Less Hair = Better Tatum; Isaac Done For Season! Thoughts From Day 4!
Here are my thoughts/opinions from Day 4 of the NBA Restart from the Orlando Bubble!
After Day 4 of the NBA Restart finished last night, it’s time for my thoughts and opinions for each team.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards lost their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Wizards lost a high-scoring affair with the Nets as they failed to slow them down in the 4th quarter. The game was very close throughout and it looked like the game might go down to the wire, but the Wizards came up short on the defensive end.
Offensively the Wizards were good as they shot 46% from the field and 29% from 3. The 3-point % could always be better, but sometimes the shots just don’t fall. They were good from the foul line as they were 21/27. They had 26 assists, as they passed the ball very well. The Wizards had 42 points in the paint and they only had 12 turnovers.
Defensively is where the Wizards need some work. The Nets shot 42% from the field and 33% from 3. While those are solid, the Nets were 31/37 from the foul line as the Wizards fouled them 31 times. This cannot happen if they expect to win the games. The Nets had 13 offensive rebounds, which is far too many 2nd chance opportunities.
Thomas Bryant had 30 points and 13 rebounds as he had a monster game. Troy Brown had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists as he had a complete game in all aspects of the game. 3 other guys scored in double figures for the Wizards. Rui Hachimura was pretty quiet as he only had 9 points. But the Wizards offensively were very solid tonight.
Conclusion
The Wizards played pretty well in their 2nd game in the bubble. The offense was very good as Thomas Bryant and Troy Brown dominated down low. Defense is where the Wizards could use the most improvement. Specifically defense without fouling as the Nets shot 37 free throws. The Wizards are now 0-2 in the bubble and their playoffs hopes are all but none, but they could still make some improvements in their remaining time in Orlando.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets won their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their 2nd performance in the bubble.
The Nets played very good in their 2nd game as they used the trio of Harris, Allen, and Levert to power them to their 1st win in Orlando. The offense was great as the Nets scored 118 points. The game was close throughout, but the Nets managed to pull away with a great 4th quarter.
Offensively the Nets were very good as they scored 118 points. They shot 42% from the field and 33% from 3. Both of those could use some improving. The Nets were 31/37 from the line however as they took advantage of the Wizards poor defense. The Nets had 13 offensive rebounds which is a great sign. The Nets also had 23 assists which is decent. All around solid effort from the Nets.
The defensive end still needs some work. The Wizards shot 46% from the field and 29% from 3. Good perimeter defense and closeouts from the Wizards. The Wizards shot 21/27 from the line which really kept them in the game. The Wizards did have 26 assists as they really moved the ball well. The Nets didn’t really force any turnovers as the Wizards only had 12 in the game.
Caris Levert had 34 points and 7 rebounds for the Nets as he had the monster game that we expected him to. Joe Harris had 27 points and 7 rebounds. Harris was quiet in the 1st game, but he played very good today. Jarrett Allen had 22 points and 15 rebounds. Allen is the lone (good) big guy for the Nets, and he really played well down low. Other than that nobody played all that great, but the Nets didn’t need it.
Conclusion
The Nets won their 2nd game in bubble thanks to great, explosive play from Harris, Levert, and Allen. The defense on the perimeter was very good as the Wizards struggled from 3-point range. The Nets sure hope they can rely on their Big 3 to play like on most nights as they don’t have much help for them. The Nets are currently 8th in the East, and they will need every win they can get to hold on to their playoff spot.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers lost their 2nd game in the bubble to the Celtics. Here is what I thought of their performance.
The Blazers lost in a close contest to the Celtics, but they should have been blown out. The 1st half was horrendous as they could not score and defend the Celtics. But in the 2nd half Damian Lillard started to take over and the Blazers were getting stops. But they couldn’t overcome the Celtics hot shooting and they came up short
Offensively the Blazers were very hot and cold. In the first half they were getting good looks, but they just weren’t falling. But in the 2nd half the lid came off the basket and they started hitting more 3’s. And the Blazers dominated the paint with their 3 7-footers. They shot 50% from the field and 45% from 3. They were also 15/16 from the line. They had 31 assists as well.
Defensively is where the Blazers encountered problems. The Celtics were hitting their shots from the perimeter all night long. And that is partly on the Blazers, and partly just catching the Celtics on a good day. Mix of both. The Celtics were having a tougher time scoring in the paint with the Blazers big guys, but they still were scoring inside pretty efficiently. The Celtics shot 55% from the field and 60% from 3. That will not happen every night. The Celtics were also 26/34 from the line. The Blazers did force the Celtics into 14 turnovers.
