NBA Games Recap 3/20/09
Yesterday there was another bumper load of fixtures in the NBA, 11 in total:
Dallas managed to come away from Indiana with a hard-fought win thanks to Dirk Nowitzki step-back jumper with only a few seconds to go to win 94-92. Dallas really needed this win and are establishing a safe distance between them and Phoenix for the 8th spot in the West, 4 games now.
Charlotte never looked in trouble away to the Toronto Raptors, always keeping the Canadian team at an arm’s length throughout the game. Wallace and Diaw had 30 points each to help the ‘Cats to a 102-89 win. They’re now only one game off 8th placed Chicago and have won 3 straight now, play-off form some might say.
Dwayne Wade returned for the Miami Heat but couldn’t stop them from losing away to the New Jersey Nets who have looked shaky at home all season. Wade had 27 points but couldn’t carry the team on his own. The Nets still have a sniff of the play-offs but will have to become more consistent if they want to make a run for the 8th spot in the East where they are a number of teams vying for that place.
The Knicks definitely ruled themselves out of the post-season losing at home. At home. To the Sacramento Kings who had only won 4 games away from home before last night. This wasn’t even a close loss, this was a blow out. The Kings won by 25 points and never looked in danger, winning every quarter of play. To put this into perspective before this game the Kings hadn’t won against an Eastern Conference team in 28 games.
New Orleans made tough work of the Memphis Grizzlies, who were leading by 1 going into the 4th quarter before the Hornets pulled away to finally win 96-84. Chris Paul did most of the work again with 32 points to keep New Orleans in the 5th Western spot.
Detroit are trying their best to keep their play-off bid on track, last night winning 108-90 to keep their record at .500. They’re clinging onto the 7th spot in the East but will definitely need to push the 76ers out of 6th spot if they’re to get anywhere in the post-season. This is doable though, Philadelphia are only 1 game ahead of them but the Pistons have looked sluggish one minute and ok the next and so will need to get a bit of form going if they’re to challenge the Sixers for 6th.
The Utah Jazz managed an easy win away to the Oklahoma City Thunder and in doing so leapfrogged Portland into 6th which would see them playing Houston in the first round of the play-offs, a much easier prospect than No.2 San Antonio. Houston themselves won at home to Minnesota 107-88 with Ron Artest helping them out with 20 points.
Boston escaped San Antonio with a win after the Spurs missed 6 late free throws to lose 77-80. The Spurs still look a certainty for the 2nd seed in the West though. The Celtics will be encouraged by the fact that they can grind out wins on the road as they look forward to the play-offs in April. Another team looking forward to the play-offs are the Denver Nuggets who managed a comfortable win at home to the lowly Wizards, they now occupy 4th spot in the West and lastly Golden State managed a win in a shootout with Philadelphia 119-111. Things are looking up for Golden State who must surely be looking for a play-off push next season.
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