The NBA: The Best Players and Teams of November 2013

The new NBA season has opened again and with it comes renewed excitement. Will Miami end up with its third straight title? Will Indiana continue its rise as one of the league’s elite squads? Can the Spurs buck their aging core anew and make a deep Playoff run? Will the retooled lineups of both the Clippers and the Nets be enough to make them title contenders? And will the Bulls return to glory behind Derrick Rose’s comeback (oops, wait, that’s answered already – insert sad face now)?

This is the first in a series of “Best of the Month” citations based on the Efficiency Recap ratings on HoopsStats.com. Team citations will be based on Efficiency Recap Difference (Team Efficiency – Opponents’ Efficiency), while Player citations will be based on Player Efficiency. You can check out the Stats Glossary here.

Roy Hibbert and the Pacers are smiling from atop the Association.
(image by Brian Spurlock/USA Today)

The NBA Roundup: November 19, 2013

Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies continued their mastery of the LA Clippers, and Kevin Durant led OKC past the Nuggets in yesterday’s NBA action.

The Best:

• Z-Bo and the Grizz are just too good, too physical for the high-flying Clippers. In this game of contrasting styles, the blue-collar bears of Memphis prevailed just like they did in last season’s Playoffs. Mike Conley ran the offense through Randolph down low and the big man worked Blake Griffin all night. The former Wolverine had one of his best games of the season so far, scoring 26 points on 10/16 FG shooting while also grabbing 15 rebounds and getting 2 steals.
• The duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook was wonderfully dynamic against the Nuggets, combining for 68 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists. They didn’t shoot too well from the floor, but what matters is they got the W over a tough Western playoff contender.

Zach Randolph worked Blake Griffin all night.
(image from CBS Sports/USATSI)

The Worst:

• Maybe someday Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be a really consistently productive player. Right now, however, the Cats just aren’t getting much from him. MKG has been up-and-down to start this season, and he is averaging a little too many turnovers for someone who doesn't even make 1 assist per game. Against the Bulls, he registered just 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 turnovers in 26 minutes.
• Richard Jefferson is still in this league doing what he does best – be mediocre. Apparently, that’s not good for the Utah Jazz, who have won just 1 in 12 games and is the worst team in the entire field. RJ shot just 2/9 from the floor to finish with 5 points and 1 rebound in (drumroll) 32 minutes.

The NBA Roundup: November 8, 2013

On a day when D-Wade, the Beard, and Blake Griff all lit up the board, it was white-man-who-cannot-jump Steve Blake who stole the show with a game-winning three over former teammate Dwight Howard.

The Best:

• Steve Blake. Three-pointer. For the win. 1.3 seconds to go. Over maybe the whiniest big man in Los Angeles history. Lakers 1. Dwight Howard 0. As a team, the Lakers made 16 triples, with Jodi Meeks netting 5 and Blake canning 4.
• How about Wade turning back the clock as the Heat rallied from a halftime deficit to upend the visiting Clippers. D-Wade pumped in 29 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals to go along with 13/22 FG shooting.

Steve Blake's shot that will haunt Dwight Howard till
the next time Houston plays the Lakers.
(image Bill Baptist/Getty Images)

The Worst:

• It’s a good thing the Lakers won, because Pau Gasol was crap against the Rockets. I love every one of his 12 rebounds, but he shot just 1/10 from the floor, had zero blocks, and turned the ball over thrice. He could’ve been the goat, but thanks to Blake’s heroics, his crap performance is now forgiven (not forgotten).
• Can someone tell Patrick Beverley he isn’t the top PG in Houston? Beverley sot 1/10 from the floor on his way to 3 points in 34 minutes. Kevin McHale, what are you doing playing him that much?

