Kristaps Returns For Dallas; Dame and CJ Burn The Kings! 1.13.21
It’s another Wednesday of NBA action, as we have 8 games on the schedule.
Game Of The Day Prediction: Blazers vs Kings or Grizzlies vs T-Wolves
Dallas Mavericks vs Charlotte Hornets
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Mavs have been getting much better as of late, as they have won 4 of their last 5 games. And they’ve been winning short-handed, as some of their best role players have been dealing with Covid. They are still without Josh Richardson, Jalen Brunson, Maxi Kleber Dwight Powell, and Dorian Finney-Smith. But they still have Luka, and Kristaps Porzingis is making his season debut, which will give Luka some help. The Hornets are one of the hottest teams in basketball. They’ve won their last 4 games, as their offense has been looking much better. I want to see Lamelo Ball playing more, as he has been very good to start this season. Gordon Hayward has been playing like an All-Star, and this Hornets team has already beaten this Mavs team. I think that this game will be good, but I’m giving the slight edge to the Hornets.
Dallas Mavericks
Yeah, the Mavs took that first loss to Charlotte personally, as they jumped on the Hornets. Kristaps Porzingis was back, and the Mavs offense was really good in his first start. The Mavs were rolling in the first half, shooting 45% from the field and scoring 60 points. The Mavs coasted to another win, their 4th in a row, as they are now 6-4 on the year.
Luka Doncic had 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists on 14/25 shooting.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 18 points on 7/16 shooting.
Kristaps Porzingis had 16 points on 6/16 shooting.
The Mavs are rolling, and getting Porzingis back now is key. The Mavs have been dealing with Covid, and KP gives them a boost offensively. Porzingis was solid, but you could tell he was a bit rusty, still having a great debut. Luka torched the Mavs, as he was lighting them up from everywhere. If the Mavs can get healthy, and if their defense can play like this consistently, they will be a problem in the West. Dallas is now 6-4 on the year, and they take on the Milwaukee Bucks next.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets had been one the best teams in the league as of late, as they came to this game on a win-streak. But then the Mavs handed it to the Hornets. The Hornets defense couldn’t contain Luka, as he was on point. The Hornets shot just 35% from the field in the first half, and they trailed by 17. The Hornets tried to comeback in the game in the 2nd half, but their attempts were futile, as their 4-game win streak was snapped.
Terry Rozier had 18 points and 6 rebounds on 8/18 shooting.
Gordon Hayward had 16 points on 5/15 shooting.
PJ Washington had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists on 6/17 shooting.
The Hornets struggled on both ends, as they just looked out of energy in this game. Their offensive firepower wasn’t on display, as nobody played that well. Devonte Graham continues to struggle, as did Lamelo Ball off the bench. Still would like to see Lamelo starting over Graham, just because he is bigger, and can pass and rebound much better than Graham. Charlotte is now 6-6 on the year, and they take on Toronto Raptors next time out.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Detroit Pistons
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Bucks have been picking up steam as of late, winning 5 of their last 6. Yes it has been against mostly inferior teams, but it’s just building your confidence for the post-season. I wish that Jrue Holiday would get the ball more, because he could be doing a lot more than he has been doing. Giannis and Middleton have been good, but more Holiday would help. The Pistons haven’t been very good, but they have some good players. Jerami Grant has been breaking out, looking like he’s making worth of the large contract he got this summer. Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose have been very up and down, when the Pistons can win if they are good. They have a lot of young talent, and they are obviously rebuilding. This should be an easy win for the Bucks.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks didn’t win convincingly like I thought they would, but a win is a win. The Bucks dominated the first quarter and led by 11 at halftime, as they were shooting 53% from the field. They didn’t extend their lead in the 2nd half, but the Pistons never really got particularly close, as Milwaukee wins their 3rd straight game, improving to 8-4 on the year.
Giannis had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists on 7/15 shooting.
Jrue Holiday had 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8/13 shooting.
Bryn Forbes had 13 points on 5/8 shooting off the bench.
The Bucks finally got Jrue Holiday some touches, and he was very good. Khris Middleton kind of took a back-seat, and Holiday was good. Now obviously the Bucks want Middleton to be scoring, but I really think that all of their big 3 can be productive, not just two. The Bucks bench was solid, scoring 39 points led by Forbes and Portis. The Bucks defense was good as usual, as they have been getting more consistent. Now I need to see them do this against good teams, not just the Pistons and Cavaliers. Milwaukee takes on the red-hot Dallas Mavericks next.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons had a tough matchup vs the Bucks, and they remained close throughout this game, but they never really gained any ground. Detroit scored just 14 points in the first quarter, and they never really got back into the game. They kept trying to cut the lead in the 2nd half, but nothing was working, as they lose their 5th game out of the last 6, falling to 2-9.
