Category: Basketball

NBA Playoffs Weekend Recap (06/26-06/27)

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written By Titan Frey 

The NBA playoffs continued this past weekend as the final four teams battle it out for a chance to play in the NBA Finals… so, how did they do?

First, on Saturday, the Phoenix Suns held on to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 84-80. The Suns now lead the series 3-1 and have a chance to win the series tonight at 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for tonight’s game and is reportedly unhappy with the Clippers’ medical staff… he was unhappy with the San Antonio Spurs’ medical staff and this was one of the reasons why he wanted out.

So, will the Clippers’ season come to an end tonight? And will their future with Kawhi Leonard be up in smoke? 

On Sunday, the Milwaukee Bucks traveled to Atlanta to face the Hawks. After their game two butt-kicking, the Hawks were ready to bounce back.

At the beginning of the game, the Hawks indeed did bounce back taking a decent lead in the first quarter. 

But then the Bucks went on to prove they were the better team. The Bucks did receive a little help from the referee, and I don’t mean by favorable calls.

Trae Young accidentally stepped on the foot of referee Sean Wright and left the game. He returned later but was limping. 

Young is now questionable for Tuesday’s game four at 8:30 PM with a bone bruise in his right foot. 

If Young can’t go, the Hawks can kiss their chances to advance goodbye. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/25/2021

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written by Titan Frey

  • HAWKS 91
  • BUCKS 125

After the Atlanta Hawks took game one from the heavily favorite Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo and company needed to bounce back strong…

Oh, did they bounce back strong. The Bucks took over in the second quarter when they went on a 20-0 run.

The Bucks led 77-45 at halftime, which is the second-largest halftime lead in a conference finals game in NBA history.

In the second quarter, the Hawks made 7 field goals while turning the ball over 8 times… it wasn’t good for the Hawks.

Atlanta Hawks star, Trae Young has been dominant all playoffs, but he struggled in game two. 

Young scored 15 while shooting 6-16 and 1-8 from downtown. Young also recorded 9 turnovers… James Harden has the record for most turnovers in a playoff game with 12. 

If the Hawks want to bounce back this weekend, then Young will need to figure out how to beat this Bucks defense. 

Game three is Sunday, June 27th at 8:30 PM. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/24/2021Written by Titan Frey

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports
  • SUNS 92
  • CLIPPERS 106 

The Los Angeles Clippers have just recorded their first conference finals win in their history. 

How did they do it? Well, they went down 0-2 in the series like the previous two, that’s how. 

Let me explain to those who may be confused. The Clippers for some reason seem to start playing after falling 0-2 in their series in these 2021 playoffs.

They did it in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks. Then they followed that up by falling 0-2 against the Denver Nuggets in the second round. 

Finally, after falling 0-2 against the hottest team in the playoffs, the Phoenix Suns, the Clippers flipped that switch. 

Even with the return of Chris Paul, the Clippers outworked the Suns all night to basically cruise to the win. 

One big adjustment in this series, which has helped the Clippers get a win is the switch to put Patrick Beverley on Devin Booker.

Booker’s shooting in the past two games where Beverley has been his primary defender has been terrible. Booker is a combined 10-37 in the last two games. 

If the Suns want to bounce back in game four (June 26 at 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time), then Booker will have to figure out how to beat the defense of Beverley. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/23/2021Written by Titan Frey 

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written by Titan Frey 

  • HAWKS 116
  • BUCKS 113 

Khris Middleton attempted a game-tying three at the end of the game and missed it. The Atlanta Hawks held on to win game one.

The Atlanta Hawks have now won game one in their first three playoff series. All of these wins have been on the road.

The Hawks are just the fourth team in NBA history to win game one on the road in three series during a postseason run. 

But enough about the teams, this game belonged to Trae Young. This dude has been ballin’ out all playoffs long and tonight was his best game. 

Young scored a playoff career-high 48 points while dishing out 11 assists. Young has become the youngest player (22) in NBA playoff history to have 40+ points and 10+ assists in a conference finals game. 

Young also tied LeBron James and Kobe Bryant for the most points in a playoff game before turning 23 years old. 

Trae Young’s 48 is the most points by a Hawks player in a playoff game since Dominique Wilkins scored 48 in 1988. 

Young also joins Luka Dončić as the only 22-years old and younger to have a 45+ point and 10+ assist game in playoff history. 

