True Hoop Network Blogs

LeBron James was buddy-buddy with Rasheed Wallace after Sheed bloodied Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ head

2012-05-28T18:06:00Z

Stephenson offended James, but it’s doubtful James pushed for this kind of retaliation. In fact, here’s a story on how James sees retaliation: In February 2006, Rasheed Wallace clobbered Zydrunas Ilgauskas in a Detroit-Cleveland rivalry game. Gash. Blood everywhere. Big Z had to leave the floor and go to the locker room to get bandaged before returning to finish the game. When it was over, Wallace made clear the shot was intentional.

Here’s what bothered Ilguaskas, a source in the Cavaliers’ locker room remembered: “He looks out on the court in the second half, and there’s LeBron talking with ‘Sheed like nothing happened,” the source said. “They were hanging out on the court, joking, and it really bothered Z. But that’s LeBron – or, at least, that was him.”

Ilgauskas couldn’t have been too upset with LeBron. After all, Ilgauskas followed LeBron to Miami.

Also, maybe this incident speaks more to Wallace than LeBron. Wallace – at least relative to his public reputation – was one of the NBA’s most-liked players by NBA players. Wallace appeared to give little weight to the public’s opinion of him, but by all accounts, fellow players, especially his teammates, adored him.

Jamario Moon: Season Report Card

2012-05-28T17:42:41Z

	PER	PER Against (Net)
Jamario Moon	3.27	8.53 (1.96)

Strengths: Moon was called up from the D-League with 8 games left in the season, filling the roster spot created from Diaw’s contract buy out. With injuries from Maggette and Najera, Moon averaged about 15 minutes per game, with 2.3 points and a per of 3.35. As a former Harlem Globetrotter, one of Moon’s greatest strengths is raw athleticism.

Weaknesses: Moon is a proverbial globetrotter, playing for 20 teams throughout the course of his professional career. This says a few things about him as a player. First, Moon is playing out of his league in the NBA. Further, in only playing 8 games with an already defeated Bobcats squad, it was difficult to see how Moon could fit into the franchise longer term. On the court, his athletic abilities were largely outshone by his less than stellar defensive skills and air ball shots.

Reason for Optimism: Maybe we will see Moon with the Harlem Globetrotters next year.

Reasons for Pessimism: Odds dictate that Jamario Moon will not be around at the start of next season. With so many factors up in the air for the Bobcats, it’s unlikely that Moon will be one of the pieces that sticks.

Forecast: Moon was brought up from the D-League to fill an empty spot in the roster and prevent Henderson, Williams and Brown from being overworked and potentially injured. At 31, Moon is not the type of player the rebuilding Bobcats need.

Shannon Brown provided solid scoring punch, but the Suns should not re-sign him

2012-05-28T17:26:39Z

PHOENIX — Shannon Brown signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Phoenix Suns last winter in large part to earn a bigger, long-term deal this offseason. The thinking for Brown, 26, was...

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Rodney Stuckey spending summer in Detroit, in part, because of son

2012-05-28T17:13:00Z

Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:

Stuckey has spent his summers primarily in Seattle in the past, where he also has a network in place to monitor his workouts. But the total package, which now includes son Trey, 7 months, is available to him here.

Arnie Kander and assistant coach Steve Hetzel have been running his workouts and assistant Dee Brown, he said, is expected to join them soon.

“I have everything here as far as guys to work me out. Arnie is here, Steve, Dee will be here, the court’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I just feel better being here. Plus my son is here and I want to make sure I’m around to hang out with him.”

Rodney Stuckey’s use of therapy, roughly, coincided with the birth of his son. I don’t know whether that’s coincidence, but I find it interesting. Since the end of the 2010-11 season, so much has change for Stuckey.

As far as Stuckey’s game:

“I just want to get my body right – at least 5 pounds and 1 percent body fat,” he said. “I want to be ready to come in next year and have a great season.” He wants to be lighter and more explosive to be able to better finish at the rim. He’s working on his mid-post game this summer, he said, shooting over both shoulders, and using both hands around the basket.

Finishing at the rim has often been a problem for Stuckey, in part because he rarely dunks. Stuckey dropped 10 pounds before the 2010-11 season and shot a career-high 56.1 percent at the rim. Coincidence? Maybe. But I can’t imagine dropping a little weight would hurt Stuckey’s finishing at the rim.

5-on-5: Heat-Celtics Preview & Predictions

2012-05-28T16:00:59Z

1. Chris Bosh will miss at least a portion of the series with his abdominal strain. Where will Boston be able to take advantage of his absence, if at all?

Hayes Davenport: 8 feet out. The inimitable Kirk Goldsberry of the CourtVision blog discovered that this is where Bosh is better than anyone else in the NBA, and it’s the kind of low-percentage opportunity to which the Celtics deliberately try to funnel their opponents. The Heat offense is just much less potent without Bosh Bailing out James and Wade from there. Doesn’t hurt that Joel Anthony is probably the worst player in the world to be taking that shot in his place.

Ryan DeGama: It’s a major advantage for Boston’s defense for a few reasons. The inclination is to zone up, pack the paint and force jumpers because, of Miami’s big three, Bosh is the best mid-range shooter and any possession where Wade or Lebron takes a long two is a success for Boston. His absence also frees up KG as a help defender because there’s nobody else Miami can consistently throw at Garnett who demands the defensive attention Bosh does.

Chris Forsberg: The Celtics’ typical game plan against Miami is to let Dwyane Wade and LeBron James get theirs (within reason), then challenge the supporting cast to beat them. Not having Bosh forces others on Miami’s not-so-deep roster to step up. At the other end, it gives Kevin Garnett — the best player on the floor in the Celtics’ semifinal win over the 76ers — a chance to really put his stamp on this series. Boston absolutely needs Garnett to be greedy around the basket in order to have a chance in this series.

Greg Payne: Chris Bosh was never particularly good at defending Kevin Garnett in the post, but his absence still counts as one less body for KG to go through when he heads down to the block to initiate offense. Additionally, it allows guys like Garnett and Bass to provide better help defense on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and potentially even double-team them if needed.

