October 2015 – Page 21 – NBA Blog

Defense the focus for these Nuggets

Defense the focus for these Nuggets

Here’s the Denver Post blog with insight on this season’s Nuggets squad:

Make no mistake about it, the Nuggets will be a defense-first basketball team. And to that end, much of what was drilled during the week was on that end of the court. Against the Clippers — and then Mavericks on Tuesday — [Nuggets coach Michael] Malone wants to see progress on that end of the court first. Success there will allow the team to get on the break on offense.

“The hope is if you have a solid defensive effort that we’re able to run off of our defense,” he said. “I think we have some guys on our team that are really suited to play up tempo, open court. I think Emmanuel Mudiay, the more we can put him in open court situations, the more he’s going to thrive. Offensively we know there are going to be some growing pains, but as long as we’re not throwing the ball all over the gym and we’re trying to execute, we’ll be okay, regardless of the outcome.”

…

Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari reported feeling “fresh” after the first couple of days of practices. He and forward Joffrey Lauvergne are coming off of playing in the EuroBasket 2015 tournament in the first couple of weeks of September. Both will be monitored for fatigue and held out as necessary, Malone said.

Suns get glimpse of Navy SEALs training

Suns players get glimpse of Navy SEALs training

It’s always fun to hear about the other types of training NBA players get exposed to. Some worked out with MMA fighters. As for the Suns, here’s the Arizona Republic reporting:

The Suns got a day off of practice, but it did not feel like it for more than two hours Thursday when they got just a morsel of what Navy SEALs bite off in training.

In the name of bonding, the Suns changed up the training-camp routine after two days of two-a-day practices and turned their training over to a pair of Navy SEALs.

Dressed in camouflage pants and their Suns training shirts, 18 tall men caught double takes across campus as they went through team-building exercises across the Northern Arizona University campus.

The work began in the Wall Aquatic Center, where the private workouts were caught on video by the NAU swim team as the Suns players interlocked arms and went under lane ropes in unison. The Suns also went across fields on campus, doing push-ups, situps and carrying logs as NAU students snapped photos.

“A lot of it is team building,” said Suns Vice President of Player Relations Mark West, who helped organize the idea with the athletic training staff.

Mavs get rare day of rest

Mavs get rare day of rest

Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on Mavs training camp, which is serious business, though some of the older and banged up players on the squad are likely happy to get a brief break:

On Friday, the fourth day of training camp, Mavericks players will rest. No practice. Has Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle gone soft?

Not whatsoever. Time off is prudent for a team that’s been going through two-a-day practices with several injured and/or older players who haven’t as yet taken part in 5-on-5 scrimmaging.

The list includes Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, Wesley Matthews, JaVale McGee and Deron Williams. That’s four of this season’s five projected starters and one-fourth of the 20-man camp roster.

“The hope is that we can get some of these guys to do a little bit more [Saturday],” Carlisle said.

With Dante Exum out, Trey Burke must step up

With Dante Exum out, Trey Burke must step up

Here’s the Deseret News reporting on guard Trey Burke, an intriguing young member of the Utah Jazz backcourt who this season has a golden opportunity to raise his value in this league while starter Dante Exum is out with a serious injury:

Burke enters his third NBA season having averaged 12.8 points per game last season, when his shooting percentages plummeted to 36.8 percent overall and 31.8 percent from 3-point range — and his struggling shooting nights were well documented. He also averaged 4.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds a game.

The 6-foot-1 guard, who was named the Collegiate Player of the Year while starring for the Michigan Wolverines in 2013, shed some weight during the offseason in an effort to improve his quickness and lateral movement.

What he can’t do, however, is replace Exum’s 6-foot-6 size and length, particularly on the defensive end of the court where guys Burke’s size often get taken advantage of.

“We’re just gonna have to have other guys pick up for (Exum),” said Utah’s leading scorer, Gordon Hayward. “We can’t really pick up his length or some of his speed on the defensive end, but the system will stay the same, the principles will stay the same, and we’ve got other guys that can step up.”

D`Angelo Russell nursing minor bruise in foot

D’Angelo Russell nursing minor bruise in foot

There are always lots of very minor semi-injuries in NBA training camp and preseason. Most won’t mean anything. And here’s one setback that hopefully is gone and forgotten very quickly, reported by the Los Angeles Daily News blog:

The Lakers absorbed their first injury of the 2015-16 season, with rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell missing the end of Thursday’s two hour morning session at Stan Sheriff Center because of a bone bruise in his right foot. Russell does not know how the injury happened, but he downplayed the severity of the injury. Russell also expressed optimism he will play in the evening scheduled later for Thursday.

“I feel fine, I’m doing the proper icing and taking care of it,” Russell said. “It’s just a little bruise.

