Author: Vin

Vin is a Philly boy who shouldn't be invited into your house because he'll judge you on your book and music collection. He owns Dawkins, Utley, Iverson, and Lindros jerseys, which is all you really need to know about him. He can be reached at [email protected].

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Dishing Out a Different Kind of Rock



Long term contract

1. Happy Housewife
You might as well get his finger size now because this summer Tony Parker will receive his third ring since becoming a Spur. And he doesn’t even have to win the NBA Finals to get it. That’s because the guard will be marrying his long time girlfriend and Desperate Housewives hottie, Eva Longoria. While Parker is referred to as the student in the relationship’s more intimate of moments, he certainly taught the world how to properly squash a rumor. Not too long ago, these two were reportedly done with one another. Now, after two years of dating, it looks like Parker has finally learned the importance of having a good teacher.

2. Not Up His Alley
Allen Iverson failed to make a team function on Wednesday at, of all places, a bowling alley. Understandable, considering his history of bowling brawls. It’s not clear as to why Iverson failed to show but Maurice Cheeks said that he will be fined accordingly. If I had to guess, he probably didn’’t want to wear those hideous, thirty year-old shoes infested with foot fungus that have grown so powerful they are immune to the alley’s heralded “sterilizing” Lysol bath. Sure he upset a few fans and a few sponsors by not showing up, but in the end, what are we talking about? We talking about bowling, man. I mean, how silly is that?

3. All in a Quarters Work
Wow, Kobe Bryant did it again. Everybody knows that he can go off and any moment; last night he proved why you can never take your eyes off of him, not even for a quarter. The defensive minded Jazz got torched by Bryant for 52, including 30 in the third quarter alone. That’s a ridiculous total when you consider that only three players in the entire league average 30 for a full game. In the third, Bryant was nine of nine from the floor and ten of ten from the free throw line. The entire repertoire was on display last night; powerful slashing dunks, fade away jumpers, outside set shots, driving pull-ups, it was all there. While Kobe has serious competition for the title of best overall player in the league, there is no question that he is the NBA’s most explosive scorer.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant vs. Utah Jazz 34 min, 52 pts (FG: 19-26, 3FG: 2-3, FT: 12-15), 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk

Friday’s Game to Watch: Sacrament (8-5) @ Dallas (11-4) Somebody has to beat Dallas eventually, right? The Mavericks have ripped off 11 straight victories after losing the first four games of the year. The Kings are on a winning streak of their own, although it’s not as impressive. After dropping three in a row to some tough competition, including San Antonio and Utah, Sac-Town has won three straight and could use a victory over an elite team to gain some serious confidence. Despite leaving the last game early because of blurred vision and then missing the following practice, Dirk Nowitzki is expected to start.

Buzzer Beater: Bozi Wells has consistently been an inconsistent player and a volatile element everywhere he has gone. Controversy has followed him throughout his career and now, Houston has to deal with his shenanigans. Apparently, Wells is simply too out of shape to get any playing time. Not injured, just fat. As a third option on the Rockets, this was Wells best opportunity to have an important role and be on a winning team, but he can’t even get conditioned well enough to set foot on the floor. Wells has always been conceded and selfish but now his raw talent can’t overshadow his behavior. What an embarrassment.

Categories
NHL General

Crashing the Zamboni: Ducks Quacking Along



Ducks lead the Pacific

1. Call Them The Mighty Ducks
Even with the new look, the Anaheim Ducks are still mighty good. The boys from the Pond captured their fourth straight win on Thursday night in British Columbia, outlasting the Vancouver Canucks by a 2-1 score. Ryan Getzlaf, who has been on an absolute roll ever since the season started, tallied the game-winning goal in the 3rd period to give the Ducks the win (he also scored the game-winner on Tuesday against the Oilers). At an astounding 19-2-6, Anaheim has the best record in the NHL.

On Vancouver’s side of things, Alex Edler scored his first career NHL goal- he was the only player to get the puck by Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who earned his league-leading 15th win of the year. For the Canucks, it is essential to get back on the right track: having lost three of their last four, they’re second to last in the Northwest Division.

