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Hari Pertandingan 1 — vs Detroit Engine-Roar

86-131 (K)

Nikola Jokić times the leap perfectly, taps it back to the wing, and the first possession of the night belongs to us.

LeBron James reads it two passes early, steps into the gap and takes away the entire lane before anybody gets there.

Stephen Curry comes off the screen and the big man drops WAY back. AJ Dybantsa just fades to the arc for the cleanest look of the night. Down, up, and gone for AJ Dybantsa. The rim is just toying with him now.

More second chance points for Detroit Engine-Roar, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

A timeout is coming, it has to be, but Alex Caruso has already turned this into a personal shooting drill with an audience. From WAY downtown! Alex Caruso launched that one from the parking lot!

End of the second quarter. Nikola Jokić is breathing so loud you can hear it from here. Anecdote: Nikola Jokić lost a bet and had to wear the center's shoes during warm-ups. Size 16. And now, our halftime TV game show Family Feud But Nobody Is Related! To win a gently used trampoline with no springs and one very stern warning label, text HOOPS to 555-0231 and answer this question: 'How long does it take a hot dog to cool down in the upper deck in February?' Both teams return. You can tell the coach gave them an earful.

Cold blooded from Detroit Engine-Roar, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Bodies everywhere in the paint and it does not matter one bit to Alex Caruso, one spin and the ball never leaves the string. Twenty-four seconds of standing around, and Alex Caruso has to eat the last two of them. Possession wasted long before the shot went up.

Dagger from Detroit Engine-Roar. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

This is the counter: Stephen Curry punished a defense that kept going under, and now they have to rip up the game plan. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Two points in every gym in America except this one, and Nikola Jokić is walking back with both hands on his head.

Detroit Engine-Roar again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

OHHHH he went BACKDOOR! AJ Dybantsa never broke stride and he has the ball UNDER THE RIM! Rim out for AJ Dybantsa, the crowd came up and sat right back down, and you can hear the groan from every corner of the arena.

SKIP PASS! Alex Caruso fires it cross court to Stephen Curry and the defense is dead in the water! Watch AJ Dybantsa plant his feet, absorb the hit, and spring Stephen Curry out of that corner in a blink. Getting to his spot and elevating, Stephen Curry puts it on the back iron, up over the front, and out. Half a rotation from two points.

Turnover, layup, Detroit Engine-Roar straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

This is the stretch of the night where you just feed him and get out of the way. AJ Dybantsa has found that place where the rim looks the size of a hula hoop. Isolation on the wing, shot clock draining, and AJ Dybantsa rocks the defender to sleep before dropping it through.

Whistles. Monitor. And Nikola Jokić standing frozen at midcourt. OHHHH the cruelty! Two tenths, and Nikola Jokić gets absolutely nothing.

AJ Dybantsa stands alone at center court as the lights go dim. Alex Caruso comes back to get him. And here is the answer to our game show Family Feud But Nobody Is Related! Delbert Cranfill of Bitter Creek Junction, Wyoming, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How long does it take a hot dog to cool down in the upper deck in February?' The answer was of course eleven minutes, unless somebody nearby is breathing on it. Delbert therefore wins a gently used trampoline with no springs and one very stern warning label! Your favorite commentator survived. It's not much, but it's honest work. Thanks! And now, 'Neighbors from Hell: The Community Compost Bin Saga.' Episode 1 of 74.

Hari Pertandingan 2 — vs Miami Heart-Attack

107-111 (K)

BAAAANG! Stephen Curry sets the table and the pick-and-pop three goes down like somebody scripted it. Onions! Alex Caruso did that with a hand in his face.

Bad shot. Everybody in the gym knew it the second Stephen Curry loaded up.

Handoff, turn the corner, BUCKET! Stephen Curry did all the dirty work on that one. Heat check for Nikola Jokić and it is GOOD. He is COOKING, and this building knows exactly what it is watching.

Nikola Jokić slides on his knees down the free throw lane, arms wide, and ends up flat on his back watching his own replay on the video board. He points at himself on the screen. The officials have stopped pretending to have any control here.

The ball travels faster than five defenders can, and Alex Caruso has known that all night long. Screen, hesitation, delivery, AJ Dybantsa drops it off perfectly for Stephen Curry diving to the rim. Soft touch from Stephen Curry, the floater drops right over the big man. Cash.

Stephen Curry climbs two rows into the stands and gets swallowed by strangers. He comes back out with somebody's cap on backward and a smear of nacho cheese on his shoulder. Nikola Jokić refuses to touch him. This building has never been happier about anything.

Nobody cut, nobody screened, and Stephen Curry was still surveying the floor when the clock hit zero. That is a giveaway, plain and simple.

Break. Nikola Jokić's socks are soaking wet — quick change on the spot. Intel: Nikola Jokić asked Miami Heart-Attack for their energy drink recipe. They refused. And now, our halftime TV game show The Sticker Shock Hour! To win a hand-tooled leather wall hanging of an eagle crying, text HOOPS to 555-1305 and answer this question: 'What is the exact weight of a basketball that has been dribbled while sad?' Back on the hardwood. The tension has gone up a notch.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Miami Heart-Attack with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

LeBron James slides, closes out, recovers. The ball goes all the way around the perimeter and comes back with nothing. Fingertips! AJ Dybantsa gets just enough on it and the ball squirts loose.

Second pass beats the rotation, Stephen Curry to LeBron James, and the closeout gets there about half a second too late. Not a hand on him. LeBron James flat missed the bunny.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Miami Heart-Attack, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Here is the part that never makes the highlight package: Stephen Curry controlling tempo, burning clock, hunting the mismatch the second one shows up. Dribble alive, patient, patient, and then Alex Caruso slips it to Nikola Jokić right in the pocket. Surgical. BRICK! Nikola Jokić throws up a prayer and the iron sends it straight back out to half court!

Ohhh no. Corner three, Miami Heart-Attack in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

Nikola Jokić gets it on the reversal and now this defense is rotating, scrambling and losing ground, all because AJ Dybantsa saw it a beat early. Working him at the top of the key, low dribble, low dribble, then Nikola Jokić rips it across and his man lunges at a ghost. The big man never even contested it, and Nikola Jokić still could not get the runner to drop. That one is on him.

Chased down from behind and wrapped up before he can get into his dribble, all courtesy of LeBron James. Here comes the free throw parade.

AJ Dybantsa and LeBron James walk side by side without looking at each other. The silence is deafening. And here is the answer to our game show The Sticker Shock Hour! Roy Dean Hollifield of Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'What is the exact weight of a basketball that has been dribbled while sad?' The answer was of course four ounces heavier than normal, because sorrow has mass. Roy Dean therefore wins a hand-tooled leather wall hanging of an eagle crying! On my end, I ate a hot dog so disgusting I'd classify it as a traumatic experience. Good evening! Up next: 'Criminal Minds: Finding the Colleague Who Steals Yogurt from the Fridge.'

