Dame’s Perfect 4th Not Enough!; 76ers Sliding At The Wrong Time! 5.13.21
It’s another day of NBA hoops as we continue the playoff push with 9 games on the schedule tonight.
LA Clippers vs Charlotte Hornets
2nd Half
LA started off with a good first quarter but they scored just 13 points in the 2nd on 31% shooting. PG and Kawhi shot a combined 4/16 from the field in the first half and LA was down by 3. But the 2nd half was all there’s. Kawhi and PG were 8/12 combined in the 2nd half and LA shot 65% from the field in the 2nd half compared to just 41% from the Hornets. LA built a 23 point lead at one point, en route to a big win.
5 guys in double figures, solid play on both sides. I don’t know when Serge Ibaka is going to comeback, but if he does, this team is essentially complete. Just don’t choke this time, simple enough.
2nd Half
After a solid first half, the Hornets couldn’t guard a parked car in the 2nd half. LA shot a scorching 65% from the field in the 2nd half as Charlotte just got blown out. Rozier was 3/13, Graham was 1/7, Washington was 3/13, and with no Hayward expected for the play-in and potentially no Miles Bridges, the Hornets might not exactly make a bang in the postseason. Still have a good announcer though, give you that at least.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers
Scoring
There was no defense in this game, so the Bucks scored more and won. The first half was really only close because Indiana hit 13 3’s. Still, the Bucks had the lead despite their horrendous 3-PT defense, which continues to show time and time again. But then Milwaukee pulled away in the 3rd, scoring 40 points on 70% shooting to get a double-digit lead. They held that lead for the win, scoring 142 points on the night.
40-15-6 for Giannis, 22 points and 6 assists for Middleton, 21 for Lopez, and 20 points, 14 assists, and 4 blocks for Holiday. The Bucks shot 57% from the field, getting inside whenever they wanted with no Myles Turner down low. They did however allow 21 3’s. Mike Budenholzer is really bad at his job.
The Bucks are 1 game behind the Nets, as it looks like they will be 3rd in the East.
A For Effort
No Brogdon, Turner, Levert, and this game was close. The Pacers hit 13 3’s in the first, with 6 of them coming from Justin Holiday, all of which came in the 1st quarter. The Pacers kept things close but in the 3rd, they shot 37% and Milwaukee shot 70%. The Pacers kept trying to comeback but they couldn’t get stops. A for effort, but not enough to win.
Indiana loses, but so did Charlotte so they are both tied in the standings with Charlotte at the 8th seed and Indiana at 9. The Pacers have a one-game lead on the 10th seeded Wizards.
Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks
Orlando Magic
Tanking
It’s The Magic
6 guys in double figures, led by 27 from Bogdanovic on 9/12 shooting. This guy has been a sniper since the All-Star break and if he plays like this in the playoffs, lookout. The Hawks are going to be that wildcard team, boom or bust. Bogdan is the key to their success.
The Hawks stay at 4th, with a 0.5 game lead on both Miami and New York.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Miami Heat
No Energy
This was another chance for Philly to clinch the #1 seed and they couldn’t do it. Their offense came out flat and Miami dominated them. The Heat led for almost the entire game and by 26 at one point. Philly continues to struggle to shoot and their bench is lackluster. Embiid was terrible, 3/9 from the field, and not getting the security of his free throws. Philly only has a 1 game lead for the #1 seed right now and they have two games left. The 76ers might choke this, you never know.
Bubble Vibes
This is how the bubble Heat played, with heart, energy, defense. The Heat were on point from the jump, Adebayo locking down Embiid and Miami scoring at will. 40 year old Udonis Haslem came into the game. He played 2 minutes and 40 seconds, scoring 4 points. Then he got into an altercation with Dwight Howard and was ejected. That’s a legend right there, not to mention these were his first minutes of the year. That’s Miami’s spirit.
6 guys in double figures, Tyler Herro had another good game with 18 off the bench, 21 for Jimmy, 18-12-8 for Bam, and it was dominating performance all-around.
Miami is 5th, 0.5 a game behind the 4th seeded Hawks. The Heat are tied with the 6th seeded Knicks as things these last two games are going to be crucial for all 3 teams.
San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks
Choke
The first half was sluggish offense from both sides. But the Spurs came out firing in the 3rd and with 3:45 left, they led by 17. It was downhill from there. A 15-2 Knick run to end the 3rd cut the lead to 4 entering the 4th, as all that hard work has just disappeared. Things were back and forth in the final quarter, but New York kept hitting big 3’s. The Spurs were down one with 10 seconds left, but they fouled the Knicks who just fouled them right back. DeMar DeRozan, with no timeouts and only 6 seconds left, tried to intentionally miss, but he missed the rim and the Knicks won. The Spurs had this game, bit it just slips through their fingers.
The Spurs have been awful here to end the year as they are holding on for dear life as that 10th seed in the West. They are 4 games behind both the Grizzlies and Warriors, but they are officially getting the 10th seed with both New Orleans and Sacramento being eliminated.
Comeback
Down 17 with 3:45 left, this was a very quick comeback. It took the Knicks less than 4 minutes to cut the lead under 5. It was back and forth in the 4th but Randle and Alec Burks, making his return from Covid, hit some big shots late as New York iced the game at the line, getting a crucial win in the Eastern Conference standings.
25-9-9 for Randle, 24-9-5 for Barrett, but 30 points and 10 rebounds from Alec Burks off the bench was huge. No Derrick Rose meant that Burks had to carry the bench and he did. Hopefully the Knicks bench can have Quickley, Burks, and D-Rose for the playoffs. That would be so big for their offense.
The Knicks are 6th, tied with the Heat for 5th. Both New York and Miami are 0.5 a game behind the 4th seeded Hawks.
