NBA Games Recap 3/24/09
Only 4 games were played last night and it all went the way of the form book. In the Windy City Chicago were able to beat the Pistons 99-91 to close the gap on Detroit to one game. Derrick Rose was questionable before the game started and eventually did not play a part in the Bulls’ win; Kirk Hinrich filled in at point guard and gave a solid contribution of 24 points and 8 assists. Detroit were never in their groove at the United Center and this showed when you looked back on the game and saw that their largest lead was 2 points whilst the Bulls managed to let the Pistons back from a lead of 19. Detroit were without Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson and it showed, they’ve now lost 5 of their last 6 and are only 3 games in front of the advancing Charlotte Bobcats, who play Washington tonight in a vital game.
The Lakers managed to blow out the Oklahoma City Thunder, 107-89, in Oklahoma. With the Thunder springing surprises at home this season an upset was on the cards if Kobe Bryant couldn’t step up. Luckily for L.A he did step up with 19 points before taking the 4th quarter off. This doesn’t look like much but 4 of the Lakers’ 5 starters got into double figure including Pau Gasol, who himself dropped a double double (14-14rebounds). The Lakers were never in trouble, they had a 17 point lead at the end of the 1st quarter and a 24 point lead at half time. Durant led the Thunder, like usual, with 24 points but could do nothing as L.A ran rampant.
In San Antonio the Spurs managed to avoid losing a third straight home game. But only just. In their last two games they were the victim to last gasp losses against Boston, 80-77 and Houston, 87-85 and managed to avoid the same against Golden State, who were leading with less than 30 seconds left before Roger Mason made an 18-footer with 23.9 seconds left. Then bizarrely after Kurt Thomas managed to miss both free throws that would have seen them easily through, Don Nelson decided not to call a timeout and Monta Ellis was made to run up court and throw up a running 3 pointer, which he missed. With this win San Antonio went back above Houston into 2nd place in the West and 1st place in the Southwest Division by a half game.
Finally Utah carried on their fantastic home form with a win over Western Conference rivals Houston in Salt Lake City, 99-86. Without Tracy McGrady Houston has done surprisingly well going 15-4 since he was confirmed out for the season. They couldn’t stop Carlos Boozer and co. from winning though, despite 3 double doubles from their starters; Luis Scola (10-12rebounds), Yao Ming (14-13rebounds) and Ron Artest’s (13-11rebounds) good numbers were all in vain as the Jazz prevailed to leap into 6th place in the West, a half game in front of 7th placed Portland.
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