Cleveland 95, Boston 87
The signs were there after Boston's first game, an amped-up win over the Miami Heat team that nobody likes, and we should have pointed this stuff out. In the Miami win, Boston turned the ball over on a fifth of its possessions, and managed a rather terrible 100 points per 100 possessions. It let a Miami team that clearly had no clue what it was doing back into the contest; and yet the "hmm, perhaps the C's can win it all again" brigade got an extra skip in its step following the win.
Then Boston goes to Cleveland, and everything falls apart. Bad decisions, missed open shots, bad decisions, an underestimation of Cleveland's talent, bad decisions, turnovers, and bad decisions. Boston also saw some calls that, um, didn't go their way.
But this was all on the Cavaliers. They earned this win, and they're a few more games like this away from becoming everyone's second-favorite team. Cavs fans still like to give me stick because I picked them for 12 wins this year, failing to read the part about where that number was based on a needed clearinghouse of the LeBron-era helpers, but that stadium was rocking last night. In spite of the un-rocking presence of those two sad cases from Aerosmith sitting courtside.
It wasn't pretty -- Cleveland guards Ramon Sessions, Anthony Parker, and Daniel Gibson needed 41 shots to score 40 points -- but the team's defense was great, and those 19 Boston turnovers were mostly forced.
Also, those new Cavs jerseys are choice. Really feeling some Austin Carr right now. More games like this, please.
***
Portland 98, Los Angeles Clippers 88
To start, Blake Griffin was an absolute blast of fresh air. And the rims at Staples Center will need a weekly blast of fresh paint if he keeps this up. Dunks and put-backs and dunks and finishes for Griffin, who came through with 20 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists while barely looking as if he's scratched the surface.
But the Clippers, as is usually the case, were turned into losers by a blast of bad execution. They failed to handle Portland's zone defense well, nobody besides Griffin and Chris Kaman put any effort into rebounding, and too many possessions were used up by Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes (2-10 shooting). Also, Baron Davis missed eight of 11 shots, took (and missed) three three-pointers, and finished with more turnovers than assists. Fewer chins, same brain.
Portland patiently moved the ball, and used its length defensively. After a miserable first six quarters of the season, LaMarcus Aldridge came through with 15 second half points, helping to put the Clippers away.
But, yeah, Blake Griffin. Los Angeles? Go to him. Involve him. World? Watch him. Every chance you get.
***
Denver decided to double Utah's Al Jefferson early, Jefferson responded with only six points, and the Nuggets pulled away in a contest that, frankly, I didn't watch much of. This turned into a blowout pretty early, and with so many games playing at once last night, it got away from me.
***
Charlotte just does not give up. The team can't shoot straight and turns the ball over way too much, but there aren't many teams that would spot a squad like Dallas a 16-point lead (that is to say, a 16-nil score to start the game) and come back to make it a four point contest at the end of the first quarter. I understand that it's the first game of the season and everyone is still in "go get ‘em"-mode, but it was still impressive.
Dallas was impressive. Lots of fresh legs and smart decisions. 28 and 13 for Dirk Nowitzki, he only shot 13 times, and Jason Kidd registered 18 assists. Every time the Bobcats drew close, Dallas had an extra pass, a nice cut, and a good finish to answer.
22 points and six rebounds off the bench for Tyrus Thomas.
***
A fun, up-tempo affair that saw both teams run quite a bit, move the ball, and shoot well. Indiana fell apart in the fourth quarter (Danny Granger needed five shots to score three points, and turned the ball over twice), but not before giving the Spurs a scare.
Let me tell you, Tim Duncan looked great. 10-12 shooting, 23 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, three assists, and four blocks in just 32 minutes of play. Good touch around the rim and on his jumper, good legs. His Indiana counterpart Roy Hibbert was up for the challenge, though, coming through with 28 points and nine rebounds, with three blocks of his own in 33 minutes.
More turnovers (23) than assists (20) for Indy, though, in the loss. An intriguing start, however.
***
There were encouraging signs for Milwaukee - Corey Maggette averaged a free throw for every 2:28 that he played, Drew Gooden managed a double-double without having anything called for him, and Andrew Bogut was solid enough in his return - but the same nonsense is keeping this team back.
Specifically, Brandon Jennings shoots way too much from the outside. He has all-world speed, but he's still living off those 55 points from 11 months ago, and it's killing Milwaukee's offense. 5-14 shooting, 2-6 from long range last night, and while it wasn't his worst game, it could have been so much better.
Chris Paul was so much better, dominating the ball throughout for New Orleans and coming through with 17 points and 16 assists on a series of yo-yo moves. So fun to watch. David West was money with 22 points on 14 shots.
Monty Williams? Not his biggest fan, thus far. Didn't stop Trevor Ariza from doing Trevor Ariza stuff (11 points on 13 shots), and substituting offense/defense for West and Jason Smith? Huh? Smith tried and moved his feet well, but come on. West is your guy. If he fouls out, big deal. You have Jason Smith.
***
Golden State 132, Houston 128This game was every bit as entertaining as the final score would suggest. A rapid fire back and forth that just featured swish after swish. Bad defense at times, sure, but the shooting and finishing and overall offense was so great that you didn't mind.
Houston had no chance - no chance - with Monta Ellis, and Stephen Curry. Aaron Brooks tried, but he was just lost in trying to keep up with either of the Golden State guards, and though Shane Battier gave a game effort in the second half, there was no way he was doing anything to stop these scorers.
