FULL NBA Review From April 13, 2021

Many of the league’s top teams were active on Tuesday night, and showed why they are high among the standings. The closest game of the night was tied with 40.4 seconds left, but Jayson Tatum iced up to secure the win for Boston over Portland. A double-digit lead at half was enough for Atlanta to walk away victorious, despite a fourth quarter surge from Toronto. The LA Lakers were too much for the short-handed Charlotte squad, despite missing key players of their own.

Both the top seeds in their respective conferences won on Tuesday night with Utah winning yet another home game over OKC despite a career-high performance from Lu Dort (42 PTS), and Brooklyn demolishing Minnesota on the road by 30 without Kyrie or Harden. Phoenix had four double-digit scorers off the bench to lift them over Miami, and Paul George had 36 points against his former Indiana team as two of the top-seeded West teams both cruised to victories.

Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from April 13th, 2021:

FINAL RESULTS

GAME OF THE DAY

Boston Celtics (116) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (115)

[Highlights] CELTICS (-105) d. @BLAZERS (-115) 116-115 [BOS +1 | o229.5]

[Highlights] HAWKS (+105) d. @RAPTORS (-125) 108-103 [ATL +1.5 | u220.5]

[Highlights] LAKERS (-120) d. @HORNETS (+106) 101-93 [LAL -1.5 | u206.5]

[Highlights] @JAZZ (-1724) d. THUNDER (+908) 106-96 [OKC +16.5 | u221.5]

[Highlights] CLIPPERS (-155) d. @PACERS (+135) 126-115 [LAC -3 | o233]

[Highlights] @SUNS (-160) d. HEAT (+140) 106-86 [PHX -3 | u216.5]

[Highlights] NETS (-292) d. @TIMBERWOLVES (+246) 127-97 [BKN -7.5 | u231.5]

NBA Game Odds via Vigit App

INTERESTING FACTS

Jayson Tatum became the 2nd Celtics player with 30 GP of 30+ PTS before turning 24, joining Paul Pierce

Lu Dort facts:

Youngest player with 40+ PTS & 4+ STL during 1 GP in Thunder history
Trails only Kevin Durant for the most PTS (42) during 1 GP by a Thunder player before turning 22 years old
3rd youngest Canadian to record 40+ PTS during 1 GP in NBA history, trailing only Jamal Murray & Andrew Wiggins

BEST HIGHLIGHTS

More bodies were caught in Buzz City

CALEB MARTIN POSTER 📸 pic.twitter.com/vOayzIzq2V
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 14, 2021

Kuzma ATTACKED the rim 💪 pic.twitter.com/G5EeCnz8QQ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 14, 2021

Full court heave to Huerter falls before buzzer

This Hawks full-court heave to beat the buzzer was UNREAL 😯 pic.twitter.com/7Azhe3pkM7
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 14, 2021

Tatum drains the dagger to beat Portland

Tatum with the CLUTCH triple 😱 pic.twitter.com/mZK7F6cn94
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 14, 2021

Zubac comes flying in with the left

ZUBAC OVER SABONIS‼️

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/rcIe7nSxpW
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 14, 2021

Jerome sinks it from half-court

Ty Jerome beat the shot clock from WAY out 🎯 pic.twitter.com/N5tTxeyaaZ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 14, 2021

TOP PERFORMERS

[Highlights] F Jayson Tatum, BOS (W @POR): 32 PTS (10-17 FG | 4-7 3PT), 5 AST, 9 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL, 3 TO

[Highlights] F Paul George, LAC (W @IND): 36 PTS (13-25 FG | 4-7 3PT), 8 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 2 STL, 5 TO

[Highlights] F Lu Dort, OKC (L @UTAH): 42 PTS (16-31 FG | 7-11 3PT), 3 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 4 STL, 2 TO

[Highlights] F Kevin Durant, BKN (W @MIN): 31 PTS (11-15 FG | 4-6 3PT), 4 AST, 4 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 4 TO

[Highlights] C Clint Capela, ATL (W @TOR): 19 PTS (7-11 FG | 0-0 3PT), 1 AST, 21 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 1 TO

NBA TOP PERFORMERS

MAIN TAKEAWAY

EXAMINING IMPACT OF JAMAL MURRAY’S SEASON-ENDING TORN ACL

The Denver Nuggets’ star Guard Jamal Murray suffered a season-ending knee injury when he tore his ACL against Golden State on Monday night. Murray was in the midst of the best campaign of his career, averaging career-highs in PTS (21.2), FG% (47.7%), 3P% (40.8%), FGM (7.9), FGA (16.5), 3PM (2.7), 3PA (6.6), FTA (3.2), and STL (1.3) this season after completely breaking out in the Orlando bubble with some memorable performances. Now he’ll miss an extended period of time, while an injury of this magnitude not only impacts the Nuggets but a variety of teams across the league.

1. Denver Nuggets 2021 playoff chances have decreased infinitely

Without Murray in the lineup for the remainder of the year, Denver’s playoff chances are looking extremely bleak. In a tough Western Conference, it will now be a serious struggle to even escape the first round with an upcoming matchup likely against the loaded Lakers, Clippers, or Blazers.

Denver still has their MVP in Nikola Jokic as well as a strong supporting cast with Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Will Barton, but Jamal Murray‘s impact at the end of close games is irreplaceable and will be awfully missed during those tense postseason matchups where the Kentucky hooper has proven to elevate his game time and time again.

2. The wild, wild West is now down to 4 legitimate contenders

With Denver not looking like a legit conference contender anymore, it benefits the other teams in the conversation. The squad who draws Denver in the first round will be playing a much less fierce roster than they previously thought. Currently, this would be the Lakers. Additionally, teams like Utah, Portland, and LAC would avoid a potential first or second-round matchup with Denver, giving them better odds to make the Finals as well, considering DEN was the hottest team in the league since acquiring Aaron Gordon.

3. This injury not only impacts this season but next year as well

Not only does Murray’s injury hurt Denver this season, but it is likely that he will miss most of the 2021-22 season too. This means that Denver could begin the season without those 20+ points per game and the winning plays that Murray brings to the table nightly. If they are unable to crawl back to a top spot in the West, it is likely they will be due for an unfavorable matchup against a top team in the first round, and it’s rare to even see a player return to form just one year after his recovery, so Denver likely won’t be a realistic title contender again until the 2023 postseason at the earliest.

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