2. Atlanta’s Had Enough…
…of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ dominance. The Thrashers’ 5-0 victory on Thursday snapped an eight game losing streak to Toronto, dating all the way back to October of 2003. Give the credit to Marian Hossa for the offensive firepower–he added an assist to his Hat Trick, and let goaltender Kari Lehtonen do the rest on the defensive side. Lehtonen stopped 36 shots from Toronto for his fourth shutout of the season (he also had one on Saturday). Slava Kozlov produced for Atlanta with four assists on the night, capping off an impressive all-around performance for the Thrashers. It was Atlanta’s third straight win, sending the Maple Leafs to their third straight loss.

3. Brewing Up A Storm
The Carolina Hurricanes showed glimpses of last season’s squad on Thursday night as they defeated the Montreal Canadeiens in Raleigh, 4-2. Eric Cole had a nice game for Carolina, scoring two goals to help his team keep up with Atlanta, who is ahead of Carolina in the Southeast Division. The `Canes went into the 3rd and final period down by a goal, and were able to get a pair before the final buzzer sounded at the RBC Center in North Carolina.
Even with the loss, Montreal goalie Cristobal Huet had a nice night, saving 44 of the 48 shots he was peppered with.

Check It Out
We’re counting down the days until January, when the NHL is set to unveil their new jerseys. The new uni style will feature “increased flexibility” and is said to be “less bulky” than the ones currently in use.

Game of the Night: Detroit at Minnesota
Marian Gaborik of the Wild to play for first time in more than a month

The Last Shot
More developments in the NHL gambling ring investigation. According to the AP, a key cog in the scandal is to plead guilty on Friday, and could face up to a year in jail. Not much to say here, except the entire situation is just plain silly, and it is a shame that the NHL has to deal with something like this while they’re still on the road to recovery from the lockout.

Categories
NBA General

Dec 1 in Sports History: Basketball is invented


In 1891: The object of the game is to put the ball in your opponents goal (a peach basket at first). This may be done by throwing the ball from any part of the grounds, with one or two hands.

This simple idea was originated by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher, to provide an “athletic distraction” to a group of bored teenagers during a brutal winter in Springfield, MA. “Basket ball” grew into one of the world’s most popular sports, with 300 million people playing around the globe today (not counting RJ’s sweet shot of a ball of tape into a trash can via a co-worker’s back that he totally meant to do). Naismith laid out 13 simple rules, which banned traveling (which is yet to be adopted by the NBA), dribbling (players had to shoot or pass when catching the ball), and included the five second inbounding rule and no goaltending. Naismith died on Nov. 28, 1939, almost 40 years to the day he invented basketball. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame (which adorns his name) in 1959. (hoophall.com)

In 1993: The Houston Rockets proved they were pretty good at Naismith’s invention by defeating the Knicks at Madison Square Garden 94-85, to win their 15th game in a row to start a season, tying an NBA record. Led by MVP Hakeem Olajuwon, the “Clutch City” Rockets won 22 out of their first 23 games and later beat the Knicks again to win their first of back-to-back NBA titles. (basketball-reference.com)

In 1967 Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers proved that he wasn’t so good at Naismith’s invention on this day as he set a record for missing 22 free throws in a 138-130 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course, we’re kidding about the not-so-good part, but foul shooting was an Achilles heel of the Stilt’s, as he shot only 51 percent from the line for his career (opponents originated the “Hack-a-Shaq” strategy on Wilt). (nba.com/history)

Categories
New Jersey Nets

The Nets like old people



Old people are funny

The Nets released the names of the 15 members to make up the team’s new dance squad, and then the Nets male fan base rushed off to Google pictures of the new grey haired bombshells. That’s right, grey haired! The Nets new dance team is made up of senior citizens ranging in ages from 59 to 82.


[The Senior Dance Team] will likely be performing to hip-hop once they take the court. That’s because Petra Pope, the Nets’ senior director of entertainment and event marketing who supervises in-game entertainment for the team, has seen how a swinging senior always draws the biggest applause during halfcourt dance contests. “We turn on hip-hop for the senior, to mix it up,” Pope said. “When they start dancing, the crowd goes crazy.

Come on Jay-Z, Jigga, Jay-Hova, Joe Camel, whatever your name is. How did Mr. Roc-A-Fella approve the formation of a group of geriatric gyrators instead of one made up from the normal groupies that can be found “shakin’ like a salt shaker” in all of his videos? Well, management had better make sure the batteries are charged in their medical alert bracelets before they hit the court.

