NBA
FULL NBA Review From February 22, 2021
See the full NBA Game Reviews from Monday, February 22, 2021 with entertaining highlights, interesting facts, valuable takeaways, and more!
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After breaking out of their early-season slump with a four-game winning streak, the Washington Wizards entered the Staples Center with plenty of momentum. Notorious for trailing after the first quarter, DC once again fell behind early before overcoming a 17-point deficit that led to OT where Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook put the team on their back with all 12 points in the extra period. The reeling Lakers have now lost three in a row and four out of five after their seven-game win streak concluded in Denver when Anthony Davis got injured.
The Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets were poised to go to OT themselves after a back-and-forth battle that was a one-point game entering the final period until the Jazz exploded for 41 points in the 4th quarter and set an abundance of 3-point records in the process.
Miami Heat pulled off a comeback themselves against OKC, Memphis had no answers for the Mavs, and Zach LaVine overcame a rough first quarter to lead Chicago to a huge victory in H-Town. Phoenix and Portland turned into a blowout as well as Devin Booker was cooking the Blazers defense repeatedly.
Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from February 22nd, 2021:
Washington Wizards (127) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (124) [OT]
[Highlights] WIZARDS (+233; $8.95) d. @LAKERS (-233; $10.90) 127-124 (OT) [WAS +7 | o228.5]
[Highlights] @MAVERICKS (-189; $8.32) d. GRIZZLIES (+189; $11.27) 102-92 [DAL -5 | u232]
[Highlights] HEAT (-259; $7.24) d. @THUNDER (+259; $8.85) 108-94 [MIA -7.5 | u212.5]
[Highlights] BULLS (-104; $10.94) d. @ROCKETS (+104; $7.36) 120-100 [CHI -1 | u226.5]
[Highlights] @JAZZ (-673; $14.06) d. HORNETS (+673; $14.66) 132-110 [UTA -12.5 | o227.5]
[Highlights] @SUNS (-215; $13.72) d. BLAZERS (+215; $11.62) 132-100 [PHX -6 | o227]
Utah Jazz facts:
Jae'Sean Tate with the no-look finish 😳 pic.twitter.com/bBTxcsJ83e
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 23, 2021
Back-to-back clutch buckets from Bradley Beal 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zeWp7OWEZY
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 23, 2021
Russ with the HUGE bucket late in OT 😤 pic.twitter.com/3xnlpS7qsD
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 23, 2021
LeBron ties it up, and we're headed to OT! #CenterCourt pic.twitter.com/CBcurta1qT
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 23, 2021
Book making it look easy 👀 pic.twitter.com/Yh7Zm40dP3
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 23, 2021
[Highlights] PG Russell Westbrook, WAS (W @LAL): 32 PTS (13-25 FG | 0-1 3PT), 9 AST, 14 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 2 TO
[Highlights] SG Devin Booker, PHX (W v.POR): 34 PTS (12-17 FG | 2-2 3PT), 4 AST, 4 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 1 TO
[Highlights] SG Bradley Beal, WAS (W @LAL): 33 PTS (12-24 FG | 2-5 3PT), 6 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 3 STL, 5 TO
[Highlights] SF LeBron James, LAL (L v.WAS): 31 PTS (14-29 FG | 2-10 3PT), 13 AST, 9 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 8 TO
[Highlights] G Coby White, CHI (W @HOU): 24 PTS (10-16 FG | 4-7 3PT), 2 AST, 10 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 0 TO
UTAH JAZZ ARE LOOKING LIKE THE GREATEST 3-PT SHOOTING TEAM OF ALL-TIME
The most surprising team this year has unequivocally been the Utah Jazz. UTA currently holds the best record in the league at 25-6 after exiting the first round in last year’s playoffs. The instant increase in success isn’t because of a big offseason acquisition or coaching change as the Jazz entered with about as much continuity as any team in the league.
The main catalyst for their success has been unprecedented performances from the 3-point line. The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets really showed the league how effective shooting from beyond the arc can revolutionize the game, and the Jazz are taking it to a whole other level. Their barrage from deep peaked on Monday night with a franchise-record 28 (!) 3PM during their victory over Charlotte.
After dismantling some of the best teams in the league over the last month and a half, it was surprising to see the young Hornets hang in there against the league’s best team through three quarters, but that changed extremely quickly. Similar to the notorious 73-win Warriors in the third quarter, this Jazz team just exploded in the fourth quarter, turning a one-point game into a 20-point lead basically within a few minutes. It’s what makes this Jazz team so dangerous.
Their proficiency from deep is something that could decrease over a larger sample size, but when watching their games, they’re getting open looks, making the right passes, and hitting the shots they should make which is why they’ve consistently made 3’s at a record rate all season.
With Donovan Mitchell leading the show, and solid shooters in Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson, Royce O’Neal, and Mike Conley all around him, it provides a nice set up for Mitchell to run pick-and-roll with Rudy Gobert, leading to an open shot for himself, an easy jam for the Stifle Tower, or requiring additional help from the defense that leaves a shooter wide open.
Utah not only looks like the best team in the league RIGHT NOW but also the greatest 3-point shooting team of ALL-TIME with the facts to prove it.
COLORS KEY | FULL JAZZ FUTURE OUTLOOK
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