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The Best of the Day: January 23rd, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from January 23, 2021 including Murray's and Crowder's clutch shots, Pelicans disappointing start, & more!
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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 1/23 here.
The Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns went to overtime for the second time in two nights in the desert as Denver’s Jamal Murray and Phoenix’s Jae Crowder each hit clutch buzzer-beating shots for their teams. However, the Nuggets were able to hold off the short-handed Suns in 2OT. Also, no team has had a more disappointing start to the season than the Pelicans after another abysmal loss to the lowly T-Wolves. Bam Adebayo’s career night against the Nets elevated him to Player of the Day status and a look back at Klay Thompson’s record-breaking third quarter against the Kings in 2015.
Here is the best of the day from January 23, 2021:
Murray & Crowder’s buzzer-beating 3PM’s highlighted a 2OT thriller between DEN-PHX
For the second time in two nights, the Nuggets and Suns needed overtime in the desert to settle their contest. And, just like Friday night, it was Denver that came out on top on the road, this time in double OT, thanks to Jamal Murray’s heroics. Murray hit a game-tying 3-pointer to send the game to OT. Then, after a back-and-forth extra period, with his team down by three, Phoenix’s Jae Crowder hit a clutch 3 of his own with 0.7 seconds left to ensure a second OT. However, that wasn’t enough to lift the Suns to victory, as the Nuggets were able to pull away in the sixth frame, earning a tough 120-112 win.
Denver’s superstar duo of Murray and Nikola Jokic led the way, as Murray finished with 26 points, while Jokic led all players with 29 points and grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds. This was the second straight impressive win by Denver (9-7), who has come on strong after starting the season 1-4. If they are to catch the Lakers, Clippers, and Jazz in the standings, the Nuggets must continue to get this level of production from their stars. Meanwhile, Phoenix (8-7), who was without Devin Booker Saturday night, will need to regain their early-season form that had them looking like a dark horse contender in the West when they started the season 7-3.
Career-high 22 BOARDS for 🃏
— NBA (@NBA) January 24, 2021
Nikola Jokic (29 PTS, 22 REB, 6 AST) powers the @nuggets to victory in double-OT! #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/iiRKFoFemF
Joker keeps making moves!
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 24, 2021
Nikola passed Nenê last night for seventh on the Nuggets all-time points list! #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/YbH64QpUcR
Jamal Murray's buzzer beater to send the Nuggets to overtime was his first game-tying shot with 5 seconds or less left in the 4th quarter of his career.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 24, 2021
He was 0-4 on the previous 4 attempts. pic.twitter.com/NT52OFwceT
Related: Stories of the Day
The Pelicans are the NBA’s biggest early-season disappointment
The Pelicans were a popular pick to be a playoff team in the crowded Western Conference this season. Led by rising superstars Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson while surrounded by talent with Eric Bledsoe, Steven Adams, Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick and more, the Pelicans seemingly have all the pieces to do it. However, 15 games into the year, the Pelicans may be the biggest early-season disappointment.
The Pelicans lost to the Timberwolves on Saturday 120-110, in a game where the Wolves didn’t have their two best players Karl-Anthony Towns or D’Angelo Russell, owned the worst record in the West (3-11), and coming off 11 losses in 12 games since KAT’s absence. The Pelicans allowed six guys to score double figures while another two had nine, and had no answer for the role-player filled lineups the Timberwolves threw at them. The Pelicans now find themselves at No. 14 in the West at 5-10, sitting just in front of the 4-11 Timberwolves.
The Pelicans are in the bottom half of the league in offensive and defensive points per game, and in the bottom five in 3P% and FT%. It’s still very early in the season, and the Pelicans do have the talent to be successful. However, they’ve lost eight of nine, and this loss against the depleted Timberwolves feels like rock bottom. On the bright side, if this is rock bottom, they can only go up from here, as they possess one of the brightest futures of any team in the league.
Are the Pelicans the worst team in the league?
— Scott Prather (@ScottMimic) January 24, 2021
To be asking this legitimate question in late January about a team with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram is a travesty. It’s an indictment of the entire franchise.
“Disappointing” is not a justifiable word. This is far worse.
#Pelicans take slim halftime lead, but an extended second-half offensive drought proves costly in 120-110 road defeat to Timberwolves @PanzuraStorage postgame wrap: https://t.co/djTEVIV4wh
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 24, 2021
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
Jamal Murray and Jae Crowder drained extremely clutch 3’s
MURRAY SENDS IT TO OT 😱 pic.twitter.com/bBmbqB73hf
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 24, 2021
This game 😨
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 24, 2021
Jae Crowder sends it to 2OT! pic.twitter.com/Afjzd6XGaQ
Related: NBA Highlights | Denver Nuggets Highlights | Phoenix Suns Highlights
C Bam Adebayo, MIA (L @BKN): 41 PTS (14-20 FG | 1-1 3P), 9 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 1 TO
#PlayerOfTheDay (1/23/21) - C Bam Adebayo, MIA
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 24, 2021
THE FACTS:
- Joins D-Wade as only Heat players w/ 40+ PTS under 23
- Career-high 41 PTS with Jimmy Butler & Tyler Herro out
- 4th most PTS by a Heat center in franchise history
- 5th Center with 40 PTS/5 REB/7 AST on 70% FG since '80 https://t.co/8CXNAY7EU6
Related: Players of the Day
Denver Nuggets (120) vs. Phoenix Suns (112) [2OT]
[Highlights] DEN (+125; $9.26) d. @PHX (-125; $12.12) 120-112 (2OT) [DEN -2.5 | o216.5]
Related: Games of the Day
Related: Facts of the Day
5 Most Interesting Facts About Hank Aaron by Arslan Ubul
The legendary Braves OF had one of the greatest careers in sports history
Hank Aaron was a LEGEND for so many reasons. His career resume is 2nd to none ⬇️ https://t.co/C43REvWMop
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 24, 2021
Related: Latest PSO Posts
FULL ARTICLE: Most Significant Sports History on January 23rd
Klay Thompson really scored 37 points in a single quarter.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 12, 2020
💧9/9 3PT
💧13/13 FG
💧Record for PTS in a quarter
💧Record for 3s in a quarter
💧Record for FG in a quarter (tied) pic.twitter.com/RFD4wtEvhj
YEAR: 2015
SIGNIFICANCE: Klay Thompson set NBA records by scoring 37 points & hitting 9 3PM in a single quarter
Related: Significant Sports History
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