The Washington Times (Mike Jones) reports: “This is the worst season I’ve ever been a part of,” said Antawn Jamison, who went through a 17-win season in his rookie year with Golden State. “Even though we had a lot of injuries, we still thought we had enough talent to play better than what we’ve shown this year. But this is the worst season. Back then [2000-01 with Golden State], we had guys on 10-day contracts – six or seven guys. You were, I don’t want to say expected to be that bad, but… here, we’ve got a foundation here and some guys who have been here for an extended period of time. … It can’t get any worse than what we went through this year.”
Category: General NBA insight
General NBA insight
Real season begins soon
As fun as the NBA regular season is, players work the hardest and produce the best basketball when it matters most, in the playoffs.
When do you work hardest? In regular, everyday work situations? Or when it really counts most? Same with pro athletes. You can’t expect these guys to give 110% every night. Or even 100%. Close, sure, or else they’d lose fans. But to really judge players and teams, watch them in the playoffs.
And if your favorite team didn’t qualify for the post-season? Unless injuries are to blame, they simply didn’t deserve to be there.
Shannon Brown taking minutes from Jordan Farmar
The Los Angeles Times (Mike Bresnahan) reports: Shannon Brown again was the first guard off the Lakers’ bench Tuesday against Utah, continuing to take minutes away from Farmar. Jackson spoke to Farmar about it, emphasizing the need for him to be effective in five- to six-minute spurts instead of, say, eight- to 10-minute bursts. “We’ve talked a little bit about shortening his minutes . . . but we’re still really counting on him to come out there and give us that kind of energy,” Jackson said.
Steve Kerr doubts his team
The East Valley Tribune reports: After the Suns gathered for a team picture Tuesday — and a couple of wise guys wondered how many players in the photo would be around next year — the Suns’ general manager met with the media and reaffirmed what everyone has known for months. “I don’t know that this team, as constituted, can be a championship team,” Steve Kerr said. “I don’t think so, actually. We’re not good enough in certain areas.” And with that, the Suns’ offseason begins.
Russell Westbrook developing
The Oklahoman (Darnell Mayberry) reports on the Thunder: But no matter which direction the front office is leaning on Russell Westbrook, the rookie has shown over the past three games that he’s starting to get it. Only now, after 70-plus games, does Westbrook fully understand what it takes to run an NBA team. Westbrook’s execution still is erratic. But more than ever, he’s slowing down. He’s setting up his teammates first and looking for his shot second. He’s making the simple play rather than the shaky one. Westbrook is averaging a season-high seven assists this month, and his assist-to-turnover ratio stands at 1.91, not great but trailing only January’s 2.03 as his highest ratio in any full month.
Stephen Jackson predicts changes
The San Francisco Chronicle (Jannny Hu) reports: Stephen Jackson plans on being at Oracle Arena tonight for the Warriors’ home finale, and he might be taking a good look at the teammates around him. As far as Golden State’s captain has been told, not everyone will be back when the team reconvenes next season. “There will be change, things will be shifted,” Jackson said this past week, “but I think the core will be here. I think as a team and an organization, we know the steps that we have to take to correct a lot of these wrongs that we had this season.”
Entire team of game-worn Thunder jerseys up for auction
Thunder fans will have a unique opportunity Friday night to bid on jerseys worn by Thunder players during this historic first season in the Ford Center. The “Jersey Off Our Backs” auction will benefit the Oklahoma City Thunder Community Foundation Fund. Fans are invited to bid on game-worn jerseys from all 15 Thunder players at a silent auction table on the concourse during Friday night’s home finale vs.. Charlotte. The winning bidders will receive their jerseys at the conclusion of the game. Many of the jerseys will actually be worn by Thunder players during that final game.
Bidding for the jerseys will begin when doors open at 5:30 p.m. outside of section 101 on the concourse level of the Ford Center, right outside the Thunder Shop. Bids will be taken throughout the night, ending ten minutes following the conclusion of the game.
Rasheed Wallace happy for UNC
The Detroit News (Chris McCosky) reports: As you might expect, Rasheed Wallace was in good spirits Tuesday after watching his North Carolina Tar Heels win the national championship Monday. “Once I found out (Michigan) State had beat UConn on Saturday — cakewalk for us,” he said. “I told everybody we’d be up by a minimum of 12 points by halftime and the only prediction I didn’t get right was I said we’d win by 25 points. We won by 17. I’ll take that. We are No. 1.”
Philadelphia 76ers notes
* With their win vs. Detroit yesterday, Philly clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs… the Sixers would be the fifth seed if the playoffs started today… Philly was the seventh seed in 2007-08 and have not been higher than the seventh seed since being fourth in 2002-03.
