Pelicans Playoff Window Closing; Suns Keep Rolling! Thoughts From Day 8!
After 6 games on Day 8 of the NBA Restart, here are my thoughts and opinions from each team!
After 6 games on Day 8 of the NBA Restart, here are my thoughts and opinions from each team!
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans lost their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Pelicans were riding high off of a win against the Grizzlies. Now they faced the struggling Kings with the hopes that they could make some noise and make a run for the 8th seed in the Western Conference. But, the Pelicans didn’t come to play and the Kings offense ran them out of the gym. The Pelicans defense was horrendous, and they lost because of it.
Offensively the Pelicans were great as they shot 57% from the field and 41% from 3. They were also 17/23 from the free throw line. The problem for the Pelicans is that they had 17 turnovers. If the Pelicans want to win games and stay competitive, they can’t give the other teams so many extra possessions. The Pelicans scored 52 points in the paint as well.
Defensively the Pelicans were bad. The Kings shot 54% from the field and 49% from 3. The Pelicans fouled the Kings 26 times and the Kings were 24/33 from the free throw line. The Kings had 13 offensive rebounds as the Pelicans did a poor job limiting the Kings to one shot. The Kings pounded the ball down low as they had 58 points in the paint.
Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson had 24 points each as they both played well. Jrue Holiday had 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as he had a complete game. JJ Redick had 18 points off the bench as well. Josh Hart added 11 points as well. Nobody on the Pelicans played particularly bad, it’s just that their defense was bad.
Conclusion
The Pelicans are now 1-3 in the bubble and the thoughts of making it to the playoffs are going out the door. The Pelicans have been solid offensively as Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have been playing pretty well in the offense. But as is the problem with most young teams, the defense needs work. The Kings scored 49 points in the 1st quarter alone. If you allow 49 points in any quarter, chances are you’re not doing to be winning the game. The Pelicans don’t have much chance to make the playoffs, and they should focus on next season.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings won their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Kings started off the NBA Restart 0-3 and took themselves out of the race for the 8th seed in the Western Conference. So they had nothing to lose coming into a matchup with the Pelicans. And the Kings showed up to play as their offense was firing on all cylinders. They scored 49 points in the 1st quarter and never slowed down as they beat the Pelicans easily.
Offensively the Kings were excellent as they shot 54% from the field and 49% from 3. The Kings made 16 3-pointers in this game. The Kings took advantage of the Pelicans fouling them as they were 26/33 from the line. The Kings had 13 offensive rebounds as they did a good job getting 2nd chance opportunities. The Kings only had 8 turnovers as they did a great job taking care of the ball.
Defensively the Kings were poor as the Pelicans shot 57% from the field and 41% from 3. The Kings were also fouling a lot on defense as the Pelicans were 17/23 from the line. The Kings did a great job forcing turnovers, as the Pelicans had 17 of them. The Kings did allow 52 points in the paint however.
Bogdan Bogdanovic had a career high 35 points as he had a great game for the Kings. De’Aaron Fox had 30 points and 10 assists as he continues to play at a high level in the bubble. Harrison Barnes had 22 points and 6 rebounds as he shook off the rust and Corey Joseph added 10 points and 5 rebounds. Buddy Hield only played 11 minutes tonight. He has been falling out of the rotation and seems disinterested.
Conclusion
The Kings are now 1-3 in the bubble and while they are not going to be the 8th seed in the Western Conference, they should use the remaining games to just play hard and compete. And they did that tonight against the Pelicans. With the 2020-21 season likely being in a few months, the Kings can take advantage of this bubble time to get better.
Miami Heat
The Heat lost their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Heat came into this game without Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic. So they were short-handed while playing the best team in the league. But the Heat looked incredible as they took a big lead on the Bucks in the 1st half. But the Heat looked completely different in the 2nd half and they blew a big lead.
Offensively the Heat were good as they shot 42% from the field and 46% from 3. The Heat took advantage of the Bucks fouling them as they were 25/27 from the free throw line. The Heat did have 19 turnovers as they gave the Bucks a lot of extra possessions. The Heat didn’t get anything in the paint as they had just 22 points down low.