Damian Lillard had 30 points and 15 assists. He was a monster in the 2nd half and was the reason the Blazers were in that game. Jusuf Nurkic has not missed a beat since returning from his leg injury as he had 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Gary Trent Jr. had 7 3’s on the day and he added 21 points. CJ McCollum and Carmelo Anthony were solid, but they were much quieter than they were against Memphis.
Conlusion
The Blazers offense was not the problem as they have shown all of us that they are very capable of contending with some of the best teams in the league. The defense on the perimeter must improve in order for the Blazers to be successful. They have lots of positive stuff to build around as they advance through the rest of their seeding games.
With the loss the Blazers fall to 10th place in the Western Conference.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics won their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Celtics in the 1st half were great. They were playing excellent defense, and they were getting good looks from 3 which they were consistently hitting. But as the 2nd half rolled around, they seemed to take their foot off the gas and the Blazers took advantage. The Celtics lead evaporated and it looked like they were going to lose the game. But their shooting pulled them through as they won a narrow game.
Offensively you can’t do much better than the Celtics did. They shot 55% from the field and 60% from 3 (18/30). The Celtics were also 26/34 from the line as the Blazers did a poor job playing defense without fouling. The Celtics only had 14 turnovers as they handled the ball well, and they didn’t go cold for long as their play-makers of Brown, Tatum, and Hayward were all great.
Defensively the Celtics were hot and cold. The 1st half was great as the Blazers struggled to get into an offensive rhythm. But in the 2nd half Damian Lillard lit on fire and gave the Blazers some much needed scoring and energy. He was passing and scoring at a very high clip, and the Celtics had to answer. Jusuf Nurkic and Gary Trent Jr. were both problems. The Blazers shot 50% from the field and 45% from 3. The Blazers only had 12 turnovers as the Celtics didn’t force many. The defense needs to improve for Boston.
Tatum cut his hair and he had a great day with 34 points and 8 assists. Less hair = better Tatum. Jaylen Brown had 30 points and 6 rebounds. Brown had 16 of his 30 in the 4th quarter as he hit some big 3’s. Gordon Hayward was very efficient as he had 22 points and 8 rebounds. Marcus Smart had his hands full with Damian Lillard on the other end, and he did an ok job. Enes Kanter and Daniel Theis were also caught up defensively, where they both did ok.
Conclusion
Overall, it was solid game from the Celtics. But blowing 20+ point leads is a bit concerning. While the Blazers are not thought of as a good team, they sure have a lot of roster talent. The Celtics might want to work on holding leads come playoff time otherwise they will lose games that they shouldn’t have. Jayson Tatum seems to be back, and Brown and Hayward looked great as well. Kemba Walker is slowly coming back to full strength, and when they have him they can start to make a solid push for the top of the Eastern Conference.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs and their unusual lineup won their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Spurs controlled the game from the tip. For 3 quarters they were just outplaying the Grizzlies. They were playing solid on both ends for 36 minutes. But the Grizzlies started to creep up in the 4th quarter with a late surge. But the Spurs made some big plays late and they came away with the win, a crucial one in the tightly contested Western Conference.
Offensively the Spurs were great as they were scoring very well. They shot 42% from the field and 41% from 3 (12/29). They were also 24/33 from the line. Nothing eye-popping, just solid in all aspects. Typical Spurs basketball. The Spurs had 12 offensive rebounds which was very helpful. The Spurs were perimeter oriented as they only had 32 points in the paint.
Defensively the Spurs were also solid. The Grizzlies shot 46% from the field but only 23% from 3. The Spurs really limited the Grizzlies from that aspect of the floor. The Grizzlies were 15/18 from the line. The Spurs limited the Grizzlies 2nd chances as they only had 3 offensive rebounds. The Grizzlies only had 12 turnovers as they handled the ball well. The Spurs didn’t stop the Grizzlies in the paint as they scored 64 points in the paint.
Dejounte Murray had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Derrick White was superb once again as he had 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. DeMar DeRozan was quiet, but he had 2 big free throws at the end to win the game. Lonnie Walker, Rudy Gay, and Patty Mills were all solid as well. Solid all around effort from the Spurs.
