Doing Lines: LeBron Closes Up With Another Triple-Double

Every night there are some stupendous, silly, stupid, or downright outlandish individual lines from around the "lig." Doing Lines lets you know which one tops the list.

Go ahead, keep offering up your qualifier-laden assertions that Kobe is the greatest. The most current line: "Kobe is the best closer." Yet anyone who watched LeBron James single-handedly beat the Blazers late Thursday would disagree.

Travis Outlaw had an extremely hot fourth quarter -- 5-of-5 FGs, 11 points -- until LeBron switched onto him late. From there, Outlaw missed four straight shots, including a three that LeBron blocked after making up roughly 15 feet during the wind-up.

Of course, there's also the offensive end, where LBJ scored 14 in the fourth and OT, added three assists, and nailed Portland's coffin shut. In all, just another 26-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double (the 24th of his career) for our young protagonist. He is made of sirloin and a paladin's aura, I tell you.

Guess Who's Back? Monta Ellis is back. (I hope you guessed correctly.) Monta keeps on banging, with 29 points on 19 FGAs Thursday in L.A. The Warriors trailed by just one at halftime, with combo credit offered to an anti-rhythmic Lakers attack and a surprisingly effective half-court performance by Monta and the Gang. Stephen Jackson gave Kobe Bryant fits, but the third quarter presented naked reality and the Lakers pulled off a win. But yeah, Monta. Man.