January 29, 2021 Results:

What we got right:

College Basketball:

Nothing

NBA:

Atlanta at Washington - Trae Young scored 41 points for the Hawks in the 116-100 victory, further proving the point that the Wizards are the worst team in the NBA. This game was chippy, as Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook and Robin Lopez all got ejected. Atlanta held Bradley Beal to 26 points on 26 shots, holding the leading scorer well below its league average.

Cleveland at New York - The Knicks woke up after a sluggish first quarter in beating the Cavaliers 102-81. Immanuel Quickley scored a career high 25 points off the bench, leading the Knicks. New York won this game on the defensive end, holding Cleveland to 34% shooting and forcing 14 turnovers.

Philadelphia at Minnesota - Got nothing to say in this one. It went exactly how we expected. The 76ers dominated the Timberwolves 118-94. Philadelphia is really good. Minnesota is really not.

Brooklyn at Oklahoma City - Brooklyn’s offense woke up in a big way, beating the Thunder 147-125 despite Kevin Durant not playing. Nine players scored in double figures for the Nets, led by Kyrie Irving and James Harden scoring 25 points apiece. Theo Maledon scored a career high 24 points for the Thunder, but they couldn’t stop the Nets on the offensive end.

San Antonio at Denver - The Spurs beat the Nuggets 119-109, stopping Denver’s five game winning streak. DeMar DeRozan had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, while Nikola Jokic scored 35 points for the Nuggets in the loss. The Nuggets lost this game despite shooting 53% from the field, something that doesn’t happen very often.

Dallas at Utah - The Jazz won their eleventh game in a row, beating the Mavericks 120-111. Joe Ingles became the all time leader in three pointers made, passing Hall of Famer John Stockton, who made 845 threes in his career. Utah is the best team in the NBA right now and both teams in Los Angeles should be scared.

What we got wrong:

College Basketball:

#7 Iowa at #19 Illinois - The Fighting Illini held Luka Garza to 19 points, well below his season average, in beating the Hawkeyes 80-75. Illinois shot 50% from the field, outrebounded Iowa by six, and held the Hawkeyes to just six free throws in the victory. Iowa wins games by making three pointers and getting to the free throw line, and if one of those isn’t happening they aren’t going to win.

NBA:

Indiana at Charlotte - Charlotte bounced back after losing to the Pacers two nights before, earning a split by beating the Pacers 108-105. Indiana trailed by nine entering the fourth quarter, and couldn’t get over the hump in the final frame. All five starters scored in double figures for Charlotte, who won despite Gordon Hayward scoring a season low eleven points.

Sacramento at Toronto - The Raptors are back to where they were at the start of the season, falling to the Kings 126-124. Sacramento won its third game in a row, improving their record to 8-10, while the Raptors dropped to 7-12. Toronto trailed by thirteen going into the fourth quarter, and although they outscored the Kings by 11 in the last quarter, it wasn’t enough to get the win.

Milwaukee at New Orleans - Lonzo Ball quieted trade rumors for at least a night, scoring 27 points in leading the Pelicans over the Bucks 131-126. New Orleans held a 23 point halftime lead and almost squandered it, but made enough plays down the stretch to get the win. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 38 points in the loss for Milwaukee.

Los Angeles Clippers at Orlando - Paul George and Kawhi Leonard returned in this one, and had we known that our pick would have been different. George scored 26 points and Leonard added 24 for the Clippers in the 116-90 win. Terrance Ross scored 24 points in the loss for the Magic, who had only one starter score in double figures, and that was Nikola Vucevic with ten points.

* #22 Saint Louis at Richmond was cancelled due to Covid concerns.