The Lakers Led By Kyle Kuzma & Rajon Rondo Defeat OKC (125-110)

The Lakers Led By Kyle Kuzma & Rajon Rondo Defeat OKC (125-110)

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by | Jan 12, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

The Oklahoma City Thunder played one of their best games on Thursday against the Rockets. Coming into tonight’s game against the Lakers the news broke out that LeBron James and Anthony Davis were going to be out tonight. Once that news came out the Lakers knew other players would have to step up for them to be victorious. Rajon Rondo took the challenge tonight to help his team get the win as he came out looking like vintage Rondo from Boston. Rajon Rondo set the tone for the Lakers with his offense and was able to get other players involved early. The Lakers played with freedom and played unselfishly tonight as a whole which helped out big time. The Lakers had a well-balanced attack against the Thunder and they couldn’t miss from the 3 point line in the first half. At one point in the game, the Lakers were shooting 88% from the 3 point line and that helped them maintain a double-digit margin throughout the night. The Thunder were down by 32 points in the game and it looked as though it was going to be tough to crawl back in this game. The OKC Thunder were getting the good looks that they usually do but the shots just didn’t fall tonight.

 

 

The Thunder got caught up in the LA Lakers 3 point shooting and failed at attempting it tonight as they only shot 9-31 for 29%. Every time the Thunder would try to make a run the Lakers would make a crucial shot that would stop the momentum. One player that had it going for the Lakers all night from start to finish was Kyle Kuzma. On the night Kuzma finished with 36 points which were a season-high. It seemed like Kyle Kuzma couldn’t miss anything that he put up from inside or outside it didn’t matter. With LeBron and AD being out Kyle Kuzma stepped his game up and made the most of the opportunity. The Thunder tried to put Gallinari and Bazley on Kuzma tonight but he was feeling it as he hit 15-24 from the field. Kyle Kuzma had the points but Rajon Rondo set the tone from start to finish as he dropped 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Lakers bench players had bigger roles tonight and stepped up in a major way in a game that most would have given to the Thunder from the beginning. The Lakers had seven players in double figures on the night and shot 51% from the field as a team. The Thunder just didn’t have it from the start of the game and it showed as the Lakers jumped on them right away. The Thunder tried to fight back in this game but the time was running out on that attempt.

 

 

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a bad game overall as a unit especially after the big win against the Rockets. This was a game they started out the game flat and it came back to get them. All night the Thunder were trying to slow down the Lakers and catch up in the score but it didn’t work in their favor. Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a combined 48 points on the night as they tried to shoot the Thunder back into the game. This was a prime example of shooting yourself in the foot because the Thunder as a unit is better than the Lakers team that played tonight. Dennis Schröder wasn’t himself tonight as he missed some shots that he usually makes as well. Schröder gives the Thunder team some added energy and tonight he wasn’t able to get into a true rhythm offensively. Chris Paul was able to get his game going but it was a little too late. The Lakers didn’t have anyone that can guard Chris Paul but the opportunities just weren’t there overall as a team. It’s easy to say that the Thunder looked over the Lakers without their stars but sometimes it happens. The Thunder lived by the three and died by the three tonight. This team has been able to bounce back all season and this game will be one of those moments that help them regain that focus. The Thunder were playing really good defense but the Lakers were just making some tough shots all night long. The Thunder will look to bounce back as they play the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. Tonight was one of those nights where the three guards just didn’t have it going and all season long they’ve been playing at a high level. Look for the Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schröder to bounce back in a major way.

 

 

Jan 12, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks

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by | Jan 11, 2020 | Featured, NBA

For game two of Friday’s NBA on ESPN doubleheader, the Los Angeles Lakers take one more trip to the lone star state to duel with the Los Angeles Lakers at 9:30 p.m. ET for what may be the last time these two franchises face-off until the postseason, which looks quite likely at this point in the second night of a back-to-back for the Lakers.

This time, however, LeBron and his Lakers are going to definitely have a hand or two behind their backs with Anthony Davis officially being ruled out with what’s being called a “gluteus maximus conclusion” injury and in his absence, the Lakers, who have won six games in a row with the best record in the West, will face these 23-win Mavericks for the first time this season without their ace on the low block. That’ll compromise their spacing capabilities, but in his place sits Kyle Kuzma who’s always a threat to light it up on the wing.

With only one win against the Mavericks this year, Luka Doncic is hoping to recreate that once-called “razzmatazz hop-skiddily doo” shown to the masses on primetime ESPN back in November with his impressive 31p/15a/13r Trip-Dub, and he’ll have a huge chance to in going against an undermanned Lakers team. And yet, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows on the Mavs’ injury report. For the second-straight game, they’ll miss Kristaps Porzingis’ two-way contributions greatly in a marquee late-night showdown featuring two of the most dominant players in their respective divisions.

For a tale of the tape, the 20-year old Luka Doncic has torn up the league from his averaged 29.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and nine assists per contests. LeBron James, in his 17th year, isn’t that far off, averaging 25.1 points per game while leading the league in total assists with an average of 7.8 assists per game.

