With eleven games on the slate, it was another only-in-the-NBA Friday evening across the Association. A quick rundown of the goofiest lines from each contest:
- In Philadelphia, the long-overrated Samuel Dalembert deserves credit for going for a 21-point-20-rebound night, albeit in a losing effort.
- The Wiz and Hawks play a four-point overtime game in Atlanta. One team shoots 22-of-24 from the foul line, the other 12-of-22. Shouldn't take too much game film to help Mike Woodson figure out the difference in the game for his losing Hawks.
- That LeBron James is awesome is a given. Anderson Varejao coming off the bench to go for 16 points and 18 boards isn't. Nicely done, Wild Thing.
- Josh Boone might have had the game of his life (14 points, 16 boards) against the Celtics, but his 0-for-6 effort from the foul line served as a key contribution to the Nets' 9-for-24 showing from the alleged charity stripe overall. Incredible. We'll take 'em however we can get 'em.
- The Knicks' starters combined for 12 rebounds. David Lee alone had 10 off the bench. The Raps had 10 more rebounds than the Knicks did. And the Raptors' finished with 9 more points and -- this is critical -- one more win than the Knicks did last night.
- Ooooh, a fun one for C's fans: Mark Blount shining as his team gets wiped out! I would say that this is unprecedented, but, alas, it isn't. The Nonchalant One went 13-for-16 from the field en route to 27 points. Which would be one point more than his team's margin of defeat in New Orleans. Keep killin' 'em, Mark!
- From a despised ex-Celtic to a pitied former man of green: Toiling away for the Wolves, Ryan Gomes went for 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting. Wouldn't this guy make a nice ninth man on the current team in green?
- The Magic had 22 assists as a team in Denver. The Denver backcourt had 24, with AI going for 13 and Anthony Carter 11.
- Forget the 20 points Baron Davis put up in the Warriors' win over Memphis. The dude went for 19 assists and just 1 turnover! That should help the ratio a tad.
- Andrew Bynum: 10-for-13 from the field, 25 points, 17 boards, 3 blocks. This kid is becoming more of a force every day.
- Credit Kurt Thomas with 15 more boards in a blowout loss for the Sonics. I'm official starting the campaign to bring this guy to Boston. He would be the perfect reasonably attainable acquisition at center for this team.