01-07-21 NBA Blog Train Thursday
Just a lite 5-game slate on Friday Eve, but the Blog Train is still rollin’.
All aboard!
76ers at Nets +4.5 Over 223
During a tangle up between Dwight Howard and Jarrett Allen in the 3rd quarter, Chris Webber said:
Well they are wrestling fans. They know that wrestling comes on usually after the second game of a TNT double-header. They are just getting warmed up for the action.
So we are not sure when exactly the last time it was that Chris Webber actually watched what comes on after the second game of a TNT double-header, because for the last several years, it’s always Inside the NBA and then it’s a replay of one of the games, most often the first game. We know this because it’s precisely what we see every Thursday night. There is something cool about the first game starting up again at 1:30 or 2am while we’re still up working on the blog and Marv Albert is welcoming us back in.
Nets 122, Sixers 109.
No KD. No Kyrie. No Dinwiddie. No problem for the Nets!
Joe Harris off the bench: 28 points in 30 minutes, 6 of 9 from three.
Three-pointers: Nets 15 of 37. 76ers: 9 of 26.
Landry Shamet Revenge Game!
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Cavaliers +6 at Grizzlies UNDER 209
The Grizzlies led for most of this one, but Drummond came alive in the second half with 9 points in the 3rd and 9 points in the 4th to lead the Cavs comeback. Big Penguin got his 15/15: 22 points and 15 rebounds.
Although this did happen in the 3rd quarter:
Shaqtin’!
Drummond was flabbergasted when a foul was called on him in crunch time, but a few possessions later, he delivered a sick dime to Okorro cutting back door for an easy dunk that sealed the game.
Cavs 94, Grizzlies 90.
Larry Nance did not miss a shot all night, 7 of 7 from the field and 4 of 4 from three (!!), finishing with a game-high net rating of +13.
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Spurs +8.5 at Lakers Over 226.5
In the third meeting between these two, the Spurs finally got some revenge, their second win in Staples after beating the Clippers on Tuesday night!
Did we have the Lakers -9? You know it. But it was all Spurs from the jump. The scoreboard read 9-0. It took the Lakers a full four minutes to score their first points of the game.
The Lakers did make a little run in the third quarter, but they never lead once in this game. That’s a no doubt Anti-Lock.
Spurs 118, Lakers 109.
The Lakers actually shot better overall at 50.0 percent from the field compared to 46.7 percent for the Spurs, but the Spurs had the three-ball going tonight: 16 of 35 for 45.7 percent. Six different Spurs hit multiple threes: Aldridge, DeRozan, Murray, Walker IV, Rudy Gay and Devin Vassell.
Winter is Coming?
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Timberwolves at Blazers -10 OVER 233
We did just state in our Western Conference Power Rankings to remind us not to bet on any more Blazers games having lost three straight, but the feeling that the Blazers owed us one was too strong. So we pulled the trigger, dismissing our own advice and taking the Blazers the very next chance we got.
It worked out, too, because the Blazers were mostly a Pure Lock. We might or might not have started to panic a bit when the Wolves started to make a run in the 4th when the Blazers had the deep bench unit out.
Blazers 135, T-Wolves 117.
Dame (39) and C.J. (20) combined for 59 points and 11 made 3’s.
The T-Wolves have lost 6 straight.
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Mavericks -3 at Nuggets OVER 222.5
Despite the Nuggets leading for the majority of the game, it was tied with 1 minute left. That’s when the Joker was fouled and went to the free throw line, making his second of two to give the Nuggets a 1-point lead that would remain with 7.7 seconds left, Mavs ball.
With all eyes expecting a Luka step-back game-winner, it was Maxi Kleber who hit a 3-pointer, his third 3 of the 4th quarter. Although 2.4 seconds remained on the clock... Too much time for the Joker.
Big Honey hits these types of shots time and time again.
Mavs 124, Nuggets 117. OT
Too much Luka in OT. The Don was one rebound shy (38/13/9) of his second triple-double in as many games.
Jokic surprisingly also did not have a triple-double tonight, just 38 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists.
Jamal Murray had nine assists after we just clamored for him to step up his assist game, averaging only 3.0 per game on the season coming into this game.
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Ten games ahead on the Friday night slate, we’ll catch you then.
We love this game!
