With both
Kevin Love and Dirk Nowitzki playing hurt this year and Tim Duncan chugging
along in his near-40 body, the opportunity for any average Joe to rise up and
become one of the best 4s in the league has hardly ever been more open. What we
have in this post is a curious set of vets and young guns, a strange combo of
athletes and workhorses. And, nope, there’s no David Lee, LaMarcus Aldridge, or
Pau Gasol anywhere here.
5. Paul Millsap (UTA) - 17.0ppg, 8.2rpg,
3.2apg, 1.6spg, 1.4bpg, 21.4 EFF
Millsap’s
FG% is not as gaudy as his PF peers, but he makes up for it with an all-around
effectiveness usually seen in the league’s top swingmen (see previous position
battle post for reference). The undersized 47th pick in the 2006 NBA
Draft leads his team both in steals and FG accuracy, which, at 48%, isn’t
exactly eye-popping. Still, he’s a big reason the Jazz are still above .500 and
are very much in the thick of the playoff hunt.
4. Kenneth Faried (DEN) - 13.0ppg, 10.4rpg, 1.0spg, .684 FG%, 21.6 EFF
The Manimal
is just 24 years old. TWENTY FOUR. That’s about three to four years away from
his physical peak, and then probably he’ll still be going at it just as strong
well into his early 30s. Not bad for a guy picked after Derrick Williams, Enes
Kanter, and the Morris twins. I mean, look at his field goal shooting! It
should be illegal for a 6’8 guy to shoot that well. Yes, EVEN if all he does is
throw down that rubber ball. Wondering how Denver has gone undefeated in its
last five, including Ws over the Lakers and Warriors? Look no further than
Faried.
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| The Manimal has been eating the competition alive in the 2012-2013 NBA season. (image by Barry Gutierrez/AP) |
3. Blake Griffin (LAC) - 19.8ppg, 7.4rpg,
3.8apg, 2.0spg, .541 FG%, 22.4 EFF
The Clippers
are the second-best team in the NBA mainly because of Chris Paul, but Chris
Paul has been so good in no small part because of Blake Griffin. Griffin isn’t
a nightly double-double juggernaut like Faried, but he’s a highlight-reel
phenomenon who sells tickets and jams maybe stronger than anyone else outside
of LeBron. Check that, maybe even stronger than the King himself! Griffin
continues to be the Clips’ most reliable post presence despite his occasional
risky turnaround J.
2. Tristan Thompson (CLE) - 14.8ppg,
11.6rpg, 1.2spg, .561 FG%, 22.6 EFF
And from out
of nowhere comes Tristan Thompson! He has been a double-double churner for
Cleveland for the past week or so. And look at those steals and that FG stat!
Man, if this guy can find some consistency, then the Cavs might be playoff
contenders as early as next season. Yes, NEXT SEASON. Remember the quip about
average Joes taking advantage? This guy is a prime example.
1. Carlos Boozer (CHI) - 21.0ppg, 10.0rpg,
2.4apg, .526 FG%, 24.0 EFF
Now when we
talk about a veteran campaigner, this is the guy we have in mind. The 31-year
old bruiser who was the biggest steal of the 2002 Draft (#35 pick!) continues
to have his dominant moments interspersed with bouts of I-want-to-do-too-much
moments. Still, Boozer’s strong play, coupled with the continued emergence of Joakim
Noah, has given Chicago a really solid frontline – a frontline that has been
able to keep the Bulls relatively in step with the East’s powerhouse squads.
And when Rose returns, well, things should be even more interesting!
Game
Recaps (courtesy of the Sports Network):
January
11
Toronto 99, Charlotte 78
Alan
Anderson sank four 3-pointers en route to a game-high 16 points as the Toronto
Raptors rolled over the Charlotte Bobcats, 99-78, at Air Canada Centre. Jose
Calderon followed with 15 points and six assists, while Amir Johnson and Ed
Davis contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Toronto, which has won
two straight and 10 of its last 13 overall. Michael Kidd-Gilchrest, Kemba
Walker and Ben Gordon scored 12 points apiece to pace the Bobcats, who have
dropped two straight and three of their last four.
