Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Select your timezone:
The 2013 NBA draft class hasn't exactly been the most flashy of classes, but a few players have emerged as the cream of the crop and look to have promising NBA careers ahead of them.
If we knew on draft night what we know today, who would have been picked first overall?
We posed that question to Howard Beck and Ric Bucher, and you can see their answer in the video Beck/Bucher: Who Goes No. 1 in 2013 NBA Re-Draft? | Bleacher Report
If we knew on draft night what we know today, who would have been picked first overall?
We posed that question to Howard Beck and Ric Bucher, and you can see their answer in the video Beck/Bucher: Who Goes No. 1 in 2013 NBA Re-Draft? | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
In his first week as commissioner of the National Basketball Association, Adam Silver made a West Coast trip to tour the site of a proposed arena for the Sacramento Kings — exactly the sort of thing a man in his position is expected to do. His next stop wasn’t Los Angeles, to visit the Lakers or Clippers, however; it was Silicon Valley, to pick the brains of technology executives who might be able to help the league innovate.
As the NBA seeks to grow its popularity worldwide, technology will be the key, Silver said Tuesday in an address to the Boston College Chief Executives’ Club of Boston at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Only a small percentage of NBA fans will ever attend a live game, he noted. Even fewer have a chance to sit courtside.
“One of my goals as commissioner is to use innovation and technology to capture that courtside experience,” Silver said.
The league’s plan to accomplish that aim includes increasing access to high-definition game video on mobile devices, where Silver predicted a majority of fans will watch in the future. He added that game broadcasts will feature more audio, as well, enabling viewers to hear what players and coaches are saying on the floor.
Beefing up the league’s social media presence is another strategy, Silver said, with the idea that such networks as Twitter can offer fans “the equivalent of cheering, yelling, and booing, just as if you were in the arena.”
On his trip to California after taking office last month, Silver met with Twitter chief executive Dick Costolo and Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to brainstorm social media initiatives to boost the sport’s popularity. He did not share specific proposals but said after his speech that there were intangible benefits to his visits.
“It’s amazing just to feel the energy,” Silver said. “Being in the halls of those companies, you could feel this is an incredibly smart group of largely young people who have a view that they’re changing the world. And we want to be part of that.”
Within league walls, he said, big data analytics are beginning to help clubs quantify aspects of the game that are conventionally considered immeasurable. Blocked shots, for instance, are easy to count, but altered shots — field goal attempts that go off-course because of an opponent’s tight defense — are much harder to tally.
Beginning this season, every NBA arena is outfitted with six SportVU cameras made by STATS, a Chicago-based sports data firm. The cameras are placed in strategic locations and make it possible to see when the trajectory of a shot is altered because of a defender’s good play.
The cameras also enable tracking of “rebound chances” — instances in which a player is within 3.5 feet of a rebound. That extra layer of data allows statisticians to calculate how often a player gets himself in position to collect a missed shot, and how often he succeeds
Rather than keep such detailed information in-house, the NBA has been posting it online to promote crowdsourcing of meaningful statistics.
Among the first to use the data were a trio of Harvard University undergraduates, who analyzed 83,000 shots from last season (when the cameras were in only 15 arenas) to study the “hot hand” — an old sports theory that holds a player who has hit several buckets in a row is more likely than usual to make his next attempt. Statisticians have long been skeptical of the hot hand, arguing that streaks are bound to occur in any large sample but that one shot has no bearing on the next.
Yet the students, who have since graduated, concluded that a hot player’s shooting percentage does, in fact, go up slightly — by 1.2 to 2.4 points.
“Now that we have richer data, maybe there is something to the hot hand, and you do want to get the ball to the guy who’s made four shots in a row,” Silver said. “Part of what is so powerful about big data is you collect it, and then it starts to tell stories. We’re collecting all kinds of new statistical data, and we’re democratizing it. Have fun. See what you can figure out. Maybe you’ll be smarter than our teams.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver: technology is key to basketball’s future - Business - The Boston Globe
As the NBA seeks to grow its popularity worldwide, technology will be the key, Silver said Tuesday in an address to the Boston College Chief Executives’ Club of Boston at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Only a small percentage of NBA fans will ever attend a live game, he noted. Even fewer have a chance to sit courtside.
“One of my goals as commissioner is to use innovation and technology to capture that courtside experience,” Silver said.
The league’s plan to accomplish that aim includes increasing access to high-definition game video on mobile devices, where Silver predicted a majority of fans will watch in the future. He added that game broadcasts will feature more audio, as well, enabling viewers to hear what players and coaches are saying on the floor.
Beefing up the league’s social media presence is another strategy, Silver said, with the idea that such networks as Twitter can offer fans “the equivalent of cheering, yelling, and booing, just as if you were in the arena.”
On his trip to California after taking office last month, Silver met with Twitter chief executive Dick Costolo and Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to brainstorm social media initiatives to boost the sport’s popularity. He did not share specific proposals but said after his speech that there were intangible benefits to his visits.
“It’s amazing just to feel the energy,” Silver said. “Being in the halls of those companies, you could feel this is an incredibly smart group of largely young people who have a view that they’re changing the world. And we want to be part of that.”
Within league walls, he said, big data analytics are beginning to help clubs quantify aspects of the game that are conventionally considered immeasurable. Blocked shots, for instance, are easy to count, but altered shots — field goal attempts that go off-course because of an opponent’s tight defense — are much harder to tally.
Beginning this season, every NBA arena is outfitted with six SportVU cameras made by STATS, a Chicago-based sports data firm. The cameras are placed in strategic locations and make it possible to see when the trajectory of a shot is altered because of a defender’s good play.
The cameras also enable tracking of “rebound chances” — instances in which a player is within 3.5 feet of a rebound. That extra layer of data allows statisticians to calculate how often a player gets himself in position to collect a missed shot, and how often he succeeds
Rather than keep such detailed information in-house, the NBA has been posting it online to promote crowdsourcing of meaningful statistics.
Among the first to use the data were a trio of Harvard University undergraduates, who analyzed 83,000 shots from last season (when the cameras were in only 15 arenas) to study the “hot hand” — an old sports theory that holds a player who has hit several buckets in a row is more likely than usual to make his next attempt. Statisticians have long been skeptical of the hot hand, arguing that streaks are bound to occur in any large sample but that one shot has no bearing on the next.
Yet the students, who have since graduated, concluded that a hot player’s shooting percentage does, in fact, go up slightly — by 1.2 to 2.4 points.
“Now that we have richer data, maybe there is something to the hot hand, and you do want to get the ball to the guy who’s made four shots in a row,” Silver said. “Part of what is so powerful about big data is you collect it, and then it starts to tell stories. We’re collecting all kinds of new statistical data, and we’re democratizing it. Have fun. See what you can figure out. Maybe you’ll be smarter than our teams.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver: technology is key to basketball’s future - Business - The Boston Globe
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Watch Warriors small forward Andre Iguodala in any given game these days and you may be inclined to think to yourself, Damn, what happened to that guy?
After all, Iguodala was once a triple-double threat, back in Philadelphia. Two years ago, he was an All-Star and won an Olympic gold medal. And now? Now he averages single digits (9.4 points per game), is tentative on offense and can appear, to the casual fan, to spend much of the game doing very little.
But watch a sequence of Warriors games, or better yet do so alongside a coach, scout or former player, and you'll see something different. You'll see in Iguodala, 30, a uniquely valuable player, a team-first, ball-handling wing who fundamentally alters the way the Warriors can defend, allowing them to switch more pick-and-rolls and double few, if any, elite scorers. You'll see a player who averages close to two steals while rarely gambling, who recovers with remarkable speed to shooters, who has at times guarded opposing point guards when Stephen Curry can't or is out of the game. You'll see the rare -- or is that the only? -- former All-Star still in his prime who's been willing to drastically sublimate his offensive game for the good of the team (Chris Bosh, for all his sacrifices in Miami, is still averaging 16.9 points).
The Iguodala Effect can be seen in the Warriors' record. They are 36-18 when he plays and 5-7 when he doesn't. It's also evident in his plus-minus rating, as he leads the league at plus-8.7, nearly a point higher than second-place Chris Paul and close to four points higher than LeBron James.
The end result is that Iguodala exists in a weird basketball limbo, simultaneously seen as both disappointing and integral, one of the Warriors' greatest strengths and one of their core weaknesses. In some respects, he represents a flash point in the shift between old and new valuations of NBA players.
It must be a strange space to inhabit.
*****
Iguodala learned long ago that there is little glory in defense.
During the worst days of his eight seasons with the Sixers, when the team missed the playoffs, Iguodala says he couldn't even walk from his City Center apartment to the Wawa down the street without hearing from the Philadelphia fans, who are famously encouraging and patient.
"Hey, Andre!" they'd shout.
Iguodala would turn and look, maybe wave.
"You f---ing suck!"
Sometimes Iguodala would hide behind a hoodie. Other times he just took it. When friends came to town, they were shocked. They really talk to you that way? Aren't you averaging 19, 5 and 5 and guarding the opponent's best player every night?
The experience hardened him. He was traded to Denver in August 2012 as part of the four-team deal involving Dwight Howard, then deemed a disappointment by some when he didn't score 20 points a game and lead the Nuggets to the Western Conference finals last season. By the time Iguodala came to the Bay Area, after signing a four-year, $48 million deal last summer, he'd become guarded, a bit cynical.
"Being in Philly so long, you get used to fans being a certain way," he says. "You're kind of always waiting to be jabbed" -- and here he raises his hands up by his face -- "so you're waiting to counter."
In his first month with the Warriors, Iguodala could do little wrong. He threw lobs to streaking teammates, whipped behind-the-back passes on the break and soared for dunks. He hit a game-winner over the Thunder's Thabo Sefolosha in November. That month, he averaged 13.4 points and 6.1 assists.
Since then, however, his offensive numbers have slid dramatically -- 7.0 points in December, 8.3 in January and 8.6 the last two months. Part of the issue is a hamstring injury, which forced him to miss 12 games. For many players, it would have been a routine injury. But for Iguodala it was his first semi-serious basketball injury ever, which is nuts when you think about how long he's been playing. Then again, Iguodala's body does appear to consist of roughly 40 percent deltoid muscles. He attributes the phenomenon to "good genes" that have allowed him to be "put together like a specimen."
He returned from the injury in mid-December a different player. Hesitant to drive. Finishing less at the rim and passing up shots he should take, even as he's looked more spry over the last month or so. And here's the most flummoxing part: It's not because he's missing them. When he does shoot, Iguodala remains as effective as ever. Everything from his field-goal percentage to three-point percentage to true shooting percentage to effective field-goal percentage remain on par or above his career averages.
Similarly, a spin through Synergy Sports, Basketball-Reference and NBA.com show that he rates as an "excellent" spot-up shooter this season (1.03 points per possession), is excellent on post-ups and cuts (1.054 and 1.389 PPP, respectively) and, surprisingly, ranks among the league elite in unguarded catch-and-shoot jumpers (1.589 PPP, good for the 96th percentile). All of which makes Warriors fans wonder, in effect: Why the hell won't he shoot more? His 7.5 shot attempts per game are the lowest since his rookie season.
Sitting courtside after practice earlier this week, Iguodala offers a few explanations.
"I can and will score," he says. "But I think the one thing I learned playing this game, it comes to those who put in the work, who do it the right way. So if I were to go up there and force up shots, just because I felt like I should get more shots, it would throw off everything for the team."
Rather, Iguodala says, it's a situational matter.
"When the time comes, playoff time, that's when it starts to come," he says. "A team plays the percentages and says, 'He's not a guy who can score as much this year,' so they'll leave me open or I'll have more opportunities, and then it'll come. That's why I don't press. I know it'll come. I know the angle, I know where we're trying to get. I'm fine
After all, Iguodala was once a triple-double threat, back in Philadelphia. Two years ago, he was an All-Star and won an Olympic gold medal. And now? Now he averages single digits (9.4 points per game), is tentative on offense and can appear, to the casual fan, to spend much of the game doing very little.
But watch a sequence of Warriors games, or better yet do so alongside a coach, scout or former player, and you'll see something different. You'll see in Iguodala, 30, a uniquely valuable player, a team-first, ball-handling wing who fundamentally alters the way the Warriors can defend, allowing them to switch more pick-and-rolls and double few, if any, elite scorers. You'll see a player who averages close to two steals while rarely gambling, who recovers with remarkable speed to shooters, who has at times guarded opposing point guards when Stephen Curry can't or is out of the game. You'll see the rare -- or is that the only? -- former All-Star still in his prime who's been willing to drastically sublimate his offensive game for the good of the team (Chris Bosh, for all his sacrifices in Miami, is still averaging 16.9 points).
