“This is my (stuff)!”
Such was Kemba Walker’s exultation to a euphoric home crowd after finishing off the Celtics on Monday, with his ridiculous, step-back 3-pointer giving the Hornets an insurmountable lead in the final minute en route to a 117-112 victory.
Cardiac Kemba.
103 points in his last two games. pic.twitter.com/PeX33W4RfQ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 20, 2018
The coup de grace gave Walker 21 points in the fourth quarter and 43 overall, a historic encore following his career-high 60 points against the Sixers on Saturday. With the outburst, Walker joined five others — all Hall of Famers — to score at least 40 immediately after going for 60-plus.
Kemba Walker is just the sixth player in NBA history to follow up a 60-point game with a 40-point game. The others are Wilt Chamberlain, Pete Maravich, Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady, and Kobe Bryant.
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) November 20, 2018
It’s rare air for a player who was viewed not so long ago as, if not a bust, then a definite disappointment after his selection ahead of the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson at No. 9 in the 2011 draft.
Walker now sits atop the league scoring list, just ahead of Warriors star Stephen Curry at 29.6 points per game, the most gaudy portion in what is shaping up to be by far the best season of his career. A third straight All-Star nod seems like a mortal lock, as is a massive free-agent contract this summer.
If the Hornets can improve on their mediocre 8-8 record, the former UConn star might even find himself as a fringe candidate for Kia MVP. Hold the vote now, and Celtics coach Brad Stevens just might give it to him.
“You can’t go under screens, you can’t give him free throws, you can’t waste bonus fouls,” said Stevens, whose team was powerless to slow Walker despite entering with the league’s top-ranked defense.
“You can’t lose him in pick and rolls. You name it, everything has to be good. He’s using so many of their possessions and he’s doing it at such an efficient rate.”
Discontent in D.C.
It’s been a trying season for the Wizards. A playoff team in four of the past five seasons, with three of those appearances resulting in rare series victories, they’re currently languishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings at 5-11.
It got even worse on Monday, as hints of dysfunction and frustration throughout their poor start boiled over with multiple reports of a recent practice in which franchise cornerstone John Wall allegedly cursed at head coach Scott Brooks for intervening in his dispute with teammate Jeff Green.
ESPN reported that Wall was fined despite apologizing to Brooks shortly after the incident. The Washington Post additionally reported that Bradley Beal and Austin Rivers also got into it at the same workout, with Beal taking a pointed shot at long-time general manager Ernie Grunfeld in the process.
Later, Beal, still fired up, went off about the current culture within the organization. According to people who heard Beal’s tirade, Beal yelled something to the effect of, “I’m sick of this (expletive).” Beal also gestured toward Grunfeld, who was sitting on the far baseline, and said he has been dealing with it for seven years and that, “It starts at the top.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, the Wizards followed that Thursday practice with double-digit home losses to the Nets and Blazers, with Brooks describing the latter as “embarrassing.”
“We got to just play with more enthusiasm, more effort, more energy,” he said.
More everything, pretty much, or yet another ESPN report that the Wizards are open to trading pretty much anyone on the roster could come to fruition.
Embiid’s revenge
Taking a cue from their trash-talking center, the Sixers took a friendly (we think) shot at Suns rookie Deandre Ayton following their 119-114 victory.
The details: Ayton drew a picture of himself dunking on the aforementioned trash-talker, Sixers All-Star Joel Embiid, during Panini’s rookie photo shoot. Ayton promptly threw one down over Embiid in the opening minutes, presenting the Suns’ social media team with an opportunity it couldn’t resist.
pic.twitter.com/4wnnL3DWYt
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 20, 2018
But as the old saying goes, discretion is the better part of valor. Embiid ended up dominating the matchup, roughly doubling up Ayton in points (33-17) and rebounds (17-9), which the Sixers were only too happy to celebrate.
SIXERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/RidR9dNxil
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 20, 2018
Shaqtin’ nominee
As great as Embiid was against the Suns, he still had at least one moment to forget. Not that teammate Ben Simmons was going to let him.
OH NO, JOEL!
Also, Ben Simmons' reaction… #Shaqtin pic.twitter.com/hZCTigKA9F
— Shaqtin' a Fool (@shaqtin) November 20, 2018
Where’s the D?
If there’s been one constant during Gregg Popovich’s tenure in San Antonio, it’s stifling defense.
That certainly wasn’t the case in New Orleans, however, as the Pelicans shredded them for a staggering 140 points — the most they’ve have ever allowed in 1,754 games under Popovich.
The Pelicans shot 57.8 percent with 34 assists as four different players scored 21 or more. One of those players, Julius Randle, became the fourth player to record a triple-double in 25 minutes or less.
At least Pop had a sense of humor about it: “We held them to 140. What do you mean they’re hard to guard?”
Rookie feat
Hawks rookie Trae Young has had his struggles, entering Monday’s action shooting just 24.2 percent on 3s while averaging 3.9 turnovers per game.
That hasn’t stopped him from putting up some monster individual performances so far. Despite another rough shooting night, Young joined some rare — and elite — company with 25 points and 17 assists against the Clippers.
Trae Young is the first rookie with at least 25 points and 15 assists in a game since Allen Iverson on April 18, 1997 against the Celtics. The only other rookie to do it in the last 25 years was Jason Kidd. Iverson and Kidd each won Rookie of the Year. pic.twitter.com/ejtWMrB3IM
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 20, 2018
Wait for it
This quick clip of Kyrie Irving working on his handle might not look especially impressive at first.
Then the camera pans back …
Kyrie's coordination is crazy
(Via ajones/IG) pic.twitter.com/Uk82hh1mq2
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 19, 2018
