NBA Scores: A bad night for top seeds

I’ve all the time thought it’s type of cute when adjoining sports activities leagues filter out the schedule to let one other go to work. Assume NFL and Thanksgiving, NBA and Christmas, or school soccer on New Yr’s Day.

The NBA principally cleared out their Thursday slate to make manner for MLB opening day, leaving simply two video games on a TNT doubleheader, although three of the 4 groups in motion are a top-2 seed of their convention.

I’d wager the NBA is hoping most had been centered on the MLB, as a result of these two video games had been not shut ultimately, particularly within the premiere matchup of the evening:

Celtics proceed to have Bucks’ quantity in 140-99 blowout

I’m positive I wasn’t alone in feeling my eyes widen after I noticed this matchup was on the docket. These two groups have been at-worst two of the three greatest groups this season with a few of the most fun stars the league has to supply. So to say I used to be disenchanted within the final result is a little bit of an understatement.

With 4 minutes left within the first quarter, Milwaukee led 21-20, however Boston flipped the change and completely dominated the remainder of the way in which, 120-78. Their offensive execution was absurd, capturing 56.0% from the ground and 51.2% from three as a group with 28 assists to only eight turnovers. Boston wins the season collection 2-1 with a mixed level differential of +56 and the one loss coming in additional time and in Milwaukee.

Jaylen Brown had 30 factors on 13-20 capturing with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, however his working mate Jayson Tatum was the star of the evening, ending with 40 factors on 11-18 capturing and eight rebounds. It’s his eleventh 40-point sport this season, passing up Donovan Mitchell for the fifth-most within the league.

If we’re making excuses for the Bucks, who fell to the Celtics in seven video games final postseason, they had been coming off a 149-point Wednesday on the street the evening earlier than and had been doubtless feeling some fatigue. There was sufficient fatigue — and a large enough deficit — for head coach Mike Budenholzer to be content material waving the white flag within the third and by no means taking part in his 5 key guys within the fourth quarter.

Nuggets really feel Jokic’s absence in 88-107 loss to Pelicans

Denver was within the sport for a majority of it, however was simply by no means in a position to recover from the hump and take a lead; their solely lead of the sport was 3-2 on the again of Jamal Murray free throws early. They strung collectively three straight dunks early-ish within the fourth for what felt like the one equitable run, although even that diminished shortly as they end with a season-low 88 factors (earlier low was 94).

Brandon Ingram has performed in simply 40 out of a attainable 77 video games this season, however he’s actually beginning to hit his stride down the stretch of the common season, scoring no less than 30 factors in 5 of his final eight video games; he’s been environment friendly too, capturing 50% or higher in 5 of the final eight as nicely.

Ingram’s whole statline on the evening ended at 31 factors, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, which is nice for his second triple double over his final 5 video games in addition to second triple double in his profession. For these counting at residence, that’s 403 video games with out a triple double earlier than two in 5 video games.