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The Best of the Day: January 3rd, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from January 3, 2021 including CLE ends playoff drought, WFT wins the NFC East, Steph's career game, and more!
AP Photo/Kirk Irwin
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 1/3 here.
The NFL regular season concluded Sunday with the playoff field set in stone. Among the most notable postseason entrants are the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Football Team. Cleveland ended its 18-year playoff drought (longest in NFL) while Washington will return to the postseason for the first since 2015. Both teams will face difficult matchups, as the Browns visit the 12-4 Steelers (with their starters this time) and Washington will host Tom Brady and the 11-5 Buccaneers. Also, Steph Curry had arguably the best game of his NBA career against the Trail Blazers and a look back at Chris Johnson’s incredible 2009 season.
Here is the best of the day from January 3, 2021:
Browns and Washington end playoff droughts after big Week 17 victories
After nearly two decades of dysfunction, questionable draft picks, and constant coaching changes, the Cleveland Browns are finally postseason-bound. They defeated a Steelers squad resting a number of key starters to clinch their first playoff appearance since 2002. At 11-5, Cleveland finished with its first winning record since 2007. The Browns playoff opponent will once again be the Steelers, their postseason nemesis. Pittsburgh ended Cleveland’s season in each of their last two playoff appearances – the 2002 Wild Card round and the 1994 Divisional round. That 1994 season was also their last postseason win, when Bill Belichick was their head coach.
The Cleveland Browns have made the playoffs for the 1st time since 2002, the previously longest playoff drought before the win.
— Fifth Quarter Stats (@FQStats) January 3, 2021
They have won 11 games for the 1st time since 1994, when Bill Belichick was head coach. The Jets now hold the longest playoff drought at 10 seasons. pic.twitter.com/y3sGVILAGi
The most improbable participant in the postseason is the Washington Football Team. They defeated the Eagles on SNF to clinch their first division title and first playoff appearance since 2015. Picked to be among the worst teams, Washington sported a 2-7 record through nine games. However, they rallied around Coach of the Year candidate Ron Rivera and Comeback Player of the Year favorite Alex Smith to finish in first place in the historically bad NFC East at 7-9. They will have a difficult matchup with the Bucs, but history is on their side. The two previous teams to make the playoffs under .500 won a playoff game, and Rivera was the coach for one of them.
The 7-9 Washington Football Team won the NFC East
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) January 4, 2021
@WashingtonNFL is the 3rd team in NFL history (excl. strike seasons) to reach the playoffs with a sub-.500 record -- and both of the other two (2010 SEA, & Ron Rivera's 2014 CAR) won a playoff game that season
Absolutely incredible that Ron Rivera, Alex Smith and the #WashingtonFootballTeam made the playoffs with everything that they’ve been through.
— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) January 4, 2021
Cool note: Ron Rivera is one of only 2 coaches since 1982 to win a playoff game with a losing record (7-9-1 with Panthers in 2014) pic.twitter.com/F82sOPLmV7
The NFC East has extended its record streak of 16 consecutive seasons without a repeat division champion.
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 4, 2021
04: PHI
05: NYG
06: PHI
07: DAL
08: NYG
09: DAL
10: PHI
11: NYG
12: WSH
13: PHI
14: DAL
15: WSH
16: DAL
17: PHI
18: DAL
19: PHI
20: WSH pic.twitter.com/YYNeSqdP43
Related: Stories of the Day
Warriors are a legitimate threat in the West if they have this MVP-caliber Steph Curry
The Warriors have had a tumultuous start to their 2021 campaign. The offseason began with the news of star Klay Thompson being ruled out for the year with a torn Achilles in November. The team didn’t panic in the draft and stuck with James Wiseman as opposed to grabbing another guard to fill Thompson’s role. The team was hoping Andrew Wiggins and new acquisition Kelly Oubre Jr. would be able to carry the loss of Thompson. They haven’t…but that may not matter much.
Steph Curry dropped a career-high 62 points on Sunday in an upset over the Portland Trail Blazers. Curry looked better than he ever has in his 12-year career, which is quite an accomplishment for a 32-year-old with two MVPs, including the only unanimous one in league history. Steph put the team on his back Sunday night, sinking shots that appeared impossible to fall in. However, with the way the rest of the team is playing, Steph may have to continue to play at an MVP level if he wants any shot of returning to the postseason again this year.
The Warriors might have to expect inconsistency from Wiggins and Oubre all season at this rate, while Draymond Green is never a guarantee to help much offensively. The load will always fall on Curry to deliver this season. If the Warriors ultimately make the postseason this year, it will be due in no small part to the play of Curry, who could even have a shot at a third MVP award if this game marks the start of elite play from here on out.
SPLASH. SPLASH. 💦💦
— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2021
The finishing touches on Steph's CAREER night. pic.twitter.com/8xcQd4Gnlo
Steph DAZZLES with the HANDLE on @NBATV! pic.twitter.com/pe42ggPd6B
— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2021
Stephen Curry is the first player to score *more than* 30 points in each half of a game since 'Pistol' Pete Maravich did so on Feb. 25, 1977 for the New Orleans Jazz. (h/t @EliasSports)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 4, 2021
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
Steph was on another level
SPLASH. SPLASH. 💦💦
— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2021
The finishing touches on Steph's CAREER night. pic.twitter.com/8xcQd4Gnlo
Related: NBA Highlights | Golden St. Warriors Highlights
PG Steph Curry, GS (v.POR): 62 PTS (18-31 FG | 8-16 3PT), 4 AST, 5 REB, 0 BLK, 0 STL, 5 TO
#PlayerOfTheDay (1/3/21) - PG Steph Curry, GS
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 4, 2021
THE FACTS:
- Career-high 62 PTS; Career-high 18 FTM (18/19)
- 1st player w/ over 30 PTS in each half of a GP since '77
- 2nd oldest player w/ a 60-PT game, behind only Kobe
- Most PTS by a Warriors player since Rick Barry in 1974 https://t.co/fFkYt52Jig
Related: Players of the Day
TITANS (-310; $12.94) d. @TEXANS (+250; $5.00) 41-38 [HOU +7.0 | o55.5]
Related: Games of the Day
Related: Facts of the Day
20 Most Interesting Facts From 2020 by Arslan Ubul
2020 was a year unlike any other with some absurd facts that nobody could’ve predicted would happen.
2020 was an unprecedented year that featured numerous fascinating facts, monumental milestones, and remarkable records. Here are the 20 best from 2020 ⬇️ https://t.co/YHLxJOj4nY pic.twitter.com/TqW98c2GFw
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 4, 2021
Related: Latest PSO Posts
FULL ARTICLE: Most Significant Sports History on January 3rd
CJ2K turns 34 today.
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 23, 2019
That 2009 season is still legendary:
⬜️2,006 rushing yards (record)
⬜️2,509 total yards (record)
⬜️16 touchdowns
⬜️358 carries
⬜️50 catches
⬜️125.4 YPG
⬜️5.6 YPC
(📹 @nflthrowback)pic.twitter.com/SG6U7arJnK
YEAR: 2010
SIGNIFICANCE: Chris Johnson (CJ2K) set a single-season NFL record with 2,509 total YScm
Related: Significant Sports History
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