After a week off for the NCAA Tournament, the NBA on TNT brought us another entertaining doubleheader. Here are my thoughts on what transpired.
Hello and welcome to another edition of Thursday Night Thoughts (TNT) on Friday! In this space I will give my takes on both games of the NBA’s premiere weekly broadcast. Do you have any thoughts on last night’s doubleheader? Hit me up on Twitter and let me know!
Portland Trail Blazers 125, Miami Heat 122
This was a fun, competitive game to watch, even if it wasn’t the easiest on the eyes. Both teams wore their City Edition uniforms, meaning Portland rocked their brown & red while Miami sported their blue/purple/pink gradient with the court to match.
Nevertheless, this game stayed tight throughout. The first double-digit lead did not occur until the Heat went up 110-100 with 6:19 left in the fourth quarter. Portland responded to this deficit by closing out the game on a 25-12 run. Damian Lillard led that charge with nine points on a field goal and seven free throws, including the three that sealed the victory for his team. Enes Kanter added eight points and four rebounds in the sequence on perfect shooting from the field (3-of-3) and from the line (2-of-2).
The end of this game surely stung if you’re a Heat homer or a believer that refs should swallow their whistles in the final seconds. However, it was the correct call and an unfortunate circumstance for a solid defender like Trevor Ariza that just wanted to challenge the shot.
CJ McCollum had a game-high 35 points, including 21 in the first quarter. Damian Lillard finished with 22 points, all coming in the latter three quarters of the game. Carmelo Anthony added a healthy 20 points off the bench, while Enes Kanter logged an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double.
Bam Adebayo (nine rebounds, seven assists, five blocks) and Tyler Herro (eight assists) both finished with 29 points. Adebayo’s gravity was apparent, as his ability to make plays anywhere on the floor — solid screens on the perimeter, nice shooting touch on floaters, etc. — opened up opportunities for his teammates. This was especially important with Jimmy Butler out due to an illness. As a result, Herro knocked down five three-pointers on the night and Kendrick Nunn racked up 22 points.
Unfortunately, while Miami held their own for most of the game, and even looked to be running away with it, their defense faltered down the stretch. This allowed Portland to make their final push and ultimately close out the game in their favor.
Philadelphia 76ers 109, Los Angeles Lakers 101
With Joel Embiid, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis all out, this matchup wasn’t quite as marquee as it could have been. However, it was still pretty solid. The game was tied at 54 at the half, with LA holding the slight advantage in the paint (+6 points) and at the line (+5) while Philly had the slight edge from beyond the arc (+9).
The 76ers took off in the third, beating out the Lakers 35-17 in the frame. Philly went 14-of-22 from the field in the quarter while LA went 4-of-17. From the three-point range, the Sixers went 6-of-13 while LA went 0-of-6. The Lakers advantage at the line — 9-of-13 to the Lakers’ 1-of-2 — was the only thing to keep them somewhat solvent in the third.
However, the Lakers are the defending champions. Even with their two stars out, they refused to accept the blowout. Los Angeles started the fourth down 89-71, but used a 30-15 effort to make it a 104-101 game with 51 seconds remaining in the game.
Unfortunately for the Lake Show, a contested Danny Green corner three and a couple of Ben Simmons free throws spoiled the comeback effort and led to the final score. Still, it was impressive to see the Lakers players, normally relegated to support roles when James and Davis are present, stepping up and scrapping their way back from a big deficit against the best team in the Eastern Conference. Effort like this once their superstars return is what keeps the Lakers in championship contention.
Philadelphia, however, staved off an embarrassing collapse. Their shot was true enough (17 three-pointers to LA’s nine) to ultimately keep the Lakers at bay. Sometimes, teams lose hold of the rope, but good on Danny Green for hitting the clutch shot that kept Los Angeles from finishing the job. Great teams find ways to win games, even if they just narrowly escape with that win.
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