Blake Griffin, Rajon Rondo, and Kobe Bryant are just a few of the players who have left their mark on the first half of this season.The NBA season is already at its halfway mark, and there have plenty of memorable moments that hoops fans will be remembering for years to come. So, as the All-Star game approaches quickly, here are some of the top moments from the first half of the 2010-2011 NBA season.
Rajon Rondo’s 24 dimes:
In an early season game against the Knicks, Rondo dished out 24 assists to his Celtic teammates. In addition, Rondo finished with ten points and ten rebounds to complete the triple double. It was the second most in franchise history. Bob Cousy had 28 helpers in a 1959 game.
Kevin Love’s 30-30 game:
On November 12th, Kevin Love scored 31 points and grabbed 31 rebounds. It was the first 30-30 game in the NBA since Moses Malone accomplished the feat in 1982. The league has not seen a glass eater like Love since Dennis Rodman was cross dressing and grabbing boards in the Windy City.
The Hornets’ Hot Start:
After missing the postseason last year, and Chris Paul talking about wanting to leave this past Summer, it is safe to say no body knew what to expect from the Hornets this season. The boys from the Big Easy surprised everyone by starting the season 11-1. It looks like the Hornets will be in the playoffs again after their one year hiatus.
Blake Griffin’s 47 point game:
This past Monday night Blake Griffin poured in 47 points against the Pacers. It was not only Griffin’s career high, but it is the NBA season high to this point. Not to mention, all of Griffin’s highlight reel dunks, and emergence as one of the league’s best players have caught the NBA by storm this season.
Kobe moves into 9th place on all-time scoring list:
In an early January game against the Hornets, Kobe scored 25 points, and moved into ninth place on the NBA all-time scoring list. Kobe passed Oscar Robertson to take over the nine spot. What is exciting about this is Kobe is starting to pass some of the all-time great players. It will be fun to see where Kobe ends up at the end of his career.
George Karl win his 1,000th game:
In a December 11th game against Toronto, George Karl won his 1,000th game as an NBA coach. Karl became only the seventh coach in league history to reach the milestone. And after battling back from cancer to be at the helm this season, you can’t help but applaud the man.
D-Rose Runs the Point
Derrick Rose has emerged this season as quite possibly the league’s best point guard. His first two seasons in the league were stellar by anyone’s standards, but this season he is a legitimate MVP candidate. Rose shows the intangibles that all of the greats have, primarily an outstanding work ethic. If the Bulls finish as a top team in the conference, expect Rose to nab a few MVP votes.
The Knickerbockers Resurgence:
In case you have been gone lately, the Knicks are relevant for the first time in a decade. Amar’e Stoudemire is arguably having the best season of his career, after everyone doubted his worth without Steve Nash. Also, Raymond Felton should be the front runner for most improved player, as he has emerged as a legit NBA point guard. It will be great to see playoff games at the Garden this Spring.
LeBron’s Christmas Day Triple Double:
The Heat stormed into Staples Center on Christmas Day, and gave the defending champions a huge lump of coal. Lebron finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and ten assists. It was the first time a player has ever notched a triple double on Christmas.
The Gritty San Antonio Spurs:
After two seasons of early playoff exits, and key players unable to shake the injury bug, the Spurs are on top of the NBA again with a 36-6 record. The Spurs play a a lot of road games in the second half, but don’t expect the Spurs to cool off much. They have the experience and health to make a deep playoff run.
Joshua Sexton is a lifelong basketball fanatic, who watches as many games as possible. In addition, He has played and coached the game at the high school level. He has recently started writing about the game of basketball.
