NBA schedule: Pacers stifle Rockets, Lakers rally past Wolves

Philadelphia’s win snaps a seven-game losing streak, all in Carter-Williams’ absence. Brooklyn had won four of its last six before its slip up Friday night.

What is there to say? The Heat are the two-time defending champions coasting through the regular season and the Kings are a helpless bottom-feeding Western Conference team who can’t seem to get out of its own way. Five players scored over 16 points for Miami and the team combined to shoot over 61 percent from the floor.

Sure, maybe this kid’s just looking at the Jumbotron and making goofy faces in reaction to something on screen.

Or maybe he’s just trying to cheer up Mike D’Antoni who’s in a seriously foul mood. And I get it. Sometimes you’re in a really bad mood and you just don’t want to be cheered up.

The Lakers led by as much as 11 points in the first quarter, but the Timberwolves closed the second quarter on a 20-7 run, taking a two-point lead heading into halftime. They shot just 38 percent from the floor, to no fault of Love. The versatile big man scored 20 points on 10 shots and collected seven rebounds in the first half, giving Minnesota a much needed boost in offense.

Los Angeles shot over 58 percent from the floor in the first 24 minutes, but couldn’t escape its own demise as it turned the ball over 13 times. Henry contributed three turnovers and Young, spelling the lead guard position, looked uncomfortable running the offense, turning the ball over five times in 14 first half minutes.

That’s a good ‘un, but I’m not sure Wade’s legs should be given such stress at this point in his career. Just a thought.

Anyway, I look forward to the day when one Heat player bursts out of another Heat player’s chest Alien-style, thereby ending the photobomb competition forever.

Too bad it was after the buzzer and it didn’t count for anything more than a post on this website and some thumbs-ups.

GIF via @danecarbaugh

The Rockets thrive off three-pointers, buckets at the rim and free throws, but failed to capitalize on those spots against a staunch Pacers defense. Houston shot just 52 percent in the paint and 18 percent (4-of-22) from long range. That Houston hit just 13 of 24 attempts from the stripe speaks to its poor shooting night.

Most of that -- aside from the poor free-throw line shooting -- can be attributed to Indiana’s defensive effort. The Pacers bring it on that end of the floor on a nightly basis and Friday was no different. They attacked Houston shooters on close outs and rotated on the backside, forcing the Rocket players into tough shots at the rim. On offense, Indiana looked stylistically like the Rockets, running out for 18 transition points.

via Danny Martinez (@DannyMartinez4)

Let this be a lesson to all the youngsters: Don’t try to take a charge on LeBron. Poor Sacramento, another first-round pick gone to the big draft in the clouds.

Johnson has appeared in all of Brooklyn’s games this season while his teammates struggle to stay on the floor. He is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16.5 points per game. Brooklyn has won four of its last six games to improve its record to 9-16.

• The Hook: Rookie coaches struggling at defense

Two of the NBA’s best big men clash Friday on ESPN when Roy Hibbert’s Indiana Pacers face Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets. The schedule includes eight other games, and ESPN’s late game will involve the Lakers potentially playing the Timberwolves without a single point guard on the roster and without Kobe Bryant.

7:30 p.m. ET