Cavs 108, Raptors 100

Ok so the title makes this game seem like a blow out, but it was just a 2-point game at halftime and the Raptors were down just 8 after three quarters in Cleveland.  Neither team played particularly well in the 4th quarter, but LeBron James play particularly well throughout the entire game.  James was just one rebound shy of another triple-double.  This game featured what I like to call “The Mo Williams Factor” which is really just The Ref’s obsession with Mo Williams and the fact that if he drops 20 the Cavs usually win.  Well on this night Mo dropped 22 to go along with 10 assists.  The Cavs had 27 assists on 38 made shots for the game.

Despite making 48% of their shots, the Raptors game up short in this game.  What hurt the Raptors tonight was being outrebounded by 11 and they had just 5 offensive boards all game.  Another thing the Raptors did so poorly was shoot free throws.  For whatever reason they made just 13 of 21 from the line and in the end that cost them, theoretically speaking. 

On a side note, Shaq scored his 28,000th career point on this night moving him to 5th all-time.  His thoughts on the milestone?  “I’ve missed like 5,000 free throws,” O’Neal said. “If I had at least hit half of those, then I would be at 30,000 right now.”  Well said Shaq, you can’t argue with that.

Clown of the game:  Hedo Turkoglu.  Wow does he suck this year.  I don’t care what he did this game but this is the first game I am highlighting the Raptors all year and he is my clown of the year, AKA biggest bust free agent thus far.  His scoring is down 4 ppg and he is struggling to find his stroke.  The Raptors brought him in to have a legit threat as a small forward.  The way he is playing I rather have Bosh take a 18 foot jumper for the game winner than Turkoglu.

Heat 113, Pacers 83

This game was a no-contest after the first quarter when the Heat were up 36-19.  D-Wade started off the game hot and there was no turning back.  He finished the game with 32 points and un-D-Wade-like had just 3 assists and only 1 turnover.  Beasley also had himself a nice game with 21 and 10 looking more like the aggressive rebounder that he was in college just two years ago.

Everything the Heat did the well, the Pacers did not.  They shot 36% to the Heat’s 56%, they made 26% of their 3′s while the Heat made 58% of theirs and the Pacers committed 17 turnovers to just 14 for the Heat.  The Pacers really struggle to score points and when I watch this team they remind me of a chicken with it’s head cut off.  Honestly, it’s like no one knows where to go or what to do and they don’t seem to gel.  The starting lineup seems to be different daily as well.  The Pacers have the pieces to be decent in the near future but they need to build with those pieces and connect the puzzle in Indy.

Clown of the game:  Danny Granger.  The Pacers best player was 2-16, OUCH.  He only had 3 rebounds and 2 assists while turning the ball over 3 times in 31 minutes.  If he doesn’t score the Pacers don’t win, period.

-The Basher