Hari Pertandingan 3 — vs Orlando Magic-Beans

107-85 (M)

No hero ball here: Alex Caruso takes what the defense gives and moves it along. LeBron James turns the corner off the screen from Nikola Jokić, the help never rotates, and the lane is WIDE open! Rising into two defenders, Nikola Jokić launches a jumper that finds nothing but backboard and bad decisions.

Worst possession of the night for the other team, and Alex Caruso just turned it into three points at the stripe. Free of charge. FOUR on Alex Caruso! Grab a towel, that is the bench for a while.

Watch the spacing there, Stephen Curry hits AJ Dybantsa right in the shooting pocket and the possession stays alive. Nobody is getting a hand near that. AJ Dybantsa has all the room in the world. BANG is what AJ Dybantsa was hearing in his head. Clang is what this building actually got.

Pass, cut, catch, wide open. Four things in about a second and a half from Stephen Curry. Buzzer on the shot clock, Stephen Curry heaves it off one leg, and the ball comes up short of everything.

Stephen Curry crosses, crosses back, the defender slides half a step the wrong way and the whole arena lets out the same OHHHH. Stephen Curry takes two dribbles past halfcourt, rises from thirty five feet, and the net barely moves. Filthy.

Backing all the way to half court with three fingers held over each eye, Stephen Curry keeps the goggles on for the entire trip. The bench mob copies it in unison. The broadcast cuts to twelve grown men wearing invisible glasses. Peak television, honestly.

Break. Nikola Jokić's socks are soaking wet — quick change on the spot. Did you know? Nikola Jokić launched a basketball podcast. Two episodes. Zero listeners. Still going. And now, our halftime TV game show To Tell the Truth-ish! To win a wall clock shaped like a rooster that crows at random, text HOOPS to 555-0330 and answer this question: 'What is the scientific name for the smell of a middle school gymnasium?' We're back! The DJ cranks the volume, the players charge onto the court.

Bucket for Orlando Magic-Beans. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Ball into AJ Dybantsa at the elbow, Alex Caruso plants his foot and goes backdoor, and the pass meets him in the air. Filthy. Alex Caruso gets to his spot in the lane, lifts the runner over the big man, and leaves it a foot short. No dice.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Orlando Magic-Beans with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Across half court, a quick survey, a point to the weak side, and Stephen Curry drops it off to AJ Dybantsa on time and on target. Not an inch to spare on the endline, but AJ Dybantsa keeps both feet in bounds and the help gets there a beat too late. AJ Dybantsa probes to the right, pulls the string, and rises over a helpless closeout from twenty six feet. Splash.

AJ Dybantsa attacks the baseline and the ENTIRE defense has to rotate behind him! They do not teach that footwork anymore, and yet here is AJ Dybantsa running a full masterclass on the low block.

From WAY downtown off the pop! Stephen Curry with the extra pass and CASH. OHHHHH FROM THE LOGO! AJ Dybantsa pulls up from another area code and it is PURE!

Slow walk, no expression. AJ Dybantsa backpedals past the Orlando Magic-Beans huddle close enough to hear what is being said and never turns his head. The crowd noise is a physical object at this point. One of their assistants stands up, and nothing comes of it.

Stephen Curry takes it out beyond the arc and just stands there, dribbling, watching the clock melt.

Stephen Curry performs an absolutely ridiculous victory dance. Alex Caruso imitates it. It's worse. And here is the answer to our game To Tell the Truth-ish! Merle Hackenbush of Muddy Boot, Illinois, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'What is the scientific name for the smell of a middle school gymnasium?' The answer was of course nostalgia, with strong notes of floor wax. Merle takes home a wall clock shaped like a rooster that crows at random! During the break, I tried to juggle three balls. My cameraman filmed everything. It'll come out someday. See you soon. And now: '911: My Cat Climbed on Top of the Wardrobe.'

Hari Pertandingan 4 — vs Philadelphia Injury-Report

105-109 (K)

Small thing, a jump ball, but Nikola Jokić winning that tip means we set the tone. Coaches script that first play for a reason.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and Alex Caruso just did it by hitting AJ Dybantsa on the back side with acres of room. That is vision. AJ Dybantsa sees the pocket open for a tenth of a second and puts the ball in it. Soft off the fingertips, the ball takes a full lap of the rim on Stephen Curry, and spits straight back out. That is theft.

Dagger from Philadelphia Injury-Report. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Ball up the floor, change of speed right at the logo, and Stephen Curry already has the defense a full step behind. Down screen, and LeBron James curls hard into the middle of the floor with a full step of daylight. Easy read. AROUND the cylinder and OUT! LeBron James cannot believe it, and neither can this building.

Hesitate, GO. Stephen Curry is by that hip before the man even blinks. DOUBLE DRIBBLE! Stephen Curry picked it up, put it back down, and the whistle went off like a smoke alarm.

That's a wrap for now. Stephen Curry dives into the tunnel. Anecdote: Stephen Curry once shot at the wrong basket during warm-ups. Nobody has forgotten. And now, our halftime TV game show Whammy Watch Live! To win a barrel of packing peanuts and absolutely nothing else, text HOOPS to 555-1073 and answer this question: 'How tall is the shortest player who ever dunked in a dream?' Tipoff! The ball bounces, the arena vibrates, we're back.

Over the top of everybody. AJ Dybantsa to LeBron James in the corner, wide open, catch and rise. Everybody in the arena knew the stepback was coming from LeBron James, and not one single soul could do anything about it. Two defenders in the lane, LeBron James splits them, double clutches and kisses it off the square. Count it!

LeBron James throws both arms up and holds them there, letting the arena pull the sound out of him. Twenty thousand people on their feet at once. Alex Caruso grabs his shoulders from behind and shakes him like a snow globe. The floor is genuinely vibrating.

Bucket for Philadelphia Injury-Report. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Stephen Curry walks it up, two fingers in the air, and the whole offense shifts on his command. Screen, roll, DELIVERY from LeBron James! Nothing but runway to the rim! The extra pass! Nikola Jokić had the look, gave it up anyway, and AJ Dybantsa buries it. BANG! Deep. Deeper. GONE. AJ Dybantsa drops it in from a spot the scouting report never even listed.

Slow walk, no expression. AJ Dybantsa backpedals past the Philadelphia Injury-Report huddle close enough to hear what is being said and never turns his head. The crowd noise is a physical object at this point. One of their assistants stands up, and nothing comes of it.

Give and go! AJ Dybantsa gives it up, cuts, and gets it right back with a clear lane to the cup! AJ Dybantsa attacks the baseline, the big man steps up to meet him, and it does not matter one bit. FILTHY.

AJ Dybantsa launches it weak side, one pass, and the whole shell has to sprint. Good luck with that. One hard step and LeBron James owns that whole side of the floor, which means the low man has to make a decision he does not want. Wide open at the top of the key and LeBron James cannot make it count, the defense secures the board and takes off in transition.

