ORLANDO, Fla. - Well, that didn't take long, did it?
Toronto's 39-point loss in Denver on Tuesday night was Sam Mitchell's final game as head coach of the Raptors, done in by a team that management deemed had stopped responding to his coaching. He was relieved of his duties on Wednesday, replaced on an interim basis by assistant Jay Triano, a long-time assistant and former head coach of the Canadian national team.
According to a statement released by the Raptors, the remainder of the coaching staff is staying put within the organization. Mitchell finished 156-189 in his four-plus years in Toronto.
That whole "coaching falling on deaf ears" reasoning is weak, because the fact of the matter is that the Raptors weren't tough enough to be a factor last season and haven't been healthy enough to do accomplish what they envisioned going into this one.
Jermaine O'Neal returned from an ankle injury last night and found that most of his teammates had lost their fire to play. When a whole team disconnects like that, it's only a matter of time before the coach is the next to go.
"It's embarrassing not only for us but for those who support the Toronto Raptors, the organization, the city and the country," O'Neal said after last night's loss in Denver. "That should never happen. This is a business. We get paid a heck of a lot of money to play a certain way and if we think we can turn it on and off like that then we are fooling ourselves."
Mitchell will be paid a heck of a lot of money not to be around the Raptors anymore, being due close to $4 million this year and next with some additional income due to him in 2010-11. By that season, he'll probably be coaching again, considering as many as three teams, Charlotte, Indiana and Memphis, were hot for his scent before he re-signed with Toronto in 2007.
That alone makes it hard to feel too sorry for him, but he does deserve some sympathy because the man didn't forget how to coach overnight. He did lose some control of his team, though, aided in part by personnel decisions which have cost him adequate depth over the past few seasons.
The job of inspiring the Raptors now falls to Triano, the longest-running assistant on Mitchell's staff, who gets another opportunity to bring Canada basketball glory after having served as both captain and head coach in the country's Olympic program.
If he can handle the job, the Raptors would undoubtedly be thrilled to add the draw of a native son guiding the team to Toronto's appeal. If he can't, don't be surprised if Memphis' Marc Iavaroni ultimately surfaces as a candidate at season's end. The current Grizzlies coach has a contract that runs through 2010, but hasn't made much progress with the team's extreme youth thus far and might not want to run into the final season of his deal as a lame duck.
As Al Jefferson said when he heard the news that the 2007 Coach of the Year got fired, "man, this is some business."
Here today, gone tomorrow, man.
Iavaroni could avoid a hairy situation in Memphis if an opportunity presents itself in Toronto.
The Raptors are also one of the favorites to land the first European-born head coach in NBA history, since many around the league look at the makeup of their roster and refer to them as the Euro Raptors as it is. Behind Bryan Colangelo, assistant GM Mauricio Gherardini has a lot of clout and commands the utmost respect from the international community. Don't be shocked to see Italian Eltore Messina, the most lauded international coach of the current era, emerge as a candidate.
For now, it's Triano's job to lose. He's got a tall order, though. For one, he must rely on O'Neal to stay healthy and provide the presence management brought him into deliver. He's got to keep Chris Bosh from getting too frustrated, Jose Calderon from getting too worn out and Andrea Bargnani from getting too complacent. All that and develop a bench from a group that's been shaky to date.
Best of luck.
Mitchell's ousting means Theus no longer has company on the hot seat. With the losses mounting in Sacramento, he's likely next.
Dec 3, 2008
Clock reads nearly midnight for Toronto's Mitchell, Sacramento's Theus
On a night when Violet Palmer turned down flowers and what looked like a proposal from Rocky the Nuggets' Mountain Lion, the saddest man in the Pepsi Center still had to be Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell.
There are a lot of adjectives I've heard used to describe Mitchell, from hard-working to ornery and sharp to blunt, but one word that never comes up is dumb. That man is no fool.
He's got to know his grip on the Raptors head coaching position slipped a little on Tuesday night in Denver, and has to wonder just how much rope he's actually got left.
Factor in the altitude all you want, but there's no reason the Raptors lost by 39 other than they quit early. Outside of Chris Bosh, the Raptors looked like a team without a prayer out there. Jermaine O'Neal returned and gutted out 19 minutes on a questionable ankle and was actually his team's second-best player.
Didn't take much. The bar wasn't set too high.
Mitchell has now lost every one of his five visits to Denver as the Raptors head coach, with every loss worse than the last one. There's a hidden message involved there. Players around the league will freely tell you Denver and Utah are the toughest places to play because of the altitude, so those are spots where coaches can find out what kind of commitment they have from their team.
It's easier to give up there.
Back in March, roughly six weeks before their season would end in disappointment at the hands of Orlando, Toronto went up to Denver and got pasted 137-105. Bosh was out with a sore knee, but the rest of the Raptors that Mitchell trotted out there, failed to guard anybody. Those are his words.
It's now December, in the midst of a season where they're definitely underachieving, and the Raptors still aren't guarding anybody.
Denver shot 60 percent in Tuesday's 132-93 romp, racking up the fifth-highest margin of victory in franchise history. The Nuggets were playing their fifth game in seven nights. They were supposed to be the tired team. Instead, they smelled a team eager to quit and went to work.
Is it Mitchell's fault? Debatable. There's no question that some of the holes GM Bryan Colangelo has tried to plug with Joey Graham, Will Solomon, Roko Ukic and Jamario Moon are currently springing leaks. Even former Euroleague MVP Anthony Parker, one of Colangelo's first great finds, is struggling, looking better-suited for a backup role at this point.
O'Neal, acquired to fortify the post, got sidelined just as he was really finding his groove. The pieces just haven't come together through 17 games... the Raptors are now under .500... the window to keep Bosh happy in between now and 2010 is shrinking... can't fire the players...
Fire the coach.
Can't fire the players got Eddie Jordan and Avery Johnson canned despite very recent success. Now, Mitchell, the 2007 Coach of the Year, is on the ropes.
