This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.)
Ten games on Monday. Let’s look at how the teams did.
01/04/2016
THE GAMES
TORONTO RAPTORS 100 (21-15) @ CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 122 (23-9)
The Cavs threatened to break the game open many times and they finally did it in the fourth quarter. Cleveland went on a 14-0 run and turned this into a rout. And in some more good news, Kyrie Irving easily had his best game of the season with a 25-6-8 performance.
BEHIND THE LINES
LeBron James (CLE): 20 pts, 7 assts, 3 stls.
Tristan Thompson (CLE): 14 pts, 11 rebs.
J.R. Smith (CLE): 24 pts (8/14 3FG).
Kyrie Irving (CLE): 25 pts, 6 rebs, 8 assts.
Kyle Lowry (TOR): 23 pts, 10 assts.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 99 (12-23) @ PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 109 (4-33)
Both teams actually shot the ball well but, in the end, it was the VETERANS from the Sixers that iced the game. Carl Landry (REMEMBER HIM?!) scored 16 points off the bench and he and Ish Smith made big buckets down the stretch to help Philly break away from the wolfpack.
Suddenly, the Sixers are winning way more and the process looks a little broken.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Steven M. Falk/The Philadelphia Inquirer/AP.)
BEHIND THE LINES
Ish Smith (PHI): 21 pts, 11 assts, 3 stls.
Shabazz Muhammad (MIN): 20 pts.
BOSTON CELTICS 103 (19-15) @ BROOKLYN NETS 94 (10-24)
The Celtics jumped the Nets from the start as they scored 37 points in the first. The Nets never really got close to the point it made Boston uncomfortable. Celtics get their win back from the Nets from their previous match-up a few days before.
BEHIND THE LINES
Jae Crowder (BOS): 25 pts, 6 rebs, 3 stls.
Jared Sullinger (BOS): 12 pts, 10 rebs, 3 stls.
Evan Turner (BOS): 12 pts, 11 rebs.
Bojan Bogdanovich (BRK): 12 pts, 12 rebs.
Joe Johnson (BRK): 21 pts, 6 rebs.
Thaddeus Young (BRK): 23 pts, 15 rebs.
ORLANDO MAGIC 89 (19-16) @ DETROIT PISTONS 115 (19-16)
The Magic’s latest trick? Get outrebounded by 24 and get blown out by the Pistons.
BEHIND THE LINES
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (DET): 21 pts, 6 rebs.
Andre Drummond (DET): 17 pts, 12 rebs.
Victor Oladipo (ORL): 18 pts, 7 rebs, 5 assts.
INDIANA PACERS 100 (19-15) @ MIAMI HEAT 103 (21-13) (OT)
It didn’t look good for the Heat late even after they came back from an 18-point deficit as Chris Bosh missed the go-ahead jumper with time winding down. But Rodney Stuckey split his foul shots that only gave the Pacers a two-point lead with 2.7 seconds left. But Dwyane Wade went to the rim nearly unimpeded and converted a lay-up that sent the game to OT (it was almost the same play LeBron James did a few years ago when that lay-up gave the Heat a buzzerbeating win against the Pacers in the Playoffs).
It was a bit of a struggle to score in the overtime period but, despite missed free throws, the Heat led by three in the closing seconds. Paul George missed the game-tying three at the buzzer and the Heat beat the Pacers. Just like they did three years in a row in the playoffs.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images.)
BEHIND THE LINES
Dwyane Wade (MIA): 27 pts, 8 rebs.
Chris Bosh (MIA): 31 pts, 11 rebs.
Jordan Hill (IND): 10 pts, 12 rebs.
Paul George (IND): 32 pts, 7 rebs.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS 123 (30-6) @ MILWAUKEE BUCKS 98 (14-22)
The Spurs did not fear the antlers.
BEHIND THE LINES
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA): 16 pts, 11 rebs.
Tim Duncan (SA): 14 pts, 10 rebs.
Kawhi Leonard (SA): 24 pts.
Khris Middleton (MIL): 19 pts.
SACRAMENTO KINGS 116 (14-20) @ OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 104 (24-11)
Kevin Durant did not play due to a toe injury.
And the Kings took advantage of Russell Westbrook‘s poor shooting as well. Sactown finished with a 6-0 flourish in the third quarter and rode the momentum for the rest of the game. Sactown showed that royalty would rule over nature in OKC. I don’t even know how that makes sense.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Sue Ogrocki/AP.)