Philadelphia Injury-Report again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

Peacemaker duty for Nikola Jokić, hands on his coach, steering him back toward the huddle before this gets more expensive.

This is the entire night compressed into eight seconds, and the ball never leaves the hands of Nikola Jokić. Exactly the way he wanted it. You will not draw up a better look. Nikola Jokić got his switch, got his feet set, got it clean off. The basketball gods said no.

Stephen Curry's eyes are red, jaw tight. Alex Caruso apologizes to the coach, voice cracking. And here is the answer to our game show Whammy Watch Live! Doris Ann Pickerel of Skunk Cabbage, Connecticut, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How tall is the shortest player who ever dunked in a dream?' The answer was of course five foot two, and the dream was extremely convincing. Doris Ann therefore wins a barrel of packing peanuts and absolutely nothing else! As for me, I powered through three coffees and a gas station sandwich. The glamorous life of sports journalism. Thanks for tonight. Up next: 'American Ninja Warrior: No Elevator Edition.' Sixth floor, no landing.

Hari Pertandingan 5 — vs Phoenix No-Defense

77-119 (K)

Phoenix No-Defense again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

Swing, swing, and Alex Caruso finds AJ Dybantsa on the wing before the help can even turn its head. LeBron James sets the pick and DIVES to the cup. AJ Dybantsa lays it right on his hands in traffic! That is the shot LeBron James wants every trip down the floor, it drops nine nights out of ten, and tonight is the tenth.

Oldest play in the book and it still works: Alex Caruso passes, the defender peeks at the ball, and that one beat is the whole possession. Nobody moved, nobody cut, nobody set a screen, so Alex Caruso launches a contested jumper with the horn already going. Ugly offense.

Turnover, layup, Phoenix No-Defense straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Nobody gambles less and steals more than Alex Caruso. He does not reach, he anticipates, and that is the whole difference. One hand, full court, Alex Caruso hits Stephen Curry in stride and the crowd is already up. OHHHH the POWER! Stephen Curry took the hit and finished it anyway!

Slow walk, no expression. Stephen Curry backpedals past the Phoenix No-Defense huddle close enough to hear what is being said and never turns his head. The crowd noise is a physical object at this point. One of their assistants stands up, and nothing comes of it.

The players head to the locker room. AJ Dybantsa is sweating like a racehorse. Anecdote: AJ Dybantsa slipped on a banana peel during practice. The videos leaked. The internet never forgets. And now, our halftime TV game show Backyard Survivor: Aisle Nine! To win a riding mower that will only turn left, text HOOPS to 555-0384 and answer this question: 'How many raccoons live at an average county fairgrounds?' Tipoff! The ref blows the whistle, the ball is in the air.

Cold blooded from Phoenix No-Defense, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Two guys on the exact same page, Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokić, and the defense is left holding a bag of nothing. Every highlight show in the country runs that clip tonight, and unfortunately for Stephen Curry he is on the wrong end of it.

OHHHHH HE SNATCHED HIS ANKLES! Stephen Curry left him on the hardwood and this building is SHAKING! Stephen Curry catches on the wing, jab step, spin move, and that pivot foot comes clean off the hardwood. Traveling.

Give the man credit for the effort, because Alex Caruso contested that from three feet behind, which is technically a contest. Reach-in on AJ Dybantsa. He wanted the steal, he bought a foul.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Phoenix No-Defense with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

That is the pass that beats a zone, and Stephen Curry threw it before the help even committed. The other bench sent their best perimeter stopper out on Nikola Jokić, and they are learning in real time that it will not be enough tonight. No touch. Nikola Jokić left the soft hands in the locker room tonight.

Laser from Stephen Curry, corner to corner, and that closeout gets there about a second and a half too late. Kick out to Alex Caruso, one more to Stephen Curry, splash from the wing and this bench is on its feet. Long and gone. Stephen Curry floats the teardrop over everything and bangs it off the back iron.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Phoenix No-Defense, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

That hesitation move is exactly why they keep sending a second body at Alex Caruso the moment he crosses half court. You are about to see a coach put his entire face in both hands, and Alex Caruso has earned every second of that reaction.

Watch how they bury LeBron James in the corner on the inbound. Nothing happens until he moves, and by then the defense is beaten. Look at the spacing here, two shooters lifting to drag the help, and that leaves Alex Caruso an easy read to Nikola Jokić in the pocket. Chess.

AJ Dybantsa refuses Phoenix No-Defense's handshake. Stephen Curry offers a limp one with just his fingertips. And here is the answer to our game Backyard Survivor: Aisle Nine! Roberta Klump of Pumpkin Center, Utah, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'How many raccoons live at an average county fairgrounds?' The answer was of course six during the day and considerably more after dark. Roberta takes home a riding mower that will only turn left! Tonight I nearly had a heart attack at least four times. And I'm just the commentator. That was beautiful. And now: 'House Hunters International: 90-Square-Foot Studio, Wall View.' A steal.

Hari Pertandingan 6 — vs Los Angeles Nursing-Home

88-133 (K)

Both guys crouch, both guys go, and it is LeBron James who wins the little argument at center court.

You can teach the jumper, you cannot teach the willingness, and AJ Dybantsa gives up a decent shot every single time a better one exists. Nikola Jokić blows the wide open layup!

Cold blooded from Los Angeles Nursing-Home, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Arm across the body, whistle, dead ball. Reach on Alex Caruso. Nothing but trouble ahead for Alex Caruso. Third foul, and this crew is calling it tight on both ends of the floor.

Alex Caruso drives, draws two bodies, and swings it one more time to the corner. That is the pass nobody is required to make. Watch the feet on Nikola Jokić there, still drifting sideways at the release, and that is exactly why the floater sails wide left of everything.

Rest. Stephen Curry buries his head in a wet towel and doesn't move. Confession: Stephen Curry believes the away locker room is haunted. Refuses to go in alone. And now, our halftime TV game show Match Game Winding Down! To win a souvenir shot glass from a state park with no water in it, text HOOPS to 555-0509 and answer this question: 'Which came first, the backboard or the regret?' Both teams return. You can tell the coach gave them an earful.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Los Angeles Nursing-Home with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Over the top of everybody. Alex Caruso to Nikola Jokić in the corner, wide open, catch and rise. Watch the change of pace from Nikola Jokić, half speed into full speed in one step, and that is a blow-by every time. Fifth possession this half where Nikola Jokić has been left to bail everybody out with the clock at zero. He cannot keep doing this alone.

OHHHH the pocket pass! Stephen Curry splits the coverage and the roll man is loose under the basket! Stop on a dime, up and over those outstretched arms, and the center can only stand there and watch LeBron James walk away from it.

Pointing up at the family section, LeBron James taps his chest twice and holds up a fist. A kid in a replica jersey is crying, and so is his mother. A camera crew finds them in nine seconds flat. Sixty seconds of pure decency on national television.

