Nets Injuries Pile Up Again; Knicks Win 7th Straight! 4.20.21
It’s a Tuesday slate of NBA hoops and we have 5 games on the schedule tonight.
Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks
Orlando Magic
This is a bad basketball team. Yeah, that about sums it up.
Goggles Trae Young
Trae Young with goggles just looks so weird. Anyway, the Hawks led comfortably in this game throughout, because it’s the Magic. 25-5-7 for Young on the night as 6 guys were in double figures, including 22 off the bench from Lemon Pepper Lou Williams. The Hawks just need to get healthy and they’ll be fine.
Charlotte Hornets vs New York Knicks
Injuries
The Hornets need to get healthy. The only reason this game was close was that the Hornets hit 3’s in the first half and Washington and Rozier combined for 38. In the 2nd half Rozier scored jut 4 points and Washington had just 5. They shut down offensively for just 31 points in the half. Lamelo is coming back soon and hopefully Hayward can come back soon as Charlotte needs some wins to avoid slipping any further in the East.
Winning
This game was close mainly because the Knicks couldn’t stop Rozier or PJ Washington in the first half. Washington hit 5 3’s in the first quarter and duo combined for 38 points. But the Knicks defense stepped up, allowing just 16 points in the 3rd to take a double-digit lead they would never relinquish.
34 combined for Rose and Quickley off the bench and 24 from Barrett led the way. Randle was 3 assists away from a triple double and Reggie Bullock had 16 as well. The Knicks have won 7 straight and they are now 5 games over 0.500, staying alive in the Eastern Conference.
Brooklyn Nets vs New Orleans Pelicans
Injuries
God this team is unlucky. Durant is already dealing with his thigh injury and now Harden is going to miss more time with his injury. But this team is still good and they found ways to win. Kyrie hit some incredibly difficult shots down the stretch and the Nets smartly fouled New Orleans multiple times down the stretch to preserve the lead.
32 points and 8 assists for Irving to lead the way. 24 for Joe Harris who got endless layups, 18 for Shamet who has been great lately, and 15-9-6 for Uncle Jeff Green. The bench was also really good, with 37 combined points from Griffin, Brown, and TLC. The Nets just haven’t been able to stay healthy, but they are still a great team.
Help
When you’re relying on Naji Marshall to score to help you win, you’re in trouble. Now Naji was solid with 15 but this team needs to help Zion and Ingram more. The defense still sucks, Eric Bledsoe does nothing, the shooting sucks. 33 from Zion and 27 from Ingram is great but if you can’t win games when you’re two All-Stars do that then you’re going to have problems. The Pelicans need a makeover this offense, like big-time.
LA Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers
Lucky
I don’t know how Paul George got those late free throws, because he didn’t really get touched and again, I don’t think that moment constitutes a foul being called. Maybe I’m a little biased, but it’s a lot like the Suns vs Bucks game. It really shouldn’t end that way, by the official’s whistle and not the actual players. I don’t know I’m probably just mad.
Pain
Pain.
Minnesota T-Wolves vs Sacramento Kings
Offense
Scoring against the Kings is easy, but this was too easy. 74 points in the first half, 134 for the game. The offense was rolling and when the T-Wolves held the Kings in check late it was game over. In the first half, it was the D-Lo and Edwards shows. Towns was just 2/8 from the field, but 9/11 shooting from D-Lo was good for 26 off the bench. Edwards added 16. It was going to be a shootout but the T-Wolves played great defense in the 4th. They held the Kings to just 17 points and controlled things.
28 for D-Lo on 10/13 shooting as he has been great off the bench this season. 28 for Edwards who has been playing excellently since the All-Star Break. 26-18-5 for Towns who picked things up big-time in the 2nd half. This Big 3 is the real deal, they just need some depth and wing defense. I like what Minnesota is building as they definitely have the pieces to be better than 14th in the West.
Defense Struggles
This team’s defense is so bad. As soon as their offense slowed down in the 4th it was over. Fox, Hield, and Haliburton all struggled shooting as this team is as inconsistent as inconsistent gets. They just don’t know how to play consistently well and some it is has to do with personnel but it’s really coaching. This team shouldn’t be this bad. Fire Luke Walton, please.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 5 Games Tonight? Leave A Comment Down Below!
Follow My Instagram To Never Miss A Post: @hoopnotions
Check Out My Patreon For Extra Content!
