Daily Zap 17-11-14

Denver Nuggets (2-7) @ New York Knicks (3-8)

The New York Knicks ended a seven game losing streak thanks to a win over fellow strugglers, the Denver Nuggets. The win was mainly due to Denver scoring just one basket from 16 attempts in the second quarter, while the Knicks scored 31 points. Even when Denver outscored their opponents in the next quarter, the Knicks didn’t worry, still possessing a 20 point lead. It looked like Denver could mount a comeback when they reduced the lead to 12, but Carmelo Anthony helped pull his team through for the win.

Knicks 93 - 109 Nuggets

KEY PERFORMERS

Ty Lawson - 17 points, 9 assists

Kenneth Faried - 16 points, 9 rebounds

Carmelo Anthony - 28 points, 9 rebounds

J.R. Smith - 28 points

Milwaukee Bucks (5-5) @ Miami Heat (5-5)

The Miami Heat fell to their third straight loss, this time losing at home to the Milwaukee Bucks. They may have won the first half 46-38, but the main damage was done in the third quarter. The Bucks outscored the Heat in the third by 26-13, being a great force on the inside. Miami reduced to the lead to three in the final quarter, but the game was over when Brandon Knight nailed two three-pointers in the space of a couple of minutes. Dwyane Wade was sorely missed by Miami, with Chris Bosh (2-17) and Luol Deng (3-11) struggling from the field.

Bucks 91 - 84 Heat

KEY PERFORMERS

Giannis Antetokounmpo - 11 points, 7 rebounds

Brandon Knight - 20 points, 5 rebounds

Shawne Williams - 13 points, 11 rebounds

Mario Chalmers - 18 points

Houston Rockets (9-1) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (3-8)

In one of the ugliest games in recent years, the Houston Rockets managed to grind out a victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you wondering why the score was so low, it wasn’t due to terrific defence, both teams shot the ball poorly; Houston shooting 28.7% and the Thunder weren’t much better at 29.4%. The Rockets dominance in the paint - they outscored the Thunder 14-0 in the first quarter - was key to gaining an early advantage. But the Thunder rallied to even up the scores, being helped by Houston scoring just nine points in the third. However, it was the Rockets who led late on, 68-65 with one possession left. Reggie Jackson shot an unnecessarily deep three pointer which missed the targets, which maintained the Rockets unbeaten road run.

Rockets 69 - 65 Thunder

KEY PERFORMERS

Patrick Beverley - 12 points, 8 rebounds

James Harden - 19 points, 9 rebounds

Reggie Jackson - 15 points, 11 rebounds

Serge Ibaka - 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks

Golden State Warriors (8-2) @ Los Angeles Lakers (1-9)

The Lakers defence has been appalling so far this year, but even their biggest critics didn’t expect the Warriors to score 74 points against them in the first half alone. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were the main threats for Golden State, scoring the ball with the ease that we’ve seen many times before. The lead extended to as much as 38 points in the third, meaning they could relax a little in the final quarter, and still comfortably pick up the win. Kobe shot 34 shots from the field which implies that he has been given free rein  by Byron Scott to shoot when and where he wants.

Warriors 136 - 115 Lakers

KEY PERFORMERS

Stephen Curry - 30 points, 15 assists

Andrew Bogut - 15 points, 10 rebounds

Kobe Bryant - 44 points

Jordan Hill - 15 points, 11 rebounds

Daily Zap 10-11-14

Orlando Magic (2-5) @ Brooklyn Nets (4-2)

The Magic missed out on their third straight victory, despite winning the first half 42-40. They lost quite a bit of ground in the third, mainly due to Bojan Bogdanovic’s efforts which got him 11 points in the quarter. Magic center Nikola Vucevic kept his side in contention with brilliant scoring prowess of his own, notching up 17 points in the third. The Magic took the lead early in the fourth - a Channing Frye three-pointer putting them ahead. But Bogdanovic repeated his third quarter performance and put the game beyond Orlando’s reach.

