- 8,362
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- Oct 19, 2004
I'm far from a Mavs fan, but that Caron situation just sucks. Dallas needs to just trade him in a package for Melo.
PO
PO
OFFICIAL 2010-2011 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD : VOL. MOST. ANTICIPATED. PLAYOFFS. EVER?
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by bigmike23,
- Start date
- 8,362
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I'm far from a Mavs fan, but that Caron situation just sucks. Dallas needs to just trade him in a package for Melo.
PO
PO
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Pierce was probably mad that Kobe was getting shine for it.Originally Posted by Goldmember
First Kobe then now PP ... what's up with these old dudes dunking like its 2003..
$%#$.
- 21,800
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Pierce was probably mad that Kobe was getting shine for it.Originally Posted by Goldmember
First Kobe then now PP ... what's up with these old dudes dunking like its 2003..
$%#$.
- 17,318
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- Jun 24, 2005
Only team to beat the Lakers twice this season so far. Inconsistent %## team. Lol
- 17,318
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- Jun 24, 2005
Only team to beat the Lakers twice this season so far. Inconsistent %## team. Lol
- 25,187
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I wish, but it ain't gonna happen... Stephen Jackson would do nicely, I think... Wonder if Charlotte would trade Crash..
- 25,187
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- May 30, 2006
I wish, but it ain't gonna happen... Stephen Jackson would do nicely, I think... Wonder if Charlotte would trade Crash..
- 20,261
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three-point celebrations from the last 2 weeks
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three-point celebrations from the last 2 weeks
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Illuminati %%$ n's
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Illuminati %%$ n's
http://[h3]
http://[h3]Butler's injury could be serious[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Caron Butler | Mavericks [/h5]
UPDATE: A source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that Caron Butler has probably suffered at least a partial tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee.
Butler will be out at least a couple months if it is a partial tear. He will be out for the season if it's a complete tear.
The Maverick could start Shawn Marion at small forward or they could play a three-guard lineup with DeShawn Stevenson starting at small forward, Jason Terry at shooting guard and Jason Kidd at point guard.
-- Nick Borges
----
Caron Butler left the Mavericks' loss to Milwaukee during the first quarter on Saturday night due to a right knee injury.
The extent of the injury is not fully known yet, but a league source has indicated to Art Garica of NBA.com it could be a torn patella tendon. Surgery for such an injury could have Butler out for some time.
We're afraid that it's potentially serious," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said, according to the Associated Press. "We'll find out (Sunday) where things are at, probably later in the day."
Butler has started every game he's appeared in for the Mavs so far this season, so the team will need to rearrange the starting lineup if he's unable to go.
It's possible Shawn Marion could start at small forward in his absence, though Marion was unable to play Saturday night due to injury.
-- Ryan Corazza
[h5]Marc Stein[/h5]
Butler's value on the trade market reduced?
http://[h3]Knicks were Parker's first option[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Tony Parker | Spurs [/h5]
The Knicks were turned down by some of the best free agents last summer and now they know they have missed out on the chance to sign one of the best point guards next summer.
There had been a lot of speculation about San Antonio's Tony Parker prior to him singing a four-year extension with the Spurs, including his desire to play in New York. Parker did reveal on Sunday that the Knicks would have been his No. 1 option if he had become a free agent in July.
"Right now, I'm very happy with my decision," Parker told the San Antonio Express-News. "I always felt the Spurs are my family, and my first option was San Antonio, but if they didn't want to keep me, New York was definitely my first option."
The Spurs play the Knicks in New York on Tuesday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Slow progress for Kaman[/h3]
8:38AM ET
[h5]Chris Kaman | Clippers [/h5]
Chris Kaman has not played since Dec. 5 when he re-injured his right ankle and the center is not close to being activated.
"It's a slow progress," Kaman told the Los Angeles Times Sunday. "Since I came back and played and hurt it again, they're probably more wary of me coming back sooner. And they're probably going to make it later.
"I don't mean later. But in the sense that take more time with it and make sure that it's really ready and that I can put a lot of pressure on it. Go out there and play and not have to worry about it, or think about it. It's always in the back of your mind, especially after getting hurt the second time."
Kaman has only played 10 games this season due to the bad ankle. His name has been in the rumor mill, since teams are always looking for a center, however it's very unlikely that he'll be moved this season due to the ankle.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Varejao's broken cheek[/h3]
7:37AM ET
[h5]Anderson Varejao | Cavaliers [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The Plain Dealer, Varejao will be fitted with a protective mask and the hope is that he can play Wednesday against the Raptors.
-- Nick Borges
----
The Cavaliers will be without starting center Anderson Varejao for at least two games due to a fracture of the maxilla bone in his cheek. The injury occurred on Wednesday in Charlotte when Varejao was elbowed in the face by former Cavalier DeSagana Diop.
"It wasn't anything done maliciously," head coach Byron Scott told the The News-Herald. "That's not the type of player he is. Andy was in the wrong place. (Diop) caught him square."
Varejao won't return until he has been fitted with a protective mask.
Scott will start Ryan Hollins or Leon Powe at center until Varejao returns. The team also recalled Samardo Samuels from the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Cavs recall Eyenga[/h3]
7:32AM ET
[h5]Christian Eyenga | Cavaliers [/h5]
Cleveland recalled Christian Eyenga from the Erie BayHawks on Sunday and he's happy to back with the Cavaliers.
"I learned a lot," Eyenga told The Plain Dealer. "I got a lot of confidence. I just want to use my energy."
Eyenga averaged 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds during his stint in the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Harrington may play Monday[/h3]
6:44AM ET
[h5]Al Harrington | Nuggets [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: Harrington played some one-on-one Sunday and said he might play on Monday against Houston, if his thumb is feeling good after the morning shootaround.
"I think the biggest thing is I'm going to be scared of sticking in there, trying to swipe at the ball," Harrington told The Denver Post. "It kind of hurts grabbing the ball rebounding, stuff like that. So I've just got to make a good decision, if I should just maybe wait two more days, give it two more days of healing, because we've obviously got a lot more games to go. So I shouldn't rush it."
The Nuggets will finally have their whole squad available this season if Harrington plays on Monday.
He will play with a brace to protect the thumb.
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to a Tuesday tweet from Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post, Harrington will miss both Tuesday's and Wednesday's games, so Martin and Williams could indeed be in line for more minutes this week.
----
Al Harrington left Denver's Sunday night loss to the Sixers in the first half due to a dislocated right thumb.
But according to Chris Demsey of the Denver Post, Harrington's X-rays came back negative, and he's just listed at day to day.
The Nuggets play Portland on Tuesday and Minnesota on Wednesday.
If Harrington has to miss one or both of these back-to-back games due to his thumb, it's possible Kenyon Martin will be called upon to log more minutes at PF after recently coming back from injury.
Shelden Williams may also see an increase in playing time.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Siler sent to Iowa[/h3]
6:33AM ET
[h5]Garret Siler | Suns [/h5]
The Suns assigned rookie center Garret Siler to the D-League's Iowa Energy on Sunday.
Siler has not played for the Suns since Dec. 5.
Siler's contract with the Suns becomes fully guaranteed for the season if he's still on the Suns roster on Jan. 10.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Kuester wants input from players[/h3]
6:09AM ET
[h5]John Kuester | Pistons [/h5]
The Pistons are having a lousy season and were beaten 92-75 by the Suns on Friday. As usual there was more grumbling via the players about the lack of proper adjustments from the coaching staff.
Head coach John Kuester says his door is open and he's willing to take suggestions from all the players about changing the way they are playing on the court.
"It's important we do that (communicate) all the time," Kuester told The Detroit News. "We took a step backwards and we can't do that. We have to keep taking steps forward."
"If we have something we want to do, bring it to him," forward Charlie Villanueva said of Kuester's message. "I should've brought it to his attention."
Villanueva hasn't seen eye-to-eye with his head coach about game strategy on several occasions this season.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Jennings won't rush back[/h3]
5:49AM ET
[h5]Brandon Jennings | Bucks [/h5]
Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings is recovering from surgery to repair the fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. He is itching to get back on the court, but he won't rush back. He should return to game action later this month.
"I don't want to rush back and then be hurt again," Jennings told the Journal Sentinel. "It's good that I've been able to rehab. I've been working out, lifting weights and riding a bike."
The Bucks will play in Miami and Orlando this week, while Jennings will stay in Milwaukee and continue his rehab.
"It's best for me to be here working out, so I can get back," Jennings said.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Tolliver making progress[/h3]
5:36AM ET
[h5]Anthony Tolliver | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver participated in contact drills in practice on Sunday for the first time since having surgery on the knee.
He will be re-evaluated later this week to determine when he can play again. Tolliver will wear a knee brace when he returns to give himself "peace of mind."
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver was cutting and moving well during his training session on Tuesday.
"He's getting a lot better," head coach Kurt Rambis said. "He said he feels good. He's doing a lot of cutting, stopping, starting, angular work off his knee and he looks good."