* The Sixers have won three straight and 10 of their past 14 games… Philly is 40-35 this season after being 13-20 at one point… the Sixers were 18-30 through the first 48 games last season but went 22-12 the rest of the way… in 2006-07, Philly was 17-36 entering All-Star break, but went 18-11 over the final 29 games.
* Over the past 42 games (which is just over half a regular season), the Sixers have a winning percentage of .643 (27-15).
* Under Head Coach Tony DiLeo, the Sixers are 19-8 at home after starting the season with a 5-7 mark (24-15 overall)… Philly went 22-19 at home in 2007-08 and has won at least half of its home games in 11 straight seasons (including 2008-09)… there are two home games remaining (4/10 vs. CLE and 4/14 vs. BOS).
* Philly has 24 wins at home this season, surpassing their total of 22 in 2007-08… the Sixers have not won more than 25 home games since picking up 29 wins in 2000-01… Philly could finish with as many as 26 home wins this season.
* The Sixers are 14-14 over their past 28 road games after starting the season 2-6 away from home (16-20 mark overall)… five of Philly’s final seven games are on the road… the Sixers would need to go undefeated over their remaining road schedule to finish above .500 on the away from home for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
* Philly finished its five-game road trip from 3/17-3/23 with a 3-2 mark… the last time the Sixers played at least five consecutive road games and posted a winning record was an eight-game span from 12/22/04-1/7/05, in which they went 5-3.
* The Sixers finished the month of March with a 9-6 mark… over the past three years, Philly has compiled a 29-16 (.644) mark in March… last April, the Sixers went 3-5… April is the only regular season month in which the franchise has a winning percentage lower than .500 (.497; 151-153).
* The Sixers are five games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2002-03 season (48-34 mark)… Philly must finish the season with at least a 2-5 mark to have a final record above .500 for the first time since 2004-05.
* Philly is 6-11 in the second games of back-to-backs this season after going 13-9 in 2007-08… the Sixers are 13-5 in the first games of B2B’s this season after going 7-15 in 2007-08… tonight is the second part of a back-to-back for the Sixers… they have two B2B’s remaining (at CHI on 4/9 and vs. CLE on 4/10; vs. BOS on 4/14 and at CLE on 4/15).
* The Sixers went 16-14 against teams from the Western Conference this season… the last time Philly had a winning record against teams from the West was 2005-06 (16-14 mark)… last season, the Sixers went 15-15 against the West and were one of just four Eastern Conference squads to go .500 or better vs. the West.
* Philly is 29-11 when leading or tied through three quarters of play this season after going 30-6 in 2007-08… Philly is 11-24 when trailing at the start of the fourth this season after going 10-36 in 2007-08… the Sixers are 30-13 in games in which they led by 10+ points this season (30-8 in 2007-08).
* The Sixers have lost 7 games by one or two points this season, including three buzzer beaters (Tony Parker at SA on 1/3, Dirk Nowitzki vs. DAL on 1/19, Devin Harris at NJ on 2/23) and four other game-winning shots in the final seconds (Rashard Lewis with 4.8 seconds left vs. ORL on 11/26, T.J. Ford with 3.7 seconds left vs. IND on 12/20, Brook Lopez with 16.8 second left vs. NJ on 1/31 and Ray Allen with 0.5 seconds left vs. BOS on 2/5).
* Philly has won the past two games it has played that have been decided by 3 or fewer points in after starting the season 3-7 in those games… two of the past three wins have been by double-digits after just once just one of the previous 11 wins were by 10+ points.
* The Sixers won in overtime at Portland on 3/23, marking just their second overtime game of the season (win at Chicago on 12/2)… Philly has yet to play an overtime game at home after having just one last season… the last time the Sixers went without an overtime game at home was in 1995-96… the last season in which Philly played fewer than three overtime games was 2001-02… the Sixers had just three OT games last season (1-2 mark).
* In the 52 games under Head Coach Tony DiLeo, the Sixers have scored 100+ points 25 times (99.5 ppg; 5172 total) compared to six times the first 23 games of the season… Philly is 25-6 when scoring 100+ points this season (25-8 in 2007-08)… over the past 20 games, the Sixers are averaging 101.3 ppg (2026 total) after averaging 94.3 ppg the 13 games prior.
Andrew Bynum’s recovery continues
The Los Angeles Times (Broderick Turner) reports: It was another step in Andrew Bynum’s recovery as he attempts to play in a game before the regular season ends. Bynum played in five-on-five competition with his Lakers teammates at practice Saturday, the first time that has happened for the center since he tore a medial collateral ligament in his right knee Jan. 31. This came on the heels of Bynum’s three-on-three session at Thursday’s practice and working on drills before Friday night’s game. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson was asked after the workout how soon Bynum would be back playing again. “What’s soon?” Jackson countered.