OFFICIAL 2010-2011 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD : VOL. MOST. ANTICIPATED. PLAYOFFS. EVER?
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by bigmike23,
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At first I was like, how the hell is Felton's game winner only #5?! But...
QFT
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At first I was like, how the hell is Felton's game winner only #5?! But...
QFT
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Seriously.
Buzzer beater, after buzzer beater, after buzzer beater.
Pulling an all-nighter, seeing those highlights definitely got me out of my funk (got my last Final of the Qtr in 90 minutes; winter break.
).
Buzzer beater, after buzzer beater, after buzzer beater.
Pulling an all-nighter, seeing those highlights definitely got me out of my funk (got my last Final of the Qtr in 90 minutes; winter break.
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Seriously.
Buzzer beater, after buzzer beater, after buzzer beater.
Pulling an all-nighter, seeing those highlights definitely got me out of my funk (got my last Final of the Qtr in 90 minutes; winter break.
).
Buzzer beater, after buzzer beater, after buzzer beater.
Pulling an all-nighter, seeing those highlights definitely got me out of my funk (got my last Final of the Qtr in 90 minutes; winter break.
Osh, I hope that copyright mark you put next to Amary was for me.
You owe me some money.
I won't lie, I am impressed a little by Amare so far this year. He and the Knicks, have a better record then the Suns. (BTW, I am always beyond giddy seeing the "MVP" taken out of games late in games for defensive purposes. Nothing makes me laugh more. She should be ashamed of herself) Anyhoo, regardless of what I think of Amare's "toughness" and all that, he has at this point, wanted to be the man, tried to be that man, and led his team. I did not expect that. Don't mean I have the Knicks in the finals or nothin, but I can at least give Amare credit for showin some heart that I didn't think he had. Props on that.
I been sayin now..........Heat, ever since Spo was on the hot seat, and he told Lebron to get right, they been winnin.......yes Utah is only one game, but they seem to be figuring it out. And Lebron getting checked by his coach seems to be working.
Anyone see Blake after the game? That kid, has heart. He didn't want to go home. He wanted to keep playing. Clippers, enjoy him while you can, he's gone in 3 years. No way he sticks around playin for the Titanic.
This amazes me, but um, we need to get a Clippers/TWolves game as a national game. The country needs to see those two play, with EG and Beas as side dishes. I don't know if the country is ready for it, but it needs to happen.
Orlando upcoming stretch, Port, Utah, Denver, Hawks, Spurs, and Mavs????? I seein that right?
League must be mad at them or somethin.
I won't lie, I am impressed a little by Amare so far this year. He and the Knicks, have a better record then the Suns. (BTW, I am always beyond giddy seeing the "MVP" taken out of games late in games for defensive purposes. Nothing makes me laugh more. She should be ashamed of herself) Anyhoo, regardless of what I think of Amare's "toughness" and all that, he has at this point, wanted to be the man, tried to be that man, and led his team. I did not expect that. Don't mean I have the Knicks in the finals or nothin, but I can at least give Amare credit for showin some heart that I didn't think he had. Props on that.
I been sayin now..........Heat, ever since Spo was on the hot seat, and he told Lebron to get right, they been winnin.......yes Utah is only one game, but they seem to be figuring it out. And Lebron getting checked by his coach seems to be working.
Anyone see Blake after the game? That kid, has heart. He didn't want to go home. He wanted to keep playing. Clippers, enjoy him while you can, he's gone in 3 years. No way he sticks around playin for the Titanic.
This amazes me, but um, we need to get a Clippers/TWolves game as a national game. The country needs to see those two play, with EG and Beas as side dishes. I don't know if the country is ready for it, but it needs to happen.
Orlando upcoming stretch, Port, Utah, Denver, Hawks, Spurs, and Mavs????? I seein that right?
Osh, I hope that copyright mark you put next to Amary was for me.
You owe me some money.
I won't lie, I am impressed a little by Amare so far this year. He and the Knicks, have a better record then the Suns. (BTW, I am always beyond giddy seeing the "MVP" taken out of games late in games for defensive purposes. Nothing makes me laugh more. She should be ashamed of herself) Anyhoo, regardless of what I think of Amare's "toughness" and all that, he has at this point, wanted to be the man, tried to be that man, and led his team. I did not expect that. Don't mean I have the Knicks in the finals or nothin, but I can at least give Amare credit for showin some heart that I didn't think he had. Props on that.
I been sayin now..........Heat, ever since Spo was on the hot seat, and he told Lebron to get right, they been winnin.......yes Utah is only one game, but they seem to be figuring it out. And Lebron getting checked by his coach seems to be working.
Anyone see Blake after the game? That kid, has heart. He didn't want to go home. He wanted to keep playing. Clippers, enjoy him while you can, he's gone in 3 years. No way he sticks around playin for the Titanic.
This amazes me, but um, we need to get a Clippers/TWolves game as a national game. The country needs to see those two play, with EG and Beas as side dishes. I don't know if the country is ready for it, but it needs to happen.
Orlando upcoming stretch, Port, Utah, Denver, Hawks, Spurs, and Mavs????? I seein that right?
League must be mad at them or somethin.
I won't lie, I am impressed a little by Amare so far this year. He and the Knicks, have a better record then the Suns. (BTW, I am always beyond giddy seeing the "MVP" taken out of games late in games for defensive purposes. Nothing makes me laugh more. She should be ashamed of herself) Anyhoo, regardless of what I think of Amare's "toughness" and all that, he has at this point, wanted to be the man, tried to be that man, and led his team. I did not expect that. Don't mean I have the Knicks in the finals or nothin, but I can at least give Amare credit for showin some heart that I didn't think he had. Props on that.
I been sayin now..........Heat, ever since Spo was on the hot seat, and he told Lebron to get right, they been winnin.......yes Utah is only one game, but they seem to be figuring it out. And Lebron getting checked by his coach seems to be working.
Anyone see Blake after the game? That kid, has heart. He didn't want to go home. He wanted to keep playing. Clippers, enjoy him while you can, he's gone in 3 years. No way he sticks around playin for the Titanic.
This amazes me, but um, we need to get a Clippers/TWolves game as a national game. The country needs to see those two play, with EG and Beas as side dishes. I don't know if the country is ready for it, but it needs to happen.
Orlando upcoming stretch, Port, Utah, Denver, Hawks, Spurs, and Mavs????? I seein that right?
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amare was taken out of the game because he had 5 fouls and we would have wanted him in overtime...
but knicks fans know his defense still sucks. the thing is though he's been making some huge blocks for us. game altering blocks. so i think he's trying a little more. we will never go far in the playoffs without interior defense and all we have is turiaf for that right now. i'm still not a dantoni fan.
but knicks fans know his defense still sucks. the thing is though he's been making some huge blocks for us. game altering blocks. so i think he's trying a little more. we will never go far in the playoffs without interior defense and all we have is turiaf for that right now. i'm still not a dantoni fan.
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amare was taken out of the game because he had 5 fouls and we would have wanted him in overtime...
but knicks fans know his defense still sucks. the thing is though he's been making some huge blocks for us. game altering blocks. so i think he's trying a little more. we will never go far in the playoffs without interior defense and all we have is turiaf for that right now. i'm still not a dantoni fan.
but knicks fans know his defense still sucks. the thing is though he's been making some huge blocks for us. game altering blocks. so i think he's trying a little more. we will never go far in the playoffs without interior defense and all we have is turiaf for that right now. i'm still not a dantoni fan.
http://[h3]
[/h3][h3]Melo on the block[/h3]
10:20AM ET
[h5]Carmelo Anthony | Nuggets [/h5]
The Nuggets front office has taken their time regarding Carmelo Anthony's future with the team and a decision, according to Ken Berger, has been made that the small forward will be traded, if he has not signed an extension by the February trade deadline.
Berger writes: "... the wheels are all but certain to be put in motion to part ways with the three-time All-Star rather than lose him as a free agent and get nothing in return. .... Executives believe the Nuggets have decided they would like to receive the best possible package of young players and are not interested in stopgap options that would hamper their flexibility."
Berger brings up the Nets package of Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Kris Humphries and two first-round picks for Anthony as the best offer. Anthony of course can quash most potential deals, including with New Jersey, if he refuses to sign an extension.
The Knicks are the odds-on favorite to land Anthony, if he opts to become a free agent next summer.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Blazers youth movement?[/h3]
9:52AM ET
[h5]Portland Trail Blazers [/h5]
The Blazers were constructed by former general manager Kevin Pritchard to win now and have plenty of older players on the roster. That plan, according to Ken Berger, might be scrapped for a youth movement due to the season-ending surgery for Greg Oden and the knee issues for Brandon Roy.
Berger writes: "... two people with knowledge of the team's strategy told CBSSports.com that Portland management is contemplating trading older players and going young. ... Sources caution that the Blazers have engaged in only internal conversations about this strategy, and it is contingent upon the team (10-11) continuing to struggle."
The older players who could be dealt are Joel Przybilla (expiring contract), Andre Miller (contract expires after 2011-12, but it is not guaranteed and could be waived before July) and Marcus Camby (contract expires after 2011-12).
Berger also includes Rudy Fernandez as someone who could be traded. Fernandez and his agent had made several public comments about the Spaniards wish to play elsewhere, especially back in Spain, before the season started.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]The difficulty of trading Roy[/h3]
9:23AM ET
[h5]Brandon Roy | Trail Blazers [/h5]
Brandon Roy is in the first season of his five-year, $82.3 million extension. Roy is not playing up to his All-Star ability this season because his two bad knees, especially the left one, have limited his ability to blow by the defense and get to the rim.
The team could try to trade him, but his value around the league is low because of the bad knees for the 26-year old and the provisions in his contract.
From John Canzano of The Oregonian: "A league executive told me on Wednesday that Roy has minimal trade value right now because the league-mandated insurance policy that covers Roy's $80 million contract has an exclusion for his knees because it was a pre-existing knee condition. Also, when the Blazers signed Roy to that maximum contract, they didn't take the shrewd step of writing an exclusion into the deal for his knees. That alone has to make you wonder."
Basically, insurance won't cover any of the contract, if Roy can't complete the deal and the contract is fully guaranteed, even if the Blazers are forced to part ways with him prior to the expiration of the contract in 2015.
"Roy's a good player," the executive told Canzano, "but I can't sell that trade upstairs with no insurance on the knee."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Azubuike's return still uncertain[/h3]
9:02AM ET
[h5]Kelenna Azubuike | Knicks [/h5]
Kelenna Azubuike has been practicing for a couple of weeks now and is optimistic about playing soon. Head coach Mike D'Antoni doesn't share the same opinion as Azubuike.
"He's not ready to play. He just doesn't have the pop," D'Antoni told ESPNNewYork.com. He can scrimmage, he's just not strong enough to be able to go sideways or to have an NBA physical talent level. It's just not there yet. He's just got to keep working on his strength, and hopefully he gets here sooner than later, but there's no timetable."
