Upsets rule Day 2 of the Dance, and Kevin Garnett is back
If Day One of the NCAA Tournament lacked the drama everybody expected, Day Two more than made up for it. Put it this way: two of the late-night batch of games went into overtime (one to double-OT), and they still got outshined by another game in that same time slot. The biggest story was 13-seed Cleveland State knocking off Wake Forest, who if you remember was the No. 1-ranked team in the country not too long ago. This wasn’t your storybook Bryce Drew/Princeton-backdoor kind of upset, either; Cleveland State pretty much dominated Wake from the get-go, flirting with a 20-piecing throughout its 84-69 win. Cedric Jackson — the same guy who beat Syracuse with that impossible full-court heave in the regular season — was the star, putting up 19 points, seven boards, eight assists and three steals and outplaying Wake’s star PG Jeff Teague … In the overtime games, Siena upset Ohio State thanks to two HUGE threes by Ronald Moore — one that tied it in the first OT, and the game-winner in the second OT — and 12-seed Wisconsin upset Florida State on Trevon Hughes‘ and-one layup with two seconds left … Earlier in the day, Oklahoma State’s Byron Eaton also hit a driving layup plus-one in the final seconds that was the game-winner against Tennessee, Marquette barely survived Utah State in a nail-biter, 12-seed Arizona upset Utah, and 11-seed Dayton upset West Virginia … As for the 1-seeds in action, Louisville and Pitt, they each got more than they expected from their respective 16-seeds. East Tennessee State was within one possession of Pitt well into the second half until DaJuan Blair (27 pts, 16 rebs) took over, and Morehead State was only down two at halftime before Louisville slapped on that press and ran away with it … When Rick Pitino‘s squad was really rolling, it got so bad that Bill Raftery was congratulating Morehead for simply getting the ball past halfcourt and getting a shot off … 3-seed Kansas also got all they could handle from North Dakota State; or really just from Ben Woodside, who dropped 37 on Sherron Collins‘ head. Collins gave him 32 right back, but he’s supposed to do that … In the NBA, Kevin Garnett returned to the Celtics lineup, playing 15 minutes (10 pts, 4 rebs) and sitting out the fourth quarter in a win at San Antonio. Also getting Ray Allen back (19 pts), Boston wasn’t great, but benefited from the Spurs (namely Tony Parker and Mike Finley) choking on key free throws down the stretch and going 4-for-17 beyond the arc for the game … With less than 10 seconds left, the Spurs were down two needed a stop. Paul Pierce found a wide-open Big Baby on the baseline, who wetted a jumper and sent San Antonio’s announcers into a state of depression. Sean Elliott sounded like he’d decided to give up on life …
Dirk Nowitzki (photo. Monte Isom)
With the loss, the Spurs are now just one game up on Houston (who blew out the Wolves last night) for 2nd place in the West. It’s crazy how last summer, right after the Ron Artest trade, everybody was putting the Rockets among the top two or three teams in the West, but nobody would have guessed it would happen like this, with T-Mac sidelined for most of the season, Aaron Brooks running the point, and Von Wafer getting significant crunch-time minutes … Mavs/Pacers was tied with 19 seconds left, Dallas ball, so you knew where they were going. Being guarded by Jeff Foster, Dirk Nowitzki milked the clock, measured his man, took a hard step left and squeezed off the fadeaway. Bottoms. Seeing as Dirk has been money on just about every fadeaway we’ve seen him take for the last two weeks, there was little doubt that one was going in … Some big stat lines from Friday: Chris Paul had 32 points, nine assists and five steals in a win over Memphis; Deron Williams put up 24 points and 11 dimes in a win at OKC; Antonio McDyess (who’s been such a beast lately he might have to be ‘roid tested) had 24 points and 17 boards in a win over the Clippers; Gerald Wallace posted 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists against Toronto; J.R. Smith dropped 40 on the Wizards; and Sam Dalembert pulled down 23 rebounds (11 offensive) to go with 15 points in a loss to the Warriors … Today’s NCAA tourney schedule includes Memphis/Maryland, UConn/Texas A&M, Villanova/UCLA, Duke/Texas, Carolina/LSU and Oklahoma/Michigan. And in Portland, where some of the Dime crew has been posted this week on business, we’ll be in the building for Gonzaga/Western Kentucky and Washington/Purdue. Yesterday, Dime’s Aron Phillips (who went to college in Portland) sent this e-mail: “Just walked down to Compound Gallery, my gear spot in Portland, and no joke, walked in and saw Isaiah Thomas and three other dudes from the UW team reading Dime.” … We’re out like Robert Morris …
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March 21st, 2009 at 6:28 am
YOUNGFED..."Yeah I said it, fcuk the Celtics" says:
The old Dyess is Baaaaaaaack!!!! We’re just getting started. If they win it all this year ima go get me a ring made and send it to DIME just to show off. Also Gee sorry but yall still a 1st round knock off. Your teams like a one night stand, here one day gone the next. (lol)
BTW why MSU cant get no shine.
