As most if not everyone knows, the NBA world and sports fans all over commemorated the passing of NBA Legend Kobe Bryant who passed away one year ago on January 26, 2019, in a terrible helicopter crash. In the world of sports, the signature trait that we remember him most by is what is called the Mamba Mentality. In the words of Bryant himself, the Mamba Mentality is the idea of being focused on the task of getting better and being better today than you were yesterday at whatever you want to do in life. But for most NBA fans, the Mamba Mentality is most notably seen in the form of one thing: Getting Buckets when the lights are brightest! So, to commemorate Kobe Bryant and the bucket getter mentality, let us celebrate and praise some of the best bucket getters in the league who showed up and showed out under the bright Friday Night Lights!
Domantas Sabonis
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 11 | 6 | 8/16 | 0/1 | 6/9 | 0 | 0 |
In spite of the loss, I do not view the Indiana Pacers as anything lesser today than how I saw them before yesterday’s game. They are still a top-5 team in the Eastern Conference. They are still my sleeper team to make a run at the Conference Finals. And most importantly I still believe in the consistent production that Domantas Sabonis has shown as an All-Star level talent. This dude is a complete beast down low and is easily up for his second All-Star game appearance with the kind of numbers he is putting up. Averaging 20.5 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists on 54.8% shooting from the floor is remarkable and has been a big reason why the Pacers are in the mix as contenders in the East.
Myles Turner
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 20 | 8 | 2 | 9/14 | 2/7 | 0/0 | 1 | 2 |
I just love how Myles Turner continues to embrace his newly established role on this Pacers team with the ascension of Sabonis as an All-Star level scorer. I do think that he is becoming a little trigger happy with the volume of threes he is open to taking on a game-to-game basis, but he is essentially their stretch big offensively, so he is certainly presenting that threat of being a shooter. The fact that he is giving Indiana nearly 15 points and seven rebounds as a non-focal point of the offense while also averaging FOUR blocks a game and nearly a steal and a half is insane to me. Right now, he would have to be at least a Top-3 candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, and he might be front running right now.
Malcolm Brogdon
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 21 | 4 | 8 | 8/20 | 3/10 | 2/2 | 1 | 0 |
The Indiana Floor General back with another high-scoring performance. Not the kind of shooting night he would have liked, but the entire team did not shoot the ball from beyond the arc relatively well in this game (11-of-35 for the Pacers compared to 16-of-37 for the Hornets). Brogdon continues to steer the ship as the lead guy in the scoring department with the absence of TJ Warren and the newly acquired Caris LeVert. Indiana’s two big guys are no joke, but Brogdon is no slouch either.
P.J. Washington
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 19 | 9 | 3 | 7/8 | 3/4 | 2/4 | 2 | 1 |
Man, oh man when P.J. Washington is on like this, the boy is a problem. Pulling out the full arsenal in this. Midrange, three-point shooting, playing passing lanes, defending the paint, rebounding at a high clip. Anything you need a big man to do in the modern NBA, Washington put on full display in this game as he went toe-to-toe with the big guys for Indiana. Held his own in the individual matchups against Sabonis and Turner and it paid dividends.
LaMelo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 16 | 6 | 7 | 7/13 | 0/6 | 2/3 | 2 | 1 |
Extremely rough shooting night for LaMelo off the bench as he was ice cold from three all night but, as always, he found other ways to impact the game in a positive manner. He and Gordon Hayward combined to shoot 1-of-9 from three but totaled 14 rebounds and 13 assists. A rough scoring night for these two, but a great team win to split the two-game set with Indiana as six of their players scored in double figures in the victory.
Terry Rozier
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 19 | 5 | 2 | 7/12 | 5/8 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
Scary Terry with the hot shooting night! What goes up must come down and most of what Rozier threw up was going through all net. For the backcourt of he and Devonte’ Graham, they combined to shoot 9-of-17 from three and 12-of-26 from the floor which made all the difference considering how much Gordon Hayward and Lamelo Ball struggled with scoring the basketball in this game.
