It was weird that I forgot to do this yesterday, the day after the biggest game of the early season to date in the East, which was followed by the Dallas-Phoenix game which is always fun. Honorable mention to both Rudy Gay and Mike Miller for the key parts they played in a big Memphis win over the Spurs. Honorable mention to Chris Paul and the rapidly ascending Brandon Roy. But it comes down to what was the bigger performance in a bigger game… Chauncey Billups against Boston or Dirk Nowitzki against Phoenix?
I’ve got nothing against Dirk, other than I will never give him the benefit of the doubt in any “most valuable” type of discussion ever again. So the Player of the D.A.Y. for games played on Wednesday night was Chauncey Billups.
Last night there were only three games, and each one gave us a different degree of intrigue or statistical head scratching. For example, in the Nuggets double OT last second win over depleted Houston, Carmelo Anthony had a career high 16 boards but 12 on the offensive glass. He shot 13 of 32 for 37 points and looking at our old friend the plus/minus, he was -10. Did I mention Houston was undermanned?
The Nets-Heat game was a showdown between two depressing teams this season, but Vince and Dwyane Wade were kind enough to have a man to man battle, Wade with 41 in the loss, Vince with 31 in the win.
But I will go to the slamonline people’s choice match-up cause it only happens twice a year. LeBron got the best of Kobe on this particular night, with 33-10-5 and a win to Kob’s 21-5-5 and a loss. Player of the D.A.Y. is LeBron James.
And with that, Merry Christmas! Have a safe holiday everyone. If you don’t celebrate Christmas and you don’t want to feel left out, December 24 will be the one year anniversary of the Giants-Saints game where Eli Manning was so horrible I threw up in the street out of disgust. Feel free to start a holiday based on that. The perfect imagery to leave you all with.