Brian Robb: This will help Boston in two main areas. First, defensively they have one less major threat to key on, allowing Kevin Garnett to roam more freely in the interior and on pick-and-rolls instead of being preoccupied with limiting Bosh. In addition, Bosh is one of Miami’s best rebounders and he averaged a double-double against Boston in their playoff matchup last year. For as vulnerable as Boston is on the glass, having Bosh off the floor helps tremendously in that area and forces James and Wade to work harder down low.

2. With Avery Bradley out, and Ray Allen hobbled, do the Celtics have an answer for Dwayne Wade?

Davenport: I think Pietrus can guard him. In fact, Wade is exactly the kind of giant two-guard Pietrus was built to check. On the other end, I think Rondo can score on him, because at his best Rondo can score on anybody. The only potential Wade play they can’t answer to is the breaking of one of their bones.

DeGama: No, they don’t. It’s just a matter of mitigating the damage he does, which will involve things like zone defenses and Sasha Pavlovic. Gimpiness aside, Allen will probably still get the majority of minutes on Wade, if only because they need his offense (or the threat of it) to spread the floor against Miami’s excellent perimeter D. One thing’s for sure: Doc Rivers is going to earn his salary trying to neutralize Wade over the next two weeks.

Forsberg: No. When his right knee isn’t bothering him, Mickael Pietrus is capable of providing quality defense, but he’s been up and down this postseason when the injury flares up. The key is going to be finding a way to mask Allen’s defensive deficiencies, a not-so easy task even when he’s got Garnett behind him. C’s might have to give someone like Sasha Pavlovic a chance to provide some defense in small bursts to make up for the lack of Avery Bradley.

Payne: I don’t think they have an answer, but they’ll most likely resort to Rajon Rondo, Marquis Daniels, Keyon Dooling at times, and, yes, even Sasha Pavlovic. It’ll be defense by committee. It’s a shame Bradley’s out. Watching him hound Wade would have been a lot of fun.

Robb: They will have an answer for a game or two, through a mix of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Mickael Pietrus and some zone defense potentially, but expecting Boston to keep Wade at bay for most of the series is too tall a task for this group. The Celts’ will need to make Wade work hard on both ends of the floor in order to help limit the havoc he can wreak against Boston on the offensive end all series long.

3. Who is Boston’s X-factor? Miami’s?

Davenport: Boston’s x-factor is Brandon Bass, who will take his shots no matter what and just make everyone hope they go in. Miami’s x-factor is the three-headed three monster of Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller, and James Jones for the same reason. The stars of both teams need these players to supplement their scoring, because they usually can’t break 75 on their own.

DeGama: There’s a real argument here that Pietrus should start over Allen because he can take a run at Wade and do time on LeBron in switches or when Pierce goes to the bench with foul trouble. His minutes could easily creep up towards 30 a game if his body can handle it. On Miami’s side, the x-factor is probably Haslem. If he gets in foul trouble, Erik Spoelstra is down to an even more comical selection of backup bigs than Boston, which is a pretty amusing accomplishment.

Forsberg: The Celtics have exploitable matchups with Rajon Rondo and Garnett, they simply need to take advantage of them. That means having an always-engaged Rondo and a selfish-with-the-ball Garnett (no guarantee with either guy, as Celtics fans know all too well). Miami’s X-factor might simply be their ability to generate turnovers. We all know the story there: Give the ball up against this team and it’s immediate points. Boston absolutely has to value the ball as not to give Wade and James any free fuel.

Payne: Mickael Pietrus. He has the potential to really impact this series on both sides of the ball. He’ll be tasked with defending James at times, and he really needs to come through with a host of 3-pointers on the other end.

Robb: Rajon Rondo for Boston. It’s the easy answer, but there’s no getting around how pivotal he will be for the Celtics in this series. He plays the position that the Heat have no real answer on the defensive end, and Rondo’s play defensively between keeping Heat guards out of the paint and hitting the defensive glass will be just as crucial. For Miami, it’s Udonis Haslem. He’s a tough defender who could neutralize Garnett without Bosh available. Plus, if his jumper is falling, the Heat become much tougher to defend.

4. Do we finally see a front-to-back great series from Rajon Rondo?

Davenport: I’ve come to accept that Rondo is so good BECAUSE he’s sometimes bad: that his low moments really stand out when they’re put up right next to the highs. So no, I think he’ll drop a couple games, if only to punish us the next game for thinking he wasn’t the best player we had.

DeGama: Far be it from me to whittle a player’s value down to a single series, but the shorthanded C’s have never needed from Rondo what they will against the Heat. As a result, I consider this a litmus test for whether he can carry this team and truly earn all those ‘best player in green’ accolades. Rondo needs to create consistent pace on offense, score early and often enough to open space on the floor and then find open men all game long. And he’ll have to stop Chalmers on defense, too. Can he do it? He has it in him, but his focus can’t waver. And usually it does.

Forsberg: If Boston wants to win this series, it better hope so. But last round suggests he will still be prone to lulls and outbursts. Rondo should have plenty of motivation, particularly after dislocating his elbow and not being able to fully contribute in last year’s playoff matchup. Forget the triple-double numbers, the key for Rondo in this series starts defensively. He needs to play like a legit NBA All-Defensive second-teamer if Boston is to have any chance of beating the Heat.

Payne: Yes. This will be Rondo’s series when it’s all said and done. His ability to take control of Game 7 against Philly was remarkable and I’m fully expecting him to average a triple-double for the entire series, because Boston will need it if it wants to make it to the Finals.

Robb: I expect a hiccup or two from Rondo within the series, but it will be as close to a consistent series from Rondo as we’ve seen all year. The fun little secret about the C’s All-Star point guard in 2012 is how much better he has become putting up the big numbers this team needs to succeed. Three triple-doubles and six double-doubles in 12 postseason games so far this year is incredibly impressive. A fully healthy series against a Miami team this year is when I think he takes the next step.

