There may have been just four games on the NBA schedule on Monday, but each one was eventful in its own way. A couple of high-profile playoff teams were upset on the road. Devin Booker had another monster scoring performance for the Suns. And there was an epic shoot-out in Portland, which was unfortunately overshadowed by a horrific injury.
That’s just the way the ball bounces in The Association. No one can be too sure what’s bound to happen on any given night. Monday’s slate is just another example that even with the regular season slowly winding down, the NBA is still full of surprises.
Philadelphia 76ers 98-119 Orlando Magic
Just last week, the 76ers were riding a six-game winning streak, which included impressive wins over their top East rivals in the Pacers, Bucks, and Celtics. But suddenly, they’ve now dropped back-to-back games after a surprising beat down at the hands of the Orlando Magic.
Star Sixers point guard Ben Simmons missed out due to a stomach virus, which made a significant impact on SBOBET odds. Joel Embiid couldn’t quite carry the load offensively for Philly without Simmons as he had a quiet 20 points and 10 rebounds with 5 turnovers.
T.J. McConnell, who started in place of Simmons, finished with just 2 points and 2 assists, while J.J. Redick and Jimmy Butler combined for just 6-of-20 shooting.
Meanwhile, Nikola Vucevic had a team-high 28 points for the Magic, who have now won five games in a row and are within a half-game of the Miami Heat for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.
Oklahoma City Thunder 103-115 Memphis Grizzlies
The Thunder were able to beat the Grizzlies earlier this month even with Paul George out injured. But they were unable to do so again with PG-13 back. OKC’s recent struggles continued with a loss in Memphis, which the NBA 2019 betting odds did not see coming.
The Thunder seemingly turned a corner after they got a morale-boosting road win over the Toronto Raptors. But apparently, their issues still haven’t been fully resolved as they dropped their fifth game their last six and have moved back down to eighth in the West.
Paul George and Russell Westbrook both had a rough shooting night against the Grizzlies as they combined to go just 16-of-49 from the field and 6-of-21 on 3-pointers. George has been struggling with his shot since suffering a shoulder injury last month. He’s down to just 40 per cent from the field and 35 per cent from beyond the arc in March.
Meanwhile, Bruno Caboclo went off for a career-high 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies, whose five starters all reached at least 17 points.
Phoenix Suns 92-125 Utah Jazz
Devin Booker has been responsible for a good number of NBA 2019 highlights this season. One of which was his performance in the Suns’ shocking win over the Warriors. And on Monday, he provided yet another bright spot.
Booker went supernova as he scorched the Utah Jazz for a season-high 59 points. For some reason, Booker really likes playing on March 25th. On the same day in 2017, he had his epic 70-point explosion against the Celtics.
Unfortunately, Booker got no help whatsoever from his teammates as he was the only Sun who managed to get into double-digits. Rookie Deandre Ayton, who had 9 points and 7 rebounds, was the only other Phoenix player who did anything of note.
As for the Jazz, their recent impressive run continues. They’ve now won seven of their last eight games, although most of those have come against some of the worst teams in the league. But they’re not complaining, as they look to secure a high seed for the playoffs.
Brooklyn Nets 144-148 Portland Trail Blazers (2OT)
The Blazers should’ve been busy celebrating on Monday night. They outlasted the Nets in a crazy double-overtime contest, which also saw them clinch a playoff berth.
But instead, the Blazers are lamenting the loss of big man Jusuf Nurkic. The Bosnian Beast suffered a horrific leg injury in the second overtime and had to be stretchered off the court. Nurkic will now almost certainly miss the playoffs, which is a huge blow to the Blazers.
Nurkic was instrumental in the Blazers getting the win over Brooklyn. He had arguably his best game of the season, finishing with 32 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks, and 2 steals. Damian Lillard (10-30 FG) struggled with his shot, but Seth Curry and Rodney Hood helped out with 38 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, Nets star D’Angelo Russell had another huge night as he dropped 39 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists in a losing effort.
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