Category: General NBA insight

General NBA insight

Cavs make words up to describe Mo Williams snub

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams is having an excellent season for his 39-win, 9-loss team, but wasn’t picked by coaches as a reserve for the East All-Star team. Then, Jameer Nelson, who was selected, suffered an injury, though Mo Williams again wasn’t named, with the spot instead going to Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen.

The AP reports:

The Cavs found the second rejection of Williams so absurd that they’re making up words to describe their feelings. “Ben Wallace was right when he called Mo originally being passed over for the all-star game a shamockery,” Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said in a tongue-in-cheek e-mail to the Associated Press on Friday. “But not naming him as the natural and obvious replacement for the unfortunately injured Jameer Nelson is stupidiculous, idillogical and preposterageous.” Cleveland will be represented by James, who was selected in fan voting, and by coach Mike Brown and his assistants, who will coach the East squad.

If passing on Mo Williams instead of selecting him means the Cavs are going to continue making up fun words, then I’m all in favor of it.

Rockets notes from win over Bulls

The Houston Rockets took a 107-100 win over the Chicago Bulls tonight, extending Houston’s overall winning streak over Chicago to six games.

Houston never relinquished the lead tonight after scoring the first five points of the game. The Rockets have now gone five games this season where they have not trailed in the contest.

The Rockets, who outscored the Warriors by a 48-22 (+26) margin in the paint in the previous game, posted a 48-38 (+10) edge in the paint over the Bulls tonight.

Yao Ming recorded 28 points (9-12 FG, 10-10 FT), eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Yao had gone three prior games played without a blocked shot (1/23/09-1/31/09). Tonight also marked Yao’s second time this season to be perfect from the free throw line with at least 10 attempts: 13-for-13 at Cleveland (12/23/08).

Luis Scola had 13 points and a career-high-tying 18 rebounds (career-high-tying 14 defensive). He now has 17 double-digit rebounding performances this season after notching just 14 over his entire rookie season of 2007-08. Scola set his career high in rebounds with 18 (13 defensive) vs. Minnesota (3/26/08) and equaled that with 18 (career-best 14 defensive) vs. Indiana (11/26/08).

Tracy McGrady returned to the lineup tonight after missing the last game vs. Golden State (1/31/09) with a sprained left ankle. He notched 16 points (7-14 FG) and six assists, ending the longest active streak of consecutive 20-point games against Chicago at 15 straight, which dated back to his time with Orlando. The next closest is Denver’s Carmelo Anthony with eight consecutive 20-point performances against the Bulls.

Ron Artest finished with 10 points (5-9 FG) and six assists. Artest was also 0-for-3 from downtown, ending his streak of contests with at least one 3-point field goal made at 24 straight games he had played.

Aaron Brooks added 18 points (6-12 FG, 3-6 3FG) off the bench, giving him 25 double-digit scoring performances in 2008-09.

Luol Deng, who registered 28 points tonight, began the game with a 12-point first quarter. It marked the best opening-quarter point total by a Houston opponent since a 13-point performance by Josh Smith at Atlanta (1/3/09). Sacramento’s John Salmons also netted 13 points over the opening 12 minutes at Houston (12/19/08), which stands as the most first-quarter points by an opponent at Toyota Center this season.

Tyrus Thomas recorded 14 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three. Thomas now has eight double-doubles on the season. Thomas also tied his season high in rebounds (previously recorded vs. Philadelphia on 12/2/08).

Warming up new to JR Giddens

The Boston Globe (Marc Spears) reports: Just before the Celtics ran onto the floor to warm up for their 49th game of the season, rookie guard J.R. Giddens stopped his teammates to ask an important question. “I didn’t know how to go out when we were warming up,” said Giddens, after the Celtics’ 109-101 win over Minnesota yesterday at TD Banknorth Garden. “Some of the guys were making fun of me. I said, ‘Hey I’m usually taking a shower right now [after working out].’ So it was fun and I actually got to see the warmups. “Today it was like, ‘A uniform. Is that for me?’ They hadn’t taken it out since like preseason so they had stains on it . . . It was all right. I had a lot of fun out there.”

No All-Star spot annoys Carmelo Anthony

Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was an All-Star starter last season. This year, he’s not even on the team as a reserve.

Averaging 21.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 43.7% shooting (his lowest field goal percentage since 2004-05), Melo has played in just 31 of Denver’s 46 games. His missed action due to injury certainly played a big role in being left out.

Still, the proud player isn’t going to pretend he didn’t want to make it.

