Nuggets & Jazz Duel Late; Walker Returns To A Blowout! 1.17.21
It’s another day of NBA basketball, and we have 6 games on the schedule today.
Game Of The Day Prediction: Pacers vs Clippers or Jazz vs Nuggets
New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics
Pre-Game Thoughts: Ever since the Knicks started 5-3, things have been going downhill. Their defense was been pretty good, but their offense has been horrible. Julius Randle has been doing everything he can to try and help the team win, but he needs help in form of RJ Barrett, who has been wildly inconsistent this season. If the Knicks offense can get going, they’re a pretty good team. The Celtics have been dealing with Covid over the past week, but they’ve been getting healthier. They get Kemba Walker back, as he makes his season debut. Tatum is only going to be out for a few more games, and Boston will be at full strength. This Celtics team is better than the Knicks, and they should win.
New York Knicks
What a dominating win by the Knicks. The Celtics came out with no energy, and the Knicks took advantage. The Knicks shot 41% from the field, and they led by 13 at halftime, allowing just 35 points. And in the 2nd half, their defense did the same kind of things they were doing in the 1st half. They allowed just 75 total points in this game, and they dominated. New York snaps a 5-game losing streak, and they are now 6-8 on the year.
Julius Randle had 20 points and 12 rebounds on 7/14 shooting.
RJ Barrett had 19 points and 11 rebounds on 5/11 shooting.
Immanuel Quickley had 17 points and 8 assists on 7/12 shooting.
The Knicks were the team that came out with energy in this game. Their defense was superb, as they never gave the Celtics anything easy. They held Boston to under 30% shooting from both the field and from 3. RJ Barrett seems to have gotten out of that shooting slump, as he has been good as of late. Immanuel Quickley is making a good campaign to be the starter, as he has been very good. The Knicks desperately needed this win to avoid adding onto their losing streak, as they are now 6-8 on the year. They take on the Orlando Magic tomorrow.
Boston Celtics
Yeah, we’re not going to talk about. It was just one of those nights for Boston, and it can really happen to anybody. They shot below 30% from the field and from 3. The Celtics can’t come out with this type of energy, against anybody, and hope to win games. Abysmal performance by Boston as they are now 8-4 on the year, and they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
Chicago Bulls vs Dallas Mavericks
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Bulls have been in a slump, losing their last 4 games. Their last loss against OKC was very bad, as they led by 22 in the 3rd quarter, and they were up by double digits with over a minute to go in that game, and yet they still lost. They did get Lauri Markkanen back, as is Otto Porter Jr. The Bulls are talented, they just have to find a way to win. The Mavs have recovered well from their slow start, but they should have beaten the Bucks even though they were short-handed. Kristaps Porzingis is getting back into the flow of things, although I wish he’d shoot the ball less. But he’ll have to shoot, and hopefully shoot it well as Hardaway Jr. is out, leaving Doncic with little to work with. He will still find a way to make things work, but I think that Chicago will win.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls just took advantage of the Mavericks being short-handed. They really never let this game becomes close, even with Luka Doncic doing everything. The Bulls shot 50% from the field, and scored 67 points in the first half. They held a double-digit lead for most of the 2nd half, not allowing the Mavs to go on a big run to get back into the game. Good comeback performance by the Bulls after that meltdown against OKC, as they are now 5-8 on the year.
Lauri Markkanen had 29 points and 10 rebounds on 10/19 shooting.
Garrett Temple had 21 points on 9/15 shooting.
Thaddeous Young had 15 points on 7/10 shooting.
The Bulls did what they had to go. They kind of just let Luka do what he wanted to do, and took advantage of the Mavs limited depth. Lauri Markkanen has been excellent since returning to the lineup. Garrett Temple was very good off the bench, and the Bulls needed this after losing their last 4 games. Chicago takes on the Houston Rockets tomorrow.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs were critically short-handed in this game, without so many of their best players. It took a 30-point half from Luka Doncic just for the Mavs to trail by 15 at halftime. Luka was doing all that he could to keep the Mavs in this game, but the Mavs just didn’t have the personnel to win, as they are now 6-6 on the year.
