My 10 Biggest Takeaways From Christmas
Five games. Ten teams. No family. This is going to be fun. Christmas is the biggest day of the NBA calendar season, by far. While Covid headlined most of the matchups last night, there are still some takeaways from each game. Here are my 10 takeaways from Christmas.
New York Knicks (101-87 W)
Amongst a depressing season featuring too many questions, the Knicks once again give their fans false hope with a thrilling win on the national stage. Avenging playoff demons, the Knicks cruised past the Hawks with the approval of a roaring MSG crowd.
Ignore the fact that Trae Young didn’t play in this game. Ignore the Knicks’ horrendous start to 2022. It’s time for false hope. My biggest takeaway from this game was;
Where The Hell Has This Been Julius?
After a breakthrough 2021 campaign that saw him become an All-NBA forward, Julius Randle has disappeared in 2022. Through poor shot selection and decision-making, Randle’s efficient scoring from the perimeter was gone. Last season was a mirage, as Randle had regressed harder than Lost after season 3.
But, in the spirit of Christmas, Randle played a great game. He led the Knicks with 25 points and twelve rebounds. He nailed six triples, shooting 60% from the field overall. Randle looked relaxed, not trying to force the action.
I still want to see Randle attack the basket more, but this type of performance has been long overdue. This pick-and-pop play with Kemba Walker was encouraging. You’d wish the Knicks would use Randle like this more often.
Atlanta Hawks
They Need Trae Young
In a shocking turn of events that nobody saw coming, the Hawks need their best player to be good. I’ve got to write this down.
Milwaukee Bucks (117-113 W)
Milwaukee’s Christmas Day game against Boston was a recreation of their season arc. A slow start, followed by a blazing finish.
The first half was ugly. Boston bottled up Giannis, giving him no room to operate. The Bucks were missing easy shots around the rim and from outside. On the flip side, the Celtics couldn’t miss. The Celtics controlled the first half, leading by 15 at the break.
After that slow start, the Bucks turned things up in the 2nd half. 43 points in the 3rd quarters, 31 of those points from the Big 3, cut into the lead. The Bucks started the 4th quarter flat, but regrouped down the stretch.
Giannis was again unstoppable, parting the Celtics defense like Moses. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Bucks game without a signature defensive play from Giannis;
The takeaway from this game?
Jrue Holiday Is An Animal
I don’t think we appreciate Jrue Holiday enough. We know his reputation as an elite defender, but some of the plays he made in this game were ridiculous.
A Jrue Holiday help-side steal late in a close game that leads to a crucial basket. I can’t recall if I’ve seen that before. Anyway, Holiday times this double-team perfectly. Tatum still doesn’t know what hit him to this day. Elite instincts by Holiday.
Such an underappreciated part of defense is closeouts. This one, for example, is crucial. Holiday travels the length of the court to disrupt a wide-open Smart three in the corner. If not for Holiday, Smart gets more time to shoot this shot, increasing his chances of making it.
Petition for closeout stats to be a thing.
While Holiday is known as a dogged defender, his offensive game is so vital for the Bucks. His driving and playmaking abilities help make the offense flow.
Great awareness by Holiday. Not only is he in traffic, but he’s also amongst the trees. Not panicking, he finds the Greek Freak for a crucial bucket down the stretch.
There’s no surprise that Holiday’s +19 plus/minus was the second-best plus/minus on his team. He’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He also makes one of the best offenses in the league even better with his playmaking.
Again, we don’t appreciate Jrue Holiday enough. But we should.
Boston Celtics
Do I have to explain things more? The takeaway for the Celtics from this game is;
YOU BLEW IT!
Golden State Warriors (116-107)
The Warriors are the best team in the NBA. Last night, they proved there is a sizeable gap between them and everybody else. Even with a few starters missing, they are still a machine. They can play slow or fast. They can grind you down low. They can bomb you from deep.
Any way you slice it, the Warriors are the class of the NBA. They had moments in this game where the game appeared to be slipping away from them. After a strong start to the game, the Suns bullied them in the 2nd quarter to take a halftime lead. The Warriors 4th quarter lead was down to two with three minutes left.
Even with that adversity, they won. Their win proved one thing to me;
The Warriors Are Too Good For The Rest Of Us
The Warriors were without two of their best players. They were missing so much production from Wiggins & Poole;
Wiggins + Poole in 2022
36.6 points – 7.9 rebounds – 47% FG – 37% 3-PT – 1.4 BPM
Without all of that production, the Warriors played the same. They inserted Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. into the starting unit. There was no confusion, so stoppage, nothing. Their depth is ridiculous. Payton played another great defensive game, adding in timely buckets.
And Otto Porter? He had his best game of the season, scoring 19 points. Ten of those came in the 4th quarter, 8 of them in a row that put the game away. He and Payton are both bench regulars. But the Warriors can insert them into the starting lineup whenever they want to, which is a priceless luxury.
The Warriors just find ways to win. Steph Curry didn’t play his best game. They were missing two starters. All of that doesn’t matter. They were excellent on both ends of the ball, shutting down a potent Suns offense for most of the night.
