Top Three NBA Pairs in Battle Royale: Cavs, Celtics and Thunder Prevail
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 04 Jan 2025
Six teams which are doing fine thus far in the Eastern and Western Conference of the ongoing regular NBA season, battle each other early today with the favored squads winning.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, the East top team met the current West #5 Dallas Mavericks, the East #2 Boston Celtics tangled with the West #2 Houston Rockets and the West top ranking Oklahoma Thunder clashed with East #3 New York Knicks in a battle royale fitting of the start of the New Year.
The favored teams won with the Cavs prevailing over host Dallas, 134-122, visiting Boston over Houston, 109-86 and the Thunder winning at home over the Knicks, 117-107.
But such results are not indicative of how they will fare if ever any of these pair meet in the NBA finals this spring. Dallas, for instance missed its two main scorers, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Houston on the other hand failed to draw double figures from some of its dependables while New York failed to exploit ex Knick Isiah Hertenstein who was filling-in for OKC's main big man Chet Holmgren as Knick Josh Hart expected.
Cleveland as it has done from nearly the start of the season drew heavy numbers from all its starters led by Eric Mobley and Donovan Mitchell with no little help from its reserves including Ty Jerome who scored nine points. Center Jason Allen also as usual proved quite a problem on the slot despite the presence of Dereck Lively III and steady game of Daniel Gafford for the Mavs. Dallas just could not compensate for the absence of Doncic and Irving who on a good night could score 60 points between themselves.
Despite missing Jaylen Brown, the Celtics simply had too many scorers starting with Derreck White who combined with Jason Tatum, Payton Pritchard and Jrue Holiday in delivering the points production. Boston 7-4 center Kristaps Porzingis also was good for 11 points aside from protecting the rim and grabbing rebounds Only four of Houston's usually dependable core of seven scored in double figures and that's not enough to sustain the Rockets against an offensive minded team as Boston.
Josh Hart had earlier predicted that the Knicks will attack and try to harass their former teammate Isiah Herterstein who is now tending the slot for OKC. He nearly was correct as Hertenstein scored just two points. But the German center made up with team high 14 rebounds and 7 assists to support OKC to victory over his former team. Shai Gilgeous Alexander anchored the Thunder offense with 33 points which was backed up by Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins and Lue Dorf with 20, 19 and 11 points respectively. Mikal Bridges led the Knicks usual balanced scoring with 24 points but Jalen Brunson was limited to "just" 22 points. OG Anonuby tossed 20 and Hart added 19 points. The loss laid to waste Karl Anthony Towns' monster game of 17 points and 22 rebounds.
The Cavs's win maintained its 4.5 games lead over Boston as New York remained #3 in the East while OKC stretched its lead to 6.5 games over the resurgent Memphis Grizzlies in the West even as the loss dropped Houston to #3 and Dallas to #6.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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