Lakers Lose Again; Double OT Thriller! Thoughts From Day 10!
After 5 games of action from Day 10 of the NBA Restart, I’m giving my thoughts and opinions for each team.
LA Clippers
The LA Clippers won their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Clippers were coming into this game short-handed as they were without Kawhi Leonard, Montrezl Harrell, and Patrick Beverley. But the Clippers were still a solid team and they faced the Portland Trail Blazers. The game was high-scoring and close throughout. But the Clippers got lucky with some missed free throws and they held on to win.
Offensively the Clippers were great as they shot 49% from the field and 44% from 3. They were also 23/28 from the free throw line. The Clippers had 14 turnovers as they need to take better care of the ball. The Clippers didn’t have much of a paint presence as they had just 38 points down low.
Defensively the Clippers were poor as the Blazers shot 49% from the field and 40% from 3. They were also 12/17 from the free throw line. The Clippers didn’t force many turnovers as the Blazers only had 11. The Clippers had little resistance for the Blazers down as Portland had 46 points in the paint.
Paul George had 21 points and 6 rebounds in limited action. Landry Shamet had 19 points as well. Reggie Jackson had 17 points and 5 assists. Marcus Morris had 15 points and 8 rebounds. JaMychal Green and Lou Williams were in double figures off the bench as well.
Conclusion
Without 3 key players, the Clippers were still able to carve out a win. Sure they got a little lucky, but a win is a win. Lou Williams looked at his best since his return from quarantine, an encouraging sign for the Clippers. All the Clippers have to do is wait until they are healthy.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers lost their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Blazers came into this game one of the best teams in the bubble with a 3-1 record. They were right on the tails of the Memphis Grizzlies, and a win would put them 0.5 games back of the 8th seed. The game was high-scoring and close. The Blazers were down 118-117 with the ball, and Damian Lillard got fouled. Lillard is one of the best free throw shooters in the league and one of the clutchest. And he missed both. And the Blazers lost.
Offensively the Blazers were good as they shot 49% from the field and 40% from 3. They were also 12/17 from the line. The Blazers did a good job not turning the ball over as they had just 11 turnovers. The Blazers were dominant down low as they had 46 points in the paint.
Defensively the Blazers were poor as the Clippers shot 49% from the field and 44% from 3. They were also 23/28 from the free throw line. The Blazers did a good job forcing turnovers as the Clippers had 14. The Blazers didn’t allow much in the paint as the Clippers had just 38 points down low.
CJ McCollum had 29 points and 8 assists to lead the Blazers. Damian Lillard had 22 points and 5 assists and Gary Trent Jr. had 22 points off the bench. Carmelo Anthony had 21 points and 7 rebounds as well. Jusuf Nurkic had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Conclusion
With those missed Lillard free throws down the stretch, the Blazers are now 3-2 in the bubble. A game that the Blazers should have won, they lost. That’s just how it is. The Blazers are now 1.5 games back from the 8th seeded Memphis Grizzlies and the rest of the league is catching up. The Blazers play the 76ers next as they need wins to stay in 9th place.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz lost their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Jazz had their starters back and they faced a Nuggets team also at full strength. The Jazz were in a wild game. They were down 104-98 with 19.4 seconds left, and Donovan Mitchell hit some big shots and the game went into overtime. In the first OT session, the Jazz trailed 111-105 with 2:56 left. And they cameback and held a 119-117 lead with 3.4 seconds left. But Nikola Jokic tied the game and we were going to a 2nd OT. In the 2nd overtime session, the Jazz trailed 130-123. But they fought back to make it a game again. With 5.6 seconds left, the Jazz trailed 134-132, but they could not score to tie or win the game, and the Nuggets won.
Offensively the Jazz were good as they shot 45% from the field and 40% from 3. They were also 16/22 from the field. The Jazz had 15 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities for themselves. The Jazz had 22 turnovers as they need to take better care of the ball. The Jazz didn’t have much of a paint presence as they had just 34 points down low.
Defensively the Jazz were also ok as the Nuggets shot 47% from the field and just 24% from 3 as the Jazz did a good job limiting their 3-point makes. The Jazz fouled the Nuggets 30 times and the Nuggets were 23/30 from the line. The Nuggets had 12 offensive rebounds as the Jazz didn’t do a good job limiting them to one shot. The Jazz got pounded down low as the Nuggets had 74 points in the paint.
