Rajon Rondos Homecoming Eruption Bodes Well for Mavs and Other Friday Takeaways: Rajon Rondo went from a green jersey to some much greener grass when the Dallas Mavericks acquired him from the Boston Celtics earlier in December. He seemed to be enjoying himself in his first return to Beantown on Friday night, leading head coach Rick Carlisles 24-10 club to a one-sided 119-101 win over the point guards old team by tallying 29 points, six rebounds and five assists in just 35 minutes. It was easily the best performance of his seven-game stint with the club, a stretch thats so far included only one other effort topping 20 points and just one contest with double-figure assists. The numbers arent yet especially gaudy, but the most recent performance is certainly a sign things are headed in the right direction. And one can only imagine the extent to which the homecoming occasion brought out the best in the 28-year-old. Obviously, it was a special day, he told reporters after the game. Im emotionally tired. Im physically tired, and Im drained. Its the kind of sentiment youd expect from a veteran whod spent over eight years with the those Celtics—years that included a championship and four All-Star appearances. This was the only NBA city hed known, an organization that brought him up and turned him into one of the purest point guards in recent memory. Rondo explained as much on Twitter upon learning about the trade, via ESPN: My time in Boston has meant so much. Ive grown up with this city both as a basketball player and person. The love I have for the most loyal and supportive fans in the league is unmatched. I look forward to building something special in Dallas. Now averaging 15.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.4 rebounds with the Mavericks, that something special may be slowly beginning to take shape. The team has won seven of its last nine contests and may now boast the best starting five in basketball. It certainly looked that way against Boston, with four of those starters scoring in double figures. He obviously had his best game as a Maverick, Carlisle told reporters after Fridays contest. Its extremely difficult to come back [to Boston] in this situation and play the way that he did...He showed a lot of class with the way he played. As hes demonstrated on numerous occasions—including a 44-point, 10-assist, eight-rebound effort in Game 2 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals—Rondo is particularly capable of keeping it classy on the biggest of stages. Hes a big-game player. Hes amazing, Mavs center Tyson Chandler told reporters after the Celtics game. To come into a situation like this where you spent your entire career and had incredible success, I know it had to be very emotional. But he came incredibly locked in. Should he stay that way, this team could become extremely difficult to beat down the stretch—particularly during the months that matter most. In a league increasingly populated by elite point guards, Rondo remains one of the best. Around the Association Knicks Sink to Second Low The Detroit Pistons won their fourth consecutive game, all in the wake of letting Josh Smith go to the Houston Rockets. This time it was a 97-81 statement against the New York Knicks, whove now lost 10 contests in a row—for the second time this season, no less. Now sitting at a 5-30 record, Knicks head coach Derek Fisher is still making excuses. I think it is a combination of offensively, as we continue to evolve, some offensive frustration, he told reporters after the game. Guys are not able to execute the things we do work on and things we know how to do. There is never one answer. And at the moment, there dont seem to be any answers. Warriors Hang Big Numbers on Easts Elite Draymond Greens triple-double (16 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds) ordinarily would have been Friday nights headline, but the rest of the Golden State Warriors were also pretty good in their 126-105 win against the 24-9 Toronto Raptors. Klay Thompson and Marreese Speights combined for 46 points, and Stephen Curry led all scorers with 32 points. He and Thompson also combined to make nine of 17 three-point attempts in one of the squads finest offensive displays of the season. Head coach Steve Kerrs team moves to 26-5, one game ahead of the similarly dangerous Portland Trail Blazers. Thundery Evening In OKC After recording 44 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in his first game back from a sprained ankle in Wednesday’s 137-134 win against the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant turned in another performance befitting a reigning MVP in Friday’s 34-point outing against the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 109-102 victory over the 22-10 Washington Wizards. By all appearances, that six-game absence hasn’t left any rust, and that’s good news for a 17-17 OKC team that desperately needs to keep its momentum going in pursuit of playoff positioning. Hawks Snag No. 1 Seed Few would have picked the Atlanta Hawks to hold the Eastern Conferences top seed at the turn of the year, but they havent let modest expectations stop them from surpassing predicted favorites like the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. Led by Jeff Teagues 26 points and eight assists, Atlanta beat the Utah Jazz by a 98-92 margin. Head coach Mike Budenholzers up-and-coming squad. After a 14-2 December, its off to a strong start and seems to be for real. Kobe Nears Triple-Double, Misses Potential Game-Winner It wasnt the most prolific scoring effort of Kobe Bryants career, but there was still plenty to like about his line of 15 points, eight assists and nine rebounds. Unfortunately, the 24-8 Memphis Grizzlies were simply too much for a Los Angeles Lakers team that hasnt been able to find its way this season. In what seems to be emerging as a more bitter than sweet end to the five-time champions career, he clearly still has it. The shooting isnt what it used to be, but still hes finding ways to contribute like a superstar in his 36-year-old prime. Read more NBA news on BleacherReport #Basketball #NBA #NBASouthwest #DallasMavericks #fantasybasketball
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 07:47:19 +0000