Scoreboard
- Cavaliers 112, Hawks 111
- Pistons 105, Magic 93
- Nets 127, Kings 118
- 76ers 109, Raptors 102
- Mavericks 110, Celtics 107
- Bucks 139, Timberwolves 112
- Clippers 135, Wizards 116
- Nuggets 111, Trail Blazers 106
What went down
Luka Magic.
The Boston Celtics were threatening to seal the game, getting consecutive stops before Jaylen Brown drained a jumper in transition to put them up, 105-104, with less than a minute to go. The Dallas Mavericks, luckily, made the correct decision of drafting Luka Doncic in 2018. He saved the Mavs in this situation, conjuring a fadeaway 3-pointer over Daniel Theis.
LUKA IS FILTHY. pic.twitter.com/t4fzUYXstq
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 24, 2021
Brown got his chance to respond, driving strong on the next possession, simultaneously tying the game and making the biggest mistake of the game -- leaving enough time for Luka to do this:
LUKA. FOR. THE. WIN. 💫 pic.twitter.com/xrKnMGjzTP
— NBA (@NBA) February 24, 2021
Doncic finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and a lot of Celtic fans’ tears.
Big-time baller
Just when they said the true big man was dead in the NBA, Nikola Jokic comes out with haute stuff.
Nikola Jokic GOES OFF for 41 to lift the @nuggets! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IHo9B0rl8i
— NBA (@NBA) February 24, 2021
Denver's MVP candidate tore Portland up for 41 points on 17-for-32 shooting, with five boards and five assists.
The Nuggets are slowly getting healthier and, with the league having no answer for Jokic, are bound to crash the top of the West standings.
What he said
The All-Star reserves were announced today and, per tradition, #SnubTalk ensued.
Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in our league!!! Simple as that.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 24, 2021
Damn @DevinBook really didn’t make it ? That’s craxy . Bruh really cold too smh. Sick world
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) February 24, 2021
Devin Booker does have a solid All-Star case. Though his assists and points averages have gone down, he’s still scoring 24.7 points per game on a career-best 50.1 percent field goal percentage. A main knock on Booker in the past seasons was the Phoenix Suns' losing record, but they have risen to fourth in the standings so far at 20-10.
Booker, and other players who also deserve an All-Star nod, may still get in with Anthony Davis most likely needing an injury replacement. But #SnubTalk always comes with connotation or, as millenials call it, shade: anytime someone is mentioned as a snub, it implies that someone should not have made the team. Should players be more mindful of that? Everybody's big brother Jalen Rose, as always, is wise to this.
Ignore anyone that names All Star snubs w|o taking someone off the team. https://t.co/kP2RRrJBXX
— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) February 24, 2021
Did you see that?
There were a pair of nasty passes today from two familiar faces.
First it was Steph Curry with this dime that sums up the devastation he brings every game:
Dimes sealing DUBS.
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 24, 2021
Assist of the Night || @StateFarm pic.twitter.com/Nb0hZllEXB
That’s two guys, Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose, flailing to deter a 3-point shot, only to lose Curry. Now with five Knicks starting at him, he slips a pass to a cutting Kelly Oubre Jr. Beautiful Warriors basketball.
Then there's this ridiculousness from Facundo Campazzo:
👀 this Facundo Campazzo pass on TNT! pic.twitter.com/LS5t6FznPV
— NBA (@NBA) February 24, 2021
Campazzo is good for one of these out-of-nowhere passes every game and he might be the flashiest playmaker on a team that has Nikola Jokic.
