For drama.
Yes, this isn’t just a TNT thing (is that still their tagline or did I just date myself?), and a large reason why I love the NBA so much. True, I still tune into the Super Bowl and some playoff matchups every year, I might watch over a dozen or so Padres games here and there if I feel like hating myself. But the NBA, the players have always done that great job where they have my curiosity and then they have my attention. And while you should never start a sentence with “The” and “Jews”, from Kyrie to Jalen Brown to Isaiah Thomas, there’s definitely some beer being held onto. Then you have Ladder vs. Man, Montrez Harrell standing firm as the defender of ladders. You dig the romance part of soaps? Did you know that Booker/Jenner is officially no more? And oh yeah, there are actual games being played too, crazy I know! So Happy Thanksgiving y’all, here’s what I saw during last night’s games…
Donovan Mitchell – 39 MIN, 11-22 FG, 4-8 3PT, 3-4 FT, 4 REB, 9 AST, 3 STL, 3 TO, +14, 29 PTS. Mitchell has been a huge factor with this Cavs team. With Evan Mobley and Darius Garland also being huge contributors, especially at such a young age, hats off to the Cleveland development team.
Cedi Osman – 29 MIN, 8-10 FG, 3-4 3PT, 4-5 FT, 3 REB, 1 TO, +9, 23 PTS. Cedi “Jeff Green” Osman’s PPG is around 10 because he either scores 20 or zero.
John Collins – 34 MIN, 5-9 FG, 3-5 3PT, 3-3 FT, 1 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, -17, 16 PTS. How is it that Collins can’t grab more than rebound standing at 6’9″ and playing for 34 minutes?
Myles Turner – 26 MIN, 3-9 FG, 0-3 3PT, 4-4 FT, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK, 1 TO, +18, 10 PTS. Pacers were 1-3 without him and have been 9-3 since his return. Just sayin’.
Tyrese Haliburton – 27 MIN, 7-12 FG, 1-5 3PT, 3-3 FT, 4 REB, 14 AST, 7 TO, +13, 18 PTS. Probably the best point guard Pacers have ever started, no? Mark Jackson? Freddie Lewis?
Franz Wagner – 31 MIN, 6-11 FG, 0-1 3PT, 8-10 FT, 6 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 3 TO, -16, 20 PTS. Might be flying a bit under the radar… averaging over 19 points on 58 TS%, fantastic efficiency that keeps him at the top of the ’21 class for me.
Marcus Smart – 35 MIN, 3-9 FG, 2-5 3PT, 1 REB, 8 AST, 1 STL, 3 TO, -15, 8 PTS. Four losses on the year, two to the Bulls and two to the Cavs. At this rate, Celtics will finish 76-6 and have PTSD whenever they see red.
Al Horford – 35 MIN, 0-9 FG, 0-7 3PT, 5 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO, -11, 0 PTS. 56.3 FG% and 47.5 3PT% on the season… regression to the mean?
DeMar DeRozan – 35 MIN, 11-24 FG, 3-3 3PT, 8 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO, +20, 285 PTS. I seriously can’t tell if the Bulls are actually good or not.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – 35 MIN, 16-24 FG, 0-1 3PT, 5-12 FT, 7 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 1 TO, +19, 37 PTS. Since #Laddergate, Giannis is 1-0 and averaging 37+ points on 67% FG shooting. This is why no one ever sides with ladders.
Rudy Gobert – 31 MIN, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 4-4 FT, 9 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO, +3, 4 PTS. Zero FGA this game… are the Wolves really okay freezing him out like this? I get that Gobert can’t create his own shot, but for what they gave up, there should be a middle ground in between force-feeding and no field goals, right?
Karl-Anthony Towns – 34 MIN, 8-15 FG, 2-8 3PT, 7-8 FT, 8 REB, 9 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO, +14, 25 PTS. I don’t think I’ve seen a Wolves win this season that convinced me they deserved that win. Even the last four they’ve squeaked by against teams dealing with injuries. Last few posts I’ve been saying, something is just not right in Minnesota.
Brandon Ingram – 31 MIN, 12-19 FG, 3-7 3PT, 7-7 FT, 6 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 2 TO, +33, 34 PTS. You can remove all of Brandon Ingram’s points and assists and Pelicans would of still won.
Moses Moody – 33 MIN, 2-6 FG, 1-5 3PT, 5-6 FT, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 TO, -29, 10 PTS. Warriors’ Fans: “Why doesn’t Kerr play the kids?!” The Kids: “¯\_(ツ)_/¯”
Jonathan Kuminga – 40 MIN, 6-20 FG, 4-12 3PT, 2-2 FT, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 3 TO, -38, 18 PTS. I seriously used to have high hopes for Kuminga. Now I don’t even know if he is a rotational player. (I’m also alarmed about the aforementioned Moody as well, too many turnovers and a big step back on offense.)
Jalen Brunson – 34 MIN, 14-20 FG, 1-6 3PT, 5-6 FT, 9 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO, +5, 34 PTS. Brunson can singlehandedly win games and he might end up inadvertently dragging the Knicks right into the playoffs.
Collin Sexton – 28 MIN, 5-13 FG, 0-2 3PT, 2 REB, 1 AST, -9, 10 PTS. At this point, Jazz probably would want Conley back, Sexton is simply not good at point.
Ivica Zubac – 35 MIN, 6-8 FG, 2-3 FT, 14 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 3 TO, 14 PTS. True, Jazz don’t really have a good match-up against him, but Zubac continues to show what an amazing old school center he can be.
Reggie Jackson – 36 MIN, 10-20 FG, 3-7 3PT, 4-4 FT, 3 REB, 4 AST, +4, 27 PTS. Vintage Big Government game, been needing it the way the season has gone so far.
Jay is a longtime Razzball everything who consumes an egregious amount of Makers Mark as a vehicle to gain wisdom and augment his natural glow. Living in the D.C. area, he also likes spending time visiting the local parks and feeding lettuce to any turtles he encounters, including Mitch McConnell.