Magic 96 - 104 Nets

KEY PERFORMERS

Nikola Vucevic - 27 points, 12 rebounds

Evan Fournier - 19 points, 5 assists

Bojan Bogdanovic - 22 points, 6 rebounds

Mason Plumlee - 12 points, 10 rebounds in 16:06 minutes of play

Utah Jazz (3-4) @ Detroit Pistons (2-4)

Two teams with losing records, both Detroit and Utah were keen to get a win in this game. The Pistons led for most of the second and third quarter, extending this lead to nine points late in the third. This was mainly due to the efforts of Brandon Jennings, the point guard scoring 14 points in the third. But the Jazz came back in final quarter, their whole team contributing to the resurgence. The Jazz took a one point lead with the Pistons having the final possession. The ball was inbounded to Jennings, who couldn’t convert a floater from the top of the key meaning Utah could pick up their third win of the season.

Jazz 97 - 96 Pistons

KEY PERFORMERS

Derrick Favors - 16 points, 12 rebounds

Enes Kanter - 14 points, 11 rebounds

Andre Drummond - 11 points, 18 rebounds

Brandon Jennings - 23 points, 5 assists

Sacramento Kings (5-2) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (2-5)

The Thunder may have only been able to name nine players in their squad for this game against the inform Sacramento Kings, but it didn’t stop them recording their first win since their victory against the lowly Denver Nuggets. They led by 13 at the break, but this still wasn’t enough for them to be comfortable. The Thunder turned the ball over way too much in the third meaning the Kings could get back into the game. With two minutes left, the Kings even managed to reduce the lead down to two, but Reggie Jackson responded well and helped pull his team through.

Kings 93 - 101 Thunder

KEY PERFORMERS

Rudy Gay - 23 points, 10 rebounds

Darren Collison - 12 points, 7 assists

Serge Ibaka - 14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks

Jeremy Lamb - 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists

Philadelphia 76ers (0-7) @ Toronto Raptors (6-1)

The Philadelphia 76ers torrid start to the season continued last night as they fell to their Atlantic Division rivals, the Toronto Raptors. They were never in contention after losing the first quarter 33-20, although it did get better in the second - they only lost by two. But the next two quarters were blowouts as well, giving the Raptors the easy win. The highlight of the game was in the final quarter, when the Raptors’ James Johnson put Brandon Davies on a poster. Definitely worth checking out on YouTube.

76ers 88 - 120 Raptors

KEY PERFORMERS

Henry Sims - 12 points, 8 rebounds

Tony Wroten - 18 points, 5 assists

DeMar DeRozan - 24 points, 6 rebounds

Terrence Ross - 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks

Miami Heat (5-2) @ Dallas Mavericks (4-3)

Before this game, Dirk Nowitzki was just 33 points away from Hakeem Olajuwon on the all-time scoring list, and he looked on course to catch him after he scored 16 in the first half. Unfortunately for Dirk, he only had one point in the last two quarters of play, so Hakeem’s target is still, well, a target. Even worse for the German, he couldn’t prevent his Mavericks side losing their seventh straight game to the Miami Heat (the last time the Mavs beat the Heat was in the 2010-11 NBA Finals). Luol Deng was another player who had a hot hand at the beginning of the game, and he continued his form into the second half, ending up with 30 points. The Heat led by 11 at the break, and strengthened this advantage in the third, adding another 28 points onto their score. They were too far away for the Mavericks to catch in the last quarter, meaning Miami went top of the Southeast Division. 

Heat 105 - 96 Mavericks

KEY PERFORMERS

Luol Deng - 30 points

Chris Bosh - 20 points, 10 rebounds

Dwyane Wade - 20 points, 10 assists

Tyson Chandler - 16 points, 15 rebounds

Monta Ellis - 23 points, 5 assists

Golden State Warriors (5-1) @ Phoenix Suns (4-3)

The NBA is now without an unbeaten team, as the Golden State Warriors became the last team to succumb to defeat. The Warriors started brightly well, Stephen Curry had no worries nailing the three ball, and Leandro Barbosa proved a more than solid replacement for the injured Klay Thompson. The fourth quarter was when the Warriors’ standards slipped though. Gerald Green sent a three-pointer home to tie the game up and then scored two more three’s to put his team up by seven. Isaiah Thomas also helped out as the Suns won the last quarter 36-16. Curry may be on the “Key Performers” list but he could somewhat be blamed for his teams defeat, as he turned the ball over ten times in the game. 

