The Rockets and Wizards decided not to play defense for a day
James Harden and Bradley Beal had a bit of a duel today, with Harden scoring 59 points to combat Beal’s 46. It is astounding that a game finished 159-158 in only four quarters. Just for a quick reference, the playoff game between the Blazers and Nuggets this year that ended after 4 overtimes finished 140-137.
Russell Westbrook continued his triple double assault on the season, posting up 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. It’s looking more and more like the two former MVPs can really gel well together on the court.
But, honestly, this must be a tough pill for the Wizards to swallow. How do you score 158 in regulation and lose?
Steph Curry broke his hand, throwing the Warriors into even more turmoil
The Warriors put up an atrocious first quarter against the Suns, finishing it with a scoreline of 43-14. Coming back from a 29 point lead was already a tough ask, but to do it without most of last season’s NBA Finalist core was just impossible. The first half finished 72-46, meaning that the Warriors took two full quarters to beat the Suns’ score from the opening stanza.
The Warriors simply have no cohesion on defense, or the killer instinct and scoring that they had over the last 5-6 years. To make matters worse, Curry took a hard fall in the third quarter and was forced to leave the game. He was diagnosed with a broken left hand. They did show some signs of life by scoring 43 points in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late. The Suns still walked away with 121-110 victory.
Big men still fight once in a while
The actual game between the Timberwolves and 76ers wasn’t much of a competition. The home team won handily, but the undoubted highlight of the day is the sight of Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns getting ejected for a brawl. It was pretty comical to watch the rest of their teammates try to separate the two behemoths.
The Clippers really missed Kawhi against the Jazz
With both teams entering the game with a 3-1 record, the Jazz and Clippers engaged in a tough battle that saw the Jazz dominate the first quarter for a 10 point lead. The Clippers battled back without Kawhi Leonard, though, to get to within one point by halftime.
The Jazz fought back again in the third, too, and took a 20 point lead. They never looked back in a 110-96 win.
This game showed how important Leonard is to the team’s championship dreams. But you can’t take any credit away from the Jazz, who put in a brave effort. It also helps that Mike Conley finally showed up to play today.
Other Results
Cavs def. Bulls 117-111
Raptors def. Pistons 125-113
Celtics def. bucks 116-105
Pacers def. Nets 118-108
Blazers def. Thunder 102-99
Magic def. Knicks 95-83
Hornets def. Kings 118-111
