Sacramento 117, Utah 107

Utah’s a frustrating team. Jerry Sloan’s outfit boasts a usually dominant attack on the offensive end, utilizing in equal parts aggression, pick-and-roll orthodoxy and a bit of ye olde extra pass – usually initiated by one Andrei Kirilenko. And though this team is chock full of solid individual defenders, they’re often overrated by media types who fail to see just how much the team cripples itself defensively by putting its opponents on the free throw line too damn much. 

Entering Tuesday, the Jazz were 8th in defensive efficiency (an overall defensive stat that allows for varying tempos amongst the league’s teams); and while that’s an improvement on last year’s mark of 19th, they could really be better. Tonight the Jazz gave the Kings 47 trips to the line (four coming in the final minute to stop the clock), which is a bit of a step up from Sacramento’s average of 29.8 trips per game. I just passed on making a Grateful Dead joke, and for that, you should be grateful.

Actually, I think I just made a sort of Grateful Dead joke.  The worst sort.

John Salmons’ offensive work in the wake of Kevin Martin’s third quarter injury will get the headlines, but it was Ron Artest who led the Kings back offensively. Working against Carlos Boozer for some reason, Artest was an offensive rock for the Kings in the latter part of the fourth. 

Coming out of a timeout with two minutes left in the contest, one would expect Sloan to put either Kirilenko or Ronnie Brewer on the white-hot Artest at that point, but instead he went to a box-and-one; which allowed Francisco Garcia to hit a three-pointer and give the Kings a six-point lead that they never relinquished. Until, of course, they play the Clippers on Friday, when the score is due to start at nil-nil.

Also, although brevity is the heart of every blog that’s worth a lick, I do have to point out that Kings play-by-play man called Mehmet Okur a “Turkey product” in the third quarter. Not a “product of Turkey,” mind you, or “Turkish product.” Rather, and I repeat: “Turkey product.” Jerry Reynolds then managed to somehow top him by referring to him as the second-best player from Turkey, somehow short of Hedo Turkoglu – who is, in a way, sort of a turkey product. Gobble, gobble, toil and trouble. 

(Please tell me that’s better than a Grateful Dead pun.)

New Jersey 100, Cleveland 79

The good news? Malik Allen is a nice man with a nicer jumper who often exhibits a sterling sense of sartorial splendor, and he came through with a solid 10 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and four assists in just 33 minutes during New Jersey’s win. The bad news? Usually, Malik doesn’t shoot that well (because he only shoots 19-footers, he’s destined to spend his career hitting five shots for every 12 he takes), he’s always been a poor rebounder, he never gets to the line, he’s not the answer at forward and he’s bound to come back to earth after this game. 

The worse news?  Rookie Sean Williams (a block, eight boards in 14 minutes) will stick to the pine until the warmth emanating from Allen’s one great game finally drifts from Lawrence Frank’s cerebellum (he should wear a cap, it’s cold out!) sometime next January.

LeBron was injured, Shannon Brown was asked to shoot a lot (20 points on 16 shots), Devin Brown was not (he still missed seven of 10 from the floor) and the Cavs (fourth in defensive efficiency last season) continue to have issues on that side of the ball.

Detroit 106, Atlanta 95

It’s a shame, because he’s likely head coaching material, but you get the feeling the Hawks are basically going through the motions until coach Mike Woodson gets the axe. Tuesday’s loss dropped the Hawks to 7-10, a rather brilliant start considering this team’s recent bouts of goshawful’dness, but it’s hardly been an inspiring initial month to the season. 

No player in this league is currently playing (save for last night, when he sat in skivvies) through more pain than point man Tyronn Lue, and the alternatives (Anthony Johnson, rookie Acie Law IV) aren’t great.  And yet, there’s no reason for a team with this many greyhounds to be the league’s third-slowest in terms of possessions per game. Let one of your 11 forwards run it up, Mike; just bloody run it up!

In other news, Rasheed Wallace is now sporting a nifty Ace Bandage around his left knee; because if it’s an accessory that can’t be bought at your local Rite-Aid, ‘Sheed just doesn’t want to hear about it.

Phoenix 121, Indiana 117

An odd game, and not as entertaining as it should have been.  The Suns, Amare Stoudemire (who kept reaching and trying to send every runner into the 14th row) and Boris Diaw (his mind was somewhere else ... Fort Wayne, perhaps) specifically, absolutely could not be bothered to defend worth a rip. The Pacers pushed the tempo, which is always nice, but Jamaal Tinsley still plays like a high schooler at times, and Jermaine O’Neal (a season-best 30 points with 11 boards and six turnovers) wanted nothing to do with chasing Stoudemire (42 points, 13 rebounds, four assists) out to the perimeter. 

Steve Nash won the game down the stretch and only committed three turnovers (to 17 assists) in spite of the breakneck pace.  Solid point guard, I reckon. One man’s opinion.

LA Lakers 116, Minnesota 95 (Give me a hundred. I won't take under.)

Coaches love these games.  Look at the boxscore: pitted against a team still figuring out how to play at this level, this is the best most of these Lakers will shoot for the rest of the season. They may all establish other season-highs in certain games where they match up well, but for cats like Trevor Ariza, Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic (16 points on nine shots), this is one for the home library. All told, 28 assists on 44 field goals for the Lakers on the night.

With Randy Wittman out with back spasms (back spasms!), the feisty Jerry Sichting took over as Timberwolves interim coach in the loss.

Milwaukee 87, LA Clippers 78

It’s nice to see Tim Thomas (four rebounds in 41 minutes, as his team was out-rebounded by 18) returning back to his usual ways. We were getting worried there, for a spell. And, by the time I finished the previous sentence and managed to move on to this one, I felt guilty enough to muster up the courage to mention that that last sentence was an outright lie.

The Bucks can’t defend, so they were fortunate to play a team (the Clippers shot 38.7 percent overall and 23.7 from behind the arc) that does all the work for them, and rode the hot hand of Michael Redd (scoring on Quinton Ross, quite impressive) toward the win.