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The Best of the Day: January 2nd, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from January 2nd, 2021 including Ingram and Bledsoe's clutch play, Christian Wood's impact on HOU, and more!
NBA.com
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 1/2 here.
There were only six NBA games played on Saturday, yet several came with surprising outcomes and five of the winners won their games by a single-digit margin. Brandon Ingram and Eric Bledsoe’s clutch play down the stretch allowed the Pelicans to hang on for their win over the Raptors. Also, Houston’s future appears a lot brighter than it did before the season started thanks to Christian Wood being the steal of free agency and John Wall looking like his old self through his first two games back from injury. Both of these developments can give hope to Rockets fans with James Harden’s inevitable departure coming soon.
Here is the best of the day from January 2, 2021:
Pelicans avoid late collapse to Raptors thanks to Bledsoe & Ingram’s heroics
For the second time this season, the New Orleans Pelicans and the Toronto Raptors faced off. And, for the second time, the Pelicans came out on top, this time thanks to Brandon Ingram and Eric Bledsoe. Ingram kept New Orleans in the game with 17 first half points. He finished the game with 31, the fourth time the Pelicans’ leading scorer has had at least 24 points this season. Ingram has proven so far that last year’s breakout performance in his first season with the Pelicans since coming over in the Anthony Davis deal was no fluke. He, along with Bledsoe, were huge for New Orleans against the Raptors Saturday night.
Bledsoe hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Pelicans a five-point lead at the end of the third quarter. That helped the Pelicans, who led by as many as 12, maintain a comfortable lead for most of the fourth quarter. However, TOR stormed back with a 14-2 run to take a 113-111 lead with 2:47 remaining. It was Bledsoe and Ingram who took over from there. Bledsoe made two game-changing plays on both ends of the court in the final minutes. He forced a TO with the game tied 113-113 and then drained a corner three with 41.6 seconds left. Ingram proceeded to go 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the final seconds to seal the 120-116 victory.
Bledsoe hit 4-of-6 three-pointers and finished the night with a 19-point, 10-assist double-double, his first with New Orleans. He has been a solid addition for a young Pelicans squad, averaging 12.2 points and 4.2 assists per game so far this season. He was acquired via an offseason trade that saw New Orleans send Jrue Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Bledsoe, George Hill, and three future first round picks. The Pelicans currently sit tied for second in the West at 4-2. The Raptors, 1-4, forced to open the season in Tampa Bay due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, continued their disappointing start to the 2020-21 season.
👌 BLEDSOE KNOCKS IT DOWN! 👌@PelicansNBA 116@Raptors 113
— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2021
41.6 left, TOR ball on @NBATV pic.twitter.com/HhexFWinrB
Blocked away by Ingram! 👋 pic.twitter.com/cezUB6WPQW
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 3, 2021
Related: Stories of the Day
Christian Wood looks like the steal of free agency
Turmoil surrounded the Rockets this offseason. GM Daryl Morey stepped down, head coach Mike D’antoni did not return, star Russell Westbrook was traded to the Wizards and face of the franchise James Harden publicly requested a trade — and Morey’s new team, the Philadelphia 76ers, are near the top of Harden’s list. This seems like a difficult offseason for a team to come away with a victory, but the Rockets found a way to do just that.
On the first day of free agency, the Rockets signed rising star Christian Wood to a 3y/$41M contract. Through Wood’s first four games, this is looking like an absolute robbery as Wood is averaging just under 24 points, 11 rebounds, and just over two blocks a game, while shooting a healthy 56% from the field. On Saturday without James Harden, Wood put up 20 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks, leading the way to an upset victory over the Kings.
It seems like it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when the Rockets trade James Harden. They’re bound to wait until they can get the AD or Paul George level package they’re searching for, and that may not be until the trade deadline when a team shows desperation like the Lakers and Clippers did for those superstars. But Harden will be traded, and the Rockets may have already found their replacement star on quite a bargain of under $14 million a year. Christian Wood, John Wall, and the pieces the Rockets can accumulate in a Harden trade may be enough to keep the Rockets in the playoff hunt this year, and for years to come.
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
Tobias Harris hammered it home with authority.
Oh my, @tobias31. pic.twitter.com/8DXTWVw8Ot
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 3, 2021
Related: NBA Highlights | Philadelphia 76ers Highlights
PG John Wall, HOU (v. SAC): 28 PTS (11-21 FG | 2-8 3P), 6 AST, 4 REB, 2 BLK, 3 STL, 5 TO
#PlayerOfTheDay (1/2/21) - PG John Wall, HOU
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 3, 2021
FACTS TO KNOW:
- 1st ever w/ 2 20+pt games after out 2+ years w/ injury
- 1st w/ 50+ PTS over 1st 2 GP after out 2+ yrs since MJ
- John Wall is 2-0 w/ HOU; Westbrook is 0-4 w/ WAS
- Wall has 25 PPG & 7.5 APG through 2 GP this season https://t.co/Q2XKDM9hyx
Related: Players of the Day
Toronto Raptors (116) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (120)
@NOP (+106; $10.58) d. TOR (-106; $8.58) 120-116 [NOP +1 | o215.5]
Related: Games of the Day
Related: Facts of the Day
NBA Game Reviews by Noah Camras
Saturday’s NBA action was full of upsets as five of the six games saw the underdogs come out on top with a few climatic endings
Eric Bledsoe and Collin Sexton saved the day, John Wall & Christian Wood are enhancing Houston's future outlook, the Thunder are surprising everyone again, and more from the 2nd day of 2021! ⬇️ https://t.co/iH1P9bt0Ga
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 3, 2021
Related: Latest PSO Posts
FULL ARTICLE: Most Significant Sports History on January 2nd
On This Day: 1/2/1966
— Mr. Cleveland Sports (@MrCleveland_216) January 2, 2021
Seeking back2back titles, #Browns lose '65 #NFL Championship 23-12 to Packers.The "Mud Bowl" is final gm of Jim Brown's career & final yr of this gm b4 Super Bowl began. Here's key play involving 3 in HOF: Ray Nitschke,Willie Wood break up TD for Brown. #mud pic.twitter.com/IYg3I5bUrR
YEAR: 1966 & 2005
SIGNIFICANCE: NFL HOF’s Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith, and Jerry Rice all played their final games
Related: Significant Sports History
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