Daily NBA Posts and Stat Leaders

[zoman114]

The NBA: Swarm of Sorrow



"Words can't even describe it, to be honest. That's really what's been happening to us all season. We just haven't been able to close out games for whatever reason. Tonight we were able to put it all together and pull out a W." - Hornets guard Jarrett Jack

I don’t think the Hornets will be pulling out many more Ws as the season enters its last third.

After the 2010-2011 season saw New Orleans getting to the playoffs and giving the Los Angeles Lakers all they could handle in the first round, the Hornets have tumbled and fallen into obscurity this season. The biggest impact they’ve made on the whole league was actually something before the season even started – trading Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Needless to say, New Orleans is in a bind now. At 11-34, they have the worst record in the West and third-worst in the whole 30-team field. They’ve won just 3 of their last 12 games and are set to have 13 more games against teams with winning records before the season ends in late April. I doubt they’ll get to the 20-win vicinity and perhaps not even in the 15-win area.

So what went wrong here?

A quick look at the roster can provide a simple answer: they got rid of their two best guys in Chris Paul and David West.

And, yes, they did get some quality talent in replacement, but Eric Gordon has played just 2 games and Chris Kaman, though certainly serviceable, is no consistent game-changer. New Orleans will probably want to build even more talent around the athletic Gordon when he gets healthy, and they have some interesting pieces right now who might be able to blossom (Gustavo Ayon, Marco Belinelli, and Greivis Vasquez have all had breakout games this season). In other words, New Orleans will be rebuilding, and they’re certainly bound for more disappointment for maybe two more seasons. As for Kaman, however, it’s pretty clear his best is behind him and it might serve the Hornets better to find a willing trading partner for him in the long offseason they’re bound to have.

All in all, it’s clear both CP3 and David West benefitted from leaving New Orleans. Paul is lounging around in California throwing lobs to BG and DeAndre, while West is out in the East toughening up the Pacers for what could be a memorable playoff stint.

And the Hornets they left behind?

Nothing but a swarm of sorrows.


March 18, 2012 stat-stuffers:

ATL over CLE, 103-87
Joe Johnson netted a game-high 28 points as the undermanned Atlanta Hawks rolled over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hawks were without forwards Marvin Williams (hip), Vladimir Radmanovic (back) and Al Horford (torn pectoral muscle), but still earned their second straight victory. Alonzo Gee had 20 points and Kyrie Irving recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists as Cleveland dropped its third straight contest.

LAC over DET, 87-83 (OT)
Chris Paul scored nine of his 19 points in overtime, including the go-ahead jumper, and the Los Angeles Clippers finished a six-game homestand with a win over the Detroit Pistons. Blake Griffin had a game-tying tip-in with 19.2 seconds left in regulation and finished with 17 points for the Clippers. Greg Monroe had six of Dteroit’s nine points in OT and finished with 23 and 15 rebounds.

MEM over WAS, 97-92
Rudy Gay pulled down 9 rebounds and scored a season-high 27 points to lead Memphis over the Washington Wizards. Mike Conley tallied 17 points and handed out 6 assists to salvage a 1-2 record on the Grizzlies' three-game homestand. John Wall filled the stat sheet with 25 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds, and Jordan Crawford added 22 points as Washington dropped to 1-4 on its current six-game road trip.

SAC over MIN, 115-99
Marcus Thornton scored 24 points, Isaiah Thomas had 18 and the Sacramento Kings went over .500 on a franchise-record homestand victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Kings improved to 4-3 on the nine-game residency with their second win in a row. Kevin Love had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Minnesota but had to be separated from JJ Barea after exchanging words with his teammate during a timeout late in the game. The Timberwolves have lost five of six to fall two games below .500 for the season.

MIA over ORL, 91-81
Dwyane Wade poured in 14 points in the fourth quarter en route to a game-high 31 to lift Miami over the Orlando Magic. Chris Bosh added 23 to go with 7 rebounds, and LeBron James filled the stat sheet with 14 points, 12 boards, 7 assists and 5 steals as the Heat notched their 13th straight home victory. Dwight Howard scored 18 and grabbed 11 rebounds while Quentin Richardson added five three-pointers off the bench for the Magic, who have dropped two of their last three contests.

PHX over HOU, 99-86
Michael Redd scored a season-high 25 points and the Suns downed the Rockets. Channing Frye had 19 points and Marcin Gortat added 15 and 10 rebounds for Phoenix. The Suns have won four straight and 11 of 14 overall. Luis Scola scored 18 points to pace the Rockets, who were coming off Saturday's loss to the Clippers.

UTA over LAL, 103-99
Paul Millsap's 24 points led six Utah players in double figures as the Jazz took down the Lakers. Enes Kanter and Alec Burks finished with 17 points apiece -- a new career-high for Burks -- while Derrick Favors, Josh Howard and Devin Harris all tallied 12 points for the Jazz, who won their third straight contest. Andrew Bynum poured in a game-high 33 points to go with 11 rebounds and Pau Gasol had 18 and 10, respectively for Los Angeles, which saw a five-game winning streak snapped.

OKC over POR, 111-95
Russell Westbrook scored 28, Kevin Durant had 26 and the Thunder cruised past the Trail Blazers. James Harden added 14 points for Oklahoma City, which was coming off Friday's loss to the Spurs. The Thunder halted a two-game home skid with this victory. Jamal Crawford paced Portland with 23 points.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 33
Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 31
Russell Westbrook (OKC) & Joe Johnson (ATL) – 28

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
Greg Monroe (DET) – 15
Zaza Pachulia (ATL), LeBron James (MIA), & Kevin Seraphin (WAS) – 12

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
Chris Paul (LAC) – 15
Steve Nash (PHX) – 11
Kyrie Irving (CLE) – 10

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
Paul Millsap (UTA), Chris Singleton (WAS), & LeBron James (MIA) – 5

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
Serge Ibaka (OKC) & Joel Anthony (MIA) – 4
Chris Singleton (WAS), Wesley Johnson (MIN), & John Wall (WAS) – 3

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
Quentin Richardson (ORL) – 5
Isaiah Thomas (SAC) & Kevin Durant (OKC) – 4

March 18, 2012 First Five
C – Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 33pts, 11rebs, 2blks, 1ast, 1stl
F – Paul Millsap (UTA) – 24pts, 9rebs, 5asts, 5stls, 2blks
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 26pts, 7ebs, 6asts, 4 treys, 3stls, 1blk
G – Joe Johnson (ATL) – 28pts, 5asts, 4rebs, 3 treys, 1stl
G – Chris Paul (LAC) – 19pts, 15asts, 9rebs, 4stls

Honorable Mention:
Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 31pts, 6rebs, 4asts, 1stl, 1blk
John Wall (WAS) – 25pts, 6rebs, 6asts, 3stls, 3blks
Rudy Gay (MEM) – 27pts, 9rebs, 2asts, 2stls, 1blk

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT_q9b8EnWw

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Broken in Brooklyn



"It's hard to play like that. It's hard to play. I don't want to say you can't get up for games because, of course, you want to win every time you step on the floor. But when you're trying to make the playoffs…"
—Deron Williams, on the reality that the Nets probably won’t make the playoffs

You almost get the feeling Deron Williams has had enough, that he’s given up.

Which is all but saying bye bye Brooklyn.

Of course, NOT getting Dwight Howard didn’t help things.

And now that the Nets are losing games left and right (three-game slump, and they’ve lost 6 of their last 10), it seems there are less and less reasons for D-Will to stay.

Even if he thinks the new stadium waiting in Brooklyn is going to be the best in the league.

Despite how brand-spanking-awesome the new Barclays arena is bound to be, however, there’s still no hiding how frustrated Deron has been with the team he’s leading.

Sure, Kris Humphries is having a career season, MarShon Brooks is a promising young bronco, and Gerald Wallace is as good a two-way player as you’ll get, but how can Deron really appreciate all these silver linings when New Jersey is currently 7.5 games behind 8th place in the East and when they are just a .319 team?

They may have enough cap room to get the NBA player equivalent of a mid-major when June swings around, or, better yet, maybe trade a piece or two for another budding star, but things just don’t look very rosy for D-Will and his Nets.

Dwight Howard was supposed to join him here. He was supposed to build the next great “super team” in the league that would challenge the dominance of the Miami Heat and rival the star power of the New York Knicks. New Jersey’s media people were supposed to be preparing super-sized banners of Dwight and D-Will and dreaming of deep playoff runs.

Instead all they have is a team a little better than the one with which they started the season, coming together a little too late. And the only bona fide star in the team is trying his best to hide his misgivings by drumming up their new arena.

All the Big Apple-sized ambitions of the Nets have been shattered and scattered.

They’re bound for Brooklyn next season, maybe a better team, but certainly not brilliant team.

Just broken –broken in Brooklyn.

March 19 & 20, 2012 stat-stuffers:

March 19, 2012 Scores:
PHI over CHA, 105-80
Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young tallied 20 points apiece to lead the Philadelphia 76ers over the Charlotte Bobcats. Lou Williams added 19 points and 5 assists, Elton Brand scored 16 and Spencer Hawes recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds to snap a three-game losing streak for the Sixers. With the win, the Sixers swept the Bobcats for the first time since Charlotte's inaugural campaign in 2004-05.

BOS over ATL, 79-76
Ray Allen scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half and sparked a fourth-quarter run that helped the Celtics hold off the Hawks. The win, aided by Kevin Garnett's 16 points and Rajon Rondo's 10- point, 13-assist effort, pushed Boston to 3-3 on its eight-game road trip. Atlanta, looking to extend a two-game winning streak, was led by Joe Johnson's game-high 25 points.

CLE over NJN, 105-100
Tristan Thompson scored 27 points, fellow rookie Kyrie Irving had 26 and the Cavaliers downed the Nets. Thompson added 12 rebounds, Irving handed out 7 assists and Antawn Jamison had 13 points and 13 boards for the Cavaliers, who halted a three-game losing streak. Gerald Wallace, recently acquired from Portland, finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds for New Jersey. Deron Williams had a team-high 28 points while Kris Humphries chipped in 13 and 11 rebounds. The Nets have dropped three straight and five of six overall.

CHI over ORL, 85-59
John Lucas scored 20 points in place of injured guard Derrick Rose to lead the Chicago Bulls to a convincing victory over the Orlando Magic. Chicago, playing without Rose for the fourth consecutive game, got a big night from Carlos Boozer, who recorded a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds to help the Bulls secure their NBA-best 19th road win of the season. Dwight Howard led the way with 18 points and 12 boards for Orlando, which saw a four-game home winning streak come to an end.

DAL over DEN, 112-95
Dirk Nowitzki scored 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting and the Mavericks snapped a seven-game road losing streak with a thorough spanking of the Nuggets Center. Nowitzki also added 11 rebounds and 6 assists in the win, Dallas's fourth straight on the heels of a three-game slide. Arron Afflalo netted 24 points to lead Denver, which welcomed back Wilson Chandler on a losing note.

MIN over GSW, 97-93
Kevin Love had 36 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Timberwolves over the Warriors. Luke Ridnour added 11 points and Anthony Tolliver had 10 for Minnesota, which halted a three-game slide. Golden State retired Hall of Famer Chris Mullin's No. 17 jersey at halftime and fittingly overcame a 17-point deficit during the contest before eventually dropping its fourth straight game. David Lee had 25 points and 9 rebounds while recently-acquired Richard Jefferson scored 19 for the Warriors, who played their fifth straight game without shooting guard Stephen Curry.

March 20, 2012 Scores:
IND over LAC, 102-89
Danny Granger netted 25 points and pulled down 8 rebounds to help the Pacers down the Clippers. Tyler Hansbrough poured in 17 points off the bench for Indiana, which snapped a two-game skid. Blake Griffin paced Los Angeles with 23 points and 10 boards. The Clippers have lost three straight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

NYK over TOR, 106-87
Amar'e Stoudemire poured in 22 points and ripped down 12 rebounds as the New York Knicks remained perfect under interim head coach Mike Woodson with a victory over the Toronto Raptors. Jeremy Lin added a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists to give the Knicks their fourth consecutive win. DeMar DeRozan scored 17 points to lead the Raptors, who dropped to 2-3 to wrap up its five-game road trip.

MIA over PHX, 99-95
Chris Bosh had 29 points and 8 rebounds as the Heat downed the Suns for their 14th straight home win. LeBron James added 20 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists for the Heat. Miami's last loss at AmericanAirlines Arena came on Jan. 22. Grant Hill scored 19 points as the Suns saw their four-game win streak come to and end, but are still 9-3 since the All-Star break.

HOU over LAL, 107-104
Goran Dragic's 16 points included the tie- breaking three-pointer as Houston used a furious fourth quarter run to take down the Lakers. Dragic also handed out 13 assists and grabbed 7 rebounds while Luis Scola and Courtney Lee netted 23 points apiece for Houston, which snapped a two-game skid. Kobe Bryant had a game-high 29 points but made just 10-of-27 shots from the field for Los Angeles, which dropped its second straight on the heels of a five-game winning streak.

UTA over OKC, 97-90
Paul Millsap scored 20 points to lead six Utah players in double figures as the Jazz held off the Oklahoma City Thunder. Al Jefferson tallied 16 points, Devin Harris added 15, and Gordon Hayward and Jamal Tinsley netted 11 points apiece for the Jazz, who completed their fourth straight victory. Russell Westbrook scored a game-high 23 points and Kevin Durant added 18 for the Thunder, who have now dropped two of their last three.

MIL over POR, 116-87
The Bucks finished with six players in double figures, including Drew Gooden, who poured in 19 points to lead Milwaukee to a blowout of the Portland Trail Blazers. Carlos Delfino tallied 16 points as Milwaukee notched its sixth consecutive victory. LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews scored 21 points apiece and pulled down 12 and 9 rebounds, respectively for Portland, which has now dropped four of its last five.

SAC over MEM, 119-110
Marcus Thornton erupted for 31 points and also had 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals as the Kings defeated the Grizzlies. DeMarcus Cousins poured in 23 points and Isaiah Thomas netted 18 with 7 assists for Sacramento, which won its third straight and snapped a four-game skid against Memphis. Rudy Gay paced the visitors with 23 points and all five starters scored in double figures, but it was not enough for the Grizzlies, who have lost three of four.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
March 19: Kevin Love (MIN) – 36
March 20: Marcus Thornton (SAC) – 31

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
March 19: Kevin Love (MIN) – 17
March 20: Jason Thompson (SAC) – 13

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
March 19: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 13
March 20: Goran Dragic (HOU) – 13

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
March 19: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 6
March 20: Mario Chalmers (MIA) – 5

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
March 19: Greg Stiemsma (BOS) – 4
March 20: Serge Ibaka (OKC) & Ekpe Udoh (MIL) – 4

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
March 19: A LOT with 4!!!
March 20: Wesley Matthews (POR) – 5

March 19, 2012 First Five
C – Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 33pts, 11rebs, 6asts, 3 treys, 1blk
F – Carlos Boozer (CHI) – 24pts, 13rebs, 4stls, 2asts
F – Kevin Love (MIN) – 36pts, 17rebs, 3 treys, 2asts
G – Gerald Wallace (NJN) – 27pts, 12rebs, 1ast, 1blk
G – Kyrie Irving (CLE) – 26pts, 7asts, 5revs, 3 treys, 1stl

Honorable Mention:
Tristan Thompson (CLE) – 27pts, 12rebs, 1ast, 1blk
Thaddeus Young (PHI) – 20pts, 6rebs, 2asts, 2blks, 1stl
David Lee (GSW) – 25pts, 9rebs, 3asts, 1stl

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e7oZb2-Czo

March 20, 2012 First Five
C – Chris Bosh (MIA) – 29pts, 8rebs, 2stls, 1ast, 1blk
F – DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 23pts, 5rebs, 4stls, 3asts, 2blks,
F – Amar’e Stoudemire (NYK) – 22pts, 12rebs, 2asts, 1stl, 1blk
G – Marcus Thornton (SAC) – 31pts, 7rebs, 6asts, 3 treys, 3stls
G – Goran Dragic (HOU) – 16pts, 13asts, 7rebs, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
Jeremy Lin (NYK) – 18pts, 10asts, 3rebs, 1stl, 1blk
LeBron James (MIA) – 20pts, 8rebs, 6asts, 2stls, 2blks
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) – 21pts, 12rebs, 2asts

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dts6_xRf99Q

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Brand New Knicks?



"When you start looking at it, the cream of the crop is Miami and Chicago, and I guarantee you Miami and Chicago sure don’t want to see the New York Knicks at 7 or 8 (seeds). . . . There are teams out there saying, I don't want to play them." – Philly coach Doug Collins on how dangerous the Knicks have become.

Collins sure thinks that, wherever the Knicks finish, they're going to give someone a lot of trouble in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

IF the Knicks get there, which, judging by their unblemished post-D’Antoni record, might be just a matter of time.

Collins also expressed his adoration for NYK after the Knicks beat his own Sixers. With the win, the resurgent Knickerbockers moved to just 3 games shy of Philly in the Atlantic, and there are about 19 games left in their schedule. The victory also assured New York of an advantage in the event of a tiebreaker.

A lot of people think the sudden revival of the Big Apple’s finest is due to the ejection of Mike D’Antoni. A lot of other people also think it’s because of interim coach Mike Woodson. Some people are still all hyped up on the J-Lin bandwagon.

I think it’s all thanks to Amar’e Stoudemire.

Amar’e was great early in the season, but he got into a slump and wasn’t his dominant self, especially in the recent losing spell of the Knicks a about a week ago.

Maybe it’s the surgically-repaired knees? Maybe it was the long break he had in sick bay? Maybe it was D’Antoni after all?

Amar’e, however, has gotten back on the horse big time.

Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young both felt Stoudemire’s big time rage when he slammed one off a rebound in their last game.

That was the guy, that was the play, the Knicks needed to roll back into contention and relevance.

Amar’e was the guy who put New York back in the map last season. Melo came and made things bigger. Chandler and Lin expanded that even more.

But, again, it all started with Amar’e.

And, I’m calling right now, IF the Knicks do make the postseason dance, it’ll be because of Amar’e. IF they achieve any form of playoff success, it’ll be because of Amar’e.

If, indeed, these Knicks are brand new, it’s not because D’Antoni left or because Woodson is so awesome.

It’s because Amar’e is brand new, too.

March 21, 2012 stat-stuffers:

ORL over PHX, 103-93
Dwight Howard had 28 points and 16 rebounds as the Orlando Magic snapped a two-game losing streak with a win over the Phoenix Suns. Ryan Anderson scored a game-high 29 points for the Magic and Glen Davis added 16 off the bench. Jared Dudley scored 17 points and Robin Lopez added 14 for the Suns, who lost their second straight and fell two games back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

NYK over PHI, 82-79
Amare Stoudemire scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed 9 rebounds as the Knicks held off the 76ers. Jeremy Lin scored 18 points -- although he made just 4-of-17 attempts from the field -- and Carmelo Anthony contributed 10 for the Knicks, who remained undefeated under interim head coach Mike Woodson at 5-0. Jrue Holiday had 16 points in the defeat, which is the Sixers' fourth in their last five games.

CHI over TOR, 94-82
Luol Deng had 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter to down the Toronto Raptors. Chicago, which was playing its fifth straight game without reigning MVP Derrick Rose due to a strained groin, was also aided by C.J. Watson's 15 points. DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 23 points, while James Johnson netted 16 with seven rebounds for the Raptors, who dropped their third consecutive contest.

WAS over NJN, 108-89
Nene made his Wizards debut on Wednesday night. He scored 22 points, grabbed 10 rebounds as Washington routed the Nets. Jordan Crawford had a game-high 23 points while Roger Mason Jr. added 16 for the Wizards, who halted a two-game slide. Kris Humphries finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Nets, losers of four straight.

ATL over CLE, 103-102 (OT)
Joe Johnson's 22 points included the game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer in regulation and the game-winning basket late in overtime as Atlanta took down Cleveland,. Josh Smith poured in 32 points and pulled down 17 rebounds for the Hawks, who have won three of four. Kyrie Irving finished with 29 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists, but it was not enough for the Cavaliers, who dropped their fourth in five games.

GSW over NOH, 101-92
Klay Thompson erupted for a career-high 27 points to help Golden State get past New Orleans. David Lee netted 25 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and Brandon Rush scored 16 points of the bench for the Warriors, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Jarrett Jack's 17-point, 11-assist, 10-rebound triple-double -- the first of his career -- was not enough for the Hornets, who have lost four of five.

OKC over LAC< 114-91
Kevin Durant collected 32 points and nine rebounds Wednesday night as the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled over the Los Angeles Clippers. Russell Westbrook added 19 points, Serge Ibaka scored 15 and Derek Fisher had 5 points in his Thunder debut. Randy Foye led Los Angeles with 23 points and Chris Paul added 13 points and 10 assists. Blake Griffin scored just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting for the Clippers, who have dropped the first two of their back-to-back-to-back road games.

SAS over MIN, 116-100
Tim Duncan scored a game-high 21 points and pulled down 15 rebounds as San Antonio dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Jackson and Gary Neal added 16 points apiece, while Danny Green netted 14 and Tiago Splitter contributed 11 in the Spurs' 15th straight home win against Minnesota. JJ Barea had 18 points and 11 assists in the Timberwolves' sixth loss in eight games.

DEN over DET, 116-115
JaVale McGee's put-back slam in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter helped the Denver Nuggets escape Pepsi Center win over the Detroit Pistons. McGee, who was acquired from the Wizards as part of a three-team trade on Thursday, finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Denver closed out a season- high, nine-game homestand with a 5-4 record. Ben Gordon connected on 9-of-9 three-pointers en route to a season-high 45 points in a losing effort for Detroit, which lost its third straight and for the fourth time in five games.

LAL over DAL, 109-93
Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, Pau Gasol had 27 as the Lakers cruised past the Mavericks. Recently acquired point guard Ramon Sessions added 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting while Matt Barnes finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Los Angeles made 58.4 percent of its shots to halt a two-game slide. Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points to pace Dallas and Jason Terry added 23. The Mavericks saw their four-game win streak come to an end.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
Ben Gordon (DET) – 45
Kevin Durant (OKC) & Josh Smith (ATL) – 32

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
Josh Smith (ATL) – 17
Dwight Howard (ORL) & Kris Humphries (NJN) – 16

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
JJ Barea (MIN) & Jarrett Jack (NOH) – 11
Nate Robinson (GSW) & Chris Paul (LAC) – 10

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
Chris Paul (LAC) – 5
Jason Kidd (DAL), Gary Neal (SAS), & Jeff Teague (ATL) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
Elton Brand (PHI) – 5
Chris Kaman (NOH), Al-Farouq Aminu (NOH), Dominic McGuire (GSW) – 4

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
Ben Gordon (DET) – 9
Ryan Anderson (ORL) – 7
Randy Foye (LAC) – 5

March 21, 2012 First Five
C – Dwight Howard (ORL) – 28pts, 16rebs, 3blks
F – Josh Smith (ATL) – 32pts, 17rebs, 5asts, 3blks
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 32pts, 9rebs, 5asts, 2stls, 1blk
G – Ben Gordon (DET) – 45pts, 9 treys, 8asts, 2stls
G – Kyrie Irving (CLE) – 29pts, 9rebs, 9asts, 3 treys, 3stls

Honorable Mention:
Jarrett Jack (NOH) – 17pts, 11asts, 10rebs
Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 30pts, 5rebs, 4asts, 1stl
Pau Gasol (LAL) – 27pts, 9rebs, 1ast

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRgkgqvO6-8

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Kings of Convenience



The Sacramento Kings will not make the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

They will have to make some major decisions pretty soon, though.

First, they’ll have to decide if they’ll keep Tyreke Evans or not. Do they offer him a contract extension, or do they try shopping him around for better pieces? Evans has shown a bit more versatility this year by playing thru positions 1-3 for the Kings. He has, however, taken a bit of a backseat to DeMarcus Cousins, Marcus Thornton, and, just recently, Isaiah Thomas in terms of the offense.

I suggest they keep Tyreke, unless they can trade him for an absolute All-Star. Maybe Evans and Thornton for, let’s say, Steph Curry or even Deron Williams?

They also have to decide if they’ll make an offer to starting big man Jason Thompson, who has been on some kind of a tear lately. This one I’m not so sure about. Perhaps give him an offer then trade him away? Thompson has been great, but his upside is… just okay. At best, he can be SoCal’s version of Udonis Haslem in his prime. Actually, that’s not too bad at all!

The biggest thing the Kings have to solve, though, is how they can move up in the West. They’ve been pretty solid of late, and they have a really deep starting unit on paper, but it probably will never translate into a playoff berth without any big changes.

They’ve got Cousins and Thompson up front, with Donte Greene proving to be a serviceable back-up… sometimes. Evans, Thornton, and Thomas make for a good wing trio, which means, as long as John Salmons and Jimmer Fredette play off the pine, things aren’t exactly doom and gloom for Sac-town.

So what’s the problem?

Simple.

The Kings are #10 in offense in the whole league. They can score.

The Kings are also #30 in defense in the WHOLE league. They let other teams score a little too much!

The Kings seem comfortable in the knowledge they can score with the best of the NBA, but that doesn’t – shouldn’t – excuse them from playing D.

Maybe the Kings ARE too comfortable. Maybe things need to be shaken up.

Otherwise, all that’s left for Sacramento, while they’re still in Sacramento, are these Kings of Convenience.

March 24-25, 2012 stat-stuffers:

Game Recaps for March 24, 2012:
LAC over MEM, 101-85
Blake Griffin netted a game-high 20 points to go with 10 rebounds and 5 assists as the Clippers rolled past the Grizzlies. Chris Paul scored 19 points while handing out 13 assists for Los Angeles, which opened a five-game homestand by snapping a three-game skid. Zach Randolph led the way with 14 points and OJ Mayo posted 13 for Memphis, which has lost all three contests on its current four-game trek and has dropped five of six overall.

ATL over WAS, 95-92
Joe Johnson's 16 points included the go- ahead three-pointer in the final minute as Atlanta came back from a 16-point second-half deficit to edge the Wizards. Josh Smith netted 20 points and came one rebound shy of his fourth consecutive double-double for the Hawks, who have won five of their last six. Nene poured in a game-high 21 points while grabbing 11 rebounds for the Wizards, who dropped the first game of a back-to- back-to-back stretch and the seventh of their last nine.

NJN over CHA, 102-89
Kris Humphries had 20 points and 16 rebounds as the New Jersey Nets pulled away in the second half to down the Charlotte Bobcats. Deron Williams added 19 points and 14 assists for the Nets, who snapped a five-game losing streak. Byron Mullens paced the Bobcats with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Corey Maggette netted 13 points. Charlotte dropped its third straight contest and suffered its fifth loss in six games.

NYK over DET, 101-79
Amare Stoudemire led a balanced Knicks attack with 17 points as the Knicks overwhelmed the Pistons. New York shook off a loss to Toronto on Friday, its first defeat first under interim coach Mike Woodson, to improve to 6-1 during his tenure. Ben Gordon drained 4-of-8 three-point attempts en route to a game-high 20 points for the Pistons, as they suffered their fifth consecutive loss.

CHI over TOR, 102-101 (OT)
Luol Deng barely got the ball out of his hands before the final buzzer, but was able to score off Earl Watson's deflected shot, giving the Bulls an overtime win over the Toronto Raptors. James Johnson, who had 20 points and 8 rebounds for the Raptors, made 1-of-2 free throws with 15.2 seconds left, this after a call was changed. Johnson then blocked a layup try from Deng, but the door was left ajar for Chicago when Gary Forbes missed a pair from the charity stripe with 6.4 seconds left. Following a timeout, the Bulls got the ball to Watson, who drove into the lane, but his shot was met by Johnson's fourth block of the night. Deng was under the bucket and the ball was inches off his fingertips and on its way to the basket when the red light illuminated. Video replay confirmed the call, which meant a fourth straight victory for the Eastern Conference leaders. Carlos Boozer had 24 points and Deng had 23 with each grabbing 10 boards in Chicago's 40th win of the season. Jose Calderon scored 20 and had 10 assists for the Raptors.

DAL over HOU, 101-99 (OT)
Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points and Brandan Wright blocked 7 shots as the Dallas Mavericks edged the Houston Rockets in an overtime thriller. The Rockets had a chance to win it at the final buzzer, but Chase Budinger's three-pointer from the right corner clanked off the front of the rim. Jason Terry had 24 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 17 seconds left in the extra session for the Mavericks, who have won five of their past seven games.

SAS over NOH, 89-86
Danny Green made the go-ahead jumper with 41.8 seconds left as the Spurs got past the Hornets. DeJuan Blair scored 23 points to pace San Antonio while Stephen Jackson added 14. The Spurs have won three straight and six of their last seven. Jarrett Jack had 27 points for New Orleans, which was coming off a 97-90 win over former teammate Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

IND over MIL, 125-104
George Hill scored a game-high 24 points to go along with 5 assists as the Indiana Pacers downed the Milwaukee Bucks , in the final tilt of a back-to-back-to-back stretch for each team. Roy Hibbert added 16 points and 9 rebounds for the Pacers, who earned their third win in four games. Ersan Ilyasova paced the Bucks with 22 points and 8 boards. Carlos Delfino had 13 points, Brandon Jennings finished with 12 and Monta Ellis contributed 11 in Milwaukee's second loss in three games.

GSW over SAC, 111-108
Klay Thompson scored a career-high 31, David Lee added 22 points and 14 rebounds and the Warriors hung on for a win over the Kings. Lee scored the eventual game-winner with 1:23 left and Richard Jefferson's dunk sealed the final result after Sacramento guard Isaiah Thomas dribbled the ball out of bounds with 4.7 seconds remaining. Brandon Rush added 10 points for the Warriors, who had lost five of six entering Saturday. DeMarcus Cousins had 28 points and 18 rebounds to pace Sacramento, which has dropped two straight.

Game Recaps for March 25, 2012:
PHX over CLE, 108-83
Marcin Gortat scored the first 10 points of the game en route to a 22-point effort to lead the Phoenix Suns over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rookie Markieff Morris poured in a career-high 22 points as the Suns wrapped up their four-game road trip with two straight victories. Kyrie Irving led the way for Cleveland with 16 points and 6 rebounds. The Cavs continued to skid, as the loss marks their third straight and their sixth in their last seven overall.

MIN over DEN, 117-100
Kevin Love posted a double-double of 30 points and 21 rebounds, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a rare win over the Denver Nuggets. Love, who made 11-of-19 field goals, was coming off a franchise-best 51-point performance in Friday's double-overtime loss at Oklahoma City. Luke Ridnour scored 25 points for Minnesota, which returned home after a 2-5 road trip. Kenneth Faried led the Nuggets with 17 points. Denver, which had won eight straight at Minnesota, suffered its third loss in four games.

BOS over WAS, 88-76
With Ray Allen missing his second straight game with a sore right ankle, Avery Bradley filled the void in a big way, scoring a career-high 23 points to lead Boston over the Wizards. Paul Pierce poured in 21 points to go with 8 rebounds to give the Celtics their sixth straight home win. Jordan Crawford led the way for Washington with 20 points. The Wizards fell to 0-2 on their current stretch of three games in three nights.

ATL over UTA, 139-133 (4OT)
Scheduled for three games in three days, the Atlanta Hawks played almost 3 1/2 instead. Joe Johnson scored eight of his 37 points in the fourth overtime as the Hawks finally finished off the Utah Jazz to end a brutal late-season stretch that way outlasted its welcome. Josh Smith added 22 points before fouling out in Atlanta's first four-overtime game since 1982. Al Jefferson had 28 points and 17 rebounds for Utah, which played four overtimes for the first time ever.

