Category: NBA General

nba-general

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Step Aside Showgirls


1. Vegas Rules
Forget about Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Gilbert Arenas. The real all-stars are performing during the timeouts. So, for the first time, NBA.com is compiling votes in order to assemble The 2007 Las Vegas NBA All-Star Dance team which will be composed of one girl from each NBA team. Now, you can go online and, ahem, entertain yourself with pictures and bios from every babe, I mean dancer, on every team. Finally, the talent and inner beauty of women like Courtney from Boston, Katherine from Miami and Julie from Houston can get the proper recognition they deserve. So, show these ladies how much you truly appreciate them; vote early, vote often and send a thank you to NBA.com for creating a one stop shop for dancing divas from around the league.

2. Way Downtown
The Cavs LeBron James proved on Wednesday that he is capable of hitting the long range bombs in real life, as well as in commercials. When he nailed an 83 footer at the end of the third quarter against Boston, not only did he add three points to his scoring total but he also added his name to the record books. According to a statistician, James’ shot was the third longest in NBA history. Only an 84 footer by Chicago’s Norm Van Lier in 1977 and an 89 footer by Baron Davis (then with Charlotte) had more air time than James’. Kinda makes you wonder if he really was hitting jumpers from the opposite baseline in those ads. Nah, he couldn’t do that. Could he?

3. The Hornet with No Sting
Tyson Chandler isn’t far from becoming a big time player in this league. Chandler cleans the glass with the elite in the league, he’s currently sixth in boards, and he’s been blocking shots with ferocity of late. But despite all of the talent that he possesses, Chandler appears to have absolutely no desire to score. In fact, his season high is only 14 points and he hasn’t taken ten shots in any game this year. The Hornets have got to find a way to get more offense out of his 7-1, 245 pound frame and Chandler must learn to be aggressive if he’s ever going to live up to his second pick potential.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant @ Sacramento 48 min, 42 pts (FG: 11-21, 3FG: 3-5, FT: 17-20), 10 reb, 9 ast

Friday’s Game to Watch: Dallas (26-7) @ San Antonio (23-10) It’s probably the biggest rivalry in the NBA and tonight’s game should be another great game between these two division foes. The Mavericks have a 10-4 record away from Dallas this season, as well as a three game lead over the Spurs in the Southwest Division that has been steadily growing during the Mavs current 12 game win streak. San Antonio, on the other hand, has struggled recently; losing two in a row and four of their last seven. This will be the third game between these two with each team winning in the others gym.

Buzzer Beater: The referees in last night’s game between the Lakers and Kings became a bit whistle happy in the second quarter as they sent players to line an astounding 47 times. Talk about a snore fest! By half-time of the game there had been 38 total fouls called and six players had already picked up three fouls each. After regulation and overtime ended, a total of 80 fouls had been called and 102 free throws had been shot. I hope that the NBA front office takes note and remembers this performance when it comes time to assign referees to the All-Star Game. Please Mr. Stern, just say no to Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey and Robby Robinson.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Houston, We Have A… Nevermind


1. No Yao, No Problem
There’s no doubt that the Rockets miss their big man in the middle, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at their record. Since Yao broke a bone in his leg the Rockets have won four of five games, including their current four game winning streak. Whatever was holding down Tracy McGrady earlier in the season is no longer a problem as he has scored over 30 points in four of the games since Yao got injured. But the rest of January could prove to be detrimental as their schedule becomes tougher with teams that rely more on their inside presence. While nobody is happy with the loss of Yao, T-Mac has got to be enjoying having free reign to create on the floor and, once again, be able to score at will.

2. Scoring at Will
If you had to guess two teams in the league that would combine to score 279 points in a game, it probably wouldn’t have been Memphis and Golden State. But that’s exactly what happened. In an offensive explosion, each team scored at least 30 points per quarter as Memphis held on to win, 144-135. The Warriors’ Matt Barnes had a game-high 36 points and Mike Miller lead his team with 33. 13 out of 19 players that logged time in the game scored double digit points. It was only the fourth win since the beginning of December but it was their second win in four games as Pau Gasol returns to his old form. Tony Barone Sr. seems to be filling in quite nicely since the team fired Mike Fratello.

