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The Warriors kept their unbeaten streak intact with an inspired 4th quarter performanceAnother day, another collection of plays that sent hearts racing. The 20th of November saw just three games taking place, but the day made up in quality what it lacked in quantity. The top two stars in the league, LeBron James and Stephen Curry, brought their best versions to the hardwood, as they always do, with the latter creating some special memories. The Cleveland Cavaliers took on the young Milwaukee Bucks, three-time time champions Miami Heat faced off against the Sacramento Kings and last but not the least, bitter rivals Los Angeles Clippers squared off against reigning champions the Golden State Warriors in a must-see humdinger. Here are our pick of the top five plays from the games:
#1 Harrison Barnes falls but makes the bucket
Fans were licking their lips before the second match between the Warriors and the Clippers. The obvious animosity between possibly the top two teams in the NBA currently was evident in the arduous contest.
The Warriors, facing the prospect of defeat, dug deep with a baffling nonchalance and came from behind to win a thriller. MVP and captain Stephen Curry led the way with a double-double of 40 points and 11 boards, not to mention 4 assists.
But once again, it was the most underrated Warrior, Harrison Barnes, who showcased his indispensability with 21 points and 7 rebounds. He scored the third highest points of the night, but made invaluable clutch plays that helped the Warriors rally from behind and romp home in the 4th quarter. This particular play of his, with the stalwart Chris Paul snapping at his heels, brought fans to their feet:
#2 DeAndre Jordan alley-oop
The Los Angeles Clippers seemed on course for certain victory against the reigning champions. Chris Paul returned after missing two games and along with Blake Griffin, took control of the game in the first half.
One the best point guards in the league showed why he is considered so, racking up the numbers. But the spotlight for now, is on the NBA’s resident Iron Man, DeAndre Jordan, who fired up his engines and left fans scraping their jaws off the floor with this gravity-defying dunk off the assist from CP3:
#3 Dwyane Wade\'s no-look fadeaway
Dwyane Wade is between a rock and a hard place. He is by nature, a scorer, but with a diminished roster, he has been forced to step into the role of a playmaker. That hasn’t panned out too well for him or the Heat, having had a frustrating performance in the team’s disappointing loss to the Timberwolves on Wednesday.
The “Flash” we saw against an albeit diminished Sacramento(Cousins is suspended and Rudy Gay missed the last quarter with a shoulder injury), had an intensity about his game that has been elusive. If Wade can put up 24 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists when he’s upset, then perhaps coach Erik Spoelstra needs to consider some out-of-the-box options in terms of mental conditioning(tongue-in-cheek)
#4 Chris Paul - 35 pts, 4 rbs, 8 assts
After a two-game break, Chris Paul returned with a vengeance against arch-nemesis the Golden State Warriors. He was on fire through the first half, making shot after shot and marshalling the team, who looked like they would leave the Warriors in the dust.
Out with a groin strain for the last two games, Paul didn’t miss a step as he racked up 35 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists, in a losing effort to the Golden State Warriors:
#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo - 33 pts,
The 20-year-old Greek who entered the NBA at 6’9” but now reportedly stands 6’11”, backed up coach Jason Kidd’s claim that he could play every position on the floor. The “Greek Freak” is easily the most athletic big man in the league, making smaller men look frigid.
Case in point, his whirlwind play that left Cavaliers’ Tristan Thompson swinging at air, part of his 33 point-game in a loss to the LeBron James-led Cavaliers. The future holds great things for the young Buck.
Guess the Lakers players!