Jerami Grant had 22 points on 7/19 shooting.
Svi Mykhailiuk had 18 points on 6/9 shooting off the bench.
The Pistons aren’t ready yet to contend with the Buck. Their roster still has a lot of maturing to do, and they’re getting there. Jerami Grant is doing all he can, but just Jerami Grant can’t beat one of the teams contending for a title this season. The Pistons just need to continue to try to play hard, and hope for the best. Detroit takes on the Miami Heat next.
Brooklyn Nets vs New York Knicks
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Nets lost a lot of their depth with the James Harden trade, as they have lost most their depth. They have KD, Harris, Shamet, Jordan, and Bruce Brown, along with Jeff Green. Harden is coming soon, but the Nets are still talented. The Knicks have lost their 3 games, because their offense has been terrible. It’s been Julius Randle and everybody else. RJ Barrett has been very inconsistent, as they need him to score if they want to win. Obi Toppin is back, but I doubt that this offense will come back to what it was. This game should be a win vs the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn Nets
Even with all the drama surrounding the James Harden trade, and how limited the Nets depth is at the moment, they still controlled this game. The Nets offense didn’t skip a beat, scoring 61 points in the first half on 48% shooting. The Nets defense never let the struggling Knicks offense to get going, as they cruised to another win, improving to 7-6 on the year.
KD had 26 points and 6 assists on 10/18 shooting.
Joe Harris had 15 points on 6/13 shooting.
Bruce Brown had 15 points and 14 rebounds on 6/13 shooting.
The Nets offense was very balanced, as 7 guys scored in double figures for the Nets. KD continues to look very good, and he had some nice help. Bruce Brown has been a pleasant surprise on offense. Rookie Reggie Perry was good off the bench, as were TLC and Landry Shamet. If the Nets reserves play like this when Harden and Irving arrive, the Nets will be tough to stop.
New York Knicks
The Knicks offense sucks, to put it lightly. They just haven’t been able to produce like they were doing in the first portion of the year. Julius Randle continues to be very good, and RJ Barrett was good in the 2nd half. The Knicks need some sort of offensive boost, weather that be from Alec Burks when he comes back from injury, or rookie Obi Toppin. The Knicks have lost their last 4 games, and they are now 5-7 on the year.
Julius Randle had 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on 13/25 shooting.
RJ Barrett had 20 points and 5 rebounds on 7/15 shooting.
Immanuel Quickley had 19 points on 7/15 shooting off the bench.
The Knicks have to find their offense, otherwise they will continue to struggle. Julius Randle has been doing things all by himself, and he hasn’t been getting much help. RJ Barrett and Quickley were decent, but they both did most their damage in the 2nd half. The Knicks have to be more consistent on offense, otherwise they will continue to lose. New York takes on the Cleveland Cavaliers next.
LA Lakers vs OKC Thunder
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Lakers have been rolling as of late, as they’ve won 7 of their last 8 games. Their defense has been getting a lot better, even without Wesley Matthews, who is again out today. AD and Lebron have been good, and I want them to continue to dominate like they did in the post-season. The Lakers have the clear-cut advantage in this game. The Thunder have been surprisingly good this season, winning 3 of their last 4 games. Their roster is nothing special, but it does feature guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC is a bit short-handed, without Al Horford in this game. But OKC is easily the inferior team in this game, and LA should win handily.
LA Lakers
Coming off of two big wins vs the Rockets, the Lakers have been rolling as of late, their defense getting a lot better. The same was true tonight against a weak Thunder team. The Lakers dominated this game throughout, their offense rolling through OKC, their defense not allowing OKC any chance to make the game competitive. The Lakers have won their last 4 games, and are 10-3 on the year, the first team to hit 10 wins this season.
Lebron James had 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on 9/20 shooting.
Montrezl Harrell had 21 points and 6 rebounds on 8/12 shooting off the bench.
Anthony Davis had 18 points and 7 rebounds on 8/13 shooting.
The Lakers have been rolling, and they did it here again vs the Thunder. James and Davis continue to play very well, and they’ve been getting really good help from the Lakers supporting cast. Montrezl Harrell was excellent of the bench, and Schroder and KCP were also good. The Lakers have been getting things together on both ends, as they are playing the best basketball in the league right now. LA takes on the Pelicans next time out.
OKC Thunder
The Thunder were at a mis-match here, don’t need so say much. Their record might suggest they are decent, but they just don’t have the firepower to contend with the best teams in the West. Plain and simple. Shai was the only guy getting things going for the Thunder, as they’ve fallen to 5-6 on the year.