3. The Hurt Heat
There were not too many people who believed that Miami would win the championship last year, but now it’s getting hard to believe that Miami will even make the playoffs. Injuries have plagued this team throughout the year and nothing appears like it will change anytime soon. Currently, the team is missing Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, James Posey, Wayne Simien and coach Pat Riley. And last night against the Clippers it showed. Miami lost 110-95 and fell to 13-18 on the season, dropping them to five games behind first place in the Southeast Division. At this point, the defending champs would miss the playoffs altogether. But even with a healthy cast it will take a spectacular comeback over the second half of the season for the Heat to have a chance to defend their title in the post-season.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Gilbert Arenas vs. Milwaukee 44 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-25, 3FG: 4-9, FT: 4-5), 11 reb, 8 ast, 4 stl

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Indiana (17-15) @ Dallas (25-7) After a surprising end to last season and an even more surprising start to this season, the Mavericks have been one of the most impressive teams in the league. Dallas strung together a 15 game win streak earlier this season and also have a current 11 game streak. Despite a loss to Charlotte on Saturday, the Pacers have been playing good ball lately in winning six of their last nine. Jermaine O’Neal has stepped up his play and currently averages a double-double but Dirk Nowitzki will be a tough opponent to defend as he continues to push his name into the ring for MVP.

Buzzer Beater: When you make your living as a professional athlete, is it too much to ask that you be in shape? Apparently, some Miami players think it is. And that’s why Antoine Walker and James Posey could be facing suspensions for their poor health. The two were already deactivated for their game against the Clippers and forced to remain in Miami where they will workout with the team’s strength and conditioning coach. Looks like it’s time to leave the lunch line and start running lines for these Heat heffers.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Washington’s Wizard


1. Accolades and Injuries
Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas was named the Eastern Conference player of the month for his performances during December. Arenas averaged a league high 34.1 points and scored 30 or more in 12 of 16 games, including a career-high 60 point game and a 54 point game. Unfortunately, the Wizards might have to play without their star after he injured his shoulder on Saturday in a game versus Milwaukee. Tonight, the Bucks will travel to Washington where Arenas has excelled this season. Arenas has yet to miss a game this year and head coach Eddie Jordan sure hope this isn’t his first.

2. Francis Returns to Houston
It’s a new year, but some things just never change for the Knicks. Steve Francis’ knee has been a chronic problem since he arrived in New York and now he’s left the team to undergo rehabilitation on the plagued right knee in Houston. N.Y. knows how this story can go since it was just a year ago that Penny Hardaway left for rehab in Houston and never returned. Stevie Franchise will probably not return this season and he will likely never be the same player he once was. So, New York will be left holding his unmovable rights that include three years and $48.5 million left on his current contract. It’s just another bruising blow to Isiah Thomas as he attempts to turn around his team before the end of the year.

3. Hole Down Low
As shocking as it might sound, the Lakers are going to miss not have Kwame Brown in the lineup. Feels weird writing it, but it’s true. With Chris Mihm out for the year and Lamar Odom out until mid-month, the ankle injury to Brown couldn’t have come at a worse time. The Lakers are two games behind Phoenix in the Pacific Division and have a tough schedule ahead of them. Brown will never live up to the hype that he received as a number one draft pick but he is the Lakers best interior defender without Mihm around. But interior defense is obviously not L.A.’s number one concern. How could it be when Mihm is your most dominant enforcer?

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Amare Stoudemire @ Chicago 36 min, 24 pts (FG: 10-20, FT: 4-4), 18 reb, 2 ast, 4 stl, 1 blk

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: San Antonio (23-9) @ Minnesota (14-15) San Antonio will take one of the leagues best road records into Minnesota as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett add another chapter into their great rivalry. The former MVP’s continue to post impressive numbers as they lead their teams in points and rebounds, but the Timberwolves have lacked consistency as a team as they maintain the search for an elusive winning record. The Spurs, on the other hand, have been amongst the leagues elite for the entire season as Duncan’s supporting cast continues to grow and produce.

