Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Plus: The Jazz appear to have the Pelicans’ number.
The NBA designs its Thursdays this way for obvious, viewership-related reasons. But they also compress their schedules on these nights because it would simply be impossible for every night to feature eight to 10 games on its docket. That would leave completely vacant days on the calendar, as teams require rest. So, instead of experiencing a Finals-like TV schedule once or twice a week, we are instead given slim pickings. But only slim in the number of games to watch; there’s more than enough meat on the available bones worth picking off and chewing on for a bit.
Nights like these make you think. They make you ponder what it really means for a team to have an off night — is it a fluke, or a representation of that team’s weaknesses on display? They make you wonder about the long-term impact of load management on a team — can they ever truly gel to the point of becoming a bona fide contender?
I love these kinds of nights in the NBA. Let’s dive into a great one now by recapping Thursday’s action.
Ja nabs another triple-double, Grizzlies trounce Bucks, 142-101
Memphis is terrifying. This was a complete bloodbath from the jump, one in which Ja Morant recorded yet another triple-double (going for 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists this time). Desmond Bane still hasn’t played since mid-November due to a big toe injury that is likely to keep him out for another few weeks, and lately, it hasn’t seemed to matter. The Grizzlies have won seven in a row and sit atop the West at 19-9. The true test, perhaps, comes now: They head on a four-game road trip with stops in Oklahoma City, Denver, Phoenix, and Golden State (on Christmas).
For Milwaukee, I haven’t a clue how to conceptualize this one. An off night? Maybe. Khris Middleton shot just 1-of-12 in 22 minutes on his way to just three points. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis finished with 19 apiece and were benched in the third quarter along with the rest of Mike Budenholzer’s regular rotation in favor of reserves. The Bucks didn’t look to be up to the task tonight, for whatever reason. They trailed by 46 entering the fourth and lost by 41 even after both teams emptied their benches.
A baffling, baffling game. One that I think says more about Memphis’ ability to be a juggernaut than Milwaukee’s faults.
Jazz outlast Pelicans in OT thriller, 132-129
Just the other day, I wrote that because Utah’s remarkably hot start has cooled considerably in recent weeks, they felt to me like a team that can beat you with a combination of streaky shooting and incessant energy, but is even more likely to steal a win by catching a team on an off night. I’m not quite ready to eat those words, but I definitely have my doubts about their staying power.
The Jazz won their second consecutive game over the Pelicans on Thursday, and though this win was tighter than Tuesday’s 121-100 blowout, it still shows that the Jazz can, in fact, hang when the opposition has all its ducks in a row on both ends. Jordan Clarkson led all scorers with his season-high 39 points and drained two clutch shots late in overtime to ultimately seal the game for Utah. Lauri Markannen added 31 as he continues to bolster a very deserving All-Star campaign.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans lost their second straight game — both against the Jazz — after previously winning seven in a row. Zion Williamson scored 31 of his own for New Orleans, but aside from CJ McCollum, who finished with 28 points on 11-of-25 shooting, the help they needed wasn’t there. Regardless, the Pelicans are still more of a contender than most of the wild, chaotic Western Conference. Once they get Brandon Ingram back, no one is going to want to see them.
Suns snap losing streak, beat shorthanded Clippers, 111-95
The Clippers offense struggles enough as it is — they have the NBA’s third-worst offensive rating (108.5) and often find themselves living and dying by their ability to keep things close enough to eke out a win down the stretch. 11 of L.A.’s 17 wins this season have come by fewer than 10 points (living); the same goes for six of its 14 losses (dying).
Take away Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Reggie Jackson, Norman Powell, and Ivica Zubac and you have Thursday, a borderline pathetic whooping at the hands of the Suns. Phoenix needed the win, as they entered the matchup having lost five straight games. That it came against such a shorthanded version of an otherwise daunting opponent is one thing. But Mikal Bridges (27 points) and Chris Paul (15 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds) were outstanding on both ends, as the Clippers were held under 100 points for the ninth time this season.
Fueled by career night from Tyler Herro, Heat beat Rockets, 111-108
In case dropping a career-high 41 points wasn’t enough, Tyler Herro went ahead and became the fourth Heat player to hit 10 threes in a game. (It was last done by Duncan Robinson in 2019.) Herro even took it one step further, as he became the first player in NBA history to have nine threes on consecutive days. How does one even track that?!
He scored 35 points, drained nine of 17 triples, and hit the game-winner in Miami’s tight win over the Thunder on Wednesday. On Thursday, he stepped up and then some, shooting the lights out for Miami as they eked out a win against this increasingly-plucky Houston team. Herro continues to solidify himself as an integral starter, not merely a gimmick sixth man who actually plays starter’s minutes. There is a difference; he’s just making sure he puts exactly what that difference is on display for everyone to see on a nightly basis.
