USA TODAY International Edition
Love rolling; big tests for Lin
Every Monday, USA TODAY NBA reporters Jeff Zillgitt and J. Michael Falgoust look at the weekend’s best and the week ahead and project leaders across the statistical spectrum.
Lines of the weekend
Minnesota Timberwolves F Kevin Love: 33 points on 11for- 16 shooting, 17 rebounds, two blocks in a 111- 98 win vs. the Houston Rockets on Friday.
Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant: 36 points on 14- for- 25 shooting, nine rebounds, six assists, four steals in a 111- 99 win vs. the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
Orlando Magic C Dwight Howard: 26 points on 8- for- 12 shooting, 20 rebounds, four blocks, 10- for- 14 at the free throw line in a 94- 85 win vs. the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
Best games this week
Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls ( today, 4 p. m. ET, ESPN): The Bulls have managed through injuries to guards Derrick Rose and Richard Hamilton and forward Luol Deng. But how long can that last for last season’s Eastern Conference finalists? Chicago lost two of four games last week without Rose, including Saturday’s 97- 85 loss to the New Jersey Nets.
New York Knicks at Miami Heat ( Thursday, 7 p. m. ET, TNT): During the 8- 1 run with point guard Jeremy Lin in the lineup through Sunday’s win vs. the Dallas Mavericks, the Knicks played three teams with a winning record. That changes with the Hawks and Heat left this week, and the Boston Celtics, Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers in the three weeks after the All- Star break.
Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder ( Thursday, 9: 30 p. m. ET, TNT): The past leaders of the West vs. this season’s best in their first meeting. When the Thunder made the 2010 playoffs in their second season in Oklahoma City, they lost 4- 2 in the first round to the eventual champion Lakers. Bryant led the NBA in scoring entering Sunday. Thunder forward Kevin Durant is the two- time defending scoring champion.
Top free agent acquisitions
Knicks C Tyson Chandler: The 7- 1 veteran, who won a championship with the Mavericks last season, provided stability with F Carmelo Anthony and F Amar’e Stoudemire out of the lineup for health and personal reasons. Chandler averages 11.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks on an improved defensive team that has benefited from Lin’s breakout season.
Los Angeles Clippers F Kenyon Martin: He’s been limited to seven games and averages 5.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 23.9 minutes, but it’s his defense that makes him valuable. With Martin, the Clippers have outrebounded every opponent and are plus 76 in rebounding in those games.
Trail Blazers G Jamal Crawford: The 2010 Sixth Man of the Year is contributing 14 points and 3.8 assists in 26.2 minutes a game to help replace some of the offensive void from the retirement of Brandon Roy.
Impact players to watch
Timberwolves C Nikola Pekovic: After averaging 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds as a rookie, the 6- 11 center is at 12.6 points and 7.0 rebounds. He has started 12 games in place of injured C Darko Milicic. In his last six games, Pekovic is averaging 19.5 points and 10.8 rebounds.
New Orleans Hornets F Gustavo Ayon: The 6- 10 Mexican rookie forward has started six games and posted double- doubles in his last two starts. He has scored in double figures in his last three games, all wins.
Magic F Ryan Anderson: An everyday starter for the first time in his NBA career, Anderson has developed into one of the best three- point shooters in the league. He averages 16.6 points and 7.2 rebounds, including 3.5 offensive rebounds. He leads the league with 93 three- pointers and is shooting 43.9% on threes.
Top 20- 20 games
Magic’s Howard: 45 points and 23 rebounds in a 117- 109 victory vs. the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 12.
Trail Blazers F Lamarcus Aldridge: 33 points and 23 rebounds in a 94- 84 victory vs. the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 20.
Timberwolves’ Love: 32 points and 21 rebounds in a 100- 98 loss to the Knicks on Feb. 11.