Buzzer Beater: Allen Iverson gave his old coach the cold shoulder when he ignored him before the game between the Nuggets and Sixers last night. Understandable considering the way Maurice Cheeks and owner Billie King handled the situation leading up to Iverson’s trade, but what’s up with Andre Miller blowing off George Karl. Surely he’s not upset that Karl traded him for one of the greatest players in the history of the game. There was only one untouchable player on the Nuggets and his name was Anthony, not Andre. Get over yourself Miller.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Happy New Year!


1. Kevin Likes It! He Really Likes It!
Well, at long last, the leather ball has returned and it has already been approved by Kevin Garnett. The Minnesota forward put up a season high 32 points against Charlotte in the NBA’s first game with the new old ball. “There is a God,” said Garnett. And K.G. wasn’t the only one feeling the magic of the rock. Four other players scored 20 or more points in the contest. The Celtics seemed to enjoy the change as well. After losing to Seattle on New Year’s Eve with the synthetic ball, Boston opened 2007 with a win over Portland, shooting 44 percent and snapping a six game losing streak in the process.

2. Philly Comes to Town
It wasn’t that long ago when Allen Iverson wore a Sixers uniform. Now, after over a decade of hoops, Iverson will play his first game against Philadelphia. Philly has been a joke all year long and A.I. would love nothing more than to make this reunion a memorable one. Obviously, he could do so by leading his new team to a victory over his old team but, he can also etch his name into the record books with a high scoring performance. If Iverson can drop 40 on his old franchise then he will move into fourth place on the list of players with the most games of 40 or more. The Answer is currently tied with Oscar Robertson with 77 such games. Only Wilt Chamberlain (271), Michael Jordan (173) and Elgin Baylor (88) are ahead of Iverson on the list.

3. Shaq’s Back?
Coaches around the league are searching for a team schedule as they are looking to see when they have to play Miami next. That’s because Shaquille O’Neal is expected to return to the Heat’s lineup on January 15. And what a surprise, if all goes according to plan then Shaq first game back will be against his old Los Angeles Lakers team. Consider it a late Christmas present since Shaq missed the now traditional L.A. versus Miami X-Mas match-up. But late is better than never as Miami has struggled this season and they are currently sitting in third place in their division.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Kevin Garnett @ Charlotte 42 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-18, FT: 8-10), 14 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (21-8) @ Chicago (19-12) Chicago has the best home record in the league and they will need to take full advantage of their crowd’s support as the Suns come to town. Phoenix is only 9-5 on the road but most of their road woes came early in the season. Steve Nash and Co. has won nine of their last ten away from home. No team has hotter than the Bulls recently and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year might be the only person that can slow down a now healthy Amare Stoudemire.

Buzzer Beater: Denver is not the safest place to live if you are a professional athlete. Just ask Nuggets guard Julius Hodge who was shot four times on April 8, 2006. Hodge considers himself lucky to be alive after the drive-by shooting. Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was not so fortunate after he was gunned down inside of his limousine. Oddly enough, Williams was killed in the same neighborhood where Hodge currently lives.

Categories
NBA General

Around The Rim: The Telestrator is Calling


1. The Czar
When you’re the worst team in the NBA and can only amass six wins in 30 games, something has to change. So, Memphis management decided that coach Mike Fratello was the logical choice to be replaced. Bad decision. The Grizzlies have been without their best player for a majority of the season which could be devastating for any team. Management should have given Fratello more time with Pau Gasol before delivering the final blow to the coach. This season was lost when Gasol went down during the summer, so why not allow Fratello to ride out the year? After all, he did win at least 40 games in both of his previous years and took Memphis to the playoffs both seasons as well. Not too bad in a stacked Western Conference.

