World Championships Day 3 - Luis Scola

Kevin Love gets buried behind Odom, playing only 5 minutes. What a joke, this is why I do not support USA basketball.

Splitter, PF (BRA) - 13p, 10r in nice game against USA. Too bad Varejao did not play, but he will be back in action for the next game. Watch out for Brazil in the medal rounds.

All-White Argentina of course destroyed all-Black Angola. The African sides are very weak, as usual.

Other White stars today (only half the teams playing today):

Luis Scola, PF (ARG) -- 32p (21 shots), 8r, 3st
Hamed Haddadi, C (IRI) - 23p, 13r, 4b
Carlos Delfino, GS (ARG) -- 22p (12 shots), 5r, 4a, 4st
Dusko Savonovic, PF (SRB) -- 21p (10 shots), 7r
Marko Keselj, F (SRB) - 21p (10 shots), in 15 min.
Kosta Perovic, C (SRB) -- 20p (11 shots), 6r, 2b
Roko UKIC, PG (CRO) -- 20p (14 shots), 7a
Marko POPOVIC, PG (CRO) -- 17p (7 shots) in 15 min.
Marko TOMAS, SG (CRO) -- 17p (8 shots), 4a
Aleks Maric, C (AUS) -- 15p (9 shots), 5r
Uros Slokar, PF/C (SLO) -- 15p (8 shots), 6r
Jaka LAKOVIC, PG (SLO) -- 15p (9 shots), 4a
Goran Dragic, SG (SLO) -- 14p (10 shots), 4r, 4a

White of the Night: Mehmet Okur

What can we say about the White of the Night - Mehmet Okur! WOW An historic game, scoring 43 on only 19 shots.

Great display of White basketball in the game between the Jazz and the Pacers, with White athletes accounting for 48% of the minutes and 51% of the points for the Pacers, and 45% of the minutes and 63% of the points for the Jazz. It hardly gets any better than that!

Breakout game by Brook Lopez! He would have been the WotN on just about any other night. Beautiful.

Stop the presses: Scalabrine starts for Boston... Whoa

It is nice to see Ukic continue to trend upwards with his minutes and production. Hopefully he can keep it up even after Calderon returns.

And oh, yes, welcome back, Kirk Hinrich.

Okur: 43p (19 shots) - 9 reb - 3a -- 28 min
B Lopez: 31p (17 shots) - 13 reb - 2 blk -- 40 min
Lee: 24p (16 shots) - 9 reb - 3a -- 33 min
Bargnani: 23p - 8 reb - 3a -- 38 min
Kirilenko: 23p - 12 reb - 3a - 3 stl - 3 blk -- 41 min
Dunleavy: 20p (14 shots) - 7 reb - 2a -- 23 min
Bogut: 18p (12 shots) - 10 reb - 3a - 2 stl -- 38 min
Ukic: 16p (12 shots) - 3 reb - 3a - 2 stl -- 23 min
Blake: 16p - 10a - 3 stl -- 39 min
Ridnour: 14p - 3 reb - 10a -- 36 min
Krstic: 12p (8 shots) - 4 reb -- 23 min
Murphy: 12p - 10 reb - 3a - 2 blk -- 31 min
Nesterovic: 12p - 4a - 2 blk -- ? min
Scalabrine: 11p - 2 reb - 2a -- 28 min
Foster: 11p (7 shots) - 8 reb - 4a - 2 stl -- 34 min
Humphries: 9p (5 shots) - 4 reb -- 20 min

White of the Night: Mehmet Okur

Some very nice games in limited game action on Monday, Jan 5.

The Birdman actually led his team in rebounding in only 12 minutes of play, and Biedrins continues to rip down massive doses of rebounds, but the White of the Night goes to Mehmet Okur, for his efficient and high powered game manning the post for the Jazz.



Bargnani: 21p (13 shots) - 8 reb -- 36 min
Okur: 20p (12 shots) - 11 reb - 2 stl -- 33 min
Kirilenko: 15p (10 shots) - 5 eb - 3a - 2 blk -- 27 min
Murphy: 15p (10 shots) - 12 reb - 4a - 3 stl -- 31 min
Biedrins: 14p (10 shots) - 17 reb (6 off) - 3a -- 36 min
Bonner: 11p (7 shots) - 5 reb -- 31 min
Ukic: 11p (8 shots) -- 18 min
Koufos: 11p (6 shots) - 5 reb -- 19 min
Kleiza: 11p - 4 reb -- 21 min
Ginobili: 10p - 5 reb - 3a - 3 stl -- 26 min
Korver: 9p - 6 reb -- 24 min
Foster: 9p - 4 reb - 4a - 2 blk -- 16 min
Quinn: 8p (4 shots) -- 14 min
B Miller: 8p - 7 reb - 8a -- 32 min
Andersen: 6p (2 shots) - team high 9 reb -- 12 min

White of the Night: Vladimir Radmanovic

What a night for Radmanovic, making the most of his minutes, scoring 16 in only 18 minutes, on only 6 shots, enough to earn White of the Night for Sunday Jan 4.

