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STAT SHEET STUFFER
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Tony Parker did a little bit of everything in the Spurs' dramatic 90-89 home win over the Kings. Parker scored 11 of his team-high 25 points in the first quarter as the Spurs built a double-digit lead, and finished 11-of-16 from the floor with 12 assists, six rebounds, and two steals.
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RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE
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If Stephen Jackson's thumb becomes a lingering issue, Danny Granger - 12 points, six rebounds and three blocks against the Knicks on Saturday - could become a lingering fantasy factor.
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GAME OF THE NIGHT
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The Kings' visit to San Antonio on Saturday was a back-and-forth affair, with four lead changes in the frenetic final 1:11 of the fourth quarter. After a nifty Bonzi Wells post move put Sacramento up by one, Michael Finley scored the last two of his 16 points on an 18-foot jumper from the wing. Mike Bibby's long 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the rim and the Spurs escaped with a dramatic 90-89 victory.
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QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
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"(LeBron James) is a great player. He's like a freight train with Dwyane Wade speed. ... I've seen too many players like him. I see it in Dwyane, I've seen it in Magic (Johnson) and James Worthy. At times, you're helpless. When he's raising on you and freezing you with the dribble, and making four or five in a row,
it's sort of a helpless feeling."
- Miami head coach Pat Riley, after James scored 41 points and tallied 10 assists in a 115-107 win over the Heat.
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STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT
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  1. The Future Is Now
Two of the league's brightest young stars faced off in Cleveland, with LeBron James getting the better of Dwyane Wade in a 115-107 Cavs win. James scored 41, the second time in a week he's eclipsed 40, and is the NBA's third leading scorer, pouring in more than 30 per game. Wade, currently fifth in scoring, poured in 33 and added seven assists for the Heat, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.
 2. Old Rivals Reunite
With the Pacers making their first stop at Madison Square Garden since Reggie Miller's retirement, there was a familiar face courtside. Reggie was sitting alongside former archenemy Spike Lee, in the same spot from which Lee heckled the Indiana star for years. Miller had another reason to gloat after the game, a 102-96 Pacers' win that marked six straight defeats for Larry Brown's Knicks.
  3. Stars Don't Align
Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming both played well during the Rockets' recent five-game winning streak, and combined for 51 points against the Clippers. But their teammates didn't show up, and Los Angeles got positive contributions from a handful of players, including a 22-point, eight-assist performance from Sam Cassell. The Clips ended their three-game losing skid and stopped Houston's string of success with an 89-81 afternoon victory.
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ROOKIE WATCH
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Sarunas Jasikevicius was a big part of the Pacers' Saturday night win, sinking four treys on his way to 18 points and adding four rebounds and three steals. Fellow first-year player Danny Granger racked up 12 points, six boards and three blocks, and the rookies combined for 24 second-half points in Indiana's come-from-behind victory in New York.
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COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE
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With the game tied at 84 and 1:33 on the clock, Damon Stoudamire rebounded a blocked Suns shot and fed Eddie Jones for a breakaway dunk. Twenty seconds later, Stoudamire grabbed another defensive board, dribbled upcourt, and pulled up for an elbow jumper to give the Grizzlies a four-point edge in an eventual 91-87 home win over the Suns.
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D-LEAGUE STAR OF THE NIGHT
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Ime Udoka has been big all season for the Flyers, and Saturday was no different. The Fort Worth guard scored 20 of his game-high 28 points after halftime and added 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals in the Flyers' second straight overtime win, a 105-101 decision over the Toros.
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SIXTH MAN OF THE NIGHT
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Donyell Marshall might have come off the bench, but he played like a starter against the Heat. The veteran forward sank five 3-pointers on his way to 25 points and grabbed 13 boards in 39 minutes, serving as a perfect complement to LeBron James in the Cavs' 115-107 win over Miami.
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SCOREBOARD: Dec. 17, 2005 |
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE
Antoine Walker finds Dwyane Wade with a pretty no-look pass.