2. Bizarro World
Before the season began, who would have guessed that Toronto and Washington would be winning their divisions at this point in the season? Probably nobody, except for Raptors and Wizards fans, but that is exactly what has happened. Both teams are on pace to have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. That’s something that doesn’t happen often in these cities, especially for the league’s lone Canadian team. But don’t get too arrogant if you live in these cities. Despite their status among division mates, neither of these teams will even come close to sniffing a championship. Overall, Washington is the 11th best team in the league and Toronto is the 19th best team. So, enjoy your reign at the top while you can.

3. X-Factor
While nobody knows how things will shake out once Carmelo Anthony returns from his 15 game suspension, it seems that Denver is pretty happy with their latest acquisition. Allen Iverson has been nothing less than impressive since joining the Nuggets where he has been given new life along with championship hopes. Iverson has put up a double-double in all three of his games as a Nugget and he has won two games in a row for the first time since Philadelphia won their first three to begin the season. Iverson is not only dominating games but he is now making his teammates better. With all eyes on A.I., other players like Earl Boykins, Reggie Evans and Eduardo Najera are inspired to play larger roles for the team. Just imagine how players like Anthony, Marcus Camby and J.R. Smith will benefit from the presence of Iverson.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Allen Iverson vs. Seattle 43 min, 44 pts (FG: 17-29, 3FG: 1-2, FT: 9-12), 3 reb, 10 ast, 2 stl

Friday’s Game to Watch: New York (13-18) @ Phoenix (19-8) It’s not too often that New York is considered to be a must watch team, but it’s also not too often that New York wins four out of five. The Knicks will be taking a 5-8 road record, along with a new sense of worth, to Phoenix where the Suns are 11-3 on the year. But Phoenix has also been on quite a tear of late, winning 18 of their last 21 games. The Suns will be hoping to end this game in regulation as New York is a perfect 4-0 in overtime games.

Buzzer Beater: What happened to the Magic? Since starting the year off 14-5, Orlando has performed a disappearing act as they have only won three games since. The team is now struggling to simply reclaim first place in their division. The Magic are 17-13 but with a win tonight over Washington, Orlando can climb back to the top of the Southeast Division.

Categories
NBA General

Around The Rim: The Big Uneasy


1. New Orleans Hor-nots
The Hornets started off the year looking like a team that was determined to make the playoffs. Now, they look more like a team that is simply determined to get off the trainers table. Chris Paul twisted his ankle on Tuesday against Seattle and is expected to miss two more games. Paul is just the latest Hornet to be bitten by the injury bug. Peja Stojakovic is scheduled to miss at least two months after having surgery on his back and David West is expected to miss anywhere from two to eight weeks after surgery on his shoulder. But losing three starters just isn’t enough for this team. Sixth man Bobby Jackson is out until next month due to a cracked rib. The problems continue to mount for the team with no home as they have lost three in a row and eight of their last ten.

2. The Waiting Is the Hardest Part
Now that Allen Iverson has been traded to Denver, who is going to be the next big star to don a new uniform? The answer might be in California where it appears Corey Maggette is ready to leave the Clippers. Recently, Maggette was quoted as saying, “Me and coach Dunleavy, we don’t see eye to eye.” Apparently the team is talking with Sacramento about a trade involving Ron Artest. It is certain that Maggette’s days are done in L.A. but finding a proper trade has been difficult for the team. The Kings want more for Artest and the Clippers don’t want to lose too much of their current squad. This could turn into another waiting game as the Clippers continue to search for a reasonable trade. But at 12-16 and sitting at the bottom of their division, time is definitely not on L.A.’s side.

3. 20/20 Vision
Jason Kidd was fined $20,000 after referring to the referees in New Jersey’s game versus Detroit as “three blind mice.” The comments came after a questionable no-call at the end of the game when Vince Carter and Rasheed Wallace made contact as Carter took what could have been a game-winning shot. Net’s coach Lawrence Frank was not fined after he yelled at the referees after the game. Kidd did not back down from his comments after being fined by the league. Perhaps he had yet to review the tape as it appeared that Carter was more responsible for the contact as he pushed-off of Wallace. Maybe Kidd should be the one to schedule an appointment with an optometrist.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Gerald Wallace vs. Washington 42 min, 40 pts (FG: 15-27, 3FG: 0-2, FT: 10-11), 14 reb, 6 stl, 4 blk

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (19-7) @ Dallas (21-7) It’s a battle between up-tempo and really up-tempo. Dallas is 12-3 at home and has won seven in row while the Suns are attempting to start a new streak after having their 15 game win streak snapped by Washington. Steve Nash returns to Dallas with two consecutive MVP awards as former teammate Dirk Nowitzki is hoping to take the trophy away from his buddy this season. Expect a barn-burner tonight in Big D.

