Sunday Beat is a weekly post featuring the most remarkable performances of the week, z-point-wise.
PHOENIX @ PHILADELPHIA 119-115
Jared Dudley (PHO)
18 pts, 100% 2PT%, 0.8 3PT%, 0.5 FT%
26 z-pts (0.65), 100% z2PT%, 0.87 z3PT%, 0.5 zFT%
Great game by Dudley, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the 4th quarter, including three 3s (two of them in a 30-second span).
Toney Douglas (NYK)
21 pts, 0.86 2PT%, 0.43 3PT%
27 z-pts (0.62), 0.6 z2PT%, 0.37 z3PT%
The rookie from Florida State was just a jumper away from being the Knicks hero against the Jazz. He scored back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 93, but missed a shot with 2 seconds on the clock that would have sent the game to overtime.
Carmelo Anthony (DEN)
20 pts, 0.35 2PT%, 0.5 3PT%, 100% FT%
26 z-pts (0.86), 0.46 z2PT%, 0.48 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
Melo was far from great against the Bulls, going 3 of 9 in the 4th, along with two offensive fouls, two turnovers and two of his shots blocked in consecutive plays by Luol Deng. But he still managed to score 6 points in the 4th quarter, including the bucket that put the Nuggets ahead with 13 seconds left in the game.
Chauncey Billups (DEN)
17 pts, 0.56 2PT%, 0.0 3PT%, 0.87 FT%
25 z-pts (0.83), 0.56 z2PT%, 0.0 z3PT%, 0.71 zFT%
Chauncey Billups hit one of his two free throws with the game tied at 89 and less than 1 second left in the game to give the Nuggets the W. Note how most of his z-points (0.58 out of 0.83) come from FTs, indicating that he was clutch from the free throw line.
Derrick Rose (CHI)
22 pts, 0.59 2PT%, 0.0 3PT%, 100% FT%
33 z-pts (1.09), 0.63 z2PT%, 0.0 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
Rose stepped up for the Bulls in the 4th quarter, scoring 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. He tied the game at 87 with a jumper and then again at 89 with a couple of clutch free throws with 10 seconds remaining.
Luol Deng (CHI)
21 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 100% 3PT%, 0.67 FT%
15 z-pts (0.50), 0.51 z2PT%, 100% z3PT%, 0.57 zFT%
Despite scoring nearly as many points as Derrick Rose, Deng was a non-factor in crunch time. He scored his only 4 points in the 4th at the beginning of the quarter and was invisible offensively down the stretch. That’s why he’s got fewer z-points than Rose (15 vs. 33).
OKLAHOMA CITY @ SACRAMENTO 98-101
Tyreke Evans (SAC)
20 pts, 0.36 2PT%, 100% FT%
29 z-pts (0.78), 0.33 z2PT%, 100% zFT%
The rookie showed nerves of steel as he sank a couple of free throws with 3 seconds remaining, sealing the game for the Kings.
Brandon Jennings (MIL)
32 pts, 0.53 2PT%, 100% 3PT%, 100% FT%
44 z-pts (1.12), 0.54 z2PT%, 100% z3PT%, 100% zFT%
Another rookie that doesn’t cease to amaze. Second consecutive appearance by Mr. Brandon Jennings on our weekly Sunday Beat, this time courtesy of a 4th quarter performance that included 14 points and a couple of three-pointers that helped the Bucks pull away late in the game. I bet some GMs must be pulling their hair now, but who could possibly know back in June that the kid would be so darn good?
Shane Battier (HOU)
23 pts, 0.8 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%, 100% FT%
30 z-pts (0.72), 0.72 z2PT%, 0.71 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
11 points from Battier helped the Rockets stay in the game in the 4th quarter, but in the end that wouldn’t be enough to beat the Kings.
Ben Gordon (DET)
29 pts, 0.38 2PT%, 0.62 3PT%, 0.8 FT%
49 z-pts (1.41), 0.65 z2PT%, 0.48 z3PT%, 0.85 zFT%
Gordon scored eight of the Piston’s final 10 points, showing once again his ability to perform in the clutch and getting credit for it with 49 z-pts (1.41).
LeBron James (CLE)
21 pts, 0.35 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%, 0.75 FT%
40 z-pts (1.19), 0.58 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%, 0.75 zFT%
LeBron scored the Cavs final eight points over the last 52 seconds, including a three-point play that put Cleveland two points up with 28 secs to go.
GOLDEN STATE @ MILWAUKEE 125-129
Brandon Jennings (MIL)
55 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.87 3PT%, 0.75 FT%
62 z-pts (1.79), 0.58 z2PT%, 0.91 z3PT%, 0.86 zFT%
After going scoreless in the first period, Brandon Jennings scored 55 points to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s franchise rookie record. Brandon scored 29 points in the third quarter and 16 in the fourth, putting up an unbelievable performance that is already one of the best ever by a rookie.
Corey Maggette (GSW)
25 pts, 0.62 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%, 100% FT%
37 z-pts (1.06), 0.67 z2PT%, 0.56 z3PT%, 100% zFT%
Great game by Maggette, who scored 21 of his 25 points in the 4th. All in all, he went 6-of-9 in that period -including a couple of 3’s- and was perfect from the line (7 of 7).
Dwyane Wade (MIA)
22 pts, 0.58 2PT%, 0.2 3PT%, 0.72 FT%
27 z-pts (1.09), 0.5 z2PT%, 0.69 z3PT%, 0.7 zFT%
Wade was pretty bad from behind the arc, going 1 of 5, but the one he hit was super-clutch, giving Miami the victory over the Nets. Note the difference between his real 3PT% and his z3PT%, as the latter accounts for clutchness.
Brook Lopez (NJN)
17 pts, 0.44 2PT%, 0.33 FT%
28 z-pts (1.10), 0.66 z2PT%, 0.33 zFT%
A tip shot by Lopez with 4 seconds remaining would have won the game for the Nets if it weren’t for Dwyane Wade’s last second shot on the next play.
NBA Photos