Donovan Mitchell had 35 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists to lead the Jazz. Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 13 rebounds. Mike Conley had 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jordan Clarkson had 19 points off the bench. Joe Ingles had 11 points and 13 assists as well.
Conclusion
With their starters back in the lineup, the Jazz put up a valiant effort. They trailed in every single overtime, and they fought back each time. I think that the Jazz should be proud of this game. Donovan Mitchell was amazing, as were Gobert and Conley. The Jazz showed that they can remain competitive in games that they shouldn’t have been competitive. The Jazz face the Dallas Mavericks next.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets won their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Nuggets were finally starting to get healthy as Paul Millsap and Jamal Murray were back in the lineup, and it was Murray’s debut in the bubble. And the Nuggets would need both of them in this wild game. The Nuggets held a late lead in OT, but they blew that and we went to OT. In the first OT session, the Nuggets held a lead again and they blew it, again. So we went to a 2nd overtime. In the 2nd OT, the Nuggets again held a lead. And again they blew it. But they were able to hold and win in double OT.
Offensively the Nuggets were solid as they shot 47% from the field but just 24% from 3. Need to start making those 3’s at a higher clip. The Nuggets took advantage of the Jazz fouling them and they were 23/30 from the line. The Nuggets had 12 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities. The Nuggets only had 11 turnovers as they did a good job taking care of the ball. The Nuggets pounded the ball down low as they had 74 points in the paint.
Defensively the Nuggets were also solid as the Jazz shot 45% from the field and 40% from 3. They were also 16/22 from the free throw line. The Jazz had 15 offensive rebounds as the Nuggets did a poor job limiting them to just one shot. The Nuggets forced the Jazz into 22 turnovers as they did a good job creating possessions for themselves. The Nuggets didn’t give up anything down low as the Jazz only had 34 points in the paint.
Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists to lead Denver. Jamal Murray had 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists in his return to action. Michael Porter Jr. had 23 points and 11 rebounds as he continued his hot streak. Jerami Grant had 21 points off the bench as well. Monte Morris has 15 points and Torrey Craig had 11 points and 7 rebounds.
Conclusion
The Nuggets are now 3-2 in the bubble and they look to be getting healthier. Jamal Murray looked good in his return, and Gary Harris and Will Barton will be returning soon. When they do, the Nuggets will be a very scary team in the Western Conference. A problem I noticed was that they couldn’t hold leads in this game. They blew 2 and they nearly blew 3. I think that this is where the Nuggets inexperience hurts them, a lot. They will have problems closing games like these in the playoffs, and it might be their downfall.
LA Lakers
The Lakers lost their 6th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Lakers have been struggling in the bubble. They were 2-3 entering this game and things have not been looking good. They can’t shoot the ball, Lebron and AD are not playing particularly well. Something just hasn’t been right in the NBA Restart. But the Lakers had a chance to turn that around as Lebron James was back in the lineup and ready for action. But they lost after blowing a lead in the 3rd quarter, and were never able to recover.
Offensively the Lakers were ok as they shot 42% from the field and 33% from 3, a large improvement from the past two games. They were also 14/19 from the free throw line. The Lakers had 15 offensive rebounds as they did a good job getting 2nd chance opportunities. The Lakers had 15 turnovers as they should look to lower that. The Lakers were pounding the ball down low as they had 52 points in the paint.
Defensively the Lakers were poor as the Pacers shot 52% from the field and 46% from 3. They were also 13/14 from the free throw line. The Lakers forced 20 turnovers on the Pacers which is always a good thing. The Lakers had little resistance for the Pacers down low as they had 54 points in the paint.
Lebron James had 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists as he looked back to normal. Quinn Cook had 21 points off the bench. Kyle Kuzma had 11 points and 5 rebounds off the bench. Dwight Howard had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Talen Horton-Tucker had 10 points off the bench as well. Anthony Davis was again quiet as he had 8 points and 8 rebounds in 35 minutes of work.
