My my my. If
there’s anything we can take away from the Mavericks’ OT win over the Clips, it’s
the fact that the boys from Dallas are getting sick of their beards. They want
to shave, but they may not till they reach .500. In other eclectic news, Nikola
Pekovic netted his 23rd double-double of the season, while JR Smith
waxed hot to bury Boston.
Day’s Best:
- Dirk is playing like the Dirk of early-to-mid 2011. He scored 33 points in the Mavs’ landmark win over the Clippers, including eight straight late to put the outcome beyond doubt. The big Q is this – has Dirk’s renaissance come a little too late?
- Pekovic’s line against Detroit – 18 points, 11 rebounds, 70% FG shooting, and 4-of-5 from the line. #MarvelousMontenegrin
- JR Smith was far from shabby tonight. 32 points on 54% FG shooting to go along with 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and, best of all, ZERO TURNOVERS? Let’s go Big Apple!
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| Dirk Nowitzki seems to have come alive of late, but it might not be nearly enough for the Mavs to enter the postseason. (image by Glenn James/Getty Images) |
Day’s Worst:
- Avery Bradley was awful. Can’t fault his effort, but we have to fault his shot selection and his inefficiency. 3-of-11 from the field, no steals, and no assists. #SoBad
- Brandon Knight hasn’t been his best self ever since he got demolished by DeAndre. Heck, he hasn’t been his best self ever since he lost his ankles against Kyrie. Against the T-Wolves, Knight registered just 7 points on 3-of-10 shooting along with 4 turnovers.
- Matt Barnes’s airball three in OT. You cannot possibly be that open and miss everything. I mean, you’re an NBA player, not a pick-up player in some baranggay covered court.
Final Score: New York 100, Boston 85
Boston, MA
(Sports Network) - J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony carried the load offensively
in leading the New York Knicks to a fifth straight win with a thorough 100-85
pasting of the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Both teams were missing key players
due to injuries, but while the Knicks continued to keep pace in the Eastern
Conference standings, the Celtics have dropped to the No. 7 seed with their
fifth straight loss. Smith totaled 32 points and seven rebounds, while Anthony
added 29 points and eight boards for the Atlantic Division-leading Knicks, who
are percentage points ahead of the Indiana Pacers for the second seed in the
East. The Celtics committed 20 turnovers to New York's eight and were outscored
in second-chance points by a 29-6 margin. Jeff Green paced Boston with 19
points and 10 rebounds, while Paul Pierce and Jordan Crawford chipped in 16 and
14 points, respectively, in the setback.
Final Score: Minnesota 105, Detroit 82
Auburn
Hills, MI (Sports Network) - J.J. Barea scored 21 points off the bench and led
the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 105-82 rout against the Detroit Pistons on
Tuesday. Nikola Pekovic registered a double-double with 18 points and 11
rebounds for the Timberwolves, who came into the game off a 104-97 loss against
Chicago on Sunday. Luke Ridnour tallied 15 points and Ricky Rubio had 14 points
and nine assists. Jose Calderon scored 14 points while Greg Monroe had 11
points and 12 rebounds for the Pistons, who snapped a 10- game losing streak
with a win at Charlotte on Saturday.
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| Nikola Pekovic seems to be this season's Marcin Gortat. (image by Paul Sancya/AP) |
Final Score: Dallas 109, LA Clippers 102 (OT)
Dallas, TX
(Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki scored eight of Dallas' 12 points in overtime,
as the Mavericks kept their playoff push going with a crucial 109-102 win over
the Los Angeles Clippers at American Airlines Center. Nowitzki finished with 33
points and nine rebounds in leading the Mavericks to their third straight win,
putting them one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth seed in the
Western Conference standings. Vince Carter followed with 14 points as Dallas
had six players score in double figures. Chris Paul certainly didn't play like
someone who had a swollen knee, as the All-Star point guard scored 33 points in
a losing effort. The Clippers, who already know they're headed to the postseason,
had won three of four coming in.
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