The NBA 2013 Playoffs: Dubs Advance, Nets Win

Andrew Bogut shouts for joy as the Warriors advanced to the next round.
Bogut played his best game as a Warrior in Game 6
(Image from: Associated Press)

#WildFinish #WinOrGoHome
The Warriors barely escaped Game 6, winning by 4 after being up by 18 points in the 2nd half. Denver made a furious rally in the last minutes and had a chance to tie the game due to multiple turnovers by the Warriors. During a span of 25 seconds, the Dubs committed 3 errors that allowed the Nuggets to creep closer. Luckily for the Warriors, Denver was unable to make all their chances during that span. The Warriors had a monster game from Andrew Bogut who poured in playoff career-highs in points and rebounds while Steph Curry scored 22 points with 8 assists. The Nuggets had a balanced scoring attack again but their lack of a decent perimeter threat and their poor shooting (35%) could not overcome the deficit. The team that "no one wanted to play in the West" got bounced in the first round again!

#cameo #rookies
David Lee was not supposed to play in the playoffs after his hip injury in Game 1. His expected return was in 6 months but to the surprise of everybody, Lee was in uniform and he checked in to the game late in the 1st quarter to a standing ovation. He only played less than 2 minutes and missed his only shot and grabbed 1 rebound. His presence was a big boost and maybe Lee can play more minutes in the 2nd round vs the Spurs. The Warriors routinely played 2 rookies (Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green) and both of them delivered in the clinching game. Green had a double-double (16 and 10) to go along with his physical defense while Barnes had 11 and 5. The unexpected productions from Green and Bogut messed up the defensive schemes of the Nuggets and they were unable to prepare for that extra boost from role players.

The NBA 2013 Playoffs: Soaring High in Denver

Iggy and the Nuggets thwarted the Warriors in Game 5 to stay alive.
(Image from: yahoo.com)

#Stayin'Alive #Manimal
The Nuggets came out running and gunning in Game 5 to lead by 22 points. They had the lead the whole game and was only threatened near the final minutes. Denver had 3 players with double-doubles (Iguodala, Faried & Lawson) while JaVale McGee started for the first time this season and was an immediate factor with 10 points and 8 boards. The Nuggets played with high energy and intensity which was spearheaded by Faried who had a couple of alley-oops. Meanwhile, the Warriors started cold with Curry and Thompson shooting blanks which put the Dubs down by 14 in the first quarter. The sweet shooting back court duo combined for just 34 points and shot below 50%. The Warriors never got close the rest of the way. Andrew Bogut was a non-factor in Game 5 with just 2 points after being a key contributor in their last game.

#dirty #hitmen
After the game, Coach Jackson of the Warriors insinuated that the Nuggets played dirty and sent "hit men" to purposely target Steph Curry to hurt his ankles. Jackson even said that he had inside info coming from Denver that warned him that something fishy was up. Personally, I think his comments were misguided since both teams were just playing playoff basketball. Both teams have bangers and high intensity guys so physical stuff will always happen. I did not see anything really dirty from the Nuggets. It can be argued that the Warriors had the "dirtier" players in Game 5 since Bogut and Draymond Green were assessed with flagrant fouls. Bogut's two-handed shove into Faried's face was borderline dirty since it was not a basketball play.

#GrindHouse #Z-Bo
The Clippers are in trouble. They have lost 3 straight in this series and will face elimination at Memphis in Game 6. It's a very big possibility that Blake Griffin will miss that game but if he plays, he will be severely limited due to his high ankle sprain. Blake played 20 minutes and had 4 points and 5 boards. More importantly, he was unable to match-up with Zach Randolph who had a monster game (25 and 11). Z-Bo was not alone in their crucial win. Others stepped up, mainly Tayshaun Prince who hit crucial shots down the stretch and he finished with 15 points. The Grizzlies played good defense as they limited the Clippers to 44% shooting while Chris Paul was the only scoring option among their starters. The Clippers' starters combined for 18 points if you remove the 35 points from CP3. In comparison, the Grizzlies got 3 of their starters score at least 20 points.

