Hov's Mavs (21-27): All-Star starters / Around the league

[hova-]

Dallas beats Phoenix behind season-high from Dirk - Williams takes over starting spot

PHOENIX (AP) Dirk Nowitzki scores a season-high 30 points as the Mavericks roll past the Suns in the second half and win 97-92

The Dallas Mavericks kicked off February with a win on the road over the Phoenix Suns. Dallas did not look sharp in the first half as the team trailed by nine points coming into the third quarter, but it was a great defensive effort combined with a season-best performance by Dirk Nowitzki that lifted the Mavericks to a late surge and enabled them to grab the win.

Dallas outscored Phoenix by 11 points in the third as Nowitzki scored 12 of his season-high 30 points. The big German also added 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a block as he shot 12/18 from the field. Jae Crowder came off the bench to score 17 points and get four steals for the Mavs, who have not been able to kick-start a winning streak so far this season. Hopes are slim as the team will head to Oklahoma City for the next road game.

Rick Carisle surprised by putting Jason Williams and Brandan Wright in the starting lineup but his ideas seemed to work as Darren Collison scored 10 points off the bench along with zero turnovers, whilst Wright added 8 points and 6 rebounds. For Phoenix, Shannon Brown was the game-high man with 20 points and Markieff Morris added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

[hova-]

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James headline All-Star starters

NEW YORK (AP) The fans have voted for their 2013 NBA All-Star game starters. Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant will be part of the All-Star weekend for the 15th time. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant got the most fan votes for each Conferences respectively. The All-Star game has emerged as a game of the big market cities. Four players will be from Los Angeles, two from New York and two would have been from Miami if Dwyane Wade was able to play (out after knee surgery). Only the glorious Boston Celtics and one of the league's MVP candidates in Kevin Durant were able to get a spot even without a big market on their back.
Take a look at your starters for East and West:



EAST



G - Deron Williams, Brooklyn Nets (28-19), 18.6 ppg - 8.2 apg - 1.3 spg - 43.4% FG - 33.9% 3PT



G - Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics (26-21), 10.9 ppg - 9.4 apg - 1.7 spg - 46.9% FG - 36.5% 3PT



F - LeBron James, Miami Heat (32-13), 26.1 ppg - 8.1 rpg - 4.8 apg - 47.9% FG - 31.9% 3PT



F - Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks (28-18), 28.3 ppg - 8.0 rpg - 3.8 apg - 51.7% FG - 37.3% 3PT



C - Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics (26-21), 10.6 ppg - 9.5 rpg - 2.9 apg - 48.3% FG - 84.8% FT

WEST



G - Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers (24-26), 15.1 ppg - 10.2 apg - 2.3 spg - 44.4% FG - 37.1% 3PT



G - Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (32-16), 15th appearance, 27.9 ppg - 5.1 rpg - 4.1 apg - 46.9% FG - 40.9% 3PT



F - Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder (31-17), 28.7 ppg - 7.1 rpg - 3.6 apg - 50.1% FG - 43.9% 3PT



F - Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers (24-26), 21.6 ppg - 9.7 rpg - 3.0 apg - 57.9% FG - 31.3% 3PT



C - Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers (32-16), 18.2 ppg - 10.2 rpg - 1.8 bpg - 57.4% FG - 44.5% FT

[hova-]

Mavs @ Thunder, Bradley Beal, New Orleans Hornets, Pau Gasol, Antoine Miller update

███ Oklahoma City too much for Dallas
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)

Kevin Durant notches a double-double as the Thunder take the home win agains the Mavericks.

The Dallas Mavericks had no chance at all as the Oklahoma City Thunder blew away with a victory on their homecourt thanks to a hyper-efficient outing by Kevin Durant.

Durant scored 29 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed five rebounds for the Thunder, who had a 15-point lead at halftime and never looked back, winning 94-114.
"He's locked in this year, improving on almost everything, things he already did well he does excellent now", Thunder Coach Scott Brooks said about Durant. "KD" shot 12/15 from the field and turned the ball over just once.

