NBA scores 2014: The Grizzlies’ big win over L.A. and 3 other things we learned Source: SBNation – All Posts:– Marc Gasol’s big night against the Clippers, another late-game stumble for Charlotte and the rest of the action from Sunday in the NBA. It’s getting increasingly difficult to dismiss the Memphis Grizzlies after a 107-91 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, and Marc Gasol is a big reason why. The All-Star big man has been playing some of the best basketball of his career early this season, highlighted by a dominant showing against L.A. There are a lot of reasons to be bullish about the Grizzlies given their 12-2 record, but Gasol’s progress as a scorer might be the most obvious. The former Defensive Player of the Year is showing he can be an impact player on both ends of the floor, and it’s establishing Memphis as one of the most-daunting opponents in the NBA. Facing the likes of DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin, Glen Davis and Spencer Hawes on Sunday, Gasol torched the Clippers for 30 points and 12 rebounds in 34 minutes. On a night when no other Memphis player topped 50 percent shooting, Gasol’s 13-of-18 effort from the field changed the game for both sides. There were pick-and-pop jumpers, finishes near the basket and even a rumbling slam dunk after putting the ball on the floor near the arc. Gasol has long had the reputation of a good passer who can facilitate and make easy buckets, but he’s increasingly becoming someone who can be depended on to create chances for himself and others. Unlike many productive offensive players who thrive by saving some degree of energy on the defensive end, Gasol remains as stingy as any rim protector in the league. The Clippers shot just 42 percent from the field, and the four primary big men (Jordan, Griffin, Davis, Hawes) were a combined 10-of-28 (36 percent). There are a lot of reasons to temper expectations, from the lack of production on the wings to the relatively small sample of games, but right now, Memphis is playing as well as any team in the league. After showing some signs of being a possible contender after Gasol got healthy last season, it seems like the team has sustained that progress into 2014-15. A year ago, Gasol averaged 14.6 points per game, the third time in his career that he’s posted that exact average. This season, he’s finally taken that next step, averaging 19.1 points per game without any drop in efficiency. A big part of that is increased comfort attacking the rim, which has led to a career-high 6.8 free throw attempts per game. If anything, the lack of unsustainable shooting numbers makes his increased production more likely to last. And for Memphis, which has always lacked the kind of high-level scorers to ultimately compete for the title, the added scoring could be huge news. Gasol isn’t quite the No. 1 option that most elite teams boast on the offensive end, but partnered with guys like Mike Conley and Zach Randolph, the Grizzlies got a good thing going. 3 other things we learned The Hornets can’t finish games. Charlotte was supposed to be one of the up-and-coming teams in the East this season, but a 94-93 loss to the Heat on Sunday dropped Charlotte’s record to 4-10. The Hornets just can’t seem to find a way to finish games, and it’s becoming something of a concern even a few weeks into the season. Six of the their 10 losses have been by five points or fewer, and it’s become common to see the offense struggle to run sets as defenses buckle down in the closing minutes. Charlotte still has a talented group, but it needs to figure out these issues before it’s too late. The Warriors can win without Andrew Bogut. Golden State lost its starting center to an orbital contusion in the first quarter Sunday, but still hung on for a 91-86 win against the Thunder. On most nights, this would not be cause for celebration. However, Bogut has established himself as such an important part of the Warriors’ defense that an absence from the oft-injured big man could be devastating. Luckily, the test results on Bogut’s face came back negative, and the team held on for a win. A win against the Lakers doesn’t need to be pretty. Not too long ago, the Nuggets were one of the best teams in the NBA thanks to a potent, fast-paced offense. Despite getting a favorable matchup against the worst defense in the NBA and managing a 101-94 victory, Denver’s performance didn’t offer much confidence. The Nuggets shot just 38 percent from the floor against the Lakers’ hapless D, and didn’t help the situation by shooting 23-of-38 from the charity stripe. If this was the game for Denver to show it is fine offensively, the win is only a decent consolation prize. Play of the Night It’s a rare sight to see Tony Allen put the ball on the floor and attack the rim, so you can imagine Glen Davis’ surprise when the Grizzlies guard positively schooled him with a fake behind-the-back move to set up an easy layup on the Clippers big man. Seriously, there are like 200 guys you’d expect to make this play before The Grindfather. 2 Fun Things To be fair, if I was defending Steve Blake, I wouldn’t have seen this coming, either. Wesley Johnson may not help the Lakers win many games, but man, this dunk was awesome. Scores Memphis Grizzlies 107, Los Angeles Clippers 91 (Grizzly Bear Blues recap | Clips Nation recap)Portland Trail Blazers 94, Boston Celtics 88 (Blazer’s Edge recap | CelticsBlog recap)Miami Heat 94, Charlotte Hornets 93 (Hot Hot Hoops recap | At The Hive recap) Golden State Warriors 91, Oklahoma City Thunder 86 (Golden State of Mind recap | Welcome To Loud City recap) Denver Nuggets 101, Los Angeles Lakers 94 (Denver Stiffs recap | Silver Screen and Roll recap) Continue Reading….. The post NBA scores 2014: The Grizzlies’ big win over L.A. and 3 other things we learned appeared first on GLOBAL NEWS. ift.tt/1v2XCb4
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 13:38:26 +0000
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