Sunday Beat is a weekly post featuring the most remarkable performances of the week, z-points-wise.

GOLDEN STATE @ TORONTO 113-112

Stephen Curry (GSW)
29 pts, 0.33 2PT%, 0.45 3PT%, 0.67 FT%
38 z-pts (0.94), 0.47 z2PT%, 0.43 z3PT%, 0.84 zFT%

Curry scored 12 of his 29 points in the 4th quarter. He missed two key free throws with 11 seconds remaining, but made up for it by hitting his next two with the Warriors up by one and 3 seconds left.

CHARLOTTE @ NEW ORLEANS 104-103

D.J. Augustin (CHA)
14 pts, 0.50 2PT%, 0.80 3PT%
40 z-pts (1.04), 0.23 z2PT%, 0.87 z3PT%

D.J. hit a huge 3 for a two-point lead with 15 seconds remaining, the last of his three 3-pointers in the 4th quarter.

INDIANA @ CLEVELAND 116-113

Danny Granger (IND)
36 pts, 0.66 2PT%, 0.44 3PT%, 0.82 FT%
53 z-pts (1.64), 0.65 z2PT%, 0.47 z3PT%, 0.91 zFT%

Granger scored 13 of his 36 points in the 4th quarter (9 of them in the last 1:22 of the game) to help the Pacers beat a LeBron-less Cavaliers team.

NBA Photos

Sunday Beat is a weekly post featuring the most remarkable performances of the week, z-points-wise.

BOSTON @ L.A. CLIPPERS 90-92

Baron Davis (LAC)
24 pts, 0.75 2PT%, 0.33 3PT%, 100% FT%
40 z-pts (1.22), 0.90 z2PT%, 0.47 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

The Clippers beat the Celtics, courtesy of Mr. Baron Davis buzzer-beater. “I’ve been in that situation before. Every time I get in that situation, I feel like I can make that shot. You’ve just got to prepare your mind for it when you go out there to take that shot”, Davis said.

Rasual Butler (LAC)
8 pts, 0.25 2PT%, 0.67 3PT%
16 z-pts (0.48), 0.17 z2PT%, 0.80 z3PT%

It was only because of Butler’s game-tying three-pointer that Davis would have the opportunity to win the game in the last possession. Note how his z3PT% is higher than his true 3PT%.

WASHINGTON @ MEMPHIS 111-116

Zach Randolph (MEM)
23 pts, 0.41 2PT%, 100% FT%
32 z-pts (1.08), 0.49 z2PT%, 100% zFT%

Randolph sank a couple of free throws to tie the game in regulation, then scored 6 points in overtime to help the Grizzlies overcome the Wizards.

Caron Butler (WAS)
24 pts, 0.50 2PT%, 0.50 3PT%, 0.83 FT%
36 z-pts (1.20), 0.47 z2PT%, 0.52 z3PT%, 0.96 zFT%

Butler made two clutch free throws with 9 seconds left in the 4th quarter to give the Wizards a two-point lead.

ATLANTA @ CLEVELAND 101-106

Anderson Varejao (CLE)
14 pts, 0.71 2PT%, 100% 3PT%, 0.33 FT%
34 z-pts (0.94), 0.77 z2PT%, 100% z3PT%, 0.25 zFT%

Varejao’s first career 3-pointer couldn’t have come at a better time. With the game tied at 101 and 17 seconds left, the Brazilian made the trey to deliver a W for LeBron James on the superstar’s birthday. The Kings had the opportunity to tie the game on a Mike Bibby’s 3, but the PG missed the shot (see how his z3PT% drops as a result).

CHARLOTTE @ TORONTO 103-107

Chris Bosh (TOR)
33 pts, 0.55 2PT%, 100% FT%
37 z-pts (1.03), 0.59 z2PT%, 100% zFT%

Bosh scored 12 points in the 4th quarter on 3-of-7 shooting and was perfect from the line, making all of his six free throws. He scored four points in the last 1:23 that were key to the Rap’s win.

Andrea Bargnani (TOR)
28 pts, 0.64 2PT%, 0.33 3PT%, 100% FT%
34 z-pts (0.96), 0.62 z2PT%, 0.52 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

Bargnani made a big trey with 10 seconds left to put the Raptors four points up in the scoreboard.

MIAMI @ NEW ORLEANS 91-95

David West (NOR)
21 pts, 0.47 2PT%, 0.83 FT%
31 z-pts (0.86), 0.57 z2PT%, 0.94 zFT%

David West was key in this game, putting up 10 points in the last quarter. He scored six in the last minute, including four clutch free throws.

