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A friend who was horrified by Ian Parker's story in the New Yorker about the suicide of a gay Rutgers student asked me last week whether I had any kind of prescription to address bullying. I told my friend that most teenagers were congenitally insufferable people until they grew up, and barring a treatment that made them less so, any hope of getting them to stop preying on others' sensitivities was probably futile.

My response was flip, not constructive and, more likely than not, inaccurate. Chances are that if you're 18 and sitting in homeroom this morning, you and the kid next to you are far less likely to torment someone for being different. Cultural critics like to discuss the relative impact of the factors that underpin that phenomenon, but the progress is very real -- and it didn't happen by accident.

The vast amount of diverse content piped into our worlds has been vital. Everything from the early seasons of "The Real World" to smart people debunking pseudo-science on larger-than-ever platforms have done their part. Still, one read through Parker's piece and it's clear we've got a lot of ground to cover, and sculpting a message for maximum impact isn't easy.

When I first saw GLSEN's Public Service Announcement starring Grant Hill and Jared Dudley last spring, I experienced a full range of thoughts, anxieties and feelings. First, there was an intense satisfaction. Two NBA players felt deeply enough about an issue as peripheral as not using gay as a pejorative and now the entire basketball-watching nation was being educated. I'm generally not a tribal person, but I was doubly proud, perhaps more so for the basketball world than for gay people. An ad like this one wasn't conceivable even a decade ago, but now -- during the heart of the NBA playoffs -- it was inescapable, not to mention exceptionally well-produced.

But after that, I started to worry. Messaging can be so tricky, and what if this ad missed the mark? It was destined to be a hit among the choir, but what about the kids they were actually trying to educate, the ones who were most likely to say, "Your moves are so gay," on the playground? The're a certain hazard that comes with confronting a cynical generation with an earnest message. Anyone who grew up in the cable/internet era has been bombarded with carefully crafted ads, campaigns and public-service announcements during his entire waking life, and it's not difficult to imagine they'd look at a spot like this one and react the way I did when I first saw "Reefer Madness" as a teen.

Apart from anecdotal testimony, it's hard to glean approximately how effective the ad has been, but nine months after it first aired, I was very curious. That's why I went to Hill and Dudley to see what kind of responses they'd gotten since last May.

Both Hill and Dudley said the largest volume of feedback they've gotten has come on social media platforms.

"I can tell when it's been aired," Hill said because his Twitter mentions stream will fill up. "You get folks. Some appreciate, some negative stuff, too."

Dudley, who spends a lot more time on Twitter than Hill, says he'll inevitably get the "Hey, Jared, that commercial is gay," when the spot airs.

Neither Hill nor Dudley has heard from gay teens who feel affirmed by the ad, or received any Atta Boys from players around the league.

"It’s not one of those things that’s discussed," Hill said. "It’s not one of those things that’s, ‘Hey, what was it like doing that?' Or, ‘What prompted you to do it?’ Or, ‘It was courageous for you to be a part of that.’ I haven’t gotten any of that."

"No one ever said they were with me, but no one said they were against me either," Dudley said.

Hill, in particular, said he participated not so much to change attitudes around the league. In fact, he's not all that convinced that there's much players can do to influence each other on the issue.

"In mens’ basketball, it’s still one of those things that’s taboo," Hill said. "Maybe because I’ve done this, guys are reluctant to say it around me. I don’t know."

Hill isn't self-congratulatory, but he uses proud and courageous as characterizations, markers that say less about Hill's self-regard and more about how far the NBA still has to travel on the issue.

"Maybe if I were younger, I might not have had the courage to do it," Hill said. "But as a parent, as an example for my kids and their friends, I’m not afraid to do that and I was honored they asked me to be a part of it. And I respect Jared, because he is a young guy."

I've always maintained that teams and leagues, rather than individuals, would lead on this issue. It's not a coincidence that a single organization produced the first out gay executive, provided the league with the two athletes who'd star in the first gay-positive PSA that would air incessantly during NBA broadcasts for the better part of a year, and have another, Steve Nash, who'd cut an ad for marriage equality.

"As a player, [the Suns] are an organization with a lot of freedom," Dudley said. "How you talk, freedom of speech. The organization is supportive."

It's impossible to measure whether an ad like this one has changed behavior on basketball courts across the country -- or even if behavior on basketball courts actually influences attitudes outside the lines. Until there's an out gay basketball player, whether it's one who comes out during his career or comes up through the amateur ranks as a self-identified gay kid (an outcome I think that's more likely for reasons Hill has essentially outlined), we probably won't see anything like a breakthrough.

But I do know one thing: If that day came tomorrow, there's one locker room and organization in the league where he'd feel most comfortable. Tolerance is a cultural matter but, for the guy who has to make history as the first openly gay ballplayer, it's fundamentally a workplace issue.

A perfect game is a rarity in baseball, but the kind that took place in the NBA on Thursday night is even more unusual.

The Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks combined to shoot 41-for-41 from the free throw line in Milwaukee’s 102-93 victory on Thursday night. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the best display of free-throw shooting in NBA history.

The previous mark was held by the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors, who were a combined 16-for-16 from the line on Dec. 22, 2000. That’s the only other game in the shot clock era in which both teams went the entire night without missing a free throw.

Two other performances come close. On April 4, 1997, the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns were a combined 36-for-37. Nearly six years later, on April 5, 2003, the Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves were a combined 43-for-44.

