Basketball Fiend

Archive for the ‘For the Love of the Game’ Category

Reason number 6,558 why I love the NBA…

LeBron outdueling Kobe on national television.

When the Lakers play the Cavaliers it’s more than a game. It’s an event. There are few things more exciting in the world of sports than a showdown between LeBron and Kobe. It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual fan or a basketball fiend like me, it’s impossible to deny the entertainment value of the two undisputed best players in the world squaring off on the court of battle.

It’s like Pacquiao-Mayweather. Except the fight actually happens.

Meetings between the King and Black Mamba are typically heated exchanges. That’s what happens when you pit two hyper-talented, hyper-competitive athletes against each other. They bring out the best in one another. But this matchup carried even more importance than usual. This time there was vengeance on the line.

The Lakers’ loss at home on Christmas Day left a sour taste in their mouths. No one on the team would admit it this week, but you know losing at home by 15 points to the Cavs in front of a national audience chapped Kobe something fierce.

That much was clear in the first quarter of Thursday’s game, as Black Mamba lit up LeBron and co. for 12 points as the Lakers took a 27-18 lead.

But the Cavs weathered Kobe’s storm, and by halftime they had closed the Lakers’ lead to two points.

That’s when LeBron took over the game.

It’s not rare for LBJ to go into beast mode, but for some reason it seemed like he was even more a beast than usual at home against the Lakers. LeBron pulled off one amazing play after another: spin moves to lane, layups past three defenders, and ridiculous, “he’s on fire” fade away jumpers.

His most important play, though, was a vicious rejection of Pau Gasol. With just under a minute left in the game and the score tied, Gasol caught a pass on the wing and tried to go baseline. LeBron would have none of it. He sent the Spaniard’s shot back like a bad Christmas present from Wal-Mart.

That block set the tone for the final minute of the game. The Cavs outmuscled the Lakers down the stretch and swept the regular season series with a 93-87 win.

LeBron finished with 37 points (12 of them in the fourth quarter), 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Meanwhile, Kobe scored 31, but he cooled off in a major way in the second half, needing 31 shots to reach that total.

Kobe may be the youngest player to reach 25,000 points, but LeBron has Mamba’s number. Seven wins in nine head-to-head matchups. Sounds like ownership to me.

Yet another reason why I love this game.

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(Photo credit: Inside Florida.com)

Reason number 6,557 why I love the NBA…

Dwight Howard unveiling a new offensive weapon against the Lakers Monday night.

The NBA community has been pining for Da-wight to expand his offensive repertoire for years. The gargantuan center has long been a defensive linchpin for the Magic, but his offensive arsenal has consisted of little more than dunks and close range hook shots; a disappointment to say the least.

On Monday night that changed.

Out of nowhere “Superman” went all “Big Fundamental” on us, knocking down not one, but two mid-range bank shots in the first half of the Magic-Lakers game. The shots came as an incredible surprise, one that inspired all kinds of questions.

Where has Dwight been hiding this shot? Did Stan Van Gundy know it existed? Was he waiting for a rematch against the Lakers, who embarrassed the Magic in the NBA Finals last season, to unleash Dwight’s new weapon? Can Dwight repeat it on a regular basis?

Soon we’ll have answers to these questions. Until then, my mind will continue to be blown.

As Bill Simmons would say, unveiling the bank shot was Howard’s “Happy learned how to putt” moment. All of the sudden Lakers center Andrew Bynum had to worry about guarding Howard outside of six feet, and it was more than he could handle. Bynum quickly got into foul trouble and was noticeably absent for the rest of the game.

Riding the crest of discovery, Howard scored 18 first half points. He was dominant, the lone bright spot for an otherwise struggling Magic squad. Better still, I saw the hunger for vengeance in his eyes. Howard wanted to beat the Lakers. Badly. That desire was evident in his performance. He outplayed Bynum, pure and simple.