YOUNGFEDS BANGER OF THE DAY: Fat Joe
http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=41317
March 21st, 2009 at 6:35 am
knoc says:
NEXT DIME COVER: ISAIAH THOMAS
March 21st, 2009 at 8:05 am
Flip says:
Riiiiight…. Dirk isn’t clutch. I think he should have proved all his critics by now that he’s money when the game is on the line
March 21st, 2009 at 8:17 am
rangerjohn says:
1st LMAO at flip. go look at his % he is like 25% in that situation while guys like duncan, parker, manu, kobe, labron, wade, hell i think even artest shoots a better % in the same situation.
NOT CLUTCH, being a “clutch” player is more then hitting a game winner, shit roger mason has hit 4 game winners this season.
now on to more important things, the spurs got screwed last night, unfortunately they got screwed by themselves not being able to hit a damn freethrow. it is not the norm for tony to miss those, and it really shows how we need manu back. if manu is taking those, we win, manu IS CLUTCH!
March 21st, 2009 at 8:44 am
sans says:
watching Dayton made me wonder, Whatever happened to Brian Roberts? He was a beast on that squad last year. This year is making up for all of the 1s in the Final Four last year.
March 21st, 2009 at 8:48 am
Damon says:
I doubt guys like artest or ginobili shoot a higher percentage in THIS situation. i haven’t seen them hit game winners this season…lmao
but seriously now,
I know you mean the last few minutes, were dirk obv. wasn’t that good this season. but its still too much to say he isn’t clutch.
while i agree game winners aren’t everything, its still the moment with the most pressure, making them the most important shots in crunch time. and dirk has hit some in his career. he is at least solid. not anti-clutch, but not a killer either.
March 21st, 2009 at 8:51 am
QQ says:
Nobody pictured the Rockets would be one of the top in the West without TMac in the lineup, but now that it happened, I think we should accept the obvious as FACT: TMac is a weak ass gunner who cannot lead his team, and when he’s gone, his team is playing up to their very best because they are playing with ball movement and defense, and without a sissy who destroys his team’s offense by shooting like an asshole and never playing a lick of D. That’s a fact.
March 21st, 2009 at 9:12 am
rangerjohn says:
QQ
so if that is the case on tracy, how do you explain “the streak”? (you know the big news from last year that only rockets fans remember because in the end it was only the SECOND best.) tracy led his team to 22 wins in a row, no yao, artest wasnt there yet, they had luther head playing starters minutes, rafer was the gunner, hell shane was the #3 guy half the time.
that said, i sorta agree, tracy has never done anything outside of said streak, other then kill his own team.
March 21st, 2009 at 9:31 am
doc says:
What Tony Parker fucked up?But shit happens he’ll make up for it but I guess this is a day off for the see I told u Tony was the 2nd best guys.Thay need Manu or they going the fuck home EARLY.Timmy Manu Tony.(in order of importance to that squad)
March 21st, 2009 at 9:48 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I don’t know how but I’m sure the refs are to blame for Tony Parkers missed free throw.
March 21st, 2009 at 10:09 am
QQ says:
@ ranger:
You answered you’re own question, mate. Beyond that streak, TMac has never done anything. Besides, most of the teams they beat during that streak are missing their stars/leading scorers. And that happened in the fucking REGULAR SEASON. Real winners aren’t measured in the regular season. Just ask the Suns (who are still losers, by the way).
March 21st, 2009 at 10:35 am
Dayo says:
Really felt good to hear sean elliot shut up after the spurs lost. his praise for every single spurs basket throughout the game was irritating!!! He is reason enough to dislike the spurs!
March 21st, 2009 at 11:14 am
Willis says:
lol. The Kings beat the knicks by 28 and Beno f-ing Udrih was a six pack away from a triple double.
hahahahahahahahhaha
March 21st, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Damon says:
@spliff
the refs are to blame for that. the refs handed the ball to tony way to quickly so couldn’t concentrate. spurs never get any respect from the refs.
March 21st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
cdubb says:
dirk is definitely clutch. hands down.
March 21st, 2009 at 1:39 pm
SteveNash says:
but why did they cut away as soon as my man shot that three!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 21st, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Mo says:
LMAO! @ Sean Elliot sounding all depressed and sh*t. One of the biggest homer announcers around.
March 21st, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Ian says:
ranger
really kobe shoots a low 20 something % on those situations
i think hes the lowest one in the group
and u have lebron on that ill take kobes 20% for a game winner than a lebron wide open jump shot but fuck it give me manu or dirk or pierce
damon you are wrong at least on manu i dont know about artest
March 21st, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Max says:
The Kings have fans? Well, smart idea to have a kingsfans site (and not a Sacramento site) because they’re going to be the Anaheim Kings or Kansas City Kings soon…
March 21st, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Damon says:
ok, manu may have one this season. but was just playing anyway, so…
March 21st, 2009 at 2:25 pm
marcus the great says:
i swear everytime Crash Wallace plays he’s in the “other notable stat lines” section puttin up crazy numbers
March 21st, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Rafa23 says:
when did ginobili have a game winner this season?
March 21st, 2009 at 2:58 pm
the cynic says:
didn’t the Rockets have Yao for the the 13 games of the win streak? Scola is the secret to the Rockets success, from last years streak to this years injury riddled success
March 21st, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Willis says:
max the kings before this season sold every game out for the past decade.
you have no idea, do you?
March 21st, 2009 at 5:51 pm
dagwaller says:
Rick Adelman for Coach of the Year?
March 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
dagwaller says:
PS, any Indy fans (Austin?) know anything about Jarrett Jack and TJ Ford getting into it last night?
rangerjohn, good to see you still smoke the crack. Dirk isn’t clutch? Wow. And trying to give T-Mac credit for anything other than being a good scorer for a few years is ludicrous.
And finally, FED, you probably already knew this, but I just saw on RealGM that Rip wants to end his career in Detroit. I don’t usually root for Detroit, but I love it when athletes show loyalty to a city. Big ups to Rip.
March 21st, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Austin Burton says:
@dagwaller — I barely saw any of the Pacers game. What did you hear?
March 21st, 2009 at 7:05 pm
dagwaller says:
RealGM reported that the two got into it soon after TJ (surprise) took three shots in three possessions. O’Brien sent Jack to the locker room for starting it, and sat TJ for 12 minutes of game time. The link quotes a reporter as saying that the situation has been brewing for a while. Go figure.
TJ Ford: a poor man’s Stephon Marbury?
March 21st, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Max says:
Willis, I think you’re the one without a clue, woofing about the worst team in the league..or you’re a mad genius for getting all those fans to dress up as empty seats every time I tune in a kings game this year.
