Let's continue with the Heat. LeBron's 28 points and 9-11 free-throw shooting indicate a nice game. But he never could assert his will on this game in the second half. In the third quarter, LeBron allowed the Heat to fall further behind and never seemed like a force.
Chris Bosh was a near no show. His 13 points and 2 rebounds was only outdone by Ray Allen's bagel for worst Heat performance of the night. Dwyane Wade looked re-energized at times, actually beating out LeBron in every stat category but points. But still, he wasn't the Wade who dropped 41 on this team last year in a series-clinching game.
The only other Heat player to contribute to the scoring sheet was Shane Battier. He's really struggled shooting this year, but his 11 points were needed off the bench. However, Battier's game last night will be remembered more for getting dominated by David West on the defensive end.
Some quick notes on Indiana. They are 3-1 against the Knicks and Heat (top 2 teams in East). More notably is that their three wins have all been dominant. I'm not sure that Danny Granger's return can vault them to any new heights, but this defense is as good as any in the league. The Pacers can expect a dogfight all year with the Bulls just to win their division, but they have the ability to shut down offenses and should be able to win one playoff series.
On to the Lakers. Six of the eight guys who played scored in double figures and the Lakers were able to overcome poor second-half shooting to beat the Wolves.
The first quarter was a dream scenario for the Lakers. Every shot was falling for them and Pau Gasol was the leading scorer. Gasol was the best player on the floor last night. His 22 point, 12 board game was made even better by a perfect night at the line. Was it an audition for a trade suitor? Who knows. But Pau looked confident. He knew that his Dwight-less team needed him and he delivered.
Nash had a very solid 17-7-7 game while being guarded by three different guys smaller than him. Kobe continued his double-double run, getting 17 points and 12 boards on a bad shooting night. Earl Clark and Antawn Jamison both continued their good play, getting the tough baskets and even tougher rebounds.
It was a win the Lakers needed and they got it. They played like an urgent team and that must continue. With the season half over and a road-heavy schedule ahead, more easy wins like this need to some. What impressed me the most: They scored 111 points while shooting 42 percent. Not many teams can do that.
So if you're tried of hearing about the Lakers and Heat, I'm sorry, but here's the deal. I'll stop writing about those teams when they stop being interesting. I promise.
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