Play of the week
This is a brilliant effort from Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari who shows why you should always follow your own shot.
Misplay of the week
Not so fast Kris Humphries.
Dunk of the week
If you are a shotblocker, you are bound to get dunked on occasionally. Just ask former oft-posterized NBA centre Shawn Bradley or Lakers centre Dwight Howard who can’t catch up to Sixers guard Nick Young on this play.
Block of the week
Nate Robinson, one of the NBA’s smallest players at 5-9, shows that he can play much bigger than his size.
How the Canadians fared (stats are per game)
Joel Anthony (Heat): 13.6 MIN, 2.0 PTS, 2.0 REB
Samuel Dalembert (Bucks): 23 MIN, 5 PTS, 9 REB, 2.0 BLK
Cory Joseph (Spurs): 1.5 MIN, 1 REB
Kris Joseph (Celtics): Did not play
Andrew Nicholson (Magic): 22.3 MIN, 10.3 PTS, 6.3 REB, 1.3 BLK
Robert Sacre (Lakers): 9.6 MIN, 1.3 PTS, 2.3 REB
Tristan Thompson (Cavaliers): 25.3 MIN, 5 PTS, 8 REB, 0.5 ST
Steve Nash (Lakers): Didn’t play due to broken leg.
Trending Up: Nene Hilario
Over the past week, Wizards big man Nene Hilario has posted near double-double numbers of 13.3 points and nine rebounds per game. Maybe he has finally shaken off the plantar fasciitis that has troubled him for a good portion of the calendar year.
Trending Down: Jonas Valanciunas
Over the past couple of games, Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas has scored three points while grabbing eight rebounds in 30 minutes of play. While he is having the typical ups and downs of a rookie, unless you are in a keeper pool, Valanciunas probably shouldn’t be on your fantasy roster.
Line of the week
Not a favourite of advanced stats geeks, Jose Calderon recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists, for his second career triple double, in the Raptors win over the Rockets on Sunday.
Tweet of the week
They said it couldn’t be done!!! So proud of our team from top to bottom for getting such a scrappy win, 5-0 and not done yet! #GSW — David Lee (@Dlee042) December 13, 2012
They said it couldn’t be done!!! So proud of our team from top to bottom for getting such a scrappy win, 5-0 and not done yet! #GSW
— David Lee (@Dlee042) December 13, 2012
What to watch
Back-to-back big games on Broadway as Jeremy Lin and the Rockets hit the Big Apple to face the Knicks on Monday. Then on Wednesday, the Knicks will have another emotionally-charged encounter with their new cross-town rivals from Brooklyn.