Memphis Grizzlies vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Grizzlies have been depleted by injuries, and they have struggled. But they’ve won their last two games as their offense has gotten better. They need guys like Dillon Brooks, Kyle Anderson, and Jonas Valanciunas to gave big nights offensively to win. Minnesota has struggled mightily with Karl Anthony-Towns this season, but they beat the Spurs without Towns last time they played. Towns is playing today, which gives the Minnesota offense a big boost. Minnesota’s x-factor if #1 overall pick Anthony Edwards. Edwards has struggled offensively this season, but he has looked good in some games. If he can be more consistent, Minnesota can win.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies really earned this win in the 4th quarter, as they were engaged with a battle. The two teams went back and forth in the first half, with Memphis trailing by 2, shooting 44% from the field. The Grizzlies ended the 3rd quarter ice cold, and they trailed by 10 entering the 4th. But they dominated the 4th, scoring 13 straight points to open the quarter. The Grizzlies offense continued to roll, as they built a 9-point lead with 3:14 left. The Grizzlies held on to win, their 3rd straight win, as they outscored Minnesota by 17 in the 4th to win this one.
Jonas Valanciunas had 24 points and 16 rebounds on 11/19 shooting.
Grayson Allen had 20 points on 6/10 shooting.
Brandon Clarke had 19 points and 9 rebounds on 9/15 shooting.
The Grizzlies have been looking very good in the last 3 games, as their offense has been finding it’s way. Brandon Clarke and Jonas Valanciunas have been very good as of late, as they have controlled things down low. Grayson Allen and De’Anthony Melton were very good off the bench, as the Grizzlies have won their last 3 games, and improve to 5-6. They struggled initially without Ja Morant, but have recovered very well. Memphis takes on Minnesota again on Friday.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves had this game sealed, and then they let it slip away in the 4th. Minnesota’s offense with Towns, Russell, and Beasley were dominant in the first half. The 3 of them scored 45 of the 58 Minnesota points in the first half. The game was close, until Minnesota had a strong 3rd quarter, and they led by 10 entering the 4th. And then they collapsed. They allowed 13 straight Memphis points early on in the 4th, and they never got back into the game after Memphis took the lead. Minnesota is now 3-8 on the year.
Malik Beasley had 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 11/23 shooting.
D’Angelo Russell had 25 points and 8 assists on 10/21 shooting.
Karl Anthony Towns had 25 points and 14 rebounds on 8/17 shooting.
The T-Wolves offense was very good, as they had 3 guys score over 25 points. But nobody else was in double figures. It was just Beasley, Towns, and Russell. In the 4th, Minnesota scored just 17 point and allowed 38. The T-Wolves are just in a bad place right now. Anthony Edwards has struggled so far this season, as he hasn’t been as good as I thought he would be (it’s early, I know). The Timberwolves are missing some depth, and they have to play better defense to win. Minnesota takes on the Grizzlies again on Friday.
New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Pelicans have lost their last 3 games, all games they played well in, but games they couldn’t close late. They are talented, but they turn the ball over a lot, and have poor spacing. They are without their best passer in Lonzo Ball, paint beast Zion Williamson, and professional brick thrower Eric Bledose. That leaves them with Brandon Ingram and not a whole lot more. Not the best lineup to face one of the best teams in the league with. LA has been up and down lately, but they narrowly beat the Bulls last time out. They have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, with Kawhi and PG leading the way. The return of Marcus Morris shores up their bench. This LA team is very good, and they should be winning this game.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans were very short-handed in this game, but they gave the Clippers all they could handle. In the first half, the Pelicans offense was struggling. They shot just 35% from the field and they trailed by 18. But the Pelicans didn’t give up. They trailed by 12 entering the 4th, and they did all they could to come back in this game. With 8:11 left, they trailed just 4. But then LA pushed it back to 9. And the Pelicans kept trying to trim the lead, but they came up just short, as they lost their 4th straight game.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 37 points and 8 rebounds on 15/23 shooting.
Brandon Ingram had 22 points and 6 rebounds on 8/19 shooting.
Walker and Ingram did everything they could to keep the short-handed Pelicans in this game, but they couldn’t overcome the fire-power of LA. I’m not disappointed in New Orleans with their loss, as they were missing 3 starters. It was good to see Alexander-Walker play well, and he’s going to need to continue to score off the bench for this team. New Orleans is now 4-6 on the year, and they take on the LA Lakers next on Friday.
LA Clippers
The Clippers controlled this game throughout, and even when things got close late in the 4th, they pulled this win out. The Clippers offense was rolling in the first half, fueled by Paul George who had 18 points. LA scored 61 points on 49% shooting, and they led by 18. But the Clippers lead started to evaporate in the 2nd half, and their lead was just 4 in the 4th quarter. But Kawhi Leonard hit some big shots late, including a dagger 3 with 3 minutes left, and LA held on to win, improving to 8-4 on the year.
