Enjoy Basketball: Suns, Heat dominate amazing night of hoops

What’s the word y'all?

First, I want to thank you for subscribing to the Enjoy Basketball Newsletter. You subscribed on day one? Oh yea, you’re here at the ground floor, and I appreciate that. Over the past few months, the team and I have been trying to figure out ways to show off our love of the game of basketball. This newsletter is just the first step.

I used to be a person that was hypercritical of NBA players. I would go as far as to say I was a hater. As I grew older and started to meet players and other people in the NBA community, I realized that IT’S JUST A GAME.

I started to appreciate everything about the game.

I LIVE for a Stephen Curry look-away shot.

I LIVE for a Matisse Thybulle deflection.

I LIVE for a Giannis mean mug.

I LIVE for a Marvin Bagley hook shot.

I think you get it.

With the Enjoy Basketball Newsletter, you’ll be getting recaps of all things NBA. We’re building a community of people that appreciate everything about the game

- Kenny "KOT4Q" Beecham

Doncic, Mavs overpower injury-plagued Cavaliers

Luka Magic is a real thing, people. This was a close game through the first half, but Doncic led the Mavs to a massive third quarter that sealed the deal. He had 20 of his 35 points in the third alone. When Doncic is on like he was on Wednesday night, the other team will not have a fun time.

Caris LeVert does deserve a ton of credit, though. This is precisely why the Cavs traded for him at the deadline, and with injuries to Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, they'll need someone to step up in the scoring column. Also, Darius Garland finished the game with a +1 plus/minus. The only player who played at least 20 minutes with a positive plus/minus was Lamar Stevens (+9). Garland is going to be very good for a very long time.

Pacers mount incredible comeback, fall short vs. Nuggets

Nikola Jokic had 12 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the first quarter alone. Denver was up 43-15. Over the next two quarters, Indiana would outscore the Nuggets 76-48. The two teams went into the fourth quarter tied. And while the Pacers fought until the bitter end, the Nuggets managed to squeak out a win.

Once again, the Pacers prove to be better at tanking than any other team in the NBA. They battle to keep things close, mount remarkable comebacks, and still lose. Perfection.

The real story of this game, however, was Austin Rivers getting ejected for... *checks notes*... moving his elbow a little bit. Rivers and Lance Stephenson got into an altercation just a few minutes before, and it ended in double techs. Fast forward a bit, and Rivers had the ball at the top of the key, motioned forward like he was maybe going to elbow Stephenson, and picked up a second tech. Just a very odd series of events.

Porzingis' 35 leads Wizards past Magic

When scouring Wednesday night's slate of NBA action, this was probably the last game on most people's list. And while the first quarter gave some hope of a good game. Washington quickly ran away with it, winning the next three quarters.

Kristaps Porzingis played great, Markelle Fultz had his best game since returning from injury, Franz Wagner continues to be consistent, and Daniel Gafford had a nice showing off the bench. But the statline of the night belonged to Tomas Satoransky. He did not score a single point, shooting 0-of-2 from the field. However, he had 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

0 points. 10 rebounds. 13 assists. Amazing.

Heat sneak away with win over Celtics, defend first place

This was the second-best game of the night. Both teams battled, but Miami kept their composure late in the fourth. The Celtics did not. Robert Williams' absence was felt on the glass and on defense, but they're going to have to get used to that.

As great as the stars played in this one, Kyle Lowry and Marcus Smart deserve a ton of credit. Lowry's three-point shot and ability to get under Boston's skin were huge, and Smart's defense and playmaking were one of the main reasons the C's found success. Daniel Theis also put in a great shift off the bench for Boston.

But when it got down to the nitty-gritty, the Heat executed and the Celtics did not. It was as simple as that. Max Strus had a pair of clutch blocks, drew a charge, and for the majority of the fourth, Boston was complaining about a lack of foul calls. They got in their own way while Miami was busy taking care of business.

Hornets battle, take down Fournier, Knicks

LaMelo Ball dished out a career-high 15 assists while helping his Hornets earn a win over the Knicks. Charlotte got contributions from all over the floor, while Cody Martin brought his much-needed hustle late in the game to help put things away. Despite the final score, this was a fairly entertaining game, Charlotte just managed to steadily pull ahead.

With the loss, it's looking like the Knicks will be officially out of playoff contention. There was a sliver of hope for them heading into the contest, but now, it would take a perfect set of circumstances for them to overtake the Hawks. And with the drama surrounding Julius Randle (more on that later), New York is in for a very interesting offseason.

Raptors dominate Timberwolves, continue to climb

The Raptors are on a roll. Their win over Minnesota marked their fourth in a row and they are making some serious progress in the standings. With the victory, they are now in a virtual tie with the Chicago Bulls for fifth in the East. And while it's unlikely that they climb up to fourth, with the way they're playing, anything is possible. As far as this game goes, after a competitive first quarter, Toronto simply ran away with it.

For Minnesota, however, this one was a killer. It marked their fourth loss in the last five games. They were one of the hottest teams in basketball prior to these past few games, but now it's looking like they'll be stuck in seventh heading into the postseason.

