Nightly Recap- Jan. 2

Top Performances

Rajon Rondo (Dallas PG)- Scored 29 points in a 119-101 win over the Boston Celtics. Rondo was playing his first game in Boston since being traded, and shined, hitting 12 of 19 field goals, as well as grabbing six rebounds. He also received a heart-warming video tribute from the Celtics, as he was the last remaining player from their 2008 championship roster before he was traded.

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Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City SF)- Dropped 34 points and eight rebounds in a 109-102 win over the Washington Wizards. Durant was on his game versus one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, as he hit four 3-pointers, and more importantly, several key shots down the stretch to down the team that plays in his hometown. Barring any other freak injuries, KD should be set to have another season like his MVP one last year.

Jeff Teague (Atlanta PG)- Tallied 26 points and eight assists in a 98-92 win against the Utah Jazz. Teague was efficient on both sides of the ball Friday, as he hit 9 of 17 shot attempts and did not commit and single turnover. He has scored over 20 points in three consecutive games for the Hawks.

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Draymond Green (Golden State SF/PF)- Recorded a triple-double of 16 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in a 126-105 win over the Toronto Raptors. Green, who has been playing exquisitely in all areas this season, had yet another strong performance, as he hit 6 of his 12 shot attempts while recording two steals and two blocks. The young forward continues to shine, and putting up his first triple-double of his career is just another step in the right direction.

Stephen Curry (Golden State PG)- Posted a double-double of 32 points and 12 assists in the Warriors' win over the Raptors on Friday. Curry made 10 of his 18 field goal attempts, including five 3-pointers, and did not turn the ball over once. His play continues to be top-notch, and the Warriors are looking like a legitimate title-contending team.

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Elfrid Payton (Orlando PG)- Flirted with a triple-double Friday, scoring 16 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing nine rebounds in a 100-98 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. It was Payton's most complete game of his career, as he went toe-to-toe with Deron Williams and Jarrett Jack for most of the game, and showcased his talents on both ends of the court.

Play of the Night

Rajon Rondo shined in his return to Boston, scoring 29 points in the Mavericks' win.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB7seYkCQZY 

2014-15 NBA Standings 

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Rookies of the Week Nov. 3- Nov. 9.

It's that time of the week again, where I take a look at which rookies shined the most for their teams. Here's a recap below.

K.J. McDaniels (Philadelphia SG/SF)- Averaged 10.7 ppg on 47% shooting for the week. McDaniels scored a career-high 14 points on 5-9 shooting (3-4 3PM) in a 103-94 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday, Nov. 3. The 21-year-old posted a respectable stat line (6 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast and 2 stls) in a 118-115 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Nov. 7. McDaniels has started to receive consistent minutes in the 76ers' rotation, and should continue to develop nicely as the season progresses.

Source- http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/100114_kj.jpg 

Elfrid Payton (Orlando PG)- Although the shooting numbers were less than ideal this past week (33% on 14-42 FG), Payton continues to fill up the stat sheet in other ways, averaging 4.3 rpg and 5.5 apg for the week. the Louisiana-Lafayette product's best overall game came in a 112-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Nov. 7.  Payton scored 15 points (6-15 FG) to go along with five rebounds and four assists in the Magic's second win of the season. The 21-year-old continues to impress with his play on both ends of the court, and should be valuable to Orlando's rebuilding process.

Source- http://i.cdn.turner.com/drp/nba/magic/sites/default/files/promos/payton2_070114_760.jpg 

Rookies of the Week: Oct. 26- Nov. 2

With the NBA's first week of the regular season over, let's take a look back and see which rookies performed the best for their teams.

Nerlens Noel- The sixth overall selection in the 2013 NBA draft, Noel missed the entire 2013-14 season with a knee injury, but has looked impressive in his first few NBA games for the Philadelphia 76ers. He has averaged a modest 7.3 ppg, as well as 8.3 rpg, but his biggest contribution has come at the defensive end, where Noel has recorded seven blocks in three games (2.3 bpg). The 20-year-old big man will make a living off of his rebounding and shot blocking, and his offensive game should continue to improve as he competes for the Rookie of the Year award.

Source- http://www.csnphilly.com/sites/csnphilly/files/ap-sixers-nerlens-noel-dunk.jpg 

Jabari Parker- The Duke Blue Devil product has shown solid rebounding abilities in his first three career games, aerating 8.3 boards per game. His scoring has been slightly lower than predicted (10.7 ppg), but Parker's two double-doubles should give fantasy owners and Milwaukee Buck fans a reason to be excited about their team.

Source- http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/960/048/hi-res-c8cfb71f89336386a99642c439fa6425_crop_north.jpg?w=630&h=420&q=75 

Elfrid Payton- The 10th round selection in the first round of the draft, Payton has showcased strong passing abilities during the Orlando Magic's first three games. Even with them taking the loss in all three games, the 20-year-old has shown he has what it takes to compete in the NBA, positing a stat line of 7.3 ppg, 7.7 apg and 3.7 rpg. Payton's field goal percentage (36%), and turnovers (3.0 per game) will have to improve, but his raw athleticism and natural talent should give the Magic reason to be optimistic about their future. He should compliment second-year guard Victor Oladipo well in the backcourt when he returns from injury.

Source- http://www.foxsports.com/content/dam/fsdigital/RSN/Florida/2014/7/7/070714-fsf-nba-orlando-magic-elfrid-payton-PI.jpg

*All stats courtesy of espn.com