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The Best of the Day: January 6th, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from January 6, 2021 including Pritchard's GW shot, NBA players unite in solidarity, Fultz's injury, and more!
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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 1/6 here.
After pro-Trump supporters sieged the U.S. Capitol, NBA players and coaches from around the league united together in solidarity for social justice and equality. There were 11 games played Wednesday night, with the best finish coming in Miami in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch between the Celtics and Heat. Boston nearly blew a 10-point lead with just over a minute remaining, but was able to secure the win with a last-second shot from a rookie. Also, after a promising start to the season, former No.1 overall pick Markelle Fultz went down with a torn ACL that will keep him out for the rest of the year.
Here is the best of the day from January 6, 2021:
Payton Pritchard serves as Boston’s hero after Celtics and Heat protest for equality
The Boston Celtics narrowly escaped an epic collapse Wednesday night in their 107-105 win over the Miami Heat. Leading 105-95 with 1:17 left on the clock, Boston had a 98.1 percent chance to win according to the ESPN win probability metric. However, the Celtics couldn’t buy a bucket in the closing minute while the Heat got red-hot, hitting three 3-pointers (including a made and-1) to tie the game 105-105. Just when it seemed like overtime was inevitable, Celtics rookie G Payton Pritchard snuck into the lane, secured Marcus Smart’s missed layup and converted the put-back with 0.2 seconds to win the game for Boston.
Dragic's 3 ties it, Pritchard's tip-in wins it.
— NBA (@NBA) January 7, 2021
Final: Celtics 107, Heat 105 pic.twitter.com/RJbME3OOXi
The Celtics were able to exact some revenge on the Heat, who eliminated them in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. The status of the game, though, was uncertain before its start after what the nation witnessed as pro-Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building to protest elected officials confirming Joe Biden as President. Both teams left the floor and released a joint-statement prior to tipoff, speaking of racial inequality and the differences in how protestors during the spring and summer were treated versus how the protests were handled by authorities on Wednesday. Most players from both teams took a knee during the National Anthem.
The Celtics and Heat just issued this joint statement: pic.twitter.com/GEotTPnEoJ
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 7, 2021
Peaceful protests took place all around the NBA, including in Milwaukee, where the Bucks and Pistons united in protest immediately following tipoff. Both teams kneeled on their first possessions before tossing the ball out of bounds. In Philadelphia, following their 141-136 win over the Wizards, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers commented on the contrast between how Black Lives Matter protestors in D.C. were handled versus how the pro-Trump supporters were dealt with in the nation’s capital. This certainly won’t be the last time that teams, athletes, and coaches will use their enormous platforms to promote social justice and equality for all.
UNITED. pic.twitter.com/RCUuGY4HMN
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 7, 2021
Doc Rivers on today’s events: “I will say it, because I don’t think a lot of people want to. Can you imagine today, if those were all black people storming the Capitol, and what would have happened? That, to me, is a picture that’s worth a thousand words for all of us to see.” pic.twitter.com/tk9I35Ksgw
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 6, 2021
Related: Stories of the Day
Markelle Fultz was showing solid progress but now Orlando’s playoff chances rely on a rookie
Markelle Fultz and the Orlando Magic have been two of the league’s early season surprises. Coming into Wednesday night, Fultz was averaging more points, assists, and minutes than ever in his career, and was finally starting to look like the No. 1 overall pick the 76ers drafted just four years ago. Fultz was the starting point guard for the 5-2 (now 6-2) Magic, who currently sit at the No. 2 seed in the East, but a non-contact torn ACL shut down his breakout season, and now becomes a difficult obstacle in the Magic’s playoff chase.
Cole Anthony, the 15th overall pick in this year’s draft, is expected to take over a larger role, potentially in the starting lineup to replace Fultz. Anthony has shown flashes early in his career, but has gone through the normal growing pains of adjusting to the league. He won’t have much time to get settled into his new role, as the Magic have a difficult stretch of games — matchups with the Mavericks, Bucks, Celtics (twice), and Nets — eight of the next nine being outside of Orlando. This will likely prove whether the Magic can survive without Markelle or if his injury is too much to overcome for a mediocre team in the East.
Markelle Fultz has a season-ending torn ACL.
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 7, 2021
He was averaging career-highs in points, assists and shooting 89% from the FT line. pic.twitter.com/wDBO0zypAf
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
Rookie Payton Pritchard saved the day for Boston
Payton Pritchard puts it back with 0.2 seconds left to win it for the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/9SejHcrMlT
— NBA (@NBA) January 7, 2021
Related: NBA Highlights | Boston Celtics Highlights
SG Bradley Beal, WAS (@PHI): 60 PTS (20-35 FG | 7-10 3PT), 5 AST, 7 REB, 0 BLK, 1 STL, 4 TO
#PlayerOfTheDay (1/6/21) - SG Bradley Beal, WAS
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 7, 2021
THE FACTS:
- Passed Gilbert Arenas (3) for most 50pt GP in DC history
- Tied Gilbert for most PTS (60) in a game in DC history
- Scored 57 PTS through 3 Qtrs; Only 3 PTS in 4th
- Wiz-76ers had most PTS (92) scored in a 2nd Qtr ever https://t.co/wcO8PI1Q6e
Related: Players of the Day
Boston Celtics (107) vs. Miami Heat (105)
CELTICS (+132; $9.56) d. @HEAT (-132; $9.30) 107-105 [BOS +2.5 | u218]
Related: Games of the Day
Related: Facts of the Day
NBA Game Reviews: January 6, 2021 by Noah Camras
Despite the events in D.C., 22 NBA teams still took the floor with some surprising outcomes and incredible performances
A day in the NBA overshadowed by the unprecedented events in the nation's capital still was able to bring joy to many people across the country with game-winners, career-highs, and memorable moments ⬇️https://t.co/WHElOqNzMa
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) January 7, 2021
Related: Latest PSO Posts
FULL ARTICLE: Most Significant Sports History on January 6th
On this day, 19 years ago, Michael Strahan breaks the single-season sack record (22.5).
— John Kazar (@KazarNFL) January 6, 2021
Favre doesn't put up much of a fight eh?
Since then, the only players who've gotten close:
Jared Allen (22) 2011
J.J. Watt (20.5) 2012
Justin Houston (22) 2014
Aaron Donald (20.5) 2018 pic.twitter.com/tgizxwtXQQ
YEAR: 2002
SIGNIFICANCE: Michael Strahan broke the sack record AND Emmitt Smith racked up 1,000 YDS for the 11th straight year
Related: Significant Sports History
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