Around The Association
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106 | Recap | Box score |
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MVP: Kobe Bryant defied rationality to drag the Lakers back into this game after the Thunder took their foot off the gas. Impossible shot by impossible shot, Kobe (six of his 26 points in the second OT) put another classic in his canon.
LVP: Russell Westbrook hit some big FTs at the end of regulation, but was otherwise a disaster of inefficiency and overconfidence. He shot 3-for-22 from the field and gave his detractors plenty of ammunition in big moments.
X Factor: Metta World Peace delivered an ugly elbow to James Harden's head in the second quarter, getting himself ejected and ending Harden's afternoon. Have to believe we'll see a suspension for that one.
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98 | Recap | Box score |
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MVP: Randy Foye: No doubt Chris Paul was excellent as a creator down the stretch, but Foye (24 points) was the only Clipper to consistently hit from outside all night. In the fourth quarter, Foye had several huge threes that sparked an LAC win. X Factor: Fourth-quarter finishing. The Hornets' offense collapsed under pressure late in the game, committing turnovers (19 overall) time and time again in the fouth. Meanwhile, the Clippers counted on their offense (read: Chris Paul) and came out with the win. That Was ... Thrilling: The Clippers struggled with their shooting and defense during multiple stretches, but managed to hold a slim lead at the half. Then New Orleans ran out to a big lead in the third against the LAC bench. And then Foye exploded in the fourth. Fun game.
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MVP: Yes, this game was a blowout win for the Nuggets. However, Ryan Anderson (24 points on 9-for-18 shooting) was the main reason the Magic were competitive for three quarters before things got out of hand in the fourth quarter.
X Factor: McGee, subject of an infamous "Not Top 10" list on YouTube, was an x-factor for Denver. You read that right. Blessed with the gift of being able to jump really high, McGee tortured Orlando with an array of alley-oop dunks.
That Was ... a Tale of Two Halves: At halftime, the score was tied at 44 apiece. In the second half, the Nuggets outscored the Magic by 27 points. Of note: Denver released the Kraken in the form of McGee and Orlando could not stop him.
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MVP: Charles Jenkins played the point guard position almost as well as that other guy in the state, setting up teammates and taking over the offense when the team was struggling to score as evidenced by his 24 points and nine assists.
X Factor: The Wolves made shots early in the game on their way to scoring 55 points by halftime, but then failed to connect on most of their open looks in the second half, finishing 7-for-26 from 3-point range and sealing their fate.
Defining Moment: After Nikola Pekovic scored on a three-point play to take the lead, Brandon Rush hit a baseline 3-pointer with 1:09 left in the game to take a 90-88 lead. The Warriors never looked back after the shot.
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98 | Recap | Box score |
114 |  |
MVP: Yes, Danny Green was terrific, and DeJuan Blair was a beast inside, but it was Manu Ginobili (20 points, 3 assists) who served as the guiding force in the Spurs win. Ginobili combined twisting drives and sublime passing to orchestrate a symphony of offensive domination; leading the Spurs to yet another run away victory and tightening their grip on the No. 1 seed in the West.
X Factor: With Tim Duncan sitting out the game, Blair stepped his game up nicely. He abused the Cavaliers inside(especially in the third quarter) and finished the game with 15 points and 7 rebounds.
That was ... beautiful to behold: In the third quarter Tony Parker and Blair were running the pick-and-roll to absolute perfection. Blair screened well, and timed his roll deftly, while Parker delivered perfect pocket pass after perfect pocket pass. A truly wonderful display of teamwork and execution.
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73 | Recap | Box score |
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MVP: DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan had 16 points, three assists and an impressive fast-break block through three quarters. So, of course the tanking Raptors benched him for the fourth quarter.
Defining moment: Greg Monroe blatantly goaltended an Alan Anderson shot with 22 seconds left and the Pistons up one -- though the refs missed the violation. The difference? The game and several lottery combinations.
X Factor: Brandon Knight and Ben Gordon, who scored 19 points each, playing well together. Earlier in the season, those two sharing a backcourt turned Detroit into Turnover City.
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88 | Recap | Box score |
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MVP: LeBron James scored 11 of his game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Heat to a victory that might have dashed Houston's playoff hopes. After taking the night off in Saturday's loss to Washington, James also had eight rebounds and five assists.
X Factor: Turnovers were critically costly for the Rockets. The Heat scored 28 points off 19 Houston turnovers. That helped Miami overcome its 41.2-percent shooting from the field.