Azubuike is in the final stages of his recovery from patella tendon surgery. The Knicks are winning a lot of games, so it might be difficult for him to crack the rotation when he is ready to be activated.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Karl and Nuggets discuss extension[/h3]
8:41AM ET
[h5]George Karl | Nuggets [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The Denver Post, talks between the Nuggets and Karl are ongoing. Karl reportedly wants a three-year deal with the choice to work as a consultant for another three years.
Karl's deal would average about $5 million and would keep him as one of the top-10 paid coach's in the league.
-- Nick Borges
----
George Karl and the Denver Nuggets are in talks to extend the head coach's contract beyond this season. Karl is thrilled to be staying with the team.
"I love Denver," Karl told The Denver Post. "It's kind of my type of city. It's seems like they have a lot of people like me here. Out-of-the-box guys, a little bit crazy here, a little bit different here. The thinking is accepted. The weather is incredibly good."
Karl says he'd like to have a three-year deal.
"I'd be 63 then," Karl said. "If I want to do it after that, then we talk again maybe. I think I have the passion and the bottle of energy to try to keep this Broadway show going."
Karl is back on the bench full-time this season after battling cancer last season. His health will ultimately determine how long he remains as a coach in the NBA.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]K.G. talks with Karl[/h3]
8:25AM ET
[h5]Kevin Garnett | Celtics [/h5]
Last month, Charlie Villanueva tweeted that Kevin Garnett called him a "cancer patient" during a game, but Garnett said he called Villanueva "cancerous to [his] team and the league."
Nuggets head coach George Karl is a survivor of cancer and expressed his disappointment with what Garnett said.
The Nuggets were playing in Boston on Wednesday and Garnett spoke with Karl about the comment.
"I just went over and, I know there's some speculation [about what Garnett said], and I'm not going to get into it, you all know what I'm talking about," Garnett told ESPNBoston.com. "I went up to him as a man and what I said is that I had nothing personal toward him nor any other cancer patient that is out there struggling and dealing with life situations. I wanted to say that to him, man to man. I was going to do it before the game, when the [shot] clocks and stuff was messed up [delaying the opening tipoff], but I wanted to get the game out of the way, and then approach him."
Head coach Doc Rivers thought it was classy gesture by Garnett.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Curry sprains ankle again[/h3]
7:57AM ET
[h5]Stephen Curry | Warriors [/h5]
Stephen Curry sprained his right ankle for the fourth time this season on Wednesday. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Curry had a scan and it came back negative for a fracture.
Curry limped out of the arena wearing a protective walking boot and he could miss a few games.
David Lee thinks it might be time for Curry to rest the ankle.
"Anytime you continually keep rolling it like that, you've got to think about sitting out for a while and get the strength back," Lee said. "That can't be good for you to keep rolling it over and over. He's a tough competitor, and I know he'll want to be in there Friday. But he needs to think about doing what is smartest for his career."
There has been talk about the Warriors need for a dependable backup point guard and Alex Kennedy tweeted Wednesday night that the team is expected to sign Acie Law on Thursday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Caracter day-to-day[/h3]
7:26AM ET
[h5]Derrick Caracter | Lakers [/h5]
The Lakers have little depth in the frontcourt due to injuries and they suffered another one on Wednesday. Rookie Derrick Caracter suffered a left ankle sprain and did not return to the game. He will be re-evaluated on Thursday.
"I thought he would be back and playing," Lakers head coach Phil Jackson told ESPNLosAngeles.com after the game. "I thought he was just going back and getting his ankle taped and he'd be right back in the ball game. He just never found a comfort level."
He is officially listed as day-to-day.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Benching baffles House[/h3]
7:08AM ET
[h5]Eddie House | Heat [/h5]
Eddie House was signed due to his ability to shoot the ball, but the backup minutes are going to James Jones, who is also a good long-range shooter. House doesn't understand why he's not getting that much time on the floor.
"I'm just as baffled and dumbfounded as everybody else," House told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It's not like I played myself out of the rotation. My numbers don't look like, 'OK, I could see why.' "
Mario Chalmers is also getting House's minutes because Chalmers is a better ballhandler.
"It's just a decision he (Erik Spoelstra) made and that's what he feels," House said. "So you've got to roll with it. Of course, as a competitor you want to be out there, but if you start letting stuff like that affect you as a professional, then you stop doing the things so you could be prepared."
Spoelstra says every player will get their chance during the season to be in the rotation.
"Our team is a unique team," Spoelstra said. "I viewed everybody as a rotation player. At some point, we're going to need everybody."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Hibbert not thinking about MIP award[/h3]
5:46AM ET
[h5]Roy Hibbert | Pacers [/h5]
Pacers center Roy Hibbert worked hard in the summer and is playing well enough this season to be considered as a candidate for the Most Improved Player award. Hibbert says he is trying not to think about that right now.
"During the summer, that was one thing I was working toward," Hibbert tells The Indianapolis Star. "When I was getting better, that award was on my mind, but throughout the season, it's on the back burner. People are talking about it, but I try not to think about it too much."
Last year Hibbert averaged 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds and this season they are up to 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds. He is also handing out 3.2 assists and blocking 1.9 shots per game.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]McCants heading to Far East[/h3]
5:35AM ET
[h5]Rashad McCants [/h5]
Rashad McCants has been playing in the D-League the last few weeks for the Texas Legends, but he won't be there for too much longer.
According to The Dallas Morning News, McCant's agent has told Donnie Nelson that there is a contract waiting for him in China and he's going to take it.
"Rashad has an opportunity to play in China and it looks like he'll be taking advantage of that opportunity," Nelson said. "Although my personal feeling is the D-League is the quickest, most direct path to the NBA, I wish him nothing but the very best. He's been a true professional and the Legends will retain his rights in the event he elects to return."
McCants has averaged 12.3 points for the Dallas Mavericks D-League affiliate.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Brooks return uncertain[/h3]
5:14AM ET
[h5]Aaron Brooks | Rockets [/h5]
UPDATE: Brooks was hoping to be back in the lineup by Dec. 10 (Friday), but that's not happening. Brooks still has not been cleared to practice.
"I haven't tried to do it live against anybody," Brooks told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday. "It's one thing when you know what you're going to do. Playing against guys and shifting different directions, I haven't made it there, yet. ... Every day I can do one more thing than I could the day before. I'm not 100 percent."
Lowry will continue to start until Brooks is activated.
-- Nick Borges
----
Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks hasn't played since Nov. 6 against the Spurs due to an ankle injury he suffered during that contest.
But like center Yao Ming -- who's looking to return next week -- Brooks also is targeting next week (Dec. 10 against the Bucks) for a return, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
When Brooks and Ming return, it'll give the Rockets two of their starters back and may give a boost to a squad that's sitting at a disappointing 6-12.
Kyle Lowry is likely to move back to a reserve PG role once Brooks is back in the lineup.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Gooden hopes to return soon[/h3]
5:03AM ET
[h5]Drew Gooden | Bucks [/h5]
Bucks power forward Drew Gooden has missed five of the last six games due to plantar fasciitis in his left heel. He is hoping to practice soon and then return to the lineup not too long after that.
"Last week I couldn't even lift myself up on my heel," Gooden told the Journal Sentinel. "I felt a little bit better in Denver and thought I could go. I only played 10 minutes and didn't feel that well afterwards.
"It wasn't a mistake. It was kind of me being competitive and knowing we were down and knowing it was going to be a tough game."
The best case scenario has him playing against Dallas or San Antonio next week.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Flynn will head back to D-League[/h3]
4:46AM ET
[h5]Jonny Flynn | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE: According to the Star Tribune, the Wolves sent Flynn back to Sioux Falls on Wednesday. He will play two games for the Skyforce on Friday and Saturday.
There's a very good chance he'll be activated next Tuesday when the Wolves start their West Coast trip at Golden State, if he doesn't suffer any setbacks this weekend.
-- Nick Borges
----
After playing just one game for the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Friday, the Timberwolves recalled Jonny Flynn.
It seemed logical his season debut -- after coming off hip surgery this summer -- was on the horizon, but it looks like he's set to head back down for another stint with the Skyforce.
According to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis indicated at Monday's shootaround there's "zero" chance Flynn plays Monday night against the Knicks.
Further, Rambis also said Flynn will return to the D-League for two games this weekend.
We'll deduce from this that Flynn likely won't play Wednesday against the Thunder, and won't make his 2010-11 debut until after his second D-League stint this coming weekend.
While Flynn's return hangs in limbo, Luke Ridnour should continue to get the lion's share of minutes at point guard for Minnesota.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Webster cleared[/h3]
4:38AM ET
[h5]Martell Webster | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: Webster was inactive for the Oklahoma game on Wednesday. He expects to play on Friday against the Pistons. Webster won't do too much too early when he finally gets on the court.
"I'm not going to get too far ahead of myself," Webster told the Star Tribune. "I don't want to rush into it too fast."
"My movement and my explosiveness already are 100 percent; now it's just getting my wind up," Webster added.
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: Webster met with the Wolves doctors and medical staff on Tuesday and according to the Pioneer Press, he was cleared to play for the first time this season.
He should activated against Oklahoma City on Wednesday or Detroit on Friday.
----
Martell Webster, who had back surgery five weeks ago, practiced for the first time on Thursday and said he can actually stand up straight now. He hasn't been able to that since high school.
"My posture was bad, always had a little hunch in my back," Webster told the Star Tribune. "Everybody asked, 'Why you walk like that?' I don't know, that's the way I walked. I didn't feel anything then. It just was one of those wear-and-tear things that progressed and slowly got worse."
Webster isn't sure when he'll be activated, but said he feels great.
"With this one, I'm 100 percent confident just because I know how my body feels," Webster said. "I can judge it against my foot surgery and it's night and day. I feel great. My back feels fine. I don't have any soreness or stiffness, no pain."
For the fourth year in a row, the Boston Celtics have jumped out to a sizzling start, winning 16 of their first 20 games and earning a spot atop the Eastern Conference. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not with Kendrick Perkins sidelined until after the All-Star break, Rasheed Wallace retired and no real backup point guard without Delonte West. The Celtics were supposed to be hurting, not surging.
The biggest difference-maker? Shaquille O'Neal.
If you tuned in to Friday night's TV broadcast of the Celtics-Chicago Bulls game, you might have heard ESPN analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy discussing the 38-year-old's candidacy for the All-Star team. Actually, the two weren't discussing his candidacy as much as they were flat-out campaigning for Shaq's selection to the team. This despite only playing a shade over 20 minutes per game.
Blasphemy? Well, consider the facts. Despite the stellar efforts of Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, who could well earn All-Star bids on their own, it is Shaq who boasts the team's highest player efficiency rating (21.2). In fact, when it comes to centers in the East, only Al Horford and Dwight Howard have been more productive on a per-minute basis. With an absurdly high 68.4 field goal percentage, we haven't seen someone this money from the floor since the days of Wilt Chamberlain.
However, individual accomplishments mean little if they get lost in translation on the team level. But after looking at plus/minus numbers, we can see that's certainly not the case with Boston's 15-time All-Star. The Celtics are scoring 120.2 points per 100 possessions with Shaq on the floor this season. How good is that? That's the highest rate for any player in the league, according to basketballvalue.com.