In both instances, it was a Suns miss that prevented perfection.

Coincidentally, the Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers had 41 free-throw attempts on Thursday as well. But they failed at achieving perfection by a wide margin, combining to miss 14 attempts.

Between them, the Pistons and Bucks were shooting 76 percent from the free-throw line this season, so a game with 41 free-throw attempts figured to have around 31 makes and 10 misses. But on this night, they would be much better.
The Bucks' two best free throw shooters, Stephen Jackson and Jon Leuer, who entered 41-for-48 from the foul line, combined to go 8-for-8. The Pistons got an 8-for-8 from Greg Monroe, who entered the day shooting 77 percent. They also got a 7-for-7 from Rodney Stuckey, who is now 30-for-34 on free-throw attempts this season.

Monroe had a fantastic all-around game. He finished with 32 points and 16 rebounds, the third Pistons player to hit both of those plateaus in a game in the past 25 seasons , joining Grant Hill and Dennis Rodman, who each did so twice (alas, neither was perfect from the foul line in those games).

For the Bucks, it was their best free-throw shooting game since going 28-for-28 in a 103-94 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 12, 2000.

The 24-for-24 for the Pistons was the best by any team in the NBA this season, the best by any team since the Minnesota Timberwolves were 25-for-25 in a 104-92 win over the New Orleans Hornets on Feb. 7, 2011.

According to Elias, the last time the Pistons made that many free throws without a miss in a game was March 12, 1985, when they went 24-for-24 in a 111-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

That night, they lost to a rookie named Michael Jordan, who made four late free throws of his own to seal a 32-point effort and a win for his team.

The last team to lose a game in which it shot 24-for-24 or better from the free-throw line was the Dallas Mavericks, who went 29-for-29 in a 110-98 loss to the Washington Wizards on Nov. 26, 2007.

The Pistons were well short of the NBA record for the most makes by a team in a game without a miss. That mark of 39 was set by the Utah Jazz against the Portland Trail Blazers, Dec. 7, 1982.

Howard not so perfect, but sets record in win
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard wasn't anything close to perfect on Thursday, but he set an NBA mark nonetheless.

Howard broke the record for free-throw attempts in a game with 39 in Orlando's 117-109 win over the Golden State Warriors. Howard broke the mark of 34 that stood for nearly 50 years, set by Wilt Chamberlain against the Hawks on Feb. 22, 1962.

Howard's 18 misses are the most by any player, not named Chamberlain, in NBA history.

Perhaps we can expect a big scoring day from Howard in the future. Less than two weeks after Chamberlain set that free throw attempts record, he set another record, one that hasn't been touched. On March 2, 1962, he scored 100 points in a win over the New York Knicks.

For now, Howard will have to settle for what he did on Thursday: becoming the only active player with a 40-point/20-rebound game.

Duke edged Michigan in a surprisingly great game, one that came on the heels of former Blue Devil Grant Hill criticizing former Wolverine Jalen Rose. Though the game was great, last week’s media discussion was lacking. Specifically: Few came to Rose’s unequivocal defense, even fewer found fault with Hill. Below, three TrueHoop writers express frustration over how this supposed “race controversy” gave way to such dull, toothless commentary.

Myles Brown: How exactly did we get here? Jalen Rose produced a critically acclaimed documentary rife with talking points: the abuse and exploitation of college athletes, what constitutes a commendable legacy and even how Michigan's Fab Five served as a precursor of sorts to the Miami Heat. Yet, we're still entrenched in the rudimentary conversation of who and what is an Uncle Tom. Now no matter the impetus, we should welcome a discussion on race, particularly when considering it was a central theme of the production. However in order for such dialogue to be productive, it must be broader and far more honest.

As you've probably heard by now, Grant Hill wrote a letter. What is still unclear is whether he watched the documentary in its entirety before firing off such a missive. He says that “It was a sad and somewhat pathetic turn of events, therefore, to see friends narrating this interesting documentary...” yet the rest of his words are littered with inaccuracies and loaded language indicative of a second-hand accounting. No one-especially Jalen-”disparaged” the Hill's for their “education, work ethic and commitment to each other.” In fact, he praised them and admitted he was quite jealous of the benefits they provided their son. Furthermore, Jalen only “seems to change the usual meaning of these very vitriolic words into his own meaning, i.e., blacks from two-parent, middle-class families” if the context of his statements is ignored. That context being his upbringing and more importantly, Duke's recruiting practices.

Duke has traditionally sought after privately schooled players, which has lent their program an air of affluence and respectability. Such players are committed to the program for the duration of their college careers; ostensibly capable of adhering to both Mike Krzyzewski's military rule and the rigors of a Duke education. Yet it could also be argued that such commitment keeps roster turnover low and thus, keeps the program strong. To some, it may appear that Duke recruits the class of player they do not for academic reasons, but to avoid the impoverished players presumably more subject to NCAA violations. Plainly put, kids who are financially secure don't leave school early for the money and they don't take money either.

True or not, the perception remains. Such a stigma isn't necessarily racist, though it certainly has classist undertones. Therefore, those complicit with such a program -- most notably African-Americans -- will be seen as subservient, which is the traditional definition of an Uncle Tom: subservience or deference to a dominant white power structure. At the risk of putting words in the man's mouth, this is what Jalen was referencing. Not an outright accusation, just a candid acknowledgment of his feelings at the time. Again, at the time. Now the only way to clarify what Duke values and why, is to hear from Coach K himself, who has been curiously quiet during this firestorm. Surely the New York Times would welcome his commentary.