5. Prediction time: What happens in Game 1? And who wins the series?

Davenport: Miami leans on their rest and second-round momentum to pick up Game 1. In a series this seemingly tight, the lower seed plans for Game 2. As for the series: Miami in 6. Will anyone accept that as a reverse jinx?

DeGama: I think game one will provide the template for the series. Boston stays within a couple of possessions of Miami with a Herculean defensive effort and just enough shotmaking. And then the Heat pull away from an exhausted batch of Celtics down the stretch. I had Boston in 6 against Atlanta and Boston in 7 against Philly but I’m really hoping to be wrong this round because I’ve got Miami in 5.

Forsberg: The quick turnaround really shouldn’t be that big of an issue for Boston in Game 1. Extended rest has been a rarity this postseason, so the Celtics have to simply hope the momentum from that Game 7 win over the 76ers spills into this next round. Boston would love to put Miami on its heels by stealing Game 1, but I see the Heat winning on Monday night and taking this series in 6. Boston’s health — for the fourth straight year — proves to be too much of an issue to overcome and the Celtics are left to ponder, yet again, what could have been.

Payne: The Celtics lose Game 1 by 8-10 points, largely due to not having enough recuperation time following their last series. But they rebound and win Game 2 and go on to win the series in 6 games, prompting LeBron and co. to be bailed out by the ‘Chris Bosh wasn’t healthy!’ excuse.

Robb: All signs point to a Miami series win here. However, this Celtics team has made a believer out of me. The Heat takes Game 1 in a close battle, but Boston steals Game 2, setting up a back and forth battle the rest of the way. And since we’re going seven games, why not go out on a limb. Celtics in 7.

Links to the Present: Draft Lottery Edition

2012-05-28T15:26:38Z

“[One] reason the Cavs like to acquire assets such as these are to be able to package them to make deals. In addition to trying to use them to move up, there are also teams such as New York or the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers that don’t have a first-round pick and might be interested in parting with a player for a pick or two. Of course, as the Cavs showed last year, they don’t mind drafting a player knowing he will continue to play overseas for a while. So right now, I think the Cavs, and most NBA teams, are looking at all their options.” [Mary Schmitt Boyer]

“Ryan Blake, senior director of NBA scouting operations, has no problem with Beal being just 6-3. ‘He’s listed as 6-5, but he’s 6-3,’ Blake said in a telephone interview. ‘He plays bigger than that. He can play a couple positions. He can handle the ball. He’s a good defender. He’s not a great outside shooter. He’s someone who can get inside and is fearless. He has a high (basketball) IQ. He lets the game come to him. He can step up when he needs to.’” [Bob Finnan]

“Obviously, it’s always more important to get the first piece. You can’t build anything without a foundation. But where you go next with that foundation is what defines your success as a franchise. I trust the folks doing the building, and sometimes, thanks to the bounce of a ping pong ball, these decisions take care of themselves. But the pressure is still there for Gilbert and Chris Grant, and while it’s early, the clock is always ticking. This is a momentous opportunity to wind it back a bit. With four selections, including a potential top 3 pick, this is the time to seize the dream of the ‘OKC model.’” [Brendan of WFNY]

And a programming note: as many of you know, the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery is Wednesday evening (8 PM EST). I’ll have a post up immediately after the Cavs’ selection has been announced, so you guys can feel free to turn that thing into a comment thread where you debate Kidd-Gilchrist vs. Beal, yell about Anthony Davis, or try to talk yourselves into Andre Drummond or PJ3. We’ll also, since we will finally know where (and possibly whom) the Cavs will be picking, start shifting our attention toward the draft. Mallory will put together a podcast or two; I’ll write a couple draft-related longform-y things; and Kevin will continue to provide you with in-depth pre-draft stuff. These are exciting times in Cavsland. Get excited, or, if you’re like me, all clammy-handed and nervous.

NBA Draft Lottery- 8:00 PM ET Wednesday on ESPN.

2012-05-28T15:41:21Z

The highly anticipated NBA draft lottery is now just two days away for the Bobcats organization and it’s fans. It seems that the chatter has been about the coveted number one overall pick for months now, almost as if it’s already in our possession. That, though unfortunate, is far from the truth and history can prove it.

ESPN Stats & Information digs deep into the lottery’s history and shows us that not only could the Bobcats miss out on the number one overall pick Wednesday night, they likely will.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/43945/bobcats-fighting-odds-in-lottery

Monday Bolts – 5.28.12

2012-05-28T15:12:51Z

Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com: “Durant also made a few nice plays as a half-court improvisor. It’s fun watching Kevin Durant be a playmaker, something that’s starting to happen a little more regularly. The pindown from Perkins has been Durant’s morning coffee within the Oklahoma City offense over the past year. So it was nice to see the Perkins screen result in a pass to the big men when Leonard tried to top-lock the action. Perkins rumbled hard to the hole, where Durant found him to extend the Thunder’s lead to seven.”

Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com: “Russell Westbrook was wearing huge brown glasses after Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, glasses that were as showy and useless as he was during the game. See, his glasses had no lenses. I’m not telling you he was wearing clear lenses. I’m telling you, he had no lenses. Just huge brown frames. For show. Which offers a certain symmetry, given the way Westbrook played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in their 101-98 loss to the Spurs on Sunday night. A three-point game? Sounds close. Sounds exciting down the stretch.”

Matt Moore for PBT: “Are there tangible things Durant can do better? It’s hard to say. Should Westbrook or Harden improve? Undeniably. But Durant has the most advantages, as usual, more than usual. It was clear from the start. Durant is going to have to be more than just a scoring machine. He has to be dominant in every area, making a difference on every level. That’s how good the Spurs are.”

Berry Tramel: “Kevin Durant was finding ways to score and Russell Westbrook was throwing himself all over the court with unbridled energy and Thabo Sefolosha and his defensive-minded big men were keeping the Spurs at bay. Through three quarters, the Thunder looked all grown up. Looked capable of knocking off the Spurs, who hadn’t lost in 46 days. Looked capable of making the NBA Finals. Then suddenly, the Thunder looked scared. Dazed. Confused. Young. Awfully young.”