Not a bad return for a veteran-minimum contract.
But that contract may be the catalyst for Shaq's resurgence. At least one league executive said it has worked wonders to deflate his ego.
"It takes a long time for formerly great players to come to grips with the fact that they're not great anymore," said an Eastern Conference exec. "It has to be very humbling to be a free agent and the best he could come up with on a winning team was this deal. What he's done integrating in Boston really proves that he's true to his word about wanting to win."
Physically, Shaq may be a shell of his former self, but it's clear he can still be incredibly efficient -- only if he accepts his role.
"It's amazing, the guy can't even jump," said the exec. "He can't lose much more athletically than he already he has. It's not like he's been reborn or rejuvenated in any way. It's just that he's finally at peace with who he is."
But credit must be given to the shrewd Celtics front office for recognizing that Shaq is a finisher, not a creator. Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers incorporated Shaq into their offense by feeding him the ball in the post early in the shot clock. Shaq would then pound his post defender closer and closer to the basket before turning for a quick hook that would send the ball on a line drive directly at the basket. As we saw in the playoffs, this strategy rarely produced consistent buckets, now that Shaq has lost the quickness and the lift to work a high-percentage shot. More importantly, it simultaneously disjointed the offense and neutralized the powers of LeBron James.
If you've been paying attention this season, you'll notice that Boston rarely runs the offense through Shaq. The Celtics still execute the same sets that are predicated on off-the-ball screens, motion and penetration. But unlike the Cavaliers last season, the Celtics feature multiple scorers -- not just one really, really good one -- who can penetrate to draw weakside defenders. But not only that, they have both the selfless attitude and passing ability to reward the open man. The Celtics were aware that, even at 38 years old, if Shaq can get the ball within one foot of the basket, nothing stands between him and a thunderous dunk. They just need to get him the ball there.
And they have. We're seeing an enormous shift in Shaq's shot types this season, thanks to the passing skills of his teammates. According to Synergy Sports Technology, 29.5 percent of Shaq's offense has been generated off basket cuts, tripling his shot share in Cleveland last season. But post-ups essentially have been phased out. In a Cavs uniform, nearly two-thirds of Shaq's offense came from bludgeoning opponents on the block, but that's been cut to just 26 percent in 2010-11. Consequently, Shaq has been assisted on 76.9 percent of his field goals in Boston, drastically higher than his career norms. Even though he played a season and a half with Steve Nash in Phoenix, Shaq has never been delivered the ball as effectively as he has with his new Boston comrades.
So maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks. Or, rather, you can teach an old dog that his tricks aren't what they used to be and there's an easier way. At 38, Shaq has not only reinvented himself, but also may have reinvented what it means to be an All-Star.
While a certain Big Three in South Beach have hogged most of the national spotlight, our TrueHoop Network bloggers are here to dish on the under-the-radar storylines in the NBA that deserve more attention. We started in the East on Tuesday, and hit the West today.
[h4]DALLAS MAVERICKS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jason Terry is quietly having his best season in assists since 2006-07, a testament to JET's underrated playmaking abilities and a slightly altered configuration in Dallas' backcourt. Terry now has two very distinct roles: When playing with Jason Kidd, he fires at will, but when sharing the court with the more limited J.J. Barea, Terry takes over a considerable share of the ball-distributing responsibilities.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Mavs dropped some considerable coin on draft night in order to select the seemingly NBA-ready Dominique Jones, a savvy scorer out of South Florida. However, despite Jones' effectiveness in the NCAA, he's struggled to finish at the rim in the NBA thus far, and his defensive awareness could use some fine-tuning. Jones is still an intriguing prospect, but he's not quite ready for consistent NBA playing time right now.
-- Rob Mahoney, The Two Man Game
[h4]DENVER NUGGETS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Carmelo Anthony has one foot out the door, but the Nuggets are so much more than Melo. With players like Nene, Arron Afflalo, Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith all taking a step forward, Denver has been winning even when Melo is playing poorly or isn't playing at all. Add in undrafted rookie Gary Forbes and a healthy, uber-tatted Chris "Birdman" Andersen, and Denver is as deep as it has ever been.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Chauncey Billups was an All-Star last season, but he did not play well down the stretch. Billups was the veteran leader of the 2010 U.S. World Championship team, but played poorly; the team was better off when he was on the bench. And Billups has followed it all up with a very slow start to this season. The sad thing is he seems to have no idea he has slipped so far so quickly.
-- Jeremy Wagner, Roundball Mining Company
[h4]GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Stephen Curry has been spectacular: 21.5 player efficiency rating, 21.2 points, 5.7 assists, 59.7 true shooting percentage. Someone tell his coach, Keith Smart -- Curry is playing fewer minutes this season. Someone tell Warriors PR -- they seem to push only Monta Ellis. Someone tell the fans -- my Twitter feed is choked with Curry complaints. Curry is one of the league's best young point guards, but an ingredient sacrificed to a rancid stew of recent Warriors play.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Jeremy Lin situation is … awkward. He adds energy, hustle and some of the most cringe-prompting play seen outside of a rec league. Lin was supposed to resonate as symbolic and he did that -- for a time. But it's hard to keep cheering when he seems capable of blocking his own layups. Oracle used to roar when Lin entered games. These days, the cheers are muting into nervous brow sweat. This isn't the heartwarming story it could have been.
-- Ethan Sherwood Strauss, Warriors World
[h4]HOUSTON ROCKETS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Lost amid the chatter about the Rockets' disappointing season has been the development of Jordan Hill. After a shaky start, Hill has come on strong, bolstering Houston's front line with his physical talents. Hill triggered the Rockets' Dec. 1 win over the Lakers by frustrating Pau Gasol (season-low eight points) with his length in single coverage. Assumed to be mostly a trade throw-in, the dreadlocked one may be making management reconsider its plans.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The plan all along, it seemed, was to flip the "Knicks Picks," the real prize from last season's Tracy McGrady trade. With light protections, the two draft picks obtained from New York were to form the basis of a package for a true star or at least help Houston rebuild through the draft. Unfortunately, with New York looking poised to finish higher in the standings than the Rockets, the circumstances serve as the true indignity from what has thus far been a disastrous season.
-- Rahat Huq, Red94
[h4]LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
It's hard to imagine Blake Griffin doing anything that isn't documented for posterity on YouTube, but it's true. Lost in the theatrics of the dunks, Griffin has a select repertoire of moves: a right-handed hook bank shot on the right block, the over-the-right-shoulder fadeaway off the left block, a decent shot out to (for now) 16 feet, and a spin move that he can unleash anywhere on the floor. He's also emerging as a very capable passing big man.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
As the image-conscious league touts its NBA Cares program, Clippers owner Donald Sterling attempts to void contracts and faces racial discrimination suits, among assorted other examples of mismanagement, all of which hangs over the franchise. Unfortunately, Sterling has been such a comically bad owner that, other than a report or two a year, nothing seems to gain traction anymore. His behavior is accepted as nothing more than a byproduct of his eccentricity instead of being called what it is -- bad for basketball and beneath the standards of the league.
-- Breene Murphy, ClipperBlog
[h4]LOS ANGELES LAKERS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Matt Barnes' strong play has not been talked about enough. While his strengths -- good defense, rebounding, shooting, slashing ability -- were known commodities, he's provided great consistency off the Lakers' bench with his nonstop motor and fearlessness on both sides of the ball. His strong production (8.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game) has earned him opportunities late in tight games, a trend few saw coming when he signed this summer.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Ron Artest's play to start the season has been less than inspiring. His average play on offense is one concern, but more worrisome is his up-and-down defense, with inconsistent focus and intensity. Every player will have bad nights on defense, but elite D is Artest's calling card and he's been below the high standard he set last season.
-- Darius Soriano, Forum Blue & Gold
[h4]MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
The intelligent decisions the Grizzlies made to re-sign Rudy Gay and Mike Conley. They have been the two most consistent performers on the team and neither is 25 years old. The team took heat for signing them but their performances this season have earned the contracts. Both players would have been offered similar or larger deals had the market been able to determine their worth.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Zach Randolph and O.J. Mayo's performances. Z-Bo has failed to maintain the discipline he showed last season, and that has hurt the Grizzlies. Mayo lost his starting role in part because the team needed his contribution more off the bench. The experiment started out well, as Memphis went 3-1 in its first games with the lineup, but overall, Mayo's scoring (12.2 points per game) and field goal percentage (40 percent) have dipped to career lows.
-- Chip Crain, 3 Shades Of Blue
[h4]MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Over the first two weeks of the season, Darko Milicic was pretty clearly the worst starter in the league. These catastrophic performances got plenty of national attention, and rightly so. But lately, there have been some signs of renewal. He's occasionally drawing double-teams. He's showing a little energy on defense. He's starting to move the ball like the deft passer he's supposed to be. No telling if this will continue, but we can hope.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Wolves are 5-16. This is not news. What's been really painful, though, and a little under the radar has been their propensity for the late-game collapse. They've lost two big fourth-quarter leads to San Antonio. They folded late in Oklahoma City and Charlotte. This -- the inability to execute late in games, the epic losses of poise -- is what a truly young team looks like.
-- Ben Polk, A Wolf Among Wolves
[h4]NEW ORLEANS HORNETS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Monty Williams has been a breath of fresh air for a Hornets team that is constantly in the middle of media speculation. Chris Paul rumors, attendance benchmarks, talk of relocation or contraction -- none of it fazes the youngest coach in the NBA. His focus is on cultivating a winning culture. He preaches "no excuses" to his players, and although others may see a sinking ship, these players believe in their captain.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The focus has been on the possible exodus of Paul in the summer of 2012, but a full year before that happens, the Hornets' other cornerstone will likely be an unrestricted free agent. David West holds a player option that he will likely exercise next summer, and if he leaves, the Hornets will lose a talented player, a community advocate and the big brother figure of one CP3.
-- Michael McNamara, Hornets247
[h4]OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Very quietly, Jeff Green is having the best statistical season in his four-year career. Green didn't receive a contract extension from the Thunder and is playing this season knowing he'll be a restricted free agent. He is averaging 18.9 points and 6.6 rebounds (both career highs) in 40.3 minutes per game (second most in the league). While Green may not be a prototypical power forward, he's playing some of the best ball of his career.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
OKC traded two picks in the 2010 draft to move up and select center Cole Aldrich. Most saw it as a move to help solidify the Thunder's somewhat soft front line against the bigs of the West -- except Aldrich was quietly sent to the D-League two weeks ago after failing to make much of an impact early on. He was recently recalled, but it's disappointing that he wasn't able to crack the rotation and make an immediate impact.
-- Royce Young, Daily Thunder
[h4]PHOENIX SUNS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jason Richardson is playing up to his $14.4 million price tag this season. Before Tuesday, J-Rich had scored at least 20 points in seven straight games, and he averages a team-high 20.5 ppg while drilling 46.8 percent of his league-high 59 treys. With Richardson filling it up from the outside and punishing smaller guards in the post, Phoenix's offense has hardly missed a beat without Amare Stoudemire, as the Suns once again lead the NBA in scoring (109.3).