Toronto Raptors vs Chicago Bulls
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is done for the year.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls got an easy win, but there’s still a chance for them to make the playoffs. The Bulls are 2 games behind the Wizards with two games left in the season. The Bulls beat the Wizards 2-1 in the season series. If the Wizards lose their last two games and Chicago wins both of theirs, they are in the playoffs. That is however, unlikely. Still a chance, though. Not impossible, technically.
Sacramento Kings vs Memphis Grizzlies
Elimated
Fire Luke Walton, please?
Struggle
I’m going to skip over the fact that this game was close. For now. Memphis gets their 4th straight win as they once again keep pace with the Warriors. 6 guys in double figures and 50% shooting. Nice.
30 points for Dillon Brooks, 12-7-8 for Morant, 24 points and 13 rebounds for Valanciunas, and solid outings from Jackson and Anderson.
The Grizzlies are 9th, comfortably ahead of the Spurs. The Grizzlies are tied with the Warriors, who are currently 8th. Guess what? On May 16th, the last game of the year, the Warriors and Grizzles play each other. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota T-Wolves
Control
The Nuggets led for most of the way, and they finished things off by holding the T-Wolves to just 14 points in the 4th. Good win. 31 points and 14 rebounds for the Joker, leading the way without MPJ (hey that rhymes). 15 for Gordon, 15 for Markus Howard, 14 for Vlatko Cancar and 24 combined for McGee and Rivers. Also, I didn’t make up names here, these guys actually contributed.
Denver is 4th, one game behind the 3rd seeded Clippers.
Potential
29-7-5 for Edwards on 50% shooting as his shot selection has been getting better and better. 20 points and 11 rebounds for Towns who shot just 33% from the field. 17 for D-Lo, but I love this trio and I think they’re headed in the right direction. Regardless is they just lost to Markus Howard and Vlatko Cancar.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Phoenix Suns
Proud
I know we lost in perhaps the most heart-breaking way, but this game was close when it shouldn’t have been. The Blazers played such a good game, hanging with a very good Suns team. But it just wasn’t enough, despite whatever Dame was doing in the 4th. The first half was back and forth, with Dame and CJ combining for 35 points in the first half. Portland would have been up by more than one had they hit their open 3’s, as Dame’s drive and kicks gave Portland great looks, unable to capitalize more often than not.
The 3rd is where things seemingly got away from Portland. The offense slowed down and Phoenix built a double-digit lead that stood at 8 entering the 4th. Then Terry Stotts went all in and for the first time did the smart thing. He kept Dame in and CJ didn’t rest for long. Let’s just say it worked. Dame had 17 entering the 4th and then he went ballistic. He was 9/10 from the field in the 4th, scoring 24 points and getting Portland back in it. It was back and forth, Dame vs CP-3 as Portland couldn’t gain any ground despite Dame’s explosive 4th.
Portland took the lead with 1:13 left thanks to two Covington free throws. Saric then went 1/4 on free throws in the next two possessions, as Portland caught a big break. Dame went down and scored with 35 seconds left, Portland up 3. Bridges hit two free throws and after a CJ miss, the Suns had the ball. Devin Booker got it and for once, Carmelo played defense. He made Booker spin awkwardly as he tried to rush down the court and it resulted in a double-dribble. After a timeout, Portland could only get the ball to Covington for two free throws with 6 seconds left. Not the best in the world, but he had just hit 2 free throws.
Of course because he had used all his luck on the prior trip, he missed both and the Suns had the ball with 4.4 seconds left, down one. Booker, who had struggled shooting all night, got the ball. He drove down the right side of the lane, raised up, and was fouled. It wasn’t much of a foul, but a foul nonetheless. Now Portland only had one timeout and there was 2.4 seconds left on the clock. But Portland decided to challenge, instead of keeping a timeout for a potential game-winning play with a red-hot Damian Lillard. So they wasted the timeout, Booker hit 2/2 free throws, and Portland lost. Pain.
Dame had 41-5-5 as he had 24 points in the 4th, 24 of Portland’s 40. He was the reason this game was close. 27 points for CJ, 12 for Nurkic, 16 for Roco, but nothing from the bench. Carmelo was awful, 1/7 from the field and fouling like crazy. I get you want shooting down the stretch, but he wasn’t playing well. His only good play was forcing Booker to double-dribble.
Portland shot 54% from the field and 46% from 3. They held Booker to 5/17 shooting. The difference was free throws, 14/18 from Portland and 23/26 from Phoenix. 13 Portland turnovers led to 17 Phoenix points. This was a game Portland should have won, but it quite literally slipped away from them. With a win, Portland could have gotten a playoff spot. Instead it comes down to a final game with Denver, which is a team Portland struggles against.
With the loss, Dallas moves up to 5th, 0.5 a game ahead of Portland. The Lakers are still at 7th, but now just 0.5 a game behind Portland. Both LA and Denver have two games left, Portland has one.
Defense
Now I am not going to be salty because my team lost, but for Phoenix’s standards, this was horrible defense. They did a pretty job containing Dame for 36 minutes, but they were allowing some wide open looks. Like it took one swing pass and somebody like Melo, CJ, or Roco were open. Now granted, they didn’t make as many as they should have, but it wasn’t good defense. Booker was off, so the offense was Chris Paul based with no Ayton down low.
Paul was 11/14 from the field and was hitting every single mid-range in the books down the stretch of this game. He had 26 points and 7 assists. Phoenix did a good converting turnovers into points and they dominated the free throw line. But it wasn’t like they won this game, in my opinion.
Phoenix is just 1 game behind the Jazz in the West. Phoenix plays the Spurs twice to end the year and the Jazz have two games as well, against OKC and Sacramento. Looks like the Suns are staying at 2nd place barring some sort of meltdown on Utah’s end.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 9 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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