--

Ethan Sherwood Strauss: Myles, you correctly tag the discussion as “rudimentary,” and I seek attributions for the sloth. I’m indicting my fellow white writers here. When sports spawn racial controversies, our conveyor belt churns out one of the two responses:

1. LeBarryBrondsism: “I’m mad at a black athlete and race is NOT a factor here! I know that because I’m incensed enough to speak out on this issue. Race couldn't have influenced my aggrieved opinion because then I’d feel icky, possibly guilty, maybe even introspective. Too angry for that! So don’t play any tricky 'race card' games with my head!”

2. Bunker (Grant) Hill: “This is a very, very, sensitive topic. I’m too frightened to publicly speak on the matter. Maybe I’ll say the wrong thing? Oh wow, I know what to do! I won’t take sides, and I won’t posit opinions. Instead, I’ll sagely bellow, 'These are very important issues and we need a rich debate!' The declaration will be followed by the medieval trumpet noise that kicks off all great jousts.Then, I’ll stop paying attention save for retweeting columns from pontificating black journalists.”

So, white sports writers live in a world where race is either “not a factor,” or not worth commenting on. It’s a much easier planet to navigate, no? But, the path of least resistance rarely helps anybody save for maybe the path taker. Many white bloggers have emailed me takes on Rose-Hill that they wouldn’t publicly air. Thought-provoking opinions are withering inside the heads of the fearful, not sure if this is helping a country that badly needs to understand its balkanized self.

Bomani Jones makes the point that this “Uncle Tom” embroglio only impacts white people in the tangential sense. True, though I believe white pundits should stop with the mental constipation regarding a perceived away game. If you have something to say, say it. If it’s stupid, then we’ve at least begun the process of getting somewhere better. I hope.

I’m dragging intellectual blind spots to the away game, due to a white, upper middle class upbringing. But -- caveats aside -- the sentient should be able to cull a damned conclusion or two. Hill wrote an opinion column, a medium that thrives on people debating each other. In its wake, I only hear clapping from my ethnic ilk. Pointed words aren’t following pointed prose.

Oh so few journalists, white or black, are conveying solid, honest arguments here. Some take Hill’s side. Most serve the insipid Goldilocks soup that keeps this country dull and stupid. The wisdom pose is to declare both camps half-correct, find a “just right” middle ground. This is a fake understanding of nuance, designed to make its proponents sound serious. As Bill Moyers would say, “Splitting the difference between a point and counter-point doesn’t equal the truth.” But, this lazy brand of relativism so effectively masks cowardice as judiciousness that it’s become the default model of American punditry. The upshot here is, Hill’s strong words float mostly unchallenged.

Grant Hill obviously has a grievance regarding the stereotyping of black Duke players, but he’s debating a strawman at Jalen’s expense. Rose did not specifically call Hill anything other than someone to be envied--a generation ago.

Jalen exposed himself for the sake of artistic integrity, and I respect his candor. Along with a buzzword that wrung hands, Rose revealed the pain of growing up fatherless, the jealousy Grant Hill’s great life stoked. Art best connects when we transmit the uncomfortable feelings that roil our guts. Jalen did that, and did it well.

Credit to this man for being honest about an immature stage--it’s just sad the PC police have time travel capabilities. His expressed vulnerability is a cudgel against him, as that vulnerability is bizarrely re-framed as some gaffe or bully tactic. Wish more people were speaking up for him, wish more people were speaking in general.

--

Beckley Mason: An odd side effect of the insecurity and uncertainty white writers might feel in commenting on the Rose-Hill “controversy” is that black writers are expected to fill the commentary void. But what really qualifies one to discuss the Hill-Rose beef? Race? Geography? Culture? Is an individual’s personal experience the sole determinant of authority on controversial racial issues?

Such does not acknowledge the inherent connectedness of our society. Of course we will remain ignorant of each other’s lives, but pretending that means we are not affected by the lives of everyone in this country is unacceptable. And it seems to me that publicly expressed or explored ignorance, when it exposes rather than reinforces that ignorance, can also be promote progress.

Was Jalen Rose ignorant as a 19 year old stud from inner city Detroit? Sure! That’s what the documentary was designed to explore: the strange mix of ignorance and arrogance, helplessness and power, that the Fab Five embodied.

Rose was ignorant, but his honesty in the documentary regarding who he was is the important part. The fact that he expressed the jealousy and hurt he felt watching black players that he perceived to be “fitting in” with and profiting from a society that would not accept him is more important than his word choice. And Rose shouldn’t apologize for having those feelings.

A major reason many people deviate from (and innovate new) societal norms--ie- wear black socks, long shorts, ignore rules--is because following the paths laid out by the structure of mainstream society isn’t working. People who know there isn’t enough food don’t wait in line—the American Dream, simply put, doesn’t work for everyone. If Duke represented the white-dominated mainstream to Rose, we should be asking why he felt automatically excluded from such an institution.

