One of the most entertaining games of the season went down at the Barclays last night — and this was before Red Bull’s Midnight Run Finals took center stage on the floor. Joe Johnson was shipped out of Atlanta this summer and you sensed the Hawks fans just shrugged or celebrated when they got the news. Why? He wasn’t a clutch player. After Gerald Wallace (25 points, 10 boards) relentlessly sacrificed his body for a putback layup in regulation and then for a loose ball in overtime to keep possessions and points alive, Joe (28 points) iced a Brooklyn W, 107-105 in double OT. He locked into a one-on-one clearout against Tayshaun Prince and sold a hard drive to his right before throwing it into reverse, backtracking to the three line and hitting a fadeaway as four zeroes hit the clock. … It’s not even worth it to parse the Lakers’ win (one that snapped a four-game losing streak) over Washington as unimpressive. On a long road trip, with Kobe Bryant (30 points on 29 shots though) looking so old at times he could have played wearing a Life Alert necklace, a win is a win for L.A. This wasn’t about playing pretty after only being up three at halftime, then letting Washington creep back in to an uncomfortably close three points halfway through the fourth. When Cartier Martin can score 21 for the Wiz, you know they were causing L.A. fits. There will be some Laker fans who, after four losses, will now bemoan this win as not easy enough over the repulsive Wizards. Don’t be like them, and see that this win — any win — is the gift these Lakers needed. … Has anyone made a Tumblr yet of screenshots of Mike D’Antoni‘s face when the Lakers blow an assignment? There are lots of entertaining options to choose from. … The Celtics’ trip to Houston was kind of a snoozer until Jeff Green (nine points, seven boards) flew in in the second quarter and flushed a soaring slam over Carlos Delfino‘s helpless charge attempt. It honestly looked like a Mailman dunk, like a statue in mid-air but with a finish like granite. Rajon Rondo (15 points, 13 dimes, seven turnovers) played it perfectly by turning in the open court, thus sealing off his defender from Green on the handoff to the trailing Green. If you thought that was uncharacteristic of Green (actually playing like he was relevant), imagine our surprise when Rondo telegraphed a pass that led to the nail in the coffin for Houston going the other direction. The guard who can place a dime in the eye of a needle lazily passed 20 feet sideways to Paul Pierce, and Chandler Parsons (15 points, nine boards, eight assists) jumped it like it was Revis Island. Going the other way he sucked in a defender in the paint, leaving Toney Douglas all alone for the triple to go up 11 and a win. … Hit the jump to hear about Kevin Love’s new painful chapter …
Timberwolves fans are officially living in their own version of Groundhog Day: Kevin Love (14 points, nine boards) hurt the thumb on his right hand that had kept him out for the first seven weeks of the season on Friday night. Worst of all, it was in garbage time with Minnesota up 16 points with 80 seconds left in a 113-102 win over New Orleans. On the eve of the T-Wolves bringing back Ricky Rubio from injury (expected, anyway), Love hurts his hand. The X-ray came back negative but this team can’t — excuse the pun — catch a break. The resounding good news to come with Love’s injury was that Nikola Pekovic went off in the post with 31 points while shooting a devastating 14-of-18, while Andrei Kirilenko is playing like he’s still on CSKA Moscow with 21, and 11 very big boards. The Pelic, er, Hornets had good news from their star big man for a change, getting 11 points and seven boards in 28 minutes off the bench from Anthony Davis. … Also to note, Love shot just 4-of-18. That’s the second night he’s shot terribly after calling out team management, going 3-for-17 and hearing home boos a couple nights before, but it’s not altogether bizarre: He shot just 38 percent (21 percent from three, usually the bread to his rebounding butter) the nine games before his last two. … Not only did the Raptors play with a skeleton crew of a roster, they routed Dallas, 95-74. Dallas’ O.J. Mayo was bottled up by maybe the best defensive performance of the year against him (with Terrence Ross‘ athleticism a factor), only allowing him 10 points and only his first field goal in the third quarter. … George Hill‘s triple-double (15, 10 and 10) and Roy Hibbert‘s 19 and 13 allowed the Pacers to get by Indiana, 95-85. … We hope no one was saving a glowing Warriors story to run today after the egg they laid against Orlando. The NBA’s hottest team stubbed its toe against the Magic on the road, 99-85, and it wasn’t even that close. Steph Curry had 24 for Golden State and J.J. Redick got 16 off the bench for Orlando. … Every Cleveland fan’s heart was in their throat when Kyrie Irving (27 points) drove middle in a 90-86 loss to Milwaukee at home and then fell right onto his face. He’d be fine but Monta Ellis made the Cavs woozy from there on out, getting 33 for the Bucks in the win. … In other action, Kevin Durant had 31 to lead Oklahoma City over Sacramento, 113-103, their 10th straight win. Serious props go to Kings’ PG Isaiah Thomas, who dropped all his 26 points from the last minute of the third quarter and on. … Jared Dudley had 22 to lead Phoenix over the Jazz, 99-84. … In the nightcap Danilo Gallinari made some serious lemonade out of lemons after getting stuck with his dribble during Denver’s 99-94 win over Memphis at home. Andre Miller, the ageless wonder, had all his 18 points in the second half, marking another game where he’s stamped his will all over a Nuggets win late. … We’re out like the Lakers’ futility.
Follow Dime Magazine on Twitter
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook
