The NBA Roundup: November 16, 2013

Indiana rising up to 9-0, the Bulls finally winning one on the road, and the Nets upending Phoenix in OT are only some of the great stuff from today’s NBA action.

Joe Johnson hit the biggest shot of the game as
Brooklyn survived Phoenix in OT.
(image by Matt York/AP)

The Best:

• LeBron James missed a total of just 5 of his 29 shots as Miami won over the Dallas Mavericks, 110-104. LBJ score a season-high 39 points to go along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists as his Heat improved to 6-3 on the season.
• Atlanta’s Jeff Teague was also quite awesome as the Hawks beat the Sixers, 113-103. Teague registered 33 points on top of 10 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal. He shot 10/16 from the field and 12/13 from the line in a Michael Carter-Williams remained in sick bay and the Hawks improved to 3-1 at home.
• Roy Hibbert stood tall anew for the yet undefeated Pacers. Hibbert nearly crunched a triple-double, scoring 24 markers, grabbing 10 rebounds, and blocking 8 shots. He shot 8/10 from the field and made all eight of his free throws.

The Worst:

• Maybe someday Gordon Hayward will be an All-Star, but in this game against the Spurs, he looked more like a brick-builder. Hayward shot just 5/23 from the field, including 1/9 from beyond the arc to end up with 15 points in 43 minutes.
• I loved Joe Johnson’s game-winning heroics in OT. He is, in fact, 5/5 in terms of game-tying (at the end of the fourth) or game-winning shots since becoming a Net. Still, maybe he shot much better than 6/19 from the floor, the game wouldn’t have gone to an extra inning in the first place.
• Greivis Vasquez is a pretty good pick-up for the Kings, but his main waterloo is taking care of the ball and that was well-exposed against the Pistons. Detroit’s lockdown D forced Vasquez to cough the ball up 8 times in just 29 minutes. Oops.

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)

The NBA Roundup: April 15, 2013

I wouldn’t want to be either Tony Parker or Ty Lawson. Why, you ask? Simple – either one will have to face Steph Curry in the first round of the Playoffs, and, the way things look, Curry is out to spice up the postseason (see what happened there?) with his insane handles and killer jumper.

Today’s Best:

•        Curry’s torrid shooting carried the Warriors to a huge win over the Spurs. This means that, for now, the Warriors reclaim sixth spot in the West ladder and put Houston back down to seventh. Curry rattled in 35 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in a superb performance. Oh, and did you catch that sick move he put on Gary Neal? Damn.
•        Don’t knock Ty Lawson down, however. The former Tar Heel knocked down a game-winning pull-up over Monta Ellis that deflated the Bucks and, more importantly, secured home court advantage for Denver in the first round.
•        Now how about Kevin Durant? KD unloaded an all-around 29-7-8-1-2 line while shooting 10-of-16 from the field to lead the Thunder all the way to the Western Conference’s top overall seed. Don’t be mean, KD. Don’t be mean.

Steph Curry put on some sweet moves against the Spurs.
(image by Jose Sanchez/AP)

Today’s Worst:

•        It’s kind of a good thing the Mavs won’t make the Playoffs because if they did make it, then we’d see more of OJ Mayo’s mediocrity. Against the Grizzlies, Mayo had 4 turnovers and shot 1-of-6 from the floor in 26 minutes. That’s money… wasted.
•        The Bucks had a scintillating run in the fourth quarter against Denver, but they wouldn’t have had to do that if not for Brandon Jennings bricking on all but one of his 11 shot attempts.
•        Ummm… this is not the way to go into the final game of the season against the Lakers, James Harden. I’m a huge fan of the Beard, but today its seems his shot was more of a mess than his grill. He shot just 5-of-18 from the field and 6-of-11 from the line. Kablooey.

The NBA: Roy Hibbert Is No All-Star

Roy Hibbert shouldn't have been an All-Star last year, and, should his regression continue, he sure as hell won't be one this year.

Last season, Hibbert normed nearly 13 points and 9 rebounds, both of which were career-highs, but not exactly meteoric production, unless of course you consider Dikembe Mutombo the paragon of All-Star big men.

