Just under half of the NBA teams were in action last night, with seven games on the schedule. The Houston Rockets proved yet again that a trade for Carmelo Anthony wouldn't be all that bad. Again, this draft crop doesn't look all that great this year. Why not trade that pick, Yao Ming's contract, and a couple young players for Anthony and Chauncey Billups?
Philadelphia got it going early against the Hawks and never looked back. These 76ers have been the talk of the town lately and this was another example, against one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers have five remaining games until the all star break, with their next two coming against the Spurs and Magic. It would be interesting to see what happens with all of the Andre Iguodala trade talk if they continue to play like this.
The Bucks used well balanced all around scoring from their team, in defeating the Raptors at a packed Bradley Center. The Bucks do still have a legitimate shot at getting eliminated in the first round of the playoffs again this year. Still, these two teams are both building for the future. The Bucks just happen to have a few more pieces to build with than the Raptors do.
Blake Griffin was finally shut down, by Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. The Magic defeated the Clippers by 16, as Blake Griffin just barely managed a double double (10 and 12 on 4/12 shooting). Of course, he still made the highlight reels. It was in defeat though, as Orlando continues to cruise to a potential Eastern Conference finals showdown with either the Boston Celtics or the Miami Heat. Will Dwight Howard ever enter the MVP debate? He finished with 22 points and 20 rebounds last night, good for his fifth 20/20 game of the season.
The San Antonio Spurs continued to cruise into the NBA playoffs, last night defeating the Pistons by a final score of 100-89. As long as Blair's knees hold up and Duncan is healthy, this Spurs team will be trouble in the playoffs. They have the experience, coaching, and the depth that could very easily lead to them hoisting another championship banner. The Pistons meanwhile continue to struggle with mediocrity.
Lebron James continued his unprecedented run at a third consecutive MVP last night. His 41 points, 13 boards, and 8 assists led the way for the Heat in a 117-112 victory over the Pacers. Since the new year, James is averaging 30.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and just under two steals a game. The Cavs are 13-5 over that stretch, including two losses that Lebron sat out. Coincidentally, my fantasy basketball has stead right around second place all season, thanks in large part to the contributions of Lebron James. I still don't know if the Heat have enough big men to compete in the two month long playoff saga.
I feel pretty embarrassed for having trashed the Minnesota Timberwolves on various message boards yesterday. I will never learn. Anyway, the Wolves, defeated the Rockets in a wire to wire matchup last night. In the end, Kevin Love was too much and Wayne Ellington hit a big three in the final minutes to seal the deal. If there's one game I would like back, it's this one. This is yet another in a long line of reasons why the ROCKETS NEED CARMELO ANTHONY!!!!!! I like this team now, but I would like it more if we had a legit center and wing man. Then we could bring in Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier for a defensive spark. Hopefully the Lakers don't end up with Anthony.
Memphis went into Oklahoma City and defeated the Thunder in overtime last night. Tony Allen got his first start in almost a month and went off for 27 points. Zach Randolph is going to get paid this summer. I wonder if this is his last real productive season.
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