#BenchMob #Practice?
Coach Vinny probably cost his team Game 5 before the game even started. Apparently, Blake Griffin hurt his ankle during a full-scale practice on Monday which may have included physical contact. Injuries happening during practice sessions in the playoffs RARELY happen since coaches normally scale down the intensity of practices to avoid injuries. Practices in the playoffs generally involve conditioning drills and a LOT of film sessions and game planning. Kudos to Blake for trying to play but high ankle sprains normally take weeks to heal and not days. The depth of the Clippers' bench was missing in Game 5 with Jamal Crawford the only one providing help to Chris Paul and his 35 points. Even their starters struggled with the likes of Billups and Butler combining for 8 points. Heck, Grant Hill has not played in this series and Willie Green has hardly played. Maybe it's time Coach Vinny gave the others a chance. If they lose Game 6, there wont be another opportunity to adjust.

#Stats #News

• Nuggets dominated the Points in the Paint: 50-24
• Warriors had a short rotation with 4 of the starters playing at least 41 minutes
• Evan Fournier did not play after starting the last 4 games
• Chris Paul had a playoff career-high 35 points
• The Grizzlies shot 26-33 from FTs while Clippers 19-25

#Player of the Night
Andre Iguodala - 25 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block and 7 assists, WIN

#Highlights of the Night
Faried working hard on both ends of the court
CP3 with the And 1

#Tweet of the Night

Denver Nuggets ‏@denvernuggets

Center @JaVale McGee on Mark Jackson accusing #Nuggets of playing dirty: "If we played dirty, they must've played unsanitary."

#Game Recaps

Final Score: Denver 107, Golden State 100
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - The hole that frustrated forward Kenneth Faried kicked in the visiting locker room's wall at Oracle Arena wasn't as big as the one Denver found itself in following Game 4's loss. But the Nuggets put their foot down and staved off the hard-charging Golden State Warriors in the friendly confines of Pepsi Center Tuesday. Andre Iguodala tallied 25 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in Denver's 107-100 wire-to-wire win over Golden State in Game 5 of this Western Conference first-round series. The Warriors still lead the best-of-seven set 3-2. Only eight teams have come back from a 3-1 series deficit. Golden State trailed by as many as 22 in the second quarter and were down by 19 early in the fourth before surging back. The Warriors whittled the margin down to five with 2:16 to go, but Wilson Chandler nailed a 3-poiner and Iguodala put back a dunk off a Ty Lawson airball, sandwiched around Festus Ezeli splitting a pair of free throws, to increase the advantage back to nine with 53 ticks remaining. The Warriors never got within two possessions the rest of the way. Lawson recorded 19 points and 10 assists, Chandler put in a playoff career-high 19 points and Faried added 13 points and 10 boards for Denver, which has been eliminated from the first round nine times in the last 10 years. The Nuggets had dropped an NBA-low three home games during the regular season, but suffered a Game 2 defeat in the Mile High city. Denver made sure it didn't lose back-to-back games there for the first time since Feb. 8-9, 2012. After committing 23 turnovers in Game 4, Denver gave the ball away just 13 times Tuesday. Stephen Curry, whose 18 triples were the most by any player in the first four contests of a playoff career, missed his first five from beyond the arc. He netted 15 points on 1-of-7 shooting from distance. Harrison Barnes had 23 points and nine rebounds to lead the Warriors, who were outscored 50-24 in the paint.

Final Score: Memphis 103, LA Clippers 93
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Memphis' Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph don't have the athletic leaping ability of their counterparts in Lob City, but the Clippers haven't found the antidote to stopping them over the last three games. And a road team has finally taken a contest in this series. Randolph had 10 of his 25 points in the fourth to go with 11 rebounds, while Gasol added 21 points and eight boards in the Grizzlies' 103-93 win over Los Angeles in Game 5 of this Western Conference first-round series. The duo combined for 43 points and 19 rebounds in Game 3 and went for 48 points and 22 boards in Game 4. The Grizzlies will attempt to close out the series in Memphis on Friday. Mike Conley tallied 20 points and six assists for the Grizzlies, who committed just seven turnovers against the team that forced the most in the NBA during the regular season. Chris Paul tied a playoff career high with 35 points to lead Los Angeles. Clippers forward Blake Griffin exited the tilt midway through the third quarter with a right ankle injury that he hurt in practice Monday. Griffin finished with just four points on 2-of-7 shooting. Jamal Crawford finished with 15 points in defeat.