BEHIND THE LINES
Rajon Rondo (SAC): 13 pts, 9 rebs, 19 assts, 5 stls.
DeMarcus Cousins (SAC): 33 pts, 19 rebs.
Marco Belinelli (SAC): 21 pts.
Serge Ibaka (OKC): 25 pts, 7 rebs, 5 blks.
Anthony Morrow (OKC): 20 pts.
Steven Adams (OKC): 15 pts, 10 rebs.
Russell Westbrook (OKC): 17 pts, 8 rebs, 15 assts.
HOUSTON ROCKETS 93 (17-19) @ UTAH JAZZ 91 (15-18)
The Jazz led by 12 late in the third but that lead quickly disappeared. The Rockets took a late three-point lead in the closing moments before James Harden fouled Rodney Hood on a three-pointer with six seconds left. Hood made the first two but missed the third foul shot that would’ve tied it. The Rockets held on and Dwight Howard is glad he didn’t have to be in that position.
BEHIND THE LINES
James Harden (HOU): 30 pts, 7 assts.
Dwight Howard (HOU): 16 pts, 13 rebs.
Gordon Hayward (UTA): 20 pts, 7 rebs, 3 stls.
Rodney Hood (UTA): 23 pts, 7 assts.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 91 (19-17) @ PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS 78 (15-22)
(PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Dykes/AP.)
It was an ugly, ugly game and Memphis plays best when it’s ugly. Zach Randolph came off the bench and nearly got the 20/20 Experience. Both teams shot under 39 percent but the Blazers turned the ball over 22 times. Grizzlies spoiled Damian Lillard‘s return.
BEHIND THE LINES
Zach Randolph (MEM): 26 pts, 18 rebs.
Damian Lillard (POR): 17 pts, 7 assts.
Al-Farouq Aminu (POR): 15 pts, 14 rebs.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS 101 (17-17) @ GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 111 (32-2)
The Warriors led big in the third and held on this time around. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson splashed a combined 60 points and Draymond Green got a triple-double for the third straight game. The Warriors are now 32-2.
BEHIND THE LINES
Klay Thompson (GS): 30 pts, 5 rebs.
Stephen Curry (GS): 30 pts.
Draymond Green (GS): 13 pts, 15 rebs, 10 assts.
Kemba Walker (CHA): 22 pts, 8 rebs.
Jeremy Lamb (CHA): 22 pts, 3 stls.
GETTING SOCIAL
Lengthy, meaningful embrace between Kyrie Irving and David Blatt tonight after the final buzzer. Been a long road back to top form.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 5, 2016
5th of all times!!! Congrats @CoachKarl22
— Omri Casspi (@Casspi18) January 5, 2016
Last year at this time the Kings were … 14-20. But they also started off the year waaaay better.
— Akis Yerocostas (@Aykis16) January 5, 2016
& the HEATLES win 🔥⚡️🏀🙌🏽
— AJ (@jessykaaa_x) January 5, 2016
Do you love the Sixers cause I love the Sixers
— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) January 5, 2016
Not sure I've ever seen someone get away with as hard a foul as James Harden just did. Jazz got hosed.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 5, 2016
Dwight must have the quickest hops ever because his positioning on rebounds is bad. Astounding that he's an elite rebounder.
— Harden's Intellect (@Rocketsbia) January 5, 2016
Draymond Green triple double 3 games in a row!! #beast
— Alex Wu (@alexwu77) January 5, 2016
WATCH THIS PLAY
Wade’s lay-up beats the buzzer and sends the game to OT. Miami would eventually win.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
THE TAKEAWAY
The Warriors still only lead the Spurs by three games. Their first showdown is in 20 days. I’m excited for this.
The Sixers are now 3-3 since Mike D’Antoni and Ish Smith came in. Ish Smith is not exactly a name that strikes fear BUT, everywhere he’s went, he’s been a solid back-up. And all the Sixers needed to change their offensive woes was an NBA-level point guard. Unfortunately, T.J. McConnell (as much as I’ve praised him for putting up stats on a bad team) and Kendall Marshall (who I really like and I think is a good guy) are kind of not on that level.
While we sort of figure out the mess in the Eastern Conference, it’s clear which team is #1. Cleveland is now three games ahead of the Bulls and the Heat.
If you win $95,000, what would you do with it? Well, this guy made a halfcourt shot to win that money on Sunday’s Laker game. The fan said he would spend part of the money to see Kobe Bryant‘s last game.
I know it’s his money. But Lakers, please give him a ticket to see that game.
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
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