FULL NBA Review From February 12, 2021

On a night with plenty of teams in action, there were plenty of interesting occurrences to take away from a Friday that featured the future of the game. Luka Doncic (46) and Zion Williamson (36) both put up career-highs as they combined with Kristaps and Brandon Ingram as the first quartet to all put up 30+ points in the same game at 25 years old or younger. Also, two top-3 drafted rookies squared off with LaMelo Ball‘s Hornets getting the best of Anthony Edwards‘ T-Wolves.

King James has over 10 years of life experience on those young stars, but still found his reigning champs facing a 20-point deficit minutes into the game. Anthony Davis was shaking the rust off as he returned from Achilles soreness but they both rebounded with a scorching hot 3rd quarter to end up still taking down Memphis by double-digits.

Saddiq Bey had his breakout NBA game with 30 points to lead Detroit over Boston without Kemba Walker. Denver-OKC came down to the wire despite SGA‘s absence with the Nuggets coming out on top after Will Barton‘s clutch dagger.

Trae Young was crossing Spurs defenders in Atlanta, but Gregg Popovich’s squad still came out on top. Nikola Vucevic’s monster performance led Orlando over Sacramento, the Knicks handed DC another loss with Russell Westbrook in the lineup, Portland put down the Cavs easily, and the Clippers are still winning without Paul George.

The biggest matchup of the night turned into a blowout quickly as the West’s best team proved their the real deal in Utah with a dominant display of passing and performance against the East’s reigning regular-season champs despite Giannis‘ usual MVP production.

Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from February 12th, 2021:

FINAL RESULTS

GAME OF THE DAY

Oklahoma City Thunder (95) vs. Denver Nuggets (97)

[Highlights] @NUGGETS (-646; $9.32) d. THUNDER (+646; $8.74) 97-95 [OKC +11.5 | u221.5]

[Highlights] PISTONS (+297; $8.35) d. @CELTICS (-297; $8.95) 108-102 [DET +7 | u211]

[Highlights] @HORNETS (-149; $14.67) d. TIMBERWOLVES (+149; $6.72) 120-114 [CHA -2.5 | o230]

[Highlights] @LAKERS (-251; $11.71) d. GRIZZLIES (+251; $11.31) 115-105 [LAL -8.5 | o218.5]

[Highlights] SPURS (+123; $13.55) d. @HAWKS (-123; $10.97) 125-114 [SAS +2.5 | o225]

[Highlights] MAGIC (+324; $7.70) d. @KINGS (-324; $12.02) 123-112 [ORL +6.5 | o218]

[Highlights] @MAVERICKS (-140; $8.38) d. PELICANS (+140; $9.57) 143-130 [DAL -3 | o233.5]

[Highlights] @JAZZ (-126; $13.44) d. BUCKS (+126; $9.96) 129-115 [UTA -2.5 | o233]

[Highlights] KNICKS (-133; $14.43) d. @WIZARDS (+133; $7.37) 109-91 [NYK -3.5 | u218.5]

[Highlights] @BLAZERS (-152; $10.95) d. CAVALIERS (+152; $11.53) 129-110 [POR -3.5 | o221.5]

[Highlights] CLIPPERS (-263; $10.85) d. @BULLS (+263; $10.18) 125-106 [LAC -7.5 | o225.5]

NBA Game Odds via Vigit App

NBA Stock Prices via FANDEX

INTERESTING FACTS

Saddiq Bey is the 1st NBA rookie to record 7+ 3PM on 100% 3P% in NBA history
LeBron James passed Karl Malone for the most career TOs (4,525) in NBA history
Zion had the most consecutive FGM (14) without a miss in the paint since Hakeem Olajuwon (15) in 1998
New Orleans Pelicans have allowed the most 3PM (50) over a 2-game span in NBA history
Zion is the 1st player to record 10+ FGM without a single miss during the 1st half of a GP in Pelicans history
Jazz had 4 25-pt scorers (Gobert, Ingles, Mitchell, Clarkson) in the same GP for the 1st time in franchise history
Utah Jazz are off to their best start (21-5) through 26 GP in franchise history
This is the 1st time the Los Angeles Lakers have won 5 straight GP while trailing after the 1st Qtr since 1961
Lakers are the 3rd team to win consecutive GP after overcoming 20-point deficits over the last 25 seasons

Luka Doncic facts:

1st Mavericks player with 45+ PTS/10+ AST in franchise history
Luka and Kristaps are the 1st pair of foreign-born teammates to score 35+ PTS each in the same game
Luka, Kristaps, Zion, and Ingram are the 1st 4 players all under 26 years old to score 30+ PTS in the same game
2nd pair of opposing players (vs. Zion) that are each 21 or younger to both score 35+ PTS in the same game ever

BEST HIGHLIGHTS

2x DPOY yams it on reigning DPOY

Rudy Gobert with AUTHORITY 😱 pic.twitter.com/jrqVuuiVxD
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 13, 2021

King James led LA back from down 20

KING JAMES 😤 pic.twitter.com/0S675bRXQF
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 13, 2021

Step-back three at the buzzer!