Defensively the Heat were poor as the Bucks shot 53% from the field and 41% from 3. The Heat fouled the Bucks 28 times and the Bucks were 30/33 from the free throw line. The Heat did force the Bucks into 14 turnovers. The Heat also limited the Bucks paint presence as they had just 36 points down low.
Duncan Robinson had 21 points to lead the Heat. Tyler Herro had 20 points and 5 assists of the bench. Jae Crowder had 15 points and Kendrick Nunn had 14 points and 5 rebounds. Kelly Olynyk had 13 points and 6 rebounds as well. Andre Iguodala had 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists and Derrick Jones Jr had 12 points off the bench. Bam Adebayo was very poor as he had 6 points in 22 minutes of work. Without Butler and Dragic, the Heat really need him to step up otherwise the offense won’t be as strong.
Conclusion
The Heat played a great 1st half against Giannis and the Bucks and they took a huge lead. But by the 2nd half they lost all of their momentum and they blew a large lead. The Heat played pretty well without Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic, and guys like Tyler Herro and Andre Iguodala stepped up. The Heat are now 2-2 in the bubble and they face the red hot Phoenix Suns next.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks won their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Bucks started off very slow against the short-handed Heat as they trailed by as many as 23. But in the 2nd half the Bucks made a huge run and they were able to pull away in the 4th quarter. But it took the Bucks a lot to beat the tough but short-handed Heat. The Bucks clinch the #1 seed in the East with the win. They have been the #1 seed in the East fir back-to-back seasons.
Offensively the Bucks were good as they shot 53% from the field and 41% from 3. The Bucks took advantage of the Heat fouling them as they were 30/33 from the line. The Bucks had 14 turnovers as they took relatively good care of the ball. The Bucks had just 36 points in the paint as they didn’t get to establish much down low.
Defensively the Bucks were sub-par as the Heat shot 42% from the field and 46% from 3. The Heat made 21 3’s as the Bucks didn’t do a good job holding the Heat shooters down. The Bucks were also fouling a bunch as the Heat were 25/27 from the line. The Bucks did a great job forcing turnovers as the Heat had 19 of them, creating lots of extra possessions for Milwaukee. The Bucks locked down the paint as the Heat only had 22 points down low.
Giannis had 33 points and 12 rebounds as he was very good. Khris Middleton had 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists as he was also very good. Brook Lopez had 17 points as well. Pat Connaughton had 11 points off the bench. Eric Bledsoe had 9 points as he is still getting back into game rhythm. I assume he’ll be ready by the playoffs.
Conclusion
The Bucks were terrible in the 1st half, but powered by Middleton and the Greek Freak, they Bucks were able to come back and win this game. The Bucks have clinched the #1 seed in the East, so don’t expect to see Giannis or Khris Middleton much in the remaining 4 games. The Bucks are 2-2 in the bubble so far, and the remaining 4 games will likely be used to develop the bench guys and grow confidence.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers lost their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Pacers came into this game 3-0 in the bubble and with the MJ like play of TJ Warren, it looked like they would keep rolling. The only thing in their way? The 3-0 Suns led by Devin Booker. The Suns have also been surprising so far in the bubble. The Pacers were close with the Suns all night long, but a big Suns 3rd quarter separated the two teams and the Suns cruised to their 4th win in the bubble.
Offensively the Pacers were ok as they shot 44% from the field and 36% from 3. The Suns fouled the Pacers 20 times and the Pacers were 15/19 from the line. The Pacers did turn the ball over 15 times as they need to take better care of the ball. The Pacers were able to score the ball down low as they had 44 points in the paint.
Defensively the Pacers were ok as well as the Suns shot 47% from the field and 27% from 3. The Pacers fouled the Suns 22 times and the Suns were 19/20 from the free throw line. The Suns had 15 offensive rebounds as the Pacers gave up too many 2nd chance opportunities. The Pacers forced the Suns into 15 turnovers. The Pacers had little resistance for the Suns down low as Phoenix scored 52 points in the paint.
Malcolm Brogdon had 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists to lead the Pacers. Myles Turner had 17 points and 8 rebounds as well. TJ Warren cooled down a lot against his former team as he had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Victor Oladipo also had 16 points. The Pacers bench was not good as nobody scored in double digits.