Atlanta 103, Utah 95
Devin Harris
poured in a season-high 24 points to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 103-95 win
over the Utah Jazz on Friday at Philips Arena. Harris, who returned to the
lineup on Wednesday after missing 11 games with a right foot injury, went
7-for-8 from the field and 4-for-5 from behind the arc to help the Hawks snap a
four-game skid. Josh Smith had 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, Lou
Williams dropped in 14 points and Ivan Johnson added 13 off the bench for
Atlanta. Randy Foye dropped in 25 points, Al Jefferson had 23 points and 10
rebounds and Paul Millsap donated 20 points to go with 13 boards and five
assists for the Jazz, who had won four of their last five entering the contest.
Boston 103, Houston 91
Paul Pierce
poured in a team-high 23 points on Friday night to lead the Boston Celtics to a
103-91 triumph over the Houston Rockets at TD Garden. Kevin Garnett added 17
points and eight rebounds, while Courtney Lee and Jared Sullinger each donated
14 points off the bench for the Celtics, who have won five straight games.
James Harden paced the Rockets with 24 points and Chandler Parsons followed
with 18 in the setback, Houston's second in a row.
Brooklyn 99, Phoenix 79
Joe Johnson
led five Brooklyn players in double figures with 19 points on 8-of-19 shooting
as the Nets took care of the Phoenix Suns, 99-79, on Friday at Barclays Center.
MarShon Brooks added 17 points, while Andray Blatche contributed 15 and eight
rebounds for Brooklyn, which has won five straight. Jared Dudley connected on
all four of his 3-point attempts and finished with a team-high 18 points for
the Suns, who have lost five in a row. Shannon Brown donated 15 points and
Goran Dragic and Luis Scola finished with 12 apiece in defeat.
Memphis 101, San Antonio 98 (OT)
Rudy Gay
missed two key free throws late in regulation, but drained a go-ahead jumper
with 27.8 seconds remaining in overtime to help the Memphis Grizzlies fight off
the San Antonio Spurs, 101-98, in a playoff-like atmosphere at FedExForum. Memphis
was swept by its Southwest Division rival in all four meetings last season and
dropped an overtime decision back on Dec. 1 after squandering a 14-point fourth
quarter lead. The Grizzlies also saw a double-digit cushion fall by the wayside
on Friday, and needed to survive Tony Parker's game-tying 3-pointer at the
regular buzzer to win their fourth straight game. Gay finished with a team-
high 23 points, Mike Conley added 21 points and five assists and Zach Randolph
totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds in the statement victory. Parker led all
scorers with 30 points, while Tim Duncan chipped in 13 points and 15 boards in
the Spurs' third straight road loss.
New Orleans 104, Minnesota 92
Greivis
Vasquez had 18 points and 13 assists as the New Orleans Hornets rallied from an
early deficit to down the Minnesota Timberwolves, 104-92, at New Orleans Arena.
Eric Gordon followed with 16 points, Ryan Anderson netted 15 and Jason Smith
dropped in 14 off the bench for the Hornets, who stretched their season-best
win streak to four games. Al-Farouq Aminu contributed a double-double with 12
points and 13 rebounds in the victory. Luke Ridnour scored a game-high 20
points and Nikola Pekovic added 18 with six rebounds for Minnesota, which
dropped its second straight.
Chicago 108, New York 101
Luol Deng
posted a season-high 33 points, and the Chicago Bulls held off New York,
108-101, despite the return of Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. Carlos Boozer added
17 points and Richard Hamilton scored 14 for the Bulls, who never trailed and
moved to 3-0 against the Knicks this season. Chicago, winners in four of its
last five overall, also received 12 points apiece from Taj Gibson and Marco
Belinelli. Anthony, who finished with 39 points on 14-of-32 shooting, was
suspended for one game without pay by the NBA for confronting Boston Celtics
forward Kevin Garnett following Monday's 102-96 loss at Madison Square Garden.
New York, losers of a season-high three in a row, was never ahead. Tyson
Chandler had nine points and 18 rebounds. J.R. Smith scored 13 in defeat.
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| Carlos Boozer's strong play has helped the Bulls keep abreast of the East's top teams. (image by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) |
Detroit 103, Milwaukee 87
Greg Monroe
scored a game-high 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting and ripped down 11 rebounds
as the Detroit Pistons used a huge third quarter to top the Milwaukee Bucks,
103-87, on Friday at Bradley Center. Brandon Knight netted 20 points and handed
out five assists, while Jason Maxiell added 10 points and seven boards for the
Pistons, who have won five of their last six contests. Kyle Singler donated 10
points in the victory. Brandon Jennings struggled from the floor for Milwaukee,
shooting just 5-of-13 for 15 points, while Beno Udrih also scored 15 as the
Bucks' two-game winning streak came to an end. Monta Ellis added 13 points and
five assists in a losing cause.
