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There was one postponement and one delayed tipoff, however in any other case the NBA schedule stayed full and considerably enjoyable on the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day extravaganza, highlighted by a possible Japanese Convention finals preview between the Nets and the Bucks.
When the day changed into evening and the outcomes have been finalized, there was a strong debut in Houston, an uplifting Memphis win over the Suns spurred by Ja Morant, an exciting end in Brooklyn, the place the Nets had one famous person too many for the Bucks, and Golden State’s wild comeback over the defending champs.
Listed below are 10 takeaways from Monday’s video games…
Giannis Antetokounmpo: OK, so we get this marquee showdown, Bucks vs. Nets, Japanese Convention defending champs vs. the large risk from Brooklyn, Defensive Participant of the Yr vs. … Jeff Inexperienced?
Sure, that’s who Giannis guarded on this anticipated sport. It strikes you as odd, doesn’t it? Shouldn’t Giannis verify Kevin Durant, who by the way in which sank the go-ahead 3 within the remaining minute with Giannis about 15 toes away? No offense to Khris Middleton, a fairly truthful defender himself, however there’s no good motive why Giannis isn’t on KD, interval. Giannis can match KD’s size, and is much extra athletic than Middleton, and has a deserved status for protection. Apart from, didn’t the Bucks simply give him the largest contract in NBA historical past? Shouldn’t he earn that and his status for protection by being assigned to one of many sport’s all-time scorers?
Let’s hope, for Milwaukee’s sake, that coach Mike Budenholzer has a change of coronary heart ought to these groups meet within the post-season.
KD & James Harden: Formally, it is a drawback for the remainder of the league. They mixed for 64 factors towards a top-shelf defensive group, and took turns throwing daggers at Milwaukee within the closing moments of a good sport. Even higher, Joe Harris, as anticipated, noticed a handful of open appears and completed with 20 factors.
This was the duo’s second sport collectively after combining for 74 towards Orlando a couple of days earlier. At any time when Kyrie Irving returns, and assuming every part’s good in his world when he does, the Nets will put three gamers on the ground who command double groups. Do the mathematics: Opposing groups will want six defenders whole towards the Nets Huge Three, and final we checked, that’s unlawful.
Kevin Durant and James Harden have been an excessive amount of for the Bucks.
Blake Griffin: It’s at all times powerful to look at a former franchise participant in fast decline, and such is going on in Detroit. Monday was extra of the identical for Griffin, who’s fading on a group that’s 3-10. It was 36 minutes, 5 factors, 5 rebounds towards the Warmth for Griffin, who only a few years in the past — and in addition a number of knee surgical procedures — was a premier participant in LA with a contemporary max contract. Now he’s taking pictures beneath 40 % and yielding to Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee. He has a $38 million choice for subsequent season, greater than something he’d get on the open market. So most probably he’s in Detroit for one more yr.
Victor Oladipo: Very similar to Harden, Oladipo wished to maneuver on from his group. In contrast to Harden, Oladipo didn’t put his teammates on blast. Anyway, Oladipo’s debut with the Rockets, Harden’s former group, couldn’t have gone smoother. Properly, OK: Houston did lose to the Bulls.
However misplaced in that consequence was the welcome Oladipo acquired from his new teammates. They yielded to him at occasions, allowed him to flourish and take cost with 23 photographs. For many gamers, particularly somebody who isn’t a famous person, there’s normally a transitional interval of getting-to-know-you. On this case, the Rockets allowed Oladipo to guide them, which may very well be taken as an in-your-face to Harden.
No matter. Oladipo regarded frisky and joyful to be in Houston, scoring 32 factors with 9 assists, each season highs, and appears snug. He’s in his stroll yr however possibly that is now residence.
Victor Oladipo did every part besides win in his Rockets debut.
