Fuck Yea[h] NBA

Scores from last night:

It was a battle of point guards, old and new, injured and…injured. Damn, this abbreviated season is as much about winning as it is about staying healthy during the sprint to April. 

• The Philadelphia 76ers hosted the most disappointing team in the league last night, the Washington Wizards. The Sixers won going away, 103-83, with their brand of team basketball: no players scored more than 17 points, but 6 players reached double figures. Washington brass took the news in stride, and fired head coach Flip Saunders midway through the 3rd year of his $18M, 4-year deal. [Washington Post; Philadelphia Daily News]
• The Boston Celtics aren’t done! Last night they held the visiting Orlando Magic to a franchise low in points scored on their way to a 87-56 victory. The Magic could muster only 16 field goals…ALL GAME! If you think a team that can play that sort of defense doesn’t have a chance in the wacky world of the Eastern Conference, you’re crazy. Boston will have enough for one more title push, then it’s sayonara to Garnett and company. [Boston Globe; Orlando Sentinel]
• The San Antonio Spurs went across the Gulf of Mexico and beat the New Orleans Hornets on the road, 104-102. Tim Duncan, back after sitting out some games with a strained [insert random leg/foot part], had 27 points and 7 rebounds, and Tony Parker passed for 17 assists. [Express-News; Times-Picayune]
• The Chicago Bulls stayed undefeated at home when they beat the visiting New Jersey Nets and point guard Deron Williams. Perhaps it was Williams’ presence that facilitated PG Derrick Rose’s return to the line-up after sitting out the previous 5 games due to toe issues (issues that will likely plague him for the remainder of the year). Richard Hamilton was back as well. Even though Jordan Farmer poured in 22 points and Williams added 16 points and 10 dimes, the Bulls backcourt combined for 44 points and 18 assists between them. [Chicago Tribune; Star-Ledger]
• A hot 4th quarter from Joe Johnson was enough to give the visiting Atlanta Hawks a 97-92 win over a Milwaukee Bucks team still feeling good after their victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday. Perhaps they were feeling too good because Johnson dropped 28 points, and Josh Smith added 19 for the Hawks. [Atlanta Journal Constitution; Journal-Sentinel] 
• Returning coach/GM Kevin McHale was booed in his return to Minnesota, but the new Houston coach walked (or more likely ambled—his hips and torso are about as arthritic as most septuagenarians) away a victor 107-92. The victory came despite Kevin Love’s assertive return to form after Saturday’s loss to Utah saw him fail to complete a double-double for the first time this season. He ended up with 39 points (on a Bill Waltonian 13-19 shooting) and 12 boards. Ricky Rubio also had 12 dimes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Houston. Kevin Martin dropped one of those sneaky 31-point games where no one realized he was putting up those numbers until the final buzzer sounded. [Houston Chronicle; Star-Tribune]
• The Oklahoma City Thunder ran the Detroit Pistons off their home court of Chesapeake Energy Arena (that’s the real name—I swear!) 99-79, but even that score doesn’t show how dominant they were from the very beginning. They were up 60-33 at halftime. James Harden was lights out scoring 24 points on 8-11 shooting from the field. Westbrook added 24 and Durant 20. As a team, OKC shot 53% and 43% on 3-point field goals. You know Westbrook is relaxed after signing that extension. I’ll have some highlights from this game later. [Oklahoman; Detriot Free Press]
• The other game I caught last night was Phoenix vs. Dallas in a reunion, of sorts, for Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash (they’re BFF’s if Dirk’s title didn’t ruin their friendship). It was nice to see Nash and Kidd playing, and Shawn Marion really enjoys inheriting the offensive mantle when Dirk sits (he’s sitting out 4 straight games in an attempt by the staff to get him into better playing shape in time for the rest of the season). Marion ended up with 29 points to lead the Mavericks to a 93-87 victory. Marcin Gortat and Grant Hill had 19 a piece for Phoenix and Nash added 12 dimes. [Star Telegram; Arizona Republic]
• Despite a strong game for DeMarcus Cousins against LaMarcus Aldridge—Cousins had an 18 points/13 rebs double-double—the Portland Trailblazers defeated the visiting Sacramento Kings, 101-89. Free agent signee, Jamal Crawford, dropped 26 points for the Blazers, and LaMarcus Aldrige added  13 points and 16 rebounds. [Oregonian; Sacramento Bee]
• Down by 16 points entering the 4th quarter on the road, the Memphis Grizzlies—still without the low-post offense of Z-Bo—came back and outscored the Golden State Warriors 39-22 in the 4th quarter to eek out a win, 90-91. Rudy Gay led the surge and ended with 23 points. I guess the Grizzlies were smart in not dealing Gay for Ellis before the season started. Marc Gasol, after being named Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, added 15 points and 11 boards for the Grizz. Mike Conley out-played Stephen Curry at the point, and added 20 points and 9 assists for the still winning Memphis Grizzlies. How can you not root for them? [Commercial Appeal; Oakland Tribune]

PHOTOS: Associated Press VIA