To paraphrase Buffalo Springfield, something's happening here, but what it is—in the NBA, anyway—is exactly clear.
It's mid-January. All-Star ballots are being cast. Musings on the portion of the season that's past and that which lies ahead are hot off the presses, though those presses aren't quite as scalding as the insanely active trade market.
All of which points to one thing: The halfway point of the 2014-15 campaign has arrived. It seems like only yesterday that the San Antonio Spurs were tipping off their title defense with a thriller against the Dallas Mavericks, doesn't it?
Time sure does fly, as well it should with how exciting the Association has been since late October. Pretty much every noteworthy race remains wide-open, save for the Rookie of the Year push, wherein Andrew Wiggins has taken a commanding lead.
Before we dive head-first into the next three months of regular-season basketball, let's take a moment to reset the league to date, ordering all 30 teams from top to bottom based on overall play and available personnel.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330673-nba-power-rankings-halfway-through-the-2014-15-season
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Saturday, 17 January 2015
NBA Insider: Mark Cuban Makes All-Too-Rare Admission in Rebuilding Mavericks
It is rare for an NBA franchise owner to publicly admit mistakes, and rarer still for an owner to admit a mistake and simultaneously rectify it with an emphatic reversal of agenda. But Mark Cuban is not like most NBA owners.
The Dallas Mavericks claimed their first championship in 2011, with a smart, sturdy, well-balanced group of veterans, delivering Cuban his proudest moment as owner. Four years later, his celebratory photo with the Larry O'Brien trophy is still affixed to his Twitter profile.
But that team quickly dispersed due to a combination of age, cost considerations and the arrival of a new labor deal designed to handicap the league's big spenders. In a concession to new realities—and with an eye on future flexibility—Cuban let Tyson Chandler leave for New York, and a four-year, $58 million contract, before the 2011-12 season.
Last June, Cuban welcomed Chandler back in a multiplayer trade that has helped nudge the Mavericks back into contention in the rugged Western Conference.
"Let's just say I learn from my mistakes," Cuban said in September.If you squint a little, you can almost see the outline of the 2011 Mavericks coming back into focus. In October, Dallas re-signed J.J. Barea, the energetic point guard who played a key role in the 2011 Finals before leaving for Minnesota (and a bigger contract). And last month, the Mavericks made a blockbuster deal to acquire Rajon Rondo, who had never been a Maverick but certainly resembles one.
"Just his vision, it's very Jason Kidd-like," Dirk Nowitzki told Bleacher Report, comparing his new point guard to his old one.
It's not a perfect analogy, of course. Kidd was one of the greatest point guards of his era, indeed of all time. But there are key similarities. Both Kidd and Rondo are creative, pass-first guards who especially thrive in the open court, throwing passes few others can conceive. Both are great rebounders for their position. Both arrived in Dallas with broken jump shots but with a nose for defense."It's never about him, or it's never about J-Kidd," Nowitzki said. "They're happy when they win, get a couple assists and compete like crazy on the defensive end."
Said Chandler, "[Rondo] is more willing to see his teammates succeed than he is trying to force a shot up on his own."
Since Rondo's arrival in late December, the Mavericks are a modest 8-5, with a six-game winning streak and a few surprising losses, including recent defeats to Detroit and Denver. (Rondo missed the loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday with an Achilles injury suffered against the Kings on Tuesday.)
But the Mavericks as of Friday were just a game behind Houston for fourth place in the West and firmly in the thick of the race. Their offensive efficiency has, oddly, slipped a bit since Rondo arrived, though they remain No. 1 in the league. Their defense has improved significantly, however, allowing just 101.3 points per 100 possessions with Rondo, after posting a rating of 105.1 over the first 27 games.
Although Rondo has admitted to slacking defensively during his final two seasons in Boston, he has perked up again now that he's back with a contender. And he presented a huge upgrade from the aging Jameer Nelson, whom he replaced at point guard.
"Being able to have somebody up top that I can communicate with, bounce ideas off of each other and make adjustments [is key]," Chandler, a former Defensive Player of the Year, said of Rondo. "It can't be one player on the floor. You have to have a couple guys. And me being able to be vocal with him and him being vocal back really helps."
Like Kidd—who was once dubbed "Ason, because he had no 'J'"—Rondo arrived in Dallas with a poor jump shot. But Kidd retired as one of the top three-point shooters in NBA history, having developed the shot late in his career. Perhaps Rondo, still just 28, can do the same. Coach Rick Carlisle has been seen personally working with Rondo on his shooting form.
"He's still young, and he's going to get better," Carlisle told Bleacher Report. "And it's our job to work with him and help him improve his shooting and his range. … He's about the same age when Jason really made a commitment to it, and Rondo's doing that, too. It's going to take time, but he'll get there.""They're about to start this stretch (of the schedule) where they have to prove to themselves and others that they're really an elite team. …
"Nene just doesn't show up enough. They got a lot of other nice pieces. [John] Wall is terrific. [Bradley] Beal is terrific. But the game I saw, Marcin Gortat wasn't very good either. Nene is to me a complete crapshoot. Whether he's hurt or just doesn't show up, you need guys to grind it out. He's not a grind-it-out kind of guy. He's got talent. He's a very good player. But is he a guy you can rely on at the level you want a guy to produce?
"The guy that's played well the last couple games is [Kevin] Seraphin, but he's not ready to take over the starting spot. The other interesting part of that team is Rasual Butler, who is shooting an unbelievable percentage. This guy's almost 35 years old. He's been the productive guy that they had hoped, that Otto Porter is not—really, third pick in the draft? Are you kidding me? They know that. They're not kidding themselves that he's going to be a major player. He's just not that good. He's not that athletic. He's not super skilled.
"They need Martell Webster to be healthy. He played very poorly in the game I saw. He's coming back from injury. They need some production out of him. They can't rely on production out of Butler the whole year. And Andre Miller looked like he was almost finished."
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332668-nba-insider-mark-cuban-makes-all-too-rare-admission-in-rebuilding-mavericks
Never Easy to Please, Stan Van Gundy Is Finding the Sunny Side in Detroit
The nostalgia flowed freely in a text exchange between two men near the top of their profession. John Calipari, now king of Kentucky, recently found a photo more than three decades old, one that captured an eager assistant on the University of Vermont staff, someone Calipari had planned to join before Larry Brown kept him at Kansas. He felt the need to share the snapshot with Stan Van Gundy.
"We got into the whole thing," Van Gundy told Bleacher Report last week, shaking his head. "He was a Division II player, I was a Division III player. We were both nobodies. I think about that stuff all the time. When I go all the way back, you just say, wow."