Unfortunately, Dwight’s teammates stopped feeding him the ball in the second half and he finished the game with just 24 points (a relative disappointment given how well he was playing in the first half). The Magic ultimately lost the game 98-92, but Howard’s flash of brilliance was still an undeniable highlight.

Yet another reason why I love this game.

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Reason number 6,556 why I love the NBA…

Jazz rookie Sundiata Gaines upstaging LeBron James with an unbelievable buzzer-beating three to beat the Cavs 97-96.

I’ve seen a lot of unbelievable things this season, but Gaines’ game-winning three has to be the coolest, most inspiring moment of the year so far.

A former D-Leaguer playing on a 10-day contract for the Jazz, Gaines filled in for an injured Deron Williams in the fourth quarter and sparked a 19-2 Utah run. LeBron countered with a run of his own, scoring 20 fourth quarter points, including multiple dagger threes.

At that point the game looked like it was over. A nice effort by Gaines, I thought to myself, but he can’t hang with the best of the best. LBJ’s gonna close this one out.

But Sundiata would not be denied.

The Jazz kept hanging around and hanging around. (You know, the old Teddy KGB “alligator blood” routine.) Then, in the final 10 seconds of the game, a missed free throw from Zydrunas Ilgauskas put them within striking distance.

With 5.6 seconds left in the game and the Jazz down by two, Jerry Sloan called timeout and diagrammed a play for Kyle Korver to close out the game. But Korver was closely guarded. Unable to get a shot off, he kicked the ball out to Ronnie Price who passed the ball to Gaines, who stepped back and nailed a rainbow three to win the game.

It was a remarkable shot, the first three-pointer of his NBA career, and it sent Twitter into a frenzy. Everybody was pulling for Gaines, the unknown guard from the University of Georgia.

After the game, Sloan was asked by reporters if he will be signing Gaines to a second 10-day contract. Sloan just smiled and told them, “We’re going to sign him for the year.”

Yet another reason why I love this game.

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Reason number 6,555 why I love the NBA…

Dirk Nowitzki hitting a baseline jumper Wednesday night for career points number 20,000 and 20,001.

Dirty Dirk joined an exclusive club with that shot. Only 34 players in NBA history have scored 20,000 points (among them: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Ray Allen).

Since coming to the Mavericks in 1998, Dirk has revolutionized basketball in Dallas. In his 12-year NBA career, Dirk has been named to nine straight All-NBA teams, played in eight straight All-Star games, won an MVP award (2006-07), and, most importantly, guided his team to nine straight playoff appearances.

With all due respect to all of the great Mavericks players before him (okay, there aren’t any), Dirk is the best player in Mavericks history.

His team may have lost in the closing seconds to Kobe and the Lakers Wednesday night, giving the Lake Show a milestone of their own (first team to 3,000 wins), but Dirk was a winner regardless.

Welcome to the 20k club, señor.

You and your mane of hair are yet another reason why I love this game.

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(Photo credit: Indy.com)

Reason number 6,554 why I love the NBA…

Earl Watson’s third quarter peskiness Monday night against the Raptors.

I’m not a generally a fan of Earl Watson’s. I think he takes plays off, makes questionable decisions with the ball, and takes too many threes for a guy whose career three point percentage is 33.5 percent. With that said, Watson’s one-man-wrecking-ball routine in the third quarter of last night’s game at Conseco Fieldhouse was undeniably fun to watch.

Since most of you didn’t watch the Pacers-Raptors game last night and probably have no idea what the hell I’m talking about, here’s a recap of Watson’s brilliance:

With about eight minutes to go in the third quarter and the Pacers down by 10 points, Watson inexplicably morphed into Gary Payton, forcing turnovers on three consecutive plays and singlehandedly putting the Pacers back in the game.

Following a dumb turnover by Luther Head, who stepped out of bounds on a pass from Danny Granger, Watson exploded into a defensive rage, picking the pocket of Raptors point guard Jarrett Jack and coasting the other way for an uncontested layup. This cut the Toronto lead to eight.