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Suns' defensive rebounding has been historically bad this season. Their 68.5 defensive rebound rate is one of the lowest in the NBA in years, and only Channing Frye averages more than five boards overall per game (5.7). The bright side? Since Earl Barron became a starter, Phoenix has won or tied the rebounding battle in three of four games after doing so in only one of its first 17.
-- Michael Schwartz, Valley of the Suns
[h4]PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
That the Rose Garden has gone green? Seriously, it's that bleak in Portland. After another mysterious, season-ending microfracture surgery for Greg Oden and a career-altering knee injury to Brandon Roy, there's little left above water. The Blazers even lost beloved Portland great Maurice Lucas, who succumbed to cancer at the season's onset. Hope of an Aldridge-Roy-Oden championship-caliber nucleus has vanished. Now they're in a free fall.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Blazers knew Roy's knees were problematic when they signed him to a max extension in 2009. Roy was rushed back in the 2010 playoffs, eight days after a meniscus tear and subsequent surgery. Now in his other knee Roy has no meniscus left to operate on, basically dooming him to a career of pain and limited mobility. While Roy deserves credit for helping turn the franchise around, his contract likely will strangle Portland if he can't produce.
-- Andrew Tonry, Portland Roundball Society
[h4]SACRAMENTO KINGS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jason Thompson has been a bright spot for the Kings. He's doing everything asked of him on the basketball court and not complaining about any of it, despite his inconsistent minutes and the trade rumors involving his name. JT has just showed up to work throughout the season and played as hard as he can. It would be easy for a young guy to get frustrated with an always-changing role, but he continues to be a positive influence on the Kings in this tough start.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Kings don't really have an offense this year. They've scaled everything way back and basically run an isolation set the majority of the time. NBA scouts don't even know what offense the Kings throw at teams. A lot of this could be because the Kings don't trust Tyreke Evans and the young team with a complicated offense, or they know they don't have the personnel to run intricate sets. Whatever it is, the Kings are struggling to find efficient offense most nights.
-- Zach Harper, Cowbell Kingdom
[h4]SAN ANTONIO SPURS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Manu Ginobili is quietly putting together an MVP-caliber season. It's a shame that many will disqualify him for averaging too few minutes per game (32.6), despite the fact those minutes represent a career high. Still, Ginobili motors the Spurs forward, registering a career-best PER (24.8, fifth-best in the league) and leading San Antonio to an NBA-leading 17-3 record.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Tiago Splitter, San Antonio's heralded rookie center, has yet to find consistent playing time. The Brazilian big was injured for most of training camp and finds himself buried in a frontcourt featuring Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner, Antonio McDyess and DeJuan Blair. But Splitter does have one thing going for him -- even in limited minutes, he's displayed Ginobili-esque flopping skills. Surely, coach Gregg Popovich will eventually reward that kind of gamesmanship.
-- Timothy Varner, 48 Minutes of Hell
[h4]UTAH JAZZ[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jerry Sloan is quietly putting together a virtuoso performance on the sidelines for the Utah Jazz. The longest-tenured coach in North American sport amazingly still hasn't been honored as Coach of the Year. Though he would be the first to tell you that things haven't traditionally worked out well for recipients of the award, Sloan deserves recognition for once again pushing a team to contender status when many predicted mediocrity instead.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The amazing comebacks have been the defining story for the Jazz this year, but the dramatic wins help hide long lapses by Utah's defense. The addition of Al Jefferson and the addition by subtraction of Carlos Boozer's matador defense were hailed as the beginning of a new era that would no longer allow opponents to feast at the rim. Instead, the Jazz appear to once again have serious defensive problems that are as unpredictable as the team itself.
-- Spencer Hall, Salt City Hoops
[h4]WESTERN CONFERENCE[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
In the world of NBA coaching, different is risky and risky is bad. But Gregg Popovich's and Rick Carlisle's teams are threatening the Lakers' playoff supremacy by adding new tricks. The Spurs' permitting Tony Parker to push the pace exploits the Lakers' one defensive weakness (remember Russell Westbrook lapping Derek Fisher in April?) and Dallas' commitment to developing the league's best zone defense could wrong-foot L.A. like last season's Suns.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
It's depressing to see Steve Nash's organization failing his loyalty. I'm not quite ready to count the Suns out of the playoffs -- their style is too hard to handle -- but the days of contending left with Amare. Unquestioningly the franchise's most beloved player ever, Nash appears prematurely entombed by an inept front office that has its greatest asset sealed up until age 38, when his only chance at the Chip might be Paytonesque ring-trolling.
-- Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak
PORTLAND -- Nate McMillan is one of the most successful offensive coaches in recent NBA history. This belies his reputation as a player, when he was a defensive specialist, and he doesn't carry the demeanor of an offensive savant.
But the numbers don't lie: Stylistically, his teams have been among the most unusual in league annals, and fairly consistently overachieved on offense. In Seattle, he had a top-five team in offensive efficiency three times in his last four seasons; in Portland, he had the second-ranked team in 2008-09 and, despite massive injuries, was seventh a year ago.
This fact has largely been obscured by his rather unusual operating method. Unlike most good offensive teams, McMillan's clubs don't run. Ever. Portland has ranked either last or second to last in the NBA in pace factor each of the past four seasons, while Seattle was 27th and 28th in his final two seasons there. This is his 11th full or partial season at the helm of an NBA team, and none of those clubs played at a pace faster than the league average.
Instead, his teams have mastered the volume approach. Both in Seattle and in Portland, he's overseen phenomenal offensive rebounding teams with low turnover rates; they also shot the ball reasonably accurately, but the main cause of their success was that they took so many more shots than most teams.
This approach has produced some legitimate criticism of whether it makes his teams too easy to load up against in the postseason, but its more enduring feature has been to obscure how well his teams were at playing on offense. Without a gaudy points-per-game average or a high shooting percentage, confused observers couldn't easily divine why McMillan's clubs succeeded.
I mention all this because it's extremely relevant to the 2010-11 Blazers, and the ways in which they are failing to live up to our expectations. Simply put, McMillan is in something of a new situation for him: His team is struggling to score.
Want to know the really amazing part? They're doing exactly the same things they do every other year ... they're just missing all their shots.
The Blazers still play the same sluggish pace, ranking 28th in pace factor after landing dead last a year ago. And they still average more shot attempts per possession than any other team.
A lot more, actually. They're the only team averaging better than a shot attempt per possession, with shot attempts here defined to include free throw attempts times 0.44 (see chart). The reasons are twofold: Portland tops the NBA in offensive rebound rate at 31.4 percent, and its turnover rate is well below the league average.
[h4]Most shot attempts* per 100 possessions, 2010-11[/h4][table][tr][th=""]Team[/th][th=""]Shots/100 Poss.[/th][/tr][tr][td]Portland[/td][td]100.4[/td][/tr][tr][td]L.A. Lakers[/td][td]99.9[/td][/tr][tr][td]Sacramento[/td][td]99.1[/td][/tr][tr][td]Milwaukee[/td][td]99.0[/td][/tr][tr][td]Golden State[/td][td]98.2[/td][/tr][tr][td]League average[/td][td]96.7[/td][/tr][tr][td]* Shot attempts = FGA + (FTA * 0.44)[/td][/tr][/table]
So the Blazers take a ton of shots. The problem is that none of those shots are going in -- the Blazers rank only 27th in true shooting percentage.
Essentially, Portland's volume strategy is backfiring because its conversion rate has been so poor. The Blazers come out behind on the bargain, ranking a mere 15th in offensive efficiency.
As to why the Blazers are struggling, most of the discussion has centered around one player, and certainly Brandon Roy's decline has been impactful. The All-Star guard's true shooting percentage has dropped from 56.8 to 52.9, and as the team's second-most frequent shooter that's gonna leave a mark. Additionally, he's barely averaging half as many assists per minute as a year ago, so secondary players aren't getting the easy looks that he used to locate for them.
Nonetheless, the decline of Roy from All-Star to merely quality starter doesn't begin to explain the off-the-table nature of Portland's shooting decline. Actually, it's obscured an even greater production dip from one of his heralded teammates.
With Roy's knees paining him, LaMarcus Aldridge is getting the rock in the low post more than ever. Unfortunately, he's struggling to convert. Aldridge is hitting a career-low 43.4 percent from the floor, a pathetic percentage for a big who doesn't shoot 3s. His 49.4 true shooting mark is the worst of any power forward who plays at least 30 minutes a game, requiring one to scroll to the benighted second page of our power forward listings. Look at the top half of power forwards in usage rate, and only two -- Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins and Milwaukee's Drew Gooden -- convert at a lower rate.
Even pinning the struggles on Aldridge, however, may be somewhat wide of the mark. Despite the struggles of Portland's top two scorers, and all the attention on the misfit between guards Roy and Andre Miller (a talking point that will only increase in volume after the Blazers beat the Suns without Miller on Tuesday night), the facts are that the Blazers' starting lineup is carrying them. According to basketballvalue.com, almost all the Blazers' best lineups this year have at least four starters on the floor, including Roy and Miller. And in terms of PER, Miller is actually having the best season of his career.
Instead, it's the bench that's killing them.
It was interesting to note, for instance, that McMillan discussed the team's offensive woes before Sunday's win over the Clippers by constantly referring back to the weakside players' inability to punish defenses that trap and double Roy and Aldridge. Roy made similar comments, saying his inability to score is partly because of a lack of spacing.
Look at the bench stats and you'll see why. Rudy Fernandez (36.3 percent) and Dante Cunningham (42.7 percent) haven't made shots, while subs like Armon Johnson and Sean Marks have been too feeble offensively to provide much aid. Overall, Portland is 24th in 3-point accuracy, with alleged floor-spacers like Wesley Matthews (34.3 percent on 3s), Nicolas Batum (34.1 percent) and Fernandez (36.1 percent) struggling to punish sagging defenses.
"What happened to all their depth?" lamented one league source to me recently, and it's a fair point. We're used to thinking of the Blazers having vast waves of talent waiting in the wings, to the point that the team barely skipped a beat when it suffered one horrific injury after another a year ago.
This time around, the injuries cut into bone. Losing three centers at once in Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla and Fabricio Oberto left the Blazers scrambling for frontcourt bodies; not to mention forcing 36-year-old Marcus Camby to suit up on a few nights when he probably shouldn't have.
Trading Jerryd Bayless to New Orleans seemed the right move in preseason, but with Roy unable to be the Roy of old one wonders if Bayless' shot-creating skills could help keep defenses more honest. Losing first-round pick Elliot Williams for the season also proved hurtful, as did the draft day salary dump of Martell Webster to Minnesota -- especially since rookie Luke Babbitt, who was just sent to Idaho in the D-League, has yet to provide any return on the trade.
Help may be on the way. Przybilla recently returned to solidify the frontcourt, and second-year pro Patty Mills looks like a keeper as a backup point guard and energizer. Nonetheless, it doesn't appear Portland's offensive woes have an instant cure. For instance, Tuesday night's win over Phoenix -- the league's worst defensive team -- came partly because of an energy boost from Mills, but largely because of a flukish 32-of-33 mark from the line that they won't be repeating any time soon.
