General NBA insight – Page 149 – NBA Blog

Elton Brand starting to come alive for Sixers

The Philadelphia 76ers are just 13-26 this season, but they’ve actually looked like an NBA team lately. A big reason why has been the emergency of power forward Elton Brand, who is starting to finally come alive.

Tom Moore of Philly Burbs reports:

After injuries limited him to 37 games during the previous two seasons, Elton Brand is finally starting to feel more like the Elton Brand who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds in his first 10 NBA seasons. And it’s showing on the court.

In the Sixers’ last nine games, he’s shooting 58-for-108 (53.7 percent) from the field. The Sixers are 6-3 during that span, with Brand averaging 18.7 points and shooting 59.2 percent in the victories.

Brand had 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting in a Dec. 28 victory over the Trail Blazers, another 25 in a Jan. 9 drubbing of the Pistons and 18 in Monday’s 96-92 win over the Hornets.

Up next for the Sixers is a road game in Minnesota and tough home games vs Portland and Dallas.

Bulls improving with lineup changes, Tyrus Thomas return

Sam Smith of Bulls.com reports:

Slowly, though perhaps steadily, the Bulls are turning into a team. That’s 8-3 now since they moved Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson into the starting lineup, since Tyrus Thomas returned from injury, the team’s second four-game winning streak in that span with Friday’s 121-119 double overtime victory over the Washington Wizards thanks to Derrick Rose’s game winning 10 footer in the lane with 5.4 seconds left.

Not long ago a team that routinely was collapsing down the stretch, unable to find enough points and big game players, uncertain and uneven, the Bulls go into their final Western Conference trip of the season averaging 108 per game the last six games and with Rose officially a closer as he finished off Friday with a career high 37 points.

“Usually we were always a team that let it slip toward the end if we were in a close game,” said Rose, who rimmed out a potential game winner at the end of regulation. “It shows how much we’re improving and we’ll get better. These are the type of games you dream about when you are younger. I’m playing in my hometown, so everybody is standing up cheering. I’ve got the ball in my hand and everybody is looking at you and seeing what you are going to do. You hit the shot. It’s crazy. I really couldn’t believe it. I don’t show no emotion anyway, but I was happy. I think I missed like 20 something of these to lose games, too. To hit this one told me I’ve come a long way.”

Kendrick Perkins deserves praise

Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins is known for rugged and great complimentary play, and consistent scowling. He’s having yet another fine season.

Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports:

In the past five games – three wins – Perkins has averaged 15.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks. Among Eastern Conference centers, Perkins is first in field goal percentage, sixth in scoring, and eighth in blocks. He has turned into a defensive presence because of his improved conditioning and footwork.

“He’s a load, he knows his role, he knows how to play the game,’’ Bosh said. “He’s not saying a lot. He’s not asking for the ball a lot. He’s a strong post player. He knows where to pick and choose his spots.’’

Perkins had 11 points and nine rebounds against Horford and an Atlanta team that backed into a zone defense in the second half.

“Every time you come in and play Boston, you know it’s going to be a war,’’ said Horford, who had 9 points and 12 rebounds. “They may blow you out but you are not going to blow them out. It’s a war.”

For the season, Perkins is putting up 12.4 points, 8.2 rebounds (no.26 in NBA) and 1.94 blocks (no.8 in NBA) per game while shooting a ridiculously high 63.9 percent (no.1 in NBA) from the field.

Vince Carter still learning to fit in with Magic

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports:

Thirty-seven games into the season, the Magic (25-12) are still trying to adjust to [Vince] Carter — and Carter to them.

Sometimes, teammates stand around and watch Carter play. Sometimes, they defer to him unnecessarily or Carter defers to them unnecessarily.

“It’s different. We weren’t used to playing like that last year … Turk [ Hedo Turkoglu] had the ball, Jameer [Nelson] had it. It was pretty balanced at the end of every game. Everybody got about the same amount of shots,” forward Rashard Lewis said.

And now?

“Vince is the type of player who needs the ball in his hands. He dominates the ball sometimes. That’s how he became Vince Carter,” Lewis continued. “We got to adjust to that, learn how to play with him dominating the ball.

“We’re still adjusting to it, but he’s not going anywhere. He’s our teammate.”

