NBA
FULL NBA Review From April 8, 2021
See the full NBA Game Reviews from Thursday, April 8, 2021 with entertaining highlights, interesting facts, valuable takeaways, and more!
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Only two of Thursday’s seven games were decided by less than ten points in a night that featured many of the West’s top teams. A Lakers squad without key players was not strong enough to outlast Miami, but their rival Clippers stood strong and snapped Phoenix’s winning streak. New duo Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic were too much for Toronto, despite 38 points from Chris Boucher.
Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 53 points in a home victory over a Milwaukee team missing star player Giannis Antetokounmpo. Utah continued their home dominance with their 23rd straight win in Salt Lake City over Portland. The largest upset of the night belonged to Detroit, who picked up a road win against Sacramento. Cleveland played a great game, beating up on a weak Oklahoma City team by 27.
Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from April 8th, 2021:
Los Angeles Lakers (104) vs. Miami Heat (110)
[Highlights] @HEAT (-500) d. LAKERS (+383) 110-104 [LAL +9.5 | o205.5]
[Highlights] BULLS (-190) d. @RAPTORS (+162) 122-113 [CHI -4 | o217]
[Highlights] @CLIPPERS (-225) d. SUNS (+193) 113-103 [LAC -5.5 | u221]
[Highlights] PISTONS (+253) d. @KINGS (-302) 113-101 [DET +7.5 | u225]
[Highlights] @MAVERICKS (-140) d. BUCKS (+123) 116-101 [DAL -2.5 | u228]
[Highlights] @JAZZ (-223) d. BLAZERS (+190) 122-103 [UTA -5.5 | u233.5]
[Highlights] CAVALIERS (-177) d. @THUNDER (+157) 129-102 [CLE -4 | o219]
KAWHI DROPPED THE HAMMER 🔨 pic.twitter.com/wVF6FN0O8b
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 9, 2021
MAURICE HARKLESS. POSTER. 😳 pic.twitter.com/w8Y3aYDq6H
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 9, 2021
Oladipo, MY GOODNESS! 🤭 pic.twitter.com/jIitYhh9io
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 9, 2021
Fox dropped ‘em 😳 pic.twitter.com/5zOVbwrMjm
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 9, 2021
[Highlights] C Chris Boucher, TOR (L v.CHI): 38 PTS (14-24 FG | 3-7 3PT), 1 AST, 19 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL, 1 TO
[Highlights] G/F Paul George, LAC (W v.PHX): 33 PTS (12-19 FG | 7-9 3PT), 3 AST 7 REB, 0 BLK, 2 STL, 1 TO
[Highlights] G Donovan Mitchell, UTA (W v.POR): 37 PTS (14-25 FG | 1-8 3PT), 4 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 3 TO
[Highlights] G Luka Doncic, DAL (W v.MIL): 27 PTS (11-20 FG | 3-8 3PT), 9 AST, 9 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 4 TO
[Highlights] C Rudy Gobert, UTA (W v.POR): 18 PTS (6-9 FG | 0-0 3PT), 2 AST, 20 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 1 TO
CHRIS BOUCHER IS THE BEST BENCH BIG MAN IN THE NBA
Chris Boucher was given an opportunity to prove himself this season, and he has done just that. The Raps forward/center has played 51 games for them this season but has only started six times. He’s averaging 23.3 minutes per game, and tallying 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in those minutes, good for 20.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per 36 minutes this season. Boucher was given exactly 36 minutes of playtime against Chicago with De’Andre Bembry out and had the best game of his career.
Without Kyle Lowry or Fred VanVleet playing vs. Chicago, Boucher set career-highs in points (38), rebounds (19), offensive rebounds (9), field goals made (14), and minutes played (36). Thursday night showed everyone his potential in this league as a starter, and with continued improvement, there is no reason he can’t be an above-average starter at Center for Toronto going forward.
Boucher has really come into his own this season, developing into an important piece for this squad in 2020-21 that he was a bench warmer for when they won the championship a couple of seasons ago. He is the single-most efficient player for the Raps this season and leads the team in blocks (4th most in the NBA).
He’s been given more opportunities to prove himself recently due to suspensions, COVID, and injury-related issues Toronto has been dealing with, and he’s seized the moment while proving himself as the NBA’s best bench big man.
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