Hibbert was by no means awful, mind you. He was a pretty solid post player and an exceptional shot-blocker, but consider the other guys who could've been East All-Stars:

Ryan Anderson: 16.1ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.7 threes per game

Kevin Garnett: 15.8ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.0bpg

Greg Monroe: 15.4ppg, 9.7rpg, 1.3spg

Andrea Bargnani: 19.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 1.1 threes per game

Amar'e Stoudemire: 17.5, 7.8rpg, 1.0bpg

Okay, maybe Bargnani averaging less than 6 rebounds per game is a bust, but one cannot overlook the other guys on that list. Also, aside from Dwight Howard, the other East centers who made the top three in terms of fan votes were Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah. Noah played just 9 games, so maybe he would've made an awful choice, too, but Chandler not getting picked is another puzzle for me.

To compound things, Hibbert's start this season has been dismal at best.

Roy Hibbert has seen a regression in his game that should
make him a longshot to be an All-Star this season.
(image by Kathy Willens/AP)

Prior to today's game against New York (and Tyson Chandler), Hibbert was putting up only 8.8 points per game (lowest since his rookie season). Worse, he's shooting just under 38% from the field, which is ABYSMAL for a big man, and even more worrisome considering Danny Granger's absence should give Hibbert a bigger window to bloom. He's also shooting just 45.5% from the stripe, and, as of this writing, got himself injured in the second quarter against New York.

I've never been a fan of Hibbert, and I don't think I'll ever be. I don't want to see him become an All-Star this year UNLESS there's a career-boosting rise in his game. Given how both David West and Paul George have been stepping up, though, Hibbert will probably remain in the shadows.

And, perhaps, rightly so.

The NBA: Memphis Music

Rudy Gay and the Grizzlies are making good music
after winning 3 of their first 4 games.
(image by Jeffrey Phelps/AP)

Spanish center Marc Gasol had this to say after the Memphis Grizzlies won their third straight game, “Historically, we've had some slow starts, but, this year, we've come out a lot stronger."

No kidding.

The Grizzlies are fresh from a 108-90 trouncing of the Milwaukee Bucks thanks mainly to five Memphis players scoring in double-figures. Gasol was one of those players, finishing with a balanced line of 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. That comes as no surprise, of course, as Gasol, much like his older brother from LA, is considered one of the most versatile big men in the world. A man his size shouldn’t be able to have the footwork and the court vision that he does, but the thing is he has those qualities. He’s THAT good.

Even Milwaukee’s own star guard, Brandon Jennings, agrees.

“They are so big," Jennings said. "Gasol is so smart. Once he gets to the top of the key, he's able to make passes and shoot the jumper. If he doesn't have anything, he's just moving it.”

Tall praise for a tall guy, but Jennings did say “They,” right? That’s because Gasol isn’t the only big weapon in Memphis’s arsenal.

The other big guy doing the damage is Gasol’s frontcourt partner, Zach Randolph.

Of him, Jennings had this to say, “Randolph down there is just a beast."

Simple. Succinct.

Randolph tallied 18 points and 13 rebounds. He has finished with a double-double in each of the Grizzlies’ four games so far.

Again, he’s a beast.

Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, and super sub Marreese Speights also broke through the twin digit barrier, scoring 17, 13, and 18 points respectively.

"We just played really well," said Memphis Coach Lionel Hollins. "We shot the ball well. We shot threes well… We withstood all they had tonight.”

So far, even after suffering a loss on their first playdate, the Grizzlies have shown they can, indeed, withstand almost anything.

Randolph currently leads the league in rebounds with 16.0 per outing. Gasol and Gay are having strong starts, combining for 38.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 2.5 rejections per game. Mike Conley is playing at a really high level, too, with 14.3ppg, 7.0apg, and 2.3spg.

The next two games for the Grizz will be tough. They host Houston on Saturday (Manila time) and then the defending champion Miami Heat two days after. It’s going to be an uphill climb for Memphis to get a foothold in the Playoff race, but if their stars keep up their high level of play, then there’s nothing coming out of the River City but good music.