That was ... second-best. With the victory, the Heat posted a 28-5 record at home this season. The .848 winning percentage is second-best in team history, behind the 35-6 (.854) mark set during the 2004-05 season.
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114 | Recap | Box score |
88 |  |
MVP: DeMarcus Cousins. 29 points and 10 rebounds. No one else made an impact like this guy for the Kings. Cousins got pretty much anything he wanted in the paint and certainly taught Bismack Biyombo a rookie lesson.
X Factor: Charlotte had 21 turnovers. Sacramento only committed 8. Sacramento also shot 55.2 percent from the field tonight, while Charlotte was 43.8 percent.
That was ... preclusion for the Bobcats. Put it in the books! Worst team of all-time. With Charlotte's performance Sunday they have officially made it impossible for anyone to believe they have a chance competing in any of their remaining games (@ Washington, @ Orlando, vs New York) and avoiding history.
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113 | Recap | Box score |
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MVP: It was pure Melo hero-ball for the Knicks down the stretch, but they don't win without a particularly springy Amare Stoudemire. In his second game back from a bulging disk, STAT thrived in the pick-and-roll and finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Defining Moment: Atlanta's final possession. Instead of launching up a floater to beat the clock, Marvin Williams drove the lane and had his dunk attempt blocked by Stoudemire. It wouldn't have counted anyway as replays showed the ball was still in Williams' fingertips as the final buzzer sounded.
X factor: After shooting 38 percent over the past 21 games and being relegated to the bench the prior night in Cleveland, Landry Fields came through with a throwback early 2010-11 performance, hitting all three of his treys and finishing with 18 points and four rebounds on 7-for-8 shooting .
Which L.A. Team Would Thunder Prefer?
OKC has been far more successful this year against the Lakers than the Clippers. Any sense they'd rather draw the purple and gold in the second round?
Royce Young, Daily Thunder: I think so. Like I said, Chris Paul in the pick-and-roll has been a scary thing for OKC this season. The Lakers are a bit more traditional with their bigs, which allows the Thunder to play Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka more. The Clippers can go small with guards and force the Thunder to match that, which makes them vulnerable on the glass.
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But then again, the thought of having to get past Kobe Bryant and the Lakers before the Western Conference finals isn't a fun thing to think about. Just the mental aspect of having to beat the Lakers that early might be enough to want the Clippers instead.
Novak's Record 3-Point Pace
ESPNNewYork.com
The Knicks' overall 3-point percentage as a team this season wouldn't indicate they have the best long-range gunner in the game. Currently, the team's 33.1 percent accuracy from downtown is the eighth-worst in the NBA.
But Steve Novak has basically single-handedly put the Knicks in a tie for fifth place for most 3-pointers made (488). Novak is 125-for-268, and those makes equal 25.6 percent of the total team amount. Carmelo Anthony is second on the team with 65 (33.2 percent accuracy), and J.R. Smith proceeds him with 62 (34.8 percent accuracy).
As for Novak? Currently 46.6 percent -- the best in the league. In fact, he's within striking distance of the best 3-point shooting season ever (with a minimum of 250 3-pointers made). Former Knicks player Hubert Davis is second on the all-time list.
Stein's Awards: DPOY
ESPN.com
Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks
No NBA player has ever won DPOY honors in four straight seasons. Dwight Howard won't be the first, either.
The back operation Friday that brought a sudden end to Howard's tumultuous season figures to crack the door open even wider than it was for a new defensive specialist to take the trophy Howard has won the past three seasons. The options are plentiful, too, with Boston's Kevin Garnett, Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka and Chicago's Joakim Noah standing out among big men and a slew of top wing defenders, headlined by Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala, Memphis' Tony Allen, Dallas' Shawn Marion, Chicago's Luol Deng and a guy in Miami named James. LeBron James.
But Chandler's reputation as a culture-changer on D has gone to a new level this season, which is saying something after the role he played in the Mavericks' title run last spring. The Knicks, mired at No. 21 in defensive efficiency last season, ranked fifth in that category as of Friday morning, with Chandler's length, mobility, athleticism, smarts, vocal leadership and unbridled enthusiasm adding up to give New York its ideal anchor. Especially if you're lining him up next to Carmelo Anthony. Stein's DPOY Ballot:1. Chandler
2. Garnett
3. Iguodala
December prediction: Chandler
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