Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution noted a bit of a scorekeeping oddity in his practice report, which can be chalked up to simple oversight or collusion against the visiting team depending on how quickly you take to conspiracy theories. Those who made it through to the end of Miami and Atlanta’s slugfest on Tuesday night likely remember this huge Josh Smith dunk over Joel Anthony, but they may not remember that it was Mike Bibby who set Smith up for the slam. As far as assists go, this one’s textbook: Bibby threads a bounce pass to Smith as he darts toward the rim, and upon securing the ball, Smith elevates for a dunk. Two points (and one, for that matter, thanks to an Anthony foul) and what should be an assist.
Yet the box score for the game shows Bibby with no assists at all, and the play-by-play describes the play as a “driving dunk,” with no assist credited. Strange, considering the fact that Smith never dribbled, much less drove.
“Can you believe that?” Bibby asked, per Cunningham. ‘Fraid we can’t, Mike. We’re just as incredulous as you are. I doubt strange things are afoot, but while the NBA is going back through box scores to make corrections, they might want to give Bibby his dime for this one.
