Report Card: Melo tries to carry the Knicks, but LeBron slams the door
Each night, Eye on Basketball brings you what you need to know about the games of the NBA. From great performances to terrible clock management the report card evaluates and eviscerates the good, the bad, and the ugly from the night that was.
Carmelo did a terrific job of scoring, until LeBron started guarding him. (Getty Images)
Each night, Eye on Basketball brings you what you need to know about the games of the NBA. From great performances to terrible clock management the report card evaluates and eviscerates the good, the bad, and the ugly from the night that was.
It wasn't so much his final line -- 29 points, 10 rebounds, three assists -- as much as the other end of the floor. With Carmelo appearing to be in total control offensively, LeBron took over the assignment and held Melo to only three points the final eight minutes of the game. It's that type of effort that makes LeBron such an incredible player. He can dominate a game without appearing to do so. He took away really the only offensive option New York had and by that product, was a key piece in winning the game for Miami.
Bynum and Gasol
The Lakers twin towers put in work against the Mavericks combining for 43 points and 26 rebounds. They provided some much size and length inside for L.A. that the Lakers were able to dominate the paint and own the offensive glass, grabbing 15 extra rebounds on that end.
If the Chris Bosh that grabbed 14 rebounds to go with 16 aggressive, hard-earned points against the Knicks shows up in the entire postseason, the Heat are going to be near impossible to beat.
He finished with 42 points, but had to feel like he was all alone. The other four starters combined for 19 total points. The bench added 24 total points. Other than Melo's inspired offensive effort, the Knicks had very little to combat the Heat.
It's premature to say he's back, but with the way Rose performed against the Pistons, it certainly appears he's at least on the way. He finished with 24 and nine assists, including a big 3-pointer to send the game to overtime. He didn't shoot the ball that well and he had seven turnovers, but that was an excellent response by Rose to the benching he got at the end of the Heat game.
A very un-Dirk-like performance with him going 9-of-28 from the floor for 24 points. But he did finish with 14 rebounds and was a shot away from winning it for the Mavs.
They lost, which is what they're supposed to in keeping their tank on, but geez, getting beat by the Celtics by double-digits with them sitting Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett? That's not even tanking. That's just one horrible, horrible, dreadful basketball team.
