Thursday, January 29, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 28

Top Performances 

Kyrie Irving (Cleveland PG)- Erupted for 55 points, including 11 3-pointers in a 99-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The 55 points were not only a career-high for Irving, but also the most in the NBA this season, surpassing Klay Thompson's 52 points from last week. For the game, he hit 17-36 field goal attempts, and 10-10 from the foul line. Irving will need to step up in games where LeBron James is out due to rest or injury, and he is proving that he is more than capable of doing so for Cleveland.
Source
LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland PF)- Tallied 38 points and 11 rebounds in a 99-94 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Aldridge scored early and often against Cleveland, and did all he could to give them a chance to win, but it wasn't enough as Irving had a career-night. He has scored 64 points in his  two games since deciding to delay thumb surgery, and is looking like one of the best big men in the NBA.

Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City PG)- Scored 40 points in a 100-92 loss against the New York Knicks. With Kevin Durant sitting out once again, Westbrook took charge of the offense, shooting 13-30 from the field, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out four assists. For the Thunder to make it into the playoffs, they will have to win games against much weaker teams like the Knicks on a nightly basis.
Source
Paul Millsap (Atlanta PF)- Recorded 28 points and 15 rebounds in a 113-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Millsap only took nine field goal attempts (5-9 FG), but hit 15 of 16 from the foul line to give him his third consecutive 20-point game. It also marked his second double-double in three games.

Play of the Night

Check out Kyrie Irving's incredible 55-point night in a win over the Trail Blazers.


2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN 

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 27

Top Performances

Kyire Irving (Cleveland PG)- Dropped 38 points and six assists in a 103-95 win over the Detroit Pistons. Irving shot 13-23 from the field, and hit six 3-pointer in the Cavs' seventh straight win. He put up at least 37 points for the third time this month, and appears to be finding his rhythm alongside teammate LeBron James.
Source
Pau Gasol (Chicago PF/C)- Recorded 18 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists in a 113-111 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors. Gasol also chipped in four blocks and shot 7-12 from the field in the thrilling win. He continues to produce double-doubles, recording one in his last seven games.

Joakim Noah (Chicago C)- Posted a line of 18 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in the Bulls' win over the Warriors on Tuesday night. It was one of Noah's best games of the season, as he also shot 7-12 from the field, and played over 30 minutes for the first time in about two weeks.
Source
John Wall (Washington PG)- Tallied 21 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in a 98-92 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Wall shot 8-12 from the field, and would've scored even more points if not for an uncharacteristically poor night at the foul line (5-12 FT). It marked his second straight double-double, and his fourth in his last five contests.

Klay Thompson (Golden State SG)- Scored 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the Warriors' loss to the Bulls. Thompson hit four 3-pointers and recorded his first double-double of the season. Over his last three games, he is averaging 37.7 points and six 3-pointers on 58% shooting from the field.
Source
Plays of the Night

Warriors point guard Steph Curry channeled his inner Magic Johnson Tuesday night, throwing a no-look over-the-shoulder pass to David Lee for a slam dunk in the fourth quarter of their overtime loss to the Bulls.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO-RvacCd9w


Rose Hits Game-Winning Jumper

Bulls' point guard Derrick Rose stepped back and hit the game-winning jumper over Klay Thompson with under 10 seconds to play on Tuesday night. Rose finished the game with 33 points, seven rebounds and an astounding 11 turnovers.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IpLKdTPXdE

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 26

Top Performances

Anthony Davis (New Orleans PF/C)- Exploded for 32 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in a 99-74 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Davis dominated early and often against a weak 76ers' front line, and also recorded three assists and three steals in the win. It marked his third consecutive double-double, and he has recorded 10 steals in that span.
Source
Zach Randolph (Memphis PF)- Finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 103-94 win against the Orlando Magic. Randolph was efficient, hitting 8 of 13 shot attempts, and dished out his most assists in a single game this season.

Gordon Hayward (Utah SG/SF)- Tallied 26 points and six rebounds in a 99-90 loss to the Boston Celtics. Hayward also chipped in three steals and two blocks, while hitting four 3-pointers in the loss. He has now scored over 20 points in four of his last six games.
Source
Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles SG)- Scored 23 points and grabbed four rebounds in a 102-98 win over the Denver Nuggets. Crawford exploded for 21 points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers that helped the Clippers come back from as many as 10 down with nine minutes to play in the game. It was his first 20 point game in almost two weeks, and was much needed by his team.

