48 Minutes of Hell: “The Spurs are allowing nearly 3 more points per 100 possessions than their next worse season–by said measure–of the Popovich era. (It would be interesting to re-crunch the DRtg numbers, minus the first dozen or so games of the year. The injury-riddled Spurs that began the season challenged to own John Hollinger’s defensive rating basement. They’ve improved dramatically since then–according to Hollinger they are now the 4th best defensive team in the league.) At first blush, these numbers corroborate Popovich’s oft repeated claim that the Spurs current squad just doesn’t measure up to past glories, but they’re not in a hopeless spot. The Spurs possess the best interior defense team in the league. This despite everyone’s contention that they need to add to their frontline–a notion to which I subscribe, for the record. Moreover, as is customary, the Spurs are doing a fine job of chasing teams off the 3 point line. Their area of apparent weakness, mid-range shots, is an area of defensive concession.”
Blazer’s Edge: “They’re not sure who Oden is yet. He hasn’t shown it on multiple nights against multiple opponents. They’ll get him the ball, sure. But they’re not going to feed him the ball until he earns their trust. As soon as a coach steps in and says, ‘No…wait, just give him the ball so he can learn how to do it’ both the coach and that player are going to lose all respect. Everybody who came up the normal way and had to fight for their place is going to say, ‘What makes this dude so special? I’m really good too. Why didn’t I get that?’ From that point on the player is the guy who got the silver platter treatment. The coach can draw up the plays. Those plays can have plenty of options to go to that player. But until the player earns respect by demonstrating that he knows what to do with the ball when given it the coach cannot mandate that he be made a part of the fraternity. The player himself has to step up, call for it, and show it. When he makes the most of his small opportunities on a consistent basis he’ll get larger ones and everyone will be on board with that. Giving him those larger opportunities–be they minutes, shots, or a starting role–before he’s earned them makes everybody jump off the bus and usually dooms him to failure. If you’re wondering why we don’t see a more Rudy-centric offense or why Oden doesn’t get fed the ball 20 times per game in the post, this is the answer.”
Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald: “Where most saw consecutive home losses to the Lakers last Thursday and the Spurs on Sunday, the Celtics president of basketball operations saw two tight results that easily could have gone the other way. He saw absolutely no reason to hit what Garnett referred to as ‘the panic button.’ It’s not coincidental, then, that beyond their increasingly abstract interest in Stephon Marbury, the Celtics are flying well under the radar as the Feb. 19 trading deadline approaches. Just because the Celtics lost to their two chief Western Conference rivals doesn’t mean Ainge believes his team was exposed. Like several other teams, he attempted to talk Alonzo Mourning out of retirement and recently was turned down by the big man. Ditto for old friend P.J. Brown. He still could make a trade. Just don’t count on one.”
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle: “Trade everyone. No. Not quite. Trade anyone? Close. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said months ago that he wanted to see his team play just 10 games together. Sorry. It’s too late. They’ve played just six together. That will have to be enough. The trade deadline is in 10 days and Daryl Morey is on the clock. There have been too many signs that this team just does not care enough. For whatever reasons – and that silly, little locker room tension would qualify as a pathetic excuse/explanation – the Rockets cannot maintain intensity and focus, effort and energy game after game. If they can’t do it for more than a few days at a time in February, does anyone think they can do it week after week against a Western Conference playoff opponent in April or May?”
Howard Beck of The New York Times: “The Knicks had a 1-point lead and a foul to give with 4.3 seconds left against the Trail Blazers. But Brandon Roy was allowed to drive 35 feet to the basket, untouched, for a winning scoop shot at the buzzer. Minutes afterward, a flustered D’Antoni hastily tried to explain the decision as a matter of philosophy. He said he worried that the gifted Roy would anticipate the foul and attempt a shot, thus putting him at the free-throw line. In fact, D’Antoni said Monday, the problem was that he did not realize the Knicks had a foul to give. ‘I screwed up, period,’ D’Antoni said. ‘That’s my responsibility. I made a mistake.’ Chuckling, he then clarified: ‘It’s not my philosophy to not foul. That’d be kind of stupid. I screwed up. I screwed up.’ It was a candid admission, given the deep aversion of recent Knicks coaches and executives to acknowledging mistakes, on or off the court.”
