Jimmy Butler vs TJ Warren; Kuzma Game Winner! Thoughts From Day 12!
After 5 games from Day 12 of the NBA Restart, I’m giving my thoughts/opinions for each team.
After 5 games from Day 12 of the NBA Restart, I’m giving my thoughts/opinions for each team.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder lost their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Thunder have been up and down as of late in the bubble, mainly because of their key players being in and out of the lineup. The Thunder faced the 5-0 Suns without Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams. So they were missing 4 of their best players against the hottest team in Orlando. And they missed all 4 of them as they got blown out by Phoenix, 128-101.
Offensively the Thunder were bad as they shot 39% from the field and 33% from 3. They were also 18/21 from the free throw line. The Thunder had 19 turnovers as they didn’t do a good job taking care of the ball. The Thunder only had 32 points down low.
Defensively the Thunder were also bad as the Suns shot 47% from the field and 50% from 3. The Suns were 27/29 from the free throw line as the Thunder fouled them 23 times. The Suns had 12 offensive rebounds as the Thunder didn’t do a good job limiting the Suns to one shot. The Thunder forced 19 turnovers. The Thunder did an ok job defending the paint as the Suns had 40 points down low.
Darius Bazley had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Thunder. Abdel Nader had 15 points. Chris Paul had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists as well. Mike Muscala added 11 points.
Conclusion
The Thunder are now 3-3 in the bubble, but shouldn’t think much of this game. First of all, they’re playing the hottest team in basketball in the Suns as they are now 6-0 in the bubble. And they were missing 4 key players including 2 of their 3 star guards. So the Thunder really shouldn’t pay much attention to this loss, and they should focus on getting everybody back in time for the playoffs.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns won their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Suns are the hottest team in basketball, fueled by the incredible play of Devin Booker is the bubble. The Suns were 5-0 entering this game and were chasing the Spurs for 10th place in the West. And they had a prime chance to move up against the Thunder who were very short-handed. And the Suns took advantage as they overcame an early lead and won 128-101, remaining a perfect 6-0 in the bubble.
Offensively the Suns were excellent as the Suns shot 47% from the field and 50% from 3. The Suns were also 27/29 from the free throw line. The Suns had 12 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities for themselves. The Suns had 19 turnovers. The Suns had a decent paint presence as they had 40 points down low.
Defensively the Suns were excellent as well as the Thunder shot just 39% from the field and 33% from 3. The Thunder were 18/21 from the free throw line. Then Suns forced 19 turnovers. The Suns didn’t allow much down low as the Thunder had just 32 points in the paint.
Devin Booker had 35 points and 5 rebounds for Phoenix. Mikal Bridges had 18 points and 6 rebounds. Cam Johnson added 18 points. Dario Saric had 16 points and 9 rebounds as well. Cameron Payne had 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench. Deandre Ayton had 10 points and 6 rebounds off the bench as well.
Conclusion
The Suns remain the only unbeaten team in the bubble as they are 6-0 so far. The Suns are now 10th place in the West and 0.5 games behind the 9th seeded Portland Trail Blazers. But with the Suns playing very hard and well, it is very likely that they are the 9th seed in the Western Conference.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs won their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Mavs have been playing much better as of late in the bubble. After starting 0-2, the Mavs came into this contest 2-3 with a chance to get back to 0.500. They faced a short-handed Jazz team without All-Star Donovan Mitchell. The Mavs themselves were without Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis who were resting. But it did not matter as the Mavs reserves outscored the Jazz by 20 in the 4th and they won 122-114.
Offensively the Mavs were excellent as they shot 57% from the field and 50% from 3. They were also 14/16 from the free throw line. The Mavs took care of the ball as they only had 8 turnovers. The Mavs pounded the ball down low as they had 58 points in the paint.
Defensively the Jazz were poor as they shot 48% from the field and 46% from 3. The Jazz were also 15/20 from the line. The Jazz had 11 offensive rebounds as the Mavs did a poor job limiting them to one shot. The Mavs forced 12 turnovers. The Mavs controlled the paint as the Jazz had just 28 points down low.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 27 points to lead the Mavs. Seth Curry had 22 points. Boban Marjanovic had 20 points and 9 rebounds as well. JJ Barea had 18 points and 8 assists. Trey Burke had 14 points off the bench and Maxi Kleber had 11 points as well.
Conclusion
The Mavs are now 3-3 in the bubble as they proved that they don’t need their two stars to win. This game was important as the Mavs supporting cast got lots of minutes and shots as they got some confidence when Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis get back. The Mavs seem to be hitting their stride at the right time as they face the Portland Trail Blazers next.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz lost their 7th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Jazz have had a pretty rough NBA Restart as they were 2-4 entering this contest. The Jazz have not been the same team without Bojan Bogdanovic being out. The Jazz don’t have much of a chance to be successful in the playoffs, but they could still remain competitive. Even without Donovan Mitchell, the Jazz had a prime chance for a win against the short-handed Mavs. And they led by 12 entering the 4th. But they let the Mavs back into the game and they lost 122-114.
