James Harden Makes Bold Statement and Other Friday NBA Takeaways
James Harden has a poignant message for the rest of the NBA.
I'm here, too.
It's been a weird week for Harden. He was suspended for one game after kicking LeBron James in a no-kicking zone, and then in his return against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, the referees failed to call a foul on his late-game drive to the basket, costing the Houston Rockets an opportunity to take the lead. They would lose seconds later on a Marc Gasol buzzer-beater.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook has been gaining ground in the league's MVP chase, rattling off one triple-double after another, stealing some, if not most, of Harden's momentum.
But no more.
Harden took matters into his own hands on Friday night, willing the Rockets to a 103-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons with a triple-double line of his own: 38 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.
Just three others players have recorded a 38/12/12 outing since 1985—James, Jason Kidd and Larry Bird. Harden's timely explosion also puts him in some nice Rockets company as well, per the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen:
It was by no means a perfect performance. Harden committed seven turnovers, hoisted a few ill-advised three-pointers and sometimes forced the action too much, bursting through holes that weren't meant for traveling.
Still, this was Harden being Harden. He pushed the pace, blitzed the rim and flung himself into bodies, drawing contact and earning frequent trips to the foul line, where he was a brilliant 16-of-18.
Most of all, this was Harden serving up reminders left and right, rescuing the NBA from its week-long dalliance with Westbrook.
The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar has, in a way, become the MVP darling. His four consecutive triple-doubles captivated the public and dominated headlines. He's averaging 33.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 10 assists since Feb. 1 and keeping the Thunder's playoff hopes alive without Kevin Durant.
What has Harden been doing? Getting suspended? Becoming just another name in a crazily crowded MVP competition?
Nah, he's been having nights like Friday all along—games in which he thoroughly takes over, even if it isn't always pretty. And like Westbrook, he has no choice.
Dwight Howard hasn't played since Jan. 23. Somehow, the Rockets have thrived without their second superstar. Not survived.
Thrived.
They are 19-11 when he isn't in the lineup (19-10 with Harden) and quietly creeping up on the Grizzlies. Just 2.5 games separate the Rockets from second place in the Western Conference, a deficit they're more than equipped to erase, with the Portland Trail Blazers banged up and Memphis roller coaster-ing.
In the end, their postseason position isn't especially important. They'll enter the playoffs, with or without Howard, dangerous as ever, fully capable of contending for a championship—all thanks to the MVP candidate who cannot, and will not, be left behind.
Around the Association
Trouble Is Still Afoot in Washington
Did the Washington Wizards defeat the Miami Heat 99-97?
Yes.
Did they almost blow a 35-point lead to Miami's sixth-string lineup in the process?
Uh-huh.
Are they tied for the NBA's worst record over their last 16 games?
They sure are.
Does ESPN's Dave Flemming have a point?
Probably.
Times are tough in Washington right now. If the Wizards' downswing continues through to the playoffs, they're locks for a first-round exit and, more importantly, an offseason filled with change.
The Return of Big Al
Al Jefferson had himself game for the Charlotte Hornets, torching the Toronto Raptors for 23 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks. It's just the second time he's reached those single-game touchstones in his career.
This performance couldn't have come at a better time, either. The Hornets now have sole possession of the Eastern Conference's No. 7 seed and are riding a four-game winning streak after manhandling the Raptors 103-94.
Speaking of which, Toronto really needs to regain its mojo. Kyle Lowry is back in action, but he was off, shooting just 9-of-22 from the floor. The Raptors have now lost seven of their last eight games and look equal parts gassed and confused.
Don't worry, though. Sportsnet's Michael Grange has some magical advice for head coach Dwane Casey:
Also, Terrence Ross did this, because he's a rim-wrecker:
Mostly, this was just a good win for the Hornets. These are the types of games they'll have to steal down the stretch, and these are the kinds of all-world performances they'll need from Jefferson. Their offense has been unimpressive for most of this season, and with Kemba Walker still on the sidelines, it's on him to provide the impetus for a team already set defensively.
