Eric Gordon gives the Kings another Kobe flashback
Eric Gordon (photo. Jeff Forney)
“Either you define the moment or the moment defines you.” Clippers’ announcer Mike Smith put it the best you could and captured the way Eric Gordon (29 pts) went into straight beast mode during the fourth quarter of last night’s win over the Kings … After Sacramento had come all the way back from a 17-point deficit to tie it up with under a minute left, Gordon freed himself off a screen and laced a deep trey, serenaded by an epic “BIIIIIIIIIIINGOOOOOOOOO!!” from L.A.’s Ralph Lawler. Gordon rebounded a Sacramento miss, and after the ensuing timeout, the Kings completely fell apart. They misjudged the clock and fouled Gordon when they didn’t need to, and after he made two free throws, Sacto’s Pooh Jeter had the ball knocked off his leg (by Gordon) and out of bounds to effectively end it. All in all, Gordon scored nine straight points in crunch time and made some big defensive plays to seal the W … The Hawks are the Jekyll & Hyde of the NBA. Whenever you feel like you have them figured out, they find another way to leave you shaking your head. Advertised as “The Road Warriors” before Saturday’s game in Miami, the Hawks went out and got their buns glazed by the Heat. Last night, they came back with their best defensive effort of the year to beat the Magic in Orlando, 80-74. The Hawks may not win too many games where Josh Smith (19 pts, 13 rebs, 4 blks) is the top scorer, but they can afford to do it if they hold opponents in the 70′s … And this wasn’t a totally short-handed Magic squad. Dwight Howard, J.J. Redick and Mickael Pietrus were back from their stomach virus, but Jameer Nelson‘s continued absence may have had something to do with Orlando having almost twice as many turnovers as assists … It was supposed to be one of the best matchups of the year and go toward settling a “Who’s better?” debate that kicked up during Team USA’s World Championship run. Instead, Russell Westbrook (15 pts, 7 asts) looked overly excited and Derrick Rose (11 pts, 9 asts) played one of his worst games in a while. Rose did hit a half-court shot at the third-quarter buzzer, and Chicago got the win behind Carlos Boozer‘s 29 points and 12 boards …
-->
December 7th, 2010 at 2:48 am
BRUCE says:
Who is gonna be the 1st pick of next year draft?
December 7th, 2010 at 3:01 am
Slickyrickyross says:
Good to see the clippers getting some love. Clips could be special next season if things break right.
December 7th, 2010 at 3:12 am
Sebastian says:
Brent Barry on NBA TV on the Bucks’s struggles:
“…You look up and down the lineup with Chris Douglas-Roberts and Kenyon Dooling and Brandon Jennings, all these guys are really streaky players, and if they’re all streaking in the wrong direction… with their clothes on?! They’re not scoring.”.
Don’t know if he got “Writears”
Or he bounced the idea
All I know is, that’s some good ish right t h e a…!
December 7th, 2010 at 3:41 am
High Release says:
I wasn’t watching too closely, but last year Squad 6 was chanting at Dwyane Wade, “Novak’s Better” to the tune of “Over-rated”.. Steve Novak being a Marquette teammate, and better.
Spree is the Truth.
December 7th, 2010 at 4:18 am
sh!tfaced says:
Damn right. Spree is the damn Truth when it comes to feeding his family…
Oh yeah, the Hawks are real contenders alright – just ask the Magic who had several key players coming back from injury, the old and injured Celtics from last year, and all the League’s bottom feeders.
Gotta admit, the Atlanta Hawks ain’t shit when they play the big-time teams but are great as can be when it comes to the rest of the NBA… they’re not gonna taste the deep playoffs when their supposed stars are either overpaid/overrated/undersized/has-been players or a combination of them. That team is just nothing but pretenders, teasers or whatever…
December 7th, 2010 at 4:20 am
Bill says:
Yeah, heat still beating on shitty teams. They’ll hit reality again playing Utah next.
December 7th, 2010 at 4:53 am
ab40 says:
LeBron James and Dwayne Wade on one team.. what a complete waist of talent. they can’t excel anymore and that’s a damn shame. They’re still 2-7 vs teams over .500 and one of those is vs the hawks who had just lost joe johnson to injury so that doesn’t realy count.
The knicks have only beaten bad teams as well on this win streak. They’ll slip under .500 soon enough.
Booz was doing it last night 29 and 12 that’s a nice stat line and I’m not sure if it’s him getting more shots but rose can’t seem to get it done vs other great point guards and they can’t go off against him besides rondo getting 17 assists or something like that the scoring is prety equal just like vs westbrook who isn’t that good a passer. Them guards are getting fare too much hype in my opinion.
December 7th, 2010 at 5:00 am
alf (from melmak) says:
I do not know if it is just me but that Eric Gordon photo looks so gay.
Anyway here are some funny liners from a Deseret News interview of Jerry Sloan.
————–
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan offered insight into what he’d like to see his team do when opponents switch to a zone defense
“Score,” Sloan deadpanned.
That’s not the only thing he wants his zoned players to do, of course.
Added Sloan: “You like to see them move. … You like to have ball movement, man movement.”
