Portland Stuns Toronto Late; Are The Hornets For Real? 1.11.21
It’s Monday and we have 8 games on the schedule today.
Game Of The Day Prediction: New York Knicks vs Charlotte Hornets
Milwaukee Bucks vs Orlando Magic
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Bucks haven’t been as dominant to start this season, as most expected them to be. They are still a very good team, they’ve just come out of the blocks slow. The Bucks defense has been shaky at times, as they were torched by the Utah Jazz from 3. I like their roster, although Jrue Holiday needs a lot more touches, otherwise what was the point of trading for him? The Magic started off this season so well, but things have been going downhill. No more Markelle Fultz for the rest of the year, and they’ve been dealing with injuries to guys like Evan Fournier. They’ll need more from Vucevic, Gordon, and Terrence Ross off the bench if they want any hopes at the playoffs. But the Bucks are the much better, healthier team in this game, and they should be winning this game.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks dominated, as they should. They have struggled at times this season, but not usually against inferior opponents like Orlando. The Bucks offense was rolling in the first half, scoring 63 points on 50% shooting. The Bucks dominated the 4th, outscored the Magic by 18 and cruised to another win, improving to 7-4.
Giannis had 22 points and 6 rebounds on 8/16 shooting.
Khris Middleton had 20 points and 10 rebounds on 9/17 shooting.
Bobby Portis had 20 points and 5 rebounds on 9/13 shooting.
Jrue Holiday needs to be more aggressive, and the Bucks need to give him more shots. Holiday struggled shooting, going 3/10 shooting. But I want Holiday to shot 15+ times, as he is that good. Middleton should shoot 15-10 times, and Giannis around 20. But Holiday has to be more aggressive, and the Bucks need to give him the ball. That’s about my only criticism, as Holiday being passive doesn’t do much for the Bucks. Milwaukee is now 7-4 on the year, and they have another easy matchup vs the Pistons next time out.
Orlando Magic
The Magic have struggled without Fultz in the lineup, as their offense has struggled. Nikola Vucevic has been shooting the ball a lot more, and it makes the Magic offense more predictable. Cole Anthony hasn’t been anything special thus far. Terrence Ross struggled off the bench, as they need him to score, with Fournier and Fultz being out. The Magic have struggled as of late, as their offense has to start getting better, without some of their better players. Orlando is now 6-5 on the year.
Nikola Vucevic had 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists on 11/25 shooting.
Aaron Gordon had 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists on 8/14 shooting.
Cole Anthony had 12 points on 4/13 shooting.
The Magic started this season 4-0, their offense being one of the best in the league. But Evan Fournier has been missing time with a back injury, and Markelle Fultz is done for the year. So they’ve been force feeding Vucevic, which won’t work. But their roster isn’t very good, so that’s why they will be mediocre for the rest of the year. Unfortunate, because they were playing pretty well when healthy. The Magic have lost 3 straight games, and they face the Boston Celtics next.
Memphis Grizzlies vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Pre-Game Thoughts: Without Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr, the Grizzlies have struggled, especially on offense. But they finally got a win over the Brooklyn Nets, as maybe that can get them started. The Cavs are one of the worst offenses in the league, meaning that Memphis doesn’t have to score a lot to win. This is a matchup that is totally winnable for the short-handed Grizzlies. Believe it or not, the Cavs are 5-5 on the year. But they’ve been dealing with a lot of injuries. Still no Kevin Love, Garland, or Sexton. The offense won’t be as explosive, but both these teams don’t have explosive offenses, so it’ll come down to who plays better. And I think I’ll give that edge to the Cavaliers.
Memphis Grizzlies
As I predicted, this game wouldn’t be about explosive offenses. But the Grizzlies defense was solid, and their offense was good enough to get the win. The first half was back and forth, with Memphis taking a one-point lead, shooting 48% from the field. The Grizzlies offense scored 30 points in the 3rd, and led by 6 entering the 4th quarter. And in the 4th, the Grizzlies made some big shots down the stretch, with a Dillon Brooks dagger 3 sealing the win, as Memphis improves to 4-6 on the year.
Dillon Brooks had 21 points and 7 rebounds on 6/15 shooting.
Brandon Clarke had 15 points on 7/13 shooting.
