The list of NBA games Wednesday night includes numerous intriguing clashes, from the first team of the East facing the first team of the West, the drama of the return of James Harden to Houston, the All-Stars facing among them with Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls. in front of Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans and two of the top scorers in the league vying for Steph Curry to meet Damian Lillard.
In addition, twelve teams finish the first half of the season as All-Star Weekend approaches rapidly.
With so much action to watch out for, we asked our NBA members for their best offer to take away from the bigger games.
Embiid makes MVP an impressive case for Jazz
Anyone who had seen even a second of the Philadelphia 76ers overtime win in overtime at the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night could say the game meant something more special to Sixers star Joel Embiid.
Embiid, who told ESPN Jackie MacMullan in December that he should have formed an NBA team above Rudy Gobert last season, and who has been campaigning to be the defensive player of the year the league, was dominant at both ends in Wednesday’s win, scoring 40 points to finish with 19 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks in 40 minutes.
On offense, Embiid repeatedly accessed through Gobert, getting his characteristic two-digit free throw attempts while getting several cubes to the edge. Meanwhile, in the defensive end, Embiid flew, repeatedly breaking Gobert’s wolves and, with a single possession, disputing a Donovan Mitchell and then recovering fast enough to block Gobert on the edge.
Embiid has said since before the season that he is on a mission to prove that the lack of recognition in the entire league he received last year was a mistake. Wednesday night was the last example of the success of this campaign. And while Embiid may not win Defensive Player of the Year, in fact, Doc Rivers said before the game that his teammate Ben Simmons should be at the top of the polls. to get this award: Games like Wednesday’s are the reasons why Embiid is one of the favorites to be the most valuable player in the NBA this season and the Sixers enter the All Star break with the best record in the Conference East. – Tim Bontemps
Harden dominating in exchange for Houston
Nothing about James Harden’s return to the Toyota Center was a surprise. Harden received a mixed reaction from Rockets fans among pandemic-sized people, as some were encouraged to enjoy his eight spectacular seasons in Houston and some booed, letting Harden’s fresh, wounded sensations escape by forcing a trade less than two months ago.
As he has consistently done since joining the Brooklyn Nets, Harden dominated and posted his eighth triple-double from the trade with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. And the Rockets lost, 132-114, extending the franchise’s longest slip in two decades to 13 painful games, matching the number of Harden’s shirt he’ll one day hang from the Houston beams. – Tim MacMahon
McConnell of Pacers sets stealing record
The Indiana Pacers facing the Cleveland Cavaliers were not a head-to-head clash, but Pacers guard TJ McConnell found a way to steal the spotlight. McConnell scored nine steals in the first half, most players in the half since he became an official in 1973-74.
McConnell finished with 10 steals for the game, a timid record, but scored 16 points and 13 assists to get a very unusual triple-double in the 114-111 victory over Indiana.
Tonight, TJ McConnell recorded the 11th triple-double with thefts since the thefts became official in 1973-74. According to him, he is the first to do so off the bench @EliasSports.
He is also the first Pacers player with a triple-double from the bench since Detlaf Schrempf in February 1993. pic.twitter.com/u7LL1tPL1M
– ESPN statistics and information (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 4, 2021
McConnell was eight by eight off the field to become the first player to record 10 steals while shooting 100% on the field in a game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He had the highest field goal percentage in a game with 10 or more steals, beating Michael Jordan (78% in 1988).
Double triple-double for Detroit
Dennis Smith Jr. and Mason Plumlee are the second pair of teammates in Pistons history to each record a triple-double in the same game, according to an investigation by the Elias Sports Bureau.
Smith got his triple double by the thinnest of the margins, with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Plumlee scored 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Detroit defeated the Toronto Raptors by 129-105.
The other Pistons teammates with triple doubles in the same game were Donnie Butcher and Ray Scott, who did so in 1964.