FULL NBA Review From March 14, 2021

On a day NFL legend Drew Brees called it a career, some legendary and historic moments in the NBA also took place. The game’s greatest shooter ever celebrated his 30th birthday by adding another performance with 5+ 3PM, something he’s done significantly more than anyone ever (80 more times to be exact). Rudy Gobert set a Jazz franchise record with 28 REB in Utah’s loss to Golden State.

Anthony Edwards added another highlight-reel jam as the youngest T-Wolves player ever with 30+ points in a game that represented his career-high as Minnesota held off Portland and Dame Time. Jimmy Butler keeps Miami red-hot with a game-sealing turnover over Orlando. SGA out-dueled Ja Morant in a young PG battle in OKC, the Hawks are now 5-0 with Nate McMillan, and Zion’s extreme efficiency led NOLA’s blowout over LAC.

Philadelphia looked completely fine without their MVP candidate as the 76ers made light work of the Spurs. Boston did something similar to the reeling Rockets who have now lost a franchise-record 16 games in a row and Chicago took care of the Raptors with a 23-point victory.

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

FINAL RESULTS

GAME OF THE DAY

Miami Heat (102) vs. Orlando Magic (97)

[Highlights] HEAT (-300; $7.15) d. @MAGIC (+253; $8.99) 102-97 [ORL +8 | u207.5]

[Highlights] @TIMBERWOLVES (+170; $6.71) d. BLAZERS (-197; $10.37) 114-112 [MIN +5 | u235]

[Highlights] @THUNDER (-405; $9.58) d. GRIZZLIES (+306; $11.48) 128-122 [OKC +9 | o223]

[Highlights] @WARRIORS (+265; $8.53) d. JAZZ (-315; $13.39) 131-119 [GSW +7.5 | o234]

[Highlights] @HAWKS (-220; $11.58) d. CAVALIERS (+183; $10.98) 100-82 [ATL -5.5 | u223]

[Highlights] @PELICANS (+192; $8.40) d. CLIPPERS (-220; $10.20) 135-115 [NOP +6 | o233]

[Highlights] @BULLS (-160; $10.66) d. RAPTORS (+142; $8.28) 118-95 [CHI -3.5 | u229]

[Highlights] CELTICS (-693; $8.38) d. @ROCKETS (+518; $5.25) 134-107 [BOS -10.5 | o221.5]

[Highlights] @76ERS (-196; $11.00) d. SPURS (+172; $12.80) 134-99 [PHI -4.5 | o223.5]

NBA Game Odds via Vigit App

NBA Stock Prices via FANDEX

INTERESTING FACTS

Steph Curry has made 5+ 3PM in a GP 244 times, 80 more than any other player in NBA history
Draymond is on pace to be the 1st player with more AST (281) & more REB (203) than PTS (200) in a season ever
Rudy Gobert set the Jazz franchise record with 28 REB in a single game
Anthony Edwards became the youngest player (19 y/221 d) with 30+ PTS during a GP in T-Wolves franchise history
Edwards joins LaVine as the only T-Wolves rookies with 30+ PTS & 5+ 3PM during a game in franchise history
Aleksej Pokusevski topped KD as the youngest player (19 years, 78 days) to record a double-double in OKC history
Jimmy Butler joins D-Wade as the only Heat players with 25+ PTS & 8+ AST in 6 consecutive GP in franchise history
Miami Heat are 17-8 with Jimmy Butler and 4-10 without Butler this season
Centers with 35+ PTS/10+ REB/5+ AST/5+ 3PM during a game in NBA history: Jokic, Cousins, Vucevic
Nikola Vucevic is the 1st Magic player to record 35+ PTS/10+ REB/5+ AST/5+ 3PM since T-Mac in 2004
Players with 5+ GP in a season of 25+ PTS & 80+ FG% since 1983: Amare’, Zion, Barkley
New Orleans Pelicans are the 3rd team to record 65%+ FG during a game in the last 5 seasons
Rockets are on the 4th longest losing streak (16 GP) by a team that began the streak over .500 in NBA history

BEST HIGHLIGHTS

Hayes SLAMS it on his head

JAXSON HAYES. POSTER. 😱 pic.twitter.com/TygqhKraJZ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 15, 2021

The No.1 pick does it again

ANTHONY EDWARDS. OH MY. 😳 pic.twitter.com/YcImkTjqqn
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 15, 2021

Okpala is too smooth with it

This move by KZ Okpala 😤 pic.twitter.com/EKrISR2V8N
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 15, 2021

No time? No problem for Tatum

Tatum beats the Q3 buzzer from DEEP 🚨 pic.twitter.com/pIcwpeEwny
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 15, 2021

Game-sealing pick-6 from Butler

HE DOES IT ALL. JIMMY BUCKETS. BALL GAME. (via @MiamiHEAT) pic.twitter.com/isUQ6KaQzX
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 15, 2021

2-handed poster from Knight on the ‘Fro

Nathan Knight put 'em on a poster 😳 pic.twitter.com/8XhdNmceX2
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 15, 2021

Dwight went Superman Mode

Dwight took flight ✈️ pic.twitter.com/HryxLnDXQx
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 14, 2021

TOP PERFORMERS

[Highlights] SF Jimmy Butler, MIA (W @ORL): 29 PTS (10-17 FG | 0-4 3PT), 9 AST, 7 REB, 1 BLK, 5 STL, 1 TO

[Highlights] C Rudy Gobert, UTA (L @GS): 24 PTS (8-10 FG | 0-0 3PT), 1 AST, 28 REB, 4 BLK, 2 STL, 0 TO

[Highlights] C Nikola Vucevic, ORL (L v.MIA): 38 PTS (15-27 FG | 6-13 3PT), 6 AST, 10 REB, 0 BLK, 2 STL, 7 TO

[Highlights] PG Steph Curry, GS (W v.UTA): 32 PTS (10-20 FG | 6-9 3PT), 9 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 3 TO

[Highlights] PG Damian Lillard, POR (L @MIN): 38 PTS (12-21 FG | 6-13 3PT), 4 AST, 7 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 5 TO

NBA TOP PERFORMERS

MAIN TAKEAWAY

ANTHONY EDWARDS IS ONE OF THE BEST ROOKIE DUNKERS EVER

Minnesota Timberwolves first-overall pick Anthony Edwards had a career-high 34 points in a win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night by a score of 114-112. Two of these 34 points came off a monster jam, which has now become a common sight for the rookie. He’s already had multiple highlight-reel dunks this season.

It is now reasonable to put him in the category of best rookies to ever dunk a ball. Some of his dunks this season put him in with the likes of a rookie Blake Griffin, Vince Carter, and even Michael Jordan. Obviously, this is an elite list of rookie dunkers, but Edwards continues to make a case to be amongst names like these.

The 2020 No.1 pick has been a human highlight reel all year, and he’s just getting started. At only 19 years of age, it is hard to argue that he doesn’t have the potential to be amongst one of the greatest dunkers ever with his elite athleticism, and there is no doubt that the SportsCenter Top Ten plays will be home to more of Edwards’ slams in years to come.

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