Even though it's only December, a number of games throughout the league last night had the feel of playoff competition. In particular, the Knicks and Celtics played one of the more thrilling games of the year, as Paul Pierce hit a go-ahead two-pointer with .4 of a second left to push Boston past New York, 118-116.
Both teams showed the ability to push the ball up and down the floor in combining for 234 points, and New York got another stellar game from Amare Stoudemire, who topped 30 points for the ninth straight game-that's the longest streak of that nature since LeBron James hit that mark in 10 consecutive contests. Despite the loss, New York has won 13 of 15 games, and their resurgence has been impressive so far. In fact, they sit in second place in the Atlantic Division, and recently posted their longest win streak since April of 2001. They may have lost last night, but if they get solid contributions from Stoudemire and players like Danilo Galinari, (who scored 20 points in 43 minutes), they can stay within 5 games of Boston the rest of the way, and if they do that, they'll be in position to secure a high playoff seed.
On the other hand, their opponent, the Celtics, have now ripped off 11 straight wins, and as long as veterans like Pierce hit clutch shots, they can keep that streak going. In the NBA, sometimes luck can go a long way, and in two late-game situations, Boston came out on the proper end, with both the game-winning jumper and then Stoudemire's late shot that failed to beat the buzzer. Those two teams don't meet again until March 21st, and until that time, the Knicks need to keep pace with Boston in the Atlantic.
Also in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls extended another significant win streak, and upped their total to seven consecutive victories, this time behind an impressive double-double from Carlos Boozer. Chicago has thrust themselves into that playoff discussion as well, yet they face stiff competition from the Heat, who knocked off the Cavs for the second time this season. LeBron James' ex-team got double-figures from five starters, and still, King James got the best of them. After a rought start, Miami has proved many doubters wrong, and I'd even go so far as to say they could take down the Celtics when they're at their best.
Switching over to the Western Conference, the Lakers knocked off the Indiana Pacers by 15 thanks to 31 points from Kobe Bryant. Even at 32, the star guard continues to fill it up night after night, and in particular in the past five games- he's scored at least 24 in each of those contests. A prime Lakers' rival, the Hornets, snapped a three-game losing streak behind 22 points from Chris Paul. The former Wake Forest star's 9.8 assist-per-game average is a big part of why the Hornets are five games above .500.
For more from the NBA, college basketball, and the world of sports, remember....that Beau Knows.
--Beau
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