NBA
NBA Game Reviews: January 19, 2021
See the NBA Game Reviews from Tuesday, January 19th, 2021 with entertaining highlights, key facts, valuable takeaways, and more!
PSO via USA TODAY Sports
Just four teams took the floor on Tuesday in a relatively quiet night of basketball following an epic slate on MLK Day. The Nuggets blew out the Thunder behind another dominant performance from Nikola Jokic, who racked up his league’s best 14th double-double of the year (out of 14 games) with 27 points and 12 rebounds. The Jazz continued their winning ways with a dominant victory over the plummeting Pelicans in Utah behind Donovan Mitchell’s efficient 28 points. The Jazz have now won six in a row, and are tied for the No. 2 seed in the loaded West.
Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from January 19th, 2021:
New Orleans Pelicans (102) vs. Utah Jazz (118)
[Highlights] @JAZZ (-206; $11.37) d. PELICANS (+206; $9.47) 118-102 [UTA -6 | o217.5]
[Highlights] @NUGGETS (-404; $8.72) d. THUNDER (+404; $8.41) 119-101 [DEN -10 | o219.5]
How did Spida pull this off? 🤯#CenterCourt pic.twitter.com/w8YHkx5fTC
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 20, 2021
omg @facucampazzo pic.twitter.com/yREX3A283M
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 20, 2021
Thrill went deep in his bag of tricks! pic.twitter.com/gsTwcIGEF9
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 20, 2021
COAST 2 COAST @BolBol pic.twitter.com/Nt7w0QqsnQ
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 20, 2021
What a move by Clarkson 🔥#CenterCourt pic.twitter.com/qazF6r5Nbw
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 20, 2021
[Highlights] C Nikola Jokic, DEN (W v.OKC): 27 PTS (12-21 FG | 0-4 3PT), 6 AST, 12 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL, 1 TO
[Highlights] PF Zion Williamson, NO (L @UTA): 32 PTS (14-19 FG | 0-1 3PT), 3 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 2 TO
[Highlights] G Donovan Mitchell, UTA (W v.NO): 28 PTS (9-15 FG | 4-7 3PT), 4 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 5 TO
[Highlights] C Rudy Gobert, UTA (W v.NO): 13 PTS (6-8 FG | 0-0 3PT), 1 AST, 18 REB, 3 BLK, 1 STL, 0 TO
[Highlights] F/G Luguentz Dort, OKC (L @DEN): 20 PTS (8-11 FG | 3-6 3PT), 3 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 0 TO
1. Donovan Mitchell is a superstar in the making
Donovan Mitchell has had an electrifying start to his career. The 13th overall pick out of Louisville finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2017, and was the runner up to Ben Simmons, who was drafted first overall the year before. As a consolation, the NBA Player’s Association selected Mitchell as their Rookie of the Year. Last year, Mitchell was named an All-Star for the first time in his career, and had the Jazz one game away from a matchup with the Clippers in the second round.
The 24-year-old has averaged over 20 points per game in each of his first three seasons, and is on pace to do that again this year. Mitchell has been the main catalyst for the Jazz’s current six-game win streak, and has his team tied with the Clippers for the second-best record in the league at 10-4. Mitchell is only getting better, and will have his massive five year, $163 million contract kick in next season, worth up to $195 with incentives. For anyone not familiar with Mitchell’s name yet, he’s only getting started and has all the makings of developing into a future superstar in this league.
2. Nikola Jokic is the greatest triple-double threat Big Man in NBA history
Nikola Jokic has already put himself into the conversation among the most skilled big men of all-time. The 25-year-old can score on all three levels, he’s an aggressive rebounder, and is a great rim protector. The most impressive aspect of his game, however, is his passing. Jokic has the passing skills of a point guard, combined with the shooting skills of a sharpshooter, and the length and size of a big man. He’s the heart and soul of this Denver Nuggets team and has continued to improve not only his own game during his sixth NBA season but also the performances of his teammates.
Jokic is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists this year, and has put on a show as the playmaker of this Nuggets team. Jokic leads the entire league in assists (10.0) this year, which would make him the first Center ever to accomplish that feat. Jokic is also looking to become the first Center in NBA history to average double-digit assists and lead the Nuggets to the playoffs as their 6’11” Point Center. He’s the fifth player ever to rack up a double-double in all 14 games to start a season. Every time he steps on the floor, he’s a triple-double threat. No other Big Man has ever been able to say that.
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