Now it’s time to pray that Klay Thompson isn’t 80% of what he was in 2019. If he does come back strong, hide the women and children.
(Forgot to mention one thing. Jonathan Kuminga is done developing. In the first set of meaningful minutes of his career, he’s been excellent. Some athletic finishes, good defensive plays, and even some high IQ plays? He’s shown all that, proving that he can contribute as a rookie. God damn it, did this team get better?
Phoenix Suns
The Pheonix Suns should have won this game. For the first time in this rivalry, the Suns were fully healthy. The Warriors were missing two of their starters, so advantage Phoenix, right? Wrong.
The Suns had to work so hard for their baskets. Nothing came easy, as the Warriors did their best to slow down all that Phoenix had to offer. With Booker struggling, the Suns had to rely on other options for scoring. One of those options was Deandre Ayton, Mr. Underpaid. This leads me to my takeaway from this game;
GIVE THE BALL TO AYTON
The Suns seemed reluctant to use their size advantage in this game. They bullied the Warriors in the first meeting of the year between these two teams. That’s also the only time the Suns have won against the Warriors this season. Coincidence? I think not.
Ayton was a force in the paint. If he got to his left shoulder, you should’ve just added two points to the score.
Too easy.
*Chris Paul Dribbling*
*Chris Paul Not Going Anywhere*
*Chris Paul Realizing He Has A Free Two Points In Front of Him*
*Lightbulb*
*Chris Paul: I’m so smart*
Ayton was 8/10 from the field in this game. He got just three shots in the second half. Unacceptable.
Brooklyn Nets (122-115 W)
Let’s forget that the 4th quarter ever happened. Other than that near-death experience at the hands of Lebron, it was smooth sailing for the Nets. Even with half their team in Covid protocols, they had no problems on offense. James Harden was solid after returning from Covid. God, I mean Patty Mills, played his best game of the season.
The Nets continue to find ways to win despite extenuating circumstances. Even with an iffy offense, a sketchy bench, and an unreliable coach, they lead the Eastern Conference. My biggest takeaway from this game was;
The Nets Are Unbeatable
The Nets scored 122 points without KD and Kyrie. They survived blowing a 23-point lead in the 4th quarter to Lebron James plus a ruckus crypto.com arena crowd.
They aren’t going to have Kyrie Irving for home games this season. Their bench still has issues. Joe Harris has a few weeks left before returning from ankle surgery. This team has had so many obstacles thrown at them this season, but they’re still unscathed.
I don’t know how they’re doing it, but the Nets can’t be stopped right now. They’ve survived this brutal stretch of Covid well, with reinforcements on the horizon. I don’t know what can stop this Nets team – if anything.
LA Lakers
The Lakers can’t find a rhythm. Lebron continues to be brilliant, but the help around him isn’t good enough. The Lakers found success by going small, swarming the Nets. Stanley Johnson played great defense, a big reason as to why the Lakers furiously came back from down 23 points in the 4th.
The Lakers couldn’t close the book, but it’s another frustrating loss. The Lakers can’t play well for long stretches. Their intensity fluctuates, a recipe for disaster.
Again, there were some positives from this game. But, again, the lack of consistency reared its ugly head. Hence, my takeaway;
Find Something That Works
Getting some key pieces back from Covid will help the Lakers. Frank Vogel might not be the best coach in the world, but I’d rather have him than David Fizdale. The Lakers have lost five straight games, spiraling out of control. They can’t stay healthy. They can’t find the right formula to win games and it’s almost the end of the year.
I like what Stanley Johnson gave them in this game. I think he’s someone who could stick in the rotation for a while. His perimeter defense is vital off the bench. Russell Westbrook, with AD sidelined, has to be better than 4/20 shooting.
The Lakers are still an enigma, a mystery. I don’t know what their best rotation is. I don’t know if they have the right pieces in place to win. I hate their new stadium name. Right now, things are looking very grim for LBJ and the Lakers.
Utah Jazz (120-116 W)
You Only Won By 4?
The Jazz nearly lost to this team. A team using Theo Pinson and Brandon Knight nearly beat the best offense in NBA history. And Jazz fans ask why I don’t like them. Here’s more fuel to that fire.
Dallas Mavericks
Losing by four to the best offense in the league without Luka Doncic? Now that’s impressive. Dallas started the game well, using zone defense to throw the Jazz off their game. Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Brunson led the offensive attack. Dallas held a double-digit lead in the 3rd quarter, but Utah proved to be too much.
Dallas can’t hang their heads. They were without their generational superstar. They were relying on Frank Ntilikina, Theo Pinson, and Brandon Knight for offensive production. There’s not a whole lot you can do against the best offense in basketball with those guys playing major minutes.
My takeaway from this surprisingly close contest?
Play More Zone?
Dallas is the 13th ranked defense, which is solid. I don’t know how much zone defense they’ve used this season, but it could be something they throw out from time to time. You see teams like Toronto and Indiana do similar things, just trying to throw opposing offensives a curveball now and then.
Something to think about going forward if you’re Jason Kidd.
What Are Your Thoughts From Christmas Day? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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