The new year dawns upon us with greater joy and hope. Hopefully, this will bring an ultra competitive sense upon all the teams and make this season a memorable one. Lets us move on to the games.
Chicago Bulls(12-17) @ Detriot Pistons(11-20):-
Bulls will win. Bulls have been playing better in the last six games, and Tyrus Thomas' return had indeed boosted their defense and their energy levels. Derrick Rose is playing like he is supposed to and Bulls are sticking together. Pistons, on the other hand, have lost 8 straight. Return of Rip Hamiltion, Prince and Ben Gordon, have not improved them much. They have to play Charlie V more, if Detriot wants to improve.
Dallas Mavericks(22-9) @ Houston Rockets(19-13):-
Mavericks will win. Houston is a very good blue collar team and they ride on their home crowd. But Mavs are too deep, with Drew Gooden being back.
Miami Heat(16-13) @ San Antonio(18-11):-
Spurs will win. Spurs are bonding now and with a healthy Ginobli, they cause a lot of matchup problems. Miami is coming off a loss to Hornets. Miami has always struggled at San Antonio. Wade needs to be Wade of 08-09 season, if Miami has any chance of winning.
Utah Jazz(18-13) @ Oklahoma City Thunder(17-14):-
Thunder will win. Although have a perennial All-star in Williams, Jazz are a terrible road team. They are coming off a hard fought road win over the lowly TWolves. OKC are riding on a five game winning streak and Durant is playing like an All-star. Jazz can not defend the perimeter game of OKC and Durant will have a field day.
Philadelphia 76ers(9-22) @ Los Angeles Clippers(13-18):-
76ers will win. Philly has already proved me wrong twice. Hopefully they prove me right this time. 76ers are riding a two game winning streak, on the road, and will look to closeout their road trip on a high. Their backcourt of Iverson and Lou Williams is lightining quick. Elton Brand is playing very well off the bench and will look to dominated his old team. Clippers are coming off a loss at Portland. Clippers do not play team ball and they jack up a lot of contested shots. This will be a hard fought match.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Comments on results for 30th Dec 2009
What a game between Cavs and Hawks? Surely Hawks lost, but they showed a great spirit. And the King pleased his courtship on his birthday with a sizzling performance.
Boston is struggling right now with injuries. And suns proved me wrong again. There are for real.
Portland continue to shine through injury. LaMarcus Alridge injured his ankle and Portland still wins. Those rip city kids have a lot of heart.
Philly win in Sacramento was sweet. The two point guard lineup of Philly was too fast for the long backcourt of Kings, to handle.
Perhaps the most surprising win of the day was by Nets. Nets ended their year on a positive note with a victory. Nets are finally healthy. With Yi, CDR and Dooling back, they played a very good basketball game against Knicks. Things are looking bright for the Nets on the offensive end with Yi flourishing.
Boston is struggling right now with injuries. And suns proved me wrong again. There are for real.
Portland continue to shine through injury. LaMarcus Alridge injured his ankle and Portland still wins. Those rip city kids have a lot of heart.
Philly win in Sacramento was sweet. The two point guard lineup of Philly was too fast for the long backcourt of Kings, to handle.
Perhaps the most surprising win of the day was by Nets. Nets ended their year on a positive note with a victory. Nets are finally healthy. With Yi, CDR and Dooling back, they played a very good basketball game against Knicks. Things are looking bright for the Nets on the offensive end with Yi flourishing.
Predictions for 30th Dec 2009
10 Game night and mostly battle of equals. Lets dig in. Please leave comments
Atlanta Hawks(21-9) @ Cleveland Cavaliers(25-8):-
Cavs will win again. Second game of home-and-home series. Hawks lost the first one and desperate to win this game, to show what they are made of. But Cavs are on a mission too, and with LeBron leading the way, their spirit is indomitable. So, cant Hawks win today? They can. They have to keep the game close until fourth quarter. Then Mike woodson will be well adviced to move Joe Johnson to SF and make LeBron guard him. That will wear down LeBron(and Joe), but Crawford at two guard, can pick up the scoring. This forces Mo to take up more scoring and if he scores again, then hats off to Cavs. But this is a gamble that Mike Woodson should take if Hawks want to beat Cavs.