It is veritable Van Gundy to credit his coaching career, the one restarting in Detroit after a two-year interruption, largely to serendipity—a series of happy accidents marked by sublime timing. His brother Jeff cracking the NBA door for him with Pat Riley and the Miami Heat, after a six-stop collegiate rise stalled with a single unsatisfying season at Wisconsin. Riley burning out after two frustrating Heat seasons, elevating him to lead a team that just drafted Dwyane Wade. Tony Battie getting hurt prior to the 2007 preseason, giving him little choice but to try Rashard Lewis as Dwight Howard's complement at power forward, a move that would eventually fuel an NBA Finals appearance.
"So many things have to happen," Van Gundy said. "I've always been really aware of that, that this is not a meritocracy, as least not purely. Now, I'm not trying to be overly humble. You've got to be able to do the job when you get the chance. But there's a lot of really good coaches at every level out there, high school, small college, who just haven't gotten the right break, met the right guy, whatever. And that's what I expected. I expected coming out I'd be a small college coach, hopefully get a really good small college job. I would have been happy as hell with that."Van Gundy acknowledges that he has never been "easy to play for," but also notes that he stays in touch with "90 percent" of those who played for him. Many, like Butler, have told him they want to come back and play for him again. Others have chosen to collaborate in another capacity. Like Hardaway, who played for Van Gundy when the latter was a Heat assistant, and called for an interview immediately upon Van Gundy's hiring. Former Heat fora
rd Malik Allen is on staff too. Quentin Richardson, a Van Gundy favorite in Orlando, has a player development post.
"I think [players] sort of give you a get-out-of-jail-free card," said Van Gundy, who fondly recalled supportive visits from Nelson, Turkoglu and Redick during the Pistons' poor start. "I think they just, after a while, go, 'OK, that's Stan.' They don't like it. But there are enough other things. I think they do know that I try to do the right thing, and I care enough about them as people and I want to win. So they give me a chance."Sometimes, he'll even give players a smile, especially during the recent streak.They may even give a few back."Over the last (several) games, you've seen the guys buying in more because, oh s--t, this guy knows what he is talking about," Butler said.Brandon Jennings, who has blossomed since Smith's departure, compared Van Gundy to his first NBA coach, the more-maniacal-than-mellow Scott Skiles, "a guy who was really on me, who really pushed me, who made me play every possession hard." A guy like Van Gundy, who won't let you relax, even with just 0.1 seconds left, after you've made a miraculous shot to seemingly secure the victory against the Spurs.
Jennings brought up that possession to Van Gundy at a recent shootaround."I got a laugh," said Jennings, eyes gleaming at the accomplishment. "I said a little joke. We were talking, and I said, 'You see that (crazy) shot from Utah? The [Trevor] Booker shot?' I said, 'Yeah, that's why we got to build the wall!' It was funny. He started laughing."
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2325193-never-east-to-please-stan-van-gundy-is-finding-the-sunny-side-in-detroit
"We got into the whole thing," Van Gundy told Bleacher Report last week, shaking his head. "He was a Division II player, I was a Division III player. We were both nobodies. I think about that stuff all the time. When I go all the way back, you just say, wow."
It is veritable Van Gundy to credit his coaching career, the one restarting in Detroit after a two-year interruption, largely to serendipity—a series of happy accidents marked by sublime timing. His brother Jeff cracking the NBA door for him with Pat Riley and the Miami Heat, after a six-stop collegiate rise stalled with a single unsatisfying season at Wisconsin. Riley burning out after two frustrating Heat seasons, elevating him to lead a team that just drafted Dwyane Wade. Tony Battie getting hurt prior to the 2007 preseason, giving him little choice but to try Rashard Lewis as Dwight Howard's complement at power forward, a move that would eventually fuel an NBA Finals appearance.
"So many things have to happen," Van Gundy said. "I've always been really aware of that, that this is not a meritocracy, as least not purely. Now, I'm not trying to be overly humble. You've got to be able to do the job when you get the chance. But there's a lot of really good coaches at every level out there, high school, small college, who just haven't gotten the right break, met the right guy, whatever. And that's what I expected. I expected coming out I'd be a small college coach, hopefully get a really good small college job. I would have been happy as hell with that."Van Gundy acknowledges that he has never been "easy to play for," but also notes that he stays in touch with "90 percent" of those who played for him. Many, like Butler, have told him they want to come back and play for him again. Others have chosen to collaborate in another capacity. Like Hardaway, who played for Van Gundy when the latter was a Heat assistant, and called for an interview immediately upon Van Gundy's hiring. Former Heat fora
rd Malik Allen is on staff too. Quentin Richardson, a Van Gundy favorite in Orlando, has a player development post.
"I think [players] sort of give you a get-out-of-jail-free card," said Van Gundy, who fondly recalled supportive visits from Nelson, Turkoglu and Redick during the Pistons' poor start. "I think they just, after a while, go, 'OK, that's Stan.' They don't like it. But there are enough other things. I think they do know that I try to do the right thing, and I care enough about them as people and I want to win. So they give me a chance."Sometimes, he'll even give players a smile, especially during the recent streak.They may even give a few back."Over the last (several) games, you've seen the guys buying in more because, oh s--t, this guy knows what he is talking about," Butler said.Brandon Jennings, who has blossomed since Smith's departure, compared Van Gundy to his first NBA coach, the more-maniacal-than-mellow Scott Skiles, "a guy who was really on me, who really pushed me, who made me play every possession hard." A guy like Van Gundy, who won't let you relax, even with just 0.1 seconds left, after you've made a miraculous shot to seemingly secure the victory against the Spurs.
Jennings brought up that possession to Van Gundy at a recent shootaround."I got a laugh," said Jennings, eyes gleaming at the accomplishment. "I said a little joke. We were talking, and I said, 'You see that (crazy) shot from Utah? The [Trevor] Booker shot?' I said, 'Yeah, that's why we got to build the wall!' It was funny. He started laughing."
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2325193-never-east-to-please-stan-van-gundy-is-finding-the-sunny-side-in-detroit
Atlanta Hawks Look Unstoppable in the East and Other Friday NBA Takeaways
Another night, another outright evisceration by the Atlanta Hawks.The Hawks went into the Air Canada Centre and taught the Toronto Raptors, one of the East's best during the first half of the 2014-15 NBA season and now with DeMar DeRozan back in tow, a thing or two (or three…or a gazillion) about what it means to really be elite.
Atlanta didn't need some insane scoring run on Friday to blow out Toronto, 110-89. Instead, the Hawks did what they've done ever since they took flight after Thanksgiving: They kept going and going and going and going, like a nest of sleeveless Energizer bunnies.
