perhaps it’s more damning for the Heat that this game was even close, but I suppose a win is a win. The Heat got going early thanks to 16 points at the free throw line, in the first quarter. Miami would end up going 32/40 from the line on the day. The Heat could never get rid of the Lakers but they never really fell behind or anything. Butler was great with 28 points and 7 rebounds to lead the way. Oladipo was very good before leaving in the 4th with an apparent knee injury. Was a shame because he looked really good out there.
Herro was very good off the bench and the shooting was pretty good (40% from 3). If the Heat can shoot better they can definitely become reminiscent of the Finals team from last year.
Chicago Bulls vs Toronto Raptors
Finding A Rhythm
The Bulls have been playing better lately as their All-Star duo of Lavine and Vucevic have been working things out. Lavine had a solid 22 points to go along with 13 assists as he was a very good passer in this game. Vucevic also added 22 himself but the bench stole the show in this game. 18 for Lauri Markkanen on 8/10 shooting, Coby White had 15 points, and Daniel Theis 14 points and 10 rebounds. Markkanen and White have been figuring things out off the bench and Theis is such a good backup big to Vucevic. If the Bulls keep getting balanced scoring like this, their chances to make the play-in go up significantly.
Top-Heavy
Chris Boucher had a career-high 38 points and 19 rebounds on 14/24 shooting. He was a problem. Siakam added 27 points and 8 rebounds. That was essentially it. OG Anunoby, Malachi Flynn, and Gary Trent all struggled shooting and the Raptors as a team didn’t shoot well (32% from 3). The Raptors have been abysmal since the All-Star break. Even if they get VanVleet and Lowry back soon, I don’t know if the playoffs are a reality this season for the Raptors.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs OKC Thunder
Offense, Finally
The Cavs offense finally got going. 48 combined points in the Sexton-Garland backcourt. 18 for Kevin Love and 15 for Okoro. 22 for Taurean Prince off the bench. The Cavs had no problem scoring against the depleted OKC Thunder and they get a rare but impressive win.
OKC Thunder
This team needs SGA, if that wasn’t obvious enough already.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Dallas Mavericks
Another Meltdown
Again, this team plays well without Giannis for a majority of the game and then they just completely shut down. At the 8:02 mark of the 4th the Bucks led 93-89. After that it was all Dallas. The Bucks would score just 8 points for the rest of the game and the Mavs reigned in 3’s. The Mavs ended the game on a 27-8 run as that is another 4th quarter blown on this road trip by Dallas. It gets a little pass because you don’t have your best player, but the Bucks are still a competent team without Giannis.
Defensive Improvements
This was a tough game for the Mavs as they couldn’t shake the Bucks. It looked like it would be a close game but then Dallas turned things up. The Mavs defense has been really good this season and they allowing just 8 points in the final 8 minutes of this game. They hit 7 3’s in the 4th and ended the game on a 27-8 run to get the win. The Mavs defense is a lot better than it was last year and I think that’s why they have a much better chance of succeeding in the postseason this year compared to last.
Luka had an efficient 27-9-9 as he has been so good in 2021. Porzingis had 26 and 17 himself and help again came. Kleber, Richardson, and Hardaway were all in double-figures. The Mavs hit 17 3’s as they have been playing so well and are approaching the Lakers in the standings and fast.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Utah Jazz
Tough
Portland played a very good first half, like a perfect first half for them to stay in the game. Other than Mitchell the defense was solid and they were in the game. But after a bit in the 3rd things fell apart. The offense slowed down a bit in the 3rd and the Jazz took control. With Portland having a very tough end to the year and with them struggling to beat good teams, this will a tough stretch that will make or break things. They have to get as many wins as possible and not leave anything on the table if they want to avoid getting into the 7-10 play-in range.