Darnell Mayberry: “This has got to be a gut-wrenching loss for the Thunder. Every player knew they let one slip away. A nine-point fourth quarter lead, on the road, in a game you had to have to snatch home-court advantage. You can only shake your head after the way the Thunder tightened up and blew this one. It was there for the taking, and the Thunder couldn’t take it. It’s the same old story when these two teams meet. If I didn’t know better, I’d say this has the potential to be pretty demoralizing.”

Jan Hubbard of SI.com: “While four key players for the Thunder are 23 or younger, they have obviously benefitted from deep playoff runs the last two years. They play loosely and confidently. But the issue that arose Sunday was whether they can play with focus and, when needed, restraint. When they were at their best in Game 1, that’s how the Spurs played — well, like that with a nice dose of nastiness thrown in for the head coach.”

Fran Blinebury of NBA.com: “These were the Spurs that nobody had seen in more than a month while they were rolling over opponents by more than a dozen points a game. These were Spurs not cutting diamonds, but using jackhammers. These were the Spurs that Gregg.i.am demanded to see and that No. 3 coaxed and cajoled and inspired through the fourth quarter, some of the attitude that is unmatched anywhere. Well, almost. “You wanna see nasty?” asked a grinning Jackson. “Go interview my wife. That’s nasty.” Note to Durant: Run if you see Mrs. Jackson loosening up.”

J.A. Adande of ESPN.com: “Hope is a dangerous concept in the NBA this time of year. There’s much more comfort to be found in probabilities and trends. The good news for the Thunder is that Harden shot 59 percent against the Spurs in the three regular-season games and got to the free-throw line seven times per game. The bad news is the Spurs didn’t have Ginobili in those games. And right now San Antonio has the O.G. Ginobili, and the Thunder have a duplicate made by a copy machine that’s low on toner.”

The Flaming Lips wrote a Thunder song.

Ethan Sherwood Strauss of HoopSpeak: “When Harden predictably slashed towards his open strong-side lane, he was easy to time-up, easy to thwart. When Harden attempted to go against the grain on the left side of the court, his shaky right hand was an issue. On the right side of the court, he was shaded so heavily that leftward drives weren’t a consideration. It’s impossible to prevent James Harden from beating his man left when he has the rock on the court’s left side. Perhaps Popovich knew that he couldn’t prevent this anymore than the Drug War could prevent drug use. So instead of fighting the inexorable, the Spurs dealt with the predictable–like one of those savvy Nordic nations. In doing so, San Antonio made their success inevitable.”

Jesse Blanchard of 48 Minutes of Hell: “In that fourth quarter the San Antonio Spurs attempted 18 free throws. Prior to that they managed a meager seven for the game. Some of the credit belongs to backup center Tiago Splitter for drawing two quick fouls to start the fourth. Though his free throw shooting has dropped of a cliff in these playoffs, his ability to draw fouls still remains an overall plus, especially when it helps get the Spurs in the bonus early–at which time Manu Ginobili feasts on drawing fouls and getting free throws (five fourth quarter attempts).”

Look Who Showed Up To Yesterday’s 8th Avenue Spectacular in Sunset Park, Brooklyn

2012-05-28T15:38:00Z

#HelloBrooklyn

Miami-Boston: Why This Year Will Be Different

2012-05-28T15:06:26Z

“I love where we are at. I told them after the game, ‘This is exactly where we thought we would be, and we’re going to Miami.’”
Doc Rivers after Game 7

We’ve had more than 24 hours now to settle in and digest the reality that the Boston Celtics hung in there and survived the road to the Eastern Conference Finals. It wasn’t a pretty ride, but they don’t award points based on whom you beat or how you beat them. The fact you get there is the only thing that matters.

And now we are left with another showdown in South Beach. The Celtics are bruised and battered and missing four rotation players. Yet here they are facing a Heat team they’ve been incredibly competitive with over the past couple seasons that will be without Chris Bosh for much, if not all of this series.

Despite this reality, literally no one outside the greater New England area gives Boston a legitimate chance to win this series. I’ve seen the countless predictions and as I’ve looked through them all, I can’t help but reflect on a few key pieces of information.

Let’s start with the series last year. I know, last year is last year and both teams are different but hear me out. Outside of The Big Four, (and Delonte West) the Celtics got nothing out of their supporting cast against Miami last year. Literally nothing. Jeff Green was struggling to get his training wheels off, Glen Davis was mirred in a deep funk, Jermaine O’Neal was well Jermaine O’Neal (and also was playing with a broken wrist), and Nenad Krstic was glued to the bench for the first four games.

Despite all of this, the Celtics were still on the verge of tying this series at 2-2 in 2011, despite having a point guard playing with one arm, and despite the fact the C’s were playing with a small lineup for one the first times all season in the crunch time on Game 4, because Davis and Green couldn’t be trusted out there.

Oh yes, the elbow injury though. Remember that?

Listen, let’s be real here. Despite this gruesome injury last year’s team wasn’t going anywhere. After the Perkins deal, and the numerous buyout signings late in the season, the Celtics were a shell of themselves, limping to the finish line down the stretch before sweeping an overmatched Knicks team in the first round.

Glen Davis fell off the map, Rajon Rondo was moping and hurt and the Celtics had lost their interior presence and enforcer in Perk. Despite that trainwreck, the C’s still gave the Heat a pretty competitive five-game series, that almost certainly would have gone longer had Rondo been at full strength.

That’s enough about last year though. Rondo doesn’t want to hear it.

“Last year is in the past. This year we are a totally different team. We feel we can beat Miami. Obviously we got to this point. There’s no doubt in my mind that we can, so we got to go down there and take care of business.”

And you know what? He’s absolutely right. This isn’t last year. Last year they were a mess. Now? Despite all of the injuries, they’re still collectively better than the group that lost to Miami last year.