As it happens, it was against these Raptors that the Hawks last looked truly mortal. On Nov. 26, Toronto stopped into Atlanta for a 126-115 win, which turned out to be the finale of a six-game streak. Back then, the Raptors were the beasts of the East—a 13-2 juggernaut that shot 51.2 percent against the Hawks defense in a contest that put Toronto a full five games up on Atlanta in the standings.
Check the standings now, and you'll find the Hawks right where the Raptors used to be, five-and-a-half games ahead of the NBA's neighbors to the north. Their win in Toronto was their 11th in a row, their 24th in their last 26 outings overall and their 13th in 14 road games.
It was also, arguably, their most impressive result yet in what's been an unbelievable six weeks for the Hawks.
On one end, Atlanta torched Toronto's dithering defense for 60.9 percent shooting—the team's second-highest mark of the season—with its Spursian brand of ball movement. Of the Hawks' 42 makes, 30 were assisted.
Jeff Teague led the way in that department with nine dimes against a single turnover, to go along with 13 points, five rebounds and two steals. Al Horford, in his first action since tallying his first triple-double as a pro against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, added five assists and five boards of his own. Better yet, he didn't miss a single shot from the field (and shot 6-of-7 at the free-throw line), including this baseline jam over Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas:
Teague and Horford aside, the Hawks benefited from four other players (i.e. the three remaining starters and Kent Bazemore) scoring in double figures. Chief among that group was Paul Millsap, who finished his usual stat sheet-stuffing routine with 16 points, eight boards, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
Like Millsap, the Hawks, as a whole, got it done on both ends of the floor. They held the Raptors, the league's third-most efficient offense, to a season-low in scoring on 42.7 percent shooting. Take away DeRozan, who had nearly as good of a game (25 points on 11-of-18 shooting) against the Hawks as he did just before Atlanta's run began (27 points on 8-of-16 shooting), and Toronto's field-goal accuracy plummets to 37.5 percent.
The Hawks pestered the Raptors' typically sure-handed attack into 17 turnovers—four apiece from DeRozan and Amir Johnson. Toronto busted loose for 30 points in the third quarter, behind 13 from DeRozan, but couldn't keep Atlanta from racking up 33 points of its own in the period.
As fantastically well as the Hawks played, nothing about how they romped into Toronto is all that new. Balance and ball movement have been hallmarks of the Hawks' offense since Mike Budenholzer left Gregg Popovich's staff in San Antonio for the top job in Atlanta in 2013. The defense has tightened into the fifth-stingiest in basketball this season, thanks in no small part to an ability to pester passing lanes and create havoc that's taken on a life of its own since late November.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332841-atlanta-hawks-look-unstoppable-in-the-east-and-other-friday-nba-takeaways
Atlanta didn't need some insane scoring run on Friday to blow out Toronto, 110-89. Instead, the Hawks did what they've done ever since they took flight after Thanksgiving: They kept going and going and going and going, like a nest of sleeveless Energizer bunnies.
As it happens, it was against these Raptors that the Hawks last looked truly mortal. On Nov. 26, Toronto stopped into Atlanta for a 126-115 win, which turned out to be the finale of a six-game streak. Back then, the Raptors were the beasts of the East—a 13-2 juggernaut that shot 51.2 percent against the Hawks defense in a contest that put Toronto a full five games up on Atlanta in the standings.
Check the standings now, and you'll find the Hawks right where the Raptors used to be, five-and-a-half games ahead of the NBA's neighbors to the north. Their win in Toronto was their 11th in a row, their 24th in their last 26 outings overall and their 13th in 14 road games.
It was also, arguably, their most impressive result yet in what's been an unbelievable six weeks for the Hawks.
On one end, Atlanta torched Toronto's dithering defense for 60.9 percent shooting—the team's second-highest mark of the season—with its Spursian brand of ball movement. Of the Hawks' 42 makes, 30 were assisted.
Jeff Teague led the way in that department with nine dimes against a single turnover, to go along with 13 points, five rebounds and two steals. Al Horford, in his first action since tallying his first triple-double as a pro against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, added five assists and five boards of his own. Better yet, he didn't miss a single shot from the field (and shot 6-of-7 at the free-throw line), including this baseline jam over Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas:
Teague and Horford aside, the Hawks benefited from four other players (i.e. the three remaining starters and Kent Bazemore) scoring in double figures. Chief among that group was Paul Millsap, who finished his usual stat sheet-stuffing routine with 16 points, eight boards, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
Like Millsap, the Hawks, as a whole, got it done on both ends of the floor. They held the Raptors, the league's third-most efficient offense, to a season-low in scoring on 42.7 percent shooting. Take away DeRozan, who had nearly as good of a game (25 points on 11-of-18 shooting) against the Hawks as he did just before Atlanta's run began (27 points on 8-of-16 shooting), and Toronto's field-goal accuracy plummets to 37.5 percent.
The Hawks pestered the Raptors' typically sure-handed attack into 17 turnovers—four apiece from DeRozan and Amir Johnson. Toronto busted loose for 30 points in the third quarter, behind 13 from DeRozan, but couldn't keep Atlanta from racking up 33 points of its own in the period.
As fantastically well as the Hawks played, nothing about how they romped into Toronto is all that new. Balance and ball movement have been hallmarks of the Hawks' offense since Mike Budenholzer left Gregg Popovich's staff in San Antonio for the top job in Atlanta in 2013. The defense has tightened into the fifth-stingiest in basketball this season, thanks in no small part to an ability to pester passing lanes and create havoc that's taken on a life of its own since late November.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332841-atlanta-hawks-look-unstoppable-in-the-east-and-other-friday-nba-takeaways
Oklahoma City Thunder We've Been Waiting for All Season Finally Arrive
As the old saying goes, "Good things come to those who wait."On Friday night, the good thing was a 127-115 win for the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Western Conference-leading Golden State Warriors. It came complete with the ferocious, devastatingly effective offense that OKC fans have been waiting for all season.
Kevin Durant scored 36 points on 18 shots. Serge Ibaka scored 27 points on 18 shots. And Russell Westbrook? Oh, he just had a ho-hum triple-double of 17 points, 17 assists and 15 rebounds.And guess what. Even though the season series is over, the Warriors might have to try to guard this again. Maybe even in the first round. Golden State has the No. 1 seed, and OKC's not likely to finish higher than No. 8 because of all the losses that piled up with Durant and Westbrook sidelined.
