The Detroit Free Press (Chris Lau) reports: Ideally, Pistons coach Michael Curry would like to play veteran forward/center Antonio McDyess in the second and fourth quarters only, and keep him in during crunch time. McDyess is the leader of the second unit. He’s valuable because he’s the primary scoring option off the bench, a strong defensive presence and a calming influence on teammates. He’s also 34, so Curry wants to limit his playing time now to preserve him for the playoffs. That hasn’t happened of late. In Tuesday night’s 104-98 win over Chicago, McDyess played 26 minutes, 34 seconds, including the final 8:53 of the third quarter.
Category: General NBA insight
General NBA insight
A Spike Lee Jordan documentary?
Big-time basketball documentaries that get national attention don’t come out too often. When they do, I make sure to watch. Gunnin’ for that #1 Spot, on HS ballers, was very good. So was Through the Fire, the Sebastian Telfair one. The Year of Yao, on Yao Ming, wasn’t quite as good, but still at least worth the time to watch.
But if the following item actually materializes, myself and everyone who loves basketball would definitely catch it. The New York Post (Page 6) reports:
Spike Lee has found his next muse. The director was overheard “discussing his upcoming project, a documentary on the life of Michael Jordan,” during a birthday dinner for Aymeric Clemente at West 13th Street eatery Bagatelle the other night.
That’s a gossip page, which means the info isn’t set in stone. Page 6 is one of the most proven gossip pages around, but it’s still just a rumor until proven otherwise.
I hope it happens.
Chris Andersen block party
The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports: Denver Nuggets reserve big man Chris Andersen ranks third in the NBA in blocked shots, but that’s just a start. He has an overwhelming NBA lead in blocks per minute. Andersen is averaging 2.3 blocks, putting him behind Orlando’s Dwight Howard (3.65) and the Clippers’ Marcus Camby (2.83). But Andersen is averaging 6.36 blocks per 48 minutes, well ahead of second-place Howard’s 4.84. “I’ve always been a real good shot blocker,” said Andersen, thanking coach George Karl for having the “confidence” in him to “roam on defense a little bit.”
Jeff Green needs to rebound
The Oklahoman (Mike Baldwin) reports: Thunder coach Scott Brooks has harped for weeks that Jeff Green needs to improve his 5.5 rebounding average. He’s even sent Green text messages on game days. Green responded with a 10-rebound performance Sunday night. “I was guarding one of the best rebounds in this league in Ben Wallace,” Green said. “I tried my best to keep him off the boards. When the ball went up, I tried my best to go get boards, and they were dropping right in my hands. And Nick (Collison) and Kevin did a good job blocking their man out.”
Marco Belinelli getting minutes
The Bay Area News Group (Marcus Thompson II) reports: Finally, guard Marco Belinelli said he has made it to the NBA. Sure, he has been in the league since the Warriors’ drafted him with the No. 18 overall pick in 2007. And he’s certainly collected more than a third of the nearly $5 million he will earn over his first three seasons. But Belinelli said it wasn’t until now that he felt as if he’d arrived. For the first time in his career, he said he feels as if he is part of the team. He’s getting minutes, providing offense and growing with teammates. There’s no telling how long this will last, as the Warriors’ injured players figure to return and Coach Don Nelson’s whims are likely to change. In the meantime, Belinelli is enjoying the experience.
Pistons winless on Sundays
The Detroit News (Chris McCosky) reports: By almost every definition, the Pistons are an average team right now. They have the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference (14-11) and have one fewer loss than the Heat. And average teams don’t often overcome 18-point deficits on the road, especially against a Hawks team that right now is younger, bigger and stronger at almost every position. “They were just too much for us,” Allen Iverson said, after the Hawks beat the Pistons, 85-78, at Philips Arena. “They were better than us tonight.” Like the Lions, the Pistons remain perfect on Sunday — perfectly winless, 0-6.
Record-level coach firings
The New York Daily News (Mitch Lawrence) reports: A fifth of the league’s 30 coaches – six – already have been dismissed, a record for this early in the season. If that isn’t insane, three of the choices to take over were nothing short of mind-boggling. In Minnesota, Washington and Philly, head coaches were replaced by members of the team’s front office. In the cases of the Wizards and Sixers, the interim choices, Ed Tapscott and Tony DiLeo, respectively, had only limited time in NBA huddles. This is nothing personal against Tapscott or DiLeo or Kevin McHale, who was forced to move from his GM suite to the bench to take over for Randy Wittman, marking McHale’s second tour of duty on Minnesota’s bench. But they’re no more qualified to coach a team than an equipment man is to run a draft. For many teams, these moves violate the NBA’s version of the separation of church and state. GMs and their subordinates do one thing (procure the talent). Coaches do something else (coach it). And ne’r should the career paths cross (unless, of course, it’s Pat Riley).
Props to Steve Blake
The Portland Trail Blazers recently beat the Phoenix Suns, and while Brandon Roy was incredible in the win, props go to Portland point guard Steve Blake. The Oregonian (Jason Quick) reports (via blog):
Nate McMillan raved about Blake’s game management (10 assists, zero turnovers), hot shooting (22 points, 8-of-15, including 4-of-7 from behind the arc) and his defense of Suns star Steve Nash (Nash went 5-of-14 with 11 assists, six turnovers while Blake had four steals). It was plain and simple: Blake had outplayed Nash. “And that,” McMillan said. “Has never happened before.” Another important Blake statistic: He went 2-for-2 from the free throw line, both makes coming at a crucial time: 2:07 left in the game and the Blazers trailing by two. They were the first attempts for Blake since he missed four of five attempts in the final 20.6 seconds against the Clippers.
For the season, Blake in 29.6 minutes per game averages 11.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.0 steals on acceptable 44.3% shooting and impressive 41.7% three-pointers.
Blake is #6 in the league in assists per turnover (3.46), #10 in three-pointers made (53), and #15 in threes per 48 minutes.
He’s solid, very unspectacular, but seems to be doing the job for the Blazers.
Bynum and D-Howard meet Saturday
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is a big, strong, super-athletic center who rebounds, blocks shots, and dunks on people’s heads.
Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum is also very big, but every aspect of the rest of his game, as well as his physical tools, are still in development.
The two giants go at each other tonight. The Los Angeles Times (Broderick Turner) reports:
“It’s going to be tough,” Bynum said. “You’re going have to keep him as far away from the basket as you can and make him shoot shots. If he starts getting dunks, it’s over.” Just ask San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, whom Howard backed down low and dunked over during a game between the Spurs and Magic on Thursday. “Yeah, I saw that,” Bynum said. “That was something.” Howard is a chiseled, 6-11, 265-pounder who is a power player… “He gets up and down the court pretty fast,” Bynum said. “He’s really good at ducking in. He’s probably the best in the league that whenever he sees the ball coming toward his side at being real aggressive.”
Magic-Lakers is the best game of the night. I’ll be watching.
Well, to be exact, I’ll be recording it, while out partying. And watching in the morning.
Enjoy the action.
Mike Dunleavy happy to be gone from Warriors
The San Francisco Chronicle (Jon Shea) reports: Mike Dunleavy put up career numbers last season and said Wednesday it wouldn’t have happened if he still were a Warrior. “That wasn’t possible out there,” said Dunleavy, referring to Oakland. “It’s no coincidence so many guys who come from Golden State go elsewhere and succeed. The proof is in the pudding. I take responsibility for certain things. You look at guys who went elsewhere after leaving Golden State, they found a way. Whatever that means or says, you could read it through.” Dunleavy hasn’t played this season because of a sore right knee but said he still hopes to play a significant number of games “and pick up where I left off.”