Memphis Grizzlies(14-16) @ Indiana Pacers(9-21):-
Grizzlies will win. Grizzlies are hot, but bad on the road. Zach Randolph is on a tear. There is nothing much to say about Indiana, without Granger. One guy who could have shifted the balance on to Indiana is Troy Murphy. Memphis doesnt have anyone who could guard Troy's three point range. But Indiana will be without Troy Murphy and Danny Granger. Memphis coud be without Rudy Gay. But Memphis will pull out a victory and sweep the season series against Indiana.
Milwaukee Bucks(12-17) @ Orlando Magic(22-8):-
Magic will win. Orlando has 15-1 record against the sub .500 teams, this year. Orlando is too deep for Bucks to handle. Michael Redd is not in his prime shooting form. Without him playing well, Bucks are in for an ambush.
Charlotte Bobcats(12-17) @ Toronto Raptors(15-17):-
Raptors will win. Bobcats destroyed Raptors in their last meeting in Charlotte, winning by 35 points (116-81). But Bobcats have a dismal 1-13 road record. Raptors feed off their home crowd. Wallace will have his hands full, guarding Hedo. So that leaves Bosh unguardable. Bosh is too quick for Bobcats front line to handle.
New York Knicks(12-19) @ New Jersey Nets(2-29):-
Knicks will win. News of this season is New York Knicks are playing defense. Or may be their opponents are shooting a bad percentage. Either way, Knicks have found a way to stay in the race of playoff. And they will look to add to New Jersey's season woes. Nets are the worst team and may very well tie the NBA record for fewest wins in a season. But Yi Jianlian is back and playing very well. He could be the difference tonight. Whoever wins the matchup between Yi and Gallinari, could decide the result of the win. You cant blame me to go against a dismal 2-29 Nets.
Utah Jazz(17-13) @ Minnesota Timberwolves(7-25):-
Jazz will win. Every team has their nemesis. Twolves have been Jazz' nemesis this season. Twolves are 2-0 against jazz this season and are averaging 109 points against Jazz. Jazz doesnt seem to be able to stop the front line or the guards of the Twolves. Jazz is seeking a revenge and Deron always dominates smaller guards. Jazz will win this comfortably.
Miami Heat(16-12) @ New Orleans Hornets(13-16):-
Hornets will win. Although Miami seems to be in good form, Hornets are a tough matchup for Heat. Hornets also play very well at home. But Hornets are playing back-to-back and could affect them. I am going with my gut feeling that Hornets will somehow pull this out.
Boston Celtics(23-7) @ Phoenix Suns(20-12):-
Boston will win. Best Game of the day. Celtics are on a two game losing streak. Suns are comig off a huge home win against Lakers. Suns are tough to beat on their home turf. But Celtics are raring to get back on the winning track. Without Paul Pierce, their wing position depends entirely on Allen. Boston also is looking for revenge against Phoenix, who defeated them 110-103 on Nov 6. This game means so much for Boston and they will pull out a win.
Los Angeles Clippers(13-17) @ Portland Trail Blazers(20-13):-
Portland will win. Clippers stunned Boston on Sunday and Portland was beaten at home by lowly 76ers. Baron Davis controlled the Boston game with 24 points and 13 assists and the game winner. Chris Kaman has also been playing really well. Marcus Camby could miss this game. Clippers front line could be too big for Portland to handle, but Clippers are not a front line oriented team. Brandon Roy has been playing like an All-star for the Trailblazers and they will look to bounce back from the loss to 76ers. Easy win for Portland.
Philadelphia 76ers(8-22) @ Sacramento Kings(14-16):-
Kings will win. Both the teams are coming off strong wins over playoff teams. 76ers are on the end of their long road trip and will be looking to sign off in style. Arco arena is regaining its aura, with their team performing very well at home. Tyreke Evans could be back for this game. If 76ers would go down low to Brand everytime, they could win this game. But, arco's aura will sustain tonight.
Atlanta Hawks(21-9) @ Cleveland Cavaliers(25-8):-
Cavs will win again. Second game of home-and-home series. Hawks lost the first one and desperate to win this game, to show what they are made of. But Cavs are on a mission too, and with LeBron leading the way, their spirit is indomitable. So, cant Hawks win today? They can. They have to keep the game close until fourth quarter. Then Mike woodson will be well adviced to move Joe Johnson to SF and make LeBron guard him. That will wear down LeBron(and Joe), but Crawford at two guard, can pick up the scoring. This forces Mo to take up more scoring and if he scores again, then hats off to Cavs. But this is a gamble that Mike Woodson should take if Hawks want to beat Cavs.