Links:
[NJ.com]: Seniors show they haven’t lost a step

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Crisis in Canada



Chris Bosh’s raptor impersonation

1. Immune Deficiency
Chris Bosh has recently been diagnosed with Garnett’s Disease. Named after the most famous patient of the illness, the virus affects the entire franchise and leaves only one player to attempt to defend the well-being of the team as a whole. The human body is not built to withstand such an attack, but Bosh is considered to be an extreme case in which the patient actually defies the medical statistics and proceeds to thrive off of the virus. However, his life span remains in question as long as the infection goes untreated. One method of treatment involves an injection of new coaches, followed by a strict regiment of acquiring appropriate talent and drafting healthy bodies. The more controversial procedure involves transplanting the affected patient to a more stable environment conducive to playoff appearances. In the mean time, Bosh has been ordered to continue scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds every game.

2. Carmelo’s Juice
Carmelo Anthony has been out-running, out-jumping and out-scoring opponents throughout November, and now we know what’s been giving him that extra edge. It’s his “ghetto Kool-Aid.” That’s how Melo refers to his new Mountain Dew, Red Bull concoction named C1.5 Extreme Energy Drink. The league might want to check into the contents of the beverage because Anthony’s been tweaking up and down the court for over 30 a game. The product is only available in the Syracuse, N.Y. area until late December when it will be unleashed on Denver. Rumor has it that the NBA’s version of Droopy Dog, Jeff Van Gundy, has been eagerly anticipating the national release.

3. Load Bearing Joints
Jason Williams had surgery on his right knee in July and has recently complained of frustration due to lingering pain that has kept him from making a full return. Why is this important? Well, Shaquille O’Neal recently had surgery on his left knee and claims that he will be able to make a full recovery. Now, White Chocolate is 6-1, 180 pounds and his knee can’t take the impact. How is Shaq’s knee going to hold up to 35 minutes of running underneath a 7-1, 325 pound frame? As dominant as the Diesel has been over his career, he is obviously in the declining years, and injuries to the knees have been known to end careers. I’ve heard Shaq say in interviews that he plans to play for at least another five years; unfortunately, I’m not sure his body can make the same long term plans.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Joe Johnson vs. Charlotte 43 min, 36 pts (FG: 13-24, 3FG: 5-11, FT: 5-5), 3 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Utah (13-3) @ Los Angeles Lakers (9-5) The Lakers lost to the Jazz last Friday in Salt Lake City but Kobe and crew are a much better team inside the friendly confines of the Staples Center where they are 8-2. The Jazz got a big win last night over the Spurs to snap a two game losing streak; tonight they hope to avoid closing out the month of November losing three of four after starting off 12-1.

Buzzer Beater: Pacers forward Al Harrington will never live up to his potential. Sure, he’ll give you a glimpse of his true ability from time to time, like last night when he scored 28 against Golden State with 6-8 shooting from down town. Or the two games this season when he scored 32 points, both in wins. Or the two games in which he grabbed 18 and 14 rebounds. Inconsistency has always been his downfall; if he could string some of these games together then the All-Star votes would start coming.

Categories
General Sports

Nov 30 in Sports History: Brian’s Song


In 1971: ABC-TV aired “Brian’s Song,“ one of the most famous sports movies ever. The movie was a tearjerker about Brian Piccolo (played by James Caan) and Gayle Sayers (Billy Dee Williams), two Chicago Bears teammates who, despite their differences, became best friends, blah, blah, blah. Piccolo ends up dying of cancer, and we didn’t cry, there was just a lot of dust everywhere that day. (imdb.com)

In 1996: In a win over the Spurs, Michael Jordan of the Bulls scored 35 points and recorded his 25,000th career point. Jordan finished his 15-year career with over 32,000 points and a 30.1 average. Jordan was only the tenth player in NBA history to hit the quarter-century mark in points scored. (basketball-reference.com)

In 2005: The Boston Bruins made one of the worst trades in sports history, as they jettisoned captain, former top draft pick and franchise player Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks for Marco Sturm, Wayne Primeau (not Keith, the better of the two brothers) and Brad Stuart. The Bruins immediately went into the tank, missed the playoffs and GM Mike O’Connell was fired, while Thornton flourished with the Sharks. He teamed up with Jonathan Cheechoo to lead the league in scoring and also won the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. (nhl.com)