Rambis is unsure when Tolliver will be activated. However, it should sooner than mid-to-late January, which was the original timeline.
-- Nick Borges
----
Wolves power forward Anthony Tolliver has been out since Dec. 3 when he sprained his right medial collateral ligament. He ran for the first time on Monday and is making progress in his recovery from the injury.
"I hope to get in some non-contact work in practice this week, then maybe go full contact by the end of the week," Tolliver told the Pioneer Press. "I've still got a little tenderness in the knee. That's why I know I'm not ready yet."
Tolliver was given an initial timeline of six to eight weeks before he can return to the active roster and he seems to be on schedule.
[/h3][h3]Bass says he might need knee surgery[/h3]
9:10AM ET
[h5]Brandon Bass | Magic [/h5]
The Magic say they're not in a rush to add a center, but that may not be the case in regards to bringing in a power forward. Brandon Bass is dealing with a sore left knee and says he may need surgery to fix the problem.
"I might need to get it scoped, be out a few weeks," Bass told the Orlando Sentinel on Sunday. "I don't know. We'll see."
Bass' knee has been bothering since Thursday's game against the Knicks when he heard a "pop." He had an MRI and the results should come back on Monday.
Ryan Anderson will start at power forward if Bass can't play against Golden State on Monday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Casppi and Landry trade talk[/h3]
8:55AM ET
[h5]Sacramento Kings [/h5]
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports teams are calling the Sacramento Kings regarding the availability of Omri Casspi. According to Stein, the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks have interest in Casspi.
The Bulls in particular like Casspi's ability to shoot from long distance. Casspi is shooting 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line this season.
The Kings like Casspi and will only consider trading him if they can also get rid of a long-term contract like Francisco Garcia's.
Carl Landry is in the final season of his contract -- making $3 million -- and is unlikely to return next season. According to Stein, a source said that is the reason the power forward will probably be traded by the February deadline.
There has been some rumors that Houston would like to re-acquire Landry.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Mavs in no hurry to find a SF[/h3]
8:55AM ET
[h5]Dallas Mavericks [/h5]
Caron Butler is out for at least two months with a patellar tendon injury and he could be gone for the remainder of the season if it a complete tear. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports the Mavericks, at this time, are not looking to make a move for a small forward.
The Mavericks want to find out the results of the MRI before they start looking long-term.
The team would probably receive a disabled player exception for $5.28 million, if Butler is ruled to be out for the duration of this season.
Dallas is hoping Dirk Nowitzki can return this week from his sprained knee and that Rodrigue Beaubois' debut this season will come in about three weeks. Beaubois is recovering from broken left foot.
Butler is in the final season of his contract and Stein points out it may be difficult to use him in a deal, unless a team is willing to take him on for just financial reasons.
-- Nick Borges
[h5]Marc Stein[/h5]
Butler's value on the trade market reduced?
http://[h3]Butler's injury could be serious[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Caron Butler | Mavericks [/h5]
UPDATE: A source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that Caron Butler has probably suffered at least a partial tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee.
Butler will be out at least a couple months if it is a partial tear. He will be out for the season if it's a complete tear.
The Maverick could start Shawn Marion at small forward or they could play a three-guard lineup with DeShawn Stevenson starting at small forward, Jason Terry at shooting guard and Jason Kidd at point guard.
-- Nick Borges
----
Caron Butler left the Mavericks' loss to Milwaukee during the first quarter on Saturday night due to a right knee injury.
The extent of the injury is not fully known yet, but a league source has indicated to Art Garica of NBA.com it could be a torn patella tendon. Surgery for such an injury could have Butler out for some time.
We're afraid that it's potentially serious," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said, according to the Associated Press. "We'll find out (Sunday) where things are at, probably later in the day."
Butler has started every game he's appeared in for the Mavs so far this season, so the team will need to rearrange the starting lineup if he's unable to go.
It's possible Shawn Marion could start at small forward in his absence, though Marion was unable to play Saturday night due to injury.
-- Ryan Corazza
Butler's value on the trade market reduced?
http://[h3]Knicks were Parker's first option[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Tony Parker | Spurs [/h5]
The Knicks were turned down by some of the best free agents last summer and now they know they have missed out on the chance to sign one of the best point guards next summer.
There had been a lot of speculation about San Antonio's Tony Parker prior to him singing a four-year extension with the Spurs, including his desire to play in New York. Parker did reveal on Sunday that the Knicks would have been his No. 1 option if he had become a free agent in July.
"Right now, I'm very happy with my decision," Parker told the San Antonio Express-News. "I always felt the Spurs are my family, and my first option was San Antonio, but if they didn't want to keep me, New York was definitely my first option."
The Spurs play the Knicks in New York on Tuesday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Slow progress for Kaman[/h3]
8:38AM ET
[h5]Chris Kaman | Clippers [/h5]
Chris Kaman has not played since Dec. 5 when he re-injured his right ankle and the center is not close to being activated.
"It's a slow progress," Kaman told the Los Angeles Times Sunday. "Since I came back and played and hurt it again, they're probably more wary of me coming back sooner. And they're probably going to make it later.
"I don't mean later. But in the sense that take more time with it and make sure that it's really ready and that I can put a lot of pressure on it. Go out there and play and not have to worry about it, or think about it. It's always in the back of your mind, especially after getting hurt the second time."
Kaman has only played 10 games this season due to the bad ankle. His name has been in the rumor mill, since teams are always looking for a center, however it's very unlikely that he'll be moved this season due to the ankle.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Varejao's broken cheek[/h3]
7:37AM ET
[h5]Anderson Varejao | Cavaliers [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The Plain Dealer, Varejao will be fitted with a protective mask and the hope is that he can play Wednesday against the Raptors.
-- Nick Borges
----
The Cavaliers will be without starting center Anderson Varejao for at least two games due to a fracture of the maxilla bone in his cheek. The injury occurred on Wednesday in Charlotte when Varejao was elbowed in the face by former Cavalier DeSagana Diop.
"It wasn't anything done maliciously," head coach Byron Scott told the The News-Herald. "That's not the type of player he is. Andy was in the wrong place. (Diop) caught him square."
Varejao won't return until he has been fitted with a protective mask.
Scott will start Ryan Hollins or Leon Powe at center until Varejao returns. The team also recalled Samardo Samuels from the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Cavs recall Eyenga[/h3]
7:32AM ET
[h5]Christian Eyenga | Cavaliers [/h5]
Cleveland recalled Christian Eyenga from the Erie BayHawks on Sunday and he's happy to back with the Cavaliers.
"I learned a lot," Eyenga told The Plain Dealer. "I got a lot of confidence. I just want to use my energy."
Eyenga averaged 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds during his stint in the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Harrington may play Monday[/h3]
6:44AM ET
[h5]Al Harrington | Nuggets [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: Harrington played some one-on-one Sunday and said he might play on Monday against Houston, if his thumb is feeling good after the morning shootaround.
"I think the biggest thing is I'm going to be scared of sticking in there, trying to swipe at the ball," Harrington told The Denver Post. "It kind of hurts grabbing the ball rebounding, stuff like that. So I've just got to make a good decision, if I should just maybe wait two more days, give it two more days of healing, because we've obviously got a lot more games to go. So I shouldn't rush it."
The Nuggets will finally have their whole squad available this season if Harrington plays on Monday.
He will play with a brace to protect the thumb.
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to a Tuesday tweet from Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post, Harrington will miss both Tuesday's and Wednesday's games, so Martin and Williams could indeed be in line for more minutes this week.
----
Al Harrington left Denver's Sunday night loss to the Sixers in the first half due to a dislocated right thumb.
But according to Chris Demsey of the Denver Post, Harrington's X-rays came back negative, and he's just listed at day to day.
The Nuggets play Portland on Tuesday and Minnesota on Wednesday.
If Harrington has to miss one or both of these back-to-back games due to his thumb, it's possible Kenyon Martin will be called upon to log more minutes at PF after recently coming back from injury.
Shelden Williams may also see an increase in playing time.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Siler sent to Iowa[/h3]
6:33AM ET
[h5]Garret Siler | Suns [/h5]
The Suns assigned rookie center Garret Siler to the D-League's Iowa Energy on Sunday.
Siler has not played for the Suns since Dec. 5.
Siler's contract with the Suns becomes fully guaranteed for the season if he's still on the Suns roster on Jan. 10.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Kuester wants input from players[/h3]
6:09AM ET
[h5]John Kuester | Pistons [/h5]
The Pistons are having a lousy season and were beaten 92-75 by the Suns on Friday. As usual there was more grumbling via the players about the lack of proper adjustments from the coaching staff.
Head coach John Kuester says his door is open and he's willing to take suggestions from all the players about changing the way they are playing on the court.
"It's important we do that (communicate) all the time," Kuester told The Detroit News. "We took a step backwards and we can't do that. We have to keep taking steps forward."
"If we have something we want to do, bring it to him," forward Charlie Villanueva said of Kuester's message. "I should've brought it to his attention."
