NBA 2020-21: Top 5 moments from the season so far
The first month of the new NBA season is coming to an end and we have witnessed some great performances so far. The New York Knicks are surprising everyone with their victories while their crosstown rivals, Brooklyn Nets, have formed a new 'Big 3' in the NBA with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors' days of dominance seem to be behind them as they continue to suffer from injuries, and the reigning champions, LA Lakers, led by LeBron James, are on the top of the table as expected.
Top 5 moments in the first month of NBA action
The NBA is filled with excitement and glamor, there are thunderous dunks, deep threes, and nasty blocks. We have witnessed some career-high performances, blowout victories, and some amazing comebacks in the first few weeks. So without further ado, let's look at the top 5 moments in the NBA thus far.
#5 Dallas Mavericks leading the LA Clippers 77-27 at halftime
A rematch of last season's first round of the playoffs, the Kawhi-less LA Clippers hosted the Dallas Mavericks on 27th December 2020 and faced a defeat of magnificent proportions. The Mavericks led the Clippers by 50 points at the half as their players were shooting lights out and the Clippers had no answer to their runs.
It was the largest halftime deficit in NBA history as Paul George went 4-13 from the field including 0-6 from the three-point line. The LA Clippers as a whole shot just 4-33 from the three, a mere 12.2% with 8 players shooting 0% in that game. The game ended 124-73 and what makes this defeat worse is that it was at the LA Clippers' home.
#2 James Harden's triple-double in Brooklyn Nets debut
After being at the center of NBA trade rumors for months and publicly acknowledging that he is unhappy in the Houston Rockets, James Harden finally got traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Harden's Nets debut was much anticipated as it would ensure we would see him and Kevin Durant play together for the first time since their days in Oklahoma City Thunder.
James Harden soon became the first player to drop a 30-point triple-double in a new team debut. He also had 4 steals and a block in that game. Kevin Durant had 42 points that game but his performance was overshadowed by Harden's debut triple-double.