But I’ve also got sympathy for the Blue Devil. Rose hasn’t gone out of his way to say “That’s how I felt in 1991. I don’t feel that way about black Duke players today.” And no one likes to be called "a bitch" in front of millions of people. I can see how Hill could feel the need to defend himself and other black people who were a part of a culture that is a source of pride and love in his life.

So if both Hill and Rose’s opinions came from the heart and a place of honesty, they both deserve to be taken seriously. But the conversation bogs down in our fundamental inability to move past their and our own personal experiences, because ultimately, that’s what pain is--personal. We can sympathize and understand, but no one knows the exact texture of another person’s suffering. Perhaps that’s why many white writers feel they should sit this one out; they feel they can’t, or even shouldn’t, relate. But it would probably benefit everyone if we could be sympathetic on the personal level while thinking critically on a macro-social level. Just because an issue isn’t “our own” doesn’t mean it ceases to affect us all, and visa versa.

Ultimately, parsing a debate that never really happened between Rose and Hill can be interesting, but it can also obscure the message that, sadly, the only means to any semblance of power available to kids like Rose, in 1991 and today, was intentionally disregarding the conventions of the empowered group. Focusing on whether the way Rose communicated the pain and hurt that affects thousands of young people from similar backgrounds was uncouth is like trying to find a needle in a flaming haystack. In debating Rose vs. Hill, we risk overlooking the more serious, pressing, and broader implications of the documentary.

The Los Angeles Clippers shot a season-low 33 percent from the floor, and have lost eight straight games. The Indiana Pacers on the other hand, made 14-for-26 three-pointers, the second time this season they've shot better than 50 percent from behind the arc (they made 16-of-30 threes against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 9).

The Phoenix Suns Hedo Turkoglu went 0-for-8 Thursday against the Orlando Magic, the second-worst shooting night of his career in terms of most attempts without a make.

From Elias Sports Bureau:
Orlando’s starters made 31-of-44 field goals in the Magic’s win over the Suns on Thursday (70.5 percent). That’s the second-highest shooting percentage for any starting five in any game in Orlando’s history. On April 7, 2007 the Magic’s starting quintet of Hedo Turkoglu, Tony Battie, Dwight Howard, Grant Hill and Jameer Nelson went a combined 25-or-32 (78.1 percent).

Dwight Howard played the 500th game of his NBA career and grabbed his usual dozen rebounds in Orlando’s victory over Phoenix on Thursday night. Howard has pulled down more rebounds (6,310 to be exact) than any other active player recorded in his first 500 games. That translates to a 12.6 per game average – the highest rebounding average for any player at the 500-game mark since Moses Malone’s 15.0 in 1983.

On Wednesday there were 12 games on the NBA schedule. The 24 teams combined for 2,443 points, which is the second-most in the NBA this season. Five teams won by twelve or more points including the Magic who beat the Timberwolves by 42 (fourth-largest margin of victory in franchise history). Besides the outburst in Orlando here are some primetime players that blew out the box score on Wednesday.

• Kobe Bryant went for 30 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists giving him the 17th triple double of his career. Bryant broke a tie with Kevin Garnett (16) and put himself alone in fourth place among active players for most triple-doubles. The three active players with more career triple-doubles are Jason Kidd (105), Grant Hill (29) and LeBron James (28).

• Rajon Rondo scored 17 points and dished out 15 assists vs. the Bucks. His 82 assists through the first five games of the season are an NBA record (he set the four-game record in his last game).

FROM THE ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU:
• Rondo’s teammate Paul Pierce scored 28 points in Boston's victory, including the 20,000th point of his career late in overtime. Pierce is the 20th player in NBA history to net at least 20,000 points for one team and he's the third player to reach that milestone for the Celtics, joining John Havlicek (26,395) and Larry Bird (21,791). The only other franchise with as many 20,000-point players as the Celtics is the Lakers, who have four: Bryant, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Elgin Baylor.

• Dwight Howard had 18 points, 16 rebounds and eight blocks in 23 minutes against the Timberwolves. He is the first player in NBA history to reach each of those stats in less than 25 minutes played (blocks first recorded in 1973-74 season). The only other player with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in 25 minutes or fewer was LaSalle Thompson on November 3, 1983 vs. Denver (15 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks in 25 minutes).

• Like the sun, this post sets in the West. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Grizzlies and improved their home record to 3-0. It's the first time Golden State has won its first three home games of a season since 1990, when the Run TMC crew (led by Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin) won its first six games at The Arena in Oakland (now known as Oracle Arena). Monta Ellis led the way with 39 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists and on the season is averaging 30 PPG and six APG. The last Warriors player to average at least 25 points and five assists per game in the first four games of a season was Hardaway in 1994.

