Ballin’: LeBron Leads Heat to 17th Straight Home Win; Spurs Quietly Win 9th in a Row

All, NBA, Video Jason McIntyre April 5th. 2012, 11:03am

Miami 98, Oklahoma City 93: That’s 17 straight wins at home for the Heat. LeBron made his case for MVP (34 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds) and got some help from D Wade (19) and Mario Chalmers (13). This definitely wasn’t Russell Westbrook’s finest game. He had the cheap, flagrant foul on LeBron which could have started a brawl. And he shot 9-for-26 and had four turnovers and just two assists. Durant got his (30 points) but had a career-high nine turnovers.

Milwaukee 107, Cleveland 98: The Ellis-Jennings backcourt will be fun. If they beat out the Knicks for the 8th playoff spot (one game back), Monta Ellis (30 points) vs. Derrick Rose might be fun for four games. With Kyrie Irving out (shoulder), the Cavs started former Texas A&M point guard. He’s on his third team this season. He scored 12 points and had eight assists in 36 minutes.

LA Lakers 113, LA Clippers 108: You already saw Blake Griffin’s two nasty dunks. But it wasn’t enough: Andrew Bynum scored 36 for the Lakers, and Kobe added 31. The pair shot a combined 26-of-39. Chris Paul had 22 points and 16 assists but the Clippers fell 2.5 back of the the Lakers, plus don’t have the tiebreaker. Is the Pacific over? Probably.

Phoenix 107, Utah 105: The Jazz continue to plummet out of playoff contention. They’re not 1.5 games out of the 8th spot, and half a game back of Phoenix, which moved ahead of Utah into 9th. I don’t know where Chad Ford keeps coming up with these silly Jared Sullinger comparisons. He wrote Kevin Love, which was absurd, but also Paul Millsap. There’s zero chance of either.

Dallas 95, Memphis 85: Back-to-back-to-back blues – the Grizzlies permitted a 21-4 run in the fourth quarter and lost. The Mavericks tied Memphis for the 5th spot in the West. As of now, whoever finishes 5th with play the Clippers; 6th place in the West likely draws the Lakers.

Indiana 109, Washington 96: If you’re going to attack Roy Hibbert, you need to come correct.

Boston 86, San Antonio 87: Paul Pierce missed what would have been a game-winning 16-footer at the buzzer. Quietly, the Spurs have won nine in a row.