Conclusion
The Lakers are now 2-4 in the bubble and they are looking worrisome. The Lakers, who seemed to care about the regular season prior to the hiatus, now seem to don’t care during the Restart. Lebron James finally played up to his usual standards, but it took two weeks. Anthony Davis continues to score in single digits, and some might question if he is ok. The Lakers shooters are still not automatic, although they were better tonight. And a once strong Lakers defense has been mediocre at best during the restart. At this rate, the Lakers will get bounced in the 1st round.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers won their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Pacers have been one of the best teams in the NBA Restart using the powers of Michael Jordan to lead them to glory. Along with Brogdon and Oladipo, the Pacers have been tough to beat in the restart. The Pacers faced the struggling Lakers and they showed them who was boss. The Pacers took a lead in the 3rd quarter and they never relinquished it and they won, giving them their 4th win in the bubble.
Offensively the Pacers were great as they shot 52% from the field and 46% from 3. They were also 13/14 from the free throw line. The Pacers had 20 turnovers as they should look to keep that number down. The Pacers pounded the ball down low as they had 54 points in the paint.
Defensively the Pacers were solid as the Lakers shot 42% from the field and 33% from 3. They were also 14/19 from the free throw line. The Lakers had 15 offensive rebounds as the Pacers didn’t do a good job limiting them to just one shot. The Pacers forced 15 turnovers as they did a good job creating extra possessions. The Pacers had little resistance down low as the Lakers had 52 points in the paint.
TJ Warren had 39 points and 5 rebounds as he continues to be a god in the bubble. Malcolm Brogdon had 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists as well. Victor Oladipo had 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Conclusion
The Pacers are now 4-1 in the bubble as the powers of TJ Warren have looked unbeatable so far. Along with Brogdon and Oladipo, the 3 of them single-handedly beat the best team in the West. If Domantas Sabonis returns in time for the playoffs, then the Pacers will be a very scary 1st round opponent.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns won their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Suns have been one of the best and most surprising teams in the bubble. Coming into this game they were 4-0 and were looking for a chance to make the playoffs. They faced a short-handed Heat team without Jimmy Butler, Kendrick Nunn, and Goran Dragic. But for the Suns every game and every win mattered in the tight race for the 8th seed. And while the Suns fell behind early, they managed to come back and win their 5th game in a row.
Offensively the Suns were great as they shot 48% from the field and 38% from 3. They were also 19/20 from the free throw line. The Suns had 12 offensive rebounds as they did a great job creating 2nd chance opportunities for themselves. The Suns took care of the ball as they only had 11 turnovers. The Suns pounded the ball down low as they had 54 points in the paint.
Defensively the Suns were solid as the Heat shot 49% from the field and 31% from 3. They were also 19/22 from the free throw line. The Suns didn’t force many turnovers as the Heat had just 12. The Suns had little paint defense as the Heat had 52 points in the paint.
Devin Booker had 35 points and 6 assists as he was great once again. Jevon Carter had 20 points off the bench. Deandre Ayton had 18 points and 10 rebounds as well. Cam Johnson had 14 points and Mikal Bridges added 10 points and 6 rebounds. Dario Saric had 10 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.
Conclusion
The Suns are now 5-0 in the bubble as they continue to impress us all. Monty Williams has been getting the most out of his guys, and the Suns are in prime position to make the playoffs. The Suns are currently 10th place in the West and 2 games out of the 8th seed. They are 0.5 games behind the 9th seeded Portland Trail Blazers. The Suns face the Thunder next, as they look to continue their hot play and try and steal 9th place from Portland.
Miami Heat
The Heat lost their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Heat have been very good in the bubble considering all the injuries they have sustained. They now faced the hottest team in the NBA without Jimmy Butler, Kendrick Nunn, and Goran Dragic. But the Heat made this game very competitive, but they missed their 3 scorers and they came up short.
Offensively the Heat were solid as they shot 49% from the field and 31% from 3. They were also 19/22 from the line. The Heat didn’t turn the ball over much as they had just 12 turnovers. The Heat pounded the ball down low as they had 52 points in the paint.
Defensively the Heat were sub-par as the Suns shot 48% from the field and 38% from 3. The Suns were also 19/20 from the line. The Suns had 12 offensive rebounds as the Heat did a poor job limiting the Suns to just one shot. The Heat didn’t force many turnovers as the Suns had 11. The Heat didn’t have much paint defense as the Suns had 54 points in the paint.