Warriors 95 - 107 Suns

KEY PERFORMERS

Stephen Curry - 28 points, 10 assists

Draymond Green - 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks

Isaiah Thomas - 22 points, 7 assists

Marcus Morris - 17 points, 9 rebounds

Denver Nuggets (1-5) @ Portland Trail Blazers (4-3)

The Nuggets have been struggling recently, having lost their past four games, and this record didn’t get any better away in Portland. The Trail Blazers just looked more solid than their opponents throughout the game, LaMarcus Aldridge being dominant in the third. Steve Blake and Kenneth Faried tangled early in the fourth, their minor altercation led to them both receiving technical fouls. It had no effect on the game though, it went on as normal, with the Trail Blazers running play. Nicolas Batum left the game with an injury late on and didn’t return. Although there was no official word from the team, it didn’t look good for the French forward.

Nuggets 100 - 116 Trail Blazers

KEY PERFORMERS 

Timofey Mozgov - 7 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks

Kenneth Faried - 19 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks

LaMarcus Aldridge - 28 points, 9 rebounds

Robin Lopez - 12 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks

Charlotte Hornets (3-4) @ Los Angeles Lakers (1-5)

The Los Angeles Lakers won. Do not adjust your monitors, you read that right. It looked almost like déjà vu as the Lakers began the game on the wrong end of a 15-6 start, but they did enough to keep themselves in the game. The third quarter is when it went right for Los Angeles, with new signings Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin helping contribute to a 16-1 run. This meant they won the third period 34-13 and led the game 74-64 going into the final quarter. The Lakers needed someone to seal the deal, and who better than Kobe Bryant, he finished the game with 21 points.

Hornets 92 - 107 Lakers

KEY PERFORMERS

Al Jefferson - 23 points, 8 rebounds

Lance Stephenson - 6 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists

Kobe Bryant - 21 points, 6 rebounds

Jeremy Lin - 21 points, 7 assists

Daily Zap 05-11-14

Milwaukee Bucks @ Indiana Pacers

There wasn’t much in this game at the end, but after winning the first three quarters it was clear the Milwaukee Bucks deserved this win. Brandon Knight spearheaded his side’s victory - continuing his very impressive start to the season - with rookie Jabari Parker seemingly settling well into professional basketball after also having a good game. Roy Hibbert was the stand out player for the Indiana Pacers as he continued his return to the form that saw him named as an All-Star last season. The teams were separated by just three points after the Pacers’ Chris Copeland scored a three pointer in the closing stages, but Knight was there for the Bucks to reinstate their lead, and this time it was decisive.

Bucks 87 - 81 Pacers
KEY PERFORMERS
Brandon Knight - 23 points, 7 rebounds
O.J. Mayo - 9 points, 5 assists, 3 steals
Roy Hibbert - 16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks
Lavoy Allen - 8 points, 12 rebounds


Houston Rockets @ Miami Heat

In a battle between two teams with a 100% record, the Houston Rockets faced the Miami Heat. Neither team shot the ball particularly well at the start of the game, but big men - namely Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard - got plenty of second chance points from these misses. James Harden was as efficient as ever, getting to the free throw line ten times, and converting all of these chances. An 18-5 run seemed to give the Rockets some breathing space but the Heat regained lost ground to reduce the Rockets’ lead to six in the last quarter. This is when another tactic from Houston’s repertoire came into effect, with the three ball being shot very well. They finished the game with 46% shooting from behind the line on 37 attempts. Miami couldn’t find an answer to this offensive punch and succumbed to their first loss of the season. Meanwhile the Rockets are now 5-0 with tough games against the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors up next.

Rockets 108 - 91 Heat

KEY PERFORMERS
James Harden - 25 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds
Dwight Howard - 26 points, 10 rebounds
Chris Bosh - 21 points, 8 rebounds
Dwyane Wade - 19 points


Washington Wizards @ New York Knicks

After being blown out by the Bulls in their first game, the New York Knicks have won their past two games impressively, with the triangle offense seemingly working. And it continued in this game, Carmelo Anthony started off hot while Amar’e Stoudemire and Samuel Dalembert collected rebounds down low. But this form seemed to come to a complete halt in the third quarter as the Washington Wizards stepped it up a notch. The Wizards shot 55% from the floor in the third, with Paul Pierce being the go-to guy in their offense. On the other end of the floor the Wizards managed to limit the Knicks offense as they scored just 15 points in the quarter. Anthony went from hero to zero in the latter stages of the game, after starting well he ended up shooting just 8-23 in the game, and also committed seven turnovers. Although the Wizards didn’t dominate the last quarter, it didn’t matter, the damage was already done.