• Wizards owner Ted Leonsis: "Last night there was a pick-up game played at Verizon Center on our practice court. There were many NBA players in attendance and a few NBA All-Stars played as well. I stumbled into watching purely by accident. Gilbert Arenas played last night. It was a very good evening of basketball. Gil -- our All-Star --matched up against another NBA All-Star. It was quite a show and quite a display of talent. I won’t comment yet on Gilbert or who was in the gym last night but suffice to say Gilbert looked trim, fit and explosive. His shot was sweet and he did one left handed dunk that was something to see. It had everyone talking. I was impressed and am happy." (Update via an email from Unprofessional Foul: Was it Chris Paul?)
• Andrew A. McNeill of 48 Minutes of Hell uses some sharp diagrams to illustrate San Antonio's prompt, low-risk, stay-at-home defensive principles.
• On the heels of the presentation of the prestigious Fields Medal to French mathematician Cedric Villani, Tom Ziller of AOL FanHouse asks, "Does defense really come down to atomic physics?"
• Steve Perrin of Clips Nation on Eric Gordon's inclusion on Team USA's final roster: "He came in less well known than many of the other players, a fact that Coach K acknowledged last week. But his work ethic in practice and his solid play on the court has given Team USA no choice but to keep him. He may be less flashy than the other guards on the team, but coaches tend to covet solid unspectacular play, especially from their role players. EJ plays unrelenting man to man defense, he doesn't need the ball on offense, he moves the ball well, and in the end Coach K and his staff appreciated the little things he was doing. It hasn't hurt that he has lived up to his reputation as a knockdown shooter."
• It hasn't been all confetti and champagne for the Lakers since 2000. Jeff Skibiski of Forum Blue & Gold walks you through the Lakers' 10 most forgettable moments of the decade.
• Michael Schwartz of Valley of the Suns says Phoenix could actually field a five-man small forward unit if it wants to: "Such a small forward lineup could put Hedo Turkoglu at the point, Josh Childress at the two, Grant Hill at his natural three, Jared Dudley at the four and Earl Clark at the five."
• Dudley asks a pretty interesting question via Twitter: "Imagine if the NBA had Int rules.. U think the All Star teams would be different?"
• Jeremy Wagner of Roundball Mining Company on why the grass is greener for Carmelo Anthony in Denver.
• Milwaukee did some intriguing things to its roster this offseason -- some of them curious, some of them clever. However we size up John Hammond's maneuvering, one thing is clear: The Bucks should finish at the rim at a measurably higher percentage this upcoming season.
• Mark Cuban says it's time to stay liquid: " If you don’t fully understand the risks of an investment you are contemplating, it’s ok to do nothing. In times of massive uncertainty like we are facing today, doing nothing is a valid and IMHO preferable investment strategy. Just put your money in the bank."
• Rob Mahoney of Pro Basketball Talk on Andre Iguodala's role on Team USA: "Iggy is easily Team USA's top perimeter defender, but offensively, he moves the ball, is a decent spot-up option (just don't ask him to shoot off the dribble...yeesh), and is a good positional rebounder."
• Some video of Wizards draft pick Kevin Seraphin.
• When Gary Grant ruled the world ... for one night.
• How to apply your childhood piano lessons to your NBA viewing habits.
• If the Wizards win 50 games this upcoming season, credit the new red stairs in the Verizon Center.
• Via J.E. Skeets, Living and Dying by the Jazz unearths some sharp threads from Jerry Sloan's playing days with the Bulls.
• FreeDarko revisits how Kwame Brown came to be a No 1 draft pick and the hazards of the pre-draft workout.
• In retrospect, exactly how bad for Cleveland was the Luke Jackson pick at No. 10 in the 2004 draft?
• Press row will be a cozier place next season in Miami.
• Somewhere in Italy is a bedroom treasure trove of NBA goodies.
• The Warriors have made crafty use of the D-League in recent seasons. Rasheed Malek of Warriors World tells D-League Digest's Matt Hubert: "Players such as Kelenna Azubuike, C.J. Watson and Reggie Williams are some of the players who’ve secured multi-year deals from NBA teams after initially being called up by the Warriors from the D-League. Add in other players such as Anthony Tolliver and Chris Hunter who’ve experienced significant playing time with the Warriors and it’s clear that the Warriors are the model franchise when it comes to utilizing the D-League."

• How many of the Celtics' "Big 4" need to produce in order for the Celtics to be successful? Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus breaks down the Celtics' postseason results by examining single game scores for Garnett, Allen, Pierce and Rondo and measuring those results per 48 minutes: " In 14 of the team's 20 playoff games, two or more members of the Big Four have been above average. In those games, the Celtics have been tough to beat, going 11-3."
• When the Celtics jump out early, they're a tough team to beat.
• Lakers fans have a complicated relationship with Derek Fisher. Fisher has provided them with some of their fondest postseason memories, but many of those same fans also see point guard as the spot on the floor where the Lakers are most vulnerable due to Fisher's age and streaky shooting. Jeff Skibiski of Forum Blue & Gold offers his paean to Fisher.
• Neil Paine of Basketball Reference wonders how often a championship team's "alpha dog" goes on to win Finals MVP.
• Although he has a lot of work to do this summer, Phoenix Suns general manager Steve Kerr has enjoyed as much vindication this postseason than any player or executive in the NBA.
• Grant Hill thinks that swapping Jared Dudley for ESPN's J.A. Adande as the Suns' sixth man would be a potential disaster.
• Tom Ziller exquisitely digs into "Pacific Rims," Harper's assistant editor Rafe Bartholomew's exploration of basketball in the Philippines: "So much of the idiosyncratic image of Filipino basketball madness stems from the physical limitations of both the Filipino people (whose men, on average, stand shorter than Earl Boykins) and the challenges posed by the archipelago's sweltering climate. There's also the dedication to the art of the sport, which disconnects with our American vision of the game's aesthetic value stemming from the dunk, a task made more difficult in the Philippines due to the aforementioned height issue. Filipino players have instead translated the dunk into their language, creating the trick lay-up. And this type of cultural touchstone -- not the lay-up itself, but its creation myth -- gets at just what makes basketball in the Philippines so special: the kids in flip-flops in the barrios and the McDonald's All-Americans in the arena are all connected through this unique basketball mythology created here."
• Embracing (or rejecting) advanced analytics means that sometimes a player's quantitative value defies what the human eye sees. Such is the case with Spurs big man Matt Bonner.
• Drafting for "need" isn't as simple as filling one of five positions on the court. Teams also have to be mindful of how a specific draftee's skill set would dovetail with their existing roster. The New Jersey Nets might be choosing between two talented young big men -- Derrick Favors and DeMarcus Cousins. Both have enormous potential, but whose talents would best complement Brook Lopez?
• The Clippers continue to bring in a slew of prospects for workouts.
• Jay Aych of The Painted Area is picking Barca to sweep the ACB Finals: "... Barcelona is nearly flawless, one of the best units Europe has ever seen."
• Will Walter McCarty get his shot as an NBA assistant next season with the Pacers?
• Jeff Pendergraph: Bowled over by The Brady Bunch Movie.