Offensively the Jazz were great as they shot 48% from the field and 46% from 3. The Jazz were also 15/20 from the free throw line. The Jazz had 11 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities. The Jazz did have 12 turnovers. The Jazz only scored 28 points in the paint.
Defensively the Jazz were poor as the Mavs shot 57% from the field and 50% from 3. The Mavs were also 14/16 from the free throw line. The Jazz didn’t force many turnovers as Dallas only had 8. The Jazz got pounded down low as the Mavs had 58 points in the paint.
Jordan Clarkson had 18 points. Rayjon Tucker added 17 points. Emmanuel Mudiay had 14 points as well. Georges Niang had 13 points off the bench.
Conclusion
The Jazz are now 2-5 in the bubble as they continue to struggle without Bojan Bogdanovic as they seem to have lost that edge after the break. The Jazz have lost 3 in a row and they are the 6th seed in the Western Conference, but they could very easily be the 7th seed in the Western Conference. So this season will likely be thrown in the trash for the Jazz.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors won their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Raptors have looked very sharp so far in the bubble as they were 4-1 entering this game. The Raptors now faced the #1 seed in the Bucks, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Raptors themselves were without Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet. But the Raptors took advantage of the short-handed Bucks as they controlled this game from the tip and they won 114-106.
Offensively the Raptors were ok as they shot 43% from the field and 30% from 3. They were also 18/26 from the free line. The Raptors had 16 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities. The Raptors had 13 turnovers. The Raptors scored 46 points down low.
Defensively the Raptors were good as the Raptors shot 39% from the field and 33% from 3. The Bucks were also 26/35 from the free throw line. The Bucks had 11 offensive rebounds as the Raptors did a poor job limiting the Bucks to one shot. The Raptors forced the Bucks into 19 turnovers. The Raptors didn’t let anything go down low as the Bucks only had 30 points down low.
Chris Boucher led the Raptors with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Matt Thomas had 22 points for the Raptors. Norman Powell added 21 points and 8 rebounds. Pascal Siakam had 14 rebounds and 7 rebounds as well. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Conclusion
The Raptors are now 5-1 in the bubble as they continue to look sharp on both ends of the ball. Without Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet, the Raptors faired just fine as they beat the best team in the East. The Raptors now look to the start of the playoffs as they look for a chance at a 2nd title.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks lost their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Bucks have not been as competitive in the bubble as they have not been winning as much. Of course not playing Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo is a huge part of the Bucks success or lack thereof. And without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor vs the #2 seeded Toronto Raptors, the Bucks were never able to take control of the game and they lost 114-106.
Offensively the Bucks were bad as they shot 39% from the field and 33% from 3. They were also 26/35 from the free throw line. The Bucks had 11 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities for themselves. The Bucks turned the ball over 19 times. The Bucks did not have a paint presence as they only had 30 points down low.
Defensively the Bucks were solid as the Raptors shot 43% from the field and 30% from 3. The Raptors were also 18/26 from the free throw line. The Raptors had 16 offensive rebounds as the Bucks did a poor job limiting the Raptors to just one shot. The Bucks forced 13 turnovers on Toronto. The Bucks got pounded down low as the Raptors had 46 points in the paint.
Kyle Korver had 19 points to lead the Bucks. Khris Middleton had 17 points as well. George Hill had 14 points off the bench. Pat Connaughton and Brook Lopez had 12 points each. Eric Bledsoe added 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Conclusion
The Bucks are now 2-4 on the year as they seem to be a little less sharp than they were in March. And understandably so as the Bucks had a long layover. But now the Bucks are on the verge of the playoffs, and it will be interesting to see if they can flip that switch and get back to their old ways.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers lost their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Pacers have been very good in the bubble so far behind the explosive play of TJ Warren. Now TJ Warren meets his rival in Jimmy Butler. Butler and Warren got into a few heated exchanges on January 8th, in a game where Warren was ejected. Now the world wanted to see the god of the bubble vs Jimmy Butler. The matchup was less hype than advertised. Warren was quiet and the Heat won big, 114-92.
Offensively the Pacers were bad as they shot 39% from the field and 29% from 3. They were also 16/25 from the free throw line. The Pacers had 17 turnovers as they didn’t do a good job taking care of the ball. The Pacers had 40 points down low.
Defensively the Pacers were sub-par as the Heat shot 45% from the field and 33% from 3. The Heat were also 13/19 from the field. The Heat had 13 offensive rebounds as the Pacers did a poor job limiting them to one shot. The Pacers forced 13 turnovers. The Pacers got pounded down low as the Heat had 56 points in the paint.
Victor Oladipo had 14 points and 5 rebounds. Malcolm Brogdon had 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. TJ Warren had a bubble-low 12 points, all of them in the 1st half.
Conclusion
The Pacers are now 4-2 in the bubble as they seem to be cooling off a bit. The matchup between Warren and Butler was a little anti-climactic, but these two will meet again on Friday, so maybe something will come out of that. The Pacers are currently 5th in the East and 1 game behind the Miami Heat.