With Roy and Aldridge missing shots and the second unit a liability rather than a strength, Portland's offensive mojo still appears severely lacking. Roy is the lightning rod, obviously, but in reality he's just the tip of the iceberg. The Blazers are running McMillan's peculiar offensive style just as methodically as ever; but for a variety of reasons, they no longer can get the ball to go in the basket.
http://[h3]
[/h3][h3]Melo on the block[/h3]
10:20AM ET
[h5]Carmelo Anthony | Nuggets [/h5]
The Nuggets front office has taken their time regarding Carmelo Anthony's future with the team and a decision, according to Ken Berger, has been made that the small forward will be traded, if he has not signed an extension by the February trade deadline.
Berger writes: "... the wheels are all but certain to be put in motion to part ways with the three-time All-Star rather than lose him as a free agent and get nothing in return. .... Executives believe the Nuggets have decided they would like to receive the best possible package of young players and are not interested in stopgap options that would hamper their flexibility."
Berger brings up the Nets package of Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Kris Humphries and two first-round picks for Anthony as the best offer. Anthony of course can quash most potential deals, including with New Jersey, if he refuses to sign an extension.
The Knicks are the odds-on favorite to land Anthony, if he opts to become a free agent next summer.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Blazers youth movement?[/h3]
9:52AM ET
[h5]Portland Trail Blazers [/h5]
The Blazers were constructed by former general manager Kevin Pritchard to win now and have plenty of older players on the roster. That plan, according to Ken Berger, might be scrapped for a youth movement due to the season-ending surgery for Greg Oden and the knee issues for Brandon Roy.
Berger writes: "... two people with knowledge of the team's strategy told CBSSports.com that Portland management is contemplating trading older players and going young. ... Sources caution that the Blazers have engaged in only internal conversations about this strategy, and it is contingent upon the team (10-11) continuing to struggle."
The older players who could be dealt are Joel Przybilla (expiring contract), Andre Miller (contract expires after 2011-12, but it is not guaranteed and could be waived before July) and Marcus Camby (contract expires after 2011-12).
Berger also includes Rudy Fernandez as someone who could be traded. Fernandez and his agent had made several public comments about the Spaniards wish to play elsewhere, especially back in Spain, before the season started.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]The difficulty of trading Roy[/h3]
9:23AM ET
[h5]Brandon Roy | Trail Blazers [/h5]
Brandon Roy is in the first season of his five-year, $82.3 million extension. Roy is not playing up to his All-Star ability this season because his two bad knees, especially the left one, have limited his ability to blow by the defense and get to the rim.
The team could try to trade him, but his value around the league is low because of the bad knees for the 26-year old and the provisions in his contract.
From John Canzano of The Oregonian: "A league executive told me on Wednesday that Roy has minimal trade value right now because the league-mandated insurance policy that covers Roy's $80 million contract has an exclusion for his knees because it was a pre-existing knee condition. Also, when the Blazers signed Roy to that maximum contract, they didn't take the shrewd step of writing an exclusion into the deal for his knees. That alone has to make you wonder."
Basically, insurance won't cover any of the contract, if Roy can't complete the deal and the contract is fully guaranteed, even if the Blazers are forced to part ways with him prior to the expiration of the contract in 2015.
"Roy's a good player," the executive told Canzano, "but I can't sell that trade upstairs with no insurance on the knee."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Azubuike's return still uncertain[/h3]
9:02AM ET
[h5]Kelenna Azubuike | Knicks [/h5]
Kelenna Azubuike has been practicing for a couple of weeks now and is optimistic about playing soon. Head coach Mike D'Antoni doesn't share the same opinion as Azubuike.
"He's not ready to play. He just doesn't have the pop," D'Antoni told ESPNNewYork.com. He can scrimmage, he's just not strong enough to be able to go sideways or to have an NBA physical talent level. It's just not there yet. He's just got to keep working on his strength, and hopefully he gets here sooner than later, but there's no timetable."
Azubuike is in the final stages of his recovery from patella tendon surgery. The Knicks are winning a lot of games, so it might be difficult for him to crack the rotation when he is ready to be activated.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Karl and Nuggets discuss extension[/h3]
8:41AM ET
[h5]George Karl | Nuggets [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The Denver Post, talks between the Nuggets and Karl are ongoing. Karl reportedly wants a three-year deal with the choice to work as a consultant for another three years.
Karl's deal would average about $5 million and would keep him as one of the top-10 paid coach's in the league.
-- Nick Borges
----
George Karl and the Denver Nuggets are in talks to extend the head coach's contract beyond this season. Karl is thrilled to be staying with the team.
"I love Denver," Karl told The Denver Post. "It's kind of my type of city. It's seems like they have a lot of people like me here. Out-of-the-box guys, a little bit crazy here, a little bit different here. The thinking is accepted. The weather is incredibly good."
Karl says he'd like to have a three-year deal.
"I'd be 63 then," Karl said. "If I want to do it after that, then we talk again maybe. I think I have the passion and the bottle of energy to try to keep this Broadway show going."
Karl is back on the bench full-time this season after battling cancer last season. His health will ultimately determine how long he remains as a coach in the NBA.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]K.G. talks with Karl[/h3]
8:25AM ET
[h5]Kevin Garnett | Celtics [/h5]
Last month, Charlie Villanueva tweeted that Kevin Garnett called him a "cancer patient" during a game, but Garnett said he called Villanueva "cancerous to [his] team and the league."
Nuggets head coach George Karl is a survivor of cancer and expressed his disappointment with what Garnett said.
The Nuggets were playing in Boston on Wednesday and Garnett spoke with Karl about the comment.
"I just went over and, I know there's some speculation [about what Garnett said], and I'm not going to get into it, you all know what I'm talking about," Garnett told ESPNBoston.com. "I went up to him as a man and what I said is that I had nothing personal toward him nor any other cancer patient that is out there struggling and dealing with life situations. I wanted to say that to him, man to man. I was going to do it before the game, when the [shot] clocks and stuff was messed up [delaying the opening tipoff], but I wanted to get the game out of the way, and then approach him."
Head coach Doc Rivers thought it was classy gesture by Garnett.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Curry sprains ankle again[/h3]
7:57AM ET
[h5]Stephen Curry | Warriors [/h5]
Stephen Curry sprained his right ankle for the fourth time this season on Wednesday. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Curry had a scan and it came back negative for a fracture.
Curry limped out of the arena wearing a protective walking boot and he could miss a few games.
David Lee thinks it might be time for Curry to rest the ankle.
"Anytime you continually keep rolling it like that, you've got to think about sitting out for a while and get the strength back," Lee said. "That can't be good for you to keep rolling it over and over. He's a tough competitor, and I know he'll want to be in there Friday. But he needs to think about doing what is smartest for his career."
There has been talk about the Warriors need for a dependable backup point guard and Alex Kennedy tweeted Wednesday night that the team is expected to sign Acie Law on Thursday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Caracter day-to-day[/h3]
7:26AM ET
[h5]Derrick Caracter | Lakers [/h5]
The Lakers have little depth in the frontcourt due to injuries and they suffered another one on Wednesday. Rookie Derrick Caracter suffered a left ankle sprain and did not return to the game. He will be re-evaluated on Thursday.
"I thought he would be back and playing," Lakers head coach Phil Jackson told ESPNLosAngeles.com after the game. "I thought he was just going back and getting his ankle taped and he'd be right back in the ball game. He just never found a comfort level."
He is officially listed as day-to-day.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Benching baffles House[/h3]
7:08AM ET
[h5]Eddie House | Heat [/h5]
Eddie House was signed due to his ability to shoot the ball, but the backup minutes are going to James Jones, who is also a good long-range shooter. House doesn't understand why he's not getting that much time on the floor.
"I'm just as baffled and dumbfounded as everybody else," House told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It's not like I played myself out of the rotation. My numbers don't look like, 'OK, I could see why.' "
Mario Chalmers is also getting House's minutes because Chalmers is a better ballhandler.
"It's just a decision he (Erik Spoelstra) made and that's what he feels," House said. "So you've got to roll with it. Of course, as a competitor you want to be out there, but if you start letting stuff like that affect you as a professional, then you stop doing the things so you could be prepared."
Spoelstra says every player will get their chance during the season to be in the rotation.
"Our team is a unique team," Spoelstra said. "I viewed everybody as a rotation player. At some point, we're going to need everybody."
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Hibbert not thinking about MIP award[/h3]
5:46AM ET
[h5]Roy Hibbert | Pacers [/h5]
Pacers center Roy Hibbert worked hard in the summer and is playing well enough this season to be considered as a candidate for the Most Improved Player award. Hibbert says he is trying not to think about that right now.
"During the summer, that was one thing I was working toward," Hibbert tells The Indianapolis Star. "When I was getting better, that award was on my mind, but throughout the season, it's on the back burner. People are talking about it, but I try not to think about it too much."
Last year Hibbert averaged 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds and this season they are up to 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds. He is also handing out 3.2 assists and blocking 1.9 shots per game.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]McCants heading to Far East[/h3]
5:35AM ET
[h5]Rashad McCants [/h5]
Rashad McCants has been playing in the D-League the last few weeks for the Texas Legends, but he won't be there for too much longer.
According to The Dallas Morning News, McCant's agent has told Donnie Nelson that there is a contract waiting for him in China and he's going to take it.
"Rashad has an opportunity to play in China and it looks like he'll be taking advantage of that opportunity," Nelson said. "Although my personal feeling is the D-League is the quickest, most direct path to the NBA, I wish him nothing but the very best. He's been a true professional and the Legends will retain his rights in the event he elects to return."
McCants has averaged 12.3 points for the Dallas Mavericks D-League affiliate.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Brooks return uncertain[/h3]
5:14AM ET
[h5]Aaron Brooks | Rockets [/h5]
UPDATE: Brooks was hoping to be back in the lineup by Dec. 10 (Friday), but that's not happening. Brooks still has not been cleared to practice.
"I haven't tried to do it live against anybody," Brooks told the Houston Chronicle on Wednesday. "It's one thing when you know what you're going to do. Playing against guys and shifting different directions, I haven't made it there, yet. ... Every day I can do one more thing than I could the day before. I'm not 100 percent."
Lowry will continue to start until Brooks is activated.
-- Nick Borges
----
Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks hasn't played since Nov. 6 against the Spurs due to an ankle injury he suffered during that contest.
But like center Yao Ming -- who's looking to return next week -- Brooks also is targeting next week (Dec. 10 against the Bucks) for a return, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
When Brooks and Ming return, it'll give the Rockets two of their starters back and may give a boost to a squad that's sitting at a disappointing 6-12.
Kyle Lowry is likely to move back to a reserve PG role once Brooks is back in the lineup.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Gooden hopes to return soon[/h3]
5:03AM ET
[h5]Drew Gooden | Bucks [/h5]
Bucks power forward Drew Gooden has missed five of the last six games due to plantar fasciitis in his left heel. He is hoping to practice soon and then return to the lineup not too long after that.
