- Really good video breakdown of how the Knicks beat the Celtics. A defensive scheme whereby Jared Jeffries doubled -- leaving Rajon Rondo with open jumpers -- was the key. Also, Boston's defense was a little sluggish, as you'll see. Rondo is shooting a brilliant 52% this season, as good as any point guard. How can you leave him open? A peek at NBA.com's hot zones reveals he has made 127 of his 205 shots at the rim. Everywhere else on the floor, however, he is a miserable 23 of 85. That's right. According to NBA.com, Rondo has hit a total of 23 buckets not at the rim, all season. He has played 1100 minutes over 35 games, so that's about one made jumper per 48 minutes played. And even though he is being left open game after game, he's still taking it to the rim again and again -- as reflected in his 205 shots at the cup, compared to 85 from elsewhere. Nevertheless, he's a great player. With the right shooting coach, and some real dedication on his part, he could be insanely good.
- LeBron James used to be an elite wide receiver, but gave up football before his senior year of high school. The Starting Five's Michael Tillery asked James why he quit: "When was the decision made to push football aside and why was it made? We lost the state championship my junior year in basketball. My senior year, I just refocused myself to the game of basketball -- completely. I loved to play football. To this day, one of my only regrets was not playing my senior year, but that loss hit me hard so I rededicated myself to the game I play now."
- Unusual video of referee Ron Garretson, pulling aside Chucky Atkins in 2006, and saying "Don't take this the wrong way ... I never knew you were that good."
- Did you know that last night was the first time in nearly two years that the Bucks have won a game when Andrew Bogut was not playing? I did not know that. But I am guessing that the Bucks' owners and executives will know that well, because Bogut's agent won't be letting them forget.
- You probably saw in the First Cup that Joel Przybilla's grandma is irate that her grandson was fined for his part in a squabble with Tyson Chandler. You can watch the incident here. Przybilla was playing with a broken wrist. Chandler chopped hard at that wrist -- in a way that would probably not normally even be called a foul, but was brutal given that everyone knew the circumstances. Przybilla responded with a weakish but undeniable forearm, and then Chandler threw a rare haymaker of an elbow (punches get you in all kinds of trouble, so players wind up and throw elbows) that connected with Przybilla's chest. Chandler was ejected and suspended, which is not enough for Przybilla's grandma -- who wants full exoneration of her grandson. I doubt she'll get it -- in a heated moment, he lashed out. After the haymaker elbow, he squared, balled up his fists, and screamed. Even if your grandma loves you, that can get you a fine.
- The D-League's annual showcase is right now, and there is all kinds of video -- live and archived. You could do nothing today but watch D-League basketball, if you so wished. (If you do that, in fact, please e-mail me a succinct and humurous first-hand account.) You might want to pay special attention to Alex Acker and Walter Sharpe. The Pistons need to cut a little salary to get under the luxury tax threshold, and those guys would be a way to do it.
- Pau Gasol's checklist in this highlight from last week. Running the break like a showman point guard: check. Looking joyous while doing it: not so check.
- Not even a full week into the new year -- many months from the playoffs -- and we have our first talk of tanking.
- The big man inbounds after a made bucket. But he doesn't pass it to the point guard. Instead, he sends a slow bouncer down court, which the point guard picks up at the last possible instant, to start the clock as late as possible. Here's a nomination to call that "walking the dog." Why would a team do that? A slow team might want as much time as possible to operate at the other end (many offenses hate shot clocks). Why not? It's like your team has a 29-second shot clock ... Alternately, by saving a few seconds multiple times a game, a team is adding possessions to the game (for each team). If you think your team is better, you want as many opportunities as possible to have that bear out. UPDATE: I am an idiot, because unless the referee has whistled the ball dead, that second example is bunk, because for most of the game the clock runs after a made basket. Maybe that helps explain why we only see it sometimes. If you're trying to extend the game, you'd do this every time the clock is stopped.