Buzzer Beater: Chris Webber returned to Sacramento last night but there was certainly no home-coming party. Webber struggled throughout the game and ended the night with a pathetic four points on 2-9 shooting in 26 minutes. It seems like Webber would be motivated to step-up his game with A.I. gone and his old team on the schedule. But the poor performances just continue to mount for the former double-double King.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Christmas Comes Early


1. A Lump of Coal for Boston
Paul Pierce has a bum foot and will miss the next two to three weeks of action. Now, if the Celtics struggled to go 10-14 with a healthy roster, the injury would lead you to believe that Boston will begin to make a serious Greg Oden run without their All-Star and his sidekick, Wally Szczerbiak who is out with a sprained ankle. Obviously this is a hard blow for Boston to take right now. Pierce is having one of the best seasons of his career as he carries an inexperienced team, and it’s tough to see how Delonte West or Gerald Green could adequately fill-in for the league’s 10th highest scorer. Looks like Philly’s going to have some competition for worst team in the Atlantic Division over the next few weeks.

2. Denver’s Stocking Stuffer
It’s finally here. After weeks of waiting, Allen Iverson will suit up in a new uniform at his Denver debut tonight when the Nuggets host Sacramento. Of course, it will still be a while until A.I. teams up with Carmelo Anthony, but all that means is that Iverson gets the stage all to himself until late January. Now, the only things standing between Iverson and the Pepsi Center floor are a physical and the residual effects of a severe snow storm. But once Iverson gets the official nod to join the team, no blizzard is going to be able to keep the Nugget faithful from enjoying their Christmas present three days early.

3. Dreaming of a Green Christmas
Nike appears to be reaping the rewards of having two of the brightest stars in the NBA signed to shoe contracts with them. Thanks in part to the latest kicks associated with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Nike’s quarterly earnings showed an increase in profit by eight percent in the United States and 15 percent in Asia. While eight and 15 percent might not sound like a lot at first, when dealing with a corporation the size of Nike, it can add up to millions. Wade is not directly endorsed by Nike, but he is signed by Converse who is owned by Nike. The juggernaut of the shoe world will be packing quite a punch for some time considering the duo are only in their fourth season and it is merely a matter of time before their faces are etched onto the Mt. Rushmore of the NBA’s newest generation.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kevin Martin vs. Washington 46 min, 40 pts (FG: 13-23, 3FG: 4-10, FT: 10-11), 4 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Friday’s Game to Watch: Houston (15-10) @ San Antonio (20-6) While Yao Ming has been elevating his game to new heights this season, the Rockets have struggled to find wins of late; especially on the road where they have dropped five of their last eight. And no relief is in sight as they go up against the leagues best team and their 10-3 home record. The Spurs have won nine of ten games, including their current five game winning streak, thanks to a deep squad that has seen five different players lead the team in scoring over the last ten games.

Buzzer Beater: The Heat have been inconsistent this year, to say the least. However, they have managed to be consistently poor against high scoring teams. When allowing 100 points or more, the Heat are a pathetic 1-11. Unfortunately, Miami’s next three games are all against teams that average triple-digit scoring. So, even though Christmas is right around the corner, Miami is not going to be in a giving mood.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Jazz Perform a Late Jam Session


1. Turkish Sharpshooter
With a 21 point lead at the end of the third quarter, Atlanta figured they had stolen a win from a formidable Western Conference foe. But the Hawks didn’t count on Mehmet Okur and company making a furious fourth quarter rally that would bring the Jazz all the way back to win the game 112-106 in Atlanta. With twelve minutes remaining in the game the score was 93-72. Then Okur lead the comeback with 12 points in the fourth, including two big threes with less than two minutes in the game. Okur shot four of five from behind the arc and finished the game with 30 points and ten rebounds to go along with 14,823 broken hearts in Hotlanta.

