02-22-21 NBA Blog Train Monday
Bulls -1 at Rockets Under 226
Bulls -1 looked quite enticing. We were wondering why the hell we stayed away after the Bulls jumped out to an early 14-point lead, but the Rockets took off in the second quarter, including a 9-0 run that gave Houston a 4-point lead. That would be the last time the Rockets were up on the night. The Bulls blew the roof off the Rockets doors in the third quarter, 46-26. The Bulls were scoring at will. The Bulls scored on ten straight possessions! Bulls -1 was pretty much a Pure Lock after all.
This Under was well on pace until the Bulls explosion in the third quarter, giving the Over a puncher’s chance. The scoring really let up in the last few minutes, so the Under would have been a Squeaky Lock.
Bulls 120, Rockets 100.
Final answer: Zach LaVine is an All-Star Reserve in our book. He’s sixth in the NBA in scoring on superb efficiency, leading the charge for the Bulls night in and night out. The Bulls are currently 8th in the East.
The reeling Rockets have lost eight in a row.
It’s time for another Rockets edition of WHO HE!? It’s a special episode, because we actually have a player in his fourth season! #12 Justin Patton, signed to a two-way contract on Friday. Tonight was his first game of the season. Patton is a former first round draft pick! #16 overall by the Bulls in 2017 and included in the Jimmy Butler trade to Minnesota. Patton played just one game with the T-Wolves in his rookie season, three games with the Sixers the next year and five games with OKC last year. His nickname is apparently Big Muddy!
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Grizzlies at Mavericks -4 UNDER 232
Mavs -5 was a lot more of a Pure Lock than the final score indicates. The Grizz made a run in garbage time.
This Under would have been one of the most Pure Locks.
Mavs 102, Grizz 92.
No KP tonight (back tightness), but Josh Richardson was sharp early which is always a good sign for the Mavs.
We thought we might have a Grizzlie’s WHO HE!? on our hands when we spotted a #7 out there that we didn’t recognize. Turns out that it was Justise Winslow! Tonight was Winslow’s second game of the season, his second game ever in a Grizz uniform, after making his debut on Saturday night.
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Blazers at Suns -6.5 Over 226.5
We took this Over 226.5, thinking that the Suns would score with ease on Portland’s porous defense, and that Dame would be gunning per usual.
It was mostly right on pace throughout, back and forth between being slightly in the green and slightly below, but mostly right there. It was pretty clear that it was going to come down to the wire. The problem with coming down to the end was the fact that the Suns were SCORCHING, in particular Devin Booker who put in a late bid for his All-Star campaign with 34 points on 12-of-17 shooting in just 29 minutes.
The deep reserves were in for the 4th and we needed them to keep firing away which is exactly what they did!
It was the youngin’s for the Blazers, Simons and Little, and it was the vets for the Suns, Langston Galloway and Jevon Carter, who we really appreciate.
Sitting right on 226 total points with 1:37 left, it was a Nassir Little 3 with 39 seconds left that finally pushed us Over. We can probably call it a Solid Lock since it was on pace after each frame, but it was still pretty squeaky in the end.
The Suns -6.5 would have been a Pure Lock.
Suns 132, Blazers 100.
The Suns have won 12 of their last 14 games.
CP3 had an unusual stat line: 2 points on 1-of-9 shooting but 9 assists.
We have another episode of WHO HE!? #21 Keljin Blevins for the Blazers… WHO HE!? Blevins is an undrafted rookie, a 4-year college guy who attended two years at Southern Miss and two years at Montana State. Tonight was his ninth game of garbage time work. Oh, and here is a golden nugget for you: Keljin Blevins is Dame’s cousin!
Damion Jones garbage time power dunk!
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Heat -7 at Thunder UNDER 212.5
This was a tale of two halves:
First half: Thunder 54, Heat 45.
Second half: Heat 63, Thunder 40.
Heat -7 would have been a Comeback Lock while this Under was soo Pure.
