– A night after falling in overtime to the Los Angeles Lakers, **Paul Pierce** and the Boston Celtics didn’t fare much better in an 86-74 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Pierce, a newly named Eastern Conference All-Star (see below), scored just 12 points in 35 minutes on Friday, hitting just 4 of 11 shots and misfiring on all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Pierce did have five assists, but he collected just one rebound ([full stats here][1]). The single rebound matched Pierce’s lowest total of the season, a one-board loss on Jan. 13 (he’s averaging 5.6 rebounds this year).
– **Kirk Hinrich** (Atlanta Hawks) scored just two points on Friday against the Orlando Magic, but he added two steals and three assists to just one turnover as the Hawks won, 89-87. Hinrich also had one rebound in 14 minutes on the court ([full stats here][2]).
– **Drew Gooden** (Milwaukee Bucks) pushed his team to an overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, 113-112. Gooden started off slow, missing both of his first-half shots and finishing with just one point (no rebounds or assists) at the break. In the third quarter, he stepped up, scoring 10 points, including two three-pointers (!). He followed that quarter up with a basket and a handful of rebounds and assists in the fourth, capping off regulation with a key block as the Bucks stormed back to force overtime.
Once in the extra period, Gooden kept his team rolling. [From BrewHoop.com][3]:
>Gooden scored on the Bucks’ first two possessions of overtime while Livingston and Jennings each slashed for layups thereafter, as the Bucks played from the front for the entirety of overtime. Playing against the team he once helped to the NBA FInals, Gooden owned the final minute as well, earning a questionable charge call against Daniel Gibson and then hitting two free throws that clinched the game with four seconds left.
Gooden finished with 19 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks in 31 minutes ([full stats here][4]). The two three-pointers were Gooden’s first makes from distance since Jan. 28. It was his first pair of triples in a game since Nov. 16, 2010.
– **Mario Chalmers** (Miami Heat) returned to Miami’s starting lineup after a one-game absence (sprained left wrist), but he couldn’t get his shot to fall and went scoreless in 24 minutes on Friday. The Heat won easily against the hapless Washington Wizards, 106-89. Chalmers took just three shots in the game — all from three-point range — and had three rebounds, one assist, a steal and two turnovers ([full stats here][5]).
And although rookie Norris Cole had eight points in 22 minutes on Friday, Chalmers is firmly entrenched as the starter. [From the Sun Sentinel][6]:
> “Our team has become very accustomed to having Mario at the start,” (Heat coach Erik) Spoelstra said.
> “He’s doing a better job of getting us organized. He spreads the floor, he plays well off those guys. He’s shooting the ball very well. We didn’t have that the other night [against Orlando]. That’s not an excuse.”
Heat teammate LeBron James added:
> “We need him out there.”
– **Xavier Henry** (New Orleans Hornets) made 1 of 3 shots and 2 of 4 free throws for four points in 14 minutes against the Portland Trailblazers. The Hornets lost, 94-86, and Henry missed his only three-point attempt. He did not register any other stats, save a foul ([full stats here][7]). In seven games this season, Henry has been inconsistent at the free-throw line, making just 4 of 10 freebies. For comparison: last season, in 38 games, he hit 33 of 52 (63.5 percent), and in 36 games during his one year at KU, he made 90 of 115 (78.3 percent).
– **Nick Collison** (Oklahoma City Thunder) made both of his shots on Friday for four points and four rebounds in 17 minutes against the Utah Jazz. Collison also added a steal as the Thunder got back to their winning ways, taking down the Jazz, 101-87 ([full stats here][8]). Collison drew his fourth charge in two games.
– **Cole Aldrich** (Oklahoma City Thunder) did not play (coach’s decision) on Friday in a 101-87 win against the Utah Jazz ([game stats here][9]).
– **Josh Selby** (Memphis Grizzlies) did not play (coach’s decision) on Friday against the Indiana Pacers. Grizzlies guard Jeremy Pargo again stepped in as the backup point guard, and Memphis won, 98-92 ([game stats here][10]). It was Selby’s third DNP-CD in a row.
—
Thursday summary
—————-
– **Paul Pierce** (Boston Celtics) played a little over 48 minutes on Thursday in an overtime loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers. Pierce had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in that span, but he couldn’t clinch the game at the end of regulation or on an 18-footer with a second left in overtime ([full stats here][11]).
– **Brandon Rush** (Golden State Warriors) scored just five points (with one three) in 21 minutes on Thursday against the the Denver Nuggets. Rush added three rebounds, an assist and a steal, with zero fouls and zero turnovers ([full stats here][12]). The Warriors beat the Nuggets, 109-101.
– **Markieff Morris** (Phoenix Suns) played just six minutes on Thursday in a back-and-forth game against the Houston Rockets. Morris had just two points and two rebounds and sat most of the game as Suns starting power forward Channing Frye had a hot hand. Frye put up 21 points (4 of 9 threes) and 10 rebounds in 41 minutes ([full stats here][13]). The Rockets won, 96-89. Markieff’s six minutes were his second-lowest total of the season. He played six minutes on Jan. 18 and one minute on Dec. 30.
– **Nick Collison** (Oklahoma City Thunder) did not take a shot or score on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings. Collison made the most of his 25 minutes, though, and racked up four rebounds, three assists and five fouls in a 106-101 loss to the Kings ([full stats here][14]). He also drew three charges (!) in the game, and contributed in a handful of other ways ([see: “Plays the boxscore won’t show”][15]). The Thunder led by as many as eight points with six minutes left in the game. On the very next play, Collison subbed out, the Sacramento starters came back in and the Kings went on a run to finish the game up five.