The NBA: 2013 Playoffs: Cold Howard, Hot Curry

Dwight Howard lost his cool and got ejected in Game 4.
That might have been his final game as a Laker.
(Image from: USA Today) 

#GoneFishin #Dwightmare

The tumultuous season of the Lakers finally came to an end after the Spurs swept them. The Lakers had no chance to win this series and they failed to even keep one game close. Most of the Lakers played hard on their final game except Dwight Howard who got ejected in the 3rd quarter after complaining too much to the referees. The Lakers were down big when Dwight got tossed and without him, the season was basically over. It felt as if Howard just lost interest in Game 4 and lost interest in his team. Getting himself ejected seemed like taking the "easy way out". There's a big chance that Howard played his last game for the Lakers and if that is the case, how many Lakers' fans would be happy that he's gone?

#Sweep #NoShow
The Bucks never led in Game 4 although they kept it close up to the 4th quarter until Miami decided to turn up the pressure and end the series. Brandon Jennings was a non-factor for the 3rd straight game and was unable to support his brash comments about beating the Heat in 6. Even without Dwyane Wade, Miami did their business and accomplished their 1st sweep in the Heat 3 era. Kudos to Udonis Haslem, Ray Allen and Mike Miller for stepping up with D-Wade missing the game. It also helps a lot when LeBron James drops 30 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. The Heat has won 12 straight games dating back to the regular season and now they will have a lot of time to rest their bruises while waiting for the winner of Nets-Bulls.

#TheJet #StayingAlive
Jason Terry has been a disappointment during his first regular season with the Celtics. He was also a non-factor in their first 3 games vs the Knicks until Terry came alive in the overtime session of Game 4. The Jet made a key three and some free throws in OT to keep the Celtics' season alive for another game. Boston almost lost the game after being up by 20 points but the Knicks came back thanks to Raymond Felton and Iman Shumpert. JR Smith missed the game due to a suspension and that certainly helped the Celtics steal one game. Carmelo Anthony still scored 36 points but he had to hoist 35 shots while making only 10. Paul Pierce, Jeff Green and Kevin Garnett all had big games which the Celtics need to replicate to win Game 5 in New York.  

#SizzlingHot #DubNation
Stephen Curry had one basket while having ankle problems during half time. Still, Curry played in the 3rd quarter and exploded for 22 points. He was sizzling hot, similar to his past 3 games where he averaged 30 points on 55% shooting. A close game suddenly turned into a rout and the Warriors are comfortably up 3-1. Curry had lots of help too coming from Andrew Bogut who dunked on multiple Nuggets and Jarrett Jack who continues to make key shots and good decisions. Ty Lawson had another good game but he needed more help since Faried and Chandler failed to score at least 10 points. Coach Karl made a puzzling decision by letting Andre Miller guard Curry during his 22-point explosion. Expect George Karl to make the necessary adjustments for Game 5 by putting Iguodala or Lawson on Curry more.

#Stats #News

• Melo launched 35 shots which is the 2nd highest this year (Kobe had 41)
• Ray Allen was the Heat's 2nd leading scorer vs the Bucks 
• Bryant sat on the Lakers' bench after Dwight got banished to the lockers
• Tony Parker had 23 points in 26 minutes
• Only 8 teams have managed to win after being down 3-1 in a series

#Player of the Night
Stephen Curry (Warriors) - 31 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals. 

#Highlights of the Night
Dwight Howard quits on his team
Andrew Bogut over JaVale!

#Tweets of the Night

NBA on TNT ‏@NBAonTNT

"He doesn't know how to post up. I like him a lot as a person, but as a player he's got a long way to go." -Chuck on @DwightHoward

Earvin Magic Johnson ‏@MagicJohnson

LN: Dwight, I've been swept before but I never let my team down by getting kicked out of the game.