SAS over PHI, 93-76
With the Spurs playing their third game in as many nights, Tim Duncan received the night off, but DeJuan Blair picked up the slack, scoring 19 points and grabbing 6 rebounds to lead San Antonio over the 76ers. Tony Parker scored a game-high 21 points to go with 7 assists to give the Spurs their fourth straight victory. Elton Brand poured in 14 points and grabbed 9 boards for the Sixers, who now hold a slim 1/2 game lead over Boston atop the Atlantic Division.

OKC over MIA, 103-87
Kevin Durant propelled the Thunder with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals as Oklahoma City rolled past Miami in a battle of NBA heavyweights. James Harden and Serge Ibaka netted 19 points apiece -- Ibaka also grabbed 10 boards -- and Kendrick Perkins scored a season-high 16 points for the Thunder, who won their third straight. Dwyane Wade paced the visitors with 22 points, Chris Bosh contributed 18 and LeBron James finished with 17 for the Heat, who saw a four-game winning streak snapped.

POR over GSW, 90-87
Raymond Felton scored a season-high 24 points and handed out 7 assists as the Trail Blazers edged the Warriors. LaMarcus Aldridge's 18 points included the go-ahead fadeaway jumper in the final minute and he also contributed 9 rebounds for Portland, which has won two of three. Charles Jenkins, a rookie starting in place of the injured Nate Robinson, netted a career-high 27 points to pace Golden State, which has dropped two of three.

MEM over LAL, 102-96
Rudy Gay scored 18 points, OJ Mayo had 16 off the bench and the Memphis Grizzlies salvaged a four-game road trip with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Entering the game, the Grizzlies were just 1-5 in their last six -- a stretch that started with a double-overtime loss to the Lakers at home on March 13 -- and had been 0-3 on their road trip after losing to the Clippers in the same building the night before. Bryant, who didn't pick up his second field goal until the last two minutes of the first half, ended 7- of-15 for 18 points.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
March 24: Klay Thompson (GSW) & Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 31
March 25: Joe Johnson (ATL) – 37

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
March 24: DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 18
March 25: Kevin Love (MIN) – 21

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
March 24: Deron Williams (NJN) – 14
March 25: Steve Nash (PHX) – 13

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
March 24: A LOT with 3!!!
March 25: Grant Hill (PHX) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
March 24: Brandan Wright (DAL) – 7
March 25: Brandon Rush (GSW) – 4

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
March 24: Goran Dragic (HOU) – 5
March 25: Raymond Felton (POR), Joe Johnson (ATL), & Kevin Durant (OKC) – 4

March 24, 2012 First Five
C – DeMarcu Cousins (SAC) – 28pts, 18rebs, 5asts, 3blks, 1stl
F – Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 31pts, 7rebs, 3asts, 2blks
F – Carlos Boozer (CHI) – 24pts, 10rebs, 4asts, 2stls
G – Klay Thompson (GSW) – 31pts, 4 treys, 2asts, 2stls, 2blks, 1reb
G – Goran Dragic (HOU) – 24pts, 8asts, 5 treys, 5rebs, 1stl

Honorable Mention:
David Lee (GSW) – 22pts, 14rebs, 9asts
Nene (WAS) – 21pts, 11rebs, 3blks, 2asts
Jarrett Jack (NOH) – 27pts, 7rebs, 5asts

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD1jOMjs5FI

March 25, 2012 First Five
C – Al Jefferson (UTA) – 28pts, 17rebs, 3blks, 1ast, 1stl
F – Kevin Love (MIN) – 30pts, 21rebs, 4asts, 3blks, 2stls
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 28pts, 9rebs, 8asts, 4 treys, 2stls, 1blk
G – Joe Johnson (ATL) – 37pts, 8rebs, 4 treys, 2asts, 1stl
G – Raymond Felton (POR) – 24pts, 7asts, 5rebs, 4 treys, 2stls, 1blk

Honorable Mention:
Zaza Pachulia (ATL) – 15pts, 20rebs, 3blks, 2asts, 1stl
Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 30pts, 4rebs, 2asts, 2blks, 1stl
Paul Millsap (UTA) – 25pts, 13rebs, 4asts, 2stls, 1blk

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQX-1sc0WAs

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Canadian Bacon



Both DeMar DeRozan and James Johnson might get some bench-time because of a slew of injuries.

The solution?

Enter 7’1 shooting guard Solomon Alabi.

Who the hell?

Beats me.

The Raptors have been suffering thru a continuous spate of injuries, and it has resulted in two things:

1) They just need warm bodies on the floor, and

2) They haven’t been the most consistent team out there.

Far from it.

They blew out the Knicks last March 23, played the Bulls all the way to OT a few days ago and then lost by a mile to the Magic two days after.

This is why, quite simply, the Raptors won’t make any playoff ripples this season.

It’s also why only 4 teams have fewer wins than the Raptors at this point.

I’m willing to bet it’s also why they won’t matter very much next season.

By all accounts and purposes, all the Raptors will be good for in the next few weeks is to be spoilers.

Which is sad, because I used to really like this team.

You know, back when Damon Stoudamire was still the helmsman,s and they were young and exciting.

They’re still quite young now, and sometimes exciting. DeMar DeRozan is, arguably, the new helmsman.

But, for me at least, the magic of the franchise is gone. Right now, for better or for worse (really, it’s for worse), they’re not much more than, say, Canadian bacon.


March 26 & 27, 2012 stat-stuffers:

March 26, 2012 Game Recaps:
BOS over CHA, 102-95
Paul Pierce scored a season-high 36 points with 10 rebounds and the Boston Celtics moved into a tie for first place in the Atlantic Division with a win over the Charlotte Bobcats. Their fourth win in five games pulled the Celtics even with the Philadelphia 76ers at 27-22. The Bobcats, meanwhile, lost their fourth straight and became the first NBA team to 40 losses in the lockout-shortened season (7-40).

IND over MIA, 105-90
Danny Granger drained 3-of-5 three-point attempts en route to 25 points as the Pacers used precision shooting from beyond the arc to down the Heat. Paul George scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Indiana, which has won four of five. They also ended a five-game losing streak to the Heat. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade paced the visitors with 24 points apiece, including a season-high four three-pointers from Wade, as they fell for the second time in as many nights.

ORL over TOR, 117-101
Ryan Anderson connected on 8-of-13 three-point attempts en route to a game-high 28 points to help Orlando cruise past the Toronto Raptors. Dwight Howard poured in 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and Jameer Nelson added 18 points and 7 assists to help Orlando earn its third consecutive win. Gary Forbes led the way for Toronto with 21 points. The Raptors have dropped five of their last six contests.

DET over WAS, 79-77
Rodney Stuckey's jumper with 0.2 seconds remaining lifted the Detroit Pistons over the Washington Wizards. Stuckey netted 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter for Detroit, which overcame a 12-point fourth-period deficit and snapped a five-game losing streak. Jamal Crawford scored 20 points while John Wall had 14 points to go with 9 assists and 7 rebounds for Washington, which has lost its last 20 games when scoring less than 90 points.

NYK over MIL, 89-80
Missing Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin, the Knicks got 28 points and 12 rebounds from Carmelo Anthony to down the Bucks in Monday's critical Eastern Conference clash. Stoudemire is out indefinitely with a bulging disc in his lower back and Lin is dealing with a sore right knee, but Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis added 13 points apiece, allowing New York to extend its lead over Milwaukee for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot to 2 1/2 games.

UTA over NJN, 105-84
Showing no fatigue on the heels of their four-overtime loss to Atlanta on Sunday, the Utah Jazz finished their four games in five days stretch with a resounding win over the New Jersey Nets. Paul Millsap had a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds for Utah, which has won seven of its last eight games. Playing against his former club for the first time in New Jersey, Deron Williams netted 17 points, but on just 7-of-21 shooting. New Jersey has dropped six of its last seven contests.

DEN over CHI, 108-91
Ty Lawson scored 27 points, Arron Afflalo had 22 and the Denver Nuggets beat the Chicago Bulls. Afflalo returned from a one-game suspension and played almost 38 minutes while Al Harrington scored 17 points off the bench for the Nuggets, who snapped a two-game losing streak and remained in a tight battle for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The Bulls, without injured star Derrick Rose for the seventh straight game, were led by C.J. Watson's 17 points and eight assists.

HOU over SAC 113-106 (OT)
Patrick Patterson's career-high 24 point effort included 14 in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Rockets overcame a 16- point deficit to defeat the Kings. Luis Scola recorded 18 points and 14 rebounds, Chandler Parsons and Courtney Lee scored 16 points apiece and Goran Dragic contributed 14 points and 10 assists before leaving in the overtime session with an apparent ankle injury. The Rockets have won three of four and kept pace with Denver and Utah, which both won earlier, in the race for the final two spots in the Western Conference.

LAC over NOH, 97-85
Los Angeles Clipper Chris Paul had game-highs of 25 points and 10 assists against his former team, the New Orleans Hornets, en route to a win. Paul and the Clippers fell in the Big Easy on Thursday, marking their third straight loss, but bounced back with a victory over the Grizzlies on Saturday. They got 20 points from Blake Griffin and 17 from Nick Young in Monday's win. Al-Farouq Aminu had a season-high 15 points to pace the Hornets, who have dropped two straight since Thursday's win.

March 27, 2012 Game Recaps:
PHI over CLE, 103-85
Jodie Meeks filled in well starting in place of injured guard Andre Iguodala, scoring a career-high 31 points on 7- of-10 shooting from beyond the arc to help the 76ers earn a victory over the Cavaliers. Jrue Holiday added 19 points and 6 assists, and the Sixers took a slim half-game lead over the idle Boston Celtics for first place in the Atlantic Division. Anthony Parker scored a team-high 14 points for the Cavaliers, who have dropped four straight.

MEM over MIN, 93-86
Rudy Gay scored 21 points, Marreese Speights had 18 and the Grizzlies defeated the Timberwolves. Dante Cunningham, starting in place of injured center Marc Gasol, added 13 points, a season-high 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Memphis was coming off of Sunday's win over the Lakers, which halted a three-game slide. Kevin Love had 28 points and 11 rebounds to pace Minnesota, which has lost eight of its last 11 games.

MIL over ATL, 108-101
Monta Ellis scored 17 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Atlanta Hawks. Brandon Jennings tallied 18 points, Drew Gooden added 16 and Mike Dunleavy netted 13 for the Bucks, who now sit two games behind the idle New York Knicks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks received a big night from Josh Smith, who scored a team-high 30 points and grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds.

DAL over HOU, 90-81
Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points and the Mavericks downed the Rockets. Rodrigue Beaubois added 14 points, Brandan Wright had 13 and Jason Terry finished with 12. Dallas, which was coming off of Sunday's overtime win over Houston, has won six of eight overall. The Rockets followed Sunday's setback with an overtime win over the Kings and led by as many as 16 on Tuesday, but were outscored 44-32 in the second half to suffer the loss.

SAS over PHX, 107-100
Tim Duncan dropped in 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs topped the Phoenix Suns. Tony Parker finished with 24 points and handed out 7 assists, while Kawhi Leonard contributed 14 points and 7 boards for the Spurs, who have won five consecutive games. Shannon Brown drained five three- pointers en route to a career-high 32 points to pace the Suns, who saw their two-game win streak come to an end.

OKC over POR< 109-95
Russell Westbrook scored 10 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder ran away with a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Kevin Durant added 25 points, James Harden netted 21 and Serge Ibaka contributed 8 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocked shots for the Thunder, who won their fourth straight game. JJ Hickson paced the Trail Blazers with 21 points while LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 20 to go along with 8 rebounds in Portland's fourth loss in six games.

LAL over GSW, 104-101
Kobe Bryant made the go-ahead jumper with 32.3 seconds remaining and the Lakers held on for a win over the Warriors. Bryant scored a game-high 30 points despite shooting 9-of-24 from the floor. Pau Gasol added 19 points and 17 rebounds for Los Angeles, which was coming off of a 102-96 loss to Memphis. David Lee gave Golden State its first lead of the game with 1:22 remaining and finished with 23 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists.


Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
March 26: DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 38
March 27: Monta Ellis (MIL) – 33

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
March 26: Luis Scola (HOU) & DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 14
March 27: Josh Smith (ATL) – 18

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
March 26: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 13
March 27: A LOT with 8!!!

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
March 26: Tyreke Evans (SAC) – 6
March 27: Goran Dragic (HOU) & Wesley Matthews (POR) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
March 26: Omer Asik (CHI) – 5
March 27: Serge Ibaka (OKC) – 6

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
March 26: Ryan Anderson (ORL) – 8
March 27: Jodie Meeks (PHI) – 7

March 26, 2012 First Five
C – DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 38pts, 14rebs, 2asts, 2stls, 1blk
F – Paul Millsap (UTA) – 24pts, 13rebs, 3asts, 1stl
F – Paul Pierce (BOS) – 36pts, 10rebs, 4asts, 3stls, 3blks
G – Ty Lawson (DEN) – 27pts, 9rebs, 3 treys, 2asts, 2stls, 2blks
G – Chris Paul (LAC) – 25pts, 10asts, 4stls, 3rebs

Honorable Mention:
Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 24pts, 6asts, 5rebs, 4 treys, 4blks
Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 28pts, 12rebs, 1ast, 1stl, 1blk
Dwight Howard (ORL) – 23pts, 10rebs, 3asts, 2stls, 2blks

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofYiKfOKpCs

March 27, 2012 First Five
C – Tim Duncan (SAS) – 26pts, 11rebs, 2asts, 1stl
F – Kevin Love (MIN) – 28pts, 11rebs, 4 treys, 4blks, 2asts, 1stl
F – Josh Smith (ATL) – 30pts, 18rebs, 5asts, 2stls, 1blk
G – Monta Ellis (GSW) – 33pts, 8asts, 4rebs, 1stl
G – Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 32pts, 8asts, 3rebs, 3stls

Honorable Mention:
Jodie Meeks (PHI) – 31pts, 7 treys, 2rebs, 2asts, 1stl
Shannon Brown (PHX) – 32pts, 5 treys, 3asts, 1reb
Pau Gasol (LAL) – 19pts, 17rebs, 3asts, 1stl, 1blk

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91R8feIBl78

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Wizards vs. Wildcats?



"I think one game — Kentucky couldn't play in the NBA or anything like that — but one game at Rupp Arena, I wouldn't be surprised to see Kentucky win one game. Because you're gonna have five players off that team playing in the NBA, and probably playing significant roles in the NBA. And that's why I say that, for one game." – Kentucky Wildcats coach Gary Williams on whether the Cats can beat an NBA team.

Coach Williams must be dreaming.

Yes, the Wizards are bad. They have the second-worst record in the league. They’re bottom ten in terms of ppg, drpg, FT%, 3pt%, and FG%.

But for all their inherent inadequacies, they still are an NBA team, which means they still have some of the best basketball talents AROUND THE WORLD. And certainly, they SHOULD be able to handle the Kentucky Wildcats.

That’s not to say the Cats are bad. They’re plenty good. They’ve beaten four tough teams on their way to entering the Final Four as, arguably, the most favored five to win it all. After disposing of sixteenth-seeded West Kentucky in the first round, the Wildcats pummeled 8th seed Iowa St., 4th Indiana, and 3rd seed Baylor. All by double digits.

It has been an impressive run, but that neither makes them invincible, nor capable of beating even those lowly Wizards.

Anthony Davis is great, but I doubt he can handle an in-form Nene for 40 minutes.

Doron Lamb is dead-eye from three, but he’ll probably have his tongue wagging chasing after John Wall.

And though he’s a little too trigger-happy, I still think Jordan Crawford has the advantage over, say, Darius Miller or Marquis Teague.

Seeing the Wildcats tangle with Washington will be good TV. Good entertainment. Maybe on an absolutely improbable off-night for the Wiz, the Cats might steal one, but when it all comes together, this is still something the Wizards can take easily.

Now if Kentucky takes on the Charlotte Bobcats, then THAT might be a different story.

March 28-29, 2012 stat-stuffers:

March 28, 2012 Game Recaps:
DET over CLE, 87-75
Tayshaun Prince had 29 points and 8 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons take an 87-75 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Brandon Knight posted 16 points and 5 assists while Jason Maxiell had 12 points and 9 rebounds for the Pistons, who have won their past two after dropping five straight.

MIN over CHA, 88-83
Kevin Love scored 40 points and pulled down 19 rebounds, as the Minnesota Timberwolves bested the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. Luke Ridnour posted a double-double of 15 points and 14 assists for the Timberwolves, who won for just the second time in their last eight road games. Corey Maggette had 22 points and rookie Kemba Walker scored 20 off the bench for Charlotte, which has dropped five in a row.

NYK over ORL, 108-86
Carmelo Anthony may have soreness in his groin, but he also had a spring in his step on Wednesday. With fellow stars Jeremy Lin and Amar'e Stoudemire out deep into the NBA playoff race, Anthony continued to step up, scoring 25 points, dishing out six assists and grabbing five rebounds as the Knicks routed the Magic. Iman Shumpert supplied 25 points while Steve Novak and J.R. Smith netted 16 and 12, respectively, off the bench for the Knicks, who swept a three-game homestand and have won eight of nine overall.

TOR over DEN, 105-96
Andrea Bargnani poured in 26 points to lead the Toronto Raptors over the Denver Nuggets. DeMar DeRozan tallied 17 points, Linas Kleiza chipped in 15 and Jose Calderon recorded his 10th double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 assists to snap a two-game losing streak for the Raptors. Ty Lawson scored 26 points and handed out nine assists, Aaron Afflalo netted 15 points and Wilson Chandler added 13 points and eight rebounds as the Nuggets dropped to 1-3 on their seven-game road trek.

CHI over ATL, 98-77
Luol Deng scored 22 points, Carlos Boozer added 20 and nine rebounds, and Chicago continued its standard of excellence without Derrick Rose, besting the Hawks. Taj Gibson added a season-best 19 points to go along with six rebounds, while John Lucas and Joakim Noah added 10 points apiece for the Bulls, who won for the fifth time in six games despite missing Rose again with a right groin injury. Josh Smith led the Hawks with 19 points and seven boards, while Jeff Teague added 13 points and eight assists. Joe Johnson was a quiet 5-of-11 for 12 points in the loss, Atlanta's second straight.

BOS over UTA, 94-82

Kevin Garnett scored a game-high 23 points to go with 10 rebounds as the Celtics downed the Jazz. Paul Pierce finished with 20 points, Brandon Bass tallied 19 and Rajon Rondo dished out 14 assists for Boston, which won its third straight and fifth of six overall. Gordon Hayward continued his strong rookie campaign with 19 points and seven boards while Al Jefferson went for 18 and 12 for Utah, which has dropped two of three after a six-game winning streak.

NJN over IND, 100-84
For the first time in over three years, the New Jersey Nets have beaten the Indiana Pacers. Deron Williams scored 13 of his game-high 30 points in a dominant fourth quarter, leading New Jersey. MarShon Brooks supplied 17 points, Gerald Green posted 14 points and Kris Humphries had 12 points with eight rebounds for the Nets, who snapped a 10- game losing streak to the Pacers. Paul George netted 22 points to pace Indiana, which was coming off Monday's 105-90 win against visiting Miami. Tyler Hansbrough contributed 13 points in defeat.

SAS over SAC, 117-112
Manu Ginobili led a balanced attack with 20 points off the bench, as San Antonio held off Sacramento. Kawhi Leonard added 19 points and nine rebounds, Tim Duncan chipped in with 18 points and eight rebounds and Stephen Jackson donated 13 points for the Spurs, who have won six straight games. Isaiah Thomas led all scorers with 28 points to go along with 10 assists and DeMarcus Cousins poured in 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Kings, who have dropped four straight.

NOH over GSW, 102-87
Marco Belinelli was one of three Hornets to tally 20-plus points, finishing with 22 to lead the Hornets victory over the Warriors. Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack poured in 20 points apiece for New Orleans, which had lost three of four coming into the game. David Lee led all scorers with 28 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists, while Klay Thompson netted 13 points and Dorell Wright tallied 12. Golden State has now dropped its last three contests.

LAC over PHX, 103-86
Blake Griffin had 27 points, 14 rebounds and five assists on Wednesday and the Clippers cruised past the Suns. Chris Paul added 15 points and 15 assists, Caron Butler scored 14 and DeAndre Jordan finished with 13 points. The Clippers have won five in a row at home and three straight overall. Marcin Gortat paced Phoenix with 23 points. Channing Frye added 16 and Steve Nash handed out 15 assists for the Suns, who have dropped four of their last six games.

March 29, 2012 Game Recaps:

IND over WAS, 93-89
Danny Granger scored 25 points as the Pacers grinded out a win over the Wizards. David West and George Hill contributed 14 points apiece for Indiana, which has won three of four and added another 1/2 game to its lead over idle Atlanta in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. The teams are tied in wins but the Hawks (30-22) have two more losses. It was a bounce-back game of sorts for the Pacers, currently seeded fifth in the East, after a flat performance in a loss to lowly New Jersey on Tuesday.

MIA over DAL, 106-85
LeBron James and Chris Bosh each scored 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds as the Heat blew past the in a rematch of last year's NBA Finals. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem contributed 16 points apiece while James, playing despite dislocating a finger on Monday against Indiana, handed out five assists and recorded two steals. Miami snapped a two-game skid in its return home from a three-game road swing. Dirk Nowitzki paced all scorers with 25 points, Lamar Odom finished with 12 and Vince Carter and Brandan Wright supplied 11 apiece for Dallas, which saw a two-game winning streak end.

POR over NOH, 99-93
LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds as the Trail Blazers used a late run to down the Hornets. Luke Babbitt hit four three-pointers en route to a career- high 16 points, Wesley Matthews scored 18 and Nicolas Batum netted 14 for Portland, which has won two of three. Marco Belinelli tied his career-best with a 27-point performance and Carl Landry poured in 24 but it was not enough for New Orleans, which has dropped three of four.

OKC over LAL, 102-93
Russell Westbrook scored 36 points as the Thunder dominated the Lakers in the second half en route to a win at Staples Center. Westbrook had just one turnover and Kevin Durant added 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for the Western Conference-leading Thunder, who won their fifth straight game. Andrew Bynum, who was benched by coach Mike Brown for attempting an ill-advised three in Tuesday's win over Golden State, responded with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Kobe Bryant had 23 points on 7-of-25 shooting.


Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
March 28: Kevin Love (MIN) – 40
March 29: Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 36

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
March 28: Kevin Love (MIN) – 19
March 29: Nene (WAS) & Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 13

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
March 28: Chris Paul (LAC) & Steve Nash (PHX) – 15
March 29: Raymond Felton (POR) – 10

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
March 28: A LOT with 3!!!
March 29: Mario Chalmers (MIA) & Paul Georgre (IND) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
March 28: Greg Stiemsma (BOS) & Ben Wallace (DET) – 4
March 29: Nazr Mohammed (OKC) & Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 4

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
March 28: Luol Deng (CHI) – 5
March 29: Marco Belinelli (NOH) – 7

March 28, 2012 First Five
C – Kevin Garnett (BOS) – 23pts, 10rebs, 4asts, 2stls, 1blk
F – Blake Griffin (LAC) – 27pts, 14rebs, 5asts, 1stl, 1blk
F – Kevin Love (MIN) – 40pts, 19rebs, 4 treys, 4asts
G – Isaiah Thomas (SAC) – 28pts, 10asts, 4rebs, 3 treys, 1stl
G – Deron Williams (NJN) – 30pts, 9asts, 4 treys, 3rebs, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
David Lee (GSW) – 28pts, 7rebs, 5asts, 2blks, 1stl
Ty Lawson (DEN) – 26pts, 9asts, 4rebs, 2stls
Tayshaun Prince (DET) – 29pts, 8rebs, 4 treys, 3asts

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuvNMMoX_dE

March 29, 2012 First Five
C – Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 25pts, 13rebs, 4blks
F – LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) – 25pts, 12rebs, 5asts, 1stl
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 21pts, 11rebs, 5asts, 2blks
G – Danny Granger (IND) – 25pts, 7rebs, 3 treys, 2blks, 1ast
G – Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 36pts, 6asts, 2stls, 1reb

Honorable Mention:
Marco Belinelli (NOH) – 27pts, 7 treys, 3rebs, 3asts, 1blk
Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 25pts, 6rebs, 3asts, 1stl, 1blk
LeBron James (MIA) – 19pts, 9rebs, 5asts, 2stls

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ES4amTUWEA

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Injured Lin-chpin



“It’s not like a career-ending thing, or it’s not something that will bother me. Once it’s fixed, it’s fixed, it’s the most simple surgery you can have and so I’m more concerned about the season.” – Jeremy Lin on his left knee surgery and missing out on the 2012 Playoffs.

The Knicks are going to have it tough as the season winds up, and even if they do make the playoffs, their chances look bleak.

Thanks to Jeremy Lin’s left knee and its impending surgery.

He’s expected to be out for about 6 weeks, just enough time for the season to end. Just enough time for the Milwaukee Bucks to steal 8th spot from New York. Just enough time for the Knicks to get booted by the Chicago Bulls in case the boys from the Big Apple do make the postseason.

Looks like Lin’s seemingly fairy tale season will succumb to New York’s seemingly indiscriminating curse.

And the guy who hates it most is Lin himself.

We all know how he has become a super-sensation. We all know how he moved from his brother’s couch to his own pad. We all know how fast his jerseys have sold (the real ones and the bootleg ones).

More importantly, we all know how he singlehandedly turned the NYC franchise around.

Now that same franchise will have to turn to the likes of Baron Davis and JR Smith for backcourt production. They can sure produce the points, but can they control the pace the way Lin did?

And, yeah, Amar’e Stoudemire is in sick bay, too. So that’s two big pieces for the Knicks who won’t be around when they try to secure that last playoff spot.

Oh but Melo is still around, right? So are Tyson Chandler and Landry Fields and Iman Shumpert, right?

Yes, but none of them is Jeremy Lin. none of them ties this Knicks team as tight as Lin did. None of them commands the same adoration.

Jeremy Lin has become the linchpin of this franchise, and that linchpin could be out just enough time for the Knicks to see their season come to an end.


March 30-31 and April 1, 2012 stat-stuffers:

March 30, 2012 Game Recaps:
DEN over CHA, 99-88
Arron Afflalo scored 19 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, as Denver continued its push for a playoff spot with a victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Corey Brewer added 17 points in a reserve role for the Nuggets, who hold the eighth spot in the Western Conference and have the same 28-24 record as Houston, which is in seventh. Denver bounced back from a nine-point loss at Toronto Wednesday night and is 2-3 on a seven- game road trip with upcoming stops in Orlando and New Orleans. The Bobcats, losers of six in a row, were led by Gerald Henderson's 21 points.

MIA over TOR, 113-101
Chris Bosh scored 30 points against his former team as the Miami Heat used a late surge to push past the Toronto Raptors. Dwyane Wade also scored 30 points, LeBron James netted 26 to go with nine assists and Bosh grabbed eight rebounds for the Heat, who won for the second consecutive night. Bosh and Wade combined for 25 of the Heat's 30 fourth-quarter points. Miami improved to 10-0 against the Atlantic Division this season with its seventh straight win over the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan led the way with 28 points, Andrea Bargnani scored 27 and Jose Calderon handed out 16 assists for Toronto, which has lost six of eight.

WAS over PHI, 97-76
Cartier Martin made four three-pointers en route to 20 points, as the Washington Wizards dominated the Philadelphia 76ers. Jordan Crawford added 17 points for the Wizards, who snapped a five-game skid. Nene tallied 16 points and eight rebounds before leaving in the fourth quarter with a left fascia injury. Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams both scored 14 points for the Sixers, who had won five in a row against Washington. Evan Turner donated 11 points.

ATL over NYK, 100-90
Willie Green scored 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and the Atlanta Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak Friday night by knocking off the red-hot New York Knicks. Green was 6-of-7 in the fourth, including a three-pointer from the left corner that stretched Atlanta's lead to 10. Joe Johnson scored 28 points and Josh Smith had 23 for the Hawks, who are No. 6 in the Eastern Conference but now just a half-game behind idle Indiana for the fifth spot. Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points -- his highest total in almost three months -- and Iman Shumpert had 25 for the Knicks, who lost for only the second time in 10 games since Mike D'Antoni resigned and Mike Woodson was named interim coach. Guard Jeremy Lin missed his third straight game because of a sore knee and the Knicks also continued to play without injured forward Amare Stoudemire.

MIL over CLE, 121-84
Brandon Jennings scored 28 points to go with six assists and the Bucks cruised past the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday. Ersan Ilyasova recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Mike Dunleavy added 16 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range to give the Bucks their second straight win. Milwaukee now sits just 1 1/2 games behind the New York Knicks, who fell to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Rookie of the Year candidate Kyrie Irving had another stellar performance with 29 points on a career-high six three-pointers, while Alonzo Gee added 19 and Tristan Thompson netted 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but the Cavs continued to falter, dropping their sixth straight contest.

CHI over DET, 83-71
Luol Deng scored 20 points to help the Bulls continue their dominance in the Eastern Conference with a dismantling of the Pistons on Friday. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer each recorded double- doubles, with Noah going for 19 points and 12 rebounds and Boozer finished with 13 and 11 for Chicago, which won its second straight game and ninth in its last 11. The Bulls' NBA-best 42-11 record includes a 31-7 mark against Eastern Conference foes. Brandon Knight paced the Pistons with 16 points while Greg Monroe netted 14 to go with 10 boards. Tayshaun Prince also tallied 14 points in defeat for Detroit, which saw a two-game winning streak snapped with their sixth loss in eight tries. Chicago, playing without Derrick Rose for the ninth consecutive game, improved to 14-5 without the reigning league MVP and notched their 14th win in a row over the Pistons.

HOU over MEM, 98-89
Goran Dragic scored a season-high 25 points and dished out seven assists, as the Houston Rockets held off the Memphis Grizzlies. Courtney Lee added 17 points for the Rockets, who have won 12 in a row against Memphis in Space City. Chase Budinger and Luis Scola donated 13 and 11 points, respectively. Marcus Camby tallied seven points, 16 boards and six blocks for Houston, which shot 52.1 percent from the field and 7-of-14 from three-point range. Rudy Gay ended with 20 points for the Grizzlies, who had a brief two-game winning streak snapped. Marc Gasol added 19 and nine rebounds.

BOS over MIN, 100-79
For the first time this season, Boston is alone atop the Atlantic Division. Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Celtics beat Minnesota. Boston's win, combined with Philadelphia's 97-76 loss at Washington, moved the Celtics a game ahead of the 76ers in the division. Paul Pierce contributed 21 points and Rajon Rondo tallied 17 assists, as the Celtics won their fourth in a row. They've also beaten Minnesota 10 straight times, and now look forward to a home game against the Miami Heat Sunday afternoon. Kevin Love had 22 points and 11 rebounds, but went just 5-of-18 from the field as Minnesota faltered by shooting 34.7 percent.

DAL over ORL, 100-98
Dirk Nowitzki knocked down the shot and let his tongue hang out. The Dallas Mavericks are leaving Florida with the taste of victory in their mouths. Nowitzki banked in a turn-around jumper over Hedo Turkoglu with 5.9 seconds left Friday night and the Mavericks held on for a win over the Orlando Magic, stealing a game they trailed by as many as 15 points.A night earlier, the Mavs lost by 21 to the Heat in their first trip to Miami since capturing the title there last year. They escaped with the win Friday after Turkoglu bricked a three-pointer at the other end and Ryan Anderson missed a one-handed put back before the buzzer.

