Blame the professors for making the week before Spring Break impossible.
Utah 126, Phoenix 118
I for one refuse to still jump on the ‘worst trade ever’ bandwagon. It’s entirely too soon to do that. Sure Phoenix is 3-6 since Shaq joined and have lost 3 straight home games. I still believe that this comes down to Phoenix ironing everything out until its smooth. Everything is real jagged right now. Every game the Suns have these lulls where they either a) can’t score or b) can’t get stops and can’t score. Case in point the Suns were in control of this entire game. Up 10 in the first quarter…took a Utah run and answered back, ended up being up 9 in the second quarter…withstood Utah’s run and ended up being up 9 at the end of the third quarter. Then they had another big lull to start the 4th quarter. Check this out:
- Phoenix up 94-85 to start the final period.
- With 8:41 left in the game Phoenix is down 97-96. The only bucket Phoenix got was a bucket from Shaq. The other possessions were two Diaw misses a Raja miss, a missed three and two by Giricek and a foul by Barbosa.
- No coincidence that this run coincided with Steve Nash being out of the game.
So the big run that “killed” the Suns…was it a product of no Shawn Marion and Shaq being in, or the usual struggles Phoenix has had with Nash out of the lineup. You tell me.
For Utah, Okur is still on that tear I talked about earlier this week (25 pts, 14 rebs and a couple big-time threes) and the bench showed up in a big way. Harpring, Milsap and Korver were all in double figures. I’m telling you, those four guys right there are the X-factors in Utah. If they can get Okur playing and production from the bench they are absolutely dangerous.
Detroit 101, New York 97
Message from Detroit to the rest of the East: our bench is pretty stinkin’ crappin’ good. No Sheed, no problem. We’ve got a motivated, healthy and thieving Theo Ratliff. Rip gets thrown out in the first half? That’s ok. 13 from Stuckey, 12 from Maxiell, 9 from Juan Dixon and 6 a piece from Amir Johnson and Jarvis Hayes. That’s 46 points from the bench. I can already see that bench winning the Pistons a game or two in the playoffs. Man.
In New York…all hell continues to break loose. Isiah refuses to start Nate Robinson, instead going back to Fred Jones and…Wilson freakin’ Chandler? Over Balkman? As much as I love Freddy (he did have 16) I just don’t see the point of not starting both Nate and Balkman. But then again trying to see any sort of point with the Knicks right now is like looking for a good plot in a porno. A gigantic waste of time.
Portland 103, Milwaukee 101
Another Blazers comeback s’il vous plait? Merci, beaucoup. I won’t complain about the fact that we had to comeback against ANY team that started Royal friggin Ivey at point guard, a win is a win. Big-time performance from LMA who shot 14-20 for a 29 point night AND hit the big game-winner. Hats off to Roy (20 pts, 10 assists), Blake (21 pts, 6 assists), Martell (17 pts but more importantly 7 rebs) and BIG JOEL (15 rebs).
Blazers fans take joy…we’ve already equaled our win total from last year.
Washington 110, Toronto 106 *OT*
Great minds think alike…just I was about to type “I guess Toronto misses Bosh more than Washington misses Agent Zero and Caron” I click on the game recap and see this:
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors missed Chris Bosh more than the Washington Wizards missed Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler.
Screw you AP. Toronto needed someone to really step up in Bosh’s absence. So of course TJ Ford and Jason Kapono combined for four points. Sidenote–Kapono has not hit a three since the All-Star break…as a matter of fact he hasn’t hit one since February 4th. Not good news for Toronto. The Wizards pulled this one because Jamison carried them down the stretch, but also because Toronto let Washington’s other guys get going. Jamison getting 25 and 16 is one thing…he’s an All-Star. He’s going to get his. You hold Stevenson to 9 points (2/10) and Daniels to 6 pts. But when you let Washington get 58 points from Songalia, Blatche, Nick Young and Roger Mason…you’re in for a rough night.
Minnesota 111, Kings 103
I’m sorry Kevin Martin. I’m sorry you can’t fully enjoy your career high night. I’m sorry you dropped 48 points in a losing effort. Especially since that loss was at HOME to the TIMBERWOLVES. I’m sorry instead of smiling and taking a sip out of your Aquafina bottle when the highlights came on your probably threw your remote somewhere and started muttering about how your big white guys need to score. And how Craig Smith could get 18 points in 16 minutes. You should pat yourself on the back for making just as many free throws as Minnesota attempted. 22-22. Also, hope that you don’t end up like Todd Day and people scratch their head trying to remember who you were and how you scored almost 50.