Miami Heat
The Heat won their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Heat have been battling injuries throughout the bubble, but they got Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic back for a battle with the Indiana Pacers. Of course the main headline of the game was the Butler v Warren beef, but nothing really happened. Butler and Miami’s defense blanketed Warren all night and a balanced scoring attack led the Heat to their 3rd win in Orlando.
Offensively the Heat were good as they shot 45% from the field and 33% from 3. The Heat were also 13/19 from the free throw line. The Heat had 13 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities for themselves. The Heat only had 13 turnovers on the day. The Heat pounded the ball down low as they had 56 points in the paint.
Defensively the Heat were excellent as they shot 39% from the field and 29% from 3. The Pacers were also 16/25 from the free throw line. The Heat forced the Pacers into 17 turnovers. The Heat locked down the paint as the Pacers only had 40 points down low.
7 guys were in double figures for the Heat, including all 5 starters. Jimmy Butler led the way with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists. Derrick Jones Jr. had 18 points and 5 rebounds off the bench. Tyler Herro had 17 points and 5 rebounds off the bench as well. Jae Crowder had 14 points and 8 rebounds. Dragic, Adebayo, and Robinson were all in double figures.
Conclusion
The Heat are now 3-3 in the bubble as a mostly healthy Heat team looked good, especially on the defensive end. The Heat only had Kendrick Nunn out of the moment, and if he is able to join the Heat in time for the playoffs, then it will be very hard to beat the Heat.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets lost their 6th game in the bubble.
The Nuggets were coming off of a double OT win against the Jazz and now faced the struggling Lakers. The Nuggets have been getting healthier, but resting their starters for the 2nd half. And nothing was different in this game. The game was close throughout but it was the Nuggets bench vs the Lakers starters. And Kyle Kuzma hit the game winner with 0.4 seconds left and the Nuggets lost 124-121.
Offensively the Nuggets were incredible as they shot 58% from the field and 57% from 3. They were also 18/23 from the free throw line. The Nuggets had 10 offensive rebounds. The Nuggets had 14 turnovers as they didn’t do a good job taking care of the ball. The Nuggets pounded the ball down low as they had 54 points in the paint.
Defensively the Nuggets were horrible as the Lakers shot 54% from the field and 48% from 3. The Lakers were also 22/32 from the free throw line. The Lakers had 14 offensive rebounds as the Nuggets did a poor job limiting them to one shot. The Nuggets only forced 10 turnovers. The Nuggets got dominated down low as the Lakers had 56 points in the paint.
PJ Dozier had 18 points to lead Denver. Michael Porter Jr. had 15 points, Jamal Murray had 14 points, Monte Morris had 14. Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic, Mason Plumlee, and Keita Bates-Diop all scored in double figures as well.
Conclusion
The Nuggets are now 3-3 in the bubble as they lost a heart-breaker to the Lakers. The Nuggets were humming offensively as even their 2nd unit was scoring a lot as well. Defense is where the problem is for the Nuggets, and they better hope it gets better come the playoffs. The Nuggets have not been playing their starters a bunch during the restart, so they should be fresh come playoff time. The Nuggets face the Clippers on Wednesday.
LA Lakers
The Lakers won their 7th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Lakers have been struggling as of late. They were on a 3-game losing streak coming into this contest, and they did not look right. They could not hit any of their 3-pointers and Anthony Davis was scoring in the single digits. But the Lakers came back against a good Nuggets team and they handled business. The offense was flowing well and Kyle Kuzma hit the game winner with 0.4 seconds left to give the Lakers a 124-121 win.
Offensively the Lakers were excellent as they shot 54% from the field and 48% from 3. The Lakers were also 22/32 from the free throw line. The Lakers had 14 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities. The Lakers only had 10 turnovers. They pounded the ball down low as they had 56 points in the paint.
Defensively the Lakers were bad as the Nuggets shot 58% from the field and 57% from 3. The Nuggets were also 18/23 from the free throw line. The Nuggets had 10 offensive rebounds as the Lakers did a poor job limiting them to one shot. The Lakers forced 14 turnovers. The Lakers got pounded down low as the Nuggets had 54 points in the paint.
Lebron James had 29 points and 12 assists to lead LA. Anthony Davis had 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Kyle Kuzma added 25 points and 6 rebounds. Dion Waiters had 12 points off the bench and Danny Green had 11 points.
Conclusion
The Lakers seemed to have gotten their mojo back. The offense was running through their big 3 of James, AD, and Kuzma. AD was aggressive early on and you got a steady dose of James and Kuzma throughout. The Lakers started to hit their open shots and their offense greatly benefited because of it. The Lakers should look to keep this consistency heading into the playoffs. Defensively the Lakers were worse than they normally are, but they got key stops down the stretch and they won a game that they dearly needed to win.
What are your thoughts/opinions from Day 12 of the NBA Restart? Leave a comment down blow!
Stay Tuned For My Day 13 Thoughts/Opinions, which will be posted tomorrow at 2:30 PM PT.
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