Conclusion
The Pacers are now 3-1 in the bubble, but this loss shouldn’t mean much to them. The Pacers still played pretty well in this game, it’s just that their defense wasn’t good enough. The Pacers bench will need to play better in the future if the Pacers want any success. The Pacers play the LA Lakers next.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns won their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
While the Phoenix Suns won’t be getting the 8th seed in the Western Conference, they have been very good in the NBA Restart. The Suns came into this game 3-0 and a game-winner from Devin Booker a few nights prior. The Suns would meet another undefeated team in the Indiana Pacers led by Michael Jordan (TJ Warren). But the Suns controlled this game and they cruised to a win, their 4th in the bubble.
Offensively the Suns were solid as they shot 47% from the field but just 27% from 3. The Suns were also 19/20 from the free throw line. The Suns had 12 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities for themselves. The Suns did have 15 turnovers as they need to do a better job taking care of the ball. The Suns had a strong paint presence as they had 52 points down low.
Defensively the Suns were also solid as the Pacers shot 44% from the field and 35% from 3. The Pacers were 15/19 from the free throw line. The Suns did a good job creating extra possessions for themselves as they forced Indiana into 15 turnovers. The Pacers did had 44 points in the paint.
Deandre Ayton had 23 points and 10 rebounds as he was dominant down low. Devin Booker had 20 points and 10 assists. Dario Saric had 16 points and 8 rebounds off the bench and Cameron Payne added 15 points off the bench. Cameron Johnson had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Ricky Rubio had 13 points and Mikal Bridges added 10 points. The Suns have been finding scoring from all over their roster in the absence of Kelly Oubre Jr.
Conclusion
The Suns might not be getting the 8th seed in the Western Conference as they are 1 game behind 8th seeded Memphis, but they have to be proud of their effort as the Suns are 4-0, one of the last undefeated teams in the bubble. Without Kelly Oubre Jr., the Suns have found new routes on the offensive end. The Suns play the Heat next.
LA Clippers
The Clippers won their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Clippers lost at the buzzer to Devin Booker and the Suns, so they wanted some revenge on the Mavs. The Clippers were 1-2 coming into this game, and looked for a 2nd win in the bubble. They would be without Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell, the but the Clips were fine. Their offense was rolling and they cruised to a win against Dallas.
Offensively the Clippers were excellent as they shot 54% from the field and 45% from 3. The Clippers were also 12/15 from the foul line. The Clippers had 9 offensive boards as they got lots of 2nd chance opportunities. The Clippers took very good care of the ball as they only had 6 turnovers. The Clippers pounded the ball down low as they had 58 points in the paint.
Defensively the Clippers were also solid as the Mavs shot 45% from the field and 35% from 3. The Clippers did foul the Mavs 21 times and the Mavs were 16/21 from the free throw line. The Mavs did have 8 offensive rebounds as the Clippers gave up lots of 2nd chance opportunities. The Clippers didn’t force many turnovers as the Mavs only had 7. The Clippers controlled the paint as the Mavs only had 36 points down low.
Kawhi Leonard had 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists as he was dominant once again. Paul George had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists as well. Ivica Zubac had a double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Marcus Morris had 16 points and 5 rebounds. JaMychal Green had 10 points and 5 rebounds off the bench. Mr. Chicken Wings struggled as he had 6 points in 20 minutes of action.
Conclusion
The Clippers won their 2nd game in the bubble powered by Kawhi Leonard and PG-13. And the Clippers got some help from Ivica Zubac and Marcus Morris. Lou Williams has not been great since his return from quarantine. The Clippers have been playing pretty well, and it’s just a matter of time before Montrezl Harrell comes back. And when he does the Clippers will be tough to beat.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs lost their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Mavs came into this game 1-2 in the bubble. The Mavs were coming off of an overtime win against the Kings, but they had lost two close games against the Rockets and Suns prior. Now they were facing the dynamic defense of the Clippers. The Mavs never had control of this game and they lost, dropping them to 1-3 in the bubble.