Memphis Grizzlies(14-16) @ Indiana Pacers(9-21):-
Grizzlies will win. Grizzlies are hot, but bad on the road. Zach Randolph is on a tear. There is nothing much to say about Indiana, without Granger. One guy who could have shifted the balance on to Indiana is Troy Murphy. Memphis doesnt have anyone who could guard Troy's three point range. But Indiana will be without Troy Murphy and Danny Granger. Memphis coud be without Rudy Gay. But Memphis will pull out a victory and sweep the season series against Indiana.
Milwaukee Bucks(12-17) @ Orlando Magic(22-8):-
Magic will win. Orlando has 15-1 record against the sub .500 teams, this year. Orlando is too deep for Bucks to handle. Michael Redd is not in his prime shooting form. Without him playing well, Bucks are in for an ambush.
Charlotte Bobcats(12-17) @ Toronto Raptors(15-17):-
Raptors will win. Bobcats destroyed Raptors in their last meeting in Charlotte, winning by 35 points (116-81). But Bobcats have a dismal 1-13 road record. Raptors feed off their home crowd. Wallace will have his hands full, guarding Hedo. So that leaves Bosh unguardable. Bosh is too quick for Bobcats front line to handle.
New York Knicks(12-19) @ New Jersey Nets(2-29):-
Knicks will win. News of this season is New York Knicks are playing defense. Or may be their opponents are shooting a bad percentage. Either way, Knicks have found a way to stay in the race of playoff. And they will look to add to New Jersey's season woes. Nets are the worst team and may very well tie the NBA record for fewest wins in a season. But Yi Jianlian is back and playing very well. He could be the difference tonight. Whoever wins the matchup between Yi and Gallinari, could decide the result of the win. You cant blame me to go against a dismal 2-29 Nets.
Utah Jazz(17-13) @ Minnesota Timberwolves(7-25):-
Jazz will win. Every team has their nemesis. Twolves have been Jazz' nemesis this season. Twolves are 2-0 against jazz this season and are averaging 109 points against Jazz. Jazz doesnt seem to be able to stop the front line or the guards of the Twolves. Jazz is seeking a revenge and Deron always dominates smaller guards. Jazz will win this comfortably.
Miami Heat(16-12) @ New Orleans Hornets(13-16):-
Hornets will win. Although Miami seems to be in good form, Hornets are a tough matchup for Heat. Hornets also play very well at home. But Hornets are playing back-to-back and could affect them. I am going with my gut feeling that Hornets will somehow pull this out.
Boston Celtics(23-7) @ Phoenix Suns(20-12):-
Boston will win. Best Game of the day. Celtics are on a two game losing streak. Suns are comig off a huge home win against Lakers. Suns are tough to beat on their home turf. But Celtics are raring to get back on the winning track. Without Paul Pierce, their wing position depends entirely on Allen. Boston also is looking for revenge against Phoenix, who defeated them 110-103 on Nov 6. This game means so much for Boston and they will pull out a win.
Los Angeles Clippers(13-17) @ Portland Trail Blazers(20-13):-
Portland will win. Clippers stunned Boston on Sunday and Portland was beaten at home by lowly 76ers. Baron Davis controlled the Boston game with 24 points and 13 assists and the game winner. Chris Kaman has also been playing really well. Marcus Camby could miss this game. Clippers front line could be too big for Portland to handle, but Clippers are not a front line oriented team. Brandon Roy has been playing like an All-star for the Trailblazers and they will look to bounce back from the loss to 76ers. Easy win for Portland.
Philadelphia 76ers(8-22) @ Sacramento Kings(14-16):-
Kings will win. Both the teams are coming off strong wins over playoff teams. 76ers are on the end of their long road trip and will be looking to sign off in style. Arco arena is regaining its aura, with their team performing very well at home. Tyreke Evans could be back for this game. If 76ers would go down low to Brand everytime, they could win this game. But, arco's aura will sustain tonight.
