Daily Recap- Dec. 15

Who Was Hot

Nerlens Noel (Philadelphia C)- Scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists in a loss to the Boston Celtics. Noel hit 9 of his 12 shot attempts, and played one of is best games of the season. His talent and overall growth is hard to judge, as he is playing with generally subpar players on a nightly basis, but Noel has a high upside in rebounding and defense that the 76ers will look to build upon as the season progresses.

Source

LeBron James/Kevin Love (Cleveland SF/C)- The Cleveland duo combined for 49 points (18-33 FG), 25 rebounds and 18 assists in a 97-88 win over the Charlotte Hornets. James went off for 27 points and 13 rebounds, while Love tallied 22 points and 18 rebounds as the Cavs raced out to a 19-0 lead and never looked back. Cleveland is starting to hit their stride, and are climbing up in the standings rapidly. James and Love are settling into nice seasons statistically.

Al Horford (Atlanta PF/C)- Recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 93-86 win over the Chicago Bulls. Horford's scoring and rebounding numbers have been low this season (13.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg), so this game was a welcome sight for Hawks' fans. Horford remains one of the better big men that you never hear about in the NBA, but his play has helped Atlanta jump out to a 17-7 record (good for 3rd in the East) in the 2014-15 season.

Source

Kelly Olynyk (Boston C)- Had one of his best games of the season, scoring 30 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 105-87 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Even though it was a blowout win against one of the worst teams in the league, Olynyk's numbers are worthy of mentioning, as he hit 12 of 17 field goals, and also added in three steals. His play has been erratic thus far, but maybe this game will spark something in the former Gonzaga Bulldog.

Play of the Night

Kyle Lowry showcased his outstanding ball handling abilities Monday night by putting Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo on skates during Toronto's 95-82 win. Lowry finished with 17 points and eight assists, as the Raptors keep rolling along in 2014.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5LU-0noswY

Nerlens Noel showcased his athleticism and defensive prowess Monday night by blocking Celtics' forward Jared Sullinger midway through the 4th quarter. Even though the game was out of hand by this point, Noel's block got the fans excited and buzzing about one of their core rebuilding pieces.

Video courtesy of Bleacher Report.

2014-15 NBA Standings

Check out bunow.com for local and national stories written by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on Twitter @Lower_Merion33