Tyus Jones had 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists on 5/9 shooting.
This is how Memphis can win games. Without Ja Morant their offense is terrible, but when they have a good matchup against another short-handed Cavaliers team, they have to win. The Grizzlies obviously can’t win against the better teams in the league with the state of their team, but if they win games like these with their defense and stay afloat, there is still a chance of them making the post-season when Morant and Jackson Jr. return. Memphis takes on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Definitely a disappointing loss for the Cavs, as their offense continues to struggle. We all expected this without Garland and Sexton, but these two teams are still pretty even. But the Cavs offense just never got going. They shot 49% from the field and 46% from 3 but still trailed by 1. They allowed 54 points in the 2nd half, a total that they couldn’t keep up with, as they lose their 4th game out of the last 5, falling to 5-6.
Andre Drummond had 19 points and 14 rebounds on 8/16 shooting.
Cedi Osman had 14 points on 5/13 shooting.
Damyean Dotson had 14 points and 6 assists on 6/14 shooting.
The Cavs offense has been one of the worst in the league, and not having their youthful backcourt hurts. Their starting 5 produced, as all 5 of them were in double figures. Isaac Okoro continues to grow, as he is a nice piece going forwards. But the Cavs have to get healthy. Getting Sexton and Garland back along with Kevin Love and Dante Exum will help them remain competitive in games. Cleveland takes on the Utah Jazz next on Tuesday.
Phoenix Suns vs Washington Wizards
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Suns have jumped out to a fast start, as their new and improved team is working together really well. The Suns defense has been very good, and their offense has been good, but a lot different than I expected it to be. Devin Booker has been more relaxed, not forced to score 30. The Suns supporting cast has been very good, and the Suns have looked really good. The same cannot be said about the Wizards, who have one of the worst defenses in the league. They lost Thomas Bryant for the year with a knee injury, and Russell Westbrook remains out. That means that Bradley Beal will have to carry this sorry franchise, once again. Scott Brooks should be fired, as he is completely misusing Deni Avdija, who played his best game when Westbrook and Beal didn’t play. This team is a mess, and right now the Russell Westbrook trade seems to be a bust.
Phoenix Suns
Yeah, we’re not going to talk about it. The Suns just didn’t come to play on either end, as they were thoroughly outplayed by the under-manned Wizards team. Phoenix shot just 36% from the field in the first half, and they trailed by 26. The Suns offense did get better in the 2nd half, but they still got stomped, as they have fallen to 7-4 on the year.
Devin Booker had 33 points on 11/21 shooting.
Mikal Bridges had 14 points and 5 rebounds on 6/9 shooting.
Chris Paul had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists on 5/10 shooting.
The Suns have to be more consistent if they want to contend in the West. They lost a big lead against the Detroit Pistons, and blew that game. They had a good win against the Pacers, and then struggled on offense against one of the worst defenses in the league. Phoenix has to be better, as they have to win the easy games like these. Phoenix takes on the Atlanta Hawks next.
Washington Wizards
Well, the Wizards have been playing well without Russell Westbrook, a trend that has usually happened with most teams Westbrook has been on. The Wizards were the better, more determined team in this game. Their offense was good from the start, and they held down the Suns on offense for most of the night. The Wizards led by 26 at halftime, shooting 52% from the field and 50% from 3. They cruised to a win, improving to 3-8 on the year.
Bradley Beal had 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists on 12/22 shooting.
Davis Bertans had 18 points on 6/9 3-PT off the bench.
Raul Neto had 16 points on 7/13 shooting.
The Wizards have played better in the last two games, one of those games was without Beal and Westbrook, and this win was without Westbrook. I seem to be noticing a pattern here. Beal continues to be very good on offense, and he had some help. Davis Bertans was excellent off the bench. Hachimura, Neto, and Lopez were also solid. The Wizards have been playing better overall on both ends over the past couple of games, and they have been steadily improving. Washington takes on the Utah Jazz next.