Comments on 29th Dec results
I was not much surprised by Knicks beating the pistons. When I noticed the Detriot bench, everyone was laughing while their behind was getting kicked by Knicks. It was pathetic to see that in such a proud pistons organization. Joe Dumars must feel sick seeing this attitude. I am not sure why Villanueva is not playing much. He was preferred by Dumars, over boozer, during the off season and he gets 12 minutes. You could have had a career night against Knick's front line. Anyways, Knicks are playing well with a 8 man rotation.
OKC win over Wizards was very surprising. Durant had a monster game. Clearly, Flip Saunders experiment is not working. Either they have to fire him or change team personnel. This team has no identity or heart.
Great performance, by the way, by Golden state warriors @ hollywood. They fought hard and hats off to them. Lakers are still not clicking with their bench and that could hurt them as the season rolls. Turiaf block on Kobe was the highlight of the day. Turiaf knows no fear. He had 5 blockshots against his former team.
OKC win over Wizards was very surprising. Durant had a monster game. Clearly, Flip Saunders experiment is not working. Either they have to fire him or change team personnel. This team has no identity or heart.
Great performance, by the way, by Golden state warriors @ hollywood. They fought hard and hats off to them. Lakers are still not clicking with their bench and that could hurt them as the season rolls. Turiaf block on Kobe was the highlight of the day. Turiaf knows no fear. He had 5 blockshots against his former team.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Predictions for 29th Dec 2009
Cleveland Cavaliers(24-8) @ Atlanta Hawks(21-8):-
Cavs will win. Tough match to predict. Cavs are on a mission oflate. Hawks are too strong at home. Both are top tier teams in the east. This is a home-and-home series and this might create complacency in the road teams mind. But Cavs are out to prove something. Mo Williams is on a tear and Cavs bench is very solid. And, LeBron is being LeBron. He might take it up a notch this game. Hawks on the other hand has Johnson and Crawford. Other than that, Cavs match up very well with Hawks. Atlanta's staple is fast break and Cavs defend the fast break very well. On the half court set, Johnson will be guarded by two very good defenders in Moon and Parker. Hawks are undersized to guard the cavs's big men... and the king. This will be a statement game for Cavs
Oklahoma City Thunder(16-14) @ Washington Wizards(10-19):-
Wizards will win. Another tough match to predict. OKC is playing better with 8-7 road record, but wizards are a good team, that is not clicked. Wizards got bullied in Memphis but Z-Bo, but Thunder doesn’t have such a big man. Thunder will be defended very well by Butler and McGuire. This will be a close match with wizards pulling out a win. Jamison will have a big game.
New York Knicks(11-19) @ Detroit Pistons(11-19):-
Pistons will win. Another match of equals. Both have identical records. But Pistons are stronger at home. Plus they have all of their stars back. That is too much fire power for the Knicks to handle. Harrington and Gallinari will be negated by the pistons counter part. The strong guard line of Pistons will bully the Knicks and pull out an easy win.
Indiana Pacers(9-20) @ Chicago Bulls(11-17):-
Bulls will win. Bulls have Thomas back and that strengthens their defense. Pacers have lost six games in a row. Pacers without Granger are not much to talk about.
New Orleans Hornets(13-15) @ Houston Rockets(18-13):-
Houston will win. Hornets are a terrible road team this season. Paul is definitely not 100%. Without Paul, Hornets can’t win on the road since west and okafor needs Paul. Both the teams’ matchup well on the front line. But Houston guards will be too fast for Paul, since CP3 is playing on one leg.
Minnesota Timberwolves(7-24) @ San Antonio Spurs(17-11):-
Spurs will win easily. Minnesota is not a good road team and spurs are too experienced for Twolves to handle. Interesting matchup would be between Blair and Love - both rebounding machines.
Golden State Warriors(9-21) @ Los Angeles Lakers(24-6):-
Lakers will destroy Warriors. Oh man! I don’t want to be a Warriors fan tonight. Lakers have something to prove now that they have lost 2 out of 3 games. Warriors are a happy bunch with a win over Boston, but they are a terrible road team. Lakers front line will make a living on the inside tonight, and Gasol will have a big night.
Leave your predictions in the comments section.
