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 09-11-14

Portland Trail Blazers (3-3) @ Los Angeles Clippers (4-2)

A high scoring first quarter set the scene for a matchup between two teams who are fast becoming heavyweight contenders in the West. The Trail Blazers seemed in control of the first half, Robin Lopez was key to them scoring 62 in the first two periods, although J.J. Redick scored a buzzer beater at the end of the second quarter to bring the Clippers within ten. And Redick continued his scoring in the second half as his team brought the game back, and even began to lead early in the third quarter. The Clippers opened this lead up to eight points but it was soon cut down to two thanks to some great play from Damian Lillard. With less than eight seconds left, the Clippers missed the chance to extend their lead, but DeAndre Jordan got one of his six offensive boards which prevented the Trail Blazers from attacking with the final possession. 

Trail Blazers 102 - 106 Clippers

KEY PERFORMERS

LaMarcus Aldridge -21 points, 10 rebounds

Damian Lillard - 25 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds

Chris Paul - 22 points, 11 assists

DeAndre Jordan - 8 points, 14 rebounds, 5 steals

Washington Wizards (5-2) @ Indiana Pacers (1-6)

The Pacers’ woes continued after losing another game, this time at the hands of the Wizards. Nene scored 15 points in the first quarter, which was enough to outscore the whole Pacers team in this time. This performance meant that the Wizards took a 19 point lead going into the half. To make matters worse, Roy Hibbert left the game early after clashing knees with his teammate Solomon Hill, and didn’t return. The Pacers - led by Hill - did mount a comeback of sorts in the third, bringing the lead back to just three points. But the Wizards didn’t let this get the better of them, they re-extended their lead, and got their first win in Indiana in the past 12 attempts. 

Wizards 97 - 90 Pacers

KEY PERFORMERS

Nene - 17 points, 5 steals, 5 assists, 7 rebounds

Kevin Seraphin - 13 points, 6 rebounds

Solomon Hill - 29 points, 6 rebounds

Luis Scola - 5 points, 8 rebounds

Minnesota Timberwolves (2-4) @ Miami Heat (4-2)

Both the Timberwolves and the Heat lost their biggest star to the Cleveland Cavaliers in this off-season, but that is where the similarities end between Minnesota and Miami. While the Timberwolves are a rebuilding side - based around young players such as Ricky Rubio and Andrew Wiggins - the Heat are still contending for playoffs, and this difference in class was clear to see in the first quarter. The Heat won it 29-13, but amazingly they actually lost the next three quarters. Luckily they held on to snap their two game losing streak.

Timberwolves 92 - 102 Heat

KEY PERFORMERS

Nikola Pekovic - 19 points, 11 rebounds

Thaddeus Young - 16 points, 6 rebounds

Dwyane Wade - 25 points, 8 rebounds

Chris Bosh - 24 points, 7 rebounds

New York Knicks (2-5) @ Atlanta Hawks (2-3)

After a tough beginning to the season the New York Knicks got off to a great start in this game, leading the game by 13 at the half mainly thanks to the efforts of Iman Shumpert and Carmelo Anthony. But the Hawks had a run of their own in the third, winning the quarter by 27-13, giving them the lead going into the final quarter. Kyle Korver continued his fine shooting form, knocking down 6-9 from outside to give the Hawks the W.

Knicks 96 - 103 Hawks

KEY PERFORMERS

Carmelo Anthony - 20 points, 9 rebounds

Iman Shumpert - 19 points, 7 assists

Paul Millsap - 11 points, 13 rebounds

Kyle Korver - 27 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks

Boston Celtics (3-3) @ Chicago Bulls (5-2)

A game that could’ve been so much more interesting if it weren’t for the exclusion of two of the best point guards in the league. Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose have both been battling injuries over the past few years, and unfortunately they both missed out on this matchup. With Marcus Smart also out for the Celtics it was left to Evan Turner to lead the team, and he did well, as he topped Boston’s scoring charge with 19. The Celtics took a lead after winning the second quarter 36-16 and won the third as well, but only by one point. But the Bulls didn’t give up, in the fourth Aaron Brooks worked his magic scoring four three-pointers to bring the game within two with 30 seconds left. Although Turner missed the next, pivotal lay-up, Kelly Olynyk was there to grab the offensive rebound and cap an impressive game for the Canadian center. The Bulls fouled, but it wasn’t enough as they slipped at home to the Celtics. 