"Last week I couldn't even lift myself up on my heel," Gooden told the Journal Sentinel. "I felt a little bit better in Denver and thought I could go. I only played 10 minutes and didn't feel that well afterwards.
"It wasn't a mistake. It was kind of me being competitive and knowing we were down and knowing it was going to be a tough game."
The best case scenario has him playing against Dallas or San Antonio next week.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Flynn will head back to D-League[/h3]
4:46AM ET
[h5]Jonny Flynn | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE: According to the Star Tribune, the Wolves sent Flynn back to Sioux Falls on Wednesday. He will play two games for the Skyforce on Friday and Saturday.
There's a very good chance he'll be activated next Tuesday when the Wolves start their West Coast trip at Golden State, if he doesn't suffer any setbacks this weekend.
-- Nick Borges
----
After playing just one game for the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Friday, the Timberwolves recalled Jonny Flynn.
It seemed logical his season debut -- after coming off hip surgery this summer -- was on the horizon, but it looks like he's set to head back down for another stint with the Skyforce.
According to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis indicated at Monday's shootaround there's "zero" chance Flynn plays Monday night against the Knicks.
Further, Rambis also said Flynn will return to the D-League for two games this weekend.
We'll deduce from this that Flynn likely won't play Wednesday against the Thunder, and won't make his 2010-11 debut until after his second D-League stint this coming weekend.
While Flynn's return hangs in limbo, Luke Ridnour should continue to get the lion's share of minutes at point guard for Minnesota.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Webster cleared[/h3]
4:38AM ET
[h5]Martell Webster | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: Webster was inactive for the Oklahoma game on Wednesday. He expects to play on Friday against the Pistons. Webster won't do too much too early when he finally gets on the court.
"I'm not going to get too far ahead of myself," Webster told the Star Tribune. "I don't want to rush into it too fast."
"My movement and my explosiveness already are 100 percent; now it's just getting my wind up," Webster added.
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: Webster met with the Wolves doctors and medical staff on Tuesday and according to the Pioneer Press, he was cleared to play for the first time this season.
He should activated against Oklahoma City on Wednesday or Detroit on Friday.
----
Martell Webster, who had back surgery five weeks ago, practiced for the first time on Thursday and said he can actually stand up straight now. He hasn't been able to that since high school.
"My posture was bad, always had a little hunch in my back," Webster told the Star Tribune. "Everybody asked, 'Why you walk like that?' I don't know, that's the way I walked. I didn't feel anything then. It just was one of those wear-and-tear things that progressed and slowly got worse."
Webster isn't sure when he'll be activated, but said he feels great.
"With this one, I'm 100 percent confident just because I know how my body feels," Webster said. "I can judge it against my foot surgery and it's night and day. I feel great. My back feels fine. I don't have any soreness or stiffness, no pain."
For the fourth year in a row, the Boston Celtics have jumped out to a sizzling start, winning 16 of their first 20 games and earning a spot atop the Eastern Conference. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not with Kendrick Perkins sidelined until after the All-Star break, Rasheed Wallace retired and no real backup point guard without Delonte West. The Celtics were supposed to be hurting, not surging.
The biggest difference-maker? Shaquille O'Neal.
If you tuned in to Friday night's TV broadcast of the Celtics-Chicago Bulls game, you might have heard ESPN analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy discussing the 38-year-old's candidacy for the All-Star team. Actually, the two weren't discussing his candidacy as much as they were flat-out campaigning for Shaq's selection to the team. This despite only playing a shade over 20 minutes per game.
Blasphemy? Well, consider the facts. Despite the stellar efforts of Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, who could well earn All-Star bids on their own, it is Shaq who boasts the team's highest player efficiency rating (21.2). In fact, when it comes to centers in the East, only Al Horford and Dwight Howard have been more productive on a per-minute basis. With an absurdly high 68.4 field goal percentage, we haven't seen someone this money from the floor since the days of Wilt Chamberlain.
However, individual accomplishments mean little if they get lost in translation on the team level. But after looking at plus/minus numbers, we can see that's certainly not the case with Boston's 15-time All-Star. The Celtics are scoring 120.2 points per 100 possessions with Shaq on the floor this season. How good is that? That's the highest rate for any player in the league, according to basketballvalue.com.
Not a bad return for a veteran-minimum contract.
But that contract may be the catalyst for Shaq's resurgence. At least one league executive said it has worked wonders to deflate his ego.
"It takes a long time for formerly great players to come to grips with the fact that they're not great anymore," said an Eastern Conference exec. "It has to be very humbling to be a free agent and the best he could come up with on a winning team was this deal. What he's done integrating in Boston really proves that he's true to his word about wanting to win."
Physically, Shaq may be a shell of his former self, but it's clear he can still be incredibly efficient -- only if he accepts his role.
"It's amazing, the guy can't even jump," said the exec. "He can't lose much more athletically than he already he has. It's not like he's been reborn or rejuvenated in any way. It's just that he's finally at peace with who he is."
But credit must be given to the shrewd Celtics front office for recognizing that Shaq is a finisher, not a creator. Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers incorporated Shaq into their offense by feeding him the ball in the post early in the shot clock. Shaq would then pound his post defender closer and closer to the basket before turning for a quick hook that would send the ball on a line drive directly at the basket. As we saw in the playoffs, this strategy rarely produced consistent buckets, now that Shaq has lost the quickness and the lift to work a high-percentage shot. More importantly, it simultaneously disjointed the offense and neutralized the powers of LeBron James.
If you've been paying attention this season, you'll notice that Boston rarely runs the offense through Shaq. The Celtics still execute the same sets that are predicated on off-the-ball screens, motion and penetration. But unlike the Cavaliers last season, the Celtics feature multiple scorers -- not just one really, really good one -- who can penetrate to draw weakside defenders. But not only that, they have both the selfless attitude and passing ability to reward the open man. The Celtics were aware that, even at 38 years old, if Shaq can get the ball within one foot of the basket, nothing stands between him and a thunderous dunk. They just need to get him the ball there.
And they have. We're seeing an enormous shift in Shaq's shot types this season, thanks to the passing skills of his teammates. According to Synergy Sports Technology, 29.5 percent of Shaq's offense has been generated off basket cuts, tripling his shot share in Cleveland last season. But post-ups essentially have been phased out. In a Cavs uniform, nearly two-thirds of Shaq's offense came from bludgeoning opponents on the block, but that's been cut to just 26 percent in 2010-11. Consequently, Shaq has been assisted on 76.9 percent of his field goals in Boston, drastically higher than his career norms. Even though he played a season and a half with Steve Nash in Phoenix, Shaq has never been delivered the ball as effectively as he has with his new Boston comrades.
So maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks. Or, rather, you can teach an old dog that his tricks aren't what they used to be and there's an easier way. At 38, Shaq has not only reinvented himself, but also may have reinvented what it means to be an All-Star.
While a certain Big Three in South Beach have hogged most of the national spotlight, our TrueHoop Network bloggers are here to dish on the under-the-radar storylines in the NBA that deserve more attention. We started in the East on Tuesday, and hit the West today.
[h4]DALLAS MAVERICKS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jason Terry is quietly having his best season in assists since 2006-07, a testament to JET's underrated playmaking abilities and a slightly altered configuration in Dallas' backcourt. Terry now has two very distinct roles: When playing with Jason Kidd, he fires at will, but when sharing the court with the more limited J.J. Barea, Terry takes over a considerable share of the ball-distributing responsibilities.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Mavs dropped some considerable coin on draft night in order to select the seemingly NBA-ready Dominique Jones, a savvy scorer out of South Florida. However, despite Jones' effectiveness in the NCAA, he's struggled to finish at the rim in the NBA thus far, and his defensive awareness could use some fine-tuning. Jones is still an intriguing prospect, but he's not quite ready for consistent NBA playing time right now.
-- Rob Mahoney, The Two Man Game
[h4]DENVER NUGGETS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Carmelo Anthony has one foot out the door, but the Nuggets are so much more than Melo. With players like Nene, Arron Afflalo, Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith all taking a step forward, Denver has been winning even when Melo is playing poorly or isn't playing at all. Add in undrafted rookie Gary Forbes and a healthy, uber-tatted Chris "Birdman" Andersen, and Denver is as deep as it has ever been.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Chauncey Billups was an All-Star last season, but he did not play well down the stretch. Billups was the veteran leader of the 2010 U.S. World Championship team, but played poorly; the team was better off when he was on the bench. And Billups has followed it all up with a very slow start to this season. The sad thing is he seems to have no idea he has slipped so far so quickly.
-- Jeremy Wagner, Roundball Mining Company
[h4]GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Stephen Curry has been spectacular: 21.5 player efficiency rating, 21.2 points, 5.7 assists, 59.7 true shooting percentage. Someone tell his coach, Keith Smart -- Curry is playing fewer minutes this season. Someone tell Warriors PR -- they seem to push only Monta Ellis. Someone tell the fans -- my Twitter feed is choked with Curry complaints. Curry is one of the league's best young point guards, but an ingredient sacrificed to a rancid stew of recent Warriors play.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Jeremy Lin situation is … awkward. He adds energy, hustle and some of the most cringe-prompting play seen outside of a rec league. Lin was supposed to resonate as symbolic and he did that -- for a time. But it's hard to keep cheering when he seems capable of blocking his own layups. Oracle used to roar when Lin entered games. These days, the cheers are muting into nervous brow sweat. This isn't the heartwarming story it could have been.
-- Ethan Sherwood Strauss, Warriors World
[h4]HOUSTON ROCKETS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Lost amid the chatter about the Rockets' disappointing season has been the development of Jordan Hill. After a shaky start, Hill has come on strong, bolstering Houston's front line with his physical talents. Hill triggered the Rockets' Dec. 1 win over the Lakers by frustrating Pau Gasol (season-low eight points) with his length in single coverage. Assumed to be mostly a trade throw-in, the dreadlocked one may be making management reconsider its plans.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The plan all along, it seemed, was to flip the "Knicks Picks," the real prize from last season's Tracy McGrady trade. With light protections, the two draft picks obtained from New York were to form the basis of a package for a true star or at least help Houston rebuild through the draft. Unfortunately, with New York looking poised to finish higher in the standings than the Rockets, the circumstances serve as the true indignity from what has thus far been a disastrous season.
-- Rahat Huq, Red94
[h4]LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
It's hard to imagine Blake Griffin doing anything that isn't documented for posterity on YouTube, but it's true. Lost in the theatrics of the dunks, Griffin has a select repertoire of moves: a right-handed hook bank shot on the right block, the over-the-right-shoulder fadeaway off the left block, a decent shot out to (for now) 16 feet, and a spin move that he can unleash anywhere on the floor. He's also emerging as a very capable passing big man.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
As the image-conscious league touts its NBA Cares program, Clippers owner Donald Sterling attempts to void contracts and faces racial discrimination suits, among assorted other examples of mismanagement, all of which hangs over the franchise. Unfortunately, Sterling has been such a comically bad owner that, other than a report or two a year, nothing seems to gain traction anymore. His behavior is accepted as nothing more than a byproduct of his eccentricity instead of being called what it is -- bad for basketball and beneath the standards of the league.