Cavs will win. Tough match to predict. Cavs are on a mission oflate. Hawks are too strong at home. Both are top tier teams in the east. This is a home-and-home series and this might create complacency in the road teams mind. But Cavs are out to prove something. Mo Williams is on a tear and Cavs bench is very solid. And, LeBron is being LeBron. He might take it up a notch this game. Hawks on the other hand has Johnson and Crawford. Other than that, Cavs match up very well with Hawks. Atlanta's staple is fast break and Cavs defend the fast break very well. On the half court set, Johnson will be guarded by two very good defenders in Moon and Parker. Hawks are undersized to guard the cavs's big men... and the king. This will be a statement game for Cavs
Oklahoma City Thunder(16-14) @ Washington Wizards(10-19):-
Wizards will win. Another tough match to predict. OKC is playing better with 8-7 road record, but wizards are a good team, that is not clicked. Wizards got bullied in Memphis but Z-Bo, but Thunder doesn’t have such a big man. Thunder will be defended very well by Butler and McGuire. This will be a close match with wizards pulling out a win. Jamison will have a big game.
New York Knicks(11-19) @ Detroit Pistons(11-19):-
Pistons will win. Another match of equals. Both have identical records. But Pistons are stronger at home. Plus they have all of their stars back. That is too much fire power for the Knicks to handle. Harrington and Gallinari will be negated by the pistons counter part. The strong guard line of Pistons will bully the Knicks and pull out an easy win.
Indiana Pacers(9-20) @ Chicago Bulls(11-17):-
Bulls will win. Bulls have Thomas back and that strengthens their defense. Pacers have lost six games in a row. Pacers without Granger are not much to talk about.
New Orleans Hornets(13-15) @ Houston Rockets(18-13):-
Houston will win. Hornets are a terrible road team this season. Paul is definitely not 100%. Without Paul, Hornets can’t win on the road since west and okafor needs Paul. Both the teams’ matchup well on the front line. But Houston guards will be too fast for Paul, since CP3 is playing on one leg.
Minnesota Timberwolves(7-24) @ San Antonio Spurs(17-11):-
Spurs will win easily. Minnesota is not a good road team and spurs are too experienced for Twolves to handle. Interesting matchup would be between Blair and Love - both rebounding machines.
Golden State Warriors(9-21) @ Los Angeles Lakers(24-6):-
Lakers will destroy Warriors. Oh man! I don’t want to be a Warriors fan tonight. Lakers have something to prove now that they have lost 2 out of 3 games. Warriors are a happy bunch with a win over Boston, but they are a terrible road team. Lakers front line will make a living on the inside tonight, and Gasol will have a big night.
Leave your predictions in the comments section.
Surprises on 28th Dec 2009
Before Predicting for 29th, thought on the upset wins yesterday. I will not call warriors win over celtics as upset, because I called it already. Celtics were undermanned and were playing back to back. They fizzled out after the first quarter.
Suns win over Lakers was bit unexpected but proves a fact that Suns are for real. Suns bench is a blue collar bench and they bring it everynight. Good job Suns.
Kings wins over nuggets was pretty good considering Tyerek Evans was not playing. But Chancey was also out for nuggets. Without him, nuggets are not an elite team. They take bad shots and have no responsibility. Its party time again in Sak-town. Kings have rekindled the hope for future.
76ers win over portland was the most unexpected. Portland is very good at home. 76ers were at the end of a long road trip. They must be tired right? Wrong. They came out with their guns blazing in the second half. Elton brand had a great game with 11-16 shooting. 76ers big men showed the inadequency in Portland's interior (Oden, Przybilla - injured) and destroyed them from inside. This was a facile win for 76ers, who are one of the underachieving team of this year. Note on Dalemburt : he loves to play with AI. He always plays well when AI is around. May be the kid looks up to AI. Well played 76ers. They have a serious chance of getting a win in Denver, if Chancey doesnt suit up.
Suns win over Lakers was bit unexpected but proves a fact that Suns are for real. Suns bench is a blue collar bench and they bring it everynight. Good job Suns.
Kings wins over nuggets was pretty good considering Tyerek Evans was not playing. But Chancey was also out for nuggets. Without him, nuggets are not an elite team. They take bad shots and have no responsibility. Its party time again in Sak-town. Kings have rekindled the hope for future.
