Our quick look around the NBA, or what you missed while reading about NBA Jam legend Mike Iuzzolino...
LeBron James, Miami Heat. No Dwyane Wade. Chris Bosh left late in the game after Paul Millsap elbowed his jaw. Other Heat players struggled (we’re looking at you, Mario Chalmers). Yet there was LeBron James to carry the Heat to a win — 38 points on 28 shots, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. There are other guys in the early MVP discussion — Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Paul George or LaMarcus Aldridge — but games like this remind you that LeBron is the best player on the planet and he has set the bar for the MVP trophy.
The Knicks’ bodies. Maybe this should have been an incomplete grade, but basically the Knicks’ bodies are failing them. This team has not stayed healthy this season long enough to get any chemistry, now they have Metta World Peace getting the Kobe treatment to his knee, Carmelo Anthony left Monday’s game with a sprained ankle, and now Raymond Felton could be out with a groin injury. The Basketball Gods have punished the Knicks enough this season, time to ease up on them.
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks. Dirk was in vintage form — 31 points on 18 shots against the Rockets Monday. As tends to be the case he was on fire from the midrange, hitting 7-of-10 from there (mostly from the left side of the court). With this 31 Nowitzi passed Alex English for 13th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list
Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats. He was just one rebound shy of a triple double — 25 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. Seven of those points came in overtime to assure the Bobcats the win. Yes, he did it against the lowly Bucks but it still counts.
Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Hornets. Tyreke Evans went back home to Sacramento and reminded Kings fans he is pretty good — 25 points on 7-of-14 shooting, 12 assists and 5 rebounds off the bench. Evans had 13 of those points in the third and fourth quarter, when he was key to the Pelicans pulling away for a win.