NBA Scores: A nasty evening for prime seeds

I’ve all the time thought it’s form 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 faculty soccer on New Yr’s Day.

The NBA principally cleared out their Thursday slate to make approach 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 have been centered on the MLB, as a result of these two video games have been not shut in the long run, 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 finest groups this season with a few of the most enjoyable stars the league has to supply. So to say I used to be disillusioned within the consequence 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 crew with 28 assists to simply eight turnovers. Boston wins the season sequence 2-1 with a mixed level differential of +56 and the one loss coming in time beyond regulation and in Milwaukee.

Jaylen Brown had 30 factors on 13-20 capturing with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, however his operating 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 have been coming off a 149-point Wednesday on the highway the evening earlier than and have been possible feeling some fatigue. There was sufficient fatigue — and a sufficiently big 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 capable of 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 potential 77 video games this season, however he’s actually beginning to hit his stride down the stretch of the common season, scoring not 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 complete statline on the evening ended at 31 factors, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, which is sweet for his second triple double over his final 5 video games in addition to second triple double in his profession. For these counting at house, that’s 403 video games with no triple double earlier than two in 5 video games.