Note: Many renowned musicians have come out of Memphis. Foremost of which are Elvis Presley, BB King, Johnny Cash, and, of course, Justin Timberlake.

The NBA: 2012 Off-Season Winners and BIGGER Winners

The off-season and free agency period aren't over yet. There are still some players who have yet to sign new offer sheets like Courtney Lee, Michael Redd, Jermaine O'Neal and Leandro Barbosa. Meanwhile, there are also players who were recently waived, released or amnestied like Andray Blatche, Ryan Gomes and Chris "Birdman" Andersen. But the major players have already chosen their new (or old) teams.

The Dwight Howard trade or non-trade has not been resolved. If Im the Orlando Magic, Id do the trade with the Houston Rockets since they dont care that Howard wont commit to signing an extension with them. Plus the Rockets can offer draft picks, rookies (Lamb and Jones) and they can take back the salaries of Turkoglu and Richardson among others. This trade is easier to complete because a 3rd or 4th team is not needed to make the salaries work.

Anyway, most teams have already sealed the deal with the players that they targeted. A non-playoff team suddenly looks like a contender while a perennial contender might miss the playoffs. As of the moment, here are the winners and bigger winners of the 2012 off-season with their key additions and subtractions.


BIGGER WINNERS

From the purple and orange of the Suns
 to the purple and gold of the Lakers

LA Lakers
Additions (+) Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison
Subtractions (-) Ramon Sessions, Matt Barnes, Jordan Hill
The Los Angeles Lakers got dumped in the 2nd round because of the spectacular play of Russell Westbrook  and they have had troubles against the speedy and athletic guards of opposing teams (Parker, Lawson). Getting Steve Nash does not help them defensively but offensively, the Lakers are so much better with him. Expect Nash to dominate the ball more than Kobe which means that Gasol and Bynum will get better shots and more looks in their offense. This also allows Kobe to play more off the ball and conserve some energy. Bryant is a decent shooter and Nash can set him up with more open jumpers. Jamison signed with the Lakers which gives them another scoring threat coming from the bench and Jamison is a better three-point shooter than Artest.


LA Clippers
Additions (+) Jamal Crawford, Lamar Odom *Grant Hill (maybe) 
Subtractions (-) Ryan Gomes, Mo Williams, Reggie Evans, Nick Young
Blake Griffin just signed a 5-year deal close to $100 million but he injured himself during training camp of the USA team. He tore his meniscus on his right knee while 2 years ago, he broke his kneecap on his left knee which forced him to miss a whole season. The Clippers cant afford anymore injuries since Billups hurt his Achilles heel and Chris Paul a broken thumb. They added former Clipper Lamar Odom who vows to pick up his game and produce again. Odom can play the center position with Griffin and he can be a playmaker. They also improved their clutch shooting getting Crawford who is an upgrade over Nick Young. The bench could be stronger with the potential signing of Grant Hill who is still an excellent defender and can occasionally hit the outside shot.



Dallas Mavericks 
Additions (+) Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, Darren Collison, Dahntay Jones, *OJ Mayo (maybe)
Subtractions (-) Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Lamar Odom, Brandon Haywood, Delonte West
After failing to get Deron Williams or Steve Nash, then losing Kidd and Terry, the Mavericks appeared to be headed to obscurity. Instead, they have recovered nicely with all their recent additions and they still have Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion. Kaman and Brand are better players compared to Haywood and Odom (of last year) while Collison provides them a younger and faster point guard. Both Kaman and Brand can play center or power forward and if they can stay healthy, the Mavericks can once more compete at the top of the Western conference. Rumor has it that OJ Mayo could join the Mavs as well.



Brooklyn Nets
Additions (+) Joe Johnson, CJ Watson, Reggie Evans 
Subtractions (-) Gerald Green, Jordan Farmer, Anthony Morrow, DeShawn Stevenson
The best part about the Brooklyn Nets in the off-season was their ability to resign their best players. Williams, Lopez, Wallace and Humphries are all coming back for this season. That's four of their five starters. The fifth starter will be Joe Johnson who they traded for. Johnson will have so many open shots created by Williams and he can defend bigger guards and small forwards. The Nets suddenly look like a playoff team in the East and maybe even the better team in New York. Their bench has been upgraded with the addition of a backup point guard in Watson and they have another rugged rebounder and defender in Evans. The Nets are not officially out of the Howard sweepstakes but they can start discussions again after January 15 due to the contracts signed by Lopez and Humphries.





