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SHOOTING STUDS
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Kobe Bryant &
Smush Parker, Lakers
119-93 win vs. Sixers
72 pts, 28-39 FG, 12-12 3-pt FG, 4-6 FT
Mike Bibby, Kings
118-114 win vs. Clippers
32 pts, 11-18 FG, 2-3 3-pt FG, 8-8 FT
Mike James, Raptors
112-92 win vs. Rockets
30 pts, 10-17 FG, 3-6 3-pt FG, 7-7 FT
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STAT SHEET STUFFER
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On a night that saw Jason Kidd net a triple-double and Ben Wallace rip down 21 rebounds, Pau Gasol tallied the league's most dominant stat line. Gasol led the Grizz to their fifth win in a row, an 87-65 victory over the Jazz, with 27 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks and a steal. "Pau played a man's game tonight," Shane Battier said. "That's what a franchise player does."
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RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE
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"Is Kirk Snyder a pickup after scoring a career-high 22 (points) against the Blazers on Friday? Well, that all depends on the recently benched J.R. Smith, who will probably play his way back into the starting lineup. Kirk is nothing more than a short-term pickup."
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D-LEAGUE STAR OF THE NIGHT
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Anthony Grundy led the way for the Roanoke Dazzle in a 126-123 victory over the Fayetteville Patriots on Friday. Grundy, the D-League's leading scorer, netted 32 points, grabbed eight boards, dished out four assists and collected three steals for Roanoke.
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GAME OF THE NIGHT
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On Friday night in Denver, Dirk Nowitzki gave Dallas - playing its third game in four nights - a three-point lead with 7.5 seconds remaining in regulation. But Carmelo Anthony nailed a 3-pointer as time expired to send it to OT. A back-and-forth affair in the extra frame, Nowitzki again gave the Mavs a three-point lead on a fadeway with 18.5 ticks to go. On the ensuing Nuggets possession, Andre Miller was fouled, hit the first free throw and intentionally missed the second. Kenyon Martin tipped in the put-back and tied the score yet again. However, Devin Harris sent the Denver crowd home disappointed. He accepted a beautiful inbounds pass from Josh Howard and hit an easy layup, sealing Dallas' 114-112 road win.
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QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
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"At first, they said I touched him, and then they said I changed the shot. I didn't touch him. I might have been on the floor, but coaches do that. I asked if they were going to give them the ball, too, but they said we could keep it. That was nice of them."
- Seattle coach Bob Hill, on Detroit's Rip Hamilton being awarded three free throws after he stepped on Hill's foot during the Sonics' 97-85 loss to the Pistons.
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STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT
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1. Kobe Earns 15K After Suspension
Kobe Bryant's two-game suspension for elbowing Mike Miller last week came to an end on Friday and the Lakers couldn't have been happier to have their star back. Bryant dropped 48 points on the Sixers as L.A. snapped a five-game slide with its 119-92 home win. The first 19 of his 48 made him the youngest player in NBA history to reach the 15,000 point plateau. The other two youngest: a couple of guys named Jordan and Chamberlain. Bryant also took over as the league's top scorer, vaulting past Allen Iverson, who poured in an otherwise impressive 31 points.
 2. Nash's Sizzling Start
Steve Nash has had to carry the bulk of the Suns' load as Amaré Stoudamire recovers from injury, and that's just fine with the 2004-05 MVP. On Friday, Nash got off to a monstrous start against Miami, scoring nine points and delivering a Suns franchise-record 12 assists in the first quarter as Phoenix jumped out to a 47-25 advantage. In the opening period, the Suns shot a scorching 72 percent from the field and hit 8-of-11 3-pointers, setting the tone for their 111-93 victory over the Heat.
 3. Doormats No More
The Raptors kicked off 2005-06 with a woeful 1-15 record. Since then, however, Toronto is 10-7 thanks to its current winning streak, which it extended to five games after Friday's 112-92 home victory against the Rockets. Before Friday's matchup, the Rockets' Rafer Alston - who was traded to Houston from Toronto in October - was highly critical of Raptors' coach Sam Mitchell. Alston went on to score just two points, while Mike James - the player for whom Alston was traded - poured in 30. Isn't karma a wonderful thing?
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ROOKIE WATCH
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Channing Frye stepped up in a big way Friday. The Knicks' big man scored a game-high 30 points, tying a season high set against the Bucks, on 11-of-13 shooting in New York's 113-92 win. The former Arizona standout also grabbed seven rebounds. If Frye - who ranks No. 2 in our rookie rankings - keeps this up, he could gain ground on early ROY favorite Chris Paul, who tore a ligament in his thumb and will miss at least two weeks for the Hornets.
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COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE
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On Nov. 23, Atlanta ended a nine-game season-opening skid with a three-point victory against the Celtics. On Friday, Joe Johnson made sure the Hawks snapped their current four-game losing streak with a 'W' in Boston. Johnson scored 12 of his 20 points in the second half to help Atlanta overcome a seven-point halftime deficit and hit a jumper with 1:12 remaining to give his team a lead it would not relinquish. "When the game is on the line," Johnson said, "I'm always the one who wants to take the shot. I took that upon myself." The Hawks went on to win 103-98.
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SIXTH MAN OF THE NIGHT
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With Michael Finley playing well in San Antonio, Gregg Popovich elected to hold Manu Ginobili on the bench in Friday's game against the Timberwolves. Ginobili responded and hit the Wolves up for 21 points in 26 minutes as San Antonio picked up its fifth consecutive victory and 11th straight at home with an 83-77 win.
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SCOREBOARD: Jan. 6, 2006 |
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE
Carmelo hit the long-range buzzer beater to send it to OT.