Play of the Night

Anthony Davis slammed home an alley-oop from teammate Tyreke Evans Monday night, showcasing his freakish athleticism once again.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN-VsMbJc7Y

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Monday, January 26, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 25

Top Performances

Chris Paul (Los Angeles PG)- Registered 23 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in a 120-100 win over the Phoenix Suns. Paul rebounded nicely after only scoring 15 points combined in his last two games, and his near triple-double is a sign that he is still one of the best point guards in the game.
Source
Hassan Whiteside (Miami C)- Recorded his first career triple-double in a 96-84 win over the Chicago Bulls. Whiteside scored 14 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked a franchise-record 12 blocks, while hitting 6 of 10 shot attempts. His growth is coming faster than anyone could have expected, and is a shining light for the struggling Miami Heat.

D.J. Augustin (Detroit PG)- Scored a season-high 35 points in a 114-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Augustin started in place of the injured Brandon Jennings, and lit it up, while adding in eight assists. He grabbed four rebounds and hit five 3-pointers, and will see starting minutes with Jennings out for the year.
Source
Ty Lawson (Denver PG)- Tallied 31 points and 12 assists in a 117-115 loss to the Washington Wizards. Lawson had an excellent game one day after being arrested on suspicion of a DUI, hitting 10 of 20 shot attempts, including three 3-pointers.

Play of the Night

Check out Hassan Whiteside's first career triple-double.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUKZaRnFYdo

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 24

Top Performances

Zach Randolph (Memphis PF)- Tallied 17 points and 14 rebounds in a 101-83 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Randolph had his way against a weak 76ers' defense, and also added in four assists. He has recorded a double-double in every game since his return from injury.
Source
Tim Hardaway Jr. (New York SG)- Scored a team-high 25 points in a 76-71 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. With Carmelo Anthony out, Hardaway Jr. took up the leading to role, hitting 9 of 17 shots, including five 3-pointers. He also added in six rebounds and five assists, has scored 10+ points in his last six games.

Paul Pierce (Washington SF)- Recorded 19 points and six rebounds in a 103-96 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Pierce shot 7 of 10 from the field, and hit three 3-pointers in the loss. He also became the fourth player in NBA history to make 2,000 3-pointers, joining Ray Allen, Reggie Miller and Jason Terry. Pierce has scored in double-digits in six of his last eight contests.

Source

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 23

Top Performances

Klay Thompson (Golden State SG)- Scored a career-high 52 points in a 126-101 win over the Sacramento Kings. Thompson was quiet until the third quarter. where he scored an NBA record 37 points (13-13 FG, 9 3PM). He finished the game with 11 3-pointers, five assists and four steals, and is one of the best shooting guards in the league.
Source
Nikola Vucevic (Orlando C)- Recorded 34 points and 18 rebounds in a 113-106 loss to the New York Knicks. It was another big game for Vucevic, who hit 16 of 22 field goal attempts. It was his eighth double-double in his last ten games, and is a staple of his game this season.

James Harden (Houston SG)- Dropped 33 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in a 113-111 win over the Phoenix Suns. Harden also hit the game-winning shot over P.J. Tucker as time expired, and hit 14 of 17 free throw attempts. He has scored 31 or more points in four of his last five games.
Source
LeBron James (Cleveland SF)- Tallied 29 points, nine assists and six rebounds in a 129-90 win over the Charlotte Hornets. James hit 9 of 15 shot attempts, and also nabbed four steals in the largest win of this season for the Cavs. He has scored over 25 points in every game since returning from his various injuries.

Plays of the Night

Klay Thompson hit all 13 of his shot attempts (9 3PM) in his record-string third quarter, where he scored 37 points, propelling the Warriors to a huge lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc3m3BwfylA


Harden for the win

James Harden hit a step-back jumper at the buzzer to give the Rockets a 113-111 win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfy7qZ0mEd8

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 21

Top Performances

Andre Drummond (Detroit C)- Recorded 26 points and 17 rebounds in a 128-118 win over the Orlando Magic. Drummond was super-effecient Wednesday night, hitting 10 of 14 field goals, and surprisingly, 6 of his 8 foul shots. He also tallied four steals and blocked three shots as the Pistons continue to make a push for the playoffs.
Source
John Wall (Washington PG)- Scored 18 points, 13 assists and six rebounds in a 105-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wall didn't have the greatest shooting night (6-17 FG), but he did nab four steals and record his second consecutive double-double.

