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Archive for February, 2010
February 22, 2010 at 12:47 pm · by bteitelbaum · Filed under NBA
As a UCLA Bruins fan, Darren Collison’s recent success is very exciting. As an NBA fan, it is rather surprising and unexpected.
After being taken by the New Orleans Hornets with the 21st pick in last year’s draft, Collison’s role was immediately evident: back up all-world point guard Chris Paul. He was supposed to play 8-10 minutes per game and not screw anything up. Maybe even be a spark.
Collison was not supposed to be carrying the Hornets during their playoff push, but a knee injury to Paul has forced the rookie into the spotlight. He hasn’t disappointed. In fact, he has been arguably as good as Paul, averaging 24 points, 9.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.4 steals in the last 5 games, three of them New Orleans victories. And this for a team that has very little punch outside of David West.
Where is this coming from?
After watching him play four years in college, Collison’s production is honestly shocking. I didn’t think he was that good. At UCLA, he never quite lived up to the expectations, especially at the offensive end. Senior year he only averaged 14.4 points and 4.7 assists. He was never able to completely take over a game, and he seemed, for want of a better word, guardable. I thought that he would be able to hang defensively in the pros, but I assumed he would lack requisite strength/moves to be a reliable offensive option. Hey, you know what they say about assuming…
So how has Collison been this effective? Please help me out because I’m baffled, and I’m sure that New Orleans is also pleasantly surprised. I’ve unfortunately been unable to watch any recent Hornets games due to their lack of national TV coverage, so all I can do is surmise.
The only explanation I can muster is that the Hornets offense is conducive to point guard effectiveness. New Orleans gives you a steady diet of pick and roll basketball, and little else. Even though the pick and roll has become a staple of every team’s playbook, the Hornets employ it far more often than most. Furthermore, they run it almost exclusively with the point guard rather than with all of their wing players, giving Collison (or whomever) more opportunity to make decisions. So this could be system-based production, such as the quarterback stats at Texas Tech, instead of purely skill-based production.
Still, there’s no way Smush Parker would be putting up those sorts of numbers. There must be something about Collison that translates especially well to the NBA. Or perhaps watching Paul has given him better understanding of how to attack a defense. Or perhaps he’s somehow improved drastically since last year.
I will reserve final judgment until I can watch a few games, but I must reiterate how impressed and amazed I am with his recent outburst. Sports always manages to provide unlikely heroes.
February 20, 2010 at 9:50 am · by bteitelbaum · Filed under College Hoops, Liveblog
If you’re a college basketball fan with few weekend responsibilities, every Saturday is like a free all-you-can-eat buffet. There are countless delicious options to satiate any craving. From the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep, I’m almost constantly munching on something, whether it be full meals like Vanderbilt-Kentucky or just snacks like Stanford-Oregon State. And I barely take a gym break to work off the calories.
Today, though, the buffet is offering several different selections: new dishes the chef may be trying out, unusual ethnic fare, or perhaps some food with funky sauces. Despite loving the standard smorgasbord, my diverse palate is always interested in tasting something fresh and expanding its repertoire. Today is BracketBusters, where NCAA tournament bubble teams from various mid-major conferences square off across the nation.
Today we will separate future Dancers from broken hearts, preview future Cinderellas, and overanalyze to our hearts’ content. I intend to cement my already close relationship with my TV, watching as many games as possible and hopefully providing commentary both entertaining and insightful.
Siena (22-5) at Butler (24-4)
The day starts with the Saints vs. the Bulldogs, two of the best mid-majors in the country. Both are the clear leaders in their respective conferences, the MAAC and the Horizon, but there’s always a chance of getting upset in the conference tournaments, which makes this game big. According to the pundits, Siena needs this one more than Butler. Unfortunately they had to start the action at 8 am here on the west coast, so I picked this one up with about 10 minutes to go in the first half.
Halftime Siena 31 – Butler 28: I’ve already watched both these squads once this year and I’m immediately struck by the same observations. They play very controlled, solid basketball with great offensive balance. Few turnovers, few bad shots, strong defense, and good boxing out. My one criticism concerns Butler’s center Matt Howard. The Horizon League POY in 2008, Howard’s numbers have dropped the last two years, and he doesn’t pass the eye test. He seems slow, clumsy, and not quite strong enough. No idea how he dominated a couple years ago.
16:30 Siena 34 – Butler 32: Howard picks up foul number 4. Let’s see how the game alters.
5:22 Butler 53 – Siena 44: Howard returns. The Bulldogs outscored the Saints by 11 during his time on the bench, relying on fast breaks, patient half court offense, effective dribble drives, and a couple big threes from backup Zach Hahn. Meanwhile, Siena missed several open shots and then started losing its composure and forcing things.