Ohhh no. Corner three, Los Angeles Nursing-Home in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

Push the pace! Stephen Curry grabs it and hits Nikola Jokić in stride before the defense can even match up. That crossover was not about getting a shot up. Nikola Jokić pulled it out to tell everybody in the gym whose possession this is. Catching it right at the cup with nobody within eight feet, Nikola Jokić goes up too strong and the ball rides high off the backboard.

Bucket for Los Angeles Nursing-Home. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Eight seconds off the shot clock and Stephen Curry has not wasted one of them, the ball reaching Nikola Jokić precisely where the play wanted it. Whirl, and GONE! Nikola Jokić leaves the defender grabbing at a jersey that stopped being there half a second ago. Not close, not warm, not anywhere for Nikola Jokić, straight into the hands of a defender who never had to leave his feet.

More second chance points for Los Angeles Nursing-Home, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

A probe, a plant of the outside foot, and Stephen Curry pushes off while his man is still fighting to recover his balance. Feet already set, hands already ready. Stephen Curry takes the feed from Alex Caruso and cashes it.

Under review. AJ Dybantsa does not know yet whether he is the hero or the footnote. The officials come back out, cross their arms, and AJ Dybantsa goes from hero to spectator on one signal.

LeBron James walks in slow motion, arms dangling. Stephen Curry speeds up. Wants it to be over. And here is the answer to our game show Match Game Winding Down! Georgette Blalock of Little Persimmon, North Carolina, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'Which came first, the backboard or the regret?' The answer was of course the regret, by about eleven minutes. Georgette therefore wins a souvenir shot glass from a state park with no water in it! My evening? I spent it holding back tears. Of joy? Of exhaustion? Both. We're wrapping up the mics. Up next: 'Chopped: Tupperware Lunch at the Office Edition.'

Hari Pertandingan 7 — vs Toronto Border-Patrol

97-109 (K)

Total control. Stephen Curry has this thing on a string. Screen, pop, SPLASH! LeBron James kicks it out and that thing never touched iron. So close. AJ Dybantsa can only stare at the iron.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Toronto Border-Patrol with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

TIMEOUT! The other bench has seen enough of Nikola Jokić and they are burning one to stop the bleeding.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Toronto Border-Patrol with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and AJ Dybantsa just did it by hitting Stephen Curry on the back side with acres of room. Baseline spin from Stephen Curry at full speed, and his man never even gets a hand into the picture. Filthy stuff. Oh my. Stephen Curry did not even draw iron.

Rest time. Stephen Curry isolates in a corner of the locker room, headphones on. Confession: Stephen Curry calls mom after every loss. And every win. And also on Tuesdays. And now, our halftime TV game show Go Fish for Answers! To win a porch swing missing every single chain, text HOOPS to 555-0468 and answer this question: 'What is the average lifespan of a whistle used in a middle school gym?' Second half! The crowd is on its feet, and so are the players.

Nobody dribbled, nobody isolated, Alex Caruso and LeBron James just played basketball and the defense got shredded. From eight feet Alex Caruso puts way too much on it, and the ball clears the rim entirely.

Turnover, layup, Toronto Border-Patrol straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

That is the pass nobody puts on a highlight reel, and Alex Caruso makes it every single trip down the floor. Unselfish basketball. Stephen Curry passes up a good shot and hands Alex Caruso a GREAT one. In, around, and gone. The iron gives Alex Caruso nothing.

Nikola Jokić just took a shoulder to the chest to buy Alex Caruso half a second, and half a second in this league is an eternity. OHHHH that is SILKY! Alex Caruso with the teardrop, and it kisses through.

Ohhh no. Corner three, Toronto Border-Patrol in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

Reverse it, make them slide all over again, that is how Stephen Curry breaks a shell down. The beauty of it is that AJ Dybantsa never has to set a screen at all, the exchange IS the screen. Nightmare to guard. Alex Caruso gets into the paint, sees the shot blocker rising, and simply lifts it over the top of him. Never had a prayer.

Cheap. Nothing about that shot was going down, and AJ Dybantsa handed over three freebies anyway.

Alex Caruso wraps him up with nobody between the ball and the rim, and the officials do not hesitate for a second. Not one hand went for the basketball, just a forearm through the chest of Alex Caruso. That is the textbook definition of unnecessary contact.

That is the pass that beats a zone, and Stephen Curry threw it before the help even committed. A single dribble is all LeBron James needed to get downhill, and the back side of that defense is in complete disarray. Stuck holding it as the clock bleeds out, LeBron James fades away from twenty-six feet, and it is not close.

Stephen Curry unclasps his chain and squeezes it in his fist. Alex Caruso runs a hand down his face. And here is the answer to our game show Go Fish for Answers! Peggy Ann Winterbottom of Two Chairs, Nebraska, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'What is the average lifespan of a whistle used in a middle school gym?' The answer was of course six years, or two seasons of an especially loud coach. Peggy Ann therefore wins a porch swing missing every single chain! Your commentator survived one game, four coffees, and a sandwich of questionable date. Thanks for tonight. And now: '60 Minutes: The Secrets of the Office Coffee Machine.'

Hari Pertandingan 8 — vs Minnesota Ice-Wall

88-129 (K)

No roll this time. Stephen Curry swings it right back to Nikola Jokić above the break, and it is PURE. That is a shot selection problem, plain and simple. Nikola Jokić drove into three bodies and the help defender was waiting the whole way.

Turnover, layup, Minnesota Ice-Wall straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Alex Caruso launches it weak side, one pass, and the whole shell has to sprint. Good luck with that. Two defenders collide on the handoff and Stephen Curry is gone, so AJ Dybantsa earned that one even if the box score disagrees. The bench has cleared, the crowd is screaming, and somewhere a photographer just got the shot of the season thanks to Stephen Curry.

Slow walk, no expression. Stephen Curry backpedals past the Minnesota Ice-Wall huddle close enough to hear what is being said and never turns his head. The crowd noise is a physical object at this point. One of their assistants stands up, and nothing comes of it.

More second chance points for Minnesota Ice-Wall, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

OHHHH the bench is GONE! Towels over heads, bodies off the chairs, all because of LeBron James!

Cut! Halftime. Alex Caruso's jersey is completely drenched in sweat. Juicy anecdote: Alex Caruso was caught dancing the Macarena in the showers. Alone. And now, our halftime TV game show The Big Spin Cycle! To win a toaster that only toasts one side of the bread, text HOOPS to 555-1057 and answer this question: 'What is the resale value of a game worn wristband?' The players come back running. Did someone set the locker room on fire?

Bench energy is real currency over a long season, and Alex Caruso just handed his teammates a full bank account. The entry pass goes in, AJ Dybantsa beats the big man to it, and this building is already standing up.

You can teach a lot of things at this level, but not lateral quickness. Stephen Curry is doing a fine traffic cone impression.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Minnesota Ice-Wall with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

It started as a hard box out and it ended with Nikola Jokić throwing an elbow the crew could not possibly ignore.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Minnesota Ice-Wall, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Filthy work on the glass by Nikola Jokić, and he lands with the elbows out daring somebody to reach in. Everything starts with that release, Nikola Jokić hitting Alex Caruso in full flight before the defense has even turned around. OHHHH the speed of Alex Caruso! Nobody in this building was catching him.