Congratulations on having the West's best regular-season record, Warriors. Your reward? A first-round, seven-game series against this machine…as long as its engine keeps running the way it did Friday.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats and salary figures are courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com and are current as of Jan. 16, 2015.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332972-oklahoma-city-thunder-weve-been-waiting-for-all-season-finally-arrive
Kevin Durant scored 36 points on 18 shots. Serge Ibaka scored 27 points on 18 shots. And Russell Westbrook? Oh, he just had a ho-hum triple-double of 17 points, 17 assists and 15 rebounds.And guess what. Even though the season series is over, the Warriors might have to try to guard this again. Maybe even in the first round. Golden State has the No. 1 seed, and OKC's not likely to finish higher than No. 8 because of all the losses that piled up with Durant and Westbrook sidelined.
Congratulations on having the West's best regular-season record, Warriors. Your reward? A first-round, seven-game series against this machine…as long as its engine keeps running the way it did Friday.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats and salary figures are courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com and are current as of Jan. 16, 2015.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332972-oklahoma-city-thunder-weve-been-waiting-for-all-season-finally-arrive
Thursday, 15 January 2015
NBA Superstar Rankings 2015: Stephen Curry Soaring with Emphatic MVP Bid
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors aren't going anywhere. As the team with the NBA's best record continues rolling through the Western Conference, scoring with ease and preventing the opposition from doing the same on a nightly basis, the baby-faced assassin is only solidifying his MVP candidacy.
It's a candidacy that has already led several of Bleacher Report's NBA experts to proclaim Curry as the current leader for the award. Kevin Ding, for example:But does Curry emerging as the most valuable player mean that he's moved up to the top spot in these superstar rankings? He came in at No. 2 in the last edition, so has he made the leap up to the No. 1 position?
The competition is tough. These are the best of the best we're talking about, after all.In order to find himself in the pole position, Curry's overall performance will need to be incredible, as will his work in recent games. When discussing the league's biggest stars—and remember, you don't have to consider all 10 players superstars for these to be superstar rankings—"what have you done for me lately?" is an important question to ask.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2328874-nba-superstar-rankings-2015-stephen-curry-soaring-with-emphatic-mvp-bid
It's a candidacy that has already led several of Bleacher Report's NBA experts to proclaim Curry as the current leader for the award. Kevin Ding, for example:But does Curry emerging as the most valuable player mean that he's moved up to the top spot in these superstar rankings? He came in at No. 2 in the last edition, so has he made the leap up to the No. 1 position?
The competition is tough. These are the best of the best we're talking about, after all.In order to find himself in the pole position, Curry's overall performance will need to be incredible, as will his work in recent games. When discussing the league's biggest stars—and remember, you don't have to consider all 10 players superstars for these to be superstar rankings—"what have you done for me lately?" is an important question to ask.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2328874-nba-superstar-rankings-2015-stephen-curry-soaring-with-emphatic-mvp-bid
NBA 2015 Midseason Roundtable: Best, Worst of First Half; What's to Come
The 2014-15 NBA season has been filled with surprises (Atlanta Hawks), dominant performances (Golden State Warriors) and questions with few answers (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Which players and teams have made the greatest impact through the season's first half? Will the Cavs look back at this season with a smile or a frown? Who looks poised to be playing for the Larry O'Brien trophy in June?
B/R's team of NBA senior writers—Howard Beck, Ric Bucher, Kevin Ding, Ethan Skolnick and Jared Zwerling—weighs in on those questions and a lot more as the 2014-15 season hits its midpoint.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2326645-nba-2015-midseason-roundtable-best-worst-of-first-half-whats-to-come
Which players and teams have made the greatest impact through the season's first half? Will the Cavs look back at this season with a smile or a frown? Who looks poised to be playing for the Larry O'Brien trophy in June?
B/R's team of NBA senior writers—Howard Beck, Ric Bucher, Kevin Ding, Ethan Skolnick and Jared Zwerling—weighs in on those questions and a lot more as the 2014-15 season hits its midpoint.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2326645-nba-2015-midseason-roundtable-best-worst-of-first-half-whats-to-come
The Curious Case of Josh Smith, the NBA's Most Unique Franchise Savior
Years from now, NBA historians will tell a fascinating tale, of the wild, winding odyssey of Josh Smith—of the lives he touched, the fates he altered and the brows he furrowed—if only the historians can explain what happened, how it happened and what the heck it all meansSo when Van Gundy, who replaced Dumars last summer, waived Smith in late December, it was jarring but not entirely surprising. And maybe the results shouldn't be, either.
Smith was using a team-high 24.9 percent of the Pistons' possessions when he was on the court, per NBA.com, and not using them well, making 40.7 percent of his two-pointers and 24.3 percent of his threes.
"At this stage in Josh Smith's career, he's never going to get it," TNT's Charles Barkley said last week, a view shared by many critics.
Without Smith, the Pistons' offensive identity has been sharpened. It's about Jennings' playmaking and perimeter play, with Monroe banging inside and Drummond attacking the rim. Without Smith, the ball moves and the offense flows.
Detroit has also benefited from the recent return of sharpshooter Jodie Meeks and the acquisition of another shooter in Anthony Tolliver. So the resurgence is not entirely about Smith. But it's not entirely not about him either.
"I put it like this," Jennings told Bleacher Report. "This offense isn't meant for just one person to dominate the ball. It's meant for guys to get it, because we have so many options out there, with 'Dre now becoming a better post player, Greg one of the best ones, Jodie Meeks coming off the bench scoring, and things like that. So we have a lot of options."
No one in the Pistons locker room blames Smith for their 5-23 start. ("It definitely wasn't him," Drummond said.) They all speak highly of him. He's well-liked. But there is a palpable sense that they are better off without him, and it comes through subtly, with references to improved ball movement and selfless play.
It doesn't necessarily mean Smith was the problem. Just that, in this case, less is more."I think some guys are more comfortable in getting more opportunities, and so they're playing better," Van Gundy said. "You've taken the guy who had the ball in his hands more than anybody on our team out of the equation. You've split those possessions up among other guys. Everybody's getting more opportunities, so everybody's more comfortable, more confident and in a better rhythm."
No one has flourished more than Jennings, who is averaging 20.3 points and shooting .470 from the field since Smith was dumped, after averaging 12.6 points on .368 shooting in the first 28 games. His assists have ticked up slightly, too, to seven per game. With more opportunities and more freedom, Jennings—once considered a gunner himself—is blossoming into an efficient offensive force.Without Smith, Van Gundy has been free to refashion the Pistons offense in the mold of his old Orlando teams, with one big man—Monroe or Drummond—surrounded by shooters who can spread the floor. The two still start together, but they mostly alternate minutes at center.
The results have been brilliant. In the 10-game stretch without Smith that concluded Monday, the Pistons posted the second-best offensive rating (110.1) and third-best defensive rating (97) in the league.
