Nightly Recap- Jan. 1

Top Performances

Jimmy Butler (Chicago SG)- Posted a stat line of 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a 106-101 win over the Denver Nuggets. Butler seemed determined to pickup in 2015 where he left off in 2014, as he shot 7 of 14 from the field, and also chipped in three blocks and two steals. He, along with Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah, are proving to be one of the best teams in the league, and are looking like real title contenders heading into the second half of the season.

Source

Pau Gasol (Chicago PF/C)- Finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and a career-high nine blocks in the Bulls' win over the Nuggets. Gasol was all over the Nuggets on defense, as his nine blocks were more than he had accumulated in his previous four games combined. His fantastic season continues in Chicago, and will likely be an all-star come February.

Andrew Wiggins (Minnesota SG/SF)- The rookie tallied 27 points, nine rebounds and four steals in a 110-107 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Wiggins had a solid all-around game for Minnesota, and has scored over 21 points in four of his last five games. His game is starting to become more consistent, which is great news for Timberwolves' fans, and bad news for the rest of the teams in the NBA.

Source

Kenneth Faried (Denver PF)- Scored 18 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in a 106-101 loss to the Chicago Bulls. It was his third time in four games that Faried grabbed 19 or more rebounds, as he is one of the most talented rebounders in the NBA. As long as he is playing enough minutes each night, he is a double-double threat who give nothing less than 110% on the court.

Plays of the Night

Rose to Butler

Derrick Rose connected with Jimmy Butler on an alley-oop that brought the fans to their feet on Thursday night. The alley-oop put the game out of reach with a little under four minutes to play in the game, as the Bulls won 106-101.

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

McLemore Slams it Home

Ben McLemore finished a fast-break alley-oop against the Timberwolves on Thursday, showcasing his athleticism and finishing abilities. He finished the game with 14 points (6-9 FG) and four rebounds.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uev6631pLgc

2014-15 NBA Standings 

Check out bunow.com for local and national stories will by Bloomsburg University students.

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Daily Recap- Oct. 29th

Who Was Hot

Rajon Rondo- The Boston Celtic's point guard surprisingly started the first game of the season, and dropped 13 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in a 121-105 blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets. For the C's to have any chance at success this year, Rondo must control the tempo on offense and lead the team on defense.

Brandon Knight- Even though he struggled from the field (5-17 field goals), and the Bucks lost 108-106, Knight showcased high potential. He finished with 22 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, proving to head coach Jason Kidd that he is capable of leading this young team.

Chris Bosh- No LeBron? No problem. The Georgia Tech product looked like he did in his Toronto Raptors days, scoring 26 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in a 107-95 win over the Washington Wizards. Bosh hit three three-pointers and dished out four assists, and looks to be the number option going forward for the Heat.

Memphis Big Men- Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined to shoot 24-33 from the field and pull down a combined 22 rebounds in a 105-101 Grizzlies win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. If the duo can consistently put up close to double-doubles on a nightly basis, the Memphis Grizzlies will have a good chance to contend for a top six seed in the Western Conference.

Source- http://www.memphisconnect.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/grizz-5.jpg 

Who Was Not

Los Angeles Lakers- Back-to-back nights the Lakers have come out and looked clueless on both ends of the ball, as the Phoenix Suns dominated them 119-99. Kobe Bryant posted a game-high 31 points, but looked frustrated throughout the game, receiving a technical foul after he believed he was fouled. It's early, but the Lakers look like a lottery team already.

Bryant scored 31 points, but failed to get any help from his teammates. Source- http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2013/04/13/bryant_lakers_.jpg?itok=UKT4CMy2 

Perry Jones III- Given a chance to play big minutes due to Kevin Durant's injury, the small forward from Baylor shot 1-9 from the field in 31 minutes of play in a 106-89 loss to the Portland TrailBlazers. Chalk it up to nerves and playing against a stingy Portland defense, but Jones will need to contribute more on both ends of the floor for the Thunder to post a winning record during Durant's absence.

Ben McLemore- The second-year guard was supposed to have an improved jumper coming into the season. Instead, McLemore posted a stat line of 0-5 from the field, two rebounds, two turnovers and one assist in 26 minutes Wednesday. In order for Sacramento to have a shot at the playoffs, he will have to prove he can be a viable third scoring option behind DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay.

Stat of the Night- The Hornets came back from 24 points down to beat the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, making it the largest comeback in Charlotte's history.

All stats and info courtesy of espn.com
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