He's smart enough to know what 39-point losses mean. He knows his bosses know. The next few games are probably make-or-break.
Can't fire the players is a powerful force. It's got Reggie Theus' tank running dangerously low in Sacramento and even has he coaches leading rebuilding efforts in Memphis and Minnesota a little nervous.
Why do you think Randy Wittman had to get assurances that his job was safe last week? Times like these are when teams can fracture. It's why Theus' inability to get a close win has the Maloofs throwing out veiled ultimatums regarding his future and why it's got to be maddening for him to keep losing close games like the one Utah took from him Monday.
With Kevin Martin back and the Spencer Hawes/Mikki Moore starting lineup swap working out, the Kings had an opportunity to take the lead twice in the final minutes, but Quincy Douby missed a pair of open 3-pointers. He's been shooting -- and missing -- a lot of clutch shots of late. Couldn't have anything to do with the mandate Joe Maloof gave through Sacramento Bee reporter Sam Amick in a telling Q&A on his excellent blog, could it? Douby is getting his chance and not cashing in.
He's taking Theus down with him. The writing has been on the wall for Theus since he entered the final guaranteed year of his deal without talk of an extension. The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper speculated weeks ago that Dec. 3 could be the date where the Kings look to make a move, since the team has a three-day break scheduled and could choose to end his employment if they've deemed he's not going to be the guy. The Kings have lost seven consecutive games, which doesn't bode well for him. According to the Bee, a recent meeting between Petrie and the Maloofs ended with the decision to give Theus more time, but that can change in an instant.
Just so you realize how cruel the profession can be, with the Kings down 93-90 earlier tonight, Theus drew up a nice play for a back screen to spring Martin on a curl. The play worked perfectly until point guard Beno Udrih slipped just before he made the pass. By the time he regained composure, Utah's Morris Almond had closed on Martin, eliminating the opportunity. Sacramento wound up with nothing but another loss.
You can't trade the players.
When they start looking unsure of themselves and playing like losing teams, the coach is always next to go. Mitchell and Theus are on the thinnest of ice.
Toughest part? Both know.
Tuesday's +/- report: Can't have one of these with out highlighting the game Chauncey Billups (+48) had against the Raptors. Hitting 5-for-6 3-pointers, dishing out 14 assists and one turnover and setting the tone for the beatdown of Toronto. No point guard is currently playing better... Joey Graham (-32) and Anthony Parker (-30, 2-for-11) got the worst of it for the Raps... Troy Murphy (+12, 16 points, 17 rebounds) was the hero of Indiana's upset of the Lakers with his late tip, but it was T.J. Ford (+21, 21 points, seven assists) who inspired the result, magnificently setting the pace and keeping his Pacers from staying down when L.A. took a 15-point lead into the fourth... Baron Davis (+5), Zach Randolph (0) and Al Thornton (+5) combined for 72 points on 32-for-60 from the field, but couldn't overcome a heroic effort by the smallest guy on the court in Dallas, guard Jose Barea (+21, 15 points, six assists, game-winning 3-pointer)... Rodney Stuckey (+16, 10 points, seven assists) help change the tone of things in Detroit's win in San Antonio, but it was Rasheed Wallace's (+7, 19 points) fourth quarter explosion that delivered the result... Manu Ginobili (-17, 13 points on 4-for-11) was out of sync as he and Tony Parker (+2, 18 points) reunited in the Spurs' starting backcourt... As for the +/- verdict on Theus' starting lineup switch, Hawes (+17, 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists) enjoyed the opportunity and Moore (-19, 0 points, three rebounds in 12:17) didn't... Morris Almond (+14, 12 points, six rebounds in 25:39) picked up quite a bit in the D-League. He'll be a contributor sooner than later.
There are a lot of adjectives I've heard used to describe Mitchell, from hard-working to ornery and sharp to blunt, but one word that never comes up is dumb. That man is no fool.
He's got to know his grip on the Raptors head coaching position slipped a little on Tuesday night in Denver, and has to wonder just how much rope he's actually got left.
Factor in the altitude all you want, but there's no reason the Raptors lost by 39 other than they quit early. Outside of Chris Bosh, the Raptors looked like a team without a prayer out there. Jermaine O'Neal returned and gutted out 19 minutes on a questionable ankle and was actually his team's second-best player.
Didn't take much. The bar wasn't set too high.
Mitchell has now lost every one of his five visits to Denver as the Raptors head coach, with every loss worse than the last one. There's a hidden message involved there. Players around the league will freely tell you Denver and Utah are the toughest places to play because of the altitude, so those are spots where coaches can find out what kind of commitment they have from their team.
It's easier to give up there.
Back in March, roughly six weeks before their season would end in disappointment at the hands of Orlando, Toronto went up to Denver and got pasted 137-105. Bosh was out with a sore knee, but the rest of the Raptors that Mitchell trotted out there, failed to guard anybody. Those are his words.
It's now December, in the midst of a season where they're definitely underachieving, and the Raptors still aren't guarding anybody.
Denver shot 60 percent in Tuesday's 132-93 romp, racking up the fifth-highest margin of victory in franchise history. The Nuggets were playing their fifth game in seven nights. They were supposed to be the tired team. Instead, they smelled a team eager to quit and went to work.
Is it Mitchell's fault? Debatable. There's no question that some of the holes GM Bryan Colangelo has tried to plug with Joey Graham, Will Solomon, Roko Ukic and Jamario Moon are currently springing leaks. Even former Euroleague MVP Anthony Parker, one of Colangelo's first great finds, is struggling, looking better-suited for a backup role at this point.
O'Neal, acquired to fortify the post, got sidelined just as he was really finding his groove. The pieces just haven't come together through 17 games... the Raptors are now under .500... the window to keep Bosh happy in between now and 2010 is shrinking... can't fire the players...
Fire the coach.
Can't fire the players got Eddie Jordan and Avery Johnson canned despite very recent success. Now, Mitchell, the 2007 Coach of the Year, is on the ropes.
He's smart enough to know what 39-point losses mean. He knows his bosses know. The next few games are probably make-or-break.
Can't fire the players is a powerful force. It's got Reggie Theus' tank running dangerously low in Sacramento and even has he coaches leading rebuilding efforts in Memphis and Minnesota a little nervous.
Why do you think Randy Wittman had to get assurances that his job was safe last week? Times like these are when teams can fracture. It's why Theus' inability to get a close win has the Maloofs throwing out veiled ultimatums regarding his future and why it's got to be maddening for him to keep losing close games like the one Utah took from him Monday.
With Kevin Martin back and the Spencer Hawes/Mikki Moore starting lineup swap working out, the Kings had an opportunity to take the lead twice in the final minutes, but Quincy Douby missed a pair of open 3-pointers. He's been shooting -- and missing -- a lot of clutch shots of late. Couldn't have anything to do with the mandate Joe Maloof gave through Sacramento Bee reporter Sam Amick in a telling Q&A on his excellent blog, could it? Douby is getting his chance and not cashing in.
He's taking Theus down with him. The writing has been on the wall for Theus since he entered the final guaranteed year of his deal without talk of an extension. The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper speculated weeks ago that Dec. 3 could be the date where the Kings look to make a move, since the team has a three-day break scheduled and could choose to end his employment if they've deemed he's not going to be the guy. The Kings have lost seven consecutive games, which doesn't bode well for him. According to the Bee, a recent meeting between Petrie and the Maloofs ended with the decision to give Theus more time, but that can change in an instant.
Just so you realize how cruel the profession can be, with the Kings down 93-90 earlier tonight, Theus drew up a nice play for a back screen to spring Martin on a curl. The play worked perfectly until point guard Beno Udrih slipped just before he made the pass. By the time he regained composure, Utah's Morris Almond had closed on Martin, eliminating the opportunity. Sacramento wound up with nothing but another loss.
You can't trade the players.
When they start looking unsure of themselves and playing like losing teams, the coach is always next to go. Mitchell and Theus are on the thinnest of ice.
Toughest part? Both know.
Tuesday's +/- report: Can't have one of these with out highlighting the game Chauncey Billups (+48) had against the Raptors. Hitting 5-for-6 3-pointers, dishing out 14 assists and one turnover and setting the tone for the beatdown of Toronto. No point guard is currently playing better... Joey Graham (-32) and Anthony Parker (-30, 2-for-11) got the worst of it for the Raps... Troy Murphy (+12, 16 points, 17 rebounds) was the hero of Indiana's upset of the Lakers with his late tip, but it was T.J. Ford (+21, 21 points, seven assists) who inspired the result, magnificently setting the pace and keeping his Pacers from staying down when L.A. took a 15-point lead into the fourth... Baron Davis (+5), Zach Randolph (0) and Al Thornton (+5) combined for 72 points on 32-for-60 from the field, but couldn't overcome a heroic effort by the smallest guy on the court in Dallas, guard Jose Barea (+21, 15 points, six assists, game-winning 3-pointer)... Rodney Stuckey (+16, 10 points, seven assists) help change the tone of things in Detroit's win in San Antonio, but it was Rasheed Wallace's (+7, 19 points) fourth quarter explosion that delivered the result... Manu Ginobili (-17, 13 points on 4-for-11) was out of sync as he and Tony Parker (+2, 18 points) reunited in the Spurs' starting backcourt... As for the +/- verdict on Theus' starting lineup switch, Hawes (+17, 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists) enjoyed the opportunity and Moore (-19, 0 points, three rebounds in 12:17) didn't... Morris Almond (+14, 12 points, six rebounds in 25:39) picked up quite a bit in the D-League. He'll be a contributor sooner than later.
Dec 2, 2008
Lopsided loss to Celtics least of Orlando's problems
There's no shame in Orlando getting blown out on Monday night up in Boston.
The Magic went up there without their starting backcourt, which is the same thing as not bringing a jacket into that biting cold. Not surprisingly, they got de-iced handily, losing 107-88.
Celtics defensive guru Tom Thibodeau went to work on keeping Dwight Howard from getting in sync offensively, and outside of a strong second quarter run, Orlando wasn't competitive. Stan Van Gundy was probably not pleasant to be around on the ride home, but he knew going in what a tall task he was facing. News flash: Minus their starting guards, the Magic can't compete with the Celtics on the road.
They slipped to 2-4 against teams with winning records, and those two victories came against teams (Bulls, Raptors) who were just a game above .500 at the time those games were played. The Magic sport the third-best record in the Eastern Conference because they've fattened up on a pretty light schedule thus far, and that shouldn't be held against them. If anything, Orlando should be applauded for playing the hand its been dealt pretty well.
After a rare hiccup at Memphis on Halloweeen night, the Magic had run off a string of six consecutive road wins, all against losing teams. Any NBA road game presents a precarious situation, but the Magic have handled that pressure well, winning games at Dallas, Indiana and Philadelphia in the final seconds.
Boston taking them apart when they were vulnerable doesn't change that. The Celtics did what a championship-caliber team is supposed to do, taking no prisoners. They're 17-2 for a reason.
The Magic have to shake off a poor effort and quickly move on to this week's home dates against Minnesota and Oklahoma City, games they have to put in the win column regardless of the circumstances.
Jameer Nelson is close to returning from a hip flexor injry, but even if he remains sidelined through these next two cupcakes, Orlando has to continue acting like the top contender it strives to be and take care of business where it can. Next week brings the start of the longest road trip of the season, an eight-day stint through the West Coast for games against the Clippers, Blazers, Suns, Jazz and Warriors. There are two sets of back-to-backs included in that mix, and when the Magic return home in mid-December, the Spurs, Lakers and Hornets make their only stops through town.
The Magic are biding time at this point, similar to what San Antonio had to go through with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili out. The Spurs aced their shorthanded stint. Orlando needs to shoot for similar success, a .500 mark acheived on sweat and effort in order to avoid the type of collapse that took down division-mates Miami last season, Washington this season, and knocked the Hawks down a few pegs right after they lost Josh Smith early last month.
Mickael Pietrus could be out until early in 2009 with a torn ligament in his right thumb, so the Magic may have to get creative in order to fill the holes he and Bogans have left. Anthony Johnson will probably still get a hefty helping of minutes given how well he's handled his increased workload, but it remains to be seen whether Redick and Lee have done enough to prove they can handle themselves as key contributors on a team that has aspirations of playing into June.
The Magic haven't hidden the fact that they're in the market for another guard, dangling Brian Cook in the hopes of landing help. Orlando native Chucky Atkins, just back from injury in Denver, is available. I've heard Jerry Stackhouse's potential buyout in Dallas is being followed closely; Stephon Marbury's, not so much.
Orlando Sentinel Magic guru Brian Schmitz complied a short list of candidates the other day featuring veterans Keith McLeod, Fred Jones and current D-Leaguer Smush Parker.
At some point, Orlando figures to fortify its roster for the postseason with a veteran, and whether it comes at the expense of someone like Redick will play itself out. Give GM Otis Smith credit for being proactive. It remains to be seen how long they can keep Hedo Turkoglu as part of the nucleus and there's no time to win like the present.
For now, the Timberwolves and Thunder are on tap. Since every team has to play 82, you have to take your gimmes when they come, no matter who's out there. Lining them up and knocking them down make nights like Monday and odysseys like next week's easier to swallow.
Monday's +/- report: Every member of Boston's starting five finished +15 or better, led by Ray Allen (+25, 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting). Rajon Rondo (+20, 16 points, 12 assists) is enjoying the best stretch of his career. If he keeps it up, the Celtics will easily maintain the fastest pace in the Eastern Conference... Jason Richardson (+15, 25 points) is healthy again and making up for lost time, helping the Bobcats to a 100-90 win over Minnesota. Raymond Felton (+10, 14 points, 14 assists), relieved to keep his starting job over rookie D.J. Augustin (-1), has rewarded Larry Brown for his confidence with steady play, shooting the ball as confidently as he has in his career... Golden State suffered its most frustrating loss of the season, losing a 130-129 overtime decision it looked to be in control of like six or seven times. Jamal Crawford (+1, 40 points, seven assists) barely missed a game-winning runner, but had the crowd in Oakland geeked as he thrilled them for a game-high 50-plus minutes... Dwyane Wade (+6, 37 points, 13 assists), Shawn Marion (+7, 21 points, 15 rebounds), Udonis Haslem (+5, 21 points, 13 rebounds) and Michael Beasley (-3, 19 points, six boards) all got loose, but the Heat's +/- leader was Chris Quinn (+11), who knocked down a couple clutch shots to keep the team alive. All their efforts would've gone for nothing without the backup point guard's contributions.
Nov 26, 2008
OKC's painful internship continues
Chalk up another painful learning experience for the Thunder, which got caught from behind by a veteran Suns team that simply looked more sure of themselves down the stretch on Tuesday night.
It wasn't so much that Oklahoma City blew the game; Steve Nash just snatched it back, draining jumper after clutch jumper in one of those, 'he's still got it' efforts, rescuing a 99-98 win.
Counterpart Russell Westbrook is going to be special, but he's not used to having the ball in late-game situations. Right now, the hustle game is his forte, and he's going to have to take his lumps in order to ramp up to the level he needs to be at for the Thunder to pull off games like these.
After picking up an offensive rebound off a Kevin Durant miss on OKC's final possession, Westbrook never seemed comfortable with the shot and wound up taking an awkward jumper when he should've set back up, either by dribbling out himself or finding an open teammate to initiate one final look. At that point, the shot clock was off and the team could've reset and created a better opportunity.
Thinking on your feet takes poise, and poise comes with experience. It's important that Westbrook and new coach Scott Brooks capitalize on these situations and emerge as quick studies by learning from mistakes.
Losing a home game to Phoenix is nothing to hang your head about. It was disappointing to come so close, but it's not like coming up short against the Suns is going to keep them out of the postseason or anything. This first season in Oklahoma City is about making progress with the bigger picture in mind.
Progress has already made under Brooks in that the Thunder is committing much fewer turnovers and digging in better on the defensive end. Making life difficult for a team like Phoenix is a baby step. For now, stringing a few of those together is all Oklahoma City can hpe for.
Tuesday's +/- report: Andray Blatche (+21, 25 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks) certainly responded to Washington's coaching change. Deemed out of shape by Eddie Jordan -- he was, by the way -- Blatche put together a dominant performance as the x-factor in the Wizards win. All-Stars Caron Butler (+23, 35 points, eight rebounds, six assists) and Antawn Jamsion (+25, 25 points, 11 rebounds) played like they had a pact going not to let Ed Tapscott lose his debut, but certainly welcomed Blatche's help... Jamal Crawford (-18, 4-for-10, seven assists) made his debut in Don Nelson's starting lineup and seemed at ease. He just didn't have his jumper going...It's nice when a 26-point night qualifies as quiet, but LeBron James (+17) barely looked like he was breaking a sweat in Cleveland's romp at Madison Square Garden, where seven Cavs scored in double-figures... Seven Knicks broke into double-digits, too, including newcomers Al Harrington (-20, 13 points, nine rebound in 27:16) and Tim Thomas (-3, 16 points, six rebounds, four assists), neither of whom started... Nate Robinson (-20 in 18:29) had one of those nights where he shouldn't have bothered to leave the house. Not only was he ineffective as a starter, but had to leave in the second quarter with a strained groin... With Josh Howard still out with a bad ankle and Gerald Green down with a back issue, Antoine Wright (+6) took advantage of a spot start to score a career-high 24 points in 39 minutes, helping Dallas even its record at 7-7... Jason Terry (+10, 29 points, five assists) delivered the result down the stretch, continuing to thrive under Rick Carlisle as the Mavs' most effective player... The Pacers have to be frustrated about blowing a fourth-quarter lead to their ex-coach, but should be encouraged about the progress Brandon Rush (+8, 8-for-12) is making. His emergence, in addition to the development of Danny Granger (-10, 22 points, nine rebounds) and Marquis Daniels (-2, 14 points, 11 rebounds) are helping make up for the absence of Mike Dunleavy... The Lakers went on a 37-12 run after New Jersey tied the game mid-third quarter, with Jordan Farmar (+24, 18 points, five rebounds) and Sasha Vujacic (+25) serving as L.A.'s most effective backcourt of the night, although they did get a nice assist from Lamar Odom's (+29) playmaking skills.