Conclusion
The Spurs and their unusual lineup with DeMar DeRozan at the 4 has been pretty successful so far as the Spurs are 2-0 in the bubble. This was a key win for the Spurs as they inch themselves closer to that 8th spot in the Western Conference. The guards for the Spurs have been playing great as Dejounte Murray and Derrick White were great today. The Spurs brand of team basketball might push them over the top and help them collect the 8th seed.
With the win the Spurs are now 9th in the Western Conference.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies lost their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Grizzlies were quiet through the first 36 minutes. They never seemed to get an advantage vs the Spurs and it looked like they would fade quietly into the night. But they managed to create a spark in the 4th quarter, but they came up short and they lost. The Grizzlies are showing us why experience matters in the NBA, and the Grizzlies lack off it has been hurting them in their first two game so far.
Offensively the Grizzlies were solid as they shot 46% from the field. But they were 7/30 from 3-point range (23%). The Spurs really made sure the Grizzlies didn’t hurt them from deep and the Grizzlies were unable to get into a rhythm from deep. The Grizzlies were 15/18 from the free throw line. The Grizzlies weren’t very active on the offensive glass as they only had 3. They were great at not turning the ball over as they only had 12. And they dominated in the paint where they had 64 points.
Again it would be defense that would be the downfall of the Grizzlies. The Spurs shot 42% from the field and 41% from 3. The Spurs made 12 3’s, which really hurt Memphis. The Grizzlies were fouling a lot as the Spurs were 24/33 from the foul line. The Grizzlies were horrible at giving the Spurs one shot on a possession as the Spurs had 12 offensive rebounds. The Grizzlies did force the Spurs into 16 turnovers and limited their paint presence as they scored just 28 points down low.
Ja Morant was amazing as he had 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Ja showing us why he is the rookie of the year. Jaren Jackson Jr. was solid with 21 points. Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, and Jonas Valanciunas all scored in double figures. But in the end it was not enough as they fell short.
Conclusion
The Grizzlies should be 2-0 in the bubble as they had prime shots to take out both the Blazers and the Spurs. But their lack of experience really cost them in those close games and they lost both of them. Despite the spectacular play of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr, they haven’t been able to finish games. The Grizzlies are now looking like imposters in the 8th seed. They will need to change drastically to get back on track and secure that 8th seed.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings lost their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Kings were never in this game. From the tip they were out of it as they couldn’t score on the offense end and they were absolutely horrible on defense. Can’t say much more.
Offensively the Kings could never get it going. Before scoring 38 points in the 4th quarter, the Kings never broke the 30-point mark in a quarter. They shot 50% from the field but they were 8/28 from the 3-point line (29%). The Kings were 18/22 from the line. The Kings had 14 turnovers, so they did an ok job handling the ball. The Kings had an impressive paint presence as they had 54 points in the paint.
Defensively the Kings were horrible. The Magic had 34+ points in 3/4 quarters. The Magic shot 52% from the field and 47% from 3. The Magic made 18 3-pointers. The Kings could not stop fouling as the Magic were 28/35 from the foul line. The Magic got 11 offensive rebounds, which if far too many for the Kings to give up. The Kings did force the Magic into 17 turnovers.
The only player who played relatively well was Harry Giles. Giles had 23 points and 8 rebounds. Other than that, nobody played well. De’Aaron Fox was held in check as he had just 13 points. Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic were both held in check as well as they combined for 24 points.
Conclusion
The Kings were never in this game as their defense and offense were never on par. The young guys for the Kings were all sub-par tonight and the Kings have fallen to 0-2 in the bubble. The Kings and their playoff chances have gone down drastically since the seeding games have started. The young Kings will need a miracle to get back into the mix for the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
Orlando Magic
The Magic won their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Magic dominated from the tip as their offense ran circles around the Kings. A balanced and efficient scoring attack really looked very good against the Kings defense. The Magic have now improved to 2-0 in the bubble, and they look much improved from March.
On offense, the Magic were nearly perfect. They scored 34+ points in 3/4 of the quarters, and they looked very dominant throughout the game. The Magic shot 52% from the field and 47% from 3 as they made 18 of them. The Magic were also 28/35 from the line as they took advantage of the Kings porous defense. The Magic had 12 offensive rebounds but also 18 turnovers which they should look to lower in the future.