DALLAS @ HOUSTON 94-97

Carl Landry (HOU)
15 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 100% FT%
21 z-pts (0.53), 0.54 z2PT%, 100% zFT%

Landry is one of the best players in this surprisingly effective Rockets squad. This time he had nine 4th-quarter points on 4-of-5 shooting.

UTAH @ OKLAHOMA CITY 86-87

Nick Collison (OKL)
11 pts, 0.80 2PT%, 0.50 FT%
31 z-pts (1.02), 0.90 z2PT%, 0.83 zFT%

The Thunder forward scored the go-ahead basket with 1:05 to go, then hit two clutch free throws with 4.5 seconds left to hand the victory to his team. “We’re finding a way to win games,” Collison said. “We’ve been talented for a long time and now we’re finding a way to win even when we don’t play well.”

Deron Williams (UTA)
14 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%, 100% FT%
27 z-pts (0.88), 0.55 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

Good game down the stretch from Williams, who scored 10 of his 14 points in the last 5 minutes, including an And-1 with 58 seconds left to give Utah the lead. “We played good enough defense the whole game to win the basketball game. Just offensively, we didn’t have everybody going”, he said. Ronnie Price had a chance to win the game for the Jazz but missed his jumper as the clock expired (see how his already terrible 2PT% gets even worse in terms of z2PT%).

NEW YORK @ ATLANTA 112-108

Nate Robinson (NYK)
41 pts, 0.79 2PT%, 0.60 3PT%, 0.40 FT%
67 z-pts (1.99), 0.79 z2PT%, 0.58 z3PT%, 0.37 zFT%

Amazing performance from the Knicks point guard after 14 games without seeing any playing time. Robinson scored 14 points in the 4th quarter and added 11 more in overtime, making 18 out of 24 shots in the game. What a comeback.

Marvin Williams (ATL)
11 pts, 0.57 2PT%, 0.50 3PT%
10 z-pts (0.30), 0.65 z2PT%, 0.08 z3PT%

Williams had the opportunity to win the game in the last possession of regulation but his three-point shot was off. See how his z3PT% is much lower than his real 3PT%.

SACRAMENTO @ L.A. LAKERS 108-109

Kobe Bryant (LAL)
39 pts, 0.40 2PT%, 0.71 3PT%, 0.73 FT%
53 z-pts (1.64), 0.50 z2PT%, 0.77 z3PT%, 0.56 zFT%

“These players — I don’t know how they get themselves into those positions, but they do an unbelievable job of hitting shots that are remarkable shots, marvelous shots. He’s right there with Michael in that kind of breath you look at.” That’s Phil Jackson praising Kobe, after (once again) Bryant hit the game-winner at the buzzer. Unreal. Kobe went 4-of-6 in the 4th for 11 points in the last period, capped by his amazing buzzer-beater. Pau Gasol gets credit for the assist in the clutch play (4 assists vs. 12.15 z-assists).

CHARLOTTE @ MIAMI 107-97

Stephen Jackson (CHA)
35 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.57 3PT%, 100% FT%
41 z-pts (1.06), 0.55 z2PT%, 0.65 z3PT%, 100% zFT%

Jackson had 13 points in the 4th quarter, going 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. The Bobcats shot extremely well in the last quarter and overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Heat.

D.J. Augustin (CHA)
13 pts, 0.67 2PT%, 0.75 3PT%
20 z-pts (0.53), 0.80 z2PT%, 0.86 z3PT%

Augustin was the perfect backup for Jackson, scoring 11 points in the 4th quarter, including four 3s on perfect shooting.

HOUSTON @ NEW ORLEANS 95-99

Chris Paul (NOR)
28 pts, 0.42 2PT%, 0.50 3PT%, 0.90 FT%
41 z-pts (1.11), 0.54 z2PT%, 0.45 z3PT%, 0.94 zFT%

Paul scored 10 in the 4th, including 5 points in the last 1:21, to help the Hornets come back from a seven-point deficit in the last minutes of the game.

OKLAHOMA CITY @ MILWAUKEE 97-103

Luke Ridnour (MIL)
12 pts, 0.60 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%
23 z-pts (0.74), 0.74 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%

With 1:59 left in overtime, Scott Skiles put Ridnour in the game and the decision paid off. The Bucks PG made two key baskets to help Milwaukee win this game.