Celtics 106 - 101 Bulls

KEY PERFORMERS

Kelly Olynyk - 18 points, 11 rebounds

Evan Turner - 19 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds

Joakim Noah - 13 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists

Aaron Brooks - 26 points, 6 assists

Golden State Warriors (5-0) @ Houston Rockets (6-1)

Yet another unbeaten record was to fall in the Toyota Center when the Warriors faced the Rockets, with both teams facing their toughest challenge yet. And the Rockets had to do it without three of their starters, including Dwight Howard who missed the game due to flu-like symptoms. This didn’t bother them early on though; winning the first half by eight, despite Stephen Curry’s fantastic scoring efforts. The third quarter, however, belonged to Curry and the Warriors. With his fellow Splash Brother, Klay Thompson, struggling on the offensive side of things, Curry took it upon himself to lead his team. Andre Igoudala provided help after coming off the bench, and the Warriors dominated the third 28-13 - including a 22-4 run. The two teams traded blows tit for tat early in the fourth, but Curry took over once again after a few minutes to put the game out of Houston’s reach.

Warriors 98 - 87 Rockets

KEY PERFORMERS

Stephen Curry - 34 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists

Andrew Bogut - 8 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks

James Harden - 22 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds

Trevor Ariza - 7 points, 11 rebounds

New Orleans Pelicans (3-2) @ San Antonio Spurs (2-3)

With both Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili back after being rested for the previous game, it looked almost inevitable that the Spurs would win this game. But the Pelicans apparently didn’t get the memo as they won the first quarter by seven. The Spurs reduced the lead in the second, led by Tony Parker’s 14 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent them trailing going into the locker room. Tyreke Evans scored a tough buzzer beating three-pointer gave the Pelicans a ten point lead going into the final quarter. This didn’t faze the Spurs, as they slowly but surely brought the deficit down to just two points. Danny Green was then fouled on the three point line, and after making all three free throws, the Spurs led by one with 12 seconds left. With Tim Duncan surprisingly left on the bench on the final play, it allowed Anthony Davis to drive past Aron Baynes and put the Pelicans up by one. Kawhi Leonard then had a chance to win the game, but his first attempt was blocked by Jrue Holiday, and his second rimmed out, giving the Pellies the win. This is the first time since the 2009-10 season that the Spurs have had a losing record.

Pelicans 100 - 99 Spurs

KEY PERFORMERS

Anthony Davis - 27 points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocks

Jrue Holiday - 15 points, 11 assists

Tim Duncan - 11 points, 10 rebounds

Kawhi Leonard - 14 points, 14 rebounds

Memphis Grizzlies (6-1) @ Milwaukee Bucks (3-4)

The Houston Rockets weren’t the only team to lose their 100% record last night, as their Western Conference contenders the Memphis Grizzlies fell on the road to the Milwaukee Bucks. The two sides were fairly even throughout the first three quarters - the Grizzlies had a slight advantage through 30 minutes of play. But after a turnover in the final quarter, Giannis Antetokounmpo could slam it home to put Milwaukee in the lead. The lead then changed hands with almost every play - it changed sides 16 times in the game - with Antetokounmpo and Zach Randolph leading both their teams on the offensive end of things. On the last possession, with the Grizzlies up by two, Brandon Knight drove to the hole, got fouled, and converted the lay-up. The game was tied as Knight went to the free throw line with 1.1 seconds left. He made the shot from the charity stripe, which pretty much sealed the deal, and when Courtney Lee missed his three-point attempt, the win was official.

