2/9/11: The NBA: Where Defense Doesn’t Always Happen

 

And that’s okay with me.  I had just finished up typing a post on the run-and-gun Suns, and six of Wednesday night’s ten games resulted in 200 or more total points.  I couldn’t have asked for a night that better matched my mood.  Honestly, I don’t care if it was technically some dog-crap basketball… that Knicks/Clipps game was something to see.  I feel like you have to know what to expect when you tune in to watch certain teams.  If a complete lack of effort on one side of the court is something that makes your blood boil, then don’t watch the Knicks.  Or the Clippers.  Or the Warriors.  Or pretty much any other team I tell you to watch. 

 Random Observations:

  • Highlight Recap, Clippers @ Knicks Edition:

 

  • The Clippers and Knicks did not disappoint, unless of course you were looking for defense, in which case I’d have to question your choice of games.  For slam dunk connissuers like myself, this was a masterpiece.  Eight of the game’s first twelve buckets were dunks, and by the time the first quarter had ended, the hammer had been dropped 11 times.  DeAndre Jordan was the slam-dunk champion with a game-high seven slams, outdoing Timofey Mozgov–who was on a revenge mission–by one.  The Clippers had banged their way to a 10-point lead by the end of the third, but the Knicks would get as close as three with four and a half minutes left as Amare Stoudemire scored 10 Knicks points in a row.  Randy Foye ended up playing hero for the Clipps… he dropped 17 of his 24 in the fourth, and each time the Knicks got within striking distance, he had an answer.  Foye scored eight in a row for the Clippers while Amare was scoring his 10 straight for the Knicks, and he finished the game off with a lob to Blake Griffin that brought LA’s lead back to double digits with 1:30 left on the clock.  Griffin finished the game with 21 points, but surprisingly just six boards.  DeAndre Jordan jammed his way to 17 points on 8-9, and Baron Davis did a great job scoring and distributing with 16 points and 16 assists.  Ryan Gomes and Eric Bledsoe scored 18 and 16 respectively.  As the numbers indicate, this was a stellar team effort by LA, who shot 55 percent from the field as a team.  The Knicks shot well themselves (49%), but they took too many bad threes (6-26 from downtown), and simply didn’t put enough effort into getting stops.  LA didn’t play any D either, but they shot better, which is why they picked up the 116-108 win.
  • It took two minutes for the ice to be broken in the Mavs @ Kings game.  The shot that got the ball rolling?  A midrange jumper by Tyson Chandler.  I think that’s an omen that you’re going to get the win.  It wasn’t easy, but the Mavs did get it, 102-100.  I only saw bits and pieces of this game, but I know the Kings kept it close all night long.  They had a lead early and remained within striking distance down the stretch, but it appears that no one was able to stop the smallest guy on the court from making driving layups.  From the play-by-play:

9:08 Jose Juan Barea makes driving layup 

8:34 Jose Juan Barea makes driving layup 

5:33 Jose Juan Barea makes driving layup 

4:58 Jose Juan Barea makes driving layup

  • Derrick Rose got the best of Deron Williams as the Bulls fought their way to a 91-86 victory in Utah.  Al Jefferson imposed his will in the post all night long with 26 points on 12-19, but Utah would end up shooting themselves in the foot with missed freethrows and turnovers.  The Jazz missed 10 of 21 from the stripe on the night, and a couple of those bricks came at extremely inopportune times.  Al Jefferson and Andrei Kirilenko both missed one of two between the 2:00 and 1:30 marks of the fourth quarter.  Had they been able to connect, Utah would’ve been up one instead of down one.  Still, the musicians had the ball with a chance to take the lead, but Derrick Rose made the defensive play of the game when he picked D-Will’s pocket with a minute left.  The Bulls didn’t score on the following possession, but Deron blew another opportunity by throwing an uncatchable pass towards Al Jefferson.  Derrick Rose knocked down a couple freethrows to put the Bulls up three, and then ex-musician Ronnie Brewer iced the game with two more FTs at the seven second mark.  Rose was the game’s leading scorer with 29 points (11 in the fourth).  Kyle Korver burned his former team with a huge three-pointer that put the Bulls up by four right before the Jazz choked all those freethrows.  Carlos Boozer struggled a bit.  He went just 6-16 for 14 points in his first trip back to Utah.
  • The Hornets gave up a career-high 25 points to Sasha Vujacic.  I repeat, the Hornets gave up a career-high 25 points to Sasha Vujacic.  The game ended up in overtime, where it came down to who would out-choke who.  Chris Paul bumped into Jordan Farmar, fell on his ass, and lost the ball out of bounds with 19 seconds left.  The Nets were up two at the time.  All they had to do was inbound the ball and hit a couple freethrows.  This is the New Jersey Nets we’re talking about, though… so you know it’s not gonna end like that.  A rare five second violation was pretty much inevitable.  Fortunately for the Nets, Willie Green missed a jumper, Kris Humphries got the rebound, and was immediately fouled.  Humphries is just a 68 percent freethrow shooter, although he was 2-2 so far on this night… brick… he was lucky enough to bag Kim Kardashian, he’s gotta get a roll… brick.  New Orleans boards, calls timeout.  Chris Paul for three at the buzzer……………………you know this sh!t’s going in, even though he’s falling backwards between two defenders……………………..it’s halfway down, it’s rolling around the rim, and it………..pops out!  103-101, Nets.  I was shocked.  This is the first time all season that New Orleans has lost four in a row.  David West scored 32 points and grabbed 15 boards.  Even with the five additional minutes, Brook Lopez fell three boards shy of a double-double.
  • The Cavs have made history once again: With a 94-103 home loss to the Pistons they’ve tied the ’75/76 Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the longest losing streak in the history of North American professional sports.  The Cavs shot 51 percent, but allowed the Pistons to grab 17 offensive boards, which led to a 72-90 difference in shot attempts.  They’ll play the Clippers on Friday, and assuming they lose, a streak is ending this Sunday.  The Wizards, who are still winless on the road, will be coming to town.  As far as I know, it’s impossibe for two teams to lose one game.  “Something has to give when they play the Wizards. I think that should be a nationally televised game, honestly.”  That’s LeBron James talking.  Tracy McGrady feels the same way: “As crazy as it sounds, I want to see them and Washington play. I don’t wish anyone to have a bad losing streak, but I want them to get to Washington, 0-and-whatever they could be, and see whose streak ends. That would be something that would be interesting to watch.”  Congratulations, Cleveland… you’re so bad that other NBA players have taken an interest in watching you play. 
  • The other games: Nene was six for six when he launched a jumper that the Nuggets needed to force OT in Oakland.  Nene finished with 17 points on six of seven from the field.  Monta Ellis led the Warriors with 37 points in the 116-114 victory.  Roy Hibbert put up 29/10 as the Pacers held on to beat the Bobcats 104-103.  Javale McGee gave Andrew Bogut the business with 16 points and 17 boards, a line which helped the Wizards get a 100-85 win.  Nick Young scored a game-high 26.  Dwight Howard’s 30/17 led the Magic in a 99-95 win over the now respectable Sixers.  No ACLs are required to tool on the Craptors’ frontcourt.  DeJuan Blair scored 28 points and grabbed 11 boards in a 111-100 Spurs victory.  San Antonio is now 4-1 on their Rodeo Road Trip.

Quote of the Day: Amare Stoudemire on Blake Griffin…

First, he takes a little credit:

“He came to my skills academy camp.  I think I showed him too many skills.”

Next, he admits:

“He’s a better rebounder than I was..er..am”

Photo of the Day: Carlos Boozer scares small mormons…

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