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.

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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.

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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

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Daily Recap- Nov 14

Who Was Hot

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles SG)- Passed Michael Jordan for third on the all-tine scoring list in a 100-94 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bryant recorded 26 points and six assists in the win, and passed Jordan with two free throws in the second quarter. It was the third straight win for the Lakers, who are now 8-16 on the season.

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Stephen Curry (Golden State PG)- Tallied 34 points to go along with seven assists and seven rebounds in a 128-122 overtime win against the New Orleans Pelicans. Curry has had recorded over 20 points and seven assists in four straight games, and is fueling the Warriors' blazing hot start this season.

Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio SF)- Stuffed the stat sheet in a 99-91 win over the Denver Nuggets. Leonard finished the game with 18 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, five steals and four assists in the victory. It was truly an all-around game for the young emerging star in San Antonio. Leonard continues to grow, and is taking on more responsibilities with the Spurs' offense.

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Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City PG)- Scored 28 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out eight assists in a 112-88 win over the Phoenix Suns. Westbrook continues to shine since his return from a broken hand, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Play of the Night

Bryant passed Michael Jordan for third most points in NBA history with two free throws on Sunday night. It was a momentous occasion, as Bryant has been so often compared to Jordan in all aspects of the game. The Lakers' shooting guard now sits with 32,310 total points.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Rz0TSprFc

2014-15 NBA Standings

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Daily Recap- Dec. 13

Who Was Hot

Mike Conley (Memphis PG)- Tallied a career-high 36 points on 13 of 22 shooting in a 120-115 overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Conley had a phenomenal game, hitting many shots down the stretch, including the game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. He also added in nine assists and three rebounds in what was one of his best games of the season.

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James Harden/Dwight Howard (Houston SG/C)- The Rockets' duo was on their game Saturday night, as they combined for 50 points on 16-32 shooting from the field in a 108-96 win over the Denver Nuggets. Harden finished with a triple-double (24 pts, 10 ast, 10 reb), while Howard tallied 26 points and 13 rebounds in his first game back from a knee injury.

Michael Carter-Williams (Philadelphia PG)- Recorded a triple-double of 16 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a 120-115 overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. MCW has been on a tear lately, averaging 17.0 points, 11.3 assists and 9.0 rebounds over his past eight games. He continues to showcase his versatility night in and night out, and is quickly becoming one of the better young point guards in the league.

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Matt Barnes/J.J. Redick (Los Angeles SG/SF)-  Barnes and Redick caught fire in a 111-106 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, combing for 51 points and 11 made 3-pointers in the contest. Barnes had his highest scoring game of the season with 26 points on 10 of 18 shooting, while Redick recorded 25 points, five 3-pointers and hit all eight free throws he attempted.

Plays of the Night

Memphis Grizzlies' point guard Mike Conley hit the game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime agains the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. Conley then hit several key shots in overtime to give Memphis the grind-it-out win in Philly. The Grizzlies improved to 19-4 on the season with the victory.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc0iJac0s0U

Orlando Magic small forward Tobias Harris hit a jumper at the buzzer to defeat the Atlanta Hawks 100-99 on Saturday night. Harris hit the tough, contested jumper after receiving the inbounds pass near mid court with 3.4 seconds left. He finished with 20 points (7-16 FG), six rebounds and five assists in the victory.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb23omjSot8

2014-15 NBA Standings

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