The Iguodala Effect can be seen in the Warriors' record. They are 36-18 when he plays and 5-7 when he doesn't. It's also evident in his plus-minus rating, as he leads the league at plus-8.7, nearly a point higher than second-place Chris Paul and close to four points higher than LeBron James.
The end result is that Iguodala exists in a weird basketball limbo, simultaneously seen as both disappointing and integral, one of the Warriors' greatest strengths and one of their core weaknesses. In some respects, he represents a flash point in the shift between old and new valuations of NBA players.
It must be a strange space to inhabit.
*****
Iguodala learned long ago that there is little glory in defense.
During the worst days of his eight seasons with the Sixers, when the team missed the playoffs, Iguodala says he couldn't even walk from his City Center apartment to the Wawa down the street without hearing from the Philadelphia fans, who are famously encouraging and patient.
"Hey, Andre!" they'd shout.
Iguodala would turn and look, maybe wave.
"You f---ing suck!"
Sometimes Iguodala would hide behind a hoodie. Other times he just took it. When friends came to town, they were shocked. They really talk to you that way? Aren't you averaging 19, 5 and 5 and guarding the opponent's best player every night?
The experience hardened him. He was traded to Denver in August 2012 as part of the four-team deal involving Dwight Howard, then deemed a disappointment by some when he didn't score 20 points a game and lead the Nuggets to the Western Conference finals last season. By the time Iguodala came to the Bay Area, after signing a four-year, $48 million deal last summer, he'd become guarded, a bit cynical.
"Being in Philly so long, you get used to fans being a certain way," he says. "You're kind of always waiting to be jabbed" -- and here he raises his hands up by his face -- "so you're waiting to counter."
In his first month with the Warriors, Iguodala could do little wrong. He threw lobs to streaking teammates, whipped behind-the-back passes on the break and soared for dunks. He hit a game-winner over the Thunder's Thabo Sefolosha in November. That month, he averaged 13.4 points and 6.1 assists.
Since then, however, his offensive numbers have slid dramatically -- 7.0 points in December, 8.3 in January and 8.6 the last two months. Part of the issue is a hamstring injury, which forced him to miss 12 games. For many players, it would have been a routine injury. But for Iguodala it was his first semi-serious basketball injury ever, which is nuts when you think about how long he's been playing. Then again, Iguodala's body does appear to consist of roughly 40 percent deltoid muscles. He attributes the phenomenon to "good genes" that have allowed him to be "put together like a specimen."
He returned from the injury in mid-December a different player. Hesitant to drive. Finishing less at the rim and passing up shots he should take, even as he's looked more spry over the last month or so. And here's the most flummoxing part: It's not because he's missing them. When he does shoot, Iguodala remains as effective as ever. Everything from his field-goal percentage to three-point percentage to true shooting percentage to effective field-goal percentage remain on par or above his career averages.
Similarly, a spin through Synergy Sports, Basketball-Reference and NBA.com show that he rates as an "excellent" spot-up shooter this season (1.03 points per possession), is excellent on post-ups and cuts (1.054 and 1.389 PPP, respectively) and, surprisingly, ranks among the league elite in unguarded catch-and-shoot jumpers (1.589 PPP, good for the 96th percentile). All of which makes Warriors fans wonder, in effect: Why the hell won't he shoot more? His 7.5 shot attempts per game are the lowest since his rookie season.
Sitting courtside after practice earlier this week, Iguodala offers a few explanations.
"I can and will score," he says. "But I think the one thing I learned playing this game, it comes to those who put in the work, who do it the right way. So if I were to go up there and force up shots, just because I felt like I should get more shots, it would throw off everything for the team."
Rather, Iguodala says, it's a situational matter.
"When the time comes, playoff time, that's when it starts to come," he says. "A team plays the percentages and says, 'He's not a guy who can score as much this year,' so they'll leave me open or I'll have more opportunities, and then it'll come. That's why I don't press. I know it'll come. I know the angle, I know where we're trying to get. I'm fine
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Gravity isn't just something that wins Oscars and works against blues singers. It's also a force that has a way of pulling NBA teams toward their destiny, particularly during the final month or so of the regular season.
On the one hand, it's played a part in long winning streaks for the Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs and boosted the Memphis Grizzlies, the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls in their respective playoff pushes.
On the other hand, it's worn on the Indiana Pacers' once-impenetrable defense, pushed the Portland Trail Blazers into disarray and dragged the Phoenix Suns out of the postseason picture.
Not to mention what it's wrought upon the Philadelphia 76ers, the Orlando Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz at the very bottom of the barrel in 2013-14.
To be sure, there's much more at play here than just some vague energy with a scientific name. Every team's circumstances are peculiar and change from week to week, as do these here power rankings.
But in pro basketball, teams tend to show their true colors this time of year, often in extreme ways. Those with championship hopes rise well above the rest, while those headed in the other direction tend to fall off the wagon completely.
Read on to see who's gone which way in this week's power rankings. NBA Power Rankings: Lay of the Land Heading Down the Stretch | Bleacher Report
On the one hand, it's played a part in long winning streaks for the Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs and boosted the Memphis Grizzlies, the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls in their respective playoff pushes.
On the other hand, it's worn on the Indiana Pacers' once-impenetrable defense, pushed the Portland Trail Blazers into disarray and dragged the Phoenix Suns out of the postseason picture.
Not to mention what it's wrought upon the Philadelphia 76ers, the Orlando Magic, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz at the very bottom of the barrel in 2013-14.
To be sure, there's much more at play here than just some vague energy with a scientific name. Every team's circumstances are peculiar and change from week to week, as do these here power rankings.
But in pro basketball, teams tend to show their true colors this time of year, often in extreme ways. Those with championship hopes rise well above the rest, while those headed in the other direction tend to fall off the wagon completely.
Read on to see who's gone which way in this week's power rankings. NBA Power Rankings: Lay of the Land Heading Down the Stretch | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Guard Klay Thompson's three-pointer with 11.1 seconds was the difference in the Golden State Warriors' wild 113-112 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night (Monday, PHL time) at the Moda Center.
Guard Stephen Curry scored 37 points and Thompson added 27 for the Warriors, who rallied from an 18-point deficit to end a two-game losing streak.
Guard Damian Lillard scored 26 points and handed out seven assists, and forward Nicolas Batum collected 23 points, 14 rebounds and five assists for the Trail Blazers (43-24).
Thompson's three-point shot gave the Warriors a 113-111 lead. After a timeout, Batum was fouled driving to the basket with 5.8 seconds remaining. He made the first foul shot but missed the second. Batum grabbed the rebound but failed to score on a desperation shot before time expired.
Portland hiked its 11-point halftime lead to 68-50, and despite Curry heating up with 13 points in the third quarter, took an 85-77 edge into the final period.
The Warriors (42-26) cut the margin to 91-89 on a Curry three-pointer with 8:45 to play, then to 93-92 on a Thompson trey with 7:30 remaining. The Warriors went ahead 97-96 on a free throw by Thompson with 6:22 left.
Another Curry three-pointer upped Golden State's lead to 100-96 with 4:55 to go, but Batum converted a three-point play to draw Portland to within one with 4:43 remaining. Batum then bombed in a three-pointer to push the Blazers back in front 102-100 with 3:57 to play.
Three foul shots - one off a technical against Portland guard Mo Williams - gave Golden State the lead back at 103-102, but Williams answered with a three-pointer to put the Blazers back in front 105-103. Forward David Lee's layup tied the score at 105, and seconds later, he converted another one at the basket to give the Warriors a 107-105 lead.
Lillard sank a pair at the line with 2:11 left to tie the score at 107. Neither team scored again until Thompson buried a three-pointer for a 110-107 lead with 53.8 seconds remaining.
Lillard scored on a dunk with 43 seconds left, and after a turnover, he made two free throws to give the Blazers a 111-110 edge with 20.7 ticks left.
Lee scored Golden State's first eight points and had 10 in the first quarter, but Portland used a balanced attack to seize a 24-23 lead as Lillard beat the horn with a three-pointer.
Golden State led 31-29 before the Blazers, with 3-pointers by Batum and Lillard, went on a 19-4 run to go in front 48-35. Portland settled for a 55-44 advantage at the half.
The scores:
WARRIORS 113 - Curry 37, Thompson 27, Lee 16, O’Neal 8, Bogut 6, Barnes 5, Green 5, Blake 5, Iguodala 4, Crawford 0
BLAZERS 112 - Lillard 26, Batum 23, Lopez 14, Wright 13, Matthews 13, Williams 12, Barton 6, Robinson 5, Claver 0
Golden State 23-21-33-36
Portland 24-31-30-27
Reuters
Guard Stephen Curry scored 37 points and Thompson added 27 for the Warriors, who rallied from an 18-point deficit to end a two-game losing streak.
Guard Damian Lillard scored 26 points and handed out seven assists, and forward Nicolas Batum collected 23 points, 14 rebounds and five assists for the Trail Blazers (43-24).
Thompson's three-point shot gave the Warriors a 113-111 lead. After a timeout, Batum was fouled driving to the basket with 5.8 seconds remaining. He made the first foul shot but missed the second. Batum grabbed the rebound but failed to score on a desperation shot before time expired.
Portland hiked its 11-point halftime lead to 68-50, and despite Curry heating up with 13 points in the third quarter, took an 85-77 edge into the final period.
The Warriors (42-26) cut the margin to 91-89 on a Curry three-pointer with 8:45 to play, then to 93-92 on a Thompson trey with 7:30 remaining. The Warriors went ahead 97-96 on a free throw by Thompson with 6:22 left.
Another Curry three-pointer upped Golden State's lead to 100-96 with 4:55 to go, but Batum converted a three-point play to draw Portland to within one with 4:43 remaining. Batum then bombed in a three-pointer to push the Blazers back in front 102-100 with 3:57 to play.
Three foul shots - one off a technical against Portland guard Mo Williams - gave Golden State the lead back at 103-102, but Williams answered with a three-pointer to put the Blazers back in front 105-103. Forward David Lee's layup tied the score at 105, and seconds later, he converted another one at the basket to give the Warriors a 107-105 lead.
Lillard sank a pair at the line with 2:11 left to tie the score at 107. Neither team scored again until Thompson buried a three-pointer for a 110-107 lead with 53.8 seconds remaining.
Lillard scored on a dunk with 43 seconds left, and after a turnover, he made two free throws to give the Blazers a 111-110 edge with 20.7 ticks left.
Lee scored Golden State's first eight points and had 10 in the first quarter, but Portland used a balanced attack to seize a 24-23 lead as Lillard beat the horn with a three-pointer.
Golden State led 31-29 before the Blazers, with 3-pointers by Batum and Lillard, went on a 19-4 run to go in front 48-35. Portland settled for a 55-44 advantage at the half.
The scores:
WARRIORS 113 - Curry 37, Thompson 27, Lee 16, O’Neal 8, Bogut 6, Barnes 5, Green 5, Blake 5, Iguodala 4, Crawford 0
BLAZERS 112 - Lillard 26, Batum 23, Lopez 14, Wright 13, Matthews 13, Williams 12, Barton 6, Robinson 5, Claver 0
Golden State 23-21-33-36
Portland 24-31-30-27
Reuters
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Anyone claiming the NBA season is too long should take a good, hard look at the standings for both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
If, as some say, the 82-game slog is fraught with too many meaningless contests and ho-hum stretches of uninspired play, how is it that we've reached the season's final month with so much still undecided?
Other than a handful of teams that already know their official playoff fates (the Miami Heat are in; the Los Angeles Lakers are out), most clubs' postseason positioning is still very much up in the air.
Can the New York Knicks salvage a nearly lost season by claiming the No. 8 spot in the next few weeks? Will the Minnesota Timberwolves make yet another negative entry in Kevin Love's "Pros and Cons" list by falling short of the postseason tournament?
Across the league, seeding is still very much up in the air. More than that, we don't even know which teams will surge or fade down the stretch in their last gasps for a playoff spot.
In other words, we've seen nearly six months of basketball, and almost nothing has been settled.
Fear not; we've put together a comprehensive set of playoff predictions in advance of the season's decisive stretch run.
Pictures: 2014 NBA Playoff Odds: Latest Team Predictions for Season's Stretch Run | Bleacher Report
If, as some say, the 82-game slog is fraught with too many meaningless contests and ho-hum stretches of uninspired play, how is it that we've reached the season's final month with so much still undecided?
