Re-Opening Night in the NBA
The NBA is finally back. Scrimmages are cool and all, but to be able to watch actual NBA basketball games that count feels like a dream come true at this point.
I can’t promise this sort of in depth analysis for every night in the NBA, but since it’s the first night back, and there’s no Celtics game on, I figured I’d give a solid recap.
Before the game even started, the NBA showed why it’s the best league in sports. I unfortunately missed the opening message given by Meek Mill before the first game bagan, but I went back and watched it afterwards. Mill’s speech was, in my opinion, a perfect way to balance basketball being back with the importance of social justice and many other issues going on in American right now. Great work by the NBA there.
Speaking of great work, before the Pelicans vs. Jazz game tipped off, the teams locked arms and took a knee during the National Anthem. An inspiring image to show that this restart is going to be about more than just basketball. It’s more than a game. It’s an opportunity for players and coaches to make an impact, and that action from both teams prior to the game was a great display of unity. The messages on the back of players’ jerseys were done super well, too.
Getting into the action, the start of the game seemed to be all Utah. Neither team was taking many outside shots, but the Jazz were doing a better job of attacking the rim. That is, until Royce O’Neale nailed a three in the corner and opened up the floodgates. The next three or so possessions for both teams were three pointers or long twos. It was at that moment that I think a huge weight was lifted off of every player on the floor. The game opened up, players were shooting with more confidence, and it felt like the NBA was as back to normal as it can possibly get. Then as the Jazz began to get more of a lead, Alvin Gentry called a timeout. It was at that point that the entire flow of the game shifted in favor of New Orleans.
JJ Redick (21 points) was the first Pelican to get hot. He was creating his own shots, driving to the rim, and making some very impressive passes. Redick was the spark that the Pelicans needed in order to get back into the game. They ended up pulling all the way back to take a lead by the end of the first quarter, which they would keep until late in the fourth. We’ll get to that soon.
While Redick may have opened up the offense for New Orleans, it was Brandon Ingram (23 points) who really solidified the lead for the Pelicans. He took over in the first half and was pretty much unstoppable on the offensive end. There were a couple possessions in a row where he managed to take the ball all the way to the hoop, and it seemed like no one could stop him. Then he transitioned into making his own space and nailing shots over defenders. Whether it was a pull up three on the fast break or a turnaround jumper inside the arc, if he shot the ball it was going in. His performance alongside some elite defense by Jrue Holiday (20 points), allowed New Orleans to play super fast and super efficiently. The Pelicans seemed as though they were running at supersonic speed, and the narrative of the first half was Utah’s inability to keep up.
Then the second half came around and it seemed as though Alvin Gentry forgot that Ingram was on the roster. I don’t know if it was in the gameplan not to give him as many touches in the second half, but that’s what it seemed like. Redick continued his success late into the game, but until late in the fourth, it seemed like the Pelicans just stopped getting Ingram the ball. It was this that allowed the Jazz to slowly claw their way back into the game.
Rudy Gobert (14 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks) looked very strong throughout the game, using his size to bully the somewhat shorter Pelicans on the glass. Donovan Mitchell (20 points) was okay in the first half, but just seemed a bit stiff while on the floor. He ended up coming alive in the fourth quarter and helped the Jazz stick right with the run-and-gun Pelicans. It was a spark off the bench from Jordan Clarkson that ended up keeping Utah in the game. He finished the game with 23 points and did exactly what the Jazz traded for him to do - get buckets. Outside of those three players, along with the other three starters, the rest of the Jazz really couldn’t get anything to go.
In the end, the game came down to the final seconds. Utah managed to tie it up in the final minutes, and Mitchell clutched up for them in the end. With around five seconds separating the game and shot clock, he drove to the hoop and dished it to Gobert who got fouled while shooting. Gobert hit both free throws putting the Jazz up by two. Ingram had a chance to win it, but it rimmed out giving the Jazz a 106-104 victory to open up the NBA restart.
The second game, in the same fashion as the first, began with both teams taking a knee and linking together during the National Anthem.
Starting off the game, my initial thought was that Anthony Davis would be able to feast on Ivica Zubac and the Clippers’ front court. While he was stopped on his first couple possessions, they could only contain the beast for that long. He ended up dominating for the rest of the game. Davis had his way with whoever he met in the post, and even stretched the floor by nailing a pair of three pointers. He ended the game with 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, helping the Lakers maintain a fairly steady course throughout the game. It was also this performance that led to the Lakers dominating the beginning of the game.
It wasn’t until the second quarter that the Clippers began to grind their way back into the game. They were merely managing to keep it close during the first half, as Leonard struggled from deep and George struggled in general. It was much more of a team effort, and even that wasn’t great. The Clippers were stone cold from three in the first half, as well. Overall, it was an extremely boring first half of basketball that was made even longer by lots of foul calls.
However, by the time the second half rolled around you would have thought Paul George was a different person. He finished the first half with 3 fouls and only 11 points, but by the time the game was over he had 30 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He came out of halftime with a completely different mindset and just took over from the jump. George nailed a couple threes and once again proved to people at home that he can play like the MVP caliber player he was last year.
As for Leonard, he was probably the only reason the Clippers were in the game in the first place. He carried them in the first half, finishing with 19 points, and then ended the game with 28 points, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. It wasn’t solely him, but he had a big part in containing LeBron James through the first half as well. James only had 6 points in the first half on pretty disappointing efficiency for a top three player in the league. Despite the back and forth of the first three quarters, though, it all came down to the fourth.
Midway through the quarter things began to heat up. Danny Green (6 points) hits a wide open three pointer that you could tell was going in as soon as he shot it. He may have struggled a little in this one from deep, but sometimes you just know. Following that, Patrick Beverley (12 points), who wasn’t even supposed to play tonight, hits a huge three in response, keeping the Clippers right there with the Lake Show. However, Kyle Kuzma (16 points, 7 rebounds) comes back and hits a super contested three pointer. He had a very good game and was making some shots that I didn’t even think he should be taking in the first place.
Skip ahead to the last few minutes, and the game is seemingly in a deadlock. There was a little more back and forth at the beginning of the quarter, but the last few minutes were intense. It made the boring first half completely worth it. The Clippers were down four with probably around two minutes left to go in the game when George nailed a clutch three pointer in the corner to bring them within one. James responds by powering his way through the lane and getting a strong layup. Then unlikely hero Alex Caruso (7 points) comes up with a great steal while jumping out of bounds to get the Lakers possession back. Great hustle from a guy who will have to play lots of minutes in this restart.
Then it got to the point where there was less than a minute left on the clock, and yet it was still anybody’s game to win. George comes down the court and hits a dagger of a three to tie the game, while also securing the Clippers the last shot of the game. Instead of calling a timeout, the Lakers bring the ball up the court and entrust James with the last shot.
He takes a sort of floater in the lane and comes up short. However, in typical LeBron James fashion, he slips through the cracks, grabs his own rebound, and sinks an extremely clutch put back layup to give the Lakers a two point lead. If that wasn’t enough for you, he then clamps up Leonard, gets switched onto George who has to take a well contested three that he misses. He won the game with a hustle play, and secured the win with elite defense.
James finished the game with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists, despite a lackluster first half. The Lakers ended up winning 103-101, and moved forward with some momentum if these two teams meet up in the Western Conference Finals.
Overall, it was an amazing first night back in the NBA. Both games came down to the wire, both had spectacular endings, and both got me very excited for the rest of the season. Most importantly, however, the NBA did a great job prioritizing social justice and the need for change. Great work NBA. I can’t wait for the rest of the season.