The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports:

“A little bit,” Anthony told the Rocky Mountain News on Friday morning in his first public comments about whether he was disappointed in not being selected Thursday to the NBA Western Conference All-Star team. “But it ain’t nothing I can control. It is what it is. I’m happy for Chauncey (Billups) making it, though.” Billups, a guard, was selected by Western Conference coaches as an All-Star reserve for the Feb. 15 game in Phoenix. But Anthony, after being selected the past two years, was left off after missing 10 games with a broken right hand. “Of course,” Anthony said when asked if he didn’t make the team because of his injury. “I didn’t think I did nothing wrong. My game didn’t do nothing wrong. That’s the only thing that could have (cost Anthony). It is what it is. There’s nothing I can complain about.”

There aren’t any small forwards on the entire West All-Star team.

I think had Melo not missed so many games he’d have been picked ahead of Hornets power forward David West.

Chris Douglas-Roberts reminded of his place

Chris Douglas-Roberts is a rookie guard on the New Jersey Nets. And just because his shoulders look like they were put on backwards doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve respect.

Still, rookies have to know their place. Especially those who will have to keep working hard to prove they belong in the league.

The New York Daily News (Julian Garcia) reports:

Rookie guard Chris Douglas-Roberts was knocked down a peg by assistant coach Doug Overton Thursday. During a drill that only a few players were participating in, Overton screamed, “Shut the — up. You’re a rookie!” Douglas-Roberts then stood with his shirt pulled up over his face while he waited to get back on the court. He looked to be on the verge of tears as he returned to the locker room after practice ended.

That’s tough love, folks.

Teammates call Mo Williams an All-Star

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams is having a great season, but wasn’t named an NBA All-Star reserve.

Shooting 46.7% from the field, Williams is averaging 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson, who did make the All-Star team, is shooting better than Mo Williams, getting more steals and dishing more assists.

Still, it’s somewhat close. And Mo’s teammates are outraged. The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Mary Schmitt Boyer) reports:

“It’s a tragedy,” Ben Wallace said. “I think it’s an injustice. It’s a fraud. We’ve got the best record in the league, and we’ve only got one guy going. You always make it the next year, after the year you were supposed to make it. It’s a travesty and a sham and a mockery. It’s a shamockery.” Said LeBron James: “It just shows the disrespect that basketball in Cleveland continues to get. I haven’t seen the All-Star list yet, so I can’t comment on who’s in it. But it’s definitely disrespectful that we continue to do work every year with nothing to show for it. They always say when you win, individual accolades will take care of itself. But sometimes it doesn’t happen.

I like that. A sham, and a mockery. A shamockery. I’m going to go outside now and start yelling those words at random strangers on the street here in NYC, while waving my arms around wildly. But not tell them what I’m actually outraged about. This has nothing to do with Mo or Jameer. It just sounds fun.

Hoop Dreams Sequel: Hoop Reality

Hoop Reality is the sequel to the groundbreaking, Academy Award nominated 1995 documentary Hoop Dreams.Narrated by “Hoop Dreams” star Arthur Agee, “Hoop Reality” explores what happened during the last decade from where “Hoop Dreams” left off, following the original basketball hero past his dream and into reality, examining where life has carried him over the decade, and taking a look at where he is today, as the torch gets passed to the next dream seeker. Along the way he mentors and inspires the up-and-coming basketball star, Patrick Beverly, who leads his team, the Marshal Commandos, for the first time since the original Hoop Dreams, to the State Finals. Directed by Lee Davis. (As quoted by the production company)

It’s said to be coming in March of 2009.

Here is the Hoop Reality trailor video clip:

Steve Nash OK with not making All-Star team

Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash isn’t an NBA All-Star this season. But he’s cool with it. The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) reports: His assist average has been on a steady recovery from the first 13 games, when he averaged 7.6 assists in a slower offense that took the ball out of his hands more. “The truth is I don’t really deserve it,” Nash said of being selected for the All-Star Game. “The team’s in seventh place (in the West). Maybe if we were in fourth or fifth, it’d be a different story. There are others who are more deserving.” Nash passed Terry Porter on Thursday for 11th on the NBA career assists list.

Devin Brown steps up

NBA.com reports: Tyson Chandler was sidelined. Ditto for David West. If being without two starters wasn’t enough for the Hornets, James Posey had a poor shooting night. What was New Orleans to do against a formidable opponent like the Nuggets? Enter Devin Brown. Moved up in the rotation after a first-half injury, Brown answered the call with a season-high 18 points on 6-for-7 shooting. “It’s funny. I’ve been getting some extra shots up before practice and staying late, just working on different things and it showed up tonight,” Brown said, a satisfied smile on his face. “That just goes to show that extra work helps out.” Brown led a needed effort by the Hornets’ reserves, who combined to outscored Denver’s reserves 42-13. Brown’s effort, along with Peja Stojakovic’s 26 points, was needed considering Mr. Do Everything, Chris Paul, had a relatively quiet night with 12 points (3-for-12 shooting) and 10 assists. “That’s one thing about this team, the opportunity right now for guys to come in and contribute,” Posey said.