It’s safe to say Young is a bona fide star and if the Bucks can’t find a way to contain him, the Hawks will be heading to the NBA Finals. 

Game two is this Friday, June 25th at 8:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/22/2021

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written by Titan Frey 

  • CLIPPERS 103
  • SUNS 104

The Los Angeles Clippers vs the Phoenix Suns game two is in the books. The game saw a lot of sloppy play, some headbanging that led to a possible broken nose, and some bad officiating. 

But I’m going to skip all that and go right to the end of the game. That’s when things got wild. There were some big key moments at the end of the game, including a game-winner that will go down in history. 

First, let’s discuss the use of replay down the stretch of a game. Yes, you want the officials to get the call right, but boy does it hamper the flow of the game and give an advantage to certain teams. 

The last 90 seconds of the game took 33 REAL minutes. There were as many reviews (5) as field goals (5) in that span. 

It also gave the Suns, who were out of timeouts a chance to set up the play to win the game… but we’ll get back to that in a second. 

Paul George is someone who was heavily criticized for his bad playoff performances. These playoffs, especially of late, he’s been playing at an extremely high level.

That can be said of this game as well, but in the crucial moments of the game, with 8.2 seconds to go and a one-point lead, George missed two free throws and the chance to ice the game. 

Fast-forward to .9 seconds to go. After another review enabled the Suns to set up a play, the Suns ran that play to perfection.

Deandre Ayton curled off a wonderful screen by Devin Booker and headed straight for the hoop. There, he found the ball from a beautiful inbounds pass from Jae Crowder and slammed it home, beating the buzzer.

It was a great play the Suns’ coach Monty Williams drew up, but again he shouldn’t have been able to draw it up with no timeouts, but thanks to replay review, he was able to. 

Game three will shift to Los Angeles. The Clippers have gone down 0-2 in both of their first two series and come back to win. Can they do it a third time?

Game three will be played on Thursday, June 24th at 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/20/2021

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written by Titan Frey 

  • CLIPPERS 114
  • SUNS 120

After their long stretch off, many people wondered if the Suns would be rusty in game one. Many people believed they’d struggle without Chris Paul in the lineup. 

People were also betting that the Clippers would have more momentum from playing just two days prior. 

Yet, when the game started, the team from Phoenix proved the sun still burned hot. 

The Clippers also came out hot, and Paul George had another great game to continue to silence his haters with 34 points. But on this afternoon, the game belonged to the Suns’ Devin Booker. 

Booker did everything in game one, including running the point down the stretch of the game. Now, Booker isn’t Chris Paul at the point, but on this day, he came pretty damn close. 

Booker seemed to make the right pass every single time and of course, since we’re talking about Booker, he made every big shot down the stretch of the game. 

Booker finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists… this was Booker’s first career triple-double. 

It was also the Suns’ first playoff triple-double since Steve Nash accomplished the feat in 2005.

Booker became the third-youngest player in NBA playoff history to record a 40 point triple-double. Only Oscar Robinson and Luka Dončić were younger.

The series resumes on Tuesday, June 22nd at 9:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. The big questions now are, can the Clippers finally avoid an 0-2 hole?

Will Kawhi Leonard be healthy enough to play? And will Chris Paul be off the NBA’s health and safety protocol to play in game two?

I know I can’t wait. Can you?

  • HAWKS 103
  • SIXERS 96

If I told you Trae Young would shoot 1-12 in the first half and 2-17 with nine minutes to go in the game, you’d think the Hawks lost, right?

Well, in this game seven, the Atlanta Hawks stunned the number one seeded Philadelphia 76ers in game seven, in Philly. 

Young scored 21 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter. He also had 10 assists. After his horrible shooting start, Young finished shooting 5-23.

Kevin Huerter picked up the slack for the Hawks when Young was struggling. He scored 27 on 10-18 shooting.

Joel Embiid played well for the Sixers. Embiid scored 31 while grabbing 11 rebounds. 

Tobias Harris also played well for the Sixers. Harris scored 24 while grabbing 14 rebounds, but he did struggle with his shooting (8-24).

The big problem for the Sixers was Ben Simmons. It’s not even about stats, it’s about his inability to hit free throws and his unwillingness to shoot the ball. 

If the Sixers want to take that next step in the NBA, they may want to consider trading Simmons. 