On Friday night, he did just this, helping the Hornets remain undefeated for the month of March.
Indiana Pacers + Playoffs = Happening
Which NBA team has the best record since Feb. 1?
That would be the Indiana Pacers.
Seriously.
The Pacers used a 32-point fourth quarter to dispatch the short-handed Chicago Bulls 98-84 in what was a thoroughly inspiring performance. They were scrappy on the defensive end, forcing the Bulls into myriad contested three-pointers and protecting the paint like it was family.
Six Pacers scored in double figures. Solomon Hill led the team in scoring (16), because obviously.
Still without Paul George, the Pacers have clawed their way back into the Eastern Conference's top eight. And with George possibly on the way back, the first-place Atlanta Hawks have every reason to feel uneasy.
As for the Bulls, well, there's not much to say—except for what Tom Thibodeau said on Thursday night:
Hang tough, gents. Hang tough.
Take That, Cleveland
The Hawks continue to pass their marquee tests.
This time, the challenge came in the form of the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers, who, despite an inferior record, have often looked like the best team in the Eastern Conference over the last few weeks. On a night in which the Hawks honored Dominique Wilkins with a statue unveiling and some throwback jerseys, Atlanta proved its superiority over yet another contender with a clinical display on both ends of the floor during the 106-97 victory.
Here's OutKast's Big Boi with the recap:
Though Cleveland made the game tight with a third-quarter run, Kevin Love, James and the rest of the Cavaliers had no idea how to handle Atlanta's pick-and-roll/pop game. Al Horford tortured them during the early going, but everyone was involved by the end.
And somehow, the defensive rotations employed by Mike Budenholzer's squads were even more impressive. No Cavalier found himself earning easy buckets, as the Hawks were revolving in and out of the paint perfectly, cutting down all lanes after giving the illusion they'd be open.
Atlanta, now 49-12 and with a playoff spot locked up, sure seems to have that proverbial extra gear boasted by so many championship-winning teams.
Anthony Davis Can't Win Them All
Despite getting another all-alien effort from Anthony Davis, the New Orleans Pelicans were no match for the Boston Isaiah Thomases Celtics, falling 104-98.
The 21-year-old extraterrestrial finished with 29 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, one steal, three blocks and one "I leap over tall buildings while barefoot" alley-oop finish:
Anything Davis can do, the much shorter Isaiah Thomas cannot. But rather than bask in envy, he decided to have a game himself, pumping in 27 points to go along with three assists and an endless supply of big-time plays.
Afterward, head coach Brad Stevens could only wax two-syllable enthusiasm about his new point guard, per Bleacher Report's Brian Robb:
Evan Turner and Brandon Bass fit, too. They combined for 33 points, seven assists and 12 rebounds, while Jonas Jerebko (nine points) looked like an actual basketball player.
All of which was necessary with both the Pacers and Hornets rattling off victories. The Celtics are now 1.5 games off the East's final postseason slot and will need more timely explosions from Thomas and crew if they're to close that gap.
Victor Oladipo's Stock Entering Star Territory
Add the Sacramento Kings to the list of Victor Oladipo's recent victims.
The second-year guard was on fire once more during the Orlando Magic's 119-114 victory over their inter-conference foes, dropping a strong 32 points, three rebounds, 10 assists and five steals while pouring in 14 of his 24 attempts from the field. And lately, this is what the Magic may as well expect from their rising star.
Heading into this Friday night affair, Oladipo was averaging 21.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals since the All-Star break, and his percentages were soaring. But this performance, highlighted—among other plays—by this alley-oop finish on the break, was one heck of a way to follow up a 38-point outing two nights earlier in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Seventy points in two games? That's a new personal best for this Indiana product, whose previous high was 65 in mid-January.
Despite Win, Memphis Keeps Displaying Cracks
With a 97-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers that was even closer than the already-slim margin might indicate, the Grizzlies moved to 44-17 on the season and maintained their hold on the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.
