The Fundamentals

Jason Quick of The Oregonian:  “The ‘rookie wall’ is a performance-hindering fatigue caused by the amount of NBA games — 82 in the regular season — and the frequency of the games, which sometimes are played on consecutive nights or strings where teams play four games in five nights. Like the 23-year-old Fernandez today, Calderon remembers not thinking much of this ‘wall.’ ‘For the first month, first month and a half, you are OK,’ Calderon remembers. ‘But then, in December and January you start feeling it. There was a time when I went, ‘Whew! I have already played 40-some games. My body is tired.’ Your body just is not ready to play that many games.’ Especially for players like Calderon and Fernandez, who in the course of playing in the Spanish ACB20League and Euroleague, combine to play 40 to 45 games a season. Plus, they play only two games a week — Spanish League games on Wednesday and Euroleague games on Saturday. ‘Everybody in general talks about the rookie wall, but I think it happens even more to European guys in their first year,’ Calderon said. ‘Because we aren’t used to that many games.’”

Bryan Chu of the San Antonio Express-News:  “When Cavaliers coach Mike Brown needs advice, he turns to one person: Gregg Popovich. ‘He’s not even in my locker room,’ said Brown, who was an assistant under Popovich from 2000-03. ‘I called him a couple times last year when I had a situation in the locker room that had the potential of blowing up.’ This season, the advice-seeking phone calls are growing for Popovich, now in his 13th season as the Spurs head coach, as his coaching and front-office genealogy continues to grow branches in the NBA. The list includes Brown, Terry Porter and Vinny Del Negro as head coaches, and Steve Kerr and Danny Ferry as general managers. Popovich did not want to be quoted for this article. He doesn’t want the attention. Former players and assistant coaches, however, have all said Popovich has been influential in advancing their careers.”

Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer:  “The blow-by. It is not an official NBA statistic, but if it was, the Cavaliers might have been one of the league leaders in giving them up last season. It’s when a ball-handler easily gets past — or blows by — his defender on the way to the basket. This event plagued the Cavs in the past, largely because coach Mike Brown’s scheme is constructed around a plan to keep the ball out of the middle. When an opponent does so, especially by dribbling, things start breaking down fast because players have to leave their assigned men to cover for the mistake. As the Cavs have sprinted out to 17 wins in their first 20 games, it has been very easy to chart their improvement by looking at established numbers like field goal percentage and points allowed per game. But the reduction in those uncounted blow-bys has been a major factor as well.”

Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times:  “Phil Jackson has picked out a leader for the Lakers’ reserves: Lamar Odom. They’ve been an erratic bunch lately, but Jackson hopes he has found a Secretary of the Second Unit. ‘I’ve asked Lamar to take a bigger leadership role,’ the Lakers coach said Sunday. ‘I kind of called him out on it, pointed out to him in the second half of the game the other night about his leadership on the floor [Friday against Washington]. I know he’s got some wild guys out there with him at times and it’s hard. . . . It’s tough for me, let alone Lamar.’”

Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register:  “There are four doors to the Lakers locker room at Staples Center: the main entrance, the bathroom, the training room for medical treatment and the players’ lounge. The first two doors weren’t getting a lot of use an hour before the Bucks-Lakers game. There was not a single Lakers player in the main locker room to watch the TV that was rolling scouting footage of Milwaukee’s recent game against Chicago. There were guys in the players’ lounge, which is where Trevor Ariza literally ran from and back when he had to fetch something from his locker. Ariza didn’t want to miss a moment of what was playing on TV in the lounge, where Kobe Bryant also was — the same thing that was playing on both training-room TVs. In the training room, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom were among the Lakers in must-see-TV mode. And when on those TVs referee Jim Clark made a questionable ruling that benefited the Boston Celtics, the groans and profanities spewed from the Lakers’ mouths.”

Wages of Wins:  “Three years ago Wade was the most productive player on a team that won the NBA championship.  The next season Wade’s WP48 was essentially unchanged, falling only slightly from 0.301 to 0.291.  Last year, though, Wade was hurt and his WP48 fell all the way to 0.136.  This mark was still above average, but far below what people had come to expect from Flash. Wade’s massive drop-off seems to be entirely connected to his health, because this year – after 20 games – his WP48 has risen to 0.350.   Last year Wade – because of injury and relatively poor production – only produced 5.5 wins.  In 2008-09 he’s on pace to produce nearly 22 victories, or 16.5 additional wins.  In other words, more than half of this team’s improvement can be tied to Flash getting healthy.”