I don't mind saying that Monta Ellis chucked last year. He dominated the ball, looked off teammates, played nearly the entire game on most nights, and just put up numbers. On Wednesday, he put up 46, but it was nothing like last season's turn. It was within the flow of an offense, even if it was basic offense, and it was fantastic to watch. Curry wasn't bad either, offering 25 points and 11 assists in the win.
Houston hung in there with put-backs, by getting to the line, and by riding Kevin Martin. Speed Racer missed nine of 14 shots, but because he earned 17 trips to the line his 28 points came rather efficiently. Though it wasn't enough, because Ellis was just so, so on.
Just 21 turnovers all night, pretty amazing considering the pace.
***
The Grizzlies lost Marc Gasol before the game to injury and Zach Randolph just 15 minutes in with a bruised back, but the team managed to hang in there against the Hawks until the squad's iffy bench had to take to the court.
Josh Smith scared us by taking (and making) a three-pointer early on and then attempting a 20-footer, but overall he played well with 11 points, six boards, four assists and five blocks. Zaza Pachulia managed 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks off the bench, and the Hawks just kept the pressure up as Memphis ran out of talents to toss at them.
Tony Allen had four fouls and missed all six shots in 11 minutes, while Hasheem Thabeet turned the ball over twice, contributed four fouls, pulled in just three rebounds and failed to score in 18 minutes.
***
AP scribe Jon Krawczynski is a pretty good beat guy, but this is bit much:
The highly anticipated matchup between lottery picks Johnson and No. 5 pick Cousins didn't play as big a role in the outcome as many thought it would.
I was really looking forward to seeing DeMarcus Cousins play on Wednesday night, but was anyone looking forward to Wesley Johnson? Or a Johnson/Cousins matchup? Or for it to decide the game?
A fun game, though, with lots of good passing and some really promising play from Cousins (14 points, eight rebounds, five assists in 26 minutes).
***
After playing terribly in the summer league and making less than a third of his shots in the preseason, it was nice to see Evan Turner bust out a little. I don't know how well it will sustain, but 16 points on 10 shots off the bench was a fine starting off point for the 76er rookie.
On the flip side, the Heat are still a major work in progress. They pulled away in this one because James Jones hit six three-pointers in nine attempts and contributed 20 points off the bench, but this is one of the streakiest shooters in the league, even when he's wide open. There still no fluidity, the team is still walking the ball up, and Erik Spoelstra is still demanding a lone screen set at the top of the arc while three other guys stand around.
30 points for Dwyane Wade, nine turnovers for LeBron James, and Andres Nocioni hit his first two shots for the 76ers (winning the Philly fans' hearts) before missing five of seven to finish the game, but that won't stop the city and Doug Collins from falling in love with him. I've been there, people, but it's fool's gold.
***
The pace was quick, and the teams involved think chuck-first, but this was not a good offensive game. A pretty terrible one, in fact, though the Knicks are to be commended for holding things down in the second half after losing a chance at a big blowout win in the second quarter.
22 points for Wilson Chandler off the New York bench, and Amar'e Stoudemire nearly came through with a Shawn Kemp Memorial Triple-Double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine turnovers, and the Raptors just couldn't string much together. Running plays for Sonny Weems out of timeouts, getting just four points in the second half from Andrea Bargnani, stuff like that.
Four blocks and a couple of nice throwdowns for New York's Ronny Turiaf in less than 24 minutes. I understand bench depth is important, but this guy needs to start.
***
This game was, to me at least surprisingly close throughout. I don't think the Nets are great shakes and playoff-bound, but I thought they'd be a good step better than the Pistons this year, especially while playing in New Jersey.
The contest came down to a broken play that the Nets were lucky enough to pull away on, Devin Harris awkwardly drove, lost the ball, and it ended up in the hands of what might be this league's best shooter, wide open, behind the three-point line. Anthony Morrow nailed the triple with about 30 seconds to go, Richard Hamilton weirdly didn't take what could have been a game-tying pull-up jumper on the next possession (kicking it out, as was the play, to Charlie Villanueva behind the line), and the Nets eventually hung on.
Good show by the Pistons, though. Just six turnovers all night, and 98 points with no player scoring more than 14. Ben Wallace played well, but his 2-8 shooting at the line (Nets coach Avery Johnson fouled intentionally a few times) hurt.
25 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks for Brook Lopez, who is good.
***
Overall, Chicago remains the model of inefficiency offensively. It did well to score for part of this game as Derrick Rose nailed jaw-dropper after jaw-dropper, but Rose's insistence on avoiding contact for those jaw-droppers means that he either hits these amazing shots four out of 10 times, or he misses them six out of 10 times. Not many free throws. And his head was consistently turned defensively.
28 points for Rose, but he needed 31 shots to get there, and he was blocked five times. Of course Chicago will get better once Carlos Boozer returns, but this was mostly what we've seen from Rose over the last two years. The Bulls beyond that, offensively, weren't great. C.J. Watson got some dap for hitting for eight points off the bench, but he needed eight shots and turned the ball over three times. Ronnie Brewer missed all six of his shots, and the closest he came to putting the ball in the hole was a half-court heave that was a little off.
The Thunder just kept the pressure on, kept trying to get to the line, and pulled out a strong win. 28 points for Russell Westbrook, but he only needed 15 shots, along with 10 rebounds. 38 free throw makes for OKC, and while there were some whistles in their favor that I didn't like, this team earned those freebies.
Kevin Durant had 30 points in the win, which means the NBA is back, and I thank you for reading.
Kevin McHale George Mikan Earl Monroe Shaquille O Neal Hakeem Olajuwon
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