Only Wilt stood

HERO OF THE WEEK

Four consecutive “fifty dollars” from Kobe Bryant (half of the series fell on the previous week), by the standards of the modern NBA, is as fantastic as last year’s 81 in a meeting with “Toronto”. Nobody could succeed in this except Chamberlain, who in the season 62/63 crossed the half-hundred line in seven consecutive fights. This is understandable to Bryant himself, modestly declaring that he always considered Wilt to be a human video game, and at least to approach his achievements is a huge success. The question of MVP, in which only Nash and Nowitzki had previously appeared, remains open.



Enchanted and rivals. Coach “Hornets” Byron Scott, to whom Bryant put the fourth 50, was happy for Kobe as if they still play in the same team (the guys played for the “Ozerniks” together). And Don Nelson was seriously proud that his “Warriors” series was interrupted. Just think, lost at the same time ...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Thank God, we gave him just 43 points. We did a good job. The defense was solid. We tried to make Kobe's life harder. What a magnificent performance - I can’t even imagine how he succeeds!” - Don Nelson after losing to the Lakers.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

At the end of the regular season, “San Antonio” broke up so that it becomes a pity for his future rivals in the playoffs. Over the past 7 days, only Detroit has been pushing against ex-champions, and Seattle and Golden State who have fallen after that have cried bitterly, having received 41 and 37 difference points respectively.

“Spurs” won 50 matches in the eighth championship in a row! Only Lakers (12 - 1979-91) and Boston (10 - 1958-68; 9 - 1979-88) succeeded in longer series.

CONFUSES OF THE WEEK

In the playoffs, Spurs fans will again follow the six-time NBA champion Robert Orry, who has earned fame as the master of the most important shots. But in the "regular" Big Shot Rob, as usual, is almost invisible. In the match with Golden State, the 36-year-old veteran was completely out of the lineup. The club explained its absence by a muscle-stretched abs. A very serious, reputable site Yahoo in the final protocol of the match issued its own version ...



LEGIONARY OF THE WEEK

Lord, what kind of nerves does this Spaniard have? He spent a third of the season in the hospital, healing a broken leg, another third of the season he was wooed in other clubs. His “Memphis” collapses, almost without hiding its intention to improve draft prospects and play newcomers, and Po Gasol performs at the highest level. Last week, the center “Grizzlies” brought to six in a row the number of matches in which its statistics exceeded “20 + 10”. How can you blame the next four defeats for a person who scored 27.3 points in this segment with a percentage of hits of 71.2 (!), Adding to this 11.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists?

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

03/26/2007. Boston - Toronto. World champions are definitely out of luck. Here is Jose Calderon helping Raptors doctors look after compatriot Jorge Garbajosa. The Spanish centerman seriously injured his leg - he was carried away from the platform on a stretcher. Thus, shortly before the playoffs, the “dinosaurs” lost both of the “big” Europe truckers. A few days earlier, the appendix was cut out by the Italian Andrea Bargnani.



TOPIC OF THE WEEK

“Fifty” Kobe, the success of “San Antonio”, boring departure “Denver”, “I'm leaving - I changed my mind” Ron Artest - all these are worthy of long discussion issues. But the most fun was the warning, strictly expressed by the leadership of the league Gilbert Arenas.

On Wednesday, Arenas was about to hit 50 points for Portland again. During the match, it became clear that nothing will work. Then the cheerful Gil argued with several fans for 10 bucks that he would throw the winning ball . It didn’t work out - the defender of “Washington” missed (total - 98: 100). And honestly told about everything in his own blog on NBA.com. In the NBA they grabbed their heads: these are undisguised bets on the result! They erased the post and threatened Gila with a finger. Oh no no no…

Chasing the week

This time the modest Charlotte got into the laureates. On Wednesday, the Boston beat was an outsider clash, and for that the Bobcats had to set a club record - score 18 unanswered points . Just at that moment when the team in the third quarter was inferior to “-18”. It is curious that the day before the Carolynians in overtime beat the favorites from “Cleveland”, although in the second half they had 12 lag points.

FIGURES OF THE WEEK

Could the “Bobcats” and get a third victory of the week, if not for two people. The first is New Jersey rookie Josh Boone, who scored 21 points - 10 more than his own performance record. His main achievement is 10 out of 10 (!) Hits from the game. The last of the newcomers to drop so much without a miss was the humble Detroit guy ... Dennis Rodman, who hit 10 out of 10 in a meeting with Philadelphia exactly 20 years and 10 days before.

MOMENTS OF THE WEEK

And here is the second hero from Nets, a regular in the Vince Carter column. So you need to translate matches in overtime!



Vincenity would be the sole leader in the nomination if Rashid Wallace had not distinguished himself on Tuesday night. “Denver” won at “Detroit” 3 points in 1.5 seconds before the siren and the ball brought out because of the side. How can one lose in such circumstances? Yes, that's how!



We add that Chid evened the score with a “three-ruble note” (this time quite standard) in an additional five-minute period, and then implemented key penalties.

WAITING FOR THE WEEK

In the current state of affairs, “Detroit” and “Chicago” are doomed to collide in the second round of the playoffs (unless, of course, everything goes well in the first). To prevent this from happening, “Bulls” must be added and ousted “Cavaliers” from the second line in the conference and division. On Wednesday, the “pistons” and “bulls” will meet in Chicago - will this be a rehearsal for the finals or semifinals of the East? And on Saturday, the continuation of the topic - the Chicagoans will take Cleveland.

On Wednesday, the brightest match will be held in Auckland - Golden State - Phoenix. And the next day we are waiting for the continuation of fun - “Sons” will meet with “Denver”. And on Monday, the NBA will pause to survive the final of the “March madness" - do not miss!

Follow New York. In his composition, the young center Randolph Morris can debut. We hope he will give an occasion to explain why this event is special ...

Yes ... where are you, Scotty?

Nikolai TSYNKEVICH