Good to see Ukic and Novak in the top performers list, as well.

Nowitzki: 28p - 3 reb - 3a -- 34 min
P Gasol: 19p (9 shots) - 5 reb -- 28 min
M Gasol: 19p - 6 reb -- 28 min
Bargnani: 18p - 5 reb - 3a -- 36 min
Radmanovic: 16p (6 shots) - 4 reb -- 18 min
Novak: 15p (9 shots) - 2 reb 29 min
Fernandez: 14p - 5 reb - 3a - 3 stl -- 36 min
Lee: 14p - 14 reb - 2 blk -- 42 min
Blake: 13p - 3a -- 30 min
Ukic: 12p (6 shots) - 7a -- 23 min
Vujacic: 11p (7 shots) - 3 reb -- 25 min
Varejao: 10p - team high 10 reb - 39 min

White of the Night: Steve Nash

What am I missing up in G.S.? Biedrins puts up stellar numbers every single night, yet his PT has been falling to almost half-game levels. WTF is going on with Nellie? His limiting Biedrin's PT seems totally irrational to me, as he is one of the most productive centers in the league. What is going on?

--Varejao starts in Ilgauskas' absence and plays magnificently. Just goes to show, he should be starting ALL THE TIME!
--Milicic and Gasol both starting in Memphis, paying off in a nice win for the Grizz.
--Walton remains in starting lineup for the Lakers, and has apparently gotten the triangle working again, leading his team in assists (8), playing 24 min.
--Belinelli continues his upward arc, getting a full 30 min of PT for the Warriors! And being aggressive, filling the stat sheet while hoisting up 15 shots.

None of our guys stood out head and shoulders tonight, so Steve Nash gets the White of the Night award for the highest P-R-A total, leading the Suns to a 1 point victory over the Magic.

Nash: 21p (18 shots) - 5 reb - 10a -- 35 min
Scola: 19p (12 shots) - 7 reb -- 24 min
P Gasol: 18p (16 shots) - team high 11 reb - 4a -- 37 min
Biedrins: 18p (14 shots) - 12 reb (5 off) - 3 blk -- 25 min
Varejao: 17p (10 shots) - 7 reb (4 off) - 2 stl - 2 blk -- 35 min
Udrih: 17p (13 shots) - 7a -- 34 min
Kapono: 16p (15 shots) - 5 reb -- 32 min
Ginobili: 16p (17 shots) - 4 reb -- 28 min
Nesterovic: 16p (12 shots) - 3 reb - 2 blk -- 26 min
Milicic: 13p (11 shots) - team high 11 reb (6 off) - 2 blk -- 35 min
Turkoglu: 13p (18 shots) - 6 reb - 3a -- 39 min
Calderon: 13p (9 shots) - 3 reb - 3a -- 29 min
Bonner: 12p (7 shots) - 4 reb - 3a -- 24 min
M Gasol: 11p (7 shots) - 3 reb -- 31 min
Bargnani: 11p (10 shots) - 7 reb - 4 blk -- 28 min
Blake: 11p (9 shots) - 8a - 2 stl -- 38 min
Hawes: 11p (9 shots) - 6 reb -- 29 min
Ukic: 10p (2 shots) - 4 reb - 5a -- 19 min
Murphy: 10p (7 shots) - team high 11 reb - 3a -- 36 min
Kurz: 10p (4 shots) - 3 blk -- 15 min

Games of Extreme Beauty (at least 2 point per shot): Ukic (10 on 2), Kurz (10 on 4), Gortat (8 on 4)

White of the Night: Pau Gasol

Portland lost a close one to the Magic tonight (losing on a buzzer-beating 3 by their white nemesis Hedo Turkoglu). The Blazers were kept in the game by the stellar play of their second unit, call it their "white" squad, anchored by Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, and Joel Przybilla. Their respective plus-minuses tonight: Rudy +7, Sergio +11, and Joel +15, and they logged heavy minutes, 29, 24, and 25, but obviously not enough. Here's a radical idea, coach: start them! And dust off Shavlik Randolph for use in the front court while you are at it, and give us a real reason to cheer. Despite rumors, if your white team is winning, you will not be fired!

