What you missed while wondering if Ronald Regan would have wanted a 400-pound cake…
Heat 104, Magic 100: This game was all about the shooting.
LeBron James owned this game from the start, putting up 23 points in the first quarter on his way to a season high 51. Thing is, they were not easy shots — he was draining contested jumpers. Turns out 20 of his 25 shots were jumpers and he hit 13 of them. Orlando didn’t play terrible defense, James just knocked down the shots. Tip your cap to the man.
He was knocking them down to the tune of the Heat being up 20 midway through the fourth and this one felt over. Then it was Orlando’s turn to hit shots. Specifically, threes. Orlando’s inside out offense — and it had been about Dwight Howard dominating inside early — became a barrage of made threes. Six made threes in the final six minutes.
The Magic had the chance to tie it with less than 10 seconds left, but they ignored a wide-open J.J. Redick in the corner to go with Ryan Anderson for the open three straight away (and he had made a couple during the Magic’s comeback). A good look, just missed it.
Did we really learn a lot from this game? That if LeBron is hot its hard to beat his team? That if the Magic’s threes are falling they can put up points fast? Not sure there are new lessons here.
Spurs 89, Lakers 88: Execution. It’s the word I’ve been using about the Spurs. The Lakers finally brought effort — it was clear from the opening tip they wanted this one. Their defensive effort was much better. Their offensive execution was better than it has been.
But the regular season is about building up a reservoir of trust and execution and understanding that you can draw on when you need to. The Spurs have been doing that since the first day. So when they needed a big shot and Ginobili missed a good look three they had something to fall back on, when Tony Parker missed a floater in the lane they kept working. When Tim Duncan missed the elbow fadeaway they kept working. Antonio McDyess had out worked and gotten inside Lamar Odom (because of the defense the Lakers were playing) and he made the tip. The Spurs got two offensive rebounds on that one possession and the Lakers could not secure the rebound. Execution.
But if the Lakers keep up that effort from here on out, the execution for them will follow.
Warriors 100, Bucks 94: This one was close the entire way — despite much better shooting by the Warriors — because the Bucks were dominating the glass to the tune of 20 offensive rebounds and the Warriors kept turning the ball over. Stephen Curry was benched at one point because of his seven turnovers. What I don’t get is why Lou Amundson got a DNP when the Warriors needed strength and hustle inside and he was coming off one of his better games.
Monta Ellis is becoming one of the best closers in the league.