For Dallas, center Chris Kaman had a team-high 19 points and Dirk Nowitzki and OJ Mayo added 17 and 15 each. The Thunder are now second in the West at 31-17, Dallas dropped to the eighth spot with a 21-27 record.

███ Bradley Beal transitions well to the NBA
WASHINGTON(AP)

21.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Rookie shooting guard Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards has done a great job assimilating to NBA level so far and helps keeping Washington's Playoff dreams alive despite the injury of point guard John Wall.

At 26-21 the Wizards are fifth in the Eastern Conference and second in the South East Division just behind the defending Champs Miami Heat.

Beal, who won the Eastern Conference Rookie of the mont award in December has a good shot of repeating this accomplishment if he keeps on his great scoring streak of the recent games. He scored a career-high 35 in a win over the Philadelphia two nights ago.

Here is a list of the other possible Rookie Of The Year candidates next to Bradley Beal:

Damian Lillard (21.4ppg/4.1rpg/6.1apg)
Harrison Barnes (15.3ppg/6.1rpg/1.9apg)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (15.7ppg/7.1rpg/1.3apg)
Dion Waiters (15.3ppg/3.5rpg/2.9apg)

███ Hornets in free fall - lose 12th in a row
NEW ORLEANS (AP)

The New Orleans Hornets will change their name to New Orleans Pelicans next year - and they will hope to add another high draft pick to their roster as this season seems like another year of maturing and losing.

The Hornets have lost 12 in a row and are now last in the West with 14 wins and 34 losses. Eric Gordon's 24.2 points per game and his great all-around game have not been enough to turn the Hornets into a winning franchise this year. Rookie Anthony Davis is not even amongst the Rookie Of The Year candidates averaging 10.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

The Hornets hope that they can add talent via draft this year once again, and reports say that they would love to add a point guard who can create his own shot. Syracuse's Vaheem Bridges has been the target of the Hornets scouting staff recently, the reports say.

███ Gasol's foot injury tough loss for striving Lakers
EL SEGUNDO(AP)

The Los Angeles Lakers have announced that Pau Gasol will miss at least six weeks after suffering a injury on his left foot which has turned out to be a slight fracture.

"Pau will be out until the Playoffs at least. This is definitely a tough loss as the team was plugging recently", Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told media.

Pau Gasol has been averaging 11.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 blocks per game for the Lakers. The Spaniard has been able to transition his game to Mike D'Antonis offense and has built a great inside duo with Dwight Howard over the last months. The Lakers are the best team in the West right now at 34-17.

███ Antoine Miller starting rehab
NEW YORK

Former All-American highschool star Antoine Miller has reportedly started his rehab process after being shot into the head in New York. Miller woke up from coma a month ago. Reports say that he has been able to speak but could not move his arms and legs after the incident.

Miller had already declared to play for the North Carolina Tar Heels next season. It's not clear wether or not he will be able to play basketball again.

[Martti.]

Former All-American highschool star Antoine Walker has reportedly started his rehab process

Interesting move putting J-Will in the starting line-up, hopefully it will help. Collison seems to be better off the bench anyway, lost his starting job to Mike James ffs.

[hova-]

Martti., good find ^^ typo here. If Miller had the "shimmy", he would never have gotten shot I guess.

Yeah, Collison is no playmaker, whilst the "dimer" sig skill of Williams is very useful to set up shooters.

[Its_asdf]

Antoine Miller has reportedly started his rehab process after being shot into the head in New York

Holy fuck I read that as Andre MIller. I thought you were going for some next level drama up in here!

[Axel The Great]

Hornets are definitely tanking this year, I guess they're not satisfied with just Anthony Davis.

Pretty impressive for Durant to notch 11 assists, I believe that's a career high for him.