Now, the C’s have guys they can count on in supporting roles. They have a wingman in Mickael Pietrus who can match up with either LeBron James or Dwayne Wade. They have a power forward in Brandon Bass capable of big scoring nights when the bright lights are on. They have a gritty bench who have responded to the challenge when Doc has called upon them to this postseason (see Game 2: Atlanta). The team collectively has the experience of playing with a small lineup for much of the postseason, instead of just being thrust into it in the heat of the moment.

Perhaps most importantly, the Celtics have guys they can trust. This unit (save for Ryan Hollins) has been together through thick and thin this season. They know each other, they’ll fight for each other and play for each other. They don’t make it easy or pretty necessarily but when push comes to shove, they have found a way to get it done when it counts.

You also have a Big Three along with their captain Rondo who have great continuity and are hungrier than ever right now. They know the proverbial clock is ticking and realize they won’t see another year in the Eastern Conference anytime soon in all likelihood where they will be able to avoid having to get through Chicago and Miami on their way to an NBA Finals. This is house money for them, and they won’t take it for granted. Playing against a team that won’t have a guy that averaged a double-double against the C’s last year in Bosh.

The biggest point though is this year the Celtics know who they are. The “cool” Celtics have left the building, and instead this one has been built on grit.

“This season, with a lot of injuries, people counted us out. Doc just came into the locker room one day and said that we just have to be a grind team,” Brandon Bass said after Game 7 Saturday. “We might not blow teams out, teams might go on big runs but he just wants us to have resolve as a team and fight. That is what we’ve been able to do.”

This team has been grinding it out for three-plus months now and it’s got them ready for their ultimate test.

“It is what it is. We’re up for the challenge,” Paul Pierce acknowledged. “We know how tough it is to win in this league, especially in the playoffs. We know how hard it is to win a championship. So we expect this to be tough.”

Kevin Garnett has appeared to be watching some highlights of Bill Belichick press conferences as well.

“It’s what it is, man. (The Heat are) playing well right now,” Garnett explained. “They beat a very tough Indiana team. I think LeBron and Wade are playing at high levels right now. We have a lot of confidence in ourselves, so it should be an interesting series.”

I agree Kevin, even if the rest of the basketball world doesn’t.

“This is the cream of the cream,” Garnett continued. “This is what it’s all about, conference finals. We definitely don’t like the way we left last year, so we’ll see what happens, man. We’ll see what happens. Let’s get it on.”

Back in the underdog role this team relishes it, I expect nothing less than a seven-game series and an ending that may shock almost everyone who watches it.

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

2012-05-28T15:00:38Z

Info

Measurables: 6-foot-7, 232 pounds, freshman F from Kentucky
Key Stats: 11.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 26 percent from three
Projected: Top 5

Why I’m intrigued by this guy

The easy answer is that if the Pistons are in a position to draft Kidd-Gilchrist, it means they’ve moved into the top three of the draft lottery, certainly reason for any fan of the team to be excited.

But Kidd-Gilchrist is also a throwback Piston who would quickly become a fan-favorite, not only because he’s a fantastic athlete, but because he’s a lockdown, physical defensive player. As we all know, the Pistons have an abundance of finesse players right now. Getting a young player with MKG’s toughness would be a huge, huge win.

Pros for the Pistons

As I mentioned above, defense is the immediate selling point. Kidd-Gilchrist is a big, strong perimeter player who can guard three positions. The Pistons currently only have two players (if Ben Wallace retires) — Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince — who can even be called average defensively.

And speaking of Prince, Kidd-Gilchrist would immediately give the Pistons more flexibility when it comes to what to do with Prince. Unlike some wing prospects in the draft, Kidd-Gilchrist is ready for a starting or at least primary role immediately. This would make it easier to reduce Prince’s minutes (which, in my opinion, would make him more effective) or trade him if there are teams out there looking for veteran help at small forward and who are unafraid to take on three pricey years on his contract even though he’s on the wrong side of 30.

Kidd-Gilchrist is an exceptional athlete, a good finisher and he’d be a great fit finishing off breaks led by either Stuckey or Brandon Knight. He’s also a great rebounder for his position and, despite poor perimeter shooting, still shot nearly 50 percent as a perimeter player. He’d be a huge, immediate upgrade for the Pistons at the small forward spot.

Cons for the Pistons

The main knock on MKG to this point is shooting. He’s not a major threat from long range. In a lineup with Stuckey who, although improved, is also not what anyone would mistake for a 3-point threat and Knight, who shot better than expected from three as a rookie but also may not necessarily be anyone’s idea of a 3-point specialist, the Pistons could potentially put a pretty poor shooting perimeter on the court for big minutes, which would take driving lanes away from all three.

That’s really the only negative anyone has to say about MKG, and it’s certainly not anything that would scare the Pistons or any team off from likely drafting him in the first four picks.

What others are saying

Chad Ford:

Kidd-Gilchrist doesn’t have Davis’ size or athletic ability (though he’s a great athlete in his own right), but he brings all the intangibles of a winner. He has the highest motor of any player in the draft, can lock down players at three different positions, is one of the most efficient finishers in college basketball and is a leader on and off the court.

Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t quite the sure thing that Davis is, however. He’s a little undersized for his position and needs to get a more consistent jump shot. Some teams wonder if he’ll be an aggressive enough scorer at the next level. But for the most part, the NBA talent evaluators are sold. We have Kidd-Gilchrist ranked No. 2 on our Big Board and have him going No. 2 overall to the Washington Wizards in our Lottery Mock Draft. If Washington decides to take Bradley Beal instead of Kidd-Gilchrist, we doubt MKG slides out of the top five.

DraftExpress:

He really understands the nuances of making others better with his ability to set screens, pass, and make hustle plays, which is likely a big reason why he’s always been considered such a winner from very early on in his career.

The (Ohio) Morning Journal:

Kidd-Gilchrist changed his name on July 7, 2011. His uncle, Darrin Kidd, died on the day Kidd-Gilchrist was scheduled to sign his letter of intent to play at Kentucky.

NJ.com:

Gilchrist has talked with a stutter for most of his life. He isn’t comfortable in the large group settings that are the norm in his sport, where strangers leaning close and interrupt each other with questions.