Michael Cunningham of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:  “Finding another consistent scoring option might be key for the Heat’s bid to climb further above .500. The Heat is 6-3 when Wade scores at least 30 points but 5-6 when he doesn’t. ‘It is natural for guys to immediately look to him and hand the ball off to him and watch but it is not the game that we ultimately want to develop’ Spoelstra said. ‘He’s always going to be our go-to guy. He’s so gifted to produce when it really matters. But we also want to develop and feature other parts of our offense and make sure it’s a balanced attack.’”

Britt Robson of The Rake:  “I won’t spend much time dwelling upon the inactions of Glen Taylor. A self-made billionaire presumably has enough business sense to see how the brand-name of his franchise is being eroded, and, moreso than any of the rest of us, any errors in judgment he makes with respect to this team has a direct impact on his own bottom line. Put simply, nobody can punish Taylor more than he can punish himself. When Kevin McHale fired Dwane Casey two years ago, I wrote that the Wolves’ VP of Personnel had run out of scapegoats. At the time, Casey had a .500 record and the 8th seed in the tough Western Conference, both well above preseason predictions for the ballclub that year. McHale claimed Casey lacked consistency, and hired as his replacement Coach Randy Wittman,  who has consistently lost–his record is 38-105–since then.  Wittman took Casey’s 20-20 ballclub and proceeded to go 12-30. Then he finished 22-60 during the first rebuilding year. Now he is 4-15 with the presumed off-season upgrade. So, by now it is fair to assume that Dwane Casey was dispicably scapegoated, and that Kevin McHale was dead wrong about a head coaching change being a net benefit for the fortunes of this ballclub.”

Matt Watson of FanHouse:  “I suggested a couple of weeks ago that the Pistons should move Iverson to the bench, allowing the rest of the starters to regain their rhythm while giving Iverson a chance to dominate the ball with the second unit. With Rodney Stuckey thriving both as a scoring threat and playmaker in the last several games, I asked Curry in his pre-game meeting with the press on Friday if he ever thought of swapping the two in the starting lineup. Curry was blunt with his response, looking perhaps a bit confused why I even asked the question: ‘Nope.’ Six seconds of awkward silence followed before another reporter changed the subject. Okay, I get it, asking an eventual Hall of Famer like Iverson to slide into a sixth-man role isn’t conventional and might not be well received (in a contract year, no less), but the fact remains that Detroit’s starters have routinely been outplayed by the bench, in part because the current starting lineup lacks a real point guard.”

Steve Kyler of HOOPSWORLD:  “Count yours truly as one of many people that saw a new side of Tyrus Thomas this summer. He was truly a boy becoming a man, and understanding what it means to be a professional player at this levels. He was one of the first guys in the gym. He stayed longer than he was supposed to, he gave a 100% effort and really showed marketed improvement on many level. Those around him noticed, the Bulls themselves even noticed and promised a bigger better role for Tyrus this season. That’s what makes Saturday’s 117-110 win over the Wizards even more bittersweet. The Bulls are starting to turn a corner, but it does not include Tyrus Thomas, who logged just five minutes in that game. Bulls’ head coach Vinny Del Negro has soured on Thomas and second year player Joakim Noah, who received a DNP – Coaches’ Decision on Saturday as well. Del Negro seems to be moving on, which is unfortunate because Tyrus has put in the work and really improved, the problem is Del Negro wants the player playing Tyrus’ role to be a spot up jump shooter, something Tyrus clearly is not.”

