FULL NBA Review From May 2, 2021

Road teams were able to take care of business in seven of the eight matchups on Sunday night. Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo both had 40+ points in a thriller where Milwaukee came away with the three-point win over Brooklyn during Sunday’s sole home win. Philadelphia barely escaped San Antonio with a victory, as the Spurs came back to force overtime. Devin Booker had 32 points during a win over OKC, while Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam combined for 75, defeating the Lakers on the road.

An impressive second half propelled Portland over Boston, and Miami outlasted Charlotte, as both winning squads moved into sixth place in their respective conferences. Sacramento secured their season sweep over Dallas with a win despite 30 points from Luka Doncic after he was ejected in the final minute. New York had no problem with Houston, who has the league’s worst record.

Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from May 2nd, 2021:

FINAL RESULTS

GAME OF THE DAY

Philadelphia 76ers (113) vs. San Antonio Spurs (111) [GW-FG in OT]

[Highlights] 76ERS (-232; $11.14) d. @SPURS (+197; $12.28) 113-111 (GW-FG in OT) [SAS +6 | o221]

[Highlights] @BUCKS (-141; $9.35) d. NETS (+125; $10.90) 117-114 [MIL -2.5 | u243]

[Highlights] SUNS (-1600; $14.73) d. @THUNDER (+923; $6.96) 123-120 [OKC +16 | o222]

[Highlights] RAPTORS (+255; $6.74) d. @LAKERS (-304; $8.74) 121-114 [TOR +7.5 | o217]

[Highlights] BLAZERS (-120; $10.58) d. @CELTICS (-100; $8.32) 129-119 [POR -1.5 | o234]

[Highlights] HEAT (-197; $8.49) d. @HORNETS (+170; $15.76) 121-111 [MIA -5 | o211]

[Highlights] KINGS (+213; $10.47) d. @MAVERICKS (-251; $10.00) 111-99 [SAC +6.5 | u227]

[Highlights] KNICKS (-665; $17.62) d. @ROCKETS (+501; $4.16) 122-97 [NYK -10.5 | o217.5]

NBA Game Odds via Vigit App

NBA Stock Prices via FANDEX

INTERESTING FACTS

Portland is currently on an unprecedented roller-coaster season

1st team to follow 4+ straight home losses with 4+ straight road wins in NBA history

Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam balled out in the Raptors win over LA

1st Raptors teammates with a 35+ PT double-double during the same game in franchise history

Phoenix finally won in OKC after a decade of losses

Suns defeated the Thunder on the road for the 1st time since 2010, snapping a 16-game losing streak @OKC

KD is dropping 40-pieces like Vince Carter

1st Nets player with consecutive GP of 40+ PTS since Vince Carter in 2005

Jayson Tatum is on an incredible hot streak right now

1st Celtics player with 4 consecutive halves of 20+ PTS in the last 20 seasons

BEST HIGHLIGHTS

Kuz goes around & throws it down

Kuzma ELEVATED 😳#CenterCourt pic.twitter.com/EBdcoZmH2g
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 3, 2021

Ben Simmons tips it in for OT win

SIMMONS. FOR. THE. WIN. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nw0aclw9zQ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 3, 2021

Lonnie‘s no-look and-1 slam

Lonnie Walker threw it DOWN 🔨 pic.twitter.com/M1OaHqgUyS
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 3, 2021

LaMelo making plays look easy

LaMelo making it look too easy 😤 pic.twitter.com/6U1pRIap9u
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 3, 2021

LaMelo with the full-court assist at the buzzer 🚨 pic.twitter.com/9IMPUVEBGW
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 3, 2021

Blake‘s major putback

Blake Griffin with a BIG putback slam 💪 pic.twitter.com/rWzCoPeoSN
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 2, 2021

Giannis threw this down on KD

Giannis got UP for this one 😤 pic.twitter.com/GVD7lfCVm0
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 2, 2021

TOP PERFORMERS

[Highlights] F Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (W v.BKN): 49 PTS (21-36 FG | 4-8 3P), 4 AST, 8 REB, 3 BLK, 1 STL, 1 TO

[Highlights] PG Kyle Lowry, TOR (W @LAL): 37 PTS (12-20 FG | 8-13 3P), 11 AST, 2 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 1 TO

[Highlights] PF Pascal Siakam, TOR (W @LAL): 39 PTS (15-26 FG | 4-8 3P), 4 AST, 13 REB, 2 BLK, 2 STL, 4 TO

[Highlights] F Kevin Durant, BKN (L @MIL): 42 PTS (16-33 FG | 7-13 3P), 2 AST, 10 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 5 TO

[Highlights] SG C.J. McCollum, POR (W @BOS): 33 PTS (12-20 FG | 4-8 3P), 5 AST, 5 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 1 TO

NBA TOP PERFORMERS

MAIN TAKEAWAY

DURANT VS. GIANNIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MATCHUP IN THE NBA

Milwaukee and Brooklyn squared off on Sunday night, and two of the NBA’s best went at it. Both Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored over 40 points in one of the best games of the year. These players are on a mission to establish themselves as the league’s best at the moment, and they showed that when they met head-to-head.

KD is on a mission, and wants to prove that he can win outside a Golden State team who were already proven winners without him, and Giannis is still looking to solidify himself as a champion. Antetokounmpo has won consecutive MVPs, and wants to prove that he is a winner. If the season ended today, these two teams would be set for an epic second-round matchup in the East, where only one of them would be able to accomplish their goals.

A playoff matchup between Giannis and KD has much more implications than just the team that would advance to the next round. Both of them would have the opportunity to show who the best player in the league is right now (with LeBron saying he’ll never be 100% again), and even who the possible best team in the league is. It also has lasting impacts on the future, where they could cement their legacies, or even put themselves higher in the GOAT debate.

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