Kobe Bryant nails game-winner to get big win over… Raptors? PS: Don’t look at his line, go directly to count the rings.

By Matt MooreFeb 12, 2012, 6:33 PM EST
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Here, look, we’ll split this post into two sides of the coin. The first part will be glass half-full, the second part will be glass half-empty.

Glass half-full: 

The Lakers recovered from early losses in their Grammy’s road trip to finish 3-3 with a win over the Raptors 94-92 Sunday. They were able to fend off a furious comeback by a very game and balanced Raptors squad who managed to take the lead inside a minute on a Jose Calderon pull-up jumper. But that special time is Kobe time as we all know and on his way to 27 points to lead the Lakers, Bryant got the ball and did what he does best. Be the clutchest son of a gun in all the land.

Like this:

Kobe. Bean. Bryant.

(OK, stop reading if you only like lollipops and gumdrops with your game recap, only care who got the win, and don’t care about efficiency, nuance, or context. Lakers win, Lakers win, Lakers win>)

Glass half-empty:

The once dominant, once invincible Los Angeles Lakers needed Kobe Bryant to his 9th shot out of 23 attempts in seconds remaining after gunning his team into losing the lead late Sunday in order to stave off a win from one of the worst teams in the league without their best player in Andrea Bargnani to make sure they finished 3-3 on their road trip.

Bryant was 9-23 and missed six straight shots in the 4th quarter, but did get excellent space on the game winner because Toronto for some reason did not think to hedge to the baseline where Bryant is absolutely deadly. Bryant also had 4 turnovers and missed a free throw late to give the Raptors a chance, which of course they blew by giving it to DeMar DeRozan instead of the en fuego Jose Calderon, because Bryant was blanketing him exceptionally well.

So to recap, the Lakers almost lost to one of the worst teams in the league because Kobe Bryant did not play well, but wound up winning because Kobe Bryant wound up playing well. Yup, everything’s fine in L.A..

Note: Who wants to talk about the five-seconds call?

Paul George scores 33 in Clippers debut, but it’s not enough to beat Pelicans

Associated PressNov 15, 2019, 2:12 AM EST
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Paul George expected to shoot well in his Clippers’ debut because his surgically repaired shoulders felt great.

It was the rest of his game – from ball handling to defense — that concerned him.

Jrue Holiday scored 36 points and stole the ball from George three times in the final minutes to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 132-127 victory over Los Angeles on Thursday night.

“I thought I was terrible,” said George, who was limited to 24 minutes by early foul trouble but still scored 33 points.

“That’s the best my shoulders have felt in a really long time, so I knew coming into tonight shooting wouldn’t be a problem,” George added. “Just playing basketball is what I’m lacking right now.”

George was playing for the first time since signing as a free agent with the Clippers because he’d been recovering from procedures in May on his right shoulder and June on his left.

“A lot of breakdowns happened because of my lack of being out there with those guys,” George said. “I’m here to win games and I didn’t get a win. … We had a chance to win tonight and a couple bad possessions in a row that we have down the stretch and we lose. That’s what I gauge good games and bad games on.”

Holiday, who had six steals in all, intercepted of Lou Williams‘ attempted bounce pass in the final seconds to seal the victory. The play capped off a night in which Holiday scored 12 in the final 4:20, including a pair of pivotal 3s.

“It felt good,: said Holiday, who hadn’t scored as many as 20 points in any of his previous eight games. It’s all about timing and rhythm. I felt like I got a little bit of that back tonight.”

Derrick Favors, in his first season with New Orleans, had 20 points and a career-best 20 rebounds in the first 20-20 game of his 10-year career.

“I’m starting to get comfortable now and just try to keep it going throughout the year,” Favors said. “It was a great game for me, a great game for the team, and we came out and played hard, but we just have to stay consistent.”

Frank Jackson added 23 points in a reserve role.

The Clippers played without Kawhi Leonard, who was being rested for the third time this season to ease stress on his sore knee after playing a night earlier in a loss at Houston. But the Pelicans were hardly sympathetic with starters Brandon Ingram (right knee) and Lonzo Ball (groin) sidelined, as well.

George’s 3 cut the Pelicans’ lead to 126-123 with 42 seconds left. But the Clippers left Jackson unguarded on the perimeter on the other end, and he took his time squaring up and connecting on his fourth 3 of the game to restore New Orleans’ six-point lead with 30 seconds left.