- Michael Grange of the Globe and Mail: "I am privately much amused than Stan Van Gundy has to coach Dwight Howard. First there is the obvious contrast between the short stumpy white guy and Howard, quite possibly the most gifted athlete walking the planet today. Even more fun is the idea of the ultra intense Van Gundy having to bite his tongue as Howard literally goofs around throughout most of an NBA work day. He is the opposite of intense. Consider his routine at the sticky tape mat located at centre court in front of the scorer's table. The game is about to start and there's a crowd of guys waiting to clean their shoes. Howard is there but lets each Raptor go to the mat first. For each guy he's got a different little routine. When Bosh playfully bumps him he looks to the ref and asks for a foul. With AP it's age before beauty. He pats Moon on the head. The exception is Solomon, who I don't think Howard recognized. Then Howard does his shoes, bends over and picks up the clear sticky plastic, wraps it in a ball and goes into this elaborate shot fake routine like you used on your brother playing nerf hoops before finally arching a fadeaway into the scorers table. Dwight had 39 points on 19 shots, but you just know in Van Gundy's mind if he only took thinkgs seriously he could average that. Funny."
- Britt Robson of Secrets of the City on the Timberwolves: "It's been painful to watch this franchise play Al Jefferson and Randy Foye--the two people the braintrust cherishes most as cornerstones--out of position at center and point guard, respectively. Finally throwing in the towel on Foye as floor general, a move begun at the tail end of Randy Wittman's disastrous tenure, has been a tonic for all concerned, most of all Foye, who can now exercise his ego in the realm of his virtues."
- DeShawn Stevenson being DeShawn Stevenson.
- An
d Deron Williams being a hazer of rookies, as explained by Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune: "Shootaround itself went a couple minutes shorter than usual and ended with Deron Williams punting balls into the upper deck at EnergySolutions Arena for Kosta Koufos to retrieve. When Koufos couldn't find a working elevator to go upstairs, there were even more laughs." - Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times: "It's crunch time for KeyArena. Crunch time for NBA basketball in Seattle. Crunch time for Seattle Center and surrounding businesses. But why isn't the business community rallying to save the site? Why aren't the business leaders openly lobbying legislators? Where's the buzz? Where's the energy? Where is the sense of desperation? Why does everybody seem to be sitting this one out? Seattle is developing a national reputation for what it can't do. It can't keep a basketball team, can't fix its arena, can't build a light rail system, can't remove its snow. Sometimes, it seems the only thing the city has going for it is its geography. And these days, KeyArena looks more like a billboard advertising the city's failures. The Sonics' team store sits like a white elephant on the southwest side of the building. And most winter nights, Seattle Center looks like a dark, wet, empty space. Seattle needs a remodeled Key. It needs the 41 dates the NBA guaranteed. It needs the lights turned on in the arena. It needs a resuscitated Seattle Center." UPDATE: Sonic fans aren't doing nothing. If DJ Money D can save the Sonics, they will be saved.
- The things Tayshaun Prince does to be ready for every game. He has started 365 straight -- the longest current streak in the league -- which is ironic for a guy who was allegedly too frail for this league.
- If you're really smart, you'll probably get a lot out of this breakdown of teams' 3-point shooting. I'm only kind of smart, and am confused.
- Great travels of the past.
- Caltech won a game. There is a good documentary about how they didn't win for 21 years. Their current losing streak had been at 30. Some of the smartest kids in the world -- almost none of whom were selected for their athletic talent -- really don't make a top team. But you have to admire the grit it must take to keep after it.
- Setting some realistic goals for the Thunder.
- Dangerous: On NBAStuffer they are keeping referee stats. The season is young, but already you can see come interesting stuff. Some referees tend to call a lot of games where the home game wins, for instance. This will be much more interesting with years of data, but nonetheless, it's interesting. Prediction: At some point in the future, these stats will tell some kind of damning story. Then the NBA will say those stats are from some random website, you should not believe them! Then somebody will ask for the real stats, and the NBA will say that's private.
Sort comments by: Most Recent | First Posted
Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
TRUEHOOP CONTRIBUTORS
Henry AbbottTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
J.A. AdandeTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Kevin ArnovitzTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chris BroussardTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chad FordTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
John HollingerTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Chris SheridanTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
Marc SteinTrueHoop ESPN Archive |
