You are currently viewing Nightly Pulse: NBA news & highlights from Jan. 21

Nightly Pulse: NBA news & highlights from Jan. 21

⚔️NBA rivalry week kicks off with a five-game slate⚔️

Making the Magic happen🪄✨

Orlando jumped out to a 32-11 lead on Toronto, but the Raptors clawed back a bit, to bring the score to 37-21 after one.

Paolo Banchero has been a force early, scoring eight points, with three rebounds, and two assists. Anthony Black and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each have nine though on perfect 3-3 shooting to lead the Magic.

Bruce Brown is leading the Raptors with 10 off the bench and was a big part of slowing Orlando’s first-quarter momentum.

Battle of the Boroughs is on🗽🏙️🍎🚕🍕

The Nets currently hold a 26-24 lead over the Knicks in a tightly contested, back-and-forth battle thus far.

Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, and OG Anunoby have each scored five for the Knicks, and Josh Hart is already filling up the stat sheet with three points, five rebounds, four assists, and a steal.

The Nets are being paced by Cameron Johnson, who has seven, while D’Angelo Russell has chipped in five, with two assists, and a block.

Check out some of the first quarter highlights below,

3️⃣🔑Stories

  1. Even with the return of Paolo Banchero, injuries may be catching up to the Magic. After a strong start to their season, they now sit at 23-21, as losers of three straight and playing to a 3-7 record over their last 10. Franz Wagner (oblique) should be returning soon, although it’s unclear when Jalen Suggs (back) and Goga Bitadze (concussion) will be. They have a good opportunity tonight to start moving back in a positive direction when they take on the 10-32 Raptors. 
  2. It’s a battle of the boroughs when the Nets host the Knicks to kick off rivalry week. This game will also feature the return of Mikal Bridges to the Barclays Center for the first time since being traded to New York this past offseason. Since moving Bridges, a series of injuries and a couple of other trades have led to a rough season thus far for the 14-29 Nets. They’ll be looking to play spoiler here, as the Knicks come in at 28-16, fresh off a Martin Luther King Jr. Day win over the Atlanta Hawks.
  3. The 76ers are losers of six straight with injuries remaining a significant issue. While Joel Embiid (knee), Kyle Lowry (hip), and Caleb Martin (hip) will remain out, they could see the return of Paul George (groin), Guerschon Yabusele (knee), and Andre Drummond (toe), who are each listed as questionable. It’ll be vital for the 76ers to get healthy moving forward as they currently sit 2.5 games out of a play-in spot at the midpoint of the season. On the other side, the Nuggets are getting healthy, and have won each of their four games Aaron Gordon has played in since returning from injury. This will be a battle of two teams seemingly headed in opposite directions, but the 76ers will be working to change that with an upset victory to cap off tonight’s TNT doubleheader.

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