Alex Caruso rocks an imaginary baby down the sideline, cradling nothing at all and completely serious about it. Nikola Jokić plays along, tiptoeing beside him and shushing the front row. Half the arena is doing it too. The other half is filming the half that is doing it.

Cold blooded from Minnesota Ice-Wall, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and AJ Dybantsa just did it by hitting Alex Caruso on the back side with acres of room. Alex Caruso comes flying off that screen and he is WIDE open! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! That was IN for Alex Caruso!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Stephen Curry spun out of a double team like it was a revolving door! Stephen Curry had that one all the way, perfect release, perfect arc, and the rim simply refuses to let it drop.

Stephen Curry hacks the arm on purpose, then throws both hands up like he has never touched a soul in his life. Nobody is buying it.

Nikola Jokić turns back to look at the court one last time. Alex Caruso doesn't turn around. And here is the answer to our game show The Big Spin Cycle! Virgil Stanback of Buzzard Roost Landing, North Dakota, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'What is the resale value of a game worn wristband?' The answer was of course two dollars and a firm handshake. Virgil therefore wins a toaster that only toasts one side of the bread! Did you know that Alex Caruso practices volunteer firefighter on Tuesdays? Builds character, that does. That's it for tonight. Coming up: 'Nailed It: Cakes Ruined by My Mother-in-Law.'

Hari Pertandingan 9 — vs Houston Blast-Off

99-103 (K)

OHHHH the separation! Alex Caruso just manufactured three feet of daylight out of absolutely nothing. OHHHHH POSTERIZED! Alex Caruso just ENDED that defender at the rim!

Bow to the crowd, a full waist bend with one arm across the stomach, the whole theatrical thing. Alex Caruso holds it three seconds. Nikola Jokić applauds behind him like a valet. Somebody in row two throws a bouquet of obviously fake roses onto the floor, and Alex Caruso collects every last one.

Houston Blast-Off again, and again nobody is home. Three straight trips down the floor with zero resistance.

The defender crowded the middle, and AJ Dybantsa punished him along the baseline like it was drawn up in the huddle. No good. AJ Dybantsa rushed that one.

Filthy. Absolutely filthy from Stephen Curry, and the defender knows exactly what just happened to him. REJECTED! Stephen Curry takes it in and gets it sent straight back into his own chest.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Houston Blast-Off with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Halftime. Nikola Jokić throws his towel on the floor walking in. They say Nikola Jokić eats honey straight from the jar during timeouts. The bear of the hardwood. And now, our halftime TV game show Jeopar-Dee-Dee! To win a mounted singing bass that only knows half the song, text HOOPS to 555-0305 and answer this question: 'How much does a rumor weigh at sea level?' Here we go again. The players have changed jerseys.

OHHHH the hesi! Alex Caruso froze him solid and he is already gone! OHHHH! Alex Caruso went up looking for a poster and came back down as the punchline.

Chest to chest, forearm legal, feet churning, Nikola Jokić wins the battle for position before the move even begins. OUTLET! Nikola Jokić rips the board and fires it ahead to Alex Caruso before anybody gets back! A timeout is coming, because no defense recovers from watching Alex Caruso do that to one of their own.

One finger to the sky, held there, eyes closed in the middle of all that noise, and Alex Caruso does not move. The arena figures it out and quiets for a beat. Stephen Curry puts a hand on his back and says nothing, then the sound comes back like a wave.

Set called, Nikola Jokić waved out to the corner, and Stephen Curry watches the spacing open up like a front door. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Nikola Jokić whips that pass one-handed on the move and the roll man gathers it through contact. Filthy. Two points left on the floor by Alex Caruso, and those are exactly the ones that come back to bite you in the fourth.

Hand check on Alex Caruso. That is a foul in this league every single time. Brutal timing on that whistle. This team loses its rim protection the moment Alex Caruso takes a seat, and the paint is wide open now.

Turnover, layup, Houston Blast-Off straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Clean feed from Alex Caruso, nothing forced, just the offense breathing. Hard drive, hard stop, and Stephen Curry retreats into an ocean of open hardwood. The ball skips around the perimeter, AJ Dybantsa finds the open man on the weak side, and Stephen Curry buries it.

Across half court, a quick survey, a point to the weak side, and Stephen Curry drops it off to LeBron James on time and on target. One little shoulder dip from LeBron James and the guy guarding him turned into a traffic cone in real time. LeBron James beat the clock by a tenth of a second and missed by about four feet. Technically legal, competitively pointless.

Stephen Curry grabs him before the ball even crosses half court. Intentional, obvious, and completely necessary.

LeBron James's complexion is grey. AJ Dybantsa's is red. Defeat comes in different colors. And here is the answer to our game Jeopar-Dee-Dee! Ludene Crabtree of Dry Creek Junction, Oklahoma, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'How much does a rumor weigh at sea level?' The answer was of course a pound and a half, considerably more in humid weather. Ludene takes home a mounted singing bass that only knows half the song! Tonight I yelled so loud the guy in the next booth asked me to keep it down. Mid-game. See you at the next game. In the meantime: 'MasterClass: How to Fold a Fitted Sheet.' Gripping television.

Hari Pertandingan 10 — vs Denver Horse-Track

89-116 (K)

Won it clean! LeBron James got up and over him with room to spare.

Nikola Jokić gets it on the reversal and now this defense is rotating, scrambling and losing ground, all because Stephen Curry saw it a beat early. Screened, toasted, done. Nikola Jokić is loose and the defense is scrambling to find him. Nikola Jokić rises up from fifteen feet and OHHHH, that rattled in and OUT!

Push the pace! Stephen Curry grabs it and hits Nikola Jokić in stride before the defense can even match up. Nikola Jokić rips it back into the stepback and suddenly there is a country mile between him and that defender. Rises, releases, and Nikola Jokić sends the ball through the exact patch of sky where the rim is not.

More second chance points for Denver Horse-Track, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

Alex Caruso did that, and now the loudest twelve people in this arena are all wearing the same uniform he is. Second rejection of the quarter for AJ Dybantsa, and you can see the shooters hesitating on that wing already.

Break! Nikola Jokić heads straight to the bathroom moment he hits the locker room. Bus driver's confession: Nikola Jokić raps gibberish during road trips. Loudly. And now, our halftime TV game show Truth or Consequences of Turnovers! To win a doorbell that plays eleven seconds of a song nobody requested, text HOOPS to 555-0644 and answer this question: 'How many turnovers does it take to fill a standard laundry hamper?' Let's go, we're back. The crowd claps in rhythm.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Denver Horse-Track with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

Alex Caruso kicks it over to AJ Dybantsa, no dribble, no drama, and this offense settles into a rhythm. Follow the ball there: four sets of hands, AJ Dybantsa makes the last read, and the defense never gets set. That is training camp offense. It went halfway down! The ball sat in the cylinder, thought about it, and rolled off the far side on Stephen Curry. Cruel.

