NBA Game Reviews: MLK Day, 2021

1. Expect a high-scoring shootout in plenty of Brooklyn Nets games this year

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For fans who love scoring, the Brooklyn Nets are THE team to watch. The Nets, upon Kyrie’s return, will have three of the most lethal scorers in NBA history on the court at the same time. Add to that one of the league’s worst defenses, and Nets games will prove to be shootouts night in and night out, helping people who invest in Overs during Nets games get a little richer. On Monday, the matchup between the Nets and Bucks had a betting Over/Under of 240. While that seemed an outrageously high O/U, the lesson has been learned for all who took the under. 

The Nets outlasted the Bucks 125-123, as the teams combined for a whopping 248 points with 135 coming in the second half alone. The Bucks, who had given up an average of 99.8 points over their last four games, had no answer for Harden, KD, or the rest of the Nets squad. However, in the words of Bradley Beal, the Nets couldn’t have stopped a parked car. In the deal for Harden, the Nets let go of their two most capable defenders in Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince. They couldn’t have made it more clear: They don’t need to stop the other team… They’re just going to outscore them. 

While history shows that “Defense wins Championships,” no team in NBA history has had an offense as exceptional as this Nets team. Time will tell if this style of play ultimately translates to a title, considering no team has won it all with a defense as disastrous as this one either. However, for now, enjoy the scoring, and always remember to take the over.

2. When Kelly Oubre plays to the level he’s capable of, the Warriors have no limits

While LeBron James and the Lakers are the clear favorites in the NBA this season, no one has given the King more trouble in his illustrious career than Steph Curry’s Warriors. Although there are some new faces on this Warriors squad, Golden State showed they’re capable of taking down a James-led team, and therefore, any team in the league when the guys around Curry play to the level that’s expected of them.

The Warriors traded a first and second round pick to the Thunder to acquire Kelly Oubre Jr. this offseason, who was dealt to OKC by the Suns for Chris Paul just three days prior. The Warriors completed the trade just three days after the news broke that Klay Thompson was out for the year, and were hoping Oubre could fill some of the void the Thompson injury left. Oubre has been in a significant shooting slump to open the year, but provided a huge spark on both ends of the floor on Monday, giving Warriors fans flashes of Klay Thompson’s two-way capabilities. 

Oubre scored 23 huge points on offense, while accumulating two steals and two blocks on defense. He also forced some key turnovers late in the game, which allowed the Warriors to stay in the game, and ultimately come back to win. Oubre will never be expected to produce like Klay, but if he can hover around the 20 points per game mark that he did on Monday and fell just short of as a 24-year-old last year, while being a defensive stopper and source of energy for this team, the Warriors have the two-way threat they need alongside Steph to compete for a Championship.

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