KeedaHoops: Lakers' winning, and more
Only three games across the association today, but plenty of rumours for your daily fix of the NBA.
Pau Gasol’s name has been bandied about in trade rumours for quite a while. It would be very difficult for the Lakers to get equal value for the talented big man though, and the smart thing to do, even according to Magic Johnson, is to wait for Nash and Gasol to come back and gel together. They have already jettisoned their coach, so losing the most versatile power forward in the league can’t help them. Other big men in trade talks include Anderson Varejao, the league leader in rebounds with 14.8, who also averages 14.3 points. The Cavs are headed in the right direction with Irving, but Varejao may want something quicker by the Utah Jazz. Those two players will be free agents in July and there’s a good chance they won’t resign. Besides, Enes Kanter and Derrick Favours are the long term investments of the Jazz, expect a movement of at least one of these players.
The New York Knicks are the surprise team of the season. Expected to be dysfunctional, they are instead 18-5 and have sparked off talks of the possibility of a 60 game win season. Things may be due for a change as Carmelo Anthony is sidelined with an ankle sprain which is listed as day-to-day and Amare is scheduled to come back. His comeback may even be addition by subtraction as the Knicks have been doing well without him.
Jose Calderon had a triple double with 18 points, 10 boards and 14 assists yesterday. It’s so cute when we celebrate triple doubles by players such as Calderon and Parker, when you compare it to Rajon Rondo and his habit of getting 15 points, 12 boards and 12 assists with nonchalant ease. The Spurs play the Thunder tomorrow and have a chance to end the Thunder’s win streak.
They beat the Wizards and the Sixers. Whoop de doo! Meanwhile the Clippers are on a 9 game win streak and the Thunder are on a 10 game win streak. The Lakers’ win streak is being talked about because it comes on the heels of a 4 game losing streak. It’s not as if the Lakers are playing exceptional defense during this win streak either. The Wizards scored 96 and the Sixers got 98 in their losses vs the Lakers. Kobe paced the Lakers with 34 points and 6 assists. Impressively, as Chris Duhon passed up a three which resulted in a shot clock violation, Kobe patted his head and pounded his chest to encourage Duhon to take the shot. After the timeout, Duhon hit two threes in a row.
Dwight Howard also did his bit with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Their 3 point shooting helped them win this one as they went 14-34 from 3 point range. Metta World Peace hit 3-4 of his 3s and finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds. The three unsung Lakers, Chris Duhon, Jodie Meeks and Darius Morris had 14, 12 and 15 points each.
Yes, Steve Nash can’t come back soon enough. But the Lakers have at least got the losing streak off their back.
The leading candidate for rookie of the year, Damien Lillard, hit a three with 0.3 seconds left in the game to help the Portland Trailblazers defeat the New Orleans Hornets 95-94. He didn’t have a good shooting night as he finished with 5-14 shooting, but he redeemed himself with the game winning three pointer to cap off a 16 point performance.
Here’s the winner:
Here are the scores of the day:
Lakers 111-98 Sixers
Nuggets 122-97 Kings
Hornets 94-95 Trailblazers
Here are the highlights of the day’s action: