Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Ike Diogu loves video games

Lots of guys love video games. (And, plenty of girls do, too.) Personally, I didn’t have a video game system for years, but got myself a Playstation 3 earlier in 2008 and play it pretty regularly.

I only have a few current games: Grand Theft Auto 4, NBA 2K9, NBA Live 09, and NCAA Live 09. Being a pro basketball guy, I tend to mostly play the two NBA games. The college one just came out recently, but still, I see myself sticking more with what I know, the pros.

Trail Blazers power forward Ike Diogu loves video games, too. But on a whole other level. The Oregonian (Joe Freeman) reports:

Diogu now owns three video game consoles — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii — and estimates that he owns more than 1,000 video games. And his love of gaming extends well beyond simply playing. Diogu’s college major is digital art and he continues to pursue a bachelor’s degree each offseason at Arizona State, with the goal of getting into the video game industry after his NBA career. Diogu is five classes (15 credits) short of his earning his degree.

Needless to say, next time I run into Diogu I plan on challenging him to a game of Pitfall on Atari 2600.

–Jeff 

Mavs quit Princeton offense

The Dallas Morning News (David Moore) reports:  The Princeton offense has come and gone. The idea that the Mavericks would generate the majority of their shots out of movement instead of sets has been scrapped. “That whole Princeton stuff was a great idea, but it’s tough to determine shots out of there,” forward Dirk Nowitzki said. “We run it a little less than we did at the beginning of the year and are calling more plays where guys are more comfortable. “Maybe we aren’t a team that is just running and slicing and dicing and cutting. Maybe we weren’t really meant for that. Maybe we’re not smart enough. I don’t know. “But it’s been good. We know the sets. We know the go-to plays. We’ve just got to keep on working.”

Pacers need low post game

The Indiana Pacers are doing about as well as expected, with 6 wins and 10 losses. They’ve played without Mike Dunleavy, who is normally their second best player and would at worst be third best this season depending on how much you like point guard T.J. Ford. But they have one problem that has been the case for a while now. The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports:

The biggest issue I have with the Pacers offense is the same one I had during the summer – they don’t have anybody to score for them in the post. Starters Troy Murphy and Rasho Nesterovic are perimeter big men. The Pacers tend to settle for jump shots too often when the game gets tight. Roy Hibbert may be their best low-post scoring threat. That should tell you something because he’s raw offensively.

Marquis Daniels, playing only one minute less per game this season than Danny Granger, has stepped up, shooting 46.0% for 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Assuming Dunleavy’s knee eventually heals enough for him to play, Daniels will lose many of those minutes. But still, he should be proud of his performances so far this season.

Derrick Rose crossover owns Andre Miller

At the end of the third quarter in Philadelphia, Chicago Bulls rookie point guard Derrick Rose unleashed a crossover on 76ers point guard Andre Miller that was so nasty I was forced to replay it 15, maybe 20 times.

Despite playing way off Rose, giving himself tons of time to react, Miller was owned so badly he actually fell down. And it wasn’t a fluke fall. He got crossed, badly. Tape up those ankles.

With the 76ers up 55-50 and the quarter about to end, Rose had the ball up top in three-point range, jab-stepped a few times to test Miller’s reaction, drove right using his right hand, then at the free throw line shifted to his left and went right down the middle of the paint. Miller got crossed so badly he toppled to the floor.

Rose got right to the rim and put up a short finger-roll. A goaltending call was made on Samuel Dalembert, who swatted it a bit too late, so Rose got credit for the bucket.

See the video clip and fan discussion, and post comments of your own.

–Jeff

Jazz hurt by injuries

The Utah Jazz have 11 wins and 7 losses this season, which is pretty good considering they’ve had more injuries than a hospital. The Deseret News (Loren Jorgensen) writes:

The fact remains that the Jazz have been bitten hard by the injury bug this season. Consider that last year Jazz players missed a grand total of 45 games due to injury or personal reasons through the entire 82-game regular. Through Friday night’s home win over the Sacramento Kings, however, Jazz players had missed 52 games due to injury or personal reasons already. And that’s in only 17 games. Deron Williams, Utah’s unquestioned floor leader, missed 13 games with a sprained left ankle. His return this week has seemed to energize the entire club even though the Jazz are still missing Carlos Boozer, one of the few NBA players who can average 20-plus points and 10-plus boards.

