Jan

31

Celtics Blow Lead In Fourth As Lakers Come Back And Win 90-89

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As I sat and watched the fourth quarter of the Boston Celtics playing the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at the “New Garden” I could not keep myself from thinking about the New England Patriots losing a game they should have won against the Indianapolis Colts late last year. It was a feeling of total frustration like watching a house set ablaze and being restrained from doing anything. The Celtics lost a game they should have won as Kobe Bryant buried a mid-range jumper with 7.3 seconds to play and pushed the Lakers past Boston 90-89.

“The Black Mamba” and Los Angeles center Andrew Bynum each scored 19 points to lead the team as Bynum  and Pau Gasol would each have a double-double in the victory. Rajon Rondo led all players as he also recorded a double-double and knocked down a game high 21 points in the loss. This was the third straight loss for Boston and they have now lost 6-8. The Celtics had the best record in the Association on Christmas Day at 23-5 and have gone 6-11 since losing to the Clippers on December 27, at the Staples Center.

In a lot of ways this was a game of extremes as teams went from unstoppable to clueless and back again at any time during the contest. Los Angeles would come out knocking down shots the entire period as Boston appeared to have left their offense in the locker room in the first. The Lakers would hold a 30-19 advantage at the end of the quarter. The Celtics then shook off their lethargy in the second and would head into the locker room at the half on top 52-47.

Neither club looked all that dynamic in the third however Boston was able to add onto their lead as the period came to an end with the Celtics ahead 73-66. Eddie House would put Boston on top 76-66 just 31 seconds into the fourth and the Celtics looked like they may have been on the verge of a rout. The Lakers though had other thoughts on the matter as they would finish the game on a 24-13 run to get the victory.

Andrew Bynum had a double-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals and 1 assist while Kobe Bryant put 19 points up, 6 assists and 3 rebounds. Pau Gasol had a double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists while Ron Artest also had 11 points and 3 steals.

Rajon Rondo recorded a double-double with 21 points, 12 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals while Paul Pierce scored 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. Tony Allen came off the bench with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block while Kevin Garnett had 1o points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 assist and 1 steal. Los Angeles is now 37-11 and will play in Memphis Monday night taking on the Grizzlies while Boston is now 29-16 and will be in Washington D.C. facing the Wizards.

© Copyright 2010 thesackattack

Jan

31

Hornets Rally, Snap End Grizzlies 11-Game Home Win Streak 109-102

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Darren Collison (#2)

If you’re the New Orleans Hornets and you’re minus your top player, Chris Paul, the first thing you think is: “We’re doomed!” A normal thought typically.

Apparently, the Hornets aren’t your typical team.

Paul’s replacement, Darren Collison, acquitted himself well while Emeka Okafor scored 19 second-half points, helping New Orleans rally from 21 down to defeat Memphis at FedEx Forum in overtime Saturday 109-102.

The first quarter was all Grizzlies as they would build a double-digit lead at 24-14 on a Zach Randolph jumper and would go into the second quarter up 33-18. A Julian Wright tip-in would put the Hornets to within ten, but Rudy Gay’s jumper with 45 seconds left in the first half would give Memphis a 61-42 lead.

New Orleans made a run at the Grizzlies to begin the second half as an Okafor dunk cut Memphis’ lead to 75-66 and Darius Songaila’s tip-in brought them to within 75-68. The Hornets were 14-of-16 in the period, helping them reduce their deficit to 81-76 going into the fourth quarter. Songaila’s bucket in the paint allowed New Orleans to tie things up at 85-all. A pair of Gay free throws put the Grizzlies up 97-93, but a Peja Stojakovic three-pointer and an Okafor free throw enabled the Hornets to tie things up at 97 as both teams went into overtime.

After the Grizzlies’ Jamaal Tinsley scored the opening basket of the extra period, the Hornets would score the next six points as a pair of free throws each by Stojakovic and David West were sandwiched around a Collison jumper. That would put New Orleans ahead 103-99, but Randolph would score, bringing Memphis to within two; the Grizzlies wouldn’t score again as the Hornets would score the final six points, including a Collison steal and dunk with 24 seconds left.

Three Hornets players scored at least 20 points, led by West wth 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and a block while Okafor added 21 with 10 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks; Stojakovic chipped in 20 (including three treys) with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal while Collison scored 17 with 6 rebounds, a career-high 18 assists and a block.

Randolph and Marc Gasol shared scoring honors for the Grizzlies with 25 points apiece – with Randolph grabbing 12 rebounds, dishing out 5 assists along with a steal while Gasol grabbed 16 boards, dished out an assist along with 3 steals and 2 blocks; O.J. Mayo added 17 with 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.