The Hawks will now face the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals which starts Wednesday, June 23rd at 8:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/19/2021

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written by Titan Frey 

Game 7 Overtime Classic!

That’s exactly right, NBA fans. We had a classic game seven of the NBA playoffs tonight. 

The stars were shining brightly on both squads. Giannis Antetokounmpo and especially Kevin Durant put on a show. Let’s break down this classic game. 

Both teams traded blows from the beginning of the game. There were 19 lead changes and nine ties throughout the game.

For the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokounmpo played solid all game long… other than his two air ball free throws.

Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday each struggled throughout the game, but both came on strong in the fourth quarter.

As Middleton, Holiday, and Antetokounmpo were keeping the Bucks close in the fourth, Kevin Durant was a one-man show for the gone team.

Durant, who played every minute of the game, for the second time in this series, kept hitting big shot after big shot.

The biggest shot for Durant was a turnaround long two-point jumper over P.J. Tucker that tied the game with one second to go.

Durant’s foot just barely touched the line, missing the chance to put the Nets up one. 

Antetokounmpo then missed his shot attempt at the buzzer and the game went to overtime. 

After the four quarters, Durant had 48 points, which is the record for most points in a game seven.

Antetokounmpo finished the game with 40 points and this became the first game seven, since 2008, where two players on opposite teams scored 40 plus points. (Paul Pierce, LeBron James)

Unfortunately for Durant and Nets fans, he wouldn’t get anymore. In fact, a Bruce Brown rebound put-back would be the only basket for the Nets in the overtime period.

After the Bucks took a 113-111 lead, Durant attempted another turnaround long two-point jumper, but this time he threw up an air ball with .3 seconds to go. 

After two free throws by Brook Lopez, the Bucks won the game 115-111 to take the series. 

They will now face the winner of the Sixers-Hawks series which will be played tomorrow at 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. 

Another game seven, will it be another classic? I sure hope and can’t wait to watch it. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/18/2021

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports


Written by Titan Frey


I originally planned on writing an article on the three wonderful game sevens we were going to have this weekend. Then, the Los Angeles Clippers messed up my plans… more on that in a second. 

  • SIXERS 104
  • HAWKS 99

The Philadelphia 76ers finally held on to their lead to win and force a game seven on Sunday, June 20th at 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. 


Joel Embiid struggled with his shot (9-24), but he played his overall solid game (22 points, 13 rebounds). 


Seth Curry also had another good game with 24 points, but the key to the Sixers victory was Tyrese Maxey.


Maxey scored a crucial 16 points in addition to playing tough defense on Hawks star Trae Young.


Maxey also played five more minutes than the struggling Ben Simmons, which seemed to be the right move.


The big question now is, which team will execute better in game seven? With both their seasons on the line, this game should turn out to be a good one.

  • JAZZ 119
  • CLIPPERS 131


Now, let’s get back to the Jazz vs Clippers game. The Jazz held a commanding 25 point lead at one point in the third quarter, and the Clippers’ curse seemed to be alive and well.


Then, the most unexpected thing happened… the Clippers rallied back. Who led the charge? If you thought it was Paul George, then you would be wrong. 


George started the game back as his awful old playoff self, appropriately known as “Pandemic P”. George was not the “man“ who brought the Clippers back. Instead, it was another Mann…


Yes, it was the second-year man, Terance Mann who carved through the Jazz’s defense and helped lead the comeback charge. 


Mann scored a career-high 39 points, and that’s after only having 25 total points in the series. Mann also knocked down seven three-pointers… he looked unstoppable out on the court. 


Terrance Mann wasn’t the only Clipper to lead the comeback, veteran Reggie Jackson also played big in the second half. 


Jackson scored 27 while dishing out 10 assists. Most of his points and assists came during the Clippers’ huge run. 


The Clippers also got a big performance, defensively and offensively from Patrick Beverley. 


Beverley scored 12, with three big three-pointers coming in the fourth quarter. His defense on Jazz star Donovan Mitchell
was huge. 


Paul George, who started slow, also played big down the stretch, he became “Playoff P” once more. 


George finished the game with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. 


After the game, George said this about the win: “You felt the monkey off of the Clippers’ back in terms of getting out of the second round. It was just a special night. You know you felt it, the cheers, the excitement.”