Villanueva hasn't seen eye-to-eye with his head coach about game strategy on several occasions this season.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Jennings won't rush back[/h3]
5:49AM ET
[h5]Brandon Jennings | Bucks [/h5]
Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings is recovering from surgery to repair the fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. He is itching to get back on the court, but he won't rush back. He should return to game action later this month.
"I don't want to rush back and then be hurt again," Jennings told the Journal Sentinel. "It's good that I've been able to rehab. I've been working out, lifting weights and riding a bike."
The Bucks will play in Miami and Orlando this week, while Jennings will stay in Milwaukee and continue his rehab.
"It's best for me to be here working out, so I can get back," Jennings said.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Tolliver making progress[/h3]
5:36AM ET
[h5]Anthony Tolliver | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver participated in contact drills in practice on Sunday for the first time since having surgery on the knee.
He will be re-evaluated later this week to determine when he can play again. Tolliver will wear a knee brace when he returns to give himself "peace of mind."
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver was cutting and moving well during his training session on Tuesday.
"He's getting a lot better," head coach Kurt Rambis said. "He said he feels good. He's doing a lot of cutting, stopping, starting, angular work off his knee and he looks good."
Rambis is unsure when Tolliver will be activated. However, it should sooner than mid-to-late January, which was the original timeline.
-- Nick Borges
----
Wolves power forward Anthony Tolliver has been out since Dec. 3 when he sprained his right medial collateral ligament. He ran for the first time on Monday and is making progress in his recovery from the injury.
"I hope to get in some non-contact work in practice this week, then maybe go full contact by the end of the week," Tolliver told the Pioneer Press. "I've still got a little tenderness in the knee. That's why I know I'm not ready yet."
Tolliver was given an initial timeline of six to eight weeks before he can return to the active roster and he seems to be on schedule.
http://[h3]
http://[h3]Butler's injury could be serious[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Caron Butler | Mavericks [/h5]
UPDATE: A source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that Caron Butler has probably suffered at least a partial tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee.
Butler will be out at least a couple months if it is a partial tear. He will be out for the season if it's a complete tear.
The Maverick could start Shawn Marion at small forward or they could play a three-guard lineup with DeShawn Stevenson starting at small forward, Jason Terry at shooting guard and Jason Kidd at point guard.
-- Nick Borges
----
Caron Butler left the Mavericks' loss to Milwaukee during the first quarter on Saturday night due to a right knee injury.
The extent of the injury is not fully known yet, but a league source has indicated to Art Garica of NBA.com it could be a torn patella tendon. Surgery for such an injury could have Butler out for some time.
We're afraid that it's potentially serious," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said, according to the Associated Press. "We'll find out (Sunday) where things are at, probably later in the day."
Butler has started every game he's appeared in for the Mavs so far this season, so the team will need to rearrange the starting lineup if he's unable to go.
It's possible Shawn Marion could start at small forward in his absence, though Marion was unable to play Saturday night due to injury.
-- Ryan Corazza
[h5]Marc Stein[/h5]
Butler's value on the trade market reduced?
http://[h3]Knicks were Parker's first option[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Tony Parker | Spurs [/h5]
The Knicks were turned down by some of the best free agents last summer and now they know they have missed out on the chance to sign one of the best point guards next summer.
There had been a lot of speculation about San Antonio's Tony Parker prior to him singing a four-year extension with the Spurs, including his desire to play in New York. Parker did reveal on Sunday that the Knicks would have been his No. 1 option if he had become a free agent in July.
"Right now, I'm very happy with my decision," Parker told the San Antonio Express-News. "I always felt the Spurs are my family, and my first option was San Antonio, but if they didn't want to keep me, New York was definitely my first option."
The Spurs play the Knicks in New York on Tuesday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Slow progress for Kaman[/h3]
8:38AM ET
[h5]Chris Kaman | Clippers [/h5]
Chris Kaman has not played since Dec. 5 when he re-injured his right ankle and the center is not close to being activated.
"It's a slow progress," Kaman told the Los Angeles Times Sunday. "Since I came back and played and hurt it again, they're probably more wary of me coming back sooner. And they're probably going to make it later.
"I don't mean later. But in the sense that take more time with it and make sure that it's really ready and that I can put a lot of pressure on it. Go out there and play and not have to worry about it, or think about it. It's always in the back of your mind, especially after getting hurt the second time."
Kaman has only played 10 games this season due to the bad ankle. His name has been in the rumor mill, since teams are always looking for a center, however it's very unlikely that he'll be moved this season due to the ankle.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Varejao's broken cheek[/h3]
7:37AM ET
[h5]Anderson Varejao | Cavaliers [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The Plain Dealer, Varejao will be fitted with a protective mask and the hope is that he can play Wednesday against the Raptors.
-- Nick Borges
----
The Cavaliers will be without starting center Anderson Varejao for at least two games due to a fracture of the maxilla bone in his cheek. The injury occurred on Wednesday in Charlotte when Varejao was elbowed in the face by former Cavalier DeSagana Diop.
"It wasn't anything done maliciously," head coach Byron Scott told the The News-Herald. "That's not the type of player he is. Andy was in the wrong place. (Diop) caught him square."
Varejao won't return until he has been fitted with a protective mask.
Scott will start Ryan Hollins or Leon Powe at center until Varejao returns. The team also recalled Samardo Samuels from the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Cavs recall Eyenga[/h3]
7:32AM ET
[h5]Christian Eyenga | Cavaliers [/h5]
Cleveland recalled Christian Eyenga from the Erie BayHawks on Sunday and he's happy to back with the Cavaliers.
"I learned a lot," Eyenga told The Plain Dealer. "I got a lot of confidence. I just want to use my energy."
Eyenga averaged 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds during his stint in the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Harrington may play Monday[/h3]
6:44AM ET
[h5]Al Harrington | Nuggets [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: Harrington played some one-on-one Sunday and said he might play on Monday against Houston, if his thumb is feeling good after the morning shootaround.
"I think the biggest thing is I'm going to be scared of sticking in there, trying to swipe at the ball," Harrington told The Denver Post. "It kind of hurts grabbing the ball rebounding, stuff like that. So I've just got to make a good decision, if I should just maybe wait two more days, give it two more days of healing, because we've obviously got a lot more games to go. So I shouldn't rush it."
The Nuggets will finally have their whole squad available this season if Harrington plays on Monday.
He will play with a brace to protect the thumb.
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to a Tuesday tweet from Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post, Harrington will miss both Tuesday's and Wednesday's games, so Martin and Williams could indeed be in line for more minutes this week.
----
Al Harrington left Denver's Sunday night loss to the Sixers in the first half due to a dislocated right thumb.
But according to Chris Demsey of the Denver Post, Harrington's X-rays came back negative, and he's just listed at day to day.
The Nuggets play Portland on Tuesday and Minnesota on Wednesday.
If Harrington has to miss one or both of these back-to-back games due to his thumb, it's possible Kenyon Martin will be called upon to log more minutes at PF after recently coming back from injury.
Shelden Williams may also see an increase in playing time.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Siler sent to Iowa[/h3]
6:33AM ET
[h5]Garret Siler | Suns [/h5]
The Suns assigned rookie center Garret Siler to the D-League's Iowa Energy on Sunday.
Siler has not played for the Suns since Dec. 5.
Siler's contract with the Suns becomes fully guaranteed for the season if he's still on the Suns roster on Jan. 10.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Kuester wants input from players[/h3]
6:09AM ET
[h5]John Kuester | Pistons [/h5]
The Pistons are having a lousy season and were beaten 92-75 by the Suns on Friday. As usual there was more grumbling via the players about the lack of proper adjustments from the coaching staff.
Head coach John Kuester says his door is open and he's willing to take suggestions from all the players about changing the way they are playing on the court.
"It's important we do that (communicate) all the time," Kuester told The Detroit News. "We took a step backwards and we can't do that. We have to keep taking steps forward."
"If we have something we want to do, bring it to him," forward Charlie Villanueva said of Kuester's message. "I should've brought it to his attention."
Villanueva hasn't seen eye-to-eye with his head coach about game strategy on several occasions this season.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Jennings won't rush back[/h3]
5:49AM ET
[h5]Brandon Jennings | Bucks [/h5]
Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings is recovering from surgery to repair the fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. He is itching to get back on the court, but he won't rush back. He should return to game action later this month.
"I don't want to rush back and then be hurt again," Jennings told the Journal Sentinel. "It's good that I've been able to rehab. I've been working out, lifting weights and riding a bike."
The Bucks will play in Miami and Orlando this week, while Jennings will stay in Milwaukee and continue his rehab.
"It's best for me to be here working out, so I can get back," Jennings said.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Tolliver making progress[/h3]
5:36AM ET
[h5]Anthony Tolliver | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver participated in contact drills in practice on Sunday for the first time since having surgery on the knee.
He will be re-evaluated later this week to determine when he can play again. Tolliver will wear a knee brace when he returns to give himself "peace of mind."