March 22nd, 2009 at 2:13 am
Bron42 aka Had Springs Before Slamball says:
@QQ,
How dumb do you sound man? You say “oh the streak was in the regular season” then you hype how great the current rockets are doing IN THE REGULAR SEASON! Did I miss something and their already in the conference finals? No, they have alil hot streak at the end of the season and still won’t win shit. No to mention their doing it in a season where the former major players in the west seem to suck (suns,mavs, hornets and jazz for a while) etc… And I don’t get how people hate on tmac yet ignore yao like they havn’t been teammates this whole time and BOTH can’t get out the first round. Yao couldnt get out the first round before tmac got there. And yes the streak happened when teams where missing guys but the rockets were also missing yao. So don’t make it like the rockets were at full strength and just beating up the wizards for 22 straight games. And its not like tmac didn’t almost have a triple double in both playoff games they won against utah last year. So tmacs out this season, but when they get bounced out the first round again, cuz yao goes soft and ron starts blastin bad shots…whose the scapegoat then? ron?
And as for dirk being clutch? ha, like ranger said, hittin a game winner doesn’t mean your clutch. Specially with all the hype dirk gets. He could hit a game winnner for these last 15 games and if he chokes again in the playoffs, whats it gonna mean? nothing. so clutch these nuts and get back at me when hes brickin a game winning foul shot in the playoffs or gettin blown out by a lower seed with him kickin shit in the tunnel. Clutch is stepping up IN ANYWAY when the game is on the line etc..doesn’t matter if its gettin an important steal, block, etc..on the big stage…big stage.
March 22nd, 2009 at 2:16 am
Bron42 aka Had Springs Before Slamball says:
p.s: QQ said it best, which kinda killed his own case “And that happened in the fucking REGULAR SEASON. Real winners aren’t measured in the regular season. Just ask the Suns (who are still losers, by the way).
” Sorry dirk…and sorry to everyone on the rockets.
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:05 am
Willis says:
i said prior to this season Max. hey, its not my fault the product on the floor doesn’t match ridiculous ticket prices.
Either way, the Kings have one of the most consistently loyal fan bases in the NBA, and if you feel high and mighty by insulting us, then whatever. I’m above this pettiness.
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:59 am
Lee says:
Didn’t you guys just do an article on how Dirk isn’t clutch ??
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:16 pm
frankie says:
Bron only roots for the Lakers, the Bulls, and the Spurs – and only after they’ve won a championship. He hates on EVERYONE. Dirk was one of the most clutch players last year…yet he’s not clutch to Bron. The Rockets are about to become the 2 seed in the West…but they’re not good enough. What a fucking idiot. Kick rocks to a different site.
March 23rd, 2009 at 4:48 am
Bron42 aka Had springs before slamball says:
wow frankie, another award winning post from you…considering i’ve never once said i was fan of the lakers, bulls, or spurs.Ask Lakeshow how much of a laker fan i am, Or ask Ian or Rangerjohn how much of a spurs fan I am lol Do you read what you post or just type with your eyes closed.
1. QQ is hyping the rockets up (i’m actually a rockets fan dumbass) and saying how great they are, and killing tmac about how heros aren’t made in the regular season, meanwhile the rockets havn’t done ANYTHING in the post season yet have they? so kinda double sided. and if the rockets get the number 2 seed and lose in the first round ala dirks mavs, will they have really been any better without tmac? will them getting the number 2 seed in the west REALLY matter? no. so shut the fuck up. Dude killed his own argument one post later and yet your tryin to talk to me? please.
2. Dirk was one of the most clutch players last year? o, so he must of had the best record in the west then? no? o well he at least had to of made the conferenc finals. no? not that either? dirk is soooo clutch, that if he doesn’t win a ring, he’ll be remembered more for how he choked in the finals and lost to a 8th seed than anything else hes done in his career..ya real clutch. You’d don’t instantly become “clutch” because you hit a few game winners in the regular season (i’m looking at you too lebron) Cuz if thats the case roger mason is more clutch than kobe and dirk. Why did robert horry get such hype? Was he known for hitting a bunch of game winners in december? no! he did it when shit mattered.. So be a homer all you want fag but stats don’t like where was dirks clutchness while the hornets were mopping up his team last playoffs.