SAC over UTA, 104-103
DeMarcus Cousins' free throw with 3.8 seconds remaining lifted the Sacramento Kings over the Utah Jazz. Despite getting stitches under his left eyebrow, Cousins ended with 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Kings. Marcus Thornton added 26 points and six boards. Isaiah Thomas donated 19 points and six assists for Sacramento, which snapped a four-game skid. Al Jefferson ended with 27 points and 16 rebounds for the Jazz, who had a seven-game home winning streak stopped. Gordon Hayward had 19 points.

NJN over GSW, 102-100
Gerald Green delivered the go-ahead basket in the final minute and Deron Williams helped the Nets rally from a 19-point third quarter deficit to post a win over the Golden State Warriors. Williams had 20 assists, one off a career-high, as New Jersey erased a 14- point hole early in the fourth to post back-to-back victories for the first time since March 7-9. Gerald Wallace totaled 24 points, 18 rebounds and six steals, and his lone block of the night came on Charles Jenkins in the waning seconds to help the Nets end a six-game road skid against the Warriors.

LAC over POR, 98-97
Chris Paul scored 20 points, none bigger than his go-ahead layup with 5.0 seconds left in the game to give the Clippers a win over Portland at Staples Center on Friday. Jamal Crawford gave Portland a 97-96 edge with his jumper from the right elbow with 13.9 ticks on the clock, but Paul responded with his driving layup at the other end. Wesley Matthews took the final shot for the Trail Blazers, but his layup was off the mark as time expired. Paul added 14 assists, while Blake Griffin and Randy Foye also scored 20 points apiece. Griffin grabbed 13 rebounds, helping the Clippers earn their sixth straight home victory. LaMarcus Aldridge sat out with a sprained left elbow, but J.J. Hickson filled in with a season-high 29 points to go with 13 rebounds for Portland. Nicolas Batum added 18 points and Crawford finished with 14, but the Blazers dropped their third straight on the road.


March 31, 2012 Game Recaps:
LAL over NOH, 88-85
Despite one of the worst shooting performances of his career, Kobe Bryant hit the shot that mattered most with the game on the line. Bryant rose up from the left wing and nailed a go- ahead three-pointer with 20.2 seconds remaining, lifting the Los Angeles Lakers past the New Orleans Hornets. Jason Smith had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but his three-point attempt was blocked by Pau Gasol. Bryant, who missed his first 15 shots from the floor, didn't record his first point until there was 7:30 left in the fourth quarter. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-21 shooting from the floor. Bryant never missed more than 11 straight shots to start a contest until Saturday. Bryant's previous high of most consecutive misfires was 13 against San Antonio on December 28, 2010. Gasol netted 21 points to go with 11 rebounds and Andrew Bynum added 19 points and 10 boards for Los Angeles, which has won four of its last six games. Ramon Sessions had 10 points and 10 assists. Jarrett Jack scored 18 points to go with 10 assists while Smith added 17 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, which has lost four of its past five contests.

DET over CHA, 110-107 (OT)
Will Bynum buried a three-pointer from the left wing with 15.7 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime and the Pistons held off the Bobcats. Jonas Jerebko gave the Pistons a 105-103 lead with 50.5 seconds left in the extra session and the home team led 108-104 before Reggie Williams connected on a trey to cut the margin to one with 6.4 ticks on the clock. Tayshaun Prince hit two at the free throw line to make it a three-point game and Byron Mullens and Williams both came up empty on potential game-tying threes as the Pistons secured the victory. Prince poured in 24 points and Jerebko finished with 18 to help the Pistons earn their third victory in their last four games. Bynum added 17 points in the win. Mullens led the way for Charlotte, scoring 20 points, but the Bobcats dropped their seventh straight.

PHI over ATL, 95-90
Elton Brand scored 13 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Atlanta Hawks. Brand also pulled down 10 rebounds, dished out five assists and blocked three shots for Philadelphia, which swept the season series against Atlanta for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Andre Iguodala added 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Josh Smith led all scorers with 34 points for Atlanta, which has lost three of its last four games.

NYK over CLE, 91-75
Banged up and bruised, the New York Knicks continued their playoff push with a strong defensive effort at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Hours after learning that standout point guard Jeremy Lin would be sidelined for the rest of the regular season, the Knicks took a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. J.R. Smith led the way with 20 points, nine rebounds and five steals, Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points, and Tyson Chandler finished with 14 points and 12 boards in the win for New York, the fourth in its last five. The Cavs were paced by 13 points and seven assists from Antawn Jamison. Cleveland, missing star rookie guard Kyrie Irving with a shoulder issue, dropped its seventh straight.

MEM over MIL, 99-95
O.J. Mayo scored 24 points off the bench and three Grizzlies recorded point-rebound double-doubles as Memphis knocked off Milwaukee. Rudy Gay scored 17 points and grabbed 10 boards, Marc Gasol had 13 and 15 and Marreese Speights posted 10 and 10 for the Grizzlies, who have won three of four. Ersan Ilyasova tallied 20 points and 16 rebounds and Brandon Jennings netted 24 points for the Bucks, who have lost three of five. Memphis moved to within a half-game of idle Dallas for the fifth playoff spot in the Western Conference, while Milwaukee dropped 2 1/2 games behind New York for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference.

SAS over IND, 112-103
Tim Duncan posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds to lift the Spurs to a victory over the Indiana Pacers. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili tallied 18 points apiece and Gary Neal chipped in 11 to help the Spurs earn their seventh straight victory. Danny Granger and Paul George each poured in 18 points for the Pacers, while Roy Hibbert and David West netted 15 points apiece. Indiana has dropped two of its last three contests.

NJN over SAC, 111-99
Anthony Morrow connected on six three- pointers en route to 24 points and the Nets took down the Kings. Deron Williams poured in 19 points and handed out 15 assists, Gerald Wallace netted 18 points and Kris Humphries recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who secured their season-high third straight victory. Tyreke Evans led the Kings with 23 points after missing Friday's victory due to back spasms. Jason Thompson scored 10 points and grabbed 10 boards, while DeMarcus Cousins finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Sacramento has dropped five of its last six contests.

LAC over UTA, 105-96
Blake Griffin scored 24 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out six assists as the Los Angeles Clippers took down the Utah Jazz. Chris Paul tallied 26 points and Randy Foye supplied 17 for the Clippers, who swept a five-game homestand. They won five straight games for the first time since November 2006, and have won seven straight at home overall. The win improved their record to 11-9 in March, as they became the first NBA team in 45 years to play 20 games in one calendar month. Al Jefferson paced the Jazz with 26 points and Paul Millsap notched 18 in defeat, their third in a row. Utah lost the season series against Los Angeles for the first time since the 2005-06 season.


April 1, 2012 Game Recaps:
OKC over CHI, 92-78
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 53 points in just three quarters of play as the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Chicago Bulls. Westbrook netted 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor while Durant registered 26 points on 11-of-16 efficiency for the Thunder, who have won six straight and moved within a game of Chicago for the NBA's best record. Durant and Westbrook sat on the bench for the entire fourth quarter as Oklahoma City took a 29-point advantage into the final frame. Playing without Derrick Rose for the 10th straight game due to a groin injury, the Bulls shot just 33.0 percent from the field. John Lucas led Chicago with 19 points. The Bulls fell to 14-6 this season without Rose in the lineup and 7-3 during his current absence.

BOS over MIA, 91-72
Rajon Rondo notched his NBA-leading fifth triple-double of the season with 16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds as the Boston Celtics won their fifth straight game with a thumping of the Miami Heat. Rondo has at least 10 assists in 13 straight games, the longest active streak in the league. Paul Pierce added 23 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who outscored the Heat 31-12 in the third quarter to blow the game open. Boston has won eight consecutive home games and are 15-5 since the All-Star break. The Celtics lead the Atlantic Division by a game over Philadelphia. LeBron James netted 23 points while Dwyane Wade provided 15 points and eight rebounds for Miami, which suffered its most lopsided defeat of the season. The Heat are 3-7 in their last 10 road contests. James and Wade were 17-of-37 from the field while the rest of the squad was just 14-of-52. Chris Bosh tallied just four points on 2-of-11 shooting from the floor.

DEN over ORL, 104-101
Ty Lawson scored 25 points and handed out nine assists and the Nuggets survived Orlando's rally in the closing moments to pull out a victory. The Magic were playing without All-Star center Dwight Howard due to a lower back strain, but got 27 points from Jameer Nelson and 20 from Ryan Anderson to stay close. They had a chance to tie things at the buzzer, but Jason Richardson missed a running three- pointer to send Orlando to a third straight loss. Richardson was 0-for-6 from behind the arc and finished with just six points. Denver shot 56 percent from the field in the absence of Howard, the three-time NBA defensive player of the year. Arron Afflalo scored 22 points and reserves Al Harrington and Andre Miller added 18 and 15, respectively as the Nuggets improved to 3-3 on their seven-game road trip.

TOR over WAS, 99-92
Andrea Bargnani had 18 points and eight rebounds as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Washington Wizards. Jose Calderon added 15 points and eight assists while DeMar DeRozan also netted 15 for Toronto, which has won two of its last three games. John Wall scored 13 points and dished out 11 assists for the Wizards, who have lost six of their last seven contests. Jordan Crawford led Washington with 18 points and Kevin Seraphin poured in 16.

IND over HOU, 104-102 (OT)
Danny Granger scored 32 points, helped by 6- of-8 shooting from behind the arc, and blocked Chandler Parsons' potential game-winner at the buzzer, as the Pacers escaped Toyota Center with an overtime win over the Rockets. Roy Hibbert totaled 15 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers, who were coming off a loss at San Antonio on Saturday. Goran Dragic had a team-high 22 points for Houston, which has split its last 10 games. The Rockets, who were outscored at the free throw line, 24-5, are a game ahead of Utah for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

PHX over NOH, 92-75
Jared Dudley recorded a game-high 21 points to go along with seven rebounds as the Phoenix Suns handled the New Orleans Hornets. Channing Frye added 14 points and 11 rebounds while Shannon Brown contributed 16 points and Steve Nash dished out 14 assists as the Suns snapped a two-game slide. They are 1 1/2 games behind Houston for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff chase. Jason Smith and Marco Belinelli scored 14 points apiece to pace New Orleans, which dropped its third straight game to end a five-game road trip with a 1-4 record.

POR over MIN, 119-106
LaMarcus Aldridge outplayed fellow All-Star Kevin Love in the low post with a 26-point, eight-rebound effort, carrying the Trail Blazers to a victory over the Timberwolves. Aldridge sat out Portland's previous game with a sprained left elbow and looked well-rested as he hit 10-of-17 from the field and held Love to 7-of-16 shooting. Nicolas Batum netted 24 points and Wesley Matthews added 18 for Portland, which has alternated wins and losses over its last eight games. Love finished with 26 points and nine rebounds, but Minnesota lost for the third time in four games.

LAL over GSW, 120-112
One night after a horrendous shooting performance, Kobe Bryant returned to MVP form with 40 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat Golden State. Despite losing Andrew Bynum to an ankle injury, the Lakers posted their fifth win in seven contests. They also beat the Warriors for the 15th time in the last 16 meetings. Bynum suffered a moderate sprain of his left ankle late in the first quarter. He rolled the ankle by landing on the foot of teammate Josh McRoberts while contesting a shot from David Lee. X-rays taken at the Staples Center were negative. He will be evaluated Monday. Pau Gasol provided a big lift after Bynum left and ended with 26 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Ramon Sessions contributed a season-best 23 points along with nine assists. Lee had 27 points for the Warriors, who lost their fifth in a row.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
March 30: Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 36
March 31: Josh Smith (ATL) – 34
April 1: Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 40

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
March 30: Gerald Wallace (NJN) – 18
March 31: Ersan Ilyasova (MIL) – 16
April 1: Glen Davis (ORL) – 16

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
March 30: Deron Williams (NJN) – 20
March 31: Deron Williams (NJN) – 15
April 1: Rajon Rondo (BOS) & Steve Nash (PHX) – 14

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
March 30: Gerald Wallace (NJN) – 6
March 31: Josh Smith (ATL), Drew Gooden (MIL), & Iman Shumpert (NYK) – 5
April 1: Russell Westbrook (OKC) & Marcus Camby (HOU) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
March 30: Marcus Camby (HOU) – 6
March 31: Roy Hibbert (IND) – 4
April 1: Serge Ibaka (OKC) & Roy Hibbert (IND) – 5

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
March 30: Kyrie Irving (CLE) – 6
March 31: Anthony Morrow (NJN) – 6
April 1: Danny Granger (IND) – 6

March 30, 2012 First Five
C – Chris Bosh (MIA) – 30pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 3blks, 1stl
F – Al Jefferson (UTA) – 27pts, 16rebs, 2asts, 2blks, 1stl
F – Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 36pts, 9rebs, 5stls, 2asts, 2blks
G – Gerald Wallace (NJN) – 24pts, 18rebs, 6stls, 5asts, 1blk
G – Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 30pts, 6rebs, 6asts, 3stls, 1blk

Honorable Mention:
Brandon Jennings (MIL) – 28pts, 6asts, 4stls, 3 treys, 2rebs
JJ Hickson (POR) – 29pts, 13rebs, 2asts
Chris Paul (LAC) – 20pts, 14 asts, 4stls, 1reb

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWkGAqM-XH4


March 31, 2012 First Five
C – Ersan Ilyasova (MIL) – 20pts, 16rebs, 3asts, 2stls, 2blks
F – Elton Brand (PHI) – 25pts, 10rebs, 5asts, 3blks
F – Josh Smith (ATL) – 34pts, 9rebs, 5asts, 2stls, 1blk
G – Deron Williams (NJN) – 19pts, 15rebs, 6asts, 3stls
G – Chris Paul (LAC) – 26pts, 6asts, 3rebs

Honorable Mention:
Blake Griffin (LAC) – 24pts, 8rebs, 6asts, 1stl, 1blk
Tyreke Evans (SAC) – 23pts, 6rebs, 5asts, 4stls
Tayshaun Prince (DET) – 24pts, 9rebs, 4asts

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SnKi1GfD_4


April 1, 2012 First Five
C – Serge Ibaka (OKC) – 9pts, 6rebs, 5blks
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 26pts, 10rebs, 4asts, 1stl, 1blk
F – Paul Pierce (BOS) – 23pts, 7rebs, 3asts, 2stls
G – Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 27pts, 5asts, 4stls, 3rebs
G – Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 16pts, 14asts, 11rebs

Honorable Mention:
Brandon Bass (BOS) – 16pts, 10rebs, 1ast, 1stl
LeBron James (MIA) – 23pts, 4rebs, 1blk
Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 15pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 3blks, 1stlbl

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe8ApIvvo4


Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: The Avery Bradley Show



Perhaps it’s time to invite Ray Allen to the Avery Bradley show.

“…you're always giving up something. We can move Ray, but then he's not playing with Rondo and he doesn't get looks. I mean, I think it's simple until you actually do it." – Doc Rivers on having to deal with Ray Allen’s return and the rising play of young gun Avery Bradley.

It’s a pretty problem, in the nicest sense of the term, especially when the Celtics are 10-1 this season without Allen.

It’s “pretty” because Rivers gets to choose who’ll start between one of the best shooters to ever grace the hardwood and a guy who has shot better than 54% from the field, better than 94% from the line and averaged over 11 points in the last 2 weeks, helping the Celts to a 7-1 record since losing to Denver last March 17.

It’s still a problem, however, because now that the season is nearing its end, Rivers has to consider the following:
- NOT playing Ray Allen as much as before might mean he’ll dust off the rust from his 7-game hiatus a little slower than ideal.
- Then again, playing Ray, and allowing him to “heat up” as the playoffs approach, might stifle whatever rejuvenating boost in confidence and chemistry Bradley has injected in the starting unit.

The stakes are pretty high, too, since the Sixers are still hot on the Celts’ heels for the top spot in the Atlantic, which also entails an automatic home court edge in the first round.

How about Allen in the starting unit and Bradley being the primary offensive option on the bench?

Here’s the catch with that set-up: for both guys to be effective, they need Rajon Rondo.

Rondo finds Allen in his sweet spots. Rondo finds Avery free on the baseline cut or on the break.

Nobody else on the team, perhaps in the whole Atlantic Division, can find Allen and Avery better than Rondo can. So unless Rondo can commit to play 48 minutes for the rest of the season and the playoffs, this conundrum continues to exist.

As quoted from Hayes Davenport at CelticsHub.com:

“Because if you look at the numbers, the unit featuring Avery Bradley instead of Ray Allen has been much, much better. Like, coconuts better.

Lineup analysis is mostly based on the Offensive and Defensive Efficiency, or how many points the team scores or allows per 100 possessions when that lineup’s in the game. Here are those figures, first for the Rondo-Allen-Pierce-Bass-Garnett lineup, then the Rondo-Bradley-Pierce-Bass-Garnett lineup (via BasketballValue).

Ray’s lineup (269 minutes): 103.89 offensive efficiency, 101.78 defensive efficiency

Avery’s lineup (78 minutes): 114.57 offensive efficiency, 89.86 defensive efficiency

That gives Ray’s lineup a differential of 2.11, and Avery’s a screaming 24.70. Keep in mind that these figures DO NOT INCLUDE LAST NIGHT’S GAME, the most dominant game of the Bradley era, so Bradley’s differential is actually better than that. Plenty more after the jump.

Boston’s average efficiencies (including last night) are 98.6 on offense and 95.8 on defense. Notice that the offensive rating of Ray’s lineup is slightly higher than the average, as you’d hope. But if the offensive rating for that Bradley number, if we could extrapolate it to a full season, would make for easily one of the top three highest-scoring starting lineups in basketball. Miami’s starters put up a 109.93, which isn’t even close.”

Boom.

So where to now, Doc? Go with the old-reliable-future-hall-of-famer who might shake things up the wrong way, or go with the kid who’s all too happy to play 32 minutes a game and who’s actually making even LeBron James notice?

April 2, 2012 stat-stuffers:

MIL over WAS, 112-98
Ersan Ilyasova finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks took a much-needed step towards the playoffs with a win over the Washington Wizards. Brandon Jennings led a balanced Milwaukee offensive attack with 19 points, while Monta Ellis and Mike Dunleavy scored 17 apiece in the win, the Bucks' third and their last four tries. The victory moved them two games behind idle New York for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Jordan Crawford poured in a game-high 23 points and Kevin Seraphin netted 15 for the Wizards, but they lost their second straight and seventh in eight games.

HOU over CHI, 99-93
Goran Dragic scored 21 points and the Houston Rockets handed the Chicago Bulls their first consecutive losses of the season with a win at the United Center. Luis Scola added 18 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Rockets, who have alternated wins and losses over their last seven games. Courtney Lee and Chase Budinger both contributed 13 points for Houston while Marcus Camby had 12 points and 11 boards in the victory. Luol Deng scored a game-high 24 points for Chicago, which had not lost back-to-back games in the regular season since Feb. 5-7, 2011, a span of 86 games. Richard Hamilton returned from a 14-game absence because of a shoulder injury and had six points, three assists and five turnovers for the Bulls.

MEM over OKC, 94-88
O.J. Mayo led six Grizzlies in double- figures with 22 points and Memphis held off a late surge to best the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tony Allen netted 15 points, Marc Gasol poured in 13, Rudy Gay supplied 12 and Jeremy Pargo and Zach Randolph finished with 10 apiece for the Grizzlies, who won their second straight and fourth in their last five as they push toward the playoffs. Kevin Durant paced the Thunder with 21 points and Russell Westbrook had 19, but it was not enough for Oklahoma City to win its seventh straight game. James Harden and Serge Ibaka scored 14 and 12 points, respectively, in defeat. Oklahoma City missed an opportunity to move percentage points ahead of Chicago in the race for the top overall playoff seed. The Bulls lost to Houston earlier Monday.

LAC over DAL, 94-75
Randy Foye scored a game-high 28 points as the Los Angeles Clippers rolled over the Dallas Mavericks. Blake Griffin added 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers, who had lost the previous 10 road contests against the Mavericks. The last time Los Angeles won in Dallas was on April 19, 2006. Caron Butler finished with 13 points and Chris Paul contributed eight with 10 assists in the victory, which extended Los Angeles' longest win streak since 2006 to six games. Dirk Nowitzki paced Dallas with 19 points while Jason Terry finished with 15 as the Mavs lost for the second time in three games.

UTA over POR, 102-97
Paul Millsap scored 31 points, including the go-ahead dunk late in the fourth quarter, to lift the Utah Jazz over the Portland Trail Blazers. Millsap added 11 rebounds while Gordon Hayward contributed 20 points and Al Jefferson finished with 13 points and 10 boards for the Jazz, who snapped a three-game slide to remain a game behind Houston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Wesley Matthews scored a game-high 33 points for Portland, which fell to four games behind the Rockets for the eighth seed. LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and seven rebounds in a losing effort.

SAC over MIN, 116-108
Tyreke Evans came close to a triple-double as he had 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to lift Sacramento over Minnesota. DeMarcus Cousins added 20 points and nine rebounds, Isaiah Thomas posted 17 points and Terrence Williams added 12 points and 12 boards for the Kings, who came into the game having dropped five of six. Kevin Love totaled 23 points and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have dropped their past three. Nikola Pekovic added 17 points and Luke Ridnour donated 13 points and six assists in the loss.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
Wesley Matthews (POR) – 33
Paul Millsap (UTA) – 31
Randy Foye (LAC) – 28

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
Blake Griffin (LAC) – 16
Marreese Speights (MEM) & Carlos Boozer (CHI) – 13

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
Chris Paul (LAC) – 10
John Wall (WAS) – 9
Raymond Felton (POR) – 8

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
Goran Dragic (HOU) – 4
Kevin Martin (HOU), Chris Singleton (WAS), & Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 3

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
Serge Ibaka (OKC) – 6
Joakim Noah (CHI) – 4
Nicolas Batum (POR) & Luis Scola (HOU) – 3

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
Randy Foye (LAC) – 8
Wesley Matthews (POR) – 5
Nicolas Batum (POR) – 4

April 2, 2012 First Five
C – Luis Scola (HOU) – 18pts, 12rebs, 6asts, 3blks, 2stls
F – Carlos Boozer (CHI) – 16pts, 13rebs, 7asts, 1stl
F – Paul Millsap (UTA) – 31pts, 11rebs
G – Wesley Matthews (POR) – 33pts, 5 treys, 3asts, 2stls, 1reb
G – Tyreke Evans (SAC) – 24pts, 10rebs, 7asts, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
Luol Deng (CHI) – 24pts, 7rebs, 2asts, 1blk
Jamal Crawford (POR) – 23pts, 6asts, 5rebs, 3 treys, 1stl
LaMarcus Aldridge (POR) – 27pts, 7rebs, 2blks, 1ast, 1stl

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM32DtyNePU

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Never Let Go



“The last two games I’ve felt we let go of the rope. We’ve got to get that fight back. We’ve got to get that edge back. Right now, we’re not playing well. We’ve got to work our way out of it.” – coach Tom Thibodeau after the Chicago Bulls lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

No doubt he’s disappointed. No doubt the Bulls fans are. No doubt the aura of invincibility they’ve had all season, despite missing Derrick Rose for a big chunk of their 55 games so far, has lessened somewhat.

But does this mean alarm bells are ringing? Does this mean the panic button should be pressed? Does this augur the beginning of the end for the league’s number one team (in terms of its win-loss slate)?

Hardly.

First off, Chicago didn’t really lose to any also-ran teams. The OKC team that plastered them is the best in the West, the team with the second-best record in the league. And when BOTH KD and Jet-Zero are on, hardly anyone can stop OKC. Houston isn’t any pushover, too, even if their starting backcourt has been sidelined for some time. Goran Dragic has played plenty well to cover for both Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin, and the inclusion of Marcus Camby is proving to be pure genius.

And, honestly, how long could these Bulls really have held the fort? Rose has been gone for the last 11 games, and Chicago has gone 7-4, which is still good enough to keep their best-record-in-the-league status. That alone has been a herculean achievement.

Having said that, however, the next few games will really test the mettle of this Chicago team many bill as a serious title contender. The difference between this season and last year is that now nobody is surprised the Bulls have been doing so well. They’re a hell of a deep team. Their typical starting unit composed of Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, Rip Hamilton, and Derrick Rose is probably the most solid in terms of talent at every position. Their bench mob composed of Omer Asik, Taj Gibson, Kyle Korver, CJ Watson, and John Lucas (yes, Brian Scalabrine, too) is terribly underrated. And, of course, Thib has been an awesome tactician.

And with all those elements going in favor of the Bulls, especially when Rose comes back, nobody should be surprised if they maintain their trajectory and lock-in home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

But, again, the next few games will be key. They’ve got Boston next, and then the Knicks back-to-back in a span of 3 days, and finally the Heat. That’ll be one hell of an acid test right there. If the Bulls manage to win even just 2 of those 4, then they’re in pretty good shape.

And you know what? I think they actually will win AT LEAST 2 of those games.

The key, of course, is, just like what Thib said, that they must not, must never, let go of the rope.

Because despite their depth and flexibility, the real, greatest, strength of this Bulls team is its resiliency. If they continue fighting, continue clawing and gnawing, if they continue to be aggressive, they can beat anyone.

And that’s with or without Rose.

So Thibs is dead on. For the Bulls to get back on the W column and avoid a slump at such a critical juncture of the season, they must never let go of the rope.

Never let go.


April 3-4, 2012 stat-stuffers:

April 3, 2012 Game Recaps:
SAS over CLE, 125-90
Danny Green and Tony Parker each scored 19 points, and San Antonio won its eighth straight contest with a rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Patty Mills scored a game-high 20 off the bench, making 4-of-5 three-point shots for the Southwest Division-leading Spurs, who moved within two games of Oklahoma City for the top seed in the Western Conference. The Cavaliers, who suffered their eighth straight defeat, were led by Antawn Jamison's 15 points. Point guard Kyrie Irving (right shoulder sprain) returned to action after sitting out one game and had 13 points.

IND over NYK, 112-104
Danny Granger scored 11 points during Indiana's big surge to open the fourth quarter, lifting the Indiana Pacers over the New York Knicks. Granger finished with 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Paul George added 18 and eight, and Leandro Barbosa and Dahntay Jones netted 12 points apiece for the Pacers, who outscored the Knicks, 40-17, in the last quarter. They have won three of their last four. Carmelo Anthony poured in a season-high 39 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the way for the Knicks, while Landry Fields chipped in 15 points. Tyson Chandler recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 boards. New York has dropped two of its last three games.

DET over ORL, 102-95
Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard missed his second straight game and Greg Monroe took full advantage, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to lift the Pistons over the Magic. Ben Gordon scored 18 points, handed out seven assists and grabbed seven boards, while Jason Maxiell and Tayshaun Prince tallied 15 points apiece to give the Pistons their fourth win in their last five games. The Magic were also without starters Jameer Nelson (calf) and Ryan Anderson (ankle) but got a huge performance from Glen Davis with 31 points and 10 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu netted 16 points, but the Magic fell for the fourth straight game.

MIA over PHI, 99-93
LeBron James netted a season-high 41 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and three steals as the Miami Heat won their 16th straight home game and clinched their fourth consecutive playoff berth with a triumph over the Philadelphia 76ers. Mario Chalmers added 19 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Heat, who rebounded from their embarrassing 19-point loss to Boston on Sunday. The Heat moved to 9-1 without Dwyane Wade, who sat out the contest to rest a sore left knee. Evan Turner had 26 points and eight rebounds for Philadelphia, which has lost five of its past six road games.

MEM over GSW, 98-94
Dante Cunningham scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, and the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Golden State Warriors. Mike Conley added 18 points and five rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have won three straight games and five of six. O.J. Mayo nailed four three-pointers en route to 19 points. David Lee registered a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds for Golden State, which has lost six consecutive contests.

PHX over SAC 109-100
Six Suns finished in double figures, including Marcin Gortat, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds to lift Phoenix over the Kings. Steve Nash scored 18 points and handed out 12 assists, Michael Redd added 16 points off the bench, and Jared Dudley and Channing Frye netted 15 points apiece for the Suns, who have won two straight. DeMarcus Cousins poured in a career-high 41 points to go with 12 rebounds and Isaiah Thomas scored 25 points and dished out seven assists, but the Kings fell for the second time in three games.

LAL over NJN, 91-87
Kobe Bryant rattled in the game-sealing three-pointer with 6.8 seconds left in regulation, as the Lakers survived the Nets' late rally and pulled out a win. Bryant finished with 24 points, including the go-ahead bucket with 71 seconds to play and a three-pointer that bounced off the rim no less than five times in the closing seconds. Los Angeles won its third straight game despite being without center Andrew Bynum, who was sidelined due to an ankle injury. Pau Gasol stepped up with 22 points and 12 rebounds in Bynum's absence, while Ramon Sessions added 19 points and 11 assists for the Pacific Division leaders. Deron Williams had 20 points for the Nets, who received 18 points and 15 rebounds from Kris Humphries but had their three-game winning streak snapped and dropped their eighth straight against LA.

TOR over CHA, 92-87
Andrea Bargnani scored 30 points, including the final nine for the Raptors in their win over the Bobcats. DeMar DeRozan added 20 points for Toronto, which snapped a six-game losing streak to Charlotte and won back-to-back games for the first time since January 24-25. Byron Mullens finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Bobcats, losers of eight straight.

April 4, 2012 Game Recaps:
TOR over PHI, 99-78
Andrea Bargnani scored 24 points, DeMar DeRozan had 18 and the Toronto Raptors held the Philadelphia 76ers to just seven points in the fourth quarter Wednesday night on the way to a win. Jose Calderon added 12 points and 13 assists for the Raptors despite taking an elbow to the eye from Elton Brand in the second quarter and the team won its third in a row. The Sixers, meanwhile, continued to get in their own way. Jrue Holiday and Brand scored 20 points apiece, but Holiday had just three in the second half as the Sixers fell to 4-8 in their last 12 games. They remained 1 1/2 games behind Boston for first place in the Atlantic Division after the Celtics lost to San Antonio on Wednesday. The Sixers, sitting seventh in the Eastern Conference, were 3-for-20 in the fourth quarter, including 13 straight missed shots from the 9:15 mark until Evan Turner hit a jumper in the final minute.

IND over WAS, 109-96
Danny Granger poured in 20 points and the Indiana Pacers beat the Washington Wizards for the third time in under two weeks. Darren Collison scored 17 points and dished out 11 assists while Leandro Barbosa and Tyler Hansbrough netted 14 points apiece for the Pacers, who won their third straight. Indiana swept the season series 3-0 and has won six straight over Washington overall. Jordan Crawford had 21 points at halftime and finished with 28 and Kevin Seraphin supplied a career-high 19 points to go with 10 rebounds, but it was not enough for the Wizards, who lost their third in a row and for 10th time in the last 12 games.

ATL over CHA, 120-93
Josh Smith tallied 24 points and pulled down nine rebounds as the Hawks dominated the lowly Bobcats. Jeff Teague and Willie Green scored 17 points apiece, Joe Johnson added 16 and Marvin Williams finished with 14 off the bench for the Hawks, who had lost three of four coming into the contest. Atlanta now sits just a half-game behind the idle Orlando Magic for the fifth spot in the East and remains 1 1/2 games in back of Indiana, which won on Wednesday, for the third position. Kemba Walker paced the Charlotte offense with 21 points and Gerald Henderson added 15 for the Bobcats, as they continue to struggle, dropping their ninth straight contest.

