01-07-20 NBA Blog Train Tuesday
Six fantastic games on a terrific Tuesday night.
Let’s Blog Train!
Pistons at Cavaliers +3.5 Over 219.5
Dr. Doum is here!
If you missed our Pistons Season Preview and are wondering “WHO HE!?” - Sekou Doumbouya is a rookie from France who just turned 19 years old. This was just the 11th game he has played in so far and his 4th start. As mentioned in the season preview, we still want to know more about Captain Cook, the nickname listed on his Basketball-Reference page. Doumbouya should see a lot more playing time with Blake Griffin’s latest knee surgery.
So nice we had to post it twice. And because we needed a better look at Thon Maker’s gleeful reaction.
Pistons 115, Cavs 113.
The Cavs collapsed in the 4th quarter, blowing a 12-point lead and Cleveland’s crunch time offense was very suspect. Somewhere, Kevin Love is talking shit about John Beilein to his dog.
D-Rose was clutch in the crunch, hitting the go-ahead floater with 26.1 seconds left.
Drummond 20-20 game! Big Penguin had 23 points and 20 boards.
Two Eastern Conference teams that have been reeling, the Cavs and Pistons play again on Thursday night in Detroit. The Pistons lead the season series 2-0 and both games have gone Over.
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Blazers +2.5 at Raptors UNDER 221.5
In the 4th quarter, we kept saying, “Damn Dame!” and “MELOOOO!!!
Per ESPN: “Anthony has now made 17 go-ahead field goals in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime, four more than any player since 2003-04.”
Melo did not even curse this time during the immediate on-court post-game interview when Nurkic dumped water on his head.
Blazers 101, Raptors 99.
Melo’s final stat line: season-high 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting, 5 of 8 from three, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist!
The Portland announcers described Kyle Lowry as looking like a “fire hydrant” and that could not be more apt.
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Thunder +1 at Nets Under 217
We have an internal debate going about whether or not “throw dunks” can be considered official power dunks. Poor Muscala is definitely on a poster, that much is for sure!
Later on, Jarrett Allen followed up a power BLOCK with a true power dunk. It was as if he wanted the validation. Glad to see that Moose learned his lesson.
On the second night of a back-to-back for OKC, it was no problem in the 4th quarter and OT for CP3! Killin’ it in the mid-range late, Chris Paul scored 20 of his 28 points in the 4th quarter and Overtime. The dude is 34 years old and just out there having fun. #ThunderUp
Thunder 111, Nets 103. OT
This one went Under 217 even though it went into OT. We really need that counter!!
The Nets have now lost 7 in a row. Kyrie, where art thou?
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Timberwolves at Grizzlies -4.5 Over 228.5
That simply does not look like a rookie.
Grizzlies 119, T-Wolves 112.
KAT did not play, but the Grizz still trailed by as many as 14 points in the comeback win. If you had Grizzlies -4.5, you were sweatin’ when they were down by 5 with 6 minutes left. The ole Comeback Lock.
Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 28 points, Ja dropped 25 and JJJ put in 21.
The Grizz have swept the season series 3-0 with the T-Wolves.
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Kings +6.5 at Suns Under 226
A Foxy power dunk! At least poor Aron Baynes mostly got out of the way.
Kings 114, Suns 104.
Continuing the night of comebacks, the Kings were down 21 in the second half but outscored the Suns 52-20 from 4:25 left in the 3rd quarter. The spark was… Dewayne Dedmon?!
Devin Booker scored 30+ points again, his 7th straight game.
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Knicks at Lakers -13.5 UNDER 222.5
Talk about a Double Pure Lock. The Lakers and the UNDER were never in doubt. The Knicks have been hanging out on the West Coast and in LA for far too long.
But this will unfortunately be remembered as the game AD had a scary fall in the 3rd quarter, landing directly on his lower back/tailbone. The X-Rays were negative. #whew
We will also remember Dwight hitting an above the break three!
This is so true. And it worked! KCP has been snipin.
Lakers 117, Knicks 87.
The Knicks, for some reason, were going under all of the LeBron pick-and-rolls. King James knocked down 6 of 12 threes and all 7 free throws en route to 31 points.
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Nine games ahead on the Wednesday night slate. We already have our eye on a few:
Rockets at Hawks — Harden torched the Hawks for 60 points in 3 quarters back on November 30th. The Hawks announcers were crying.
Nuggs at Mavs — Jokic vs. Doncic. Say no more.
Knicks at Jazz — Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back at the end of a long West Coast road trip AT Utah. Give us that Jazz UNDER, baby!
We love this game!