Nicolas Batum (Portland SF)- Posted a line of 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 118-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns. It was easily his best game of the season, as Batum hit 9 of his 15 field goal attempts (6-8 3PM). Hopefully, he can continue putting up numbers like this, as the Trail Blazers have lost four of their last five games, and are dealing with an injury to star LaMarcus Aldridge.
Source
Brandon Jennings (Detroit PG)-Tallied 24 points and a season-high 21 assists in a 128-118 win over the Orlando Magic. Jennings was in total distribution mode Wednesday night, finding teammates early and often during the contest. Detroit is now only a game and a half away from the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, and Jennings is a major reason why they have played so well over the last three weeks.

Eric Bledsoe (Phoenix PG/SG)- Finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in Phoenix's win over the Trail Blazers. Bledsoe had a fantastic overall game, shooting 11 of 22 from the field, and recording three steals in the win. He continues to fill the stat sheet every night for the Suns, who have won eight of their last ten games.
Source
Play of the Night

Kevin Durant was at it again, this time posterizing Washington center Marcin Gortat in a 105-103 Thunder win over the Wizards.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adlXmRj6ric


2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 20

Top Performances

Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio SF)- Recorded 17 points and a season-high 15 rebounds in a 109-99 win over the Denver Nuggets. It was Leonard's third game back from a hand injury, but he looked to be at full strength, as he hit three 3-pointers and stole the ball twice. His return should spark the Spurs to contend for a top-five seed in a tough Western Conference.
Source
Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City PG)- Posted a line of 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals in a 94-86 win against the Miami Heat. Westbrook had another great night for the Thunder, as he hit 8 of 17 field goal attempts in the win. He has recorded two double-doubles and a triple-double over the last week and a half, and is complimenting teammate Kevin Durant nicely.
Source
Kenneth Faired (Denver PF)- Scored 26 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a 109-99 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. It was Faried's first double-double in almost a week, as he hit 9 of 17 shot attempts, and 8 of 12 from the foul line. As long as he receives adequate minutes, he can be a double-double machine for the Nuggets.
Source
Play of the Night

Kevin Durant drove by Miami center Chris Birdman for the slam in a 94-86 win over the Heat on Wednesday night. Durant finished the game with 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi80FIVktu4

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

MLK Jr. Day Recap

Top Performances

James Harden (Houston SG)- Dropped 45 points, seven assists and four steals in a 110-98 win against the Indiana Pacers. Harden had a fantastic overall game once again, hitting 12 of his 18 shot attempts, including seven 3-pointers. It was a nice bounce-back game after he scored only 12 points against Golden State on Saturday.

Source
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento PF/C)- Tallied 22 points and 19 rebounds in a 98-94 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Cousins only shot 7 of 17 from the field, but blocked four shots in the loss. He continues to put up stellar numbers in wins or losses, and is one of the most talented centers in the league.

DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles C)- Scored 19 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked six shots in a 102-93 win over the Boston Celtics. Jordan scored 17 or more points for the third time in four games, and continues to be one of the best rebounders in the league, averaging 13.4 a game. His 2.36 blocked shots per game is good for second best in the NBA.
Source
Isaiah Thomas (Phoenix PG)- Recorded 24 points and five steals in a 115-100 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. Thomas had a super-effecient game, shooting 9 of 12 from the field, and hitting four 3-pointers in the big win. It was the seventh time in the last nine games that he has scored in double-digits.

Play of the Night

Portland Trail Blazers' point guard Damian Lillard put the game on ice with a slam dunk in a 98-94 win over the Sacramento Kings. He finished the game with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpL-2qpQmPk


2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 17

Top Performances

Stephen Curry/Klay Thompson (Golden State PG/SG)- The Splash Bros. combined for 54 points in a 131-106 win over the Houston Rockets. Curry posted a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Thompson dropped 27 points and blocked five shots in the big win. The Warriors' duo has been one of the best backcourts in the NBA this season, and are leading Golden State to a top four seed in the West.

Kyle Korver (Atlanta SG/SF)- Caught fire from 3-point range, hitting seven shots from deep in a 107-99 win against the Chicago Bulls. Korver and the Hawks kept rolling along, winning their 26th game in their last 28 contests. Korver is shooting over 50% from the field and from 3-point range, and over 90% from the free throw range this season, and is making a strong case for an all-star bid.

