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 |
|---|---|---|
| F+ | Well for starters, since this game was rescheduled and there was a Braves game, the League Pass feed was the jumbotron feed paired with the radio call, resulting in this feeling like local cable broadcast of a high school game. Then the Hawks, coming off big momentum games over Indiana and Cleveland.... lose to the Pistons. Jeff Teague just wasn't sharp enough. In reality, Kyle Korver had some looks late that could have won the game, but couldn't knock them down. They lost to the Pistons. No one deserves the 8th seed. Ban the 8th seed. Kill the 8th seed. | |
| B- | I mean, good for you guys? Josh Smith didn't start, and they won. That's a great sign for a guy you gave huge money to. They can't start winning though, because they'll lose their pick. So don't get too excited here. Rodney Stuckey has been terrific this season and should be targeted by teams this summer. 29 for Stuckey in the start. | |
| F- | I mean, Parker was out. So there's that. And then Manu Ginobili went out with a calf injury. I'd love to tell you how they played badly, but this one wasn't broadcast on League Pass. So, its' kind of like it didn't happen, which would make more sense. Weird to see for a team that has it even on nights when they bench their starters, but they just rolled the ball out and thought they'd win, but that just wasn't the case. | |
| B+ | Rubio shot 10 of 17 and Kevin Love shot 5 of 15 so I don't really understand anything. The Wolves really could have used these wins over the Heat and Spurs earlier in the season when they weren't eliminated from playoff contention. | |
| A- | This two-guard combo the Nets use with Livingston and Deron Williams helps pace their team so much. It just changes things in the right direction and makes sure they don't lose what they need. Whenever the Nets lagged, Paul Pierce made plays to drive them forward. He hates the Heat, badly, and uses that emotion to fuel his teammates. Throw in some pure brilliance from Joe Johnson, and the Nets sweep the season series. Oh, and Mason Plumlee blocked LeBron James. | |
| B- | Four one-point losses in a season, all to Paul Pierce. LeBron was brilliant, and fouled a few times before the block. But they just don't spread the floor the way they did last year. Maybe Dwyane Wade's slashing really does change that dynamic so much but you can't help but wonder if Mike Miller isn't a big missing component. Their guards were a mess and Mario Chalmers has really struggled this season. They could have had this. Maybe it matters, maybe it doesn't. But they haven't beaten the Nets since Pierce and Garnett joined the team even when Garnett is out. | |
| A | The Mavericks shot 94 percent (!!!) in the first quarter, hitting 17 of their first 18 and scoring 39 points. Game over. /door slam | |
| F | Not exactly a stalwart defensive performance. |