Category: General NBA insight

General NBA insight

Several clutch performances yesterday

NBA.com reports: Jan. 27 may now be considered an official NBA holiday. We can call it, Cool/Clutch Performance Day. On Sunday, Hedo Turkoglu buried a game-winning buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift the Magic; Kevin Martin nailed a corner jumper at the final buzzer to give the Kings a W; Brandon Roy sank a go-ahead free throw with 2.3 seconds remaining to propel the Blazers; Mo Williams hit back-to-back treys in overtime and Royal Ivey drained one of his own to ice Milwaukee’s win; and Al Jefferson fired in four straight free throws in the final seconds to cap Minnesota’s miraculous comeback triumph.

Jefferson, Biedrins making noise

NBA.com reports: Al Jefferson and Andris Biedrins are two of the NBA’s rising inside sensations. It was well featured on Sunday as these two stuffed the stat sheet with authority. Jefferson, first off, recorded a career-best 40 points and added 19 rebounds and three assists in Minnesota’s miraculous comeback win over New Jersey. Biedrins, meanwhile, grabbed an NBA season-high 26 boards to go along with 11 points in Golden State’s triumph over New York.

InsideHoops.coms says: Of course, Jefferson is a rising star, while Biedrins is more of a star role player. Just to be clear.

LeBron or Kobe for one game

If I had to choose between LeBron James or Kobe Bryant for one game, it would probably come down to who their teammates are. LeBron looks to create for others a bit more, Kobe looks to take over the game himself. But both players are perfectly good at everything on offense. If a dude is open, Kobe can nail him. And LeBron can completely dominate all on his own, teammates or no teammates. Still, if I had to pick one or the other for one game, I’d probably still go with Kobe.

New statement from Nene

Denver Nuggets forward/center Nene released a new statement today:

“I would like to apologize for the incorrect information that was disclosed. There was no bad-faith or intention to fool anyone upon the announcement of a wrong result for the biopsy – it was a miscommunication within our staff and we were all very upset with what happened. But the worst part is over, I am very happy with the result of the exams, happy for feeling better. It was wonderful to meet my basketball family, my Denver teammates, and I was surprised with the support and the way they welcomed me back. It is because of emotions like this that I see how difficult it will be to stay away from the courts.

“My mind is there, with the team, but my body needs to rest and to recover. And to know that I am recovering is a big comfort. I had the opportunity to talk with my coach Karl, who also faced very difficult moments and won such battles. I must thank God, my family, which has always been by my side, my team, my friends, my staff and my fans, from all parts of the world, who sent messages of support and affection, became solidary with me in such difficult moment, comforted me and gave me even more strength to believe that I would be well. I am well, feeling strong and grateful for all this affection that came from so much people, from so many places, and which was a very strong support point to me in the course of the last month.”

Wizards-Bucks team connections

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld was the Bucks General Manager for four years prior to joining the Wizards; a stint that included three playoff berths and the drafting of current Bucks guard Michael Redd with the 43rd overall pick in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft…Bucks forward/center Michael Ruffin played three seasons in Washington from 2004-07…Bucks swingman Awvee Storey was with the Wizards during the 2005-06 NBA campaign…Bucks forward Bobby Simmons was a Wizard from 2001-03.

Basketball Without Borders India in July

The National Basketball Association (NBA) will stage its first-ever event in India with Basketball without Borders, the league’s global basketball development and community outreach program.  A series of activities will be held in New Delhi July 3–6, the NBA, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) announced today.

The Basketball without Borders camp uses basketball to influence positive social change and features dozens of current and former NBA players and team personnel working as camp coaches.  Top young basketball players (ages 19 and under) from across Asia will come together in New Delhi to take part in basketball instruction and competition.  They will also participate in motivational and life-skills seminars that promote education, leadership, character development and healthy living.

“We look forward to hosting this most prestigious basketball camp,” said Harish Sharma, BFI Secretary General. “This will be an extraordinary opportunity to work with both the NBA and FIBA to help promote basketball in India.”

“The NBA is pleased to partner with BFI and FIBA to stage the league’s inaugural camp in India,” said Heidi Ueberroth, NBA President, Global Marketing Partnerships and International Business Operations. “We look forward to working together on the first of many activities to target basketball participation.”

Weekly Pacers team notes

The Pacers tied a franchise record with 14 3-pt field goals made at Philadelphia on Monday, Jan. 21. That was the fifth time in their NBA history that the Pacers have hit that figure, but it was the first time ever on the road. Prior to Monday, the last time Indiana made 14 3-pt field goals was in a double-overtime loss to Dallas, Feb. 5, 2002.