New York Knicks vs Charlotte Hornets
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Knicks have been very inconsistent this season. There are points when they look really good, and points when they look really bad. This is mainly because they don’t have the most explosive players on offense. It’s been Julius Randle and others this season, as RJ Barrett hasn’t been a solid scorer. The Knicks defense is good, but they can’t win games when their offense isn’t good. The Hornets have been really good as of late, as their very weird roster has been finding it’s way. Lamelo Ball has been the best rookie thus far, and the case for him starting has been getting stronger and stronger with Devonte Graham shooting the way he is. The Hornets don’t know one thing particularly well, they’re kind of average on both ends, but they’ve been playing hard on both ends. I think that the Knicks will win this game, because of their defense.
New York Knicks
The Knicks offense has been abysmal as of late, and it’s been the reason they’ve been losing games. They fell behind by 17 points early in this game, but climbed back into it. But they couldn’t stop Gordon Hayward in the first half, and they trailed by 7 at halftime. The Knicks offense produced just 18 points in the 3rd, and they now trailed by 14 entering the 4th. And they were outscored by 7 in the 4th, bowing down to Charlotte. The Knicks have lost 3 straight games, and they are now 5-6 on the year.
Kevin Knox had 19 points and 5 rebounds on 7/17 shooting off the bench (17 in first half).
Elfrid Payton had 15 points and 6 rebounds on 7/14 shooting.
Austin Rivers had 13 points on 5/12 shooting.
The Knicks need RJ Barrett to start scoring more. If it’s not against the Pacers, Barrett has been shooting horrendously from the field. He has to get his confidence back and be that 2nd option. Kevin Knox did most of his damage in the first half, but he was about the only offensive spark the Knicks had. Alec Burks is still recovering from that ankle injury, and Obi Toppin hasn’t played much due to injury either. The Knicks need their offense to be better to win games, as just a great defense isn’t enough. The Knicks take on the rival Nets next.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have been playing very well as of late, as their offense has been getting progressively better. Gordon Hayward fueled the Hornets with 28 points in the first half, and the Hornets led by 7 at halftime. They weren’t giving the Knicks anything easy, their defense swarming. The Hornets dominated the 2nd half, outscoring the Knicks by 14, and winning by 21. They held the Knicks to under 90 points, and the Hornets have won their last 4 games, improving to over 0.500, 6-5 on the year.
Gordon Hayward had 34 points on 11/17 shooting.
Devonte Graham had 19 points and 7 assists on 7/15 shooting.
Miles Bridges had 13 points on 5/6 shooting off the bench.
The Hornets have been playing really good basketball as of late. Their defense has been getting better, as they never let this Knicks offense get going. Lamelo Ball struggled scoring, but still had 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Really would like to see him start in the future. Gordon Hayward continues to be excellent, as he had 28 in the first half. The Hornets have been playing really good as of late, and they might be a sneaky play-in team. Charlotte takes on the Dallas Mavericks next.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Atlanta Hawks
Pre-Game Thoughts: The 76ers have been hit-hard with Covid over the past couple of days, a thing that you can’t really criticize them for. When healthy, the 76ers are very good. Seth Curry has been an excellent addition alongside Embiid and Tobias Harris, who have been red-hot to start this season. Ben Simmons might not score, but he does everything else at a high level. But the 76ers are without Harris, Milton, Simmons, and Seth Curry in this game, leaving them very short-handed. The Hawks offense has been struggling as of late, and they have fallen below 0.500 after starting 4-1. Trae Young has been off, not attacking the rim as much and drawing fouls. They lost Bogdan Bogdanovic with a knee injury, and injury that will take him out of the lineup for a while. Both these teams are short-handed, but I’m giving the edge to the Hawks.
Philadelphia 76ers
Yeah, the 76ers have to get healthy, as they were run out of the gym in this game. After the first quarter, they were dominated. They were outscored by 19 in the 2nd, allowing 37 points. They were outscored by 17 in the 3rd, allowing 32 points. So, the 76ers need to get healthy, still awaiting the return of Simmons, Harris, and Curry. Philly is now 7-4 on the year.
Joel Embiid had 24 points and 11 rebounds on 8/17 shooting.
Isaiah Joe had 18 points on 6/9 shooting, 4/7 3-PT off the bench.
Tyrese Maxey had 15 points and 6 rebounds on 7/14 shooting.
