Best Performances in the NBA – 2021
Though the playoffs are still ongoing for the 20-21 season (just check it out, you can still see all of the playoff NBA Scores today it’s time we looked back and took a look at the regular season. Let’s appreciate some of the top performers of this season. By which I don’t necessarily mean individual players, though we will be mentioning the standouts, but we’ll be specifically looking at what we can consider the best team performances of the season in the NBA, you ready? Let’s go!
Celtics celebrating their win over the Bucks, Source: NBA.com
As always we’ll start with a list of what I think some of the best games/performances have happened this season;
- Milwaukee Bucks Vs Brooklyn Nets
- Booklyn Nets Vs Cleveland Cavaliers
- Golden State Warriors Vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Los Angeles Clippers Vs Los Angeles Lakers
- Milwaukee Bucks Vs Boston Celtics
We’re gonna work our way from 5 up to 1 so, let’s just get into it.
5) The Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and have been for years at this point. In December the 2 played in what would likely end up a match up for the throne of the East conference in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
Milwaukee had their “big three” out for the first time this season, and boy did it pay off. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday managed to rack up TWENTY FIVE points in the game, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown put up 33 and 30 respectively.
Boston ended the fourth quarter with a 17 point lead and the game was decided when Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the game tying free throw with time on the clock. Prior to the free throw attempts, Tatun had dropped what proved to be a massive three pointer which put Boston up by two with a second left on the clock.
4) The rivalry between the Clippers and the Lakers has always been pretty good, even though the Lakers have been ahead for a fair chunk of it. They were so close to meeting in the playoffs in the 19-20 season. They resumed their rivalry on the OPENING NIGHT of the 20-21 season, the Clippers had to watch the Lakers receive their championship rings.
The Clippers started pretty well with a solid 39-19 first quarter. It didn’t stay like that after the Lakers flew out the gates in the 2nd and took the quarter 35-17. At the end of the half the Clippers led 56-54 after 13 points from Kawhi Leonard. Lebron James and Anthony Davis only had 2 a piece after 24 minutes, SHEEEESH.
While he faced plenty of criticism for his performances in the postseason, it was Paul George who took control of the second half, scoring 26 points in the 2nd half, finishing the game with 33 helping the Clippers take that DUB with a solid 116-109 victory, raining on the Lakers parade.
3) While the Golden State Warriors had a pretty rough start to the 20-21 season, they managed to finally turn it up a notch when two time NBA MVP Steph Curry started to put in some crazy performances. After they beat the Los Angeles Clippers on January 8th with a pretty big second half comeback, the Golden State Warriors lost 2 of their next 3 games, it happens.
Next up, the Lakers at the Staples center to face the reigning champions. The Lakers lead at half time 64-48 which is a pretty solid lead by any account, but it wasn’t to be, Golden State DOMINATED the second half 67-49 and took a two point win over the reigning champions. Curry managed to put up 13 shots in the third and fourth quarters. He made three of his 12 attempts from deep in the game but scored one huge one in the late stages of the game to put the Warriors up 115-110 which proved to be too much!
Curry helps end LA Lakers winning streak. Source: CNN International
2) While this game will always be known as the first time the Nets trio of Durant, Irving and Harden played together, that will ALWAYS be overshadowed by the Cleveland Cavaliers Collin Sexton stealing the show.
Cleveland managed to stay in the game long enough and entered the 4th quarter with a lead of 9 points, “the big three” forced the first of two over time periods by putting up 28 points between them and the game would come to a climactic ending. In the first overtime Sexton scored seven points leaving the game tied with a second left after sinking a three.
In the second overtime period sexton popped off putting up 15 points giving the Cavs a huge 12 point win. Sexton finished on 42 points that night. Crazy.
1) The Milwaukee Bucks dominated the Eastern Conference during the last two regular seasons. However, the 2020-21 NBA season presented them with a different challenge. Initially, the Brooklyn Nets were a huge threat to Milwaukee and the rest of the East after pairing Kevin Durant with Kyrie Irving. Then, adding James Harden only made them the clear favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals.
On January 18th, the 9-4 Milwaukee Bucks visited the Barclays Center to go against the 8-6 Brooklyn Nets. Even though Irving was still inactive and away from the team due to personal reasons, the game was interesting due to Harden’s presence. It was The Beard’s second game with the Nets, and he was huge for them.
Brooklyn defeated Milwaukee thanks to a game-winning three-pointer by Kevin Durant with 36 seconds left. Harden scored 32 points and dished out 12 assists in the game. Durant also scored 30 points, while Antetokounmpo scored 34 for Milwaukee with 12 rebounds, and seven assists.
And there we have it, 5 of my best team performances in the regular 20-21 season. What about you guys, what would you say your top 5 team performances were in the regular season?