Trae Young
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 41 | 3 | 5 | 10/18 | 5/9 | 16/17 | 0 | 0 |
Ice Trae is back in his bag and making defenders look silly. Now, granted it seemed like the referees were calling a foul every two dribbles in this game, but nonetheless Young capitalized on the high volume of opportunities at the free-throw line which was huge in this game in terms of his overall performance (the next highest amount of free throw attempts was by Russell Westbrook and Garrison Matthews who both had eight attempts apiece. The Hawks have been pretty inconsistent after a hot start to the season, but Young is starting to catch fire again which could bring good fortune to the Hawks as the season continues.
Clint Capela
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 13 | 14 | 3 | 6/14 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0 | 3 |
One of the most consistent members of the Buckets and Boards NBA Fan Club. Clint Capela is definitely starting to get back into form and be that rim running interior presence that the Atlanta Hawks were looking for when they traded for him. I like how well Capela has played as of late and he is making the Atlanta front office’s job so much harder when it comes to deciding on the future of John Collins who actually had 17 points in this game.
Bradley Beal
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 2 | 3 | 10/26 | 0/8 | 6/7 | 2 | 1 |
…. The #FreeBrad Campaign is in full effect. Rough shooting night for the Beal Meister as even he could not seem to make this game against the Hawks even a little competitive. Even with getting guys like Davis Bertans and Rui Hachimura this team just does not seem like they have the intestinal fortitude to put the ball in the basket and then buckle down on defense. If they “Can’t guard a parked car” it is only a matter of time before they can’t keep Beal from requesting a trade either. Try guarding that Wizards front office.
Russell Westbrook
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 6 | 4 | 8/18 | 3/5 | 7/8 | 0 | 1 |
Finally, someone else not named Bradley Beal can go get a bucket! Unfortunately, this game did not end very well for Russell Westbrook who was ejected along with Rajon Rondo and Robin Lopez. To be honest I think stuff like this is just a microcosm of what the Wizards season has been like. Two words describe this team: Dysfunctional and Uncertainty. This team is a walking corpse of a basketball team desperately looking for guidance. Hopefully, Russ can slowly get back to All-Star form and help Beal make a run at turning things at least slightly around before the trade deadline.
Immanuel Quickley
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 25 | 5 | 3 | 9/17 | 5/8 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 |
Put me in the game coach! This dude Immanuel Quickley is looking like one of the biggest steals coming out of the 2020 NBA Draft class so far this season. In the absence of lottery pick Obi Toppin, Quickley has taken advantage of his opportunities as a lead guard coming off the bench and shaping out to maybe be New York’s best rookie by season’s end. Coming off the bench he scored 25 points in 25 minutes while unleashing a barrage of threes and helping the Knicks snap their three-game losing streak to get things back on track. There are obviously some bigger names ahead of him in the pecking order but similar to Kendrick Nunn last season, I think Quickley could be a sneaky Rookie of the Year candidate that gains traction as the season goes along.
RJ Barrett
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 4 | 2 | 8/19 | 2/5 | 6/7 | 2 | 0 |
I am really starting to consider RJ Barrett as the leading candidate for the Most Improved Player Award. Maybe it just has to do with the seemingly effective culture shock of going from David Fizdale to Tom Thibodeau, but Barrett has been really impressive so far this season. He is more active on both sides of the floor, and it just seems like he is really starting to get an understanding of the pro game in year two. The three-point shooting is still the glaring issue that he has been struggling with dating back to his time at Duke, but I still have hope that the shot will come with time.
Julius Randle
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 16 | 8 | 6 | 7/13 | 0/2 | 2/3 | 1 | 1 |
The New York Swiss Army Knife! Once again pulling out all his bag of tricks in this game as the Knicks completely shut down the Cleveland Cavaliers and made it difficult for them to get anything offensively. He is playing a real Draymond Green-like role for this scrappy New York team as he has pretty much stepped up as an enforcer inside while also being an unconventional playmaker for others. Not really aggressive inside the way I would like to see him (only three free throw attempts), and the three-ball was not falling, but the Knicks defense was tough enough that he did not have to go ballistic offensively for his team to win.
