May 2013 – Page 23 – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Pacers rebound with 106-83 rout of Hawks in Game 5

Frank Vogel made a few simple lineup adjustments and a strong pregame pitch. It was just what the Pacers needed Wednesday night.

Indiana played more physical and more focused basketball than Atlanta, and for the first time in this best-of-seven series played defense the way Vogel has been coaching it all season. Against all that, Atlanta never had a chance.

Veteran David West broke out of a series-long funk to score 24 points, Paul George finished with another double-double and Indiana pulled away for a 106-83 victory to take a 3-2 lead over the Hawks.

”We needed to re-establish our confidence,” said Vogel, the Pacers coach. ”We’re still a young team. We needed to re-establish our ability to slow them down.”

Indiana did that and a whole lot more on a night in which it was virtually flawless.

West looked like his old self backing down defenders, then spinning away to hit his trademark step-back shots. George went making 7 of 8 shots from the field, finishing with 10 rebounds and five assists – another strong showing in a series he’s dominated in Indiana’s three wins.

Vogel changed the rotations, keeping some starters with the second unit to add scoring punch. And after posting the best defensive field goal percentage in the NBA this season, the Pacers finally managed to hold Atlanta under 50 percent shooting.

— Reported by Michael Marot of the Associated Press

Durant, Thunder struggling to close out Rockets

Without All-Star Russell Westbrook running the point, Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder are struggling to close out the Houston Rockets.

So much for a sweep. This is suddenly a series.

James Harden scored 31 points and sank seven 3-pointers while fighting flu-like symptoms, and the Rockets beat Oklahoma City 107-100 Wednesday night to pull within 3-2 in their first-round playoff series.

Harden made the first seven 3s he tried and Houston led by as many as 16 to win its second straight, getting halfway to becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit.

”We just came out here and played pressure free. Go out there and just hoop, that was our mindset going into the game,” Harden said. ”The same thing back at home: just go out there and hoop. We’re an eighth seed. Nobody’s expecting us to win. So just give it what we’ve got. Simple.”

The Rockets have made it look much easier since Westbrook was lost for the rest of the playoffs to knee surgery before Game 3. With back-to-back wins, Houston had Durant blaming himself for just about anything that went wrong for the Thunder even though he scored 36 points and almost single-handedly kept his team in the game.

When asked about how first-time starter Reggie Jackson has done filling in for the injured Westbrook, Durant faulted himself for demanding the ball too often from the young point guard. When questioned about Kevin Martin’s awful three-point performance on 1-for-10 shooting, Durant offered that he needed to be more encouraging to the sixth man.

— Reported by Jeff Latzke of the Associated Press

Proud Celtics making stand against Knicks

It might be the last Celtics stand for the tandem of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett but they showed their class and determination as Boston humbled the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

Age, a lack of depth on the roster and the strains of the National Basketball Association salary cap have put the Boston future of Garnett and Pierce in doubt but the gritty veterans refuse to go out quietly this postseason.

Teetering on the brink of elimination down 3-0 in their best-of-seven series, the Celtics won an overtime thriller in Boston to stay alive and followed with a 92-86 win on Wednesday to send the series back to Boston for Game Six on Friday.

The 36-year-old Garnett, in his 18th season after entering the NBA out of high school, scored 16 points and hauled down 18 rebounds in nearly 39 minutes on the floor.

Pierce, 35, who has played all 15 years of his NBA career in Boston, matched his running mate with 16 points and logged more than 44 minutes on court as the Celtics outbattled the Knicks using just seven players.

— Reported by Larry Fine of Reuters

Dwight Howard health update: No shoulder surgery needed

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard, who was diagnosed with a torn labrum after originally injuring his right shoulder on January 4th against the Clippers, was examined today by Dr. James Tibone of the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Group.

Howard, who missed six games this season due to the injury, was advised that surgery is not necessary at this time.

In 76 games this season, Howard averaged 17.1 points, a league-high 12.4 rebounds and 2.45 blocks in 35.8 minutes, while finishing second league-wide with a .578 field goal percentage.

Damian Lillard wins 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the Year award

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is the recipient of the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced today. Lillard was a unanimous selection, having totaled 605 points as he received all 121 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers was the last unanimous selection (2010-11).

The New Orleans Hornets’ Anthony Davis finished second with 306 points and the Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal finished third with 94 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

Among first-year players, Lillard ranked first in scoring (19.0 ppg), assists (6.5 apg) and minutes (38.6 mpg). According to NBA.com/Stats, the Trail Blazers had an offensive rating of 105.0 points (per 100 possessions) when Lillard was on the court compared with 93.5 points (per 100 possesions) when the first-year player was on the bench. When on the court, Lillard assisted on 36.5 percent of Portland’s field goals while scoring 23.9 percent of his team’s points.

Lillard, the sixth overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft, made a clean sweep of the NBA Rookie of the Month Award in the Western Conference this season. He set an NBA rookie record by making 185 three-point field goals, surpassing the 166 triples made by Golden State’s Stephen Curry during his 2009-10 rookie campaign.

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Milwaukee Bucks not keeping Jim Boylan as head coach

The Milwaukee Bucks will begin a search immediately for a new head coach after informing Jim Boylan that he will not be offered a new contract, General Manager John Hammond announced. The decision was made after Hammond met with Boylan Wednesday morning at the Bucks Training Center in St. Francis, Wis.