#Game Recaps

Final Score: Boston 97, New York 90 (OT)

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - After being pushed around by the New York Knicks in the first three games of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, the Boston Celtics showed some fight. Jason Terry scored Boston's final nine points of overtime, beginning with a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 1:32 left, and the Celtics staved off elimination with a hard-earned 97-90 Game 4 decision over the Knicks at a raucous TD Garden. Terry finished with 18 points, with Paul Pierce putting up a team-best 29 and Jeff Green adding 26 to help Boston force a Game 5 that will be held Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. Kevin Garnett did his part as well by pulling down 17 rebounds and recording nine of his 13 points in the second half and OT. Playing without NBA Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith, suspended for the contest after being assessed with a flagrant elbow of Terry during Friday's 90-76 New York victory in Game 3, the Knicks struggled to a 34.4 percent field goal percentage. New York still managed to overcome a 20-point second-half deficit and send the game into extra minutes behind a dominant third quarter, during which Raymond Felton dropped in 16 of his 27 points. Carmelo Anthony topped the Knicks with 36 points, but went just 10-of-35 from the floor and 0-for-7 from 3-point range. Iman Shumpert compiled a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds in defeat.

Final Score: Miami 88, Milwaukee 77

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - The Heat recorded their first series sweep in the playoffs since LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami. But the Heat didn't need Wade's services in Game 4 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. James led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals as Miami took down the Bucks, 88-77, to post the franchise's fourth postseason series sweep. Ray Allen and Udonis Haslem added 16 and 13 points, respectively, for Miami, which swept a playoff series for the first time since the 2005 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Bosh tallied 10 points and four blocks. Wade sat out Sunday's playoff game to rest his bruised right knee. He averaged 13.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the first three games of this series. The Heat will face either Chicago or Brooklyn in the next round. The Bulls lead that series by a 3-1 margin. Monta Ellis ended with 21 points and eight assists for the Bucks, who haven't won an opening-round playoff series since 2001. Mike Dunleavy and J.J. Redick donated 17 and 10 points, respectively.

Final Score: San Antonio 103, LA Lakers 82

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs ended the Los Angeles Lakers' drama-filled season in sweeping fashion. Tony Parker had 23 points and the Spurs dominated the Lakers, 103-82, on Sunday to sweep their first-round Western Conference playoff series. The Lakers had never been swept in a first- round series since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams during the 1983-84 season. Los Angeles was swept just once previously in an opening-round playoff series in franchise history (1967, 0-3 to San Francisco). It was a disappointing end to a season that started with so much hope for the Lakers, who acquired All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in the offseason. After an 0-8 preseason record and a 1-4 start to the regular season, head coach Mike Brown was fired. Assistant Bernie Bickerstaff was named the interim coach until Mike D'Antoni took over as the full-time head coach. Los Angeles made a late push to make the playoffs but lost Kobe Bryant (torn Achilles tendon) in the process. The Lakers were plagued by injuries in this series, and played Sunday's game without the services of Metta World Peace (left knee), Nash (hamstring), Steve Blake (hamstring) and Jodie Meeks (ankle). The second- seeded Spurs, who handed the Lakers their earliest playoff exit since 2007, will either face Denver or Golden State in the next round.

Final Score: Golden State 115, Denver 101

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Stephen Curry's sore left ankle didn't seem to affect his shooting on Sunday night. The Golden State sharp-shooter scorched the nets for a game-high 31 points, including 22 in the third quarter, as the Warriors surged past the Denver Nuggets, 115-101, to grab a 3-1 series lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal matchup at Oracle Arena. Curry went just 1-for-3 for seven points in the first half, but finished 10- for-16 from the floor to go with seven assists in helping the Warriors earn their third straight victory. Jarrett Jack followed with 21 points and nine helpers, while Carl Landry tallied 17 points in the victory. Ty Lawson led the Nuggets with 26 points and six assists and Andre Iguodala added 19 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn't enough to keep Denver from finding itself in a do-or- die situation. The Nuggets will look to extend the series in Game 5 on Tuesday in Denver.