Wizards 98 - 83 Knicks

KEY PERFORMERS
Garrett Temple - 17 points, 5 rebounds
Paul Pierce - 17 points, 5 rebounds
Amar’e Stoudemire - 6 points, 12 rebounds
Carmelo Anthony - 18 points, 6 rebounds



Oklahoma City Thunder @ Toronto Raptors

The Oklahoma City Thunder can’t seem to catch a break. They were only able to suit up eight players for the trip to the Toronto Raptors but this number was reduced by the end of this game. They survived the first half injury free, and amazingly, they even led at the half, after a 30 point first quarter. However the problems began in the third quarter. Kevin Durant’s replacement Perry Jones drove in for a layup, but managed to clash knees with Patrick Patterson, meaning Jones had to leave the game with a suspected knee contusion. Later in the same quarter, Reggie Jackson tweaked his knee and left for the bench - luckily he was able to rejoin the game later. Despite all of this drama the Thunder were still in with a chance of winning this game, until late in the fourth quarter when the Raptors were able to use their squad depth against tired opposition. And still it got worse for the Thunder! Late in the fourth, Sebastian Telfair hit Raptors forward Tyler Hansbrough on the face, which earned Telfair a flagrant foul, meaning he was ejected from the game. The Thunder ended the game with six players left, with Jackson not to full fitness, so there was little surprise when they lost the game.

Thunder 88 - 100 Raptors

KEY PERFORMERS
Serge Ibaka - 25 points, 11 rebounds
Reggie Jackson - 13 points, 14 assists
Patrick Patterson - 14 points, 8 rebounds
Tyler Hansbrough - 12 points, 7 rebounds


Orlando Magic @ Chicago Bulls

Two injury hit sides faced off in the Windy City as the Chicago Bulls hosted the Orlando Magic. The Bulls had to do it without their big two, with Derrick Rose still being out due to sprained ankles, and Joakim Noah catching a sickness bug. Although the Magic’s injuries were less pivotal - Willie Green, Mo Harkless, Devyn Marble and Andrew Nicholson all missed the game - they meant that Orlando only had 8 players for the game. Both teams started evenly, the Magic gaining an early lead but the Bulls soon pulled it back in the second. It was close until the final quarter, which was owned by the Bulls, in particular, Aaron Brooks. The guard who recently joined from Denver put in an incredible shift, managing to block Nicola Vucevic (despite being a foot smaller than him) and converting both his three pointer attempts. He helped give the Magic their fourth straight loss.

Magic 90 - 98 Bulls

KEY PERFORMERS
Nicola Vucevic - 19 points, 13 rebounds
Tobias Harris - 21 points, 9 rebounds
Pau Gasol - 16 points, 13 rebounds
Jimmy Butler - 21 points, 9 rebounds
Aaron Brooks - 14 points, 8 assists, 3 blocks


Charlotte Hornets @ New Orleans Pelicans

The Charlotte Hornets travelled to their old hometown to face the New Orleans Pelicans, with both teams desperately seeking a win after losing starts to the season. MVP candidate Anthony Davis started slowly, scoring just six points in the first half, but he soon picked his offensive game up, shooting 5-7 in the third quarter. This helped the Pelicans to a 26-17 third quarter lead, gaining a 15 point lead in the process. Although the Hornets soon reduced that lead to eight they couldn’t prevent the Pelicans from re-opening it again, with Ryan Anderson particularly helping on the offensive end of their game.

Hornets 91 - 100 Pelicans

KEY PERFORMERS
Al Jefferson - 20 points, 5 rebounds
Gary Neal - 21 points, 6 rebounds
Anthony Davis - 24 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks
Tyreke Evans - 16 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists


Cleveland Cavaliers @ Portland Trail Blazers

LeBron James’ return to the Cleveland Cavaliers has not been a smooth process, and this homecoming was upset even more after a visit to the Portland Trail Blazers. It started off so well for the Cavaliers as well, they made their first ten shots with James scoring nine points in that time. But this momentum was halted in the second quarter, the Trail Blazers scoring 24 points of their own in this period, with LeBron looking a quieter player. Cleveland’s defence looked shaky but managed to keep the third close, but they soon fell away in the final quarter. To be perfectly honest the Cavs just looked poor in this match. Kyrie Irving shot 3-17 from the field, while LeBron could only find the bottom of the bucket once in seven attempts after the first quarter. Portland’s bench wasn’t convincing either - they scored five baskets together - but luckily their starting five stepped up and gave them the W.