Darius Garland
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 3 | 2 | 9/17 | 4/6 | 2/2 | 2 | 0 |
This is what I would call an “Upside Game” for Darius Garland. As a guy who has struggled with injuries since even before his time at Vanderbilt, we have always seen flashes of the offensive talent, but we never get to see the whole package put together over a stretch of games. On a Cavaliers team where he should have the ultimate green light next to Collin Sexton to fire at will, my hope for Garland is that he can stay healthy long enough to put together a good two to three month-stretch of solid offensive performances. He is a dynamic playmaker/shot creator that I want to see follow Sexton’s lead and take over games more.
Collin Sexton
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 17 | 1 | 5 | 6/18 | 0/4 | 5/6 | 0 | 0 |
A light day at the office for Collin Sexton in this one. I am not willing to go off on a limb and say that he lost his mojo after a spectacular two games against Brooklyn last week. I think the big difference is that unlike the Nets, the New York Knicks are not looking to get into shootouts and that was seen by the score in this game. Anytime a team holds an opponent to less than 90 points in today’s league, they are likely going to lose. The Knicks are 1st in opponents points per game this season and it showed in how they clamped down on the Young Bull.
Harrison Barnes
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 7 | 5 | 8/13 | 4/7 | 6/6 | 0 | 0 |
I’m going to keep this one really short and sweet because I have said it so many times already. Harrison Barnes is Mr. Do It All for the Kings this season. Sacramento may go as De’Aaron Foxx goes, but Barnes is definitely keeping the ship afloat. Barnes is having an underrated and underappreciated season and I think that he would have a serious All-Star case if the Kings were a bit better in the standings.
De’Aaron Fox
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 2 | 4 | 8/14 | 3/5 | 5/7 | 1 | 0 |
The top dawg in Sacramento once again steps up big to help the Kings secure their third straight victory. Honestly, this was just a normal game for Fox and is what makes him so dangerous. If the supporting cast would continue to play up to their potential the way he is, this team could be dangerous. Not saying that they will make the playoffs, but teams might not want to see Sacramento when they need a win or two to jockey for playoff seeding position.
Buddy Hield
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 3 | 2 | 7/12 | 5/8 | 3/3 | 1 | 1 |
Hield is a vital piece of the three-headed monster for the Sacramento Kings. When Hield, Fox, and Barnes are all firing on all cylinders, the Kings actually look like a competent basketball team. The team shot the three extremely well (16-of-36 from three) and, although it was a close game, the hotter shooting team won and that was led by Hield who hit a team-high five threes on the night.
Pascal Siakam
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 32 | 4 | 2 | 11/20 | 0/1 | 10/14 | 1 | 0 |
You love to see this kind of offensive aggression from Pascal Siakam. It is this kind of playstyle that will keep the Raptors in games and will prove to the world that he can be a legit number one option on a perennial playoff team. Siakam has been pretty up and down this season, but games like this are what allows me to hold on to the faith that his upside/ceiling is becoming an NBA All-Star and being recognized as one of the best two-way bigs in the game. One can only hope, but Siakam’s ability to be consistent is the biggest wild card influencing the trajectory of his development moving forward.
Fred VanVleet
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 5 | 6 | 7/16 | 3/7 | 9/10 | 4 | 0 |
Games like these from Fred VanVleet are why it is so dangerous to sleep on the Toronto Raptors. Although this game ended in a Raptors loss, the outcome could have easily been different had they secured the rebound in the closing moment of the game and avoided the dagger three from Tyrese Haliburton that essentially put the game out of reach. I think the Raptors are still going to be a tough out all year regardless of their record and that has a lot to do with the firepower of VanVleet and Kyle Lowry in the backcourt
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 38 | 11 | 5 | 15/27 | 2/7 | 6/7 | 2 | 2 |
I am no longer impressed by what this man Giannis does in the regular season! This man is called the Greek Freak for a reason! The dude is just a problem to handle offensively or defensively and when he is aggressive; he is arguably the most dangerous player in the league (hence the back-to-back MVPs). I cannot put this loss on the Bucks and I more so have to chuck it up to just how well the Pelicans shot the ball from three. When the opposing team hits eight more threes than you (Milwaukee made 13, New Orleans made 21), that is just a deep hole that is hard for any team to dig themselves out of.
