Beard Gang: The Los Angeles Clippers could have won to tie their franchise for most wins in a season, but instead the Dallas Mavericks move to only one game behind the Lakers for the 8th spot in the Western Conference and just one win short of reaching the .500 mark to shave off those glorious beards that should really be kept. I mean why shave it if it has gotten this far. Anyway, Dirk Nowitzki passed Patrick Ewing for the 17th on the NBA all time scoring list with 33 points (12 of 21) and 9 rebounds in the overtime win. The Mavericks bench was huge in this outscoring the Clippers’ second unit 40 to 28. With the game down to the wire, the Clippers had only one person to go to, and Chris Paul delivered, scoring the 10 of his total 33 points (on 12 of 15 shooting) in 4th quarter (keep in mind that those 10 points were the Clippers’ last 10) to give his team a 2 point lead with 5 seconds remaining. But O.J. Mayo had to step in to make things more fun, hitting a tough left handed lay up to force overtime, where Dirk would take over and lead his team to victory.
O.J. MayNO.
Green Light: In a game where both teams were without their main defensive piece to clog up the middle, Boston without Kevin Garnett and New York without Tyson Chandler, this contest turned into an offensive exhibition, well, at least it was for one team. Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith combined for 61 percent of the entire Knicks offense. Melo went off for 29 points on 30 shots and 8 rebounds, while J.R. Smith bombed atomically (I don’t think I am using this right) off the bench for 32 points (13 of 24) and 7 boards to become first player in this season to have three 30 point games off the bench. Jeff Green led all Celtics with 19 points on 6 of 14 shooting, 10 rebounds and 6 dimes. Boston have now lost 5 straight, and for the first time since 2003-04′, have allowed two New York wins in Boston in the same season. The Knicks, on the other hand, are rolling, winning all 5 of their last 5 games.
The Pack: The Minnesota Timberwolves won their first back to back on the road this season, in the victory over the Detorit Pistons. The Wolves, who have struggled mightily from just about everywhere on the floor, specifically from the behind the three point line, shot 54 percent in the Palace of Auburn Hills. To make things even weirder, Minnesota held the Pistons to rather low 41 percent from the field and with the exception of three players, no one in a Pistons uniforms registered in double figures or even broke 9 points. Nikola Pekovic led the pack with 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting and 11 boards. Tiny Puerto Rican man, J.J. Barea came off the bench for a game-high 21 points on 11 shots.
Did Ricky just throw a normal pass, wait, what?
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