Scoreboard
Nets 127, Timberwolves 97
Clippers 126, Pacers 115
Hawks 108, Raptors 103
Lakers 101, Hornets 93
Jazz 106, Thunder 96
Suns 106, Heat 86
Celtics 116, Trail Blazers 115
What went down
It was two heavyweights exchanging heavy blows in Portland.
The Boston Celtics took control pretty much the entire game, up until the halfway mark of the fourth quarter when Damian Lillard (28 points) and CJ McCollum (16 points) gave the Celtics a taste of the deadly one-two punch.
A Dame 3 here and a CJ 3 there, and all of a sudden what was once an eight-point Celtics lead became a one-point Trail Blazers lead with a minute left in the game.
This was the perfect time for Jayson Tatum to get on his fighting stance and drop five straight points, including a side-step, contested clutch 3 to put Boston ahead by four.
Portland had one last jab from Norm Powell: a disrespectful 3 from way out to make sure Boston didn’t get too comfortable. Powell’s deep, deep 3 and his 20 points weren’t enough though to get the win.
Boston held on for a one-point win, the team’s fourth straight. Tatum finished with 32 points and another dagger to add to his clutch CV.
Portland lost its second game in a row, but promising looks from Powell and aging-like-fine-wine Carmelo Anthony (25 points off the bench) give them no reason to panic.
Big-time baller
Primarily known for his defense, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Lu Dort went into the other compartment of his bag against the Utah Jazz.
Dort dropped a career-high 42 points on seven 3s on the Jazz, the league leader in standings and a top 5 team in defensive rating. Utah ran away with the win, but Dort went down swinging.
Career-high 42 PTS, 7 3PM for Lu Dort!@luthebeast becomes the 5th undrafted player in the last 30 years to score 40+ in a game. pic.twitter.com/KCV8h4ffJG
— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2021
In the first quarter alone, he hit all four of 3-point attempts, setting the tone early for his 40-point game. Dort is only the sixth Thunder ever to score 40, joining a very elite list composed of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Paul George, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
To keep things close to his brand, Dort added four steals.
What he said
“It’s just work.”
We may have different definitions of what work means, but for Isaiah Thomas, it’s putting shots up postgame on the last day of his 10-day deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Isaiah Thomas - on the final day of his 10-day deal - getting shots up post game. pic.twitter.com/kbDiO1VH1M
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) April 13, 2021
Did you see that?
?? KUZ CONTROL on League Pass! ?? pic.twitter.com/MwIoMR17mQ
— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2021
The league has been collecting posters as of late and Kyle Kuzma wanted to get in on the trend.
Against the Charlotte Hornets, Kuz picked an unsuspecting Bismack Biyombo as his poster co-star. Biyombo tried to pivot from his poor business decision midair, but it was too late—the flight was already on Kuz control.