Final Butler 70 – Siena 53: Firstly, let me say that this game was much closer than the score indicates and I believe both teams deserve to be in the NCAA tourney. I know it’s cliche, but so often the game comes down to making shots. The Bulldogs did (52%); the Saints didn’t (34%). Butler and Siena have comparable talent in their starting lineups, but Butler is much deeper. In fact, they won this game without injured started Willie Veasley. Also, you won’t find a much more complete player in the country than Gordon Hayward. At 6′8, he can finish around the rim, shoot the three, handle and dish the rock, and he often even initiates their offense. He is just a matchup nightmare.
Louisiana Tech (20-6) at Northeastern (18-9)
Our second Bulldogs of the day, Louisiana Tech, come strangely enough out of the WAC, where they sit in third place at 8-4. Their current RPI is 74, so they might need to knock off Utah State in the conference tournament in order to make the Big Dance. The Huskies, though, still have an outside shot at an at-large bid. They are tied for first (with Old Dominion) in the always tough Colonial Athletic Association and have an RPI of 59. They have gone 16-2 after a woeful start to the season and own a couple of solid victories. However, a loss today would almost assure that they would need an automatic berth to the Tourney. I haven’t seen either team play, so should be interesting.
11:56 Northeastern 18 – LA Tech 13: Announcers make the comment that this is somehow the game’s first commercial break since there had not been a whistle for the last 6 minutes. The game has been very fast-paced and entertaining and clean. Both teams are getting good shots and hitting the offensive glass.
3:48 Northeastern 34 – LA Tech 25: 10-0 run from the Huskies prompts a timeout from the Bulldogs. Northeastern has really turned it up on the defensive end, forcing turnovers and turning them into points. They’ve also maintained their offensive patience and efficiency. I’m impressed.
Halftime Northeastern 38 – LA Tech 37: Tech climbed back into this one with timely three-point shooting and scrappy defense. Both teams shot over 50%. Too many uncontested shots for both squads. Whichever team commits to D and picks up effort on that end should come away with this one. There’s a lot of talent on this court that could probably play for major programs.
10:38 Northeastern 57 – LA Tech 53: More of the same. The defense isn’t noticeably bad, but both teams are still executing and making shots. Still very fun to watch.
Final Lousiana Tech 70 – Northeastern 67: The Bulldogs closed on a 13-2 run sparked by very aggressive man-to-man defense. Tech’s athleticism forced the Huskies into difficult shots down the stretch. Neither team made enough of an impression for this win to positively influence the NCAA selection committee. While they are both exciting mid-majors, it doesn’t seem as if either team has enough to make any sort of run should they make the tournament. Louisiana Tech relies too heavily on their starters, and Northeastern lacks some requisite athleticism.
The next BracketBuster game is Nevada vs. Missouri St. Neither team, though, is a threat at all to make the NCAA tournament, so I’m switching over to the freefalling Texas Longhorns against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
If I didn’t know Rick Barnes better, I would say this Texas team is terribly coached. They had an 11 point lead with around 8 minutes to go, but then instead of showing killer instinct and playing to win, they proceeded to play tentatively, not to lose. Their transition D was terrible, their offense was stagnant, and their composure was poor. I know the Longhorns have lost 6 of 9, but this is a senior laden team with serious talent. Though they managed to pull out a 4 point win, I really wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up as a 5 or 6 seed and then got upset in the first round of the tournament.
Illinois vs. Purdue
If Illinois is hitting outside shots, they’re very dangerous. If they’re off, then they struggle. They were hitting for about the first 35 minutes of this game, but they went cold at the wrong time. What they lack is a player who can really create his own shot. Demetri McCamey had an awesome game and can create for others, but he’s far from a pure scorer. On the other hand, Purdue’s biggest strength is probably its balance. They have guys who can score from the outside (E’Twaun Moore), the inside (JaJuan Johnson), and both (Robbie Hummel). They also have less heralded guys like Keaton Grant who can give huge boosts every night. Lastly, Chris Kramer imbues them wish a toughness that few teams have. For my liking, though, they lack a bit of something intangible, maybe a swagger or a moxie, that certain players (Sherron Collins) and teams (UNC 2009) have. Can they win it all? Yeah. Will they? I doubt it.
Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt
Kentucky keeps escaping. That might be good, helping them learn how to play in closely contested games. Or it might be bad, demonstrating that they’re very vulnerable. Recently, teams have been able to slow down the Wildcats’ transition offense and make it tough sledding in the half court. As far as the Commodores are concerned, they may not have enough of a playmaker. Jermaine Beal did not step up to the moment today.
February 17, 2010 at 11:02 am · by bteitelbaum · Filed under NBA
With the trade deadline less than 2 days away, we’ve heard a lot of rumor and speculation about various deals. Will Amare go to the Cavs? Will the Rockets ship T-Mac to the Knicks? There are so many “insiders” these days, but no one seems to know anything for sure.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Clippers had barely been discussed as potential trademakers when swapped Marcus Camby for Portland’s Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake. Compared with the other possible moves, this deal seems as if it will have little impact on either team’s immediate title chances or long-term future.