Nonetheless, it's tough to have warm and fuzzy feelings about this squad after yet another lackluster showing. The Grizzlies trailed by as many as 10 points, a development so shocking, all tweets pertaining to their uninspiring effort had to be exceptionally explicit:
Tony Allen had to switch onto Jordan Clarkson, who couldn't be stopped for much of the game. Courtney Lee and the rest of the perimeter shooters struggled their way to a putrid 1-of-11 showing from beyond the arc—the 13th time this season a team has lofted up double-digit attempts and connected on no more than one of them.
One game wouldn't be an issue for a team that has won so many times in 2014-15. But this is quickly becoming a trend, as the Grizzlies are now only 7-5 over their last dozen games. Before the Lakers outing, Memphis was even being outscored by 2.6 points per game during that stretch.
It's been a while since the last marquee victory, and all the successful outings have featured single-digit margins since a 10-point win over the Utah Jazz on Feb. 4.
Memphis ultimately earned the Friday night victory. But if this team wants the respect it should have as a potential No. 2 seed in the NBA's tougher half, it needs to make a much larger statement in the very near future.
We Live in Swaggy P's World
This is provided without comment courtesy of the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina:
We now go live to Kobe Bryant:
Is Tony Parker Back to Being Tony Parker?
This entire season has been a struggle for Tony Parker, and he's fully aware of that. But despite some prolonged shooting woes and bouts of ineffectiveness for the San Antonio Spurs, the French floor general is beginning to show some signs of turning things around.
In a 120-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets, Parker recorded 24 points and seven assists while shooting 10-of-15 from the floor. It's the first time he's produced that many dimes since a 13-assist outing against the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 19, and he hasn't scored as much since before Christmas.
Now, there are some positive signs for the whirling dervish who has so often functioned as the head of the snake for the defending champions. As the Spurs continue taking advantage of a weak portion of their schedule, Parker is heating up and finally hitting the mid-range looks that, while normally such a vital part of his game, have often eluded him.
Against the Nuggets, he took seven jumpers from inside the three-point arc and connected on five of them. Better yet, that comes two nights after he went 5-of-9 on two-point jumpers from beyond five feet against the Sacramento Kings.
San Antonio hasn't completely pulled itself together, but getting Parker back on track would certainly expedite that process. Though he may not be there quite yet, he's at least getting close.
Dallas Offense Grinding to a Halt
Take a gander at this series of numbers: 98, 87, 89, 111, 92, 99, 87, 94, 102, 75, 89.
No, I didn't throw a calculator into a washing machine and see what got churned up. We're not just vomiting numbers onto a page. Instead, those are the Dallas Mavericks' point totals over their last 11 games, culminating in a 104-89 blowout loss against the Golden State Warriors.
This offense has run out of gas. Everyone is struggling to connect from the field—highlighted by a 2-of-14 brickfest from Monta Ellis and a 5-of-16 showing from Dirk Nowitzki—and there's no sense of cohesiveness. Chandler Parsons' continued absence hasn't helped, but neither has the midseason addition of Rajon Rondo.
Reminder: The Mavs were scoring 116.8 points per 100 possessions before they acquired Rondo from the Boston Celtics, which literally put them on pace to have the best adjusted offensive efficiency in NBA history, as Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal noted back in December:
Heading into their Friday night beatdown, that number was already down to 110.9, and it was just 100.3 over the 10 games heading into this one. For perspective, the Philadelphia 76ers are the only team scoring less efficiently this season than the Mavs have in their last two handfuls of games.
Pinning this extreme regression on Rondo's shoulders is a gross oversimplification. He hasn't helped, instead serving as a substantial negative factor, but other ingrained issues are plaguing this team as well.
Now, only time will tell if they can be solved before the Mavs tumble out of the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.
Quote of the Night
People can be pretty hard on James, but none more so than James himself, who was not happy about committing nine turnovers in Cleveland's loss to Atlanta.
Per Joe Vardon of Northeast Ohio Media Group:
Chin up, LeBron.
Magic Johnson committed 11 turnovers in a game once, and he turned out all right.
*Adam Fromal contributed to this article. He deserves all the high fives.
**Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference and NBA.com unless otherwise cited.