He was discouraged by a string of turnovers the Jazz committed against the Mavericks’ zone on Friday.
“When you’re throwing the ball away, that’s movement,” Sloan said. “(But) it’s the wrong direction.”
———————–
Top 100 reasons why Dime should hire me as one of its regular writers.
31. What if Dime were the Knicks and me as Reggie Miller joining them?
December 7th, 2010 at 5:08 am
Willis says:
As a Kings fan, the team has too much talent to be as bad as they are. But no more than 2 players can put together a good game at a time it seems. Harrison Barnes?
December 7th, 2010 at 5:37 am
LMNOP says:
Winning against bad teams doesn’t make you great but it does build chemistry and cohesion.
The Knicks have a really tough schedule to close December and start Jan, but their far better prepared for it than they were after the first 10 games of the season. If they can float around 500 it will be a success. Playoffs in the east is looking like a very attainable goal.
As for the Heat, they still have no depth and 3 stars who cant play off the ball, but if they’ve turned themselves into a cohesive unit in this mini streak then we could see them become a team thats actually worth hating.
December 7th, 2010 at 7:25 am
J says:
Harrison Barnes been struggling, Kyrie Irving seems to be the leading candidate thus far.
December 7th, 2010 at 8:10 am
wcs says:
Dont worry sac, If you get Kyrie Irving, the knicks will trade wilson chandler to you for him. Im seeing Irving and Casspi for Chandler and Bill Walker
December 7th, 2010 at 8:20 am
bookkwormmaster says:
Big win by my Hawks last night. Didn’t watch the game due me watching my Pats put the beat down on the Jets so its not alot I can say about the game. However I do know that we got out to a solid early lead somthing we haven’t been doing in the last few games. Aside from that earlylead it was the defense that won this game for us and J-Smoove toppping out as our top guy with an all-star performance.
3-1 without JJ and we got NJ next who we owe a major ass whooping as they beat us (mainly Lopez and Harris) the last time we matched up. Expect a different outcome this time.
December 7th, 2010 at 8:44 am
john says:
So when Miami beats Atlanta it doesnt count because JJ didnt play etc… But when they beat Orlando they are a great team ?
Miami has 5 players and a bunch of scrubs, and 2 of that 5 are injured (Miller, Haslem). Yet, we are playing and winning. I would like to see the Lakers without Odom and Artest for 3 months, or Boston without Rondo and Shaq for 3 months.
December 7th, 2010 at 8:47 am
sh!tfaced says:
^^^^ yep, this guy said it. that’s all the hawks are good at. beating up teams like the nets, their stars putting up “all-star” numbers when the competition is as weak as shit. ladies and gentlemen, your Atlanta Hawks! – forever pretenders and ain’t gonna never ever win crap. That is, if you consider the Eastern Conference Semifinals as an “accomplishment”… what a joke… lol
December 7th, 2010 at 9:02 am
sh!tfaced says:
All im saying is, who the fuck have the Hawks beat, really?! So they took the Celtics to seven games in 2008. So what? Sweep or seven games, losing is losing. They beat the hapless Bobcats last year and then what? Got swept off cleaner than a Schick Quattro shave. Even the Golden State Warriors has accomplished more than this team. They never upset anybody. They lost to Orlando and looked worse than Team Scrub Qualifier at the World Championships… lol
December 7th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Stunnaboy2K11 says:
Tell you what Heat fans if you beat Utah we’ll let you guys vent. beating up bad teams still don’t mean shit. And yes ATL was without their best player and you barely eat them. lets not change facts here.
The fact that you equated Rondo and Shaq or LO and Artest to HASLEM and MILLER ends it for me. Big Baby is arguably a better if not equally as talented player as Haslem and he’s our 6th man. Miller is a spot up shooter ya’ll got James Jones doing a pretty good job already, what you think Miller drops 25 a game?
The fact is if you only got Wade and Bosh and built around them with role players to fit, like maybe a Brad Miller or Kyle Lowry you would be MUCH better off than you guys are now.
Unless of course you like having a center rotation of Anthony, Big Z and Dampier
December 7th, 2010 at 9:07 am
Stunnaboy2K11 says:
@shitfaced
They won 50 games last year swept the Celtics in the regular season and took Milwaukee to 7 games (wait what?)
Yeah are pretty much stuck on mediocrity, especially with the Joe Johnson contract. Oh well EC Semis is a nice target to set I suppose haha least they get playoff revenue.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:07 am
JAY says:
@john
It’s funny to me that you are insinuating the Lakers won’t be as successful without Odom and Artest. Gimme a break. Outside of Kobe and Gasol, they are a TEAM. All their pgs would instantly start for the Heat. Lol.
And are you actually equating Rondo’s value on the Celtics to Mike Miller and/or Haslem value with the Heat?!?! LMAOOOOO!! Rondo is their MVP. Don’t get it twisted.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:10 am
Diego says:
^^^Damn know-nothing dipshits bashing the Hawks. They beat Orlando last night in Orlando, with JJ missing for Atlanta and Jameer missing for Orlando. Believe it or not, Atlanta is the one losing on that injury swap.