Cavaliers 82 - 101 Trail Blazers

KEY PERFORMERS
Kevin Love - 22 points, 10 rebounds
Tristan Thompson - 10 points, 8 rebounds
Damian Lillard - 27 points, 7 assists
Robin Lopez - 19 points, 6 rebounds

Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their worst start to a season since 1957 with yet another loss, again falling to the Phoenix Suns. Kobe Bryant seemed to be back to his vintage self, scoring 18 in the first half, and with the Suns shooting 1-15 at the beginning of the second quarter, it seemed like they might be in contention till the end. But Phoenix soon found their feet, and ended up leading at the half, mainly due to their bench being dominant over the Lakers’ reserve players. Bryant returned to court in the second half, and didn’t leave the game again, head coach Byron Scott deeming him too pivotal to the Lakers’ chances. Luckily Kobe managed to play 44 minutes injury free (he even cleared the first row of fans when chasing a loose ball) and provided 39 points on 14-37 shooting. It wasn’t enough to stop the Lakers losing again, with P.J. Tucker scoring a pivotal three pointer with just under 20 seconds left on the clock.

Suns 112 - 106 Lakers

KEY PERFORMERS
Markieff Morris - 23 points, 10 rebounds
Isaiah Thomas - 22 points, 9 assists
Kobe Bryant - 39 points, 9 rebounds
Jordan Hill - 15 points, 15 rebounds

29-10-14 Daily Zap

Milwaukee Bucks @ Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets are back! After a ten year absence the incredibly popular franchise returned to Charlotte. Their first game back was against a Milwaukee Bucks side who start this campaign with a new coach, Jason Kidd. Rookie Jabari Parker started for the Bucks and had a slow debut, shooting just 3-9 from the field. Lance Stephenson was another new signing who failed to impress, the former Pacers guard shot an even worse 3-12, but did manage to put Larry Sanders on a poster for his first basket in a Hornets jersey. The Hornets had to come back in the last quarter, and after Kemba Walker made a deep three-pointer, the game was forced to overtime. Walker then proved again why he was given a four year contract extension this summer after he knocked down a jumper with five seconds left on the clock to give the Hornets a decisive lead.

Milwaukee Bucks 106 - 108 Charlotte Hornets (OT)

KEY PERFORMERS

Brandon Knight - 22 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds

Khris Middleton - 17 points, 6 rebounds

Kemba Walker - 26 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds

Al Jefferson - 13 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks

Philadelphia 76ers @ Indiana Pacers

Both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers had overhauls of their rosters in the off season. In fact just one player out of the starting fives - Pacers center Roy Hibbert - started for their team last year. And it was Hibbert who impressed as he looked to be back to top form after a disappointing off season, grabbing rebounds on both ends of the court and converting chances. Nerlens Noel started well, making his first two shots, but he then went to miss his next nine attempts from the field. After a close first half, the game started to open up in the second half as the Pacers showed why they won the Eastern conference last year.

Philadelphia 76ers 91 - 103 Indiana Pacers

KEY PERFORMERS

Tony Wroten - 22 points, 7 assists

Alexey Shved - 18 points, 5 assists

Donald Sloan - 16 points, 10 rebounds

Roy Hibbert - 22 points, 8 rebounds

Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics

Rajon Rondo surprised many people by announcing that he was fit to play in the Boston Celtics’ season debut. The point guard started against the Brooklyn Nets despite breaking his hand a month ago, but that didn’t slow him down as he picked up four assists in the first six minutes of the game. This dominance from Boston continued throughout the first half as they scored 68 points in the first two quarters. They were helped by the Nets who, despite playing well, did themselves no favours as Coach Lionel Hollins and veteran forward Kevin Garnett both picked up technical fouls. Mirza Teletovic did his best to help from the bench - he shot a brilliant 8-11 from the field - but the Celtics finished the game with eight of their ten players scoring double figures.

