The Blog Train returns after a mini pre-All-Star Break vacay with what is likely our last Blog Train post before the break.

Six games on the Tuesday night slate means six game capsules.

All aboard!

Grizzlies +1 at Wizards Under 238.5

All it takes is one bad quarter to fuck up your Over/Under.

1st quarter: Grizz 35-33 for 68 combined points — on pace for 272 total points.
2nd quarter: Grizz 36-23 for 58 combined points. Half: Grizz 71-56 — on pace for 254 total points.
3rd quarter: Grizz 25-22 for 47 combined points. 3rd Q: Grizz 96-78 — on pace for 232 total points.
4th quarter: Wiz 33-29 for 62 combined points. Just 3 points shy.

This Over would have been a Slippery Lock that slipped away thanks to that 3rd quarter.

Meanwhile the Grizz would have been a Pure Lock, led by the always fearless Ja Morant, 35 points and 10 dimes on the night.

Grizzlies 125, Wizards 111.

The Grizz have hit the Under in five straight games.

Westbrook had 7 turnovers in the first half. The first half! Westbrook also missed five free throws, so if you had this Over, you are not too happy with Russ right now.

Shoutout Dillon Brooks who shadowed Beal all night. Blue Panda couldn’t get open, free or comfortable.

And shoutout De’Anthony Melton who made 6-of-10 3’s as the sparkplug off the bench. Per usual, Melton also did a little bit of everything: five assists, four rebounds, and two steals.

It’s time for your favorite segment with a Grizzlies episode of WHO HE!? #35 Killian Tillie… WHO HE!? Tillie is a rookie on a two-way contract originally from France, but a 4-year college guy at Gonzaga. Tonight was his second ever NBA game with his debut on Sunday in the Grizzlies 49-point obliteration of the Rockets, the largest win in franchise history, a helluva way to make your debut. Tonight, however, Tillie went 0-for-2 in 12 minutes and posted a -14 net rating.

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Hawks +2 at Heat UNDER 224

We never felt like Lloyd Pierce was the problem in Atlanta, but nevertheless he was deemed the scapegoat for the Hawks first half of the season struggles and was fired on Monday.

Enter Nate McMillan! The Lloyd Pierce decision is a lot easier to make when you have a coach like McMillan to step into the interim role.

The Hawks led throughout the first half behind a solid performance from John Collins. The Heat were then pulling away in the 3rd quarter, but the 4th was all about the Hawks and Ice Trae, bombs away.

Ice Trae hit back-to-back-to-back 3’s from 27, 30 and 31 feet, and he scored 13 straight points in the 4th to put the Heat away.

Hawks 94, Heat 80.

Not only did the Hawks win in their first game after their head coach was fired, but they avenged their loss to the Heat on Sunday.

Jimmy Butler didn’t play in this one for the Heat, and the Miami offense was… nowhere to be found. This Under would have been such a Pure Lock.

The McMillan Effect: Atlanta has been the worst team in the league in 4th quarter defense (they are ranked 30th), but they held the Heat to just 14 points (!!) in the 4th quarter tonight.

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Clippers at Celtics +4.5 Over 221.5

Kawhi was a late late game scratch due to back spasms. PG picked up the slack with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting in the first half, but he finished with just 32 on the night. Reggie Jackson was the other Clipper who stepped up with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting.

The J-Team was asi asi tonight, a ho-hum 32 combined points. It was Kemba who led the way for the C’s with 25 points and 6-of-12 on 3’s.

Payton Pritchard and Robert Williams both had big games for the C’s off the bench. Pritchard scored 14 points (4-of-7 from 3) in 23 minutes, his best game in a while after really slipping. Time Lord scored 13 points in 22 minutes and it’s only a matter of time before Brad Stevens has to start playing him more. Unleash Time Lord!

Celtics 117, Clippers 112.

This Over would have been a Pure Lock as both teams shot the lights out.

Three-pointers: Celtics 16-of-32. Clippers 18-of-38.

The Celtics are turning things around, winners of three in a row and it was soo good to see Kemba with a big smile at the end. Winning will do that to ya.

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Knicks at Spurs +2 Under 215

After losing to the Nets in OT last night, the Spurs tonight would have been a Pure Lock, leading by as many as 27 points and outscoring the Knicks 68-46 in the second half.

This Under would have been a Squeaky Lock. Kevin Knox and Immanuel Quickley both missed 3’s in the final minute that would have pushed this one Over.

Spurs 119, Knicks 93.

The Spurs were without Aldridge, Rudy Gay, Derrick White, and Devin Vassell. The Spurs leading scorer was… Trey Lyles with 18 points! Per the AP Report, “Lyles is the ninth player to lead San Antonio in scoring this season, tying Memphis for most in the league.”

It was surprising when the starting lineups came out to see Frankie Smokes in there… Also, what the hell did Austin Rivers do to Thibs?! Rivers has not played in a game since just before Valentine’s Day…

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Nuggets +8 at Bucks Under 234.5

The Nuggets smoked the Bucks in the 1st quarter 37-23 and never looked back. Murray was hot early and The Joker had another triple-double: 37 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

The Under was looking like the move in the first half, but 65 combined points in the 3rd quarter had the Over on pace to hit. Then the scoring fell off a cliff in the 4th, only 46 combined points. That’s what we call the Roller Coaster Lock.

Nuggets 128, Bucks 97.

Points in the paint: Nuggets 56, Bucks 32.

It’s time yet again for another episode of WHO HE!? #3 for the Nuggets, Greg Whittington… WHO HE!? Whittington is a 28-year-old rookie who attended two years at Georgetown back in the day, and according to his Wikipedia page, he’s played in Australia, Japan, Israel and Turkey. Just like fellow WHO HE!? Killian Tillie earlier, tonight was Whittington’s second ever NBA game. His NBA debut was on Saturday night, playing six minutes in Denver’s 30-point win over OKC. Welcome aboard!

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Suns +1 at Lakers Over 215

We’ll go ahead and say it: This game flat out stunk. And not because the shorthanded Lakers lost, not at all because of that. It was because all of the whistles and the technicals and Devin Booker ejection.

This Over would have been a Solid Lock, taking off after a slowish first quarter.

Suns 114, Lakers 104.

Tonight was the Suns first win against the Lakers in Stapes since 2017!

The Suns have won 15 of their last 18 games.

In the post-game interview with the TNT crew, we were super impressed by Grandpa Ayton who provided thoughtful, articulate and genuine responses.

The Lakers last game before the break is against the Kings in Sacramento tomorrow night. Shams has reported that LeBron will sit for the first time this season. Kings need their rest, too.

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Ten games ahead on the Wednesday night menu and nine games left on Thursday night before the All-Star Break.

The Blog Train probably won’t be leaving the station until after All-Star, but we’ll have some fresh power rankings up soon.

We love this game!