Hoop Nut Blogcast Episode 3 - Phil Jackson & the PBA All-Stars

Episode 3 of the Hoop Nut Blogcast is out! Rolly and I take a look at a key development in the New York Knicks organization as legendary coach Phil Jackson takes a prime position in the franchise. We also talk about the main attraction of the 2014 PBA All-Star Weekend, where Gilas Pilipinas takes on the recently completed PBA All-Stars.

Join us two basketball-loving blabbermouths as we continue to spew crazy comments and irrational ideas about the game we love. 

Will Phil Jackson reinvigorate the Knicks, and will
Gilas Pilipinas impress in the 2014 PBA All-Star Weekend?
(composite image by Enzo Flojo/Hoop Nut)

The NBA Roundup: November 30, 2013

It was Black Friday in the States, but things were even darker for the New York Knicks, who continue to underwhelm this season. In the meantime, Miami reeled in its ninth straight win, while Russell Westbrook got a measure of revenge as he hit a game-winner against the Golden State Warriors.

Russell Westbrook's reaction is priceless after he
nailed the game-winning three to bury the Warriors.
(image by Layne Murdoch/Getty Images)

The Best:

• It sure looks like Jamal Crawford will figure in this season’s Sixth Man of the Year talks once again. Crawford came off the bench to drop 31 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 triples as the Clippers survived a gritty Sacramento quintet in overtime. The Clips have now won 4 in a row, while the Kings dropped their third straight contest.
• Jrue Holiday hasn’t really been playing as well as he did last year, but his performance against his former team did raise some eyebrows (the good way). Holiday shot 8/13 from the field to finish with 20 points while also adding 13 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. This was Holiday’s first return to the City of Brotherly Love since he turned into a Pelican.
• Wesley Johnson is no Kobe Bryant, but he sure made a great impression last night as the Lakers won on the road in Michigan. Johnson connected on all but one of his 7 three-point attempts and registered 27 markers. He also hauled down 6 rebounds and blocked 3 shots in 33 minutes of play. Mike D’Antoni’s boys came back from 8 points down in the final five minutes to steal the road W.

The Worst:

• Kyrie Irving struggled big time as his Cavaliers went down against the unheralded Celtics, 103-86. Uncle Drew shot just 7/16 from the floor, including 0/4 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points in 36 minutes of play. He also managed to turn the ball over 4 times while handing out only 3 assists.
• Is it too early to give up on the Knicks, who have just lost their eighth straight game? Melo returned to the Rockies to play against his former team, and he actually did well, dropping 27-and-7 on the Nuggets. He did, however, miss a potential tie-making 14-foot J at the buzzer that allowed Denver to escape with their fifth straight victory. Meanwhile, the Knicks continue to bring up the rear in the Atlantic Division with a barf-worthy 3-12 card.

The NBA Roundup: November 20-21, 2013

The Blazers and the Spurs continued their hot streaks, the Mavs rallied to beat the Rockets, PG24 outdueled Melo, and Miami continued to heat up in the past two days’ action from the Association.

Tony Parker and the Spurs continued their winning ways
against the hapless Celtics.
(image by Eric Gay/AP)

The Best:

• It was a boogie kind of night in Sac-town two days ago when the Kings beat Phoenix, 107-104, thanks to DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins unloading a 27-12 double-double line. The embattled Cousins, who has had to battle one controversy after another in his young pro career, shot 50% from the field while adding 4 steals, 3 assists, and 2 blocks in the night’s best performance.
• Monta Ellis scored a season-high 37 markers as the Mavericks came back from 14 down at the start of the fourth to pull the rug from under the Rockets. Ellis shot 13/18 from the field – a rarity in the shot-monger’s resume – and also tallied 8 dimes and 2 swipes. This win pushed Dallas past Houston in the West’s ladder. Dirk Nowitzki also had a wonderful night with 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.
• Paul George cemented his status as arguably the best player in the NBA right now by outdueling Carmelo Anthony. PG24 outscored Melo, 35-30, and led his Pacers to their tenth win in eleven games. George also registered 5 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists, and 2 blocked shots. Melo’s Knickerbockers, meanwhile, fell to 3-8 and tied cross-town rival Brooklyn for last place in the Atlantic Division.

The Worst:

• Avery Bradley has a golden opportunity this season to show what he’s made of. Without Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo in the active roster, Bradley is surely one of the primary options for Boston at the perimeter. His game against Houston two nights ago, however, left a lot to be desired. Bradley shot just 5/22 from the floor and turned the ball over 3 times in 27 minutes.
• Tristan Thompson is a significant barometer for Cleveland’s success, and that came to fore when the Cavs played Washington last night. Thompson missed all 5 of his field goals, turned the ball over twice, and grabbed only 4 rebounds in 24 minutes of action. Result? Cavs lose to the Wiz just a few days after they beat them on the road in their previous game.