Brooklyn Nets 105 - 121 Boston Celtics

KEY PERFORMERS

Deron Williams - 19 points, 8 assists

Mirza Teletovic - 20 points, 6 rebounds

Rajon Rondo - 13 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds

Kelly Olynyk - 19 points, 6 rebounds

Washington Wizards @ Miami Heat

Losing LeBron James is never a good thing to happen to a team but the Miami Heat were hoping they could pull themselves through a tough off season. They hosted a Washington Wizards side who are without guard Bradley Beal for 6-8 weeks. Chris Bosh stepped up as a leader for the Heat, showing signs of the player that led a Toronto Raptors team to the playoffs during his stint there. Dwyane Wade started slowly and after tussling for the ball with fellow veteran Paul Pierce had to head to the locker room with a calf injury. When he returned to court he helped the Heat pull out a lead in a tight game. His 21 points were enough to help get the Heat off to a winning start to their season. 

Washington Wizards 95 - 107 Miami Heat

KEY PERFORMERS

John Wall - 16 points, 11 rebounds

Paul Pierce - 17 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists

Chris Bosh - 26 points, 15 rebounds

Norris Cole - 23 points

Atlanta Hawks @ Toronto Raptors

Two playoff contenders met north of the border hoping to get their season off to a good start, and both teams will be relatively happy with their performance. A tight game all the way through, the Raptors capitalised on victory in the second and third quarters to give them the win. Although DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry struggled with their shooting - they were 7-27 combined - their teammates helped out a lot. As a team The Raptors shot 82% from the free throw line (Jonas Valanciunas and DeMar DeRozan both attempted ten shots from the charity stripe),with seven of their players scoring double figures. One man who didn’t struggle with his shooting was the Hawks Kyle Korver, reliable as ever from the three-point line shooting 6-7 and getting 20 points.

Atlanta Hawks 102 - 109 Toronto Raptors

KEY PERFORMERS

Paul Millsap - 13 points, 10 rebounds

Al Horford - 12 points, 13 rebounds

Jeff Teague - 20 points, 8 assists

DeMar DeRozan - 15 points, 11 rebounds, 6 steals

Amir Johnson - 16 points, 10 rebounds

Kyle Lowry - 11 points, 10 assists

Chicago Bulls @ New York Knicks

New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher made his managerial debut at the Madison Square Gardens last night, but had a hard initiation test against the Chicago Bulls. There were plenty of debutants, and even a couple of rookies, and it was the Bulls’ new forward Pau Gasol who stole the show. The Bulls’ frontcourt rotation worked a treat with Taj Gibson, Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic all putting in a good shift. Throughout the night, fans kept an eye on the returning Derrick Rose, playing his first NBA game in nearly a year. He got through the game injury free but there were still worries from the fans and the Bulls’ bench every time he hit the floor.

Chicago Bulls 104 - 80 New York Knicks

KEY PERFORMERS

Pau Gasol - 21 points, 11 rebounds

Taj Gibson - 22 points, 8 rebounds, 10-12 shooting

Derrick Rose - 13 points, 5 assists

Amar’e Stoudemire - 12 points, 8 rebounds

Minnesota Timberwolves @Memphis Grizzlies

The Minnesota Timberwolves are many people’s “league pass” team this season, and it’s easy to see why, with a young exciting roster that includes both the 2013 and 2014 number 1 picks. They started off well with new addition Thaddeus Young scoring early on from Ricky Rubio’s assists. Key to the win was the Grizzlies dominance in the paint, as they outscored their opponents 58-34. The game could have gone either way right until the end, with the teams being tied up with just over two minutes left on the clock. But Marc Gasol capped a career night with a twenty-footer which all but sealed the game, giving the Grizzlies their first opening day win since 2000. Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins both played and neither player really showed why they were the top picks of their respective drafts, Bennett finishing with 8 points, while Wiggins struggled with just 6.