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver was cutting and moving well during his training session on Tuesday.
"He's getting a lot better," head coach Kurt Rambis said. "He said he feels good. He's doing a lot of cutting, stopping, starting, angular work off his knee and he looks good."
Rambis is unsure when Tolliver will be activated. However, it should sooner than mid-to-late January, which was the original timeline.
-- Nick Borges
----
Wolves power forward Anthony Tolliver has been out since Dec. 3 when he sprained his right medial collateral ligament. He ran for the first time on Monday and is making progress in his recovery from the injury.
"I hope to get in some non-contact work in practice this week, then maybe go full contact by the end of the week," Tolliver told the Pioneer Press. "I've still got a little tenderness in the knee. That's why I know I'm not ready yet."
Tolliver was given an initial timeline of six to eight weeks before he can return to the active roster and he seems to be on schedule.
[/h3][h3]Bass says he might need knee surgery[/h3]
9:10AM ET
[h5]Brandon Bass | Magic [/h5]
The Magic say they're not in a rush to add a center, but that may not be the case in regards to bringing in a power forward. Brandon Bass is dealing with a sore left knee and says he may need surgery to fix the problem.
"I might need to get it scoped, be out a few weeks," Bass told the Orlando Sentinel on Sunday. "I don't know. We'll see."
Bass' knee has been bothering since Thursday's game against the Knicks when he heard a "pop." He had an MRI and the results should come back on Monday.
Ryan Anderson will start at power forward if Bass can't play against Golden State on Monday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Casppi and Landry trade talk[/h3]
8:55AM ET
[h5]Sacramento Kings [/h5]
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports teams are calling the Sacramento Kings regarding the availability of Omri Casspi. According to Stein, the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks have interest in Casspi.
The Bulls in particular like Casspi's ability to shoot from long distance. Casspi is shooting 40 percent from beyond the 3-point line this season.
The Kings like Casspi and will only consider trading him if they can also get rid of a long-term contract like Francisco Garcia's.
Carl Landry is in the final season of his contract -- making $3 million -- and is unlikely to return next season. According to Stein, a source said that is the reason the power forward will probably be traded by the February deadline.
There has been some rumors that Houston would like to re-acquire Landry.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Mavs in no hurry to find a SF[/h3]
8:55AM ET
[h5]Dallas Mavericks [/h5]
Caron Butler is out for at least two months with a patellar tendon injury and he could be gone for the remainder of the season if it a complete tear. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports the Mavericks, at this time, are not looking to make a move for a small forward.
The Mavericks want to find out the results of the MRI before they start looking long-term.
The team would probably receive a disabled player exception for $5.28 million, if Butler is ruled to be out for the duration of this season.
Dallas is hoping Dirk Nowitzki can return this week from his sprained knee and that Rodrigue Beaubois' debut this season will come in about three weeks. Beaubois is recovering from broken left foot.
Butler is in the final season of his contract and Stein points out it may be difficult to use him in a deal, unless a team is willing to take him on for just financial reasons.
-- Nick Borges
[h5]Marc Stein[/h5]
Butler's value on the trade market reduced?
http://[h3]Butler's injury could be serious[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Caron Butler | Mavericks [/h5]
UPDATE: A source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that Caron Butler has probably suffered at least a partial tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee.
Butler will be out at least a couple months if it is a partial tear. He will be out for the season if it's a complete tear.
The Maverick could start Shawn Marion at small forward or they could play a three-guard lineup with DeShawn Stevenson starting at small forward, Jason Terry at shooting guard and Jason Kidd at point guard.
-- Nick Borges
----
Caron Butler left the Mavericks' loss to Milwaukee during the first quarter on Saturday night due to a right knee injury.
The extent of the injury is not fully known yet, but a league source has indicated to Art Garica of NBA.com it could be a torn patella tendon. Surgery for such an injury could have Butler out for some time.
We're afraid that it's potentially serious," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said, according to the Associated Press. "We'll find out (Sunday) where things are at, probably later in the day."
Butler has started every game he's appeared in for the Mavs so far this season, so the team will need to rearrange the starting lineup if he's unable to go.
It's possible Shawn Marion could start at small forward in his absence, though Marion was unable to play Saturday night due to injury.
-- Ryan Corazza
Butler's value on the trade market reduced?
http://[h3]Knicks were Parker's first option[/h3]
8:54AM ET
[h5]Tony Parker | Spurs [/h5]
The Knicks were turned down by some of the best free agents last summer and now they know they have missed out on the chance to sign one of the best point guards next summer.
There had been a lot of speculation about San Antonio's Tony Parker prior to him singing a four-year extension with the Spurs, including his desire to play in New York. Parker did reveal on Sunday that the Knicks would have been his No. 1 option if he had become a free agent in July.
"Right now, I'm very happy with my decision," Parker told the San Antonio Express-News. "I always felt the Spurs are my family, and my first option was San Antonio, but if they didn't want to keep me, New York was definitely my first option."
The Spurs play the Knicks in New York on Tuesday.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Slow progress for Kaman[/h3]
8:38AM ET
[h5]Chris Kaman | Clippers [/h5]
Chris Kaman has not played since Dec. 5 when he re-injured his right ankle and the center is not close to being activated.
"It's a slow progress," Kaman told the Los Angeles Times Sunday. "Since I came back and played and hurt it again, they're probably more wary of me coming back sooner. And they're probably going to make it later.
"I don't mean later. But in the sense that take more time with it and make sure that it's really ready and that I can put a lot of pressure on it. Go out there and play and not have to worry about it, or think about it. It's always in the back of your mind, especially after getting hurt the second time."
Kaman has only played 10 games this season due to the bad ankle. His name has been in the rumor mill, since teams are always looking for a center, however it's very unlikely that he'll be moved this season due to the ankle.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Varejao's broken cheek[/h3]
7:37AM ET
[h5]Anderson Varejao | Cavaliers [/h5]
UPDATE: According to The Plain Dealer, Varejao will be fitted with a protective mask and the hope is that he can play Wednesday against the Raptors.
-- Nick Borges
----
The Cavaliers will be without starting center Anderson Varejao for at least two games due to a fracture of the maxilla bone in his cheek. The injury occurred on Wednesday in Charlotte when Varejao was elbowed in the face by former Cavalier DeSagana Diop.
"It wasn't anything done maliciously," head coach Byron Scott told the The News-Herald. "That's not the type of player he is. Andy was in the wrong place. (Diop) caught him square."
Varejao won't return until he has been fitted with a protective mask.
Scott will start Ryan Hollins or Leon Powe at center until Varejao returns. The team also recalled Samardo Samuels from the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Cavs recall Eyenga[/h3]
7:32AM ET
[h5]Christian Eyenga | Cavaliers [/h5]
Cleveland recalled Christian Eyenga from the Erie BayHawks on Sunday and he's happy to back with the Cavaliers.
"I learned a lot," Eyenga told The Plain Dealer. "I got a lot of confidence. I just want to use my energy."
Eyenga averaged 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds during his stint in the D-League.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Harrington may play Monday[/h3]
6:44AM ET
[h5]Al Harrington | Nuggets [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: Harrington played some one-on-one Sunday and said he might play on Monday against Houston, if his thumb is feeling good after the morning shootaround.
"I think the biggest thing is I'm going to be scared of sticking in there, trying to swipe at the ball," Harrington told The Denver Post. "It kind of hurts grabbing the ball rebounding, stuff like that. So I've just got to make a good decision, if I should just maybe wait two more days, give it two more days of healing, because we've obviously got a lot more games to go. So I shouldn't rush it."
The Nuggets will finally have their whole squad available this season if Harrington plays on Monday.
He will play with a brace to protect the thumb.
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to a Tuesday tweet from Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post, Harrington will miss both Tuesday's and Wednesday's games, so Martin and Williams could indeed be in line for more minutes this week.
----
Al Harrington left Denver's Sunday night loss to the Sixers in the first half due to a dislocated right thumb.
But according to Chris Demsey of the Denver Post, Harrington's X-rays came back negative, and he's just listed at day to day.
The Nuggets play Portland on Tuesday and Minnesota on Wednesday.
If Harrington has to miss one or both of these back-to-back games due to his thumb, it's possible Kenyon Martin will be called upon to log more minutes at PF after recently coming back from injury.
Shelden Williams may also see an increase in playing time.
-- Ryan Corazza
http://[h3]Siler sent to Iowa[/h3]
6:33AM ET
[h5]Garret Siler | Suns [/h5]
The Suns assigned rookie center Garret Siler to the D-League's Iowa Energy on Sunday.
Siler has not played for the Suns since Dec. 5.
Siler's contract with the Suns becomes fully guaranteed for the season if he's still on the Suns roster on Jan. 10.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Kuester wants input from players[/h3]
6:09AM ET
[h5]John Kuester | Pistons [/h5]
The Pistons are having a lousy season and were beaten 92-75 by the Suns on Friday. As usual there was more grumbling via the players about the lack of proper adjustments from the coaching staff.
