Wizards Stay Winless; Utah Struggles Again! 12.31.20
It’s a busy day of NBA Action on New Year’s Eve, as we have 7 games on the schedule. Devin Booker and the Suns travel to Salt Lake City to take on Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Cavs raced out to a 3-0 start, their offense amongst the best in the league. But their offense looked horrible vs the Knicks as they suffered their first loss of the year. Kevin Love will be out for a month with a calf injury, and Isaac Okoro will be missing another game as he deals with COVID-19 and a foot injury. This Cavs team has some decent players like Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. But they are overmatched against Indiana. Indiana is also 3-1, as they suffered their first loss against Boston. This Indiana team is very good, with an All-Star in Domantas Sabonis, and great support pieces like TJ Warren, Victor Oladipo, and Malcolm Brogdon. Indiana is a top-10 scoring offense, and they should have no problem scoring against this poor Cleveland defense, even without TJ Warren who is out for today’s game. This should be win #4 for the Pacers.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers struggled in this game. Without Kevin Love and Isaac Okoro, they couldn’t contend with Indiana down low. Andre Drummond and Javale McGee were both in foul trouble, and the Cavs couldn’t recover from a 20-point lead in the 3rd quarter. This Cavs offense has definitely taken a step-back since their first 3 games, and they are now 3-2 on the year.
Collin Sexton had 28 points on 12/19 shooting.
Darius Garland had 21 points and 5 assists on 8/14 shooting.
This Cavs offense was red hot to start the year, as they were moving the ball well, and shooting it very well. But now their offense struggled and their defense which we knew was bad, couldn’t get stops to try and aid the struggling offense. Sexton and Garland were good, but without Kevin Lo9ve, you need to see more from guy like Andre Drummond and Cedi Osman. The Cavs are now 3-2 on the year, and they face Atlanta on the road on Saturday next.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers had a great bounce-back game after a bad loss to Boston. Their offense was humming, as they took advantage of a poor Cleveland defense. 6 guys scored in double figures, including all 5 starters. Domantas Sabonis was good as usual, and even without TJ Warren this Pacers offense was still very good. The Pacers are now 4-1 on the year.
Domantas Sabonis had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists on 10/14 shooting.
Doug McDermott had 18 points and 9 rebounds on 6/13 shooting off the bench.
Malcolm Brogdon had 17 points and 5 assists on 5/13 shooting.
The Pacers are now 4-1 on the year, as their new offense under coach Nate Bjorkgren has looked really good. Domantas Sabonis nearly had a triple-double, as he dominated the Cavs down low. Brogdon, McDermott, Myles Turner, and Aaron Holiday were also solid. The Pacers scored 119 points without TJ Warren, who has been averaging 15.5 points this season. Impressive win for the Pacers, and they face the Knicks again on Saturday.
Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Bulls started their year off rough, but they got their first win against this Wizards team. I think that the Bulls are very talented, but they still have a lot of developing to do. They have a nice starting lineup featuring Zach Lavine, Coby White, Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr, and Patrick Williams. Otto Porter is also solid off the bench. No Lauri Markkanen for the Bulls today, so they need more from guys like Coby White and Otto Porter Jr. This Bulls team is pretty evenly matched with the winless Washington Wizards. I didn’t expect the Wizards to be great, but I didn’t expect them to be this bad. Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal have been solid, but it hasn’t been enough to translate to wins. They need more out of guys like Thomas Bryant and Deni Avdija, along with Davis Bertans off the bench. Rui Hachimura is back for the Wizards, which gives them more scoring. I think that Washington has the super-power advantage, but their roster is worse. I think that Chicago will win their 2nd straight game, and keep the Wizards winless.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls got their 2nd win a row, and they really earned this game. They were short-handed without Lauri Markkanen, but they still came out win a win. The Bulls scored 35 points in the first quarter, but allowed Washington to shoot 68% from the field, and Chicago trailed by 6 after one quarter. The Bulls 2nd unit was excellent in the 2nd quarter, and the Bulls took a 3 point lead into halftime. The Bulls extended their lead to 7 entering the 4th, and did a great job holding onto their lead in the 4th. With 4:06 left, Chicago trailed by 5, but the Bulls scored 5 in a row to tie the game. Bradley Beal blew a layup late, and Otto Porter Jr. put Chicago up by 3 with 14.2 seconds left. Zach Lavine iced the game at the line, and Chicago won their 2nd game in a row, improving to 2-3 on the year.