Grizzlies 92 - 93 Bucks

KEY PERFORMERS

Zach Randolph - 22 points, 14 rebounds

Courtney Lee - 11 points, 8 rebounds

Ersan Ilyasova - 11 points, 9 rebounds

Brandon Knight - 14 points, 6 assists

Daily Zap 07-11-14

San Antonio Spurs (2-2) @ Houston Rockets (6-0)

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich ruffled a few more feathers in the NBA with his team selection, leaving Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili out after playing considerable minutes in the previous game. They faced tough opposition in the Houston Rockets, who are undefeated this season, and have beat the Spurs in their past five meetings. Dwight Howard ruled the game in the first half, starting his night by shooting 8-11 from the floor. While his offensive game flourished, the Spurs struggled, shooting just 25% from the field in the first half, meaning they only had 29 points as they entered the locker room. These woes continued in the third as Houston dominated again, opening the gap to 71-55 after three quarters of action. The Rockets may have lost the last quarter but it didn’t matter as they kept their unbeaten run intact.

Spurs 81 - 98 Rockets

KEY PERFORMERS
Aron Baynes - 12 points, 12 rebounds
Cory Joseph - 18 points, 9-11 shooting
Dwight Howard - 32 points, 16 points
James Harden - 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists



Dallas Mavericks (3-2) @ Portland Trail Blazers (3-2)

The Trail Blazers’ defence was the pivotal factor in this game, as they managed to keep Dallas’ star man - Dirk Nowitzki - quiet. The German was only able to score two points in the second half, with his side scoring just 37 points in the last two quarters. The game was close at the half - the score being 50-46 in Dallas’ favour - but the third quarter is when the damage was done. The game wasn’t really close again after Portland won the third 35-18, and they opened up an 88-70 lead soon after. Portland’s bench is another area of their team that is often criticised, but they put in a solid effort in this game. Led by Chris Kaman and Steve Blake, they outscored Dallas’ bench 42-35.

Mavericks 87 - 108 Trail Blazers

KEY PERFORMERS
Dirk Nowitzki - 16 points
Nicolas Batum - 8 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists
LaMarcus Aldridge - 20 points, 7 rebounds
Robin Lopez - 8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks

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

Daily Zap 04-11-14

Houston Rockets @ Philadelphia 76ers

A team with a 100% record took on a side without a win so far, so there was no surprise when the Rockets took a first quarter 32-19 lead. This was mainly due to Trevor Ariza and his shooting form, scoring 14 points in the first period. However a 19-5 run from the 76ers at the beginning of the second put them right back into contention, with the Rockets’ lead being cut to just one point at halftime. The third quarter was tight as well with James Harden providing most of the offensive impetus for Houston, while Philly’s center Nerlens Noel helped on the defensive end, making sure the Rockets didn’t get too far away. But the Rockets held on till the end, their squad depth compared to the 76ers being the pivotal factor. This win meant that the Rockets have had their best start to an NBA season for 18 years.

Rockets 104 - 93 76ers

KEY PERFORMERS

James Harden - 35 points, 9 rebounds, 17-18 FT’s

Dwight Howard - 11 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks

Tony Wroten - 20 points, 5 steals, 5 rebounds

Nerlens Noel - 10 points, 6 steals, 5 assists

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Brooklyn Nets

This game was shapely massively by injuries. Both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are missing from the Thunder’s squad, while Brooklyn regained an injured star in Brook Lopez. The difference in the two teams was clear from the beginning, the Nets playing better flowing basketball to win the first half 59-40. Unfortunately for Oklahoma their injury situation didn’t get any better during this game. First, center Steven Adams left the court after diving for a loose ball, but soon returned after receiving some treatment. One man who didn’t return though was Andre Roberson, who sprained his left foot. This left the Thunder with eight players able to play for the rest of the game. Lopez looked dominant in his first game back and was helped by the fantastic passes he received from guards Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. Alan Anderson came off the bench to shoot 7-8 (including a perfect 4-4 from the three point line) in a win that gives the Nets an early lead in the Atlantic division.