Denver 98, Cleveland 91
Danilo
Gallinari poured in 23 points to go with seven rebounds as the Denver Nuggets
downed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 98-91, at the Pepsi Center on Friday. Kosta
Koufos tallied a career-high with 21 points, Kenneth Faried had 17 points and
11 rebounds and Andre Iguodala posted a double-double with 13 points and 11
rebounds for the Nuggets, winners in four straight. Kyrie Irving finished with
a game-high 28 points and also dished out seven assists and Dion Waiters
donated 18 points off the bench for the Cavaliers, who have dropped three of
their last four.
Golden State 103, Portland 97
David Lee
had 24 points and 10 rebounds, Stephen Curry added 22 points and 12 assists and
the Golden State Warriors withstood a furious comeback by Damian Lillard and
the Portland Trail Blazers in a 103-97 victory at Oracle Arena. Klay Thompson
chipped in 16 points and Carl Landry netted 15, including a big layup after the
Blazers pulled within four in the final minute of regulation. Golden State
avoided its first three-game losing streak of the season and reached 23 wins to
match its entire win total in last season's lockout-shortened 66-game campaign.
Lillard nearly single-handedly carried Portland back from a 20-point deficit by
hitting 10 straight shots in the second half en route to a 37-point effort. But
it wasn't enough for the Blazers, who shot 15-of-43 from behind the arc and saw
their four-game winning streak come to an end.
Oklahoma City 116, LA Lakers 101
Kevin Durant
poured in a game-high 42 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists on
Friday, as the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the reeling Los Angeles Lakers,
116-101, at Staples Center. Russell Westbrook posted a double-double with 27
points and 10 assists, while Kevin Martin added 15 points for the Thunder, who have
won four of their last five. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 28 points and
Antawn Jamison donated 19 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles, which has
lost six straight for the first time since a seven-game slide from March 2-15,
2007.
January
12
Orlando 104, LA Clippers 101
Arron
Afflalo and J.J. Redick combined for 51 points and made big shots in the fourth
quarter to help propel the Orlando Magic to a 104-101 victory over the Los
Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Afflalo tallied 30 points -- 23 coming in the
second half -- to go with seven rebounds and seven assists, while Redick scored
21 points on 8-of-14 shooting to help the Magic snap a 10-game losing streak.
Redick shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, and his triple with under a minute
left gave Orlando the lead for good. Nikola Vucevic recorded 18 points and 15
rebounds in Orlando's first victory since Dec. 19. Blake Griffin filled the
stat sheet with 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Clippers,
who saw their franchise- best 13-game home winning streak come to an end. Chris
Paul contributed 10 points, 16 assists and four steals for Los Angeles, while
Jamal Crawford scored 13 points off the bench in defeat.
Indiana 96, Charlotte 88
David West
notched a triple-double and the Indiana Pacers grabbed their 10th straight home
victory with a 96-88 decision over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday. West
tallied 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for the red hot Pacers, who have
won four games in a row and 13 of their last 16. Indiana, which also received
19 points from George Hill, has won 10 games in a row at home for the first
time since a 14-game streak in the 2002-03 season. Lance Stephenson was good
for 17 points on 8-of-13 attempts from the field and also had seven rebounds
and four steals. D.J. Augustin contributed 18 points off the bench. Ben Gordon
scored a game-high 21 points and Kemba Walker filled the stat sheet with 16
points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks. The
Bobcats, though, were unable to break their losing habits as the team dropped
their third in a row and fell for the 22nd time in the last 24 contests.
Washington 93, Atlanta 83
The
Washington Wizards haven't had a lot to get excited about this season, but all
of that changed on Saturday. John Wall, who had yet to play this season because
of a knee injury, made his season debut, dropping in 14 points and four assists
to lead the Wizards to 93-83 win over the Atlanta Hawks at Verizon Center.
Bradley Beal and A.J. Price scored 16 points each and Martell Webster added 15
points for the Wizards, who won back-to-back games for the first time this
season. Jeff Teague poured in a game-high 19 points, Al Horford scored 16
points to go with 12 rebounds and Josh Smith added 11 points and eight boards
for the Hawks, losers in five of their last six contests.
