By Rob Mason, PSO President of Sports Operations
Feb 15, 2021

 

A stacked Sunday slate led to some great NBA basketball while simultaneously putting the biggest question mark on this entire season. It all started early in the day with an old Celtics-Wizards rivalry game featuring two St. Louis stars in Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum with one dominating in a win (Beal) and the other playing horrendous in a blowout loss (Tatum).

The best game of the day saw two of the NBA’s biggest stars go at it until the final minute where Dame-time took over in Dallas and Luka missed the wide-open game-tying 3PA. A WCF rematch was ruined when AD re-aggravated his Achilles which puts a lot up in the air that could impact a variety of teams (more on this below). 

Pascal Siakam missed the game-tying layup from point-blank range while KAT set the all-time T-Wolves 3PM record, Giannis’ triple-double wasn’t enough to beat the Thunder, and Mason Plumlee recorded his first career triple-double to take down the Pelicans. 

A LaMarcus Aldridge-less Spurs squad overcame Scary Terry‘s crossovers to beat Charlotte. The Grizzlies-Kings game got heated after Metu’s dunk but Memphis made enough plays to win. Lou Will took over for the Clippers without Kawhi or Paul George as the Clippers keep rolling and the Suns made light work of Orlando on the second night of a back-to-back.

Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from February 14th, 2021:

GAME OF THE DAY

Portland Trail Blazers (121) vs. Dallas Mavericks (118)

[HighlightsBLAZERS (+183; $11.09) d. @MAVERICKS (-183; $8.62) 121-118 [POR +5.5 | o235.5]

[Highlights] TIMBERWOLVES (+309; $6.50) d. @RAPTORS (-309; $8.20) 116-112 [MIN+7.5 | u229]

[Highlights@THUNDER (+651; $8.57) d. BUCKS (-651; $9.78) 114-109 [OKC +12 | u228,5]

[Highlights@PISTONS (+164; $9.35) d. PELICANS (-164; $9.24123-112 [DET +5.5 | o222]

[HighlightsSPURS (-115; $14.16) d. @HORNETS (+115; $14.86122-110 [SAS -4 | o227]

[Highlights@WIZARDS (+246; $6.93) d. CELTICS (-246; $8.58104-91 [WAS +7 | u230]

[HighlightsGRIZZLIES (-109; $11.28) d. @KINGS (+109; $11.28) 124-110 [MEM +1.5 | o231.5]

[Highlights@CLIPPERS (-577; $11.06) d. CAVALIERS (+577; $11.33128-111 [LAC -9 | o220.5]

[Highlights@NUGGETS (+138; $9.44) d. LAKERS (-138; $11.78) 122-105 [DEN +3.5 | o219]

[Highlights@SUNS (-477; $13.23) d. MAGIC (+477; $8.24109-90 [PHX -11.5 u212]

NBA Game Odds via Vigit App

NBA Stock Prices via FANDEX

 
Luka Doncic facts:
  • It was Dame Time vs. Dallas

 

  • Scary Terry had ’em skating

 

  • Metu went for a wild ride

 

  • King goes coast-to-coast easy

 

  • Kuzma‘s filthy putback slam

 

  • Campazzo‘s no-look dime right past Kuz

 

  • Floater from 3-point land

 

  • Murray put AD in the blender

 

  • Aggressive Ant attacks the rim

[Highlights] C Nikola Jokic, DEN (W v.LAL): 23 PTS (8-17 FG | 1-5 3PT), 10 AST, 16 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 3 TO

[Highlights] PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (L @OKC): 24 PTS (10-18 FG | 1-3 3PT), 10 AST, 17 REB, 3 BLK, 3 STL, 5 TO

[Highlights] PG Damian Lillard, POR (W @DAL): 34 PTS (12-26 FG | 5-11 3PT), 11 AST, 3 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 5 TO

[Highlights] G Luka Doncic, DAL (L v.POR): 44 PTS (14-20 FG | 5-8 3PT), 9 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 5 TO

[Highlights] SG Bradley Beal, WAS (W v.BOS): 35 PTS (10-18 FG | 4-9 3PT), 5 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 2 STL, 6 TO

NBA TOP PERFORMERS

ANTHONY DAVIS’ HEALTH IS THE BIGGEST X-FACTOR IN THE NBA THIS SEASON

Before the season began, the Los Angeles Lakers were overwhelming favorites to repeat as NBA champions thanks to their dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, along with an improved supporting cast that included the additions of C Montrezl Harrell, G Dennis Schroder, and G/F Wes Matthews

Through over a third of the season, there’s been no reason for that to change as the Lakers have the second-best record in the league and just went on a 7-game winning streak. However, one major cause for concern is the health of Davis, who missed the last two games with Achilles tendinosis and then departed early against the Nuggets after re-aggravating the injury. 

The Lakers may be able to stay afloat through the regular season with James carrying the squad, but the postseason is a whole different story. AD’s health is huge for determining the upcoming champion in the NBA. 

With the Brow playing at full strength, the Lakers are THE team to beat and will be the Vegas favorites all throughout the postseason. However, if the 27-year-old is unavailable or even 90% as effective as he was in last year’s playoffs, the race becomes WIDE OPEN with an abundance of teams licking their chops at the proposition of an AD-less Lakers squad. 

  • The current No.1 seeded Jazz and 76ers would benefit from home-court advantage
  • Giannis is looking to get Milwaukee over the hump with Jrue Holiday alongside him now
  • The Clippers are poised to bounce back from last year’s debacle
  • Denver can never be counted out
  • Boston has the highest potential of making a big move before the deadline
  • Miami is built to make another deep run if they can get back on track
  • Portland is a dark horse contender if CJ and Nurkic are healthy
  • Brooklyn would become the team to beat if AD isn’t there 
 
The NBA has as many legitimate title contenders as it’s ever had but they have all had one thing in their way: a healthy Lakers team. If the reigning champs don’t have their second-best player producing at a near-MVP level, it’s anyone’s for the taking and should make for a very exciting 2021 NBA Postseason as the biggest x-factor in the NBA (AD’s health) is completely up in the air right now. 

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