This week there were some downright historic offensive displays, a perennial contender struggled and two potential Hall of Famers were welcomed back to the site of their greatest triumphs.
Let’s take a look at the week that was in the NBA.
Kevin Durant Making Case For MVP
Kevin Durant is streaking. Coming off a week in which he scored a season and career-high 54 points on Tuesday, the Durantula dropped 46 on Portland as the Thunder protected their homecourt, defeating the Blazers, 105-97.
Durant was not done. After sitting out OKC’s Friday win over the Celtics in Boston, KD returned to action Saturday against the lowly Sixers. Durant put together a triple-double amassing 32 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds. It was his second triple-double of the season and his 10th game in a row scoring more than 30 points.
Durant’s leadership of his young Thunder team and his ability to keep the team near the top of the Western Conference standings has to make him the leader for MVP honors so far this season.
Terrence Ross Drops 51 on the Clippers
Perhaps the most unlikely name in the discussion of this week's top performers is Terrence Ross, who put in 51 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in a Toronto Raptors loss on Saturday.
Ross was a combined 5-20 in the Raptors' previous three games for a grand total of 14 points in those three contests. On Saturday, he shot 10-17 from beyond the arc.
Ross is a second-year player out of the University of Washington who has had flashes of hot shooting both last season and in this campaign. His career-high was set on Jan. 2 of last year when he scored 26.
Ross had been averaging 9.3 points per contest prior to Saturday. His 51 ties him with Vince Carter for the most points in a game for the Raptors, who just recently celebrated his 37th birthday this week.
Though the fans in Toronto surely would have liked the performance to have not been in vain, despite the loss, it might be a sign of good things to come both for Ross and the franchise.
Carmelo Anthony Erupts For 62
Friday night Carmelo Anthony made history at Madison Square Garden. Melo scored 62 points on 23-35 shooting to lead the Knicks to a 125-96 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.
With 62, Melo is now owner of the highest scoring game in the NBA this season, but that is just the tip of the historic iceberg. The point-total is his career-high.
Melo passed the mark for most points ever scored in a single game at The Garden set by Kobe Bryant with 61 back in 2009. Melo also replaces the great Bernard King as the title holder for the most points ever scored by a New York Knickerbocker. King’s record was 60.
Not to be lost is the fact that the win snapped a five-game skid by the Knicks. If they have aspirations beyond a first-round playoff date with either the Indiana Pacers or Miami Heat, the Knicks hope that Carmelo’s performance might spark a push ahead of the All-Star break.
Chandler Parsons Sets 3-Point Record
Houston Rockets swingman Chandler Parsons launched himself into the record books with a ridiculous performance from beyond the arc in the Rockets' loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
Parsons made 10 straight attempts from 3-point land in the second half after going 1-3 from distance in the first half. His 10 straight made threes is the new NBA record for 3pt field goals in a half.
Parsons also set franchise marks for most made 3s in a game, the most consecutive made 3s and the most 3-point field goals in a single quarter with the six he drained in the third quarter. The previous franchise mark for consecutive made 3s was held by Kenny Smith, but he set his mark over the span of 15 days.
Though Parsons’ performance was unable to result in a win, the Rockets are going to continue to need solid 3-point shooting if they hope to contend for a Western Conference title this season.
Spurs Battling With Injuries
The Spurs have been chugging along at their normal, championship contending pace this year. Somehow, the team that always gets described as being boring and plodding is seemingly having it’s most boring and plodding year. Like clockwork, the Spurs are holding on to the No. 2 seed in the West.
Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have battled a few injuries, but neither has missed large stretches of time. Instead, head coach Gregg Popovich is conserving their minutes to keep them healthy for the second half of the season. No, none of this is abnormal for the Spurs.
The old guys, including Tim Duncan, are keeping up their end of the bargain. Surprisingly, it’s the young contributors who haven’t been able to stay healthy.
With Danny Green and Tiaggo Splitter already sidelined with injuries, this week Kawhi Leonard fell victim to the injury bug fracturing the fourth metacarpal in his right hand on Wednesday as the Spurs fell to the Thunder in San Antonio.
By all accounts, it is something of a freak injury though it can’t be that freak considering Danny Green sustained the same injury almost a month ago. The good news is that the Spurs expect Green to return to action in the next week or two.
With their top wing defender out, the Spurs will struggle to contain James Harden, Rudy Gay and Bradley Beal over the next 10 days.
In a hotly contested Western Conference race, the Spurs can ill afford to lose Leonard for too long. Especially not with the Blazers and Clippers nipping at their heels
Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett Return to Boston
Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett made their return to Boston for their first game since being traded last July.
Though the Nets won almost despite Pierce and Garnett's struggles (combined 12 points on 5-16 shooting), the reception the duo received from the Boston crowd was emotional.
The crowd showed their appreciation for the two through a video tribute and an extended standing ovation.
T-Wolves Top Warriors
The Timberwolves finally won a game decided by four points or less when they beat the Warriors 121-120. The T-Wolves had lost their previous 11 games decided by four or less and were set to lose their 12th until Kevin Martin hit a jumper with 8.4 seconds left.
The T-Wolves double-teamed Stephen Curry off the inbound forcing Curry to yield the final shot to Harrison Barnes who missed from just inside the arc and got the proverbial monkey off the T-Wolves’ backs.
Rockets Beat Blazers, Score 71 In First Half
After following up their 73-point first half with a 19-point second half in a loss to the Thunder two weeks ago, the Rockets scored 71 in the first half and were able to fend off the Portland Trail Blazers, 126-113, and avoid the embarrassment of blowing yet another great half of basketball.
