NBA Game Notes: East teams win out West and more!

Notes on MIA-PHI, MIL-HOU, ORL-PHX and ATL-SAC

Another night of close finishes around the NBA, including multiple one-possession games. This has been a regular thing so far this season. Also, a couple of lifeless contenders are starting to show some signs of turning things around.

Here’s what I saw on Monday!

Philadelphia 76ers - 89 at Miami Heat - 106

• Jimmy Butler looked good for the Heat. He looked fresh and ready to go, after missing a handful of games with a sprained ankle. Butler still excels with his patience and getting to his spots. There are times when you feel like the shot clock might run out on him, but Butler has it fully under control.

• Dru Smith played the best game of his career. Erik Spoelstra is clearly still sorting out his rotation. Smith was the latest guard to get some run, and he delivered. Given Spoelstra’s ability to get the most out of guys over a period of time, keep an eye on Smith getting regular minutes for the next couple of weeks.

• Kevin Love isn’t the kind of big who would think does well when blitzing the ballhandler in pick-and-roll coverage. Because Love isn’t a rim protector, Miami doesn’t employ him in drop coverage very often. But because Love has quick feet in short areas and he has quick hands, the Heat are effective when asking him to blitz like this:

• Jared McCain has been one of the lone bright spots for the Sixers this season. He’s flashed a variety of skills, including scoring and being able to run the team. Here’s a couple of examples.

  This pullup shows good feel. McCain flows into what looks like a screen from Andre Drummond. When Tyler Herro goes wide while Drummond slips, McCain stays tight, keeps Herro on his hip and knocks down the jumper:

  McCain is also showing an improved ability to run the offense already. This seems simple, but McCain has been a score-first guy so far in the NBA. Keeping his head up in transition like this before finding the cutter for the easy layup is good floor general stuff:

• It wasn’t a virtuoso performance by Joel Embiid. He was clearly struggling with whatever illness had him doubtful coming into the game. However, Embiid looked kind of inspired in his fourth-quarter minutes. He was moving well and attacking the ball. That’s a sign that the former MVP might be rounding into form.

• What happened to Paul George’s jumper? Is this an extended slump or is this a sign of aging that won’t be reversed? Either way, the 76ers aren’t going anywhere with this version of George.

Houston Rockets - 100 at Milwaukee Bucks - 101

• Wins for the Bucks don’t need to be pretty. They just need to happen. This game was a good example of getting a win when you needed one most.

• Doc Rivers has made some rotation adjustments. He’s stuck with Andre Jackson Jr. as a starter for a few games now. Admittedly, it’s a low bar, but Jackson has been the Bucks best perimeter defender.

  In addition, Rivers has gone back to Delon Wright to keep some extra playmaking on the floor, and Wright gives Milwaukee a credible ballhandler defender too.

• Gary Trent Jr. seems to be shaking off his early-season slump. Don’t write him off on regaining his starting spot from Jackson eventually.

• It’s starting to get incredibly frustrating watching Jabari Smith Jr. So many of his games are just empty. You barely notice that he’s out there. Houston doesn’t run anything for him, so Smith has to create his own scoring opportunities with hustle and being in the right place. Too many possessions finish with him standing in the corner or just outside of the paint, waiting for a ball that will never come.

• It’s fine to target Damian Lillard. In fact, it’s a great strategy. But Fred VanVleet probably isn’t the guy you want pushing that as far as he did in this one. That especially true when his shot isn’t dropping.

• The Rockets were in position to win this game because they work their tails off on defense. This team is extremely tough and will battle you to the end. If they can get one more offensive player, Houston could really make noise this season.