Offensively the Mavs were good as they shot 45% from the field and 35% from 3. The Mavs were also 16/21 from the free throw line. The Mavs had 8 offensive rebounds as they did a good job creating 2nd chance opportunities for themselves. The Mavs took good care of the ball as they had 7 turnovers. The Mavs didn’t have much of a paint presence as they had 36 points down low.
Defensively the Mavs were poor as LA shot 54% from the field and 45% from 3. The Clippers were also 12/15 from the line. The Clippers had 9 offensive rebounds as the Mavs did a poor job limiting the Clippers to just one shot. The Mavs didn’t force many turnovers as the Clippers only had 6. The Mavs couldn’t stop the Clippers down low as the Clips had 58 points down low.
Kristaps Porzingis had 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead the Mavs. Luka Doncic had 29 points and 6 assists as well. Dorian Finney-Smith had 12 points and 8 rebounds. Trey Burke and Maxi Kleber were on double figures off the bench. Tim Hardaway Jr. was again quiet as he had 8 points in 36 minutes. He will need to play better for the Mavs.
Conclusion
The Mavs are now 1-3 in the bubble and their terrible defense has been at the root of all the problems. 21 year old Luka Doncic had the offense covered, but defensively the Mavs have not been good in the restart. Their inexperience has shown as they have not been able to hold/come back from leads late. The Mavs better start to get better in their last 4 seeding games before the playoffs otherwise it will be tough to be successful.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers won their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Blazers were 1 game out of the 8th seed coming into this game and were 2-1 in the bubble so far. They won a tough game against the small ball Rockets and now faced the Nuggets. The Nuggets have been short-handed throughout the restart as they are missing 3 guards and Paul Millsap. But they were still a problem. Fueled by a big night from Dame Lillard, the Blazers won their 3rd game in the bubble.
Offensively the Blazers were great as they shot 47% from the field and 59% from 3. They were also 16/20 from the line. The Blazers had 13 offensive rebounds as they created lots of 2nd chance opportunities. The Blazers only had 9 turnovers as they took good care of the ball. The Blazers didn’t have much of a paint presence as they had 32 points down low.
Defensively the Blazers were poor as the Nuggets shot 52% from the field and 50% from 3. The Nuggets were also 13/17 from the line. The Nuggets had 11 offensive rebounds as they have up lots of 2nd chance opportunities. The Blazers forced the Nuggets into 16 turnovers as they got lots of extra possessions. The Nuggets pounded the ball down low and the Blazers didn’t do much about it as they had 52 points down low.
Damian Lillard had 45 points and 12 assists while shooting 11/18 from 3. He was incredible for Portland. Gary Trent. Jr continues to impress as he had 27 points off the bench. Jusuf Nurkic had 22 points and 7 rebounds as he was a force down low. CJ McCollum had 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists as he had an off night but still contributed. Carmelo only had 7 points in 32 minutes, but the Blazers were able to pick up the scoring in his absence.
Conclusion
The Blazers are now 3-1 in the bubble and they are 0.5 games from the 8th seed. It will be likely that the Blazers will steal the 8th seed from the Grizzlies. Damian Lillard has been leading the way for this healthy Blazers lineup. The Blazers have looked sharp and look like a scary first round matchup for the Lakers if they meet up. The Blazers play the Clippers next.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets lost their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Nuggets have been short-handed all throughout this restart and against the Blazers it was no different. The Nuggets were missing their 3 guards and Paul Millsap. But the Nuggets made it tough on the Blazers, but they couldn’t defend Damian Lillard and they lost the game.
Offensively the Nuggets were great as they shot 52% from the field and 50% from 3. They were also 13/17 from the line. The Nuggets had 11 offensive rebounds as they did a good job getting chance opportunities. The Nuggets had 16 turnovers as they didn’t do a good job taking care of the ball. The Nuggets dominated in the paint as they had 52 points down low.
Defensively the Nuggets were poor as the Blazers shot 47% from the field and 59% from 3. They were also 16/20 from the line. The Blazers had 13 offensive rebounds as the Nuggets gave them far too many 2nd chance opportunities. The Nuggets didn’t force any turnovers as the Blazers only had 9. The Nuggets controlled the paint as the Blazers had just 32 points down low.
