12/3/30: Lakers Snap Losing Streak.

 

Playing the Kings is one way to get your important guys a little rest while getting back on the winning track.  Shooting over 56% from the floor while six players score in double-figures is another way.  The Lakers did both, and the combination was a recipe for their largest margin of victory of the season.  Read about that game as well as my trip to Boston to see the Celtics abuse the Bulls… right now!

Random Observations:

  • Highlight Recap: Rajon Rondo sets Shaq up for a dunkSemih Erden dunks on a couple BullsWestbrook dishes to Ibaka for a dunkRashard Lewis dunks the ball (wtf?)Lou Williams throws one downEvan Turner also throws one downTrevor Ariza fastbreak dunkMy main man Sonny Weems sends it home with two handsEarl Watson lobs to Fransisco ElsonTop 10.
  • It took playing the Kings, who have lost 12 of their last 13, but the Lakers were finally able to take care of business.  Kobe Bryant went 9-18 for 22 points, Pau Gasol broke out of his slump with 16 points on 6-8, and the Lakers got 52 points from their bench as they crushed the Kings by 33.  LA recorded 27 assists with just 10 turnovers, compared to Sacramento’s 15 assists and 21 turnovers.  Jason Thompson got his third consecutive start over Carl Landry.  He’s had two productive games out of the three which he’s started… he may be worth a try if he’s a free agent in your 14-team fantasy league.
  • I was in attendance as the Celtics smacked up the Bulls 104-92.  Kevin Garnett had a quiet 20/17/6 and Rajon Rondo recorded 19 assists.  The Bulls once again struggled to rebound the ball.  They followed up a franchise-low 21-board game with 34, ten fewer than the Celtics snagged.  Of course, that could have something to do with the fact that Boston was making shots and Chicago wasn’t.  The Celtics shot 53% from the floor while the Bulls hovered around 42%.  Derrick Rose went just 7-17… I was hoping he’d have a big night for me.  Oh well, I got my money’s worth  (can’t use that one, I went for free)…I’ll just say it was a good time.  The highlight of my night was the SCAL-A-BRIN-E chant that began about half-way through the 4th quarter.  Scal was finally inserted into the game with about a minute left and received a huge standing ovation from the crowd.  He was immediately called for a foul and Boston fans booed the officials louder than they had been booed all night.  Never before can I recall hearing a team’s fans boo the refs for a foul call on the other team.  It was pretty awesome to witness the legend that is Brian Scalabrine first hand.
  • The Denver Nuggets attempted (and made) the most freethrows tossed up by any team in one single game this season as they beat the Clippers by five.  Denver, you got 59 trips to the line and you only beat the Clippers by five, in Denver?  Really?  Anyway, the Nuggs made 45 of those 59 and got their sixth win in a row.  I’m only going to point out one stat-line from this one: Brian Cook with 13 points.  Brian’s averaging 8/4.5 in 17.5 minutes over the last four games… I figure that’s got to be one of the most productive stretches of his eight-year career. 
  • Orlando was without Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, and Mickael Pietrus supposedly due to a stomach virus.  I figure they all had the sniffles and just took the night off because the game was against 6-14 Detroit.  The Magic started Duhon and Gortat and got 27 points from Brandon Bass off the bench as they beat the Pistons by 13.  Tayshaun Prince had his second 30+ point scoring explosion of the season; he went 11-15 from the floor and knocked down a couple threes. 
  • Dallas has now won their last eight.  The Mavs got an impressive 12-point victory in Utah last night.  The Jazz couldn’t hit anything, they went just 29-74 from the floor, 3-14 from three, and 20-30 from the line.  The Mavs have now ended the following win streaks this season: Boston (5), OKC (5), Utah (7), New Orleans (8), and San Antonio (12).  Dallas improves to 12-2 with DeShawn Stevenson in the starting lineup.
  • The other games: The CRaptors improved to 8-11 by beating the Durant-less Thunder 111-99.  Andrea Bargnani scored 26 points and grabbed TWELVE rebounds.  That has to be his season high.  I’m not even going to check that, it has to be.  Portland clanked 62 of their 93 shot attempts as they lost to the Dakota Washington Wizards by four.  Portland has lost six in a row and dropped to 8-11.  The Nets outscored the Bobcats by 12 in the fourth quarter, but could only muster five points in the extra period and lost by seven.  Stephen Jackson did not get ejected and had 25/5/6.  Marvin Williams had a season-high-tying 22 as his Hawks beat the Suxers by five.  Amare Stoudemire had his third straight game with 30+ points, and the Knicks went down to New Orleans and beat the Hornets.  The Knicks have now won eight of their last nine and beaten a team that doesn’t suck in the process.  Former Grizzly Kyle Lowry had 28 points to help the Rockets out-gun the Grizzlies 127-111.  Marc Gasol, who has had a quiet season, went for 20 points.  The Spurs trailed by one at the half to the T-Wolves, but out-scored Minnesota by 14 in the third and held on to win by six.  Michael Beasley had 28 points, and Kevin Love had a pretty routine night with 25/18.  Timmy D made fantasy owners very happy with 22/10/5/3stl/4blk.  Last but not least, Channing Frye connected on five of eight from long range and also dropped six two-pointer on his way to 29 points… his Suns got an eight-point victory over the Pacers, who are about as consistent as my guy Stromile Swift.  If you don’t recall, Stro never was very consistent.  That’s why he’s in China.
  • I have to mention some D-League action today: In his first game since being put in NBA timeout for being a tool, Terrence Williams dropped a triple-double (16/15/13) for the Springfield Armor.  Said Williams after the game: “You don’t realize how much experience you get playing 82 games in the NBA, it’s like a lifetime.”  Ok T-Will, when you come back to the real league I’m going to expect you to actually do something.  Actually, I probably won’t, because I’ve done that two seasons in a row and you’ve let me down both times.  In other D-League news, Jonny Flynn suited up for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, but his debut didn’t go so well.  He had six turnovers and only eight points.  He did manage to dish nine assists… but like I said, he had six TOs, so who cares?  Speaking of the D-League and it’s awesome team names like “Armor” and “Skyforce”, I wish someone noteworthy would go play for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.  Typing “Fort Wayne Mad Ants” would make my daily blogging duties about 10x more enjoyable. 

Quote of the Day: Stephen Jackson on shooting late-game freethrows…

“I love it. Please foul me. I know that nine out of ten times when I go out there I’m going to make it.”

Actually, based on your career statistics, you’ll make it precisely eight out of ten times. 

Photo of the Day: A super cool photo of Super Cool Beas…

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