Otto Porter Jr. had 28 points and 12 rebounds on 10/14 shooting.
Zach Lavine had 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on 6/17 shooting.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 16 points and 5 rebounds on 7/11 shooting.
The Bulls have looked good against the Wizards, but they haven’t looked good against anybody else in the league. Without Lauri Markkanen, the Bulls offense didn’t falter a bit. Otto Porter played well, as did Zach Lavine. Daniel Gafford and Thaddeous Young were excellent off the bench, and the Bulls picked up their 2nd straight win to end the year. The Bulls travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Friday.
Washington Wizards
Yeah, this Wizards team isn’t that good. They got Rui Hachimura back, but yet they still couldn’t win. Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook were good, and Thomas Bryant was excellent. Raul Neto was the only good bench player for the Wizards, as David Bertans again struggled. This Wizards roster isn’t as good as I predicted, as they have started the year 0-5.
Thomas Bryant had 28 points on 10/11 shooting.
Bradley Beal had 28 points on 8/19 shooting.
Russell Westbrook had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists on 8/18 shooting.
The Wizards roster isn’t even that bad, and they got great contributions from Hachimura, Beal, Westbrook, and Thomas Bryant. But Davis Bertans is looking like he got very overpaid, and Deni Avdija still has a long ways to go in his development. The Wizards are not looking like they will be making the playoffs, as they need some help off their bench. Dais Bertans has to be better off the bench, as Washington can’t win with him struggling. Washington faces the Timberwolves tomorrow, still trying to get their first win.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Orlando Magic
Pre-Game Thoughts: The 76ers are looking pretty good to start this season. Their one loss was an ugly one to Cleveland, one that Joel Embiid didn’t play in. But when Embiid has been on the floor, he has been excellent, making this 76ers team very, very hard to beat. Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons have been solid, and Seth Curry has been amazing. Their bench can be shaky at times, as you would like more consistency from Shake Milton. But an all-around solid team. The Magic are the last undefeated team in the league somehow, but they’ve been playing really good. Their starting lineup of Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Markelle Fultz, and Nikola Vucevic have been very good, and Terrence Ross is one of the best 6th men in the league, but he won’t be playing, a big loss for the Magic. Orlando is top-5 in the league in terms of scoring, but they do have a tough matchup with the 76ers. I think that the 76ers will win this game, just because of their star-talent.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers dominated the undefeated Magic, as their offense was dominant. Philly scored 75 points in the first half, as they shot 55% from the field. Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Seth Curry were all great in the first half. The 76ers looked very good on offense, and their defense shut-down a very hot Orlando offense. The 76ers are now 4-1 on the year, as they have looked very good to start the year.
Seth Curry had 21 points on 7/12 shooting, 5/7 3-PT.
Joel Embiid had 21 points and 9 rebounds on 7/11 shooting.
Tobias Harris had 20 points and 9 rebounds on 8/15 shooting.
The 76ers and their new roster have looked very good to start this season. Seth Curry has been great in the starting lineup, and Joel Embiid has been starting off the year very strong. Ben Simmons hit a 3, and he had 10 boards and 8 rebounds. Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey excellent off the bench, as this Philly team could actually be contenders. I would like to see more from Danny Green as well as this Philadelphia bench, but a 4-1 start is not bad by any means.
Orlando Magic
Well, there are no more undefeated teams in the NBA anymore. The Magic looked very good to start the season, but they looked horrible against the 76ers. They were without their leading scorer in Terrence Ross, and their offense struggled all night long. They allowed 75 points in the first half, and they just couldn’t do anything vs the superior 76ers. This is what I expected from the Magic this season, mainly because their roster just isn’t very talented overall. Orlando is now 4-1 on the year.
Nikola Vucevic had 19 points and 10 rebounds on 8/15 shooting.
The Magic have still started this year off very well, but this game was ugly. Not having Terrence Ross coming off the bench really hurt this offense. Their defense hasn’t been great this season, but their offense has made up for that. But when their offense struggles like it did today, they are a mediocre team. Orlando faces the OKC Thunder next.