– **Cole Aldrich** (Oklahoma City Thunder) did not play (coach’s decision) on Thursday in a late-game collapse against the Sacramento Kings. The Thunder lost, 106-101 ([game stats here][16]).
—
Other KU pros
————-
– **Marcus Morris** (NBA D-League – Rio Grande Valley Vipers) scored seven of his team’s first 10 points on Friday as the Vipers won, 115-105. Marcus had 22 points on 9 of 16 shots (1 of 3 threes, 3 of 3 free throws), and he added five rebounds and two steals in 31 minutes ([full stats here][17]). He did not pick up a foul in the game.
– **Brady Morningstar** (NBA D-League – Tulsa 66ers) did not play (coach’s decision) on Friday, as the 66ers lost, 102-86 ([game stats here][18]).
– **Darnell Jackson** (Ukraine-Superleague – BC Donetsk) came close to a double-double on Tuesday, with 10 points and nine rebounds in an 85-67 EuroCup tournament victory. Jackson also had a steal and two blocks in 20 minutes ([full stats here][19]).
– **Sasha Kaun** (Russia PBL – CSKA Moscow
put up 11 points in 18 minutes as his team lost a close Euroleague Top 16 tournament game, 68-64, on Thursday. Kaun grabbed three rebounds and earned his points by making 4 of 6 shots and 3 of 4 free throws ([full stats here][20]).
– **Keith Langford** (Israeli Premier League – Maccabi Electra) scored 12 points on Thursday as his team won a Euroleague Top 16 tournament game, 75-60. Langford missed all but one of his five three-pointers, but he got the rest of his points from inside the arc and from the free-throw line (4-for-9 overall, 3-for-3 free throws). Langford added two rebounds and an assist in 25 minutes ([full stats here][21]).
One of Langford’s dunks from that game even made the Euroleague top 10 plays of the week (at 1:13):
—
Other notes
———–
– **Paul Pierce** (Boston Celtics) was voted in as an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve on Thursday, making it the 10th All-Star selection of his 14-year career.
Shocking as it might be, [some people, some places on the Internet were unhappy with Pierce’s selection][22], but it’s not like the Celtics forward is having a mediocre season. His overall shooting percentages are slightly down (just 41.9 percent, compared to a career 44.8 mark), but his assists numbers are at an all-time high (5.7 per game). Oh, and he’s still averaging 18 points, 5.6 rebounds and a steal per game. And although I don’t have the numbers for highlights-per-game, [those averages are still pretty healthy too][23].
– **Nick Collison** (Oklahoma City Thunder) was a guest on ESPN’s “Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable” on Wednesday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvwiPl6rHb8
—
Jayhawks in upcoming NBA games
——————————
**[Saturday, Feb. 11][24]**
– 8 p.m., **Drew Gooden** and the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Orlando Magic
– 9 p.m., NBA TV, **Markieff Morris** and the Phoenix Suns vs. the Sacramento Kings
**[Sunday, Feb. 12][25]**
– 2:30 p.m., ABC, **Paul Pierce** and the Boston Celtics vs. the Chicago Bulls
– 6 p.m., ESPN, **Kirk Hinrich** and the Atlanta Hawks vs. **Mario Chalmers** and the Miami Heat
– 8 p.m., **Brandon Rush** and the Golden State Warriors vs. the Houston Rockets
– 8:30 p.m., ESPN, **Josh Selby** and the Memphis Grizzlies vs. the Utah Jazz
[1]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/BOSTOR/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100388#nbaGIboxscore
[2]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/ATLORL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100392#nbaGIboxscore
[3]: http://www.brewhoop.com/2012/2/11/2791057/bucks-cavaliers-recap-brandon-jennings-antawn-jamison-drew-gooden
[4]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/MILCLE/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100394#nbaGIboxscore
[5]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/MIAWAS/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100390#nbaGIboxscore
[6]: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-mami-heat-news-0211-20120210,0,2871957.story
[7]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/PORNOH/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100397#nbaGIboxscore
[8]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/OKCUTA/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100399#nbaGIboxscore
[9]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/OKCUTA/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100399#nbaGIboxscore
[10]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120210/INDMEM/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100396#nbaGIboxscore
[11]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120209/LALBOS/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100384#nbaGIboxscore
[12]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120209/GSWDEN/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100385#nbaGIboxscore
[13]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120209/HOUPHX/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100386#nbaGIboxscore
[14]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120209/OKCSAC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100387#nbaGIboxscore
[15]: http://www.nba.com/thunder/news/recap_kings_120209.html
[16]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120209/OKCSAC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100387#nbaGIboxscore
[17]: http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20120210/AUSRGV/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp2021100216
[18]: http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20120210/TULBAK/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp2021100219
[19]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Eurocup/2012/0207_4709_2099.asp
[20]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Euroleague/2012/0209_328_89.asp
[21]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Euroleague/2012/0209_159_83.asp
[22]: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Nash+Nowitzki+Pierce+lifetime+achievement+awards+behind+this+season+star+snubs/6135010/story.html
[23]: http://www.nba.com/video/channels/allstar/2012/02/09/20120201_as_reserve_pierce.nba/
[24]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120211/
[25]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120212/