-- Breene Murphy, ClipperBlog
[h4]LOS ANGELES LAKERS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Matt Barnes' strong play has not been talked about enough. While his strengths -- good defense, rebounding, shooting, slashing ability -- were known commodities, he's provided great consistency off the Lakers' bench with his nonstop motor and fearlessness on both sides of the ball. His strong production (8.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game) has earned him opportunities late in tight games, a trend few saw coming when he signed this summer.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Ron Artest's play to start the season has been less than inspiring. His average play on offense is one concern, but more worrisome is his up-and-down defense, with inconsistent focus and intensity. Every player will have bad nights on defense, but elite D is Artest's calling card and he's been below the high standard he set last season.
-- Darius Soriano, Forum Blue & Gold
[h4]MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
The intelligent decisions the Grizzlies made to re-sign Rudy Gay and Mike Conley. They have been the two most consistent performers on the team and neither is 25 years old. The team took heat for signing them but their performances this season have earned the contracts. Both players would have been offered similar or larger deals had the market been able to determine their worth.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Zach Randolph and O.J. Mayo's performances. Z-Bo has failed to maintain the discipline he showed last season, and that has hurt the Grizzlies. Mayo lost his starting role in part because the team needed his contribution more off the bench. The experiment started out well, as Memphis went 3-1 in its first games with the lineup, but overall, Mayo's scoring (12.2 points per game) and field goal percentage (40 percent) have dipped to career lows.
-- Chip Crain, 3 Shades Of Blue
[h4]MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Over the first two weeks of the season, Darko Milicic was pretty clearly the worst starter in the league. These catastrophic performances got plenty of national attention, and rightly so. But lately, there have been some signs of renewal. He's occasionally drawing double-teams. He's showing a little energy on defense. He's starting to move the ball like the deft passer he's supposed to be. No telling if this will continue, but we can hope.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Wolves are 5-16. This is not news. What's been really painful, though, and a little under the radar has been their propensity for the late-game collapse. They've lost two big fourth-quarter leads to San Antonio. They folded late in Oklahoma City and Charlotte. This -- the inability to execute late in games, the epic losses of poise -- is what a truly young team looks like.
-- Ben Polk, A Wolf Among Wolves
[h4]NEW ORLEANS HORNETS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Monty Williams has been a breath of fresh air for a Hornets team that is constantly in the middle of media speculation. Chris Paul rumors, attendance benchmarks, talk of relocation or contraction -- none of it fazes the youngest coach in the NBA. His focus is on cultivating a winning culture. He preaches "no excuses" to his players, and although others may see a sinking ship, these players believe in their captain.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The focus has been on the possible exodus of Paul in the summer of 2012, but a full year before that happens, the Hornets' other cornerstone will likely be an unrestricted free agent. David West holds a player option that he will likely exercise next summer, and if he leaves, the Hornets will lose a talented player, a community advocate and the big brother figure of one CP3.
-- Michael McNamara, Hornets247
[h4]OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Very quietly, Jeff Green is having the best statistical season in his four-year career. Green didn't receive a contract extension from the Thunder and is playing this season knowing he'll be a restricted free agent. He is averaging 18.9 points and 6.6 rebounds (both career highs) in 40.3 minutes per game (second most in the league). While Green may not be a prototypical power forward, he's playing some of the best ball of his career.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
OKC traded two picks in the 2010 draft to move up and select center Cole Aldrich. Most saw it as a move to help solidify the Thunder's somewhat soft front line against the bigs of the West -- except Aldrich was quietly sent to the D-League two weeks ago after failing to make much of an impact early on. He was recently recalled, but it's disappointing that he wasn't able to crack the rotation and make an immediate impact.
-- Royce Young, Daily Thunder
[h4]PHOENIX SUNS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jason Richardson is playing up to his $14.4 million price tag this season. Before Tuesday, J-Rich had scored at least 20 points in seven straight games, and he averages a team-high 20.5 ppg while drilling 46.8 percent of his league-high 59 treys. With Richardson filling it up from the outside and punishing smaller guards in the post, Phoenix's offense has hardly missed a beat without Amare Stoudemire, as the Suns once again lead the NBA in scoring (109.3).
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Suns' defensive rebounding has been historically bad this season. Their 68.5 defensive rebound rate is one of the lowest in the NBA in years, and only Channing Frye averages more than five boards overall per game (5.7). The bright side? Since Earl Barron became a starter, Phoenix has won or tied the rebounding battle in three of four games after doing so in only one of its first 17.
-- Michael Schwartz, Valley of the Suns
[h4]PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
That the Rose Garden has gone green? Seriously, it's that bleak in Portland. After another mysterious, season-ending microfracture surgery for Greg Oden and a career-altering knee injury to Brandon Roy, there's little left above water. The Blazers even lost beloved Portland great Maurice Lucas, who succumbed to cancer at the season's onset. Hope of an Aldridge-Roy-Oden championship-caliber nucleus has vanished. Now they're in a free fall.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Blazers knew Roy's knees were problematic when they signed him to a max extension in 2009. Roy was rushed back in the 2010 playoffs, eight days after a meniscus tear and subsequent surgery. Now in his other knee Roy has no meniscus left to operate on, basically dooming him to a career of pain and limited mobility. While Roy deserves credit for helping turn the franchise around, his contract likely will strangle Portland if he can't produce.
-- Andrew Tonry, Portland Roundball Society
[h4]SACRAMENTO KINGS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jason Thompson has been a bright spot for the Kings. He's doing everything asked of him on the basketball court and not complaining about any of it, despite his inconsistent minutes and the trade rumors involving his name. JT has just showed up to work throughout the season and played as hard as he can. It would be easy for a young guy to get frustrated with an always-changing role, but he continues to be a positive influence on the Kings in this tough start.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The Kings don't really have an offense this year. They've scaled everything way back and basically run an isolation set the majority of the time. NBA scouts don't even know what offense the Kings throw at teams. A lot of this could be because the Kings don't trust Tyreke Evans and the young team with a complicated offense, or they know they don't have the personnel to run intricate sets. Whatever it is, the Kings are struggling to find efficient offense most nights.
-- Zach Harper, Cowbell Kingdom
[h4]SAN ANTONIO SPURS[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Manu Ginobili is quietly putting together an MVP-caliber season. It's a shame that many will disqualify him for averaging too few minutes per game (32.6), despite the fact those minutes represent a career high. Still, Ginobili motors the Spurs forward, registering a career-best PER (24.8, fifth-best in the league) and leading San Antonio to an NBA-leading 17-3 record.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
Tiago Splitter, San Antonio's heralded rookie center, has yet to find consistent playing time. The Brazilian big was injured for most of training camp and finds himself buried in a frontcourt featuring Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner, Antonio McDyess and DeJuan Blair. But Splitter does have one thing going for him -- even in limited minutes, he's displayed Ginobili-esque flopping skills. Surely, coach Gregg Popovich will eventually reward that kind of gamesmanship.
-- Timothy Varner, 48 Minutes of Hell
[h4]UTAH JAZZ[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
Jerry Sloan is quietly putting together a virtuoso performance on the sidelines for the Utah Jazz. The longest-tenured coach in North American sport amazingly still hasn't been honored as Coach of the Year. Though he would be the first to tell you that things haven't traditionally worked out well for recipients of the award, Sloan deserves recognition for once again pushing a team to contender status when many predicted mediocrity instead.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
The amazing comebacks have been the defining story for the Jazz this year, but the dramatic wins help hide long lapses by Utah's defense. The addition of Al Jefferson and the addition by subtraction of Carlos Boozer's matador defense were hailed as the beginning of a new era that would no longer allow opponents to feast at the rim. Instead, the Jazz appear to once again have serious defensive problems that are as unpredictable as the team itself.
-- Spencer Hall, Salt City Hoops
[h4]WESTERN CONFERENCE[/h4]
What upbeat story deserves more attention?
In the world of NBA coaching, different is risky and risky is bad. But Gregg Popovich's and Rick Carlisle's teams are threatening the Lakers' playoff supremacy by adding new tricks. The Spurs' permitting Tony Parker to push the pace exploits the Lakers' one defensive weakness (remember Russell Westbrook lapping Derek Fisher in April?) and Dallas' commitment to developing the league's best zone defense could wrong-foot L.A. like last season's Suns.
What downbeat story deserves more attention?
It's depressing to see Steve Nash's organization failing his loyalty. I'm not quite ready to count the Suns out of the playoffs -- their style is too hard to handle -- but the days of contending left with Amare. Unquestioningly the franchise's most beloved player ever, Nash appears prematurely entombed by an inept front office that has its greatest asset sealed up until age 38, when his only chance at the Chip might be Paytonesque ring-trolling.
-- Beckley Mason, HoopSpeak
PORTLAND -- Nate McMillan is one of the most successful offensive coaches in recent NBA history. This belies his reputation as a player, when he was a defensive specialist, and he doesn't carry the demeanor of an offensive savant.
But the numbers don't lie: Stylistically, his teams have been among the most unusual in league annals, and fairly consistently overachieved on offense. In Seattle, he had a top-five team in offensive efficiency three times in his last four seasons; in Portland, he had the second-ranked team in 2008-09 and, despite massive injuries, was seventh a year ago.
This fact has largely been obscured by his rather unusual operating method. Unlike most good offensive teams, McMillan's clubs don't run. Ever. Portland has ranked either last or second to last in the NBA in pace factor each of the past four seasons, while Seattle was 27th and 28th in his final two seasons there. This is his 11th full or partial season at the helm of an NBA team, and none of those clubs played at a pace faster than the league average.
Instead, his teams have mastered the volume approach. Both in Seattle and in Portland, he's overseen phenomenal offensive rebounding teams with low turnover rates; they also shot the ball reasonably accurately, but the main cause of their success was that they took so many more shots than most teams.
This approach has produced some legitimate criticism of whether it makes his teams too easy to load up against in the postseason, but its more enduring feature has been to obscure how well his teams were at playing on offense. Without a gaudy points-per-game average or a high shooting percentage, confused observers couldn't easily divine why McMillan's clubs succeeded.
I mention all this because it's extremely relevant to the 2010-11 Blazers, and the ways in which they are failing to live up to our expectations. Simply put, McMillan is in something of a new situation for him: His team is struggling to score.
Want to know the really amazing part? They're doing exactly the same things they do every other year ... they're just missing all their shots.
The Blazers still play the same sluggish pace, ranking 28th in pace factor after landing dead last a year ago. And they still average more shot attempts per possession than any other team.
A lot more, actually. They're the only team averaging better than a shot attempt per possession, with shot attempts here defined to include free throw attempts times 0.44 (see chart). The reasons are twofold: Portland tops the NBA in offensive rebound rate at 31.4 percent, and its turnover rate is well below the league average.