Sacramento Kings vs Houston Rockets
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Kings have jumped out of the gates with a 3-1 record, their offense being top-10 in the league in terms of scoring. Their backcourt of De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield has been good, as have Richuan Holmes and Marvin Bagley down low. Harrison Barnes is solid on the perimeter, and their bench led by rookie Tyrese Haliburton has been solid. Haliburton was one of the best prospects coming into the NBA, as he has gotten off to a very strong start. The Kings team likes to play fast, and they are going to be a problem for Houston. But you can’t beat scoring if James Harden is on the other side. Harden might be unhappy, but he is still very good. Christian Wood is a beast, a guy who operate in all areas of the floor with his quickness and length. The Rockets will be getting a lot better as John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Eric Gordon will be suiting up. It’ll be their season debut for Houston, and it’ll make them less reliant on Harden and Wood. I think this Rockets team is decent when they’re healthy, and I think that they’ll be getting their first win of the year against the Kings.
Sacramento Kings
This was a tough loss for the Kings. The Kings trailed by 4 at halftime, after shooting 52% from the field. The Kings cut the lead to one entering the 4th, and then things got interesting down the stretch. The Kings started off the 4th strong as they led by 7 with 8:24 left. They held this lead until 3:05 when James Harden hit a 3, giving Houston a 1 point lead. Houston then extended that lead to 6 with over a minute left. But then the Kings scored 5 points in a row to cut the lead to one. With 15.6 seconds left, the Kings trailed by 3. But then Buddy Hield missed a 3, as did De’Aaron Fox, and the Kings lost. Sacramento is now 3-2 on the year.
Harrison Barnes had 24 points and 8 rebounds on 8/14 shooting.
Richuan Holmes had 22 points and 13 rebounds on 10/13 shooting.
De’Aaron Fox had 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9/23 shooting.
The Kings had their chances to won this game, but they couldn’t stop James Harden down the stretch. The Kings had a lead in the 4th, but that’s where experience is important. The Rockets have some veteran closers like James Harden, Eric Gordon, and John Wall. The Kings have almost no playoff experience on their roster, and that’ll hurt them in close games this season. But the Kings are still 3-2 to start the year, much better than I expected them to be.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets got their first win of the year in a very tight fashion. The Rockets finally got to play with their full roster, as Eric Gordon, John Wall, and DeMarcus Cousins all got to play in their first games of the season. The Rockets led by 4 at halftime, as their offense had little to no problems against the Kings defense. But the game got close in the 4th, and Houston nearly lost this game. The Rockets trailed by 7 after about 3 minutes, and it took them a while to get back in the game late. But James Harden was scoring at will, and Houston took the lead with 3:05 left. With 15.6 seconds, Houston led by 3 and needed a stop. Buddy Hield missed, but then De’Aaron Fox got the rebound, but he also missed the 3 and the Rockets survived, getting their first win of the year.
James Harden had 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists on 10/24 shooting.
John Wall had 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists on 8/20 shooting.
Christian Wood had 21 points and 12 rebounds on 9/14 shooting.
Houston’s new addition played pretty well. Harden and Christian Wood were good, but John Wall looked ok. He had 9 assists, but he only shot 40% from the field and 25% from 3. Eric Gordon had 17 points off the bench, as he hit 3 3-pointers. Cousins was solid with 8 points as well. This Rockets team is decent with all of their weapons, and they could be a playoff team. Their defense without Robert Covington is a little poor, but their offense is obviously one of the best in the league. We’ll see how far they can go if James Harden stays with the team. Houston faces the Kings again on Saturday.
New York Knicks vs Toronto Raptors
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Knicks have looked like a passable team this season. Julius Randle has turned into prime Lebron James as he has been scoring, rebounding, and passing like he’s been doing it for years (he hasn’t). RJ Barrett has looked good, but still a bit inconsistent. Elfrid Payton needs to hit more of hit outside shots. Without Alec Burks, the Knicks need to find some more scoring, perhaps in the form of Kevin Knox or Austin Rivers, who makes his season debut with the team. Coach Tom Thibodeau has these Knicks playing hard, and they look like they’re heading in the right direction. The Raptors have looked so bad this season, just like I predicted. Pascal Siakam isn’t a star, more of a role player. He hasn’t started this season off well, and neither has Fred VanVleet, who signed that massive extension this summer. The Raptors don’t have a lot of playmakers, and their interior defense is poor. It’s not liking like they’ll make the playoffs this season. That’s why I think New York will be winning their 3rd game in a row.