Yes, Atlanta needs to not blow it this year in the playoffs like the last 2 years, but Atlanta will finish in the top 4 in the East this year just like the last 2 years. (Do you dipshits know that Atlanta beat Boston all 4 times in the regular season last year?)
Bibby is like the fat old guy you see at the playground everyday who can actually play. He may be old and slow, but he has the fundamentals down and can hit his open shot. (Bibby leads the league in 3pt % I believe, and he shoots a shitload of them.)
Smartest move last night was putting Collins on D.Howard. He is Hawks’ tallest and biggest lug and if they are going to pay him, they need to use him to bang against Shaq and Howard. Horford just does not defend whoppers like Howard and Shaq well.
Here is the deal with Atlanta: Josh is playing great and shooting great from outside. Atlanta will win plenty of games with Josh leading the charge, because this year he (or perhaps Horford) is the best player on the team!! He is the real deal! Watch the freakin’ games idiots! Josh and Horford are VERY nice players. JJ is third best player these days–and horribly overpaid with the new contract. That contract is really going to hurt the Hawks $-wise. Owners are not that rich and fans don’t fill the seats. (But at least he is not Rashard Lewis!)
A big part of the NBA is beating up on the loser teams. All of the teams with nice records (e.g., LA) do it. Win in Orlando and CLOSE games in earlier game this year in Orlando and in Miami a few days ago perhaps show Hawks can compete this year with Orlando and LeBron (who is on a worse team this year than last year, folks). And Mike Miller will not save Miami, dreamers!
Please quit bashing the Hawks if you don’t know jack shit. Hawks will finish at least 4th in East (perhaps 3rd like last year); and will at least make it to 2nd round of playoffs again.
Let the d-bags, Knick fans, frontrunners and LeBron nuthuggers respond and continue to bash the Hawks.
December 7th, 2010 at 10:38 am
nizzio says:
@John
Man ur dumb. Don’t compare Mike Miller and Haslem’s impact on the team with Rondo and Shaq! Miami will not improve by that much with these guys on their team. They still can’t beat good teams. Any team with a good point guard can eat them alive. This is also the case for the Lakers, but at least they have a good defensive squad to pick up after D-Fish’s slow ass. Don’t expect Miami to get passed the second round
December 7th, 2010 at 10:40 am
nizzio says:
And ATL isn’t going that far either. I wonder if they’ll sign back J-Smoove next year. I doubt they can afford him.
December 7th, 2010 at 11:03 am
QQ says:
Damn, funny seeing cats say ‘Hawks are the REAL DEAL’ along with ‘Hawks ain’t WORTH SHIT’. Funny seeing such extremes. Relax. The Hawks are a pretty decent team that ain’t going near championship contender status. It’s that simple.
Good win for them.
December 7th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Hot Fiyah says:
That new CP cover is fire!
December 7th, 2010 at 11:10 am
MSL says:
Wow!
Lots of debate on the Heat and Hawks.
Ultimately, those will probably be two underachieving teams.We’ll see!
I think we can stop talking about Atlanta beating Boston 4 in a row last year in the regular season, considering Rondo-less Boston already thumped Atlanta this year in Atlanta after a back to back. Remember? That was the infamous “I don’t know what we’re doing at night before games” debacle.
But I think its no guarantee that Atlanta will have the third seed (or 3rd best record) in the Eastern Conference. That’s not guaranteed.
I think the Heat, Bulls, The Knicks and Maybe the Pacer’s have something to do with that. Don’t you guys?
I think all those teams want to make a move and show improvements.
It should be interesting to see how the rest of the season and conference shakes out.
December 7th, 2010 at 11:12 am
MSL says:
PS:
I think the Heat can go farther than the Hawks, due to their big time players (I know Hawks fans COHESION; thats what you’re going to say Atlanta has over the Heat, right)?
Lol.
December 7th, 2010 at 11:26 am
DH says:
Hey Dime,
Can we get video of what D-Will did to Vasquez last night? His step back was gross (and he made the shot).
December 7th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
D.H. says:
Anybody else think the Pacers are turning into a decent squad? They’re not a threat, but as a number one seed you wouldn’t want to see them in the first round.
December 7th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
S.A.C. says:
@DH
Agreed (on the Pacers)! And I been saying that now for almost three weeks.
You would not want to see those guys in the first round as a 1, 2 or 3 seed indeed (especially if you won your seed from being in a week division).
Those guys are dangerous when they’re on.
December 7th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
JAY says:
The problem with the Hawks is that they want the summer to start as soon as possible.
@Diego: “(Do you dipshits know that Atlanta beat Boston all 4 times in the regular season last year?)”
So?? That’s good for them. You do realize Boston pushed the champs to 7 games right?? That’s the difference between ATL and Boston. Boston pulls it together during the REAL season. Atl is content in winning during the regular season.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
oneLove says:
Anyone else think it is weird and uneasy about the NBA buying the Hornets? It just doesn’t feel right. Stupid if you ask me…
December 7th, 2010 at 9:53 pm
S.A.C. says:
@Onelove
It does. But they want to buy it to sell it, not keep it apparently.