Kanaley taught him for four years at St. Patrick, working with him one-on-one in the resource room at the school. She remembers him as “a very, very sensitive young man” who didn’t like reading assignments that dealt with death; he calls her “one of my favorite teachers.”

So Kanaley understands the strain that his stuttering has put on Kidd-Gilchrist better than most. Put him in a social situation with his friends or teammates, and Gilchrist is at ease and speaks freely.

But when you’re a star for the No. 1 team in the country who’s about to be a lottery pick in the NBA Draft, everyone knows you. There are obligations beyond the court and the classroom.

“He doesn’t like all the hoopla around him,” Kanaley said. “I know the stuttering was very difficult for him – very difficult.”

What is the best thing Michael Kidd-Gilchrist does for his team?

Rob Dauster (follow him on Twitter) writes for NBC’s College Basketball Talk and BallinIsAHabit.net :

There is plenty to love about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as a prospect, but his best attributes as a player are the things that you can’t teach. He’s naturally strong. He’s more physical that his frame would indicate. He’s a terrific defender, often times getting switched onto an opponent’s point guard in his one season in Lexington. He’s a terror on the glass. Kidd-Gilchrist has a way to go in terms of developing his ball skills — he needs to be a better ball-handler and he has to improve his ability to shoot — but that will come with time. It’s just my opinion, however, but I’d rather have a player the inherent tenacity and toughness that needs to be taught a 15 foot pull-up than vice versa.

Previously

So… we look a little different

2012-05-28T15:01:04Z

Nets are Scorching got a little sick in the past couple of weeks, so we had to re-vamp and re-tool the website for the time being. The site looks different, but still has all the content and happiness you came here for.

We’re still tweaking and sneaking behind the scenes to get everything taken care of, so things might change here and there over the coming days and weeks. This is also temporary; we’ll also have a brand new layout before the season starts.

Thanks as always for reading, connecting, conversing, and all the other gerunds you do here.

The Margin: San Antonio Spurs 101, Oklahoma City Thunder 98

2012-05-28T14:40:20Z

The Margin is a quick one topic per difference in the final score, a format originated by Rob Mahoney over at the Dallas Mavericks TrueHoop blog The Two Man Game, borrowed initially by our own Graydon Gordian, and written by me for this edition. Since a last second, irrelevant James Harden three-pointer trimmed the number of points at my disposal, I will try to cram as much as I can into these three bullets:

Oklahoma City certainly has an explosive trio in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. Beyond them, however, there is little offensive depth and almost no shot creating to speak of. Even with their top three players in the game, the Thunder often field lineups with two complete non-factors on offense. The most obvious advantage is that the Spurs can clog the driving lanes that Westbrook (7-21, 17 points) and Harden (7-17, 19 points) thrive on. The underrated one is with a stationary matchup to defend the Spurs can finally play sharpshooter Gary Neal extended minutes alongside Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the clutch. In Game 1 Neal scored seven of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, connecting on 3-4 shots and playing almost the entirety of a 39-point fourth quarter.
In that fourth quarter the San Antonio Spurs attempted 18 free throws. Prior to that they managed a meager seven for the game. Some of the credit belongs to backup center Tiago Splitter for drawing two quick fouls to start the fourth. Though his free throw shooting has dropped of a cliff in these playoffs, his ability to draw fouls still remains an overall plus, especially when it helps get the Spurs in the bonus early–at which time Manu Ginobili feasts on drawing fouls and getting free throws (five fourth quarter attempts).
His role has lessened since his first stint here in San Antonio, his numbers declining, but Stephen Jackson still has some valuable contributions left for this team. Gregg Popovich and his teammates have an unwavering trust in Jackson, as evident by him playing the entirety of the fourth quarter–all of it guarding the NBA’s most potent scorer. In Game 1 Jackson validated that trust, doing an admirable job in denying Durant easy catches and holding him up long enough for help defenders to arrive. That he hit a big three-pointer in the fourth quarter just adds to the mythology of Stephen Jackson in San Antonio.

Jonas Jerebko’s summer focus – ball-handling and shooting – don’t thrill me

2012-05-28T14:04:00Z

Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:

Those are the two points of emphasis for Jerebko this summer in skills work – ballhandling and shooting, ballhandling to get him to favorable spots and shooting from all angles and ranges, expanding on a versatility that could be his ticket to a greater role as he develops among a young Pistons core.

Jerebko started training camp at a robust 235 pounds but couldn’t maintain that level once the season started, playing in the 220s. A similar thing happened to him during his NBA rookie season, but this season his inability to maintain weight was even more pronounced because the lockout schedule left very little time for weight training.

He’s preparing to be ready to play both spots next season, he said, not worrying about adding bulk to be better equipped to defend power forwards or to focus on the perimeter skills more common to small forwards.

“I’ve got to be ready for both, so I’ve got to get my body ready for both,” he said. “My game has never been about bulk and be 250 and bang. That’s not my game, so I’m not going to do that. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and work on my game, all aspects, and be ready for the three and the four. I’ve got to know all the plays, even at the two and the five, so I’m not going to bulk up to 250 and play inside.”

He would like to get to 235 or 240, though, he said. In Italy, where he played small forward, the one-game-per-week schedule allowed him to maintain his weight at 235, Jerebko said.

I’ve advocated for Jonas Jerebko not to worry as much about mid-range shooting and ball-handling, at least as long as he’s on this roster. The Pistons already have enough players who do those things and need the ball in their hands. Detroit needs more players like Jerebko, who can contribute without the ball, not for him to turn into one.

Obviously, Jerebko working on those two skills is fine, and anything he does to improve is good. I know I’m nitpicking, but I just wish shooting and dribbling weren’t his priorities.

Instead, I’d love to see his main focus be lateral quickness. Jerebko has All-Defense potential as a small forward, but after a year playing power forward, he could improve his foot speed on the perimeter.