Heat 108, Thunder 94.
Trending in opposite directions: Miami has won 7 of the last 10 while OKC has lost 7 of the last 10.
We have Bam in as an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve.
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Hornets at Jazz -12.5 OVER 228.5
Having learned a lesson in the first meeting between these two a couple of weeks ago, we took this Hornets Over, dismissing the Junder which can no longer be trusted.
Why have Jazz Unders gone by the wayside? Because of the nightly barrage of 3’s that the Jazz continually rain down.
Tonight was no different, no sir. In fact, the Jazz made four 3’s in the first four minutes of the game! And they didn’t stop making them all night.
After setting a franchise record with 26 made three-pointers against the Hornets in the first matchup, the Jazz re-set the franchise record with 28 made three-pointers tonight, 28-of-55!
Take a look at these snipers off the bench:
Jordan Clarkson: 5-of-10 from 3
Jinglin’ Joe: 7-of-10 from 3
Georges Niang: 7-of-7 from 3!!! — In just 16 minutes, a staggering stat line.
GOOD GOLLY.
Our beloved Hornets were toast, but at least the Over was a Pure Lock!
Jazz 132, Hornets 110.
Playing at Utah has really been a house of horrors for the Hornets, and Hayward left the game and did not return after falling on his hand. :/
You might not believe this, but the Hornets led by five points with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
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Wizards +7 at Lakers Over 228.5
The Lakers, sans AD and Dennis the Menace, were rolling and up by 17 points on the Wizards early in the third quarter. It was looking like a much needed bounce back win for LAL, but the Wizards had something else in mind.
Not only did the Wiz storm back to make it a ballgame, but the Wizards STORMED all the way back with a Bertans 3 giving them an 8-point lead in the 4th. Ya know, just a 25-point turnaround.
We pulled up the Lakers live MoneyLine and before we could get the Lakers at closer to +300, a Marc Gasol 3 dropped the odds to +202 which we locked in right away.
LeBron had to take over, right? No way the Lakers would lose three games in a row and to the Wizards, right!?
LeBron did take over, attacking here and distributing there, but the Wiz were still getting theirs. The Lakers trailed by 3 with a minute and a half left.
That’s when KCP hit a huge quick 3, but then the Wizards #9 pick in the draft, Deni Avdija, knocked down an open corner 3 to put the Wizards back up by 3.
LeBron missed a 3 on the Lakers next possession but Caruso forced a jump ball! Caruso won the jump ball vs. Avdija and LeBron barreled to the hoop for a layup.
Westbrook was fouled quickly, and he missed the first free throw! He was 5-of-10 from the free throw line at that point, but he made the second. Lakers down by two with 15.9 seconds left.
We all knew it was going to LeBron, and he delivered with a potential And-1 to give the Lakers the lead, except LeBron missed the free throw!!!
Then Beal had a look at a long jumper at the regulation buzzer, but she did not fall and we headed to OT.
OT was all about Westbrook and Blue Panda, the Wiz still controlling and leading by four with 40 seconds left.
A quick LeBron dish to a curling KCP set up another KCP 3!
But then LeBron fouled Westbrook who made the continuation, giving the Wizards a 3-point lead and Westbrook a chance to put the game out of reach with 12 seconds left. Yet Westbrook missed the free throw AGAIN, leaving the door open!
Alas, LeBron pulled up from 3 and she did not fall. Kuzma corralled the board and sent up a prayer, a falling out of bounds 3 that found nothing but air…
Ballgame.
Wizards 127, Lakers 124. OT
The Wizards have won five in a row for the first time in three years.
The Lakers have lost three in a row for the first time this season and have lost four out of the last five games. Next up? The Jazz on Wednesday night on ESPN!
Oh, and after the game, the Lakers waived Quinn Cook. There be moves on the horizon.
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Nine games ahead on the Tuesday night menu.
The Blog Train might leave the station, or it might not, but regardless…
We love this game!