All because they waived Josh Smith—or so the tale goes."I really don't pay attention," Smith said. "I watch Family Guy, watch Maury Povich...so I really don't really put my ears and eyes to negative publicity."
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329215-the-curious-case-of-josh-smith-the-nbas-most-unique-franchise-savior
Smith was using a team-high 24.9 percent of the Pistons' possessions when he was on the court, per NBA.com, and not using them well, making 40.7 percent of his two-pointers and 24.3 percent of his threes.
"At this stage in Josh Smith's career, he's never going to get it," TNT's Charles Barkley said last week, a view shared by many critics.
Without Smith, the Pistons' offensive identity has been sharpened. It's about Jennings' playmaking and perimeter play, with Monroe banging inside and Drummond attacking the rim. Without Smith, the ball moves and the offense flows.
Detroit has also benefited from the recent return of sharpshooter Jodie Meeks and the acquisition of another shooter in Anthony Tolliver. So the resurgence is not entirely about Smith. But it's not entirely not about him either.
"I put it like this," Jennings told Bleacher Report. "This offense isn't meant for just one person to dominate the ball. It's meant for guys to get it, because we have so many options out there, with 'Dre now becoming a better post player, Greg one of the best ones, Jodie Meeks coming off the bench scoring, and things like that. So we have a lot of options."
No one in the Pistons locker room blames Smith for their 5-23 start. ("It definitely wasn't him," Drummond said.) They all speak highly of him. He's well-liked. But there is a palpable sense that they are better off without him, and it comes through subtly, with references to improved ball movement and selfless play.
It doesn't necessarily mean Smith was the problem. Just that, in this case, less is more."I think some guys are more comfortable in getting more opportunities, and so they're playing better," Van Gundy said. "You've taken the guy who had the ball in his hands more than anybody on our team out of the equation. You've split those possessions up among other guys. Everybody's getting more opportunities, so everybody's more comfortable, more confident and in a better rhythm."
No one has flourished more than Jennings, who is averaging 20.3 points and shooting .470 from the field since Smith was dumped, after averaging 12.6 points on .368 shooting in the first 28 games. His assists have ticked up slightly, too, to seven per game. With more opportunities and more freedom, Jennings—once considered a gunner himself—is blossoming into an efficient offensive force.Without Smith, Van Gundy has been free to refashion the Pistons offense in the mold of his old Orlando teams, with one big man—Monroe or Drummond—surrounded by shooters who can spread the floor. The two still start together, but they mostly alternate minutes at center.
The results have been brilliant. In the 10-game stretch without Smith that concluded Monday, the Pistons posted the second-best offensive rating (110.1) and third-best defensive rating (97) in the league.
All because they waived Josh Smith—or so the tale goes."I really don't pay attention," Smith said. "I watch Family Guy, watch Maury Povich...so I really don't really put my ears and eyes to negative publicity."
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329215-the-curious-case-of-josh-smith-the-nbas-most-unique-franchise-savior
Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls 1/14/15: Video Highlights and Recap
Two of the NBA's best point guards clashed on Wednesday night when the Washington Wizards squared off against the Chicago Bulls. John Wall and the Wizards won the first clash between these two sides, and they had won four of their last five, but Derrick Rose and the Bulls were desperate to end a run that had seen them drop three of their last four.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329516-washington-wizards-vs-chicago-bulls-11415-video-highlights-and-recap
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329516-washington-wizards-vs-chicago-bulls-11415-video-highlights-and-recap
L.A. Clippers Trying to Prove Contender Status and Other Wednesday NBA Takeaways
In the latest reminder that the line between contender and pretender status is still awfully blurry in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers went into the Moda Center and came out with a 100-94 win that snapped the Portland Trail Blazers' four-game winning streak.
Before tipoff, all signs pointed to a Portland win.LaMarcus Aldridge loomed as a matchup nightmare, a walking amalgamation of basketball talent specifically designed to exploit the Clips' key weaknesses: lack of interior defense and front-line depth. Synergy Sports Tech used stats to illustrate just how much of a nightmare Aldridge was:He was probably the last guy L.A. wanted to see. And as expected, Aldridge got everything he wanted against the Clips, posting a game-high 37 points that exceeded the combined scoring output of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan by two.
No combination of Clipper defenders could handle Aldridge, and when Spencer Hawes checked in off the bench, things got particularly ugly.
Fortunately for the clips, Portland's bench wasn't a factor outside of Meyers Leonard, who contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Clippers reserves were collectively weak as well, but Jamal Crawford did what he does best: score, often and late.
His 25 points made up L.A.'s entire bench-scoring output, but his fourth-quarter heaves fell often enough to offset Damian Lillard's 12-point final stanza—a late surge absolutely everyone saw coming. Both ESPN.com's J.A. Adande and ESPN Insider Kevin Pelton joined the Lillard round-table discussion
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330476-la-clippers-trying-to-prove-contender-status-and-other-wednesday-nba-takeaways
Before tipoff, all signs pointed to a Portland win.LaMarcus Aldridge loomed as a matchup nightmare, a walking amalgamation of basketball talent specifically designed to exploit the Clips' key weaknesses: lack of interior defense and front-line depth. Synergy Sports Tech used stats to illustrate just how much of a nightmare Aldridge was:He was probably the last guy L.A. wanted to see. And as expected, Aldridge got everything he wanted against the Clips, posting a game-high 37 points that exceeded the combined scoring output of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan by two.
No combination of Clipper defenders could handle Aldridge, and when Spencer Hawes checked in off the bench, things got particularly ugly.
Fortunately for the clips, Portland's bench wasn't a factor outside of Meyers Leonard, who contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Clippers reserves were collectively weak as well, but Jamal Crawford did what he does best: score, often and late.
His 25 points made up L.A.'s entire bench-scoring output, but his fourth-quarter heaves fell often enough to offset Damian Lillard's 12-point final stanza—a late surge absolutely everyone saw coming. Both ESPN.com's J.A. Adande and ESPN Insider Kevin Pelton joined the Lillard round-table discussion
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330476-la-clippers-trying-to-prove-contender-status-and-other-wednesday-nba-takeaways
Wednesday, 14 January 2015
Kevin Ding: Will the Los Angeles Lakers Actually Shut Down Kobe Bryant?
With their season going nowhere fast, the Los Angeles Lakers appear headed to the NBA draft lottery. The team has little to play for, and there have been reports about coach Byron Scott potentially shutting down Kobe Bryant for the season.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reported that Scott would revisit sitting Kobe after the All-Star break.
With Bryant at age 36 and still searching for his sixth championship ring, would it be wise for him to shut it down for the season? Are the Lakers planning to sit him?
