BBNBA: Hamidou "Point Gawd" Diallo steals the show for OKC Thunder

Good afternoon, folks. Hamidou Diallo can now play point guard. Let’s talk BBNBA.

RECAP

Adebayo, Herro propel Heat to much-needed win

The Miami Heat beat the Washington Wizards on Friday night, 122-95–the second-largest winning margin for Miami this season and the first time they’ve won a game by double-figures since Jan. 4. It couldn’t have come at a better time, too, as the Heat has been in a freefall over the last two-plus weeks due to injuries and COVID-19 issues that have ravaged the regular rotation. Coming into the game against Washington, Miami had won just one of its previous eight contests and sitting on a 7-14 record.

But key players have slowly started to return and Miami is finally beginning to look like the healthy roster from last season’s NBA Finals run. Mainly, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro have made their way back to the hardwood over the last few games, looking to establish some rhythm after missing 10 and seven consecutive games, respectively. Against the Wiz, Herro popped off for 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks on 6-15 shooting in 29 minutes. Miami ran away with the victory early, leading by 13 after the first quarter before holding Washington to just 16 second period points. At the half, the Heat led 71-43 before winning by 27.

Bam Adebayo only needed five made field goals to post his 21 points, shooting a perfect 11-11 from the charity stripe and 5-10 from the floor overall. The former UK big man played just 27 minutes in the landslide victory, his fewest since Jan. 9. Adebayo also added four rebounds, three assists, and a steal to his stat line.

Miami was able to hold Washington’s star player Bradley Beal to an 0-13 start shooting the ball as he finished with a mere seven points on a 1-14 clip from the field. Entering the night, he was the league’s leader in scoring at nearly 35 points per outing.

Diallo has career night in SGA’s absence

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has sat out the previous two games for the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a left knee sprain. His timeline to return is unclear, but it’s opened up a new opportunity for his former Kentucky teammate, Hamidou Diallo. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, Diallo was the lone available point guard for OKC as SGA, George Hill, and Lu Dort were all sidelined for the Thunder. The former ‘Cat slid away from his regular two-guard position and assumed ball-handling duties. It resulted in a career-night passing the ball.

Diallo recorded his personal-best of 10 assists–eight of them coming in the first half–to go along with 16 points on 6-13 shooting in what was his second double-double of the season. While it ultimately came in a loss to Minny, 106-103, Diallo showed some impressive playmaking abilities and was proficient working out of the pick-and-roll. If OKC’s backcourt doesn’t get healthy soon, at least they know Diallo can step in without bleeding points. He turned the ball over just two times in his 37 minutes, as well.

The lack of backcourt depth also benefited another one-time ‘Cat Darius Miller, who has now played 24 minutes over the last two outings after just 13 throughout the previous 19 games for OKC. Miller canned three of his five shots from 3-point range, finishing with nine points, two rebounds, and two assists in 13 minutes against Minnesota.

Across the court, Karl-Anthony Towns was out for the 11th game in a row for the Wolves after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 15. That was over three weeks ago, and KAT has been listed as “out” on the injury report every day since without any indication that he’ll be returning soon. But, like Diallo did taking over SGA’s minutes, Jarred Vanderbilt has done the same for KAT in Minnesota. Vando came off the bench against the Thunder, recording eight points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one steal on a 3-4 shooting clip in 21 minutes.

Other notes from across the BBNBA

Devin Booker led the BBNBA in scoring on Friday night, pouring in 23 points for the Phoenix Suns in a 109-92 blowout win over the Detroit Pistons. Book shot 8-14 from the field and 3-7 from deep, adding two rebounds, two assists, and two steals to his line, as well. After an embarrassing 22-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Suns’ previous outing, they took a commanding 13-point halftime advantage over Detroit before winning by 17. Phoenix has now won four of its last five outings and holds a 12-9 record, tied for fourth-best in the Western Conference standings.

Interstingly enough, similar to SGA, P.J. Washington has also sat out the last two games due to a sprain, although Washington’s issue is a right foot problem while Gilgeous-Alexander’s is in his left knee. Without a key piece to its frontcourt, the Charlotte Hornets were demolished by the Utah Jazz, 138-121. Utah, who holds the NBA’s best record at 18-5, drilled a franchise-record 26 triples against the Hornets. Malik Monk saw 27 minutes of action, adding six points on 3-8 shooting.

Check out the entire stat sheet below.

STATISTICS

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TODAY IN THE NBA

1:00: Trail Blazers (Kanter) @ Knicks (Knox, Noel, Quickley, Randle)

5:00: Nuggets (Murray-questionable) @ Kings (Fox)

7:00: Bulls @ Magic

8:00: Nets @ 76ers (Maxey)

8:00: Raptors @ Hawks (Rondo)

8:00: Bucks @ Cavaliers

8:00: Spurs (Johnson, Lyles) @ Rockets (Cousins, Wall-questionable)

8:00: Timberwolves (Towns-out, Vanderbilt) @ Thunder (Diallo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Miller)

8:30 (ABC): Warriors (Mulder) @ Mavericks (Cauley-Stein)

9:00: Grizzlies @ Pelicans (Bledsoe, Gabriel)

10:00: Pistons @ Lakers (Davis-probable)