New York Knicks
The Knicks played pretty well, for one half. The first half was a defensive stall-mate, as both teams scored just 42 points. The Knicks shot 34% from the field and just 10% from 3. The game was ugly, but the Knicks were still in it. That was until the 2nd half. The Knicks offense didn’t get going, as they scored just 22 points in the 3rd. They were outscored by 7 in the 3rd, and 10 more in the 4th as they produced just 41 2nd half points. Definitely a game the Knicks could have won if they played better in the 2nd half, and they are now 2-3 on the year.
Julius Randle had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists on 5/12 shooting.
Kevin Knox had 16 points and 6 rebounds on 5/14 shooting.
Elfrid Payton had 14 points on 7/12 shooting.
The Knicks offense needs to be better. Not having Alec Burks doesn’t help, but RJ Barrett can’t shoot 4/19. Austin Rivers had 7 points and 5 assists off the bench, a good first game. Kevin Knox was decent, but not very efficient. Reggie Bullock went 0/9 from 3, something that can’t happen. The Knicks defense was good for a half, but their offense can’t produce just 83 points if they want to win. New York takes on the Pacers next.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors bench Pascal Siakam because of his behavior after their loss to the 76ers, and they won. Coincidence, perhaps. The first half was ugly as both teams scored just 42 points. The Raptors shot 36% from the field and 26% from 3. Not their best showing. But the Raptors dominated the 2nd half, scoring 58 points and holding the Knicks to 42. Lowry, VanVleet, and Norman Powell led the way for Toronto, and they also had solid bench contribution from Alex Len and Terrence Davis. I know Pascal Siakam is good, but the Raptors haven’t won with him and he hasn’t exactly played well this season. I’m not saying to trade him, but just keep that in mind.
Fred VanVleet had 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists on 9/19 shooting.
Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 7 rebounds on 6/12 shooting.
Norman Powell had 17 points on 7/13 shooting.
The Raptors didn’t play well by any means. OG Anunoby shot 0/7 from 3, and Toronto shot 41% from the field as a group. But their offense looked very good, without an “All-Star” in Pascal Siakam. Fred VanVleet finally looked like he was worth all that money they paid him, and Norman Powell looked good in a starting role. The Raptors are now 1-3 on the year, and they face the Pelicans next.
New Orleans Pelicans vs OKC Thunder
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Pelicans are good, but they need better spacing so that Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram get more space to operate. I suggest putting JJ Redick into the starting lineup, as he can provide a lot of spacing. Eric Bledsoe has been disappointing to start the year, and he has been shooting horrible from 3, just 29% so far this year. This Pelicans offense is the only team averaging less than 100 points per game, and if they fix their spacing they would be a lot better. This OKC team isn’t good, but they remain competitive. Lu Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have been excellent in the back-court. and OKC has some solid support with the likes of George Hill and Al Horford. They are still rebuilding for the future and developing some young guys, but they still might catch you off guard. But I think that New Orleans will win this game.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans desperately needed this. The Pelicans had the lowest scoring offense in the league coming into this game, but they played very well against a poor Thunder team. I know that the Thunder are bad, but the Pelicans needed this for their confidence. The Pelicans led by 11 at halftime as they shot 49% from the field and 31% from 3. The Pelicans led by 12 in the 4th, and then they outscored OKC by 21. They allowed just 7 points in the final quarter, en route to a 33-point win. The Pelicans are now 3-2 on the year, and I want to see if they can like this against better teams, not just the lowly Thunder.
Brandon Ingram had 20 points and 7 rebounds on 8/16 shooting.
Eric Bledsoe had 17 points on 7/11 shooting.
Lonzo Ball had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists on 7/15 shooting.
The Pelicans finally looked decent on offense. Eric Bledsoe looked like he was worth it in the Jrue Holiday trade as he shot 7/11 from the field. Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball were good as well. Zion Williamson only went 4/6 from the field, as I would like for him to get more touches. Josh Hart and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were solid off the bench, as the Pelicans needed this after getting smoked by Phoenix. Now I need to see if they can keep his up against better teams. All they need is for Eric Bledsoe to knock down a couple shots, same goes for Lonzo Ball. If they can do that consistently, this team will be very good.