Taking Care Of Business
For 3 quarters the Jazz were essentially contained. The one quarter they weren’t was the 3rd where they dominated. Their offense was flowing through Mitchell and they were forcing Portland into tough shots. The 3-PT shot continues to not fall for Utah (29%) but they won regardless. But they’re going to need that 3-PT shot if they want to go far in the playoffs. You’re not getting an efficient 37 from Mitchell every night because you’re not facing the Blazers defense every night. You’re going to need your biggest weapon to come through or the results will likely be disappointing.
Phoenix Suns vs LA Clippers
Game Of Runs – Shooting Issues
They always say basketball is a game of runs and the same couldn’t be more true about this game as it was a back and forth affair throughout. LA got a lead in the 2nd and the Suns responded right back to take the halftime lead. The Suns shot 66% at the half and yet they only led by two at halftime. The Suns took a 7-point lead early in the 4th but LA erased that and they led entering the 4th. Then the Suns fell apart. The Clippers took a double-digit lead and 10-0 run really put the pressure on the Suns. Phoenix kept trying to comeback but Kawhi and PG were just too good. A Kawhi Leonard and-one with 1:24 left sealed the deal on the Suns.
Booker struggled shooting (6/13) and had 12 of his 24 at the free throw line. Mikal Bridges was really good with 20 and Ayton had another double-double. Paul also struggled shooting and the Suns bench wasn’t as good as the Clippers bench. The Suns made just 6 3’s and LA made 18, 3x as many. The Suns aren’t a team with many flaws but they just don’t make a whole of 3’s. Paul George made more 3’s than the entire Suns team so I would suggest they just start making them otherwise some teams like the Jazz and Clippers can just simply outshoot them.
Rajon Rondo Is The Key
Finally the Clippers play up to potential. This game was a rollercoaster for both sides. Despite the fact that LA let the Suns shoot 66% from the field in the first half, they trailed by just two as Paul George had another monster first half with 18 points to lead the way for LA. In the 3rd the Clippers overcame a Suns lead and in the 4th they dominated. Rajon Rondo was great in helping with the ball movement and Kawhi and PG were dominant. The Clippers outscored the Suns by 8 in the 4th and they got an impressive win against a very good Suns team.
PG had 33 points and 7 rebounds on 12/19 shooting, 7/9 from 3. After a slump he’s had two great games back-to-back. Also hitting more 3’s than the entire Suns team doesn’t hurt. Kawhi started slow but had 27-5-5 on the night including a couple of monster dunks. The x-factor wasn’t Marcus Morris, it was Rondo. Reggie Jackson left the game with an injury and Pat Bev got ejected in the 4th. So Rondo came in and was excellent. 15 points and 9 assists in 19 minutes but this is why I loved the Rondo pickup.
Both Williams and Jackson are pure scorers and Pat Bev is all defense. No floor general. Rondo is a willing passer and helps the Clippers become less of an isolation heavy team. He’s another ball-handler for the offense and this is why I loved that move by the Clippers. I love what Rondo can add to this team and it makes them more fluid as an offense.
Detroit Pistons vs Sacramento Kings
No Grant, No Problem
Without their best scorer and player, the Pistons dominated. They had a big 2nd quarter where they led by as many as 20 and just cruised to a win, leaving the Kings in the dust. Cory Joseph had 24 points on his old team, Isaiah Stewart was 8/10 with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Killian Hayes probably had his best game of the year with 11 points on 5/7 shooting off the bench. Just keep developing the young guys Detroit, it’ll pay off.
Disappointments
Every time it looks like this team is figuring things out, they go on a losing streak. Taking out Haliburton from the starting lineup isn’t smart. He still ended up playing more minutes (31-20) than Mo Harkless who ended up starting. Buddy Hield’s shooting is off and Fox has cooled off. The Kings had another poor shooting night, shooting just 23% from deep. The Kings have the talent and they’re fortunate enough that the Warriors are losing. Yet they just can’t take advantage one bit.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 7 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
Follow My Instagram To Never Miss A Post: @hoopnotions
Check Out My Patreon For Extra Content!
