This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Margot/AP.)
Eight games on Hump Day! Let’s get into it.
01/27/2016
THE GAMES
PHOENIX SUNS 93 (14-33) @ CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 115 (32-12)
(PHOTO CREDIT: Tony Dejak/AP.)
The newly-focused Cleveland Cavaliers took on the walking dead that is the Phoenix Suns. LeBron James used his sexy high basketball IQ to vanquish the corpses. I mean, these days, it can’t be hard for an NBA team to beat the Suns, right?
BEHIND THE LINES
LeBron James (CLE): 21 pts, 9 assts.
Kevin Love (CLE): 21 pts, 11 rebs.
Devin Booker (PHX): 16 pts, 5 assts.
DENVER NUGGETS 103 (17-29) @ BOSTON CELTICS 111 (26-21)
The Celtics gradually pulled away as the game went on. Denver turned the ball over 20 times; I think that’s a lot. A late run that was way too late made the final score respectable. At least, people aren’t going to remember that this was once a 20-point game inside eight minutes!
BEHIND THE LINES
Avery Bradley (BOS): 27 pts, 4 stls.
Amir Johnson (BOS): 9 pts, 13 rebs, 6 assts, 3 stls.
Will Barton (DEN): 23 pts, 5 rebs.
Danilo Gallinari (DEN): 23 pts, 7 rebs.
Kenneth Faried (DEN): 15 pts, 15 rebs.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 97 (7-40) @ DETROIT PISTONS 110 (25-21)
The Sixers were poised for another upset as they led by five going into the fourth quarter. Then Stan Van Gundy probably talked about walls and stuff as the Stones dominated the last 12 minutes.
Also, Andre Drummond worried me for a bit. He’s back on track now.
BEHIND THE LINES
Andre Drummond (DET): 25 pts, 18 rebs.
Reggie Jackson (DET): 27 pts.
Nerlens Noel (PHI): 20 pts, 7 rebs.
Jerami Grant (PHI): 21 pts, 8 rebs, 3 stls.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS 85 (30-16) @ ATLANTA HAWKS 83 (27-20)
(PHOTO CREDIT: John Bazemore/AP.)
This was not a pretty game. The Clippers managed, though, without Blake Griffin. DeAndre Jordan‘s dunk put the Clips up one. The Hawks had a chance with eight seconds left but Paul Millsap missed a lay-up. Miraculously, the Clippers turned the ball over after a little free throw war so the Hawks had a chance to tie or win the game.
Millsap missed another lay-up. Game over. So the lesson here, kids, is to practice your lay-ups.
(I’m personally not good at lay-ups.)
BEHIND THE LINES
Jamal Crawford (LAC): 21 pts.
Chris Paul (LAC): 11 pts, 10 assts, 3 stls.
DeAndre Jordan (LAC): 13 pts, 19 rebs.
Jeff Teague (ATL): 16 pts.
Paul Millsap (ATL): 14 pts, 12 rebs.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 126 (35-13) @ MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 123 (14-33)
Defense not required in this game.
Zach LaVine was on fire and Karl-Anthony Towns showed why he should be Rookie of the Year. But it was tough to counter Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Durant made consecutive clutch jumpers late and LaVine missed a three (one of his THREE misses in the game) that would’ve cut the deficit to one. The Thunder came away with the win and continue to lurk in the shadows of the Warriors and the Spurs.
BEHIND THE LINES
Enes Kanter (OKC): 23 pts, 10 rebs.
Kevin Durant (OKC): 27 pts, 9 rebs, 5 assts.
Russell Westbrook (OKC): 24 pts, 8 rebs, 15 assts.
Zach LaVine (MIN): 35 pts (14/17 FG).
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN): 19 pts, 13 rebs, 5 assts, 3 blks.
Gorgui Dieng (MIN): 21 pts, 9 rebs.
HOUSTON ROCKETS 99 (25-23) @ SAN ANTONIO SPURS 130 (39-7)
(PHOTO CREDIT: John Bazemore/AP.)
The Spurs were so angry over their loss to the Warriors that they had Boban Marjanovic ate all the Rockets for dinner.
BEHIND THE LINES
Boban Marjanovic (SA): 13 pt, 10 rebs.