Rajon Rondo: Can somebody remind us once more why the Hawks signed Rondo? And even higher, why Rondo agreed to signal with the Hawks? His taking part in time and manufacturing are steadily declining; Rondo is averaging lower than quarter-hour an evening and for the fourth straight sport went scoreless. Additionally, he’s being handed within the rotation by Brandon Goodwin, a two-way contract participant final season who regardless of taking pictures 1-for-10 towards the Wolves has sparkled these days whereas backing up Trae Younger. Rondo could be a greater match on a number of groups than the one he’s with now. He’d be the start line guard for the Clippers.
Julius Randle: He’s the answer, however for whom? Simply essentially the most constructive signal for the Knicks is the elevated play of Randle, who recorded his tenth double-double of the season in New York’s win over Orlando. Randle is as soon as once more a troublesome matchup when he’s charging the rim along with his pure left hand, however the 6-8 ahead can also be getting courageous along with his outdoors taking pictures and hitting a really respectable 35 % from deep.
He’s one motive the Knicks have upgraded from awful to mediocre this season, and ordinarily Randle at age 26 could be a foundational block for a group in transition. However would he profit the Knicks extra in a commerce? Both approach, they’re in a great place with Randle. Bear in mind, the Knicks’ high decide, Obi Toppin, performs the identical place, and buying and selling Randle for assist elsewhere — possibly level guard the place Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina haven’t fairly labored out — is perhaps splendid. Randle leads the Knicks in assists as a result of the offense is working by way of him, which says extra concerning the level guard state of affairs than Randle.
Chris Boucher: It’s not a coincidence how Toronto’s turnaround has coincided with the rise of Boucher. He scored 20-plus factors for the fourth straight sport, of which the Raptors have gained three and misplaced fourth by one level. Boucher’s improvement is much like the one by Paschal Siakam a couple of years in the past; each are lengthy and athletic, however Boucher brings a greater shot. Boucher is within the working for Most Improved Participant with the Rockets’ Christian Wooden.
Chris Boucher continued his robust play with one other 20-point outing.
The Spurs: They’d 4 gamers rating 20 or extra within the win over the Blazers, and all 4 are veterans of their stroll yr — DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and Rudy Homosexual. Which in fact begs the query: Will the Spurs, who virtually by no means make trades, ship a number of of them earlier than the commerce deadline?
All of them have worth to numerous levels. Of the three, Mills is the one “true Spur” and due to that he’s more likely to stick round past this season. (Mills can also be having the perfect yr of his 11-year profession, which doesn’t harm). The Spurs are clearly in a youth motion and able to flip the web page on the subsequent period, which is able to belong to Lonnie Walker, Dejounte Murray, Derrick White and Keldon Johnson. The Spurs are a draft-and-hold franchise that subscribes to participant improvement. Do they give up the 4 veterans now, or wait till this summer season?
Draymond Inexperienced: Throughout a break within the motion towards the Lakers, he had an animated dialogue with rookie James Wiseman, teaching up the younger heart and telling him what he did incorrect. Draymond’s voice does carry weight … however to this point this season, his personal play appears missing a bit. He’s at close to or profession lows throughout the board and hasn’t had the identical impression with a non-contender (this season and final) as he did when the Warriors have been a dynasty. This feeds the assumption that Inexperienced was at all times extra of a complimentary participant — albeit a fantastic one — than a star.
MLK Day: Give the Hawks the sting, by way of presentation, over everybody else. Atlanta at all times does it up large on this present day, from the choir to the courtroom markings and this yr, the “MLK” jerseys, marking the primary time in historical past {that a} group wasn’t represented on the entrance. In fact, the Hawks must be No. 1 on this present day; they’re within the birthplace of Dr. King, who died the identical yr the Hawks moved to Atlanta from St. Louis.
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Shaun Powell has lined the NBA for greater than 25 years. You possibly can e-mail him here, discover his archive here and comply with him on Twitter.
The views on this web page don’t essentially mirror the views of the NBA, its golf equipment or Turner Broadcasting.
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