SAS over BOS, 87-86
Tim Duncan had 10 points and 16 rebounds, and forced Paul Pierce into a tough shot that was off the mark as the buzzer sounded, and San Antonio held off Boston in a battle of division leaders. Matt Bonner had 10 points and 10 boards, and hit a big jumper in the final minute for the Southwest Division-leading Spurs, who won their ninth straight contest. Danny Green ended with 14 points and Gary Neal had 13, as San Antonio survived a nine-point third quarter and broke Boston's eight-game home winning streak. Avery Bradley had 19 points to pace the Celtics, who remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division. Pierce tallied 15 points and 10 boards. Rajon Rondo chipped in 17 points and 11 assists, and Kevin Garnett scored 16, but despite rallying from a 17-point deficit, Boston's five-game winning streak came to an end. Ray Allen, who missed the previous six games because of an ankle injury, started, but had just five points and seven rebounds for the Celtics.

MIA over OKC, 98-93
LeBron James poured in 34 points, dished out 10 assists and pulled down seven rebounds, as the Heat held off Oklahoma City in a battle of NBA powerhouses. Dwyane Wade returned after sitting out one game with a sore left knee and provided 19 points for Miami, which won its 17th straight at home, one off a franchise record. Chris Bosh hit a key jumper with nearly a minute left and Wade sealed the triumph by sinking two free throws with 12.3 seconds left. Miami, which is an NBA-best 23-2 at home and hasn't lost at American Airlines Arena since Jan. 22 against Milwaukee, moved within two games of Chicago for first place in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Durant had 30 points, but accounted for nine of the 20 Oklahoma City turnovers. He also missed a potential tying three-point shot in the final half-minute. Russell Westbrook added 28 points for the Thunder, whose lead in the Western Conference is down to a game over San Antonio. The Spurs won at Boston Wednesday night. James Harden was the only other double-digit scorer with 12 points for the Thunder, who have lost back-to-back contests for just the second time all season.

MIL over CLE, 107-98
Monta Ellis had 30 points, eight assists and five rebounds Wednesday and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers for the seventh straight time. Brandon Jennings added 19 points and Ersan Ilyasova scored 18 for the Bucks, who have won four of their last five to pull within one game of idle New York for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs played without rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, who stayed behind in Cleveland to have an MRI and will miss 7-10 days with a contused and sprained right shoulder he aggravated in Tuesday's loss to San Antonio. All five Cleveland starters scored in double digits, led by Anthony Parker's 27 points, but the Cavs' losing streak reached nine games.

GSW over MIN, 97-94
Golden State rookie Charles Jenkins charged through the paint and flipped in a nifty reverse layup with 20.4 seconds remaining to help the Warriors snap a season-high six-game losing streak with a win over Minnesota. David Lee scored a game-high 31 points and Jenkins finished with 19 for the Warriors, who have won seven of the last nine meetings against the Timberwolves. Kevin Love scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Minnesota, but was 0-for-7 from beyond the arc, including the potential game-tying three as time expired.

NOH over DEN, 94-92
Eric Gordon hadn't played in an NBA game in exactly three months, but showed no rust, knocking down two free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining to lift the Hornets over the Nuggets. Gordon, who was a key component in the December trade that sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers, last played on Jan. 4 against Philadelphia before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Feb. 14 after he suffered a bruised right knee in the team's season opener. Gordon finished with 15 points in his return, Trevor Ariza added 15 as well, and Kaman tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Ty Lawson poured in a game-high 22 points, Arron Afflalo netted 15 and Al Harrington added 14 off the bench, but the Nuggets wrapped up their seven-game road trip under .500 at 3-4. Denver and Houston are both 29-25, but the Rockets occupy the seventh spot in the Western Conference while the Nuggets are eighth, one game in front of Phoenix.

DAL over MEM, 95-85
Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading to Dallas Mavericks past the Memphis Grizzlies in a battle of playoff contenders. Shawn Marion scored 12 of his 16 points in a fourth quarter that saw the Mavs outscore the Grizzlies by a 29-17 margin. Dallas rebounded from a 19-point loss to the Clippers on Monday and pulled into a virtual tie with Memphis for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference playoff race. The Grizzlies, who had a three-game winning streak snapped, were led by O.J. Mayo's 17 points. Marc Gasol recorded a double- double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but shot just 3-for-13 from the field.

PHX over UTA, 107-105
Steve Nash's jumper with 1.7 seconds left on the clock gave the Phoenix Suns a victory over the Utah Jazz. Utah appeared to tie the game as Paul Millsap finished a putback off a C.J. Miles missed three-pointer at the buzzer, but video replay showed the ball was still in Millsap's hands as the red light behind the backboard lit up red. Seven Suns finished in double figures, led by Michael Redd's 19 points. Nash and Channing Frye each tallied 13 points, while Marcin Gortat added 14 and Shannon Brown and Markieff Morris netted 11 points apiece. The Suns have won three straight and trail Houston and Denver by one game for the final two playoff spots in the West. Millsap led all scorers with 25 points to go with eight rebounds and six assists. Miles finished with 22 points and Gordon Hayward recorded a double-double with 20 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for the Jazz, who have lost four of five and now sit 1 1/2 games behind the Rockets and Nuggets.

POR over NJN, 101-88
LaMarcus Aldridge posted 24 points and nine rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers took a win over the New Jersey Nets. Nicolas Batum had 20 points and 10 boards while J.J. Hickson added 18 points and eight rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who have won two of their last three. Raymond Felton came close to a triple-double with 14 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Kris Humphries donated 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who have dropped their past two. Anthony Morrow and Gerald Green each had 20 points in the loss.

LAL over LAC, 113-108
Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and hit the go-ahead shot with nearly three minutes left, and the Lakers claimed another installment of their Los Angeles rivalry with a triumph to snap the Clippers' six-game winning streak. Andrew Bynum returned from a one-game absence and dominated with 36 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, as the Lakers won their fourth straight contest and moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the Clippers for first place in the Pacific Division. Bynum, who missed Tuesday's four-point win over the Nets due to a sprained left ankle, went 10-of-12 from the foul line. Caron Butler had 28 points and Chris Paul tallied 22 points and 16 assists, but the Clippers had their seven-game home winning streak snapped.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
LeBron James (MIA) & DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 41
Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 36

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
Kris Humphries (NJN) – 15
Tim Duncan (SAS) – 16

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
Steve Nash (PHX) – 12
Chris Paul (LAC) – 16

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
Elton Brand (PHI) – 4
Rajon Rondo (BOS), LeBron James (MIA), & Brandon Jennings (MIL) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
Marc Gasol (MEM) – 4
Serge Ibaka (OKC) & Chris Kaman (NOH) – 5

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
Danny Grander (IND) – 5
Jordan Crawford (WAS) – 5

April 3, 2012 First Five
C – DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 41pts, 12rebs, 2asts, 2stls, 1blk
F – Glen Davis (ORL) – 31pts, 10rebs, 3stls, 1blk
F – Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 39pts, 10rebs, 2asts, 2stls, 1blk
G – LeBron James (MIA) – 41pts, 6rebs, 4asts, 3stls, 1blk
G – Steve Nash (PHX) – 18pts, 12asts, 6rebs

Honorable Mention:
Greg Monroe (DET) – 22pts, 11rebs, 3asts, 1stl, 1blk
Pau Gasol (LAL) – 22pts, 12rebs, 4asts, 1stl
Kris Humphries (NJN) – 18pts, 15rebs, 3asts, 2stls, 1blk

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93LIYg0Uarc


April 4, 2012 First Five
C – Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 36pts, 8rebs, 1stl, 4blks
F – LeBron James (MIA) – 34pts, 10asts, 7rebs, 4stls, 3 treys, 1blk
F – Anthony Parker (CLE) – 27pts, 7rebs, 4asts, 4 treys, 3stls
G – Kobe Bryant (LAL) – 31pts, 6asts, 5rebs, 1blk
G – Monta Ellis (GSW) – 30pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
Paul Millsap (UTA) – 25pts, 8rebs, 6asts, 3stls, 2blks
Kevin Love (MIN) – 29pts, 12rebs, 5asts
David Lee (GSW) – 31pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 2blks

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YTRaa3U5UI

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Mediocre Mavs?



“It’s been a tough ride, but we knew with so many games in so many days that injuries were going to be a part of the season, especially with an older team. It’s been tough having some guys in and out. Hopefully we can get everybody healthy here at last, make a push and get some momentum going towards the playoffs.” – Dirk Nowitzki

The last time the Dallas Mavericks blew a big lead and ended up losing to the Portland Trail Blazers was in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. I guess it served as some sort of wakeup call because the Mavs eventually won their first NBA championship that same year.

But that was a different Mavericks team. That was last season. They still had Tyson Chandler, DeShawn Stevenson and JJ Barea.

This season’s Dallas squad put on more age and not enough muscle. They have a helluva lot more collective experience, but not a lot of speed. They are the defending champions of the NBA, but they’re not even a lock-in for the playoffs just yet.

The fact of the matter is that the Mavs have been not-so-marvelous throughout the condensed season.

Take the last 10 games as an example.

The Mavs have gone 4-6 in that stretch. And though one might excuse them for losing most of their games against playoff-bound squads, it still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for Mavs fans.

Right now Dallas sits tied for the 6th spot with Houston, 10.5 games behind the West-leading Spurs. They are just half a game ahead of the surging Nuggets, with both Phoenix and Utah still potentially able to steal any of the last three playoff seeds. It’ll be a tight finish, and Dallas will be in the thick of it.

Like last year, Dallas will still have to rely on great interior defense and great outside shooting. Despite the absence of Chandler and Setevenson, it’s quite surprising that the Mavs are still an awesome defensive unit (on most days). In fact, they’re in the top half of the league in block, are top 4 in steals, and are tied for 3rd in terms of defensive rebounds. They are also the 6th-best defensive team overall. In terms of shooting, Dallas is a volume team. They are 4th in terms of chucking the most 3s, and 6th in makes with more than 7 a game. That, however, places them at 22nd in the league in terms of %, which is NOT good. It’s okay for the Mavs to continue shooting the 3 (what else can they do?), but they have to better at actually making them.

If you’re a fan, however, don’t expect these Mavs to be a clear favorite in the postseason (provided they get there). This is just a very different team – an older and wiser team, but not a very athletic one. Can magic happen again in Texas? Maybe, Texas has three potential playoff clubs afterall, but perhaps not for this mediocre Mavericks team.

April 5-7, 2012 stat-stuffers:

April 5, 2012 Game Recaps:
NYK over ORl, 96-80
Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds to help the Knicks earn a 96-80 victory over the Magic at Amway Center on Thursday. Tyson Chandler recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 boards, while J.R. Smith and Toney Douglas netted 15 points apiece for the Knicks, who extended their advantage to 1 1/2 games over the idle Milwaukee Bucks for the final playoff spot in the East. Dwight Howard returned for the Magic after missing two straight with back spasms, but went scoreless in the first half and finished with just eight points. Jason Richardson poured in 16 points to lead the way for Orlando. The Magic are mired in a five-game losing streak for the first time since Jan. 12-20, 2007 and now occupy the sixth spot in the East, falling behind the idle Atlanta Hawks for fifth, despite having identical 32-23 records.

ChI over BOS, 93-86
Luol Deng poured in a season-high 26 points and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Celtics 93-86 at United Center on Thursday. Joakim Noah finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Carlos Boozer recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 boards for Chicago, which snapped their first two-game losing streak of the season. Paul Pierce scored 22 points, Brandon Bass added 15 points and Kevin Garnett tallied 12 points and 14 rebounds. Ray Allen came off the bench for the first time since 2002-03 and scored 14 points, but the Celtics fell for the second time in as many games. Boston's lead in the Atlantic Division is down to one game over the idle Philadelphia 76ers, whom the Celtics host on Sunday after making a stop in Indiana on Saturday.

LAC over SAC, 93-85
Randy Foye connected on four straight free throws in the final 16.5 seconds and the Clippers held off the Kings for a 93-85 victory at Power Balance Pavilion on Thursday. Foye finished with 20 points to lead the Clippers, while Caron Butler and Blake Griffin each scored 14 and Chris Paul and Eric Bledsoe added 13 points apiece. Los Angeles had its six-game win streak snapped in a 113-108 loss to the Lakers on Wednesday. Isaiah Thomas paced the Kings with 17 points and Justin Thompson recorded a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Sacramento wrapped up its four- game home stand at 1-3.

DET over WAS, 99-94
Greg Monroe led five Pistons in double figures with 18 points and Detroit defeated the Wizards 99-94 at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Thursday. Rodney Stuckey returned from a three-game absence to score 15 points, Tayshaun Prince chipped in 14 and Ben Gordon and Jason Maxiell tallied 13 and 11 points, respectively, helping the Pistons secure their third straight victory. John Wall scored a game-high 28 points to go with 10 assists and Kevin Seraphin added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Wizards, who dropped their fourth straight contest.

April 6, 2012 Game Recaps:
IND over OKC, 103-98
Danny Granger netted 26 points and the Indiana Pacers held off a late charge to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 103-98, on Friday. Roy Hibbert had a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds, David West supplied 14 points and Paul George contributed a career- high 16 boards as the Pacers won their fourth straight. Indiana remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta, which edged Detroit later Friday, for third place in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Durant scored 44 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, but the Thunder could not overcome a 24-point second-half deficit despite making it a three-point game late in the fourth. After leading throughout most of the season, Oklahoma City finds itself tied with surging San Antonio for the top playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Thunder have dropped three straight while the Spurs have won 10 in a row, including a 128-103 rout of the Hornets on Friday.

ATL over DET, 101-96
Jeff Teague tied a career-high with 24 points and dished out a season-high 11 assists as the Atlanta Hawks survived a fourth-quarter push by the Detroit Pistons to escape with a 101-96 victory at Philips Arena. Josh Smith added 22 points and 12 rebounds while Joe Johnson and Ivan Johnson netted 16 points apiece for the Hawks, who won for the third time in four games. Rodney Stuckey scored 27 points to pace Detroit, which had its three-game win streak snapped. Will Bynum contributed 15 points off the bench and Brandon Knight finished with 13 in a losing effort.

MEM over MIA, 97-82
Fresh off one of their best wins this season, the Miami Heat threw up one of their biggest stinkers. Their head coach called it a butt-kicking. Rudy Gay scored 17 points and the Memphis Grizzlies snapped Miami's 17-game home winning streak Friday night with a wire-to-wire 97-82 victory. Mike Conley and Marreese Speights added 15 points apiece for the Grizzlies, who have won four of five, and Zach Randolph came off the bench for 14 points and 14 rebounds in a dominating team win. The Heat's home streak, the best in the NBA this season, ended one win shy of the franchise record of 18 set during the 2004-05 season. Their previous loss at American Airlines Arena came Jan. 22 to Milwaukee. LeBron James had 21 points, including 11 in the third quarter as Miami tried to rally, while Dwyane Wade scored 20 and Chris Bosh added 19.

NJN over WAS, 110-98
Gerald Wallace and Deron Williams led five Nets in double-figures with 19 points apiece and New Jersey easily dispatched the Washington Wizards, 110-98, on Friday. The Nets set season-highs in field goal percentage (56.3 percent) and assists (32). MarShon Brooks finished with 18 points, Anthony Morrow netted 17 and Jordan Williams scored a career-high 14 for the Nets, who picked up a win in the first game of their second-to-last three-game homestand at Prudential Center. New Jersey embarks for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn next season. John Wall supplied 18 points for the Wizards, who have lost five straight and 10 of 11.

CLE over TOR, 84-80
Antawn Jamison scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and the Cavaliers snapped a nine-game losing streak with an 84-80 win over the Raptors at Air Canada Centre on Friday. Lester Hudson added a career-high 23 points and handed out seven assists off the bench as Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving continues to rest his ailing shoulder. Samardo Samuels chipped in 10 points and seven boards. DeMar DeRozan scored a game- high 28 points, while Andrea Bargnani added 19 points and seven boards for the Raptors, who had their three-game win streak halted.

POR over DAL, 99-97 (OT)
It seemed as if Portland and Dallas would be heading into double overtime for the second straight meeting between the teams, but LaMarcus Aldridge connected on a fadeaway jumper as the buzzer sounded in overtime to lift the Trail Blazers over the Mavericks, 99-97, at American Airlines Center. These teams last met on February 11 with Dallas taking a 97-94 decision in double OT behind Delonte West's six points in the second overtime period. Aldridge finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Raymond Felton scored a game-high 30 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists for Portland, which won consecutive games for the first time since January 23-24. Dirk Nowitzki paced the Mavericks with 23 points and 14 boards. Jason Terry added 18 points and five assists in Dallas' third loss in five games.

MIL over CHA, 95-90
Monta Ellis continued to shine in a Milwaukee uniform, scoring 25 points to lift the Bucks to a 95-90 victory over the Bobcats at Bradley Center on Friday. Brandon Jennings added 18 points to go with nine assists, Mike Dunleavy poured in 15 points off the bench, and Ersan Ilyasova recorded a double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who have won five of their last six. Milwaukee trails New York by one game for the final playoff spot in the East. Charlotte got a career game from Byron Mullens, who scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed 14 boards. Kemba Walker filled the stat sheet with 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, but the Bobcats fell for the 10th time in as many contests.

SAS over NOH, 128-103
Tim Duncan had 19 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals, as the red-hot San Antonio Spurs cruised past the New Orleans Hornets, 128-103. Manu Ginobili and Patrick Mills each added 14 points for the Spurs, who have won 10 in a row. Stephen Jackson and Gary Neal donated 13 points apiece. San Antonio shot 60.7 percent from the field and 9-of-18 from three-point range while improving to 22-4 at home this season. Eric Gordon had 31 points in his second game back for the Hornets, who fell to 14-41 on the season. Marco Belinelli and Carl Landry ended with 15 and 13 points, respectively.

DEN over PHX, 105-99
Arron Afflalo scored 30 points, including a key three down the stretch, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns for the fifth straight time, 105-99, on Friday night. Andre Miller hit the go-ahead free throws with 1:23 remaining, but Afflalo's three-pointer from the right corner on the next trip down the court put the lid on Denver's winning return to the Pepsi Center. Al Harrington had 23 points and Miller scored 15, both off the bench, as the Nuggets returned from a 3-4 road trip with their first home game since March 21. Shannon Brown scored 18 points, Jared Dudley had 17 and Steve Nash contributed 14 points and 11 assists for the Suns, who started the day one game behind the Nuggets for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference.

UTA over GSW, 104-98
Al Jefferson had 30 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, as the Utah Jazz took down the Golden State Warriors, 104-98. Devin Harris added a season-high 28 points and five assists in his return to the lineup for the Jazz, who have won two of three since a three-game skid. Gordon Hayward and Paul Millsap donated 14 and 12 points, respectively. David Lee ended with 26 points and 12 boards for the Warriors, who failed to build off Wednesday's win over Minnesota. Klay Thompson tallied 23 points and five rebounds.

HOU over LAL, 112-107
Luis Scola scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter as the Houston Rockets outlasted the Los Angels Lakers, 112-107, at Staples Center. Goran Dragic added 26 points and 11 assists while Marcus Camby contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who won for the sixth time in nine games. Kobe Bryant netted a game-high 28 points, Metta World Peace had 23 and Pau Gasol finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Los Angeles, which had its four-game win streak snapped. Andrew Bynum had 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocks for the Lakers before getting ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter after receiving his second technical foul.

April 7, 2012 Game Recaps:
BOS over IND, 86-72
Paul Pierce scored 24 points and the Boston Celtics cruised to an 86-72 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Ray Allen came off the bench and netted 19 points, while Kevin Garnett registered 15 points and seven rebounds for Boston, which snapped a two-game skid with their sixth win in eight tries. The Celtics put some distance between themselves and the 76ers for the top spot in the Atlantic Division for the moment. Philadelphia which entered the day one game back, was playing Orlando. The Sixers will visit TD Garden on Sunday. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 20 points and David West connected on 8-of-10 from the field en route to 16 points for Indiana, which saw a four-game winning streak end in the finale of a back-to-back series.

ATL over CHA, 116-96
Joe Johnson led eight Hawks in double-figures with 18 points as Atlanta routed the Charlotte Bobcats, 116-96, on Saturday. Ivan Johnson netted 17 points off the bench, Josh Smith and Jannero Pargo finished with 15 apiece and Zaza Pachulia grabbed 16 rebounds to go with 12 points for the Hawks, who won their third in a row. Cory Higgins supplied a career-high 22 points, but it was not enough for the Bobcats, who have lost 11 straight.

MEM over DAL, 94-89
Rudy Gay scored a game-high 25 points as the Memphis Grizzlies held off the Dallas Mavericks, 94-89, at FedExForum. Zach Randolph added 15 points and 11 rebounds while Gilbert Arenas netted 14 points for the Grizzlies, who won for the seventh time in nine games. Dirk Nowitzki paced the Mavericks with 17 points to go along with eight rebounds as Dallas dropped its fourth game in six tries.

NOH over MIN, 99-90
Jason Smith had a career-high 26 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, as the New Orleans Hornets held off the Minnesota Timberwolves, 99-90. Chris Kaman added 21 points, 10 boards and four blocks for the Hornets, who have won two of three since a three-game skid. Greivis Vasquez donated 11 points and 10 assists. Kevin Love ended with 29 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have dropped five in a row. Michael Beasley tallied 20 points.

ORL over PHI, 88-82
Dwight Howard scored 20 points with 22 rebounds and the Orlando Magic avoided their first six-game losing streak in more than six years with an 88-82 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Glen Davis had a game-high 23 points and 12 boards for the Magic, who snapped a five-game losing streak -- their first in more than five years. None of the five Sixers starters scored in double digits. Thaddeus Young had a team-high 20 points and Jodie Meeks scored 11 of his 16 during a big run in the first half that gave Philadelphia a 10-point lead. But the Sixers faltered down the stretch and dropped their third straight to fall two games behind Boston for first place in the Atlantic Division.

MIL over POR, 116-94
Brandon Jennings and Beno Udrih scored 21 points apiece as the Milwaukee Bucks used a dominant second half to run away with a 116-94 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Bradley Center. Ersan Ilyasova added 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Monta Ellis finished with 17 points and seven assists for Milwaukee, which won its fourth straight game to pull within a half game behind the idle New York Knicks for the eighth and final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference. LaMarcus Aldridge netted 21 points and Raymond Felton contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who had their two-game win streak snapped.

PHX over LAL, 125-105
Shannon Brown had 24 points and the Suns took down the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers, 125-105, on Saturday. Bryant's consecutive games streak came to an end at 138 due to an injured left shin. Michael Redd added 23 points for Phoenix, which made 14 three-pointers and set a franchise record for the fewest turnovers in a game with three. Marcin Gortat ended with 14 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix, which got 13 points apiece from Sebastian Telfair, Markieff Morris and Steve Nash. Pau Gasol had 30 points and 13 boards for the Lakers, who have lost two in a row. Andrew Bynum donated 23 points and 18 boards.

Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
April 5: John Wall (WAS) – 28
April 6: Kevin Durant (OKC) – 44
April 7: Pau Gasol (LAL) – 30

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
April 5: Jason Thompson (SAC) – 16
April 6: Paul George (IND) – 16
April 7: Dwight Howard (ORL) – 22

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
April 5: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 12
April 6: Deron Williams (NJN) – 13
April 7: Chris Paul (LAC) – 15

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
April 5: Chris Paul (LAC) – 5
April 6: Brandon Jennings (MIL) – 5
April 7: Chris Paul (LAC) – 7

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
April 5: Dwight Howard (ORL) & Joakim Noah (CHI) – 3
April 6: Serge Ibaka (OKC) – 7
April 7: Greg Stiemsma (BOS) – 5

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
April 5: A LOT with 3!!!
April 6: Devin Harris (UTA), Raymond Felton (POR), & Arron Afflalo (DEN) – 5
April 7: Randy Foye (LAC) – 7

April 5, 2012 First Five
C – Joakim Noah (CHI) – 17pts, 9rebs, 3blks, 1ast
F – Jason Thompson (SAC) – 15pts, 16rebs, 2blks, 1ast
F – Luol Deng (CHI) – 26pts, 6rebs, 4stls, 3asts, 1blk
G – Paul Pierce (BOS) – 22pts, 8rebs, 4asts, 3 treys, 2stls
G – John Wall (WAS) – 28pts, 10asts, 4rebs, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
JR Smith (NYK) – 15pts, 9asts, 4rebs, 3 treys, 1stl
Toney Douglas (NYK) – 15pts, 6asts, 5rebs, 1stl
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 10pts, 12asts, 4rebs, 1stl

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aIH-ihDuN4

April 6, 2012 First Five
C – Byron Mullens (CHA) – 31pts, 14rebs, 2asts, 2blks
F – Al Jefferson (UTA) – 30pts, 11rebs, 5blks, 2asts
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 44pts, 6rebs, 3asts, 3 treys, 2blks, 1stl
G – Raymond Felton (POR) – 30pts, 7rebs, 6asts, 5 treys, 2stls
G – Jeff Teague (ATL) – 24pts, 11asts, 5rebs, 2stls, 1blk

Honorable Mention:
Arron Afflalo (DEN) – 30pts, 5rebs, 5 treys, 3asts, 1stl
Goran Dragic (HOU) – 26pts, 11asts, 4rebs, 3stls, 3 treys
David Lee (GSW) – 26pts, 12rebs, 4asts

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEywRhoQwjg

April 7, 2012 First Five
C – Chris Kaman (NOH) – 21pts, 10rebs, 4asts, 4blks, 1stl
F – Blake Griffin (LAC) – 27pts, 14rebs, 4asts, 2stls
F – Pau Gasol (LAL) – 30pts, 13rebs, 3asts
G – Randy Foye (LAC) – 25pts, 7 treys, 4rebs, 1ast
G – Chris Paul (LAC) – 19pts, 15asts, 7stls, 5rebs

Honorable Mention:
Kevin Love (MIN) – 29pts, 12rebs, 3 treys, 3asts, 1stl, 1blk
Jason Smith (NOH) – 26pts, 10rebs, 3stls
Dwight Howard (ORL) – 20pts, 22rebs, 6asts, 2blks, 2stl

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKddMqIwJmo



Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Denver Fading?



“Tonight I just wanted to make it my mission to stop David Lee and help my team win.'' – Nuggets rookie Kenneth Faried after Denver blew the Warriors out , 123-84.

Yes, that’s good. Mission accomplished, young buck (or should it be young nugget?).

But how about the team’s bigger mission of reaching the playoffs?

Not quite there yet.

At 5 games above .500, the Nuggets are sitting pretty at 2nd place in the Northwest Division. At the same time, however, they’re also sitting precariously at the 8th and final playoff spot our West. Technically, they’re tied with Dallas for 7th with both the Suns and the Jazz hot at their heels.

Having versatile swingman Danilo Gallinari back in the fold should make Denver much better, though having Al Harrington play with a torn meniscus kinda balances things out in a bad way.

Still, these Nuggets should be able to contend for that final postseason ticket.

The numbers will show they deserve to play after their regular season schedule ends on April 27 (Manila time).

Denver is tops in the league in scoring, tops in the league in assists, and 4th in FG%. They’re also tops in free throw attempts, which is a testament to how aggressive they’ve been going to the hole. Of the 27 freebies they shoot per game, the Nuggets make just 74%, which is good for a dismal 24th, but that translates to about 20 “extra” points in every outing. For them to make the playoffs, they’ll have to keep on driving to the basket.

The one thing, really, that might hamper Denver’s homestretch is their really tough sked. Of their final 9 games, 7 are against teams currently .500 or better. They’ll face both LA teams, play the Rockets back-to-back, battle the Suns in a pivotal match-up, host Dwight Howard and the Magic, and travel to Oklahoma City (not necessarily in that order). Their other two games are both against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who aren’t exactly pushovers themselves.

And, yes, Wilson Chandler is still nursing his groin injury, and Rudy Fernandez won’t be back till next season.

Needless to say, the Nuggets have their work cut out for them. Can they measure up to the challenge, or will their sheen just fade away?

April 8-9, 2012 stat-stuffers:

April 8, 2012 Game Recaps:
NYK over CHI, 100-99 (OT)
Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 43 points, making the go-ahead 3-pointer with 8.2 seconds left in overtime, and the New York Knicks spoiled a rusty Derrick Rose's return to the lineup to beat the Chicago Bulls 100-99 on Sunday. Rose scored 29 points after missing the previous 12 games with a strained right groin, but he shot only 8 of 26 from the field and missed a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left in regulation and the Bulls ahead by three. Anthony made a 3-pointer eight seconds later to tie it, and scored the final five points of the extra period as the Knicks pulled out a thriller in a possible playoff preview.

SAS over UTA, 114-104
Tony Parker scored 28 points and San Antonio won its 11th straight game, beating Utah to maintain its slim lead atop the Western Conference. Manu Ginobili added 23 points for the Spurs, who are now on their second 11-game win streak — a season best in the NBA. But unlike that first tear that started in January, the Spurs are now fighting off the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place instead of trying to catch them. Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Utah dropped 1 1/2 games behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot with nine games to go.

MIA over DET, 98-75
LeBron James scored 26 points, Chris Bosh finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, and Miami steadily pulled away to beat Detroit. James Jones scored 18 on 6-for-8 shooting from 3-point range for Miami, which played without Dwyane Wade for the 11th time this season. Wade sat out with right ankle soreness, which the team said was caused by an awkward landing on a dunk attempt against Memphis on Friday night. Miami (40-15) pulled within two games of Chicago (43-14) for the best record in the East.

OKC over TOR, 91-75
Kevin Durant scored 23 points and Oklahoma City had a 24-0 run bridging the third and fourth quarters to beat Toronto and end a season-worst three-game skid. Oklahoma City remained percentage points behind San Antonio for first place in the West after the Spurs beat Utah. Toronto trailed 58-55 with 6:05 left in the third quarter, but the Raptors didn't score again in the period. Oklahoma City then scored the last 12 points of the quarter and the first 12 of the fourth to take 27-point lead.

BOS over PHI, 103-79
Kevin Garnett scored 20 points and Rajon Rondo dished out double-digit assists for his 17th consecutive game, finishing with 15 to help lead Boston over Philadelphia. Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley each added 18 points, and Paul Pierce had 17 as the Celtics won for the seventh time in nine games, improving their Atlantic Division lead to three games over both the 76ers and Knicks. Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and Andre Iguodala added 13 for the 76ers, who have dropped 10 of 14 to fall out first place and are now competing for the final playoff spot in the East. They are tied with the Knicks for seventh place, one game ahead of Milwaukee.

NJN over CLE, 122-117 (OT)
Gerald Green scored a season-high 32 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 36.7 seconds left in regulation and a high-flying dunk in overtime, leading New Jersey to a win over Cleveland. Anthony Morrow scored 24 points, Deron Williams had 18 points and 10 assists, and Kris Humphries added 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Nets won a season-best third straight at home. Antawn Jamison scored a season high-tying 34 points, Lester Hudson had 26 and Alonzo Gee added 22 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland, which lost for the 10th time in 11 games.

HOU over SAC, 104-87
Courtney Lee scored 19 of his 25 points in the first half, leading Houston over Sacramento. Goran Dragic had 15 points and nine assists, and Chase Budinger also scored 15 as Houston won its third straight and fourth in five games. Terrence Williams had a season-high 21 points and eight rebounds for the Kings, losers of four straight and nine of 11. Rookie guard Jimmer Fredette made three 3-pointers and finished with 17 points in a season-high 37 minutes.


April 9, 2012 Game Recaps:
WAS over CHA, 113-85
Seven different Wizards finished in double figures as Washington dominated the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. Jordan Crawford led the way with 20 points and Cartier Martin followed closely behind with 19. James Singleton poured in 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while John Wall scored just two points but did hand out 12 assists as the Wizards snapped a five-game losing streak. Corey Maggette scored a game-high 23 points and Kemba Walker finished with 16 points, seven boards and seven assists, but the Bobcats continued to skid, dropping their 12th straight contest.