aroundtheweb

38 Responses to “Ballin’: LeBron Leads Heat to 17th Straight Home Win; Spurs Quietly Win 9th in a Row”

1
Matty_Cam Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:08 AM
I’m not sure if I’ve seen two better NBA games all year than the double header between the Thunder/Heat and Clippers/Lakers last night. Some serious intensity.
2
Scalia Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:09 AM
With Kyrie Irving out (shoulder), the Cavs started former Texas A&M point guard.
With the 1st pick of the 2012 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Anthony Davis.
3
MP III Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:11 AM
This definitely wasn’t Russell Westbrook’s finest game. He had the cheap, flagrant foul on LeBron which could have started a brawl.
thought this was a great foul, and wonder why more people dont challenge lebron at the rim. the league should know by now that lebron does not like adversity of just about any kind.
4
scripty Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:12 AM
With the 1st pick of the 2012 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Anthony Davis.
Cue conspiracy theory for the Pat Riley Lebron Tampering.
5
BFFredo Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:13 AM
LeBron made his case for MVP
Didn’t think there was much of a case left to be made. It’s LeBron’s.
No mention of the return of Eric Gordon? He looked rusty and slow at the start but grew as the game progressed and managed to seal the win with 2 key free throws.
6
Matty_Cam Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:13 AM
With Kyrie Irving out (shoulder), the Cavs started former Texas A&M point guard.
Acie Law?
7
knitty Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Acie Law?
I was thinking the same thing…
Good lord the Sixers have officially shat the bed.
8
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:14 AM
does anyone give a rat’s ass about the Spurs?
9
TheRealAC Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Acie Law?
Donald Sloan
10
Scalia Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Acie Law?
Donald Sloan
11
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:20 AM
With Kyrie Irving out (shoulder), the Cavs started some thing called a Donald Sloan.
12
scripty Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Where is Eric Gordon playing next year? Who can afford him? I realize he wouldnt end up on the Cavs although I’ve heard it’s not a popular free agent landing spot.
13
scripty Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Sloan Peterson > Donald Sloan
14
ButtersBC Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:22 AM
/Slaps Chad Ford
15
Dr. Tom Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Good lord the Sixers have officially shat the bed.
That’s one team that really should have tried to make a move at the deadline.
16
Ben80123 Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Thunder/Heat and Clippers/Lakers last night. Some serious intensity.
As a Bulls fan, it was kind of disheartening to see LeBron get clubbed multiple times and still show up for the finish.
does anyone give a rat’s ass about the Spurs?
If the Bulls don’t win, I want the Spurs to win. I love Duncan.
17
NDub Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:26 AM
He had the cheap, flagrant foul on LeBron which could have started a brawl.
“Playoff foul” said LeBron.
Also, your love for Monta Ellis is mind-blowing. The guy chucks just like Kobe yet you criticize Mamba every time he takes 25 shots for 28 points. Not a peep about Ellis though (regardless of his good shooting percentage last night).
18
Dr. Tom Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Where is Eric Gordon playing next year?
Cleveland with Irving, Gordon, and a top draft pick could be interesting. They’d have to give him a max deal though.
My guesses would be Boston, Dallas, or Phoenix.
19
payaso Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:28 AM
does anyone give a rat’s ass about the Spurs?
Not Pageview Nation.
20
Coach Mike Woodson, Atlanta Hawks Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Cleveland with Irving, Gordon, and a top draft pick could be interesting. They’d have to give him a max deal though.
They’d be better off drafting Beal (assuming no Davis) and using the extra cash to sign Asik (what I expect them to do).
21
Eric T0upal aka BrawnyTom Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:29 AM
does anyone give a rat’s ass about the Spurs?
Drink semen.
Quietly, the Spurs have won nine in a row.
Quietly, in the sense they are being ignored by the author of ballin. 1 game out of the top seed in the West. They are 2-1 versus the Thunder this year.
22
NDub Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
I remember Monday’s Ballin’ post:
Ballin’: The Heat Are Struggling! The Celtics Are Back!
And today’s:
Ballin’: LeBron Leads Heat to 17th Straight Home Win; Spurs Quietly Win 9th in a Row
Someone sure pays attention to a consistent narrative.
23
scripty Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Please tell me Beal is a sharpshooter. I have no time for shooting guards that cannot shoot.
24
NDub Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Black Mamba due up within the half hour on the Dan Patrick Show.
25
TheRealAC Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Cleveland with Irving, Gordon, and a top draft pick could be interesting. They’d have to give him a max deal though
that would be amazing.
26
phillymantis915 Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:31 AM
That’s one team that really should have tried to make a move at the deadline
Agree 100%.
27
ButtersBC Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:33 AM
Black Mamba due up within the half hour on the Dan Patrick Show.
They’re taking too many calls today and this Jim Nantz thing was better in theory than execution
28
Dr. Tom Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:36 AM
Please tell me Beal is a sharpshooter.
Very similar in size and skill set as Eric Gordon.
29
Gmurr Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:39 AM
thought this was a great foul, and wonder why more people dont challenge lebron at the rim. the league should know by now that lebron does not like adversity of just about any kind.
That was a dangerous foul. Anyone who’s played basketball knows it’s dangerous to hit a guy in the air, let alone grab him. Could’ve been kicked out. Also, the Thunder were up by about 11 at that point, but after 2 stupid fouls by Westbrook and Perkins the game was tied.
He responded pretty well to that “adversity”, nailed the free throws, scored about 8 more quick points, and won the game for them (Wade/Bosh has off nights).
30
Gmurr Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Whoops didn’t mean to quote the whole thing. Last 2 paragraphs are mine.
31
knitty Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Where is Eric Gordon playing next year?
Some GM is going to cripple their franchise with a max deal for this guy.
32
Dr. Tom Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Some GM is going to cripple their franchise with a max deal for this guy.
I don’t know about cripple. He’s probably the best 2-guard in the league behind Kobe and Wade, though I’d listen to arguments for Harden. Put him on a team like the T-Wolves and that team goes from fringe playoff to team to scary young upstart.
That being said, I’m not sure I offer him the max if I’m Boston or Dallas.
33
Charske Don't Surf Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:50 AM
Is Ramon Sessions really good, or has it just been awhile since I’ve seen a decent PG?
34
Dental Dam Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:51 AM
I don’t know where Chad Ford keeps coming up with these silly Jared Sullinger comparisons. He wrote Kevin Love, which was absurd, but also Paul Millsap. There’s zero chance of either.
Yet you link to a post yesterday on this very site with no links to ANYBODY comparing Sully to Love. Or Millsap for that matter. Have you heard Ford say this or do you choose not to link his work because most of it is behind the ESPN Insider paywall?
Also, you seem to have a personal vendetta against Ford. As opposed to someone like you who shoots from the hip and throws shit against a wall and hope it sticks with mock drafts, Ford’s job is to talk to GM’s and has even said that the majority thought process behind his Big Board rankings and mock drafts comes straight from GM’s.
/Not a friend, relative, or acquaintance of Chad Ford
35
knitty Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:54 AM
That being said, I’m not sure I offer him the max if I’m Boston or Dallas.
His recent rash of injuries would scare me away.
36
Coach Mike Woodson, Atlanta Hawks Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:56 AM
I don’t know about cripple. He’s probably the best 2-guard in the league behind Kobe and Wade, though I’d listen to arguments for Harden. Put him on a team like the T-Wolves and that team goes from fringe playoff to team to scary young upstart.
That being said, I’m not sure I offer him the max if I’m Boston or Dallas.
I think Harden is better anyway, but the durability issue really makes it any decision.
37
Dr. Tom Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
I think Harden is better anyway
The funny thing is that most GM’s don’t realize this thus most would probably offer Gordon a max or near-max deal while Harden won’t come close.
38
jb49ers Says:
April 5th, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Lakers should offer amnesty MWP and give that money to Gordon.