Last Night In The NBA: A Wild Night Filled With Close Games And Game Winners

Happy Thursday everybody and welcome back to another edition of Last Night In The NBA where we bring you up to speed on everything that went down from the night before in the Association. After just three games the night before, the NBA rewarded us with a full slate last night, 11 games in all and let me tell you it was a night filled with down to the wire battles, upsets, game winners, it had it all. One of the more entertaining nights of the season thus far, we have a lot to cover so let’s just jump right in. If for whatever reason you didn’t watch, just keep reading. Here’s what happened

Boston Celtics (17-10) 130 vs Washington Wizards (11-17) 125 F/OT

As always, we’ll focus on the hottest team in the NBA in their normal full blog, so let’s instead take this time to talk about the Wizards. They got Wall back but were without Otto Porter Jr, but this certainly did not look like the same team that lost to the Cavs a few games before. Whenever these two teams face each other they seem to have a game like this, and this was a hold your breath type game for pretty much the entire fourth quarter and OT. Each side throwing punches, the Wizards did a great job of clawing their way back into this game and that’s because John Wall basically got to the rim at will

He had a good amount of help too with Beal dropping 22, Jeff Green a nice 20/10 filling in for Porter, and then 22 from Kelly Oubre off the bench who made some huge threes late. This game shouldn’t have even reached OT, but Beal got a huge offensive rebound at the end off a missed FT

but ultimately Kyrie did Kyrie things in OT and that was it. The Wizards are now 7-6 at home this season and have lost three in a row with their only recent wins coming against BKN/NYK/ATL. At some point if this team wants to make the playoffs they are going to have to go on a run

Detroit Pistons (13-13) 107 vs Charlotte Hornets (14-13) 108

Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned game winner? In a battle between two teams currently in the top 8 in the East, this game delivered for sure. Blake Griffin was back in the lineup for DET and dropped a complete 26/10/7 in 9-16 shooting

and after getting down early the Pistons stormed back, scoring 68 points in the second and third quarter to regain control. They led by double figures heading into the fourth quarter, and that’s when everything started to unravel. They would go on to score just 14 points over the final 12 minutes and once the CHA wave started there was no stopping it. The Pistons are now 4-7 at home, and have now lost 6 in a row with BOS up next. After such a strong start they are definitely starting to slide after winning 5 in a row not too long ago.

For CHA, while Kemba was once again awesome

the story of the night was a game winner by Jeremy Lamb

a great shot for sure, but how about MJ getting mad and acting like an AAU Dad slapping the shit out of Malik Monk for running onto the court early? It resulted in a tech for CHA but thankfully being up two made it meaningless. If that had lost them the game or something MJ would have legit murdered Malik Monk.

CHA has now won 3 in a row and they continue to be a legit team in their own building. Sadly they won’t have homecourt if they make the playoffs, but this was still an exciting win.

New York Knicks (8-21) 106 vs Cleveland Cavaliers (7-21) 113

What happens when two teams play each other that both want to lose? You get a fairly entertaining and competitive game? Weird. For the Knicks, things were farily balanced with their starters playing great, three players over 19 points and solid performances everywhere you looked

They knew the deal right from the start getting down 39-23 after one, and from there the tank was on. Now 4-12 on the road, while this game may not matter to you, for these two teams it could all come down to 1 loss at the end of the season, so this was a huge one to lose.

For CLE. they didn’t get the message I guess. Maybe bringing Delly back is going to cost them Zion, because he was awesome

they also got 28 points from Jordan Clarkson

and another 19 points from Collin Sexton who has turned his rookie season around and played well for a while now

and when you have this many strong performances you end up winning a game you probably shouldn’t. Hate when that happens.

Milwaukee Bucks (18-9) 97 vs Indiana Pacers (18-10) 113

Welcome back Victor Oladipo!! A huge matchup between two teams fighting for the top spot in the East, few teams in the league are playing as well as the Pacers right now. They’ve won 5 in a row, got their best player back, and just beat a very good MIL team pretty convincingly. They didn’t need to rely heavily on Oladipo in his first game back, they got enough from Thad Young and Myles Turner to carry them

Sabonis had another double double off the bench with 12/10, and even though he only took 11 shots, Oladipo did a little bit of everything with his 12/10/6 in 29 minutes.

For MIL, Giannis was human, taking just 7 shots and finishing with 12/10/7, Khris Middleton couldn’t really buy a bucket going 4-18, and really outside of Eric Bledsoe every Buck was pretty quiet

The Bucks are now tied with PHI for the 2 spot and just 1 game ahead of a very hot BOS team. 5-5 over their last 10, we’re seeing what happens when the Bucks play some hard teams after their early schedule was pretty cake. Remember they started 7-0 and are 11-9 since.

Brooklyn Nets (11-18) 127 vs Philadelphia 76ers (19-10) 124

Yeah, maybe PHI misses Jimmy Butler. They lost for just the second time at home this season, and the fact that it came from BKN isn’t all that great. This PHI team should murder a team like that, but instead gave up 127 in regulation and not even a 40 point fourth could save them. As a team they shot 55%, and with no Butler that means they needed a huge night from Embiid/Simmons which is exactly what they got

hell, they even got a great night from Furkan Korkmaz who had 18/6!