• "Thumbs Down" is one of Orlando's favorite sets. Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard run a high screen-and-roll in the middle of the floor, with a shooter to the left of the action. Last spring, this play call was lethal, but the Celtics' defenders have it well in check. Zach Lowe of Celtics Hub breaks down what Boston is doing defensively to stop it.
• Disarmed by the Suns' 2-3 zone on Sunday night, the Lakers launched a barrage of 3-pointers. Phillip Barnett of Forum Blue & Gold points out that shooting from the perimeter is a dicey strategy against Phoenix: "[T]hose long shots lead to long rebounds, which create transition opportunities for a team that likes to run as much as the Suns do. The Suns had 18 fast break points in Game 3 compared to just 20 in the first two games combined."
• Assuming the Suns stick with the zone in Game 4, how do the Lakers attack it? Mike Fratello explains that confronting the zone doesn't require a complete overhaul of your offense -- just small calibrations.
• Wayne Winston is very bullish on the Suns. He echoes what Haralabos Voulgaris has been saying since the series started: Phoenix needs to keep Robin Lopez on the floor at all costs.
• Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus suggests that the Lakers might want to switch up their pick-and-roll defense: "[T]he Lakers probably don't want to have to bring over a third player and invite the Suns to get open looks from the perimeter. Perhaps then the answer is softening up the post player's hedging against Nash with the goal of turning him into a scorer instead of a playmaker. That's a dangerous game, certainly, but now it's the Lakers who find themselves forced to choose between unpalatable alternatives on defense."
• Ben Q. Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post asks Magic fans if they prefer to be taken out of their misery tonight in Game 4, or have the Magic return to Orlando for a Game 5.
• Grant Hill heartily endorses Doug Collins.
• There are some features of the NBA Draft that make Benjamin Polk of A Wolf Among Wolves a little uneasy: "[P]layers are essentially consenting to become commodities. They are referred to as 'assets' and 'pieces,' and are bought, sold and traded as such. The movements and labors of their bodies are known as 'the product,' and their inner lives deemed valuable only in the extent that they can a) foster their teams’ production or b) be packaged into digestible, televisable bits."
• Canadian youth, meet Randy Foye.
• Do the Washington Wizards hurt the Washington Captials?
• Is yoga making Chris Douglas-Roberts taller?
• Did viewers lose interest after the Lakers throttled the Suns in Los Angeles? Not quite. From Sports Media Watch: "The Suns' Game 3 win over the Lakers drew a 6.1 overnight rating on TNT Sunday night, up 13% from Game 2 (5.4), and the highest overnight of the series."
• The Knicks are often dismissed as a desirable destination for LeBron James because of their thin supporting cast. Wilson Chandler is one of the Knicks' pieces and he's become a more efficient player this season by raising his true shooting. that's the good news. The bad news according to Mike Kurylo of Knickerblogger? "There are a few ways to increase your TS%. Two main ones that would coincide with a sign of Chandler’s development are increasing the number of times converting from the charity stripe and an uptick in three point percentage. However Wilson did neither of these as he scored fewer singles and connected less often from downtown in 2010. His fta/36 fell from 2.8 to 2.5 and his ftm/fga dropped as well (from .16 to .15). Meanwhile his three point percentage was a shameful 26.7%."
• Orlando guard Jason Williams values his space.

Anyone who witnessed the carnage at Staples Center this past week knows that the Phoenix Suns have serious defensive issues. Suns head coach Alvin Gentry even went so far as to playfully solicit suggestions from the media at his postgame press conference following Game 2. To the naked eye, nobody on the Suns' roster has appeared more culpable for the team's defensive meltdowns than Amare Stoudemire. Defense has long been a major knock on Stoudemire's game, and there have been countless instances in the first two games of the Lakers-Suns series that seem to affirm Stoudemire's reputation as a defensive liability.

How bad has Stoudemire been? I put a call into David Thorpe to get his impressions -- and Thorpe's response was surprising:

The Phoenix Suns' pick-and-roll:

You know it's coming, but there's only so much you can do about it.

That pick-and-roll attack is the primary reason Phoenix was the NBA's most efficient offense this season. How good were the Suns with the ball in 2009-10? The gap between their top-ranked offense and Orlando's second-ranked squad was greater than the distance between Orlando and #10 Dallas. Incredibly, the Suns have become even more efficient in the postseason, where they're averaging 113.2 points per 100 possessions.

