Tag: Detroit Pistons

LeBron erupts for season-best 41 to head Tuesday’s S&Ds

The Miami Heat didn’t have Dwyane Wade Tuesday night, who rested after some recent struggles.

It  didn’t matter to teammate LeBron James, who singed Philadelphia for a season-best 41 points to lead Miami’s 99-93 victory over the Sixers.

James scored 14 consecutive Miami in the fourth quarter as the Heat clinched a playoff berth with the victory.

“We’re happy to get a win against a very good playoff team,” James told ESPN.com’s Heat Index. “I needed to take control a little bit more.” 

He did just that, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter as Miami claimed its 16th straight home victory.  In the process, James scored at least 30 points for the first time since March 14 — a nine-game streak that was his longest since 2004-05.

And in the process, he finished at the top of Tuesday’s Studs and Duds.

STUDS

Miami F LeBron James: Erupted for a season-high 41 points, along with six rebounds, four assists, three steals and was plus-12 in the Heat’s triumph over Philadelphia.

Detroit C Greg Monroe: Went for 22 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and was plus-10 in the Pistons’ victory over  Orlando.

Sacramento C DeMarcus Cousins: Notched 41 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and was plus-3 in the Kings’ loss to Phoenix.

New Jersey F Kris Humphries: Muscled for 18 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and two steals in the Nets’ loss at the Lakers.

Indiana F Carmelo Anthony: Went for 39 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Knicks’ loss at Indiana.

DUDS:

Sacramento G Jimmer Fredette: Missed all six field-goal attempts and was minus-7 in the Kings’ loss at Phoenix.

Philadelphia G Jrue Holiday: Went 4-for-11 from the field with six turnovers and was a game-worst minus-13 in the Sixers’ loss at Miami.

Miami G Norris Cole: Missed both shots, had  five turnovers and was minus-7 in the Heat’s trimph over Philadelphia.

Memphis G Tony Allen: Went 1 of 6 from the field with four turnovers in the Grizzlies’ victory over  Golden State.

New Jersey C Johan Petro: Missed all eight shots  from the field and was minus-8 in the Nets’ loss at the Lakers.

Orlando G J.J. Redick: Went 1 for 9 from the field with a turnover and was minus-5 in the Magic’s loss at Detroit.

Marion believes that Mavs are being dissed

Sometimes, winning a championship can make NBA players do some strange things. 

Remember back in the day when Rasheed Wallace used to bring a championship belt to games to remind others that the Detroit Pistons were  reigning champions back in 2005. The Spurs snuffed all that out with a seven-game series victory.

And it’s now caused Dallas forward Shawn Marion to tell the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that all Mavericks should be .

“I want y’all to address me like that from now on — world champion,” Marion told the Star-Telegram.

Marion is peeved that the national media has overlooked the Mavericks’ accomplishment of winning an NBA championship. It’s  only been aggravated by the doubts of most observers of Dallas’ chances of being able to repeat as titleists.

“We’ve gotten to the point where everybody started overlooking us and talking about everybody else and I kind of got [upset] about it,” Marion said. “Y’all trying to take something away from us that we’ve worked hard for and we took.

“Everybody on this team has earned the right to be addressed as world champions, so everybody address us like that.”

Whatever.

It reminds me more of when wrestler Paul Orndorff demanded to be called “Mr.  Wonderful” or else he wouldn’t participate in “Mean Gene” Okerlund’s interviews in the World Wrestling Federation back in the day.