Notes on the run: Conference Finals heart attack

2012-05-28T13:31:38Z

Sometimes I am happy that I write for a blog, instead of an all-important sports mega-conglomerate. Games like this one would be completely ruined if told from an unbiased perspective. There is an aspect of basketball that can only be appreciated through the pounding heart of a fan, that guy that covers his eyes as Tiago walk to the free throw line, but peeks through his fingers because he just cannot miss any second of this game. No matter how painful Tiago insists on making it.

Despite my relatively recent arrival to San Antonio, I have already been to the AT&T Center quite a few times. My one complaint has always been the crowd, the fans. The best ones are relegated to the nosebleeds, and their best efforts seem to have little effect on the owner of the plush lower seats. The lulls in cheering and lackadaisical chanting always made me question whether fans were really a factor in the “advantage” part of the coveted home court advantage. Tonight was different. The Spurs fans were loud and active, and every small run was accompanied by a cacophony of relieved or excited cheers.
I still do not know what impact this may have on weathered NBA veterans, but I know it had an effect on me, and the people around me. Maybe that is good enough.

Coming into the series, I imagined that free throws might be one of the keys. The Thunder have three players that average more free throw attempts than any of our players, and they all shot at a higher percentage than any of our players, with the notable exception of Manu Ginobili. The star calls Durant always enjoys, compounded with the extra physicality of the playoffs, could put the Spurs in a difficult position. During the first three quarters of the game, free throws helped the Thunder earn easy points during stretches were nothing came easy to a sloppy Spurs offense, and Tiago Splitter proved that the extra pressure of the playoffs has undone his once-improved shooting form. Witnessing the Lovecraftian horror that was his free throw airball, I could not help but wonder why coach Scott Brooks did not resort to a simple hack-a-Tiago. The immediate benefits seem evident: increased minutes and responsibility for Boris Diaw and Tim Duncan. However, making Gregg Popovich to relegate Tiago to the bench would represent a more important victory. For the first time in these playoffs, the Spurs would have to react to their opponents, play a game other than their own.

On a game in which Derek Fisher took a dive in the fountain of youth, going for 13 points in 8 shots, it is impossible not to wonder whether having Neal covering him on the key moments of the game was a good idea. For two years and counting, Neal has turned opposing guards into so many miniature Dwayne Wades. How is it that Neal was able to stay on the floor tonight during the 4th quarter, then? Why do we need 23 minutes of Gary Neal even when facing line-ups where it is at the very least difficult to “hide him” on a poor offensive player? Because, right now, he might just be the best shooter in the NBA. Listen to this: Synergy Sports shows that Neal is currently leading the playoffs in scoring efficiency at 1.2 points per-possession. Gary Neal is a player of ultimate confidence, and his steady hand has extended that confidence to me. Nowadays, my reaction to every one of his missed shots is absolute disbelief. There is no other Spur I would trust more with the game on the line, in a score-or-die situation.

If there was a player that would react to a call for “nasty” by Coach Popovich, that player is Manu Ginobili. At the risk of preaching to the choir, Manu is a player that seems more in contact than most with that gritty edge that can swing basketball games, win contested balls, turn physical play into reasons to attack the basket with that much energy. As the minutes passed, Ginobili’s game turned crisper, until he found that zone that allows him to split the screens through impeccable timing and explosions of movement. If there is one thing that should put a smile on your face as you look forward to what will certainly be a long and difficult series, it is the return of this facet of Manu Ginobili.

Standing near Stephen Jackson as he grins at the swarm of cameras that surrounds him, talking about being the veteran presence that Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green may need during their first steps in the league, I have to try really hard not to fall for the compelling and popular story of his basketball redemption. Even through the typical formalities and the mechanical cadence of these NBA locker room interviews, his happiness at his current situation shines through. He is a transparent man, without any obvious guile. He talks about second opportunities and about contributing to a team, being part of a group, one of the guys, and he is always ready to regale the reporters with a funny quote or three. I am not sure if redemption can be gained through timely three-pointers and suffocating defense. I am not certain that Jackson needs to be redeemed, in fact. What I do know is that this season would be poorer without him.
I do not need any new reasons to cheer for the Spurs, but if I did, Stephen Jackson would be that reason.

OKC playing small won’t hurt the Spurs

2012-05-28T13:17:50Z

In recent comments about the Spurs, Mike D’Antoni said this of the Spurs’ defeat of his Seven Seconds or Less Suns, which were among the great offensive teams in NBA history:

“Back in ’05 and ’07, (the Spurs) played better small ball than we did,” D’Antoni said. “We had always been the best at spreading the floor, moving the ball and hitting threes, but they did it better, and they also had Robert Horry to bring in as an X-factor.

“It was a misnomer to say they beat us on the inside. They spread out better than we did. Pop has always had that element in his game, and it’s evolved into what it is now.”

Perhaps Gregg Popovich’s least understood yet most valuable coaching instincts is his willingness to match. Unlike Don Nelson, a Popovich mentor whom loved to dictate matchups, Gregg Popovich prefers to match opponents, finding guys on his bench that best match whatever unit the opposing coach puts on the floor.

What Mike D’Antoni knows well, Scott Brooks is about to learn.

Coming into the series, smart basketball observers like Kevin Arnovitz called on the Thunder to play more with Kevin Durant at the four. The Thunder went to that configuration during last night’s loss to the Spurs.

It didn’t work.

The Mike D’Antoni quote above is instructive, and it provides an important storyline for this series. The Thunder will undoubtedly return to a Durant-at-the-four lineup this series, but will it matter? Or, put differently, does that lineup hurt or help the Spurs?

Prior to the start of the series, John Hollinger anticipated this maneuver:

A lineup [the Thunder are] likely to use more regularly, however, is with Durant at the 4. This forces a major adjustment for San Antonio, which must either attempt to hide Diaw or Bonner on a perimeter player or go to a smaller lineup of its own. Oklahoma City’s lineups with Durant at the 4 this season were extremely productive — of the six small-ball lineups that played more than 20 minutes, five outscored opponents by more than 12.0 points per 48 minutes.