Curtis Pashelka of the Contra Costa Times: “The Warriors believe they are starting to turn a corner when it comes to being more responsible on the defensive end. Including Sunday’s 116-96 win over Utah, in which the Jazz shot 41.8 percent from the field, Golden State has held seven of its past 14 opponents to less than 45 percent shooting. Whereas Jazz center Mehmet Okur finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, forwards Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap and Matt Harpring were a combined 9-for-24 from the floor for 18 points and 14 rebounds. Utah also shot 5-for-19 from beyond the 3-point line. That was in sharp contrast to the teams’ last meeting Jan. 5, when Brewer and Millsap combined for 32 points and 18 rebounds in Utah’s 119-114 win. ‘They’re playing well, they’re getting along with each other and they’re starting to hold each other accountable. And that’s what you want,’ said assistant coach Keith Smart, who has coordinated the Warriors’ defense for the past two months. You want your players to follow the game plan and then hold each other accountable when a person is not in a position where he’s supposed to be.’ A lot of the credit for containing Millsap, who was averaging 16.7 points and 10.8 rebounds in 32 starts, went to center Ronny Turiaf, who was able to guard the Utah power forward and give help around the hoop when necessary.”
Tim Buckley of the Deseret News: “Much has been asked this season of Millsap, a reserve power forward for his two NBA seasons who has taken on a starting role since shortly after two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer went down with a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery. And he’s responded, averaging 14.8 points and 9.3 rebounds over 46 games. But his production and considerable minutes — 32.2 per game, which is 12.8 more than his career average coming into the season — have come with a price. In the Jazz’s last two games, Millsap really has hit a wall. He had just two points and missed his only three shots from the field in Friday’s victory at Sacramento, and scored just eight with 4-for-12 field shooting while logging 36 minutes in the loss to the Warriors. Against Golden State, he had only six rebounds; against the Kings, eight.”
ClipperBlog: “Once upon a time Baron Davis posted up opposing guards, but tonight he doesn’t do much of anything. He finishes 1-7 from the field and actually airballs an uncontested 3PA [2nd, 9:11]. Only two of his seven attempts originate from inside 19 feet, and he never really looks to attack the 6′ 1″ Felton at the elbow, a place Davis has traditionally had success. Instead, it’s another barrage of ill-advised, ill-timed, ill-fated jumpers — enough to make anyone with a premium NBA package or a seat at Charlotte Bobcats Arena ill.”
Aaron J. Lopez of the Rocky Mountain News: “Chauncey Billups might be known as Mr. Big Shot, but statistics overwhelmingly show that teammate Carmelo Anthony is the go-to guy when the Nuggets need a bucket in the final seconds of a close game. According to the website 82games.com, only four players in the NBA — LeBron James, Vince Carter, Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant — have converted more game-winning shot opportunities than Anthony (13) since he came into the league in 2003. 82games.com defines a game-winning shot opportunity as one that comes in the final 24 seconds of regulation or overtime with your team tied or trailing by two points or less. Taking it to another level, Anthony has made 12 of 22 shots to tie the game or give the Nuggets the lead in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime. But back to the 82games.com breakdown. While Anthony is tied for fifth on the ‘game-winning shot opportunities’ chart, his .481 shooting percentage (13-for-27) in those situations is best among players with at least 10 makes. The league-wide average is .281. Yikes.”
Matt Watson of FanHouse: “The Pistons have won just five of their last 15 games, so I’m sure Rip Hamilton would dispute the idea that anyone on the team is ‘thriving’ right now. But ever since he swallowed his pride and moved to the bench nine games ago, Hamilton has helped balance Detroit’s guard-heavy rotation that also features Rodney Stuckey and Allen Iverson. Not only that, he’s done so by playing his best ball of the season — even if he’s not yet comfortable in his role. A lot of people view a move to the bench as a ‘demotion,’ but in this case the label doesn’t fit. Truth be told, Hamilton has become even more important to the Pistons as a reserve — no longer lost in the shuffle as one of many options early in the game, he’s now the primary scoring threat most of the time he’s on the court.”
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: “From the mannerisms to the gritty playing approach to what no longer adorns his body, Jamaal Magloire is about as old school as it gets on the Heat roster. ‘He’s 30 going on 40,’ teammate Udonis Haslem jokes. ‘His body is certainly 30 going on 40.’ To a degree, the Canadian-born, Kentucky-schooled center stands as a throwback. In an age of flash and flamboyance, Magloire has gone austere. As recently as last season, you just might have noticed the tattoo on his left bicep, the one that read, ‘Mister Magloire.’ Now, there barely is a shadow. ‘I got my tattoo in high school, and I was in a different frame of mind,’ he says after another sweat-drenched workout. ‘I’m just getting older, a little more conservative. I have a son coming up and just want to lead by example.’”
Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald: “‘I’m not going to complain at all about my position,’ Beasley said. “It’s working. And I never try to fix something that’s not broken. I would love to start. I think I should. But if me being a spark off the bench is what the team needs, and it’s what gets wins, that’s what I’ll do.’ So far, Miami (27-23) is a winning team entering Tuesday’s game against Denver (34-17) at AmericanAirlines Arena. And Heat coach Erik Spoelstra insists Beasley, the second pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, is confident in his role. But after games when Beasley plays little, such as Sunday’s 13-minute stint in a victory against Charlotte, he privately searches for answers. For now, he’ll do the rookie thing and stay in his place — wherever that is. Despite seeing his playing time fluctuate between 10 and 41 minutes in recent weeks, Beasley remains the team’s second-leading scorer. He is averaging 13.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24.4 minutes.”