Other than a handful of teams that already know their official playoff fates (the Miami Heat are in; the Los Angeles Lakers are out), most clubs' postseason positioning is still very much up in the air.
Can the New York Knicks salvage a nearly lost season by claiming the No. 8 spot in the next few weeks? Will the Minnesota Timberwolves make yet another negative entry in Kevin Love's "Pros and Cons" list by falling short of the postseason tournament?
Across the league, seeding is still very much up in the air. More than that, we don't even know which teams will surge or fade down the stretch in their last gasps for a playoff spot.
In other words, we've seen nearly six months of basketball, and almost nothing has been settled.
Fear not; we've put together a comprehensive set of playoff predictions in advance of the season's decisive stretch run.
Pictures: 2014 NBA Playoff Odds: Latest Team Predictions for Season's Stretch Run | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Sam Lacey, a leading N.B.A. center of the 1970s who could do just about anything on the court but was often overlooked, playing for mostly lackluster teams, died on Friday at his home in Kansas City, Mo. He was 66.
His daughter Gretchen Downey said the cause had not yet been determined.
Spending most of his 13 National Basketball Association seasons with the Cincinnati Royals and the Kansas City Kings, the Royals’ successor franchise, Lacey was a rugged rebounder, at 6 feet 10 inches and 235 pounds, and an outstanding shot blocker. He also hit timely baskets and was a fine playmaker.
Seeking to rebuild after trading Oscar Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Royals selected Lacey in the first round of the 1970 N.B.A. draft after he led New Mexico State University to the N.C.A.A. tournament’s Final Four.
Lacey teamed with guard Nate Archibald, his fellow rookie and a future N.B.A. scoring champion, to provide some spark for a losing Royals team.
Perhaps his biggest game as a rookie came at Madison Square Garden, when he blocked three shots by the Knicks’ star center, Willis Reed.
Lacey averaged in double figures in points and rebounds in his first six professional seasons, and he averaged 5.3 assists in 1974-75, when he was an All-Star. But his teams never made it past the Western Conference finals, which the Kings reached in 1981 after posting a 40-42 regular-season record.
“Once we got into the playoffs, there were no expectations,” Lacey told The Kansas City Star in 2002. “We just played together, played team ball.”
Lacey’s teammates that season included guards Otis Birdsong and Phil Ford and forward Scott Wedman, who told The Star that Lacey “was the team captain during our best run, so that says a lot about him as a leader and teammate.”
Samuel Lacey Jr. was born on March 8, 1948, in Indianola, Miss. He was recruited for New Mexico State by Ed Murphy, an assistant to the head coach, Lou Henson.
“Sam was a really shy kid when he first came to New Mexico State,” Murphy told the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. “I don’t know that he had ever been out of the Mississippi Delta.”
Lacey averaged nearly 18 points and 16 rebounds as a senior for the Aggies, leading them to the only Final Four appearance in their history, a 1970 matchup with U.C.L.A. He injured an ankle early and scored only 8 points as the Bruins, led by Henry Bibby, Curtis Rowe, John Vallely and Sidney Wicks, defeated the Aggies, 93-77, and went on to win the championship.
Lacey averaged 10.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in his N.B.A. career, which concluded with a season apiece for the New Jersey Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In addition to his daughter Gretchen, he is survived by two other daughters, Alires Almon and Barri Davis-Richardson; a brother, Ike; and four grandchildren.
The Sacramento Kings, whose roots go back to the Rochester Royals and the teams that played in Cincinnati, Omaha and then Kansas City, have paid tribute to Lacey.
His No. 44 is displayed aloft at the Sacramento arena along with the numbers worn by stars like Robertson, Archibald, Maurice Stokes, Jack Twyman and Bob Davies, figures from the Kings’ basketball family tree.
www-nytimes-com/2014/03/19/sports/basketball/sam-lacey-a-top-center-in-the-nba-dies-at-66-html?_r=0
His daughter Gretchen Downey said the cause had not yet been determined.
Spending most of his 13 National Basketball Association seasons with the Cincinnati Royals and the Kansas City Kings, the Royals’ successor franchise, Lacey was a rugged rebounder, at 6 feet 10 inches and 235 pounds, and an outstanding shot blocker. He also hit timely baskets and was a fine playmaker.
Seeking to rebuild after trading Oscar Robertson to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Royals selected Lacey in the first round of the 1970 N.B.A. draft after he led New Mexico State University to the N.C.A.A. tournament’s Final Four.
Lacey teamed with guard Nate Archibald, his fellow rookie and a future N.B.A. scoring champion, to provide some spark for a losing Royals team.
Perhaps his biggest game as a rookie came at Madison Square Garden, when he blocked three shots by the Knicks’ star center, Willis Reed.
Lacey averaged in double figures in points and rebounds in his first six professional seasons, and he averaged 5.3 assists in 1974-75, when he was an All-Star. But his teams never made it past the Western Conference finals, which the Kings reached in 1981 after posting a 40-42 regular-season record.
“Once we got into the playoffs, there were no expectations,” Lacey told The Kansas City Star in 2002. “We just played together, played team ball.”
Lacey’s teammates that season included guards Otis Birdsong and Phil Ford and forward Scott Wedman, who told The Star that Lacey “was the team captain during our best run, so that says a lot about him as a leader and teammate.”
Samuel Lacey Jr. was born on March 8, 1948, in Indianola, Miss. He was recruited for New Mexico State by Ed Murphy, an assistant to the head coach, Lou Henson.
“Sam was a really shy kid when he first came to New Mexico State,” Murphy told the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. “I don’t know that he had ever been out of the Mississippi Delta.”
Lacey averaged nearly 18 points and 16 rebounds as a senior for the Aggies, leading them to the only Final Four appearance in their history, a 1970 matchup with U.C.L.A. He injured an ankle early and scored only 8 points as the Bruins, led by Henry Bibby, Curtis Rowe, John Vallely and Sidney Wicks, defeated the Aggies, 93-77, and went on to win the championship.
Lacey averaged 10.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in his N.B.A. career, which concluded with a season apiece for the New Jersey Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In addition to his daughter Gretchen, he is survived by two other daughters, Alires Almon and Barri Davis-Richardson; a brother, Ike; and four grandchildren.
The Sacramento Kings, whose roots go back to the Rochester Royals and the teams that played in Cincinnati, Omaha and then Kansas City, have paid tribute to Lacey.
His No. 44 is displayed aloft at the Sacramento arena along with the numbers worn by stars like Robertson, Archibald, Maurice Stokes, Jack Twyman and Bob Davies, figures from the Kings’ basketball family tree.
www-nytimes-com/2014/03/19/sports/basketball/sam-lacey-a-top-center-in-the-nba-dies-at-66-html?_r=0
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
For those who remember the classic Simpsons episode when Larry King says the San Antonio Spurs are going to win the NBA title, it seems that prediction has been spot on ever since.
In the old-school program titled "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish", Homer is listening to the legendary CNN broadcaster reading the Bible on cassette. After Homer stays up all night listening and fast-forwarding through to the end, he passes out as King signs off saying "I love the San Antonio Spurs by the way. If you're betting on the NBA this year, I think they'll win it all."
That episode went to air in 1991. Apart from 1996-97 when David Robinson was injured - paving the way for a No.1 draft pick which turned out to be Tim Duncan, those lines in the Simpsons episode have seemed timely pretty much every time its been re-run. In fact, since they went 21-61 in 1988-89, the Spurs have only had two seasons with less than 50 wins - 47 in 1991-92 and 49 the following year.
Earlier this week they became the first team this season to reach the 50-win mark, achieving the feat in their 66th match. Remarkably, it's the 15th season in a row they've notched this milestone, that's the best in NBA history. The next best is the 12 years straight set by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal era of the 2000s.
San Antonio's mark really should be 17. The year before the 15 straight was the lockout-shortened season of 1998-99 when they went 37-13 on the way to lifting the NBA trophy for the first time. They were 56-26 the year before that.
They've hoisted the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy three more times (2003, '05 and '07) since 1999 to sit on the podium for the NBA's best teams alongside the Lakers and Miami in the post-Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls era.
Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili this week surpassed Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Michael Cooper for most career wins together as a trio with 491 from 664 matches. Only the holy Boston Celtics triumvirate of Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale (540 from 729) have had more combined success.
Apart from Duncan, coach Gregg Popovich has been the other common factor in the Spurs' championship era. When told of the 50-game record post-game, Popovich was characteristically unimpressed, bascially saying it meant very little to him because their eyes were on the bigger prize.
That's why the Spurs are again legitimate contenders again and it's also why they are not celebrated as much as LeBron James' Heat teams are, Kobe's Lakers were, or any of the other great dynasties of yesteryear. Popovich has turned downplaying success into an artform. They were within a rebound away from winning last year's title in game six in Miami despite being written off all season because of the Spurs' outward displays of never being satisfied.
There is a misconception in the NBA that San Antonio is in a small market and the Spurs are unable to attract high-profile recruits like the Lakers, New York and Chicago when truth be told, the city is one of the top 10 most populous in the United States. When the Spurs need players, they invariably get them.
They haven't had to recruit a top-notch star for a long time but going after marquee signings is not the Popovich way anyway. When they need a role filled, they find someone who would fit into their system and turn them into a better player. Boris Diaw was let go by Charlotte, Marco Bellinelli was signed as a free agent after bouncing around Golden State, New Orleans, Toronto and Chicago, and let's not forget the transformation in Australian Boomers guard Patty Mills since he became a Spur two years ago. Mills is playing so well nowadays he is being rapidly picked up in fantasy NBA leagues instead of just by Australians being patriotic with their roster selections.
So, we enter the final stretch of another NBA season and the Spurs, despite having the best record in the league, are again, somehow, flying under the radar. Ladbrokes has them an $7.50 chance behind Miami at $3.10, Indiana ($3.65) and Oklahoma City ($5.50).
As Larry King so presciently said: "If you're betting on the NBA this year, I think they'll win it all."
Read more: Double Dribble - San Antonio Spurs a sure bet every NBA season
In the old-school program titled "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish", Homer is listening to the legendary CNN broadcaster reading the Bible on cassette. After Homer stays up all night listening and fast-forwarding through to the end, he passes out as King signs off saying "I love the San Antonio Spurs by the way. If you're betting on the NBA this year, I think they'll win it all."
That episode went to air in 1991. Apart from 1996-97 when David Robinson was injured - paving the way for a No.1 draft pick which turned out to be Tim Duncan, those lines in the Simpsons episode have seemed timely pretty much every time its been re-run. In fact, since they went 21-61 in 1988-89, the Spurs have only had two seasons with less than 50 wins - 47 in 1991-92 and 49 the following year.
Earlier this week they became the first team this season to reach the 50-win mark, achieving the feat in their 66th match. Remarkably, it's the 15th season in a row they've notched this milestone, that's the best in NBA history. The next best is the 12 years straight set by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal era of the 2000s.
San Antonio's mark really should be 17. The year before the 15 straight was the lockout-shortened season of 1998-99 when they went 37-13 on the way to lifting the NBA trophy for the first time. They were 56-26 the year before that.
They've hoisted the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy three more times (2003, '05 and '07) since 1999 to sit on the podium for the NBA's best teams alongside the Lakers and Miami in the post-Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls era.
Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili this week surpassed Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Michael Cooper for most career wins together as a trio with 491 from 664 matches. Only the holy Boston Celtics triumvirate of Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale (540 from 729) have had more combined success.
Apart from Duncan, coach Gregg Popovich has been the other common factor in the Spurs' championship era. When told of the 50-game record post-game, Popovich was characteristically unimpressed, bascially saying it meant very little to him because their eyes were on the bigger prize.
That's why the Spurs are again legitimate contenders again and it's also why they are not celebrated as much as LeBron James' Heat teams are, Kobe's Lakers were, or any of the other great dynasties of yesteryear. Popovich has turned downplaying success into an artform. They were within a rebound away from winning last year's title in game six in Miami despite being written off all season because of the Spurs' outward displays of never being satisfied.
There is a misconception in the NBA that San Antonio is in a small market and the Spurs are unable to attract high-profile recruits like the Lakers, New York and Chicago when truth be told, the city is one of the top 10 most populous in the United States. When the Spurs need players, they invariably get them.
They haven't had to recruit a top-notch star for a long time but going after marquee signings is not the Popovich way anyway. When they need a role filled, they find someone who would fit into their system and turn them into a better player. Boris Diaw was let go by Charlotte, Marco Bellinelli was signed as a free agent after bouncing around Golden State, New Orleans, Toronto and Chicago, and let's not forget the transformation in Australian Boomers guard Patty Mills since he became a Spur two years ago. Mills is playing so well nowadays he is being rapidly picked up in fantasy NBA leagues instead of just by Australians being patriotic with their roster selections.