IND over TOR, 103-98
Danny Granger and George Hill scored 18 points apiece to guide the Indiana Pacers past the Raptors. Hill, starting in place of the injured Darren Collison, also had seven rebounds and four assists. Paul George netted 15 points and Leandro Barbosa supplied 14 for the Pacers, who have won five of six to solidify their third- place position in the Eastern Conference. Linas Kleiza paced the Raptors with 18 points off the bench and Alan Anderson donated 17 for Toronto, which has dropped its last three.

ORL over DET, 119-89
Jason Richardson scored 22 points, J.J. Redick had 20 and the Orlando Magic rolled to a win over the Detroit Pistons despite missing the biggest piece of their team. The Magic set a season-high in points scored without the services of center Dwight Howard, who sat out with back spasms. Jameer Nelson added 18 points and nine assists while Glen Davis went for 16 points and 16 rebounds to pick up some of the slack in Howard's absence. Tayshaun Prince had 21 points and eight rebounds to lead the Pistons, who have lost three in a row to start a four- game road trip. The Magic hadn't scored so many points since dropping 120 in an overtime loss at Golden State on March 11, 2011.

MEM over LAC, 94-85
Marc Gasol scored 18 points, pulled down eight rebounds and dished out seven assists as the Memphis Grizzlies withstood a late push by the Los Angeles Clippers to escape with a victory. Rudy Gay added 16 points while Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo contributed 13 apiece for the Grizzlies, who earned their third straight win to stay entrenched in the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Chris Paul paced the Clippers with 21 points and Blake Griffin finished with 19 as Los Angeles had its two-game win streak snapped and fell to 1 1/2 games behind the Lakers for the top spot in the Pacific Division. DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 14 rebounds in a losing effort.

OKC over MIL, 109-89
Russell Westbrook scored 26 points and pulled down seven rebounds, while Kevin Durant netted 19 points to go with eight assists and four boards as the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Milwaukee Bucks. James Harden added 16 points off the bench for Oklahoma City, which has won two straight on the heels of a three-game losing streak. The Thunder scored 25 points off 17 Milwaukee turnovers. The Thunder are tied with the Spurs for the top record in the Western Conference after San Antonio saw its 11-game winning streak come to an end in Utah. Ersan Ilyasova had 18 points for the Bucks, who fell 1 1/2 games behind the Knicks and 76ers for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Monta Ellis scored just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field.

LAL over NOH, 93-91
Kobe Bryant missed his second straight game with a shin injury, but Metta World Peace played the role of hero quite nicely on Monday as he drained the go-ahead three-pointer from the top of the key with 1:26 to play and the Los Angeles Lakers held on for a win over the New Orleans Hornets. World Peace finished with eight points -- six in the final quarter -- Pau Gasol netted 25 points to go with nine rebounds, Andrew Bynum added 18 and 11 boards and Ramon Sessions finished with 17 to go with six rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, who snapped a brief two-game skid. Carl Landry paced the Hornets with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Marco Belinelli added 20 points and Greivis Vasquez added 18 with 11 assists in defeat. New Orleans has lost five of its last seven games.

DEN over GSW, 123-84
Kenneth Faired scored 27 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as the Denver Nuggets pulverized the Golden State Warriors. Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari scored 15 points apiece, JaVale McGee and Corey Brewer both netted 13 and Al Harrington and Ty Lawson each finished with 10 for the Nuggets, who avenged a 112-97 loss to the Warriors on Saturday. Denver retained its one-game lead on Phoenix for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with the victory. Klay Thompson supplied 17 points and Nate Robinson donated 16 for Golden State, which has lost two of three.

PHX over MIN, 114-90
Markieff Morris led five players in double figures with 21 points and six rebounds as the Phoenix Suns routed the Minnesota Timberwolves. Shannon Brown finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, Steve Nash added 14 points and five assists, Sebastian Telfair donated 14 points and seven assists, and Michael Redd rounded out the double-figure scorers in the Suns' fifth win in their last six games with 13 points. Kevin Love poured in a game-high 25 points and ripped down 13 rebounds, while J.J. Barea added 16 points and five assists for the Timberwolves, who have lost six consecutive games. Michael Beasley contributed 12 points and Nikola Pekovic donated 11 in the loss.

UTA over SAS, 91-84
Devin Harris netted a game-high 25 points as the Utah Jazz snapped the San Antonio Spurs' second 11-game win streak of the year. Paul Millsap added 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Gordon Hayward had 16 points and Al Jefferson contributed 12 points and 10 boards for the Jazz, who won for the third time in five games. Utah remained a game and a half behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference after the Nuggets dominated the Golden State Warriors, 123-84, on Monday. Gary Neal and Tiago Splitter scored 14 points apiece to pace San Antonio, which was playing without stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili as they did not travel with the team due to head coach Gregg Popovich giving them all the day off. The Spurs also won 11 straight from January 30-February 20 earlier this season.

HOU over POR, 94-89
Goran Dragic scored 22 points and dished out seven assists, and the Houston Rockets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers. Chase Budinger netted 15 points off the bench while Kyle Lowry added 13 points for the Rockets, who just completed a 4-0 road trip. Marcus Camby, playing his first game in Portland since being traded to Houston at the trade deadline, grabbed 11 rebounds. The Rockets are one game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks for sixth place in the Western Conference. LaMarcus Aldridge netted 20 points to go with six rebounds for Portland, which shot just 39.8 percent from the floor and 6-of-21 from beyond the arc. The Blazers are currently 4 1/2 games behind the Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the west.


Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
April 8: Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 43
April 9: Kenneth Faried (DEN) - 27

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
April 8: Tim Duncan (SAS), Tyson Chandler (NYK), & Carlos Boozer (CHI) – 16
April 9: Kenneth Faried (DEN) - 17

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
April 8: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 15
April 9: Jose Calderon (TOR) – 14

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
April 8: A LOT with 4!!!
April 9: Thabo Sefolosha (OKC) – 7

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
April 8: Serge Ibaka (OKC) – 5
April 9: Serge Ibaka (OKC) & Chris Kaman (NOH) – 5

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
April 8: Lester Hudson (CLE) & James Jones (MIA) – 6
April 9: Jason Richardson (ORL) – 6

April 8, 2012 First Five
C – Tristan Thompson (CLE) – 15pts, 15rebs, 2asts, 2blks, 1stl
F – Antawn Jamison (CLE) – 34pts, 4 treys, 3rebs, 3asts, 1stl
F – Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 43pts, 7rebs, 4 treys, 3asts, 1stl, 1blk
G – Gerald Green (NJN) – 32pts, 5 treys, 4rebs, 1ast
G – Alonzo Gee (CLE) – 22pts, 11rebs, 5asts

Honorable Mention:
Tony Parker (SAS) – 28pts, 3rebs, 3asts, 2stls
Courtney Lee (HOU) – 25pts, 4stls, 3 treys, 2rebs, 2asts
Jose Calderon (TOR) – 19pts, 6asts, 3 treys, 2rebs, 2stls

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_wWDagec8

April 9, 2012 First Five
C – Pau Gasol (LAL) – 25pts, 9rebs, 4asts, 2blks, 1stl
F – Kenneth Faried (DEN) – 27pts, 17rebs, 2stls, 1ast, 1blk
F – Carl Landry (NOH) – 20pts, 11rebs, 5asts
G – Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 26pts, 7rebs, 3asts, 3 treys, 1stl
G – Goran Dragic (HOU) – 22pts, 7asts, 4 treys, 3stls, 2rebs

Honorable Mention:
James Singleton (WAS) – 18pts, 12rebs, 3asts, 2stls, 2blks
Glen Davis (ORL) – 16pts, 16rebs, 5asts, 1stl, 1blk
Kevin Love (MIN) – 25pts, 13rebs, 2asts, 2stls

Daily Zap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbLRqOT_k4A


Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Remiss



I’ve been remiss in publishing my NBA posts. For the past five days or so, it’s been tough balancing regularly publishing on this blog and, well, life.

But I cannot and will not give this blog up. Writing makes me happy. Basketball makes me happy. This blog is a constant reminder that I’m still my own person.

This is mine. This is part of ME.

Anyway. Back to regular programming.

Here’s an interesting post about the Houston Rockets from Patrick Harrel of thedreamshake.com:

“A few weeks ago, the Rockets were facing an uphill climb to the playoffs. In a 10 team race for 8 playoff seeds, the Rockets were locked in a battle with Phoenix and Utah for the last spot, made tougher after losing their two starting guards. After an impressive 8-3 stretch over their last 11 contests, the Rockets have started to build some breathing room between them and the competition on the outside looking in.

Instead of just making the playoffs, the Rockets' goals may have shifted, especially with home court advantage in the first round up for grabs. With nine games left, the Rockets are just two games out of the 4th seed. At the same time, they have just a two game lead over the 9th seeded Suns.

Are they closer to the mediocrity of Phoenix and Utah, or are they true contenders to go places in the playoffs like the Clippers? Jump for more!

When Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin went down with injuries that threatened to end both of their seasons, most expected the Rockets to slowly fade in the competitive playoff race out West. Nobody could have expected that Courtney Lee and Goran Dragic could outperform their predecessors, that Luis Scola would have a late season resurgence, or that Marcus Camby would play his best basketball since his Denver days.

With Kyle Lowry coming back, this team starts looking very dangerous. Some are quick to dismiss a star-less roster as nothing more than a regular season phenomenon, but Memphis showed last year that a balanced roster with a solid defense could make some noise in the playoffs.

Daryl Morey often preaches that any team needs to have a top ten offense and a top ten defense to contend. For the first 40 games of the season, the Rockets were not close to that mark defensively. However, they have improved dramatically as of late, and have been playing at that level over the last 15 contests.

The importance of the additions of Dragic, Lee, and Camby into the starting lineups on the defense cannot be understated.

Kyle Lowry is widely considered one of the best defensive point guards in the league, but he has regressed badly on that end this season. The Rockets were often forced to put Courtney Lee and Chandler Parsons on quicker point guards this year as Lowry's tired legs couldn't stay in front of them. Dragic is a longer defender who has outperformed Lowry on that end. He's guarding his position and doing so very well as a starter.

Lee's impact goes without saying. Kevin Martin has never been anything better than average defensively at any point in his career, and this season is no exception. Not having to scheme to hide a lesser defender has allowed the Rockets more freedom on the defensive side of the ball, giving Courtney Lee and Chandler Parsons the ability to switch off on dangerous oppoenents.

Finally, Marcus Camby may have had the biggest impact on the improvement of the Rockets' defense. When acquired, most expected he would split minutes with Samuel Dalembert, allowing the two to stay fresh. Incredibly, the 38 year old has bumped Dalembert from the lineup and relegated him to a 15 minute per night role.

His shot-blocking has been welcome, but his discipline has been at least as important to this resurgence. Not only does he almost always make the right decision, but he has kept other players disciplined as well. Even Luis Scola looks more invigorated on defense, as Camby will let him know if he blows an assignment.

Some suggest that the Rockets are going to look elsewhere for the the star talent to carry them to contention, but what if the talent is on the roster now? Goran Dragic has shown he's a legitimate point guard that can lead a team, Kyle Lowry is an All-Star caliber player, and the team has young two-way players in Courtney Lee, Patrick Patterson, and Chandler Parsons here for the long-term.

Including Goran Dragic and Courtney Lee's cap holds, the Rockets could still have well over $10 million to sign on free agents this summer. If Kevin Martin is moved (though I believe the Rockets are going to try and give him a chance to reestablish his value before trading him), they could have $20 million to throw at their young free agent of their choice. With the resources to give him a contract and a promise for significant playing time as a backup to both Lowry and Lee, the Rockets are in a position to retain Dragic and form a tremendous three guard rotation.

So you have the basis for a championship roster in a top ten offense and defense, you can add any free agent you can convince to come to Houston, and have a potential lottery pick in a solid draft. Maybe that's not a championship roster, but it's a lot closer than you'd get if you lost 60 games for three years in a row.”

The Rockets have since gone on a 2-game slump, which sunk them to 7th spot out West. They are still not out of the woods, since Phoenix and Utah can still steal the last 2 playoff spots if they win all of their last few games. As a sentimental Houston fan, however, I'm crossing my fingers that the Rockets will be able to hold the fort. Go Houston!!!


April 10-14, 2012 stat-stuffers:

April 10, 2012 Game Recaps:
BOS over MIA, 115-107
Paul Pierce scored 27 points, Kevin Garnett had 24 and the Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat for the second time in 10 days with a 115-107 win on Tuesday night. Rajon Rondo added 18 points and 15 assists for the Celtics, who led by as many as 18 points in the first half and improved to 18-7 since the All-Star break with their third straight win. LeBron James scored 36 points, Dwyane Wade had 20 and Chris Bosh chipped in 13 but Miami never led after the first quarter and lost two of its last three on a five-game homestand after winning 17 in a row in their building.

CHI over NYK, 98-86
The Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls avenged Sunday's overtime loss to the Knicks in impressive fashion. And they did so with reigning MVP Derrick Rose back on the bench. Richard Hamilton stepped up with 20 points and Luol Deng added 19 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday's 98-86 win over New York despite Rose resting the ankle he injured in the opener of this home-and-home set. Carmelo Anthony, who erupted for 43 points in Sunday's potential playoff preview, netted 29 in the setback, New York's fourth in 15 games under interim head coach Mike Woodson. The loss dropped the Knicks into eighth place in the East's playoff race, just one game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks with nine to play.

PHI over NJN, 107-88
Lou Williams paced five Sixers in double figures with 20 points, and Philadelphia posted a 107-88 win over the New Jersey Nets at Prudential Center. Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young both totaled 19 points and eight rebounds for the Sixers, who resumed their playoff push by snapping a four-game losing streak. Philadelphia entered Tuesday's contest tied with New York for seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. The Knicks, though, lost on the road to Chicago. With the win, the Sixers moved two games ahead of the ninth-place Milwaukee Bucks, who were idle. Kris Humphries posted a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead New Jersey, which was outscored 64-48 over the second and third quarters. Deron Williams had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Nets, who had won five of their previous seven games.

DAL over SAC, 110-100
Dirk Nowitzki was one of six players in double figures, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks took down the Sacramento Kings, 110-100, on Tuesday at American Airlines Center. Rodrigue Beaubois also went for 15 points and five rebounds, Jason Terry and Delonte West added 13 points apiece, Brendan Haywood had 11 and five rebounds, while Shawn Marion added a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds for the Mavs, who had lost three of their last four coming in. Dallas moved to within a half-game of idle Houston for the sixth seed in the Western Conference and has now beaten the Kings 16 consecutive times at home. DeMarcus Cousins poured in a game-high 25 points and pulled down 18 rebounds for the Kings, who lost for the fifth consecutive time. Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans and Isaiah Thomas contributed 16 points apiece and Jimmer Fredette added 13 in defeat.

WAS over ORL, 93-85
With Dwight Howard missing his second straight contest with back spasms, Kevin Seraphin took advantage, recording career-highs in points with 24 and rebounds with 13 as the Wizards defeated the Magic, 93-85, at Verizon Center on Tuesday. Jordan Crawford poured in 21 points, John Wall added 15 and James Singleton and Cartier Martin added 12 points apiece to help the Wizards to their second consecutive victory. Jameer Nelson paced the Magic with 19 points to go with seven assists, J.J. Redick netted 15 points and Quentin Richardson chipped in 14 points for the Magic, who had won two straight on the heels of a five-game skid. Orlando now occupies the sixth position in the East and sits a 1/2 game behind the idle Atlanta Hawks for fifth.

CLE over CHA, 103-90
Lester Hudson tallied a game-high 25 points with eight rebounds and six assists as Cleveland claimed a 103-90 decision over Charlotte. Anthony Parker totaled 19 points and Antawn Jamison added 17 and four helpers for the Cavaliers, who have won two of three since a nine- game losing skid. Gerald Henderson's 21 points and 16 points with 11 assists from D.J. Augustin weren't enough for the Bobcats, who lost their 13th straight game.

April 11, 2012 Game Recaps:
IND over CLE, 104-98 (OT)
Danny Granger poured in five points in overtime and finished with 23 overall as the Pacers held off the Cavaliers, 104-98, at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday. David West tallied 19 points and George Hill added 17 for the Pacers, who remain in the third position in the East and have won six of their last seven. Lester Hudson finished with 19 points, while Antawn Jamison led the way with 21 points and eight rebounds. The Cavaliers, who had won two of three coming in, are now officially eliminated from playoff contention.

PHI over TOR, 93-75
Thaddeus Young scored 17 points, leading six players in double-figures, and the 76ers earned a much-needed 93-75 win over the Raptors on Wednesday. Philadelphia remains three games behind the first- place Celtics in the Atlantic Division and one game ahead of the Knicks for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Both Boston and New York won on Wednesday night. Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and Elton Brand finished with 11 and eight rebounds for the Sixers, who have won two straight for the first time since winning three in a row from March 7-11. Alan Anderson and Ed Davis scored 13 points apiece to pace the Raptors, losers of four straight. They were again without leading scorer Andrea Bargnani, who is suffering from tightness in his calf, and lost point guard Jose Calderon and forward Linas Kleiza to injury during the game.

BOS over ATL, 88-86 (OT)
Rajon Rondo recorded a triple-double, scoring 10 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and handing out 20 assists as the Celtics held on for an 88-86 victory over the Hawks at TD Garden on Wednesday. Both teams had a shot to win the game in regulation, but Kevin Garnett came up short on his turnaround attempt and Jannero Pargo missed a wide-open jumper on the other end to send the game to overtime. Garnett finished with 22 points and 12 boards before fouling out with 2:43 left in overtime. Brandon Bass chipped in 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Paul Pierce tallied 14 points to lead the Celtics to their fourth straight win. Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 21 points and Josh Smith recorded a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, but the Hawks saw their three-game win streak come to an end. Boston, Atlanta and the Orlando Magic all hold identical 34-24 records, with Boston holding the fourth spot as the Atlantic Division leader and Atlanta occupying the fifth position.

UTA over HOU, 103-91
Gordon Hayward netted a season-high 29 points as the Utah Jazz got a much-needed 103-91 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Paul Millsap filled the stat sheet with 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals and Derrick Favors had a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards off the bench for the Jazz, who have won two in a row and three of four. Goran Dragic paced the Rockets with 19 points and Kyle Lowry contributed 15 in defeat. Houston saw a four-game winning streak snapped. With Houston's loss and Denver's win later Wednesday, there is now a three-way tie for sixth place in the Western Conference. Utah sits 1 1/2 games behind the group, which includes Dallas, for the final playoff spot in the West.

MEM over PHX, 104-93
Rudy Gay netted 32 points as the Memphis Grizzlies downed the Phoenix Suns, 104-93, at FedExForum. Zach Randolph added 17 points and nine rebounds, while O.J. Mayo contributed 15 points and Mike Conley finished with 12 and seven assists for Memphis, which won its fourth straight game and sits in the fifth seed of the Western Conference. Marcin Gortat paced Phoenix with 19 points, Shannon Brown had 18 and Markieff Morris dropped in 17 for the Suns, who had won five of their last six. Steve Nash had 11 points and 10 rebounds but turned the ball over seven times as Phoenix fell to the 10th spot in the West after Utah won on Wednesday.

NYK over MIL 111-107
J.R. Smith made the go-ahead three-pointer with 1:04 remaining and the Knicks got past the Bucks, 111-107, in Wednesday's crucial Eastern Conference matchup. With the win the Knicks moved two games ahead of Milwaukee for the conference's eighth and final playoff spot. They were paced by Carmelo Anthony's 32 points and got 19 from Tyson Chandler. New York remains one game behind seventh-place Philadelphia in the East and four games behind Boston in the Atlantic Division after both the 76ers and the Celtics won on Wednesday. Monta Ellis had 35 points and 10 assists in the setback, while Brandon Jennings added 22 points and Mike Dunleavy finished with 19.

NOH over SAC, 105-96
Jason Smith had 22 points, Marco Belinelli scored 21 and New Orleans posted a 105-96 victory over Sacramento in a matchup between the two worst teams in the Western Conference. Greivis Vasquez totaled 15 points and five assists for the Hornets, who have won three of their last five games. Marcus Thornton paced the Kings with 25 points, while Tyreke Evans finished with 19 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals. Sacramento dropped its sixth straight game, tying a season high (Feb. 11-21).

LAC over OKC, 100-98
Chris Paul scored 11 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead basket with 8.8 seconds remaining to give the Clippers a 100-98 comeback victory over the Western Conference- leading Thunder. Kevin Durant tried following Paul's driving floater as time wound down, but his three-point try from the left wing found all iron. Despite its fourth loss in six games, Oklahoma City maintained its one-game lead over the Spurs atop the conference after San Antonio lost to the Lakers Wednesday night. Blake Griffin totaled 16 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for Los Angeles, which rebounded from Monday's loss at Memphis to stay 1 1/2 games behind the Pacific Division-leading Lakers.

LAL over SAS, 98-84
Metta World Peace stepped up with 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting and Andrew Bynum pulled down a staggering 30 rebounds, as the Lakers rolled to a convincing 98-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. The lopsided decision was surprising considering the league's leading scorer, Kobe Bryant, sat out for a third straight game due to a sore left shin. Bynum added 16 points to go along with his big night on the glass, while Pau Gasol chipped in 21 points and 11 boards for the Lakers, who held a decided 60-33 rebounding advantage. Los Angeles' sixth win in eight games helped maintain its 1 1/2-game lead over the Clippers atop the Pacific Division. The Spurs dropped their second straight on the heels of an 11-game winning streak and remained a game back of the Western Conference-leading Thunder. Danny Green paced San Antonio with 22 points, while Tony Parker was held to just four points on an uncharacteristic 2-of-12 shooting effort.

DEN over MIN 113-107
Ty Lawson scored 24 points and Arron Afflalo netted 21 as the Denver Nuggets pulled out a 113-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Danilo Gallinari contributed 18 points while Kenneth Faried notched a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double in the victory, Denver's second straight. The Nuggets moved into a three-way tie with Houston and idle Dallas for the sixth position in the Western Conference. Utah is 1 1/2 games back. Anthony Randolph and Derrick Williams both provided a spark off the bench for Minnesota, pouring in 28 and 27 points, respectively, but the Wolves extended their season-high losing streak to seven games.

POR over GSW, 118-110
Jamal Crawford scored 34 points off the bench as the Portland Trail Blazers escaped with a 118-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Rose Garden. J.J. Hickson had 23 points and 13 rebounds in place of LaMarcus Aldridge, who did not play after having an abnormality discovered in his hip on Wednesday and will be re-evaluated over the next day or two. Wesley Matthews finished with 18 points and Raymond Felton contributed 16 points and 10 assists for Portland, which snapped a two-game slide and currently sits in the 11th seed of the Western Conference. David Lee paced Golden State with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Nate Robinson netted 19 points for the Warriors, who were eliminated from the playoffs with the loss.

April 12, 2012 Game Recaps:
CHI over MIA, 96-86
C.J. Watson scored 16 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation, and the Chicago Bulls pulled away in overtime to beat the Miami Heat. Carlos Boozer led the Bulls with 19 points and Kyle Korver added 17 points for the Bulls, who outscored Miami 12-2 in overtime to boost their lead in the Eastern Conference to four games. LeBron James scored 30 points for Miami, but missed a free throw that would have made it a two-possession game late in regulation. Dwyane Wade added 21 points, Chris Bosh scored 20, but the Heat lost for the sixth time in 11 games.

SAS over MEM, 107-97
Tim Duncan had 28 points and 12 rebounds and the Spurs snapped out of a funk to top the surging Grizzlies. Manu Ginobili added 20 points and Tony Parker scored 13, redeeming themselves a night after being humiliated by the Kobe Bryant-less Los Angeles Lakers. The Spurs narrowly escaped their first three-game slide this season. Rudy Gay led Memphis with 19 points. The Grizzlies had their four-game winning streak halted after their rally from a late 14-point deficit fizzled in the final minutes. Memphis fell 1½ games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 4 playoff seed. It was only the third loss in 12 games for the Grizzlies since the return of Zach Randolph.

LAC over MIN, 95-82
Blake Griffin had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Caron Butler scored 17 points to lead the Clippers to a victory over the Timberwolves. Mo Williams had 14 points and five assists in his return for the Clippers, who are a game behind the Lakers for the third seed in the West and 1½ game ahead of Memphis for the fourth seed. Michael Beasley had 14 points and 10 rebounds and J.J. Barea had 10 points and 11 assists for the Timberwolves, who have lost eight straight games. They've lost 24 in a row in the month of April dating back to 2009. The Wolves were playing without All-Star Kevin Love, who missed the game with a mild concussion.

DET over CHA, 109-85
Greg Monroe had 25 points and 11 rebounds to help the Pistons salvage a four-game road trip with a rout of the woeful Bobcats. Brandon Knight added 21 points and seven assists while Jason Maxiell was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field and finished with 17 points. Monroe was 11-for-14 from the field. The Pistons had won six of seven games before embarking on a road trip that included losses to Atlanta, Miami and Orlando, the final two by a combined margin of 53 points. But they had no such problems with Bobcats, who became the first team this season to lose 50 games. Detroit shot 61 percent from the field over the first three quarters and led by as many as 36.

DAL over GSW, 112-103
Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and former Golden State lottery pick Brandan Wright had 16 points and nine rebounds, leading the Mavericks past the Warriors. Jason Kidd added 12 assists, 10 rebounds and nine points to pace the Mavericks to a 19-point lead before hanging on late, moving 1½ games behind Memphis for the Western Conference's fifth playoff seed. The Grizzlies lost 107-97 to San Antonio earlier in the night. The Mavericks are just a half-game ahead of Denver and Houston. David Lee had 30 points and eight rebounds and rookie Klay Thompson finished with 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the shorthanded Warriors. Golden State has lost three straight and is already eliminated from playoff contention.


April 13, 2012 Game Recaps:
IND over CLE, 102-83
Danny Granger scored 18 points, Tyler Hansbrough added 16 points off the bench, and the Indiana Pacers clinched their second consecutive playoff berth with a 102-83 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers. George Hill had 15 points, seven assists and four rebounds for the Pacers, who outscored Cleveland 34-13 in the third quarter to seize control of the contest. Roy Hibbert added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Pacers, winners in seven of their last eight games, have a two-game lead over Atlanta, which defeated Orlando on Friday, for the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed. Indiana has a three-game advantage over Boston, which lost to Toronto on Friday, and Orlando. Omri Casspi netted 14 points off the bench to pace the Cavs, who have lost 12 of their last 14 contests.

ATL over ORL, 109-81
Jannero Pargo connected on five three-pointers and scored a game-high 17 points as the Atlanta Hawks dominated the Orlando Magic, 109-81, at Amway Center. Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams added 16 points apiece for the Hawks, who won for the fifth time in seven games. Atlanta currently sits a game ahead of Orlando for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. There was some bad news, though, as Hawks' starting center Zaza Pachulia suffered a sprained ankle late in the second quarter and did not return for the second half. He had eight points and four rebounds before leaving with the injury. Glen Davis and Von Wafer each netted 16 points to pace the Magic, who were playing their third straight game without All-Star center Dwight Howard due to back spasms.

NJN over PHI. 95-89
Another winnable game, another loss the Philadelphia 76ers can't afford. Gerald Green scored 23 points, MarShon Brooks had 22 and both hit key three- pointers down the stretch to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 95-89 win over the Sixers on Friday night. Kris Humphries added 18 points and 13 rebounds and Jordan Williams scored 13 for the Nets, who have won three of four. The Sixers, in a battle for one of the last spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs, had a two-game winning streak snapped after letting the Nets close the game on a 10-4 run. Jrue Holiday scored 19 points, Evan Turner had 18 and Thaddeus Young chipped in 13 in the loss. The Sixers are tied with New York for seventh in the East, with both teams two games ahead of ninth-place Milwaukee.

TOR over BOS, 84-79
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points on Friday and the Raptors defeated the Celtics, 84-79. The Celtics had won four straight entering Friday and could have clinched a playoff berth with a victory and a Milwaukee loss. They still hold a three-game lead in the Atlantic Division by virtue of a 76ers loss to the Nets on Friday. Paul Pierce had 18 points and eight rebounds in the setback, but missed a potential tying three-pointer in the closing seconds. The Raptors, who had lost four in a row and were playing without Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon, got 17 points from Linas Kleiza and 12 from Alan Anderson.

MIA over CHA, 105-82
LeBron James had 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists and the Heat cruised past the lowly Bobcats, 105-82, on Friday. The Heat were coming off of Thursday's overtime loss to Chicago. They were without Dwyane Wade (ankle) against Charlotte, but got 18 points from Chris Bosh and 16 from Dexter Pittman to pull within 3 1/2 games of the idle Bulls for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Derrick Brown had 21 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats, losers of 15 in a row. They are the only team in the NBA with single-digit victories (7-51).


April 14, 2012 Game Recaps:
OKC over MIN, 115-110
Kevin Durant scored 43 points and Russell Westbrook had 35 and eight assists to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder atop the Western Conference with a 115-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night. Durant scored 16 in the final seven minutes for the Thunder, who started the day one game ahead of the Spurs — but tied in the loss column — for the top seed in the West. Anthony Randolph had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Michael Beasley scored 26 for the Timberwolves, who lost their ninth straight game and 25th in a row in April dating to 2009. The Wolves were playing without All-Star Kevin Love, who missed his second straight game with a concussion.

SAS over PHX, 105-91
Tim Duncan had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Tony Parker scored 14 and San Antonio officially clinched the Southwest Division title. More importantly, the Spurs stayed neck-and-neck with Oklahoma City for the No. 1 playoff seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio remains a game behind the Thunder with eight games to go. Sebastian Telfair scored 21 points for Phoenix, which simply wants to make the postseason. Yet the Suns never looked ready to play from the start and slipped 1 1/2 games behind Denver and Houston for the West’s eighth and final playoff spot. Phoenix trailed by 17 before the first quarter was even halfway finished, and Steve Nash and Grant Hill sat out the entire second half.

LAC over GSW, 112-104
Chris Paul had 28 points and 13 assists, and the Clippers beat Golden State to close within a game of the Lakers for the Pacific Division lead. Blake Griffin added 20 points, DeAndre Jordan 18 and Mo Williams 14 in the Clippers’ third straight win and 11th in their last 13 games. They are also chasing the idle Lakers for the third seed in the Western Conference with six games remaining. The Clippers’ 36 wins are their most since they won 40 games in 2006-07. Nate Robinson led injury-riddled Golden State with 28 points.

CLE over WAS, 98-89
Luke Harangody had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Anthony Parker scored 15 points and Tristan Thompson added 14 to lead Cleveland. Donald Sloan had a career-high 13 points to help the Cavaliers win a game featuring teams that had combined to lose 23 of their 28 coming in. John Wall scored 19 points to lead the Wizards, one night after missing 10 of 12 shots in a 103-65 loss at New York. Jordan Crawford had 18 points and Kevin Seraphin added 15. The score was tied at 73 early in the fourth quarter before Cleveland took over. Parker made two free throws with 4:24 to go, giving the Cavaliers a 93-83 lead.

BOS over NJN, 94-82
Avery Bradley hit three straight 3-pointers and scored 11 of his 18 points in a game-deciding third quarter as surging Boston beat New Jersey. Kevin Garnett had 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Celtics, who have won 10 of 13, and 20 of 28 to take over first place in the Atlantic Division. Rajon Rondo added 15 assists, Brandon Bass had 18 points and Paul Pierce 17 for Boston, which limited New Jersey to 34 second-half points in beating the Nets for the third time in three games this season. Gerald Green had 15 points to lead New Jersey, while rookie Jordan Williams had 12 points and career-best 14 rebounds in recording his first double-double. Deron Williams had 12 points and 14 assists.