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA): 25 pts, 10 rebs, 5 assts.
James Harden (HOU): 20 pts.
CHARLOTTE HORNETS 73 (22-24) @ UTAH JAZZ 102 (20-25)
You can probably win a college basketball game with 73 points. Not in the NBA, though, where a team usually averages a hundred points.
That’s a rough beatdown, Hornets.
BEHIND THE LINES
Rodney Hood (UTA): 24 pts.
Gordon Hayward (UTA): 22 pts, 7 rebs, 5 assts.
Kemba Walker (CHA): 15 pts, 5 rebs.
DALLAS MAVERICKS 107 (26-22) @ GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 122 (42-4)
The Mavericks, even without Dirk Nowitzki, kept close with the Warriors in the first half. They even kept Stephen Curry in check. But if you hold Curry down, it would be super tough to hold others down like, oh, I don’t know, possibly the second best shooter in the league in Klay Thompson. Thompson went off for 45 points and the game became a rom-com by the end of the third. Well, probably no rom in the com.
BEHIND THE LINES
Klay Thompson (GS): 45 pts, 5 rebs.
Chandler Parsons (DAL): 23 pts, 7 rebs.
GETTING SOCIAL
On eve of All-Star reserve announcement, Warriors' Klay Thompson has a new season-high with 45 points.
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) January 28, 2016
Man will the Thunder ever get it together smh. Struggling vs The Wolves. We refuse to play defense
— Brandon Dubose (@BMDUBOSE) January 28, 2016
Want to congratulate @Dloading and @JClark5on for making to the rookie sophomore game. But it's a travesty that @J30_RANDLE didn't make it.
— Roy Hibbert (@Roy_Meets_World) January 28, 2016
Let's face it, the Rockets are a flawed team and the Spurs are a top 3 team in the NBA. This outcome isn't that surprising really.
— Eddie Case (@EC11885) January 28, 2016
Pretty strong back-to-back 2-point wins for @LAClippers on road @Pacers and @ATLHawks.
— Chris Denari (@ChrisDenari) January 28, 2016
Not gonna wait for the end of Jazz v Hornets…
— Cephas ben Uthai (@EnigmatikBGDB) January 28, 2016
Millsap missed two bunnies late in the 4th. Wow. #Clippers close to road trip win a win and end 3-2, now 13-3 without Blake
— Jeff Nisius (@JeffNisiusNBA) January 28, 2016
Excited to be selected for the #BBVARisingStars game again this year! Hezonja and I will tear it up! #NBAAllStarTO pic.twitter.com/lUcI5P532N
— elfrid payton (@elfrid) January 28, 2016
WATCH THIS PLAY
J.R. Smith goes off the backboard and LeBron catches it for the oop. SEXY HIGH BASKETBALL I.Q.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
THE TAKEAWAY
The Warriors are 42-4. Tied for best start in NBA history after 46 games. After losing two of three, the Warriors have obliterated their last five opponents.
@ CLEVELAND: 132-98.
@ CHICAGO: 125-94.
v INDIANA: 122-110.
v SAN ANTONIO: 120-90.
v DALLAS: 127-107.
They beat five playoff teams by an average of 25.4 points. And their next opponent on Saturday? PHILADELPHIA. PERFECT.
So last season, the Hawks won 60 games and made the conference finals. They had four all-stars in Millsap, Al Horford, Kyle Korver, and Jeff Teague. The remaining starter, DeMarre Carroll, bolted the Hawks for money in Canada (Raptors) after the season. Korver has been battling injuries and so has Teague. The Hawks are third in the East at 27-20 but right now, the Cavs are head and shoulders above every team in the East.
According to this little report, the Hawks may be willing to part with Teague. Dennis Schroder has played better and the team has been better when he’s on the court, making Teague a little expendable. I think it’s 50/50 that the team deals Teague. He could still fit into the long-term plans of the Hawks; a break or three could vault Atlanta back into contention whether it’s this year or next. Or he could be the sacrificial lamb that puts the Hawks over the top.
If you’re wondering about how many teams are over .500, the East is down to 8 while the West has 7. And the West has taken control of the interconference series, 138-126. It’s probably because of the Warriors and Spurs.
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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