So, we enter the final stretch of another NBA season and the Spurs, despite having the best record in the league, are again, somehow, flying under the radar. Ladbrokes has them an $7.50 chance behind Miami at $3.10, Indiana ($3.65) and Oklahoma City ($5.50).
As Larry King so presciently said: "If you're betting on the NBA this year, I think they'll win it all."
Read more: Double Dribble - San Antonio Spurs a sure bet every NBA season
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Shaun Livingston took a hesitation dribble, drove by Phoenix Suns guard Gerald Green and threw down a swooping one-handed dunk on Suns big man Miles Plumlee.
It was an ordinary NBA play — made extraordinary by the fact that Livingston's career was in jeopardy in 2007 after sustaining one of the worst and most gruesome on-court knee injuries. Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers that February, Livingston went up for a layup and landed horribly wrong — the lower half of his left leg was parallel to the court while his upper left leg was perpendicular. He screamed in pain. Bench players winced. Players on the court went to look and quickly turned away.
Livingston was 21 at the time and had serious left knee damage, tearing the anterior cruiciate, posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and dislocating his kneecap. He also had a torn lateral meniscus, and the thigh and shin bones were out of place. This was as serious as knee injuries come. Though he heard he might not play again, no doctor ever told him that, Livingston said.
"My doctor, James Andrews, said it was a mountain to climb and told me it would be one of the most difficult injuries to overcome," Livingston said. "But there was never a closed door on my career." Livingston set career-highs in total minutes and points this week. Normally, those milestones go unrecognized. Not this one.
"It was sad to see what happened with him when he got injured," Nets guard Deron Williams said. "But he's definitely a mentally tough person and player and to be able to come back from that and play the way he is right now, it speaks about what kind of character he has."
Said Nets coach Jason Kidd, "Incredible. It's a great story. … I couldn't ask for a better player to coach and be around."
In a series of interviews over the past year, Livingston revealed a resolute and positive mindset. He determined a defining moment won't going to define him.
"Everybody had expectations of where I should be or said, 'He's not going to be the same player,' " Livingston told USA TODAY Sports this week. "It's easy to fall into a trap as a player. It's easy to say, 'It's just OK that I made it back and the work stops here.' It's not OK just to make it back." That swooping one-handed dunk was not an anomaly. He is among the league leaders in dunks by a guard with 42, according to NBA.com/stats, ahead of Gerald Henderson, James Harden, John Wall and DeMar DeRozan. But more importantly, he is a key player in the Nets' resurgence, starting alongside Williams in the backcourt. Livingston averages 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals and recorded his first double-double in points and rebounds this season.
"It (his knee) has felt as good as it has since my injury," he said. "That's a testament to God, and all the work that I put in and everyone that I worked with. Physically, I don't even think about it."
At one point last season, Livingston said he didn't know how much athleticism he had left and wanted to work on facets of his game he could control. It happens to all players as they age: they have to rely more on smarts and less on that fading natural ability. It happened to Livingston faster than most.
It also took him longer than most to adapt, not surprising since then-Clippers team doctor Tony Daley called Livingston's injury one of the worst he had ever seen.
After winding his way through several NBA cities — Miami, Oklahoma City, Washington, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Washington again and Cleveland — and rebuilding his leg and knee strength to where he could trust them, Livingston has found a spot with the Nets. He has worked with a variety of trainers, including Tim Grover, but he spent the past two summers with Miami-based trainer Manning Sumner.
"He ran me through hell," Livingston said. "Some of the work that we did, he was like, 'You're not hurt. You're going to do everything that we do and you're going to doing it better than everybody.' I'm going to give it my all and find my last bit of athleticism. … I really dedicated myself in the summer, pushing myself past the brink of mediocrity."
Sumner said Livingston still had reservations about his knee in the summer of 2012. "He was holding back and not trusting himself or the process," Sumner said. "It was like starting over. We had to build a foundation from the ground up."
By the summer of 2013, Livingston "believed in himself," Sumner said. "He worked his (butt) off. He didn't always like it, but he did it. I'm not going to call anybody out, but he would be running circles around guys. He pushed the envelope, and I knew there was a big difference."
There was a time when Livingston was the next big thing, a tall point guard with potentially transcendent NBA skills.
"Unlike other 'big' point guards, he's the real thing," ESPN.com wrote in its draft profile of Livingston. "The comparisons to Penny Hardaway are pretty close, but Livingston is much, much closer to the type of 'pure' point guard NBA coaches love. His court vision is out of this world."
Playing high school at Peoria (Ill.) Central, Livingston committed to Duke over Illinois and Arizona before declaring for the draft. The Clippers selected him fourth overall in 2004.
"I've known Shaun since he was in high school. He had so much talent coming out," Williams said.
Livingston, who had a dislocated his right patella his rookie season, said he has never watched video of the injury, preferring to focus on what's next. He doesn't often ask about what could've been or what should've been.
"I try not to because it takes away from whatever I have left in the tank," he said. "It's really about focusing on every bit of potential, every bit of ounce of talent and trying to maximize that.
"It's also looking at the big picture and understanding this is a game I love to play and I'm still able to play it and able to earn a living and play at the highest level.
"You try to put it i
It was an ordinary NBA play — made extraordinary by the fact that Livingston's career was in jeopardy in 2007 after sustaining one of the worst and most gruesome on-court knee injuries. Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers that February, Livingston went up for a layup and landed horribly wrong — the lower half of his left leg was parallel to the court while his upper left leg was perpendicular. He screamed in pain. Bench players winced. Players on the court went to look and quickly turned away.
Livingston was 21 at the time and had serious left knee damage, tearing the anterior cruiciate, posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and dislocating his kneecap. He also had a torn lateral meniscus, and the thigh and shin bones were out of place. This was as serious as knee injuries come. Though he heard he might not play again, no doctor ever told him that, Livingston said.
"My doctor, James Andrews, said it was a mountain to climb and told me it would be one of the most difficult injuries to overcome," Livingston said. "But there was never a closed door on my career." Livingston set career-highs in total minutes and points this week. Normally, those milestones go unrecognized. Not this one.
"It was sad to see what happened with him when he got injured," Nets guard Deron Williams said. "But he's definitely a mentally tough person and player and to be able to come back from that and play the way he is right now, it speaks about what kind of character he has."
Said Nets coach Jason Kidd, "Incredible. It's a great story. … I couldn't ask for a better player to coach and be around."
In a series of interviews over the past year, Livingston revealed a resolute and positive mindset. He determined a defining moment won't going to define him.
"Everybody had expectations of where I should be or said, 'He's not going to be the same player,' " Livingston told USA TODAY Sports this week. "It's easy to fall into a trap as a player. It's easy to say, 'It's just OK that I made it back and the work stops here.' It's not OK just to make it back." That swooping one-handed dunk was not an anomaly. He is among the league leaders in dunks by a guard with 42, according to NBA.com/stats, ahead of Gerald Henderson, James Harden, John Wall and DeMar DeRozan. But more importantly, he is a key player in the Nets' resurgence, starting alongside Williams in the backcourt. Livingston averages 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals and recorded his first double-double in points and rebounds this season.
"It (his knee) has felt as good as it has since my injury," he said. "That's a testament to God, and all the work that I put in and everyone that I worked with. Physically, I don't even think about it."
At one point last season, Livingston said he didn't know how much athleticism he had left and wanted to work on facets of his game he could control. It happens to all players as they age: they have to rely more on smarts and less on that fading natural ability. It happened to Livingston faster than most.
It also took him longer than most to adapt, not surprising since then-Clippers team doctor Tony Daley called Livingston's injury one of the worst he had ever seen.
After winding his way through several NBA cities — Miami, Oklahoma City, Washington, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Washington again and Cleveland — and rebuilding his leg and knee strength to where he could trust them, Livingston has found a spot with the Nets. He has worked with a variety of trainers, including Tim Grover, but he spent the past two summers with Miami-based trainer Manning Sumner.
"He ran me through hell," Livingston said. "Some of the work that we did, he was like, 'You're not hurt. You're going to do everything that we do and you're going to doing it better than everybody.' I'm going to give it my all and find my last bit of athleticism. … I really dedicated myself in the summer, pushing myself past the brink of mediocrity."
Sumner said Livingston still had reservations about his knee in the summer of 2012. "He was holding back and not trusting himself or the process," Sumner said. "It was like starting over. We had to build a foundation from the ground up."
By the summer of 2013, Livingston "believed in himself," Sumner said. "He worked his (butt) off. He didn't always like it, but he did it. I'm not going to call anybody out, but he would be running circles around guys. He pushed the envelope, and I knew there was a big difference."
There was a time when Livingston was the next big thing, a tall point guard with potentially transcendent NBA skills.
"Unlike other 'big' point guards, he's the real thing," ESPN.com wrote in its draft profile of Livingston. "The comparisons to Penny Hardaway are pretty close, but Livingston is much, much closer to the type of 'pure' point guard NBA coaches love. His court vision is out of this world."
Playing high school at Peoria (Ill.) Central, Livingston committed to Duke over Illinois and Arizona before declaring for the draft. The Clippers selected him fourth overall in 2004.
"I've known Shaun since he was in high school. He had so much talent coming out," Williams said.
Livingston, who had a dislocated his right patella his rookie season, said he has never watched video of the injury, preferring to focus on what's next. He doesn't often ask about what could've been or what should've been.
"I try not to because it takes away from whatever I have left in the tank," he said. "It's really about focusing on every bit of potential, every bit of ounce of talent and trying to maximize that.
"It's also looking at the big picture and understanding this is a game I love to play and I'm still able to play it and able to earn a living and play at the highest level.
"You try to put it i
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Drawing up NBA comparisons for draft prospects is an inexact science, but it's a good way to get a concept of how these NCAA stars will translate to the pro ranks.
Several top 2014 draft studs are battling their way through the NCAA tourney, and fans want to know what these collegiate youngsters will look like in the Association.
To illustrate how good some of these prospects could be, we projected optimistic comparisons for this year's crop. A few of them defy comparison to any current NBAer, so we stepped back in time and pointed to a couple retired greats.
From Wiggins and Parker to McDermott and Ennis, we've got comparisons for all the big March Madness names.
Pictures: NBA Comparisons for Biggest Draft Prospects of 2014 NCAA Tournament | Bleacher Report
Several top 2014 draft studs are battling their way through the NCAA tourney, and fans want to know what these collegiate youngsters will look like in the Association.
To illustrate how good some of these prospects could be, we projected optimistic comparisons for this year's crop. A few of them defy comparison to any current NBAer, so we stepped back in time and pointed to a couple retired greats.
From Wiggins and Parker to McDermott and Ennis, we've got comparisons for all the big March Madness names.
Pictures: NBA Comparisons for Biggest Draft Prospects of 2014 NCAA Tournament | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Toronto's Kyle Lowry had spent big chunks of Sunday's game on the bench, part of the coaching and medical staff's plan to manage the minutes of their battered and bruised team leader.
Unleashed in the fourth quarter, Lowry scored seven of his 25 points in the game's final minute to lift the Raptors to a 96-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
After three horrible quarters, the Raptors outscored the Hawks 36-15 in the final 12 minutes to seal the victory.
"We've got a group of guys who are resilient, we want to win games, we've got a goal in mind," Lowry said. "It's fun to win games and when you've found the recipe to win in the fourth, you have to stick with it."
Lowry also had four assists and four steals in just 27 minutes. With the Raptors poised to make their first playoff appearance in six years, the team is being careful with his playing time.
"He's had a lot of minutes," said coach Dwane Casey. "It's hard believe me, as a coach and for him as a competitor, it looks like we're going at each other but we both understand the situation. If it's close I may close my eyes and forget time, but we have to watch his minutes."
DeMar DeRozan added 21 points Sunday, while Jonas Valanciunas finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Greivis Vasquez chipped in with 12 points for the Raptors (39-30).
Lowry, who has struggled with a groin injury in the past, wouldn't say if anything specific is sore.
"My full body has aches and pains right now," he said. "I don't think any player in the NBA right now feels 100 per cent. It's that time of year where everybody has knicks and knacks and bruises."
DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap scored 17 points apiece to top the Hawks (31-37), while Jeff Teague added 16.
