Player of the Night

By Sam Rubenstein

Lots of games to choose from. Michael Redd was the high scorer in a big win over Detroit to start the season right, Quentin Richardson had the big night and clutch free throws in a triple OT thriller, and the two biggest games of the night were the ESPN doubleheader of Cavs-Wizards and and Suns-Clippers, but there wasn’t one clear dominant performance in those games. I’m tempted to give the award to L Odom for the second night in a row, cause the Lakers are supposed to be terrible without Kobe.

You know what, I’m giving it to Quentin Richardson. Named a starter less than a week ago after being a forgotten man, he got the Knicks off to a good beginning in the first quarter, and he kept playing hard with Jamal Crawford unable to hit the proverbial side of a barn, Steph fouled out, and Francis fouled out after scoring only 2 points. If the Knicks had lost that game, it would have been just another disaster in a long line of them, but Quentin kept them alive and hit the big free throws. So what if it was against Memphis without Pau and Stro Swift.

After two days the winners are Lamar Odom and Q Rich. Darius Miles tomorrow?