THE BULLS AND RAPTORS SHOWED OFF WHY WE WANT A PLAYOFF SERIES BETWEEN THESE TWO: How do we order up a playoff series between the Toronto Raptors and the Chicago Bulls? I think I'd like to put in an order for this and make sure everybody is healthy when it happens because they teased us with a beauty of a contest Monday night. It was a collection of incredible individual play throughout the game. Some of this was boosted by end of game free throws, but the Bulls dropped 49 points in the fourth quarter and 129 points overall.
Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler owned the night for the Bulls. Butler had 27 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, while Rose led the team with 29 points on 12-of-19 shooting. He was killing from midrange and attacking the basket in both the open floor and in the half court to get bucket after bucket.
The Raptors had a hell of a road effort without DeMar DeRozan. Kyle Lowry had a game-high 34 points and had some incredible one-on-one moments back-and-forth with Rose throughout the night and the fourth quarter. Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and Terrence Ross hit five 3-pointers on his way to 17 points. But the Raptors simply couldn't find a way to stop the Bulls from putting up a lot of points at home.
THE CHARLOTTE HORNETS ARE PRETTY GOOD WITHOUT LANCE STEPHENSON: The Charlotte Hornets have had a pretty good week of basketball. And it's come without Lance Stephenson in the lineup. Perhaps, it's just a coincidence but the Hornets' offense and defense have really come together over their last three games while Lance has been out. The latest victory (that's three straight, by the way) came at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, who just couldn't stop the bleeding throughout this game.
(H/T - SB Nation)
Kemba Walker (18 points and nine assists) and Al Jefferson (22 points and seven rebounds) led the charge for Charlotte, but really the entire team just blitzed the Nuggets and overwhelmed them early and often. The Nuggets had no semblance of a team game, dishing out just 11 assists on 31 made baskets.
For Charlotte, everybody seemed to play well. Rookie P.J. Hairston had a nice defensive game, hit the boards hard (10), and played well enough to justify fast break decisions like this one:
The Hornets cruised to a victory and left everybody in Charlotte having a good time. Just look at Kemba and Al. OK, maybe the lady behind them isn't thrilled...
JAMES HARDEN WENT OFF AS HE BUILDS UP HIS FIRST SCORING TITLE: The NBA's leading scorer roughly two months into the season is Houston Rockets' star James Harden. With 31 points in the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers, Harden looked like he'd grab a new career-high (46) and the top scoring night of the season (also 46, by Carmelo Anthony). None of that ended up happening because the Blazers weren't close enough to warrant Harden playing heavy second half minutes or giving a big effort in the second half.
He ended up with 44 points on 14-of-26 shooting and also had seven assists and five steals. Harden is averaging a league-high 27.0 points, which is 1.7 points ahead of LeBron James at 25.3.
VINCE CARTER TIME TRAVELED: Remember when we used to anticipate Vince Carter making highlights at the rim all the time. 16 years later and we're just expecting him to be a good scorer in a reduced role for the Memphis Grizzlies. That's why when he pulls off a dunk like this against the Utah Jazz, it's a jolt of excitement and a chance to reminisce about the good ole days.
The Grizzlies actually lost this game to the Jazz. Alec Burks led the Jazz with 23 points and Gordon Hayward had 21 points. Memphis didn't have Zach Randolph or Tony Allen, but that's a great victory for Utah anyway.
DWIGHT HOWARD WAS ALSO FUN FOR THE ROCKETS: Dwight Howard pretty much pulled off a fadeaway alley-oop with the way he had to contort his body and reach back for this lob pass.
He finished with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocked shots.
THIS IS YOUR NIGHTLY "BIG BABY IS DOING WEIRD THINGS WITH HIS BODY" MOMENT: I'm not even sure you need the context with this Glen Davis stuff anymore. Just watch him be weird and appreciate it or shudder in horror or whatever gets you through these six-second moments.
REFEREE DEREK RICHARDSON DOESN'T MOVE LIKE HE USED TO: It's also possible his foot was falling asleep and he tried to shake it out a bit.
THE GREG STIEMSMA 3-POINT BENCH CELEBRATION IS SO GREAT: I got used to this when he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and my media seat was right next to the Wolves' bench. A teammate would hit a 3-pointer, Greg Stiemsma would stand up, and give a first down type of arm movement while holding out three fingers. He did it a few times Monday night when Terrence Ross was dropping outside shots.
The key is getting teammates to carry it on when Stiemsma is on the court and someone hits a 3-pointer.
MANU GINOBILI IS THE WIZARD TATTOO OF TIM DUNCAN: Tim Duncan has a tattoo of a wizard. You can't really prove that this wizard is in fact not Manu Ginobili. These San Antonio Spurs' teammates are close enough to make this a thing, right?
Check this pass from Manu in the Spurs' 125-118 win over the Clippers:
Ginobili finished with 19 points, 10 assists, and a bunch of plays that made him look like some type of sorcerer.
THIS MONTA ELLIS MOMENT SUMS UP THE MAVERICKS' NIGHT: The Dallas Mavericks were unable to take advantage of moments in the game when they could snatch a little momentum and energy from the red hot Atlanta Hawks. This Monta Ellis steal and dunk attempt at the end of the first half sums it up pretty nicely.
MEYERS LEONARD THOUGHT HE MISSED A DUNK HE MADE: What do we have to do to give Meyers Leonard his own reality show because I think it would pay off as much as any existing idea out there?
CODY ZELLER DID MEAN THINGS TO KENNETH FARIED: He Manimal Style'd the Manimal.
THE SPLASH BROTHERS HAVE SOME VERSATILITY: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson don't have to only shoot 3-pointers. They can show off that passing ability of Curry and Klay's ability to attack the rim off the bounce.