In the last four games, Danny Granger has averaged 24.3 ppg, and scored 20 or more points three times. He scored 20 or more points just three times in the previous 18 games and averaged 15.1 ppg in that span.

Including a team season-best 12-12 vs. Golden State, Jan. 16, Granger has made 35 of his 38 free throws (.921) in the last six games.

In his last six appearances, Shawne Williams has averaged 9.8 ppg and shot 22-39 from the floor (.564). He shot 5-12 3-pt FGS (.417) and 10-13 from the foul line (.769) in those six games.

Jeff Foster has come off the bench to lead the Pacers in rebounds in each of the last three games. In those three games, he has averaged 12.0 rpg and has accumulated an average of 5.0 offensive rebounds per game. Foster tied a season-high with eight offensive rebounds vs. Sacramento, Jan. 19. Foster is 12th in the league this season with 124 offensive rebounds

Foster’s three offensive rebounds at Philadelphia moved him past Rik Smits into fifth place on the Pacers’ all-time career list with 1,534 offensive boards.

Including his season-high 25 points at Philadelphia, Kareem Rush has scored 10+ points in 14 of the last 20 games. In those 20 games, he has averaged 12.6 ppg and shot 99-215 from the (.460), including 43-97 from 3-pt range (.443). In his first 19 appearances, Rush averaged just 3.2 ppg and scored in double figures once. In the first 19 games, he shot just 23-74 FGS (.311) and 9-34 from 3-pt range (.265).

Travis Diener has averaged 9.0 ppg and 3.3 apg in the last six games. In that time frame, he has scored a career-best 19 points at Sacramento, Jan. 12, and handed out a career-best six assists twice–vs. Golden State, Jan. 16, and at Philadelphia, Jan. 21. He committed just seven turnovers in those six games for an assists-to-turnover ratio of 2.86:1.

The Pacers had assists on 35 of their 41 field goals against the 76ers at Wachovia Center on Monday and 35 assists are a season-high. The Pacers have had 30 or more assists four times this season, but just once in the last 20 games.

Having posted their 10th road win of 2007-08 at Philadelphia on Monday, Jan. 21, the Pacers are one of just five NBA teams that have more wins on the road than they do at home. The Pacers are 9-10 at home.

Rockets-Sonics team connections

Rockets Assistant Coach Jack Sikma joined Houston after spending four seasons on the Seattle coaching staff … Sikma, who was selected by the Sonics with the eighth overall pick of the 1977 NBA Draft, had his jersey #43 retired by Seattle during a halftime ceremony of a Sonics vs. Detroit Pistons game on Nov. 21, 1992 … Houston Assistant Coach R.J. Adelman worked as an NBA advance scout for the Sonics before coming to Houston … Rockets guard Aaron Brook is a native of Seattle, leading Franklin High School to the Washington 4A State Championship as a senior … originally chosen by the Sonics in the second round (31st overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft, Houston obtained the draft rights to forward Carl Landry from Seattle on June 28, 2007 … Scott Brooks, an assistant coach with the Sonics, played three seasons with the Rockets (1992-95) … Seattle Assistant Coach Mark Bryant also played one season with Houston (1995-96).

Warriors weekly notes

Golden State passed the halfway point of the season last week with a 24-17 record, marking the team’s best record at the turn since the 1992-93 season when they were 28-13.

After going 3-1 on last week’s Midwest trip, the Warriors have now posted winning records on all four of their extended road trips this season (trips of three games or more).

The Warriors are scheduled to play 12 of their next 15 games at ORACLE Arena (team is 11-4 in last 15 home games).

Golden State, which ranks 2nd in the NBA in steals (9.14 spg), recorded an NBA record 12 steals in the first quarter at Indiana last Wednesday before finishing the game with 18 steals.

The Warriors are 25-12 in their last 37 games after starting the season 0-6.

Baron Davis:

–  Was named Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 26.3 points, 7.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.50 steals in four games (all road games, 3-1 record).

– Tallied a career-high-tying 40 points at Chicago last Friday, including 28 in the second half of 119-111 victory.

– Notched seven steals at Indiana on Wednesday, the most in the NBA this season.

– In 43 games this season, is averaging 22.2 points (11th in NBA), 8.1 assists (7th in NBA), 4.7 rebounds and 2.44 steals (2nd in NBA) in 39.0 minutes (12th in NBA).