WINNERS 


Miami Heat
Additions (+) Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis
Subtractions (-) Eddy Curry, Juwan Howard, Ronnie Turiaf
The reigning champions did not stay with the status quo. Instead, they made the team better by adding two cheap veterans who can provide them with additional outside shooting. The players they lost were not playing any significant minutes for the Heat and in return, they got rotational players who can even start some games. Lewis and Allen will truly open up the lanes more for the Big 3 while Wade and James will definitely provide more open looks for the 2 newest members of the Heat.



New York Knicks
Additions (+) Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby, Raymond Felton, Kurt Thomas
Subtractions (-) Jeremy Lin, Landry Fields, Toney Douglas, Mike Bibby, Baron Davis
The Knicks got older with the additions of Camby, Kidd and Thomas. They let go of their two younger players in Fields and Lin. The lose of Jeremy Lin will hurt them more but they have added two serviceable players in Felton and Kidd as their point guards. This is definitely Carmelo's team now and it's up to him to make this work. Camby and Thomas can hit the occasional jump shot and they will provide a very deep front court for the Knicks who already have Chandler and Stoudemire.




New Orleans Hornets
Additions (+) Ryan Anderson, Anthony Davis (Rookie), Austin Rivers (R), 
Subtractions (-) Chris Kaman, Gustavo Ayon, Marco Bellineli, Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, Trevor Ariza
The Hornets got younger and faster. They added scoring and shooting with the acquisition of Most Improved winner Ryan Anderson while they drafted a potential franchise player in Anthony Davis. Davis was added to to the USA team as an injury-replacement. Although he ma not play a lot of minutes, the experience and exposure should do Davis a lot of good. Austin Rivers will be part of a starting backcourt with Eric Gordon who the Hornets resigned. Their bench still needs more work.




LOSERS


Houston Rockets
Additions (+) Jeremy Lin, Terrence Jones (R), Jeremy Lamb (R), Royce White (R), *Omer Asik (maybe)
Subtractions (-) Kyle Lowry, Marcus Camby, Luis Scola, Courtney Lee, Goran Dragic, Chase Budinger
The Rockets ended up with Jeremy Lin after offering him $25 million for 3 years. He might end up being overpaid but the Rockets know how to manage a Chinese sensation (like Yao Ming) so they could end up making more money in the process. The Rockets released/traded a bunch of decent players to free up salary cap to absorb the trade for Dwight Howard. So far it has not happened and the Rockets are left with a bunch of good rookies, an often injured Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lin. Sad to say that this roster wont be good enough to compete in the West (unless they get Howard).



Chicago Bulls
Additions (+) Kirk Hinrich, Marquis Teague (R)
Subtractions (-) CJ Watson, Kyle Korver, John Lucas, *Omer Asik (maybe)
The Bulls havent made any significant additions to their team during free agency. They actually lost players that were integral in their regular season run last year like Watson and Korver, maybe Asik too. Derrick Rose will be out until January or February due to his ACL injury and once he gets back on the court, it will take him some time to return to his explosive self. The Bulls could be out of playoff contention by then. They added Hinrich who they traded away a few seasons back and they drafted a rookie to serve as a backup point guard. Things are not looking good for the Bulls.



Phoenix Suns
Additions (+) Luis Scola, Goran Dragic
Subtractions (-) Steve Nash, Michael Redd, Grant Hill,  Josh Childress, Shannon Brown
They gave away their best player in franchise history to a division rival. They lost their best perimeter defender in Grant Hill and they lost a couple of bench pieces in Childress and Brown. In return, they got back Dragic who they traded away before but played great in Houston last season because it was a contract year. They also picked up Scola who was amnestied by the Rockets. Luis Scola is a good player and he will form a sweet shooting front court with Frye and Gortat. The biggest problem for the Suns, can they overcome the Lakers or Clippers to fight for a playoff spot?