MEM over UTA, 103-98
O.J. Mayo scored 17 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to rally Memphis past Utah. The Jazz held a 4-point lead early in the final period, but Mayo scored 10-straight points for Memphis to erase the advantage. His 3-pointer with 46 seconds left gave the Grizzlies enough of an advantage to win for the fifth time in six games overall and seventh straight at home. Rudy Gay led Memphis with 26 points, 18 in the second half, and 12 rebounds, while Mike Conley and Marc Gasol added 17 points apiece. Conley also had six assists. Al Jefferson and Devin Harris scored 20 points apiece for Utah. Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward had 17 points each and Derrick Favors added 10 points and 14 rebounds.

IND over MIL, 105-99
Roy Hibbert had 23 points and 14 rebounds, including six free throws in the final 74 seconds, to lead Indiana to its fourth straight win. Danny Granger scored 21 points and George Hill added 13 points for the Pacers. Monta Ellis had 20 points and Brandon Jennings added 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for Milwaukee. The Bucks lost for the third time in four games to fall 2 1/2 games behind New York and Philadelphia for one of the last two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Neither team could make baskets in the final minutes, with Indiana missing its last nine shots and Milwaukee five straight before Ellis hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to pull the Bucks to 103-99 with 11 seconds left.



Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
April 10: LeBron James (MIA) – 36
April 11: Monta Ellis (MIL) – 35
April 12: LeBron James (MIA) & David Lee (GSW) – 30
April 13: Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 30
April 14: Kevin Durant (OKC) – 43

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
April 10: DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 18
April 11: Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 30
April 12: Blake Griffin (LAC) – 13
April 13: Marcus Camby (HOU) – 18
April 14: Roy Hibbert (IND), Jordan Williams (NJN), & Derrick Favors (UTA) – 14

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
April 10: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 15
April 11: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 20
April 12: Jason Kidd (DAL) – 12
April 13: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 12
April 14: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 15

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
April 10: DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 6
April 11: Tyreke Evans (SAC), & Monta Ellis (MIL), & DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 4
April 12: Marc Gasol (MEM) – 4
April 13: Metta World Peace (LAL) & John Wall (WAS) – 5
April 14: Klay Thompson (GSW) & Stephen Jackson (SAS) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
April 10: Kevin Seraphin (WAS) – 4
April 11: Anthony Randolph (MIN) – 5
April 12: Chris Bosh (MIA) – 4
April 13: Serge Ibaka (OKC) – 7
April 14: Serge Ibaka (OKC) – 5

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
April 10: Anthony Parker (CLE) – 4
April 11: Metta World Peace (LAL) & Danny Green (SAS) – 5
April 12: Kyle Korver (CHI) & Caron Butler (LAC) – 5
April 13: Jannero Pargo (ATL) – 5
April 14: TOO MANY with 4!!!


April 10, 2012 First Five
C – DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 25pts, 18rebs, 6stls, 3asts, 2blks
F – Kevin Garnett (BOS) – 24pts, 9rebs, 2asts, 2blks
F – Kevin Seraphin (WAS) – 24pts, 13rebs, 4blks, 2asts
G – LeBron James (MIA) – 36pts, 7rebs, 7asts, 1stl, 1blk
G – Lester Hudson (CLE) – 25pts, 8rebs, 6asts, 1stl, 1blk

Honorable Mention:
Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 29pts, 5asts, 4stls, 2rebs
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 18pts, 15asts, 4rebs
Paul Pierce (BOS) – 27pts, 7rebs, 3 treys, 2asts, 1stl


April 11, 2012 First Five
C – Anthony Randolph (MIN) – 28pts, 6rebs, 5blks, 1ast
F – Rudy Gay (MEM) – 32pts, 7rebs, 2stls, 1ast
F – Gordon Hayward (UTA) – 29pts, 6asts, 4 treys, 2rebs, 2stls
G – Monta Ellis (MIL) – 35pts, 10asts, 6rebs, 4stls, 3 treys
G – Chris Paul (LAC) – 31pts, 6rebs, 4asts, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 32pts, 10rebs, 2asts, 1blk
Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 16pts, 30rebs, 2asts, 2blks
JJ Hickson (POR) – 23pts, 13rebs, 3asts, 1blk


April 12, 2012 First Five
C – Greg Monroe (DET) – 25pts, 11rebs, 4asts, 1stl, 1blk
F – Tim Duncan (SAS) – 28pts, 12rebs, 2blks
F – LeBron James (MIA) – 30pts, 6rebs, 5asts, 3 treys, 1stl, 1blk
G – Klay Thompson (GSW) – 24pts, 8asts, 7rebs, 3 treys, 2stls, 1blk
G – Jason Kidd (DAL) – 9pts, 12asts, 10rebs, 3 treys, 3stls, 2blks

Honorable Mention:
David Lee (GSW) – 30pts, 8rebs, 1ast, 1stl
Blake Griffin (LAC) – 19pts, 13rebs, 5asts, 1stl, 1blk
Brandon Knight (DET) – 21pts, 7asts, 3rebs, 3 treys, 3stls


April 13, 2012 First Five
C – Andrew Bynum (LAL) – 30pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 3blks, 1stl
F – Drew Gooden (MIL) – 26pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 1stl, 1blk
F – Paul Millsap (UTA) – 27pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 3stls, 1blk
G – Matt Barnes (LAL) – 24pts, 10rebs, 4 treys, 2asts
G – Brandon Knight (DET) – 25pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 1stl

Honorable Mention:
Marcin Gortat (PHX) – 20pts, 15rebs, 2blks, 1stl
Marcus Camby (HOU) – 14pts, 18rebs, 4asts, 3blks, 2stls
Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 24pts, 9rebs, 4 treys, 3asts, 1stl, 1blk


April 14, 2012 First Five
C – Roy Hibbert (IND) – 23pts, 14rebs, 2asts, 1blk
F – Rudy Gay (MEM) – 26pts, 12rebs, 2blks, 1ast, 1stl
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 43pts, 7rebs, 4 treys, 1ast, 1blk
G – Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 35pts, 8asts, 2stls, 1reb
G – Chris Paul (LAC) – 28pts, 13asts, 4rebs, 3 treys, 3stls

Honorable Mention:
Nate Robinson (GSW) – 28pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 4 treys
JJ Barea (MIN) – 24pts, 10asts, 3rebs, 3 treys, 3stls
Michael Beasley (MIN) – 26pts, 6rebs, 3asts, 2stls, 1blk



*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Disrespecting Indiana



Who else is surprised that the Indiana Pacers have practically locked the 3rd seed in the East?

Who else is surprised that they are 3 games ahead of the Boston Celtics?

Who else is surprised that the Pacers currently have the same win total as the Lakers?

A lot of people, apparently, and many of those same people aren’t particularly convinced the Pacers are all that.

I guess such disrespect stems from the fact that Indiana shouldn’t be this good. On paper, at least.

But something is driving theses Pacers to what might just be a fairy tale season.

Still, the dissing exists. Read on:

This is a post from Glenn A. of IndyCornrows.com:

“They hate them. They hate everything about this small-market crew from Cornrows Central. They don't put them on the national networks; they don't put them high enough in the power rankings; they're even drawing up odds of which teams will be losing on purpose to get Indy in the playoffs? Don't believe me? Ask John Hollinger yourself:

John Hollinger of ESPN: Interesting playoff tanking situation emerging between Atlanta and Orlando--I imagine both greatly prefer facing Indy to facing Boston.

Everyone's disrespecting the Indiana Pacers. Closing in on 40 wins? Humbug. Wins against just about every top team in the league? Trivial. Playoff threat? Please, give me the vets; give me the superstars.

Pacer hate, Pacer disrespect, Pacer inconsequentialism (yep, made it up) is all the rage, and Pacer fans hate every bit of it, right? How about...........no? How about disrespect breeds insatiable passion, the charming underdog story, the cliche but enormously popular "us against the world" war cry.

We pretend to hate the hate, but it's often what drives fandom, especially in small-markets. We need the disrespect, it feeds the frenzy. We want to complain because it makes the winning experience all the more gratifying.

This doesn't just apply to fans, either. Players/teams often play the disrespect card one day, then play the "we like to be under the radar" card the next. It's the best of both worlds, one gets all the built-in motivational tactics associated with being "neglected," then reigns supreme on his or her doubters when the neglected trumps its presumed superiors.

Keep that in mind, Pacer nation. The next time Indy doesn't fly as high in the power rankings as you'd like; the next time Golden St. or the Utah Jazz are on TNT, and the Pacers are barely scrounging up NBA TV games against rival Chicago; the next time media soothsayers omit Indy from their much balleyhooed projections, just remember it's all part of the plan. The same plan that's captivated the sporting landscape since its inception: Winning when you're expected to win reverberates with...well...with no one, cause the expectation was already established. Winning when you're supposed to be the chump reverberates with...well...everyone as all the doubters and uninformed prognosticators are forced to explain their blunders away.

Embrace the hate. Then embrace the inevitable Blue-and-Gold fire-breathing redemption that ensues.”

Maybe it’s a good thing that Indiana isn’t getting noticed. Maybe it’s okay that they’re flying under the radar.

Maybe that’s just the way they want it.

Because that’s how the underdogs like it. They strike when nobody’s looking. They strike when least expected. But they will strike.

And it will be memorable.

April 15-16, 2012 stat-stuffers:

April 15, 2012 Game Recaps:
MIA over NYK, 93-85
LeBron James had 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Dwyane Wade added 28 points, nine rebounds and four assists as the Heat used an elongated run in the fourth quarter to snap the New York Knicks' nine-game home winning streak with a 93-85 victory on Sunday, clinching the Southeast Division title in the process. Chris Bosh scored 16 points and snatched 14 rebounds for Miami, which lost eight of its prior nine road games to teams with a winning mark coming in. The Heat outrebounded the Knicks 47-33 and swept the season series. Miami is 3 1/2 games behind Chicago for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Carmelo Anthony's 42 points weren't enough for New York, which had won four of its last five contests. J.R. Smith, who was the only other double-digit scorer for the Knicks, had 16. With the loss, New York moved a half-game behind idle Philadelphia for the East's No. 7 seed.

LAL pver DAL, 112-108 (OT)
Andrew Bynum had 23 points and 16 rebounds, while Ramon Sessions added 22 points and five assists as the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight game without Kobe Bryant by downing the Dallas Mavericks, 112-108, in overtime on Sunday. Bryant has missed the last five games due to a left shin injury. Pau Gasol netted 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who swept the season series against Dallas after falling in four games to the defending-champion Mavericks in last year's Western Conference semifinals. Dirk Nowitzki netted 24 points, but finished just 9-of-28 from the field for Dallas, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.

TOR over ATL, 102-86
DeMar DeRozan scored a team-high 23 points as six Raptors finished in double figures and Toronto defeated the Atlanta Hawks 102-86 at Philips Arena on Sunday. Alan Anderson chipped in 16 points, James Johnson added 15, and Ed Davis, Ben Uzoh and Justin Dentmon tallied 10 points apiece for the Raptors, who have won two straight since halting a four-game skid. Josh Smith led all scorers with 26 points and Ivan Johnson and Willie Green netted 14 points apiece as the Hawks fell for the second time in three games. Atlanta could have clinched a playoff spot with a victory but now must wait until Monday when these two teams meet again in Toronto for the second game of a home-and-home.

BOS over CHA, 94-82
Rajon Rondo had 20 points and 16 assists on Sunday and the Celtics defeated the Bobcats, 94-82. Boston, which clinched a playoff berth on Saturday, rested starters Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in the third night of a back-to-back-to-back road stretch. Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley had 22 points apiece for the Celtics, who have won 11 of 14. They currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference -- 2 1/2 games behind Indiana -- and lead Philadelphia by four games in the Atlantic Division. Gerald Henderson had 22 points for the Bobcats, who tied a season-high with their 16th straight loss. They haven't won since March 17.

ORL over CLE, 100-84
Jameer Nelson led four teammates in double- figures with 21 points and nine assists as the Orlando Magic rolled to a 100-84 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers and clinched a playoff spot on Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena. Jason Richardson was 4-of-7 from three-point range en route to 16 points, while J.J. Redick and Earl Clark added 13 points apiece for the Magic, who snapped a brief two-game skid and moved into a tie for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with Atlanta, which lost to Toronto on Sunday. Daniel Orton added 11 points in the victory for Orlando. Antawn Jamison led the way for Cleveland with 21 points and Donald Sloan donated 15 points for the Cavs, who have dropped three of their last four games. Manny Harris and Alonzo Gee had 10 points each in defeat.

CHI over DET, 100-94 (OT)
Derrick Rose scored a team-high 24 points and handed out nine assists, and the Chicago Bulls used a dominant overtime period to down the Detroit Pistons, 100-94, on Sunday. Joakim Noah netted 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds -- 13 on the offensive glass -- while Carlos Boozer had 15 and nine in the victory, the Bulls' third straight and 15th in a row over the Pistons. With the win, Chicago remained 3 1/2 games ahead of the Heat, who won Sunday afternoon, for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Rodney Stuckey paced all scorers with 32 points for the Pistons. Charlie Villanueva had a season-high 13 before being ejected for a flagrant-2 foul on Rose late in the fourth quarter.

NOH over MEM, 88-75
Eric Gordon scored a team-high 18 points and Carl Landry added 16 points and 11 rebounds, as the Hornets took down the Grizzlies, 88-75 at New Orleans Arena. Jason Smith also posted a double- double with 14 points and 10 boards for New Orleans, which forced 21 turnovers in completing a successful 4-1 homestand. The Grizzlies, trying to gain ground in the Western Conference playoff race, shot just 36 percent from the floor and fell two games behind the fourth- seeded Clippers. Rudy Gay netted 24 points to lead the way.

DEN over HOU, 101-86
Ty Lawson and Arron Afflalo each scored 20 points, as the Nuggets eased past the Rockets, 101-86 in a matchup between postseason contenders. Both teams came into the home-and-home series sporting identical 32-27 records, good for the last two spots in the Western Conference playoff race. Denver seized control of the seventh position with six games to play by shooting 49 percent and holding the Rockets to 32 percent shooting in a lopsided second half. Luis Scola and Chase Budinger netted 19 points apiece for Houston, which has dropped three straight and holds just a one-game lead over ninth-seeded Phoenix.

SAC over POR, 104-103
Marcus Thornton's jumper with 3.4 seconds left lifted the Sacramento Kings over the Portland Trail Blazers, 104-103, at Power Balance Pavilion. Thornton had 20 points, while Tyreke Evans also dropped in 20 and DeMarcus Cousins finished with 23 points and seven rebounds for the Kings, who snapped a seven-game slide. Wesley Matthews connected on eight three-pointers, including the go-ahead three before Thornton's game- winning shot, and scored 31 points to pace Portland, which lost for the fourth time in five tries.


April 16, 2012 Game Recaps:
ORL over PHI, 113-100
The Orlando Magic used six double-digit scorers in the absence of Dwight Howard and Glen Davis to down the Philadelphia 76ers, 113-100 at Amway Center. Despite the absence of their injured starting and backup centers, the Magic shot 53 percent against the league's best scoring defense and grabbed 16 more rebounds, with Ryan Anderson's 26 points and 16 boards leading the way. Jameer Nelson totaled 16 points and 13 assists, while Earl Clark, seeing more minutes in Orlando's depleted frontcourt, tied a career-high with 14 points and grabbed a personal-best 11 rebounds. Orlando clinched a postseason berth over the weekend, something the Sixers appeared to have locked up as recently as a month ago before their recent slide. Philadelphia, which has gone 2-6 in April, sits in a tie for seventh in the Eastern Conference playoff race with the Knicks -- two games up on the ninth- place Bucks with six to play. Jrue Holiday paced the Sixers with 18 points and eight assists, while Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young all netted 15 points in defeat.

IND over MIN, 111-88
All five starters finished in double figures, led by David West with 22 points, and the Indiana Pacers cruised to a 111-88 victory over Minnesota at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday. Danny Granger followed with 19 points, Paul George netted 18 and George Hill tallied 11. Roy Hibbert recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds while West added 10 boards for the Pacers, who have won five straight and remain in line for home-court advantage in the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Indiana occupies the third spot in the East, three games in front of the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks. J.J. Barea led Minnesota with 14 points and nine assists, while Michael Beasley and Derrick Williams poured in 13 points apiece as the Timberwolves continued to falter, dropping their 10th straight contest.

ATL over TOR, 109-87
Ivan Johnson scored a career-high 21 points as the Atlanta Hawks clinched a playoff berth with a 109-87 victory over the Toronto Raptors in the back end of a home-and-home set at Air Canada Centre. Jeff Teague added 19 points and 10 assists, while Joe Johnson netted 18 points for the Hawks, who finished up their road schedule with a 17-16 mark as their remaining five games will all be played at home. Atlanta kept pace with the Orlando Magic, who defeated the 76ers on Monday, and sits in a three-way tie with the Boston Celtics and Magic for the fourth spot in the East and home-court advantage in the first round. DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points, James Johnson contributed 18 and Alan Anderson finished with 12 for Toronto, which had its two-game win streak snapped.

NOH over CHA, 75-67
Greivis Vasquez poured in 20 points and dished out six assists as the New Orleans Hornets topped the Charlotte Bobcats, 75-67, at Time Warner Cable Arena on Monday. Carl Landry contributed 14 points to go with 12 rebounds, while Marco Belinelli added 13 points for the Hornets, who have won four straight and six of their last eight games. Gerald Henderson dropped in a game-high 27 points, Kemba Walker added 14 points and five rebounds, and Byron Mullens pulled down 10 rebounds to go with four points for the Bobcats, who lost for a franchise- record 17th straight time.

MIA over NJN, 101-98
LeBron James stepped up in the absence of Dwyane Wade, scoring the Heat's final 17 points en route to a game-high 37 as Miami came back to edge the New Jersey Nets, 101-98, on Monday. After trailing for the vast majority of the game, the Heat took their first lead at 97-96 with 51 seconds to play on the back of a personal 11-0 run by James, who finished with seven assists and six rebounds. Chris Bosh contributed 22 points and 15 rebounds in the victory, Miami's third straight. Kris Humphries led the Nets with 29 points and MarShon Brooks tied a career-high with 24 in New Jersey's second consecutive losing effort.

WAS over CHI, 87-84
Kevin Seraphin recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds, leading the Wizards to an 87-84 victory over the Eastern Conference- leading Bulls. Chicago, playing without its top scorers in Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but C.J. Watson's three-point attempt fell short. Washington snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bulls, thanks in part to John Wall posting 16 points and five assists while committing only one turnover. Richard Hamilton paced the Bulls with 22 points, while Watson and Carlos Boozer added 17 and 16 points, respectively, in defeat. Despite the loss, Chicago still leads the conference by 2 1/2 games over the Miami Heat with five to play.

DEN over HOU, 105-102
Arron Afflalo scored 26 points, Ty Lawson dropped in 25 and the Denver Nuggets gained some cushion over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference standings with a 105-102 victory at Toyota Center. Al Harrington added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, who took both portions of a home-and home series to take a two-game lead over the Rockets for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. Chandler Parsons and Goran Dragic each netted 21 points to pace Houston, which has lost its last four games to fall to just a half-game ahead of Phoenix for the eight and final playoff spot in the West. The Suns are currently playing Portland and can pull even with the Rockets with a win.

UTA over DAL, 123-121 (3OT)
Al Jefferson scored 28 points and tied a career-high with 26 rebounds, several in key moments, and the Utah Jazz came out on top of a triple-overtime thriller, 123-121, over the Mavs on Monday. Gordon Hayward netted 24 points and Devin Harris contributed 23 for the Jazz, who snapped a two-game skid. Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll donated 16 and 15 points, respectively. Utah moved a half-game behind Phoenix and Houston for the Western Conference's eighth and final playoff spot. The Jazz own the tiebreaker over both teams. Dirk Nowitzki poured in 40 points, Jason Terry supplied 27 off the bench and Vince Carter had 18 points to go with 12 boards for the Mavericks, who have lost two straight.

PHX over POR, 125-107
Marcin Gortat paced a balanced offensive attack with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns rolled to a 125-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday at U.S. Airways Center. Channing Frye finished with 19 points and six rebounds, Jared Dudley added 18 points, Shannon Brown netted 16, while Markieff Morris donated 14 and six rebounds. Sebastian Telfair rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 for the Suns, who have won two of their last three and pulled into a tie for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with the Houston Rockets, who lost to Denver on Monday. Steve Nash added 13 assists and six points. Jamal Crawford and J.J. Hickson led the way for the Blazers with 22 points apiece, while Wesley Matthews added 19 points and Luke Babbitt had 18. Nolan Smith contributed 14 points for Portland, which has lost three straight and is officially eliminated from playoff contention.

LAC over OKC, 92-77
Blake Griffin netted 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers downed the Oklahoma City Thunder, 92-77, in a battle of Western Conference playoff teams. Nick Young provided a spark off the bench with 19 points and Randy Foye contributed 13 for the Clippers, who have won four straight, bookended by victories over the Thunder. Los Angeles had clinched a playoff berth earlier Monday with Houston's loss. Kevin Durant poured in a game-high 24 points for Oklahoma City, which lost the season series 3-1 and have dropped four straight against the Clippers in LA. The Thunder now sit tied for the top spot in the West after the Spurs defeated the Warriors on Monday.

SAS over GSW, 120-99
Six different Spurs scored in double figures as San Antonio cruised to a 120-99 victory over the Warriors at ORACLE Arena on Monday. Gary Neal led the way with 17 points apiece, Tiago Splitter had 15, Tim Duncan added 13, Manu Ginobili netted 12, and Danny Green and DaJuan Blair chipped in 11 and 10, respectively to lift the Spurs, who have taken 14 straight from Golden State. San Antonio now sits tied for the top spot in the Western Conference after Oklahoma City lost to the Clippers on Monday. Nate Robinson poured in a season-high 30 points, Klay Thompson followed with 29 and Dorrell Wright tallied 17 as the Warriors dropped their fifth straight.


Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
April 15: Carmelo Anthony (NYK) - 42
April 16: LeBron James (MIA) – 37

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
April 15: Joakim Noah (CHI) – 17
April 16: Al Jefferson (UTA) – 26

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
April 15: Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 16
April 16: Jameer Nelson (ORL), Steve Nash (PHX), & Andre Miller (DEN) – 13

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
April 15: Daniel Orton (ORL) – 5
April 16: Ronnie Brewer (CHI) – 5

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
April 15: Greg Stiemsma (BOS) – 6
April 16: Samuel Dalembert (HOU) – 7

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
April 15: Wesley Matthews (POR) – 8
April 16: Danny Granger (IND) & Devon Harris (UTA) – 5

April 15, 2012 First Five
C – Joakim Noah (CHI) – 20pts, 17rebs, 3asts, 2blks, 1stl
F – Josh Smith (ATL) – 26pts, 8rebs, 2asts, 2stls, 2blks
F – Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 42pts, 9rebs, 5asts, 1stl
G – Wesley Matthews (POR) – 31pts, 8 treys, 3rebs, 3asts, 1stl, 1blk
G – Dwyane Wade (MIA) – 28pts, 9rebs, 4asts, 1blk

Honorable Mention:
Jameer Nelson (ORL) – 21pts, 9asts, 7rebs
Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 20pts, 16asts, 6rebs, 1stl
LeBron James (MIA) – 29pts, 10rebs, 3asts, 2stls


April 16, 2012 First Five
C – Al Jefferson (UTA) – 28pts, 26rebs, 2blks, 1ast, 1stl
F – Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 40pts, 9rebs, 6asts
F – Ryan Anderson (ORL) – 26pts, 16rebs, 1ast, 1blk
G – LeBron James (MIA) – 37pts, 7asts, 6rebs, 2stls, 1blk
G – Klay Thompson (GSW) – 29pts, 8rebs, 5asts, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
Kris Humphries (NJN) – 29pts, 8rebs, 2asts, 1blk
Nate Robinson (GSW) – 30pts, 7asts, 3 treys, 2rebs, 1stl
Jeff Teague (ATL) – 19pts, 10rebs, 4 asts

Top 10 Plays:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39EqiC8zSzI

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Who Owns Los Angeles?



Below is an interesting read from Bryant West of Bleacher Report. I expect that many Laker fans out there will probably disagree, but it still makes for an entertaining and informative article!

“If there are basketball gods out there, they will find a way to match up the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs.

This, of course, isn't likely at this point. The Lakers are seeded third in the West, and the Clippers are seeded fourth. The only way the two teams would meet with their current seeds would be in the Western Conference Finals, and unless the Memphis Grizzlies can leapfrog both squads, they won't be meeting in the first round.

Regardless of the probability, it's one of the more interesting matchups to consider. The Lakers are still considered the top dog of the L.A. squads, and Kobe Bryant and company have beaten the Clippers in two of their three games so far this season.

But how would these two teams fair in a seven-game matchup? Let's look at five reasons why the Clippers would beat the Lakers in a playoff series.

1) Young Legs: The Lakers have a distinct advantage in terms of experience. This is their greatest weapon against nearly any squad they could meet up with, but especially the Clippers, who only have two key rotation players (Chris Paul and Kenyon Martin) with serious playoff experience.

But one major advantage the Clippers have over the Lakers is youth. In this sped up NBA season, the Clippers still manage to look energetic nearly every night. Aside from Ramon Sessions (26) and Andrew Bynum (24), the Lakers key players are all over 30.

2) Kobe’s Health: Certainly there isn't serious concern that Kobe Bryant will miss time in the playoffs. Yet while he's continued to dominate all season, it's taken a toll on his body. He's averaging 38.5 minutes a contest, and no matter who you are or how tough you are, that has to be hard when you're an NBA star who already has 15 seasons under his belt.

He's missed the last seven games with a shin injury, which actually might help him come playoff time. It's given him an extended resting period, and the Lakers haven't exactly missed a step in his absence.

3) Clips Have Size, Too: The Lakers have, for years, had a size advantage that few teams could match. It was one of their biggest weapons in their past two championship runs. When healthy, Andrew Bynum (7'2") and Pau Gasol (7'0") are easily the most talented and dangerous big-man duo in the NBA.

While Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan don't exactly measure up in height to the Lakers (Griffin is 6'9", Jordan is 6'11") they're more athletic than Gasol or Bynum. Jordan isn't anywhere close to Bynum's level on offense, but he's an excellent defender, and if he can lock down on Bynum inside, the Clippers could turn the tables on the Lakers in the post.

4) Improved Depth: The Clippers certainly miss Chauncey Billups. When Billups went down with an ACL injury midseason, the Clippers not only lost a great weapon, but a great leader.

Still, the Clippers have worked to correct their depth issues in Billups' absence. They got Nick Young from the Wizards for basically nothing, and they have some sufficient depth with Young, Mo Williams, Randy Foye, Kenyon Martin and Reggie Evans.

While you couldn't exactly call the Clippers depth "threatening," it's easy to make the case that they have more than the Lakers. The Lakers bench consists of Matt Barnes, Josh McRoberts, Troy Murphy and Steve Blake. In a lengthy series, teams need to rely on their depth, and I'd pick the Clippers bench in that matchup.’

5) Chris Paul: Last season when he was with the Hornets, Chris Paul was a one-man wrecking ball against the Lakers in their first-round playoff matchup. While New Orleans lost in six, Paul averaged 22.0 points, 11.5 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals a contest while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 47.7 percent from downtown.

Sure, this year Paul would have to go up against Ramon Sessions instead of Derek Fisher, but Paul still has a huge advantage. He's shown he can elevate his play in the playoffs, and this year's Clippers team, while inconsistent, is still better than his Hornets club last year.”

In the playoffs, with a shot at the championship on the line, it’d be tough to pick the Clippers over the Lakers. The Purple & Gold just have too much experience and, honestly, they have one of the best, and biggest, Big Threes around. Still, considering how this will be Mike Brown’s first time to call the shots for the Lakers in the postseason, and how steady the Clippers have been of late, it’s not all too far-fetched for an upset to actually happen.

So who owns LA? Who knows? If the basketball gods will it, then we might just find out soon.

April 17-19, 2012 stat-stuffers:

April 17, 2012 Game Recaps:
IND over PHI, 102-97
Danny Granger scored 24 points and the Pacers downed the freefalling 76ers, 102-97, on Tuesday. The Pacers, winners of six straight, have already clinched a playoff berth and are seeded third in the Eastern Conference -- four games ahead of the Celtics, who lost to the Knicks later Tuesday. Roy Hibbert added 15 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while David West had 13 points and George Hill finished with 12. The 76ers, meanwhile, have lost three in a row and are 11-21 since starting the season 20-9. They sit in eighth place in the East -- one game behind the Knicks and 1 1/2 games ahead of ninth-place Milwaukee.

DET over CLE, 116-77
Brandon Knight scored a career-high 28 points to go along with seven assists as the Detroit Pistons dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-77, at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Tayshaun Prince added 15 points, while Greg Monroe contributed 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who had dropped five of their last six entering Tuesday's game. The win was Detroit's largest margin of victory all-time against the Cavaliers. The Piston's previous largest victory over Cleveland was a 109-74 decision on November 28, 2007. Manny Harris scored 18 points to pace the Cavaliers, who lost for the 17th time in their last 21 games.

MEM over MIN, 91-84
April has been horrendous to the Timberwolves. The Memphis Grizzlies extended Minnesota's misery in the month with a 91-84 victory Tuesday night. Rudy Gay scored 28 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who are seeded fifth in the Western Conference and are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. Zach Randolph tallied 16 points and 11 boards, while Mike Conley had 16 points and eight helpers in Memphis' sixth victory in eight tries. J.J. Barea scored a season- best 28 points and dished out eight assists for the Timberwolves, who have lost 27 straight games in April. Their last victory in the month came April 8, 2009 at Golden State. Nikola Pekovic added 16 points and 11 rebounds, but Minnesota lost its 11th in a row. They Timberwolves have also lost eight in a row to the Grizzlies.

NYK over BOS, 118-110
Carmelo Anthony had a triple-double, Steve Novak made eight three-pointers and the Knicks defeated the Celtics, 118-110, on Tuesday. Anthony had 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double while Novak missed just two shots and finished with 25 points. J.R. Smith also scored 25 and Tyson Chandler added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Knicks moved into sole possession of seventh place in the Eastern Conference with the win, moving a game ahead of the 76ers, who lost to the Pacers earlier Tuesday. The Celtics would have clinched the Atlantic Division title with a win. They still lead New York by 3 1/2 games and are seeded fourth in the East, four games behind Indiana. Paul Pierce scored 43 points in the loss, Kevin Garnett had 20, Avery Bradley 17 and Rajon Rondo finished with 13 points and 13 assists.

SAS over LAL, 112-91
Tony Parker scored 29 points and handed out 13 assists as the San Antonio Spurs downed the Los Angeles Lakers, 112-91, at Staples Center. Tim Duncan added 19 points and eight rebounds, while Manu Ginobili finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Spurs, who earned their fourth straight win to take a half-game lead over idle Oklahoma City for the top spot in the Western Conference. Andrew Bynum had 21 points and seven rebounds for Los Angeles, which had its four-game win streak snapped to remain a half game ahead of the Clippers for the Pacific Division lead and the third seed in the West. Pau Gasol and Matt Barnes each scored 16 points in a losing effort.