Minnesota Timberwolves 101 - 105 Memphis Grizzlies

KEY PERFORMERS

Thaddeus Young - 26 points

Ricky Rubio - 12 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds

Marc Gasol - 32 points, 9 rebounds

Zach Randolph - 25 points, 13 rebounds

Detroit Pistons @ Denver Nuggets

Another coach making a debut at a new team was Stan Van Gundy who took his Detroit Pistons to visit a Denver Nuggets side who are finally fully fit after an injury plagued 2013-14 campaign. Van Gundy’s influence seemed to be working on the errant Josh Smith who scored 15 of the Pistons’ first 21 points. The Pistons couldn’t pull away though, losing the first quarter by two and then tying the next two periods. This was mainly due to World Cup winner Kenneth Faried who had a massive night for his team. In the end it came down to the final period, and the Nuggets were able to squeeze out a win.

Detroit Pistons 79 - 89 Denver Nuggets

KEY PERFORMERS

Andre Drummond - 11 points, 9 rebounds

Josh Smith - 25 points, 5 rebounds

Kenneth Faried - 22 points, 17 rebounds

Timofey Mozgov - 13 points, 11 rebounds

Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz

The Houston Rockets became the only team in the league with a 2-0 record, spoiling Quin Snyder’s NBA coaching debut in the process. Commissioner David Stern was in the crowd and watched a surprisingly close game to start with, the first quarter ending 27-27. James Harden started slowly but soon got going, linking up well with his pick and roll partner Dwight Howard which gave the Rockets a lead. Trey Burke led a comeback though, the Jazz going on a 10-0 run to bring the game within touching distance. Eventually the Rockets performance from outside was too much for the Jazz, scoring 14 three-pointers, with Kostas Papanikolaou adding four of his own.

Houston Rockets 104-93 Utah Jazz

KEY PERFORMERS

Dwight Howard - 22 points, 10 rebounds

James Harden - 18 points, 10 assists

Derrick Favors - 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks

Gordon Hayward - 8 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists

Golden State Warriors @ Sacramento Kings

Steve Kerr was the only new coach to get his career off to a winning start, and it was mainly due to his backcourt duo of the Splash Brothers - Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry. They combined for 43 points, with Curry adding ten assists. Perhaps the biggest decision Kerr made was to start Harrison Barnes over Andre Igoudala at the small forward position. Igoudala still played 29 minutes but will now surely be a contender for Sixth Man of the Year. DeMarcus Cousins was easily the best player for the Kings but couldn’t help as much as hoped as he was in foul trouble for most of the game.

Golden State Warriors 95 - 77 Sacramento Kings

KEY PERFORMERS

Stephen Curry - 24 points, 10 rebounds, 6 steals, 5 assists

Draymond Green - 12 points, 10 rebounds

DeMarcus Cousins - 20 points, 11 rebounds

Rudy Gay - 14 points, 9 rebounds

Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers are now the only team with a 0-2 record after falling to the Phoenix Suns on the road. The Lakers never really contended, conceding 39 points in the third quarter. Kobe Bryant scored 19 in the first half - which matched his total for the whole game against the Rockets - but sat for the entirety of the fourth quarter, with the game seemingly out of reach. The Suns’ backcourt rotation worked well with Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas combining for 57 points, before Bledsoe was ejected from the game after kicking the scorers’ table. The Lakers looked like they could have used some help in the frontcourt with Jordan Hill and Carlos Boozer not performing well. Unfortunately it is rumoured that Julius Randle will miss the remainder of the season due to a broken leg.

Los Angeles Lakers 99 - 119 Phoenix Suns

KEY PERFORMERS

Kobe Bryant - 31 points

Ed Davis - 14 points, 9 rebounds

Eric Bledsoe - 16 points, 9 assists

Isaiah Thomas - 23 points

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trail Blazers

Despite Russell Westbrook leading the team, the absence of Kevin Durant proved too much for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook nearly shot more times than the rest of the Thunder starting five combined (he had 26 attempts while Ibaka, Jones, Adams and Roberson had 28). He also got to the foul line plenty of times, and was effective when he shot from the charity stripe, sinking 15 of his 16 attempts. However, Westbrook couldn’t do it alone and a team effort from the Trail Blazers gave them the W. Six of Portland’s team scored double figures, with LaMarcus Aldridge and Wes Matthews combining for 49 points.

Oklahoma City Thunder 89 - 106 Portland Trail Blazers

KEY PERFORMERS

Russell Westbrook - 38 points, 6 assists

Serge Ibaka - 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks

Robin Lopez - 11 points, 10 rebounds

LaMarcus Aldridge - 27 points

Melo to say Hello to Free Agency?

It is yet unclear as to where Carmelo Anthony will be playing next year.

