01-24-20 NBA Blog Train Friday
The Blog Train is back with ten games on the Friday night slate, beginning with a TGIF matinee treat of our beloved Hornets playing the Bucks in Paris!
Bucks “at” Hornets +14.5 Under 219.5
It was a full house at AccorHotels Arena, the NBA’s first ever game in Paris. Nic Batum got the start in front of his home crowd and received a big ovation.
Giannis lite power dunk (for him). Somewhere in the Level 2 to 2.5 range? Giannis finished with a somehow quiet 30 points on 13 of 19 shooting with 16 rebounds and 6 assists. That’s what he does.
In addition to this monster block, Monk scored a season-high 31 points on 10 of 17 shooting.
Pat Connaughton lite power dunk! Level 1.5?
Bucks 116, Hornets 103.
The Hornets scored 31 points in the first quarter and held the Bucks to just 24, a huge improvement from their first meeting on November 30th when the Bucks scored a minimum of 30 points in every quarter and destroyed the Hornets by 41.
With the Over/Under at 219.5, the score with 26.3 seconds left was Bucks 116, Hornets 102… sitting at 218 total points as P.J. Washington stepped to the line for two free throws. The rookie made the first but missed the second! Under 219.5 would have been the squeakiest of locks and Over 219.5 would have been a bad beat.
More evidence that Eric Collins is the best: Kyle Korver hit a three in the third quarter and Collins yelled:
“Good golly, Kyle Korver! Old Man River. Keeps rolling along.”
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Celtics +3 at Magic Under 213
The Orlando Magic did not wear their orange city edition jerseys tonight, thank gawd.
Although, we could not help but notice that Steve Clifford was wearing an orange pin! Was this just to spite us!? And here you thought that we don’t have any pull around here…
Javonte Green lite power dunk. Level 2.5?
T-Ross lite power dunk. Level 1.
Celtics 109, Magic 98.
The Magic were looking good in the 2nd quarter, leading by as many as 16 points, but the Celtics defense buckled down in the 2nd half.
No J-team tonight, Tatum and Brown both sat out, so Kemba picked up the slack: 37 points on 12 of 23 shooting, 6 of 12 from three, 6 assists and 4 steals.
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Grizzlies -2 at Pistons Over 231.5
Pistons injured bench gang! Drummond got a more specific DNP tonight. Instead of “DNP-MOUTH,” he was officially “DNP-LACERATED LIP” which sounds much worse and not funny at all. We are not sure where Luke Kennard was this evening.
Wait a second, Dwayne Casey was also wearing the orange pin!
And so was Taylor Jenkins!? And his assistant!? What does the orange pin mean?!
JJJ was causing BIG problems, most notably in the 1st half: 24 points on 8 of 10 shooting.. in the first half!
Ja has as a different, higher gear than most everybody else. You gotta be ready for it, or you’re toast. Even if you are ready for it, good luck.
Grizzlies 125, Pistons 112.
You know who needs some love on this blog? De’Anthony Melton! There are some players who know how to put themselves in the right positions on the court to be successful, and Melton is one of those guys. Melton had 14 points in 24 minutes off the bench and also dished out 5 assists and hauled in 4 rebounds. Melton can play and has been a boon for the Grizz bench.
The Pistons announcers (who we have come to like) were advocating for D-rose to be an All-Star. We agree that it would be cool with the All-Star Game in Chicago, but he did not make our cut. We are fine with adding him to the snubs list, though.
We talked up Grizz -2 which would have been a Pure Lock.
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Raptors at Knicks +8.5 Over 218
It totally looked like Nick Nurse was getting a phone call after calling timeout. To be honest, we are not completely sure that he didn’t get a phone call.
Siakam is deceptive and tricky. Spicy P is officially an All-Star Starter!
Okay, the orange pins are definitely league wide. We spotted Mike Miller and one of his assistants as well.
And Nick Nurse! His reaction is the same as our’s.
One time somebody said that it always looks like Bobby Portis just remembered he left the oven on and that has really stuck with us.
This Siakam dagger silenced MSG.
Raptors 118, Knicks 112.
The Raptors won the first meeting by 28 points on 11/27, so this was a big improvement for the Knicks. We are all about improvement here. The Knicks even covered and hit an Over!
The Raptors have won 6 in a row.
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Rockets -5.5 at Timberwolves Over 235
Jordan McLaughlin power dunk!? He really got up there… Does that push this one to Level 3?
