Box Scorin’: 4-Day Weekend Update

Box Scorin’ is a daily feature, recapping the previous night’s action in the NBA.

The Bulls had no answer for the Blazers' big men as Aldridge scores at will.

Oden’s Big Night Fuels Blazers over Bulls

Portland Trail Blazers 122   Chicago Bulls 98

Could he finally be living up to the extremely high expectations that were attributed to him when he was drafted first overall out of Ohio State University in 2007?  It’s too early for that, but Greg Oden has been playing like an all-star as of late.

He scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls on Monday Night, going 7-8 from the field and 10-12 from the free throw line in the process. Six of his 12 rebounds were offensive. Over his last three games, the 7′ Center is averaging 18.7 points and is shooting exactly 80 percent from the field.

To say the Bulls had trouble guarding the Blazers’ big men is an understatement in its own right. Blazers’ Power Forward LaMarcus Aldridge also scored 24 points and pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds on 7-8 shooting. Portland outrebounded by Chicago by 20(47 to 27).

One of my favorite players to hate, Steve Blake, played 29 minutes and scored three points for Portland, and is somehow still starting over Andre Miller--who scored 16 points and added five assists in 27 minutes off the bench.

Luol Deng led the Bulls with 25 points. Portland improves to 11-5, half a game ahead of the idle Denver Nuggets in the Northwest Division.

It was boring writing about this game, imagine broadcasting it.

Surging Thornton Helps Clippers win Battle of Crap Franchises

Los Angeles Clippers 91   Minnesota Timberwolves 87

In front of an absolutely wild crowd of 52 people, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves almost solely thanks to Al Thornton.

Thornton scored 31 points and added 10 rebounds, six offensive, as most of the Clippers struggled mightily ont he night. Point Guard Baron Davis missed his first nine shots and finished 1-10 from the field, managing to score just two points in 24 minutes. Shooting Guard Rasual Butler scored just five in 30 minutes.

The night was all about Thornton, who has scored double digits in his last seven games after managing the feat just once over the team’s first eight. He has also scored 30+ twice in the past week.

You know it’s a crazy game when Clippers’ backup Point Guard Sebastian Telfair is the second leading scorer in a winning effort. The 24 year old from Brooklyn scored 17 points against his former team, helping to balance out Davis’ poor night.

Timberwolves’ Center Al Jefferson recorded a double-double, 13 points and 13 rebounds, and erratic rookie Point Guard Jonny Flynn led 1-13 Minnesota with both 17 points and five assists.

Other Scores

San Antonio Spurs 112   Milwaukee Bucks 98

Memphis Grizzlies 116   Sacramento Kings  105

Baller of the Night

White Guys are 3 for 3.

Okay, it’s really going to start looking like I’m biased for the white shooters. This is my third time giving this out, and the first two (Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojakovic) literally were the best ballers on guy is ballin’ so far this season. He’s on pace for career highs in points, assists and rebounds those given nights.

Monday night it goes to none other than Matt Bonner of the San Antonio Spurs who scored 23 points in 25 minutes off the bench. He shot 6-8 from behind the three point line, and 7-10 overall. He also had six rebounds, two assists and no turnovers.

The and is shooting 47% from long-range. Thinking this is small sample size? He’s knocking down 2.2 threes a game on average in just 21 minutes per game. The big man can shoot.

Over The Weekend Thoughts

Unfortunately I don’t get paid enough to sit home all weekend blogging about sports. However, I did watch quite a few games, and have some thoughts/questions.

Friday

• Lebron James was an absolute monster against the Indiana Pacers. 40/9/7 against a team that has some solid defenders in Dahntay Jones, Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert down low. There’s just nights you can’t stop him.
• Vince Carter played his ass off against the Boston Celtics in Orlando’s win at Boston. Jason Williams didn’t play well by any means, but as was the case in last season’s playoffs, I don’t think the Magic will miss their all-star Point Guard Jameer Nelson too much while he’s out due to injury.

Saturday

• The Nets are officially abysmal. Their 98-91 loss to the New York Knicks solidified them as a joke. Yes they’ve had injuries, but it’s still no excuse to be 0-13 and lose to the God awful Knicks. At least the Nets have had two bright spots in an otherwise Abyss of Shit: Center Brook Lopez and Forward Chris-Douglas Roberts, the NBA’s lowest-paid starter, who is averaging 18.1 points per game.
• How do the Atlanta Hawks follow up an insane win Friday against the Houston Rockets with a loss to the Chris Paul-less New Orleans Hornets? Speaking of them, how are they playing well without Paul? Was Byron Scott really that bad of a coach? Was that too much of a rhetorical question that we all know the answer to?

Sunday

• Poor Knicks. They play a great game against the Boston Celtics. The fans were actually into the game. Forward Al Harrington was the typical spark plug of the Knicks’ team off the bench as he scored 30 points. But they still lose in overtime on a 20 foot wide open jumper by Kevin Garnett, which quickly led to his showing of the patented “Raptor Jaw” he has perfected doing.
• Did ya’ll see Kobe’s circus shot over the backboard? I’ve played basketball for God knows how many years, and still to this day can not make that more than roughly 5% of the time in an indoor court. Don’t bullshit like you can either, mister I’m sitting on my computer reading a sports blog. But yeah, Kobe was just silly in the game. It almost seemed like he was trying purposely not to do too good in the blowout win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Youtube Videos of the Week

Ron Artest shows up on Jimmy Kimmel Live in what looks like a pair of boxers, holding his clothes--but doesn’t put them on. Gives the entire interview wearing no pants or shirt. The Queens, New York native and St. John’s alum is absolutely out of his mind. Oh yeah, he also has “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” etched into his haircut.

John Cahill can be reached at John@PeteProse.com. His Archives could be viewed here. Fans could also follow him on twitter @KrukYou.