April 18, 2012 Game Recaps:
CHI over CHA, 100-68
Richard Hamilton had 22 points and the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA-worst Charlotte Bobcats, 100-68. John Lucas and Joakim Noah each added 12 points for the Bulls, who played without Derrick Rose (right foot) and Luol Deng (ribs). Carlos Boozer tallied 10 points and seven rebounds. Chicago remained 2 1/2 games ahead of Miami for the East's top seed. The Heat beat the Raptors on Wednesday. Kemba Walker ended with 16 points for the Bobcats, who extended their franchise- record losing streak to 18 games. Derrick Brown and Gerald Henderson donated 14 and 13 points, respectively.

PHI over CLE, 103-87
Jrue Holiday went 6-for-6 from three-point range en route to 24 points as the 76ers defeated the Cavaliers, 103-87, at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday. Andre Iguodala recorded a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young finished with 12 points apiece as Philadelphia snapped a three-game skid. The Sixers now own a 2 1/2 game lead over Milwaukee for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East after the Bucks lost to the Wizards on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving returned for the Cavaliers after a nine-game absence, but scored just nine points. Samardo Samuels and Lester Hudson tallied 15 points apiece for the Cavs, who were swept by the Sixers for the first time since losing all three matchups in 2004-05.

WAS over MIL, 121-112
Jordan Crawford tied a season-high with 32 points on Wednesday and the Wizards defeated the playoff-hopeful Bucks, 121-112. Nene returned to the lineup after a 10-game absence and scored 14 points in the win. John Wall had 14 points and 10 assists and Kevin Seraphin also scored 14 for the Wizards, who were coming off of Monday's victory over the Bulls. The Bucks, losers of four of their last five, fell 2 1/2 games behind eighth-place Philadelphia for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The 76ers beat the Cavaliers on Wednesday. Monta Ellis had 31 points and six assists in the setback, Brandon Jennings scored 25 and Drew Gooden finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

ATL over DET, 116-84
Tracy McGrady led six Hawks in double figures with 17 points as Atlanta used a first-half explosion to rout the Detroit Pistons, 116-84, on Wednesday. Ivan Johnson had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Josh Smith added 12 points and nine boards and Joe Johnson netted 13 for Atlanta, which tallied a season-high 72 points in the opening 24 minutes. The Hawks have won six of their last eight games. Atlanta is three games behind idle Indiana for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and moved a half-game ahead of Orlando, which is currently playing in Boston, for the fifth seed. Greg Monroe finished with 17 points, while Walker Russell tallied 15 for the Pistons, who have dropped six of their last eight contests.

MIA over TOR, 96-72
LeBron James netted a game-high 28 points and pulled down five rebounds in just three quarters of action as the Miami Heat rolled over the Toronto Raptors, 96-72, at American Airlines Arena on Wednesday. Mike Miller scored 13 points off the bench and Udonis Haslem added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Heat, who have won four straight contests. James Johnson paced the Raptors with 18 points and six rebounds, Alan Anderson had 15 points and DeMar DeRozan finished with 12 points for Toronto, which has lost six of its last eight games.

NYK over NJN, 104-95
Carmelo Anthony scored 33 points and Tyson Chandler added 18 points and 10 rebounds, as the Knicks inched closer to a postseason berth with an easy 104-95 win over the lowly Nets. The Knicks avoided a letdown a day after an emotional 118-110 victory over the Celtics, leading wire-to-wire on Wednesday to hold steady as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They currently own a 3 1/2-game lead over ninth-place Milwaukee with four games remaining. J.R. Smith chipped in 15 points off New York's bench, contributing three of the club's 13 three- pointers. Gerald Wallace, who missed the previous four games with a sore hamstring, paced the Nets with 21 points, while Sundiata Gaines netted 18 points in their third straight loss.

BOS over ORL, 102-98
Paul Pierce had 29 points and 14 assists and the Boston Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division with a 102-98 win over the Magic on Wednesday. Avery Bradley had 23 points and Brandon Bass added 21 for Boston, which is seeded fourth in the Eastern Conference -- 3 1/2 games behind the Pacers. Rajon Rondo did not play in the win due to a sore lower back. He had handed out 10-plus assists in 23 straight games, but Pierce played the distributor, setting a career-high in assists. Glen Davis had 27 points against his former team and Jameer Nelson finished with 21. The Magic continue to play without Dwight Howard and sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference -- one game behind the Hawks, who defeated the Pistons on Wednesday.

DAL over HOU, 117-110
Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 of his 35 points in the second half to help the Dallas Mavericks down the Houston Rockets, 117-110, in a battle of Western Conference playoff contenders Wednesday. Vince Carter and Jason Terry provided sparks off the bench, netting 23 and 19 points, respectively, for the Mavericks, who picked up a much-needed victory after back-to-back overtime losses. Dallas moved into a tie with idle Denver for sixth place in the West. Houston, meanwhile, fell a half-game behind Utah for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Seven Rockets finished in double figures, including Goran Dragic with 20 points and 10 assists, but they were outscored 39-26 in the fourth quarter to suffer their fifth consecutive loss.

LAC over DEN, 104-98
Kenyon Martin played villain against his former team on Wednesday, as he tipped in the go-ahead basket in the final minute and blocked Ty Lawson on the ensuing possession to lift the Clippers over the playoff-hopeful Nuggets, 104-98. Chris Paul scored 21 points and handed out eight assists for streaking Los Angeles, which has won five straight and remained a half-game behind the Lakers for the Pacific Division lead. Denver, which had won four of five coming in, is still in the seventh position in the Western Conference playoff race. Lawson had a team-high 24 points in the setback.

MEM over NOH, 103-91
Rudy Gay had 26 points, five rebounds and two blocks, as the Memphis Grizzlies clinched their second consecutive playoff berth by taking down the New Orleans Hornets, 103-91. Mike Conley added 20 points and five assists for the Grizzlies, who sit fifth in the Western Conference. O.J. Mayo and Zach Randolph tallied 15 and 10 points, respectively. Jerome Dyson netted 24 points, while Carl Landry and Marco Belinelli each had 16 points for the Hornets, who had won four in a row. Jason Smith donated 12 points.


April 19, 2012 Game Recaps:
IND over MIL, 118-109
Danny Granger scored 29 points, George Hill had 22 and the Pacers downed the Bucks, 118-109, on Thursday. The Pacers, seeded third in the Eastern Conference, secured home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs with their season-high seventh straight win. David West added 21 points and 14 rebounds in the victory, Paul George scored 14 and Roy Hibbert finished with 12. The Bucks, meanwhile, fell three games behind the 76ers for the East's eighth and final playoff spot. They have lost three straight and five of their last six games. Brandon Jennings had 27 points in the setback while Mike Dunleavy added 23 and Luc Mbah a Moute finished with 16 and 11 rebounds.

MIN over DET, 91-80
Nikola Pekovic led all scorers with 23 points and added nine rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves led wire-to- wire in a 91-80 defeat of the Detroit Pistons. Anthony Randolph netted 15 points and grabbed 10 boards, J.J. Barea finished with 13 points and 12 assists and Michael Beasley contributed 13 points off the bench as Minnesota ended an 11-game losing streak. Tayshaun Prince scored 18 points and Will Bynum supplied 17, all in the fourth quarter, but the Pistons dropped their fourth in five tries.

MIA over CHI, 83-72
LeBron James made sure Chicago's depth didn't play a factor in this late-season duel of the Eastern Conference's best. James scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out six assists, while Dwyane Wade added 18 points and five assists as Miami downed Chicago, 83-72. Mario Chalmers helped out with 16 points, as Miami did just enough offensively and took advantage of Derrick Rose's absence to move within one game in the loss column of the Bulls for the East's top record. The Heat came out on top without Chris Bosh, who sat out as a precautionary measure and to rest for the playoff stretch. John Lucas led the Bulls with 16 points, while Joakim Noah posted a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Luol Deng chipped in with 11 points for the Bulls, who are just 7-6 in their last 13 games.

NOH over HOU, 105-99 (OT)
Eric Gordon scored a game-high 27 points as the New Orleans Hornets put a dent in the Houston Rockets' playoff hopes with a 105-99 overtime victory at New Orleans Arena. Carl Landry added 20 points, including seven in overtime, to go along with 10 rebounds while Al-Farouq Aminu finished with a season-high 17 points for the Hornets, who won for the fifth time in six games. Goran Dragic had 23 points, eight assists and five rebounds for Houston, which dropped its sixth straight game and fell a game behind Utah and Phoenix for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with three games to play.

PHX over LAC, 93-90
Jared Dudley scored a team-high 18 points as the Phoenix Suns kept their playoff hopes alive with a 93-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at US Airways Center. Channing Frye added 16 points, Steve Nash finished with 13 and Marcin Gortat contributed 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Suns, who moved into a tie with idle Utah for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with three games to play. Houston sits a game behind both Phoenix and Utah after the Rockets fell to New Orleans earlier Thursday. Chris Paul had 19 points and 10 assists, while Blake Griffin netted 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Los Angeles, which fell to a game behind the Lakers for the top spot in the Pacific Division and the third seed in the West.


Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
April 17: Paul Pierce (BOS) – 43
April 18: James Harden (OKC0 – 40
April 19: Danny Granger (IND) – 29

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
April 17: Greg Monroe (DET), Roy Hibbert (IND), & Tristan Thompson (CLE) – 13
April 18: Marcus Camby (HOU) – 17
April 19: David West (IND) & Marcin Gortat (PHX) – 14

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
April 17: Tony Parker (SAS) & Rajon Rondo (BOS) – 13
April 18: Paul Pierce (BOS) – 14
April 19: JJ Barea (MIN) – 12

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
April 17: Greg Monroe (DET), Paul George (IND), & Tony Allen (MEM) – 4
April 18: James Harden (OKC) & Iman Shumpert (NYK) – 4
April 19: Shannon Brown (PHX) – 4

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
April 17: Elton Brand (PHI) & Ben Wallace (DET) – 3
April 18: Ed Davis (TOR) – 3
April 19: Larry Sanders (MIL) – 4

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
April 17: Steve Novak (NYK) – 8
April 18: Devin Harris (UTA) & Jrue Holiday (PHI) – 6
April 19: Danny Granger (IND), Chase Budinger (HOU), & Jared Dudley (PHX) – 4


April 17, 2012 First Five
C – Tim Duncan (SAS) – 19pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 2stls
F – Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 35pts, 12rebs, 10asts, 2stls
F – Paul Pierce (BOS) – 43pts, 4 treys, 3asts, 2rebs, 2stls
G – Brandon Knight (DET) – 28pts, 7asts, 4 treys, 2rebs
G – Tony Parker (SAS) – 29pts, 13asts, 3rebs, 1stl

Honorable Mention:
JJ Barea (MIN) – 28pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 5 treys, 1stl
Rudy Gay (MEM) – 28pts, 9rebs, 4asts, 1stl
JR Smith (NYK) – 25pts, 7 treys, 6asts, 4rebs, 1stl


April 18, 2012 First Five
C – Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) – 35pts, 5rebs, 3 treys, 2asts, 1stl
F – Rudy Gay (MEM) – 26pts, 5rebs, 4asts, 3 treys, 2blks, 1stl
F – Carmelo Anthony (NYK) – 33pts, 7rebs, 5 treys, 4asts, 1blk
G – Paul Pierce (BOS) – 29pts, 14asts, 5rebs, 2stls
G – Monta Ellis (MIL) – 31pts, 6asts, 3rebs, 3stls, 2blks

Honorable Mention:
LeBron James (MIA) – 28pts, 5rebs, 4asts, 2stls
Jordan Crawford (WAS) – 32pts, 4rebs, 3asts, 1stl
Andre Iguodala (PHI) – 19pts, 13rebs, 7asts, 3 treys, 2stls, 1blk


April 19, 2012 First Five
C – Nikola Pekovic (MIN) – 23pts, 9rebs, 2asts, 1blk
F – David West (IND) – 21pts, 14rebs, 7asts, 1blk
F – LeBron James (MIA) – 27pts, 11rebs, 6asts, 1blk
G – George Hill (IND) – 22pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 1stl
G – Eric Gordon (NOH) – 27pts, 5asts, 4rebs, 3stls, 1blk

Honorable Mention:
Goran Dragic (HOU) – 23pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 3 treys, 1stl
Danny Granger (IND) – 29pts, 5rebs, 4 treys, 1ast, 1stl, 1blk
JJ Barea (MIN) – 13pts, 12asts, 6rebs, 1stl

Today's Top Plays:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXqDG0GJ3Fo

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Destination: Steve Nash



The Phoenix Suns lost to the San Antonio Spurs today. They lost to a Spurs team that didn’t have Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Gregg Popovich.

But the worst thing about today?

Today might have been, no, check that, today WAS Steve Nash’s last day as a Phoenix Sun. Today, because today is practically the end of Phoenix’s season, Nash became a free agent.

And though it’ll be long after a new NBA Champion is crowned before Nash has to formally announce his decision, I, for one, believe he won’t stay in Arizona.

He’s leaving. The 38-year old Canadian who’s an amalgam of John Stockton, Pete Maravich, and Jason Kidd is looking at the twilight of his storied career, and I’m willing to bet he’ll be thinking of where he can find the deepest potential for a legitimate title run.

Not because a guy like Steve Nash “deserves” a title. I’ve never really bought that kind of notion. I mean, who doesn’t “deserve” a title, anyway? Gosh, even Brian Scalabrine “deserves” one, and, yes, he has one already.

But guys like Steve Nash, they are, what I’d like to call, WORTHY of a title. Because of their on-court resume. Because of how they’ve played. Because of how they’ve carried themselves. Because of the kind of role models they’ve become. (I like semantics. So sue me.)

Steve Nash is championship-worthy, but, depending on his decision on July 1, he can go down in history as one of those championship-worthy guys who never won a ring (like Stockton), or one of the guys who was able to snare one at the finish line, or close to it (like Kidd).

So where can he go? Which teams can help him? Which teams can he help? Here are the top Steve Nash destinations for 2012 and beyond (thanks to Chris O’Brien of Bleacher Report for the awesome ideas you’re about to ingest):

“Destination: Toronto Raptors
Steve Nash back to his native Canada?

The Toronto Raptors have a Steve Nash-styled roster, with a bunch of athletes who can score 10 to 12 PPG. Nash can spread the ball out to Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, Linas Kleiza and even try sliding Jose Calderon over to shooting guard.

The Raptors have essentially two high draft picks this year since last year's pick, Jonas Valanciunas, will be coming over next season. The Raptors could wind up with Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Lamb or Bradley Beal in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Put all this around Steve Nash and you have a low-ego, high-scoring, fun team to watch in Toronto.

Problem: Same thing as before; if Nash wants to compete for a championship, this is not the best possible lineup.

Destination: Orlando Magic
A year ago, the idea of going to Orlando to throw lobs to Dwight Howard would have appealed to any point guard on the planet.

A year later, not as appetizing.

If you look past all the drama, it would be a good situation for Steve Nash. He would be an upgrade from Jameer Nelson and not only would he help Dwight Howard, he and Ryan Anderson would develop a strong pick-and-pop game at the top of the key.

Throw in all of the Magic's three-point shooters with Nash's assists and you have a top-four team in the Eastern Conference.

However, you can't really just "look past" all of the drama. This season in Orlando has been a nightmare, which is bizarre considering they are not yet out of the race for a No. 3 or 4 seed. Dwight Howard seems to be having an identity crisis and has shown more sensitivity to wanting to be liked than LeBron James ever did. We still don't know if Dwight even really wants to stay in Orlando long-term.

The upside of this is appealing for Steve Nash, but the downside should keep him far away.

Destination: LA Lakers
Kobe has about as much time left in his career as Steve Nash. The pairing would be all about winning right now.

What Mike Brown could do is put Kobe Bryant's minutes at a hard line of 38. Steve Nash he could set at 30.

That leaves 28 minutes for Ramon Sessions to fill in as shooting guard for Kobe and point guard for Steve Nash. Keep Steve Blake around as a security measure.

Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum would benefit with Steve Nash running the point. Nash would cure those periods of time when Kobe is not shooting well and the offense becomes stagnant.

The problem? Kobe needs the ball in his hands; Nash likes to spread it around. Can they gel together?

Destination: Miami Heat
There would be so many fights over who gets to play as the Miami Heat in NBA 2K13.

Steve Nash. Dwyane Wade. LeBron James. Chris Bosh.

On paper: Awesome. In a video game: Unstoppable. In real life: Definitely championship level.

Can you imagine being Steve Nash, someone who always averages above 10 APG regardless of who is on his team, dribbling the ball up the court and having the options of Wade, LeBron and Bosh? The Heat offense would be even more unstoppable.

Chris Bosh would see the biggest boost of anyone on the team from Nash's presence.

The problem? The Heat already have a distributor in the form of LeBron James. LeBron averages around seven assists per game and, like Carmelo in New York, needs to have the ball in his hands to make something happen. Playing as a catch-and-shoot guy with Steve Nash would not be LeBron's best option.

Offensively, I think Nash would make the Heat better, but it would take a little while to get the system working effectively.

Defensively, the Heat have to go against Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and possibly Russell Westbrook or Tony Parker in the NBA Finals. Do you really want a 38- to 41-year-old Nash, someone who has never been a defensive stopper (even in his younger days), guarding these stars?

The Heat may be better off sticking with LeBron as the key distributor, utilizing Mario Chalmers' defense and inserting Norris Cole as a spark off the bench.

Destination: Dallas Mavericks
Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash are best friends. They were fun to watch before and they will be fun to watch again. Most importantly, they won a ton of games together.

The Dallas Mavericks have been clearing up cap room to (seemingly) try and land Deron Williams. If Williams stays with the Nets, Nash will be able to land more money in Dallas than he would in Los Angeles or Miami.

Like the Lakers, this is a "go for it right now" situation—no building up for the future. Unlike the Lakers, or the Heat or Knicks for that matter, the Mavericks have a superstar who has proven to work well with a point guard like Nash.

And it's not just Nowitzki. Remember how solid Nash made Shawn Marion look in their years together in Phoenix? I say bring in Boris Diaw, too, and give him the ol' Nash boost.

Jason Terry, Vince Carter, Rodrigue Beaubois—these are all the right pieces to have running around Nash. High-flying Brandan Wright would see a huge boost in his game. Jason Kidd could stick around as the backup point guard giving the Mavericks the best (in terms of their whole careers, not their current 40-year-old selves) one-two punch at point guard in NBA history.

Plus, the Mavericks will still have money left over to bring in another piece.

The fit works perfectly for Nash and works even better for the Dallas Mavericks.”

So, Steve Nash, you’re leaving Phoenix. That’s a foregone conclusion.

But, please, don’t go over to the dark side.

You have four other appetizing options, so, please, choose with your heart.

I, for one, hope your heart says Dallas. You and Dirk and Kidd? Oh, man, that would be awesome. Old man game, sure, but, still, freaking’ awesome.


April 23-25, 2012 stat-stuffers:

April 23, 2012 Game Recaps:
SAS over POR, 124-89
The San Antonio Spurs have locked up another No. 1 seed. Now comes trying not to blow it again. Tim Duncan scored 18 points in what might have been his last game before the playoffs start this weekend, now that the Spurs have clinched the top spot in the Western Conference after beating the Portland Trail Blazers 124-89 on Monday night. The Spurs won their eighth straight, but won't care about the streak or little else with two now-meaningless regular season games left. All that will matter is their Big Three reaching the postseason fully healthy for the first time since 2008, and that likely means an easy week ahead for Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

PHI over NJN, 105-87
Philadelphia secured the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference and spoiled the Nets' final game in New Jersey, 105-87. Thaddeus Young scored all 15 of his points in the second half to help the 76ers make the postseason for the second straight year and eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks from playoff contention. The win moved Philadelphia (34-30) into a tie with the New York Knicks for the No. 7 seed with two games remaining in the regular season. Jrue Holiday and Elton Brand added 15 points apiece and Andre Iguodala had 14 points and nine assists for Philadelphia.

WAS over CHA, 101-73
John Wall had 16 points and 14 assists, Nene scored 18 points and Jan Vesely had 16 points on 8-for-8 shooting as Washington handed Charlotte its 21st straight loss. The Wizards have their first four-game winning streak since Dec. 9-13, 2007. The 28-point margin of victory equaled their largest in the season. Gerald Henderson had 19 points for the Bobcats, while D.J. Augustin added 15. If Charlotte (7-57) loses its final two games, they will finish with the worst winning percentage in NBA history. They play at Orlando on Wednesday and at home Thursday night against New York.

IND over DET, 103-97
Paul George scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for Indiana. George made 13 of 15 free throws and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Pacers. David West scored 20 points and Leandro Barbosa and Tyler Hansbrough added 13 points each for Indiana. Pacers coach Frank Vogel rested regular starters Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert and George Hill since Indiana is locked into the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Greg Monroe scored 18 points, Brandon Knight had 16 and Tayshaun Prince added 14 for the Pistons.

MEM over CLE, 109-101
Marreese Speights had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Marc Gasol also scored 17 points as Memphis won its fifth straight. Rudy Gay scored 15 points, O.J. Mayo had 14, Tony Allen added 13 points and a franchise-record eight steals for the Grizzlies, who won their 10th straight at home. Gay and Mayo led a rally that allowed Memphis to finally put the game away in the closing minutes. The Grizzlies pulled one-half game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for fourth place in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Clippers hold the tiebreaker between the teams. Rookie Kyrie Irving had 25 points on 10-for-16 shooting for Cleveland, which lost its fifth in its last six games.

MIL over TOR, 92-86
Milwaukee is out of the NBA playoffs, despite getting 25 points from Brandon Jennings in a victory over Toronto. Milwaukee's postseason fate was determined earlier Monday night when Philadelphia beat New Jersey to clinch the eighth playoff berth in the Eastern Conference and eliminate the Bucks. Ersan Ilyasova added 19 points and 15 rebounds for Milwaukee. James Johnson had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who have lost four straight games.


April 24, 2012 Game Recaps:
ATL over LAC, 109-102
Joe Johnson scored 28 points, Jeff Teague had 21 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 109-102, on Tuesday night. Josh Smith chipped in with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who have won four of five heading into their regular season finale Thursday against the Mavericks. If they win -- or Boston loses to Milwaukee on Thursday -- the Hawks will have homecourt advantage over the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. The Clippers' loss clinched the Pacific Division for the Los Angeles Lakers, who will have the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Blake Griffin scored 36 points and Chris Paul had 34 for the Clippers -- the second time this season they both had at least 30.

BOS over MIA, 78-66
With both teams resting most of their stars in preparation for a playoff push, Sasha Pavlovic scored a game-high 16 points to help Boston earn a 78-66 victory over the Heat at TD Garden. Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett all sat out for the Celtics, while Miami's "Big Three" of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh also enjoyed the game from the sidelines. Paul Pierce did start for the Celtics but played just under 18 minutes and finished with eight points. Marquis Daniels added 13 for Boston, which is locked into the fourth spot in the East but trail Atlanta by one game for home court advantage in the first round after the Hawks also won on Tuesday. Dexter Pittman led the way for Miami with 12 points and James Jones added 11 in the loss, securing the top spot in the East for Chicago as it holds a 2 1/2 game lead over the Heat, who are locked into the second position.

OKC over SAC, 118-110
Kevin Durant poured in a team-high 32 points, including 15-of-16 from the free throw line, and grabbed nine rebounds in just three quarters of action as the Oklahoma City Thunder topped the Sacramento Kings, 118-110, on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Daequan Cook added 19 points and five rebounds, Russell Westbrook finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Thabo Sefolosha and Derek Fisher added 11 points apiece and Kendrick Perkins netted 10 for the Thunder, who bounced back from a double-overtime loss to the Lakers on Sunday. Thunder guard/forward James Harden missed the game after getting elbowed in the side of the head by Metta World Peace in Sunday's loss. World Peace was suspended seven games by the NBA for his actions. DeMarcus Cousins netted 32 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Jason Thompson added 22 points and six boards and Travis Outlaw donated 20 points in the loss for the Kings, their third in four tries.

NOH over GSW, 83-81
Marco Belinelli's layup with 1.5 seconds remaining sent the Hornets past the Warriors, 83-81, on Tuesday. Golden State was up 81-76 with two minutes play, but didn't score again and a three-pointer from Belinelli and a layup from Greivis Vasquez preceded the Italian's game-winner. Belinelli finished with a game-high 23 points and Carl Landry added 14 for the Hornets, who will close their season in Houston on Thursday. Klay Thompson scored 16 to pace Golden State, which has lost nine of its last 10 games and will wrap up the season against San Antonio on Thursday.

UTA over PHX, 100-88
Al Jefferson went on a personal eight- point run in the fourth quarter and helped the Utah Jazz clinch the final postseason spot in the Western Conference with a 100-88 victory over the Phoenix Suns. The Jazz ended a seven-game losing streak to the Suns and eliminated Phoenix from postseason contention in the process. Utah is currently the eighth seed in the West, 1 1/2 games behind the Nuggets. The Suns missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since a three-year hiatus from 1986-88. Jefferson finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds, Paul Millsap added 26 and 15 and Derrick Favors also recorded a double-double with 13 and 11 to go with five blocks for Utah, which has gone 7-3 in its last 10 games and closes out the regular season at home against the Trail Blazers on Thursday. Steve Nash, in perhaps his final season in Phoenix with free agency looming in the offseason, totaled 14 points and 11 assists in the loss.


April 25, 2012 Game Recaps:
SAS over PHX, 110-106
Patty Mills scored 27 points and the depleted San Antonio Spurs beat Phoenix 110-106 on Wednesday night in a game overshadowed by the fact it could have been Steve Nash’s last in a Suns uniform. The crowd stood and chanted “We want Nash” with about 5 minutes to go, leading coach Alvin Gentry to put the 38-year-old point guard in the game for a few plays before removing him to rousing cheers. Nash will be a free agent after this season. Nash had eight points and seven assists. Completing his eighth season in Phoenix, the two-time league MVP left the game with 3:08 to go in the third quarter and probably would have stayed on the sideline had the crowd not demanded his return.

CHI over IND, 92-87
Kyle Korver scored 20 points to help Chicago beat Indiana and remain tied for the best record in the league with one to play. The Bulls and Spurs are both 49-16 heading into Thursday’s season finales. Chicago hosts Cleveland, while San Antonio closes at Golden State. Carlos Boozer scored 16 points, and Joakim Noah had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago. Derrick Rose finished with 10 points on 3-for-11 shooting in 27 minutes. Lance Stephenson scored a career-high 22 points in his first career start for Indiana, which rested Danny Granger and Leandro Barbosa with the No. 3 playoff spot in the East locked up.

DEN over OKC, 106-101
Ty Lawson scored 25 points, Kenneth Faried added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Denver beat Oklahoma City to avoid the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. Kevin Durant scored 32 points to extend his lead in the NBA scoring race, leaving Kobe Bryant in need of 38 points in his season finale Thursday night against Sacramento to claim his third scoring title and prevent Durant from becoming the seventh player to win three in a row. With a win Thursday at Minnesota, Denver would be the No. 6 seed and face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. Otherwise, the Nuggets could fall to No. 7 and have a rematch with Oklahoma City.

NYK over LAC, 99-93
JR Smith scored 21 points to help New York hold off Los Angeles and close in on the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. Carmelo Anthony scored 17 points for the Knicks, who will draw Miami in the first round with one more win or a loss by Philadelphia. New York closes its season Thursday at Charlotte, which has one of the worst records in NBA history, while the 76ers visit Detroit. If New York loses and Philadelphia wins Thursday, the Knicks will fall to the No. 8 seed and face Chicago. The loss dropped the Clippers a half-game behind Memphis for the No. 4 seed in the West. Los Angeles needs the Grizzlies to lose to Orlando on Thursday to open the playoffs at home.

ORL over CHA, 102-95
JJ Redick had six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points as Orlando sent Charlotte to its 22nd consecutive loss. Ryan Anderson added 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Magic, who snapped a three-game losing streak and secured the sixth seed in the East but lost forward Glen Davis to a sprained right ankle. His injury could drain the Magic’s already shallow pool of big men following Dwight Howard’s season-ending back surgery. D.J. Augustin scored 23 points for the Bobcats (7-58), who head into their season finale on Thursday needing to beat New York to avoid the worst winning percentage in NBA history.

PHI over MIL, 90-85
Evan Turner scored a career-high 29 points and Philadelphia beat Milwaukee despite resting some key players for the playoffs. Jodie Meeks added 27 points for the 76ers, who eliminated the Bucks from playoff contention with their victory over New Jersey on Monday. The 76ers rested Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young. Brandon Jennings scored 19 points for the Bucks, who were playing short-handed in their home finale. The Bucks had only nine players take the floor, with Jennings the only regular starter on the court. Monta Ellis, Drew Gooden, Ersan Ilyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute all sat.

WAS over CLE, 96-85
John Wall had 21 points and 13 assists to help Washington extend its longest winning streak since 2007 to five games with a win over Cleveland. Wall had 12 points, six assists and four steals in the third quarter, when he accounted for 24 of Washington’s 28 points and helped the Wizards open a 14-point lead. Wall added seven rebounds and seven steals. D.J. Kennedy led Cleveland with 12 points in his NBA debut, while Kyrie Irving, expected to be named the NBA’s rookie of the year next month, played only 10 minutes — all in the first quarter — of the Cavs’ home finale.


Super Scorers (Top scorers of the night!)
April 23: Paul George (IND) – 27
April 24: Blake Griffin (LAC) – 36
April 25: Kevin Durant (OKC) – 32

Ragin’ Rebounders (Top rebounders of the night!)
April 23: Ersan Ilyasova (MIL) – 15
April 24: Al Jefferson (UTA) – 16
April 25: Joakim Noah (CHI) – 14

Dynamic Dishers (Top playmakers of the night!)
April 23: John Wall (WAS) – 14
April 24: Steve Nash (PHX) – 11
April 25: John Wall (WAS) – 13

Terrific Thieves (Top thieves of the night!)
April 23: Tony Allen (MEM) – 8
April 24: Travis Outlaw (SAC) – 4
April 25: John Wall (WAS) – 7

Boomin’ Blockers (Top blockers of the night!)
April 23: Tim Duncan (SAS), Elton Brand (PHI), & Tristan Thompson (CLE) – 4
April 24: Derrick Favors (UTA) – 5
April 25: Larry Sanders (MIL) – 5

Sharpshooters (Top 3-point shooters of the night!)
April 23: Danny Green (SAS) – 4
April 24: Joe Johnson (ATL) – 6
April 25: JJ Redick (ORL) – 6

April 23, 2012 First Five
C – Tim Duncan (SAS) – 18pts, 8rebs, 4blks, 2asts, 1stl
F – Ersan Ilyasova (MIL) – 19pts, 15rebs, 2asts, 1blk
F – Paul George (IND) – 27pts, 10rebs, 4asts, 3stls
G – Joe Johnson (ATL) – 22pts, 13rebs, 4asts, 2blks, 1stl
G – John Wall (WAS) – 16pts, 14asts, 5rebs, 1blk

Honorable Mention:
Kyrie Irving (CLE) – 25pts, 4asts, 3stls, 2rebs
Wesley Matthews (POR) – 24pts, 6rebs, 4stls, 3 treys, 2asts
Jan Vesely (WAS) – 16pts, 6rebs, 4stls, 1ast


April 24, 2012 First Five
C – DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) – 32pts, 7rebs, 2asts, 2stls, 1blk
F – Blake Griffin (LAC) – 36pts, 8rebs, 3asts, 1blk
F – Paul Millsap (UTA) – 26pts, 15rebs, 4asts, 3stls, 1blk
G – Joe Johnson (ATL) – 28pts, 7rebs, 6 treys, 3asts
G – Chris Paul (LAC) – 34pts, 8asts, 5rebs, 4 treys, 2stls

Honorable Mention:
Kevin Durant (OKC) – 32pts, 9rebs, 3 treys, 2stls, 1ast, 1blk
Al Jefferson (UTA) – 18pts, 16rebs, 4asts, 2blks
Marco Belinelli (NOH) – 23pts, 4rebs, 4asts, 3stls


April 25, 2012 First Five
C – Tiago Splitter (SAS) – 26pts, 5rebs, 1ast, 1blk
F – Blake Griffin (LAC) – 29pts, 10rebs, 6asts, 2stls
F – Kevin Durant (OKC) – 32pts, 5 treys, 5rebs, 4asts, 1blk
G – Evan Turner (PHI) – 29pts, 13rebs, 6asts, 2blks
G – Russell Westbrook (OKC) – 30pts, 9asts, 6rebs, 4blks, 3stls

Honorable Mention:
John Wall (WAS) – 21pts, 13asts, 7rebs, 7stls
JJ Redick (ORL) – 31pts, 6 treys, 3rebs, 3asts, 1stl
Ryan Anderson (ORL) – 24pts, 13rebs, 1ast, 1stl

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The 2012 NBA Playoffs: An Upset Start



It’s been a strange beginning, to say the least.