J.J. Reddick, who started and scored 19, hit two free throws with 11.4 seconds left to help wrap up just New Orleans’ third victory in 11 games this season.

Williams scored 31 points and Rodney McGruder 20 for the Clippers, who’ve dropped two straight.

 

Marcus Morris’ stepback three game-winner gives Knicks revenge in Kristaps Porzingis’ return

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
By Kurt HelinNov 14, 2019, 11:32 PM EST
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The boos started during lay-up lines, grew deafening when he was introduced, and once the game got rolling “KP Sucks” chants echoed through Madison Square Garden.

Knicks fans wanted revenge on Kristaps Porzingis.

Marcus Morris — one of the guys New York spent all that cap space they got in the Porzingis trade on — gave it to them with a game-winning stepback three.

The Knicks beat the Mavericks 106-103.

Porzingis had 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting, plus 11 rebounds in his return to MSG. Not exactly a “you’re going to miss me” game to frustrate Knicks fans, but better than most of his games to start the season. After 20 months off, Porzingis is still shaking off the rust, and getting used to playing next to Luke Doncic (who had a triple-double of 33 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds). Still, he made some plays.

Morris had 20 for the Knicks leading a balanced attack. Julius Randle added 17.

From LeBron through Patrick Mahomes, everyone reacting to Carmelo Anthony return

Harry How/Getty Images
By Kurt HelinNov 14, 2019, 10:56 PM EST
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Carmelo Anthony is back in the NBA — he is signing with the Portland Trail Blazers.

While Anthony didn’t have a lot of love in NBA front offices, he remains wildly popular among other players and fans. Something obvious on NBA Twitter in the wake of the Anthony news breaking. Check out the reactions from other players.

It’s not just NBA players who were pumped about the return of ‘Melo.

There were also great fan and media reactions.

 

Portland reportedly signs Carmelo Anthony to non-guaranteed contract

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
By Kurt HelinNov 14, 2019, 9:18 PM EST
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Off to an ugly 4-8 start this season — despite Damian Lillard tearing it up at an MVP level — the Portland Trail Blazers are desperate for any help in the frontcourt they can find, especially a four who can stretch the floor.

Enter Carmelo Anthony.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN broke the story.

He will join the team during its upcoming six-game road trip. Lillard is reportedly on board with this.

Portland visits Houston on Monday of that road trip — the last team that ‘Melo played for.

This is really a low-risk move by the Blazers thanks to the non-guaranteed contract. If it doesn’t work out, Portland just moves on.

Anthony has been searching for a path back into the NBA through most of last season — the Rockets let him go after just 10 games, deciding to part ways — and this past summer, with no takers until now. Two issues were holding teams back. First has been concern about his willingness to accept a role. ‘Melo is losing the race with Father Time and is no longer a top offensive option, yet he reportedly wanted to be treated like one — and get the touches of one. There were concerns he would be disruptive, something he (and the people around him) pushed back hard against.

The second issue was ‘Melo’s defense, which has gone from not good to dreadful. In an NBA where big men now have to cover more in space, Anthony has been exposed. And will be again.

Portland was in the right position to roll the dice on Anthony.

Portland has an elite backcourt led by Damian Lillard, who is averaging 30.5 points per game and carrying the offense. His backcourt partner CJ McCollum has struggled out of the gate, but Portland isn’t really worried about him finding his rhythm soon and getting back to being himself.

The frontcourt, however, has been a disaster. Jusuf Nurkic — their third-best player last season, and at points arguably their second-best — is out until likely after the All-Star break from a fractured leg that required surgery. The Blazers had hoped Zach Collins would take a step forward this season and fill that role both at the five and as a stretch four, but he is out four months following shoulder surgery. Pau Gasol was signed this summer but he has yet to step on the court and is battling a foot issue.

Hassan Whiteside was a big off-season signing, but he has played like he always has — sporadic effort and empty calorie stats. His inability to set a good pick has hurt the ability of Lillard and McCollum to find space. Beyond that, Anthony Tolliver and Skal Labissiere getting plenty of minutes.

In that context, adding Anthony to see if it can work out makes sense.

If not, the Blazers can just move on, but you know Anthony will be motivated to make this work.