Find out from Kevin Ding as he provides insight into whether the Lakers are considering shutting down Kobe in the video above.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2328371-kevin-ding-will-the-los-angeles-lakers-actually-shut-down-kobe-bryant
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reported that Scott would revisit sitting Kobe after the All-Star break.
With Bryant at age 36 and still searching for his sixth championship ring, would it be wise for him to shut it down for the season? Are the Lakers planning to sit him?
Find out from Kevin Ding as he provides insight into whether the Lakers are considering shutting down Kobe in the video above.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2328371-kevin-ding-will-the-los-angeles-lakers-actually-shut-down-kobe-bryant
Beck/Bucher Debate: The NBA's All-Overrated Starting 5
The NBA is stacked with talent, yet some players don't bring their best every night and are more concerned with themselves than making their teams better. There are certain players we need to pump the brakes on and analyze their games to see what they are bringing to the table based on their overall bodies of work.
Who comprises the starting lineup for the NBA's all-overrated team?Find out as Bleacher Report's Howard Beck and Ric Bucher debate and name the players who would be on the NBA's all-overrated starting five in the video above.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327635-beckbucher-debate-the-nbas-all-overrated-starting-5
Who comprises the starting lineup for the NBA's all-overrated team?Find out as Bleacher Report's Howard Beck and Ric Bucher debate and name the players who would be on the NBA's all-overrated starting five in the video above.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327635-beckbucher-debate-the-nbas-all-overrated-starting-5
Kevin Garnett's Act Takes Another Unfortunate Turn
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett has a longstanding reputation as one of the NBA's most controversial on-court instigators.
Participation in physical proceedings has long been a prerequisite for Garnett's combative ways, and the story was no different when he was ejected barely four minutes into Monday night's 113-99 loss to the Houston Rockets.
In the first quarter of the showdown, Garnett hit Dwight Howard with a quick shove before the Rockets big man retaliated, leading the Big Ticket to pelt his opponent with the ball prior to engaging him with a headbutt to the jaw, which is when things escalatedThe Garnett experience has always come bundled with an unpredictable confrontational component, but it was undeniably more palatable when he functioned as a defensive stalwart who churned out double-doubles.
At this waning stage of his career with the Nets quickly fading out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Garnett has sadly been relegated to the role of a contentious showman who thrives in moments of chaos.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327779-kevin-garnetts-act-takes-another-unfortunate-turn
Participation in physical proceedings has long been a prerequisite for Garnett's combative ways, and the story was no different when he was ejected barely four minutes into Monday night's 113-99 loss to the Houston Rockets.
In the first quarter of the showdown, Garnett hit Dwight Howard with a quick shove before the Rockets big man retaliated, leading the Big Ticket to pelt his opponent with the ball prior to engaging him with a headbutt to the jaw, which is when things escalatedThe Garnett experience has always come bundled with an unpredictable confrontational component, but it was undeniably more palatable when he functioned as a defensive stalwart who churned out double-doubles.
At this waning stage of his career with the Nets quickly fading out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Garnett has sadly been relegated to the role of a contentious showman who thrives in moments of chaos.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327779-kevin-garnetts-act-takes-another-unfortunate-turn
Ranking the Most Unlikely NBA Scoring Outbursts of the Last 10 Years
The Minnesota Timberwolves point guard was en fuego Tuesday night, exploding for a career-high 52 points, more than any other player has produced in a single game throughout the 2014-15 season. He couldn't miss as the game drew to a conclusion, leading his Wolves to victory against the defense of the Indiana Pacers.
"After an otherwise nondescript 14-point first half, Williams became at times the Timberwolves' sole source of offensive production," Bleacher Report's Tyler Conway wrote after the game. "He made seven of Minnesota's nine field goals in a 16-point third quarter and topped that by going for 21 in the fourth, knocking down an array of jaw-dropping shots."
But Williams did more than score a lot of points; he inspired us to look back at the most unlikely outbursts of the last decade. And we're approaching this objectively rather than glancing at high-scoring outings and seeing which feel the most surprising.
"Unexpected Score," as we'll call it here, is derived simply by subtracting a player's scoring average during the season in question from his output during his ridiculous night. The higher the difference between the two, the more of an outlier the performance was, and thus the more objectively unlikely it was.
Do note that only 40-point outings were eligible for these rankings, so we've analyzed the 651 that have taken place since the beginning of the 2005-06 campaign.
Trust me. You're about to be surprised as we look back and see where Williams' standout showing fits in.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329224-ranking-the-most-unlikely-nba-scoring-outbursts-of-the-last-10-years
"After an otherwise nondescript 14-point first half, Williams became at times the Timberwolves' sole source of offensive production," Bleacher Report's Tyler Conway wrote after the game. "He made seven of Minnesota's nine field goals in a 16-point third quarter and topped that by going for 21 in the fourth, knocking down an array of jaw-dropping shots."
But Williams did more than score a lot of points; he inspired us to look back at the most unlikely outbursts of the last decade. And we're approaching this objectively rather than glancing at high-scoring outings and seeing which feel the most surprising.
"Unexpected Score," as we'll call it here, is derived simply by subtracting a player's scoring average during the season in question from his output during his ridiculous night. The higher the difference between the two, the more of an outlier the performance was, and thus the more objectively unlikely it was.
Do note that only 40-point outings were eligible for these rankings, so we've analyzed the 651 that have taken place since the beginning of the 2005-06 campaign.
Trust me. You're about to be surprised as we look back and see where Williams' standout showing fits in.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329224-ranking-the-most-unlikely-nba-scoring-outbursts-of-the-last-10-years
LeBron James Must Steady Cleveland Cavaliers and Tuesday NBA Takeaways
Following a two-week layoff, LeBron James returned to operating from a position of elite basketball acuity against the Phoenix Suns. His teammates just couldn't provide enough ancillary reinforcements to make his efforts worthwhile.
Subsequently, the Cavaliers dropped their sixth straight game with a 107-100 defeat in the desert, sending their record to 19-20 on the season. Cleveland has now lost nine of its last 10 games, dating back to Dec. 28.
According to ESPN Los Angeles' Arash Markazi, the Cavaliers' sub-.500 record doesn't bode well for their title hopes:
With the win, Washington is now 9-5 against the Western Conference and sits a half-game up on the Toronto Raptors for the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed.
As for the Spurs, they're just one game up on the eighth-seeded Suns following Phoenix's win over the Cavaliers, although they did receive a minor silver lining in the form of Tim Duncan's 11 points and 12 rebounds. NBA on ESPN highlighted Duncan's record-breaking performance:
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329073-lebron-james-must-steady-cleveland-cavaliers-and-tuesday-nba-takeaways
Subsequently, the Cavaliers dropped their sixth straight game with a 107-100 defeat in the desert, sending their record to 19-20 on the season. Cleveland has now lost nine of its last 10 games, dating back to Dec. 28.