Sloppy start
Coming off a an energetic 119-118 loss in double overtime two nights earlier to Oklahoma City, the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors looked like a different team Sunday through three quarters of sloppy passes, horrible shooting and lackadaisical defence.
One highlight on an afternoon that had almost none: the return of The Raptor mascot, who missed over five months after rupturing an Achilles tendon during training camp.
Casey passed Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment boss Tim Leiweke in the hallway after the game, and told him it was like "pulling teeth, it was like going to the dentist's office that first half."
"We've got to be pros like I told our players, whether it's five o'clock in the morning, midnight, two o'clock, we've got to get ourselves going," Casey said. "With season ticket-holders paying big money to watch us play, we came out and gave them a bad performance in the first half."
Casey gave his players an earful at halftime.
"Aw man, he came in here yelling," DeRozan said. "Once Casey yells, you've got to do your job or you'll hear him yelling after the game. We understood ... we were still in the game and we were playing terrible that first half."
The Hawks, who are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by as many as 14 points in the first half and were up by 71-60 heading into the fourth quarter.
Finally showing some life, the Raptors chipped away at the difference and when Johnson tipped in his own miss with 5:18 left to play, it tied the game 79-79.
Lowry scored on a hook shot with 44 seconds left to give the Raptors a five-point lead and some precious breathing room, then he stole the ball off an inbounds pass and scored again to help put the game away.
There was a scary moment late in the game when workhorse Amir Johnson went down in a heap clutching his left knee after Shelvin Mack had fallen awkwardly on it.
"You don't know if it's a soccer move (embellishment) or what," Casey said. "He had my heart in my throat there for a little bit."
Lowry called Johnson the team's "heart and soul."
"So when that happened it kind of scared us a little bit," Lowry said. "Oh yeah, I'm still scared when he falls. But he's a great player, he gives it all, and it makes everybody else give it their all too."
Added DeRozan: "I've seen Amir get hit by a Mack truck and get back up. One thing about Amir, he'll play through anything and everything, but he kind of scared me tonight. When he grabbed at the knee, I kind of cussed at him a little to make sure he was alright."
Johnson, who was limping in the locker-room after the game, said the initial pain was bad, but he was able to walk it off.
The Raptors had lost to the Hawks earlier in the week, dropping a 118-113 decision in overtime in Atlanta on Tuesday.
"We just lost focus," Millsap said on the Hawks' inability to close out Sunday's game. "Lost focus and they hit a few shots. We dropped our heads a little bit but we have to be more mentally tough."
Toronto got off to a poor start Sunday, turning over the ball seven times in the opening quarter. The Raptors shot just 28 per cent while allowing the Hawks to shoot 56 per cent.
Atlanta went up by 11 before leading 25-16 to end the quarter. A three-pointer by Millsap gave the Hawks a 14-point lead midway through the second.
But the Raptors closed the quarter with a 16-9 run that included a monstrous dunk by Terrence Ross and went into the locker-room at halftime trailing 49-42.
The Raptors carried that momentum into the third, cutting the Hawks' lead to two points on a hook shot by Valanciunas, but abruptly went cold again. Atlanta took an 11-point advantage into the final 12 minutes.
Atlanta vs Toronto - Recap - NBA - Sports - CBC.ca
Unleashed in the fourth quarter, Lowry scored seven of his 25 points in the game's final minute to lift the Raptors to a 96-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
After three horrible quarters, the Raptors outscored the Hawks 36-15 in the final 12 minutes to seal the victory.
"We've got a group of guys who are resilient, we want to win games, we've got a goal in mind," Lowry said. "It's fun to win games and when you've found the recipe to win in the fourth, you have to stick with it."
Lowry also had four assists and four steals in just 27 minutes. With the Raptors poised to make their first playoff appearance in six years, the team is being careful with his playing time.
"He's had a lot of minutes," said coach Dwane Casey. "It's hard believe me, as a coach and for him as a competitor, it looks like we're going at each other but we both understand the situation. If it's close I may close my eyes and forget time, but we have to watch his minutes."
DeMar DeRozan added 21 points Sunday, while Jonas Valanciunas finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Greivis Vasquez chipped in with 12 points for the Raptors (39-30).
Lowry, who has struggled with a groin injury in the past, wouldn't say if anything specific is sore.
"My full body has aches and pains right now," he said. "I don't think any player in the NBA right now feels 100 per cent. It's that time of year where everybody has knicks and knacks and bruises."
DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap scored 17 points apiece to top the Hawks (31-37), while Jeff Teague added 16.
Sloppy start
Coming off a an energetic 119-118 loss in double overtime two nights earlier to Oklahoma City, the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors looked like a different team Sunday through three quarters of sloppy passes, horrible shooting and lackadaisical defence.
One highlight on an afternoon that had almost none: the return of The Raptor mascot, who missed over five months after rupturing an Achilles tendon during training camp.
Casey passed Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment boss Tim Leiweke in the hallway after the game, and told him it was like "pulling teeth, it was like going to the dentist's office that first half."
"We've got to be pros like I told our players, whether it's five o'clock in the morning, midnight, two o'clock, we've got to get ourselves going," Casey said. "With season ticket-holders paying big money to watch us play, we came out and gave them a bad performance in the first half."
Casey gave his players an earful at halftime.
"Aw man, he came in here yelling," DeRozan said. "Once Casey yells, you've got to do your job or you'll hear him yelling after the game. We understood ... we were still in the game and we were playing terrible that first half."
The Hawks, who are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, led by as many as 14 points in the first half and were up by 71-60 heading into the fourth quarter.
Finally showing some life, the Raptors chipped away at the difference and when Johnson tipped in his own miss with 5:18 left to play, it tied the game 79-79.
Lowry scored on a hook shot with 44 seconds left to give the Raptors a five-point lead and some precious breathing room, then he stole the ball off an inbounds pass and scored again to help put the game away.
There was a scary moment late in the game when workhorse Amir Johnson went down in a heap clutching his left knee after Shelvin Mack had fallen awkwardly on it.
"You don't know if it's a soccer move (embellishment) or what," Casey said. "He had my heart in my throat there for a little bit."
Lowry called Johnson the team's "heart and soul."
"So when that happened it kind of scared us a little bit," Lowry said. "Oh yeah, I'm still scared when he falls. But he's a great player, he gives it all, and it makes everybody else give it their all too."
Added DeRozan: "I've seen Amir get hit by a Mack truck and get back up. One thing about Amir, he'll play through anything and everything, but he kind of scared me tonight. When he grabbed at the knee, I kind of cussed at him a little to make sure he was alright."
Johnson, who was limping in the locker-room after the game, said the initial pain was bad, but he was able to walk it off.
The Raptors had lost to the Hawks earlier in the week, dropping a 118-113 decision in overtime in Atlanta on Tuesday.
"We just lost focus," Millsap said on the Hawks' inability to close out Sunday's game. "Lost focus and they hit a few shots. We dropped our heads a little bit but we have to be more mentally tough."
Toronto got off to a poor start Sunday, turning over the ball seven times in the opening quarter. The Raptors shot just 28 per cent while allowing the Hawks to shoot 56 per cent.
Atlanta went up by 11 before leading 25-16 to end the quarter. A three-pointer by Millsap gave the Hawks a 14-point lead midway through the second.
But the Raptors closed the quarter with a 16-9 run that included a monstrous dunk by Terrence Ross and went into the locker-room at halftime trailing 49-42.
The Raptors carried that momentum into the third, cutting the Hawks' lead to two points on a hook shot by Valanciunas, but abruptly went cold again. Atlanta took an 11-point advantage into the final 12 minutes.
Atlanta vs Toronto - Recap - NBA - Sports - CBC.ca
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Monday Charlotte could host a future All-Star Game.
First, he said, the city must upgrade Time Warner Cable Arena, which needs $41.9 million of work, according to a list of needs compiled by the Charlotte Bobcats and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
“I’d love to bring the All-Star Game back here,” Silver said before the Bobcats game with the Houston Rockets. “This is a wonderful community, a hotbed of basketball, not just pro but college as well.”
He added: “There are some upgrades to the building that are needed. I know those discussions are underway right now. It’s part of the understanding here that the building remain state-of-the-art. Nothing dramatic is needed. But certainly an upgrade to the scoreboard, some things with the suites and the lighting.”
The Bobcats’ 25-year arena lease calls for the city of Charlotte to keep Time Warner Cable Arena among the league’s most modern. After the first seven years, the lease requires the city to make improvements, so long as half of other NBA facilities have them.
The city-owned arena opened in the fall of 2005. Only two new NBA arenas have been built since then, in Orlando and Brooklyn, N.Y.
The team has requested money to upgrade suites, overhaul restaurants, build a new play area for children and move the ticket office, among other improvements.
The city said it will scrutinize the list of requests to see what is required under the lease agreement.
Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon said the prospect of hosting the league’s All-Star Game shouldn’t make the city spend more money than necessary.
“The city should only be guided by what it’s obligated to do by way of the agreement,” he said.
City Manager Ron Carlee said the city must study the “business case” for possibly making additional upgrades to the arena.
“What kind of opportunity will there be (for improving the arena)?” Carlee said.
The NBA has awarded the next two All-Star Games – a weekend of events in mid-February – to New York in 2015 and Toronto in 2016.
Silver said awarding the 2017 event should come in about a year. Then he reiterated his link between Charlotte’s chances and those upgrades.
“The team has time,” Silver said. “The first order of priority is making sure the building issues are dealt with.”
Drawing events like the All-Star Game, which would fill thousands of hotel rooms in and around Charlotte, was an incentive for the city to build the $260 million uptown arena in partnership with the Bobcats.
The CRVA, which oversees back-of-the-house operations at the arena, estimated the building needs $7.8 million in work over the next five years. The team estimated the arena needs an added $34 million over the next four years.
Silver’s comments, linking upgrades to a quick opportunity to host the All-Star Game, seemed to be a carrot to spend more. The All-Star Game was here in 1991 when the Charlotte Hornets played at the now-gone Charlotte Coliseum.
In response to questions about its arena upgrade list, the Bobcats released a statement last week.
“The operating agreement signed in 2003 between the City of Charlotte and Bobcats Sports & Entertainment includes a prescribed process to look at repairs and upgrades after seven years of operation. With Time Warner Cable Arena now in its ninth year, we have a mutual obligation to follow the process that was put in place over a decade ago. As stewards of this community asset, we are working with our partners toward the common goal of ensuring that our arena will continue to be the type of venue that will allow us to compete for events that will benefit the entire Charlotte community.”
The arena upgrades comes less than a year after the city agreed to spend $87.5 million on improvements at Bank of America Stadium to satisfy the NFL Carolina Panthers.
Read more here: NBA: Upgrade arena, then maybe All-Star Game will come to Charlotte | Charlotte Bobcats | NewsObserver-com
First, he said, the city must upgrade Time Warner Cable Arena, which needs $41.9 million of work, according to a list of needs compiled by the Charlotte Bobcats and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
“I’d love to bring the All-Star Game back here,” Silver said before the Bobcats game with the Houston Rockets. “This is a wonderful community, a hotbed of basketball, not just pro but college as well.”
He added: “There are some upgrades to the building that are needed. I know those discussions are underway right now. It’s part of the understanding here that the building remain state-of-the-art. Nothing dramatic is needed. But certainly an upgrade to the scoreboard, some things with the suites and the lighting.”
The Bobcats’ 25-year arena lease calls for the city of Charlotte to keep Time Warner Cable Arena among the league’s most modern. After the first seven years, the lease requires the city to make improvements, so long as half of other NBA facilities have them.
The city-owned arena opened in the fall of 2005. Only two new NBA arenas have been built since then, in Orlando and Brooklyn, N.Y.
The team has requested money to upgrade suites, overhaul restaurants, build a new play area for children and move the ticket office, among other improvements.
The city said it will scrutinize the list of requests to see what is required under the lease agreement.
Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon said the prospect of hosting the league’s All-Star Game shouldn’t make the city spend more money than necessary.
“The city should only be guided by what it’s obligated to do by way of the agreement,” he said.
City Manager Ron Carlee said the city must study the “business case” for possibly making additional upgrades to the arena.
“What kind of opportunity will there be (for improving the arena)?” Carlee said.
The NBA has awarded the next two All-Star Games – a weekend of events in mid-February – to New York in 2015 and Toronto in 2016.
Silver said awarding the 2017 event should come in about a year. Then he reiterated his link between Charlotte’s chances and those upgrades.
“The team has time,” Silver said. “The first order of priority is making sure the building issues are dealt with.”
