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STAT SHEET STUFFER
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On a night that saw several players put up monster numbers, none were more impressive than Elton Brand's. The Clippers forward put up another huge line Friday, scoring a season-high 38 points on 14-of-25 from the field and 10-of-10 from the charity stripe. He also grabbed 20 rebounds (another season high), dealt five assists and blocked three shots in the Clips' 97-88 road win against the Bobcats.
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RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE
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There were lots of guys who had huge fantasy Fridays, but Chris Kaman's numbers were the most shocking. Kaman's double double-deuce -- 22 points and a career-high 22 boards -- was a nice early present for those who started the blond bombshell.
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GAME OF THE NIGHT
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Despite Gilbert Arenas' big 41-point Friday night, the Wizards and Suns still went to the wire. Caron Butler 's basket with just over a minute to play gave Washington a five-point lead before Steve Nash drilled a trey to pull Phoenix within two. With 44 ticks left, Arenas went to the line and split a pair of free throws extending the lead to three. On the ensuing Suns' possession, Nash hit a pair of his own from the charity stripe to close the gap yet again. After Arenas missed both of his shots from the line, the Suns had one last chance to win. But Boris Diaw and Nash missed potential game-winning jumpers, handing the Wiz a 112-111 win in the desert.
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QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
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"I'm glad that Vince Carter is a New Jersey Net. He is a very, very special player. Look at what he has done the last six games, and that is a direct correlation to how hard he works."
- New Jersey head coach Lawrence Frank, on the recent play of Vince Carter. The Nets have won five in a row to jump to the head of the Atlantic Division.
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STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT
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1. Hindsight is 30/20, 20/20
Elton Brand and Chris Kaman made history Friday against the Bobcats. Brand's 38 points and 20 rebounds, and Kaman's 22 points and 22 rebounds marked the first time teammates have gone 30/20 and 20/20 in the same game since Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere did it for the Knicks in 1970. Of course, that New York squad went on to win an NBA Title. Time will tell if Brand and Kaman's historic night leads Los Angeles down the same road.
  2. Unwelcomed Guests
Allen Iverson and Vince Carter not only set season and career mark's with their 50-plus point efforts. Iverson's season-high 53 in Atlanta broke the Philips Arena record set four years ago when Shareef Abdur-Rahim, playing for the Hawks, poured in 50 against the Pistons. Down in Miami, just a short jaunt down I-95, Carter lit up the Heat for 51, blowing away the mark established five years ago by Alonzo Mourning -- who was sent to Toronto by the Nets as part of the trade that brought Carter to New Jersey. Ironically, Mourning's 43-point performance in 2000 came against the Nets.
 3. Finally, Some Good News in New York
Everyone is well aware of the Knicks' woes this season. Entering play on Friday, Larry Brown's squad had fallen to 6-18 after losing at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. The loss was New York's seventh straight overall and fifth in a row at home. One more Garden loss would have equaled a dubious mark set by the 1986-87 club. But Jamal Crawford scored 28 points and Stephon Marbury added 22 as the Knicks beat the Jazz 98-90. "I think tonight we wanted to get off that losing streak," Marbury said. "I think everybody came focused and ready to play tonight on both ends of the court."
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ROOKIE WATCH
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After missing the first three weeks of the season with a fractured hand, Golden State rookie Ike Diogu is beginning to find his rhythm. On Friday against the defensively-minded Pistons, Ike scored a season-high 27 points and tied another season high with seven rebounds. He also set season highs for number of shots made (13) and attempted (15). For those of you who have a hard time with long division, that's 86.7 percent.
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COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE
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Jason Terry scored 12 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and hit a pair of clutch 3-pointers to help the Mavericks edge Seattle on Friday. With Dallas trailing by a pair, Terry drained a trey at the two-minute mark to give the Mavs the lead. After the Sonics regained the lead, Terry assisted on a Dirk Nowitzki dunk to put Dallas back up by a point. His 3-ball with 18.8 ticks left extended the lead to four and provided the cushion the Mavs would need to hold on for the 101-98 road win.
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D-LEAGUE STAR OF THE NIGHT
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SCOREBOARD: Dec. 23, 2005 |
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE
Chris Paul displays some fancy ball-handling skills.