It’s clear now that the Clips are willing to make moves, and I’m frankly surprised that the media has not even mentioned the prospect of trading Chris Kaman. In my opinion, the Clippers should be doing everything they can to get rid of their center.
Initially, this may appear like a questionable idea. The Clippers’ first all-star since Elton Brand in 2006, Kaman has quietly developed into a very reliable post scorer and rebounder, perhaps becoming LA’s best player. How many of you realize that he is averaging 19.6 points and 8.9 rebounds?
However, the Clippers have been stuck in neutral for several seasons. Despite recent serious offseason acquisitions (Baron Davis) and high draft picks (Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin), they really haven’t gotten any better. Some call it the Clipper Curse. Some blame it on owner Donald Sterling.
My culprit? Identity.
Every sports team needs an identity. The great squads’ identities are often immortalized with catchy nicknames, such as the Showtime Lakers or Greatest Show on Turf. But all successful teams, including the less heralded ones, also have a great sense of who they are. Take the Utah Jazz, who under Jerry Sloan have never won a title yet have been perennially competitive. They have always played tough, smart, and physical, with an offense largely predicated on pick-and-rolls.
Over the last few years, it has become readily apparent that the Clippers have no idea what they want to do on the court. Do they want to get up and down, running and gunning? Play inside-out? Play pressure defense? Or any D at all? Dunleavy’s Clippers are dealing with a crisis of identity as much as anything, which is a recipe for disaster.
How does trading Chris Kaman solve this problem? you ask. Looking at the current construction of the Clippers’ roster, especially after the Camby trade, it looks like they are built to play a fast-paced, open court game. Baron Davis’ athleticism and creativity are much more effective in the open court. Blake Griffin is an explosive Amare-type power forward who is much more dangerous on the break. Al Thornton is a suspect shooter with below average handle, but he is a very strong finisher at the rim. Travis Outlaw (whom the Clips should resign) is a tweener forward who can really get up and down the floor. And Eric Gordon has a diverse enough skill set to play any style of ball.
The odd man out is the slow 7-footer who likes to shoot jump hooks, no matter how solid those jump hooks are.
So who should the Clippers try to get in return for Kaman? I think they should try to clear more salary for the offseason, and then make a serious run at one (or even two) of the marquee free agents this summer. LeBron, D-Wade, Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh, and even Rudy Gay or David Lee would all fit the new style. Imagine a starting lineup of Baron, Gordon, Johnson, Griffin, and Lee. That team would suddenly be one of the top 3 teams in the West in terms of talent.
As it stands now, they’re going to have around $10 million of cap space, whereas the Knicks and Nets are going to have 20$ million. While there’s no guarantee to score big in the free agent market, the more money you have to play with, the more dangerous you are. Giving up Kaman’s $11 million – he has two years remaining on his deal – for expiring contracts would suddenly vault the Clippers right into the realm of the Knicks and Nets, giving them as many options as any team in the league.
Here are three potential trades, in order from what seems most likely to least likely:
1. Kaman to the Chicago Bulls for Brad Miller straight up: The Bulls have been complaining for years that they don’t have a post scorer to complement their perimeter players. While Joakim Noah and co. are nice rebounders/defenders/hustle guys, they can’t create their own offense down low. Kaman immediately alleviates that issue and gives the Bulls an inside presence. Since Kaman and Miller have essentially the same salary, this swap proves simple to make.
2. Kaman and Rasual Butler to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Etan Thomas and Matt Harpring: (Adding Butler to the trade is the only way to make the salaries match up, but since he is also becoming a free agent this offseason, it is inconsequential.) The Thunder have a great young core of Durant, Westbrook, Green, Harden, and Sefolosha. What they’re missing is a center who can score. (No, Nenad Krstic is not the answer.) For those of you who might think that OKC’s team would be better off playing uptempo basketball, they’ve been more successful this season when slowing the pace, playing solid D, and working for good shots. Though the Thunder have not been mentioned in any trade talks, they do have some young size like Serge Ibaka and BJ Mullens, and they are set to have some nice cap space this summer, this trade seems to make complete sense. They are not going to be competing for any of the top-tier free agents, and David Lee would not be a better fit here than Kaman.
3. Kaman, Butler, Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith to the Houston Rockets for McGrady: (Again, had to throw in a few other expiring contracts to make the salaries match up.) This seems like a long shot. The Rockets are counting on Yao Ming returning to form, and a starting frontcourt including Kaman and Yao would be the slowest thing this side of Zydrunas Ilgauskas. On the other hand, Houston is doing all it can to unload McGrady, Kaman would be a pretty good insurance policy for Yao, and that big frontcourt would also control the boards, create matchup nightmares, and provide quite the deterrent for guards attacking the rim. It’s worth a thought, isn’t it?
While it’s looking unlikely that Kaman will be moved before the deadline, I reiterate that I’m surprised it hasn’t been discussed. Big, skilled centers who aren’t head cases are rare in this league. It’s unfortunate for the Clippers that he really doesn’t fit at all.