James, Durant Earn Weekly Honors
- The Miami Heat?s LeBron James and the Oklahoma City Thunder?s Kevin Durant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Feb. 13, through Sunday, Feb. 19. James led Miami to a 4-0 week, averaging 27.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.0 steals. Durant helped Oklahoma City to a 3-1 week which included wins over the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. Durant averaged 32.0 points and 8.0 rebounds, and shot .585 from the field, .917 from the foul line and .588 from distance. More
2012 Taco Bell® Skills Challenge Participants Announced
- Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will defend his Taco Bell® Skills Challenge title against a field consisting of Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets. The 2012 Taco Bell® Skills Challenge will take place on Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando. Curry will attempt to join the Phoenix Suns? Steve Nash (2005 and 2010) and the Miami Heat?s Dwyane Wade (2006 and 2007) as the only two-time winners in Taco Bell Skills Challenge history. This year?s Taco Bell® Skills Challenge will feature an expanded field from five to six participants. More
Stats & Stuff:
- Kevin Durant scored 51 points and Russell Westbrook added 40 in the Thunder’s 124-118 overtime win last night against the Nuggets. Durant and Westbrook became only the second teammates in the last 25 seasons to score at least 40 points each in the same game. The others were Michael Jordan (44) and Scottie Pippen (40) against the Pacers in February 1996. Only two other pairs of teammates in NBA history scored at least 50 and 40 points in same game: Kiki Vandeweghe (51) and Alex English of the Nuggets in 1983, and George Gervin (50) and Mike Mitchell (45) of the Spurs in 1982. Both of those were triple-overtime games.
- The Heat opened a 74-54 lead early in the fourth quarter and cruised to a 90-78 win over the Magic yesterday. It was Miami’s sixth consecutive win, and the sixth straight game in which it opened a lead of at least 20 points. That’s the longest such streak in the NBA since the Lakers led by 20 or more points in seven games in a row in 2009 (Nov. 19-Dec. 1).
- To date, Chicago has played a league-high 20 road games this season. The Bulls lead the NBA in road wins with 14. Chicago is 12-0 when it scores more than 100 points, and 11-0 when shooting better than 50 percent from the field.
- Dirk Nowitzki has scored at least 20 points in eight of his last nine games. He needs one block to become the third player in NBA history to have 1,000 blocks and 1,000 three-pointers, joiningCliff Robinson and Rasheed Wallace.
- Memphis’ Rudy Gay has scored 20-plus points in 16 of the last 23 games after doing so just once in the team’s first nine contests. Memphis is 13-4 this season when Gay reaches 20 points.
- The Trail Blazers are the only team in the NBA to have two different players, who have come off the bench in five or more games that rank in the top 15 in the league in scoring off the bench.Jamal Crawford has put up an average of 14.0 points a night to land in 10th place for scoring in a reserve role. Nicolas Batum has averaged 12.2 points this season, good enough to land him in 14th place in the NBA for bench scoring. First-Year Phenoms
This week’s spotlight focuses on: - CHANDLER PARSONS (Houston) — This unheralded second-round pick, who the Rockets drafted (38th overall), traded to Minnesota, then re-acquired from the Timerbwolves, all on draft night, has been a revelation. He quickly moved into the starting lineup and is averaging 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds. He’s averaging 11.8 points over his last five games.
- LAVOY ALLEN (Philadelphia) — His numbers don’t jump off the page, but Allen has slowly but surely gained the confidence of Doug Collins and is producing when called upon. Not bad for the 50th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. Allen started and tallied eight points and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Mavericks Friday night. For the season, Allen is averaging 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds.
- JUJUAN JOHNSON (Boston) — Doc Rivers said Johnson’s time would eventually come, after not seeing any time early in the season, and the rookie responded with 12 points in 33 minutes in a win over Chicago last Sunday. Johnson followed with 10 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes in a loss to Detroit. Minutes are always hard to come by for a young player on a veteran team, but at least the Celtics know Johnson is capable when called upon.Today’s Quote
DIRK NOWITZKI , on Jeremy Lin :
“I really like him. He is a great example that if you work hard and get your opportunity you can make the best of it. He is inspirational.”
New York Daily News Feb. 20, 2012