CLE @ HOU: We told you to load up on Houston players, but expected the starters to get more minutes. Instead, most of the second half was garbage time. Shaun Livingston (14 PTS) and Wayne Ellington (13) led the overmatched Cavaliers, who simply gave up. James Harden (20 PTS, 2 AST) played a game-high 31 minutes and Omer Asik needed just 22:31 to notch his double-double (13 PTS, 11 REB) before the reserves took over. Thomas Robinson (15 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL, 2 BLK) is cutting into the playing time of Donatas Motiejunas (10 PTS, 4 REB) as the rookies share the PF spot.
POR @ ATL: Boy was I wrong. Desperation trumped pain and fatigue for the Blazers, who finished up a brutal stretch of four road games in five nights with a tremendous effort. Wesley Matthews (28 PTS, 4 REB, 2 STL) hit five 3-pointers, Damian Lillard (22 PTS, 4 AST, 3 REB) was 4-5 from beyond the arc and LaMarcus Aldridge (20 PTS, 13 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK) refused to lose. The Hawks got good games from their ‘big three’ as Al Horford (15 PTS, 17 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 3 BLK) and Josh Smith (24 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK) were just fine up front and Jeff Teague (21 PTS, 7 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL) forced the tempo. The difference was perimeter D; Atlanta hit just 7 of 24 triples while Portland made 10 of 18, with Damian Lillard (22 PTS, 4 AST, 3 REB) draining four of five.
MEM @ NOH: We hinted at a likely Grizzlies letdown after a huge OT win against the Thunder, but thought they would prevail anyway. No such luck, as Marc Gasol (16 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 4 STL) ran into an inspired Robin Lopez (23 PTS, 10 REB, 4 BLK) and Zach Randolph (14 PTS, 9 REB) got outworked by the Unibrow. Anthony Davis (18 PTS, 15 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK) played 37 minutes and seems to be thriving on the extra work. Mike Conley (20 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL) was the high scorer for Memphis but for once, their two excellent big men weren’t quite good enough.
BOS @ DAL: As we said yesterday, the Celtics wanted to win, but Dallas had to win, and they did. Shawn Marion (11 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST) returned from an 8-game absence, Dirk Nowitzki (22 PTS, 7 REB) played well but the real surprise was Brandon Wright (23 PTS, 8 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK) who started at C and played his best game of the season. Kevin Garnett (16 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST) and Brandon Bass (16 PTS, 11 REB) double-doubled for Boston but Paul Pierce (16 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST) has had better nights and the return of long-time Maverick Jason Terry (8 PTS in 22 minutes) was uneventful.
UTA @ SAS: Welcome back Tony Parker. Missing only eight games with a severe ankle sprain, the Frenchman played 37 minutes (22 PTS, 5 AST) and after a tentative start, was at his best in overtime. Tim Duncan (19 PTS, 16 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK) was outstanding and we told you that Kawhi Leonard (21 PTS, 8 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK) would cool off Gordon Hayward (5 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST) who was 2-for-10 from the floor. Mo Williams (23 PTS, 8 AST, 3 STL) and big Al Jefferson (18 PTS, 13 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK) kept the Jazz close enough to force the extra frame, where they were no match for Parker and Leonard.
MIN @ PHO: The season in Phoenix has been like a long bad dream and it’s becoming a nightmare. Only two Suns even showed up against a tired team beset by injuries, and they lost by 31 on their home floor. Luis Scola (17 PTS, 12 REB) was effective at C and Goran Dragic (13 PTS, 10 AST, 4 REB) wasn’t embarrassed too badly by Ricky Rubio (12 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB, 5 STL) but that team is a mess from the top down. Andrei Kirilenko (20 PTS, 7 REB in 25 minutes) looked more like himself for the T-Wolves, and with Nikola Pekovic (11 PTS) in serious foul trouble, both Dante Cunningham (18 PTS, 8 REB) and Greg Stiemsma (14 PTS, 10 REB, 3 BLK) enjoyed extra run.
WAS @ LAL: How about that? Even with Kobe Bryant (21 PTS, 11 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL) returning from his ankle sprain, the Lakers lost a must-win game to an inferior team. Pau Gasol (4 PTS, 8 REB on 2-for-10 shooting) was out-of-sync after missing 20 games with a foot injury, so Dwight Howard (20 PTS, 15 REB, 3 AST, 1 BLK) was the only effective big man. John Wall (24 PTS, 16 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL) stayed red-hot and former Laker Trevor Ariza (25 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST) buried a career-high seven 3-pointers. Antawn Jamison (11 PTS, 7 REB) left after 18 minutes with a wrist injury and could miss some time; Earl Clark should benefit if he does.