Now, the Clippers move on to play the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, at 3:30 PM Eastern Standard Time.


With Kawhi Leonard most likely out because of injury and Chris Paul out from the NBA COVID protocol, which team will have the upper hand? 


You won’t know till you watch. Make sure you tune in on Sunday. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/17/2021

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written by Titan Frey

  • NETS 89
  • BUCKS 104

The Brooklyn Nets would not get a dominant performance out of Kevin Durant on this night. That’s not to say Durant played badly because he didn’t. 

Durant finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 15-30 from the field… not bad, but not as efficient as the previous game.

The Bucks on the other hand were dominant as a team from the very start. The Bucks never trailed in this game and Giannis Antetokounmpo got plenty of help.

The Greek Freak had a monster game with 30 points and 17 rebounds. But players like Khris stepped up in a big way. 

Middleton scored 38 while grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing out 5 assists, and coming up with 5 steals. 

Jrue Holiday also stepped up big with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. 

The series is now tied 3-3, so everyone’s favorite game, a game seven, will be played on Saturday, June 19th at 8:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. 

Who will win? Will Kyrie Irving be back? Will Giannis Antetokounmpo shrink under the pressure? These are some questions that will be answered after a great (I hope) game seven. 

NBA PLAYOFFS RECAP: 06/16/2021

Posted on by Titan Frey in Basketball, NBA, NBA Playoffs, Sports

Written by Titan Frey

  • HAWKS 109
  • SIXERS 106

What else can I say but the Atlanta Hawks have done it again. 

After being down by 26 at one point, the Hawks started to make a charge toward the end of the third quarter. 

Then, the fourth quarter happened. The Hawks outscored the Sixers 40-19 in the fourth, including ending the game on a 15-2 run. 

The two points that came in that run by the Sixers was a jumper that Seth Curry hit a jumper with .1 left… so, the Hawks really ended on a 15-0 nothing run. 

Trae Young of the Hawks scored a playoff career high 39 while dishing out 7 assists. Young wasn’t the only one to step up for the Hawks.

John Collins chipped in 19 points with 11 boards, Danilo Gallinari added 16 points and 8 rebounds.

The biggest lift the Hawks got was from the veteran and former three-time winner of the sixth man of the year award… Lou Williams.

Williams scored 15 off the bench, and his points. game during the Hawks big comeback. Williams led everyone in +/- with a +31.

Here are some crazy stats from this Sixers – Hawks game: Joel Embiid and Seth Curry were the only Sixers to make a field goal in the second half of the game.

The Sixers didn’t make a shot for more than six minutes down the stretch of the game. The Sixers had a 99.1% chance to win the game at one point in the third. 

So far in the 2021 playoffs, Ben Simmons has missed 45 free throws. The team that has missed the most other than the Sixers are the Hawks, and they’ve missed 35… 

Game six will be back in Atlanta on Friday, June 18th at 7:30 PM Eastern Standard Time. The Hawks look to close out the series. 

  • CLIPPERS 119
  • JAZZ 111

The Los Angeles Clippers suffered some terrible news the other day. Their star player and the former two-time champ and two-time finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard, would be out indefinitely with a right knee injury.

It’s been reported as of now that Leonard has suffered a knee sprain, but there’s been reports that the team fears Leonard may have injured his ACL. 

It appeared the Utah Jazz, who won the first two games in Utah, would easily get another win, but the Jazz didn’t factor in one thing… Playoff P!

That’s right, Paul George, the player who gave himself the great nickname, Playoff P, has never really shown up in the playoffs, during his career. 

With the Clippers backs against the wall, Playoff P finally showed up. He scored 37 points while grabbing 16 rebounds. 

George kept attacking the basketball throughout the game and the Jazz didn’t seem to have an answer, even with the defensive player of the year on their side. 

In the first half, both teams were shooting lights out from three, especially the Jazz.

The Jazz made 17 out of their 30 three point attempts in the first half. Bojan Bogdanovic made six of them in the first quarter alone. 

The second half turned out to be a completely different story for the Jazz. The Jazz missed all their three point attempts in the third quarter (0-10) and only shot 3-24 from distance in the second half. 

The series shifts back to Los Angeles for game six on Friday, June 18th at 10:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Will the Clippers finally advance to the Western Conference Finals? Or will the Jazz force a game seven?