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Clippers vs Trail Blazers – Nothing to Cry About This Time
Sometimes a loss is exactly what it seems to be. No unlawful ejections, no fouls that Doc Rivers whines about when the game is over. Nicolas Batum hit one big shot to send the game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers into overtime, before LaMarcus Aldridge sealed the deal despite a huge night from Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.
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Spurs vs Mavericks – Tim Duncan in the Post, Danny Green From Everywhere Else
For a minute there, Danny Green thought he was in the NBA finals, when no shot seemed too difficult, and every open look ended in the net. That kind of night from him and an excellent all around game from Tim Duncan were enough to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 116-107 road win over the Dallas Mavericks.
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Houston Rockets – Jeremy Lin Starting to Rub Off on James Harden
The Houston Rockets seem to be learning something new about themselves every day. Their latest lesson? It’s possible for James Harden to play like a team player and do well individually at the same time, maybe taking a page or two from the Jeremy Lin book, which obviously benefited the team in a 100-92 win.
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Hawks vs Cavaliers – Jeff Teague Claims the Duel
The season is becoming more and more depressing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, even when Kyrie Irving explodes for 40 points. The Atlanta Hawks had just about enough to weather the strom, and rely on Jeff Teague in an excellent game as well to knock down a game winning shot to finally end the two overtime marathon.
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Clippers vs Warriors – When Referees Help the Dirty Team
For the second straight game, the Los Angeles Clippers see one of their players unjustly ejected. Blake Griffin means more to the team than Matt Barnes, so it wasn’t that surprising to see the Los Angeles Clippers lose a close on without him to the Golden State Warriors, who are living up to the ‘dirty’ label that’s been put on them going back to last season.
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Houston Rockets – Jeremy Lin as he Should be While James Harden Rules Late
The Houston Rockets played like a team that can win an NBA title as they won on the road against the San Antonio Spurs for a second time in a row. James Harden put on a show late, Chandler Parsons was great early on, but it was also quite pleasing to see Jeremy Lin, for most of the game, playing like an actual point guard and getting the kind of minutes he should be.
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Heat vs Lakers – LeBron James Cared About Putting on a Show
The close scoreline of 101-95 doesn’t tell the whole story. The Miami Heat were too good for the Los Angeles Lakers by more than six points, but it seemed many times that LeBron James was a lot more about enjoying the moment and putting on a show along with Dwyane Wade than actually winning this game decisively.
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Thunder vs Knicks – Too Easy to be Taken Seriously
Without their best player, there wasn’t much the New York Knicks were hoping to get from their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. And yet, it’s doubtful that Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant thought it was going to be as easy as it seemed to be looking from the outside.
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Bulls vs Nets – The Sad and the Hopeful
Both the Chicago Bulls and the Brooklyn Nets haven’t had seasons that are going according to plan. The big difference? One team seems to still believe in their ability to go places this season, while the other looks like it has accepted its fate of being one of the worst teams in the NBA.
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NBA on Christmas – Scores & Standings Aftermath
The NBA on Christmas spectacle might have been missing a star or two from the lineup, but there was plenty of good basketball to go around, as the Miami Heat were more interested in entertainment during their win over the Los Angeles Lakers, while the Houston Rockets won on the road against the San Antonio Spurs to show they’re worth considering as title contenders.