Andrew Wiggins (Minnesota SG/SF)- Scored a career-high 31 points in a 113-105 win over the Denver Nuggets. Wiggins hit four 3-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds in the win, and is starting to lock up the Rookie of the Year award. He has scored 20+ points in eight of his last ten games, and is shooting over 50% from the field and over 44% from 3-point range during that span.

Matt Barnes (Los Angeles SF)- Tied a season-high with 26 points in a 117-108 win over the Sacramento Kings. Barnes hit 10 of his 15 shots attempts (four 3-pointers), and also grabbed 10 rebounds in what was one of his best games of the season. He has played more minutes recently than he has all season, and has scored in double-digits in six of his last seven games as a result.

Jason Thompson (Sacramento PF/C)- Recorded a double-double of 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds in a 117-108 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Thompson started in place of an injured DeMarcus Cousins, and had himself a career-night, scoring and and grabbing more rebounds than he had in his last three games combined.

Play of the Night

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry dished out what was one of the wackiest assists of the season in a win over the Rockets. He threw the ball behind his back to Harrison Barnes for the dunk.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu_lQ-LI6sc

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 16

Top Performances

Derrick Rose (Chicago PG)- Scored 29 points and dished out 10 assists in a 119-103 win over the Boston Celtics. It was easily one of his best games of the season, and his second consecutive game scoring  over 20 points. In his last two games, Rose has tallied 61 points on 24-42 shooting, as well as 11 3-pointers. Friday night was also his first 20-10 game since March of 2012.
Source
Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City PG)- Recorded his ninth career triple-double in a 127-115 win against the Golden State Warriors. Westbrook finished with a stat line of 17 points, 17 assists and 15 rebounds in the win, and was simply all over the court during the game.

Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City SF)- Dropped 36 points on 14-18 shooting in the Thunder's win over the Warriors. The reigning MVP also chipped in nine rebounds and four assists in the big win, as OKC looked like the team that won 59 games in 2013-14. He, along with Westbrook will have to continue having big games like this if the Thunder wish to not only get into the playoffs, but avoid being an eight seed.
Source
Brandon Jennings (Detroit PG)- Finished with 37 points, including eight 3-pointers in a 98-96 win over the Indiana Pacers. Jennings remains in a zone from 3-point range, as he has now hit 19 of them over his last five games. His strong play has the Pistons competing for a playoff spot early in 2015, and will be worth watching come March.

Marc Gasol (Memphis C)- Flirted with a triple-double, tallying 12 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists in a 105-95 victory agains the Orlando Magic. Gasol's impressive season continues, as he fills up the stat sheet and leads the Grizzlies to wins almost every night. He is an under-the-rarer MVP candidate, and is playing the best basketball of his career.
Source

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Friday, January 16, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 15

Top Performances 

James Harden (Houston SG)- Recorded 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in a 112-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harden absolutely took over Thursday night, as he hit 9 of 15 shot attempts, including six 3-pointers. He continues to put up all kinds of numbers, and is leading Houston to big wins each and every night.
Source

LeBron James (Cleveland SF)- Scored 36 points and hit four 3-pointers in a 109-102 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. James had his second strong game in a row, as Cleveland snapped their five-game losing streak. With Kevin Love battling back spasms, and Kyrie's inconsistent play, James will be counted on more than ever to carry the load for his hometown team as they push to get back into playoff contention.

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles SG)- Finished with 19 points, 17 assists and seven rebounds in a 109-102 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a career-high in assists for Bryant, who continues to distribute the ball at a high rate, as he has dished out seven or more assists in six of his last seven games.
Source

Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City SF)- Tallied 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 112-101 loss to the Houston Rockets. It was a quiet double-double for Durant, who only took 12 shots (8-12 FG) in the loss. However, he continues to score at an efficient rate for the Thunder, and It is safe to say he is back to 100% heading forward.

Play of the Night

Houston Rockets' guard James Harden showcased his speed and athleticism by splitting the Thunder defense for the slam dunk Thursday night. Harden cut in between Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka before throwing down a left-handed slam in a 112-101 win for the Rockets.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdsrhHA0fV0

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 14

Top Performances

Stephen Curry (Golden State PG)- Scored 32 points and hit seven 3-pointers in a 104-89 win over the Miami Heat. One night after recording a 27 point/11 assist double-double against the Jazz, Curry was back at it, hitting 11 of 19 field goal attempts in the Warriors' eighth straight win. He continues to put up all-star, and MVP numbers for Golden State, and is having the best season of his career.
Source
Victor Oladipo (Orlando PG/SG)- Tallied 32 points, six rebounds and six assists in a 120-113 win over the Houston Rockets. It was Oladipo's second consecutive 30+ point performance, and is a great sign for the Magic moving forward. He is scoring 23.4 points a game, and dishing out 4.2 assists over his last five games.