76ers win over portland was the most unexpected. Portland is very good at home. 76ers were at the end of a long road trip. They must be tired right? Wrong. They came out with their guns blazing in the second half. Elton brand had a great game with 11-16 shooting. 76ers big men showed the inadequency in Portland's interior (Oden, Przybilla - injured) and destroyed them from inside. This was a facile win for 76ers, who are one of the underachieving team of this year. Note on Dalemburt : he loves to play with AI. He always plays well when AI is around. May be the kid looks up to AI. Well played 76ers. They have a serious chance of getting a win in Denver, if Chancey doesnt suit up.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Predictions for 28th Dec 2009
Milwaukee Bucks(12-16) @ Charlotte Bobcats(11-17):-
Bobcats will win. G-force and Captain Jack are becoming a formidable duo, especially at home. Although Bucks have dominated Bobcats, its home sweet home for Bobcats. Plus the absence of Chandler actually helps Bobcats.
Oklahoma City Thunder(15-14) @ New Jersey Nets(2-28):-
OKC will win handily. Durant is on a tear. They have a defensive oriented front line. Nets have nothing going on.
Washington Wizards(10-18) @ Memphis Grizzlies(13-16):-
Memphis will win. This will be a tough match. Memphis is playing well right now, and Randolph is a monster that Wizards front line can not handle. Arenas will explode but Memphis will pull off a win.
Los Angeles Lakers(24-5) @ Phoenix Suns(19-12):-
Lakers will win. Phoenix has been playing well at home. But Lakers have a superior advantage on every position matchup. Plus Amare tends to struggle against length.
Philadelphia 76ers(7-22) @ Portland Trail Blazers(20-12):-
Portland will win. 76ers can not defend the supremely talented wing positions of Portland. Easy win for Potland.
Denver Nuggets(20-10) @ Sacramento Kings(13-16):-
Denver will win. Sacramento has been playing well. But they dont have a shooting game and Denver's interior defense is very good. Plus they can not guard Carmelo.
Boston Celtics(23-5) @ Goldenstate Warriors(8-21):-
Warriors might pull of a upset. Warriors play well at home and Celtics might let one go because of complanency. Warriors matchup better with celtics and celtics are undermanned to play the running game.
And as usual, Challenge me and leave your predictions.
Bobcats will win. G-force and Captain Jack are becoming a formidable duo, especially at home. Although Bucks have dominated Bobcats, its home sweet home for Bobcats. Plus the absence of Chandler actually helps Bobcats.
Oklahoma City Thunder(15-14) @ New Jersey Nets(2-28):-
OKC will win handily. Durant is on a tear. They have a defensive oriented front line. Nets have nothing going on.
Washington Wizards(10-18) @ Memphis Grizzlies(13-16):-
Memphis will win. This will be a tough match. Memphis is playing well right now, and Randolph is a monster that Wizards front line can not handle. Arenas will explode but Memphis will pull off a win.
Los Angeles Lakers(24-5) @ Phoenix Suns(19-12):-
Lakers will win. Phoenix has been playing well at home. But Lakers have a superior advantage on every position matchup. Plus Amare tends to struggle against length.
Philadelphia 76ers(7-22) @ Portland Trail Blazers(20-12):-
Portland will win. 76ers can not defend the supremely talented wing positions of Portland. Easy win for Potland.
Denver Nuggets(20-10) @ Sacramento Kings(13-16):-
Denver will win. Sacramento has been playing well. But they dont have a shooting game and Denver's interior defense is very good. Plus they can not guard Carmelo.
Boston Celtics(23-5) @ Goldenstate Warriors(8-21):-
Warriors might pull of a upset. Warriors play well at home and Celtics might let one go because of complanency. Warriors matchup better with celtics and celtics are undermanned to play the running game.
And as usual, Challenge me and leave your predictions.
Friday, December 25, 2009
25 Dec 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers @ Los Angeles Lakers
25 Dec 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers @ Los Angeles Lakers
Cleveland Cavaliers 102
Los Angeles Lakers 77
All of King’s men dominated the defending NBA Champions at their staples and ended by being the winners of the Christmas day Marquee battle between the present and future NBA superstars. The game itself was marred by booing and bad behavior on the part of the fans in the stands. After the game’s otucome was well decided, Lakers fans started throwing giveaway foam hands on to the court, indicating their displeasure on the performance of their team.