The NBA Roundup: November 15, 2013

A pair of down-the-wire games was on offer in yesterday’s NBA action, with the Rockets winning at the Madison Square Garden and the Warriors pulling the rug from under the Thunder at home.

The Best:

• The night’s best moment did not come from its best performer, but, still, seeing Andre Iguodala drain a buzzer-beating corner fadeaway jumper over Thabo Sefolosha to push the Warriors past the Thunder was pretty awesome. Iggy finished with just 14 points, but he was very efficient, shooting 5/6 from the field and handing out 9 dimes.
• The night’s best performer came from one of the losing teams. Carmelo Anthony drained 45 points on 17/30 FG shooting on top of 10 rebounds and 4 assists, but his Knicks still came up short (albeit a little on the controversial side) against Houston. Melo hit a three to tie the game in the dying seconds, but referee Scott Foster nullified it as Anthony was fouled by James Harden on the floor.

Andre Iguodala hit the marginal basket to lift
GSW past OKC.
(image by Kyle Terada/USA Today)

The Worst:

• NYK’s Raymond Felton continued to struggle in the young season. Against the Rockets, Felton registered just 8 points on 3/9 FG shooting while also turning the ball over 5 times. Yikes.
• I loved every point, every assist, and every rebound from Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Dwight Howard yesterday, BUT I hated the turnovers – all TWENTY of them. That’s right. Twenty turnovers between those four guys. Just not good enough be champs just yet.

The NBA Roundup: November 11, 2013

The Spurs leaned on Danny Green’s hot shooting, OKC rallied past the Wiz, the Suns beat the Pelicans, and the Wolves snapped a losing streak to the Lakers in today’s NBA action.

Gerald Green spiked this one through the rim as
the Suns rose past the Pelicans.
(screencap from the NBA YouTube account)

The Best:

• The Wizards played really well against the Thunder, but Kevin Durant was just too much in the end. KD dropped 33 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and had 6 assists as OKC rallied to beat the upstart Wizards, 106-105 in OT. Washington leaned on young gun Bradley Beal, who finally broke out with 34 points behind 6/8 three-point shooting.
• Ricky Rubio registered the season’s second triple-double as Minnesota beat the Lakers at the Staples Center, 113-90. Rubio scored 12 points, handed out 14 assists, and collared 10 rebounds while also getting 5 steals in a superb quarterbacking effort. The T-Wolves finally beat the Purple & Gold after losing to them in their last 22 meetings.

The Worst:

• JR Smith was horrendous against San Antonio. Smith missed all but one of his shots to end up with just 5 points in 21 minutes. Not enough misery? How about adding 4 turnovers, too?
• Wesley Johnson seems to have cooled off after stroking the nylon against Houston last week. Johnson hit just 2 of 10 shots against the Wolves today, and his overall FG% has now dipped to under 33% for the season. For a guy who launches nearly 10 field goals per game, that is NOT good.

The NBA Roundup: November 4, 2013

Three Kevins hogged the limelight in today’s NBA action. Kevin Love and Kevin Martin combined to hit 7 triples as the T-Wolves remained unbeaten in three games, while Kevin Durant welcomed running mate Russell Westbrook back by scoring 33 points in OKC’s comeback win over PHX.

The Best:

• Kevin Love and Kevin Martin were clicking for Minnesota as the Wolves took on New York’s finest. Love rattled in 34 points on 10/19 FG shooting on top of 15 rebounds and 5 assists to give the Twin Cities a superb 3-0 start to the season. Former OKC and HOU player Martin also continued to sizzle for Wolves, hitting all 5 of his rainbow attempts to finish with 30 points.
• KD laid out the red carpet for the return of Jet Zero to the hardwood, unloading a 33-point and 10-rebound double-double for the Thunder, who had to claw back in the second half to avoid the upset axe against Phoenix. Westbrook, for his part, delivered 21 points and 7 assists in his first game back from a leg injury he sustained in last season’s Playoffs.
• Another guy whose stroke was pure was ATL’s Kyle Korver, who shot a flawless 6/6 from long range. Korver ended up with 22 points, but his Hawks fell short against the Lakers, 103-105.

Kevin Martin waxed hot as the Wolves upended the Knicks.
(image by Noah K. Murray/USA Today)