Kawhi Leonard had 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists on 8/18 shooting.
Paul George had 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists on 8/16 shooting.
Kawhi and PG were wreaking havoc on the wing, as they were doing it all. They were scoring and facilitating the ball very well. The Clippers bench was ok although, Lou Williams scoring just 2 points isn’t a welcome sight. The Clippers had been losing games late in the 4th that they should have won, but they executed things well in this game, and they grab their 8th win of the year. LA takes on the Sacramento Kings next.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Sacramento Kings
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Blazers have won their last 3 games, as their defense has been playing better. Dame and CJ have been torching the league, both top-10 in scoring. Jusuf Nurkic has been ok, as he continues to try and get back to what he was before that leg injury. Covington and Jones wreak havoc on the wings, and the Blazers bench has been good. The Blazers are starting to get more balanced, which is a very good thing for them down the line. The Kings were blown out by Portland last time out, and they look to bounce back. Their roster is very talented, but their defense is awful. When their offense isn’t good, they give up points and lose. The Kings offense has to get going, and they have the weapons to do so. Fox, Hield, and Harrison Barnes have to lead the charge. Holmes, Haliburton, and Bagley can contribute. But because their defense is just too bad, and the Blazers have been red-hot. Should be the 4th win a row for Portland.
Portland Trail Blazers
Another wild comeback for Portland, fueled by the excellent play of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. In the first quarter, Portland’s defense was horrible, as they allowed 43 points on 71% Sacramento shooting. Portland trailed by as many as 20 in the 2nd quarter, but a flurry of 3’s late pulled them back to trail by just 3 at halftime. In the 3rd, the Kings again took a big lead, leading by 19. But Portland again responded, ending the 3rd on a 21-9 run, and they trailed by 5 entering the 4th. Portland started the 4th like they ended the 3rd, with 7 straight points to tie the game. Then both teams were going back and forth, matching each score. But Portland led by 6 with 4:20 left. The Blazers defense continued to hold down the Kings, but the lead was just two with 42 seconds left. But Damian Lillard answered, getting by everybody to get an easy layup, pushing the lead to 4. Portland forced a miss, and Dame iced it at the line, securing another comeback victory, Portland’s 4th straight win overall.
Damian Lillard had 40 points and 13 assists on 11/23 shooting.
CJ McCollum had 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists on 10/23 shooting.
Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 12 rebounds on 6/8 shooting.
Portland really earned this win. Their defense was horrible in the first quarter, as they let the Kings get going. But they rallied late and closed the deficit. But they again trailed by 19 in the 3rd, but another flurry of 3’s put them back in the game. And then Dame and CJ made some big shots in the 4th to close the game. Dame and CJ are the best back-court in the NBA right now, and it’s not even close. Jusuf Nurkic was excellent in the 4th. Gary Trent had 16 points off the bench, as Portland wins their 4th straight game. The defense still can be better, but it was good for stretches, and Portland took advantage during those times. Portland has won 4 straight, as they are now 7-4 on the year. They take on the Pacers tomorrow.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings should have won this game easily, and yet they let it slip through their fingers. The Kings offense led by De’Aaron Fox was flaming hot in the first quarter, as they scored 43 points on 70% shooting. They led by as many as 20 in the 2nd quarter, but then they allowed Portland to get back in it, and the Kings led by 3 at halftime. The Kings offense again built them a big lead, as they led by 19 in the 3rd. But again, they led Portland back in it, trailing by just 5 entering the 4th. Portland went on a run to start the 4th, and then things were back and forth. But they couldn’t stop Dame and CJ at all, and they allowed Dame to score with 30 seconds left, putting them down by 4. Sacramento fell just short, as they are now 5-7 on the year.
De’Aaron Fox had 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9/18 shooting.
Buddy Hield had 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 9/21 shooting.
Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists on 7/10 shooting.
The Kings offense was very good. Hield and Fox did their best to match Dame and CJ, and they did a pretty good job. Richuan Holmes was a perfect 6/6 from the field, and Tyrese Haliburton continues to look beyond his years. Bagley and Barnes struggled, combining for just 22 points. But again, defense was the problem. They built these massive leads, and their defense wasn’t good enough to hold them, as Portland continually marched back into the game. As I’ve said, the Kings can’t win unless their offense is red-hot. And it was red-hot in this game, but it got cold when they needed to try and slow down Portland. Disappointing loss for the Kings, as they are now 5-7 on the year. They take on the LA Clippers next.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 8-Game Schedule Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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