But nothing must be taken away in the way in which Cavaliers dominated the defending champs and made them look mortals. Cavs were playing their fourth game in this current road trip, but looked to have more energy, as they dominated the paint, which is normally a staple for the lengthy Lakers frontcourt.
Lakers started off strong but when Ilgauskas came into the game, to play alongside O’Neal, Lakers front court disappeared. The two big 7 footers completely neutralized Gasol and Bynum’s length and they changed a number of shots in the paint. As a result, the Lakers shot a paltry 36.5% from the field. Varejao provided the spark in the second quarter, and Mo Williams ensured that there will be no slippage.
Lakers were also frustrated with no-calls on their end. Bryant, Fisher, Odom were called for Technical fouls and Odom was tossed out when he got his second technical arguing with Varejao. The game got a little testy at times and was very physical. Phil Jackson was clearly unhappy with the officiating, although he declined to pinpoint the issue.
Lakers were lead by Bryant who had 35 points. Pau Gasol had a sub-par game with 11 points and 6 rebounds. Meanwhile Cavs were lead by Mo Williams who had 28 points. LeBron had 26 points and 9 rebounds and battled all day with the physical Ron Artest. Ron Artest fouled out of the game.
Note: One of the fan throw a water bottle on to the floor and was escorted out by the security. Cavs ended the Lakers 11 game home winning streak. Cavs Bench outscored the Lakers bench, 31-17.
Box Score
Courtesy NBA.com
Cleveland Cavaliers 102
Los Angeles Lakers 77
All of King’s men dominated the defending NBA Champions at their staples and ended by being the winners of the Christmas day Marquee battle between the present and future NBA superstars. The game itself was marred by booing and bad behavior on the part of the fans in the stands. After the game’s otucome was well decided, Lakers fans started throwing giveaway foam hands on to the court, indicating their displeasure on the performance of their team.
But nothing must be taken away in the way in which Cavaliers dominated the defending champs and made them look mortals. Cavs were playing their fourth game in this current road trip, but looked to have more energy, as they dominated the paint, which is normally a staple for the lengthy Lakers frontcourt.
Lakers started off strong but when Ilgauskas came into the game, to play alongside O’Neal, Lakers front court disappeared. The two big 7 footers completely neutralized Gasol and Bynum’s length and they changed a number of shots in the paint. As a result, the Lakers shot a paltry 36.5% from the field. Varejao provided the spark in the second quarter, and Mo Williams ensured that there will be no slippage.
Lakers were also frustrated with no-calls on their end. Bryant, Fisher, Odom were called for Technical fouls and Odom was tossed out when he got his second technical arguing with Varejao. The game got a little testy at times and was very physical. Phil Jackson was clearly unhappy with the officiating, although he declined to pinpoint the issue.
Lakers were lead by Bryant who had 35 points. Pau Gasol had a sub-par game with 11 points and 6 rebounds. Meanwhile Cavs were lead by Mo Williams who had 28 points. LeBron had 26 points and 9 rebounds and battled all day with the physical Ron Artest. Ron Artest fouled out of the game.
Note: One of the fan throw a water bottle on to the floor and was escorted out by the security. Cavs ended the Lakers 11 game home winning streak. Cavs Bench outscored the Lakers bench, 31-17.
Box Score
Courtesy NBA.com
25 Dec 2009 Boston Celtics @ Orlando Magic
Boston Celtics 86
Orlando Magic 77
Boston Celtics keeps proving why they are the team to beat in the East. Short handed, they still held the explosive Magic to just 77 points, while cruising to a win over its Eastern conference rival. Both the teams meet in last year’s Eastern conference semi final, which Orlando ended up winning in 7 games.
Celtics were lead by a balanced scoring with Ray Allen scoring 18. Rondo had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Vince Carter scored 27 for Orlando, and Howard added 20 boards and 4 blocks.
Orlando started off well and went into lead, but the pace of the game slowed down and played right into Celtics’ style. Celtics dominated the second quarter and took a 11 point lead into half. Orlando was never able to recover from their second quarter, where they scored just 8 points. Magic matched their franchise low for first half points with 27, set on Jan 24 2005 at Houston.
It was a grind out victory for Celtics, and a frustrating Christmas for Magic. Magic had 18 turnovers to Celtics 20 but were out-rebounded 48-43.
