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The Best of the Day: February 11th, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from February 11, 2021 including Carmelo's big 4Q, Jimmy Butler elevating Miami, Steph's hot streak, & more
Steve Dykes / AP Images
The ‘Best of the Day’ is a daily PSO original series showcasing the most significant stories, highlights, and facts going on in the land of the NFL, NBA, & MLB every day. Get a recap on EVERYTHING that happened on 2/11 here.
With only five NBA games played Thursday, the spotlight was even brighter for players to produce. Carmelo Anthony reminded everyone that he can still be a lethal scorer while Steph Curry continued his hot 3pt shooting (even for his standards) with another ridiculous night from beyond the arc. Also, Jimmy Butler has gotten the Heat back on track since his extended absence due to COVID protocols. After struggling without their star, Miami is now on a four-game win streak after a triple-double from Jimmy Buckets.
Here is the best of the day from February 11, 2021:
Carmelo dropped 17 4th Qtr PTS to lift Blazers over East’s No.1 seeded 76ers
Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 24 points off the bench as the Trail Blazers defeated the 76ers 118-114 at home. Melo saved his best for when it mattered most, though. Entering the fourth quarter down 93-89, Anthony erupted for 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including a sizzling 3-for-3 from beyond the arc to propel the Blazers past the East’s top squad.
🔥 17 in the 4th for Melo powers POR. 🔥@carmeloanthony x @trailblazers pic.twitter.com/8HwnX5NVTW
— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2021
Anthony has been heating up lately with four 21-plus point games in his last five outings, two of which came against Philadelphia (both wins). While his numbers are down across the board, including a career-low 13.0 PPG, the 18-year vet has been valuable coming off the bench for a Portland team looking to break into the West’s top tier. Anthony’s elevated play is especially important right now for the Blazers, who have been without both CJ McCollum (11 games) and Jusuf Nurkic (12 games) for nearly a month. Melo might be 36 years old, but he’s still showing why he’s one of the greatest scorers of all-time.
Damian Lillard dropped 30 points, including 19 in the first quarter for Portland (14-10), who sit in fifth place in the West just a game behind Phoenix (15-9) for the fourth spot. The 76ers dropped to 18-8 as MVP candidate Joel Embiid‘s big night (35 PTS, 9 REB) and Ben Simmons‘ near triple-double (23 PTS, 11 REB, 9 AST) weren’t enough to secure the road win. Despite the loss, Philadelphia still holds a game-and-a-half lead over second-place Milwaukee (16-9) in the East.
19 points for Dame ... it's just the FIRST QUARTER 😳
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 12, 2021
(via @trailblazers) pic.twitter.com/KMx9vGyOIZ
Damian Lillard last 10 games (all without CJ and Nurkic):
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 12, 2021
31.8 PPG
7.5 APG
4.6 3PG
45/40/94%
He has kept the Blazers in the 5th seed in the West. pic.twitter.com/yWTonmbtQu
Related: Stories of the Day
Jimmy Butler’s return has the Heat back on track for NBA championship contention
The Miami Heat made a surprising run to the NBA Finals last year (not surprising to PSO) in just the first year since adding Jimmy Butler in the offseason. Butler’s presence helped elevate the young players around him in South Beach as Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson were all much improved in 2020 and kept it going into the bubble where Goran Dragic also had the best run of his career as well.
For all those who said Jimmy Butler isn’t a ‘winning’ teammate were proved wrong after witnessing his heroics in the NBA Finals as he outperformed the greatest player of his generation on the biggest stage multiple times. Butler has an x-factor to him as the type of player to leave it all on the line, regardless of his superstar status.
When he was out for 10 games for COVID protocols, the Heat struggled. Really struggled. Miami went 2-8 without their 5x All-Star leading the way. The Heat are now 5-2 since his return and are now riding a four-game win streak after Butler racked up his first triple-double of the season against Houston on Thursday.
Butler is the type of player to get buckets when his team needs them most, but then be a main distributor throughout the game to get his teammates involved. Considering he has another All-Star around him in Adebayo, a rising stud in Herro, a certified clutch scorer in Dragic, and a prolific sharpshooter in Robinson, the reigning East champions have more than enough firepower, defense, and leadership under 2x NBA Champion Eric Spoelstra to make it back to the NBA Finals.
None of their recent victories have been that impressive considering they’re against losing teams but the Heat had to get back on track and Butler’s return has allowed them to do exactly that. Their upcoming six-game road trip against the best of the west in the Utah Jazz, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, and Golden St. Warriors will really prove if this team is all the way back to being the gritty, cohesive squad that no team wants to face.
Jimmy messed around got a triple-double tonight!
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 12, 2021
🔥 27 Pts
🔥 10 Reb
🔥 10 Ast
The Heat are 5-2 since he returned. pic.twitter.com/UhSQSVV6La
Jimmy Butler has his 6th triple-double with the Heat (including the playoffs).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 12, 2021
That passes Dwyane Wade for 2nd-most in Heat history.
Only LeBron James has more (14). pic.twitter.com/tr5QawPdoo
#JimmyButler since his return
— Miami Heat Beat (We Just Cover The Team) (@miaheatbeat) February 12, 2021
👑 30 pts 7 rebs 8 ast
🐝 25 pts 9 rebs 5 ast 4 stl
🧙♀️ 19 pts 8 rebs 9 ast
🧙♀️ 14 pts 8 rebs 9 ast 3 stl
🗽 17 pts 10 rebs 9 ast
🗽 26 pts 8 rebs 10 ast
🚀 27 pts 10 rebs 10 ast
Unstoppable #NBAAllStar | #HEATTwitter
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
Young J’s making plays in Beantown
Tatum’s wraparound pass to Payton Pritchard 😨 pic.twitter.com/sOFcexh6lY
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 12, 2021
Jaylen breaking out the spin cycle 👀 pic.twitter.com/9zslIbuTPx
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 12, 2021
Related: NBA Highlights | Boston Celtics Highlights
PG Steph Curry, GSW (W v.ORL): 40 PTS (14-26 FG | 10-19 3P), 5 AST, 8 REB, 0 BLK, 4 STL, 6 TO
#PlayerOfTheDay (2/11/21) - PG Steph Curry, GS
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) February 12, 2021
TOP FACTS:
- 17 career GP w/ 10+ 3PM; Next 5 combined have 16
- 13 career GP w/ 40 PTS/10 3PM; 10 more than next player
- 4+ 3PM in 13 straight GP is t-longest streak ever
KEY STATS:
40 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 4 STL, 10-19 3P (53%) https://t.co/9ZgX4cudoY
Related: Players of the Day
Philadelphia 76ers (114) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (118)
[Highlights] @BLAZERS (+200; $10.65) d. 76ERS (-200; $11.17) 118-114 [POR +5.5 | o229]
Related: Games of the Day
FULL NBA Review From February 11, 2021 by Rob Mason
Thursday night saw star players lift their squads to W’s with huge performances
Carmelo went off for 17 PTS in the 4th Qtr to take down the 76ers who were undefeated when fully healthy (14-0), Steph extended some amazing 3PM records, Jimmy Butler's return has the Heat back on track, and more! https://t.co/pV4cY1kIXG
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) February 12, 2021
Related: Latest PSO Posts
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