Every morning, we will give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day.
1: Triple the fun
Late Saturday night, basketball fans everywhere were captivated by a never-ending game. Louisville and Notre Dame went deep into the night with a five overtime thriller that included a seven-point comeback in the final 40 seconds of the game from the homestanding Irish.
It figures the Celtics, another team with Gaelic roots, would want to match that somehow. Three overtimes will have to do.
The Celtics spent much of the first two overtime periods having to fight back and match the Nuggets late at TD Garden on Sunday. Denver got big plays from Danilo Gallinari and then saw Boston come back with a step-back 3-pointer from Paul Pierce to send it to a third overtime.
Despite Gallinari draining a ridiculous, fading away rainbow 3-pointer to tie the game, the third overtime belonged to Kevin Garnett. Garnett scored the first four points of the overtime period using that long wing span and his shooting ability to smoothly nestle the ball into the basket. He hit another jumper from the elbow. That attention undoubtedly freed up Jason Terry for the go-ahead 3-pointer.
The Celtics won this emotional game 118-114, snapping the Nuggets' nine-game win streak. Paul Pierce turned in a triple double with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists. Kevin Garnett added 20 points, 18 rebounds and six assists in this marathon of a game.
2: Hello, Brooklyn?
Without doubt the Nets have fallen on hard times.
The glitz and glamour of the beginning of the season in a new building has worn out at this point of the season. There is now a desperation to stay in the title hunt and shake the roster up. That is why the Nets are rumored to be attached to just about any "big-name" player that is available and are reportedly pushing hard to acquire Josh Smith.
Meanwhile, however, the team is not inspiring confidence on the court. Not against the teams that matter, at least. Brooklyn increasingly looks like a team that beats the bad teams but is mediocre everywhere else. And you do not get attention in New York for being mediocre.
You get all the wrong kinds of attention when a team like San Antonio comes to town and runs you off your own floor without two of the team's key players. Tim Duncan sat out with a knee injury and the team opted to hold back Manu Ginobili in his return. That left Tony Parker to run things. And it was enough.
The Spurs outscored the Nets 60-29 in the second half on their way to a 111-86 victory at Barclays Center on Sunday. Parker scored 29 points and dished out 11 assists, putting in a masterful point guard performance as he controlled the entire game while he was in. Deron Williams hardly looked like an "elite" point guard next to him.
And if Williams is not at that level, where is this Nets team?
3: HIGHLIGHTS!!!
Kevin Durant may not be very nice
Linsane delivery
Bingo
4: Line of the Night: LeBron James — 32 points, 12/18 FGs, 7 rebounds
Just stop, LeBron. Seriously. You are making it not fair to play against the Heat. The way you force yourself to the rim and finish over ridiculous amounts of contact. The way you simply pick defenses apart with your pinpoint passing. The way you confidently rise up for open jumpers nad make them as if they are nothing. It is not fair, so we would like you to stop being so brilliant. Thanks -The other 29 teams in the NBA.
5: You can quote me on that
On the greaseboard in the locker room, a note reminded the players’ of Monday’s practice times.
'Tomorrow: Prac. @ Noon
10:30 – Rooks
11:00 – Almost Vets
[Aaron] Gray added a line:
'Whatever time’s good for you: Lucas''
You always need wins. There's no better feeling in sports than winning. There's no worse feeling in sports than losing. The losing wears on you, so any win right now is great for us.