Though LA has the lead in this series at 2-1, Doncic and crew are looking to go an even .500 in the second half of NBA on ESPN’s Friday doubleheader come 9:45 p.m. EST.

Jan 11, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: New Orleans Pelicans at New York Knicks

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: New Orleans Pelicans at New York Knicks

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by | Jan 11, 2020 | Featured, NBA

Although tonight’s first leg of the weekly Friday NBA on ESPN doubleheader is severely lacking in star power, there’s always some form of entertainment to be found in a primetime premiere featuring that team that plays in the world’s most famous arena, as the New York Knicks take on the visiting Pelicans at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Whereas the Pelicans are still waiting on the full recovery process for soon-to-be rookie phenomenon Zion Williamson to finally come to a close, the Knicks aren’t all that healthy either in potentially not having Marcus Morris Sr. (who could be one name among many in a Knicks jersey that could be sent in lieu of February’s trade deadline) and that leaves Bobby Portis and company to try and fill in his regular 19 points and 47 percent shooting from deep, considering that Julius Randle is still dealing with personal issues.

What’s even the more difficult task for these 10-win Knicks is having to supply some tough defense against an all-star caliber player in Brandon Ingram, who just loves to excel under the bright lights of the garden. It’ll also be hard for Mike Miller’s rotation of guards to stop Lonzo Ball, who’s averaging a smooth 12 points off an overall 40 percent shooting with an offensive arsenal that’s still growing with confidence.

Still, this matchup is sorely deficient in key pieces on both sides, as Jrue Holiday, Kenrich Williams and JJ Redick will all be out for these 13-win Pelicans. It may not be an overly exciting matchup between two teams that aren’t even in sniffing distance of .500 records, but these games always have a way to highlight guys that usually don’t have a spotlight on them with some memorable performances, especially since they’re playing in the World’s Most Famous Arena.

Jan 11, 2020 No Comments
OKC Thunder Beat Houston Rockets (113-92) As OKC Fans Get A Win/Win In Russ’ Return

OKC Thunder Beat Houston Rockets (113-92) As OKC Fans Get A Win/Win In Russ’ Return

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by | Jan 10, 2020 | Featured, NBA

This game had emotions running wild with the return of Russell Westbrook. This was the first game that Russell Westbrook was playing in OKC as a member of the Houston Rockets. From the walk into the arena to the tip of the game everyone had their eyes on Russell Westbrook. It was weird for everyone to see Russell Westbrook in a Houston Rockets jersey in Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Oklahoma City Thunder had played a special tribute for Russell Westbrook pregame which got everyone in their feelings. Westbrook waved at the fans and acknowledged them as he went for his pregame routine of running and yelling to the crowd to hype them up.

 

Once the game started it was OKC from the start to finish as the Thunder could do no wrong. With all the emotion around the return of Russell Westbrook, the crowd was hyped and ready to cheer on their team. It would be Danilo Gallinari who would get the scoring party started for the Thunder as he scored a quick 10 points to get the offense going. The Rockets had no one that was able to guard Gallinari on the mismatch all night and he led the OKC Thunder scoring. It didn’t matter if it was inside or outside Gallinari was making the Rockets pay as he finished the game with 23 points. The Thunder three guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chris Paul, and Dennis Schröder made it tough on the Rockets all night as well. Shai was able to use his length to create his offense and he was extremely crafty to the rim. When Shai plays with this type of confidence he feels unguardable and his play energizes the rest of the team. Shai finished with 20 points on the night and made the best of every opportunity the Rockets gave him. Dennis Schröder came in and was able to set the tone for the bench as he’s been special all season long. The way that Schröder plays the game and the pace he plays with he was no match for Austin Rivers who was guarding him. Schröder finished with 16 points on the game and he was able to bring that energy to the game that the Thunder needed. Schröder plays with a chip on his shoulder and kept attacking the Rockets players inside the paint with ease. Dennis Schröder has one of the quickest first steps in the NBA and when he decides to make his move he usually blows by the defender. The last of the three guards for OKC that have put this team on their backs is Chris Paul. CP3 has been able to put this team on his back in the second half of a lot of these games as of late and tonight was no different. CP3 finished the game with 18 points but was able to showcase a lot of his talent as he tried to show his old teammates in Houston he still has it. Dennis Scott said “Flashback CP3” the other night and you can tell that CP3 wanted to show he has a lot more in the tank. The Thunder proved it tonight that if they play as a team and a unit that nothing can get in the way of their success. People doubted this team coming into tonight’s game against the Rockets and they proved yet again that anything is possible. The defense from Terrance Ferguson on James Harden was amazing as Harden was held to only 17 points on the night.

 

Tonight was all about Russell Westbrook as he was able to return to the city that he loves. Westbrook had one of his better games on the year as he was the only Rockets player that was able to do anything on the evening. Russell Westbrook finished with 34 points on the night and was attacking the rim like it did something to him. Westbrook said “I felt like I was home” and that’s the way he played as well tonight as he was the Rocket offense. Westbrook had his way in the paint against Shai and was able to hit his mid-range jumper but that wasn’t enough as the Thunder were blowing out the Rockets throughout the game. Overall this was what the Thunder fans wanted and they got exactly what they paid for tonight. They wanted to get all the Westbrook moments that they could get with a Thunder win and that’s what they got tonight.