Categories
NHL General

Crashing the Zamboni: Goaliefest



45 saves for Tim Thomas

The goaltenders took center stage on Tuesday, as the NHL action was sparked by some serious defensive numbers:

-585 total saves
-Three shutouts (each with fewer than three total goals)
-Nine goalies with 30 or more saves (two with at least 45)
Here are some of the highlights:

1. Down to the Wire
In the NHL, it’s rare to stop all 39 official shots that get thrown your way- and still get tacked with the loss. Just ask Panther goalie Alexander Auld, who had a monster game against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, going 39-for-39 on save opportunities to earn a shutout in the stat books. Sometimes, though, posting a perfect save percentage just isn’t enough to win you the game. Montreal’s Alex Kovalev and Saku Koivu both got the puck by Auld in the shootout period, and gave Habs netminder Cristobal Huet his second shutout of the year. This was only the second time in NHL history that a goalie posted a shutout and received the loss. Huet was outsaved by his counterpart on the opposite side of the ice, but still had an amazing game in his own right with 36 saves. It was Florida’s fourth straight loss, as the Panthers remain at the pit of the Southeast Division.

2. Terminator Tim
Boston Bruins’ goalie Tim Thomas stopped 45 pieces of vulcanized rubber from Toronto sticks on Tuesday night, only letting one puck hit the twine behind him. Unlike Alex Auld, Tim’s career night actually ended with a win, as the Bruins’ offense clicked to the tune of four goals. Thomas picked the right time to come up big, as last-place Boston is barley clinging to relevance. Tim’s comments, from the AP:
“We’re fighting to get back into the race. We had a meeting this morning and Coach [Dave Lewis] said this was the closet thing we’ve had to a playoff game. To get to the playoffs we have to beat teams like the Maple Leafs. He basically challenged us.”
If the Bruins want any chance at playing in the postseason, they’re going to need Tim Thomas to answer the challenge as he did on Tuesday.

3. Olaf the Great
Tuesday’s saves leader was Washington’s Olaf Kolzig, who fell a measly two saves short of the half-century mark. Ollie went 48-for-50 on save opportunities, and the Capitals’ offense banged home five goals for the victory. It snapped a six-game skid for a second-to-last Caps club, as a potent offensive attack was able to get red-hot Tampa goalie Johan Holmqvist pulled from the game in the second period. Five different players tallied scores for Washington, including last year’s Calder Memorial Trophy winner, Alexander Ovechkin (granted, it was an empty netter- but Ovechkin is Ovechkin, so it is newsworthy all the same).

Check It Out
Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail reminds us of just how similar rookie Paul Stasny is to his dad. His dad Peter earned a reputation for being a go-to guy, which is part of the reason why he stands in the Hall Of Fame today. Paul, a college hockey powerhouse Denver University alum, is off to a good start in the pros with Colorado: through 24 games, he has six goals and thirteen assists.

Game of the Night: San Jose at Minnesota
Sharks have won five of last six games

The Last Shot
Yesterday in Bethlehem, New York, a new YMCA opened–featuring an NHL-sized hockey rink. It is the second YMCA in New York to showcase a pro-sized ice sheet, and the Y would be smart to continue with the trend. Out here in the Rockies, we have several YMCA’s- and to our knowledge, no hockey rinks are to be found. The twelve million swimming pools that are found within one YMCA would get quite a bit more use if they were frozen over.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Gold Rush


1. He’s Back
For a team that is coming off of back-to-back 34 win seasons, the Warriors look ready to take the next step. And for any team coached by Don Nelson, that means they’re on the verge of potential playoff disappointment. Nelson is known for his fast paced style, and this group is no different as Golden State is third in the league in points per game. So far, that has netted him a 9-6 record, including upsets over Dallas, Detroit, Sacramento, Utah and San Antonio. His brand of ball will get wins, but just as it was in Dallas, Nellie won’t be able to take this group over the hump. On the bright side, Nelson has turned pine riders like Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins into hot commodities with rising stocks. Don’t forget that Nelson was the mechanic responsible for fine tuning the German engineered Dirk Nowitzki. Just ask Avery Johnson, he knows how smooth that ride is.