Anthony Davis (New Orleans PF/C)- Scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots in a 105-94 win over the Detroit Pistons. It was his fourth double-dobule in his last five games, and Davis has blocked 15 shots in that span.
Source
Ty Lawson (Denver PG)- Finished with 29 points, 12 assists and five rebounds in a 114-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks. It was a season-high in points for Lawson, as he hit 10 of 18 shot attempts, as well as 9 of 13 free throw attempts in the big win for Denver. Over his last five games, he is averaging 21.4 points, 9.6 assists while shooting 58.8% from the field, all wins for the Nuggets.

LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland PF)- Recorded 37 points and 12 rebounds in a 100-94 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Aldridge did all he could to keep Portland in the game as teammate Damian Lillard hit only 5 of 16 shot attempts, but it wasn't quite enough. He continues to be one of the highest scoring big men in the league, and is grabbing over 10 rebounds a game.
Source
Play of the Night

Memphis center Marc Gasol showcased his playmaking abilities Wednesday night, making a behind-the-head pass to Tony Allen for the layup in a 103-92 win over the Brooklyn Nets.




2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 13

Top Performances

Al Horford (Atlanta PF/C)- Recorded the first triple-double of his career, scoring 21 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists in a 105-87 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Horford was uber-effecient in his 29 minutes of action, hitting 8 of 10 field goal attempts, as well as 5 of 6 free throw attempts. He took initiative with three other starts resting Tuesday night, and played a phenomenal game.
Source
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento PF/C)- Almost recorded a triple-double, tallying 32 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists in a 108-104 overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The nine turnovers Cousins committed were way too high, but his other numbers (11-21 FG, 10-10 FT) more than made up for it, as he continues to dominate any and all opponents.

Mo Williams (Minnesota PG)- Scored a career-high 52 points in a 110-101 win over the Indiana Pacers. It was also a franchise record for most points scored by a Minnesota player, as Williams seemingly hit any and every shot over the Pacers' defense on Tuesday. He finished the game 19 of 33 from the field, including six made 3-pointers, and also dished out seven assists.
Source
J.R. Smith (Cleveland SG)- Tallied 29 points, while hitting eight 3-pointers in a 107-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Smith clearly benefitted from LeBron James making his return last night, as he saw a lot of open looks from all over the court. He also recorded four steals and did not commit a single turnover in the loss, which is a good sign for the Cavs coaching staff moving forward.

Markieff Morris (Phoenix PF/C)- Recorded a career-high 35 points in a 107-100 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The slightly taller Morris twin had himself a night against Cleveland, hitting 15 of his 21 shot attempts, while grabbing seven rebounds in the win.
Source
Play of the Night

Philadelphia 76ers' shooting guard K.J. McDaniels threw down a double-clutch dunk in the third quarter of a 105-87 loss to the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night. The rookie from Clemson showcased his hops and athleticism once again, and continues to be a bright spot for an otherwise dull season for 76ers' fans.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5iaaQ9Epag

2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Nightly Recap- Jan. 12

Top Performances

James Harden (Houston SG)- Scored 30 points on 9 of 13 shooting in a 113-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets. He also dished out six assists in the win, and scored 30 points/hit four 3-pointers for the second consecutive game. Harden is keeping himself in the MVP conversation, as well as keeping the Rockets in contention for a top-4 seed in the Western Conference.
Source
Pau Gasol (Chicago PF/C)- Tallied 28 points and 14 rebounds in a 121-114 loss to the Orlando Magic. In his first game since scoring a career-high 46 points, Gasol hit 10 of 16 shot attempts, 8 of 10 free throws and blocked two shots in the loss. His career-year continues, and as long as he remains healthy, he should be an all-star and possibly make an all-NBA team.

Jonas Valanciunas (Toronto C)- Hit 14 of 15 shot attempts en route to a 31 point, 12 rebound performance in a 114-111 loss to the Detroit Pistons. It was his first double-double in a little over a week, but Valanciunas showed why he can play minutes in Toronto's rotation every night.
Source
Brandon Jennings (Detroit PG)- Recorded 34 points and 10 assists the Piston's win over the Raptors. Jennings hit four 3-pointers and swiped the ball twice in the win, while also shooting 11 of 22 from the field. The Pistons have now won 9 out of their last 10 games, and are playing themselves into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.

