Welcome to the NBA Hangover. We jot down NBA stuff mostly from last night that we want to talk about. Check it out.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had quite the line on Thursday night.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Morry Gash/AP.)
There ain’t much to talk about the NBA from last night, considering there were only two games that happened (and were both on national television).
But Giannis Antetokounmpo had quite the line on the way to a Bucks win over the Blazers.
24 points, 19 rebounds, 15 assists.
A lot of NBA analysts like to point out about who else was able to achieve that kind of arbitrary line (it was pointed out that Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Oscar Robertson were the only other players ever to achieve 24-19-15). I’m going to do the same thing but I’m going to round it to a much easier line to remember.
Let’s see NBA players since 1980 that were able to achieve 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists.
Data from Basketball Reference.
That is something, right? It was expected that Russell Westbrook would be on that list since he’s been on a triple-double rampage the last few years. I’m actually really surprised that Magic Johnson has only achieved it three times while James Harden‘s 50-point triple-double is such a thing to behold.
But I’m not sure anyone saw Giannis would do feats like this and become the MVP. Milwaukee picked him at #15 and he was a huge project due to his inexperience and raw talent. A lot of draft reports in 2013 compared him to Nicolas Batum and, obviously, he surpassed those expectations. It’s rough to judge someone’s basketball skills if the player is barely seen and hasn’t gone against tough competition. The Bucks obviously did a tremendous job developing him and now he’s considered by some as the best NBA player today.
Anyway, Giannis did something (like he’s done many times) that few players have done in NBA history. Maybe he’ll win another MVP this year considering how the Bucks have been this season.
Bullet Passes
At this point, it seems like Portland‘s record has been a bit overshadowed because everyone wants to see how Carmelo Anthony is doing (he scored 18 points in the loss). That’s both good and bad news, I suppose. Portland can try to work under the radar as they fix things but it also seems like they’ve been counted out.
It IS easy to count out the Blazers; they’re 5-11 right now and second-to-last in the conference. Still, it is early in the season and Portland has some time to correct all the wrongs that have been happening.
Don’t look now but the Pelicans have won five of seven to boost their record to 6-9 (what’s so funny?). Brandon Ingram continues his run from the last part of his last season (before it was cut short by the blood clot) and is averaging 25.6 points and 7.4 boards.
The Pelicans lost some close games early but that’s turned around in the last couple of weeks. They’ve won games by 5 twice, 8, and 3 in four of their last five wins.
The team has a litany of injuries (Derrick Favors, Josh Hart, Jahlil Okafor, etc.). But Zion Williamson is due back in mid-December and that is coming up FAST.
Guess which team has the longest current losing streak right now.
The San Antonio Spurs have lost seven in a row. This makes me sad. This streak never happened when Tim Duncan was playing. The last time this happened for San Antonio was 1997. That’s remarkable.
But, yes, maybe this really is the end of the Spurs as we know it. They have made the NBA Playoffs in the last 22 seasons.
Watch This Play
The first play of the night was the one to watch. Brook Lopez towers over Anthony Tolliver on this one.
GIANNIS TO BROOK ‼️🔨
📺: TNT pic.twitter.com/t9tQlJAAWO
— NBA (@NBA) November 22, 2019
I mean, if people still put up posters, that would certainly be one to hang up.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
TNLP on FaceBook.