Virtually every team in the league incorporates the pick-and-roll and practices defending it tirelessly. So what's the open secret that allows the Suns to bludgeon teams on a nightly basis?

• The Rockets made out like bandits in yesterday's three-team trade with Sacramento and New York. Jason Friedman gets to the heart of what Daryl Morey & Company were able to accomplish: "In Martin, the Rockets have filled a glaring void at the 2-guard spot. And this isn’t simply some band-aid, stop-gap solution. Martin is one of the NBA’s most efficient scoring weapons, a player who drains 3s and draws fouls in bunches, which has allowed him to post a True Shooting Percentage above 60% for four consecutive seasons. In other words, he’s the perfect fit for a team which treats efficiency like it’s the Holy Grail ... Then there are those draft picks. Oh, those wonderful draft picks ... the Rockets now own a pair of first round picks in 2011 and 2012 which gives Morey more of an opportunity to weave his magic, be it through savvy selections or additional wheeling and dealing. We’re talking about laying down this franchise’s foundation of the future here, people; one which suddenly looks so very bright not just for the rest of this year and (especially) the next – but for the years to come as well."
• At Hardwood Paroxysm, Wyn Douglas takes a historical look at the success and failure of teams after the trade deadline. Also at Hardwood Paroxysm, Jared Wade isn't ready to bury Tracy McGrady just yet. He wonders if McGrady can revive his career as a Grant Hill-like facilitator, and runs through the list of other superstar journeymen who have played for multiple teams.
• Lots of fun with player comps in a two-parter from Neil Paine at Basketball Reference. Fascinating stuff: Paine's project makes Andrei Kirilenko the modern equivalent of Marques Johnson.
• At the deadline, the Chicago Bulls acquired four ... gremlins?
• Byron Scott and Mychal Thompson engaged in a real-life boxing match. There's some disagreement about which former Laker won on points. In the same interview, Scott says that the Clippers head coaching job is intriguing: "I do think the Clipper job is a pretty good job for me. They have got some young talent.Obviously they are going to have a lot of cap room and another lottery pick coming in."
• The worst thing about blogging the Cavs, according to John Krolik of Cavs: the Blog.
• Jeremy Wagner of Roundball Mining Company looks at Carmelo Anthony's big shot against LeBron James.
• Michael Schwartz of Valley of the Suns delves into the host of questions surrounding Amare Stoudemire's staying put in Phoenix.
• "Shake" -- not just a liquified dessert, but a way to measure a player's consistency.
• You know that remixed "Defense" NBA spot? The most amusing clip in the ad is the unintentional irony of Eddie House in the Celtics huddle yelling, "Keep playing defense!" House was dealt from Boston to New York yesterday. At Celtics Hub, Zach Lowe bids farewell to the C's inveterate shooter, focusing on his favorite House moment, which occurred in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals.
• Matthew Bunch of Hot Hot Hoops says sometimes the best move at the deadline is no move at all.
• The best thing about the Bucks' deal for John Salmons? Milwaukee hung onto its picks and got some draft considerations from Chicago.
• Knickerblogger draws up an extensive report card on New York's deadline moves.

• Andrew Bogut had one of those nights that makes you say, "Oh, I can see why this guy was a number one pick.” As Jeremy Schmidt of Bucksketball describes, the uber-competitive Bogut Friday night traded blows with Brad Miller and even yelled at the Spalding.
• In Portland, there's nothing like a little schadenfreude watching a certain superstar struggle. Andrew R. Tonry of Portland Roundball Society: "There's something rather sublime about watching Kobe Bryant struggle. And Friday night, there was a wealth of opportunities. After missing a free throw to the crowd's raucous delight, Bryant wildly pressed Brandon Roy full court only to end up with a frustration foul. A few plays later he bobbled what should've been an easy catch out of bounds. Grown men in the crowd are hugging."
• The absence of Pau Gasol has been devastating to the Lakers over the past week or so. Brian Kamenetzky of Land o' Lakers: "With Pau Gasol on the sidelines, the last three games have shown stronger signs of a Lakers team slipping back into 'Save us Kobe! Mode,' too willing to defer to Bryant."
• Baron Davis says that sporting a beard is one thing, but maintaining it is an entirely different matter: "If you're going to trim your beard yourself, you'll need the right tools."
• As of this morning, the Western Conference has 11 teams over .500, while the Eastern Conference has only six. Steve Perrin of Clips Nation says that the League should retool the playoff brackets:"[A]t some level it's totally illogical NOT to have the best 16 teams playing in the postseason."
• It's fair to classify Cleveland as an elite defensive unit. But they're vulnerable against scoring point guards when Delonte West isn't on the floor, as John Krolik of Cavs the Blog explains.
• When Phoenix went to a zone to slow down a scorching Dwyane Wade, the rest of the Heat capitalized on their opportunities and drained shots.
• How Andrea Bargnani is like those old "Less Filling, Tastes Great!" ads. Zarar Siddiqi of Raptors Republic expands on the newfound intensity the Raps are bringing to the court.
• Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm on the virtues of playing in a small market. For one, teammates are much more likely to hang out with one another away from the gym.
• In the second half in their loss to Washington, the Magic got away from their patented brand of inside-out/pick-and-pop ball. Ben Q. Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post: "I don't recall Orlando playing this much one-on-one ball since Brian Hill ran isolation plays for Grant Hill in that ill-fated 2007 season."
• Feels strange to say it, but the Memphis Grizzlies are one tough bunch.
• The Hawks have been cratering, but they got off the mat Friday night to beat Boston. Bret LaGree of Hoopinion enumerates the many reasons Atlanta won, but "[w]hichever perspective one gives greatest weight as to the reasons for it, the result itself was unimpeachable."