Tyler Herro had 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists as he was spectacular. Duncan Robinson had 25 points as well. Bam Adebayo added 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. Jae Crowder had 17 points. Andre Iguodala had 12 points and 5 rebounds off the bench.
Conclusion
The Heat are now 2-3 in the bubble, but that is the least of their concerns. The Heat have not been healthy as Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic have been out for multiple games. They should focus on getting healthy for the playoffs otherwise it will be tough to be successful. Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson combined for 50 points and that’s always a good sign for their shooters to be playing well. Again, the Heat’s #1 concern before the playoffs should be getting healthy.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks lost their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Bucks have been good and bad in the bubble. Eric Bledsoe has missed time, and at times the Bucks have looked pretty vulnerable. They faced the high-scoring Mavericks, a team that beat them earlier in the season (pre-pandemic). And the Bucks looked good. They took a 7-point lead late in the 4th. But the Mavs stormed back and forced OT. And the Bucks could not stop the Mavs, specifically Luka Doncic in overtime, and they lost.
Offensively the Bucks were solid as they shot 48% from the field and 34% from 3. They were also 23/34 from the free throw line. The Bucks took relatively good care of the ball as they had 13 turnovers. The Bucks had a good paint presence as they scored 48 points down low.
Defensively the Bucks were solid as the Mavs shot 42% from the field and 32% from 3. The Mavs were also 23/25 from the line. The Mavs had 11 offensive rebounds as the Bucks struggled to limit them to one shot. The Bucks didn’t force any turnovers as the Mavs only had 6 on the day. The Bucks had little paint defense as the Mavs had 54 points in the paint.
Giannis had 34 points and 13 rebounds. Brook Lopez had 34 points and 7 rebounds as he was excellent. Khris Middleton had 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists as he had an all-around game. Eric Bledsoe had 15 points and 5 rebounds as well.
Conclusion
The Bucks are now 2-3 in the restart, and like the Lakers, they have not looked the same in the restart. For the Bucks it has been the defense. They had the best defense in the league in March, but now they look mediocre at times. The Bucks seemed to have lost that edge a little bit during the time off, and they will have to regain that edge to be dominant in the East again.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs won their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Mavs have been up and down in the bubble so far and came into this contest 1-3 in the bubble. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have been amazing, but their supporting cast has been questionable at times. Their defense has also been a problem for them. Now they faced the best team in basketball, but a team they had beaten before. And only one man is responsible for them winning, Luka Doncic. Doncic controlled everything and pulled the Mavs back in the 4th and forced OT. And in OT, we saw some Luka Magic, including the game-winning assist with a between his own legs pass, past Giannis for a Maxi Kleber slam.
Offensively the Mavs were ok as they shot 42% from the field and 32% from 3. The Mavs were also 23/25 from the line. The Mavs had 11 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities. The Mavs took very good care of the ball as they only had 6 turnovers. The Mavs pounded the ball down low as they had 54 points in the paint.
Defensively the Mavs were solid as the Bucks shot 48% from the field and 34% from 3. The Bucks were also 23/34 from the free throw line. The Mavs forced the Bucks into 13 turnovers. The Mavs had little paint defense as the Bucks had 48 points in the paint.
Luka Doncic had 36 points, 14 rebounds, and a career-high 19 assists. This is Doncic’s 3rd triple double in the restart. The rest of the league has 1 during the restart. Dorian Finney-Smith had 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists as he was excellent. Kristaps Porzingis had 26 points and 11 rebounds as well. Maxi Kleber and Trey Burke both scored in double-figures.
Conclusion
The Mavs are now 2-3 in the bubble and they are starting to piece things together. Luka Doncic is an animal and will be a super-star in this league for a long time. Kristaps Porzingis is back to his All-Star form, and the Mavs are getting more consistent help for their superstar duo. And the defense was much improved against one of the better offenses in the league. The Mavs are starting to look pretty scary, and they will be a tough 1st round matchup for anybody.
What are your thoughts/opinions from Day 10 of the NBA Restart? Leave a comment down below.
My Thoughts/Opinions For Day 11 will be posted tomorrow at 2:30 PM PT, so stay tuned.
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