The Jazz remain a lower-level championship contender. Meaning, a title is possible, but it would be a bit surprising if they managed to pull it off. But again, they’ve been hurt. A bunch of top West teams aren’t playing so great this season. Once Utah is healthy, they could wind up being the second or third best team in the entire West, and better than almost anyone in the East other than the Celtics.

Al Harrington rocks Warriors

Players often claim they have no grudge against their former teams, but Al Harrington, now with the Knicks, was pretty vocal while with the Warriors stating that things weren’t working out with him and coach Don Nelson in Golden State.

On Saturday, when the Knicks hosted the Warriors, Harrington went off for a huge game. Here’s the Contra Costa Times (Marcus Tompson II) reporting:

Warriors forward Al Harrington said he had this date marked the moment he got traded to the New York Knicks. His controversial clashing with coach Don Nelson led to his eventual departure from the Warriors, who traded him for guard Jamal Crawford on Nov. 21. But he couldn’t completely move on with the reunion date looming so close. Saturday, it happened, and Harrington showed up. “I dreamed up 60, 30 rebounds, 15 assists,” Harrington said with a smile. He wasn’t that far off. Harrington had 36 points and 12 rebounds in 39 minutes as his Knicks took down his former Warriors 138-125 at Madison Square Garden. Harrington played like the versatile weapon he always claimed to be. He knocked down 5-of-7 from 3-point range, grabbed four offensive rebounds and had a handful of dunks. He was playing up to the crowd and chest-bumping with his teammates.

It should be noted, however, that I (InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner) put up 23 points, 8 rebounds and 12 assists against the Warriors that same game. And I’m not even on the Knicks. That’s how bad the Warriors defense was. Still, good game by Harrington, who could start to fit very nicely in the Mike D’Antoni small-ball scheme of things in New York.

Jazz arena sticking around

The Salt Lake Tribune (Steve Luhm) reports: Among the 30 NBA arenas, Energy Solutions is the the ninth-oldest.    Of the eight arenas that are older, three have been renovated in recent years and one – Amway Arena in Orlando – will be vacated in 2010-11 when the Magic move into a new $480 million home.    There is some good news for the Jazz and their fans, however. According to team president Randy Rigby, EnergySolutions Arena has not outlived its usefulness.    “We are in an older building, there’s no question about that,” Rigby said. “But the positive thing is, we have the structure and design in place that gives us a lot of opportunities to make modifications and extend the life of this building – easily – for another 15 years. . . . It can be a very viable and productive building for a long time.”

Chris Kaman out

The Los Angeles Daily News (Ramona Shelburne) reports: Clippers center Chris Kaman sat out Saturday’s game and could miss all of next week with a strained left arch. A team spokesman said it was unlikely Kaman would travel with the team on its upcoming three-game road trip. Kaman had a cortisone shot to help relieve the pain after Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets, but said he’s only experienced “minimal relief.” “Right now I’m feeling pretty sore so I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “Hopefully it’ll calm down next week and I can get back out there.”

Mike Miller still adjusting to Wolves

The St. Paul Pioneer Press (Phil Miller) reports: Mike Miller’s 19-foot jumper to beat the Thunder on Friday was a feel-good moment for the first-year Timberwolf and his victory-starved team. But the 16 shots Miller took before that game-winner might have been even more significant. Miller hit eight of 17 shots in Oklahoma, and was noticeably more willing to assert himself at the offensive end. Along with a 10-for-19 night against the Spurs three weeks ago, it was just the second time since coming to Minnesota on a draft-night trade that Miller resembled the perimeter gunner he had been in Memphis. “He got into a nice rhythm and took some good shots,” said forward Craig Smith. “He can make them.” He can if he takes them, but that’s been the catch for Miller in Minnesota. The 6-foot-8 swingman is a career 46 percent shooter, and 40 percent from three-point range. But Miller has tried to work his way into the Wolves’ offense slowly this year, and has passed up shots he didn’t hesitate to try in his previous nine NBA seasons.

Spurs assign Blake Ahearn to D-League

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have assigned guard Blake Ahearn to the Austin Toros, the NBA Development League team owned and operated by the Spurs.

Ahearn has appeared in three games for the Spurs and averaged 2.7 points in 6.3 minutes. He was signed by San Antonio on 11/16.

Ahearn was the first player called up from the NBA Development League in the 2008-09 season. He was in Minnesota’s 2008 training camp where he averaged 7.8 points and 1.2 assists in five games. After being waived by the Timberwolves he joined the Dakota Wizards. Ahearn was in camp with the Wizards prior to signing with the Spurs.