Tag: San Antonio Spurs

‘Masked Mamba’ crowns Kings for 38 to lead Friday’s S&Ds

 Kobe Bryant is becoming accustomed quite nicely to the mask protecting his broken nose, thank you.

Bryant has his second consecutive big game with the facewear, erupting for 38 points and eight rebounds in a 115-107 triumph Friday night over Sacramento.

The mask is courtesy of the broken nose he received in the All-Star Game, courtesy of an elbow from Miami guard Dwyane Wade.

Bryant wears it throughout the game, resulting in the protection making his face feel like “a sauna on my face.”

“The mask felt fine,” Bryant told the Associated Press after the game. “It felt fine last game, it felt fine tonight.”

It particularly didn’t bother him early Friday night as the NBA’s leading scorer went for 20 points in the first quarter. He slowed down as the game progressed  before scoring a pivotal 3-pointer with 2:43 left to ice the victory.

“We played well, (but) we didn’t come in with the right sense of urgency and focus in the fourth quarter, and it almost cost us,” Bryant told the AP.

He’ll have a chance to meet up again with Wade Sunday afternoon after a strong effort leading Friday’s Studs and Duds.

STUDS

Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant: Erupted for 38 points, eight rebounds, three assists and was a team-best plus-13 in the Lakers’ triumph over  Sacramento.  

Atlanta F Josh Smith: Filled the stat sheet for 24 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the Hawks’ victory over Milwaukee.

Boston F Paul Pierce: Produced 27 points, eight assists and was a team-best plus-25 in the Celtics’ victory over New Jersey.

Denver G Ty Lawson: Went for 22 points, seven rebounds, 15 assists, two steals and was a team-best plus-18 in the Nuggets’ victory at  Houston.

Miami F LeBron James: Produced 35 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three blocks and was a game-high plus-7 in the Heat’s loss at Utah.

Milwaukee G Brandon Jennings: Scored 34 points and dished off nine assists in the Bucks’ loss at Atlanta.

DUDS

Milwaukee F Carlos Delfino: Clanked through a 1-for-10 shooting night with two turnovers and was minus-11 in the Bucks’ loss at Atlanta.

Sacramento C Jason Thompson: Went 1 for 8 from the field with a turnover and was minus-5 in the Kings’ loss at the Lakers.

Dallas G Jason Terry: Struggled throuugh a 1-for-9 shooting effort with a turnover and was a game-worst minus-19 in the Mavericks’ loss at New Orleans.

Phoenix C Channing Frye: Clanked through a miserable 2-for-18 shooting effort in the Suns’ victory over the Clippers.

Miami G Mario Chalmers: Went 1 for 6 from the field with four turnovers and was minus-1 in the Heat’s loss at Utah.

Dallas F Dirk Nowitzki: Struggled through a 7-for-19 shooting effort with six turnovers and was minus-5 in the Mavericks’ loss at New Orleans.

All-Star notebook: Calf strain keeps Leonard out of Rising Stars game

ORLANDO, Fla. — Kawhi Leonard’s first trip to All-Star weekend was barely worth the flight.

The Spurs rookie forward was a late scratch in Friday’s BBVA Rising Stars Challenge game at the Amway Center after suffering a strained right calf in a 114-99 victory at Denver the night before.

Leonard played just 2:05 against the Nuggets before being sidelined. He does not know if he’ll be able to take the floor when the Spurs resume the season Wednesday against Chicago.

“I’m still a little tight,” Leonard said. “I couldn’t move out there. I’m just going to see how time goes on, get some treatment over the next few days.”

The Rising Stars team drafted by NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley — aka “Team Chuck” — was also without Spurs center Tiago Splitter, who like Leonard is dealing with a calf strain.

Splitter, who was replaced by Utah’s Derrick Favors, did not make the trip to Orlando. Leonard, meanwhile, watched from the bench as Team Chuck ripped Team Shaq — drafted by Shaquille O’Neal — 146-133.

Cleveland rookie guard Kyrie Irving, who scored 34 points to lead Team Chuck, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Even though he was inactive, Leonard said he enjoyed his night.