Drawing events like the All-Star Game, which would fill thousands of hotel rooms in and around Charlotte, was an incentive for the city to build the $260 million uptown arena in partnership with the Bobcats.
The CRVA, which oversees back-of-the-house operations at the arena, estimated the building needs $7.8 million in work over the next five years. The team estimated the arena needs an added $34 million over the next four years.
Silver’s comments, linking upgrades to a quick opportunity to host the All-Star Game, seemed to be a carrot to spend more. The All-Star Game was here in 1991 when the Charlotte Hornets played at the now-gone Charlotte Coliseum.
In response to questions about its arena upgrade list, the Bobcats released a statement last week.
“The operating agreement signed in 2003 between the City of Charlotte and Bobcats Sports & Entertainment includes a prescribed process to look at repairs and upgrades after seven years of operation. With Time Warner Cable Arena now in its ninth year, we have a mutual obligation to follow the process that was put in place over a decade ago. As stewards of this community asset, we are working with our partners toward the common goal of ensuring that our arena will continue to be the type of venue that will allow us to compete for events that will benefit the entire Charlotte community.”
The arena upgrades comes less than a year after the city agreed to spend $87.5 million on improvements at Bank of America Stadium to satisfy the NFL Carolina Panthers.
Read more here: NBA: Upgrade arena, then maybe All-Star Game will come to Charlotte | Charlotte Bobcats | NewsObserver-com
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
While March Madness continues around the country, there is only March Sadness in Syracuse.
Syracuse's season came to an abrupt end on Saturday when the Orange dropped a 55-53 decision to the Dayton Flyers in the third round of the NCAA tournament at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.
So while 16 teams continue to play for the NCAA championship, Syracuse is one of many schools around the country where the focus shifts to the 2014-15 season.
The loss to Dayton marked the end of the college careers for Syracuse seniors C.J. Fair and Baye Moussa Keita. Syracuse will have to replace Fair's offense. The 6-foot-8 forward led the Orange in scoring each of the last two years. The Orange will also have to replace Keita's keen defensive ability and his leadership.
But Syracuse's fortunes in 2015 will hinge on freshman point guard Tyler Ennis and sophomore forward Jerami Grant, both of whom will soon decide whether to enter the NBA draft this spring or return to Syracuse next year. Ennis was second to Fair in scoring for the Orange at 12.8 points per game. He also led the Atlantic Coast Conference in both assists and steals. Grant averaged 12 points per game and led the Orange in rebounding.
The NBA's deadline for early entry into the draft is April 27.
Looking ahead to next year, here are four scenarios that could shape Syracuse's season.
Grant and Ennis both return
This would be a dream scenario for any Syracuse fan. Should Ennis and Grant both choose to return to Syracuse next year, the Orange would surely be ranked in the top five in the preseason.
Ennis would give Syracuse one of the best point guards in the country at the helm of the offense. His presence would solidify a backcourt that should be much better next season as Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije build on the experience they both gained this year. Ron Patterson would be a year older and incoming freshman Kaleb Joseph could play either guard position.
With Fair graduating, Grant's return would give Syracuse an experienced presence at forward.
The candidates for playing time at the other forward position would include Tyler Roberson, B.J. Johnson, incoming freshman Chris McCullough and maybe even Rakeem Christmas.
It would be easy to imagine a starting lineup of Ennis, Cooney, Grant, Roberson and Christmas with the likes of Gbinije, Joseph, Johnson, McCullough, Dajuan Coleman and Chinonso Obokoh providing quality depth at every position.
Ennis stays, Grant leaves
The loss of Grant would hurt, but Ennis' decision to return ensures that Syracuse will be in good position next season.
The point guard position is vital at all levels of basketball. Ennis had a great freshman season, but imagine him next year after he gains some more upper-body strength and works to iron out a little hitch in his jumper that would allow him to get his shot off quicker.
Should Grant leave, Syracuse would be very young at forward, but Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim would still have some options.
Roberson, who got more playing time and one starting assignment when Grant was suffering with a lower back strain late this season, would likely fill one position. McCullough, a 6-9 forward who just wrapped up his senior year at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is a highly-rated prospect. Perhaps he could step in as a starter. Johnson, who needs to add bulk to his frame in order to play the backline of SU's zone defense, could see time at small forward However, Boeheim could consider moving Gbinije, a 6-7 swing player, to forward. Gbinije would bring more experience to the frontcourt.
Grant stays, Ennis leaves
In this scenario, Syracuse would have a quality frontcourt, but Boeheim would be looking at a new point guard for the third straight year.
Kaleb Joseph led Cushing Academy to its second straight New England Prep School Athletic Conference championship this year. But it would be unfair to expect Joseph to come in and duplicate what Ennis did this year. Ennis was the consummate point guard. Joseph is more of a combo guard than a true point.
Gbinije backed up Ennis at the point this past year, but Ennis averaged 38 minutes per game in ACC play, so Gbinije didn't really see all that many relevant minutes at the point.
Gbinije and Joseph would have to combine to hold down the point.
The good news is that the inexperienced point guards would have a lot of quality, experienced players around them, including Grant, Christmas and Cooney.
Grant and Ennis both leave
Relax, Orange fans. Just keep breathing into the paper bag.
Should both Ennis and Grant decide to enter the NBA draft, the world won't come to an end. And neither will Syracuse's run of six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. Probably.
Syracuse would be hard-pressed to make up for the losses of Grant and Ennis on top of the departures of Fair and Keita.
The Orange would need a new point guard and two new forwards. Point guard is generally considered the most important position in basketball, while forward is a key position in the effectiveness of Boeheim's zone defense.
What would the Orange look like?
Gbinije and Joseph would likely share time at the point. Perhaps Patterson would figure in there, too. Cooney would start at the two-guard. Roberson, Johnson and McCullough would be the forwards. Christmas would return at center. Coleman, depending on his recovery from his season-ending knee surgery, would be back in the middle as well. Obokoh would be the third-string center.
Syracuse would have talent, but the lack of experience and the absence of anyone ready to take over at the point on a full-time basis would signal some rough-sledding for the Orange.
Syracuse basketball awaits NBA decisions from Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant: 4 scenarios | syracuse-com
Syracuse's season came to an abrupt end on Saturday when the Orange dropped a 55-53 decision to the Dayton Flyers in the third round of the NCAA tournament at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.
So while 16 teams continue to play for the NCAA championship, Syracuse is one of many schools around the country where the focus shifts to the 2014-15 season.
The loss to Dayton marked the end of the college careers for Syracuse seniors C.J. Fair and Baye Moussa Keita. Syracuse will have to replace Fair's offense. The 6-foot-8 forward led the Orange in scoring each of the last two years. The Orange will also have to replace Keita's keen defensive ability and his leadership.
But Syracuse's fortunes in 2015 will hinge on freshman point guard Tyler Ennis and sophomore forward Jerami Grant, both of whom will soon decide whether to enter the NBA draft this spring or return to Syracuse next year. Ennis was second to Fair in scoring for the Orange at 12.8 points per game. He also led the Atlantic Coast Conference in both assists and steals. Grant averaged 12 points per game and led the Orange in rebounding.
The NBA's deadline for early entry into the draft is April 27.
Looking ahead to next year, here are four scenarios that could shape Syracuse's season.
Grant and Ennis both return
This would be a dream scenario for any Syracuse fan. Should Ennis and Grant both choose to return to Syracuse next year, the Orange would surely be ranked in the top five in the preseason.
Ennis would give Syracuse one of the best point guards in the country at the helm of the offense. His presence would solidify a backcourt that should be much better next season as Trevor Cooney and Michael Gbinije build on the experience they both gained this year. Ron Patterson would be a year older and incoming freshman Kaleb Joseph could play either guard position.
With Fair graduating, Grant's return would give Syracuse an experienced presence at forward.
The candidates for playing time at the other forward position would include Tyler Roberson, B.J. Johnson, incoming freshman Chris McCullough and maybe even Rakeem Christmas.
It would be easy to imagine a starting lineup of Ennis, Cooney, Grant, Roberson and Christmas with the likes of Gbinije, Joseph, Johnson, McCullough, Dajuan Coleman and Chinonso Obokoh providing quality depth at every position.
Ennis stays, Grant leaves
The loss of Grant would hurt, but Ennis' decision to return ensures that Syracuse will be in good position next season.
The point guard position is vital at all levels of basketball. Ennis had a great freshman season, but imagine him next year after he gains some more upper-body strength and works to iron out a little hitch in his jumper that would allow him to get his shot off quicker.
Should Grant leave, Syracuse would be very young at forward, but Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim would still have some options.
Roberson, who got more playing time and one starting assignment when Grant was suffering with a lower back strain late this season, would likely fill one position. McCullough, a 6-9 forward who just wrapped up his senior year at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is a highly-rated prospect. Perhaps he could step in as a starter. Johnson, who needs to add bulk to his frame in order to play the backline of SU's zone defense, could see time at small forward However, Boeheim could consider moving Gbinije, a 6-7 swing player, to forward. Gbinije would bring more experience to the frontcourt.
Grant stays, Ennis leaves
In this scenario, Syracuse would have a quality frontcourt, but Boeheim would be looking at a new point guard for the third straight year.
Kaleb Joseph led Cushing Academy to its second straight New England Prep School Athletic Conference championship this year. But it would be unfair to expect Joseph to come in and duplicate what Ennis did this year. Ennis was the consummate point guard. Joseph is more of a combo guard than a true point.
Gbinije backed up Ennis at the point this past year, but Ennis averaged 38 minutes per game in ACC play, so Gbinije didn't really see all that many relevant minutes at the point.
Gbinije and Joseph would have to combine to hold down the point.
The good news is that the inexperienced point guards would have a lot of quality, experienced players around them, including Grant, Christmas and Cooney.
Grant and Ennis both leave
Relax, Orange fans. Just keep breathing into the paper bag.
Should both Ennis and Grant decide to enter the NBA draft, the world won't come to an end. And neither will Syracuse's run of six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. Probably.
Syracuse would be hard-pressed to make up for the losses of Grant and Ennis on top of the departures of Fair and Keita.
The Orange would need a new point guard and two new forwards. Point guard is generally considered the most important position in basketball, while forward is a key position in the effectiveness of Boeheim's zone defense.
What would the Orange look like?
Gbinije and Joseph would likely share time at the point. Perhaps Patterson would figure in there, too. Cooney would start at the two-guard. Roberson, Johnson and McCullough would be the forwards. Christmas would return at center. Coleman, depending on his recovery from his season-ending knee surgery, would be back in the middle as well. Obokoh would be the third-string center.
Syracuse would have talent, but the lack of experience and the absence of anyone ready to take over at the point on a full-time basis would signal some rough-sledding for the Orange.
Syracuse basketball awaits NBA decisions from Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant: 4 scenarios | syracuse-com
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
It's going to come up sometime this week.
Hey Fred, what interest do you have in coaching the New York Knicks?
Anyone who knows Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg knows there are just a handful of NBA organizations he'd even consider — and the Knicks just might be right there with franchises for whom he once played like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Indian Pacers, and Chicago Bulls of the world.
He's not a New York kind of guy. He's still got kids in high school and lower, but hey, if this Iowa State team advances to Jerry's World and the Final Four in Dallas?
All bets are off.
Maybe he'll coach in the NBA sometime, maybe not. No one knows, and that possibly even includes Hoiberg.
The issue came up Tuesday, with a Minneapolis-based reporter asking a softball question about Hoiberg's interest in returning to the NBA's Timberwolves (where Hoiberg served in the front office before being hired at Iowa State four years ago).
Hoiberg responded, "I'm focused on Connecticut" — Friday's opponent in a Sweet 16 game at Madison Square Garden. That'll be his answer if the question is lobbed from national media Thursday.
Hoiberg is already in the middle of a contract that will pay him a total of $20 million (not including incentives) through 2023, and remember, he's a family guy.
Hoiberg has been known to drive at least an hour to watch his kids play a Saturday night basketball game shortly after conducting a late Saturday afternoon postgame press conference.
He still shoots hoops with the kids on the backyard lighted court, but the lure of jumping to a league in which he was a successful front-office executive can be a powerful tug.
So with the Knicks' search for a head coach still out there as Hoiberg prepares his team for Friday night's Sweet 16 game against Connecticut, will the university spring into contract-tweaking mode?
Does Iowa State — and it's not just athletics director Jamie Pollard, it's also his boss, university president Steven Leath — do what they did last year at this time? Do they sweeten Hoiberg's contractual pot?
As far as I know, there's no money-making printing press on campus, so the university will need help.
