This is the Hangover. This is where I get drunk on the NBA as I recap last night’s action as well as a few things going on around the league. Here’s your word vomit.
11/16/2016
THE GAMES
WAS 102 (2-8) @ PHI 109 (2-9)
NO 82 (2-10) @ ORL 89 (5-7)
CLE 93 (9-2) @ IND 103 (6-6)
DAL 83 (2-8) @ BOS 90 (6-5)
DET 102 (6-6) @ NY 105 (5-6)
MIL 100 (5-5) @ ATL 107 (9-2)
HOU 103 (6-5) @ OKC 105 (7-5)
GS 127 (9-2) @ TOR 121 (7-4)
PHX 104 (3-9) @ DEN 120 (4-7)
MEM 111 (6-5) @ LAC 102 (10-2)
SA 110 (9-3) @ SAC 105 (4-8)
(PHOTO CREDIT: Charles Krupa/AP.)
WHAT’S UP, DALLAS?
I’m sad for the Mavericks. So Harrison Barnes is doing good so far as the first option for Dallas and that’s great. He proved a lot of critics wrong, especially after they blasted him for getting the maximum deal. I’m happy he’s thriving.
The team, though, is not. The Dallas Mavericks are 2-8. The team is 29th in offensive rating (29th in overall field goal percentage, 28th in three-point percentage, and last in two-point percentage). There’s just not enough scoring and this is where they needed Dirk Nowitzki, who has only played three games. Their defense is okay (11th in defensive rating) but if you can’t put points up on the board, then it just really cancels out. They are also the second slowest team in the league, in terms of pace (we know that Utah rules in that department). Oh, yeah. And Andrew Bogut hardly has any help on the boards; they are last overall in that stat.
And while Wesley Matthews is still doing his thing defensively, he’s shooting .314 from the field. Atrocious. J.J. Barea, a career 8.6 points per game scorer, is trying to make up the difference by putting up 16.3 points per game. Deron Williams hasn’t exactly set the world on fire when he played. I’m glad Seth Curry got to stick with a team but he hasn’t shot well behind the arc. Plus the injuries don’t help (Barea and Williams left last night’s game due to them).
Rick Carlisle is one of the longer-tenured coaches in the league so I feel like he can still figure this out. Maybe everyone else has figured him out for the time being.
Or maybe it’s just a matter of having Dirk back in the line-up.
THE REST OF THE LEAGUE
I praise the Cavaliers and the Clippers for winning. But yeah, they both lost last night. The Cavs rested LeBron James and the Clips were down big and couldn’t complete the comeback.
It’s because Marc Gasol did this:
I want to apologize…. TO ABSOLUTELY NOBODY!#GrindCity pic.twitter.com/JN6p8YdV0G
— Marc Gasol (@MarcGasol) November 17, 2016
THEN he did the Conor McGregor walk. I love the Gasols.
Kristaps Porzingis broke out with 35 points against the Pistons. I mentioned the other night that he’s probably the real deal. Maybe he SHOULD be the #1 option. The guy is an AGILE 7’3″. It’s freakish.
With no spotlight on him, Dwight Howard is having a renaissance season. He seems happier, more active, and is getting along quite nicely with his teammates. He’s averaging 14.8 points and 12.3 boards and has helped usher the Hawks to a 9-2 record. Howard probably isn’t getting as many shots as he wants to (9.0 per game is slightly higher than the 8.5 shots per game last season in Houston) but there are no gripes from his side just yet. It’s probably all the winning that they’re doing at the moment that’s erasing all bad vibes.
I am not a fan of Drake. Especially since he did Starting From The Bottom, which is absolutely the most annoying song that I ever knew. We know he’s one of the biggest fanboys in the league (he jumps from team to team even though he’s the Raptors‘ ambassador or alternate mascot) and I guess that’s fine and all.
But when you’re doing this…
(VIDEO CREDIT: Sports Illustrated.)
I honestly don’t know if they’re real homies behind the scenes. After all, Drake has brought out Kevin Durant in a concert in Oakland. But bumping a player after a hyper-competitive game… all the while, you’re trash-talking him THROUGHOUT the game… that’s NOT a wise move. If anything, I’m surprised Durant (I’m well aware of his reputation these days) didn’t throw hands there. It’s just not cool to do that. Unless he’s REALLY picking a fight with Durant, but I am also WELL AWARE of the rapper’s reputation.
Why am I even talking about this? Anyway, the Warriors continue to surge and because of scheduling, the Raptors have hit a bit of a swoon. It’s tough to go against the NBA finalists in back-to-back nights. Still, winning one of them would’ve proved to themselves that they belonged. It would’ve been a great confidence boost.
But, hey, DeMar DeRozan has scored 30 points in 9 of 11 games. That’s still really terrific.
LINE CROSSER
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
There are so many good statlines last night. But I’ll go with Giannis Antetokounmpo, even in a loss.
26 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists.
That’s very good. Even President Obama knows what’s up.
WATCH THIS PLAY
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
I know Giannis Antetokounmpo had a wicked move that ended with a slam. And Marc Gasol made a clutch corner three and did a little dance after.
But I’m picking Russell Westbrook because he had a clutch slam. You never really hear of that very often but there he was, putting the game and the Earth away with that jolt of a dunk.
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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