Defensively the Magic were great for 3 quarters (the 4th quarter was irrelevant). The Kings never got anything going until the 4th, and it was over at that point. The Magic just played defense when they needed to, and when they didn’t need to, they relaxed. The Kings shot 50% from the field but they were 8/28 from 3 which is a credit to the Magic for making them uncomfortable. The Kings were 18/22 from the line and they dominated inside as they scored 56 points in the paint.
Nikola Vucevic had a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Aaron Gordon had his best game so far with 22 points and 5 rebounds. Terrence Ross had 25 points off the bench and Markelle Fultz and Michael Carter-Williams scored in double figures off the bench as well. Evan Fournier had a quiet day offensively, but the Magic were able to cover that up with the balanced scoring from the rest of the roster.
Of course the worrying thing is Jonathan Isaac as he had a scary fall as he will be getting an MRI on his left knee.
Update: Jonathan Isaac has torn his ACL and he is done for the season
Conclusion
The Magic are now 2-0 in the bubble thanks to their impressive offensive work. But this is overshadowed by the injury to Jonathan Isaac. Hopefully his is ok. Anyway, the Magic seem to be clicking on both ends of the ball. Hopefully they can keep this up as the seeding games start to tick down to the playoffs.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks lost their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Bucks lost in a very competitive game against the small ball Rockets. On paper the Bucks should have very easily won this game. And yet, they didn’t The Rockets were getting easy looks from 3 and in the paint, and the Bucks never really stopped the Rockets. While Giannis and Khris Middleton were great, it was still not enough for the Bucks to win.
Offensively the Bucks were great. The Bucks shot 49% from the field and only 26% from 3. They really need to make more in order to be successful. It really helps the Bucks when they shoot so Giannis can get more driving lanes. The Bucks were 17/23 from the line. The Bucks had 17 offensive rebounds. 17, and they didn’t manage to capitalize on it. The thing that killed the Bucks were 22 turnovers, which is very uncharacteristic for them. The Bucks were dominant in the paint with 60 points down low.
Defense was good, and bad at the same time. The Rockets shot 40% from the field. This is normally considered great defense, but the Rockets also shot 34% from 3. But they had 21 3-point makes. They were 21/61 from 3, which is just insane. And the 3’s the Rockets were getting were very open and easy. The Rockets were also 27/31 from the line, a product of James Harden. The Rockets only had 9 turnovers, so they did a good job handling the ball. While the Rockets only had 20 points in the paint, they didn’t really need it. They were just that good from the perimeter, something that the Bucks need to fix.
Giannis was… Giannis. He had 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists. Can’t do much better. Khris Middleton had 27 points and 12 rebounds, a much improved game than against the Celtics. Brook Lopez had 23 points and 12 rebounds. But other than those 3, nobody scored in double figures. So the Bucks are going to need some supporting cast help in order to win. You get what you get from Giannis and Middleton. It’s time for the supporting cast to step up.
Conclusion
The Bucks have some things to fix, but it is very tough to guard the Rockets and their small ball lineup. It’s just no different than normal teams that if catches you off guard. The offense was fine as Giannis and Khris Middleton really fueled it, but the supporting cast needs to be better. Defensively the Bucks made it as tough on the Rockets as they could, it’s just hard to guard them. At the end of the day I think that Bucks will come back stronger after this game, and this game won’t affect much for them in the Eastern Conference.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets won their 2nd game in bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Rockets and their small ball lineup have been surprisingly effective so far in the bubble. James Harden and Russell Westbrook have been at the centerpiece of this Rockets remake and they have been rolling. The Rockets have been making lots of 3’s and free throws, and playing very good defense. Against the Bucks today they were very good. An all around great performance from the Rockets.
Offensively, don’t get fooled by the numbers. Yes they shot just 40% from the field and 34% from 3. But they had 63 points from the 3 point line (21 makes) and they were 27/31 from the line. So numbers aside, the Rockets score a lot from those two areas. They only had 9 turnovers so they were able to keep the ball much better than the Bucks did. Offensively, when you have two former MVP’s in Harden and Westbrook and the multitude of shooters that the Rockets do, you know that they will be scoring a lot of points.
Defensively the Rockets were solid. Again, you shouldn’t be going by the numbers. The Bucks shot 49% from the field and 26% from 3. While those are ok, it does’t speak to the job that the Rockets did on the defensive end. The stat that does tell us how good they were was that they had 15 steals. 15. And they weren’t off deflections and interceptions, they were just stripping the Bucks. On drives by Giannis, he was getting cleanly stripped by Harden, Covington or PJ Tucker. And 90% of the time they weren’t fouling. And they had 22 turnovers. So they really limited the amount of possessions the Bucks had in this game.
