1. Stephen Curry lights up the Garden
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ZkhhJ8gwg]
Curry’s All-Star campaign slogan next year: Snub me once, shame on you. Snub me twice, it’s not happening.
In all seriousness, though, in a great night of NBA action, nobody stood out more than Curry. The NBA came up big here, deciding to televise this game on ESPN and more importantly, deciding not to suspend Curry after his involvement in the Roy Hibbert-David Lee scuffle the night before.
But Why Curry?
Every once in awhile a player has a game that makes heads turn. All of the other games get shut off, and all eyes are on one. Last night it was Stephen Curry. Today it’s magnified even more because of social media. One tweet, one trending topic is all it takes for somebody to become an overnight phenomenon, which is exactly what Curry did. For a look at NBA players’ reactions to Curry’s performance, check out Jim Park’s compilation.
2. Monta Ellis one-footed buzzer beat against the Rockets
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5SX9Ip_1FE]
This one could be the best or the worst depending on your allegiance. Ellis’ buzzer-beater dropped the Rockets into the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, not a place teams are clamoring to be (unless you are the Lakers of course). The only spot in the league that may be less desirable right now is the 8th spot in the East, which Thanks to Ellis, the Bucks are clinging to.
3. Wesley Johnson forces OT at the buzzer in San Antonio, Suns win 105-101
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRJwlx0OVbM]
4. Trick passes from Tyreke Evans and Jeremy Lin
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6neyO59KjJ0]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haIYCceylJY]
Lin’s pass was nice, but Evans did something special here. And Tyreke certainly would have gotten more “ooh’s and ah’s” had he been playing at home, or in front of anybody for that matter.
5. Washington Wizards broadcast team thinks Trevor Ariza hits a game-winner. They were wrong.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT3ePwDPp-Q]
Let this be a lesson to all aspiring sports broadcasters, make sure you see the ball go through the net before screaming with jubilee.
Honorable Mention: Kevin Durant’s triple-double against New Orleans.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ec7Ev1TcPU]
You know you had a great night of NBA basketball when a Kevin Durant triple-double can’t crack the top-5. Durant assembled one of the most efficient triple-doubles you could draw up Wednesday night. He finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in just under 27 minutes of work. That’s a pretty efficient day at the office if you ask me. According to ESPN Stats & Information, since 1985, only two players have done it faster — triple-double machine Fat Lever, and regular old machine Karl Malone.
Not bad company.