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With the NBA playoffs just around the corner, Portland survived Curry’s 47-point blitz in the West, Indiana beat the Thunder to be just one win away from securing top seed in the East, and Mike D’Antoni is anxiously awaiting the tap on the shoulder at Lakers HQ.
Portland v Golden State
The Trailblazers and Warriors met in Portland for a highly entertaining shootout. At the end of regulation, Draymond Green used his only three points of the contest – in the form of step-back dagger – to send the game into overtime.
Portland took the lead by two towards the end of OT thanks to a LaMarcus Aldridge jumper, before Steph Curry, who poured in a season high 47 points, orchestrated the potential game winning play. Curry drove and kicked the ball out to a wide-open Iguodala, who was unable to convert as time expired.
While the Warriors are in the playoff picture, only two games separate them and the ninth-placed Phoenix Suns.
While Golden State will make it with so few games remaining in the regular season, they’re not in the cosy position you might imagine. This is due to a combination of them under-performing at times (despite a still very healthy 49-31 record), and the Western Conference being so competitive.
Indiana v Oklahoma City
Despite Kevin Durant’s 38 points, Indiana got the best of Oklahoma City, winning 102-97.
Lance Stephenson finished with 17 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and 9 ‘look how much of a street-balling badass I am’ scowls for a league leading fifth triple-double. Just one more scowl would’ve earned him a rarely seen quadruple double.
Indiana finished off OKC with a late back-breaking sequence in which David West blocked a Durant three, leading to a Stephenson three at the other end which put Indiana up by 6 with 34 seconds to go.
Honourable mention to Russell Westbrook who was swatting shots left and right. Unfortunately they were after the whistle, and one involved him stacking it upon landing and being laughed at by everyone in attendance.
Meanwhile, Roy Hibbert didn’t trouble the scorekeepers, and while Serge Ibaka nearly ate a ref’s face following a call which apparently displeased him.
To secure the top seed, Indiana just need to win their regular season finale in Orlando, or hope that Miami lose either of their final two games against Washington and Philadelphia.
Battle for the eighth seed
Losing is now out of the question for Phoenix, who sit a full game back from the eight-placed Memphis Grizzlies. To make things even more interesting, they’ll meet each other tomorrow in Phoenix.
A win would guarantee Memphis that final spot, while a win would keep Phoenix alive. The Suns also need to win their final game against Sacramento to have any chance of featuring in the post-season.
Mike, it isn’t you, it’s me
The Lakers are looking for a gentle way to break the news to Mike D’Antoni that his services are no longer required. Hopefully they find the right words to do so before Kobe storms into D’Antoni’s office and just starts chucking all of his stuff into cardboard boxes.
Big man duels, fun facts, and circus acts
DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin Love went at it in Sac-town, with ‘Boogie’ dropping 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 assists while Love notched up 43 points, 11 rebounds, and another L for the Wolves.
In other news, ‘Swaggy P’ went spin cycle on Marc Gasol, Evan Fournier is better qualified for a circus than tightrope-walking elephant, and DeMar DeRozan murdered Kyle Singler in broad daylight. The dude is probably leading the league in such a category.
He’s also leading the league in random capital letters in the middle of one’s name.
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