Jrue Holiday
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 9 | 5 | 8/17 | 3/9 | 3/4 | 1 | 1 |
This is Jrue Holiday at his best. Outside of struggling from three (which basically the whole team did), Holiday basically excelled across the board statistically and also showed why he is one of the most underrated defenders in the NBA. I still think that Holiday has another gear he can switch to and if Milwaukee can just bring that out of him, he will be so deep in his bag that the league might start fearing the Bucks more because of his play than Giannis’s. I know hot take, but I really like Jrue’s game and I think he is extremely underrated as an All-Star caliber player. The real basketball fanatics know what I am talking about!
Khris Middleton
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 16 | 8 | 8 | 6/17 | 1/6 | 3/3 | 2 | 0 |
Middleton pulling out all the tricks. Not usually playing the third banana in this Bucks lineup but he also does not usually go 1 for 6 from three either so it was just a weird night overall for Middleton. While he could not impact the game from beyond the arc, he made up for it by facilitating and trying to make it in other ways. Unfortunately, the three-point barrage from Lonzo and the Pelicans was just a bit too much to overcome.
Brandon Ingram
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 28 | 0 | 4 | 7/15 | 3/8 | 11/13 | 1 | 1 |
Bucket Getter Brandon! This is why you get paid the big bucks. Of course, this game had a lot to do with the emergence of Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe going for 25 against his former team, but Ingram still made a statement of his own with a smooth near-30-piece against one of the top team defenses in the game.
Lonzo Ball
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 27 | 3 | 8 | 10/20 | 7/13 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
I think Lonzo checked his mentions. Haha. After the swirling rumors that he and JJ Redick could be on the trade block, it was only right that Ball channeled his inner Redick to have easily his best game of the season. No one is saying that he has to average 27 points a night and hit six or seven threes, but these are the kind of games that he teases us with all season that shows what his potential could lead him to become. The Pelicans need more Aggressive Lonzo games like this where he is unconsciously letting it fly while still showing off how great of a passer he is. Lonzo Ball has made his little statement in response to the chatter. The question is how long he can keep it up.
Zion Williamson
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 21 | 9 | 7 | 7/13 | 0/0 | 7/10 | 1 | 1 |
Ironically similar to Giannis, Zion continues to put eye-popping numbers that come as expected for him at this point. He pulled out a new wrinkle in his bag with the seven assists though. If he can continue to develop his offensive game as a facilitator and as a shooter, he could become the player that all the hype has projected him to become. A much-needed win for the Pelicans against a really good Bucks team.
Paul George
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 9 | 5 | 10/19 | 3/9 | 3/3 | 2 | 0 |
Back like they never left. After missing the last two games due to Covid protocols, the All-Star duo of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard showed that they never missed a beat despite the short absence. I still think that George has a legitimate case for league MVP or at least to be in the Top-5 in voting. The Clippers look really good so far this season.
Kawhi Leonard
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 4 | 3 | 8/15 | 2/6 | 6/6 | 0 | 0 |
The Silent Assassin back at it again. A light day at the office as he and George shot a combined 5-of-15 from three in their first game back, but nonetheless the Clippers were dominant. On to the next one!
Terrence Ross
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 4 | 1 | 8/12 | 1/3 | 7/7 | 0 | 0 |
Got to make this one short but sweet. Great performance from Terrence Ross giving the Magic a spark off the bench, but outside of that this game was over at tip-off. Orlando does not look very good without Markelle Fultz and, unfortunately, that will be the narrative for the remainder of the season.
Joel Embiid
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 37 | 11 | 3 | 10/19 | 1/2 | 16/18 | 1 | 0 |
Embiid for MVP! You guys know that I love Nikola Jokic, but this man Embiid looks unstoppable this season. The Philadelphia 76ers have basically not lost a game when he is in the lineup and for good reason. A near-40-point double-double with outstanding shooting splits. Also, I like to see the aggression. As a big low post presence, I would like to see Embiid get to the line more often like this because he is a good free-throw shooter and has the physical tools to draw a lot of contact. Loving this new-look Embiid that we are getting in 2021.