[h4]Most shot attempts* per 100 possessions, 2010-11[/h4][table][tr][th=""]Team[/th][th=""]Shots/100 Poss.[/th][/tr][tr][td]Portland[/td][td]100.4[/td][/tr][tr][td]L.A. Lakers[/td][td]99.9[/td][/tr][tr][td]Sacramento[/td][td]99.1[/td][/tr][tr][td]Milwaukee[/td][td]99.0[/td][/tr][tr][td]Golden State[/td][td]98.2[/td][/tr][tr][td]League average[/td][td]96.7[/td][/tr][tr][td]* Shot attempts = FGA + (FTA * 0.44)[/td][/tr][/table]
So the Blazers take a ton of shots. The problem is that none of those shots are going in -- the Blazers rank only 27th in true shooting percentage.
Essentially, Portland's volume strategy is backfiring because its conversion rate has been so poor. The Blazers come out behind on the bargain, ranking a mere 15th in offensive efficiency.
As to why the Blazers are struggling, most of the discussion has centered around one player, and certainly Brandon Roy's decline has been impactful. The All-Star guard's true shooting percentage has dropped from 56.8 to 52.9, and as the team's second-most frequent shooter that's gonna leave a mark. Additionally, he's barely averaging half as many assists per minute as a year ago, so secondary players aren't getting the easy looks that he used to locate for them.
Nonetheless, the decline of Roy from All-Star to merely quality starter doesn't begin to explain the off-the-table nature of Portland's shooting decline. Actually, it's obscured an even greater production dip from one of his heralded teammates.
With Roy's knees paining him, LaMarcus Aldridge is getting the rock in the low post more than ever. Unfortunately, he's struggling to convert. Aldridge is hitting a career-low 43.4 percent from the floor, a pathetic percentage for a big who doesn't shoot 3s. His 49.4 true shooting mark is the worst of any power forward who plays at least 30 minutes a game, requiring one to scroll to the benighted second page of our power forward listings. Look at the top half of power forwards in usage rate, and only two -- Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins and Milwaukee's Drew Gooden -- convert at a lower rate.
Even pinning the struggles on Aldridge, however, may be somewhat wide of the mark. Despite the struggles of Portland's top two scorers, and all the attention on the misfit between guards Roy and Andre Miller (a talking point that will only increase in volume after the Blazers beat the Suns without Miller on Tuesday night), the facts are that the Blazers' starting lineup is carrying them. According to basketballvalue.com, almost all the Blazers' best lineups this year have at least four starters on the floor, including Roy and Miller. And in terms of PER, Miller is actually having the best season of his career.
Instead, it's the bench that's killing them.
It was interesting to note, for instance, that McMillan discussed the team's offensive woes before Sunday's win over the Clippers by constantly referring back to the weakside players' inability to punish defenses that trap and double Roy and Aldridge. Roy made similar comments, saying his inability to score is partly because of a lack of spacing.
Look at the bench stats and you'll see why. Rudy Fernandez (36.3 percent) and Dante Cunningham (42.7 percent) haven't made shots, while subs like Armon Johnson and Sean Marks have been too feeble offensively to provide much aid. Overall, Portland is 24th in 3-point accuracy, with alleged floor-spacers like Wesley Matthews (34.3 percent on 3s), Nicolas Batum (34.1 percent) and Fernandez (36.1 percent) struggling to punish sagging defenses.
"What happened to all their depth?" lamented one league source to me recently, and it's a fair point. We're used to thinking of the Blazers having vast waves of talent waiting in the wings, to the point that the team barely skipped a beat when it suffered one horrific injury after another a year ago.
This time around, the injuries cut into bone. Losing three centers at once in Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla and Fabricio Oberto left the Blazers scrambling for frontcourt bodies; not to mention forcing 36-year-old Marcus Camby to suit up on a few nights when he probably shouldn't have.
Trading Jerryd Bayless to New Orleans seemed the right move in preseason, but with Roy unable to be the Roy of old one wonders if Bayless' shot-creating skills could help keep defenses more honest. Losing first-round pick Elliot Williams for the season also proved hurtful, as did the draft day salary dump of Martell Webster to Minnesota -- especially since rookie Luke Babbitt, who was just sent to Idaho in the D-League, has yet to provide any return on the trade.
Help may be on the way. Przybilla recently returned to solidify the frontcourt, and second-year pro Patty Mills looks like a keeper as a backup point guard and energizer. Nonetheless, it doesn't appear Portland's offensive woes have an instant cure. For instance, Tuesday night's win over Phoenix -- the league's worst defensive team -- came partly because of an energy boost from Mills, but largely because of a flukish 32-of-33 mark from the line that they won't be repeating any time soon.
With Roy and Aldridge missing shots and the second unit a liability rather than a strength, Portland's offensive mojo still appears severely lacking. Roy is the lightning rod, obviously, but in reality he's just the tip of the iceberg. The Blazers are running McMillan's peculiar offensive style just as methodically as ever; but for a variety of reasons, they no longer can get the ball to go in the basket.
- 13,094
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Yeah, this season has been great so far.
And sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere:
And sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere:
- 13,094
- 2,121
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2001
Yeah, this season has been great so far.
And sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere:
And sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere:
- 26,898
- 383
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2005
Fisher with the finishing touches...
Melo & this Denver situation is gonna end soon... At this point Im sure niether want anything to do with each other, especially since Melo's heart isn't in it anymore. Denver just has to take a good deal when they get it & stop being so picky (Granted it is Melo).
Melo & this Denver situation is gonna end soon... At this point Im sure niether want anything to do with each other, especially since Melo's heart isn't in it anymore. Denver just has to take a good deal when they get it & stop being so picky (Granted it is Melo).
- 26,898
- 383
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2005
Fisher with the finishing touches...
Melo & this Denver situation is gonna end soon... At this point Im sure niether want anything to do with each other, especially since Melo's heart isn't in it anymore. Denver just has to take a good deal when they get it & stop being so picky (Granted it is Melo).
Melo & this Denver situation is gonna end soon... At this point Im sure niether want anything to do with each other, especially since Melo's heart isn't in it anymore. Denver just has to take a good deal when they get it & stop being so picky (Granted it is Melo).
Uhhhh, sorry you misunderstood. I was referring to Steve Nash. (when I mentioned the Knicks record is better then the Suns, and then, BTW.......
He is the MVP I was talkin about bein pulled for defensive purposes, not Amare. Sorry I wasn't more clear on that.
Uhhhh, sorry you misunderstood. I was referring to Steve Nash. (when I mentioned the Knicks record is better then the Suns, and then, BTW.......
He is the MVP I was talkin about bein pulled for defensive purposes, not Amare. Sorry I wasn't more clear on that.
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- Nov 1, 2005
Curious to see if Artest follows through with his contract statement next year. He talked about donating either all of it or a good portion of it to charity. I don't doubt him since he donated his ring just recently...
- 26,898
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- Nov 1, 2005
Curious to see if Artest follows through with his contract statement next year. He talked about donating either all of it or a good portion of it to charity. I don't doubt him since he donated his ring just recently...
- 29,630
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- Nov 4, 2003
ooo i see CP. got knicks on the brain, haven't been this happy since marbury came home. hope this has a different ending
i'm with you never been a big nash fan... his comedy game is amazing though. he needs his own show
i'm with you never been a big nash fan... his comedy game is amazing though. he needs his own show
- 29,630
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- Nov 4, 2003
ooo i see CP. got knicks on the brain, haven't been this happy since marbury came home. hope this has a different ending
i'm with you never been a big nash fan... his comedy game is amazing though. he needs his own show
i'm with you never been a big nash fan... his comedy game is amazing though. he needs his own show
T0INE
formerly toine2983
- 66,573
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- Dec 21, 2005
Good win for the Miami in Utah.
It looks their finally start to put it together. Lebron and DWade are playing well together during this win streak.
To illustrate, the NBA Gametime guys showed a clip from the game where Lebron and Wade turned a made Jazz layup into a 2 on 1 fastbreak.
This NBA Season has been great thus far.
What are some things that's surprised you guys thus far?
Two things stand out for me, the Knicks and Kevin Love.
I was expecting the Knicks to be no better than a .500 team and fighting for the 8th seed at best, but the they are playing great right now. Amar'e has surprised me, not with the numbers he's putting up because there pretty much in line with his career averages, but the leadership role he's taken with the team.
Kevin Love is playing out of his mind right now. He has five 20 and 20 games thus far, the rest of the league has five 20 and 20 game combined. If he maintains this level of play he's definitely playing in L.A. in February.
It looks their finally start to put it together. Lebron and DWade are playing well together during this win streak.
To illustrate, the NBA Gametime guys showed a clip from the game where Lebron and Wade turned a made Jazz layup into a 2 on 1 fastbreak.
This NBA Season has been great thus far.
What are some things that's surprised you guys thus far?
Two things stand out for me, the Knicks and Kevin Love.
I was expecting the Knicks to be no better than a .500 team and fighting for the 8th seed at best, but the they are playing great right now. Amar'e has surprised me, not with the numbers he's putting up because there pretty much in line with his career averages, but the leadership role he's taken with the team.
Kevin Love is playing out of his mind right now. He has five 20 and 20 games thus far, the rest of the league has five 20 and 20 game combined. If he maintains this level of play he's definitely playing in L.A. in February.
T0INE
formerly toine2983
- 66,573
- 72,658
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2005
Good win for the Miami in Utah.
It looks their finally start to put it together. Lebron and DWade are playing well together during this win streak.
To illustrate, the NBA Gametime guys showed a clip from the game where Lebron and Wade turned a made Jazz layup into a 2 on 1 fastbreak.
This NBA Season has been great thus far.
What are some things that's surprised you guys thus far?
Two things stand out for me, the Knicks and Kevin Love.
I was expecting the Knicks to be no better than a .500 team and fighting for the 8th seed at best, but the they are playing great right now. Amar'e has surprised me, not with the numbers he's putting up because there pretty much in line with his career averages, but the leadership role he's taken with the team.
Kevin Love is playing out of his mind right now. He has five 20 and 20 games thus far, the rest of the league has five 20 and 20 game combined. If he maintains this level of play he's definitely playing in L.A. in February.
It looks their finally start to put it together. Lebron and DWade are playing well together during this win streak.
To illustrate, the NBA Gametime guys showed a clip from the game where Lebron and Wade turned a made Jazz layup into a 2 on 1 fastbreak.
This NBA Season has been great thus far.
What are some things that's surprised you guys thus far?
Two things stand out for me, the Knicks and Kevin Love.
I was expecting the Knicks to be no better than a .500 team and fighting for the 8th seed at best, but the they are playing great right now. Amar'e has surprised me, not with the numbers he's putting up because there pretty much in line with his career averages, but the leadership role he's taken with the team.
Kevin Love is playing out of his mind right now. He has five 20 and 20 games thus far, the rest of the league has five 20 and 20 game combined. If he maintains this level of play he's definitely playing in L.A. in February.
- 29,630
- 1,863
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2003
the biggest thing to suprise me is the knicks, mavericks, tyson chandler, beasley, darko, KG being back. the NBA buying the hornets, the raptors being decent, durant not in the mcp race, the heat aren't as good as i thought
kevin love doesn't suprise me because i thought he's a damn baller
kevin love doesn't suprise me because i thought he's a damn baller
