
Credit: Stu Boyd II - The Commercial Appeal
Vic's Night Caps - NBA Week 1/27
Published: Sunday, January 26, 2025
by Victor Lisboa
Welcome to Vic’s Night Caps for Week 13, where we recap our friend Darren’s weekly NBA takes. This week, he highlighted three matchups for the week of Jan. 20, 2025. At this point, we are approaching the halfway point of the season, and the trade deadline is week from this upcoming Thursday.
Monday’s Key Game: Timberwolves vs. Grizzlies
Minnesota came into this game at 22-21, just above .500 and hovering in play-in territory. They are currently 21st on offense in PPG but rank fourth defensively in opponents PPG. Anthony Edwards has led the way thus far this season averaging 26.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 4.4 APG.
Memphis came into this game at 28-15 as the third seed in the West. They currently rank first offensively, scoring 123.7 PPG, but they also rank 21st defensively, somewhat an anomaly for a Grizzlies team usually known for their gritty defense.
This was a close game for most of the contest, with Minnesota relying more on the three ball and Memphis staying in the paint. The Grizzles shot just 21% from three, but they got 34 shots from the charity stripe, as they were aggressive with the ball all game.
Minnesota did lead by 16 with just over two minutes in the second quarter. However, Memphis was able to take control in the fourth quarter, outscoring Minnesota 37-30. The Timberwolves were able to answer the Memphis runs until the Wolves went on a 11-0 run in the end.
Anthony Edwards missed a potential game winning three-pointer, but missed with Desmond Bane guarding him. Edwards scored 32 points, and Naz Reid had 32 points and eight boards off the bench. Jaren Jackson Jr had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Bane added 22 points and six rebounds.
Darren predicted an eight-point Memphis victory, alluding to the Grizzlies depth. Memphis defeated Minnesota, 108-106.
Thursday's Key Game: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers came into this game at 24-18, around fifth place in the Western conference. They’re 17th in scoring (111.5 PPG) and they are 15th in defense. This signifies a roster that has been mediocre throughout the season, but still has all the means to contend, and may need to make some moves at the deadline. The defending champion Celtics sit at 34-14 and are second in the Eastern conference. They are currently fourth in scoring (117.3 PPG) and they rank fifth in defense.
The first quarter was going back and forth for the first half, but then the Lakers went on a 17-5 run. It ended with the 40-year-old LeBron James driving past Luke Korner and Sam Hauser for a slam with 8.9 left in the period.
Now up 34-23, the Lakers kept adding to their lead and never looked back and. They had a 19-point lead at halftime and matched the Celtics in their own three-point game, shooting 42%. Anthony Davis’s presence was too difficult for the Celtics, as he scored all his 24 points from the paint and free throw line. LeBron added 20 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. Porzingis scored 22 points and seven rebounds, while Jaylen Brown added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Darren predicted a close victory for the Celtics, but Thursday was definitely not their night. The Lakers won this contest, 117-96
Friday’s Key Game: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Cavaliers are coming into this game at 36-8, the top seed in the Eastern conference. They are second in the league in offense and scoring (122 ppg), and they rank 14th defensively. They have been carried by a star-studded backcourt and frontcourt, and play with great pace under Coach Atkinson.
The 76ers came into this game at 16-27, 11th in the Eastern conference, fighting for a spot in the play-in tournament, (one game behind the Chicago Bulls). They rank 25th in offense and scoring (108.1 ppg) and rank 13th in defense. Yet with injuries to three of their star players to start the season, this could play a factor in these rankings.
Evan Mobley was out from a calf issue, and Joel Embiid was out dealing with a swollen knee, so both teams were missing a vital paint presence. This was a close game in all four quarters, and the largest lead for both teams was just eight points.
Both teams shot well from three, but the Cavaliers, who have been top-three in scoring for most of the season, showed they can be vulnerable from the perimeter defensively. This indicates that they need to outshoot most teams from three, but Philadelphia shot 21-39 from three (53.8%).
The 76ers were also +9 from three and +6 from the paint. Philadelphia had a 13-0 run with 3:19 to go in the game, giving them the final edge. Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points and dished seven assists, and Darius Garland added 26 points and seven assists. Ty Jerome had 33 points off the bench, shooting 8-8 from three. Paul George scored 30 points and Tyrese Maxey added 29 points and seven assists. Kelly Oubre added a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Darren predicted a 15-point Cavs win, knowing that Embiid was out. He likely didn’t know Evan Mobley would be out for Cleveland, as the 76ers won this one 132-129.
Victor Lisboa can be reached at victor.lisboa@student.shu.edu.Posted in: sports,