This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Beck Diefenbach/San Francisco Chronicle.)
Ten games on a Saturday night. Including what is an equivalent to a heavyweight championship bout. Or any John Cena match in the last decade.
02/06/2016
THE GAMES
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS 96 (25-27) @ HOUSTON ROCKETS 79 (27-26)
Portland started the second quarter with a 13-2 run and left the Rockets in the island. Not literally because that would be depressing. But the Blazers led by as many as 32 points and Houston couldn’t recover. The Rockets wished there were NBA Jam hot spots allowed on their side of the floor.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Pat Sullivan/AP.)
BEHIND THE LINES
Damian Lillard (POR): 21 pts, 10 assts.
C.J. McCollum (POR): 16 pts, 7 rebs, 4 stls.
Dwight Howard (HOU): 17 pts, 14 rebs, 4 stls.
James Harden (HOU): 33 pts, 8 rebs, 3 stls, 10 TOs.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS 104 (22-27) @ CHARLOTTE HORNETS 108 (25-26)
The Wizards were up by 19 at one point before the buzz got to them in the third quarter. The Hornets got it going in the second half, leading by 8 halfway through the fourth. Some fine shooting from the Washington backcourt gave the lead back to them before the Hornets backcourt counterpunched. Jeremy Lin‘s three gave Charlotte some distance as that gave them a four-point lead. The foul game was played but the Wizards just ran out of time.
Again, I am baffled by these Wizards. Even if they had some injuries, I still expected them to be better than this.
BEHIND THE LINES
Nicolas Batum (CHA): 26 pts, 11 rebs, 9 assts.
Kemba Walker (CHA): 23 pts, 5 rebs, 5 assts.
Marvin Williams (CHA): 13 pts, 10 rebs.
John Wall (WAS): 23 pts, 6 rebs, 10 assts.
Bradley Beal (WAS): 22 pts.
Otto Porter, Jr. (WAS): 20 pts, 8 rebs, 4 stls.
Marcin Gortat (WAS): 11 pts, 13 rebs.
DETROIT PISTONS 104 (27-25) @ INDIANA PACERS 112 (27-24)
(PHOTO CREDIT: Pat Sullivan/AP.)
The Pistons were trailing by as many as 20 points before surging back late in the third. Near the end of the game, they cut the deficit to four twice but Jordan Hill and Monta Ellis were able to subdue the rally each time with baskets inside. Finally, George Hill made a fadeaway jumper to put away he pesky Pistons.
With this win, the Pacers leapfrogged over the Pistons in the standings.
BEHIND THE LINES
Jordan Hill (IND): 12 pts, 8 rebs, 4 stls.
Paul George (IND): 30 pts, 8 rebs.
Stanley Johnson (DET): 14 pts, 10 rebs.
Andre Drummond (DET): 10 pts, 13 rebs.
Reggie Jackson (DET): 26 pts.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 84 (18-32) @ CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 99 (36-14)
The fourth quarter was the difference here after the Pelicans were able to withstand the Cavs runs. New Orleans only scored 14 points in the fourth and didn’t score any points in the last four minutes. And you definitely can’t do that against the Eastern Conference champions.
BEHIND THE LINES
Kyrie Irving (CLE): 29 pts.
J.R. Smith (CLE): 20 pts.
LeBron James (CLE): 27 pts, 8 assts.
Tristan Thompson (CLE): 0 pts, 15 rebs.
Norris Cole (NO): 26 pts, 5 assts.
Anthony Davis (NO): 24 pts, 11 rebs.
BROOKLYN NETS 98 (13-39) @ PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 103 (8-43)
(PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Szagola/AP.)
On paper, this isn’t exactly the hottest game. But it turned out to be a contest at the end.
Robert Covington gave the Sixers a one-point lead after a three. A steal and a dunk by Nerlens Noel furthered the lead. Joe Johnson missed the game-tying three with 18 seconds left and the Sixers come away with their 8th win of the season.
Did you think this team would go 7-13 after a 1-30 start?
BEHIND THE LINES
Jahlil Okafor (PHI): 22 pts, 17 rebs, 3 blks.
Nerlens Noel (PHI): 18 pts, 3 blks, 4 stls.
Thaddeus Young (BRK): 22 pts, 10 rebs.
DALLAS MAVERICKS 114 (29-25) @ MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 110 (30-21) (OT)
The Mavericks had an eight-point lead with 3:30 left but you know how the Grizzlies can be pugnacious with their grit and grind. Memphis caught them with 23 seconds left with a three from Mike Conley. They would go to overtime.
This time around, the Mavs wouldn’t lose this lead. After the Grizzles cut the deficit to one, Dirk Nowitzki made a jumper that put Dallas up three with 16 seconds left. Conley went for the lay-up this time for a counter but missed it. Dallas comes away with the win.
BEHIND THE LINES
Deron Williams (DAL): 22 pts, 11 assts.
Chandler Parsons (DAL): 26 pts, 8 rebs.
Matt Barnes (MEM): 17 pts, 11 rebs, 5 assts.
Marc Gasol (MEM): 22 pts, 6 rebs.
Zach Randolph (MEM): 20 pts, 14 rebs.
CHICAGO BULLS 105 (27-23) @ MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 112 (16-36)
The Bulls led by five inside three minutes and were ready to give the young pups another home loss. But Chicago never scored again after that. The Bulls missed seven straight field goals, the last four being three-pointers. The Wolves scored every time after each Bulls miss; Andrew Wiggins made three straight buckets.
