Who had Blake Griffin posting the first 50-pointer of this young season? Not any of us, nope. But there he was, sealing a virtuoso performance with a game-winning three-point play to beat the shorthanded 76ers in overtime.
So much for Blake Griffin being a flop in Detroit
We have that and more in Wednesday’s NBA newsletter.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
This was one of those games that causes League Pass FOMO. With Ben Simmons out, Markelle Fultz somewhat resembled the no-brainer No. 1 pick we once knew, at least for 20 minutes. Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond continued their hilarious rivalry, with Embiid shamelessly flopping in the final minute to get Drummond tossed. Ironically, that move may have hurt the 76ers, because they botched a switch against the small Pistons lineup on Griffin’s game-winner.
Griffin often seems out of sight, out of mind, but he’s still just 29. His fast starts have faded in years past, but this year feels different. James Edwards of The Athletic detailed how Griffin approached his summer workouts far differently than in the past, and so far, it’s making a difference. Here’s hoping it continues, because it wasn’t that long ago that Griffin was appointment viewing.
I also enjoyed how Pistons legends rallied around Griffin. As SB Nation’s Kristian Winfield Slacked this morning, it’s as if they formally inducted him into their club.
Scores
76ers 132 Pistons 133
Schedule
ESPN has Mavericks vs. Hawks — finally, a chance to talk about the Trae Young-Luka Doncic trade! — followed by those 76ers against the resurgent Bucks. Rockets-Jazz, Timberwolves-Raptors, and Wizards-Warriors are terrific League Pass options. We might also get MASS PANIC if the 0-3 Lakers lose to the Suns.
Hawks at Mavericks, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Nets at Cavaliers, 7 p.m. ET
Knicks at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Timberwolves at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET
Hornets at Bulls, 8 p.m. ET
Jazz at Rockets, 8 p.m. ET
Pacers at Spurs, 8:30 p.m. ET
76ers at Bucks, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Lakers at Suns, 10 p.m. ET
Grizzlies at Kings, 10 p.m. ET
Wizards at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET
Links
SB Nation has a new podcast called It Seemed Smart, hosted by Spencer Hall. That should be enough to sell you, but in case it isn’t, it’s a six-episode mini-series illuminating amusing stories of professional athletes who are terrible at cheating. The first episode features former Indians slugger Albert Belle and a bat scandal gone horribly wrong.
The Nuggets are 4-0 after another win over Sacramento. Paul Flannery lays out why this team has officially arrived. Denver Stiffs’ Brendan Vogt explains why Nikola Jokic is the ideal star for a market overlooked to the point that it’s become a cliche.
You’ll be stunned to learn that the Embiid vs. Drummond feud spilled over off the court. I think I’m over it already.
Rajon Rondo still insists he didn’t spit on Chris Paul and claimed the league took Paul’s side because he’s a “good guy” that gets away with being a “horrible teammate.” That triggered two disgruntled former Paul teammates (Glen Davis and Ryan Hollins) to come out of the woodwork and confirm that, yeah, Paul can be a jerk sometimes. Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted a picture of a black pot and kettle, which I assume is a reference to Rondo skipping out on his Mavericks teammates in the playoffs in 2015. Here’s a thought: maybe both of them can be grating in their own ways, and they were destined to clash at some point because they’ve never been on good terms.
Have you heard that the Lakers are 0-3? Here’s Silver Screen and Roll on three problems that need solving. LeBron James is staying patient ... for now.
Speaking of LeBron, he missed two critical free throws before the Spurs’ game-winning bucket on Monday. Kobe Bryant fans insisted that their legend would never. We checked, and ... yeah, he has.
DeMar DeRozan told The Athletic’s Sam Amick he wasn’t happy about that Raptors hype video that took on Toronto’s past shortcomings. Raptors HQ has a blow-by-blow of that remarkable SportsNet clip.
Remember the name “Caris LeVert.” Nets Daily’s Bryan Fonseca asked teammates if he can keep this up.
Fascinating piece by The Athletic’s Fred Katz on a new metric that measures pass accuracy. Long overdue.
How is this Zion Williamson block real? Forget the opponent. Look at where he took off and where he landed.
Tom Ziller will return Thursday and get this to y’all a lot sooner than I did. Thanks for bearing with me.
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