Michael Porter Jr. had 27 points and 12 rebounds as he continues to play well. Jerami Grant added 18 points. Torrey Craig, Mason Plumlee, and PJ Dozier all had 13 points. Nikola Jokic had 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 13 assists in limited playing time. Bol Bol had 9 points in 25 minutes of play (and he got postered by Jusuf Nurkic). Without 3 starters, the Nuggets played pretty well on offense.
Conclusion
The Nuggets are now 2-2 in the bubble, but they haven’t been healthy. Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Will Barton have not even played a minute in the NBA restart. The Nuggets better hope they are ready in time for the playoffs otherwise they will be in serious trouble. The Nuggets play the Utah Jazz next.
LA Lakers
The Lakers lost their 5th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Lakers got embarrassed by the Thunder the last time that they played and they couldn’t shoot the ball. Now Lebron James would be gone against the Rockets and did they miss him. The shooting problems for the Lakers were not solved, and the Lakers lost to the Rockets.
Offensively the Lakers were bad as they shot 45% from the field, but they were 2/19 from downtown. 2/19. That’s 11%. So in the last two games, the Lakers have gone 5/37 and 2/19 from 3 respectively. That’s 7/56. That’s 13% from 3. The Lakers were also 25/36 from the line. The Lakers had 13 offensive rebounds. The Lakers had 24 turnovers without Lebron James running the show. The Lakers had 58 points down low as they dominated the smaller Rockets.
Defensively the Lakers had no answer for Houston. The Rockets shot 43% from the field and 37% from 3. But the Rockets made 21 3-pointer. The Rockets were also 20/23 from the line. The Lakers did force 19 turnovers on Houston. The Lakers limited the Rockets paint presence as they had just 30 points down low.
Kyle Kuzma had 21 points and 5 rebounds to lead the Lakers. Anthony Davis disappointed again with 17 points and 12 rebounds. KCP, Danny Green, and Talen Horton-Tucker had 10 points. Dion Waiters was quiet, Markieff Morris was quiet, JR Smith was quiet. In a game where they should have been getting more shots and opportunities, they were quiet.
Conclusion
The Lakers have not been looking good in the restart. They barely beat the short-handed Clippers, lost to the Raptors big, beat the Jazz, lost to the Thunder big, and now lost to Houston big. Anthony Davis has been on and off most nights, and the Lakers have struggled to find a solid 3rd scorer most nights. And don’t get me started on the shooting. The Lakers have been one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the bubble. If it’s not at the rim, the Lakers won’t make it. The Lakers are 2-3 in the bubble, and they are not looking like a strong one seed right now.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets won their 4th game in the bubble. Here is what I thought about their performance.
The Rockets were without Russell Westbrook, but their small ball lineup would be tough for the Lakers to guard. The Rockets were coming off of a tough loss against the Blazers and looked to bounce back. And they did as Houston dominated this game and James Harden went off in a Rockets win.
Offensively the Rockets were solid as they shot 43% from the field and 37% from 3. And they made 21 3-pointers. The Rockets were also 20/23 from the line. The Rockets did have 19 turnovers as they didn’t take very good care of the ball. The Rockets only had 30 points in the paint.
Defensively the Rockets were also solid as the Lakers shot 45% from the field and 11% from 3. Not a typo. The Lakers were also 25/36 from the line. The Lakers had 13 offensive rebounds, something which the Rockets can’t do much about. The Rockets forced the Lakers into 24 turnovers as they got lots of extra possessions. The Rockets got pounded down low as the Lakers had 58 points in the paint.
James Harden had 39 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists to lead Houston. Ben McLemore had 20 points as well. Austin Rivers, Jeff Green, and Danuel House all scored in double figures. The Rockets found ways to score even without Russell Westbrook.
Conclusion
The Rockets have been very successful with their small ball lineup in the bubble. Even without Russell Westbrook, the Rockets were still very effective. The Rockets are now 3-1 in the bubble and prove they are a bad matchup for most teams. So the West better be ready for this high-powered offense.
What are your thoughts/opinions from Day 8 of the NBA Restart? Leave a comment down below.
Stay tuned for my Game-Day Report of Day 9 of the NBA Restart coming later today!
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