2. Enough Already!
The situation in Chicago has become more unbelievable than Ben Wallace’s free throw percentage. The head butting has got to stop and frankly it’s up to the coach to step back on this one. Scott Skiles needs to ease up and let Wallace wear his headband, play his music, tape his ankles or anything else that will keep his big ‘fro motivated. Skiles is trying to flex his muscle and legitimize his authority but he’s putting his own job in jeopardy in the process. Just let Ben be Ben; that is the reason you acquired him, right? At this point, winning is the only thing that should matter for the Bulls and that will be a lot easier with a little harmony amongst the troops. If Skiles will bend a little for Wallace then the four time defensive player of the year just might fully emerge in Chi-town.

3. Locked Up in Los Angeles County
While one Mike Dunleavy is being booed with regularity in Golden State, another is being praised a little further south for his accomplishments in the City of Angels. Mike Dunleavy Sr. has been given a four year extension worth over $21 million by the Clippers. And why not lock in Dunleavy now? The historically pathetic franchise has improved every year under his reign and now gets consideration as the best team in Los Angeles. Donald Sterling appears to finally be committed to winning after being notoriously cheap over the years. If the Clippers are able to improve on their current, mediocre record then the team could see their second consecutive trip to the playoffs. Any coach capable of an amazing feat such as that deserves $21 million in their checkbook. As far as the booing of Mike Jr. goes; that will take a separate miracle.

4. Miller Time
In the midst of trade rumors swirling around him, Mike Miller went out and showed the league that he’s more than just a pretty set shot. Last night in Denver, Miller dished out a career high 14 assists to go along with 13 points and seven rebounds. The assist total is well over his career average of 2.7. While nobody is going to be confusing Miller with Steve Nash anytime soon, the total is impressive for a 6-8 small forward who has no post game from which to pass out of. If Miller is to be dealt; he hopes that this performance will catch the eye of a contending team looking for the missing piece.

Tuesday’s Player of the Day: Michael Redd @ Los Angeles Lakers 42 min, 45 pts (FG: 16-30, 3FG: 5-9, FT: 8-10), 8 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl, 1 blk

Wednesday’s Game to Watch: San Antonio (11-4) @ Utah (12-3) This is fairly simple. It’s the two best teams in the Western Conference; Utah is 7-1 at home and San Antonio is 7-1 on the road. Obviously, somebody’s impressive streak won’t hold. This is a playoff caliber game six months early.

Buzzer Beater: Forget Ben Wallace, Shane Battier has been the most influential off-season acquisition this season. He’s not putting up the huge numbers synonymous with a major player but he doesn’t have to with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady snatching all the stats. The unselfish Battier provides a perfect compliment to the two All-Stars by setting picks, making extra passes and playing tight defense. And his presence on the court has to be respected by opponents, giving T-Mac and Yao the extra space needed to exploit their defenders.

Categories
College Football

Nov 29 in Sports History: the first Army-Navy game



They didn’t even have photos!

In 1890: The first Army-Navy game was played at West Point, NY, with Navy winning 24-0. Considered by many as one of the greatest traditions in sports, it is annually played on the last weekend of the college football season and has been played at numerous sites, including the Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium and even the Rose Bowl (in 1983). The last four (including this year) were played in Philadelphia. The most significant games of the rivalry were the 1944-45 matchups, when they were the top-ranked teams in the country (Army won both games). Navy has won the last four and holds a slight 50-49 edge with seven ties.

In 1992: New York Jets defensive tackle Dennis Byrd was paralyzed when he collided with a teammate attempting to make a tackle in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Byrd’s career was cut short after only four years in the NFL. He has since made a full recovery from the injury.

In 1987: Joe Montana set an NFL record when he completed 22 consecutive passes in a 38-24 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Candlestick Park. Montana, coming off an injury-plagued 1986 season, rebounded to lead the league in touchdown passes and a 102.1 rating in 1987. The completion record was tied this season by the Washington Redskins’ Mark Brunell. (We’ll give Joe Cool the props, however, as he shredded a very good Browns defense while Brunell did it to the Houston Texans, which should carry some type of asterisk.) Donovan McNabb once completed 24 straight passes, but that was over two games.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: West Coast Players



Soon to be Road Warriors

1. Home Cookin’
What ever happened to those purple jerseys the Lakers use to wear? Or the blue ones that the Warriors wore? Well, those are LA’s and Golden State’s road uniforms and they’ve been collecting dust for most of the season. With ten home games already in the books, Golden State leads the league, just ahead of Los Angeles’ nine. So far, the Lakers have taken advantage of the circumstances, going 8-1 at the Staples Center. The team opens the season with 17 home games compared to only seven on the road, with one “road” game being against the in-city rival Clippers. However, after that span, the Lakers get to rack up the frequent flyer miles with 20 of the next 28 games coming on the road. The Warriors are in a similar situation by starting the season with 16 of their first 23 in the Oracle Arena, followed by ten of the next 13 on the road. Looks like those dark colored jerseys will get some use after all.