According to ESPN Los Angeles' Arash Markazi, the Cavaliers' sub-.500 record doesn't bode well for their title hopes:
With the win, Washington is now 9-5 against the Western Conference and sits a half-game up on the Toronto Raptors for the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed.
As for the Spurs, they're just one game up on the eighth-seeded Suns following Phoenix's win over the Cavaliers, although they did receive a minor silver lining in the form of Tim Duncan's 11 points and 12 rebounds. NBA on ESPN highlighted Duncan's record-breaking performance:
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329073-lebron-james-must-steady-cleveland-cavaliers-and-tuesday-nba-takeaways
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
Father Time Finally Catching Up to Kobe Bryant, and It's a Sight No One Enjoys
S ANGELES — Gone is the arrogance that comes with having the unsinkable Kobe Bryant.There's a certain sadness to the Los Angeles Lakers these days.The start of the season saw the same old in-your-face determination from the franchise that Kobe could still be Kobe. The mentality was more indignant than ever, actually, because of the way new coach Byron Scott believed, preached and grandstanded.
Now that spirit has been defeated.Critics need not even mock Bryant's salary or shooting percentage anymore. Something greater is now out of whack, and it's not the kind of failure that's fun to argue over.
Scott ignored the warning signs and broke the classic engine down. It's not the flat-tire Achilles rupture or the cracked-rear-axle knee fracture. This has to do with the very fire inside—the spark to ignite and run.
The humbling continued Sunday night at the Staples Center, where Bryant did not play for the fifth time in 11 games, simply opting for rest as the Lakers fell to Portland, 106-94. Scott stopped by the confessional beforehand to take the blame for pushing Bryant to "overload."
"I was wrong," Scott said to reporters about his insistence on over-utilizing Bryant.Now, Scott is trying to un-unspool Bryant's yarn, if possible.
"I guess I'm just trying to kind of make up for all the minutes I played him earlier," Scott said. "Get him more rest."
Bryant showed signs of being refreshed after his initial three-game break over Christmas. He accepted failure, spoke of his body not letting him do all the things he was used to doing as a relentless offensive attacker and proceeded to average 14.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists in five games while taking a calmer, quieter role.Then what initially seemed to be Bryant sitting out the second game of a back-to-back set as a precaution swirled into more. Two days later, Bryant turned in a noticeably tepid outing in a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. (Nevertheless, Scott played Bryant the entire third quarter that night despite the Lakers losing by at least 30 points most of the period.)
Two days after that, Bryant sat out again. Another two days, and now another game missed.Scott said Sunday that Bryant isn't injured: "I'm not concerned about his health at all. I want him to be right."
There has been no thought to shutting Bryant down for the season at any point. After all, Tim Duncan sits out regular-season games to save himself to make another championship run. Bryant would be sitting out only to grow older and idler.
There's reason to believe Bryant will return Tuesday night against Miami and try to get his rhythm back in advance of the Thursday night TNT showcase against LeBron James and Cleveland. If so, some level of normalcy will return to Staples Center.
Bryant can still play well, there is no doubt. Devotees can argue that with a stiff back and sore knees, he still commands double-teams, was the oldest ever to post a 23-11-11 triple-double less than two weeks ago and stands sixth in the NBA in scoring.
But they can't believe in the power of his perseverance as they always have. That part of the legend is finally in the past.
Kobe used to get hit in the mouth, taste the blood and thirst for more competition. He prided himself on beating every doctor's recovery timetable. He won the NBA title with a fracture in his right index finger in 2010, dropped 40 game after game with a torn ligament in his right wrist in 2012 and in two days went from severe ankle sprain and out indefinitely to playing the next game in 2013.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327259-father-time-finally-catching-up-to-kobe-bryant-and-its-a-sight-no-one-enjoys
Ranking the Most Indispensable NBA Superstars
The line has been repeated to the point that it feels cliched, but history has proved its value: The NBA is a superstars' league.
Championships are rarely—if ever—won without them, and even playoff runs are incredibly difficult to navigate if one isn't leading the way.
But not all stars carry the same level of importance. Some are more irreplaceable than others, be that for the impact they make on the court or the way their teams play without them.
Rankings have an inherent subjectivity about them, and this list has been compiled with significant input from the eye test. But objectivity is stressed here too, with all-encompassing statistical categories like net efficiency and ESPN.com's real plus-minus used to separate these elite players from one another.
Their respective clubs would all suffer greatly without them, but that sting would only increase the higher on the list these players rank.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2326920-ranking-the-most-indispensable-nba-superstars
Championships are rarely—if ever—won without them, and even playoff runs are incredibly difficult to navigate if one isn't leading the way.
But not all stars carry the same level of importance. Some are more irreplaceable than others, be that for the impact they make on the court or the way their teams play without them.
Rankings have an inherent subjectivity about them, and this list has been compiled with significant input from the eye test. But objectivity is stressed here too, with all-encompassing statistical categories like net efficiency and ESPN.com's real plus-minus used to separate these elite players from one another.
Their respective clubs would all suffer greatly without them, but that sting would only increase the higher on the list these players rank.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2326920-ranking-the-most-indispensable-nba-superstars
Max-Contract Questions a Fact of NBA Life for Kevin Love
If David Blatt's doubts about Kevin Love's max-contract worthiness are giving you deja vu, then you're not alone.
When asked about the ongoing struggles of his Cleveland Cavaliers—losers of five in a row and nine of their last 11, including a 104-83 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday—even with two max salary-type players (i.e. Love and Kyrie Irving) on the roster, Blatt responded, per ESPN.com's David McMenamin, "Well, Kev's not a max player yet, is he?"
Blatt later explained, via Chris Haynes of Northeast Ohio Media Group, that he was merely sticking to protocol as it pertains to discussing contract details publicly:In any case, Love's current salary is, indeed, the max insofar as it's the most he could've earned given the parameters of the particular extension he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign. The deal itself, though (i.e. four years, upward of $60 million), was not the absolute richest for which Love was eligible.
The Wolves, then helmed by general manager David Kahn alongside team owner Glen Taylor, could've inked their All-Star to a five-year pact but had their doubts about affording Love such luxury. Kahn later suggested that Taylor was wary of investing so heavily, in terms of both dollars and years, in Love.The only thing he hasn't done is the one thing against which the wisdom of max contracts is most commonly judged: He hasn't been part of playoff success in the NBA.