Luka had 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists on 13/30 shooting.
Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points and 8 rebounds on 9/19 shooting.
Until the Mavs get healthy, they will struggle. Luka Doncic had 30 points in the first half, en route to a monster triple double. But he was basically alone in this game. The Mavs are missing so many guys, but eventually they will come back. The hope of Jalen Brunson will come back soon, and there isn’t a real timetable for anybody else. Dallas takes on the Raptors next time out.
Philadelphia 76ers vs OKC Thunder
Pre-Game Thoughts: Postponed due to Covid.
Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Jazz’s offense has been good over the past week, and they’ve won 4 straight. The Jazz offense needs to be good for them to win games, and right now that’s working. Bojan Bogdanovic has to be better shooting the ball, and he’s had a couple of good games lately. They need him to score to make this offense for dangerous. But they face a serious test against the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have been finding their way after a slow start, and they are now back at 0.500. Their offense has been so good led by Nikola Jokic, but it would be better if Jamal Murray took smart shots. Still haven’t seen that bubble Jamal Murray mentality this season. The Nuggets defense has been problematic at times this season, but when it’s been good, they are very tough to stop. This will be a very good game, and I have the Nuggets winning.
Utah Jazz
Quite the win for the Jazz, as they did a really good job executing their offense down the stretch, and made some big defensive plays. The Jazz were red hot in the first half, shooting 56% from the field and scoring 53 points. But they couldn’t slow down Murray and Jokic who combined for 40 in the first half, and they trailed by 5. But the Jazz started to hit their 3’s in the 3rd again, and they took a two-point lead entering the 4th. And in the 4th, the Jazz opened up an 8-point lead. They continually hit timely shots, and held their lead. The lead went down to one, but Mitchell responded, putting Utah up 3 with under a minute to-go. The Jazz got multiple stops, and they led by 5 with 22.9 seconds left. But Jamal Murray hit a 3, and the lead was just two. But while inbounding, the Jazz found Rudy Gobert wide open for a dunk, and that sealed the win, as Utah improves to 9-4 on the year.
Jordan Clarkson had 23 points on 9/13 shooting.
Donovan Mitchell had 18 points and 7 assists on 7/20 shooting.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 17 points on 6/13 shooting.
The Jazz offense was hitting throughout this game. Mitchell was very good in the 2nd half, as he was shooting just 1/10 in the first half. Clarkson continues to be explosive off the bench, and Bojan Bogdanovic has been shooting the ball a lot better as of late. The Jazz struggled not turning the ball over when Conley left, as they really need a back-up PG, not just a pure-scorer in Clarkson. But a good win vs a very good Denver team, and Utah has won 5 straight games, improving to 9-4 on the year. Utah faces New Orleans Pelicans next on Tuesday.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets just haven’t been able to close games like this. Their offense relies so heavily on Murray and Jokic, and when even one of them starts to struggle, they struggle. They didn’t struggle in the first half, as Jokic and Murray were dominant. They combined for 40 points, as Denver was shooting 53% from 3. But when their star duo struggled in the 2nd half, Denver in turn struggled. They scored just 21 points in the 3rd, and trailed by 2 entering the 4th. The Nuggets started off the 4th poorly, and the lead was 9 early on in the 4th. Denver kept trying to comeback, but the Jazz kept responding. But Denver managed to cut the lead to one with 1:19 left. But Utah responded and the lead was 3. The Nuggets had multiple chances, but they couldn’t capitalize, and they trailed by 5 with 23 seconds left. Jamal Murray hit a 3, but they allowed an easy Rudy Gobert dunk, and the Nuggets fell just short, falling to 6-7 on the year.
Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists on 14/23 shooting.
Jamal Murray had 30 points and 5 rebounds on 11/27 shooting.