New Orleans (26-21) plays again on Monday when they return home to host the Phoenix Suns while Memphis (25-21) remains at home to host the Los Angeles Lakers – also on Monday night.

Jan

30

Double-Double By Superman And Hot Shooting From Orlando Send Hawks Reeling, Magic Win 104-86

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The Orlando Magic shot a torrid 54.2% (39-72) from the floor led by center Dwight Howard with a double-double and defeated the Atlanta Hawks Saturday 104-86. “Superman” had a game high 31 points and grabbed 19 boards for Orlando while Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson led the way for Atlanta as each scored 19 points in the loss. The victory puts the Magic back in first place in the NBA Southeast Division as the Hawks now trail Orlando by a half game.

The Magic would hold the lead at the end of each period but the game stayed close through the first half. Orlando would end the first with a 21-18 advantage over Atlanta. As the game reached the half the Magic would extend their lead over the Hawks by 5 points and would head into the locker room on top by a score of 49-44.

The third was the quarter that truly determined this contest as Orlando would hold Atlanta to  just 19 points and they would head into into the final 12 minutes of play with a healthy lead of 77-63. The Hawks never even came close to challenging in the game’s  final period and the Magic would win the game handily.

Dwight Howard recorded a double-double as he led all players with 31 points, 19 boards, 3 blocks, 2 assists and 1 steal while Rashard Lewis would score 17 points and 3 rebounds. Ryan Anderson came off the bench for the Magic with 16 points, 5 rebounds asnd 1 assist and Jameer Nelson added 14 points and 5 assists.

Joe Johnson had 19 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds while Jamal Crawford scored 19 points, 2 assists, 1 rebounds and 1 steal. Josh Smith knocked down 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists and 1 steal while Mike Bibby added 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Orlando improves to 31-16 and will be at the Palace of Auburn Hills Sunday to take on the Pistons while Atlanta is 30-16 and will be in Oklahoma City Tuesday as they match up against the Thunder.

© Copyright 2010 thesackattack

Jan

30

King James And Shaq-Diesel Put On A Show, Punk Pacers 94-73

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Shaquille O’Neal must have been listening to Prince on Friday because the Cleveland Cavaliers veteran center partied like it was 1999 as he and LeBron James led the Cavaliers to a 94-73 beating of the Indiana Pacers. James and O’Neal would each knock down 22 points for Cleveland in the victory. LBJ recorded a double-double and just missed a triple double as the Cavaliers took control in the first and the Pacers never really recovered. Danny Granger would also have a double-double as he led Indiana with 13 points in the loss. Cleveland now has won their last seven games in a row and are 11-3 in the first month of 2010.

The Cavaliers would totally dominate the first 12 minutes of play and would hold a 36-18 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Indiana would be able to shave 4 points off their deficit in the second but Cleveland would still lead by double-digits as the game reached the half with the score 58-44.

The Pacers were able to take another point off in the third but they still trailed 77-64 as the game reached the fourth. Indiana at no time during the fourth was a viable threat to take the game and even make it close.

LeBron James had a double-double with 22 points, 13 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals while O’Neal also scored 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 assist. Zydrunas Ilgauskas came off the bench with 13 points and Daniel Gibson would add 1o more.

Danny Granger had a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals while Brandon Rush had 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist and 1 steal. Dahntay Jones scored 11 points while Troy Murphy and A.J. Price each added 10 points in the loss. Cleveland now has a record of 37-11 and will host the Clippers Sunday while Indiana falls to 16-31 and will be in Toronto Sunday to take on the Raptors.

© Copyright 2010 thesackattack

Jan

30

Parker-less Spurs End Grizzlies Three-Game Win Streak 104-97

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Tim Duncan (#21)

The San Antonio Spurs are one interesting team, in this respect: coach Gregg Popovich certainly earns his money as he has to deal with lots of injuries not to mention that he looks to keep Tim Duncan as fresh as possible for a probable playoff run in March. These days, the crisis du jour for the Spurs is a sprained ankle suffered recently by Tony Parker.

That little speed bump wouldn’t stop the Spurs Friday night during their game against the Memphis Grizzlies at AT&T Center as the trio of George Hill, Roger Mason and Manu Ginobili helped overcome Parker’s absence in leading San Antonio to the easy 104-97 win over Memphis, snapping the Grizzlies’ three-game win streak.

Seven Spurs scored in the first quarter as San Antonio led 28-21; the margin would grow to eleven early in the second quarter, but Memphis would chip away. Consecutive layups by O.J. Mayo in the final minute closed the gap to a point before a jumper by Tim Duncan with 3.9 ticks left on the game clock put San Antonio ahead 53-50 just before the break.