Still, Russell conducted his post-practice interview sitting on a chair.

DeMar DeRozan looking for bounce-back year

DeMar DeRozan looking for bounce-back year

Here’s the National Post (Canada) reporting on Toronto Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who reportedly spent extra time this summer working on his 3-point shooting:

“Everyday I wake up, I take pride in being the longest Raptor here. People bring up third or whatever in franchise scoring — there is so much stuff like that.”

He went on to say that he knows if he performs well, and the team performs well, the money will take care of itself, which is true. It is also where things get interesting. DeRozan remains as polarizing as any marquee player in the league.

DeRozan followed his all-star season in 2013-14 with arguably his most dispiriting season. He missed 21 games early in the year with a groin injury, and had trouble finding his form when he returned. He shot 39 per cent on pull-up, catch-and-shoot two-pointers, and 36 per cent on pull-up two-pointers — down from 47 and 37 per cent, respectively, a year ago. DeRozan’s game, in the words of new assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse, is “an aberration” in today’s NBA because he focuses on his mid-range game. He still got to the free-throw line 7.4 times per 36 minutes, but it was not enough to prop up his falling percentages to match the efficiency of a year ago.

With that in mind, he put extra work into his three-point shot this summer, and not for the first time. DeRozan has always insisted that he could shoot the three-pointer, but he has just chosen to focus on other parts of his offensive game. Whatever the reason, he has never shot better than 31 per cent from long distance.

Anthony Tolliver will keep firing 3-pointers

Anthony Tolliver will keep firing 3-pointers

Here’s Michigan Live with insight on Anthony Tolliver, a Piston who, when in doubt, is going to shoot a three-pointer:

More than half of his career field-goal attempts have been 3-pointers, and the uptick over his last two seasons — with Charlotte two years ago, and Phoenix and Detroit last year — has been stark.

In those two analytics-friendly seasons, 89 percent of Tolliver’s attempts were either 3-pointers or within 3 feet of the rim.

A heavy majority of those, 537 of 700, or 76.7 percent of all his field-goal attempts, were 3-pointers. He made 38.7 percent.

He is a 35.6-percent shooter on 3-pointers in his seven NBA seasons, including 36.0 last year in 52 games with Detroit.

That is why, even when the Pistons are faced with some of the bigger power forwards in the league, Tolliver believes he can help to wear them down by forcing defenders to account for broad patches of floor, then sprinting to the other end to buzz around bigger players and combat size with activity and havoc.

Steve Kerr will take time off from Warriors for back rehab

The Golden State Warriors announced today that Head Coach Steve Kerr, who underwent surgery on his back to repair a ruptured disc in late July and a follow-up surgery in early September, will take a leave of absence from the team as he continues with rehabilitation and the recovery process. The length of Kerr’s absence is unknown and will be based on his progress.

“At this point, the most important thing is to make sure Steve is healthy, completely recovered and ready for not only the rigors of a long NBA season, but day-to-day life in general,” said Warriors General Manager Bob Myers. “We don’t anticipate the recovery process will be long term, but as of today we don’t know the exact timeframe. We’ll evaluate his progress daily and provide updates as necessary.”

“After the first two days of training camp, I realized I need to take a step back and focus on my rehabilitation in order to be ready for the grind of another NBA season,” said Kerr. “As I noted last week, my summer was difficult and no fun due to the multiple back surgeries. At this point, I simply want to get healthy and back to my normal daily routine on and off the court.”

Luke Walton, the team’s lead assistant coach, will serve as interim head coach in Kerr’s absence.

Warriors will receive NBA championship rings on opening night

The NBA Champion Golden State Warriors will receive their 2014-15 NBA Championship rings during a special pregame ceremony on Opening Night on Tuesday, October 27 when the team hosts the New Orleans Pelicans to tip-off the 2015-16 campaign, it was announced today.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, along with Warriors co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, will present last season’s players and coaches with unique diamond-clad rings crafted by Jason of Beverly Hills.

The Warriors, who won a franchise record 67 games last season and captured the team’s first NBA title in 40 years, will also unveil the 2014-15 NBA Championship banner at Oracle Arena during the pregame ceremony.

The Warriors, who became the fifth team in NBA history to win four or more NBA titles, will commemorate the team’s 2014-15 NBA Championship by wearing special NBA Championship uniforms.

Bulls sign Stefhon Hannah

The Chicago Bulls announced today the signing of free agent guard Stefhon Hannah (steff-ON). We assume this is a non-guaranteed deal just for training camp.

Hannah (6-1, 175) spent last season with both the Grand Rapids Drive and the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League. In 22 games, he averaged 5.9 ppg, 2.1 apg and 1.05 spg in 16.6 mpg.

Chicago’s roster now stands at 19.