He came to New York with the hope that he could win his first NBA championship, but Carmelo Anthony's contract is expiring this summer, and he hasn't got anywhere near a ring.

In fact during his 4 seasons at the Knicks, they haven't got past the first round of the play-offs. So it's no surprise that Melo has been rumoured to be weighing up his options in the free agency this summer, with plenty of potential suitors queuing up to sign him. Carmelo is likely to undertake a similar process to the one Dwight Howard took last year and test the free-market by meeting with different teams throughout the off-season.

Two teams are already allegedly on the list, his current club the New York Knicks (more on them later) and the Chicago Bulls. Joining the Bulls is an enticing offer for both sides, on paper at least. Melo isn't renowned for playing great defence and the Bulls aren't the most attacking side in the world. Tom Thibodeau (head coach of the Chicago Bulls) could help work on Carmelo's defence, and in return Anthony could easily drop 25 points a night, a figure that would propel the Bulls' record through the roof. The thought of a Rose-Butler-Anthony-Gibson-Noah starting 5 with players like Nikola Mirotic, whom the Bulls' are likely to buy the rights to, and D.J Augustin coming off the bench would send any Bulls fan into a frenzy, and with Tom Thibodeau at the helm, the team look like they could be genuine title contenders.

There are also whispers that a return to Denver could be on the cards for Carmelo. This could prove to be an exciting decision, with the Nuggets having plenty of young talent on their roster, such as big men JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried. Adding Carmelo Anthony to that set-up could give them that bit of consistency that the Nuggets sometimes lacked this year. But unfortunately, it is a move that is very unlikely to happen. The Nuggets have absolutely no cap space, and are not likely to trade young players away in the hope that Melo will rejoin them, for a few more years before retirement.

The Lakers are another team who have been rumoured to be interested in acquiring Carmelo's services. This may not come as a surprise as they seem to be linked to every free agent on the market, but this deal looks like it is more likely to materialise. Kobe Bryant and Anthony are rumoured to be close friends, after playing together in the past 2 Olympics games (winning gold medals in both events). Kobe recently offered advice to Anthony (on the assumption that Carmelo would stay in New York), saying that although Madison Square Garden is the "Mecca of basketball" he should let the Knicks know that he won't tolerate being in a team that isn't contending for an NBA championship. If Melo did move to L.A., it would be interesting to see how the Bryant-Anthony partnership would work. Both players are known for their, sometimes "selfish", shooting form, and it is yet to be seen how well they could work together. An alternative view point is that Melo could be seen as a replacement for Kobe, who is now in twilight years of his career. Despite the Lakers being a prestigious franchise to play for, it's unlikely that Melo will end up there.

A more believable option would be for Melo to move to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have had a good campaign, claiming their best record for 6 seasons. And with superstars James Harden and Dwight Howard already at the team, the parts are all there for a title-contending team. The trade proposed by most sources will send Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin to the Knicks. This deal works well with both teams. The Knicks regain Lin, which will help their struggling backcourt, and get Asik, who is desperate to get out of Houston. This trade seems almost too perfect, and is seen as a brilliant move by NBA legend Oscar Robertson. He said "If he (Anthony) goes to Houston, they're gonna win everything." Indeed, it could turn the Rockets into a dynasty, especially with young guys like Terrence Jones and Patrick Beverley developing, providing much hope for the future.

Of course, there's always the option of staying in the Big Apple, a choice looking more likely with the latest additions to the backroom staff. They've hired a new President, with Phil Jackson joining the club. Jackson is a known winner, winning 13 rings as a player and a coach and could be a pivotal factor in getting the best out of under-performing players, which the Knicks have plenty of at the minute (Raymond Felton, J.R. Smith, the list goes on). However, there are still uncertainties as to who will take the coaching role, with Jackson's first choice, Steve Kerr, being snapped up by the Golden State Warriors earlier in the month. The Knicks will be able to spend more freely in the next post-season, when players such as Kevin Love, Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge are available, but the question is whether 'Melo will want to wait until then?

Whether he stays or goes, Melo will always be remembered for his incredible scoring form. Sources close to him say that he's going to take his time to think about moving, but will have to persuade his family, who are very much settled in New York. As a player, he will want to win rings, and at the moment, it doesn't look like that's achievable with the Knicks.