It wasn't so much that Oklahoma City blew the game; Steve Nash just snatched it back, draining jumper after clutch jumper in one of those, 'he's still got it' efforts, rescuing a 99-98 win.
Counterpart Russell Westbrook is going to be special, but he's not used to having the ball in late-game situations. Right now, the hustle game is his forte, and he's going to have to take his lumps in order to ramp up to the level he needs to be at for the Thunder to pull off games like these.
After picking up an offensive rebound off a Kevin Durant miss on OKC's final possession, Westbrook never seemed comfortable with the shot and wound up taking an awkward jumper when he should've set back up, either by dribbling out himself or finding an open teammate to initiate one final look. At that point, the shot clock was off and the team could've reset and created a better opportunity.
Thinking on your feet takes poise, and poise comes with experience. It's important that Westbrook and new coach Scott Brooks capitalize on these situations and emerge as quick studies by learning from mistakes.
Losing a home game to Phoenix is nothing to hang your head about. It was disappointing to come so close, but it's not like coming up short against the Suns is going to keep them out of the postseason or anything. This first season in Oklahoma City is about making progress with the bigger picture in mind.
Progress has already made under Brooks in that the Thunder is committing much fewer turnovers and digging in better on the defensive end. Making life difficult for a team like Phoenix is a baby step. For now, stringing a few of those together is all Oklahoma City can hpe for.
Tuesday's +/- report: Andray Blatche (+21, 25 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks) certainly responded to Washington's coaching change. Deemed out of shape by Eddie Jordan -- he was, by the way -- Blatche put together a dominant performance as the x-factor in the Wizards win. All-Stars Caron Butler (+23, 35 points, eight rebounds, six assists) and Antawn Jamsion (+25, 25 points, 11 rebounds) played like they had a pact going not to let Ed Tapscott lose his debut, but certainly welcomed Blatche's help... Jamal Crawford (-18, 4-for-10, seven assists) made his debut in Don Nelson's starting lineup and seemed at ease. He just didn't have his jumper going...It's nice when a 26-point night qualifies as quiet, but LeBron James (+17) barely looked like he was breaking a sweat in Cleveland's romp at Madison Square Garden, where seven Cavs scored in double-figures... Seven Knicks broke into double-digits, too, including newcomers Al Harrington (-20, 13 points, nine rebound in 27:16) and Tim Thomas (-3, 16 points, six rebounds, four assists), neither of whom started... Nate Robinson (-20 in 18:29) had one of those nights where he shouldn't have bothered to leave the house. Not only was he ineffective as a starter, but had to leave in the second quarter with a strained groin... With Josh Howard still out with a bad ankle and Gerald Green down with a back issue, Antoine Wright (+6) took advantage of a spot start to score a career-high 24 points in 39 minutes, helping Dallas even its record at 7-7... Jason Terry (+10, 29 points, five assists) delivered the result down the stretch, continuing to thrive under Rick Carlisle as the Mavs' most effective player... The Pacers have to be frustrated about blowing a fourth-quarter lead to their ex-coach, but should be encouraged about the progress Brandon Rush (+8, 8-for-12) is making. His emergence, in addition to the development of Danny Granger (-10, 22 points, nine rebounds) and Marquis Daniels (-2, 14 points, 11 rebounds) are helping make up for the absence of Mike Dunleavy... The Lakers went on a 37-12 run after New Jersey tied the game mid-third quarter, with Jordan Farmar (+24, 18 points, five rebounds) and Sasha Vujacic (+25) serving as L.A.'s most effective backcourt of the night, although they did get a nice assist from Lamar Odom's (+29) playmaking skills.
Nov 25, 2008
Feast week's here: Let the content flow
Got a lot on the plate for this Thanksgiving week, so be sure to feast on Pro Basketball News. Coming this week:
You fantasy players that own Tracy McGrady may want to plan for other arrangements in the immediate future. Check back later today for details.
Meanwhile, Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy hasn't gotten what he's wanted out of his bench yet this season, and won't have his most reliable contributor, swingman Keith Bogans, for the next four-to-six weeks. Could wind up being the best thing that happened to J.J. Redick and Courtney Lee, though. Find out why on Wednesday.
In Milwaukee, lottery pick Joe Alexander is struggling to find his niche, but second-round pick Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has quickly become an invaluable part of Scott Skiles' rotation. He still makes rookie mistakes, but is well on his way to becoming one of the NBA's primary glue guys as his career takes shape. Look for that when you're gorging on post-Thanksgiving leftovers.
Don't forget the PBN package deal of daily power rankings and must-read links, as well as the ever-popular rumors page, which hooks you up with a one-stop shop for all you need to know, and Monday's Weekly Essentials, which many of you have nagged me for since you can't live without them.
Word on the street is that Eric Musselman has more knowledge to drop, while Sam Amico is handling buisiness up in Cleveland.
Check back often.
Monday's +/- report: Gerald Wallace (+16, 11 points) is still in Charlotte, so while he's there he may as well help the Bobcats win. He was very efficient is helping down the Sixers, 93-84... Andrew Bogut (-10, 7-for-9 FG) was putting together an impressive night before suffering a right knee contusion. Word is he's day-to-day... Jameer Nelson (+6, 8 points, 6 assists) also left the Amway Arena floor, succumbing to a groin injury that could cost him Wednesday night's homecoming game in Philadelphia...Yao Ming (+11, 28 points, 12 rebounds, four assists) led the Rockets to a clean sweep of their three-game road swing through D.C., Orlando and Miami... Udonis Haslem (-14, 2 points, 7 rebounds) had the unenviable task of guarding Yao and didn't fare too hot... Forgettable night for Memphis rookie Darrell Arthur (-16 in 12:16) off the bench against San Antonio. Meanwhile, Spurs newbie George Hill (+9, 20 points) might have fond memories of his trip to FedEx Forum... What's been wrong with the Hornets? Chris Paul (+16, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists) and David West (+17, 27 points) haven't had too many nights where they both go off like they did against the Clippers.
You fantasy players that own Tracy McGrady may want to plan for other arrangements in the immediate future. Check back later today for details.
Meanwhile, Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy hasn't gotten what he's wanted out of his bench yet this season, and won't have his most reliable contributor, swingman Keith Bogans, for the next four-to-six weeks. Could wind up being the best thing that happened to J.J. Redick and Courtney Lee, though. Find out why on Wednesday.
In Milwaukee, lottery pick Joe Alexander is struggling to find his niche, but second-round pick Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has quickly become an invaluable part of Scott Skiles' rotation. He still makes rookie mistakes, but is well on his way to becoming one of the NBA's primary glue guys as his career takes shape. Look for that when you're gorging on post-Thanksgiving leftovers.
Don't forget the PBN package deal of daily power rankings and must-read links, as well as the ever-popular rumors page, which hooks you up with a one-stop shop for all you need to know, and Monday's Weekly Essentials, which many of you have nagged me for since you can't live without them.
Word on the street is that Eric Musselman has more knowledge to drop, while Sam Amico is handling buisiness up in Cleveland.
Check back often.
Monday's +/- report: Gerald Wallace (+16, 11 points) is still in Charlotte, so while he's there he may as well help the Bobcats win. He was very efficient is helping down the Sixers, 93-84... Andrew Bogut (-10, 7-for-9 FG) was putting together an impressive night before suffering a right knee contusion. Word is he's day-to-day... Jameer Nelson (+6, 8 points, 6 assists) also left the Amway Arena floor, succumbing to a groin injury that could cost him Wednesday night's homecoming game in Philadelphia...Yao Ming (+11, 28 points, 12 rebounds, four assists) led the Rockets to a clean sweep of their three-game road swing through D.C., Orlando and Miami... Udonis Haslem (-14, 2 points, 7 rebounds) had the unenviable task of guarding Yao and didn't fare too hot... Forgettable night for Memphis rookie Darrell Arthur (-16 in 12:16) off the bench against San Antonio. Meanwhile, Spurs newbie George Hill (+9, 20 points) might have fond memories of his trip to FedEx Forum... What's been wrong with the Hornets? Chris Paul (+16, 14 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists) and David West (+17, 27 points) haven't had too many nights where they both go off like they did against the Clippers.
Nov 22, 2008
Most hated in Toronto? Is it close?
It's hard for Vince Carter to make many new enemies up in Toronto, but maybe there's a few 10-year-olds he made cry Friday night who were too young to despise him when he left in 2004.
Always fun when Vince goes back to Canada.
In New Jersey's dramatic 129-127 victory over the Raptors, Carter sent the game to overtime with a dramatic 3-pointer stuck right in Anthony Parker's grill, then snapped a tie with 2.1 seconds remaining by finishing an alley-oop off a perfect inbounds pass from Bobby Simmons.
If you didn't hate him then, you hate him now.
Second-year center Sean Williams is another player to add to the list of Nets to boo whenever they touch the ball next time they're in town on Dec. 15. His dirty play may have cost the Raptors the services of Jermaine O'Neal for a little while, as the Raptors newest acquisitions had to leave for the locker room early in the fourth quarter after having his jersey tugged by Williams while up in the air, causing him to land awkwardly and suffer a left knee strain.
There are a few courtesies players typically extend one another in the spirit of sportsmanship, and included among those is never yanking a jersey when someone's up in the air. It's in the same family as under-cutting or throwing elbows at people's heads. It's just not done.
Williams crossed the line, and now the Raptors will have to suffer the consequences. Hopefully for O'Neal, the injury isn't serious, but it definitely disrupts the positive momentum he had generated with five consecutive double-doubles.
As for Carter, what can you say? He embraced the moment. Everyone in the building knew he was getting the ball at the end of regulation and overtime and he still got loose. On the alley-oop, he lost Jose Calderon with a nice stutter-step and easily put away Simmons' brilliant feed, reversing it for style points.
Only seen one game-winning alley-oop worthy of comparison to Carter's Friday night heroics, and that came courtesy of another Slam Dunk champ, Orlando's Dwight Howard, who flushed a beautiful inbounds pass from Hedo Turkoglu right over Tim Duncan to beat the Spurs at the buzzer two seasons ago.
Here's the footage: Which one's more impressive? Carter's or Howard's? Try and be objective, Toronto.
Friday's +/- report: New Jersey's Williams (-16) didn't look like he made much of a contribution on the court, but in pulling O'Neal (-3, 7 points, 7 rebounds) down, he opened the window for a comeback. Rookie Brook Lopez (+18, 14 points, 6 rebounds), who has taken over as the starting center, enjoyed a very good night. Jose Calderon (+4, 26 points, 15 assists) handled it well for someone who's not at 100 percent... Jameer Nelson (+8, 22 points, nine assists) helped Orlando get a solid road win with great play down the stretch, which included finding Rashard Lewis (+4, 23 points, 9-for-12) for the game-clinching jumper. That duo helped picked up Hedo Turkoglu (-1), who shot 1-for-13... The Clippers went cross-country and led Philadelphia late, but got screwed by Elton Brand (+9, 17 points, eight boards) again. Baron Davis (+8, 18 points, six assists, four steals) missed a potential game-winner... Kevin Garnett (+23, 17 points, four rebounds) didn't have to do too much in his return, other than lead a defense that held Minnesota to 31 percent shooting... No Carlos Boozer, no Deron Williams, big problem. Utah got smoked in San Antonio, blitzed by Roger Mason (+25, 29 points, 7-for-10 from 3-point range)... Derrick Rose (+1, 25 points) shot 6-for-6 in the fourth quarter to guide Chicago to a road win at Golden State, but left with an apparent right hip injury in the final minute... Anthony Randolph (-1) was impressive, blocking four shots and finishing with 10 points and nine boards in 13 minutes, but missed a key layup late that would've extended the game.
Always fun when Vince goes back to Canada.
In New Jersey's dramatic 129-127 victory over the Raptors, Carter sent the game to overtime with a dramatic 3-pointer stuck right in Anthony Parker's grill, then snapped a tie with 2.1 seconds remaining by finishing an alley-oop off a perfect inbounds pass from Bobby Simmons.
If you didn't hate him then, you hate him now.
Second-year center Sean Williams is another player to add to the list of Nets to boo whenever they touch the ball next time they're in town on Dec. 15. His dirty play may have cost the Raptors the services of Jermaine O'Neal for a little while, as the Raptors newest acquisitions had to leave for the locker room early in the fourth quarter after having his jersey tugged by Williams while up in the air, causing him to land awkwardly and suffer a left knee strain.
There are a few courtesies players typically extend one another in the spirit of sportsmanship, and included among those is never yanking a jersey when someone's up in the air. It's in the same family as under-cutting or throwing elbows at people's heads. It's just not done.
Williams crossed the line, and now the Raptors will have to suffer the consequences. Hopefully for O'Neal, the injury isn't serious, but it definitely disrupts the positive momentum he had generated with five consecutive double-doubles.
As for Carter, what can you say? He embraced the moment. Everyone in the building knew he was getting the ball at the end of regulation and overtime and he still got loose. On the alley-oop, he lost Jose Calderon with a nice stutter-step and easily put away Simmons' brilliant feed, reversing it for style points.
Only seen one game-winning alley-oop worthy of comparison to Carter's Friday night heroics, and that came courtesy of another Slam Dunk champ, Orlando's Dwight Howard, who flushed a beautiful inbounds pass from Hedo Turkoglu right over Tim Duncan to beat the Spurs at the buzzer two seasons ago.
Here's the footage: Which one's more impressive? Carter's or Howard's? Try and be objective, Toronto.
Friday's +/- report: New Jersey's Williams (-16) didn't look like he made much of a contribution on the court, but in pulling O'Neal (-3, 7 points, 7 rebounds) down, he opened the window for a comeback. Rookie Brook Lopez (+18, 14 points, 6 rebounds), who has taken over as the starting center, enjoyed a very good night. Jose Calderon (+4, 26 points, 15 assists) handled it well for someone who's not at 100 percent... Jameer Nelson (+8, 22 points, nine assists) helped Orlando get a solid road win with great play down the stretch, which included finding Rashard Lewis (+4, 23 points, 9-for-12) for the game-clinching jumper. That duo helped picked up Hedo Turkoglu (-1), who shot 1-for-13... The Clippers went cross-country and led Philadelphia late, but got screwed by Elton Brand (+9, 17 points, eight boards) again. Baron Davis (+8, 18 points, six assists, four steals) missed a potential game-winner... Kevin Garnett (+23, 17 points, four rebounds) didn't have to do too much in his return, other than lead a defense that held Minnesota to 31 percent shooting... No Carlos Boozer, no Deron Williams, big problem. Utah got smoked in San Antonio, blitzed by Roger Mason (+25, 29 points, 7-for-10 from 3-point range)... Derrick Rose (+1, 25 points) shot 6-for-6 in the fourth quarter to guide Chicago to a road win at Golden State, but left with an apparent right hip injury in the final minute... Anthony Randolph (-1) was impressive, blocking four shots and finishing with 10 points and nine boards in 13 minutes, but missed a key layup late that would've extended the game.
Nov 21, 2008
Detroit drubbing best thing for them
Roughly 11 short months ago, Boston and Detroit got together at TD Banknorth Garden under decidedly different circumstances.
The Pistons were the proven commodity, while Boston, even at 20-2, were the new kids on the block. They were two factions of veterans separated by rings. Detroit's group had them, while Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce were among the unfortunate.
Circumstances sure have changed quickly.
It was a freezing Wednesday night in late December when the new-look Celtics and Pistons first dropped gloves in what's become the Eastern Conference's premier matchup. Chauncey Billups knocked down a pair of free throws with one-tenth of a second remaining and the Pistons snapped the Boston's 12-game home winning streak to start the season. After the game, I'll never forget walking into the Detroit locker room to see Billups, Hamilton and Prince huddled by their lockers discussing the night's events and their disdain for their new rivals.
It was a sight that can now be appreciated the way you do anything you know you'll never see again. Forty-eight minutes came down to one-tenth of a second. Chapter One had written. It was the start of a collision that would change both franchises. Going back and reading my on-scene column from that night, it seems like that was apparent even then.
Doc Rivers dropped the following: "Chauncey is the general over there. It's a good game for us to learn from. We wanted this as a measuring stick to see where we actually were. We know that if to be of any substance, we've got to go through Detroit and some other teams and like Paul (Pierce) said, I would rather deal with it now than later."
Boston took the bitterness of that defeat and worked it into the desperate suffering that served as motivation through June. In retrospect, Detroit may have taken it as a sign to relax. The Celtics could be handled. Despite all the hype surrounding them, all the Pistons had to do was press the button when the time came and blow right by them.
Nearly half a year later, they were proven wrong. The Celtics got their title. Flip Saunders caught a pink slip. Pistons players were put on notice that nobody was safe. It took time for the hammer to drop on that, but ultimately, with Billups moved, they wound up disbanded.
