Three Stars of the night: Getting your team wins against elite

There were so many people who could have made three stars of the night tonight we could have done 10 stars of the night. But, for the sake of my sanity (such as it is) we are keeping it at three. So how do you separate the top three? It’s not just numbers, but who also put up the numbers against the best.

Honorable mention goes to Carlos Boozer (31 points and 11 boards against Orlando), Paul George (29 points, 14 rebounds), Stephen Curry (31 points, 8 assists), James Harden (31 points, 7 assists) and DeMarcus Cousins to had 18 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists against the Cavaliers.

Third Star, Jrue Holiday (16 points, 10 rebounds 10 assists)

He lived up to Steve Nash’s proclamation and put up a triple-double on the second night of a back-to-back. He looked every bit the All-Star, and when you put up a triple-double (the second of his career( we’ll put you in three stars even if it was in a losing effort against the Suns. He has taken over the 76ers offense this season — the one that was supposed to flow through Andrew Bynum — that is something. This is Holiday’s second career triple double.

Second Star: Joe Johnson (33 points, 5 assists)

P.J. Carlesimo has his first signature win as Nets coach, beating the Thunder in OKC, and he can thank Joe Johnson for much of that. Johnson had 12 first quarter and 20 first half points and was at the heart of the reason the Nets led 55-32 at one point.

Then when the Thunder made their run — and you knew they would — Johnson scored 8 straight in the fourth (including a shot to break a tie) and finished with 10 in the final frame. Johnson gets flack for his contract (really the Hawks should, they offered it) but the guy can score the rock and when he’s on — like Wednesday with 33 points on 19 shots — not even a good team can slow him.

First Star: David Lee (24 points, 13 rebounds, 7assists)

Lee was at the heart of the Warriors picking up a statement against the Clippers. Yes, he put up some quality numbers and looked great running the Golden State offense out of the high post, but he is on top of this list because he played a complete game — Lee was assigned Blake Griffin on defense and had a strong night against the dunking machine (Griffin finished with just 10 points). The Warriors raced out to the early lead and it was Lee’s efforts on both ends of the floor that helped Golden State maintain that distance from the Clips and cruise into the win. He earned this.