“At this time we feel it’s in the best interest of the organization to seek a new coach to lead our team,” said Hammond. “We appreciate Jim’s efforts not only in his time as head coach, but in his entire tenure as a coach in Milwaukee. On behalf of the Bucks organization, I thank Jim for his five years here and his many contributions on and off the court. We wish Jim and his wife, Jane, the best.”

Boylan compiled a 22-28 record (.440) after replacing Scott Skiles as head coach on Jan. 8. The Bucks were swept by Miami in the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, 4-0.

Boylan, 58, had been the lead assistant coach for the Bucks the past four seasons, joining the team after finishing the final 56 games (24-32, .429) of the 2007-08 season as the interim head coach of the Chicago Bulls. His NBA coaching career began in 1992 with Cleveland, and he has also served as an assistant with Vancouver (1997-2000), Phoenix (2000-02), Atlanta (2003-04) and Chicago (2004-08).

The starting point guard of the Marquette Warriors 1977 NCAA Championship team, Boylan led the team in assists during his junior and senior seasons before being selected by the Buffalo Braves in the 1978 NBA Draft. Boylan’s coaching career began as a player/coach in Switzerland (1982-86) where he led the Vevey Basketball club to the first championship in its 30-year history. He also coached in the CBA (Rochester Renegade), with Michigan State (1986-89) and served as the head coach at the University of New Hampshire (1989-92).

According to ESPN.com, “Houston Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson, who is already a candidate for the Charlotte Bobcats’ opening, will be among the candidates considered to replace Boylan, a source told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein. Boylan took over as interim coach in January after Scott Skiles was fired and went 22-28 for the rest of the season. Milwaukee was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat.”

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Paul Pierce has no retirement plans yet

Pierce said he has no plans of retiring after this season.

“Right now it’s year-by-year,” he said. “I expect to play another year next year and then evaluate after that. I always said I wanted to end my career as a Celtic. But they are the ones (with the decision). I have a year contract for next year but it’s not guaranteed so the decision’s in their hands. But whatever decision they make, maybe, if they trade me somewhere or I end up somewhere else maybe it could be a situation where I come back for a one-day deal and retire a Celtic.”

— Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Blog)

Kenneth Faried wins 2013 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets has been voted the 2012-13 winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, named after the second commissioner of the NBA and presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association to the player, coach or trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community

Faried won the NBA’s “Community Assist Award” for February in recognition of his outstanding efforts in the community and his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work, including his efforts to champion equality and bring awareness to the importance of respect and inclusion. Faried recently became a member of Athlete Ally, an organization that works to encourage acceptance of others and end homophobia in sports. In a show of support for equal rights, he attended the launch party for One Colorado to celebrate the passing of Senate Bill 11, The Colorado Civil Union Act. Faried also supported the message of inclusion by participating as an honorary coach at the 2013 NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Sports Basketball Game during NBA All-Star in Houston.

The Nuggets forward has been an integral part of the team’s community outreach efforts this season, having purchased a block of season tickets for distribution to children from Special Olympics Colorado, Denver Public Schools and the Denver Rescue Mission as part of the team’s community ticket program. Faried also joined the giveSPORTS Equipment Drive to provide inspiration and joy for individuals affected by the Colorado wildfires and the tragic shooting at the Aurora movie theater. As part of the NBA Cares Pediatric Cancer Awareness Campaign, Faried brought smiles to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital patients and families by treating the group to an unforgettable Team Fit clinic. Faried also donated and personally delivered 44 pairs of sneakers to a local middle school basketball team for use during the upcoming season. During his visit, he met with the team to discuss the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship and education.

“Kenneth’s commitment to equality and inclusion is praise-worthy,” said Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, president of the Professional Basketball Writers Association. “He has reached out to so many areas in need and touched so many different communities in Denver and Colorado that it is only right to celebrate his efforts.”

The PBWA comprises approximately 125 writers for newspapers, Internet services and magazines, who cover the NBA on a regular basis.

Other finalists nominated by PBWA members this year were Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks, Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls, Kyle Korver of the Atlanta Hawks, David Lee of the Golden State Warriors, Jason Terry of the Boston Celtics and Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Pistons interview Lindsey Hunter, Nate McMillan for coaching job

Lindsey Hunter and Nate McMillan have different coaching resumes.

Hunter, 42, is a relative coaching neophyte, with only 41 games under his belt.

McMillan, 48, has 101/2 seasons and five playoff appearances to his credit.

But there is one similarity — they are former players known for toughness they displayed during their playing careers.

And there is a thought that playing experience is helpful in navigating the pitfalls coaches face.

Both candidates have interviewed for the Pistons’ vacant head-coaching position — Hunter on Monday and McMillan on Tuesday.

— Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press

Dwight Howard to get shoulder examined

Dwight Howard has plenty on his mind beyond his pending free agency.

He also plans to see a doctor Wednesday to check up on the torn labrum in his right shoulder.

“Hopefully I don’t have to have surgery,” Howard said. “But whatever the case may be, I’m going to do whatever I can to get myself right this offseason.”

Howard didn’t have such a luxury last year. He remained sidelined last summer after having back surgery in April.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News Blog