Blog-a-Bull:   “This isn’t meant to read like yet another dig on Vinny.  He is apparently so tired of Noah’s lack of preparation that he dropped his usual milquetoast explanations to point it out. And if it’s truly this bad, it’s not Vinny, but yet another organizational failure. At least in the summer when he hired Vinny, it seemed like Paxson had a plan to commit to these players. But like seemingly always, there’s no plan. The coach has obliterated any idea of a reliable frontcourt sub pattern to instead give in to ‘matchups’. Thomas, Noah, and Sefolosha are not only not being developed, they’re regressing. The trade season will be very interesting. Drew Gooden’s putting up solid numbers on an expiring deal. Larry Hughes was likely told in that famous meeting he’ll be moved if he keeps quiet and performs as a sixth man. And since he’s hitting 47% of his threes (after a career at 30%. That’s um, a fluke) maybe it’ll work. Perhaps Paxson feels that Noc couldn’t be stapled to the bench either for him to retain any trade value, even knowing that it’d mean between Noc and Hughes there’s very little time for Thabo to play at all. But, again: that’d imply a plan on Paxson’s part, a bit of a micromanaging one at that. And reportedly Paxson is notoriously hands-off when it comes to coaching.”

Mike Puman of the New York Post:  “On top of playing a complete game for the Knicks yesterday, Chris Duhon played the complete game. That is, 25 points, nine assists and only two turnovers in all 48 minutes for Duhon, as Nate Robinson sat because of a recurring groin injury. ‘Coach [Mike] Krzyzewski told me Duhon is one of those athletes who never gets tired,’ coach Mike D’Antoni said after the Knicks beat the Pistons 104-92 at the Garden. ‘So I’m going to test that theory to the limit.’ Duhon, who has played at least 40 minutes eight times in the Knicks’ past nine games, is perhaps dispelling the notion he isn’t durable enough to handle full-time point-guard duty. Last year with the Bulls he averaged just 22.6 minutes.”

Jan Hubbard of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:  “Carlisle knows that players want to know their roles and have a firm idea of how much playing time they will get. He knows that a fluctuation in playing time can lead to unhappiness. But that’s secondary to what he’s trying to do: develop the team’s young talent into complementary players who can contribute to what Carlisle believes is a team that can compete for a title. Besides, Carlisle said, players knew what they were getting when they chose to be in Dallas.”

Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee:  “With this team and this context and this time, it was the Kings’ equivalent of a fireside chat. Coach Reggie Theus played the part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt after Sunday’s practice, knowing that losing 11 of 12 games is a Great Depression of sorts for restless Kings fans and looking to address his critics rather than run from this reality. So he sat down inside the media room at the team’s practice facility, an unprecedented and unprompted change in scenery from his typical on-floor interviews. There he discussed the sorry state of this union and the fact that even he doesn’t know how much longer he will remain at the helm.”

Golden State of Mind:  The Death of “We Believe”

Ben’s SUns Blog:  6 Ways to Remedy, Not “Fix”, the Suns

Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star:  “It was ugly stuff, the bigger and stronger visitors – fronted by a behemoth named Greg Oden and a lanky coulda-been-a-Raptor-draft-pick named LaMarcus Aldridge – keeping alive rebound after rebound as various Raptors bobbed their heads helplessly. When it was over, the victorious Blazers had racked up 13 of their 20 fourth-quarter points on those kinds of second- and third-chance possessions. And that was the difference. But don’t get it wrong: The Raptors played about as well as they can play. They shot 49.4 per cent from the field and held the visitors to 43.9 per cent field-goal shooting. And the 15-7 Blazers only eked it out, 98-97, after Chris Bosh’s wild running hook shot missed in the final second. But the home team, for all it did right, was undone by its inherent lacks of athleticism and ball-hawkishness. And the new coach was sounding awfully similar to the old coach in his post-game assessment.”

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal:  “Mayo gets 80 percent of his shots from the perimeter, but only 37 percent are assisted. By comparison, consider two other efficient perimeter players: Richard Hamilton (82 percent of his shots are from the perimeter, 75 percent assisted) and Michael Redd (74 percent of his shots are from the perimeter, 73 percent assisted). This underscores why Memphis is fifth worst in the league in offensive efficiency and last in assist rate. It’s also not coincidence that Conley leads the Griz in assists (3.9) but is ranked 50th in the league. For all of the talk of shoddy point guard play, the floor generals don’t enter games with trust and confidence from the sideline. The offensive framework appears flawed and without purpose.”

Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald:  “Glen Davis is unapologetic about his display of emotion during the Celtics win Friday night against Portland. Regarding his actions when he and the subs were confronted by Kevin Garnett after squandering much of a large lead at the Garden, Big Baby said, in essence, that’s his personality and he’ll cry if he wants to. Davis could be seen throwing a towel and shedding a tear after Garnett pulled him back into a timeout huddle in the fourth quarter. ‘I’m not embarrassed,’ Davis said before the Celtics took on the Indiana Pacers last night. ‘I’m not embarrassed at all. I’m emotional about the game. That’s one of my best features – being emotional, playing out there with passion. Sometimes it’s not always good passion. Sometimes it’s bad, but that’s just me being young. You have to learn how to funnel that emotion and keep it inside until you put it out.’”

George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal:  “Last season, Varejao delayed signing because he was a restricted free agent searching for the best deal. This season, he arrived in camp on time with the right attitude and physique. Varejao, 26, is having his best offensive season, averaging 8.3 points per game, more than two points over his career average. Offense has never been Varejao’s game. He spent much of the offseason working on a medium-range jump shot that revealed itself in a 7-of-7 first-half performance against the Indiana Pacers. He brings intangibles to the court — defense, rebounding and an ability to take a charge. He also can play multiple positions, giving the Cavaliers flexibility on the floor. ‘He does look like he’s in great shape,’ Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ‘And not only does he look like it, but watching him move, you can tell by the results when he moves side to side or forward and backward. It’s really fun to watch him on the floor out there now.’ Varejao has evolved into an integral part of the Cavaliers. What a difference a year can make in an athlete’s life.”

Aaron J. Lopez of the Rocky Mountain News:  “Playing alongside Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, Nene and Kenyon Martin, Jones doesn’t have to score to be effective. Denver is 13-4 since Karl added him to the starting lineup. ‘You have to have somebody do some intangibles – cut, rebound, defend, not worry about where my next shot’s coming from,’ said Jones, who is averaging 5.9 points per game. ‘Those are things I naturally do.’ With Jones as a starter, Karl has the luxury of bringing shooting guard J.R. Smith and swingman Linas Kleiza off the bench. Both are better known for their offensive ability than their defensive prowess. ‘Having a low-maintenance offensive player with the starters is a good thing,’ Karl said. ‘There’s a courage to (Jones) that players like to play with. He’s not afraid of anybody, anything, any assignment.’ Jones, the 20th overall pick of the 2003 draft, said he lives by the motto, ‘Respect everyone, fear no one.’”

Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic:  “As he learns to mourn, Leandro Barbosa has turned to the two things he loves more than ever. Basketball and family absorb his days and nights. When he is not practicing, playing or traveling with the Suns, Barbosa hits the US Airways Center practice court for night or off-day workouts with his older brother, Arturo, and teenage nephews, Eduardo and Ricardo. When they are done, they go to the home they share to rest before another morning that starts with basketball. ‘I love basketball, especially in the situations me and my family have been through,’ Barbosa said. ‘Making sure I am doing something and not thinking about those situations is best for me.’”

Sam Smith of Bulls.com:  “There are two good statistical indicators for determining a team’s strength once at least 20 games have been played. One is the margin between points scored and points allowed, and the other is the difference between road wins and home losses. A plus/minus of zero on points scored versus allowed usually suggests a .500 team. The all-time point spread record is the 1971-72 Lakers, who won 69 games at 12.3 followed by the 1995-96 Bulls, who won 72 games at 12.2. The Cavaliers currently lead the NBA at 13.3, followed by the Lakers at 12.2. Portland currently has the best road win/home loss total of plus-8, followed by the Cavs, Lakers and Celtics at plus-6. This obviously changes drastically as more games are played, though the test of great teams is the ability to win on the road and then win the games you should, which means home games.”

Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post:  “Garnett is as inspiring to watch as he is inspiring to his teammates (I bet ‘Big Baby’ grew up a little bit that night). As we saw during the Celtics’ title run last year, Garnett was the most valuable Celtic because he changed the whole culture in Boston, demanding hustle, demanding defense, demanding teamwork. Paul Pierce won the Finals MVP trophy, and that was a sweet gesture, but we all know on whose mantel that thing belongs. And now, a season later, Garnett is similarly bullish. You can see it in his play. And opponents can hear it, too. Garnett is talking more trash than a Waste Management exec, and though it’s gotten a little absurd, at least his on-court yapping exemplifies his dissatisfaction with just one championship ring. And, wouldn’t you know, the Celtics are 20-2. There’s talk about 70 wins in a watered-down Eastern Conference. You can bet Garnett is talking about it too.”