Head coach John Kuester says his door is open and he's willing to take suggestions from all the players about changing the way they are playing on the court.
"It's important we do that (communicate) all the time," Kuester told The Detroit News. "We took a step backwards and we can't do that. We have to keep taking steps forward."
"If we have something we want to do, bring it to him," forward Charlie Villanueva said of Kuester's message. "I should've brought it to his attention."
Villanueva hasn't seen eye-to-eye with his head coach about game strategy on several occasions this season.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Jennings won't rush back[/h3]
5:49AM ET
[h5]Brandon Jennings | Bucks [/h5]
Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings is recovering from surgery to repair the fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. He is itching to get back on the court, but he won't rush back. He should return to game action later this month.
"I don't want to rush back and then be hurt again," Jennings told the Journal Sentinel. "It's good that I've been able to rehab. I've been working out, lifting weights and riding a bike."
The Bucks will play in Miami and Orlando this week, while Jennings will stay in Milwaukee and continue his rehab.
"It's best for me to be here working out, so I can get back," Jennings said.
-- Nick Borges
http://[h3]Tolliver making progress[/h3]
5:36AM ET
[h5]Anthony Tolliver | Timberwolves [/h5]
UPDATE No. 2: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver participated in contact drills in practice on Sunday for the first time since having surgery on the knee.
He will be re-evaluated later this week to determine when he can play again. Tolliver will wear a knee brace when he returns to give himself "peace of mind."
-- Nick Borges
----
UPDATE: According to the Star Tribune, Tolliver was cutting and moving well during his training session on Tuesday.
"He's getting a lot better," head coach Kurt Rambis said. "He said he feels good. He's doing a lot of cutting, stopping, starting, angular work off his knee and he looks good."
Rambis is unsure when Tolliver will be activated. However, it should sooner than mid-to-late January, which was the original timeline.
-- Nick Borges
----
Wolves power forward Anthony Tolliver has been out since Dec. 3 when he sprained his right medial collateral ligament. He ran for the first time on Monday and is making progress in his recovery from the injury.
"I hope to get in some non-contact work in practice this week, then maybe go full contact by the end of the week," Tolliver told the Pioneer Press. "I've still got a little tenderness in the knee. That's why I know I'm not ready yet."
Tolliver was given an initial timeline of six to eight weeks before he can return to the active roster and he seems to be on schedule.
- 29,630
- 1,862
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2003
Your two-time defending NBA champions are so messed up, they can rest on Saturday while Memphis, the No. 10 team in the West, is losing in Salt Lake City, flying out afterward and getting here early Sunday morning, and still get out-worked, out-hustled and out-cared by the Grizzlies.
The Lakers still have their old swagger, but if the other teams are running, they'd better pick up the pace . . . sometime.
Just not Sunday.
Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter, trying to rally his sagging teammates after trailing by nine at halftime.
Actually, Coach Phil Jackson said Kobe "screwed up the game."
If only the Lakers didn't need Bryant to get them back into it. . . .
Whatever Kobe's faults, he brings it every night, which isn't something you can say about the team as a whole.
Having vowed to scorch his teammates after the Christmas Debacle against Miami, and watched them take a nosedive in San Antonio three days later, Bryant couldn't very well vow to scorch them anew.
So, he did it the polite way.
"I think the big issue is individually, finding things that motivate you," Bryant said.
"I'm pretty self-motivated but I think for the guys, from talking to them, it's important to find little challenges so they can get up every single night, whether it's reading one of your . . . stories or whatever it is, you've got to find something that gets you going a little bit. . . .
"That's the role that you guys [the press] play in this thing. You guys write doom-and-gloom stories. I think that actually builds up a lot of tension."
LA Times
The Lakers still have their old swagger, but if the other teams are running, they'd better pick up the pace . . . sometime.
Just not Sunday.
Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter, trying to rally his sagging teammates after trailing by nine at halftime.
Actually, Coach Phil Jackson said Kobe "screwed up the game."
If only the Lakers didn't need Bryant to get them back into it. . . .
Whatever Kobe's faults, he brings it every night, which isn't something you can say about the team as a whole.
Having vowed to scorch his teammates after the Christmas Debacle against Miami, and watched them take a nosedive in San Antonio three days later, Bryant couldn't very well vow to scorch them anew.
So, he did it the polite way.
"I think the big issue is individually, finding things that motivate you," Bryant said.
"I'm pretty self-motivated but I think for the guys, from talking to them, it's important to find little challenges so they can get up every single night, whether it's reading one of your . . . stories or whatever it is, you've got to find something that gets you going a little bit. . . .
"That's the role that you guys [the press] play in this thing. You guys write doom-and-gloom stories. I think that actually builds up a lot of tension."
LA Times
- 29,630
- 1,862
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2003
Your two-time defending NBA champions are so messed up, they can rest on Saturday while Memphis, the No. 10 team in the West, is losing in Salt Lake City, flying out afterward and getting here early Sunday morning, and still get out-worked, out-hustled and out-cared by the Grizzlies.
The Lakers still have their old swagger, but if the other teams are running, they'd better pick up the pace . . . sometime.
Just not Sunday.
Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter, trying to rally his sagging teammates after trailing by nine at halftime.
Actually, Coach Phil Jackson said Kobe "screwed up the game."
If only the Lakers didn't need Bryant to get them back into it. . . .
Whatever Kobe's faults, he brings it every night, which isn't something you can say about the team as a whole.
Having vowed to scorch his teammates after the Christmas Debacle against Miami, and watched them take a nosedive in San Antonio three days later, Bryant couldn't very well vow to scorch them anew.
So, he did it the polite way.
"I think the big issue is individually, finding things that motivate you," Bryant said.
"I'm pretty self-motivated but I think for the guys, from talking to them, it's important to find little challenges so they can get up every single night, whether it's reading one of your . . . stories or whatever it is, you've got to find something that gets you going a little bit. . . .
"That's the role that you guys [the press] play in this thing. You guys write doom-and-gloom stories. I think that actually builds up a lot of tension."
LA Times
The Lakers still have their old swagger, but if the other teams are running, they'd better pick up the pace . . . sometime.
Just not Sunday.
Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter, trying to rally his sagging teammates after trailing by nine at halftime.
Actually, Coach Phil Jackson said Kobe "screwed up the game."
If only the Lakers didn't need Bryant to get them back into it. . . .
Whatever Kobe's faults, he brings it every night, which isn't something you can say about the team as a whole.
Having vowed to scorch his teammates after the Christmas Debacle against Miami, and watched them take a nosedive in San Antonio three days later, Bryant couldn't very well vow to scorch them anew.
So, he did it the polite way.
"I think the big issue is individually, finding things that motivate you," Bryant said.
"I'm pretty self-motivated but I think for the guys, from talking to them, it's important to find little challenges so they can get up every single night, whether it's reading one of your . . . stories or whatever it is, you've got to find something that gets you going a little bit. . . .
"That's the role that you guys [the press] play in this thing. You guys write doom-and-gloom stories. I think that actually builds up a lot of tension."
LA Times
- 89,847
- 121,312
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
Long but good read. Allen Iverson: Fallen Star
- 89,847
- 121,312
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2010
Long but good read. Allen Iverson: Fallen Star
- 11,980
- 18
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2005
I feel like I've seen this same scene in LA before
No matter what happens there I still can't see any team in the West beating them unless someone made a huge trade.
No matter what happens there I still can't see any team in the West beating them unless someone made a huge trade.
- 11,980
- 18
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2005
I feel like I've seen this same scene in LA before
No matter what happens there I still can't see any team in the West beating them unless someone made a huge trade.
No matter what happens there I still can't see any team in the West beating them unless someone made a huge trade.
- 25,187
- 13,240
- Joined
- May 30, 2006
We saw it last year, AMP...
They're fine.
They're fine.
- 25,187
- 13,240
- Joined
- May 30, 2006
We saw it last year, AMP...
They're fine.
They're fine.
- 8,956
- 39
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
I think they can lose watching them now.
As much as we go with the attitude that, well nobody out west is going to beat them in 7..... I definitely could see it happening. They better hope they don't run into OKC.
- 8,956
- 39
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
I think they can lose watching them now.
As much as we go with the attitude that, well nobody out west is going to beat them in 7..... I definitely could see it happening. They better hope they don't run into OKC.
- 8,766
- 12
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2007
[h1]
[h1]Quality wins put Spurs back on top[/h1]
By John Schuhmann, NBA.com
Posted Jan 3 2011 10:35AM
Is defense making a comeback?
The league is averaging 103.5 points per 100 possessions through Sunday, which is the lowest mark since the 2005-06 season. Efficiency usually increases as the season goes on, and the league is not far behind where it was at this time last year (103.
, but offense has actually been trending down of late.
The league was actually a full point per 100 possessions less efficient in December (103.1 points scored per 100 possessions) than it was in October and November (104.1). Teams shot better from the field over the last month, but turnovers were up and both free-throw attempts and offensive rebounds were down.
