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SHOOTING STUDS
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LeBron James, Cavaliers
99-91 loss vs. Warriors
33 pts, 10-17 FG, 5-6 3-pt FG, 8-8 FT
Kwame Brown, Lakers
100-99 loss vs. Grizzlies
18 pts, 6-6 FG, 6-6 FT
Kirk Snyder & Speedy Claxton, Hornets
100-94 win at Timberwolves
56 pts, 20-34 FG, 3-3 3-pt FG, 13-15 FT
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STAT SHEET STUFFER
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Kevin Garnett seems like a lonely wolf. After posting 18 rebounds in each of his last two outings - both Minnesota losses - KG tied a season high with 21 boards and added 19 points and two blocks against New Orleans/Oklahoma City on Saturday. It still wasn't enough as the Timberwolves fell to 1-6 in February with a 100-94 defeat.
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RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE
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"It may be time to pick up Milt Palacio, who dropped 20 points and six assists on the Rockets on Saturday. He has logged 30-plus minutes in six straight games, averaging 13 points, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals. He doesn't hit threes, but he's a nice source for points, dimes and thefts."
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GAME OF THE NIGHT
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With Memphis facing a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter, Pau Gasol showed why he was selected for his first All-Star game earlier this week. Already enjoying a solid game, Gasol scored eight points in less than three minutes to pull the Grizzlies into a 99-all tie with 28.7 seconds remaining. After Pau missed a potential go-ahead foul shot, the Lakers' Brian Cook missed a jumper to set up Memphis' final possession. Gasol and Chucky Atkins ran a pick-and-roll, and Atkins was fouled as he drove towards the basket. One free throw and a Kobe Bryant miss later, the Grizzlies came away with their first win this month and ended a five-game slide, 100-99. Gasol hit 11-of-15 shots on his way to a game-high 31 points and racked up 12 rebounds, seven assists and two blocked shots.
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QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
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"I just try to keep him out of the paint. He's a slasher. I told him tonight, 'Will you please stop running?' You really can't take your eye off of him."
-- Houston's Tracy McGrady on defending Utah's Andrei Kirilenko after the Rockets' 102-88 home win.
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STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT
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 1. Prolific Pair
The Rockets expected big things this year, and the team is finally starting to show why. Since Yao Ming came back from toe surgery on Jan. 30, Houston had started to turn it around, but he and fellow superstar Tracy McGrady had yet to both go off on the same night. That changed on Saturday as each of the All-Stars reached 25 points for the first time since Dec. 15 and just the third time this season. The Rockets improved to 3-0 in such games and 5-2 since the big guy's return with a 102-88 win over the visiting Jazz.
  2. Chris Who?
Kirk Snyder and Speedy Claxton are showing that rookie phenom Chris Paul isn't the only reason for the Hornets' dramatic turnaround. Paul exited early on Wednesday after a nasty fall, and Snyder racked up 16 points and a career-high 12 assists as New Orleans/Oklahoma City rallied for a win over the Sonics. Friday against New York, with Paul sitting out with bruised ribs, it was Claxton that stepped up with 18 points and a season-best 11 helpers. On Saturday, both were huge in CP3's absence with 28 points apiece as the Hornets made it 3-for-3 with a 100-94 win in Minnesota.
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COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE
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A pair of former Lakers came up big in their old home on Saturday night. Chucky Atkins scored eight points in the final quarter, including a free throw with three seconds left that put his Grizzlies up one. On the other end, Eddie Jones forced Kobe Bryant into a tough off-balance jumper that fell short at the buzzer and Memphis escaped with a win. Atkins finished with 18 points and Jones had 25 with eight rebounds.
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ROOKIE WATCH
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The already-shorthanded Bobcats were dealt another blow when both their point guards - Brevin Knight and Raymond Felton - sat out Friday's loss to Toronto. Felton returned Saturday and tallied 14 points, six rebounds and eight assists, but Charlotte missed Knight's presence and took its second loss in two nights, 99-93 in Milwaukee.
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SIXTH MAN OF THE NIGHT
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After Baron Davis went down with a right ankle injury late in the first quarter, Derek Fisher made Golden State fans forget all about their regular starting point guard. Fisher hit 6-of-7 shots, including 3-of-4 from downtown, for 18 points and added six assists and two steals off the pine in the Warriors' 99-91 win in Cleveland, where they'd lost 15 of their last 17 games.
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D-LEAGUE STAR OF THE NIGHT
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Down by 14 at intermission, the Patriots turned to Cliff Hawkins and Sharrod Ford in the second half and the pair flipped the script. Hawkins and Ford combined for 48 second-half points as Fayetteville poured in 82 in the final two quarters to grab a 132-120 win. Hawkins finished with 28 points and 10 assists, while Ford had 26 points and 13 rebounds.
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SCOREBOARD: Feb.11, 2006 |
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE
Ricky Davis goes baseline for a one-handed reverse:
