Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily. Hey! We’re in the playoffs now!
The Jazz get Donovan Mitchell back and tie the series with the Grizzlies.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Rick Bowmer/AP.)
So it turns out that Donovan Mitchell was an important piece for the Jazz, after all. After some miscommunication about returning to the court, Mitchell finally got back on the court. He got off to a fast start and scored 12 points in the first quarter.
Mitchell not only brings the scoring but he opens up the offense for the Jazz. He can help space the floor. He can draw attention to defenders. And the guy can score EVERYWHERE. Sometimes, I think some people don’t like this game because he’s not efficient and some think he’s hunting for baskets. But it’s obvious that you need an iso scorer like Mitchell and when your offense gets stuck, you can go to Mitchell. And you’d rather have him shoot 45 shots rather than someone like Royce O’Neale.
Mitchell also got Dillon Brooks in foul trouble, who has been so important to the Grizz. The Jazz went up by double digits and that was highlighted by a stand by Rudy Gobert against the daredevil Ja Morant. Morant tried to bang on Gobert but the Stifle Tower did some hard stifling against the Murray State product.
But what I love about the Grizzlies was that THEY JUST DON’T KNOW ANY BETTER. The Grizz cut the deficit down to two and were well within reach of stealing Game 2 from Utah. But their three all-stars came up huge in the fourth. Mitchell made some important buckets, Mike Conley was doing the playmaking, and Gobert couldn’t be stopped inside. Despite Morant going for FORTY-SEVEN BIG POINTS, the Jazz were able to get rid of the relentless bears from Memphis.
I mean, look at this guy.
AIR MORANT ✈️ pic.twitter.com/aCV6IjNOYr
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 27, 2021
Utah looked like every bit the #1 seed team with Mitchell back. However, this was not exactly the most comfortable win. The Grizzlies got close and the Jazz needed their stars to come up big in the fourth quarter. Utah needs to keep making their three-pointers and have to find a way to stop Ja Morant (73 points his first two games) and Brooks (54 points in those same two games).
This series may be closer than we think, guys.
Bullet Passes
So Trae Young is the NEW BAD GUY, apparently, in the NBA. At the very least, he is in Madison Square Garden. But Trey was all about it. He scored 20 points (of his 30) in the first half despite some lame chant the Knicks faithful had in MSG.
— juulius randle (@mankattan) May 26, 2021
I love Kat but I’m not a fan of this. Ha ha.
Either way, the Knicks were carried by Derrick Rose (yeah, I know; he scored 26 points). Julius Randle struggled once again. The game was tied at 91 before the Knickerbockers were able to pull away at the end with a 9-0 run punctuated by Randle’s playmaking.
It’s a series now between these two teams.
Can’t really say the same about the Wizards and the Sixers, though. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid scored 22 points each. The Wizards never got close and we’re going back to the District with the Wiz down, 2-0.
Okay, this is JUST not acceptable.
Russell Westbrook was going to the locker room after he hurt his ankle. Then this idiot decides to dump popcorn on Westbrook and the people around him. Take a look.
Fan dumping his popcorn on Russell Westbrook, who’s walking off after twisting his ankle. Fan should be banned for life. No room for this. pic.twitter.com/DXatcX8l9i
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) May 27, 2021
Hey. You wanna find out what happens if you dump popcorn on somebody anywhere else? Russ should’ve been allowed to whoop that ass. One day, he might actually just do that.
NBA Playoff Scoreboard
May 26, 2021
NBA Playoff Series Count
EAST
#1 Sixers lead #8 Wizards, 2-0.
#4 Knicks tied with #5 Hawks, 1-1.
#2 Nets lead #7 Celtics, 2-0.
#3 Bucks lead #6 Heat, 2-0.
WEST
#1 Jazz tied with #8 Grizzlies, 1-1.
#5 Mavericks lead #4 Clippers, 2-0.
#2 Suns tied with #7 Lakers, 1-1.
#3 Nuggets tied with #6 Blazers, 1-1.
Watch This Play
I really do admire Ja trying Gobert. But Gobert, to his credit, absolutely did what he had to do. Stop the man.
😳 RIM PROTECTOR RUDY GOBERT! 😳 #NBAPlayoffs on TNT pic.twitter.com/PL9K4Wl3p4
— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2021
I can’t wait to see these two teams go at it again.
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.
R.I.P. Nala.