At this point last season, four teams were holding opponents under a point per possession, but that didn't last. Charlotte finished the season as the No. 1 defense at 100.2 points allowed per 100.
Right now, seven teams are holding opponents under a point per possession. And if efficiency continues to trend down, that number may increase.
This week's No. 1 is actually the worst defense of that group of seven, but the Spurs are No. 1 offensively, coming off three big wins.
• Last week: Florida trip launches Mavs to No. 1
• This time last year: Bumps in the road for the Big Four - The top 13 from the previous week went a combined 21-21, the Celtics were without Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, the Jazz were in ninth place, Nate Robinson returned from Mike D'Antoni's doghouse to drop 41 on the Hawks and the Kings lost at the buzzer to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Hero Team of the Week: San Antonio (3-0) - The Mavs were shorthanded, but the Spurs beat three teams in last week's top eight by an average of 16 points.
Zero Team of the Week: New Jersey (0-4) - The Nets hung with the Bulls on Friday, but they weren't competitive with either the Magic or Thunder earlier in the week, and they were awful in Minnesota on Saturday.
High jumps of the week: Chicago (+3), San Antonio (+3), Five teams (+2)
Free falls of the week: Dallas (-3), New Jersey (-3), New York (-3)
East vs. West: The West is 106-78 93-71 (.576) against the East in inter-conference games this season and was 13-7 last week.
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
Off: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Def: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league averages 94.9 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes and 103.5 points scored per 100 possessions.
NBA.com's Power Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Monday during the season. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on twitter.
[table][tr][td]1[/td][td]
[/td][td]San Antonio (29-4)
Pace: 95.5 (14), Off: 110.1 (1), Def: 99.9 (7)
The Spurs' defense has recovered from its ugly spell, holding opponents to just 37 percent shooting over the last four games. Now they're finally hitting the road, with five of their next six away from the AT&T Center. The string starts Tuesday with a challenging back-to-back in New York and Boston. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 4
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]2[/td][td]
[/td][td]Miami (26-9)
Pace: 93.3 (21), Off: 109.4 (2), Def: 98.0 (3)
The top individual plus-minus marks of December: Dwyane Wade (plus-205), Chris Bosh (plus-193) and LeBron James (plus-183). No other player was better than a plus-135. The big three shot 53 percent in the month, a big improvement over the 46 percent they shot in October and November. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 3
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]3[/td][td]
[/td][td]Boston (25-7)
Pace: 92.8 (25), Off: 105.4 (11), Def: 96.6 (1)
The Celtics' offense suffered much more (scoring just 97.7 points per 100 possessions) than their defense in this last seven-game stretch without Rajon Rondo. It wasn't much better in Rondo's return on Sunday, but so far the defense has remained strong without Kevin Garnett. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 2
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]4[/td][td]
[/td][td]Dallas (25-EIGHT)
Pace: 93.0 (23), Off: 106.2 (EIGHT), Def: 100.2 (EIGHT)
Losing your best player to injury is tough. Losing your best player to injury at the beginning of a five-game week is really tough. Then losing another starter later in the week is even tougher. Dirk Nowitzki hopes to return this week, but Caron Butler is likely out for a while. His diagnosis comes Monday. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 1
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]5[/td][td]
[/td][td]Orlando (21-12)
Pace: 93.5 (19), Off: 105.1 (12), Def: 99.0 (4)
The Magic are improved post-trade, but not because of their starting lineup. Ryan Anderson might be a better fit alongside Hedo Turkoglu's playmaking than Brandon Bass, whose achy knee (Bass missed practice Sunday) might force Stan Van Gundy to make a change anyway. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 7
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]6[/td][td]
[/td][td]Chicago (22-10)
Pace: 95.3 (16), Off: 102.8 (17), Def: 96.9 (2)
The Bulls were briefly the league's No. 1 defensive team thanks to a 14-game stretch in which they held their opponents to just 90.8 points per 100 possessions. That's great D, but it's been helped by some bad O. Ten of the 14 opponents in that stretch were below-average offensive teams. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 9
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]7[/td][td]
[/td][td]L.A. Lakers (23-11)
Pace: 95.8 (10), Off: 107.6 (6), Def: 102.0 (10)
Wednesday's win in New Orleans was the Lakers' first victory over a winning team since before Thanksgiving. That's about the only positive thing you can take out of the last couple of weeks in Lakerland. Sunday's loss to Memphis was the fifth time in eight games they've been held under a point per possession. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 5
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]8[/td][td]
[/td][td]Utah (23-11)
Pace: 93.2 (22), Off: 105.7 (10), Def: 103.6 (15)
If NBA games ended after two quarters, the Jazz would be 13-21. Maybe it's good that they're the league's most inconsistent team from quarter to quarter. Now Mehmet Okur is dealing with back pain that cut his second comeback short. He's had three different injuries this season and has played only four games. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 6
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]9[/td][td]
[/td][td]Oklahoma City (23-12)
Pace: 95.8 (11), Off: 106.1 (9), Def: 103.8 (17)
At what point does Scott Brooks change his starting lineup? Consistency and cohesion are nice, but the Thunder starters outscored their opponents by just 1.6 points per 48 minutes last season, and this year they're outscoring them by 0.5 per 48, with perimeter defense being the biggest problem. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 8
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]10[/td][td]
[/td][td]Denver (19-13)
Pace: 98.6 (3), Off: 108.0 (4), Def: 105.4 (20)
Kenyon Martin, Chris Andersen and Carmelo Anthony are all back, but Al Harrington (thumb) and Nene (hamstring) are banged up. Still, no trades are imminent, so we might actually get to see what the Nuggets can do at full strength. The defense has been better of late. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 12
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]11[/td][td]
[/td][td]New Orleans (20-14)
Pace: 92.1 (2
, Off: 102.0 (20), Def: 99.4 (5)
The Hornets began the week by allowing the Wolves and Lakers to shoot 56 percent, and finished it by holding the Celtics and Wizards to just 44 percent. They won 11 of their first 12 games, lost nine of their next 12, and are 6-4 since. This 12-game stretch concludes with visits from the Sixers and Warriors. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 11
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]12[/td][td]
[/td][td]Atlanta (22-14)
Pace: 92.4 (26), Off: 104.7 (13), Def: 102.0 (11)
The Hawks' offense has picked up, scoring 107.1 points per 100 possessions in their four games last week. And their defense was much better in December (100.2) than it was in October and November (104.0). Jason Collins' 12 rebounds in Monday's win in Milwaukee were his most since April of 2006. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 13
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]13[/td][td]
[/td][td]New York (19-14)
Pace: 99.0 (2), Off: 107.9 (5), Def: 105.6 (21)
After a 3-8 start and a 13-1 stretch, the Knicks have settled into sixth place in the East. That seems about right, but they've got another tough stretch ahead. The Spurs visit MSG on Tuesday, and then the Knicks head West (where they started that 13-1 stretch) for a four-game trip. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 10
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]14[/td][td]
[/td][td]Portland (18-16)
Pace: 91.4 (30), Off: 103.6 (15), Def: 103.2 (14)
The Rockets and Grizzlies are both playing better lately, but the Blazers aren't going anywhere. They're 8-3 without Brandon Roy (now out "indefinitely"), playing better both offensively (104.5) and defensively (100.9) than they were with him (103.1, 104.3). They even won a road game last week. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 15
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]15[/td][td]
[/td][td]Houston (16-17)
Pace: 97.9 (4), Off: 106.6 (7), Def: 106.2 (23)
Only the Spurs and Heat were better offensively than the Rockets in the month of December. But on Sunday in Portland, with eighth place in the West on the line, they had one of their worst offensive games of the season. They get another shot at the Blazers on Wednesday in Houston. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 14
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]16[/td][td]
[/td][td]Memphis (15-19)
Pace: 95.8 (12), Off: 101.9 (21), Def: 102.7 (12)
The Grizzlies beat the Lakers for the second time this season, but as they sit three games out of eighth place, they're haunted by losses to the Nets and Kings over the last two weeks. They're 14-5 when they hold their opponent under 100 points and 1-14 when they don't. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 18
