BBL legend Tuck also talks about Raptors' record comeback and Jayson Tatum's progression to superstar status
Saturday 4 April 2020 16:07, UK
Sky Sports NBA analyst Mike Tuck picks his top three games of the 2019-20 NBA season, with LeBron James' first meeting with Zion Williamson topping his list.
New Orleans Pelicans 109-118 Los Angeles Lakers, February 25, 2020
LeBron James reasserts his status as the NBA's 'alpha dog' with a 40-point performance in his first meeting with 2019 No 1 Draft pick Zion Williamson.
The game where LeBron met Zion for the first time. I loved this game because of the magnitude of it and what it potentially means for the NBA. Looking back at the history of the NBA, we all remember when Kobe Bryant faced Michael Jordan for the first time. This game had that same feeling for me. And it has the potential to be remembered as one of those special games depending on how Zion's career pans out.
Also, any game that starts with wrestling legend Ric Flair pumping up the crowd, I'm into it. WOOOOO!
This game was the new versus the old, the rookie versus the vet. I wouldn't say it was a passing of the torch because LeBron dominated this game.
James had a huge dunk over Josh Hart in the first half off a through-the-legs pass from Alex Caruso. In the second half, he hit some big three-pointers from deep and had a couple of monster dunks as well.
The Pelicans put up a great fight all the way through this game. Watching Lonzo Ball and Zion starting to build chemistry together is a really awesome thing to watch. Ball isn't afraid to throw the full-court pass and he is really maturing as a player.
With Zion, I really like how the Pelicans are using him at the four- and five-spots even though he is under-sized. They have recognised he can be super-successful down low on the block. If he gets position early and they throw him the ball early, he is very tough to stop.
LeBron was really up for this game. Not only was it his first meeting with Zion, but the Pelicans have a lot of ex-Lakers on their roster (from the Anthony Davis trade). He certainly proved the Davis trade went the right way for the Lakers with this performance - as well as reasserting himself as the most dominant player in the league.
It was a case of the 'young dog' walking into the gym and the 'old dog' proving he is still the alpha, the biggest dog in the league.
Dallas Mavericks 107-110 Toronto Raptors, December 22, 2019
After trailing 85-55 late in the third quarter, the defending NBA champions rally to victory, scoring 47 points in the final period. It was the biggest comeback in Raptors history.
This is the favourite of my three picks. As a Raptors fan, what a delight it was to watch this live. The first half was pretty even until Kristaps Porzingis pulled up and hit a crazy three at the end of the second quarter to put Dallas up nine at half-time.
You saw the Raptors players hang their heads a bit after that Porzingis shot and it carried over into the second half. Toronto were abysmal in the third quarter, there were a lot of easy shots missed and Serge Ibaka blew a dunk. They gave up easy turnovers which led to fast-break points for the Mavs. Before you knew it, the Raptors were down by 30 points.
But then the fourth quarter happened. Kyle Lowry woke up and it was beautiful to watch. He is the guy the Raptors put all their trust in. If there was anybody able to pull them out of such a mess, it was him. Someone or something flipped the switch in Lowry's head and he was able to really turn in on with drives down the lane, finishes over defenders. He really amped it up in that fourth quarter, scoring 20 of his 32 points.
He helped seal the game for Toronto too when he drove the lane with about 30 seconds to go and dished off to Chris Boucher who had a monster slam. You saw the entire ScotiaBank Arena get off their feet and go nuts. It was the biggest comeback in Raptors' history and they did it at home as well.
This game said a lot about what the post-Kawhi Raptors are about. You have a whole range of guys, from Boucher to Norman Powell and Fred VanVleet, all of whom have come from nothing to something and had to work for it. They are never going to give up and quit. Lowry is like that too, often underestimated, but he proved in this game overlooking him is a big mistake.
LA Clippers 133-141 Boston Celtics (2OT), February 13, 2020
Jayson Tatum scores 39 points and, along with Marcus Smart, takes over in overtime to lead the Celtics to a memorable win before the All-Star break.
What a game this was! Jayson Tatum put on a really great exhibition of all his skills. He attacked the rim early on and had a couple of huge dunks. He made some great mid-range plays, hit some fadeaways and his footwork in the post seemed to be developing too. He has great composure for such a young player.
During this game, there were quite a few moments where Tatum showed real emotion. He got an And 1 at one point and screamed and flexed his arms at the crowd - that's something I want to see him do more. He has that superstar potential but every superstar in the NBA has a character to go along with it.
That's the one thing with Tatum, he has always been kind of quiet. He is surrounded by some great players too which makes it even tougher to stand out on his team. This game was definitely a big character-building moment for him.
This was such an exciting game, it went back and forth. Kemba Walker thought he got fouled at the end of regulation, Tatum missed a three at the end of the first overtime that would have won the game. Tatum and Marcus Smart really went off in the two overtime periods, they had 16 of the Celtics' 27 points in the two extra sessions.
The Celtics showed what a well-rounded team they are - everybody contributed to the win.
Agree with Tuck's takes? Or do you have a different favourite game of the season? Let us know in comments below.