Bron in the zone 👑 pic.twitter.com/RJ6wUOI5Dp
— ESPN (@espn) February 13, 2021

Rozier rose to the occasion

T3️⃣RRY IS ON 🔥🔥🔥 @T_Rozzay3 | @HornetsOnFSSE pic.twitter.com/q6ruRuM3v6
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 13, 2021

Behind the back from Murray

Jamal Murray went behind-the-back 😯 pic.twitter.com/PerKZfDh9M
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 13, 2021

Passing clinic from the Best in the West

You just have to see this @utahjazz passing display from every angle. 📸

UTA: 21-5, best start in franchise history. 🎷 pic.twitter.com/IUHWfrCmge
— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2021

No.1 pick slices & dices to the cup

Might need more than 5 defenders to stop Ant. (via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/sFXu8ZI6Gi
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 13, 2021

Quickley too quick for ’em

Quickley had him slidin’ 🤭 pic.twitter.com/xTBdnyyzPR
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 13, 2021

Unicorn showing off the range

Porzingis hitting logo threes 👀 pic.twitter.com/7SLNtH9kDS
— ESPN (@espn) February 13, 2021

Porzingis from deep at the buzzer ‼️ pic.twitter.com/jxPfc4XUwk
— ESPN (@espn) February 13, 2021

TOP PERFORMERS

[Highlights] G Luka Doncic, DAL (W v.NO): 46 PTS (17-30 FG | 5-8 3PT), 12 AST, 8 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL, 3 TO

[Highlights] G Terry Rozier, CHA (W v.MIN): 41 PTS (13-20 FG | 6-10 3PT), 3 AST, 7 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 4 TO

[Highlights] C Nikola Vucevic, ORL (W @SAC): 42 PTS (17-22 FG | 6-8 3PT), 4 AST, 9 REB, 0 BLK, 2 STL, 1 TO

[Highlights] PF Zion Williamson, NO (L @DAL): 36 PTS (14-15 FG | 0-1 3PT), 4 AST, 2 REB, 0 BLK, 2 STL, 1 TO

[Highlights] SF Saddiq Bey, DET (W @BOS): 30 PTS (10-12 FG | 7-7 3PT), 0 AST, 12 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 0 TO

NBA TOP PERFORMERS

MAIN TAKEAWAY

The NBA’s future has never looked brighter

LeBron James has been the face of the NBA for almost two decades now since entering the league in 2003. His reign atop the throne has to end at some point though, even though the King is still playing at a high level and currently the MVP favorite for the defending champs that are currently on a seven-game winning streak.

However, once the “Chosen One” is no longer carrying his teams to championship contention, there will be an abundance of young players ready to take the torch. The most likely trifecta to claim that premier position appears to be Giannis Antetokounmpo, who already has 2 MVPs and a DPOY award, Luka Doncic, a guy that stuffs stat sheets unlike any player at this age after coming over as a European MVP, and Zion Williamson who’s unprecedented athletic capabilities has him off to the most efficient start of a player’s career in NBA history.

Nikola Jokic, Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young, Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo, Jamal Murray, and De’Aaron Fox have all shown flashes of MVP-caliber play before turning 26 years old and seem to be fixtures in the NBA throughout the 2020’s.

The future was flashed right in front of fans’ eyes on Friday Night when Luka went off for a career-high 46 PTS to overcome Zion’s career-high 36 points on 14-15 FG. Even Kristaps Porzingis and Brandon Ingram each dropped 30+ PTS as it marked the first time in NBA history where four players age-25 or younger all recorded 30 points or more in the same game.

This is just the beginning. The amount of high-quality talent that is coming into the league isn’t stopping anytime soon with a stacked class set to enter in 2021 plus one of the most hyped prospects ever in Emoni Bates on the cusp of reaching his dreams to play in the NBA in the near future as well.

King James has been an incredible leader for the league, and when his time is up, no matter who takes over as the ‘face’ of the game, there will be exciting competition every night loaded with some of the most athletic, talented, and skilled players the game has ever seen. The future of the NBA is as bright as it’s ever been.

COLORS KEY | FULL PELICANS FUTURE OUTLOOK