“I wanted to play,” he said. “Unfortunately, I’ve got a little injury. I couldn’t go out and compete.

“It’s just a great feeling being selected and being here with these guys. Some of them I’ve been through the draft process with. To know a few of us made it, it was fun.”

Leonard promised to be back as a sophomore next year in Houston.

“They’re going to see me again,” he said.

Missing the captain: For the first time in four All-Star trips, Spurs point guard Tony Parker had to go it alone this year.

Parker said it didn’t hit him that Tim Duncan’s streak of 13 consecutive All-Star games was over until Friday morning’s player meetings.

“It’s weird,” Parker said. “Like at the meetings, usually I’m always sitting next to Timmy. It feels a little bit weird to be solo.”

Still, Parker was having trouble summoning too much sympathy for the Spurs’ 35-year-old power forward.

“I know he’s happy to be on vacation and enjoying time with his family,” Parker said.

Saturday night primer: Before he takes the floor in Sunday’s All-Star game, Parker will participate in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge tonight as part of the NBA’s All-Star Saturday night festivities.

Rounding out the field for that event are Irving, Washington’s John Wall, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, New Jersey’s Deron Williams and Boston’s Rajon Rondo.

Rondo will replace Golden State’s Stephen Curry, last year’s winner, who is out with an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, the Silver Stars’ Sophia Young will compete with Team Texas in the Haier Shooting Stars competition. Joining her are Houston’s Chandler Parsons and former Rocket-turned-TNT-analyst Kenny Smith.

jmcdonald@express-news.net

Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN

LeBron paces star-studded roster on Thursday’s S&Ds

Before the game, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra implored LeBron James he would need a “Magic Johnson-like” performance from him Thursday night to overcome the loss of missing power forward Chris Bosh. 

James obliged with a performance that would have pleased Johnson, erupting for 38 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals in the Heat’s 107-93 victory at Portland — their NBA-best ninth straight victory.  

Spoelstra invoked Johnson’s name to James, telling him he needed him to do a lot with a strong all-around effort.

“Really, it was as simple as this: `We need a Magic Johnson-type, not necessarily performance, but awareness,”’ Spoelstra told the Associated Press. “Man, he really took the challenge. It’s his ability to do all these different things in the course of one game.”

James said he was ready to do what his team needed.

“We had a big piece of our team out, so I definitely had to step up my game to bring home this win,” he told the AP.

Dwyane Wade added 33 points and 10 assists as the Heat cruised  to their sixth straight victory on the road and 17th victory in their last 19 games.

Their big games were enough to place both on Thursday’s Studs and Duds of  the top efforts across the league.

STUDS

Miami F LeBron James: Erupted for 38 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, five steals and was plus-8 in the Heat’s victory at Portland.

Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant: Went for 38 points, eight rebounds and was plus-9 in the Thunder’s victory at Orlando.

Miami G Dwyane Wade: Notched 33 points, 10 assists, three steals and was plus-13 in the Heat’s victory at Portland.

Oklahoma City G Russell Westbrook: Delivered 29 points, 10 assists and was plus-10 in the Thunder’s victory at Orlando.

Phoenix G Steve Nash: Provided 13 points, eight rebounds and 17 assists and was plus-9 in the Suns’ victory over Minnesota.

DUDS

Miami G Norris Cole: Missed all four shots with three turnovers and was minus-5 in the Heat’s victory at Portland.

Los Angeles Clippers Eric Bledsoe: Missed both shots, had two turnovers and fouled out in only 10 minutes of game in the Clippers’ victory at Sacramento.

Sacramento G Isaiah Thomas: Went 2 for 4 from the field, had  six turnovers and was minus-8 in the Kings’ loss to the Clippers.

Sacramento G Tyreke Evans: Clanked through a 7-for-21 shooting night with four turnovers and was minus-6 in the Kings’ loss to the Clippers.

Orlando F Glen Davis: Went 1 for 8 from the field in the Magic’s loss to Oklahoma City.