Author: Inside Hoops

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Several NBA sophomores are stepping up

NBA News: The top three vote-getters in last year’s Rookie of the Year balloting are acquitting themselves quite nicely during the early going of their sophomore campaigns.

Portland’s Brandon Roy, the 2006-07 Rookie of the Year, is pacing the Trail Blazers in scoring (20.7 ppg) and assists (6.0 apg).

Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani has converted 15 of 30 three-point attempts and is averaging 13.4 points to go along with 4.6 rebounds.

Memphis’ Rudy Gay is averaging a team-high 20.6 points, nearly doubling his rookie average (10.8 ppg).

Other notable second-year performers include, but are not limited to: Roy’s teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who is averaging 19.2 points and 7.7 rebounds; Golden State’s Kelenna Azubuike, who is averaging 18.8 points and shooting .531 from the field; Utah’s Ronnie Brewer, who is shooting .580 from the field, .429 from beyond the arc and .828 from the line in averaging 15.3 points; Cleveland’s Daniel Gibson, who is shooting .528 from three-point land while averaging 12.4 points; and Gay’s teammate Kyle Lowry, who is averaging 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Rockets defense has been terrific

The Rockets are still dealing the defense this season, holding their opponents to under 40 percent shooting in consecutive games: .381 (32-84 FG) vs. Milwaukee (11/9/07) and .397 (31-78 FG) at Charlotte (11/11/07). Through Nov. 11, Houston ranks third in the NBA in points allowed per game (89.4) and seven in field goal percentage defense (.425). The Rockets have yet to allow more than 88 points in a home game this season.

Houston has now opened the 2007-08 campaign with a mark of 6-1, which stands as the best start to a season since the 1996-97 Rockets began 6-1.

Rockets send Steve Novak to D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that forward Steve Novak has been assigned to the team’s NBDL affiliate, Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Novak was designated an inactive for all six games this season. He is expected to report by Monday, and will remain on the Rockets 15-man roster. In his rookie season with Houston, Novak averaged 1.5 points and 0.7 rebounds in 35 games (one start).

Adam Morrison has successful ACL surgery in left knee

Charlotte Bobcats forward Adam Morrison underwent successful anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery this morning to repair the tear in his left knee. The procedure was performed by team physician Dr. Glenn Perry at Presbyterian Orthopedic Hospital in Charlotte. He will remain in the hospital until Monday before being cleared to begin full rehabilitation.

Morrison suffered the injury with 5:23 left in the third quarter of the Bobcats preseason contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, Oct. 20. X-rays taken immediately following that game came back negative, but an MRI taken the following day showed a partial to complete tear of the ACL.

The Bobcats will host the Houston Rockets on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 6:00 p.m. (ET) at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The game can be seen on News 14 Carolina and heard live on WNMX Mix 106.1 FM and across the Bobcats radio network.

Run, Hawks, run

Atlanta is visiting Boston and it’s just the first quarter but what strikes me is how often the Hawks try to run.

Every fast break opportunity, they run. In the half-court they look questionable, though they’re cutting more than last season and hitting those cutters with passes, creating some easy baskets.

When running, they look decent. Fast breaking lets them take advantage of the great athletic ability Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and other young Hawks possess. If they do it as often as possible they’ll be fun to watch and could pull off some wins here and there.

Raptors change starting lineup

Toronto started the season positively, beating the 76ers and then destroying the Nets, but have since dropped three straight games, losing to the Celtics, Bucks and Orlando.

Now, a minor change is being made. The Toronto Star reports:

Yesterday’s move to replace Andrea Bargnani with Rasho Nesterovic in the team’s starting lineup – beginning tonight in Philadelphia – will give Toronto a look much like the one that led it to 47 wins a season ago.

Mitchell went to great lengths to explain it’s not an indictment of Bargnani but rather a chance for him to be better.

“It is not a reflection on how he has played,” Mitchell said of Bargnani, the second-year 7-footer who was given the starting centre’s job on the opening day of training camp. “It’s just … trying to get the most out of all our guys.

Toronto’s defense has been awful so far. Their opponents are shooting 47.8% from the field. They’re also being badly out-rebounded and slightly out-assisted.

Pistons lose to Bulls but Rasheed scores 36

Chicago beat Detroit 97-93 but the huge game Rasheed Wallace put up is worth noting.

Shooting 12-of-24, including three 3-pointers, plus 9-of-11 free throws, Rasheed finished with 36 points and 9 rebounds.

The AP reports: “No one could stop Wallace’s assortment of shots — post-ups on the inside, 3-pointers from the perimeter — although he missed two key shots in the final minute. “Regardless of my game, it ended in an `L,”‘ Wallace said. “I’m old school so it didn’t matter what I did, the team lost the game.”

Magic Johnson says Mavs need to go Chuck Norris on Warriors

Magic Johnson, speaking on TNT, said that Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks should consider punching the Warriors in the face. The Contra Costa Times reports:

Johnson was taping a promotional spot for TNT’s broadcast of Thursday night’s game when he told colleagues Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley what he had in mind for Nowitzki.

“If I’m Dallas, I gotta start a fight,” Magic Johnson said. “No, I’m serious. If I’m Dallas, Dirk has gotta go swing on somebody. Send a message. You know why? Golden State, as we say on the street, punked them. … This game, if I’m Dirk, I will walk up and just smack somebody.”

Don Nelson, who always tells it like it is and serves up the best quotes in the history of coaches, said this to the paper:

“I love Magic Johnson,” Nelson said, “but that’s about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Someone needs to go tell Stephen Jackson that Magic was just kidding, so he doesn’t show up to games with protection.

Nene to have thumb surgery, out six weeks

Injuries keep striking the Nuggets frontcourt. Kenyon Martin is back in action this season, but the following news just broke:

An examination by a hand specialist in Denver today revealed that Nuggets F Nene has a torn ulner collateral ligament in his left thumb. Dr. Carlton Clinkscale will perform surgery on the thumb tomorrow. Nene is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.