Tag: Jason Richardson

Durant, Thunder steal one vs. Magic

During his All-Star Game MVP performance last week, Kevin Durant made the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., his personal playground, scoring at will with a barrage of jump shots and easy open-floor baskets.

The rims weren’t quite as kind early on during the Oklahoma City forward’s return trip, but he got reacquainted with them late and also got help from fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook to help the Thunder pull out a 105-102 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.

Durant scored 38 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, and Westbrook added 29 points and 10 assists as Oklahoma City erased a 14-point deficit to battle back for the win.

Durant’s effort was two points better than his All-Star night and also included five 3-pointers and a 9-for-9 night at the free-throw line — all in a game-high 42 minutes of action. The Thunder’s win was their seventh straight, matching a streak from earlier in the season.

“I was so down on myself. I was really going down after the first quarter,” Durant said. “But my coaches and my teammates continued to encourage me and told me they believed in me. It just clicked for me, and I started to make a few shots and free throws.

“Once your teammates give you that confidence, no matter what you feel good, and I was able to make some shots.”

The Magic had a chance to send it to overtime, but Jason Richardson’s long 3-pointer bounced off the backboard at the buzzer.

It was a fitting culmination of a final 12 minutes for the Magic in which they went just 8 for 25 from the field. The Thunder, who struggled to find shots in the first half, finished 10 for 15 in the final period.

Dwight Howard scored 33 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead all five Magic starters in double figures.

“We have to be able to execute and get stops,” he said. “That’s the one thing we didn’t do well tonight in the fourth quarter. But it’s a good lesson for us.”

Suns 104, Timberwolves 95: Grant Hill scored 15 of his season-high 20 points in the second half and Phoenix pulled away at home, beating weary Minnesota.

Six players reached double figures for the Suns in their first game since the All-Star break. Steve Nash had 13 points and matched his season high with 17 assists. Marcin Gortat scored 17 for Phoenix in its ninth straight victory over the Timberwolves.

Kevin Love, who sat out the Timberwolves’ 104-85 loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Wednesday night because of flulike symptoms, scored 23 on 8-of-25 shooting. Luke Ridnour scored 15 for the T’wolves, who were playing for the third time in as many nights.

Minnesota was without J.J. Barea, who strained his right calf against the Lakers.
All five starters reached double figures for the Timberwolves, who shot 50 percent (21 of 42) in the first half but fell off afterward, hitting just 29 percent (13 of 44) the rest of the way. Love was 3 of 13 in the second half, 1 of 6 in the fourth quarter. Minnesota made 1 of 13 3-pointers. The Suns shot 53 percent.

The 39-year-old Hill, the league’s second-oldest player by one day behind Kurt Thomas, made four of five shots in a 10-point third quarter to lead the Suns’ comeback.

Shannon Brown scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half for Phoenix, while Channing Frye added 14 points and Jared Dudley 12.

The Timberwolves took the lead late in the first half and stayed ahead until a 13-2 run by the Suns late in the third quarter.

Love’s 3-pointer, the first by either team and the only one of the game for the T’wolves, put Minnesota ahead 70-64 with 5:06 to play in the quarter. But Frye’s three ignited the 13-3 Suns’ surge. Nikola Pekovic’s rebound basket made it 72-67, then Phoenix scored the next 10. Gortat blocked Derrick Williams’ shot, and Brown’s emphatic breakaway dunk put the Suns ahead for good 73-72 with 2:02 left in the third.

Fired-up Richardson erupts for nine 3s, leads Saturday’s S&Ds

Here’s a warning for  rival fans who might taunt Orlando guard Jason Richardson: he listens.

After being berated by a rival fan early in the game, Richardson erupted for 28 of his 31 points in the second half to lead the Magic’s 99-94 victory at Milwaukee.

A courtside spectator yelled ”you’re washed up” at Richardson during the first quarter.

Richardson told  reporters after the game that he was listening — particularly after missing his first three  shots  during that first quarter.

“I’m a competitor,” Richardson told the Associated Press. “I love when people talk trash to me.”

But this particular taunt rubbed Richardson the wrong way.

“When you go past the line where I thought the guy did,” he said, “I had to show the guy I wasn’t.”

Richardson hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to spark the Magic’s comeback.

“People think that once you turn a certain age, you don’t have it anymore. You don’t have the certain style of play you used to play,” Richardson said. “I’m still young, so I had to show the guy I still had energy.”

Enough, that is, to lead Saturday’s Studs and Duds.

STUDS

Orlando G Jason Richardson: Erupted for  31 points in 25 minutes, including nine 3-pointers, and was a team-best plus-19 in the Magic’s victory at Milwaukee. Richardson was the second player to top 30 points in 26 minutes or less this season.

Los Angeles Clippers G Chris Paul: Tallied  18 points, 14 assists, five rebounds, two steals and was plus-28 in the Clippers’ victory at Charlotte.

New York G Jeremy Lin: Another night, another big performance as he directed the Knicks’ fourth straight victory. Lin tallied 20 points, six rebounds, eight assists, was plus-5 and hit a couple of clutch foul  shots to lead the Knicks’ victory at Minnesota.

Minnesota F Kevin Love: Went for 32 points and 21 rebounds — his second 30-20 of the season and sixth of his career — in the Trail Blazers’ loss to New York.

Portland F LaMarcus Aldridge: Notched 33 points and 12 rebounds and was plus-1 in the Trail Blazers’ overtime loss at Dallas.