Denver 109, San Antonio 96
I caught the last 5 seconds of PTI where Wilbon said the Nuggets were probably going to win this game. I shook my head laughing without knowing where the game was. I will be the first to admit this: I don’t get this Nuggets team at all. I’m not trying to say that they don’t have the talent on that team (that’d be silly) but I just don’t get them. They are 37-24 and out of the playoffs. They are 2-1 on the season against the Spurs. They have just defeated Phoenix and San Antonio back-to-back. And now they have to face a streaking Utah team…
Point blank they won tonight for a couple reasons. Najera and JR Smith. Najera had 19 and JR had 15. If Denver could get ANYTHING resembling consistency from Smith or Kleiza then they would be sexier then Jackie Moon. However we all know that those three cannot be counted on and thus Denver is the definition of an up and down team. Thankfully they have both Melo and AI or else they’d be right down there with the Blazers (who of course in this day and age are at a putrid 32-20).
Spurs….still cruise-controlling. We all know that this is the quiet before the storm.
New Orleans 107, New Jersey 96
Orleans showed Jersey who the real ‘New’ is in the league. Also, ladies and gents we have our second straight Julian Wright sighting of the week. He’s a couple games away from Charles Barkley saying that he’s ballin’. 20 points, 8 rebounds on 8-for-9 shooting. And this wasn’t just 8 dunks people. A three-ball and some mid-rangers show that the kid can shoot. Just imagine that Hornet nucleus and replace a seasoned Wright in there for MoPete. I’ll give you time to shake your head and make faces similar to those that John Mayer might make when he plays the guitar.
…..
You’re welcome.
I’m sad that Chris Paul dropping 25 and 16 is almost becoming…*gasp*…normal. But I guess that’s just how the world works. You get used to people dying, people lying and porn, I guess you can get used to Paul dropping double-double’s night after night.
New Jersey…well I let Richard Jefferson talk.
“Blah, blah, blah. Blah. Cliche 1, cliche 2, sports cliche No. 4 and sports cliche No. 7,” Jefferson said. “We didn’t do a very good job. We didn’t give 110 percent. We’ve got to give it all we got. We’ve got to leave it all on the court, and we didn’t do that.”
And now we have..the BLOWOUTS. Or as I like to call them, one-liners.
Charlotte 108, Atlanta 93
Anyone else remember the hot off-season debate of both these young teams making the playoffs? Me neither. Sadly they are both in the hunt, ATL 1 game out and Charlotte 3 games out. Someone needs to go slap Sam Vincent in the face for needing a Gerald Wallace injury to make him realize he should be starting Matt Carroll. I’m not saiyng Caroll is amazing or anything but the guy is about a MILLION times better than Jeff McInnis ever has been, especially the 08 version. No coincidence they’ve won 4 in a row with him and Felton in the backcourt. You know if I was coaching Charlotte I’d start Felton, Carroll, Richardson, Wallace and Okafor. Bring Dudley, Nazr and Boykins off the bench. It’s not that hard people.
Boston 116, Chicago 93
KG is rounding back into form and Boston is re-entering that ‘We kill people’ mode that they had early on. Significant…PJ Brown had 6 rebounds in 6 minutes. I’m really hoping Chicago goes on a big losing streak so there is no way they can sneak into the Eastern Conference playoffs. They are mind-numbingly horrible to watch play basketball.
Lakers 119, Clippers 82
Full circle for these two teams. From Laker Dominance to a mini-rivalry (the Odom, Q-Rich, D-Miles years) to the Clippers being better (that one year they were damn good and everyone loved them) and back to Laker Dominance.
Warriors 134, Heat 99
Good news for Heat fans: this could be the beginning of D-Wade not playing anymore. Also you’re still losing which means you’re going to get a great draft pick which coupled with a good off-season could throw you right back in the Eastern race next year. The bad news: the season still has plenty of games left. And you got drubbed so badly at home by Golden State that even Patrick freakin O’Bryant played. The same Patrick O’Bryant that so far in Nellie’s doghouse that he had to dig underground and actual build himself a new one.
Good news for Warriors fans: Biedrins is back, Wright and Croshere are still contributing and Chris Webber still has a bad knee. Trust me…it’s better that way.
Philly 117, Seattle 86
Iggy cut the Sonics up like cold cuts and made Dalembert look like an All-Star in the process. 22 and 13 from Samuel. 18 points and 7 assists for Iggy, many of those going to Philly bigs to get them easy buckets. People you might as well learn to love the Sixers because they are sneaking into the playoffs slowly but surely. They are an entertaining blowout away from me openly hoping they catch the Wizards, take the 6 seed and face off against the Magic instead of getting massacred by the Pistons.