NBA Match Game, 11.3
Carmelo Anthony
Five matchups to watch on Tuesday’s nine-game schedule…
Denver @ Indiana: Carmelo Anthony vs. Danny Granger
Buckets, buckets and more buckets. By normal human standards, Granger is having a great start, averaging 26.5 points in two games. But ‘Melo is on some extraterrestrial level right now, dropping 37.7 points on 53% shooting and looking like an MVP in the making. Perhaps Granger can learn something here: While he’s been launching 11 threes per game so far, ‘Melo is working more off the dribble and getting himself to the line (13.6 FTA). Over/under for combined points between these two tonight? Let’s go with 65. I’ll take the over.
(NBA League Pass, 7 p.m. EST)
Washington @ Cleveland: DeShawn Stevenson vs. LeBron James
What’s that? This isn’t a rivalry anymore? You’re saying it never was a rivalry in the first place? OK, scratch that…
Phoenix @ Miami: Channing Frye & Amar’e Stoudemire vs. Jermaine O’Neal & Michael Beasley
It’ll be interesting to see how Erik Spoelstra plays this one. If you stick O’Neal on Frye and Beasley on Amar’e, J.O. could end up eating a lot of long jumpers as his creaky knees close out late on the perimeter, while Beasley’s subpar defense could be exposed against the STAT beast. But then, putting the quicker Beasley on Frye and J.O. (a solid post defender) on Amar’e could lead to foul trouble for O’Neal, and Miami can’t afford to lose its second-highest scorer (17.3 ppg) for long stretches.
(NBA League Pass, 7:30 p.m. EST)
Milwaukee @ Chicago: Brandon Jennings vs. Derrick Rose
After putting up 20.5 points, 6.0 assists and 5.5 rebounds against Philly and Detroit, Jennings gets his toughest test yet against D-Rose. The reigning Rookie of the Year is just as quick (and probably quicker) than the early front-runner for R.O.Y., and he’s much stronger; but through three games Rose is averaging just 10 points and 4.7 assists as he gets over a preseason ankle injury.
(NBA League Pass, 8 p.m. EST)
L.A. Lakers @ Oklahoma City: Ron Artest vs. Kevin Durant
As close to a matchup of purely one-way players as you’re going to get, since Bruce Bowen is no longer around to guard Corey Maggette. Artest is shooting a horrid 36% from the free-throw line and 23% from three, but he’s not here for his scoring. His job is to stop Durant (22 ppg) from going nuts and beating L.A. by himself.
(NBA TV, 8 p.m. EST)
Atlanta @ Portland: Joe Johnson vs. Brandon Roy
Two of the most evenly-matched stars in the League typically bring out the best in each other. Johnson dropped 18 points in the first quarter his last time out aganst the Lakers, but was shut down the rest of the way by Artest. The Blazers have been using Martell Webster as their defensive stopper, so if Joe gets on a roll early, look for the switch. Roy has been struggling with his jumper so far, hitting just 39.4% from the field, but he’s been getting to the rim and making plays in crunch time, and ATL’s defense has been a bit leaky.
(NBA League Pass, 10 p.m. EST)
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Shaw32 says:
damn some good matchups and my league pass free trail expired. I might have to buy it does any one have complaints about it i should know about?
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Big Sia says:
I have a feeling granger/mello is gonna dissapoint
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Chaos says:
i dunno. indiana isnt that great of a defensive team. actually no one player is gonna be able to stop melo and the nuggets are balanced so u really can double as much as you want. granger will get his but i dont see indiana winning this game or stopping melo. melo can only stop himself. d-rose should be able to show jennings up if he’s health and jermaine o’neal knees will snap cuz of pheonix’s uptempo offense.
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
flavur says:
Shit man free league pass is gone just in time for these high scoring head to head beauty matchups if I only had 45 dollars right now
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:27 pm
M. says:
@Shaw
Nah, you won’t regret it. Once you get it, you’ll wonder how you ever went without it.
They’re actually replaying games late at night and into the next day, which is a great added bonus.
Also, if you buy League Pass on your TV, League Pass Broadband is complimentary.
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
rangerjohn says:
man you guys have GOT to read some of the BS the PETA people are saying about manu and the bat. thought you guys hated on him damn
http://blog.peta.org/archives/2009/11/manu_ginobili.php
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:52 pm
ab_40 says:
man cleveland is a mess. the shaq Z inside duo isn’t working they are too slow. and boy does that cavs commercial annoy me. wannabe bad boys all of em. delonte west hasn’t been this skinny since high school. and lebron is at 245 right now from 265 last season. that dude lost a lot of weight during the summer traveling everywhere promoting himself as a brand. I think cleveland this year will be what we all thought cleveland would be last year… that’s a 50 to 53 win team. maybe they’ll get a 20 game win streak this year? I don’t know but as of right now 50 to 55 is their max in the reg season. and either shaq, z or varejo has to go those three can’t play together. it just don’t fit.
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
dagwaller says:
For the record, yes, Wizards/Cleveland IS a rivalry. Has been for a few years.
DeShawn and LeBron? Not so much.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 pm
robmo35 says:
Hey Syracuse just lost to a division 2 school. At least Dime still has Villanova to buttfuck
November 4th, 2009 at 5:02 am
Coop says:
How is Artest a one-way player? Granted he shoots bad %s but this is a guy who’s averaged over 15ppg for the last 6 seasons or so. You could have picked so many other guys.