Dagger from Denver Horse-Track. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

SPIN and GO! Stephen Curry pirouettes right through the traffic and comes out the other side clean! Shot clock at one, and Stephen Curry just has to throw something at the rim. Nothing doing.

Ball moves. AJ Dybantsa to Nikola Jokić, on time and on target. GONE down the baseline! Nikola Jokić beat him on the first step and the paint is collapsing. BAAAANG! Nikola Jokić catches it and lets it FLY, nothing but net from the corner!

Bucket for Denver Horse-Track. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

OHHHH, what a read by Stephen Curry! He never even glanced at the rim and it is CASH on the other end. The defender fronted him, so Nikola Jokić sealed, waited for the entry and went to work. Patient, mean, effective.

Nikola Jokić pretends to check a watch that is not on his wrist, taps it, then shows it to the arena. Time is up. Stephen Curry mimes an enormous yawn. The visiting coach is shouting at officials who have no jurisdiction over sarcasm.

That is the pass nobody puts on a highlight reel, and AJ Dybantsa makes it every single trip down the floor. Alex Caruso gives it up to AJ Dybantsa on the move, the built-in screen erases the chase, and there is a clean runway to the rim. OHHHH, that one died in the air! AJ Dybantsa put nothing into it and the front rim eats the floater.

Foul to give, and Stephen Curry gives it. Clock stops.

LeBron James and Nikola Jokić share a single look. Just one. It contains all the disappointment in the world. And here is the answer to our game show Truth or Consequences of Turnovers! Lorene Kirkpatrick of Broken Hoop, New Mexico, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How many turnovers does it take to fill a standard laundry hamper?' The answer was of course nineteen, or four if they are the really big ones. Lorene therefore wins a doorbell that plays eleven seconds of a song nobody requested! I tried to take a selfie with the court in the background. My thumb is over the lens. We're done! And now: 'The Voice: Office Karaoke After Two Beers Edition.'

Hari Pertandingan 11 — vs New York Over-Timers

83-111 (K)

No hero ball here: AJ Dybantsa takes what the defense gives and moves it along. OHHHH the pin-down! LeBron James pops out clean while the defender is STILL tangled up with AJ Dybantsa. Brutal. That is what heavy minutes do, LeBron James has run all night and the legs have nothing left to give the jumper.

STOP AND GO! Alex Caruso hit the brakes, hit the gas, and the lane opened up like a garage door. OFF THE IRON and halfway to the bench! Alex Caruso missed that one with real conviction.

That is the third body Nikola Jokić has turned away this quarter, and the entire lane is starting to think twice about coming in. Off the glass and out of the gym, Nikola Jokić launches it and the break is ON! Get that one framed. Alex Caruso took off from the block and the defender is still lying on the floor.

Ohhh no. Corner three, New York Over-Timers in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

OHHHH NO. Nikola Jokić pinned it against the glass a half second late and that is goaltending all day.

The players file out. Alex Caruso exchanges a tense look with the coach. Fun fact: Alex Caruso tried to patent a celebration after a three-pointer. The application was rejected. And now, our halftime TV game show Press Your Luck Harder! To win a bumper sticker collection covering one entire tailgate, text HOOPS to 555-0362 and answer this question: 'In what year was the jump ball invented by accident during a barn raising?' The players come back running. Did someone set the locker room on fire?

SKIP PASS! AJ Dybantsa fires it cross court to Alex Caruso and the defense is dead in the water! The defender planted his feet, and Alex Caruso said thank you very much and drove straight through his front pocket. Prayer from Alex Caruso. Not answered.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. New York Over-Timers with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and Stephen Curry just did it by hitting LeBron James on the back side with acres of room. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! LeBron James put that man in a blender and the third row felt it! Textbook footwork, textbook release from LeBron James, cruel result as it spins out and both teams go up for a contested board.

LeBron James sets it and slides out instead of rolling, Stephen Curry finds him late, and the defense pays for cheating under the screen. Pull-up from the elbow by LeBron James, halfway down, spinning inside the iron, and it pops right back out.

Stephen Curry reaches, finds nothing but forearm, and the whistle comes right along with it. Foul trouble is a chess match and Stephen Curry just lost a piece. Three before the break changes how this team defends the pick and roll.

Bucket for New York Over-Timers. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

REJECTED! LeBron James gets ALL of that jumper and the building erupts!

Dagger from New York Over-Timers. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Textbook two-man game: Stephen Curry keeps the dribble alive, forces the big man to commit, and LeBron James rolls into an open runway. Baby hook by LeBron James, right over that outstretched hand, high off the board, count it.

Nobody on the bench is sitting. Not the coaches, not the trainers, not the guy in the suit who never plays. LeBron James points at all of them at once with both hands. Towels come down like weather and the officials wait it out with the patience of the doomed.

LeBron James takes off his shoes and carries them like a ghost. Stephen Curry follows the same path. And here is the answer to our game show Press Your Luck Harder! Bobbi Sue Yarborough of Sawmill Bottom, Georgia, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'In what year was the jump ball invented by accident during a barn raising?' The answer was of course 1871, in a hayloft, by two men arguing about a rooster. Bobbi Sue therefore wins a bumper sticker collection covering one entire tailgate! Your commentator broke his personal screaming record tonight. My throat is not thanking me. See you tomorrow. In the meantime, it's 'Who Wants to Marry My Goldfish.' Good luck with that.

Hari Pertandingan 12 — vs Cleveland Twin-Towers

85-115 (K)

OHHHH he SNATCHED that tip! Nikola Jokić rips it out of the air and we are off.

Nothing. Again. Alex Caruso is staring at that rim like it owes him money. AJ Dybantsa beat the clock by a tenth of a second and missed by about four feet. Technically legal, competitively pointless.

Over the top of everybody. Alex Caruso to AJ Dybantsa in the corner, wide open, catch and rise. Here comes the slip from Alex Caruso, and AJ Dybantsa reads it a half second before anybody else in the building. That is a dime from LeBron James that deserved so much better, and Alex Caruso knows it, head down, jogging back before the ball even lands.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Cleveland Twin-Towers with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

The ball travels faster than five defenders can, and Stephen Curry has known that all night long. AJ Dybantsa eats the contact so LeBron James can run free along the baseline, and the catch-and-shoot look is right there. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! LeBron James rose up over the help and hammered it down on somebody's head!

End of the second quarter. Alex Caruso is breathing so loud you can hear it from here. Rumor has it Alex Caruso tried to recruit the pizza delivery guy for the team. The guy was 6'9". And now, our halftime TV game show Are You Smarter Than a Mailbox! To win a paint-by-numbers kit of a barn, already painted wrong, text HOOPS to 555-0066 and answer this question: 'How many keys are on a high school janitor keyring?' Second half! The hardwood is about to shake again.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Cleveland Twin-Towers with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

AJ Dybantsa gets his, then has to stand and watch the other side's best player walk down and get his right back. Ruthless exchange.