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]17[/td][td]
[/td][td]Philadelphia (13-20)
Pace: 94.0 (1, Off: 102.2 (1, Def: 102.8 (13)
Missing Andre Iguodala, who's out at least another four games, the Sixers had to beat the Suns with offense, including Evan Turner's career-high 23 points. They almost had enough to knock off the Lakers, too. Their stretch of eight straight road games concludes Monday in New Orleans. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 17
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]18[/td][td]
[/td][td]Phoenix (14-1
Pace: 96.7 (7), Off: 108.6 (3), Def: 109.9 (30)
The Suns have lost five of their last six and eight of their last 11, a stretch capped by an epic collapse (a 12-point lead became a five-point defeat in less than six minutes) against the worst team in the league on Sunday. Has there been a lower point since Steve Nash returned to Phoenix 6 1/2 years ago? [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 16
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]19[/td][td]
[/td][td]Milwaukee (13-1
Pace: 92.8 (24), Off: 97.0 (30), Def: 99.6 (6)
Milwaukee is starting to get more consistent production from John Salmons. He's only shooting poorly every other game now, instead of two out of every three games like he was earlier in the season. The Bucks' schedule of death continues this week with three games against the Heat and Magic. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 19
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]20[/td][td]
[/td][td]Golden State (13-20)
Pace: 97.5 (5), Off: 103.9 (14), Def: 108.5 (2
Saturday's game in Miami, where the Warriors scored 72 points in the first half and 35 in the second, was one of the most bizarre games you'll ever see. Despite those last 24 minutes, the Warriors' offense has been much improved (107.6 points per 100 possessions) over the last nine games. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 21
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]21[/td][td]
[/td][td]Indiana (14-1
Pace: 97.0 (6), Off: 99.0 (25), Def: 100.8 (9)
Only the Bobcats and Cavs regressed more than the Pacers did last month. Most of the regression came on offense, where Indiana went from scoring 102.5 points per 100 possessions through Nov. 30 to just 95.7 in December. Then they began January by shooting 37 percent against the Knicks' defense. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 20
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]22[/td][td]
[/td][td]Toronto (11-22)
Pace: 96.7 (
, Off: 103.2 (16), Def: 108.4 (27)
DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 37 points in Friday's loss in Houston, but he now has the league's worst raw plus-minus mark. At minus-205, he took the bottom spot from the Cavs' J.J. Hickson on Sunday. The two will go head-to-head in Cleveland this week. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 22
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]23[/td][td]
[/td][td]L.A. Clippers (10-24)
Pace: 94.5 (17), Off: 101.2 (23), Def: 106.5 (24)
In this season's most stunning development, the Clippers were the league's most improved defensive team from the first month of the season to the second. After allowing 110.8 points per 100 possessions through Nov. 30, they allowed just 100.9 in December. They also improved offensively. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 25
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]24[/td][td]
[/td][td]Charlotte (11-20)
Pace: 93.3 (20), Off: 99.2 (24), Def: 103.8 (16)
The first three games under Paul Silas have been the Bobcats' best three-game stretch offensively in over a month. D.J. Augustin and Stephen Jackson clearly have the green light. They've taken 38 threes between them in the three games. The new offense will be tested when the Heat visit Charlotte on Monday. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 26
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]25[/td][td]
[/td][td]Detroit (11-22)
Pace: 91.7 (29), Off: 101.9 (22), Def: 107.2 (25)
When it comes to Jekyll and Hyde performances, it may be impossible to top what the Pistons did last week. They shot 56 percent against the Celtics' defense on Wednesday, and then scored just 75 points against the Suns' defense two nights later. Their defense has been much more consistent lately. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 23
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]26[/td][td]
[/td][td]Minnesota (9-25)
Pace: 100.3 (1), Off: 102.0 (19), Def: 108.6 (29)
With Michael Beasley finding his rhythm again and the offense gaining some traction, the Wolves have won three out of four for the first time since last February. They're shooting 48 percent from 3-point range over the last five games, with five different Wolves hitting at least seven threes in that stretch. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 27
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]27[/td][td]
[/td][td]New Jersey (9-25)
Pace: 92.2 (27), Off: 98.7 (26), Def: 104.8 (1
Not only have the Nets regressed defensively (112.3 points per 100 possessions allowed in their five-game losing streak), but their offense may have reached a new low in scoring just 33 second-half points against one of the worst defenses in the league (that of the Wolves) on Saturday. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 24
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]28[/td][td]
[/td][td]Sacramento (7-24)
Pace: 95.7 (13), Off: 98.2 (2, Def: 105.4 (19)
This was not a bad week to have season tickets in Sacramento. It started with a heartbreaking loss to the Clippers, but quickly turned around with Tyreke Evans' miraculous game-winner against the Grizzlies. And it was capped by a furious comeback against the Suns, with Evans watching from the bench. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 29
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]29[/td][td]
[/td][td]Washington (8-24)
Pace: 95.9 (9), Off: 98.6 (27), Def: 105.7 (22)
After losses in Houston and Indiana, the Wiz are still without a road win. But their defense in their last four road games (45 percent shooting and 101.3 points per 100 possessions allowed) has been much better than it was in the first 12 (51 percent, 116.
. They visit Philly and Charlotte this week. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 28
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]30[/td][td]
[/td][td]Cleveland (8-26)
Pace: 95.3 (15), Off: 97.6 (29), Def: 107.8 (26)
The Cavs have won just one of their last 18 games, and they would have lost that one if Amar'e Stoudemire's 10-foot jumper fell at the end of regulation. They're on pace for 19 victories, but actually have the point differential of a 15-win team. [/td][/tr][/table]
[/h1]
[h1]Quality wins put Spurs back on top[/h1]
By John Schuhmann, NBA.com
Posted Jan 3 2011 10:35AM
Is defense making a comeback?
The league is averaging 103.5 points per 100 possessions through Sunday, which is the lowest mark since the 2005-06 season. Efficiency usually increases as the season goes on, and the league is not far behind where it was at this time last year (103.
The league was actually a full point per 100 possessions less efficient in December (103.1 points scored per 100 possessions) than it was in October and November (104.1). Teams shot better from the field over the last month, but turnovers were up and both free-throw attempts and offensive rebounds were down.
At this point last season, four teams were holding opponents under a point per possession, but that didn't last. Charlotte finished the season as the No. 1 defense at 100.2 points allowed per 100.
Right now, seven teams are holding opponents under a point per possession. And if efficiency continues to trend down, that number may increase.
This week's No. 1 is actually the worst defense of that group of seven, but the Spurs are No. 1 offensively, coming off three big wins.
• Last week: Florida trip launches Mavs to No. 1
• This time last year: Bumps in the road for the Big Four - The top 13 from the previous week went a combined 21-21, the Celtics were without Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, the Jazz were in ninth place, Nate Robinson returned from Mike D'Antoni's doghouse to drop 41 on the Hawks and the Kings lost at the buzzer to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Hero Team of the Week: San Antonio (3-0) - The Mavs were shorthanded, but the Spurs beat three teams in last week's top eight by an average of 16 points.
Zero Team of the Week: New Jersey (0-4) - The Nets hung with the Bulls on Friday, but they weren't competitive with either the Magic or Thunder earlier in the week, and they were awful in Minnesota on Saturday.
High jumps of the week: Chicago (+3), San Antonio (+3), Five teams (+2)
Free falls of the week: Dallas (-3), New Jersey (-3), New York (-3)
East vs. West: The West is 106-78 93-71 (.576) against the East in inter-conference games this season and was 13-7 last week.
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)
Off: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Def: Points allowed per 100 possessions (League Rank)
The league averages 94.9 possessions (per team) per 48 minutes and 103.5 points scored per 100 possessions.
NBA.com's Power Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Monday during the season. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail. You can also follow him on twitter.