It was Jokic and Murray, with not much help. But even with those two combining for 65, Murray struggled in the 2nd half. He had 24 points on 9/16 shooting in the first half, and he had just 6 points on 2/11 shooting in the 2nd half. He didn’t remain aggressive, and they need him to stay aggressive, especially with the rest of the team struggling. Michael Porter Jr. would have been a good guy to have in this game, but the Nuggets role guys have to score when their duo starts to cool down. Denver is now 6-7 on the year, and they take on the OKC Thunder next.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Sacramento Kings
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Pelicans have lost their last 5 games, a combination of blown leads and terrible spacing. Steven Adams down low doesn’t pair well with Zion Williamson, and Eric Bledsoe and Lonzo Ball on the perimeter doesn’t do much either. No Lonzo Ball in this game again as he deals with a knee injury. They looked better with Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the floor, a guy who is a better shooter. The Pelicans roster isn’t good enough to win right now, as they lack shooting. The Kings defense is horrible, and their offense can be explosive. We already know they can only win in shootouts, which isn’t exactly a recipe for success. If the Kings offense gets going, they will be in a close game. This game will likely be close, and I’m giving the edge to the Kings.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans nearly blew this game, but they came through in the end to win, even if they got a little help from the referees. Zion and Brandon Ingram were dominant in the first half, scoring 33 points combined. The Pelicans shot 62% from the field in the first half, and they led by 9 at halftime. The Pelicans lead ballooned to 17 with 4:52 left in the 3rd. But then the Kings ended the 3rd on a 13-2 run, and New Orleans led by just 3 entering the 4th. The Pelicans kept trying to hold onto their lead, but the Kings were very resilient. The lead was cut to one with just over 3 minutes to go, and the Pelicans pushed it back up to 7. But the Kings responded, and the Pelicans got lucky that Marvin Bagley missed an open. Steven Adams hit 2 free throws, and the lead was 5. But the Kings scored, and here’s where the controversy is. JJ Redick got the ball, and he took like 3-4 steps, and no travel was called. And when the Kings swarmed him, trying to steal the ball, there was a foul called. Except nobody had touched Redick yet. Two missed called, and Redick made both free throws, and the Pelicans hung on to win. New Orleans is now 5-7 on the year.
Zion Williamson had 31 points and 6 rebounds on 13/15 shooting.
Brandon Ingram had 22 points on 8/19 shooting.
Eric Bledose had 21 points and 6 rebounds on 8/14 shooting.
The Pelicans offense was very good throughout this game, as they were dealing with the worst defense in the league. Things got a little close late, and they might have gotten lucky with some calls, but they survived to win, snapping 5-game losing streak. Zion was incredible, shooting 87% from the field. Eric Bledsoe shot 3/4 from deep, as he became a very good floor spacer. The Pelicans needed this win to get back on track, and maybe this can get them going. They face the Utah Jazz next.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings gave it all they could, but they came up just short in this game, even with a herculean performance from De’Aaron Fox. In the first half, the Kings offense was rolling, shooting 56% from the field and scoring 58 points. But they couldn’t stop the Zion Williamson freight train, and they trailed by 9 at halftime. Things started to look bad in the 3rd, as they fell behind by 17. But De’Aaron Fox exploded in the 3rd, scoring 16 points in the 3rd, and pulling the Kings to within 3, a 13-2 run ending the 3rd. The Kings were back in it, and they continued to fight in the 4th. With 3:18 left, the Kings had cut the lead to one. But the Pelicans scored 6 straight, and the lead was 7 again. But the Kings again responded, cutting the lead to 3. But Marvin Bagley missed a 3, and Steven Adams put the Pelicans up by 5. The Kings cut it to 3 again, and then the JJ Redick thing happened. He traveled and wasn’t even fouled, and he made both free throws, pushing the Pelicans to a win. The Kings have lost 5 of their last 6 games, and they are now 5-9 on the year.
De’Aaron Fox had a career-high 43 points and 13 assists on 17/27 shooting.