So we have to ask: Jordan McLaughlin… WHO HE?! Listed at 5-11, 185 lbs (which makes the dunk even more impressive), McLaughlin is a 23-year-old rookie from USC on a two-way contract. It looks like he signed a 10-day contract with the Nets back in August 2018, but he was cut during training camp, so this is his first season, and he’s played in 11 games so far.
This was the game that finally mentioned the orange pins! Shoutout to the T-Wolves announcers who let us know that the orange pins are being worn in honor and remembrance of David Stern.
Of course! RIP Commish.
Rockets 131, T-Wolves 124.
Harden had his fewest points this season with 12 points on 3 of 13 shooting and 0-6 from three…
Like, when is the last time that Harden did not hit a three?
Russ, on the contrary, scored a season high 45 points on very efficient 16 of 27 shooting, 0 for 0 from three and 13 of 13 from free. Westbrook is stepping his shit up!
For as much turmoil as the Rockets have been under lately, they are only 3 games back from the 2 seed in the West. The next five games should tell us a lot: @Denver, @Utah, @Portland and then home against the Mavs and Pels.
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Clippers -2 at Heat Over 219
No Paul George again. PG has missed 8 straight? PG has missed 8 straight.
In the wake of everything, it was good to see Trez smiling tonight!
Spo was rockin’ his orange pin, however:
Doc, why didn’t you wear the pin?!
Kawhi’s jab step is lethal. Poor Dion Waiters. But Waiters actually played well! 14 points with 4 of 9 threes in 18 minutes! Waiters Island is no longer under water!
Clippers 122, Heat 117.
Kawhi’s first career triple double: 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Kawhi in the immediate on-court post-game interview:
“I don’t even know the outside noise. I block it out. It doesn’t matter.”
During the broadcast, Chauncey Billups stated: “The Clippers are the hunted.” Yep.
The Heat have only lost at home to the Lakers and Clippers. Jimmy Butler left the game a little early for the locker room.
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Nuggets +4 at Pelicans Under 229.5
The first play of the game for the Pelicans was an oop to Zion. Because, of course.
Too easy.
Mike Malone and his orange pin got ejected in the third quarter.
Sent into orbit!
Zion played 21 minutes and finished with 15 points on 7 of 9 shooting (all easy buckets) and a +16 net rating.
Zion will start playing more minutes and get into better shape soon enough.
Nuggets 113, Pelicans 106.
The Nuggets avenged two earlier losses of 15 points and 12 points to the Pelicans. Gary Harris played in this one.
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Kings +1.5 at Bulls Under 217.5
Another Fox power dunk! Maybe Level 3.5?
Chandler Hutchinson got in on some power dunking action. Maybe Level 2.5?
There was some interesting on-court entertainment going on during this game.
In case you wanted a closer look.
JimBo had his orange pin on!
Kings 98, Bulls 81.
Just when we heard that OPJ is out of his walking boot, Markkanen is now expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks with a stress reaction in his pelvis. :/
Luke Walton started Bogey over Hield and based on the results, it worked. Hield had a solid game with 21 points in 23 minutes with 7 of 12 shooting, 5 of 9 from three.
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Hawks at Thunder -8 Over 231
Casual. That’s All-Star Starter, Ice Trae.
Lloyd Pierce and some of his assistants were rockin’ the orange pins!
This tweet got us thinkin’ — how many buzzer beaters has CP made in his career?
Thunder 140, Hawks 111.
OKC was in rhythm all night, shooting 58 percent from the field.
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Suns +4.5 at Spurs Under 225.5
DeMar DeRozan power dunk! Level 3.5.
Pop, where is your orange pin!?
We included this because it’s been too long since Lonnie Walker’s hair was on the blog.
Say it with us: Devin Booker is an All-Star!
Suns 103, Spurs 99.
The Spurs won the first two meetings by 2 points apiece, so the Suns got exact revenge.
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Pacers -6.5 at Warriors Over 214.5
Myles Turner power dunk. Level 3?
Pacers 129, Warriors 111.
T.J. Warren had another big night: 33 points on 14 of 23 shooting, 3 of 6 from three, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists and a block. Talk abut a fleecing of a trade!
The Pesky Pacers have one more game left on their 5-game West Coast road trip: @Portland on Sunday.
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The Saturday slate features five games, starting with Mavs at Jazz at 5pm on League Pass and ending with Lakers at Sixers at 8:30pm on ABC. There are eight games on the Sunday menu, starting with Rockets at Nuggets at 3:30pm on NBA TV and ending with the aforementioned Pesky Pacers at Blazers at 9pm on NBA TV.
ESPN also as a game on Sunday evening: Celtics at Pelicans at 6pm. We would love to get Zion some more minutes!
We love this game!