[table][tr][td]1[/td][td]
Pace: 95.5 (14), Off: 110.1 (1), Def: 99.9 (7)
The Spurs' defense has recovered from its ugly spell, holding opponents to just 37 percent shooting over the last four games. Now they're finally hitting the road, with five of their next six away from the AT&T Center. The string starts Tuesday with a challenging back-to-back in New York and Boston. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 4
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]2[/td][td]
Pace: 93.3 (21), Off: 109.4 (2), Def: 98.0 (3)
The top individual plus-minus marks of December: Dwyane Wade (plus-205), Chris Bosh (plus-193) and LeBron James (plus-183). No other player was better than a plus-135. The big three shot 53 percent in the month, a big improvement over the 46 percent they shot in October and November. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 3
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]3[/td][td]
Pace: 92.8 (25), Off: 105.4 (11), Def: 96.6 (1)
The Celtics' offense suffered much more (scoring just 97.7 points per 100 possessions) than their defense in this last seven-game stretch without Rajon Rondo. It wasn't much better in Rondo's return on Sunday, but so far the defense has remained strong without Kevin Garnett. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 2
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]4[/td][td]
Pace: 93.0 (23), Off: 106.2 (EIGHT), Def: 100.2 (EIGHT)
Losing your best player to injury is tough. Losing your best player to injury at the beginning of a five-game week is really tough. Then losing another starter later in the week is even tougher. Dirk Nowitzki hopes to return this week, but Caron Butler is likely out for a while. His diagnosis comes Monday. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 1
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]5[/td][td]
Pace: 93.5 (19), Off: 105.1 (12), Def: 99.0 (4)
The Magic are improved post-trade, but not because of their starting lineup. Ryan Anderson might be a better fit alongside Hedo Turkoglu's playmaking than Brandon Bass, whose achy knee (Bass missed practice Sunday) might force Stan Van Gundy to make a change anyway. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 7
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]6[/td][td]
Pace: 95.3 (16), Off: 102.8 (17), Def: 96.9 (2)
The Bulls were briefly the league's No. 1 defensive team thanks to a 14-game stretch in which they held their opponents to just 90.8 points per 100 possessions. That's great D, but it's been helped by some bad O. Ten of the 14 opponents in that stretch were below-average offensive teams. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 9
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]7[/td][td]
Pace: 95.8 (10), Off: 107.6 (6), Def: 102.0 (10)
Wednesday's win in New Orleans was the Lakers' first victory over a winning team since before Thanksgiving. That's about the only positive thing you can take out of the last couple of weeks in Lakerland. Sunday's loss to Memphis was the fifth time in eight games they've been held under a point per possession. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 5
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]8[/td][td]
Pace: 93.2 (22), Off: 105.7 (10), Def: 103.6 (15)
If NBA games ended after two quarters, the Jazz would be 13-21. Maybe it's good that they're the league's most inconsistent team from quarter to quarter. Now Mehmet Okur is dealing with back pain that cut his second comeback short. He's had three different injuries this season and has played only four games. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 6
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]9[/td][td]
Pace: 95.8 (11), Off: 106.1 (9), Def: 103.8 (17)
At what point does Scott Brooks change his starting lineup? Consistency and cohesion are nice, but the Thunder starters outscored their opponents by just 1.6 points per 48 minutes last season, and this year they're outscoring them by 0.5 per 48, with perimeter defense being the biggest problem. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 8
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]10[/td][td]
Pace: 98.6 (3), Off: 108.0 (4), Def: 105.4 (20)
Kenyon Martin, Chris Andersen and Carmelo Anthony are all back, but Al Harrington (thumb) and Nene (hamstring) are banged up. Still, no trades are imminent, so we might actually get to see what the Nuggets can do at full strength. The defense has been better of late. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 12
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]11[/td][td]
Pace: 92.1 (2
, Off: 102.0 (20), Def: 99.4 (5)The Hornets began the week by allowing the Wolves and Lakers to shoot 56 percent, and finished it by holding the Celtics and Wizards to just 44 percent. They won 11 of their first 12 games, lost nine of their next 12, and are 6-4 since. This 12-game stretch concludes with visits from the Sixers and Warriors. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 11
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]12[/td][td]
Pace: 92.4 (26), Off: 104.7 (13), Def: 102.0 (11)
The Hawks' offense has picked up, scoring 107.1 points per 100 possessions in their four games last week. And their defense was much better in December (100.2) than it was in October and November (104.0). Jason Collins' 12 rebounds in Monday's win in Milwaukee were his most since April of 2006. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 13
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]13[/td][td]
Pace: 99.0 (2), Off: 107.9 (5), Def: 105.6 (21)
After a 3-8 start and a 13-1 stretch, the Knicks have settled into sixth place in the East. That seems about right, but they've got another tough stretch ahead. The Spurs visit MSG on Tuesday, and then the Knicks head West (where they started that 13-1 stretch) for a four-game trip. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 10
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]14[/td][td]
Pace: 91.4 (30), Off: 103.6 (15), Def: 103.2 (14)
The Rockets and Grizzlies are both playing better lately, but the Blazers aren't going anywhere. They're 8-3 without Brandon Roy (now out "indefinitely"), playing better both offensively (104.5) and defensively (100.9) than they were with him (103.1, 104.3). They even won a road game last week. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 15
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]15[/td][td]
Pace: 97.9 (4), Off: 106.6 (7), Def: 106.2 (23)
Only the Spurs and Heat were better offensively than the Rockets in the month of December. But on Sunday in Portland, with eighth place in the West on the line, they had one of their worst offensive games of the season. They get another shot at the Blazers on Wednesday in Houston. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 14
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]16[/td][td]
Pace: 95.8 (12), Off: 101.9 (21), Def: 102.7 (12)
The Grizzlies beat the Lakers for the second time this season, but as they sit three games out of eighth place, they're haunted by losses to the Nets and Kings over the last two weeks. They're 14-5 when they hold their opponent under 100 points and 1-14 when they don't. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 18
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]17[/td][td]
Pace: 94.0 (1
, Off: 102.2 (1, Def: 102.8 (13)Missing Andre Iguodala, who's out at least another four games, the Sixers had to beat the Suns with offense, including Evan Turner's career-high 23 points. They almost had enough to knock off the Lakers, too. Their stretch of eight straight road games concludes Monday in New Orleans. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 17
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]18[/td][td]
Pace: 96.7 (7), Off: 108.6 (3), Def: 109.9 (30)
The Suns have lost five of their last six and eight of their last 11, a stretch capped by an epic collapse (a 12-point lead became a five-point defeat in less than six minutes) against the worst team in the league on Sunday. Has there been a lower point since Steve Nash returned to Phoenix 6 1/2 years ago? [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 16
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]19[/td][td]
Pace: 92.8 (24), Off: 97.0 (30), Def: 99.6 (6)
Milwaukee is starting to get more consistent production from John Salmons. He's only shooting poorly every other game now, instead of two out of every three games like he was earlier in the season. The Bucks' schedule of death continues this week with three games against the Heat and Magic. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 19
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]20[/td][td]
Pace: 97.5 (5), Off: 103.9 (14), Def: 108.5 (2
Saturday's game in Miami, where the Warriors scored 72 points in the first half and 35 in the second, was one of the most bizarre games you'll ever see. Despite those last 24 minutes, the Warriors' offense has been much improved (107.6 points per 100 possessions) over the last nine games. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 21
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]21[/td][td]
Pace: 97.0 (6), Off: 99.0 (25), Def: 100.8 (9)
Only the Bobcats and Cavs regressed more than the Pacers did last month. Most of the regression came on offense, where Indiana went from scoring 102.5 points per 100 possessions through Nov. 30 to just 95.7 in December. Then they began January by shooting 37 percent against the Knicks' defense. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 20
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]22[/td][td]
Pace: 96.7 (
DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 37 points in Friday's loss in Houston, but he now has the league's worst raw plus-minus mark. At minus-205, he took the bottom spot from the Cavs' J.J. Hickson on Sunday. The two will go head-to-head in Cleveland this week. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 22
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]23[/td][td]
Pace: 94.5 (17), Off: 101.2 (23), Def: 106.5 (24)
In this season's most stunning development, the Clippers were the league's most improved defensive team from the first month of the season to the second. After allowing 110.8 points per 100 possessions through Nov. 30, they allowed just 100.9 in December. They also improved offensively. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 25
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]24[/td][td]
Pace: 93.3 (20), Off: 99.2 (24), Def: 103.8 (16)
The first three games under Paul Silas have been the Bobcats' best three-game stretch offensively in over a month. D.J. Augustin and Stephen Jackson clearly have the green light. They've taken 38 threes between them in the three games. The new offense will be tested when the Heat visit Charlotte on Monday. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 26
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]25[/td][td]
Pace: 91.7 (29), Off: 101.9 (22), Def: 107.2 (25)
When it comes to Jekyll and Hyde performances, it may be impossible to top what the Pistons did last week. They shot 56 percent against the Celtics' defense on Wednesday, and then scored just 75 points against the Suns' defense two nights later. Their defense has been much more consistent lately. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 23
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]26[/td][td]
Pace: 100.3 (1), Off: 102.0 (19), Def: 108.6 (29)
With Michael Beasley finding his rhythm again and the offense gaining some traction, the Wolves have won three out of four for the first time since last February. They're shooting 48 percent from 3-point range over the last five games, with five different Wolves hitting at least seven threes in that stretch. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 27
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]27[/td][td]
Pace: 92.2 (27), Off: 98.7 (26), Def: 104.8 (1
Not only have the Nets regressed defensively (112.3 points per 100 possessions allowed in their five-game losing streak), but their offense may have reached a new low in scoring just 33 second-half points against one of the worst defenses in the league (that of the Wolves) on Saturday. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 24
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]28[/td][td]
Pace: 95.7 (13), Off: 98.2 (2
, Def: 105.4 (19)This was not a bad week to have season tickets in Sacramento. It started with a heartbreaking loss to the Clippers, but quickly turned around with Tyreke Evans' miraculous game-winner against the Grizzlies. And it was capped by a furious comeback against the Suns, with Evans watching from the bench. [/td][/tr][tr][td]Previous: 29
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]29[/td][td]
Pace: 95.9 (9), Off: 98.6 (27), Def: 105.7 (22)
After losses in Houston and Indiana, the Wiz are still without a road win. But their defense in their last four road games (45 percent shooting and 101.3 points per 100 possessions allowed) has been much better than it was in the first 12 (51 percent, 116.
[/td][/tr][/table]
[table][tr][td]30[/td][td]
Pace: 95.3 (15), Off: 97.6 (29), Def: 107.8 (26)
The Cavs have won just one of their last 18 games, and they would have lost that one if Amar'e Stoudemire's 10-foot jumper fell at the end of regulation. They're on pace for 19 victories, but actually have the point differential of a 15-win team. [/td][/tr][/table]
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