Sixers hot on road

Tom Moore of Philly Burbs reports:

The Sixers are 4-12 at home this season, which is the second-worst record in the league – the Nets, at 2-15, are the only team behind them.

And the Sixers have beaten some better teams away from the Wachovia Center (the Trail Blazers and Nuggets) while dropping their most recent home dates to the woeful Wizards and Raptors.

“It’s funny,” said Andre Iguodala after Saturday night’s 104-94 victory over the Pistons in Michigan. “I think we play better on the road than at home.”

With the next three games at home, beginning tonight against the red-hot Hornets, winners of six in a row, that has to change for the 11-25 Sixers. They also host the Knicks on Wednesday night and the Kings on Friday night.

Marcus Landry playing ahead of Jordan Hill

So far this season, New York Knicks rookie forward Jordan Hill has helped the Knicks about as much as you have.

Unless you buy the team’s jerseys or tickets to see them play. Then, you’ve helped more.

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports:

It’s bad enough for Jordan Hill that as a lottery pick on a losing team, he can’t pry himself off the Knicks’ bench.

The worst part, however, is that Hill sits while another rookie, an undrafted one at that, plays ahead of him. Marcus Landry, the Knicks’ rags to riches story, has factored into Mike D’Antoni’s plans recently at the expense of Hill, whose claim to fame right now is that the Knicks selected him last June over Brandon Jennings, who is now starring with the Bucks.

“It’s a little frustrating not playing,” Hill said about his limited role. “But I understand where Coach is coming from. There are veterans in front me.”

Hill this season has played in 11 games and averages 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 8.4 minutes.

Terrence Williams not getting minutes

The New Jersey Nets are winning about as often as I stretch my arms to the sky and, like Superman, fly up into the clouds. Which really isn’t too often.

You’d think that on a young team that barely snatches a victory, the team’s top rookie would have a shot at major minutes, at least as a prime backup.

But lately, Terrence Williams mostly sits on the bench, chillin.

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports:

In his first 25 games, Williams averaged 24.4 minutes. He dropped to 10.3 minutes in his last eight games (attempting just 19 shots in 82 minutes). True, two other young guys, Courtney Lee and Chris Douglas-Roberts, eat up much of the minutes at two and three. And the return of Yi Jianlian has eliminated many of the small lineups that brought Williams time.

And Williams really hasn’t overwhelmed with his play when given the chance. But on the Nets, who has?

“He’s a rookie. And as a rookie he’s got to learn. We’ve got a lot of young players and it’s about finding minutes for everybody,” said interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe, who will tweak his rotation tonight by using earlier substitutions. “Right now, it’s his time to learn.”

It’s probably just temporary. And could change any day or week. But for now, T-Will does plenty of watching.

Corey Maggette playing well for Warriors

Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle reports:

With the Warriors in desperate need of some help for Ellis, Maggette has elevated his game to a new level.

He has scored at least 20 points in nine of his last 10 games. After getting booed by home fans for taking long jumpers early in the season, Maggette has been determined to pound into the paint.

“What can I tell you? He’s playing at a high level,” coach Don Nelson said. “He has been quite an anchor.”

Maggette’s new strategy leaves the 30-year-old looking like half mummy and half igloo after games. He does postgame interviews with his legs in buckets of cold water, with ice tightly strapped to his shoulders and around his hamstrings and while massaging his surgically repaired wrist.

Manu Ginobili regaining form

Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:

Nearly 24 hours after the fact, the Spurs still were buzzing about the way Manu Ginobili turned Tuesday’s game against the Timberwolves into a personal time machine that transported him back to his days as one of the NBA’s most electrifying players.

Ginobili came to training camp after a summer of enforced inactivity designed to assure complete recovery from a stress fracture of the right ankle. He lately has been reintroducing bits and pieces of the unique game that made him one of the league’s best players.

Tuesday night’s near-triple double was the latest evidence he is getting closer to being the real Manu Ginobili.

Up next: The confidence that will allow him to attack the basket when he believes his legs have regained the explosiveness that once made him a human highlight reel.

What would the NBA fine be if…

NBA players must obey certain rules and often face fines if they do things they aren’t supposed to do.

So, just joking around here, but what would the fine be if a player:

1) Pulled a cellphone out while on the court during a game.

2) Started posting on his blog and on Twitter

3) Demanded a trade, while criticizing the refs

4) Then used his cellphone to strike another player