Kings grind-out win, Rockets youngsters drop 30

Surprisingly enough, this ended up being one of the most entertaining games of the night. After three straight quarters of back-and-forth action, the fourth was a low-scoring slugfest that saw Sacramento barely scrape by with a win. Three Kings players finished with 24 points - Davion Mitchell, Damian Jones, and Harrison Barnes - as Sactown earned a victory without their two stars.

And for Houston, while they didn't manage to get the win (which is probably for the best), both Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. dropped 30-bombs. Bruno Fernando also chipped in with 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Houston had a chance to tie it at the end of regulation, but the shot just didn't fall.

Young, Hawks stomp Thunder in OKC

This was as big of a blowout as the Hawks could have hoped for. In what was a wire-to-wire victory for Atlanta, Young dropped a ridiculous 41 points and the Hawks led by 34 at one point. Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 20 apiece, and De'Andre Hunter chipped in with 19 as well.

For the Thunder, at this point, this season is all about giving their young players more opportunities. Lindy Waters III put up a career-high 25 points and Theo Maledon dropped a nice statline as well. Past that, Oliver Sarr had 19 points and nine rebounds, and both Aaron Wiggins and Aleksej Pokusevski put up 13.

Grizzlies fight off Spurs, Jones balls out

Memphis had full control of this one through the first half, but a second-half push from San Antonio brought them all the way back. It all came down to the final possession, and Keldon Johnson's layup attempt (which would have won them the game) just didn't fall.

In the battle of the Jones', Tyus came out on top, and he probably won't be letting his brother hear the end of it for a while. Tyus Jones dropped 25 points to help Memphis win yet another game without the help of franchise superstar Ja Morant. The win improves their record to 19-2 this year without Morant.

For San Antonio, the loss dropped them back into 11th after briefly overtaking the Lakers for the 10th seed in the West. A Master Class performance from Murray wasn't enough for them to take home a win.

Poole's 38 not enough, Suns squeak by Warriors

Remember how the Heat vs. Celtics game was the second-best game of the night? That's because THIS was the game of the night.

For the majority of the season, these were the two teams jockeying to be the best in the NBA. And while the Warriors have struggled lately (and the Suns have continued to dominate), this game surpassed all expectations.

Even without Stephen Curry, Golden State was able to battle for the entirety of this game. Unfortunately, Jordan Poole's 38 points just weren't enough, and with the loss, the Warriors slid back to fourth in the Western Conference.

Phoenix shot 41.3 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from three-point land in this one. And they won. That tells you just how good the Suns are. Chris Paul took over in the fourth and sealed it, marking Phoenix's 62nd win of the regular season, which ties a franchise record.

Pelicans fend off Blazers in McCollum's homecoming

Isn't it fitting that CJ McCollum led the Pelicans to a win in his return to Portland? You just can't write sports. The crowd at Moda Center was even cheering for McCollum all throughout the contest. At one point, they even booed the refs when McCollum was called for an offensive foul. That's loyalty.

He led the team in scoring, but both Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas had great performances as well. Add in 18 points from Jaxson Hayes and Herbert Jones' usual defensive antics, and it all added up to a win for New Orleans.

But that doesn't mean it was an easy one. Up until the fourth quarter, this game was extremely close. Drew Eubanks only missed two shots all night, leading the Blazers in scoring. Ben McLemore had 16 and newly-signed forward Reggie Perry also had 15 of his own off the bench. But hey, just like the Pacers, maybe this was the best-case scenario for the Blazers at this point in the season.

Robert Williams underwent successful surgery

Boston Celtics fans got great news on Wednesday morning when it was announced that center Robert Williams underwent successful surgery after tearing his meniscus on March 27 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. According to head coach Ime Udoka, Williams and the Celtics opted for a "partial meniscectomy," which they deemed to be the better short-term solution. Udoka said that Williams will begin rehab for the injury on Thursday (today, if you're reading this upon release) and that this was the best-case scenario.

And based on reports from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the timetable for Williams' return is set at 4-6 weeks. Before it was known how bad the injury was, it was speculated that Williams may not return for 6-8 weeks, so this is, in theory, great news for Boston, In fact, Wojnarowski even stated that sources told ESPN that there was some "initial optimism" that his return could be on the shorter side of those 4-6 weeks.

According to the man himself, everything went well. Williams let everyone know that he's doing fine on Twitter after the surgery.

Julius Randle drama in the Big Apple

Just when New York Knicks fans thought things couldn't get any worse... According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, there are rumblings that Julius Randle could try to force his way out of New York. After a recent win over the Chicago Bulls, Randle did not stay on the court to celebrate with his teammates. Instead, he grabbed the final rebound, chucked it away, and stormed off. (H/T Bleacher Report)

With how well Obi Toppin played when Randle was recovering from his quad injury, Randle's time with the Knicks could be coming to a close. Even head coach Tom Thibodeau has made comments regarding his hustle, or lack thereof. Berman said that sources told him that, at times this season, Randle has even gotten dressed in a different part of the locker room.