Play of the Night

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-6wqZZ1DZs

Orlando Magic Center Nikola Vucevic slammed one home over Pau Gasol in a 121-114 Magic win against the Chicago Bulls Monday night. Vucevic scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the win, with no two points bigger than his monster dunk.


2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN

Monday, January 12, 2015

Non-MVP Award Races- Part 1

While the MVP race is a hot topic in the NBA, many forget the other award races going on in the association. Let's take a look at my favorites for the following award races- Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year

Rookie of the Year

Andrew Wiggins (Minnesota SF)- Wiggins is averaging 14.5 points and 4.2 rebounds a game for the Timberwolves, but is starting to show signs of his true potential. His athleticism and raw talent are matched by none in this rookie class, and the award is his to lose. Wiggins is putting up 21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 49% shooting in the month of January.
Source
Nikola Mirotic (Chicago PF)- The 23-year-old power forward for the Bulls is recording 8.0 points and 5.1 rebounds a game, despite playing behind Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol. He has stepped up whenever either one of those big men have been injured, and will continue to play a vital bench role in head coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation.
Source
K.J. McDaniels (Philadelphia SG)- For a guy taken in the second round (32nd overall), McDaniels is proving every team that didn't take him in the first round wrong. His athleticism and defensive prowess has been a positive sign for the 76ers this year, offense is coming along game-by-game. He is receiving steady minutes and should continue to do so for the rest of the season, making him a great dark horse for ROY. If McDaniels' can have a solid three months on offense, he could steal the award from Wiggins.
Source
2014 Rookie of the Year Results

Sixth Man of the Year

Manu Ginobili (San Antonio SG)- Ginobili seems to be on the ballot every year, and he continues to put up strong numbers for the Spurs. He is scoring 12.5 points, and dishing out 5.0 assists a game, which will be a career-high if that number holds for the 37-year-old. His 42% shooting could be a little better, but Ginobili is hitting 37% of his 3-point attempts, and barring an injury, will be in the sixth man conversation come April.
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Taj Gibson (Chicago PF)- Gibson finished second behind Jamal Crawford last season for the Sixth Man award, and his hustle and rebounding will one day earn him a starting job. For now, he his putting his talents to good use off the bench, putting up splits of 11.6/6.9/51% (Pts, Reb, FG%) in just under 29 minuets a game.
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Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles SG)- Much like Ginobili, Crawford is a name synonymous with top sixth men and he was also last years' winner of the award. His 3-point shooting and overall scoring ability remains constant for the Los angeles Clippers, and he will be contending for his third Sixth Man of the Year award in the Spring.
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2014 Sixth Man of the Year Results

Stay tuned for another article on the following award races- Most Improved, Defensive Player and Coach of the Year.

2014-15 NBA Standings 
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Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN



Nightly Recap- Dec. 11

Top Performances

DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento PF/C)- Had a monster game of 26 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks in a 103-84 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was another phenomenal game for Cousins, who recorded three or more blocks and steals for the second consecutive game. He continues to build a strong MVP case, and is asserting himself at the top of the NBA's elite.
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Hassan Whiteside (Miami PF/C)- Posted career-highs of 23 points and 16 rebounds in a 104-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Whiteside hit 10 of his 13 shot attempts from the field in 29 minutes of action. It was his second double-double in his last three games, and a sign of things to come from the third year player from Marshall.

Zach Randolph (Memphis PF)- Scored 27 points and pulled down 178 rebounds in a 122-110 double overtime win against the Phoenix Suns. Zebo recorded his second double-double in as many games, and looks to be healthy after missing two weeks due to injury.
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Chris Bosh (Miami PF/C)- Put up 34 points on 13 of 20 shooting in a 104-90 win over the Clippers. Bosh hit two 3-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds. It was the most points Bosh had scored since returning form injury six games ago, and he has hit seven 3-pointers in his last three games, showcasing his range from any area on the court.

Play of the Night

Portland Trail Blazers' point guard Damian Lillard threw down a ferocious dunk while getting fouled in a 106-94 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Lillard closed out the game with authority, and finished with 34 points and seven assists in the win.
Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLuvmIGpl6o


2014-15 NBA Standings 
Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

*All stats courtesy of ESPN