Russell Westbrook (OKL)
17 pts, 0.40 2PT%, 0.00 3PT%, 0.62 FT%
28 z-pts (0.91), 0.47 z2PT%, 0.00 z3PT%, 0.59 zFT%

Westbrook led the charge for the Thunder in the OT, scoring 7 points that at the end wouldn’t be enough to beat Milwaukee.

NBA Photos

Sunday Beat is a weekly post featuring the most remarkable performances of the week, z-point-wise.

PHOENIX @ L.A. CLIPPERS 109-107

Steve Nash (PHO)
24 pts, 0.67 2PT%, 0.33 3PT%, 0.83 FT%
47 z-pts (1.57), 0.86 z2PT%, 0.65 z3PT%, 0.88 zFT%

With 5 seconds left in the game, Steve Nash made a layup that gave the Suns the win. All in, he scored 15 of his 24 points in the 4th quarter, including a 3 to tie the game with 1:40 left on the clock. Simply amazing.

Leandro Barbosa (PHO)
17 pts, 0.3 2PT%, 0.5 3PT%
24 z-pts (0.80), 0.3 z2PT%, 0.74 z3PT%

Barbosa hit a huge 3 to give Phoenix a 107-104 lead with 23 seconds left. Note also how Channing Frye is credited for assisting Barbosa on this play (2 assists in the game but 7.9 z-assists).

Rasual Butler (LAC)
19 pts, 0.67 2PT%, 0.75 3PT%, 0.67 FT%
22 z-pts (0.74), 0.67 z2PT%, 0.84 z3PT%, 0.64 zFT%

Butler responded to Barbosa’s 3 with his own, to tie the game at 107 with 11 seconds left in the game. Notice how his z3PT% is higher than his true 3PT%, crediting Butler for this play.

Marcus Camby (LAC)
23 pts, 0.71 2PT%
15 z-pts (0.77), 0.59 z2PT%

Camby missed a couple of critical shots down the stretch and that’s why his z2PT% goes down (showing that, despite shooting 71% from 2PT range, he missed in the clutch). Also of note how he scored roughly the same points as Chris Kaman (Kaman had 22 for Camby’s 23), however Kaman got 23 z-points vs Camby’s 15, as the former made some buckets at the end of the game.

DENVER @ PORTLAND 97-94

Carmelo Anthony (DEN)
41 pts, 0.53 2PT%, 0.5 3PT%, 0.9 FT%
52 z-pts (1.65), 0.51 z2PT%, 0.41 z3PT%, 0.94 zFT%

Monster game by Carmelo Anthony, who lighted up the Blazers with 41 pts (19 in the 4th quarter, hence the 52 z-points) and killed them from the FT line all night long (18 out of 20).

Greg Oden (POR)
6 pts, 0.4 2PT%, 0.5 FT%
3 z-pts (0.11), 0.41 z2PT%, 0.07 zFT%

Greg Oden missed two free throws with 4 seconds left that would have put the Blazers ahead. Note how his zFT% shows that.

NEW YORK @ CHARLOTTE 100-102

Raymond Felton (CHA)
22 pts, 0.5 2PT%, 0.86 FT%
36 z-pts (1.32), 0.66 z2PT%, 0.95 zFT%

Felton sent the game to the second overtime with a layup and scored consistently at the end of the game.

D.J. Augustin (CHA)
15 pts, 0.67 2PT%, 0.33 3PT%, 0.67 FT%
29 z-pts (1.08), 0.48 z2PT%, 0.53 z3PT%, 0.73 zFT%

D.J. missed a couple of FTs with the Bobcats up by two and 18 seconds left in the game. He would redeem himself later by hitting his FTs with just 2 seconds on the clock and the game tied at 100, giving Charlotte their first win of the season.

SACRAMENTO @ NEW ORLEANS 92-97

Chris Paul (NOR)
31 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.93 FT%
44z-pts (1.32), 0.54 z2PT%, 0.97 zFT%

Chris Paul was lethal on the 4th, as he scored 13 of his 31 points in this period (7 of 7 at the line).

DETROIT @ MILWAUKEE 85-96

Brandon Jennings (MIL)
24 pts, 0.54 2PT%, 0.75 3PT%, 0.75 FT%
30 z-pts (0.65), 0.62 z2PT%, 0.66 z3PT%, 0.75 zFT%

Great performance by the rookie in his first official game in Milwaukee. Jennings scored 9 points in a 2-minute span at the end of the 3rd, spurring a rally that the Bucks would never relinquish.