NBA NEWS - PREVIEW for WEEK 15

ELGIN BAYLOR - The Greatest NBA Player Ever Passed Away @ 86 1934 - 2021 RIP

For those in the know the former LA/Minneapolis Lakers great Elgin Baylor is the best pound for pound NBA player ever. Better Than Jordan? ELGIN BAYLOR!!!

Los Angeles Lakers players (from left to right) Elgin Baylor, Jerry Chambers and Jerry West in Utah for a pre-season NBA game in 1966 - (Utah Daily Chronicle - photo)

George Mikan (99) then of DePaul University during a basketball game at Madison Square Garden, New York in 1944 prior to signing with the then Minneapolis Lakers. Mikan became the first super star of the NBA - (New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photo)

With a 17-3 record since Feb. 10, Brooklyn has matched the best 20-game stretch in team history - Indiana’s Myles Turner has blocked five or more shots in four of his last six games - De’Aaron Fox has scored at least 30 points in each of the last four games - Aaron Gordon scored 13 points in his Nuggets debut as Denver defeated Atlanta 126-102 - The LA Clippers meet the Los Angeles Lakers in ABC Sunday Showcase on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET - NBA Draft to take place... - THIS DAY IN NBA HISTORY

NEW YORK, NY -- (NBA)

Monday, March 29, 2021

RIVALRY RENEWED:

The LA Clippers meet the Los Angeles Lakers in ABC Sunday Showcase on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET – the teams’ first matchup since opening night. The intracity rivals begin Week 15 separated by one game in the standings. The Clippers, who have won five straight games, also face Milwaukee tonight (NBA TV) and Denver on Thursday (TNT). The Lakers’ week includes a matchup against the Bucks on Wednesday (ESPN).

DYNAMITE DENVER:

Denver is 11-3 in its last 14 games and now shares fifth place in the Western Conference with Portland, 1½ games behind the fourth-place Lakers. On March 28, Aaron Gordon scored 13 points in his Nuggets debut as Denver defeated Atlanta 126-102. In Week 15, the Nuggets face Philadelphia on Tuesday (NBA TV), the Clippers on Thursday (TNT) and Orlando on Sunday (NBA TV).

NET RESULTS:

With a 17-3 record since Feb. 10, Brooklyn has matched the best 20-game stretch in team history. The Nets have played all but one of those games without 11-time All-Star Kevin Durant, who is averaging 29.0 points per game. Brooklyn’s current winning percentage (.674) would be the franchise’s highest over a full NBA season. The Nets’ Week 15 schedule features a home game against Charlotte on Thursday (TNT).

GOOD TO BE KINGS:

Sacramento has won four consecutive games and six of seven to move within one game of 10th place in the Western Conference. De’Aaron Fox has fueled the surge, scoring at least 30 points in each of the last four games. Fox is averaging 30.5 points in 12 games this month. The Kings visit San Antonio tonight and on Wednesday (both NBA League Pass).

AROUND THE NBA:

New York has won three games in a row to climb into fourth place in the Eastern Conference. … Utah’s Donovan Mitchell is averaging 33.3 points in his last six games. … Indiana’s Myles Turner has blocked five or more shots in four of his last six games. He is averaging an NBA-high 3.51 blocks per game for the season. … New Orleans’ Zion Williamson has had 38- and 39-point performances in his last two games.

NBA Draft 2021

The NBA announced today that NBA Draft 2021 will take place on Thursday, July 29, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The first round will be televised by ESPN and ABC, and the second round will air on ESPN.

• NBA Draft Combine: Subject to evolving public health conditions, NBA Draft Combine 2021 is scheduled to take place Monday, June 21 through Sunday, June 27. ESPN networks plan to televise the NBA Draft Combine, with coverage featuring five-on-five games and strength and agility testing.

• NBA Draft Lottery: NBA Draft Lottery 2021 will take place on Tuesday, June 22, airing on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET.

• NBA Early Entry Application and Withdrawal Deadlines: The deadline for an early entry player to apply for this year’s NBA Draft is Sunday, May 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The deadline for an early entry player to withdraw from the NBA Draft is Monday, July 19 at 5 p.m. ET. Additional information regarding the Draft, Combine and Lottery, including the location for each event, will be announced as details are finalized.

THIS DAY IN THE NBA

March 29, 1952 Minneapolis center George Mikan scored a then NBA Playoff record 47 points against the Rochester Royals in Game 1 of the Western Division Finals, but the Lakers were defeated, 88-78.

March 29, 1960 Boston Celtics standout Bill Russell hauled down an NBA Finals record 40 rebounds as the Celtics lost to St. Louis 113-103. On April 18, 1962, Russell matched his 40-rebound effort in a Game 7 overtime win against the Los Angeles Lakers that gave Boston the 1962 NBA championship.

March 29, 1962 Elgin Baylor (45) and Jerry West (41) of the Lakers became the first teammates to both score 40 or more points in a Playoff game as the Lakers lost to Detroit 118-117 in a Western Division Finals game.

March 29, 1990 Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon became just the third NBA player (along with Nate Thurmond and Alvin Robertson) to record a quadruple-double, with 18 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and 11 blocks in the Rockets’ 120-94 win over Milwaukee. Four years later, David Robinson became the fourth NBA player to record a quadruple-double.

March 29, 1996 Utah beat Vancouver 105-91, increasing the Grizzlies’ record losing streak to 20. Vancouver would extend its losing streak to an NBA record 23 games. The 23-game losing streak would be tied by the Denver Nuggets during the 1997-98 season.

March 29, 1998 Indiana scored an NBA record-low 55 points (since the introduction of the 24-second shot clock) in a 74-55 loss to San Antonio. On April 10, 1999, the Chicago Bulls scored 49 points against Miami to set a new record low.