On the next possession, Watson channeled his inner Vlade Divac to force a second turnover. As Jack turned and quickly backed into Watson near midcourt, Watson dropped to the ground like he’d just been palm punched in the chest by Jet Li. Offensive foul, Jack. Pacers ball. Watson finds Solomon Jones on the baseline for an easy layup. Raptors lead cut to six.

After the ensuing timeout, the Raptors replaced Jack with veteran point guard Jose Calderon. This was of no consequence to Watson, who immediately knocked down a Calderon pass for yet another steal and fed Granger on the fast break for what should have been a gimme layup, only Granger missed.

That concluded Watson’s rampage, but by that point the Pacers were in control of the game. They went on to beat the Raptors 105-101, erasing a 23-point first half deficit.

Watson finished with 11 points, eight assists, three steals, and one take-no-prisoners rampage.

Yet another reason why I love this game.

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Reason number 6,553 why I love the NBA…

Tyreke Evans’ game-winning turnaround jumper to beat the Nuggets Saturday night.

Look, there are two kinds of stars in the NBA: the ones you can trust at the end of games, and the ones you can’t. If you don’t believe me, just ask Kings fans about Chris Webber.

20-point scorers are a dime a dozen. Given enough shots, anybody can put up big numbers. But guys you can count on to deliver when your team needs a crucial basket? Those guys are rare. Those guys are special.

And Tyreke Evans is quickly becoming one of those guys.

On Saturday night ‘Reke took a lob pass from Omri Casspi at the half line with 11 seconds remaining in a heated game tied at 100. As the clock wound down, the 20-year-old rookie approached Kenyon Martin, whom Nuggets coach George Karl had put on Evans as something of a last ditch effort, with the calm of a battle-tested veteran.

After working off enough time to refuse the Nuggets a proper rebuttal (are you taking notes, Aaron Rodgers?), Evans took Martin hard to the hole. As center Nene Hilario rushed to help Martin defend the hoop, Evans stopped on a dime, freezing both defenders, and swished a Carmelo Anthony-like turnaround jumper in their faces.

102-100 Kings. 0.7 seconds remaining.

The dagger had been firmly planted in the heart of the Nuggets.

As ARCO Arena erupted around him, Evans played the “been there, done that” card, soaking in the moment with unpredictable dignity. (No more “this is my house” shenanigans.) He may be a rookie, but make no mistake; this kid is cold.

Following a quick timeout J.R. Smith missed a Hail Mary half-court attempt to seal the second consecutive Kings win over the Nuggets. Not to mention the second game-winning shot of Evans’ young career.

It’s not time to compare him to Kobe or induct him into the Fraternity of Clutch or anything, but if the oxygen clutch players breathe is rarefied air, Evans has been inhaling his fair share of it this season.

And on Saturday he tasted a little more.

Yet another reason why I love the NBA.

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Reason number 6,552 why I love the NBA…

Paul Pierce’s perfectly timed lob to Rajon Rondo for an amazing, game-tying alley-oop at the end of regulation in Wednesday’s Heat-Celtics game.

After Dwyane Wade had seemingly sealed the game with a steal and dunk to put the Heat ahead 101-99 with 0.6 seconds left in regulation, Doc Rivers called timeout and diagrammed what turned out to be the perfect rebuttal.

Rondo was guarded closely by Mario Chalmers, one of the best defensive point guards in the league, but a baseline screen from Glen “Big Baby” Davis gave Rondo just enough room to slip by his man, receive Pierce’s lob from the sidelines, and send the game into overtime.

It was a tremendously well-executed play by all involved: Rivers drew it up, Pierce made a terrific pass, and Rondo finished with just the right amount of touch. For fans who think it’s impossible for their team to execute a play with less than a second left on the clock, this is your blueprint for hope.

Rondo followed this play with an encore: six points in overtime to seal 112-106 Celtics win.

Yet another reason why I love this game.

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