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: “When the Spurs made a free-agent run at guard Roger Mason Jr. during the summer, they did so based on one number. ‘We knew he shot 40 percent from three,’ coach Gregg Popovich said. Dead-eyed from 3-point range. That was Mason’s most obvious NBA skill. What the Spurs could not have known then, what could not be quantified and what has rapidly become his most valuable skill, is Mason’s knack for the dramatic. How do you put a number on a player’s unwillingness to bend to pressure? How do you measure, at a glance, the amount of ice water coursing through a player’s veins? Four times this season, Mason has lined up with a game on the line. Four times, he has swished the kind of clutch shot that would have impressed Robert Horry, one of the NBA’s all-time masters of such theatrics.”
Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star: “As explosive as he is scoring, James has other ways of making his presence felt. He enters tonight’s game averaging 28.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists, the third season he has topped 25-7-7. He had his 20th career triple-double taken away last week when he was incorrectly given a rebound in his 52-point, 11-assist, nine-rebound performance against the New York Knicks. ‘He’s the best player in the league,’ O’Brien said. ‘I don’t even know if it’s close right now. Certainly, Kobe Bryant is a great player and there are other great players in the league. But he is so big, so strong, so quick, so good off the dribble and so powerful, when he’s hitting 3-point shots, he’s unguardable.”
A Stern Warning: NBA announces launch of All Star Scene behind-the-scenes video
Frank Isola of the Daily News: “Stern is more inclined to see the big picture and measure the Knicks’ progress under President Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D’Antoni by what is happening on the court as well as off the court. And thus far, Stern is pleased with what he’s seen and heard from one of the league’s marquee franchises. ‘Three great teams, the best in the NBA, come in all in the same week, and the Knicks – the scrappy Knicks – have done very well against them,’ Stern said on Friday. ‘I could have imagined this a year ago but I would have imagined it a little differently.’ Stern was referring to the Knicks not showing any fight last year and becoming, in the words of Reggie Miller, ‘a league-wide joke.’ The sound of the Garden has changed dramatically in just a few short months. This week, Stern heard chants of ‘M-V-P’ for Bryant and ‘Boston (stinks)’ for the hated Celtics. Last season the fans directed their venom at the Knicks and their former head coach Isiah Thomas. Stern knew the Knicks needed new direction, which is why he lobbied the club to appoint Walsh as the head of the basketball operations.”
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee: “Responding to speculation about the Kings’ future in Sacramento, Kings co-owner Joe Maloof on Monday reiterated the family’s commitment to the community. However, he expressed concern about projected financial losses and an urgency regarding plans for a new arena. Though he refused to cite a figure, sources close to the team estimate the franchise could lose up to $25 million this season, making it seem more likely that the Maloofs would be receptive to offers from officials in other markets with more profitable arenas who are interested in acquiring an NBA franchise. One league executive identified representatives from Anaheim and San Jose as particularly aggressive suitors. On Monday, Joe Maloof, clearly agitated by the question, said the family has no intention of selling majority interest or relocating. ‘We’ve been approached constantly since we bought the team, and we’re still here,’ he said. ‘We’ve never wavered. We’ve always kept our word. We didn’t try one (failed arena deal) and split. ‘Our goal and objective is to get something done here. We know where we’re at we’re at rock bottom and we’ve got to turn everything around. And we will. Let’s see what Cal Expo comes up with. But we’ll look at anything.’”
David Aldridge for NBA.com: “This year, the trade deadline is being influenced like never before because owners who’ve lost millions in the plunging U.S./global economy are determined not only not to be luxury tax payers, but to cut costs as much as possible as quickly as possible, with no intention of allowing their team’s salaries to ever rise near the tax threshold in the foreseeable future. In the last week, I’ve heard of a half-dozen owners whose personal fortunes have been slashed significantly by the recession. In one case, one employee of a team told me his boss has lost nine figures–more than $100 million–in personal wealth. In another, someone who’s never been wrong in 10 years swears that another owner has lost $1 billion since the recession began. (Obviously, as I don’t have each team’s spreadsheet in front of me, or a month of free time to become an expert on tax shelter/tax write-offs policy, determining exact losses is an impossibility.) But owners aren’t immune to the forces that have paralyzed the rest of the American economy. ‘I don’t think there’s an owner in the NBA who hasn’t lost money in this recession,’ one NBA team executive said Monday.”
