The Fast Break: J.R. Smith is one expensive clown
When J.R. Smith untied Shawn Marion's shoe during a game in Dallas on Sunday, we all laughed, acknowledged that Smith is often foolish on the court and moved on. It was incredibly stupid and could have been dangerous, but it seemed like a pretty once in a blue moon event.
The NBA reportedly investigated the matter, though they remarkably and inexplicably chose not to discipline the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and Knicks coach Mike Woodson even said he was going to talk to Smith about the incident, saying things like "He shouldn’t be doing stuff like that" and "those are things you just don’t do."
So what does Smith do on Tuesday night against the Pistons? Yup...
The only possible defense here is that Smith wasn't actually going to untie the shoe this time and was just joking around knowing that the cameras were likely on him again, but the Knicks' king of tomfoolery lost the benefit of the doubt a long time ago, so no one is going to believe that.
There's nothing wrong with having fun on the court or having a more animated personality than the standard pro athlete, but Smith has clearly taken his antics to bush league levels, and it's that much worse when you consider that J.R. has contributed next to nothing on the court this season for the 12-22 Knicks. In fact through 29 games, Smith has attempted more field goal attempts (348) than he's scored points (329), is shooting less than 35 percent from the field and has a PER barely above 10.
Complimenting atrocious play with pathetic shoelace sabotaging, incredibly foolish basketball decisions and even poorer decisions off the court? Now that is how you show your appreciation for being rewarded with a nearly $18 million contract.
About last night...
Cavaliers 111, 76ers 93 - Luol Deng wasn't in the Cleveland lineup, but C.J. Miles set a new franchise record with 10 made three-pointers in a game, en route to 34 points.
Wizards 97, Bobcats 83 - Marcin Gortat had 18 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in the win.
Pacers 86, Raptors 79 - Considering the Raptors didn't arrive in Indiana until about 2 p.m. for a 7 p.m. tip due to flight delays, chalk this close(ish) loss up as another impressive performance for Toronto.
Heat 107, Pelicans 88 - LeBron James has back-to-back 30-point games under his belt for the first time since he recorded three straight from November 12-16.
Knicks 89, Pistons 85 - Detroit's fourth quarter rally came up just short, but not as short as Josh Smith's potential game-winning jumper.
Bulls 92, Suns 87 - With Carlos Boozer out and Luol Deng out of town, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson combined for 33 points and 26 rebounds to lift the Bulls to an inspiring win.
Warriors 101, Bucks 80 - Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for just 30 points on an ugly 11-of-36 shooting, but David Lee's 22 and 18 were more than enough against 7-27 Milwaukee, as Golden State made it 10 straight wins.
Spurs 110, Grizzlies 108 - Memphis forced overtime by rallying from 16 down in the final five minutes.
Mavericks 110, Lakers 97 - Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the victory.
Nuggets 129, Celtics 98 - With their demolishing of the Celtics, the streaky Nuggets have now won three straight to get back to .500.
Jazz 112, Thunder 101 - Kevin Durant scored 48 points for the second time in three games, but Gordon Hayward had himself a career night on the winning side, pouring in 37 points on an incredible 13-of-16 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block.
Kings 123, Trail Blazers 119 - Damian Lillard scored a career high 41 points (on 13/24 shooting) in defeat, including 26 points in the fourth quarter alone to turn what looked like a blowout into an entertaining finish.
Line of the night: Kevin Durant - 48 Pts (14/34 FG, 3/13 3PT, 17/19 FT), 7 Reb, 5 Ast, 4 Stl, 2 Blk in 45 mins.
Play of the night: This is the closest thing to Michael Jordan's elastic arm dunk from Space Jam that we'll ever see in real life, courtesy the freakishly long Anthony Davis...
Bonus highlight:
On tap tonight: There are nine games on the go tonight, headlined by the Mavericks in San Antonio, the Pacers in Atlanta, the streaking Warriors in Brooklyn and the Suns in Minnesota. The Warriors/Nets game will be especially intriguing, as Golden State is looking for a 11th straight win, while Brooklyn can move into a playoff spot with a win and a Pistons loss (Detroit is in Toronto).
Jesus returns? Ray Allen, who will sport the iconic 'Shuttlesworth' name on his jersey Friday night when the Heat take on the Nets, says he and Spike Lee have discussed the possibility of a 'He Got Game' sequel. The basketball world holds its collective breath....