By Henry Abbott

To tell Grant Hill how to get his hair cut on Twitter.

It's a strange world we live in.

Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

• Jeff Teague is now officially an Atlanta Hawk, as Sekou Smith writes in the AJC. The article touches on why a team like the Hawks might be at a disadvantage having not fielded a Summer League team.
• Michael Schwartz of Valley of the Suns on Steve Nash's contract extension: "The Suns now have a solid mix of youth and veterans, as outside of Hill, Nash, and Richardson (28), everyone on the roster is 26 or younger. Nash finally has the chance to play Seven Seconds or Less with no Shaq or Terry Porter ruining his mojo. The Suns finally get a full season under Alvin Gentry, a full season with J-Rich, and hopefully a full season with a healthy Amare Stoudemire." ESPN's Eric Neel tweets: "Is Nash's the first deal where player looks ahead to future cap/tax limits and decides testing the waters isn't worth it?"
• Brian Kamenetzky draws you in with the lowest-hanging of fruit -- a picture of a kitten -- then reports on the Lamar Odom buzz from Vegas: "Nobody I spoke with, from coaches to agents to other members of the media, expects Odom to leave the Lakers, though one Western Conference GM said with a laugh that a lot of his brethren wish he would."
• The unthinkable may come to Detroit: Smallball.
• Prior to last season, John Hollinger asked of Amir Johnson, "Remind me again why this guy didn't play more?" The efficient big man still couldn't find minutes last season in Detroit's dysfunctional rotation, but looked solid in Las Vegas last week for the Bucks. Johnson might not be such a lousy consolation prize for Milwaukee after the departure of Charlie Villanueva.
  
• Jason Friedman questions the myth of Allen Iverson and ticket sales: "I know AI is a fan favorite, but does he really still sell tickets? I'm legitimately curious. If published reports are to be believed, Iverson's box office appeal is the primary reason behind the Clippers' and Grizzlies' interest in him. But I have to admit,  I have a hard time believing AI can provoke much more than a short-term spike in ticket sales at this point." Anyone have rock-solid data that support the notion the Clips or Grizz would see a sizable bump at the box office? 
• Is David Andersen -- Yao's nominal replacement -- the new Luis Scola?
  
• Ira Winderman wonders if Pat Riley is overestimating the Summer of 2010. One guy who'd like to be in Miami tomorrow? Carlos Boozer.
• Jared Wade of Hardwood Paroxysm asks if the Lakers and Orlando have gotten better ... or just different. 
• Reggie Theus, champion of the rural sports blogger, irritated by most others. [Hat Tip: Marcel] 
• Want to look svelte in your swimwear this summer? Gather eight friends and spend the afternoon performing X's & O's of Basketball's "No Babies Allowed" rebounding drill. The exercise is almost certain to induce dry heaving, but X's & O's adds yet another wrinkle: "... Have another coach with a ball around midcourt fire chest passes to players running laps, to keep them sharp ..."
  

Grant Hill is a pretty darned good basketball player. But on Friday, he exercised his role as tastemaker, and declared the Phoenix Suns to be a team that matters.

It feels weighty, beyond just the basketball implications.

His offers were good ones. Any player near the end of his career would want the kind of offers Hill's agent, Lon Babby, says he received.

The Knicks offered "the world's most famous arena," a platform to launch a broadcast career and opportunities for his wife Tamia to further her professional singing career. They also offer the most fun coaching system in the NBA, as led by Mike D'Antoni for whom Hill has played before. They also offered the full mid-level exception, for nearly $6 million for one season (and the discussion, per Babby, included options to tack on another year at a lower salary).

The Celtics offered less money -- the measly $1.99 million biennial exception -- but they're the Celtics. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace ... many pick them to win the East. Grant Hill has never won a title, and is getting on in years.

The Suns? The Suns these days are like the fall of Rome. Plenty of big names, and fresh memories of the good times. But didn't they just ditch the Shaq-Daddy for spare parts and cash savings? Doesn't New York have the coach who made the Suns America's team? Didn't they ditch that playing style in the name of defense, and then not improve much on defense? Isn't everyone counting the days until Amare Stoudemire and even Steve Nash are out the door?

And yet ... Hill chose the Suns, and a one-year $3 million contract, with a player option on a second year for $3.24 million.

Given his other options, the message I take from this is: Yes, the Suns matter. Yes, a savvy veteran with a lot of insight into how the league works still believes this team can fit together in a way that matters.

"Grant felt he had unfinished business," explains Babby. "The team had placed their faith in him, and he didn't want to leave on a sour note, having missed the playoffs."

Babby says he doesn't know what Steve Nash's long-term plans are, but he does know that Hill consulted with him, and that it is important to Hill that Nash (and Stoudemire) remain in Phoenix. 

For Phoenix fans eager for another chance to prove that formula of the existing Suns team can work, it's hard to imagine there could be better news.