The Cavaliers picked up a 104-79 win over Orlando on Saturday to extend their current winning streak to three and their home winning streak to five. Jackson had 14 points and seven assists against the Magic, and Van Gundy - who is Detroit's coach and team president - indicated afterward the Pistons are not looking to part with either point guard.
LeBron James played in this basketball game, and he was incredibly efficient. "We've been able to play some good ball against them this year".
Speaking of restricted minutes, it seems head coach David Blatt has forgotten all about that.
On the other hand, the Raptors are leading the Atlantic Division with a 21-14 record and are 2.0 games ahead of the Boston Celtics who are second.
Skiles had a simple message for his players after watching a miserable first half. Lowry averages 6.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
"When we're playing that way, we're tough to beat", Irving said. "We've got to cut off their water out the gate so we don't have to fight so hard or worry about them getting to their sweet spots".
Considering how good 2015 was to James - from inking a lifetime deal with Nike estimated to be worth well more than $600 million to making a fifth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals to seeing his third child, a daughter, grow from a baby into a healthy toddler - there's no reason for him to seek drastic changes. "But not only were we not sharp, we were really, really poor". The starters combined for 65 points, 11 assists and 34 rebounds. He played 29 minutes and made 10-of-16 from the field in a terrific game.
In just his sixth game after returning from knee surgery, Irving finished with 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists in 29 minutes, setting season highs in all four categories.
The Cavaliers' regular starting point guard Kyrie Irving was also born in Melbourne and holds dual citizenship in both countries.
Smith's eight 3s were a season high, and the Cavaliers hit 17 of 33 for the game.
From the Magic's perspective, the most disturbing thing of all wasn't the loss itself.
On Monday night, the Cavs led by seven with 3:43 left in the third quarter when James scored his first of nine points to end the quarter. "Shifty but hesitant; quick but cautious", I said.
No one can say for sure. I actually bumped my knee on the floor; it felt better when I got back up.
"For me, now, it's just continuing, continuing, continuing to progress and get better for my teammates", he added. "After (Friday) night, Washington has beaten us 11 in a row". Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic scored four apiece, Channing Frye had three and Elfrid Payton was scoreless....
Those woeful performances included two lopsided losses to the Cavaliers earlier this season: a 117-103 loss in Cleveland on November 23 and a 111-76 demolition in Orlando on December 11.
The Cleveland Browns had their season terminated Sunday afternoon in the same sorry fashion that's come to define them, meaning Cleveland has entered the semi-annual schadenfreude/hate-watch season of the coaching/GM search phase of The Rebuild: Year 18.
But here's a possibility: Midway through the second quarter, Aaron Gordon contested a 3-point try by Kevin Love and fouled Love.
