Heat Avenge Previous Night’s Walloping Against Bucks

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Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. We’re here to talk about the daily happenings in the NBA!

The Milwaukee Bucks made a lot of threes against the Heat.

(PHOTO CREDIT: Lynne Sladky/AP.)

You remember Tuesday night? The Milwaukee Bucks shredded the Miami Heat by 47 points. The deer even set a record for most three-pointers in a game with a staggering 29. And they ran it back on Wednesday night.

Well, it seemed like the Heat didn’t remember Tuesday night because they came back and avenged that loss with their own 11-point victory. And as I mentioned in that piece, Jimmy Butler sat out that game. The Heat, as they did customarily in the postseason, were right there before they pulled away in the fourth quarter.

And I think this is what we have to remember about all these NBA teams: they are pros. They’re the best of the best. They are going to compete, no matter what the situation. And these pros also remember that while a 47-point drubbing looks extremely embarrassing, it’s still only one game.

So after all of this, the teams split the two-game Miami stay. A good way to erase that blowout is to win the next game. No matter if it’s a 2-point win or a 47-point win.

Take the Golden State Warriors, for example. Sometimes, they looked like they were 6th graders in recess. Their first two games looked downright dreadful. Then they came back and beat Chicago and Detroit (who aren’t exactly two model NBA teams right now but, hey, they won). They put those two games behind and evened themselves up at 2-2.

The L.A. Clippers were squashed by 51 points against the Mavericks on Sunday. Then they came back with back-to-back wins by 23 points each against the Wolves (again, not a model NBA franchise) and the Blazers (who have been a consistent playoff team). Sure, that 51-point loss will be alluded to but, in the grand scheme of things, it’s still one loss in the regular season.

How about a stinging Finals loss? The San Antonio Spurs were on the verge of winning the 2013 NBA Championship when Ray Allen made that immortal three to send Game 6 to overtime. From there, the Heat went on to win in overtime as well as the decisive Game 7. The Spurs could’ve easily folded while in that Finals hangover loss but they came back and dominated the Heat in five the next season. These guys are professionals.

So yes, it is true that momentum can carry over for teams and players. But it’s also the other team’s job to forget what happened the previous game and come back the next. The Miami Heat did exactly that against the Milwaukee Bucks.

And like I said, in the big picture, they came out with a split. Even if the Heat lost by 47 in the first game.

Bullet Passes

We got an exciting shootout between the Hawks and the Nets. But the Nets made the necessary plays at the end; Bogdan Bogdanovic missed the potential game-tying three. Then Kevin Durant came back with a dunk to give the Nets enough space at the end.

Trae Young has taken 62 free throws in four games. Excitement!

Jaylen Brown was unstoppable against the Grizzlies as Memphis couldn’t grit or grind anything against him. He scored 42 points in three quarters.

Along with the Raptors and Nuggets, we’re going to get, “What’s wrong with the Mavericks?” questions soon.

Speaking of that game against the Hornets, LaMelo Ball went for 22-8-5. Can’t ignore that. And wait. Miles Bridges got 20 points and 16 boards?

LeBron James turned 76 today. Well, 36. Same difference. Anyway, how is he still playing at a high level? Also, he did this accomplishment:

I had to make sure to put “regular season” only because haters would bring up his 8-point performance in the 2011 NBA Finals. But, yes, the stats count for regular season, regardless.

Finally, Kawhi Leonard was back after he got elbowed by Serge Ibaka in the mouth a couple of games ago. He returned as Hannibal Lecter:

This is nothing to be discounted at all but Becky Hammon is believed to be the first woman to be head coach in an NBA game. Gregg Popovich got ejected in the Spurs’ game against the Lakers. I hope that one day that we get to a point where this is not a big deal. But there has to be a first. And the badass Becky Hammon is THAT woman.

Here’s hoping she gets a real head coaching job soon. I’d love for her to succeed Pop whenever he retires.

NBA Scoreboard

Dec. 30, 2020

Watch This Play

Montrezl Harrell did not have a good 10 seconds here. First, Drew Eubanks rejects his dunk attempt. Then, on the other hand, DeMar DeRozan slam-punks him.

DeRozan can still do that thing, man.

Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.

You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.

You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.

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