Russell Westbrook was the star of the show as he had 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. James Harden was in foul trouble early, but he still had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. PJ Tucker, Robert Covington, and Danuel House were also all in double figures. The Rockets only played 8 guys, and the starters scored 97 of the 120 points. So, the Rockets really rely on their starters for their offensive firepower.
Conclusion
The Rockets new style of small ball basketball has been very beneficial so far. Harden and Westbrook get free reign to the offense and it gives them so much room to operate. Harden from the outside, Westbrook from the inside. And with the shooters that they have in Covington, Tucker, and House, they are a very explosive team. And the Rockets proved that they can get stops late. They had 15 steals and forced the Bucks into 22 turnovers. The Rockets have been 2-0 in the bubble, and it will be interesting so see how their success pans out as they have the Lakers on their schedule.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks lost their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Mavericks were dominating this game in the 1st half. The high powered offense fueled by superstar Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis looked unstoppable through 24 minutes. But the Mavs had a horrendous 3rd quarter as they got outscored 36-19. They never got back into the game and their late game efforts game up short and they lost the game.
Offense was again not the problem for the Mavericks. They shot 41% from the field and only 19% from 3 (6/31). But they were 33/37 from the line. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis were incredible once again, but it just wasn’t enough. The Mavericks had 52 points in the paint and only 8 turnovers. So the offense was solid.
You can’t say the same about the defense. The Suns shot 45% from the field and 36% from 3. The Suns had twice as many 3-point makes as the Mavs (12). The Suns were also 21/23 from the line. The Mavs didn’t force many turnovers as the Suns only had 11. The Suns had 48 points in the paint as well.
Luka Doncic had 40 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists, he was spectacular. Kristaps Porzingis added 30 points and 8 rebounds as he was great as well. Tim Hardaway Jr. only had 2 points in 30 minutes and Dorian Finney-Smith had 5 points in 32 minutes. Both of these guys, especially Hardaway Jr. need to score more. Seth Curry had 16 points off the bench, but that was it for scoring. Trey Burke was quiet as well. The Mavs are going to need a better scoring presence from the supporting cast if they want some playoff success.
Conclusion
Defense is again the root of the problem for the Mavericks. They allowed too many free throws and 3-pointers for the Suns. Offensively they are always going to be fine as they have shooters and Luka Doncic. The supporting cast also was not as good as most other nights. The Mavs are now 0-2 in the bubble when they should be 2-0. Maybe the time off effective the Mavs in a negative way? The Mavs have 6 games to recover from this bad start.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns won their 2nd game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Suns did not play well in the 1st half as they were down by double-digits at halftime. But they made a big rally in the 3rd quarter and they took the lead. The Mavericks made lots of attempts to get the lead back, but the Suns were able to hold on their lead and win the game.
The Suns were very good on offense as they shot 45% from the field and 36% from 3. They were also 21/23 from the foul line. They only had 11 turnovers as they didn’t turn the ball over much. They also had a nice paint presence with 48 points in the paint.
Defense was also solid as Mavs shot 41% from the field and only 19% from 3. But they were 33/37 from the line as the Suns bailed them out with some easy points. The Mavs had 10 offensive rebounds which is far too many chances to give a good team like the Mavericks, but they got lucky that they didn’t capitalize. The Mavs only had 8 turnovers as the Suns didn’t do a good job forcing turnovers.
Devin Booker had 30 points to lead the Suns and Ricky Rubio had 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. A very surprising game from Rubio. Cam Johnson had 19 points and 12 rebounds as he was also surprising. Dario Saric and Cameron Payne had double figures off the bench. The one downside was that Deandre Ayton had 7 points in 21 minutes. He needs to be dominant like in the 1st game if the Suns want to be at their best.
Conclusion
The Suns are now 2-0 in the bubble. They are still 13th in the West, but they are creeping up behind the teams just in front of them. Devin Booker has been playing at a high rate, and he has been getting very good help from his teammates. The defense could use some improving, but they did a good job holding the Mavericks’ supporting cast down. The offense was good, and maybe the Suns have something going and they can surprise everybody and sneak into the playoffs.
What thoughts/opinions did you have from the 4th day of the NBA restart? Leave a comment down below.
Tomorrow I will be giving my Game-Day Report for Day 5 of the NBA Restart.
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