Quite the wrong time to go on a dry spell, Chicago.
BEHIND THE LINES
Andrew Wiggins (MIN): 21 pts.
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN): 26 pts, 17 rebs, 3 blks.
Gorgui Dieng (MIN): 24 pts, 13 rebs, 7 assts.
Derrick Rose (CHI): 18 pts, 5 rebs, 10 assts.
Pau Gasol (CHI): 25 pts, 8 rebs.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS 102 (11-42) @ SAN ANTONIO SPURS 106 (43-8)
(PHOTO CREDIT: Ronald Cortes/Getty Images.)
In a surprise, the Lakers kept this close against the Spurs, who were undefeated at home coming into this game. But the youth (and maybe lack of coaching) showed at the defensive end late as the Spurs ran a perfect pick-and-roll play to get LaMarcus Aldridge open for a lay-up. That lay-up gave the Spurs a five-point lead.
The Lakers had a chance to get the ball back when the Spurs were clinging to a three-point lead. Danny Green missed a jumper. Kobe Bryant went after the rebound but didn’t box out Kawhi Leonard, who ended up getting the offensive board. That was all she wrote for the Lakers and the Spurs continue to stay unblemished at home.
Fundamentals, Kobe. Also, fundamental defense, Lakers. Who’s coaching again?
BEHIND THE LINES
Kawhi Leonard (SA): 20 pts, 13 rebs.
LaMarcus Aldridge (SA): 26 pts, 9 rebs.
Julius Randle (LAL): 15 pts, 17 rebs.
Jordan Clarkson (LAL): 21 pts, 6 rebs.
Kobe Bryant (LAL): 25 pts.
UTAH JAZZ 98 (25-25) @ PHOENIX SUNS 89 (14-38)
The Jazz led by 23 in the third quarter before the Suns rallied back. They never got closer than seven points, though. That first quarter seemed to have doomed them as Utah outscored Phoenix, 31-12. And when you’re a team like the Suns, you can’t afford to get off to that slow start.
BEHIND THE LINES
Gordon Hayward (UTA): 22 pts, 6 reb.
Rodney Hood (UTA): 25 pts.
Rudy Gobert (UTA): 13 pts, 13 rebs, 4 blks.
Tyson Chandler (PHX): 10 pts, 14 rebs.
Devin Booker (PHX): 18 pts.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 108 (38-14) @ GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 116 (46-4)
The main event pitted the next contender to try to dethrone the Warriors, the Thunder. And it looked like it was going to be another blowout as the Dubs went up by 20. But OKC had Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant; they chipped away on the lead and finally caught ’em at 104 late in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors, however, made the big plays at the end. We saw the familiar isolation crunchtime offense by the Thunder while Warriors made some great passing plays like Draymond Green finding Stephen Curry for a cutting lay-up and Curry throwing a crosscourt fling to Klay Thompson for the three. Then with 33 seconds left, Curry got Durant alone and was able to drop the elbow on him to give the Dubs a six-point lead.
Warriors just keep on winning, don’t they?
BEHIND THE LINES
Draymond Green (GS): 9 pts, 14 rebs, 6 assts.
Stephen Curry (GS): 26 pts, 6 rebs, 10 assts, 3 stls.
Enes Kanter (OKC): 14 pts, 15 rebs.
Kevin Durant (OKC): 40 pts, 14 rebs, 5 assts.
Russell Westbrook (OKC): 27 pts, 12 assts, 3 stls.
GETTING SOCIAL
Disappointing loss by my #Pistons to the #Pacers Looked like we were going to pull it off but missed free throws killed us
— LOQuent (@LOQuent) February 7, 2016
"The Nets committed 19 turnovers in a loss to the Ish Smith-less 76ers” is my new favorite Nets rock bottom.
— devin kharpertian (@uuords) February 7, 2016
I can't see any reason the #Warriors don't repeat this year… Too good, great GM. (I don't even like them) @RoFlo @notthefakeSVP
— Sam Holt (@Imsbholt) February 7, 2016
KD 👀
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) February 7, 2016
Straight up… I love this game man💯
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) February 7, 2016
One step back…two steps forward. I'll use this short time to get better and come back stronger. See y'all soon 👀
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) February 7, 2016
Rockets down 29 to the Blazers. I'm worried that Houston might not even make the playoffs now.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) February 6, 2016
WATCH THIS PLAY
Nerlens Noel goes reverse to make them Nets feel worse.
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
THE TAKEAWAY
Hottest sports weekend of the year. The Warriors are the most exciting team in sports right now with their record-breaking run. And, of course, the Super Bowl is today.
That game was really more about the Thunder. It showed that they can keep up. Of course, you’re going to have to play PERFECT four times out of seven. The Warriors are just too good and the only way you might be able to beat them is if they’re not healthy. Curry didn’t play his best game against OKC and the best plan is to have everybody else from the Warriors beat you. Unfortunately, it’s not like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are ham sandwiches.
Kobe Bryant has sure gotten back to chucking mode. Last four games have him averaging 28.3 points on .407 shooting (37/91). That’s nearly 23 shots per game. Lakers are 2-2 in that span.
Most of us are in football fever so I’ll end this with a Super Bowl prediction. Dillon Panthers over the West Cambria Mustangs, 27-17.
I meant CAROLINA Panthers over Denver Broncos.
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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