Jan 10, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder

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by | Jan 10, 2020 | Featured, NBA

In what will be one of the most emotional nights in recent memory, the night of Russell Westbrook’s return is set to be one where there may not be too many dry eyes in the building known as the Chesapeake Energy Arena as the Houston Rockets travel up a state for as the visitors to tonight’s matchup between the Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, set to tip-off at 9:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. CT on TNT.

Since the inception of this Thunder franchise, there have been names aplenty that have donned that signature Thunder blue, but nary have possessed the heart of their prodigal son, and literal in-state hall-of-famer in their fan-dubbed “Brodie” Russell Westbrook. In the 11 years he spent with the franchise, he’s stacked up a really impressive resume’, to put it lightly.

Cite up 8 All-Star selections, 2 All-NBA First Team selections, 2 scoring titles, and a league MVP award given to him back in 2017. Aside from becoming the other guard in NBA History to rack up an averaged triple-double for an entire season for almost three years straight, Russ’ philanthropic efforts in the Oklahoma community and the emotional connection he has with the city will always be appreciated, regardless of what jersey he’s in.

Usually, the narrative in this matchup between these two franchises always finds a way to surround the team with James Harden facing the franchise that dealt him, but tonight’s storylines are much different. It’s been a steady path of diffidence and disconnection regarding the stars who have left the nest of Oklahoma City in the franchise’s history, but Russ was always regarded as the one who tried to see the light at the end of the tunnel, regardless of how poorly the infrastructure was breaking down around him.

Now, with a new Rockets team that’s primed to make a run at the Conference Finals, this Rockets team is walking into OKC winning four of their last five games, and with James Harden just crushing any defensive obstacle in his way. He’s been averaging 38.5 points per game – and will probably finish the season being the second player in league history (other than Wilt Chamberlain) to average a 40-piece per outing.

Other storylines include Chris Paul’s revenge against his old “buddies” in the Rockets, the team that exiled him to Oklahoma City due to his “age”. I mean, he’s been balling like he’s been anything but old, putting up a smooth 16 points and 6.5 assists per game, and the emergence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who’s coming into his own from averaging 24 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals on 53 percent shooting.

This young-but-really-fun-to-watch Thunder team started the year at 11-14, and are now at 21-16 while sitting at seventh in the Western Conference. This may not be a confirmation that Russ and the Rockets win this one by a considerable margin, so it’ll be a tight contest featuring the native son of Oklahoma City doing battle with a team that’s destined to be somewhere in the upper echelon of talented teams someday.

Jan 10, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers

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by | Jan 9, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The Boston Celtics roll into the city of brotherly love to do battle with one of the lone teams they have yet to beat in the East this year, as their primetime matinee against the Philadelphia 76ers will be broadcasted at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT.

Fresh off of a disappointing home loss to the Spurs, the Celtics were caught by surprise in a 15-point trouncing, as they let ex-Raptors guard and old Atlantic Division rival DeMar DeRozan run rampant on them to have a signature 30-point night. What was more publicized in the tabloids was the erratic behavior of a Kemba Walker who, before being ejected in the third quarter of Wednesday’s contest, complained about a missed illegal screen call and was bounced after. And that fan that decided to invoke his own say by chucking a beer can over the Spurs bench and across the parquet floor? He was banned for life.

That fan’s anger was understandable (unacceptable, obviously) since these Celtics haven’t started out their 2020 on the right foot, losing two straight after winning two straight to kick off the new decade. The inconsistencies of their stars is becoming a pressing issue, and with guys like Walker and Jayson Tatum (who’s only scored 17 points against the Wizards and 14 points in 31 minutes against the Spurs) is quite the means for concern. Fortunately, their scoring efforts may come a little easier when dealing with a Sixers team that’s going to be without Joel Embiid for an unconfirmed amount of time with a torn tendon in his left hand.

For these two teams in their conference this year, it’s been a tale of two polar opposites. The Eastern favorites that all experts theorized to take heed of their conference is only a game or two out of holding the sixth spot in the division, and these Celtics are only a couple games out of repossessing the second-best spot in the East. As Boston returns to the site of their first loss of the season, the opportunity for the C’s to have the size advantage down low is there for their taking, as the rotation of Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter might have a field day against the Sixers’ lack of depth at the five spot.

That doesn’t mean they’re completely absolved from dealing with the multifaceted, other half of that frontcourt/backcourt, though. The 6’10 guard Ben Simmons, who is averaging nearly 15 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals per contest is still one of the league’s most intimidating defenders and with the addition of ex-Celtic Al Horford who is likely to slide over to that Center spot, the spacing of these Sixers that’s struggled to materialize itself multiple times this season will be a keen factor worth the examination in this primetime matchup.

Sixers/Celtics tips off on TNT at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT.

Jan 9, 2020 No Comments