Both the Eastern conference contenders had a off day with Celtics shooting 42.7%, while Magic shot a dismal 33.3% from the floor. Celtics were able to deny Howard from getting the ball, who took just 7 shots while making one and had 7 turnovers.
Note: Celtics were without their star forward, Paul Pierce, who was out due to a knee infection. Tony Allen, starting for the first time this season, scored 16 points.
Box Score
Courtesy NBA.com
Orlando Magic 77
Boston Celtics keeps proving why they are the team to beat in the East. Short handed, they still held the explosive Magic to just 77 points, while cruising to a win over its Eastern conference rival. Both the teams meet in last year’s Eastern conference semi final, which Orlando ended up winning in 7 games.
Celtics were lead by a balanced scoring with Ray Allen scoring 18. Rondo had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Vince Carter scored 27 for Orlando, and Howard added 20 boards and 4 blocks.
Orlando started off well and went into lead, but the pace of the game slowed down and played right into Celtics’ style. Celtics dominated the second quarter and took a 11 point lead into half. Orlando was never able to recover from their second quarter, where they scored just 8 points. Magic matched their franchise low for first half points with 27, set on Jan 24 2005 at Houston.
It was a grind out victory for Celtics, and a frustrating Christmas for Magic. Magic had 18 turnovers to Celtics 20 but were out-rebounded 48-43.
Both the Eastern conference contenders had a off day with Celtics shooting 42.7%, while Magic shot a dismal 33.3% from the floor. Celtics were able to deny Howard from getting the ball, who took just 7 shots while making one and had 7 turnovers.
Note: Celtics were without their star forward, Paul Pierce, who was out due to a knee infection. Tony Allen, starting for the first time this season, scored 16 points.
Box Score
Courtesy NBA.com
25 Dec 2009 Miami Heat @ New York Knicks
Miami Heat 93
New York Knicks 87
A game that looked like a mismatch on the paper, turned out to be pretty close. If Knicks were able to hit their open jumpers, this game would have been even closer. Knicks shot just 17.9% from 3-point range, although Miami countered with an abysmal 16.7% from long range.
Star of the game was Dwyane wade. Wade continued his dominance in Christmas day games, with 30 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and helped Heat halt Knicks’ six game home winning streak. Wade took over in the fourth quarter by scoring 10 points and controlling the Heat’s offensive flow.
Knicks won the first quarter with 23-21. But Miami’s bench, led by Dorell Wright, and Joel Anthony provided the defensive spark, in the second quarter. Miami went into the half with a slim four point lead and then increased their lead to 10 points at the end of third. Knicks kept rallying back, but Wade controlled the fourth quarter and ensured that Heat left the most famous arena in the world, with a win on Christmas day.
Knicks played with their green jerseys, while Miami embodied the Christmas spirit with their red and white jersey.
Note: Knicks Guard, Nate Robinson, continues to be on the wrong end of D’Antoni’s bench. Heat second year Guard, Mario Chalmers, continues to come off the bench.
Box Score
Courtesy NBA.com
New York Knicks 87
A game that looked like a mismatch on the paper, turned out to be pretty close. If Knicks were able to hit their open jumpers, this game would have been even closer. Knicks shot just 17.9% from 3-point range, although Miami countered with an abysmal 16.7% from long range.
Star of the game was Dwyane wade. Wade continued his dominance in Christmas day games, with 30 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and helped Heat halt Knicks’ six game home winning streak. Wade took over in the fourth quarter by scoring 10 points and controlling the Heat’s offensive flow.
Knicks won the first quarter with 23-21. But Miami’s bench, led by Dorell Wright, and Joel Anthony provided the defensive spark, in the second quarter. Miami went into the half with a slim four point lead and then increased their lead to 10 points at the end of third. Knicks kept rallying back, but Wade controlled the fourth quarter and ensured that Heat left the most famous arena in the world, with a win on Christmas day.
Knicks played with their green jerseys, while Miami embodied the Christmas spirit with their red and white jersey.
Note: Knicks Guard, Nate Robinson, continues to be on the wrong end of D’Antoni’s bench. Heat second year Guard, Mario Chalmers, continues to come off the bench.
Box Score
Courtesy NBA.com
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