Tom Thibodeau, hydrating (Getty Images)

When Tom Thibodeau flames out, everyone will swear they saw it coming.

We went over this on Tuesday. The man is brilliant, the man is obsessed, and no man can keep up that level of intensity forever. The Chicago Bulls head coach might be well on his way to consecutive Coach of the Year awards, an NBA first, but the note that began can also destroy. Thibodeau's genius and drive might wear out, soon enough. Even Michael Jordan, when it became too much, had to retire. Three times.

(The preceding two paragraphs are absolute garbage, by the way. Presumably, this is what the Chicago Bulls are telling themselves, as they put off extending Thibodeau's relatively slim coaching contract. ESPN's Marc Stein's reported last week that Thibs was "dismayed" at the fact that his bosses had yet to pony up to the man who is keeping their injured squad atop the NBA standings, a non-move that falls directly in line with the team's parsimonious past.)

Mohammad El-Akkari has, apparently, made history. (Photo courtesy of www.fibaasia.net)OK, so, this post isn't about any of the eight games on the Tuesday night NBA schedule. But when someone has reportedly scored 113 points in a single game, someone has reportedly scored 113 points in a single game, and so we write about it.

That's what Mohammad El-Akkari — also known as Mustpha El-Akkari, who played college ball stateside for BYU-Hawaii, which is somehow a thing, except that he did not accumulate any stats? — reportedly just did in a FIBA Asia game.*

As the story goes — and, to be honest, we're having a tough time processing it ourselves, especially without video of some made shots — the 27-year-old Akkari, who had averaged just 7.6 points per game in the 23 games he'd previously played for Tripoli basketball club Mouttahed this season, scored 113 points on 40-of-69 shooting in a 173-141 win against Bejjeh in a Lebanese Division A League game. That total, which reportedly includes a ludicrous 32-of-59 mark from 3-point land, would FAR outstrip every single-game mark in the history of FIBA competition.

Reached for comment on the prospect of bringing Akkari stateside, the Charlotte Bobcats said they had no interest in signing him, citing "tanking" as their primary reason. Oh, crap, was that supposed to be off the record?

From FIBAAsia.net:

Eric Gordon teethes while exploding for a lay-up (Layne Murdoch/ Getty).

Way back in the long ago of December, the New Orleans Hornets and their NBA guardians took it upon themselves to get the best possible trade for Chris Paul. After at least one veto and another peculiar situation, they settled on the Los Angeles Clippers' offer of young players and picks, hoping to get a team that could rebuild while also staying competitive and exciting enough to draw fans.

Unfortunately, the competitive part of that equation hasn't come to pass, in large part because top trade piece and budding star Eric Gordon has missed all but two of the Hornets' 53 games with a knee injury. However, he's finally set to come back for Wednesday's home game against the Denver Nuggets. From Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (via PBT):

In 1996, Shaq's future was so bright he had to wear oversized shades (Andrew D. Bernstein/ Getty).

Since he entered the NBA world in 1992, Shaquille O'Neal has been a relentless and successful self-promoter. In advertisements, music, film, and commentary, everything he does exists in part to build up his personal brand. He's done extremely well for himself with this strategy, and he remains one of the league's most notable personalities even in retirement.

Sometimes, though, those branding-building endeavors turn out to be horrific disasters. Take, for instance, many of his film roles. While his performance as the amazingly named Neon Boudeaux in "Blue Chips" is still fondly remembered, his work in superhero bomb "Steel" and genie comedy "Kazaam" are running jokes. That's especially true of the latter, mostly because Shaq speaks in rhyme throughout the film and somehow dresses more ridiculously in contemporary clothes than his genie outfit. It's a '90s artifact that somehow seemed dated when it was released.

The movie is so bad people have wondered for years why Shaq agreed to be its star. In an interview with Mark Anthony Green of GQ, he explained his reasoning (via TBJ):

The owners of the Oklahoma City Thunder don't mind lying about their documented intentions to move the team from Seattle to OKC, or contributing huge gobs of money in to programs designed to help deny the right for two consenting adults to marry after falling in love, but if you're a Thunder employee and you dare post a rap video online chronicling your team's best players while sporting Thunder gear? Well, you better brush up on your resume, buddy, because you're going to be out on your (Thunder) butt.

Here's the completely inoffensive video, as found by Welcome to Loud City and via'd our way by Trey at The Basketball Jones:

Yeah, not great. Kind of annoying, childishly gross at times. And I'm sure the contract of the since-fired Thunder employee states that he's not allowed to use Thunder apparel for promotional clips that they don't approve of, but to axe a member of the team's cheering squad for … cheering for the team? Or is it because team co-owner Aubrey McClendon is afraid of butts?

[Related: Rapper Serengeti says 'Don't Blame Steve' in Bartman-based rap song]

I missed this while out of the office Sunday and Monday, so you'll have to forgive me for engaging a late pass to say: Cool defense, Steve Blake. Really inspiring stuff during the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 102-96 Sunday afternoon loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

It's just that kind of hard-nosed play that inspires teammates and fans alike to gird their loins and race into battle. You've got to be willing to take a shot to deliver a shot, and as you proved on this Hamed Haddadi drive, you are definitely willing to stand your ground and take the heat. Except that this clip shows the exact opposite of that. That's OK, though — judging by your field goal and 3-point percentages, you're not doing super great at delivering shots, either, so maybe this is just truth in advertising.

(For what it's worth, Lakers fans, Blake takes an average of 0.41 charges per game, according to Hoopdata, which is actually just ahead of the 0.40 taken by the dearly departed Derek Fisher.)

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant don't appear to care about your stats (Getty Images)

Don't feed the troll. Don't feed the troll. Don't feed the … ah, forget it. We can't let this one go. Skip Bayless is commenting on games he hasn't watched again, getting it wrong as usual, and Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant is calling him out for it.

Apparently (we're blissfully unaware, because we've watched as many minutes of Skip Bayless on TV during the last decade as Bayless has watched Oklahoma City Thunder games this season; that is to say we've happily never watched Skip Bayless on TV) Bayless has been on a rant recently trumping up the tired storyline about how Thunder point man Russell Westbrook wants the team to be his, how the point guard shoots too much (Durant has taken seven more shot attempts this season than Russell), and that it's a damning stat when Westbrook ends a game with more shot attempts than Durant. Durant, because he's seen (and even played in) quite a few Thunder games this year, chimed in with this:

"That guy doesn't know a thing about basketball," Durant said of Bayless before the Thunder faced Memphis on Monday night.

Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves attempts a dunk. (Getty Images)

Seriously, J.J. Hickson. Derrick Williams is flying through the air about four inches to your left, and you are sound asleep. I don't even understand how that is possible! There are so many people in the building — surely some of their conversation is stimulating enough to keep you awake.

Oh, wait, did you stay up all night watching the rest of the first season of "Game of Thrones" so you'd be ready for the Season 2 premiere too? OK, then. Don't worry. I totally get it.

Best caption wins the Iron Throne the Stallion who will mount the world a blade of Valyrian steel something not fantasy/forest-related that you can talk about with your father-in-law, maybe? Good luck.

In our last adventure: Kobe and Derek, still pallin' around.