Chicago 103, Atlanta 94 The most intriguing game of a rather uninspiring Tuesday night lot, and it still wasn't enough to convince me (the pie-eyed red and black optimist) that Chicago has an outside chance at the playoffs.
Chicago did play well, and though his shots weren't falling in the fourth quarter, Kirk Hinrich finally grabbed his team by the blankety-blanks when it counted the most. That's a significant improvement for a player who has moped the year away and likely cost Chicago a playoff berth more than any other rotation player.
Newish Bull Drew Gooden had a 20 and 10 game by halftime, finishing with 31 and 16 (Al Horford worked hard against the Chicago veteran, but Gooden was on and the Hawk rookie didn't have a chance). He was brilliant, and active, and had the sort of game that sort of unfolds slowly before you. I'm not sloughing off his energy level, which was through the roof, but everything came very slowly and easily for Gooden on Tuesday.
Luol Deng was all over the place in the second half, Joakim Noah was a fixture both in the paint and on the perimeter watching Josh Smith, and Ben Gordon was solid off the bench with 16 points on eight shots.
The Bulls are two games behind the eighth place Hawks, but ... eh, I'm not feeling it.
Orlando plays this sort of game against any other squad outside of the Lakers, and they win by 15 - even with Jameer Nelson (bruised jaw) and Hedo Turkoglu (sprained wrist) leaving the game for good in the first half.
The Magic worked its tail off, but San Antonio's ball movement was too good, Manu Ginobili was too potent offensively (he had the Magic scrambling all night), Tim Duncan was a game-changer defensively, and Michael Finley (24 points, most from the perimeter) had a game he's not likely to duplicate.
Just as it was down in Orlando, the Indiana Pacers deserve credit for staying with an obviously superior Western team until the final buzzer, incessantly trying to make more than a close game of things.
The issue is, the Hornets are too good. Chris Paul (31 points and 14 assists with one turnover, geesh) and David West (35 and 16 rebounds) had an answer for every Pacer run, and Indiana couldn't make up for the fact that the Hornets (who don't usually get to the line much) nailed 30-39 free throws.
Call me a party pooper, but I do not like the fact that Utah - given new life with a Dirk Nowitzki ankle injury that could keep him out for the rest of the year (I don't care what Marc Stein says, this is a high ankle sprain, not a normal sprain) - allowed a crummy Bobcats team to make half its shots and score 106 points in spite of 19 turnovers on Tuesday night.
Offensively, the Jazz were brilliant: 53.6 percent shooting, 31 assists on 45 field goals, free balloons for the kids. It's that other end that continues to bug me. Also, in my day, those damned kids had to work for their damn balloons.
Portland 102, Washington 82
The Wizards, playing a million miles from home, getting out-rebounded by 19, and taking in a combined 9-33 shooting night from Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, were lucky not to lose by 47 in this one.
Martell Webster - 23 points on 14 shots - had the sort of game he's going to have for twice a month for the rest of his career.
Dirk Nowitzki with the play-by-play call
For years, I've told anyone who would listen -- mom, grandpa, the guy at the concierge desk -- that Dirk Nowitzki is, by far, the funniest player in the NBA. (Sorry, Shaq.) The video of Dirk squashing a bug at the '06 Finals is still comedy gold, as is the footage of him dancing to the Stones. You can just tell he's a naturally funny dude. The latest proof: Nowitzki, mic'd up with a faulty ear-piece, on the FSN play-by-play call:
Yes, he yelled "short bus" after Corey Maggette's missed jumper. Yes he did.
(via Odenized)
BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: the Eddy Curry line vs. Zach Randolph, PG
Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.
Up next in West Region: No. 7 seed the Eddy Curry line vs. No. 10 seed Zach Randolph, point guard. Is it possible to win a poll with negative votes? Let's find out! A closer look at the nominees:
No. 7 Eddy Curry line: Yahoo! Sports' own Matt Buser established the 'Eddy Curry line' a few years back to shine a big fat spotlight on how truly anemic Curry's overall fantasy line is. The standard: a player must average more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined and have appeared in at least half of his team's games and averaged 25 minutes of burn. Two of this year's leaders: Zach Randolph (ha!) and -- surprise, surprise -- Eddy Curry.
No. 10 Zach Randolph, point guard: Worst. Basketball possession. Ever.
So, who/what makes it through to the second round? Yes, you have to pick one of them. Vote or eat.
Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting is open till Sunday.
BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Hubie Brown vs. Craig Sager
Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.
Our final battle in the difficult West Region: No. 2 seed Hubie Brown vs. No. 15 seed Craig Sager. Gimme me a mic check and take a closer look at the nominees:
No. 2 Hubie Brown: This is too easy, but ... You're Hubie Brown. You look scary in HD, but you're trying to win the Ball Don't Lie Bedlam tournament. You did some great coaching in the league, not to mention winning two Coach of the Year awards over 25 years apart. Now you've got the chance, thanks to your excellent work in the broadcast booth, to win this entire tournament. You know you're going to crush Sager because you've got nothing but upside.
No. 15 Craig Sager: In case you don't know, Sager works as a sideline reporter during TNT's Thursday night action. He wears hideous suits -- it's his shtick, you see! -- and is 6'4". (Seriously.) He also lays claim to fame for re-naming Yager-bomb shooters Sager-bombs.
So, who/what makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote or die.
Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.
Roy goes down but Blazers have enough vs. Wiz
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.
Adande: Webber's career full of promise and pain
How will Chris Webber be remembered? For his failures more than anything else, J.A. Adande writes.
BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Chris Bosh on YouTube vs. Ron Artest
Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.
Our next West Region match-up: No. 6 seed used-car salesman Chris Bosh vs. No. 11 seed Ron Artest. Tip some cows, swallow your crazy pills and take a closer look at the nominees:
No. 6 Chris Bosh on YouTube: Chris Bosh has range. From a Texas used-car dealer trying to win your All-Star votes to Blane Harrington, an Oxford-educated scholar, "lonelyBosh15" has truly taken the YouTubes by storm this season. Remember, a vote for Bosh is a vote for Bubba.
No. 11 Ron Artest: OK, so maybe Ron-Ron's not as crazy as he used to be. (Or maybe we all just got crazier? Hmm. Think about it.) But at least he's still good for a quote or ten. Artest, via the Sac Bee, immediately after the trade deadline: "[The Kings] were trying to bargain shop," he said. "They were trying to get government cheese, and I'm Kraft." Brilliant.
So, who makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote or die.
Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.
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