Yeah, I don’t have much to say. Isaiah Joe looked good off the bench, but Danny Green went 0-7. Can’t catch a break, I swear. Until the 75ers get healthy, they will likely continue to lose. Philadelphia takes on Miami Heat next time out.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks needed this, no matter the opponent. The Hawks offense had been struggled, as their injuries had been piling up. But the Hawks got back on track, as they dominated the 2nd and 3rd quarters of this game. 6 guys were in double figures for the Hawks, including their entire starting 5. Trae Young was good, as he got out of that shooting slump. The Hawks snap a 4-game losing streak, as they are now 5-5 on the year.
Trae Young had 26 points and 8 assists on 9/19 shooting.
De’Andre Hunter had 15 points and 7 rebounds on 4/8 shooting.
Brandon Goodwin had 15 points on 5/12 shooting off the bench.
This is what the Hawks are capable of, healthy or not. Yes it was against a very short-handed 76ers team, but it can do wonders for their confidence. Trae Young got out of that horrendous shooting slump, as they need him to continue to score. If the Hawks can start to get healthy and get Gallinari and Rondo healthy, they will be good. Tony Snell played and is just now getting healthy, and Onyeka Okungwu, the 6th overall pick, still hasn’t played. But even when not healthy, the Hawks can remain competitive. Atlanta takes on the Phoenix Suns next.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Dallas Mavericks
Pre-Game Thoughts: This game has been postponed because the Mavs don’t have 8 eligible players.
Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Raptors have been terrible to start this season, as they just haven’t been able to figure things out. Siakam, VanVleet, and Lowry have all been fine, but their supporting cast is just so bad, and there’s only so much Nick Nurse can do. This Raptors team might be headed to a rebuild, because things are looking ugly. The Blazers have been playing a lot better as of late, as their defense has been getting better. CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard have both been playing like All-Stars, as they have been on fire. The key for Portland is getting Jusuf Nurkic going on offense, and playing solid defense. Their offense is one of the best in the league, with a deep bench filled with scorers. If Portland plays defense, they will be very good. I think Portland will win this game.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors had this game in the bag, but they couldn’t execute late. In the first half, the Raptors were excellent in the first half, shooting 52% from the field and 42% from 3. They led by as many as 17, but only led by 5. In the 3rd, the Raptors made some tough shots, and led by 19 entering the 4th. They were in the drivers seat. The Raptors took a 13-point lead early on in the 4th, but then Portland rallied and took a 3-point lead with 2:36 left. The two teams went back and forth, and Toronto led by one with 54 seconds left. Off of a miss, the Blazers raced it down the floor, and CJ McCollum scored with 9.9 seconds left, giving Portland a one-point lead. On the Raptors final possession, Pascal Siakam got a great shot, but it again rolled out, and the Raptors blew the game late. Toronto is now 2-8 on the year.
Pascal Siakam had 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists on 9/17 shooting.
Chris Boucher had 20 points and 8 rebounds on 7/12 shooting off the bench.
OG Anunoby had 18 points on 6/9 shooting, 4/6 3-PT.
The Raptors had this game in the bag, and similar to their recent loss to Golden State, they blew it. They were up by 17 in the first half, but led Portland right back into it. They led by 13 in the 4th, but led Dame, CJ, and Carmelo will Portland to win. The Raptors have to win these close games if they want any hopes of climbing back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Pascal Siakam has been very good, but VanVleet and Lowry struggled, shooting a combined 9/30. The Raptors bench was very good led by Chris Boucher, but the Raptors still lost. Toronto falls to 2-8 on the year, and they take on the red-hot Hornets next time out.
Portland Trail Blazers
What a comeback by Portland. They lost Jusuf Nurkic early in this game, and Damian Lillard hurt his ankle, but played through it. Portland’s defense and offense were struggling early, and they trailed by as many as 17. But they rallied late, and only trailed by 5 at halftime. In the 3rd, Portland allowed some Toronto 3’s, and they trailed by 10 entering the 4th quarter. The lead got up to 13 in the 4th, but then the Blazers responded. Portland went on a run, and took the lead with 2:36 left. But with under a minute left, they trailed by one. They got a stop, and CJ McCollum raced the ball down the floor, and drilled the pull-up jumper with 9.9 seconds left. Portland forced Pascal Siakam into a tough shot, and he missed, and Portland hung on to win. Portland has won 3 in a row and they are now 6-4 on the year.
