NBA Game Reviews: January 30, 2021

Damian Lillard stole the show on Saturday after he drained a GW buzzer-beater over the Bulls to cap off a climatic comeback victory in Chicago. The Celtics-Lakers matchup came down to the wire until Kemba Walker’s missed GW sealed the C’s fate. Jimmy Butler finally returned after missing 10 days (COVID protocols) and helped Miami end their 5-game losing streak with a nail-biting win over Sacramento.

CP3 came in the clutch to beat Dallas without Devin Booker, Steph Curry went off in a Warriors blowout victory vs. DET, and LaMelo Ball put in work against Giannis’ Bucks. The Rockets stayed red-hot with their fifth straight victory to cool off the Pelicans as Houston is now 6-3 since the James Harden trade. The other game on 1/30 witnessed Memphis putting together an all-around impressive team win in San Antonio, led by Ja Morant’s near double-double.

Here are the best NBA highlights, facts, performers, and takeaways from January 30th, 2021:

FINAL RESULTS

GAME OF THE DAY

Portland Trail Blazers (123) [GW-3PM] vs. Chicago Bulls (122)

[Highlights] BLAZERS (+127; $9.99) d. @BULLS (-127; $10.75) 123-122 (GW-3PM) [POR +2.5 | o233.5]

[Highlights] @HEAT (-172; $6.78) d. KINGS (+172; $10.24) 105-104 [SAC +4.5 | u225]

[Highlights] LAKERS (-125; $10.86) d. @CELTICS (+125; $8.99) 96-95 [BOS +2.5 | u218]

[Highlights] SUNS (+109; $11.60) d. @MAVERICKS (-109; $8.67) 111-105 [PHX +1.5 | o215]

[Highlights] @HORNETS (+337; $13.06) d. BUCKS (-337; $9.74) 126-114 [CHA +8.5 | o230.5]

[Highlights] ROCKETS (-104; $8.66) d. @PELICANS (+104; $9.27) 126-112 [HOU -1 | o222.5]

[Highlights] GRIZZLIES (+151; $11.25) d. @SPURS (-151; $14.55) 129-112 [MEM +3.5 | o219]

[Highlights] @WARRIORS (-185; $8.45) d. PISTONS (+185; $8.95) 118-91 [GSW -5 | u224]

NBA Game Odds via Vigit App

NBA Stock Prices via FANDEX

INTERESTING FACTS

Damian Lillard hit his 3rd career GW buzzer-beater (including playoffs), the most in Blazers history
Dame is the 4th player with multiple GP of 40+ PTS that included a GW buzzer-beater in NBA history
Lillard’s 35 career 40-pt GP is more than 2x any other player in Trail Blazers franchise history
Zion Williamson has the 3rd most 20+pt GP (31) in a player’s 1st 40 career GP since the NBA merger
This was the 2nd worst FG% GP (1-12) in Kemba Walker‘s career (min 10 FGA)

BEST HIGHLIGHTS

Dame called game to end a wild battle

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1355803213044310018

Zach LaVine with ice in his veins ❄️ pic.twitter.com/iO9yMg98g1
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 31, 2021

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1355741318656503808

Best plays from Lakers-Celtics

Jayson Tatum threw a no-look DIME 👀 pic.twitter.com/qTtbuMI28r
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2021

👀 the BEST PLAYS down the stretch from the Lakers/Celtics thriller! pic.twitter.com/4qAj6TLwey
— NBA (@NBA) January 31, 2021

Jaxson Hayes having fun out here

Jaxson Hayes just showing off 💪 pic.twitter.com/hyvbsOifE8
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 31, 2021

2 vs. 1 at the rim and Ja Morant still puts it in

Ja with the TOUGH finish 😯 pic.twitter.com/qQApZQI3qT
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 31, 2021

Showtime in Charlotte

LaMelo + Bridges = 🍿 pic.twitter.com/zYjLskpcfW
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 31, 2021

Logo Lillard has unlimited range

Dame pulling up from the parking lot 👌 pic.twitter.com/N4Sd3Dd9UI
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 31, 2021

TOP PERFORMERS

[Highlights] PG Damian Lillard, POR (W @CHI): 44 PTS (15-26 FG | 8-17 3PT), 9 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 4 TO

[Highlights] F Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL (L @CHA): 34 PTS (12-19 FG | 0-4 3PT), 9 AST, 18 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 3 TO

[Highlights] PG Chris Paul, PHX (W @DAL): 29 PTS (8-18 FG | 1-3 3PT), 12 AST, 3 REB, 0 BLK, 4 STL, 3 TO

[Highlights] G LaMelo Ball, CHA (W v.MIL): 27 PTS (8-10 FG | 2-3 3PT), 9 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 4 STL, 1 TO

[Highlights] SF Jimmy Butler, MIA (W v.SAC): 30 PTS (8-19 FG | 0-2 3PT), 8 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 0 TO

NBA TOP PERFORMERS

MAIN TAKEAWAYS

1. Portland’s only chance to stay alive in the West is if Dame plays like an MVP on a nightly basis

When CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic went down, not many people believed Portland would still be able to compete in the West. They’ve been able to float around .500 without their second and third best player, mainly due to Damian Lillard’s continuous MVP performances. Dame has now earned Player of the Day honors in each of his last two games as he leads the Blazers through this adversity.

On Saturday, Portland was just a few seconds away from blowing ANOTHER 19-point lead. However, Dame had other plans. He put on his cape and put Portland on his back. Down five points with 10 seconds left, Lillard squared up a DEEP 3PM to make it a one-possession game. The Blazers were able to trap the inbounds and force a jump ball which led to it going in Lillard’s direction. He then step-backed over the 7-foot Lauri Markkanen for his franchise-record third game-winning buzzer-beater of his Hall of Fame career.

Recent seasons have shown that Dame Time typically reaches his peak after a month or two, and he might be on the cusp of going on a run of dominance like he did last year. He’s averaging 34 PPG and 8.3 APG over his last eight outings. Portland can be a legitimate contender in the West when healthy, however, they won’t be at full strength for at least another month. For them to stay alive in the wild, wild West until then, they’ll need MVP performances from their best player damn near every time they take the floor, or they just won’t have enough juice to get it done.

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