NBA
NBA Game Reviews: January 28, 2021
See the NBA Game Reviews from Thursday, January 28th, 2021 with entertaining highlights, key facts, valuable takeaways, and more!
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After a packed slate of games on NBA Wednesday, Thursday didn’t offer as many enticing matchups but made up for it with a couple of close games that came down to the wire and one of the most interesting takeaways of the season. Before Steph’s supporting cast let him down in a blowout loss to the Suns, the Clippers looked like they were going to dominate the Heat until Miami miraculously came back in Kawhi Leonard & Paul George‘s absence, but it wasn’t enough to win when the clock struck 0.
LeBron James started out on fire (7-7 FG), but a 1-12 FG showing from there contributed to another surprising Pistons victory. The Game of the Day saw the Blazers blow their own 20-point first-quarter lead as Houston’s Big 3 of Victor Oladipo, Christian Wood, and John Wall were all needed for the Rockets to sneak out with the close victory and overcome Damian Lillard‘s top performance.
Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from January 28th, 2021:
Portland Trail Blazers (101) vs. Houston Rockets (104)
[Highlights] @ROCKETS (-181; $8.44) d. BLAZERS (+181; $10.25) 104-101 [POR +4.5 | u229.5]
[Highlights] CLIPPERS (+172; $10.97) d. @HEAT (-172; $7.03) 109-105 [LAC +3 | o212.5]
[Highlights] @PISTONS (+239; $7.93) d. LAKERS (-239; $11.34) 107-92 [DET +7 | u214.5]
[Highlights] @SUNS (-109; $11.13) d. WARRIORS (+109; $8.78) 114-93 [PHX -2 | u219.5]
DERRICK JONES JR ✈️✈️✈️✈️ pic.twitter.com/ziIL3GrXZ4
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 29, 2021
👀 every angle of @drose's UP & UNDER from the @DetroitPistons win! pic.twitter.com/iFSjFZMnUb
— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2021
Steph ➡️ Draymond ➡️ Wiseman!@warriors quick ball movement sets up the rook in Q3 on TNT pic.twitter.com/Tu2pIfSxS6
— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2021
okay Young Ant pic.twitter.com/vjUyKxWl6O
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 29, 2021
We have a national television Logo Lillard sighting! @dame_lillard #NBAALLSTAR pic.twitter.com/EzbnSDuvpb
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 29, 2021
[Highlights] PG Damian Lillard, POR (L @HOU): 30 PTS (11-23 FG | 5-11 3PT), 9 AST, 4 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 4 TO
[Highlights] SG Victor Oladipo, HOU (W v.POR): 25 PTS (11-23 FG | 2-10 3PT), 5 AST, 7 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL, 0 TO
[Highlights] SF LeBron James, LAL (L @DET): 22 PTS (8-19 FG | 4-8 3PT), 10 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 2 TO
[Highlights] PF Blake Griffin, DET (W v.LAL): 23 PTS (8-16 FG | 5-10 3PT), 6 AST, 3 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 0 TO
[Highlights] C Christian Wood, HOU (W v.POR): 22 PTS (8-12 FG | 1-4 3PT), 0 AST, 12 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL, 3 TO
1. Warriors W-L total is completely dependent on Steph’s supporting cast
With Kevin Durant (Brooklyn) and Klay Thompson (injured) no longer around, Steph Curry has more on his plate than he ever has. The baby-faced assassin has answered the bell by averaging the most PPG (27.7) and FGA (20.0) as any year in his career besides his unanimous 2015-16 season. However, the Warriors are far from the 73-9 powerhouse they were five years ago as they currently own a 10-9 record and sit outside of the playoff picture at the No. 9 seed.
The difference for Golden State has nothing to do with their best player, who’s about as good as he’s ever been. It’s the rest of the squad. When Curry’s supporting cast combines to score 85+ points, the Warriors are 8-1. When Steph’s teammates fail to score that much, GSW falls to 2-8. Similarly, when all non-Steph Warriors collectively shoot 45% or better, the Dubs are 9-1, but sport a 1-8 record when they aren’t making enough shots to reach that threshold.
As good as Steph Curry is, he can’t do it all by himself. When his teammates step up, the Warriors are one of the best teams in the league, as proven by their impressive wins against the Lakers, Clippers, and Blazers. However, when Kelly Oubre Jr. shoots poorly (like he did on Thursday; 1-10 FG) and Andrew Wiggins isn’t putting the ball in the basket consistently, Golden St. can get dominated in any game like they did on Opening Night vs. Brooklyn or on this night to Phoenix. If the Warriors want to make it anywhere this season, it won’t be up to Steph. It’ll be determined by the rest of the crew.
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