CJ McCollum had 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 10/19 shooting.
Damian Lillard had 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8/16 shooting.
Carmelo Anthony had 20 points and 5 rebounds on 6/14 shooting off the bench (13 in 4th quarter).
This was one heck of a comeback from Portland. They weren’t playing well in the first half, and they lost Jusuf Nurkic. Still they were somehow only down 10 at the half. They trailed by 13 in the 4th, but Dame, CJ, and Carmelo hit some big shots, and the Blazers gutted this win out. No word on how serious the Nurkic injury is yet, Portland obviously hoping for the best. Dame and CJ have been a problem this year, and Carmelo has been better and better in his bench role. This Blazers defense was very good when it needed to be, still needs some work. But Portland has started to figure things out, as they are now 6-4 on the year. They play the Sacramento Kings again on Wednesday.
Indiana Pacers vs Sacramento Kings
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Pacers have been very good to start this season, as their high-powered offense has been excellent. Domantas Sabonis has been leading the charge, and guys like Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo have been good as well. The Pacers are good on both sides of the ball, and they are very well-coached. They face one of the worst defenses in the league. The Kings offense can be good, but sometimes they just chuck up shots. I get when you want to play fast, but chucking isn’t the answer. Their defense is the worst in the league, as they give teams easy shots. This team will never be good with that sorry excuse for a defense, and the Pacers should run circles around this team.
Indiana Pacers
This was a disappointing loss against the Kings, one of the worst defenses in the league. The Pacers were scoring, but the Kings were as well. The Pacers trailed by one at halftime, despite shooting 54% from the field. The Pacers trailed by 4 entering the 4th, and they failed to execute down the stretch. With 1:52 left, the Pacers had the lead. But they a loose ball resulted in Buddy Hield hitting a 3, putting the Kings up 4. A thunderous De’Aaron Fox dunk sealed the win for the Kings, as Indiana has fallen to 6-4 on the year.
Domantas Sabonis had 28 points and 11 rebounds on 12/21 shooting.
Malcolm Brogdon had 24 points and 9 assists on 9/18 shooting.
Doug McDermott had 21 points on 8/10 shooting off the bench.
The Pacers defense was horrendous in this game. The only way the Kings can win is if their offense is red-hot, and the Pacers let it happen. The Kings shot 56% from the field and 33% from 3. The Pacers offense had 4 guys score 20+ points, but they couldn’t makeup for the Kings hot shooting. The Pacers haven’t looked as good as of late on defense in their last two games, as they have taken a slight step-back. Still a very good team, but the defense has to be better. The Pacers take on the Golden State Warriors next tomorrow.
Sacramento Kings
I listed the only way the Kings could win games, and they executed that to perfection. Their defense remains terrible, but their offense has won them all 5 of their games. The Kings led by 1 at halftime, after shooting 57% from the field and 39% from 3. They led by 4 in the 4th, and then put Indiana away late. These two teams were battling back and forth, and the Kings held a 118-117 lead with 1:45 left. The Kings got a loose ball, and Buddy Hield drilled a 3 from the corner, putting the Kings up 4. On the next possession, De’Aaron Fox drove down the late and stuffed it over Malcolm Brogdon, sealing the game. The Kings snap a two-game losing streak, and they are now 5-6 on the year.
Harrison Barnes had 30 points and 8 rebounds on 10/14 shooting.
De’Aaron Fox had 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists on 7/19 shooting.
Buddy Hield had 18 points on 6/11 3-PT.
The Kings offense can be very lethal, but when it’s not they struggle. If only the Kings had a somewhat good defense, they would actually be pretty good. But relying on only one side of the ball isn’t a recipe for success. But this was an impressive win. Harrison Barnes was excellent, as were Fox, Hield, and Richuan Holmes. Marvin Bagley continues to struggle, as he is looking like a bust (could have taken Luka). Tyrese Haliburton should be starting in place of Bagley in my opinion, as he offers more floor spacing and defense. An impressive win for the Kings, but I doubt they can make the playoffs with this sorry excuse for defense. The Kings take on the Blazers on Wednesday next.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 8 Games Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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