The average for those lineups was plus-13.0 in 479 minutes, accounting for nearly a third of the Thunder’s point differential edge on the season; the rest of the time the Thunder were plus-4.8…

That’s the good news. The bad news is that they used these lineups against the Spurs in the regular season and still got beat. The Thunder used four smalls for 18, 16 and 28 minutes, respectively, in the three regular-season meetings.

There is no doubt that small is the best way for the Thunder to play. Zach Lowe makes a compelling case: “The Thunder were plus-19 over 43 minutes [in the regular season] against San Antonio when they used Durant at power forward…”

But I’m not convinced. The counter from Popovich is easy (especially now that Ginobili is available—Pop did not have Manu for any minutes against the Thunder earlier this season). Pop simply covers Kevin Durant with Stephen Jackson or Kawhi Leonard, both of whom are more than capable of playing smallball power forward, and gleefully runs a squad of perimeter scorers toward the scorer’s table.

And that’s exactly what he did last night.

Durant played the entire 4th quarter. The Thunder ran with either Collison or Perkins at center and surrounded Durant with Fisher, Westbrook, and Harden for most of it, although Dequan Cook provided OKC with a short stint at the outset and Thabo Sefolosha was subbed for Fisher late in the fourth quarter.

None of that mattered.

The Thunder ran minus for all but the final minute, which was punctuated by garbage time desperation three point attempts.

Stephen Jackson played Durant as well as any coach could expect, and the Spurs took advantage of the opportunity to play the offensively potent three guard lineup of Parker, Ginobili, and Neal. This group was plus-11. Neal, who also played the entire fourth quarter, ran plus-15.

During last night’s game, @mysynergysports tweeted that “despite [an ill-advised] heat check 3, Gary Neal is still leading the playoffs in scoring efficiency at 1.2 points per-possession.” I doubt Gregg Popovich minds seeing one of Parker, Ginobili, or Neal lined-up across from Derek Fisher or Dequan Cook. It’s something of an ideal scenario for the Spurs.

In most circumstances, smallball is helpful to the Thunder because it provides an opportunity to force a mismatch for their best player (Durant) and push the pace for a lineup that features Harden, Westbrook, and KD. But as LJ Ellis noted in his pre-series breakdown:

…we’ll hear a lot about how the Thunder want to take advantage of their young legs and get out and push the tempo. The truth, however, is the Thunder would be foolish to think that strategy would work against the Spurs. San Antonio is the most efficient transition team in the NBA and they become virtually unbeatable in fast paced games.

Consider this: In games in which there have been at least 94 possessions, the Spurs have won 21 straight games. Over the same time frame, the Thunder are 11-7 at games played at that pace.

The Spurs had 97 possessions last night. They’ve now won 22 straight in games with more than 94 possessions. The Thunder should re-think small. It’s the right approach most nights, and against most teams. It’s not the right approach against San Antonio.

Happy Memorial Day

2012-05-28T13:00:32Z

Vyacheslav Kravtsov reportedly on Pistons’ radar

2012-05-28T12:32:00Z

Jonathan Givony? of DraftExpress:

Yes. Heard they might sign Slava Kravtov too. RT @Hermaphro: Is Henson enough of a shot blocker to pair with monroe in Detroit? ?#dxchat?

Kravtsov, a 7-foot Ukrainian center, went undrafted in 2009 and played for the 2010 Celtics summer league team. I figure the Pistons are also looking at him for the summer league. Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com analyzed Kravtsov in 2010:

Last year in the Ukranian Superleague, Kravstof averaged 14.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and a league leading 2.7 blocks in 29 minutes per game; to put that into some context, the league’s second best shotblocker was former NBA draft pick and serial Ethiopian adopter, Dan McClintock, at 1.9bpg.

Unfortunately, Kravtsov’s offensive game is not as nice. He scores highly in the Ukraine, but it’s born through size advantage alone. Kravs cannot post, shoot or hit foul shots, and while he can pass the ball and make shots around the basket, someone else has to get him the look. (And even then, he might drop the pass.) He shot 70% from the field, but he also turned it over 2.6 times a game, and it wasn’t as an offensive creator. Kravtsov is intriguing because of his size, defensive presence and decent athleticism

Knicks Morning News (Monday, May 28 2012)

2012-05-28T09:30:15Z

[New York Times] N.B.A. Playoffs | Western Conference Finals Game 1: Spurs 101, Thunder 98: Strong Finish Boosts Spurs in Game 1 (Mon, 28 May 2012 06:13:36 GMT) Manu Ginobili scored 26 points as the Spurs, who are undefeated in the playoffs, beat the Thunder in the first game of the Western Conference finals. [New [...]

Red reign forecast? Olympiacos on brink of Greek title after beating Panathinaikos, 84-72

2012-05-28T07:48:04Z

Olympiacos shrugged off both history and the Dimitris Diamantidis-Mike Batiste duo last night in taking game three of the Greek League championship series over rivals Panathinaikos, 84-72. With a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, the Reds are poised to take its first domestic league title since 1997; historians will of course note that ’97 marked Olympiacos’ last Euroleague championship until 2012 – and a string of six consecutive runner-up finishes could be broken.

The Reds got out to a 7-0 lead which expanded to 20-8 within the first quarter and ballooned to a 78-55 advantage in the fourth quarter before Olympiacos took feet off the pedal. Individually speaking, several Oly players contributed memorable performances: Euroleague heroes Vassilis Spanoulis and Giorgios Printezis were good for 31 points together while Marko Keselj added 10. Joey Dorsey grabbed eight offensive rebounds in snagging a game-high nine boards overall.

Of particular note, however, was Pero Antic. Playing an overtly physical game, Antic continuously frustrated the likes of Stratos Perperoglou, Kostas Kaimakoglou and even Ian Vougioukas when coach Obradovic called on him: These three committed 10 fouls in a combined 54 minutes of floor time, and the Greens racked up 29 PFs as a team.

The result was the freedom for Olympiacos’ shooters to jack up threes – the Reds were 11-of-22 beyond the arc on the night – and to dominate possession time. Plus, we get this classic, utterly European basketball highlight clip that demonstrates how intangibles can rule a game.

Game four will be played in Athens on Wednesday night.