Duncan and Ginobili combined for 15 points in the third quarter, which started a surge by the Spurs that enlarged their lead to eleven on 4 different occasions before going into the final quarter ahead 77-70. Both teams went back-and-forth in the final 12 minutes with Hill icing the game for the Spurs with a jumper with just 2:43 remaining in the contest.

Six Spurs scored in double-digits, led by Duncan with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and a block while Hill added 18 with 5 assists, 3 steals and a block; Mason chipped in 17 (including 4 treys) with a rebound, an assist, a steal and a block.

Mayo led the Grizzlies with 28 points (including three 3-pointers), 2 rebounds and 2 assists while Zach Randolph added 19 with 13 rebounds, an assist and a steal.

San Antonio (27-18) plays again on Sunday when they host the Denver Nuggets while Memphis (25-20) returns home to host the New Orleans Hornets Saturday night.

Jan

30

Durant Helps Thunder End Nuggets 9-Game Win Streak 101-84

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Kevin Durant (left)

Perhaps the Denver Nuggets are beginning to feel the effects of relying too much on one player – in this case, Carmelo Anthony. Melo’s been out for three games, including Friday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ford Center; as it would turn out, the Nuggets played completely different than as if Anthony was in the starting lineup.

Kevin Durant’s 30 points was more than enough to help Oklahoma City cruise to the easy 101-84 win over Denver, ending the Nuggets 9-game winning streak while the Thunder avoided a four-game losing streak.

Both teams played it close in the opening quarter as the largest lead was held by the Nuggets at 15-11 on a Chauncey Billups three-pointer, but the Thunder would take the lead with 32 seconds left, entering the second quarter up 27-26. Oklahoma City would enter the intermission up by six – the largest lead by either team in the first half.

Denver would score the first four points of the second half and would put together a 10-2 run and would lead 61-52 after Thabo Sefolosha stole the ball from Billups and would go the length of the court for the jam. Nick Collison would convert a three-point play while James Harden drained a trey as the Thunder scored the last nine points of the third quarter to go up 79-60.

The Nuggets would close to within 13 early in the final period, but Collison and Durant combined for seven straight points and the Thunder  led 90-70 after Durant scored on a fast-break layup with 6:36 remaining in the game. With the game well in hand, Thunder coach Scott Brooks pulled his starters with 3:31 left and enjoying a 22-point lead.

Durant led all Thunder scorers with 30 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block while Jeff Green added 15 with 5 rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Billups led the Nuggets with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals while J.R. Smith added 18 (including 5 treys) with 3 rebounds and 2 steals.

Oklahoma City (25-21) plays again on Sunday when they host the Golden State Warriors while Denver (31-15) makes the short trip to San Antonio to take on the Spurs – also on Sunday.

Jan

29

Hawks Swoop In And Sweep Series From Celtics With 100-91 Win

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If the Boston Celtics are not admitting that they are concerned about the Atlanta Hawks then they are just not being honest to their fans and to themselves. The Hawks have swept the regular season series from the Celtics 4-0 after defeating them Friday night at the Phillips Arena 100-91. Three of the four losses came on a Friday night as Atlanta swept Boston for the first time in 11 years.

Once again Jamal Crawford would come up huge off the bench as he led the Hawks with 28 points while Joe Johnson knocked down 27. Paul Pierce led all players with 35 points but Kevin Garnett was the only other Celtics player in double figures with 15 points in the loss. Atlanta came up big in the second while Boston responded in the third. However the Hawks would have one more run in store for the final 12 minutes to put the game away.

Neither team looked very dynamic in the first as Atlanta would hold a razor thin 23-22 lead at the end of the quarter. The Hawks would increase their intensity on both ends of the floor in the second as they held the Celtics to just 19 points while putting 30 points on the scoreboard and would head into the locker room at the half on top 53-41.

Boston would come almost all the way back in the third however Atlanta was once again on top by a single point after “Uno-Uno” Davis hit two at the line and the Hawks would lead 74-73.  That would be the closest the Celtics would be in the final 12 minutes as Atlanta as Josh Smith and Johnson each sank mid range jumpers and the Hawks would be up by 5 points with the score 78-73. Boston would again pull within one point at 78-77 but that would be it as they would never get closer than 3 points down the rest of the game.

Jamal Crawford came off the bench for the Hawks with 28 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals while Johnson scored 27 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 assist. Josh Smith had 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals and 1 assist while Al Horford added 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

Paul Pierce led all players with 35 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 steal. Kevin Garnett was the only other Celtics player to score in double figures as he had 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. Atlanta improves to 30-15 and will be in Orlando on Saturday as they face the Magic while Boston falls to 29-15 and will play host to the Lakers on Sunday.

© Copyright 2010 thesackattack

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