Making the most of waking hours, SheridanHoops.com’s newest daily feature presents five items from the previous night in the NBA.
A slow night in the NBA last night saw the Knicks end a losing streak in Boston, an upset to help a fresh start in Phoenix and a buzzer-beater in Orlando that has a player convinced the basketball gods are against his team.
Meanwhile the NBA announced their reserves for the All-Star game, as six first-time players, but not Stepen Curry, will represent their teams in Houston.
NAMASTE!!…
- The New York Knicks snapped a 13-game losing streak (including playoffs) at Boston, winning there for the first time since November 24, 2006.
- Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Knicks, marking the 27th consecutive game he has scored at least 20 points (3rd-longest streak in franchise history). Only one other Knicks player in the post-Patrick Ewing era had that many points and rebounds in a win at Boston: Jamal Crawford (31 points, 11 rebounds) in a win at Boston on April 9, 2006.
- The Celtics have now lost five straight games, tying the longest losing streak in the Kevin Garnett era (since 2007-08). Paul Pierce’s turnover with seven seconds left in the game highlighted the Celtics’ second half woes over the course of their streak. During this streak, the Celtics have been unable to finish out games, averaging only 86 points per 100 possessions in the second half while turning the ball over on almost 20 percent of their possessions. Rajon Rondo posted his 17th career triple-double in the loss, marking just the second time in his career which the Celtics lost a game in which he accomplished that (15-2).
- DeMar DeRozan hit a buzzer beater to lead the Toronto Raptors past the Orlando Magic, 97-95. The buzzer beater was the first for the Raptors since T.J. Ford in December of 2006. The Magic have now lost 15 of the last 17 games, which includes being swept in a season series by the Raptors for the first time since 2006-07. J.J. Redick is convinced higher powers have forgotten about Orlando: “I just think the basketball gods are against us right now,” Redick said after the loss. “They’ve turned their backs on us. We need to get back in their good graces.”
- David Lee became the Warriors first all-star since Latrell Sprewell in 1997. The 15 seasons without an all-star (1998-2012) is the longest gap of its kind for any franchise in NBA history according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Lee’s teammate Stephen Curry was not named an All-Star, the only player averaging at least 20 points per game who did not make the team (Curry is averaging 20.9 PPG). Tyson Chandler made his first all-star team. Chandler is tied with Vlade Divac for the most experience in NBA history before his first All-Star selection. Chandler and Divac each played 11 seasons before making the team in their 12th season. Check out how some NBA players responded to the naming of reserves on Twitter.
Stat Mann is the nom de guerre of our research statistician, who spends a lot of time watching basketball in central Connecticut. Someone would be angry if they discovered he was moonlighting here.