Marvin Bagley had 26 points and 10 rebounds on 11/19 shooting.
Buddy Hield had 18 points on 5/11 3-PT.
The Kings fought very hard in this game, but defense is again the root of their problems. De’Aaron Fox was on absolute fire, scoring from all areas of the floor, and putting up a monster performance. Harrison Barnes struggled, as did the Kings bench. But the Kings just can’t win games with that defense. They’ll have to address the defensive side of the ball soon, if they want any hopes of making the playoffs. Sacramento takes on the LA Clippers next on Wednesday.
Indiana Pacers vs LA Clippers
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Pacers have gotten off to a fast start this season, with a combination of defense and offense. They smothered Portland last time out, and they can do that to teams. Domantas Sabonis is a problem, along with Malcolm Brogdon. Myles Turner is a terror down low, but he’s out tonight with a hand injury. This Pacers team is good, and tough to beat. The same goes for the LA Clippers. The Clippers have one of the best offenses in the league, led by Kawhi and PG on the wing. Those two have been excellent this season, wreaking havoc to everybody they face. Marcus Morris has been solid off the bench, and the Clippers have found their way on both ends. They are short-handed without Ibaka and Lou Williams, as it will be tough to stop Domantas Sabonis down low. Both teams are a little bit short-handed, but I think the Clippers will win this game.
Indiana Pacers
This was quite the roller-coaster game for Indiana, but their limited depth proved to be too much. The Pacers fell behind early in the 2nd quarter, despite Doug McDermott hitting every single 3 he took. The Pacers fell behind by 18, but immediately came back, as Domantas Sabonis dominated down low. Indiana trailed by just 6 at halftime, feeling good entering the locker room. But the Clippers opened up a barrage of 3’s in the 3rd, and the Pacers couldn’t survive. Indiana scored just 20 points in the 3rd, and they were outscored by 19. The Pacers not having Myles Turner down low was a big problem, as they fall to 8-5 on the year.
Doug McDermott had 23 points on 9/12 shooting, 5/7 3-PT.
Domantas Sabonis had 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists on 7/14 shooting.
Malcolm Brogdon had 16 points and 8 assists on 7/21 shooting.
The Pacers had two big collapses in this game. One they recovered from, and other one they didn’t come back from. They were short-handed, as they won’t have Caris Levert for a while, and TJ Warren remains out. Doug McDermott was their best offensive player, something that happened since McDermott was at Creighton. Not having Myles Turner down low really hurt them, as Sabonis is nowhere near as good a defender as Turner is. Indiana is now 8-5 on the year, and they take on the Dallas Mavericks next.
LA Clippers
This was a dominant win by the Clippers, against a good but short-handed Pacers team. The Clippers offense was rolling early, as they were torching the Pacers from 3. They took an 18-point lead in the 2nd quarter, and they took their foot off the gas. And Domantas Sabonis and the Pacers took advantage, as they trimmed the lead to just 6 at halftime. The Pacers had all the momentum entering the 2nd half, and the Clippers had to respond. And respond they did. LA opened up the 2nd half like they opened up the game, hitting a barrage of 3’s, and completely burning the Pacers defense. They opened up a 25-point lead, and this time they didn’t relinquish it, cruising to a win. LA improves to 10-4 on the year.
Paul George had 20 points and 7 rebounds on 7/11 shooting.
Luke Kennard had 20 points on 7/12 shooting off the bench.
Marcus Morris had 20 points and 7 rebounds on 7/11 shooting off the bench.
Marcus Morris and Luke Kennard were excellent off the bench, as they picked up the slack for Lou Williams who missed his 2nd straight game. PG and Kawhi were again good and efficient, as the Clippers rolled the Pacers in the 2nd half. The Clippers did an ok job against Domantas Sabonis, although having Serge Ibaka would have helped them a ton. The Clippers have been rolling as of late, winners of their last 4 games. LA takes on the Kings next on Wednesday.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 6 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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