What you missed while researching how to deep fry a turkey…
Magic 104, Heat 95: How this game would end was played out in the opening six minutes — Jameer Nelson was driving straight into the heart of the Heat defense. He would come off the screen and get great penetration.
This looked a lot like the Magic of a couple years ago, with a very aggressive Nelson looking for his shot. He was also looking for Brandon Bass, who was playing pick-and-pop with Nelson and hit 8-11 in the first half, and the Magic was up 8. The Heat got back into it by getting offensive rebounds in the third quarter, cutting that lead to three after three. The benches kept it close.
But when LeBron returned into the game late the Heat went cold (1-10) while Nelson just went into the teeth of the defense. Nelson had 17 points 14 assists, Dwight Howard with 24 points 18 boards.
Dwyane Wade didn’t look right (6-21 shooting) but as a whole the Heat played a lot better at both ends than they did against the Pacers. But the Magic are good, you have to earn a win over them. The Heat did not.
Mavericks 111, Thunder 103: You know when Tyson Chandler scores 17 things are going right for you. Dallas turned the ball over a lot early, but settled down when it mattered. Dallas also had 13 more points at the line.
Knicks 99, Bobcats 95: Five in a row! Five in a row! You can’t stop the New York Knicks… well, not if you’re the Bobcats, anyway as the Knicks take both ends of a home and home. In the second half the Knicks went to a lot of zone and the Bobcats were all too happy to settle for a lot of jumpers. Raymond Felton had 23 points and 13 boards and looked like a guy who knows how to run the D’Antoni offense.
Cavaliers 83, Bucks 81: The Bucks scored just 13 in the fourth quarter which allowed the Cavaliers to have a shot to win it. With 5.3 seconds left and the game tied Mo Williams got the ball out high, waved off the Anderson Varejao high screen and drove left then put up the 20-foot step back over Brandon Jennings. And when you’re feeling it, that shot falls.
Raptors 106, Sixers 90: Toronto did pretty much whatever they wanted on offense in the first half shooting 57.1 percent and going 5 of 8 from three, plus getting the line more and getting more offensive rebounds. That is why they were up 62-43. It was over then but they played the second have because decorum demands it.
Celtics 89, Nets 83: No Rajon Rondo tonight and you combine that with the Celtics just missing good looks and it was a slow start to this one. The Nets started slow too against the Celtics defense, built a lead, lost it, then when things got close in the end — say tied at 71-71— there seemed a lot of Paul Pierce driving and kicking to a wide open Ray Allen in the corner (how does that happen, have people not seen Ray Allen shoot?). Also, 25 and 11 for Shaq.
Grizzlies 105, Pistons 85: Rookie Xavier Henry got the start for Memphis and OJ Mayo came off the bench, with the goal of adding more scoring off the bench, according to Lionel Hollins. It worked as the Pistons wore down, but the second night of a back-to-back has not been good for Detroit. Rodney Stuckey had 13 in the first quarter and kept it close but a 33-18 third blew it open for the Grizzlies. Zach Randolph had 21 and 14.
Spurs 113, Timberwolves 109 (OT): I’m not climbing aboard any bandwagons yet, but Darko Milicic had another good game (22 points 8 boards and 5 blocks).
Minnesota owned the first quarter, getting to the loose balls, shooting 51 percent and Love setting the tone wit 13 points and 7 board s in 15 minutes. The Wolves were up 15 after on…. And nobody thought it would last.
This ended up being close and pretty entertaining, if not actually pretty. It was close at the end, but the Spurs executed with the game on the line and got big plays from Ginobili, while the Timberwolves had sets break down and ended up with isolation Luke Ridnour. Not good.
Rockets 111, Warriors 101: Houston shot 51 free throws, 33 more than Golden State. There’s your ballgame.
Bulls 123, Suns 115 (2 OT): Chicago came out flat after battling the Lakers hard last night, and they got blitzed 36-17 in the first quarter. After that the Bulls tightened up their defense and fought back. Second night of a back-to-back in double overtime against a team that wants to run — that is showing some heart to pull this one out.
Jazz: 105, Hornets 87: This was a physical game — the referees were surprisingly okay with that — which is right in the Jazz wheelhouse. Deron Williams finished with 26 points and 11 assists, and he continues to outplay Chris Paul head-to-head.