DUDS

Charlotte F Reggie Williams: Clanked through a 1-for-12 shooting effort with two points and was minus-17 in the Bobcats’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Milwaukee G Brandon Jennings: Went 3 of 14 from the field with three turnovers and was minus-9 in the Bucks’ loss to Orlando.

New Jersey F Marshon Brooks: Struggled with a 2-for-10 shooting night, scored seven points, had six turnovers and was a team-worst minus-19 in the Nets’ loss to San Antonio.

Sacramento G Tyreke Evans: Hit 1 for 9 from the field with four turnovers and was minus-9 in the Kings’ loss to Phoenix.

New Jersey F Shawne Williams: Clanked through a 1-for-9 shooting night and was minus-14 in the Nets’ loss to the Spurs.

Game rewind: It wasn’t pretty, but the Spurs won’t complain

For much of Wednesday’s game, it appeared that neither Orlando nor San Antonio had much impetus to win their game.

A litany of missed shots, turnovers and all-around sloppy play didn’t make for a very spectator-friendly contest.

But after escaping with a wild 85-83 overtime victory, the Spurs probably don’t care.

Their first road victory of the season showed the kind of clutch late play which has been the hallmark of the franchise during its dynasty — even if hadn’t been seen at all in an embarrassing loss at Miami the previous night.

It gave them their first road victory of the season as they beat one of the Eastern Conference’s better teams. It also ended Orlando’s five-game winning streak and denied them a chance of a sweep in their back-to-back-to-back.

Even with the grinding offensive play, it produced  one of the most exciting victories for the Spurs this season.

Here are a few of the game highlights.

Game analysis: The Spurs finally found road success thanks to a clutch late performance by Tony Parker and some sticky overtime defense that persevered over a tired Orlando team playing for its third consecutive night.

Where the game was won: Gary Neal hit his first shot of the night with 28.2 left in overtime to give the Spurs an 84-81 lead. After Von Wafer hit a basket and missed a foul shot, Richard Jefferson hit one of two shots to give the Spurs an 85-83 lead.  On the ensuing play, Orlando had several chances for a game-winning shot. But a desperate leaping effort by Danny Green forced J.J. Redick to release his game-winning 3-pointer an instant after the buzzer ended.

A little earlier … Parker hit seven consecutive shots early in the fourth quarter before he was cooled off by a strong defensive effort by Larry Hughes. But late turnovers by Tim Duncan and Parker set up four late points from Redick that tied the score at 73. Duncan’s hoop was matched by two free throws by Redick with 17.7 seconds left to tie the score at 75. But overtime ensued after Parker misfired on a jumper in the final second of regulation.

 Player of the game I:  Parker carried the Spurs down the stretch, scoring 16 of his game-high 25 points in overtime. Parker also chipped in with seven rebounds and nine assists in 44 minutes — his second-longest playing effort this season. 

Player of the game II:  Orlando center Dwight Howard was a menane to the Spurs throughout the game, producing 24 points and 25 rebounds and three blocked shots. He also was plus-8, Orlando’s best plus-minus player in the game. 

Player of the game III: Neal struggled with his shooting throughout the game, missing his first five shots. His only basket ended up being the game-winning shot in a clutch role he has filled for the team throughout his two years  with them.

Most unsung: Green missed all six shots and scored only two points, but came up with the play of the game when his desperate leap at Redick made him pause just enough to keep him from shooting before the buzzer.

Did you notice: Orlando forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis earned a technical foul in the third quarter for an unusual display of disgust after a personal foul. Davis was whistled for a personal foul on a Spurs alley-oop attempt and then was whistled for a techical when he pulled  down his shorts to reveal black Spandex. Parker hit the ensuing technical foul shot to give  the Spurs a 53-50 lead.

Did you notice II: Parker easily dominated his matchup with Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson, who clanked through a 2-for-16 shooting effort for four points. By the end of the game, Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy was forced  to insert journeyman Hughes to counter Parker. He did better than Nelson, but not by much.

Stat of the game: A night after allowing Miami to blister them for 68.3 percent shooting and 71 points in the second half alone, the Spurs limited Orlando to 33.3 percent shooting and 82 points in 53 minutes. 

Stat of the game II: Orlando outrebounded the Spurs, 60-41. The 19-rebound margin is the largest by a Spurs opponent this season.    

Stat of the game III: The Spurs hit only two 3-pointers and were 11.8 percent from 3-point territory. Both totals matched the team’s previous low this season in the loss at Houston.  

Weird stat of the game: The victory continued a strong recent overtime streak for the Spurs, who have won three straight overtime games since losing at Houston last April 1. The Spurs have won six of their last seven overtime games and 14 of their last 19 overtime games in the regular season and playoffs.

Weird state of the game II: Including regular season and playoff games, Wednesday’s game was Howard’s 41st game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. Orlando’s record in those games is 31-10.

Quote of the game: “Our defense was great and then Parker got going, and that pretty much was the difference in the game,” Redick, to NBA.com on Parker’s late surge.

How the schedule stacks up: The Spurs are off on Thursday before three games in four days with a home game against Sacramento on Friday, and road game Saturday at Houston and Monday at New Orleans. The Magic will host the Lakers on Friday before back to back games Monday at Boston and Tuesday at Indiana.  

Injuries: Manu Ginobili missed his 10th game after undergoing surgery for a fractured fifth left metacarpal.  T.J. Ford missed his fifth game with a torn left hamstring sustained last week in Milwaukee. Orlando played without starting forward Hedo Turkoglu (back spasms) and Jason Richardson (bruised left knee).