TJ McConnell put up 17 off the bench, so it’s not like they were lacking offense. The problem, like it so often is for this PHI team, is on the defensive end. When the lowest you hold BKN to is a 26 point quarter, that’s not great. They were able to keep things close in the first half, but then giving up 70 points over the final two quarters is what ultimately did them in.

For BKN, how about 39 points from Spencer Dinwiddie off the bench!!

that would be good for a career high and safe to say he owned the Sixers in this game. As a team BKN shot 51/50% and made 14 3PM which is pretty damn good, but Dinwiddie literally could not be stopped. He got to the line whenever he wanted, he was legit from deep, and all of the sudden the Nets have won 3 in a row.

Portland Trail Blazers (15-13) 83 vs Memphis Grizzlies (16-11) 92

That Grizzlies defense man, that shit is no joke. Another team held in the 80s, one that is a pretty legit offensive team, is for sure impressive. Even with CJ McCollum dropping 40

they held everyone else, including Dame in check. POR finished with just 36/27% splits, so it’s safe to say they got grit and grinded to death.

For MEM, Mike Conley continues to make his push for an All Star Nod with a legit 23/6/6/ on 9-18 shooting

and this was a team that overcame an 11 point deficit after one and held all non McCollum players to just 43 total points. On a night where Gasol went just 4-15, being able to rely on that defense is huge. MEM is now comfortably in the 6 seed, but just 2 games from the top spot in the West. That race is going to be crazy all year.

Oklahoma City Thunder (17-9) 114 vs New Orleans Pelicans (15-15) 118

Great win by the Pelicans here. The Thunder have been one of the best team in the league over the last few months, and we saw once again how dangerous of a team NO can be when they play in their own building. I suppose having AD go for 40 again certainly helps

and then you add 42 combined points from Jrue Holiday and Julius Randle

that’s the type of production you need to beat a team like OKC. They destroyed the Thunder on the glass 56-39 which is odd because OKC is one of the best rebounding teams in the league, and this game was close the whole way. Nobody won a quarter by more than 4 points, and the Pelicans are now 11-4 at home as they try and get back into the top 8.

For OKC, I mean they had 4 players with at least 20 points so it wasn’t as if they didn’t play well

they just had no answer for Anthony Davis. Happens all the time unless you have a team with Robert Williams. Good news is it’s not that big a deal for the Thunder, who are just 0.5 games back of the top spot in the West.

Atlanta Hawks (6-21) 107 vs Dallas Mavericks (15-11) 114

Eh, no kidding the Hawks lost on the road. That’s not new. At least Trae Young and Kevin Huerter did things!

They are now 2-12 on the road, so this was pretty much par for the course.

For DAL, LUUUUKKAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Did you know the Mavs have now won 11 in a row at home? That’s impressive as hell. Once again Luka wins the battle against Trae Young, but as a team it looks like they are going to have some injuries to deal with. JJ Barea turned an ankle, and Dennis Smith Jr missed his 4th straight game with a wrist, so for a team fighting to stay in the top 8 they are going to have to do it with guys out.

Miami Heat (11-16) 84 vs Utah Jazz (14-15) 111

Yikes MIA. Only three players in double figures, two starters finishing with 3 points, and as a team they finished with 37/36% splits. Do shit like that on the road in a tough place to play and that’s how you nearly lose by 30.

For UTA, they got a great performance from Donovan Mitchell

and Kyle Korver has come right in and been automatic from three, he had 4 threes in 16 minutes in this one

and the Jazz got a MUCH needed win. They’re still 2 full games outside the 8 spot in the West, so they need games like this badly. This shit was 40-15 after the first quarter, so I would sum this up as a good old fashion ass kicking.

Minnesota Timberwolves (13-15) 130 vs Sacramento Kings (15-12) 141

Um what the fuck is this score? 271 points in regulation? Talk about a lack of defense, that’s a video game score people. The Wolves, who I thought had turned things around defensively with the addition of Covington certainly didn’t bring it last night. Offensively sure

but how are you going to let the Kings go off like this. Now 2-11 on the road, maybe that’s it. They just shit their pants whenever they get away from the Target Center.

For SAC, I don’t need to describe it, just watch

Best offensive performance of the season for any team? Pretty close I’d say.

Toronto Raptors (23-7) 113 vs Golden State Warriors (19-10) 93

OK what the fuck Warriors. No Kawhi and you still get blown the hell out AT HOME? You have now been swept by TOR you assholes. People wanted to discredit the previous TOR win because Steph and Green didn’t play, well now what?

Serge Ibabka continues to never miss which makes no goddamn sense

and this was a complete beatdown from everyone who stepped on the floor. Now it sucks they are going to lose Valanciunas for a little since he dislocated his thumb, but holy shit what a win for the Raptors. They have the best record in the NBA and are 12-3 on the road. You have to respect that.

For GS, you should be ashamed of yourself. Outside of Durant none of you dickheads showed up. Unacceptable

Can’t rely on these guys for anything these days it seems.

And that’s it! You’re now all caught up on everything that went down last night in the NBA. We’re back tonight with 4 more games but if you want to watch the football instead fine, just check back in the morning and I’ll bring you up to speed.