Alex Caruso reads the eyes the whole way, gets a mitt on it, and that is OUR basketball now. Alex Caruso grabs it, turns, and slings a one-hander three quarters of the floor. Filthy. HAMMER! AJ Dybantsa goes right through the trees and throws it DOWN with the foul!

AJ Dybantsa runs the baseline high-fiving every hand hanging over the rail, all the way to the corner and back. It takes forever. Play is waiting on him. Nobody in the building wants it to stop, including, visibly, the officials.

Two defenders, one gap, and Stephen Curry finds it. Onions on that pass. The filthy euro-step in traffic was the idea, but the feet got greedy and the whistle blew Alex Caruso dead.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Cleveland Twin-Towers, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Total control. Stephen Curry has this thing on a string. Alex Caruso feels the contact, spins off that shoulder, and the defender is left hugging a whole lot of nothing. Nikola Jokić threads a BEAUTY to Alex Caruso under the rim and... he lays it off the bottom of the iron! Ohhhh, no.

More second chance points for Cleveland Twin-Towers, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

Here comes Alex Caruso sprinting off the elbow. Stephen Curry slides it into his pocket and that chase defender is buried. Alex Caruso probes the lane, cups the ball with two hands, then bounces it again. That is the violation they fix in third grade.

AJ Dybantsa hands it off to Stephen Curry, slices through the seam, and the return pass is sitting there waiting at the rim. That is the shot chart lying to you. AJ Dybantsa did everything right on this possession and has zero points to show for it.

Stephen Curry bites the inside of his cheek. Alex Caruso pinches the bridge of his nose. And here is the answer to our game Are You Smarter Than a Mailbox! Wanda Sue Beezley of Rooster Comb, South Dakota, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'How many keys are on a high school janitor keyring?' The answer was of course forty-one, and three of them open nothing at all. Wanda Sue takes home a paint-by-numbers kit of a barn, already painted wrong! Yours truly survived this game without losing his voice. It was touch and go. We're out! And now, 'House Hunters: Broom Closet Edition.' Cozy open concept.

Hari Pertandingan 13 — vs Boston Ring-Chasers

106-119 (K)

The referee tosses it high and Nikola Jokić rises late, which is exactly how you win one of these. Timing over height, every single time.

Ohhh no. Corner three, Boston Ring-Chasers in rhythm now, and our side of the building goes silent.

Watch the spacing there, AJ Dybantsa hits Alex Caruso right in the shooting pocket and the possession stays alive. Oldest play in the book, and Alex Caruso runs it in his sleep. That drop coverage never had a prayer. Clang. Nikola Jokić wants that one back.

Baseline wide open. AJ Dybantsa said thank you. Put him on skates, then put him on a POSTER. AJ Dybantsa owns the highlight reel tonight.

And there it is, a walk-in layup for Boston Ring-Chasers with not one hand raised in the paint. Somebody has to protect that rim.

Both teams head to the locker room. AJ Dybantsa wipes his forehead with his jersey. Rumor has it AJ Dybantsa talks to his basketball in the locker room. Nobody dares say it's weird. And now, our halftime TV game show Match Game Winding Down! To win a souvenir shot glass from a state park with no water in it, text HOOPS to 555-0509 and answer this question: 'Which came first, the backboard or the regret?' We're back! Flushed cheeks and hungry eyes on the players.

Beautiful footwork on that one from Alex Caruso, the pivot foot never budges, which is precisely why the whistle stays in the pocket. In, around, and gone. The iron gives Alex Caruso nothing.

Nikola Jokić gets it on the reversal and now this defense is rotating, scrambling and losing ground, all because Alex Caruso saw it a beat early. This is the work that never shows up on a stat sheet, Nikola Jokić gets the credit and the guy setting the screen gets the bruise. Prayer from Nikola Jokić. Not answered.

Watch the sell from Alex Caruso here, he leans in, he gets the defender leaning with him, and then he backs away into all that space. Textbook footwork, textbook release from Alex Caruso, cruel result as it spins out and both teams go up for a contested board.

Stephen Curry walks it up, two fingers in the air, and the whole offense shifts on his command. That is a self-created look of the highest order, and there might be five guys in this league who get to it on demand the way Nikola Jokić does. Third one of these from Nikola Jokić this quarter, third time the arc is wrong. The lane is not open real estate anymore.

Turnover, layup, Boston Ring-Chasers straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Clean feed from Stephen Curry, nothing forced, just the offense breathing. Watch the spacing, AJ Dybantsa drags two bodies toward the ball and LeBron James is standing alone behind the line. Geometry, not luck. Range like that bends a defense completely out of shape, and LeBron James keeps proving the arc is only a suggestion.

LeBron James plants himself in front of the Boston Ring-Chasers bench, hands on hips, and simply stands there until somebody says something. Somebody says something. Officials arrive at a jog. A teammate hauls him backward by the waist while the arena begs for more.

Bucket for Boston Ring-Chasers. Wide open look, and nobody even ran at the shooter.

Punish the help, that is the rule, and Alex Caruso just did it by hitting Stephen Curry on the back side with acres of room. Look how low Stephen Curry keeps that shoulder on the drive, that is how you turn a sliver of space into a walk to the rim. Rising up out of the corner, Stephen Curry sends it LONG, clanging off the far side and out to the wing.

The strategy of the desperate, executed to perfection by Nikola Jokić. Foul, stop the clock, pray at the other end, repeat.

Stephen Curry presses his forehead against the tunnel glass. Alex Caruso walks right past without noticing. And here is the answer to our game show Match Game Winding Down! Georgette Blalock of Little Persimmon, North Carolina, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'Which came first, the backboard or the regret?' The answer was of course the regret, by about eleven minutes. Georgette therefore wins a souvenir shot glass from a state park with no water in it! On my end, I ate three chocolate bars during the timeouts. Sports make you hungry, even in the booth. Thanks for tonight. Up next: 'American Ninja Warrior: No Elevator Edition.' Sixth floor, no landing.

Hari Pertandingan 14 — vs San Antonio Skyscrapers

88-126 (K)

Cold blooded from San Antonio Skyscrapers, way out beyond the arc, and our defense is scrambling in rotation.

Across half court, a quick survey, a point to the weak side, and Stephen Curry drops it off to AJ Dybantsa on time and on target. GONE down the baseline! AJ Dybantsa beat him on the first step and the paint is collapsing. This building is SHAKING. AJ Dybantsa just stepped into a logo three like it was a warmup rep.

The whole second unit is on the floor before the ball is out of the net. AJ Dybantsa disappears underneath them. Somewhere in the pile shoe comes off. Stephen Curry is on the outside of it screaming straight up at the ceiling.