Berman's sources compared Randle's behavior to how James Harden acted during his final year in Houston. Combine all that with his on-court incidents, refusing to talk to the media, and clear disconnect from his team, and Randle might be donning new threads next year.

Andre Iguodala slams Warriors front office

In a recent interview with Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Andre Iguodala said that the Golden State Warriors front office's approach "disrespects the former era." The veteran was referencing the fact that, instead of building to win right now with the likes of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, the Warriors are taking on a two-timeline approach. (H/T Bleacher Report)

They are grooming the next generation of Warriors while simultaneously trying to compete for a title. And as much as he criticized them for not building around Curry and company, he also said that it's not fair to the young kids. Guys like Jonathan Kuminga, Jordan Poole, and Moses Moody are being thrown right into the deep end without much freedom.

Evan Mobley to miss time with sprained ankle

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley, who suffered a sprained ankle on Monday night against the Orlando Magic, will miss the next three games, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The first of those three games was Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks. This news continues a trend of horrible injury luck for the Cavs this year.

Seton Hall hires Saint Peter's head coach Shaheen Holloway

In some non-NBA-related news, Seton Hall has hired Saint Peter's Shaheen Holloway to be their new head coach. Holloway led the Peacocks to an Elite Eight run in March Madness as a 15 seed. They were the first-ever 15-seed to reach the Elite Eight, knocking out two-seeded Kentucky, seven-seeded Murray State, and three-seeded Purdue in the process.

The deal will be for six years, as Holloway will take over a program that went 21-11 last year but was eliminated in the first round of March Madness by TCU. According to Jeff Goodman, Saint Peter's made a very strong offer to keep Holloway around but just couldn't compete with Seton Hall, especially considering that it's Holloway's alma mater.

Here's a list of some great NBA/basketball articles that have come out recently. Thanks, as always, to the Basketball Intelligence newsletter for helping put a spotlight on the best reporting in the business every day.

Tyronn Lue Q&A: ‘It’s just good to see these young Black coaches getting the chance to do it’ - Marc J. Spears, Andscape (Formerly The Undefeated)

Karl-Anthony Towns’s Situation Finally Catches Up to His Talent - Dan Devine, The Ringer

2022 NBA draft: 7 players rising up draft boards after strong showing at NCAA tournament - Krysten Peek

Deputy Theis stands tall in Robert Williams’ shadow - Adam Taylor, CelticsBlog

The ceiling for Bones Hyland is higher than ever - Ryan Blackburn, Denver Stiffs

Will this year be a turning point for the Utah Jazz? - Calvin, Chappell

The NBA isn’t ready for Cade Cunningham, but he’s here - James Edwards III, The Athletic (subscription required)

While it's not the 11-game slate that we got in the NBA on Wednesday night, Thursday still has some solid games that fans should tune into. Here are the five games and EB's picks for the day.

Philadelphia 76ers @ Detroit Pistons - 7:00 p.m. EST

Looking at this matchup, the Sixers are a no-brainer. But the Pistons have been playing great basketball ever since the All-Star break. Expect Philly to come out on top, but don't sleep on Cade Cunningham and Detroit.

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Atlanta Hawks - 7:30 p.m. EST

The Cavs are the better team this season, but with their horrendous injury luck, and with how well the Hawks have been playing, Trae Young might win this battle. This should be a solid game, and Atlanta has the slight edge.

Milwaukee Bucks @ Brooklyn Nets - 7:30 p.m. EST

Kyrie Irving had his first home game of the season spoiled by Charlotte, and Brooklyn squeaked out a win over the Pistons at home on Tuesday. But the Bucks will be a huge test for Brooklyn. And while Brooklyn will put up a great fight, Giannis Antetokounmpo should be able to come out on top. This should be the game of the day.

LA Clippers @ Chicago Bulls - 8:00 p.m. EST

The Clippers got Paul George back in their last time out, and he helped them overcome a 25-point deficit to take down the Jazz. With how poorly the Bulls have been playing lately, take LA in this one. That being said, it should be a fairly competitive game.

Los Angeles Lakers @ Utah Jazz - 7:00 p.m. EST

Oh boy. The Lakers have been bad this year, but the Jazz just blew a 25-point lead and are just 4-6 in their last ten games. But then again, the Lakers are 3-7 in their last ten. The Jazz should win this one, but maybe the Lakers get their act together and capitalize on Utah's recent struggles.

That'll do it for the first-ever Enjoy Basketball newsletter. Thanks to everyone who's subscribed so far. We appreciate each and every one of you and are looking forward to bringing you the best basketball content possible.

Basketball is meant to be enjoyed. As much as the drama dominates headlines and needs to be reported on, at its core, basketball is a game we all grew up playing, watching, and learning about. We're lucky to be able to watch the best players in the world compete on a nightly basis. Don't take that for granted.

That'll be it for me. Thanks for reading. See y'all next time.

- Jack Simone