2. Rare Sprewell Sighting
Latrell Sprewell disappeared from the NBA faster than you can say “choke artist” after turning down an offer from the Timberwolves in 2005. And while, according to Spree, $21 million wasn’t enough money to feed his family, apparently he found the funds to dine out with former Minnesota teammates Kevin Garnett, Trenton Hassell and Troy Hudson in Milwaukee last week. Reports are that Sprewell has no desire to return to the league but maybe New York could change his mind with another ill-advised, over-inflated contract they have become infamous for.

3. Overtime State of Mind
After a blowout loss to Denver which ended with an ugly brawl, New York has responded by playing competitively in their last two contests. On Monday, a shorthanded Knicks squad pulled out a one point win in overtime against an excellent Utah team, and last night they squeaked out a 111-109 victory in double overtime versus Charlotte. While David Lee has been solid throughout the season, he has been especially active since the team received their share of suspensions from the outbreak against the Nuggets. The second year forward from Florida followed up a 17 point, 20 rebound effort against Utah with a ten point, 19 rebound game against the Bobcats that included a buzzer beating tip-in to win the game for New York.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Mehmet Okur @ Atlanta 36 min, 30 pts (FG: 11-17, 3FG: 4-5, FT: 4-5), 10 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Detroit (15-8) @ Cleveland (14-10) After starting the season with a 2-3 road record, the Pistons have become road warriors going 6-2 since then. Detroit currently sits atop the Central Division, two games ahead of the Cavs. Despite their recent struggles, Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland has provided an edge to the Cavaliers who have gone 11-2 at home. LeBron James is coming off a 37 point, eight assist performance in a loss to New Jersey on Wednesday.

Buzzer Beater: Tim Duncan proved once again why he will forever be remembered as a horrible free throw shooter. Along with Shaquille O’Neal, Duncan has dominated opponents from everywhere on the court. Everywhere except the charity stripe. Last night against Memphis, Duncan was a perfect 8-8 from the field but he was a pathetic 5-10 from the line. Big men are notoriously bad free throw shooters, but once a percentage dips below 65, it’s probably time to resort to a more effective granny shot. While it’s quite embarrassing, at least there’s nothing underhanded about it.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: What Does the Future Hold?



One way for Iverson and Melo to coexist

1. Weapons of Mass Destruction
Plenty of questions surround the trade involving Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets. Unfortunately, with the suspension of Carmelo Anthony, we have to wait until January 20 to see the new look Nuggets. But if the league’s top two scorers can mesh together, Denver could have the best starting five in the NBA next season. The question mark in the lineup will fall on the power forward spot and the health of Kenyon Martin. However, should K-Mart return to his old form, this would be one of the most powerful and explosive lineups in the game. Iverson, J.R. Smith, Anthony, Kenyon Martin and Marcus Camby; now that’s a versatile group of starters. The general concern is about how this trade will play out this season, but the true potential for both teams involved will not come to realization until next year.

2. LBJ Hits the Wall
Reports from Cleveland say that LeBron James’ body is wearing down and, while he won’t admit it, he’s become tired and fatigued of late. While his statistics don’t indicate any problem, it seems he is lacking the same explosion. And, frankly, who can blame him? He’s fourth in the league in minutes with 40 a game, and he has to carry the weight of a struggling team on his back every single game. Perhaps no individual player does more to contribute to his team than James. Sure, he’s only 21 years old but he played a full season that went into the playoffs last year and spent his entire summer with Team USA before returning to preseason workouts. LeBron probably does need rest, but it’s not coming anytime soon as James made a three year commitment to USA Basketball.