Tobias Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 17 | 11 | 3 | 6/17 | 2/3 | 3/4 | 1 | 2 |
Following a big game against LeBron James and the Lakers where he hit the game winning-shot to seal the victory, Tobias picked up where he left off. Just a great overall game for Harris doing it all on both sides of the floor. This is the Tobias Harris that can be the second or third best player on a championship team. He is always slept on because he is not a household name, but outside of last season he has improved every single season since entering the league. Outside of the crazy first half of the season he had back when he was on the LA Clippers, one could argue that this has been his best season thus far in still such a young career.
Malik Beasley
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 5 | 2 | 9/19 | 3/9 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
Just a bucket getter as always. He is always going to get his 18 to 25 points a night but never really have any real impact on winning basketball games. Beasley is just fun to watch offensively, but lord I would not want him to be the best scoring option on my team. Without Karl Anthony-Towns, Beasley will have to do for now.
Anthony Edwards
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 15 | 4 | 3 | 5/13 | 3/7 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 |
As part of a team that just continues to struggle offensively, Edwards continues to learn through trial and error. Today’s lesson: Use that physical frame and stop settling from long jumpers and threes. As one of the most physically gifted athletes in the league, Edwards needs to realize that he has the physical attributes to go one-on-one against any guard in the league and get what he wants around the rim. When he learns this and stops settling for jumpers and threes, that will be when we get the Real Anthony Edwards. But he is a rookie, so he still has plenty of time to come to this realization. The league better watch out once he does figure it out.
Kyrie Irving
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 25 | 5 | 7 | 10/16 | 1/3 | 4/4 | 1 | 1 |
Don’t you just love it when Kyrie Irving is fully engaged on both sides of the floor? Hands down one of the hardest guys to guard one-on-one and now he is slowly starting to open up as another facilitator next to Harden and is even making big hustle plays on defense. MAMA THERE GOES THAT MAN! Good luck stopping this dude.
James Harden
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 25 | 10 | 11 | 9/14 | 3/6 | 4/4 | 0 | 1 |
Triple-Double James in full effect! Still not as aggressive as a driver and creating contact as what we saw from him in Houston but is definitely thriving as a facilitator for this top-heavy Nets squad. When Harden and Kyrie can vibe off one another like this, the league will not be able to cook up a single defensive scheme that could slow them down. Put this in perspective: Brooklyn scored 147 WITHOUT Kevin Durant! I know it was just against the Thunder but that is still an amazing feat that only goes to show you how special these three can be when all on the court firing on all cylinders.
Joe Harris
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 20 | 1 | 2 | 7/13 | 5/9 | 1/1 | 2 | 0 |
With Kevin Durant catching up on his rest, Joe Harris stepped in to keep the Big 3 vibes rolling in Brooklyn. Shot the ball like a beast as we expect from one of the top three-point shooters in the league. The man is stepping up in a big way this season by playing whatever role he is asked to while also slowly re-establishing himself as a legitimate scoring threat on this dynamic high-powered offense the Nets are trotting out on a nightly basis.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 4 | 5 | 7/10 | 0/1 | 10/13 | 0 | 1 |
Shai the Smooth Operator back at it again with another big scoring output as the lead catalyst for this young, rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder organization. Another guy that I think at least deserves to throw his name in the hat as a Most Improved Player candidate as he is thriving in his increased role and embracing the challenge of being “The Guy” for the Thunder for the foreseeable future.
Theo Maledon
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 24 | 3 | 3 | 8/9 | 6/6 | 2/2 | 1 | 0 |
Who locked young Theo Maledon in the gym with Kyle Korver and JJ Redick?! This man could not seem to miss as he hit all of his threes as he and Shai went toe-to-toe with the dynamic backcourt in Brooklyn. Any night that you can outshoot Joe Harris from beyond the arc, that at least deserves a pat on the back. He still has a way to go when it comes to truly becoming an NBA caliber starting guard in this league, but flashes like these definitely show that the upside and talent is there for Maledon to potentially become a future star at the position.
DeMar DeRozan
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 30 | 1 | 10 | 11/14 | 1/2 | 7/7 | 0 | 0 |
Point God DeRozan is back at it again! I honestly think that watching DeMar DeRozan act as the facilitator for this young, athletic Spurs team might be the most fun I have ever had watching him play. We all know that he is a King of the Mid-Range in the modern NBA as a guy who does not take many threes and we know that he can rise up and put you on a poster every once and awhile. But watching him unlock this new skillset as a distributor has been a treat to watch.
