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.
12/15/2016
THE GAMES 12/14
TOR 123 (18-7) @ PHI 114 (6-19)
CHA 106 (14-12) @ WAS 109 (10-14)
LAC 113 (19-7) @ ORL 108 (11-16)
IND 89 (13-13) @ MIA 95 (9-17)
LAL 97 (10-18) @ BRK 107 (7-17)
CLE 85 (18-6) @ MEM 93 (18-9)
SAC 98 (9-16) @ HOU 132 (19-7)
DET 95 (14-13) @ DAL 85 (6-19)
OKC 89 (15-11) @ UTA 109 (16-10)
BOS 101 (13-12) @ SA 107 (20-5)
THE GAMES 12/15
CHI 97 (13-12) @ MIL 108 (12-12)
IND 95 (13-14) @ NO 102 (9-18)
POR 120 (13-15) @ DEN 132 (10-16)
SA 107 (21-5) @ PHX 92 (8-18)
NY 90 (14-12) @ GS 103 (23-4)
CRAIG SAGER REMINDS US THAT BASKETBALL IS FUN
Sports can bring the worst out of people, sometimes. Some people can be so competitive and very defensive about the teams or players they cheer for that they forget what sports is about. Sports are supposed to be fun.
Craig Sager reminded us about this.
I hold Mr. Sager to the highest regard; I wrote about the legend after he passed away yesterday. But what I didn’t talk about in that entry was how much fun he was having as the sideline reporter for TNT.
Craig Sager is an NBA institution. And so are his wild and colorful suits. The great thing about Craig is that he humanized the players and the coaches he talked to and they all had fun. Mr. Sager’s banter with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is funny stuff. All the players making fun or complimenting his suits was great. All those interactions Craig had with all the NBA personnel reminded us that basketball is fun. That the NBA is fun.
And you can tell that with Craig Sager. Those colorful suits showed that while he’s on the job, he might as well enjoy it. After all, it’s not like this job is horrible; which fan wouldn’t want to roam the sidelines talking to NBA players and coaches? But he took the sidelines and made it into his own. It wasn’t a job for Craig Sager; it was FUN for him. And he still kept it professional the entire time. He was just the master of that domain.
Thanks for reminding us that basketball is fun, Mr. Sager. You will truly never be forgotten. And my thoughts and prayers continue to be with your family.
THE REST OF THE LEAGUE
The fun things about the NBA. On Wednesday, the bromance between Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan continued:
Because of course some post-game LOWROZAN bromance pic.twitter.com/qkJTYbrSOM
— Raptors Republic (@raptorsrepublic) December 15, 2016
So Kristaps Porzingis looked forward to going against Draymond Green on Thursday’s game between New York and Golden State. The Unicorn didn’t have a great game as he only went for 8 points off 4 for 13 shooting. Apparently, Green was “pissed off” about the comment. He did go on to say that the Knicks big man was a great player but he said that the comment “made it personal” and that he should have “kept that to himself.” Full quotes here.
Hey, whatever gets you through the night, Draymond. But keep saying what you want to say, Kristaps.
Hassan Whiteside is ready for the Heat to face the Clippers on Friday. He didn’t seem to think much about the Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, though. These are quotes from the Miami Herald. It seems to be lacking context but, anyway, here they are:
“No,” Whiteside said Thursday when asked about Jordan and whether their games are similar. “He catches lobs. I shoot jumpers, catch lobs, block shots. I do a lot. He just catches lobs.”
DeAndre is also a rim protector, an excellent rebounder, and great roll man on the pick-and-roll. Anyway, Whiteside said we shouldn’t make anything out of his quotes (that seemed to lack context) about Jordan:
Stop trying to look for a story @deandrejordan6 my guy he one of the top center in the league top 3 rebounders and really good on defenses https://t.co/lqznfaa9fA
— Hassan Whiteside (@youngwhiteside) December 16, 2016
Well, I guess you just gotta choose your words carefully, dude.
The NBA is so fun. And the fun won’t stop because a new CBA had been agreed upon on Wednesday. So no lockouts! Yay!
LINE CROSSER 12/14
(PHOTO CREDIT: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle.)
On Wednesday, James Harden went for:
15 points, 11 rebounds, 14 assists.
That’s Harden’s fifth triple-double of the season.
LINE CROSSER 12/15
(PHOTO CREDIT: David Grunfeld/NOLA.Com.)
Then on Thursday, the Brow got loose in the fourth quarter to help the Pelicans beat the Pacers. Anthony Davis went for:
35 points, 16 rebounds, 5 blocks.
This is the reason why we anointed him as the best player in the game last year. He is capable of doing this night after night after night.
WATCH THIS PLAY 12/14
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
Larry Nance, Jr. punks Brook Lopez in this early Dunk of the Year candidate. I’m sure if Robin Lopez saw that, he’d be laughing at his twin brother but…
WATCH THIS PLAY 12/15
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
Jabari Parker unleashes a powerslam. Robin Lopez tried to stop it but he couldn’t stop the deer stampede. This was not a good two nights for the Lopez twins on the court.
So much has happened in the last two nights. We’ll end it with Warriors coach and former TNT analyst Steve Kerr giving a tribute to the great Craig Sager.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
We will continue to have fun with the NBA and the game of basketball. That’s what Craig Sager would want with all of us that love and follow the game. Heck, he would want us to have fun with life in general. His spirit and legacy will live on forever.
Even though we only had one interaction, I’ll still call Craig Sager my friend because his warm personality made it feel like he was friends with every one of us. Rest in peace, friend.
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
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#SagerStrongForever