As Detroit walked back into Boston on Thursday night, Allen Iverson led them. Recent wins over the Lakers and Cavaliers gave the Pistons hope that they could hang with the defending champs, but once the game unfolded, it was clear they weren't quite ready for the challenge.
Boston was too strong defensively. Detroit, too uncertain of how to play off its new point guard just yet. The 98-80 loss was the second time they've lost by 18 in the last three games. That swagger they enjoyed all those years looks gone.
Uncertainty has replaced it.
That's not entirely a bad thing, though. Eventually, this group is going to know where they belong on the floor and how they're best-served playing. Iverson will get acclimated. Antonio McDyess should return. Time is on their side.
The key, however, is that nobody is going to appear bored with the regular season, as has been the case around Detroit these past few years. Since winning it all in 2004, the Pistons have been missing the hunger you need to be the last ones standing. They're 0-2 against the Celtics since acquiring Iverson, but have a purpose to work towards now.
No longer can Detroit sit back and say, "we'll be there at the end." In this case, uncertainty is a driving force. Ditto with the doubters. The Pistons must be focused on improvement, from first-year coach Michael Curry placing the pieces together to the players themselves working towards progress as a unit.
By the time they return to Boston on March 1, they'll have had sufficient time to gel and see where they're really at.
Roles have reversed. The Celtics are now the measuring stick. The Pistons have lots of work to do.
Thursday's +/- report: Rajon Rondo (+10, 18 points, eight assists) was more productive than Allen Iverson (-9, 16 points, four assists) and even though he didn't have the best statistical night, Kevin Garnett (+16, 15 points, four rebounds) still got the better of Rasheed Wallace (-28, 13 points, five fouls)... It was an extremely rough night for Rodney Stuckey (-22, 0 points, five turnovers in 15 mintues)... Kwame Brown (+2, six points, seven rebounds) had a few moments where he looked overmatched, but was the only member of the Pistons starting five to register on the plus-side... Pau Gasol (+21, nine boards, nine assists) stood tall in his moments against Shaquille O'Neal (-7, 15 points, nine rebounds), helping pick up teammate Andrew Bynum (-7, 10 points, seven rebounds), who look flustered.
The Pistons were the proven commodity, while Boston, even at 20-2, were the new kids on the block. They were two factions of veterans separated by rings. Detroit's group had them, while Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce were among the unfortunate.
Circumstances sure have changed quickly.
It was a freezing Wednesday night in late December when the new-look Celtics and Pistons first dropped gloves in what's become the Eastern Conference's premier matchup. Chauncey Billups knocked down a pair of free throws with one-tenth of a second remaining and the Pistons snapped the Boston's 12-game home winning streak to start the season. After the game, I'll never forget walking into the Detroit locker room to see Billups, Hamilton and Prince huddled by their lockers discussing the night's events and their disdain for their new rivals.
It was a sight that can now be appreciated the way you do anything you know you'll never see again. Forty-eight minutes came down to one-tenth of a second. Chapter One had written. It was the start of a collision that would change both franchises. Going back and reading my on-scene column from that night, it seems like that was apparent even then.
Doc Rivers dropped the following: "Chauncey is the general over there. It's a good game for us to learn from. We wanted this as a measuring stick to see where we actually were. We know that if to be of any substance, we've got to go through Detroit and some other teams and like Paul (Pierce) said, I would rather deal with it now than later."
Boston took the bitterness of that defeat and worked it into the desperate suffering that served as motivation through June. In retrospect, Detroit may have taken it as a sign to relax. The Celtics could be handled. Despite all the hype surrounding them, all the Pistons had to do was press the button when the time came and blow right by them.
Nearly half a year later, they were proven wrong. The Celtics got their title. Flip Saunders caught a pink slip. Pistons players were put on notice that nobody was safe. It took time for the hammer to drop on that, but ultimately, with Billups moved, they wound up disbanded.
As Detroit walked back into Boston on Thursday night, Allen Iverson led them. Recent wins over the Lakers and Cavaliers gave the Pistons hope that they could hang with the defending champs, but once the game unfolded, it was clear they weren't quite ready for the challenge.
Boston was too strong defensively. Detroit, too uncertain of how to play off its new point guard just yet. The 98-80 loss was the second time they've lost by 18 in the last three games. That swagger they enjoyed all those years looks gone.
Uncertainty has replaced it.
That's not entirely a bad thing, though. Eventually, this group is going to know where they belong on the floor and how they're best-served playing. Iverson will get acclimated. Antonio McDyess should return. Time is on their side.
The key, however, is that nobody is going to appear bored with the regular season, as has been the case around Detroit these past few years. Since winning it all in 2004, the Pistons have been missing the hunger you need to be the last ones standing. They're 0-2 against the Celtics since acquiring Iverson, but have a purpose to work towards now.
No longer can Detroit sit back and say, "we'll be there at the end." In this case, uncertainty is a driving force. Ditto with the doubters. The Pistons must be focused on improvement, from first-year coach Michael Curry placing the pieces together to the players themselves working towards progress as a unit.
By the time they return to Boston on March 1, they'll have had sufficient time to gel and see where they're really at.
Roles have reversed. The Celtics are now the measuring stick. The Pistons have lots of work to do.
Thursday's +/- report: Rajon Rondo (+10, 18 points, eight assists) was more productive than Allen Iverson (-9, 16 points, four assists) and even though he didn't have the best statistical night, Kevin Garnett (+16, 15 points, four rebounds) still got the better of Rasheed Wallace (-28, 13 points, five fouls)... It was an extremely rough night for Rodney Stuckey (-22, 0 points, five turnovers in 15 mintues)... Kwame Brown (+2, six points, seven rebounds) had a few moments where he looked overmatched, but was the only member of the Pistons starting five to register on the plus-side... Pau Gasol (+21, nine boards, nine assists) stood tall in his moments against Shaquille O'Neal (-7, 15 points, nine rebounds), helping pick up teammate Andrew Bynum (-7, 10 points, seven rebounds), who look flustered.
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