NBA
NBA Game Reviews: January 25, 2021
See the NBA Game Reviews from Monday, January 25th, 2021 with entertaining highlights, key facts, valuable takeaways, and more!
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On a night where King James made his return to Cleveland, the now-Lakers legend made sure to leave a performance his hometown wouldn’t soon forget as he exploded for 21 points in the 4th quarter while only missing one shot (9-10 FG) for a season-high 46 points overall. Denver and Dallas battled it out with Michael Porter Jr. proving to be the difference thanks to a 30-point game that included the dagger. Malcolm Brogdon’s career-high 36 points led Indy over the Raptors, Steph took over down the stretch vs. Minnesota, and despite no big performances from the Big 3 in Brooklyn, the Nets were still able to take care of business against the reigning East champions.
Jayson Tatum looked solid in his return from COVID to pace the Celtics victory in Chicago, Delon Wright stepped up out of nowhere to team with Jerami Grant for an impressive Pistons dub vs. Philly without Joel Embiid, and Nikola Vucevic had another big showing to take care of Charlotte. Finally, the night concluded with a depleted Blazers team hanging in there with OKC but couldn’t do enough to walk out victorious.
Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from January 25th, 2021:
Denver Nuggets (117) vs. Dallas Mavericks (113)
[Highlights] NUGGETS (-120; $9.89) d. @MAVERICKS (+120; $9.16) 117-113 [DEN -2 | o223]
Luka Doncic facts:
"OH MY GOODNESS!"
— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2021
All-angles of Anthony Edwards' rack attack for the @Timberwolves on NBA TV! #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/yw27neYCIr
BRON FROM THE LOGO 😱 pic.twitter.com/BFUDqEi4nI
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 26, 2021
STEPH FROM DEEP 👌 pic.twitter.com/OcBGseeJt3
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 26, 2021
Curry step-back 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Bf6LXMcp5c
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 26, 2021
Every angle of Steph Curry's circus 3-point play in the @warriors victory!
— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2021
GSW rematch with MIN - Wed. at 10pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/wyFcXiLyjS
Gabe Vincent snatching ankles 😯#CenterCourt pic.twitter.com/dMMCLmOhsZ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 26, 2021
Bam on both ends! 💥#CenterCourt pic.twitter.com/ssj1PeGBsA
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 26, 2021
Michael Porter Jr. (30 PTS, 6 3PM) buries the game-sealing triple for the @nuggets! pic.twitter.com/OwtX5hkGHk
— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2021
[Highlights] SF LeBron James, LAL (W @CLE): 46 PTS (19-26 FG | 7-11 3PT), 6 AST, 8 REB, 2 BLK, 2 STL, 6 TO
[Highlights] G Luka Doncic, DAL (L v.DEN): 35 PTS (11-23 FG | 3-8 3PT), 16 AST, 11 REB, 1 BLK, 4 STL, 5 TO
[Highlights] G Malcolm Brogdon, IND (W @TOR): 36 PTS (10-17 FG | 3-5 3PT), 9 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 3 TO
[Highlights] PG Steph Curry, GS (W v.MIN): 36 PTS (11-21 FG | 7-12 3PT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 0 BLK, 3 STL, 3 TO
[Highlights] C Nikola Vucevic, ORL (W v.CHA): 28 PTS (11-23 FG | 4-7 3PT), 7 AST, 12 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 3 TO
1. Michael Porter Jr. is Denver’s x-factor that can get them over the hump
The Denver Nuggets were only a few games away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history last year after mounting a 3-1 series comeback on the Clippers. If it wasn’t for an Anthony Davis buzzer-beater in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Denver could’ve been up 2-1 in the series with a Finals appearance in sight. However, Denver needed strong showings from Jerami Grant to even make it possible. Before Grant broke out in Detroit this season, he only averaged 12.0 PPG with Denver last year before taking it up a notch in the playoffs, ending the year with a 21.0 PPG average over the final three games.
What Denver got from Grant in that small sample size is exactly what they’re hoping to receive from Michael Porter Jr. for years to come. The 22-year-old fell to the 14th overall pick in 2018, missed the entire 2018-19 season, and was on a strict minutes restriction in 2019-20 because of injury concerns. He’s fortunately had a clean bill of health since then besides a recent case of COVID. After missing 10 games, MPJ finally showed his sky-high potential again on Monday that was seen in the bubble and the beginning of this season. He balled out with 30 points on 55.6% FG to go with eight rebounds as a huge factor for Denver’s win in Dallas.
Michael Porter Jr.’s career could go in a lot of different directions going forward which makes him not only such a big x-factor for DEN for the foreseeable future, but also the entire Western Conference, and perhaps the NBA as a whole. There aren’t many teams that have the proven playoff success and continuity Denver does that can also bank on their young superstars continuing to get better as they reach their prime. Throw in Michael Porter Jr.’s potential evolution from a quality spark off the bench to a legitimate 20 points per game scorer, and that could be enough to get the Nuggets over the hump and into their first NBA Finals.
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