Utah 90, Detroit 87
Al Jefferson
compiled 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Utah Jazz overcame a 13-point
second-half deficit to post a 90-87 win over the Detroit Pistons at the Palace
of Auburn Hills. Jefferson racked up 10 of his points on 5-of-6 shooting during
a third quarter in which the Jazz outscored Detroit by a 25-11 count to move
ahead after trailing 50-39 at halftime. Randy Foye added 17 points -- 11 of
which came after halftime -- and Paul Millsap also had 17 along with seven
rebounds for Utah, which improved to 5-2 thus far in January. Brandon Knight
led the Pistons with 16 points and Will Bynum made all six of his field goal
attempts in a 13-point display in a losing cause. Detroit, which had won five
of its last six coming in, also received 12 points and 11 rebounds out of Greg
Monroe.
Philadelphia 107, Houston 100
Jrue Holiday
totaled 30 points and nine assists to lead the slumping Philadelphia 76ers back
into the win column with a 107-100 victory over the Houston Rockets at Wells
Fargo Center. The Sixers, mired in a 3-13 stretch coming in, avoided losing six
straight by hitting 49 percent of their shots in a balanced scoring attack.
Thaddeus Young posted 18 points and 12 rebounds, Jason Richardson added 16
points while Evan Turner stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, seven boards
and six assists for the victors. James Harden led four Rockets in
double-figures with 29 points to go with nine rebounds and six assists.
Chandler Parsons followed with 23 points, but had six of Houston's 17 turnovers
in the club's third loss in four days.
Phoenix 97, Chicago 81
Luis Scola
led the way with 22 points while Michael Beasley added 20, as Phoenix Suns
snapped a 12-game road losing streak with an unlikely 97-81 victory over the
Chicago Bulls at United Center. Sebastian Telfair chipped in 13 points off the
bench and Shannon Brown netted 11 for the Suns, who held Chicago to 36 percent
shooting to earn their first win as the visitor since Nov. 27 at Cleveland.
Luol Deng, one day after scoring a season-high 33 points in a win over the
Knicks, was held to 13 on 5- of-16 shooting in the loss. Carlos Boozer posted
15 points and 10 rebounds, while Joakim Noah totaled 10 and 13 in a losing
cause.
Dallas 104, Memphis 83
Shawn Marion
scored 20 points to lead a balanced offensive effort as the Dallas Mavericks
routed the Memphis Grizzlies, 104-83, at American Airlines Center. All five of
Dallas' starters scored in double digits, with Dirk Nowitzki pouring in 17
points, Chris Kaman netting 14, O.J. Mayo scoring 11 and Darren Collison
contributing 10. Elton Brand added 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench
for the Mavericks, who have won two straight games for the first time since a
three-game run from Dec. 6-10. Rudy Gay had 12 points to pace Memphis, which
saw its four-game win streak come to an end. Darrell Arthur and Josh Selby were
the only other members of the Grizzlies to score in double digits with 11 and
10 points, respectively.
Miami 128, Sacramento 99
Mario
Chalmers tied a franchise record by connecting on ten 3-pointers en route to a
career-high 34 points as the Miami Heat hammered the Sacramento Kings, 128-99,
on Saturday. Chalmers shot 10- for-13 from beyond the arc to tie Brian Shaw's
mark set on April 8, 1993. LeBron James added 20 points, seven assists and five
rebounds for Miami, which shot 17-for-37 from three-point range as they snapped
a two-game slide. Isaiah Thomas finished with 34 points and five assists for
the Kings, who have lost four straight. DeMarcus Cousins contributed 11 points,
eight boards and four assists in defeat.
January
13
New York 100, New Orleans 87
Carmelo
Anthony and Chris Copeland scored 27 and 22 points, respectively, as the New
York Knicks snapped a three-game skid with a 100-87 victory over the New
Orleans Hornets. Amare Stoudemire added 12 points for the Knicks, who went 11-of-30
from beyond the arc. Tyson Chandler tallied five points and 14 rebounds. Eric
Gordon ended with 22 points for the Hornets, who had a four-game winning streak
snapped. Anthony Davis donated 13 points and eight boards.