Thunder 85 - Nets 116

KEY PERFORMERS

Serge Ibaka - 15 points, 9 rebounds

Sebastian Telfair - 16 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds

Deron Williams - 17 points, 9 rebounds

Brook Lopez - 18 points, 6 rebounds

New Orleans Pelicans @ Memphis Grizzlies

The score line may look close, but the Grizzlies were always in control of this game. The biggest difference in the match was the way both teams shot the ball. The Pelicans poor shooting form was summed up by sixth man Ryan Anderson, who shot an appalling 2-14 from the field, including an 0-7 display from behind the line. Omer Asik and Eric Gordon didn’t help either, shooting 1-7 and 4-14 respectively. Anthony Davis couldn’t be as effective as usual after picking up three fouls early on in the game, which meant his numbers were a bit down on the fantastic start he’s had to the season. Memphis only let the lead slip once on their way to yet another victory, with all of their starting five scoring double figures. This win for Memphis makes them one of two teams in the league with a 4-0 record, joining the Rockets atop the Western Conference.

Pelicans 81 - 93 Grizzlies

KEY PERFORMERS

Anthony Davis - 14 points, 8 rebounds

Tyreke Evans - 21 points, 7 rebounds

Tony Allen - 12 points, 11 rebounds

Marc Gasol - 16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks

Zach Randolph - 15 points, 11 rebounds

Boston Celtics @ Dallas Mavericks

This game looked like it could have been finished after the first quarter. The Boston Celtics had nine turnovers which helped the Dallas Mavericks open up a 40-19 lead, as did Chandler Parsons’ 14 early points. Things didn’t get better for the Celtics in the second quarter either, the Mavs opening the lead up to 31 points just before the half. Boston were able to fight back though. Led by Jeff Green and Avery Bradley - with assists coming from Rajon Rondo - they won the third quarter by 14 points and continued this dominance in the fourth. With 40 seconds left, Bradley was fouled on a three pointer by Monta Ellis, giving the Celtics the chance to tie the game up. However Boston’s shooting guard missed one of his free throws and Dallas then re-extended their lead to three. Jeff Green missed a potentially game tying three, with Chandler Parsons collecting the rebound with 20 seconds left on the clock. Monta Ellis then converted his free throw chances to give the Mavs a hard earned win.

Celtics 113 - 118 Mavericks

KEY PERFORMERS

Jeff Green - 35 points, 7 rebounds

Rajon Rondo - 7 points, 9 rebounds, 15 assists

Tyson Chandler - 10 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks

Dirk Nowitzki - 27 points, 7 rebounds

Sacramento Kings @ Denver Nuggets

A frantic game between two sides expected to be underdogs in the West started off badly as with neither team being able to find the bottom of the net. As the second quarter started however the teams started to make the high percentages shots they were previously missing. The lead changed hands 13 times in this game, with the sides being tied an incredible 17 times. The teams were close to the end with the Kings leading by 5 with just over a minute left. JaVale McGee made a put back shot off Ty Lawson’s miss to make it a one possession game but Randy Foye missed the three pointer on the next possession giving the Kings the win. Out of the 24 players who suited up for this game, 12 of them scored in double figures; 5 for the Kings and 7 for the Nuggets. The Kings are now 3-1 - a much better record than they would have expected.

Kings 110 - 105 Nuggets

KEY PERFORMERS

Darren Collison - 21 points, 6 assists

DeMarcus Cousins - 19 points, 5 assists

Kenneth Faried - 10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Ty Lawson - 9 points, 12 assists

Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul recorded his 12^th career triple double, and the first of the season, in this win over the Utah Jazz. Paul - who was recently named the second best player in the NBA by ESPN - was instrumental in his team’s victory, and was helped by Blake Griffin who put in a great performance. In the first half it looked like plain sailing for LA, they led by as many as 15, but Utah came back in the third. Gordon Hayward was pivotal to this attempted resurgence, shooting 4-5 in the third period and Dante Exum impressed from the bench. But it was short lived as Paul continued his control on the game in the fourth quarter, closing out another win for his team.

Jazz 101 - 107 Clippers

KEY PERFORMERS

Gordon Hayward - 27 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists

Enes Kanter -17 points, 9 rebounds

Chris Paul - 13 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists

Blake Griffin - 31 points, 9 rebounds