There's such a buzz around the campus right now that athletic department officials already are discussing re-seating Hilton Coliseum.
Fans saying Hoiberg needs a raise, or something akin to that, might have to pitch in, too. If re-seating happens, donors will have to fork over more money for prime seating, and the numbers in the most recent Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act report shows why.
Kansas and Texas both made more than $16 million on men's hoops in the most recent filing. Oklahoma State was at $11.9 million.
Where's Iowa State, a team that just happens to play in the Knicks' Madison Square Garden on Friday night and maybe Sunday?
Hoiberg's team brings in just south of $9 million to the university. There's parity on the court, but in the bank? No way.
According to various published reports, seven Big 12 Conference coaches have higher annual salaries than the guy who has Iowa State in the round of 16 for the first time since 2000.
Kansas' Bill Self is at $4.7 million this year. West Virginia's Bob Huggins makes $3 million. The earnings of Texas' Rick Barnes ($2.5 million), Oklahoma State's Travis Ford ($2.3 million), Oklahoma's Lon Kruger ($2.2 million) and Baylor's Scott Drew and Texas Tech's Tubby Smith (both $1.8 million) also rank ahead of The Mayor.
Hoiberg is at $1.6 million (plus he has earned another $150,000 in incentive bonuses so far) in 2013-14 while preparing his guys for what he hopes are two Big Apple games, but don't be surprised if Iowa State and Hoiberg announce something after the season. Last year, it was on March 29, less than a week after that controversial NCAA loss against Ohio State.
He's already the most respected guy in Ames. Extra pats on the back never hurt, though.
But before you get all antsy about this contract reworking, remember this: Anything the university does still might not be good enough. Contracts aren't made to be broken, but that's often what happens.
If Hoiberg wants to go to the pros — and it's his call, according to former NBA executive Steve Kerr — he'll have enough money to fork over the buyout.
But also know this: Whatever happens won't become a media circus.
Talks of this sort "are discussed internally, not in the media," Pollard said Monday.
Hoiberg's busy these days, primarily trying to figure out who guards Shabazz Napier, and anyhow, would new Knicks GM Phil Jackson really make a college guy his first coaching hire? Pollard and Leath are aware the NBA is a Hoiberg coaching possibility. That's why there's a clause in his contract that says if he accepts a head coaching or general manager position in the NBA before his contract expires in 2023, he owes Iowa State $500,000.
His buyout increases to $2 million if he accepts another Division I head coaching position. His non-incentive salary increases by $100,000 each year of the contract.
What would he make in the NBA, you wonder?
The Boston Celtics are paying former Butler coach Brad Stevens $3.7 million this season. Another first-year coach we've all heard of around here, former Cyclones star Jeff Hornacek, is getting $2 million from the Phoenix Suns.
The way things are going now, Hoiberg could be an Iowa State lifer, and job security means plenty these days.
The last 10 Knicks coaches have lasted just an average of 2.8 seasons.
It's not that Hoiberg couldn't handle the big-city media; he'd do just fine.
But as I write this, I'm recalling something he said a couple weeks ago — that for every 50 positive comments he receives, he always remembers the one that's negative.
Translated: For every comment made this week about Hoiberg immediately jumping to the NBA, the one he'll hear is the one going off in his head.
Thanks. Maybe later.
[url=www-usatoday-
Hey Fred, what interest do you have in coaching the New York Knicks?
Anyone who knows Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg knows there are just a handful of NBA organizations he'd even consider — and the Knicks just might be right there with franchises for whom he once played like the Minnesota Timberwolves, Indian Pacers, and Chicago Bulls of the world.
He's not a New York kind of guy. He's still got kids in high school and lower, but hey, if this Iowa State team advances to Jerry's World and the Final Four in Dallas?
All bets are off.
Maybe he'll coach in the NBA sometime, maybe not. No one knows, and that possibly even includes Hoiberg.
The issue came up Tuesday, with a Minneapolis-based reporter asking a softball question about Hoiberg's interest in returning to the NBA's Timberwolves (where Hoiberg served in the front office before being hired at Iowa State four years ago).
Hoiberg responded, "I'm focused on Connecticut" — Friday's opponent in a Sweet 16 game at Madison Square Garden. That'll be his answer if the question is lobbed from national media Thursday.
Hoiberg is already in the middle of a contract that will pay him a total of $20 million (not including incentives) through 2023, and remember, he's a family guy.
Hoiberg has been known to drive at least an hour to watch his kids play a Saturday night basketball game shortly after conducting a late Saturday afternoon postgame press conference.
He still shoots hoops with the kids on the backyard lighted court, but the lure of jumping to a league in which he was a successful front-office executive can be a powerful tug.
So with the Knicks' search for a head coach still out there as Hoiberg prepares his team for Friday night's Sweet 16 game against Connecticut, will the university spring into contract-tweaking mode?
Does Iowa State — and it's not just athletics director Jamie Pollard, it's also his boss, university president Steven Leath — do what they did last year at this time? Do they sweeten Hoiberg's contractual pot?
As far as I know, there's no money-making printing press on campus, so the university will need help.
There's such a buzz around the campus right now that athletic department officials already are discussing re-seating Hilton Coliseum.
Fans saying Hoiberg needs a raise, or something akin to that, might have to pitch in, too. If re-seating happens, donors will have to fork over more money for prime seating, and the numbers in the most recent Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act report shows why.
Kansas and Texas both made more than $16 million on men's hoops in the most recent filing. Oklahoma State was at $11.9 million.
Where's Iowa State, a team that just happens to play in the Knicks' Madison Square Garden on Friday night and maybe Sunday?
Hoiberg's team brings in just south of $9 million to the university. There's parity on the court, but in the bank? No way.
According to various published reports, seven Big 12 Conference coaches have higher annual salaries than the guy who has Iowa State in the round of 16 for the first time since 2000.
Kansas' Bill Self is at $4.7 million this year. West Virginia's Bob Huggins makes $3 million. The earnings of Texas' Rick Barnes ($2.5 million), Oklahoma State's Travis Ford ($2.3 million), Oklahoma's Lon Kruger ($2.2 million) and Baylor's Scott Drew and Texas Tech's Tubby Smith (both $1.8 million) also rank ahead of The Mayor.
Hoiberg is at $1.6 million (plus he has earned another $150,000 in incentive bonuses so far) in 2013-14 while preparing his guys for what he hopes are two Big Apple games, but don't be surprised if Iowa State and Hoiberg announce something after the season. Last year, it was on March 29, less than a week after that controversial NCAA loss against Ohio State.
He's already the most respected guy in Ames. Extra pats on the back never hurt, though.
But before you get all antsy about this contract reworking, remember this: Anything the university does still might not be good enough. Contracts aren't made to be broken, but that's often what happens.
If Hoiberg wants to go to the pros — and it's his call, according to former NBA executive Steve Kerr — he'll have enough money to fork over the buyout.
But also know this: Whatever happens won't become a media circus.
Talks of this sort "are discussed internally, not in the media," Pollard said Monday.
Hoiberg's busy these days, primarily trying to figure out who guards Shabazz Napier, and anyhow, would new Knicks GM Phil Jackson really make a college guy his first coaching hire? Pollard and Leath are aware the NBA is a Hoiberg coaching possibility. That's why there's a clause in his contract that says if he accepts a head coaching or general manager position in the NBA before his contract expires in 2023, he owes Iowa State $500,000.
His buyout increases to $2 million if he accepts another Division I head coaching position. His non-incentive salary increases by $100,000 each year of the contract.
What would he make in the NBA, you wonder?
The Boston Celtics are paying former Butler coach Brad Stevens $3.7 million this season. Another first-year coach we've all heard of around here, former Cyclones star Jeff Hornacek, is getting $2 million from the Phoenix Suns.
The way things are going now, Hoiberg could be an Iowa State lifer, and job security means plenty these days.
The last 10 Knicks coaches have lasted just an average of 2.8 seasons.
It's not that Hoiberg couldn't handle the big-city media; he'd do just fine.
But as I write this, I'm recalling something he said a couple weeks ago — that for every 50 positive comments he receives, he always remembers the one that's negative.
Translated: For every comment made this week about Hoiberg immediately jumping to the NBA, the one he'll hear is the one going off in his head.
Thanks. Maybe later.
[url=www-usatoday-
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
They had Derrick Rose for 10 games because of injury and Luol Deng for 23 before a trade, and the Chicago Bulls are in the top four of the Eastern Conference.
Of course they are.
Playing with grit, determination, passion and hard work — the qualities on display from Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau — the Bulls are 40-31 and in position to have home-court advantage for an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Of course they are.
"Championship teams that I've been around bring it every day," Thibodeau said after Monday's victory against the East-leading Indiana Pacers. "Whether it's a practice, a meeting, a walk-through, a film session — whatever it might be — you have to give everything you have. That gives you your best chance. Like anything else, it's about building the right habits."
In 2014, the Bulls are 28-13 (.682), better than the Pacers (27-15, .642) and Miami Heat (24-15, .615). And they have beaten quality opponents, too: the Phoenix Suns (twice), San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Heat, Houston Rockets and Pacers.
If Chicago reaches the second round, it won't be an easy out. The Bulls beat the Nets as the No. 5 seed last season, and even though they lost in five games in the second round, they made the eventual champions Heat work to advance.
Nothing comes easy against Chicago, just the way Thibodeau likes it. With that said, nothing comes easy for the Bulls either. They work for everything they get. Bulls center Joakim Noah said the Bulls are undervalued. Could be. But overachievers is also apt. Undervalued overachievers. Thibodeau gets the most out of his team. Remember early in the season, how out of place rookie Tony Snell looked on an NBA court? He's a contributor now on a bench that isn't very deep.
Six players (D.J. Augustin, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, Mike Dunleavy and Noah) average double figures in points, and Kirk Hinrich is at 9.0 points a game. The Bulls are not considered an offensive power, but they do just enough, rebounding from a tough December in which they struggled offensively and defensively.
Since the new year, the Bulls are scoring 101.2 points per 100 possessions. Again not great, but it's much better than the 96 points per 100 possessions in the first two months of the season.
Augustin, a free-agent signing after Toronto cut him loose, has provided stability and scoring at point guard. Chicago learned to play without Rose and Deng, and Noah developed into more of a playmaker. Pacers coach Frank Vogel called him a point-center.
Under Thibodeau, the Bulls continue to play tenacious defense. They are second in points allowed per 100 possessions behind the Pacers.
"When you get to the playoffs, the biggest thing is you are playing the same team over and over," Thibodeau said. "The mindset of being physically, mentally and emotionally ready is the biggest thing. The biggest adjustment in the playoffs is the edge, the intensity of the game. You only get intensity from great concentration and great effort. Building that edge is something you do throughout the course of the season."
Thibodeau has established himself as a coach who generates maximum production from his team.
There have been outstanding coaching jobs this season — Vogel, the Suns' Jeff Hornacek, Bobcats' Steve Clifford and Raptors' Dwane Casey in Toronto along with the usual suspects (the Spurs Gregg Popovich, the Los Angeles Clippers' Doc Rivers and Heat's Erik Spoelstra). It will be interesting to see where he finishes in coach of the year voting. Thibodeau won the award in 2010-11, was second in 2011-12 and was eighth last season.
The won-loss record without Rose and Deng isn't lost on opposing coaches
"I'm very impressed by how hard they play, especially in this building," Vogel said, standing on the United Center court. "I know how hard Coach Thibs gets these guys playing. ... It's a credit to their system."
Read More : NBA A to Z: Chicago Bulls' secret to sustained success
Of course they are.
Playing with grit, determination, passion and hard work — the qualities on display from Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau — the Bulls are 40-31 and in position to have home-court advantage for an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Of course they are.
"Championship teams that I've been around bring it every day," Thibodeau said after Monday's victory against the East-leading Indiana Pacers. "Whether it's a practice, a meeting, a walk-through, a film session — whatever it might be — you have to give everything you have. That gives you your best chance. Like anything else, it's about building the right habits."
In 2014, the Bulls are 28-13 (.682), better than the Pacers (27-15, .642) and Miami Heat (24-15, .615). And they have beaten quality opponents, too: the Phoenix Suns (twice), San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Heat, Houston Rockets and Pacers.
If Chicago reaches the second round, it won't be an easy out. The Bulls beat the Nets as the No. 5 seed last season, and even though they lost in five games in the second round, they made the eventual champions Heat work to advance.
