As expected, the Spurs atoned for one lackluster effort, but they lost Tony Parker (13 PTS, 7 AST) to an ankle injury. The severity is unknown; their MVP was carried off the court and will not be rushed back. Tim Duncan (13 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 3 BLK) did all that in only 25 minutes, and DeJuan Blair (16 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST) seems to be back in the rotation. Eight players scored in double figures for San Antonio and Manu Ginobili (9 PTS, 15 AST, 4 REB, 3 STL) was also a big factor. That depth is how they will make up for Parker’s absence; Nando De Colo and Patrick Mills gain a bit of deep-league value. Marcus Thornton (25 PTS, 5 AST) stayed hot for the Kings and Isaiah Thomas scored 18, but their teammates did next to nothing.
Kudos to “joe123” who hit a 1,138-1 shot to win $100 cash in our Freeroll at DraftStreet. My 77th-place finish can be summed up in three words: woulda, coulda, shoulda. Read on or jump to Page 4 for details.
Other March 1 Game Recaps
MEM @ MIA: An off-night for LeBron James (18 PTS, 10 AST, 8 REB, 2 STL) is pretty good for most players. The King missed ten FG attempts and four free throws but Dwyane Wade (22 PTS, 8 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL) was sharp and the Heat got six 3-pointers off the bench from Shane Battier (14 PTS) and Ray Allen (10) to hold off the stubborn visitors. Marc Gasol (24 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST) was terrific, but Zach Randolph (14 PTS, 9 REB) rolled an ankle and was less than 100% the rest of the way. Miami has won 13 in a row; Memphis finally lost after taking their previous eight.
NYK @ WAS: It required 30 points from Carmelo Anthony, 23 by Raymond Felton and some big fourth-quarter stops for the Knicks to win their third straight. John Wall (16 PTS, 6 AST, 3 REB, 3 STL) played a bit better, and Bradley Beal (29 PTS, 11 REB) has clearly figured out this league. Nene (shoulder) missed his second straight game or this might have gone the other way. Tyson Chandler (6 PTS, 10 REB) and J.R. Smith (13 PTS, 12 REB) chipped in for New York, but new ‘starter’ James White was scoreless in ten minutes and Iman Shumpert (3 PTS in 23:35) did very little.
HOU @ ORL: A slightly cautious James Harden (24 PTS, 8 AST, 7 REB, 3 STL) didn’t look like a man with a sore knee while scoring 11 in the decisive fourth quarter. Jeremy Lin (11 PTS, 5 AST) played through a sore ankle and Patrick Beverley (13 PTS, 6 AST, 3 STL) enjoyed 22 minutes. Carlos Delfino (21 PTS, 3 REB) helped out with five of Houston’s 15 3-pointers. We told you yesterday that Orlando forward Tobias Harris (27 PTS, 10 REB) was the real deal and a must-add; it may be too late now. Nikola Vucevic (18 PTS, 10 REB, 3 STL) and Arron Afflalo (19 PTS, 4 AST, 3 REB) were also solid in defeat.
IND @ TOR: The better team won. Paul George (22 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST) saved his best work for the end, David West double-doubled (15 PTS, 11 REB) and Roy Hibbert had 18 points in his return from a one-game suspension. The only Toronto starter to score more than nine points was Rudy Gay (21 PTS, 5 REB) who was bothered by back spasms. The Raptors shot 40% and managed just 51 points in three quarters before Alan Anderson (14 PTS) and John Lucas (10) got hot much too late to matter.