3. Suns Are Hot
With a 17 point win over the Raptors last night, Phoenix set a franchise record by recording their 15th straight victory. And the Suns are only going to keep improving as their young stud Amare Stoudemire continues to progress after having microfracture knee surgery. Coach Mike D’Antoni was slow to give Stoudemire too many minutes earlier in the season, but since inserting him into the starting five, Stoudemire has not disappointed. His numbers continue to grow with the team’s streak as he is averaging 21.2 points and 8.9 rebounds during December. As far as the team’s win streak is concerned, it could increase to 18 before the Suns face a tough Mavericks team on December 28.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Amare Stoudemire vs. Toronto 28 min, 28 pts (FG: 11-14, FT: 6-6), 10 reb, 1 blk

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: Phoenix (18-6) @ Denver (14-9) Phoenix rides a 15 game winning streak into the Mile High City as the Suns will look to take advantage of a depleted Nuggets roster. Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith will not be playing, but it’s possible that Denver’s newest player might. Allen Iverson could make his debut in a Nuggets uniform tonight, but according to his agent he probably won’t. If A.I. doesn’t suit up, you can still see history be made as the Suns could tie the 1991 Portland Trailblazers for the fifth longest winning streak.

Buzzer Beater: Kobe Bryant fouled out for the first time in over a year last night in a 94-89 loss to Chicago. His sixth foul capped off a miserable 6 of 19 shooting performance. Without Lamar Odom in the lineup, the defensive minded Bulls cast were able to concentrate their efforts onto Bryant. Chicago continues to prove that with a focused Ben Wallace in the paint, the Bulls are able to shut down even to leagues most potent scorers.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Carmelo-Dramatics


1. Denver’s Expedition
Well, not too many people saw this coming. While missing four players to suspensions from the brawl in New York, including the leagues leading scorer, Denver rallied around the team’s veterans and defeated Washington 117-108. Earl Boykins put up 29 points, Andre Miller had 27, and Marcus Camby finished the night with 25 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks to fill the void left in the absence of Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith. The also managed to keep Gilbert Arenas in check with only 23 points after he lit up the Lakers for 60. Good job Denver, only 14 more games to go.

2. Points Taken
With only a week left before Christmas, David Stern was in the giving spirit on Monday as he handed out 47 games worth of suspensions and $1 million in fines to the Knicks and Nuggets. In doing so, he eliminated the league’s leading scorer from competition until January 20, 2007. Now, the NBA’s two best scorers in Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson are at home watching and waiting for their returns. The two combine for 62.8 points and what’s ironic is that the duo might be on the verge of teaming up. If the trade is still going to happen, Denver would love to get Iverson suited up sooner rather than later thanks to Melo’s moronic eruption.

3. Just Another Day at the Office
As amazing as his season has been so far, Jason Kidd is beginning to actually make getting a triple-double boring. Kidd now has six triple-doubles on the season and 81 in his career as he put up 10 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in a 105-97 defeat of Golden State. That gives him four triple-dips in his last seven games. So, for anybody that’s keeping score at home, that’s six for Kidd and four for the rest of the league. Unfortunately for Kidd, his spectacular play still can’t make New Jersey respectable in a pathetic Atlantic Division.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Marcus Camby vs. Washington 34 min, 25 pts (FG: 9-13, FT: 7-10), 17 reb, 5 ast, 7 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Los Angeles Lakers (16-8) @ Chicago (14-10) The Bulls are as hot as any team in the NBA right now. They’ve won 11 out of their last 12 games, including four in a row, and they own a 10-2 record in Chicago. The Lakers are playing on the road for only the eighth time this season. Kobe Bryant has been abusing defenders to the tune of 43.7 points per game since Lamar Odom went down with an injury. Tonight shouldn’t be any different as Bryant will look to fly in the house that Jordan built.

Buzzer Beater: At 36 years old, Alonzo Mourning is still getting it done in the paint. Last night against the Hornets, Zo played like he did when the Hornets were still in Charlotte. Mourning contributed a solid 11 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks in the game as he continues to fill in for the injured Shaquille O’Neal. While the Heat has never lost faith in their former franchise player, Mourning’s level of production has to be unexpected to say the least. No matter how many players dunk on Zo’s head, he remains a viable defensive force for Miami.