Nothing comes easy against Chicago, just the way Thibodeau likes it. With that said, nothing comes easy for the Bulls either. They work for everything they get. Bulls center Joakim Noah said the Bulls are undervalued. Could be. But overachievers is also apt. Undervalued overachievers. Thibodeau gets the most out of his team. Remember early in the season, how out of place rookie Tony Snell looked on an NBA court? He's a contributor now on a bench that isn't very deep.
Six players (D.J. Augustin, Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler, Mike Dunleavy and Noah) average double figures in points, and Kirk Hinrich is at 9.0 points a game. The Bulls are not considered an offensive power, but they do just enough, rebounding from a tough December in which they struggled offensively and defensively.
Since the new year, the Bulls are scoring 101.2 points per 100 possessions. Again not great, but it's much better than the 96 points per 100 possessions in the first two months of the season.
Augustin, a free-agent signing after Toronto cut him loose, has provided stability and scoring at point guard. Chicago learned to play without Rose and Deng, and Noah developed into more of a playmaker. Pacers coach Frank Vogel called him a point-center.
Under Thibodeau, the Bulls continue to play tenacious defense. They are second in points allowed per 100 possessions behind the Pacers.
"When you get to the playoffs, the biggest thing is you are playing the same team over and over," Thibodeau said. "The mindset of being physically, mentally and emotionally ready is the biggest thing. The biggest adjustment in the playoffs is the edge, the intensity of the game. You only get intensity from great concentration and great effort. Building that edge is something you do throughout the course of the season."
Thibodeau has established himself as a coach who generates maximum production from his team.
There have been outstanding coaching jobs this season — Vogel, the Suns' Jeff Hornacek, Bobcats' Steve Clifford and Raptors' Dwane Casey in Toronto along with the usual suspects (the Spurs Gregg Popovich, the Los Angeles Clippers' Doc Rivers and Heat's Erik Spoelstra). It will be interesting to see where he finishes in coach of the year voting. Thibodeau won the award in 2010-11, was second in 2011-12 and was eighth last season.
The won-loss record without Rose and Deng isn't lost on opposing coaches
"I'm very impressed by how hard they play, especially in this building," Vogel said, standing on the United Center court. "I know how hard Coach Thibs gets these guys playing. ... It's a credit to their system."
Read More : NBA A to Z: Chicago Bulls' secret to sustained success
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Tail if you want to make some Money, or watch and learn.
Dallas -10
Milwaukee +9
New Orleans +13.5
Dallas -10
Milwaukee +9
New Orleans +13.5
Join:
2014/03/29
Messages:
4
JaxonTaylor wrote:
Tail if you want to make some Money, or watch and learn.
Dallas -10
Milwaukee +9
New Orleans +13.5
& Houston -2
4-0 chalk it up.
4-0 chalk it up.
Join:
2014/03/29
Messages:
4
Exactly half of the teams in the NBA already know their playoff fates, but as April approaches, the other half are fighting to secure their less-secure postseason futures.
Other than a bit of jostling for seeds, the Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls are officially assured of playoff spots in the East. Out West, the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers also know they're guaranteed a postseason entry.
Unfortunately, there are even more teams who will not be playoff participants. That's not an opinion—that's the math talking. And math is kind of an uncompromising jerk.
Condolences go out to the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, New Orleans Pelicans, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz. Have fun fishing this spring, fellas.
If you've been counting, that makes up 15 teams—half of the league—who know where they'll be when the playoffs start. Certainty isn't all that interesting, though, so that's the last we'll hear of them. From here on out, we'll do our best to pin down where members of the league's "other half" will wind up when the regular season concludes April 16.
Recent play, strength of schedule and some old-fashioned gut instinct will factor in as we draw up odds for the rest of the NBA's playoff chances.
Pictures: 2014 NBA Playoff Odds: How the Postseason Looks Entering April | Bleacher Report
Other than a bit of jostling for seeds, the Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls are officially assured of playoff spots in the East. Out West, the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers also know they're guaranteed a postseason entry.
Unfortunately, there are even more teams who will not be playoff participants. That's not an opinion—that's the math talking. And math is kind of an uncompromising jerk.
Condolences go out to the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, New Orleans Pelicans, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz. Have fun fishing this spring, fellas.
If you've been counting, that makes up 15 teams—half of the league—who know where they'll be when the playoffs start. Certainty isn't all that interesting, though, so that's the last we'll hear of them. From here on out, we'll do our best to pin down where members of the league's "other half" will wind up when the regular season concludes April 16.
Recent play, strength of schedule and some old-fashioned gut instinct will factor in as we draw up odds for the rest of the NBA's playoff chances.
Pictures: 2014 NBA Playoff Odds: How the Postseason Looks Entering April | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
It's possible that Duke Blue Devils freshman phenom Jabari Parker has played his final game in college, with the 2014 NBA draft looming and his status cemented as a top-flight lottery pick.
However, there is no guarantee Parker is going to take his talents to the pros just yet. According to ESPN-com draft expert Chad Ford, both Parker and Kansas first-year big man Joel Embiid are both considering staying in school for at least another year:
Both are weighing their options. Both are seriously considering returning ... with Parker so much so that several scouts are claiming he's coming back to school. But I think that's premature. They have time. The deadline is April 27th to decide. However, if they declare after April 15th, there's no turning back. They'll lose their college eligibility. Parker is really NBA ready. He could obviously improve if he stayed, but he's a NBA starter from Day One. He'll get minutes and playing against the best competition is the best way to improve. The only good reason for him to stay is because he loves college, wants to lead Duke to a NCAA Championship and is OK just waiting. But as far as development goes, the NBA is his best option...I think both will probably declare at the end of the day, but I wouldn't be shocked if they stayed either.
It's difficult to dispute the notion that Parker will be an instant NBA starter because he has uncommon polish for such a young prospect. At 6'8" and 235 pounds, Parker already has a strong enough frame to make the jump to the next level, and his finesse, athleticism in the open court and all-around offensive game project him to be an immediate impact player in the Association.
Even with all those positives, though, it makes some sense that Parker would consider another year in Durham. Before the NCAA tournament, Parker discussed his future with Joedy McCreary of The Associated Press and implied he might have areas to improve before leaving college:
If I feel like there are things I could improve on or things I left, like during the season, then I will probably come back. Saying that I didn't give it my all and that I have regrets, that I have to come back because I owe this program so much. A deciding factor is where I'm going to grow the most, whether it's in the NBA or even in college, the learning experiences that I need as far as (growing as) a basketball player.
That was before mid-major upstart Mercer upset the third-seeded Blue Devils in the second round of the 2014 NCAA tournament. If that was Parker's final game at Duke, he didn't wrap up his college career on a high note.
While he scored 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, he also finished with four turnovers and four personal fouls. Additionally, head coach Mike Krzyzewski pulled Parker during the second half of the game due to his limitations on defense.
Given the upside he still has to explore, it's hard to say whether Parker would benefit playing against the best possible competition in the NBA now or honing his skills and having another dominant season in college. Even in what's viewed as a very deep draft class, though, Parker is still viewed as a potential No. 1 overall draft pick.
Kansas' Embiid—along with Andrew Wiggins, who entered the draft on Monday—figures to vie for the top selection. Embiid ended his freshman season sidelined with a back injury, while Wiggins disappeared in the Jayhawks' third-round loss to Stanford in the Big Dance.
ESPN analyst Jay Williams feels neither Parker nor Wiggins harmed their draft stock despite the sour endings to their seasons:
Parker does seem the most prepared to handle the big jump. He didn't wilt from the spotlight and showed more consistency than his fellow highly touted freshmen in 2013-14, putting up 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest while sprinkling in impact plays at the defensive end, too.
It's admirable that the 19-year-old star has perspective and allegiance to the school that facilitated his continued rise to prominence. With how much of a difference-maker he can be for an NBA franchise this coming fall, though, Parker will be hard-pressed to turn down a lucrative contract, endorsement deals and the chance to shine in the Association in favor of developing his game against inferior competition as a prospective college sophomore.
Should he not declare himself eligible for the draft, several pro teams suffering through tough seasons in the hopes of landing someone like Parker will certainly be disappointed. But if he does return to school, makes a deep run with Duke in the 2015 NCAA tournament and shows marked improvement, he should retain his status as a top pick while not having to deal with the weight of expectations to carry an NBA squad before he's in his 20s.
Jabari Parker: Latest Rumors and Buzz Surrounding Duke Star's NBA Draft Decision | Bleacher Report
However, there is no guarantee Parker is going to take his talents to the pros just yet. According to ESPN-com draft expert Chad Ford, both Parker and Kansas first-year big man Joel Embiid are both considering staying in school for at least another year:
Both are weighing their options. Both are seriously considering returning ... with Parker so much so that several scouts are claiming he's coming back to school. But I think that's premature. They have time. The deadline is April 27th to decide. However, if they declare after April 15th, there's no turning back. They'll lose their college eligibility. Parker is really NBA ready. He could obviously improve if he stayed, but he's a NBA starter from Day One. He'll get minutes and playing against the best competition is the best way to improve. The only good reason for him to stay is because he loves college, wants to lead Duke to a NCAA Championship and is OK just waiting. But as far as development goes, the NBA is his best option...I think both will probably declare at the end of the day, but I wouldn't be shocked if they stayed either.
It's difficult to dispute the notion that Parker will be an instant NBA starter because he has uncommon polish for such a young prospect. At 6'8" and 235 pounds, Parker already has a strong enough frame to make the jump to the next level, and his finesse, athleticism in the open court and all-around offensive game project him to be an immediate impact player in the Association.
Even with all those positives, though, it makes some sense that Parker would consider another year in Durham. Before the NCAA tournament, Parker discussed his future with Joedy McCreary of The Associated Press and implied he might have areas to improve before leaving college:
If I feel like there are things I could improve on or things I left, like during the season, then I will probably come back. Saying that I didn't give it my all and that I have regrets, that I have to come back because I owe this program so much. A deciding factor is where I'm going to grow the most, whether it's in the NBA or even in college, the learning experiences that I need as far as (growing as) a basketball player.
That was before mid-major upstart Mercer upset the third-seeded Blue Devils in the second round of the 2014 NCAA tournament. If that was Parker's final game at Duke, he didn't wrap up his college career on a high note.
While he scored 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, he also finished with four turnovers and four personal fouls. Additionally, head coach Mike Krzyzewski pulled Parker during the second half of the game due to his limitations on defense.
Given the upside he still has to explore, it's hard to say whether Parker would benefit playing against the best possible competition in the NBA now or honing his skills and having another dominant season in college. Even in what's viewed as a very deep draft class, though, Parker is still viewed as a potential No. 1 overall draft pick.
Kansas' Embiid—along with Andrew Wiggins, who entered the draft on Monday—figures to vie for the top selection. Embiid ended his freshman season sidelined with a back injury, while Wiggins disappeared in the Jayhawks' third-round loss to Stanford in the Big Dance.
ESPN analyst Jay Williams feels neither Parker nor Wiggins harmed their draft stock despite the sour endings to their seasons:
Parker does seem the most prepared to handle the big jump. He didn't wilt from the spotlight and showed more consistency than his fellow highly touted freshmen in 2013-14, putting up 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest while sprinkling in impact plays at the defensive end, too.
It's admirable that the 19-year-old star has perspective and allegiance to the school that facilitated his continued rise to prominence. With how much of a difference-maker he can be for an NBA franchise this coming fall, though, Parker will be hard-pressed to turn down a lucrative contract, endorsement deals and the chance to shine in the Association in favor of developing his game against inferior competition as a prospective college sophomore.
Should he not declare himself eligible for the draft, several pro teams suffering through tough seasons in the hopes of landing someone like Parker will certainly be disappointed. But if he does return to school, makes a deep run with Duke in the 2015 NCAA tournament and shows marked improvement, he should retain his status as a top pick while not having to deal with the weight of expectations to carry an NBA squad before he's in his 20s.
Jabari Parker: Latest Rumors and Buzz Surrounding Duke Star's NBA Draft Decision | Bleacher Report
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
.png?v=1.014689135)
State Rep. Pat Garofalo sent a tweet Sunday that read: ''Let's be honest, 70% of teams in NBA could fold tomorrow + nobody would notice a difference w/ possible exception of increase in streetcrime.''
The Star Tribune reports that when asked about the tweet, the Farmington Republican said he was ''talking about NBA's high arrest rate and that they are the only major pro league that testing positive for marijuana is not a substance abuse violation.''
Garofalo added: ''No intent beyond that.''
Within two hours of his tweet, more than 600 people retweeted it and hundreds more responded. Many called the comment he made in the tweet racist.
Read More: Minnesota legislator criticized for NBA tweet - NBA - SI-com