Dejounte Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 26 | 7 | 3 | 10/19 | 1/3 | 5/7 | 1 | 0 |
When it comes to the young core of the San Antonio Spurs, all the talk has revolved around the ascension of Keldon Johnson this season but Dejounte is the real X-Factor in determining just how good the Spurs rebuild will be. As an All-NBA caliber defender, when this guy is healthy, he is an athletic point guard that gives you buckets on one end and then be one of the best on-ball defenders in the league on the other end. This is the kind of game that displays what kind of potential he when he is in good health. We should keep our eyes on as one of the rising young point guards in the game.
Nikola Jokic
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 35 | 10 | 5 | 14/24 | 5/11 | 2/4 | 1 | 1 |
Even in a loss Jokic continues to show why he should be considered as a Top-3 MVP candidate this season. This team struggled significantly on the offensive side of the floor as not a single player not named Jokic or Murray scored at least 12 points. The highest was Gary Harris with 11 and if Gary Harris is your third best offensive player in a given game, you are probably going to lose. Hence the 10-point loss and the unfortunate snapping of Denver’s five-game winning streak.
Jamal Murray
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 20 | 6 | 7 | 9/14 | 2/4 | 0/0 | 2 | 1 |
Murray is slowly starting to work his way back into looking like the guy we saw in the Bubble, but I think we are still just waiting for that miraculous 40-point performance that will put the league on notice. Jokic is doing practically everything for this team this season and Murray needs to start pulling his weight this year if the Nuggets want to make another deep playoff run in the Western Conference. I love Murray’s game but compared to what we saw in the Bubble, this inconsistent play from him is becoming underwhelming.
Luka Doncic
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 25 | 6 | 7 | 8/17 | 2/6 | 7/10 | 1 | 0 |
Just another rough offensive night for the Dallas Mavericks where Luka Donic was the only one to really show any heart. Against a Donovan Mitchell-less Utah Jazz team, not a single player for the Mavericks scored at least 15 besides Doncic. The highest was Jalen Brunson off the bench with 13. As the frustration is slowly starting to boil over, Doncic made it abundantly clear in his postgame press conference that he is disappointed with the team’s play thus far and hopes to see changes soon. I think we can all agree that the Mavs have underachieved in the early stages of this season and their superstar is starting to lose confidence in the franchise which only spells for trouble.
Bojan Bogdanovic
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 32 | 0 | 2 | 10/16 | 7/11 | 5/5 | 0 | 0 |
With no Mitchell for the Jazz, Bogdanovic got in his bag and it felt as though he could not miss. Leading all scorers in the game with 32, he was also the primary catalyst for the Jazz shooting so well from the three-point line. Bogdanovic hit seven of the 20 threes Utah made on the night which was two threes shy of what Dallas shot for the night (9-of-33 from three). Bogdanovic was a man on a mission as he led the Jazz to their 11th straight victory.
Mike Conley
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 22 | 3 | 9 | 7/17 | 4/10 | 4/4 | 3 | 0 |
Similar to Bogdanovic, the backcourt for Utah stepped up big in Donovan Mitchell’s absence. Conley and Jordan Clarkson combined for 40 points on 12-of-32 shooting from the floor with a combined eight threes on the night. This season Conley clearly looks like the guy we thought he was going to be for the Jazz last season as an All-Star caliber backcourt mate next to Mitchell and Clarkson looks like the front runner for 6th Man of the Year. Utah might be the quietest top seeded team in the NBA right now, but they just keep winning games whether people are paying attention or not.
Rudy Gobert
| PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK |
| 17 | 12 | 0 | 5/7 | 0/0 | 7/8 | 0 | 2 |
You know I had to end with a big fella and the Chief Commander of the Buckets and Boards Platoon. Just another day at the office for Gobert as he walks into another double-double on efficient shooting splits (all dunks and layups) and a handful of blocks just to remind people that he is a legitimate threat to win Defensive Player of the Year every season.