OKC Thunder
Yeah, this is more along the lines of what I expected from this team. They got beaten up by a better team, instead of somehow staying competitive with their below-average roster. The Thunder trailed by 12 entering the 4th, and then scored just 7 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort shot a combined 6/18 from the field, both scoring below 10 points. Only two Thunder players scored over 10 points for the game. OKC shot 38% from the field and 31% from 3. OKC is now 1-3 on the year, as I now feel reassured that they are actually tanking.
Al Horford had 17 points and 7 rebounds on 7/9 shooting.
Not much to say for this OKC team. They have a few building blocks, although the rookies they drafted haven’t looked all that great so far. Theo Maledon and Aleksej Pokusevski haven’t been anything great. The Thunder are trying to get a guy like Cade Cunningham or Jalen Green to really start their rebuild, so there will be plenty of losses like these along the way. OKC faces the Magic next on Saturday.
Phoenix Suns vs Utah Jazz
Pre-Game Thoughts: The Suns dominated the New Orleans Pelicans, without Devin Booker or Chris Paul even playing good. Their offense is very good, as their shooters like Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson, and Mikal Bridges have been on fire to start the year. Their big 3 of Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton are still getting used to each other, but the Suns have started off this season 3-1, but they face a good Utah Jazz team. This Utah team has been wildly inconsistent this season. They are 2-1, with one good one, one bad loss, and one win where they didn’t play all that great but they still won. I haven’t been overly impressed with Utah as of late, and they have a tough matchup with Phoenix. They need big nights from Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic, and Donovan Mitchell can’t struggle from the field like he did against the Thunder. This game will be very close, but I’m giving the edge to the Suns.
Phoenix Suns
Yeah, the Suns are going to be good. I think we all knew this, but this game kind of proved it for me. The Suns outscored Utah by 14 points in the 2nd quarter, and led by 13 at halftime. They shot 47% from the field and 39% from 3 in the first half, and held Utah down to just 40% shooting. And the Suns lead never wavered in the 2nd half. The Jazz cut the lead by 2 in the end, still losing by 11. Impressive performance by the Suns, as they are going to be a very good team in the West this year.
Devin Booker had 25 points and 7 assists on 10/17 shooting.
Jae Crowder had 16 points and 6 rebounds on 6/11 shooting.
Mikal Bridges had 16 points and 6 rebounds on 6/9 shooting.
Again, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton didn’t even play well and the Suns still cruised to a win. Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges continue to play very well. Ayton shot 2/8 from the field, scoring just 4 points in 28 minutes. Would like to see him score more, but the Suns are winning. Chris Paul went 4/13 from the field, still chipping in 8 assists. Cam Johnson was 4/4 for 10 points off the Suns bench. I really like this Suns roster, as they have some veteran talent with the likes of CP-3 and Jae Crowder, along with some great youth talent like Booker, Bridges, Ayton, and Cam Johnson. The Suns are now 4-1 to start the year, and they face the Nuggets tomorrow.
Utah Jazz
Like I said, I don’t like this Jazz team. They have been so inconsistent to start this year, and today was another example. They played awfully in the 2nd quarter, scoring just 18 points and getting outscored by 14. They trailed by 13 at halftime, and never even got close to cutting into the lead. Bojan Bogdanovic was 0/5 from the field, Donovan Mitchell had 9/23. This Jazz team has got to get more offense from Bogdanovic and Mitchell if they want to win. Utah is now 2-2 on the year.
Donovan Mitchell had 23 points and 6 rebounds on 9/23 shooting.
Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 14 rebounds on 7/9 shooting.
Mike Conley had 16 points and 5 rebounds on 5/13 shooting.
This Jazz team isn’t looking good. Bojan Bogdanovic had just 3 points, but he only shot the ball 5 times. Donovan Mitchell has been very inefficient over the past couple of games. Rudy Gobert has been their best offensive player. Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson have been decent, but their bench isn’t great. They only played 4 guys, and while those 4 guys played well, if they don’t, this Jazz team is even worse. Utah is now 2-3 on the year, and they face the Clippers tomorrow.
What Are Your Thoughts From The 7-Games Played Today? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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