I stayed up early Sunday morning (Manila time) to catch the Chicago-Philly game. I decided to sleep at the end of the third with the Bulls on top by 13.

“That’s pretty much it,” I thought.

The Bulls did win, but, man, they paid a heavy price for it.

And that’s just the first upset of the day.

The second one came when I woke up and tuned in to BTV (Basketball TV here in Manila).
The Knicks got throttled in Game 1 by the Miami Heat. And by throttled I mean THROTTLED! The Heat blew out New York with a point spread of 33 points.

And, yes, Iman Shumpert, one of my nice Fantasy NBA pick-ups, went down with an apparent ACL tear, too.

Bummer.

Oh, but there was still a third upset – a literal sports upset.

The Indiana Pacers, seeded #3 in the East, playing at home against a Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic team, and leading by 7 with about 4 minutes to go, still found a way to blow it.

The Pacers have never been a favorite of mine, but I’ve always liked Danny Granger’s game. I feel he’s so underrated. He’s also one of my Fantasy NBA keepers. Has been for the past few seasons. I was thrilled to know he and his team had a great chance to get past the first round of the postseason. Now, however, it seems things got a lot tougher. They just handed over the home court edge to Orlando. Boo.

Oh well, at least Kevin Durant and the Thunder won. A classic that one, against the Mavs. That’s gonna be one hell of a first round series.

But what happened to D-Rose still stings.

And this piece of crap reaction from one of Nike’s designers doesn’t help, too.

***.

Do the Bulls get weaker without Rose? Definitely.

Does it mean they’re no longer the favorites against Philly? Hell no.

This is a Bulls team that played a big chunk of this past regular season sans their MVP. And still they secured the best record in the conference. They can still hack it. In fact, there were times in Game 1 when they looked better without Rose.

So what am I saying?

Don’t count the Bulls out.

The Bulls can win without Derrick Rose.

That’s why they’re special.

Also, just to get my two cents in, here are my picks for the individual awards (my buddy, Rollz, already gave his picks here):

COTY: Toss-up between Tom Thibodeau and Gregg Popovich. Thib had to make do without Rose, while Pop guided a team led by aging stars past the OKC Thunder, a team blessed with awesome young stars, for the West’s top spot. Pop gets my nod here.

6MOTY: James Harden. He just makes things so easy for OKC. Best two-way player off the pine in the world. Too bad Metta World Peace messed things up.

MIP: At the start of the season, Spencer Hawes looked really good for this one. When some of Minnesota’s bigs went out, Nikola Pekovic might have merited some notice. But, right now, at the end of the regular season, I’d have to give this to Ryan Anderson. He’s just been awesome for Orlando. His best season by far, and, if he remains consistent, he might extend the season by a few more games.

DPOY: Serge Ibaka is the season’s best blocker. He blocks 1.5 more shots than the next guy, Dwight Howard. BUT, and this clinches it for me, Dwight grabs 10.6 defensive boards per game. Ibaka? Just 4.6. In fact, Ibakas total rpg is 7.6, which is still less than Dwights 10.6 drpg. So this one goes to Dwight. Don’t even talk to me about CP3 leading the league in steals.

ROY: Kyrie Irving. Is anybody else in the same vicinity? Yeah, thought so. He tops all rookies in scoring, he’s 2nd in assists, 4th in FT%, 5th in 3pt%, and 6th in steals.

MVP: Damn. Yes, it should be LeBron James. Not Kevin Durant. Not Kobe Bryant. Not Tony Parker. Not Brian Scalabrine. It just is LeBron James. Hate the guy, but can’t deny his awesome game. Boo.


April 28, 2012 Game Recaps:
CHI over PHI, 103-91
Derrick Rose, saddled with so many injuries in the regular season, is facing one more. His team's season changed in a hop. Rose tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in Chicago's Game 1 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday afternoon and will miss the remainder of the playoffs. The reigning NBA MVP, who missed 27 games during the regular season with a litany of injuries, had to be helped off the court with 1:10 remaining after driving to a jump-stop in the lane and throwing a pass out to the right. He crawled slowly to the floor and was lying on his back, grasping at his knee for several minutes near the baseline before he was helped off. The tone of the game changed, as did the series, when the Bulls announced hours later the extent of Rose's injury. Richard Hamilton scored 19 points, Luol Deng had 17 and Joakim Noah added 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who also had the No. 1 overall seed last year, but were eliminated by the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Elton Brand had 19 points and seven rebounds to lead the Sixers. Jrue Holiday scored 16, Thaddeus Young added 13 and Turner had 12 points.

MIA over NYK, 100-67
Still searching for his first NBA championship, LeBron James opened the 2012 playoffs by scoring 32 points on just 14 shots and the Miami Heat dominated the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Saturday. James made 10 of his 14 field goal attempts and 11-of-14 free throws, Dwyane Wade scored 19 points and Mario Chalmers contributed 11 for the Heat, who won their fourth straight over New York to take the early advantage in the best-of-seven series. J.R. Smith led the way with 17 points off the bench for the Knicks, who committed 27 turnovers and 26 fouls. Carmelo Anthony scored 11 points with 10 rebounds but shot just 3-of-15 from the floor.

ORL over IND, 81-77
Jason Richardson buried the go-ahead three-pointer, part of a run of 11 unanswered Magic points to the end the game, as Orlando rallied to take Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Despite lacking the presence of three-time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard -- sidelined with season-ending back surgery -- Orlando prevented Indiana from scoring in the game's final 4:05. Glen Davis had 16 points to go with 13 rebounds while Richardson and Jameer Nelson finished with 17 points apiece for the Magic, who have won five in a row at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Roy Hibbert's career-high nine blocks for Indiana tied for the second-most in NBA playoff history, and David West led all scorers with 19 points, but the Pacers missed their final nine shots to drop the first test in this best-of- seven series. Game 2 will take place on Monday.

OKC over DAL, 99-98
Kevin Durant's go-ahead jumper with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted the Oklahoma City Thunder past the defending NBA-champion Mavericks in Game 1 of this Western Conference quarterfinal. After reigning NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki gave Dallas the lead with a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining in the contest, Durant heaved a high-arcing, off-balance floater from the foul line over the outstretched arms of two Dallas defenders. The ball bounced high off the front of the rim, tantalizing the Oklahoma City faithful before hitting off the backboard and through the net, sending the jubilant home crowd into complete euphoria. Dallas, which was out of timeouts, could not get a shot off before the final buzzer. Durant finished the game with 25 points on 10-of-27 shooting to go with six rebounds and four blocks for the Thunder, who fell to the Mavericks in five games in last year's Western Conference Finals. Nowitzki netted 11 of his 25 points in the final five minutes to pace Dallas.

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

[zoman114]

The 2012 NBA Playoffs: Should We Just Hand It to Miami?



They blew out a loaded Knicks team in Game 1.

Either an upstart Indiana Pacers team or a Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic team awaits them in the second round.

Boston is in danger after losing Game 1 to the Hawks and after Rajon Rondo’s antics netted him a suspension.

And Derrick Rose is out.

Good thing they’re just 5-5 against Western Playoff teams this season, right?

Wrong.

Now that the biggest thorn in their path to the Eastern Conference crown (Rose) is no longer going to play, who can stop the Heat from trampling on everyone in their path?

And once they get enough momentum entering their second straight NBA Finals, who’s to say anyone from the West, given how exhausting and grueling the Western side of things will be, still has enough to upend the big bad trio of James, Wade, and Bosh?

This early, on Labod Day here in Manila, with about a month and a half more before a champion is crowned, things don’t look good already.

And, of course, Miami, LeBron especially, has a chip on its shoulder.

And he’s probably gonna be MVP, too.

Sucks, right?

Says James, “I'm a different player this year, a different person this year. I waited for this moment to get back to the postseason. I prepared myself all season as well as the offseason to get back to this point. I'm excited about it. I've gotten away from the 'hate' stuff. I played with that last year and it wasn't me."

There is a lot less “hate” this season. Last year a lot of people weren’t really rooting for specific teams. They were rooting for “just not Miami.”

That kind of sentiment may have lessened now, and it helps the Heat even more.

But, again, is this year’s title as good as Miami’s already?

They have the inside track, sure, but I’m hoping a host of other teams can still topple them.

The ones I really like are OKC, the Lakers, the Spurs, and, yes, even the Bulls.

Despite escaping Dallas by the thinnest of margins, I think Oklahoma City can give Miami a hell of a time on the court. KD is a great match-up for LBJ. Ditto for Westbrook on Wade. And Ibaka versus Bosh is gonna be good, too. The X-Factor is James Harden. He’s my 6th Man of the Year, and if the Thunder do make it out of the West, he’ll be invaluable in their quest for a title.

Kobe and Co. against the Heat should be an awesome match-up as well, not to mention it’ll look great for marketing. If the Lakers do make it that far, the SF position will be key simply because Kobe cannot match-up with BOTH Wade and James. In a 7-game series, Devin Ebanks, Matt Barnes, and Metta World Punch (Peace) will each have to have at least one great game to counter Miami’s production on the wings. LA’s advantage, of course, will be their twin towers. On a bad day the tandem of Gasol and Bynum is still better than the Bosh-Anthony or Bosh-Haslem duo on a good day.

The Spurs look pretty awesome, too. They should dump the Jazz in the first round, and, if they do manage to continue their age-defying run, then their grit, championship experience, and bordering-on-boredom efficiency should make it tough for Miami. Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw, and Stephen Jackson have quietly made their presence felt, Tony Parker’s name is being whispered in MVP discussions, and I’m convinced Marty McFly took a trip back in time and brought back a younger Tim Duncan.

Of course all those three teams won’t even have to play against Miami if the Bulls continue to be as resilient and defiant as they’ve been throughout the regular season. I believe this to be true: the Bulls are still the top team in the East – provided everything clicks, provided they don’t hang their heads and wallow in Rose’s loss. This will really test Tom Thibodeau’s acumen, Luol Deng’s leadership, Carlos Boozer’s resolve, and Rip Hamilton’s experience. The Bulls can still make this postseason have a happy ending for everyone not in South Beach.

So should the Larry O’Brien trophy be prepped for a Miami celebration?

Hell no.

But, just saying, we should be prepared for the worst.

*As of this writing, the Miami Heat just beat the New York Knicks for a 2-0 lead in their first round series.

April 29, 2012 Game Recaps:
SAS over UTA, 106-91
Tony Parker netted 28 points and dished out eight assists, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a resounding 106-91 win over Utah in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. Tim Duncan tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who have won 11 games in a row since an April 11 defeat to the Lakers. Unlike last year, the top-seeded Spurs are off to a good start in the playoffs. In 2011, they lost their opener at home to Memphis and were ousted in six games despite having the No. 1 seed. Paul Millsap had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Jazz. Game 2 of the best- of-seven series is Wednesday, again at AT&T Center.

LAL over DEN, 103-88
Andrew Bynum matched Hakeem Olajuwon and Mark Eaton for the most blocks in an NBA Playoff game and posted the first Lakers triple-double in 21 years as Los Angeles thumped the Denver Nuggets, 103-88, in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. Bynum netted 10 points to go with 13 rebounds and 10 blocks, becoming the first Laker to register a postseason triple-double since Magic Johnson accomplished the feat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls. Kobe Bryant scored 23 of his 31 points in the second half on 11-of-24 shooting, while Mike Brown made his Lakers playoff coaching debut. Devin Ebanks filled in admirably for the suspended Metta World Peace, scoring 12 points to go with five boards. World Peace will miss the first six games of the series for a violent elbow to the head of Thunder top reserve James Harden last Sunday. Danilo Gallinari poured in 19 points to lead the Nuggets, who won six of their last seven games to close the regular season. Denver's leading scorer, Ty Lawson, was limited to just seven points. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will take place on Tuesday at Staples Center.

ATL over BOS, 83-74
Josh Smith posted 22 points and 18 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks hung on to defeat the Boston Celtics, 83-74, in the opener of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Smith became the first Hawk to register 22-plus points and 17-plus rebounds in a playoff game since Moses Malone had 24 points and 17 rebounds in Game 4 of a first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks in 1989. Jeff Teague added 15 points and six rebounds, while Kirk Hinrich nailed four three-pointers en route to 12 points for Atlanta, which fell to Boston in seven games the last time these two combatants met in the 2008 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Rajon Rondo, who was ejected with 41 seconds remaining in the game for bumping an official following a foul call on Brandon Bass, finished with 20 points and 11 assists. Kevin Garnett netted 18 of his 20 points in the second half for Boston, which trailed by as many as 19 points. Paul Pierce had just 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting. The Celtics were 0-for-11 from beyond the arc. Game 2 of this best-of-seven series is slated for Tuesday at Philips Arena.

LAC over MEM, 99-98
The Los Angeles Clippers stunned the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, overcoming a 27-point second-half deficit to win, 99-98, in Game 1 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. Memphis, which opened postseason play on its home floor for the first time in franchise history, dominated early and often, but Los Angeles closed the game with a 28-3 run and Chris Paul sealed the improbable result, making the tying and then go-ahead free throws with 23.7 seconds left. Rudy Gay missed a short pullup jumper as time expired. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday in Memphis.

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from Reuters, the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

A Little Off-Topic, But Still About the 2012 NBA Playoffs: Hoops Hiatus



Many people tell me too much Coke is bad. Too much sugar. Too much caffeine. Too much of the chemical that corrodes teeth.

But I love Coke (I’m not exactly addicted to it. I drink Coke maybe thrice a week only. Believe me there are a ton of other people I know who consume it more often.) I think it tastes awesome (on the rocks, please). I think it makes me feel awesome.

Coke is a good thing.

But too much of anything, even a good thing, can turn ugly.

It hasn’t turned ugly, yet, but I won’t wait till that happens.

Same thing with basketball and this blog.

For the past year or so, basketball and this blog have been “Coke.” I love basketball. I love writing about it. This blog was a great thing – IS a great thing. It’s an awesome thing. It’s given me something else to which I can look forward after work is done. It’s given me several interesting opportunities to cover sports events, and be a part of them!

But, again, even with this blog, I’ll have to step back and take a breather.

But why now? Why when Amar’e Stoudemire and Rajon Rondo have made complete fools of themselves? Why now when the fate of the Bulls is up in the air? Why now when the Spurs look mighty strong? Why now when it’s the friggin’ NBA Playoffs?!?!?!

Simple.

Work. (yes, the day job)

Work has beckoned me to attend to something, or, more appropriately, attend something.

From Wednesday till Saturday (May 2-5 Manila time), I’ll be with my colleagues in our annual Faculty Retreat in Tagaytay (about an hour south of Manila).

That will give me some much-needed time to take stock of things and reflect about the labors and fruits of the past year. About the things in which I was strong, and, perhaps more importantly, the things in which I was weak. I’ll also ask for more guidance because big choices have to be made soon. Big choices. BIG CHOICES.

This is my own life’s version of LeBron’s “THE DECISION,” only without ESPN, or any snippet of outside coverage whatsoever.

Oh, but there’s still some time before I cross THAT bridge.

For now, however, I’ll have to take a step back. Just retreat from “life” and recollect my feelings, my thoughts, myself.

I feel afraid doing this because, if you’ve visited my blog often (thank you!), you probably know I make it a point to have constant updates on things. I usually publish at least one post a day. This time, I won’t be posting for three days (Saturday evening I’ll be back with a vengeance).

But all is well. My good buddy, Rolly Mendoza (follow him on Twitter -- @rollzter) will be posting stuff from the NBA. He’s awesome. The only thing I can complain about is he’s a Heat fan (lol). And I guess one of the things he can complain about me is that I’m a Heat hater haha ☺

So here’s to him giving a fresh perspective on things (we always need a fresh perspective on things anyway).

Here’s to hoping the Thunder and Bulls keep on winning and the Knicks maybe making a real series out of their tussle with Miami.

Here’s to hoping the PBA Finals goes to seven games. This one is really starting to be awesome to watch, folks!

Here’s to hoping Ateneo finally blows someone out in Filoil.

Here’s to the opportunities given to us to examine our lives for the purpose of continuing our growth and continuing our struggle to be better persons.

Here’s to some farewells that will come too soon, and some beginnings that will be more than welcome.

And, yes, here’s to hoping they serve some Coke in the retreat, too.

April 30, 2012 Game Recaps:
MIA over NYK, 104-94
It wasn't quite the 33-point dismantling they produced Saturday, but the Miami Heat had no trouble handling the New York Knicks on Monday, leading throughout the second half en route to a comfortable 104-94 Game 2 victory. Dwyane Wade scored 25 points, Chris Bosh netted 21 and LeBron James chipped in 19 for the Heat, who took a 2-0 lead in their best-of- seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal. Carmelo Anthony poured in a game- high 30 points and Amare Stoudemire contributed 18 but it was not enough for the Knicks, who suffered their 12th consecutive playoff defeat, tying the 2004-2006 Grizzlies for the longest such streak in NBA history. Stoudemire was treated by paramedics for lacerations on his left hand suffered in the locker room following the game. The series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Thursday's Game 3.

IND over ORL, 93-78
Unlike Game 1, the Indiana Pacers had no trouble closing out the Orlando Magic on Monday. Danny Granger, David West and George Hill all netted 18 points and an elongated run in the early stages of the third quarter helped the Pacers down the Magic, 93-78, in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Paul George added 17 points and eight rebounds, while Roy Hibbert finished with 13 boards for Indiana, which evened the best-of-seven series 1-1 with Game 3 slated for Wednesday in Orlando. Glen Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Magic, who shot just 35.5 percent from the floor.

OKC over DAL, 102-99
If this is the changing of the guard, it isn't coming easy, yet Oklahoma City is heading to Dallas after holding serve at home. Russell Westbrook scored 29 points and Kevin Durant shook off a poor shooting night to add 26, as the Thunder claimed another close contest over the defending NBA-champion Mavericks, 102-99, in Game 2 of this Western Conference quarterfinal series. Oklahoma City has a 2-0 series lead, two wins by a total of four points, with Game 3 scheduled for Thursday night in Dallas. The Thunder again made enough plays down the stretch, this time from the charity stripe, where they made 37-of-39 attempts. Durant seemed to live at the line, making 14-of-16, a big part of his offensive output thanks to an uncharacteristic 5-of-17 shooting performance. He did grab 10 rebounds, while James Harden added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists off the bench. Derek Fisher, a playoff stalwart, donated 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers with 31 points, Shawn Marion added 15 points and eight rebounds and Jason Terry joined Delonte West with 13 points apiece. Terry had two chances at the tie in the closing seconds, one off the dribble and another off a Vince Carter offensive rebound, but both missed off the back rim.

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from Reuters, the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

The NBA: Injuries Kill and The Fall of a Champion



And just like that the number one seeded team in the East is on its way out. Yes, I am aware a 1-2 hole is not a death knell, but the way things have swung the Bulls’ way, it might as well be.

Derrick Rose isn’t coming back.

Joakim Noah is doubtful.

And the Philadelphia 76ers are bursting at the seams with confidence.

All the ingredients for an upset are in the drink.

It’s almost like a rerun of the fate that befell the San Antonio Spurs last season. Injuries kill.

And at this point in the Playoffs, they don’t just kill, they hurt – the kind of hurt one will feel all offseason long. This is the kind of hurt only a redemptive campaign next season can quell.

To expound more on this, here’s a really nice read from James Davis of Bleacher Report:

“For the most part, being down 2-1 in a playoff series is not much reason to panic; the team on the short end is still only one win away from knotting things up.

But when a team goes up 1-0 and then falls behind 2-1 because of back-to-back complete and epic meltdowns, raised eyebrows coupled with furrowed brows begin to appear.

Even without their MVP, it was believed that Chicago could still beat Philadelphia, though that task may have been a bit tougher to accomplish in Derrick Rose’s absence; consequently, that tough task is looking more Sisyphean as of late.

The problem has been a lack of sustained effort from the Chicago Bulls.

These past two games both presented a Chicago team that was competitive in the first half only to completely lose their composure in the second, thus costing them a win.

If you look at the play on the court, you have a number of players at whom to point to for not stepping up and doing their part.

C.J. Watson, who played well during Rose’s absence in the regular season, has shot 27 percent from the field the past two games going 4-of-15 with the four shots he hit coming in Game 2.

All-Star forward Luol Deng has completely disappeared the last two games as well, averaging a paltry 6.5 points for the last two contests.

Carlos Boozer had a double-double in Game 3 with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but he went completely cold in the second half.

And as if losing Rose wasn’t enough for Chicago, Joakim Noah rolled his ankle, further darkening the clouds that have been gathering over the land of Bulls basketball.

All of this may be confusing to those who watched the Bulls play 27 games without Rose this past season, winning 18 of them, but there is one huge difference here.

During the regular season, the Bulls continued to play—and play well—without their superstar because they knew he was eventually returning.

Even when things like Rose’s groin injury turned out to be more severe than originally thought, there was still no sweating because his return was merely delayed.

When Rose went down in Game 1, he went down for good.

This Bulls team is playing without their superstar and they know he is not coming back for a long time.

One has to wonder if this has taken a huge mental toll on the Bulls, an impact that the organization has tried very hard to hide.

This team is no longer holding down the fort until the general arrives with cavalry; these guys are in the trenches knowing that their hero will not be swooping in to save the day.

Bulls players are saying all the right things to the media when it comes to how they will continue to play and pull out a series win; however, it’s getting harder and harder to believe that they have the postseason resolve to persevere.

The tipping point for this series now depends on the status of Noah.

If he is unable to go for some extended period of time, it may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and pushes Chicago right out of the playoffs.


It may be a hard pill to swallow, but the Bulls could become just the fourth No. 1 seed to be eliminated from the first round of the playoffs.

Losing a game is nothing. Losing two in a row can even be considered just a hiccup that can be easily corrected.

The manner in which the Bulls have lost as of late and the extenuating circumstances surrounding those losses don’t bode well for rebounding and correcting.

Still, don’t push the panic button yet, Chicago, but you might want to open the cover and position your finger just in case.”


In other news, the Dallas Mavericks’ reign as the NBA Champions has officially ended, thanks to the team they beat for last season’s Western Conference crow – the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The definitive play of the game?

James Harden BLOWING BY Jason Kidd (using his right mind you) late in the fourth for a lay-up that all but sealed the fate of Dallas.

In connection with this, here’s a post from Karl Batungbacal, one of my former students in the Ateneo de Manila High School:

“Sweep? Yes and in Dallas even! The Thunder put on a great show by defeating the defending champions 4 games to none. Not even Jason Terry's broom-breaking superstition could stop the Thunder. Dallas led earlier in the 4th, but thanks to James "The Beard" Harden the Thunder went on a decisive 12-0 run in just 3 minutes.

OKC took the lead thanks to a big defensive stop by Russel Westbrook, and his assist to Serge Ibaka that gave the Thunder a 92-91 lead. Dallas never recovered after that.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 points on 10 of 25 field goals and Jason "The Superstitious" Terry pitched in only 11 points on 4 of 12 shooting.

The Mavericks are only the second championship-defending team to be swept in the first round with the Miami Heat being the first. After defeating Dallas in the 2006 Finals, the Heat were swept by Chicago the following year.

The Thunder have proven themselves worthy by sweeping the defending champions. The winner of the Lakers-Nuggets series will face OKC in the second round. Personally, I hope that Denver will win their series against L.A. to prove that they can defeat a high caliber team.”

Today’s Game Recaps:
IND over ORL, 101-99 (OT)
The Indiana Pacers blew a big fourth quarter lead for the second time in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, but this time they came back to win in overtime. David West posted a game-high 26 points with 12 rebounds, and George Hill's 12 points included the game-winning free throws with 2.2 seconds to play in OT as the Pacers held on for a 101-99 decision over the Orlando Magic in Game 4, despite seeing a 19-point fourth-quarter lead erased. Danny Granger added 21 points and Roy Hibbert contributed 14 points with 11 boards for Indiana, which took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The club has won three straight since surrendering 11 unanswered points in the final minutes of Game 1 to suffer an 81-77 defeat. Indiana can move into the second round when the series shifts back to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for Tuesday's Game 5.

LAC over MEM, 87-86
Chris Paul netted 24 points and dished out 11 assists as the Los Angeles Clippers edged the Memphis Grizzlies, 87-86, in a tense Western Conference quarterfinal Game 3. Blake Griffin tallied 17 points and Randy Foye hit 4-of-5 three-point attempts, including the game-tying trey in the final minutes, en route to 16 points for Los Angeles, which took a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series. Caron Butler -- who was expected to miss 4-6 weeks after fracturing his left hand in Game 1 -- started the game, and contributed four points. Rudy Gay finished with 24 points, Zach Randolph chipped in 17 and Marc Gasol had 11 points to go with 10 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who saw Gay's potentially game-winning jumper bounce off the rim as time expired.

OKC over DAL, 103-97
James Harden scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder completed the series sweep of the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks with a 103-97 victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals. The Mavericks became the first defending champions to be swept out of the first round of the playoffs since the Miami Heat in 2007. Kevin Durant added 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook finished with 12 points, six assists and five rebounds for second- seeded Oklahoma City, which will face the winner of the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. Dirk Nowitzki paced the Mavericks with 34 points and Jason Kidd added 16 with eight assists and seven boards.

SAS over UTA, 102-90
Tony Parker poured in 27 points and San Antonio moved to the brink of advancing to the second round of the playoffs with a 102-90 victory over the Utah Jazz. Tim Duncan tallied 17 points and Danny Green 14 for the top-seeded Spurs, who can complete the sweep of their Western Conference quarterfinal series Monday in Salt Lake City. Al Jefferson had 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Devin Harris also scored 21 for Utah.

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com

*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from Reuters, the Associated Press and the Sports Network.

[zoman114]

2012 NBA Playoff Postmortem: Dallas Mavericks



It’s amazing how irony strikes. The franchise that won the last-team-standing postseason in 2011 is the first team to be booted out of the 2012 edition.

Yes, the team that pretty much surprised everyone by sweeping LA, beating the youthful Thunder, and upsetting Miami last year got unceremoniously booted out after just four games.

Irony is amazing – amazingly painful.

But can anyone really be blamed except the Mavs themselves, or at least their management?

During the NBA TV postgame analysis after Game 4, Bill Laimbeer said this year’s Mavericks seemed like a different team and that they weren’t hungry enough.

I’m not sure I agree with the hungry part, but nobody can contest his first point about Dallas being a completely different team.

Three of their vital cogs from last season’s miracle run didn’t return this season – Tyson Chandler, JJ Barea, and DeShawn Stevenson. Yes, despite losing these guys, the Mavs were still a top-tier defensive team this season, but their absence clearly made a difference in the playoffs against a young, athletic, speedy, and fearless OKC five. BTW, those four adjectives, perhaps with the exception of fearless, are the exact opposites of this Dallas quintet.

Of course, it also didn’t help that the Dallas offense suffered when Dirk Nowitzki made only a shade under 46% of his FGs (lowest since his rookie season), and when the Lamar Odom experiment unexpectedly blew up in smoke.

So bad offseason moves, just plain old legs, and the Lamar Odom episode all conspired to hand Dallas the first exit stub in the 2012 Playoffs. Again, quite painful that Dallas fans didn’t even get to enjoy their title for a full 12 months. Too bad.

The future, however, doesn’t look bleak.

Mark Cuban has a ton of capspace money on his lap. He could use all that to lure another big star – someone like Deron Williams or, and this is who I’m rooting for, Steve Nash. Other potential attractions are Ray Allen and KG, or maybe even Grant Hill. Of course, adding any or all of those names means the Mavs get older still.

I see the Mavs reflecting long and hard about how they lost the title so quickly, and, hopefully, making better offseason moves to come back strong next year. With Dirk bound to turn 35 soon, Cuban better make some good moves, unless, of course, he’s content with just one ring. Somehow, I think he’s just not that type of guy.

*Rick Carlisle’s contract ends, too. Dallas would do well to lure him back.

Game Recaps:

PHI over CHI, 89-82
The Philadelphia 76ers have the NBA's No. 1 overall seed on the brink of elimination. The only good news for the shorthanded Chicago Bulls? They get to go back home to try and turn it all around. Jrue Holiday scored six of his 20 points on back-to-back 3s late in the fourth quarter Sunday and the Sixers beat the Bulls, 89-82, in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round series. The Sixers have won three straight since Bulls star Derrick Rose went down for the rest of the season with an injury late in Game 1. Chicago played this one without another key starter, center Joakim Noah, who sprained his left ankle in Game 3. Game 5 is Tuesday in Chicago.

NYK over MIA, 89-87
With his team on the brink of elimination, Carmelo Anthony poured in 41 points and the Knicks defeated the Heat, 89-87, in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Amare Stoudemire, who missed Game 3 with an injured left hand which he suffered when he punched a fire extinguisher after a loss in Game 2, returned to the lineup and scored 20 points and grabbed 10 boards to help the Knicks earn their first playoff victory in over a decade. The Knicks had lost an NBA-record 13 straight consecutive playoff games, dating back to April 29, 2001, but still have plenty of work to do as they trail Miami 3-1 in their best-of-seven series. The series returns to Miami for Game 5, which is slated for Wednesday. LeBron James scored 27 points, Dwyane Wade chipped in 22 and Chris Bosh added 17 but the Heat were unable to complete their first series sweep since the second round of the 2005 playoffs against the Washington Wizards.

BOS over ATL, 101-79
After needing overtime to take Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Hawks, the Boston Celtics routed Atlanta, 101-79, in Game 4 on Sunday. Boston shot 60 percent from the floor in the first three quarters, building a lead as large as 37, and led by double-digits for the game's final 37 minutes. Paul Pierce netted 24 points and Rajon Rondo followed up his Game 3 triple-double with 20 points and 16 assists, two of six Celtics to score in double-figures as they took a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Celtics can punch their ticket to the semifinals in Game 5, slated for Tuesday in Atlanta. After missing Game 3 with a shoulder injury, Josh Smith returned to Atlanta's starting lineup and paced the Hawks with 15 points in defeat.

LAL over DEN, 92-88
Ramon Sessions hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 48.1 seconds to play and the Los Angeles Lakers took a 92-88 win over the Denver Nuggets in a closely contested Game 4 of this Western Conference quarterfinal series. Kobe Bryant posted 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Andrew Bynum added 19 points and seven boards while Pau Gasol donated 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, who hold a 3-1 advantage in this best-of-seven series after splitting the two games in Denver. Los Angeles can now close out this series at home on Tuesday night in Game 5. Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points and pulled down six rebounds while Andre Miller added 15 points and seven boards off the bench for the Nuggets, who got 11 points and six assists from Ty Lawson.



*Game recaps were compiled and compressed from the Sports Network.

Source: HoopNut.blogspot.com