The Kings started three whites tonight, and beat the West-leading Lakers. See!

Dirk, I just laugh every time I read his stats. 33 shots! Ha! And only 2 assists, in his 52 minutes??? Dirk, mein freund, you are a ball hog of supreme proportions.

Rising star JJ Barea was the story of that game:
J.J. Barea continued his inspiring play for the Mavericks, scoring 21 points before fouling out. He had a fourth-quarter stretch of 11 straight points created, eight by himself—including a drive at Duncan and another around Parker—and a drive-and-dish feed to Kidd for a 3-pointer. Down the stretch and throughout the overtimes, Dallas relied on its new three-guard lineup featuring Kidd, Barea and Terry. "It was weird for us," Parker said. "We never saw them play like that. (Barea’s) a little like Steve Nash, dribbling 100 times. Sometimes it’s tough to guard him because you don’t know what he’s going to do."

I'm giving Pau the White of the Night award, because he had the best overall game.

Nowitzki: 35p (33 shots) - 10 reb -- 52 min
P Gasol: 25p (15 shots) - team high 12 reb (7 off) - 3 blk -- 42 min
Turkoglu: 24p (16 shots) - 5a -- 39 min
Barea: 21p (16 shots) - 5a -- 39 min
Okur: 21p (17 shots) - team high 13 reb - 4a - 2 blk -- 39 min
Nash: 19p (8 shots) - 4 reb - 10a -- 31 min
Ginobili: 18p - 6 reb - 8a -- 41 min
Szczerbiak: 16p (10 shots) - 5 reb -- 26 min
Songaila: 15p (13 shots) - 5 reb -- 27 min
Bogut: 15p (9 shots) - 11 reb (5 off) -- 26 min
Rodriguez: 14p (9 shots) - team high 7a - 2 blk -- 24 min
Bonner: 13p (5 shots) - 4 reb -- 29 min
B Miller: 13p (7 shots) - 7 reb - 5a -- 33 min
Ilgauskas: 13p (9 shots) - team high 6 reb -- 23 min
Udrih: 12p - 6 reb - 5a -- 29 min
Scola: 12p - 10 reb - 2 stl -- 32 min
Hawes: 11p - team high 9 reb - 2 blk -- 33 min
Przybilla: 11p (6 shots) - 11 reb - 2 blk -- 25 min
Lee: 11p - team high 15 reb -- 35 min
Ukic: 10p (5 shots) -- 17 min
Fernandez: 10p - 4 reb - 4a -- 29 min
Ridnour: 9p - 10a - 2 slt -- 32 min
Love: 8p - game high 15 reb (8 off) -- 26 min

White of the Night: Troy Murphy

Troy Murphy earns White of the Night for his strong game against the Lakers, winning the game for the Pacers with his buzzer beating tip shot, just one of his 17 monster boards.

Other solid games over the past two nights:

Nowitzki: 29p (27 shots) - 10 reb -- 2 stl - 2 blk -- 43 min
P Gasol: 20p (12 shots) - 9 reb (4 off) -- 36 min
Lee: 19p (11 shots) - 12 reb -- 40 min
M Miller: 19p (13 shots) - 10 reb - 5a -- 34 min
Turkoglu: 19p (16 shots) - 5 reb -- 40 min
B Miller: 18p (13 shots) - team high 9 reb - 4 blk -- 38 min
Fernandez: 18p (11 shots) -- 21 min
Biedrins: 17p (10 shots) - 15 reb -- 34 min
Udrih: 17p (12 shots) - 4a - 3 reb -- 36 min
Murphy: 16p (12 shots) - 17 reb (6 off) -- 37 min
Korver: team high 15p (9 shots) - 4 reb -- 28 min
Blake: 15p (9 shots) - team high 6 a - 4 reb -- 28 min
Barea: 15p (11 shots) - 6a -- 24 min
Hawes: 14p (12 shots) - 7 reb - 6a - 3 stl -- 34
Ukic: 13p (9 shots) -- 16 min
Ginobili: 13p (11 shots) - 3 reb - 3 a -- 27 min
Kleiza: 12p (9 shots) - 4 reb -- 23 min
Love: 10p - 8 reb -- 22 min
Przybilla: 8p - 14 reb - 2 blk -- 25 min

Many of our guys are out with small injuries right now, including Foster, Harpring, Kirilenko, Kaman, Barry, and Bogut. Not to mention the longer term injuries to Hinrich, Dunleavy, Gallinari, and LaFrentz.