2. Statement Game
Orlando took a three game win streak and the best record in the Eastern Conference into Salt Lake City on Monday night; they left with a victory and dealt the Jazz their first home loss in the process. It was just the third loss of the season for Utah but their second in a row. The Magic led at the end of every quarter behind the output of the young kid with veteran skills, Dwight Howard. Howard put up another double-double with 21 points and 16 rebounds. The Magic are the surprise team in the East this year and already sits four games ahead of second place Atlanta in a struggling Southeast Division. And early on, it sure appears as if the Eastern Conference really has only three true Finals contenders; Orlando, Detroit and Cleveland. The health of Grant Hill will prove to be critical for the Magic organization this season, more than ever, as another ankle injury could end his career. As far as Howard goes, if he keeps up at this pace he’s going to be a rebounding champion, legitimate MVP candidate and possible conference champion before he turns 22.

3. Triple-Double
While it’s still early in the season and there are still months to go, Jason Kidd is coming awfully close to averaging a triple-double. Who knows if this could be maintained over the entire season, but in 13 games, Kidd is averaging 12.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 9.2 assists. The scoring should remain constant; the assists could easily top ten with the firepower on the Nets. The toughest obstacle for Kidd is going to be improving his rebounding average by two boards a game. His current average is a career high and that is 1.6 rebounds higher than his career average. There is no comparison should Kidd replicate the feat performed by Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 when he averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 boards and 11.4 assists. Regardless, to average any triple-double would be one of the most spectacular seasons in the history of the game, and just having the talent to even come close to such an accomplishment is amazing in itself.

4. Double-Double
While nine out of the top ten scorers in the league are guards or small forwards, don’t be fooled into thinking that the big men aren’t ballin’ this season. According to the statistics, this is the best crop of big men in, at least, six years. This year there are 11 players that average a double-double in points and rebounds. Seven of the 11 have numbers better than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. When compared to past seasons, the increased production from the paint patrollers is undeniable. In 2005-06, six players averaged double-doubles while only three pulled down at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. 2004-05: seven 10/10; two 20/10. 2003-04: nine 10/10; five 20/10s. 2002-03: five 10/10; three 20/10s. 2001-02: six 10/10; two 20/10s. 2000-01: nine 10/10; six 20/10s. Carlos Boozer and Kevin Garnett currently lead the way with 11 double-doubles each, followed closely by Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan and Dwight Howard with ten each and Chris Bosh with nine. Am I the only one seeing double now?

5. See-Saw Battle
Thanks to a 45 point game by Allen Iverson at Miami on Monday night, the NBA now has a new scoring leader. The effort put Iverson at 31.7 points per game for the season, six-tenths of a point ahead of Denver’s Carmelo Anthony. AI has put up quite a three game streak, starting with 46 against Chicago, followed by 31 versus Cleveland and now dropping 45 on the Heat. But don’t get too comfortable with Iverson’s status, Anthony has a game tonight against Memphis and Melo has put up nine games of 30 or more in his last ten contests. It’s likely Iverson will return to second on the list by tomorrow.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Dwyane Wade vs. Philadelphia 45 min, 33 pts (FG: 10-18, 3FG: 0-1, FT: 13-14), 7 reb, 13 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Minnesota (6-7) @ Houston (9-4) Houston is shaping into one of the elite teams in the western conference thanks to a dominating season by Yao Ming. It finally seems that Tracy McGrady is content to lower his numbers in order to improve Yao’s production, and it’s paying off in the win column. The Rockets are currently 5-1 at home. Kevin Garnett has the Timberwolves’ hopes and dreams sitting squarely on his shoulders, again. Minnesota has to get more help for KG if they are going to make it to the post season. But for tonight, you can expect another box score busting at the seams for Garnett, who leads the team in every major statistical category except assists.