Just don't expect that to stop anyone—the Cavs included—from offering Love the max when he opts out of his current contract this summer, as the Akron Beacon Journal's Jason Lloyd says he likely will.
More money won't make Love any more of a "winner" than he already is. Instead, it'll only further raise expectations for Love to become one.
Which, given how low the bar was once set for Love and how he's cleared it time and again, might not be such a bad thing.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327233-max-contract-questions-a-fact-of-nba-life-for-kevin-love
Buying or Selling the Detroit Pistons as a Playoff Team and Monday NBA Takeaways
The Detroit Pistons' remarkable resurgence continued with a 114-111 win on the road over the Toronto Raptors, and a playoff dream that seemed dead just a few weeks ago is now very much alive.
After starting the season 5-23, the Pistons are a mere two games back of the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.Thanks to 34 points and 10 assists from Brandon Jennings, Detroit leaped out of a first-half hole dug principally by Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas (14 points and six rebounds in the first quarter alone), who was utterly dominant in the early going.
The first 24 minutes concluded with Detroit trailing by a dozen points.Jennings led the Pistons back, though, stroking confident jumpers and getting to his spots against a Raptors defense that has struggled immensely of late to contain penetration. Watching Jennings—maligned over the years for his poor shot selection and laissez-faire approach to defense—head the charge was surreal.In a report from Ian Begley of ESPN.com, Carmelo Anthony explained that surgery may be the only way to address his troublesome left knee: "I'm pretty sure at some point that's going to be my only option. But until that time I can't sit out. ... I feel like if I can go out there and play some more and continue to play, then I'm going to do that."
The New York Knicks are 5-35. They've lost 15 straight and have absolutely no chance to compete for a playoff spot this year. Nor do they have a desire to do so—as their exchange of Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith for nothing indicates.
If they can help it, the Knicks won't stop there, either. According to Begley and Marc Stein of ESPN.com, New York is looking to move Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon as well. Don't expect teams to line up for those two, though.
So what's Anthony waiting for? Why not go under the knife now and leave enough time to rehab as possible ahead of a 2015-16 season that might actually matter?
In a way, Melo's stated desire to postpone the inevitable is admirable. But given where the Knicks are in the standings, and how they'd be best served to stay there, Anthony's hesitation makes no sense.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327726-buying-or-selling-the-detroit-pistons-as-a-playoff-team-and-monday-nba-takeaways
After starting the season 5-23, the Pistons are a mere two games back of the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.Thanks to 34 points and 10 assists from Brandon Jennings, Detroit leaped out of a first-half hole dug principally by Raptors big man Jonas Valanciunas (14 points and six rebounds in the first quarter alone), who was utterly dominant in the early going.
The first 24 minutes concluded with Detroit trailing by a dozen points.Jennings led the Pistons back, though, stroking confident jumpers and getting to his spots against a Raptors defense that has struggled immensely of late to contain penetration. Watching Jennings—maligned over the years for his poor shot selection and laissez-faire approach to defense—head the charge was surreal.In a report from Ian Begley of ESPN.com, Carmelo Anthony explained that surgery may be the only way to address his troublesome left knee: "I'm pretty sure at some point that's going to be my only option. But until that time I can't sit out. ... I feel like if I can go out there and play some more and continue to play, then I'm going to do that."
The New York Knicks are 5-35. They've lost 15 straight and have absolutely no chance to compete for a playoff spot this year. Nor do they have a desire to do so—as their exchange of Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith for nothing indicates.
If they can help it, the Knicks won't stop there, either. According to Begley and Marc Stein of ESPN.com, New York is looking to move Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon as well. Don't expect teams to line up for those two, though.
So what's Anthony waiting for? Why not go under the knife now and leave enough time to rehab as possible ahead of a 2015-16 season that might actually matter?
In a way, Melo's stated desire to postpone the inevitable is admirable. But given where the Knicks are in the standings, and how they'd be best served to stay there, Anthony's hesitation makes no sense.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327726-buying-or-selling-the-detroit-pistons-as-a-playoff-team-and-monday-nba-takeaways
Kevin Garnett's Act Takes Another Unfortunate Turn
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett has a longstanding reputation as one of the NBA's most controversial on-court instigators.
Participation in physical proceedings has long been a prerequisite for Garnett's combative ways, and the story was no different when he was ejected barely four minutes into Monday night's 113-99 loss to the Houston Rockets.
In the first quarter of the showdown, Garnett hit Dwight Howard with a quick shove before the Rockets big man retaliated, leading the Big Ticket to pelt his opponent with the ball prior to engaging him with a headbutt to the jaw, which is when things escalated: Upon official review, Garnett was sent to the showers and Howard was slapped with a technical foul.
As CBS Sports' Matt Moore noted, Garnett's intimidating tactics designed to provoke an incendiary response were nothing new for the 38-year-old: The purveyor of a long and storied history of physical conflict with a fascinating and rotating cast of counterparts, Garnett has been making opponents' blood boil for the past 20 years.
Just ask Indiana Pacers forward David West, who took exception to Garnett's Lance Stephenson impression earlier this season: The Garnett experience has always come bundled with an unpredictable confrontational component, but it was undeniably more palatable when he functioned as a defensive stalwart who churned out double-doubles.
At this waning stage of his career with the Nets quickly fading out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Garnett has sadly been relegated to the role of a contentious showman who thrives in moments of chaos.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327779-kevin-garnetts-act-takes-another-unfortunate-turn
Participation in physical proceedings has long been a prerequisite for Garnett's combative ways, and the story was no different when he was ejected barely four minutes into Monday night's 113-99 loss to the Houston Rockets.
In the first quarter of the showdown, Garnett hit Dwight Howard with a quick shove before the Rockets big man retaliated, leading the Big Ticket to pelt his opponent with the ball prior to engaging him with a headbutt to the jaw, which is when things escalated: Upon official review, Garnett was sent to the showers and Howard was slapped with a technical foul.
As CBS Sports' Matt Moore noted, Garnett's intimidating tactics designed to provoke an incendiary response were nothing new for the 38-year-old: The purveyor of a long and storied history of physical conflict with a fascinating and rotating cast of counterparts, Garnett has been making opponents' blood boil for the past 20 years.
Just ask Indiana Pacers forward David West, who took exception to Garnett's Lance Stephenson impression earlier this season: The Garnett experience has always come bundled with an unpredictable confrontational component, but it was undeniably more palatable when he functioned as a defensive stalwart who churned out double-doubles.
At this waning stage of his career with the Nets quickly fading out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Garnett has sadly been relegated to the role of a contentious showman who thrives in moments of chaos.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327779-kevin-garnetts-act-takes-another-unfortunate-turn
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