Blake Griffin went off on the Pacers, Kevin Garnett made an impact in his first game back from injury, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were too composed for the Thunder, Amar’e Stoudemire’s 41 points wasn’t enough to carry the Knicks to victory over his former team and Lou Williams saves the 76ers.
Kobe Bryant, Lakers Hold Off Russell Westbrook, Thunder, 101-94
There’s nothing like a rematch with the Oklahoma City Thunder to get the Los Angeles Lakers locked in. In a game that honestly looked like it could have occurred in the next decade with all the athletic plays on both ends, the Lakers broke ahead with a third-quarter surge and did enough to hold off the Thunder each time they rallied, eventually winning 101-94.
Kobe Bryant had just 21 points, but it was the kind of game the Lakers need from him going forward. He attacked Thabo Sefolosha off the dribble, not letting him use his length to contest his jump shots. In the process, we learned he could still do this.
Read Article >Kevin Garnett Returns From Injury To Lead Celtics To 109-106 Win Over Magic
The Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 109-106, but neither team should be upset at the result. This was truly a playoff preview, with both teams bringing it down the stretch. Boston was just a couple big plays better.
The first was when Paul Pierce got a three-point play to give the Celtics a three-point lead. Pierce dribbled to his customary spot on the elbow, stepped back, pump faked and got Jason Richardson in the air to draw the foul. The added bonus was that he hit the shot anyway. Then, on the ensuing Orlando possession, Kevin Garnett made this steal on Jameer Nelson after an offensive rebound.
Read Article >Amar’e Stoudemire, Knicks Upstaged By Suns In 129-121 Loss
Amar’e Stoudemire won his individual battle with Steve Nash, but his team lost the war. Despite 41 points from Amar’e, the Knicks fell 129-121 to the Suns at Madison Square Garden, as Nash’s teammates picked up more of the slack.
The ringleader was Vince Carter. In a touch of irony, Carter went over the 20,000-point mark in a game where he was actually locked in. He scored 29 points and snared 12 rebounds, including five huge points to hold off the Knicks down the stretch. Grant Hill added 25 points, and one-time Knick Channing Frye got some vengeance on his former team with 18 points, including a huge three-pointer to put the Suns up 119-110.
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