Scoreboard
76ers 111, Mavericks 97
Nets 129, Magic 92
Knicks 140, Kings 121
Grizzlies 122, Clippers 94
Wizards 112, Nuggets 110
Bucks 129, Clippers 94
What went down
It felt like déjà vu at Ball Arena as the Washington Wizards came away with another close win against the Denver Nuggets, 112-110.
Down by two in the last few seconds, the Nuggets failed to take advantage of a 4-on-1 fastbreak. Jamal Murray wanted to pull up from 3 but decided to make a cross-court pass to Facundo Campazzo, who was running with two other teammates in the right wing. Nobody cut to the wide open lane as Campazzo settled for a 3 that missed the mark.
This angle.. pic.twitter.com/VBCpMqTcEZ
— Jamal Murray (@BeMore27) February 26, 2021
Bradley Beal dominated the first two quarters where he scored 20 of his 33 points. The Nuggets got some sort of momentum before the end of the first half making a 22-12 run to cut their deficit down to two.
However, the defense and pace of the Wizards posed such a big challenge, especially for the Nuggets' guards who were noticeably careless with their ball handling. The Nuggets committed 18 turnovers in the game.
Russell Westbrook had an all-around performance for the Wizards, finishing with a triple-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Rui Hachimura also continues to contribute for the team, adding 20 points.
For the Nuggets, Murray posted 34 points with six assists and six rebounds. Nikola Jokic (24 points, 11 rebounds) and Michael Porter Jr. (18 points, 10 rebounds) both ended up with double-double numbers.
Big-Time Ballers
De’Aaron Fox carried his team with a double-double of 29 points and 11 assists. Unfortunately for the Sacramento Kings, it was not enough to pull away from the hot shooting of the New York Knicks. Fox has continued to improve since his entry to the NBA in 2017. At only 23 years old, he is currently averaging 22.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.
In the Giannis Antetokounmpo vs Zion Williamson show, the reigning MVP prevailed and took the win. But the Milwaukee Bucks' Donte Divincenzo also shined with a career-high 24 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists.
The man of the hour. pic.twitter.com/CfzoXkKY7K
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 26, 2021
What he said
Charles Barkley had a hot take on the Philadelphia 76ers’ main duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
“They’re not Shaq and Kobe but they’re Shaq and Kobe-like,” Chuck said… in front of Shaq.
Shaq then proceeds to drink his tea and remains silent with a smirk on his face. When fellow hosts mentioned that Embiid is comparable to Chuck back in his prime, Chuck responded: “Joel Embiid got more talent, and he’s more of a problem than me.”
He then defends his Shaq and Kobe-like take by adding that he only meant that “those guys are going to be a problem every single night.”
.@SHAQ was sipping the tea after this Chuck take 😂? pic.twitter.com/j7Gde3h4rg
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 26, 2021
What’s in a number?
77 – The New York Knicks had an explosive first half, scoring 77 points over the Sacramento Kings’ 62 before halftime.
41 – A strong 2nd quarter blowout by the Brooklyn Nets stretched their lead to 18 at the half. This 41-point outburst was pivotal to their win against the Orlando Magic.
6 – The Memphis Grizzlies had six players in double-figures in their win against the Los Angeles Clippers. Dillon Brooks led with 19 points, while Jonas Valanciunas had an impressive double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds.