Count it and the foul. Brutal. San Antonio Skyscrapers with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

SKIP PASS! Stephen Curry fires it cross court to LeBron James and the defense is dead in the water! Oldest play in the book, and LeBron James runs it in his sleep. That drop coverage never had a prayer. Buzzer on the shot clock, Stephen Curry heaves it off one leg, and the ball comes up short of everything.

LeBron James gets driven under the rim and the offensive board goes the other way. Fresh shot clock for them.

Break! LeBron James heads straight to the bathroom moment he hits the locker room. Anecdote: LeBron James slipped on a banana peel during practice. The videos leaked. The internet never forgets. And now, our halftime TV game show Countdown to Nothing in Particular! To win a jigsaw puzzle with all four corner pieces missing, text HOOPS to 555-1207 and answer this question: 'How many hot dogs does a mascot eat before he stops enjoying it?' Second half! The crowd is on its feet, and so are the players.

Look at the hands from Stephen Curry, active, mirroring every dribble, never reaching. He is a moving cage out there. OHHHH what a hustle play from AJ Dybantsa! He had no business getting a finger on that basketball. Turn it over against this team and LeBron James is gone the second the ball changes hands. Those transition points keep stacking up.

Ice in the veins: LeBron James taps two fingers on his wrist, slow and cold, while the horn is still fading. Courtside is standing on the chairs. The visiting bench does not move an inch. Somebody in the second row has already turned it into a T-shirt.

Laser from Stephen Curry, corner to corner, and that closeout gets there about a second and a half too late. Down screen, and LeBron James curls hard into the middle of the floor with a full step of daylight. Easy read. Fifth possession this half where LeBron James has been left to bail everybody out with the clock at zero. He cannot keep doing this alone.

Dagger from San Antonio Skyscrapers. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Lazy feed into the middle, LeBron James read it the whole way, and that possession is over before it started. OHHHH, AJ Dybantsa just took that thing right out of his hands!

Oh no. Stephen Curry just dribbled that thing straight off his own foot.

Turnover, layup, San Antonio Skyscrapers straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

Left, right, gone. Stephen Curry put that defender on skates and never even looked back. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! That was IN for Stephen Curry!

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, San Antonio Skyscrapers, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Everybody in the arena knew the stepback was coming from Alex Caruso, and not one single soul could do anything about it. Nobody moved, nobody cut, nobody set a screen, so Alex Caruso launches a contested jumper with the horn already going. Ugly offense.

Nikola Jokić guesses left, the ball handler goes right, and suddenly this is a two-on-one before anybody can rotate.

LeBron James sits on the bench, staring into nothing. Stephen Curry has his head in his hands. And here is the answer to our game show Countdown to Nothing in Particular! Norma Jean Sprinkle of Butterbean Flats, Alaska, got it right. The question, I remind you, was 'How many hot dogs does a mascot eat before he stops enjoying it?' The answer was of course nine, and the tenth one is purely professional. Norma Jean therefore wins a jigsaw puzzle with all four corner pieces missing! Tonight I chewed through two pens. The office supply budget is going to explode. We're signing off. And now: 'Musical Chairs: Subway Seat Edition.' Winner takes all.

Hari Pertandingan 15 — vs Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest

82-111 (K)

Tip is UP and Nikola Jokić gets there first! We are underway and it is our ball.

Dagger from Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest. You could hear the air leave this arena on that one.

Stephen Curry walks it up, two fingers in the air, and the whole offense shifts on his command. That is a self-created look of the highest order, and there might be five guys in this league who get to it on demand the way Nikola Jokić does. Watch the feet on Nikola Jokić there, still drifting sideways at the release, and that is exactly why the floater sails wide left of everything.

Nobody boxed out. Tip in, Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest, and two of ours were standing right there watching it happen.

Set called, AJ Dybantsa waved out to the corner, and Stephen Curry watches the spacing open up like a front door. AJ Dybantsa hands it off to Nikola Jokić, slices through the seam, and the return pass is sitting there waiting at the rim. The big man never even contested it, and AJ Dybantsa still could not get the runner to drop. That one is on him.

Halftime. Alex Caruso glances at his phone for two seconds and puts it back. Did you know? Alex Caruso once signed an autograph for a referee. During the game. Mid free-throw. And now, our halftime TV game show Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire! To win a commemorative spoon rest shaped like Ohio, text HOOPS to 555-0119 and answer this question: 'How many free throws would it take to fill a public swimming pool?' Here they come. Fresh as daisies. Or not. We'll find out soon enough.

Alex Caruso launches it weak side, one pass, and the whole shell has to sprint. Good luck with that. Follow the ball there: four sets of hands, LeBron James makes the last read, and the defense never gets set. That is training camp offense. AIRBALL! Stephen Curry missed the rim, the backboard and everything in between!

Count it and the foul. Brutal. Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest with a three point play and a gut punch in the same possession.

Everybody in the arena knew the stepback was coming from Alex Caruso, and not one single soul could do anything about it. Alex Caruso went for the deep heat check and produced the loudest silence of the night, roar to OHHHH in half a second.

Turnover, layup, Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest straight through us in transition. Careless basketball.

This is the foul that gets your night cut short. Stephen Curry has to contest with a high hand and land in his own space.

Stephen Curry rips it back into the stepback and suddenly there is a country mile between him and that defender. That little shot is what keeps guards employed in this league, and Stephen Curry has it on a string tonight.

Down by the baseline, Stephen Curry points at the arena DJ, who obliges with the loudest thing in the catalog. The whole lower bowl is up. AJ Dybantsa is dancing badly and fully aware of it. The Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest coach signals for time and gets ignored by his own players.

Nikola Jokić gets it on the reversal and now this defense is rotating, scrambling and losing ground, all because Stephen Curry saw it a beat early. Nikola Jokić crosses, crosses back, the defender slides half a step the wrong way and the whole arena lets out the same OHHHH. Long and gone. Nikola Jokić floats the teardrop over everything and bangs it off the back iron.

More second chance points for Oklahoma City Treasure-Chest, and our bench is up screaming for a timeout. Rightly so.

A single dribble is all AJ Dybantsa needed to get downhill, and the back side of that defense is in complete disarray. Gift wrapped by Alex Caruso, and AJ Dybantsa cannot finish the two footer. That one is going to sting.

The help defender committed way too early, and Stephen Curry made him pay for it with a spin they will be replaying all week. Zero hesitation, zero conscience. Stephen Curry made that closeout look completely pointless.

LeBron James hurls his water bottle at the wall. Alex Caruso flinches but doesn't react. And here is the answer to our game Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire! Earlene Stubbs of Possum Notch, Tennessee, got it right. The question, let me remind you, was 'How many free throws would it take to fill a public swimming pool?' The answer was of course it depends entirely on whether the pool is paying attention. Earlene takes home a commemorative spoon rest shaped like Ohio! I learned tonight that LeBron James used to be a volunteer firefighter. That explains the unique running style. We're signing off. And now: 'Musical Chairs: Subway Seat Edition.' Winner takes all.