Each night, Eye on Basketball brings you what you need to know about the games of the NBA. From great performances to terrible clock management the report card evaluates and eviscerates the good, the bad, and the ugly from the night that was.
Each night, Eye on Basketball brings you what you need to know about the games of the NBA. From great performances to terrible clock management the report card evaluates and eviscerates the good, the bad, and the ugly from the night that was.
Team
Grade
Analysis
A-
The San Antonio Spurs have a knack for surviving without one of their big time players, and while it took Patty Mills 25 shots to get 26 points in Tony Parker's absence, the entire team rode a monster third quarter to take care of the Dallas Mavericks on the road. Kawhi Leonard had 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Tim Duncan shook off a hyperextended knee to chip in 20 points and 15 rebounds. The Spurs ran all over Dallas with 35 fast break points.
B-
The Dallas Mavericks really could have used this victory, but they just never had enough firepower to keep up with the Spurs. Instead of holding on to the 7-seed, the Mavericks fall to eighth, one loss behind the Phoenix Suns in the loss column. The Mavs didn't ride Dirk Nowitzki enough (just 14 shots) and Monta Ellis' 24 points weren't enough support.
You can't give up 23 and 29 to Timofey Mozgov in a home loss to a Nuggets team missing six of their seven best players and expect to get anything higher than an F in Nightly Grades. I'm probably being too generous here. Stephen Curry gave them 24 points and Klay Thompson had 21. The rest of the starting unit had 14 points on 15 shots. This is incredibly embarrassing for a team that could have clinched a playoff spot tonight.