Milwaukee 107, Toronto 96
Brandon
Jennings poured in 19 points and handed out 10 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks
pulled away in the fourth quarter to topple the Toronto Raptors, 107-96, on
Sunday at Air Canada Centre. John Henson added 19 points and six rebounds in 22
minutes off the bench, and Monta Ellis netted 17 points for the Bucks, who
bounced back from a 103-87 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Mike Dunleavy
donated 15 points and Larry Sanders gave 11 points and eight rebounds in the
victory. DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 23 points and added five boards and
Amir Johnson netted 22 and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Raptors, who coughed up
a 20-point first-quarter lead and had a two-game winning streak snapped. Jose
Calderon dropped 21 points, while Ed Davis contributed 20 and 12 boards in a
losing cause.
Brooklyn 97, Indiana 86
Deron
Williams scored a team-best 22 points to go with nine assists and five rebounds
as the Brooklyn Nets took care of the Indiana Pacers, 97-86, on Sunday at
Barclays Center. Joe Johnson shot 7-of-16 from the floor for 20 points and
added five rebounds, while Brook Lopez netted 15 points and pulled down nine
rebounds for the Nets, who won for the sixth consecutive time. Kris Humphries
added 10 points and nine boards in 17-plus minutes off the bench in the
victory. David West dropped in a game-high 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting,
while Paul George scored 15 points to go with 12 rebounds and six steals for
the Pacers, who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end. Gerald Green
contributed 15 points and five boards for Indiana, while George Hill donated 13
points in a losing effort.
San Antonio 106, Minnesota 88
Tony Parker
scored 20 points and dished out six assists to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a
106-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday Gary Neal added 15 points,
Tim Duncan added 12 points, nine rebounds, seven blocked shots and five
assists, and Manu Ginobili finished with 12 points for the Spurs, who have won
12 straight games at the AT&T Center. J.J. Barea scored 15 points, Nikola
Pekovic added 14 and Luke Ridnour chipped in with 13 points and six assists for
the Timberwolves, who haven't won in San Antonio since the 2003-04 season.
Denver 116, Golden State 105
Danilo
Gallinari scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half and the Denver Nuggets
used a huge late run to notch a 116-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors
at the Pepsi Center. Ty Lawson added 20 points for the surging Nuggets, who
recorded their season-high fifth consecutive win on the strength of a 15-0
surge that erased an 89-83 deficit with under 10 1/2 minutes to play. Denver
shot a sizzling 70 percent (14-of-20) in the fourth quarter and outscored the
Warriors by a 33-16 count over the final 10-plus minutes. Wilson Chandler
returned from a two-month absence to contribute 14 points and six rebounds off
the bench to the win, while fellow reserves Corey Brewer and Andre Miller
netted 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Nuggets. The Warriors were dealt
their third setback in four outings despite Stephen Curry dropping in 29 points
and making 7-of-9 attempts from 3-point range. David Lee posted 23 points and
13 rebounds in defeat, with rookie Harrison Barnes putting up a career-high 21
points for Golden State.
Oklahoma City 87, Portland 83
Kevin Durant
poured in 33 points to go with six assists and four rebounds to lead the
Oklahoma City Thunder to an 87-83 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday
at the Rose Garden. Russell Westbrook added 18 points, nine assists and eight
rebounds and DeAndre Liggins chipped in 11 points for the Thunder, winners of
three straight and five of their last six games. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 33
points to go with 11 boards and Nicolas Batum added 21 points and seven
rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who have dropped two straight on the heels of a
four-game winning streak. Damian Lillard finished with nine points and nine
assists in the setback.
LA Lakers 113, Cleveland 93
Dwight
Howard returned to the lineup and helped the Los Angeles Lakers snap out of
their worst slide in six years. Howard tallied 22 points and 14 rebounds as the
Lakers put the brakes on a six-game skid with a 113-93 triumph over the
Cleveland Cavaliers. Howard, who has missed the last three games with a right
shoulder injury, went 9-of-11 from the field for Los Angeles, which finally
earned its first win of the new year to put an end to the team's worst losing
streak since February of 2007. Pau Gasol, though, is still out of the lineup.
He missed his fourth straight game due to a concussion. Kobe Bryant added 23
points and six assists in the victory. Kyrie Irving recorded 15 points, seven
assists and three steals for the Cavs, who have dropped seven of their last
nine contests.
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