What you missed while trying to snap up McDonald’s Happy Meals before they all get banned…
Kobe being Kobe was part of the Lakers beating the Bulls in our Game of the Night.
Wizards 116, Sixers 114 (OT): If Doug Collins were to call up some executives at TNT to see if they would take him back right now, it would be hard to blame him. The Sixers had this game in the bag and just flat out blew it with stupid plays and execution you can be sure Collins didn’t coach.
Philly was up three with 8 seconds left when the Wizards fouled Evan Turner. The No. 2 pick has the chance to ice it, but he misses both. The Wizards get the ball to John Wall who starts racing up court — and Collins has called for a foul, the idea being give them two free throws but don’t let them take the three. Sound strategy with one little (okay, not so little) rule — do not foul in the act of shooting.
Jrue Holiday starts running at Wall to foul him long before Wall is over half court, and Wall sees him coming. As Holiday gets close Wall picks up his dribble and goes into a shooting motion and Holiday reaches in and fouls anyway. Three shots for fouling in the act. Wall drains all three and the game is headed to overtime.
You can guess what happened. Although the Sixers were up one in overtime with 15 seconds left but Evan Turner watched the ball and not Nick Young, who cut to his spot for a wide open three in the win. Also in this one, Elton Brand had an ugly flagrant two foul on JaVale McGee and Brand will be lucky if he gets off with only a fine.
Nets 107, Hawks 101 (OT): The Nets won this one by attacking inside. That meant Brook Lopez with 32. That also meant the Nets drew fouls and shot 33 free throws the Hawks 13. The Hawks have now lost 7 of 9.
Pacers 101, Cavaliers 89: This was over at halftime with the Pacers were up 62-37 (nice win carrying over the moment f. Cleveland got 32 points from its starters and 57 from its bench. This has been too consistent a problem, the Cavs need to get some scoring in the lineup.
Knicks 110, Bobcats 107: This was going to be about tempo — the Knicks play at the second fastest pace in the league, the Bobcats and the controlling Larry Brown play at the league’s third slowest pace. The Knicks won the tempo battle — the 98 possessions are right at New York’s season average. Really balanced scoring for the Knicks with six guys in double digits.
Mavericks 88, Pistons 84: It was the Dirk Nowitzki show as he dropped 42. This is why you want to have superstars, they can win you a game or two every season.