Alan Hahn of Newsday: “No, the Knicks don’t have a storied history like the Celtics or Lakers, but they do have a legacy that, for some reason, just never seemed to translate outside of the 1970 and ‘73 championship teams, which fewer and fewer of the fan base are old enough to remember. ‘David Lee came to me one day and goes, ‘Hey man did you have 36 points and 19 rebounds in a game once?’’ Frazier said to me before the game. ‘I mean, they don’t even know in the past what the guys have done here. In the ‘70s we were an elite team. Won a couple of championships. They’re not cognizant of that.’ To be fair, Lee was the only Knick who went over to Willis Reed’s courtside seat to greet him with a handshake and a brief conversation just before the third quarter began. Lee told me that during his pregame workout, he saw some of the dress rehearsal for the ceremony and wished he could have seen it. The Knicks were still in the locker room, he said, because they were still going over second-half strategies and adjustments. Hey, but at least they played hard. Imagine if this Legends Night took place during that Kings game last week? Obviously a major reason why a connection to the past by the current players is so lacking has to do with the fact that most of these players haven’t been here that long and most of them know they won’t be here for much longer.”
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times: “Booted out of Staples Center for nearly two weeks because of the World Figure Skating Championships, the Lakers pulled off a triple salchow in their come-from-behind victory at Chicago on Saturday. They’ll need another victory tonight in Oklahoma City to stay within a game of Cleveland (57-13) for the league’s best record. The Lakers (55-14) have never had a trip this long so late in the season, and they’re trying to make the best of it. Their opponents haven’t won many accolades so far — Atlanta (42-29) is the only team over .500 — but the Lakers are more interested in one another these days. Their second unit showed signs of success against Chicago, and the Lakers were the ones coming back against a large lead, not losing one, as they had done in many recent games. So now instead of scattering to fill their schedules and commitments after home games and practices, they’ll all stay in the same hotels until April 1, collect their individual per diem of $114 and see plenty of each other.”
George M. Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal: “Those rumblings that Cavaliers coach Mike Brown hears in his gut aren’t hunger pangs. It’s a feeling that he has that his team is hungry to win an NBA championship and bring Northeast Ohio its first major title since 1964. But with 12 games remaining in the regular season, are the Cavs playoff ready? ‘We’re getting there,’ point guard Mo Williams said. ‘It’s stages of the season and now it’s to a point where we know who we are; we know what we need to do. It’s about just getting it done.’ With a mix of young talent that includes Williams, LeBron James, Anderson Varejao, rookies J.J. Hickson and Darnell Jackson and savvy veterans such as Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ben Wallace and Joe Smith, the right combination of talent and experience might just propel the Cavs toward their ultimate goal: a championship. ‘We all feel like this is it. We have aging guys in Z, Ben and Joe that are big-time contributors,’ Williams said. ‘We feel like it’s our time. They know it. We know it. We’re not a two- to three-year team. It’s now.’”
Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News: “‘We’re concerned with playing well, we’re concerned about closing out games,’ guard Roger Mason Jr. said. ‘At the end of the day, we want to put ourselves in the best position. If we take care of what we’re supposed to do, we’ll be OK.’ The white-knuckle week has given rise to a mixed reaction in the Spurs locker room. There is the frustration of knowing they are about three plays away from winning eight of their past nine. But there is also the satisfaction of knowing that, despite what the standings say, they have actually been playing fairly well. ‘The feeling is that we’re almost there,’ Bonner said. ‘It feels like we’re playing hard and making steps forward. Just a few plays here and there are making the difference.’ In a development that must warm Popovich’s heart, the Spurs have been playing particularly well on defense. Since the All-Star break, the Spurs lead the NBA in points allowed (87.9) and rank second in field-goal percentage defense (42.8). They haven’t allowed an opponent to crack 90 points in five games. ‘(Defense) is what we’re howling about between now and playoff time,’ Popovich said. ‘We’ll score enough points. We just have to play good ‘D.’”
Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post: “As the Nuggets get back to full health and players such as Kenyon Martin start to soak up more minutes, coach George Karl is going to have tough decisions to make about who plays and who doesn’t. But Karl likes his options. ‘You want to have the Renaldo Balkman problem,’ Karl said of giving him minutes. ‘You want to have a Chris Andersen problem. You want to have an (Anthony Carter) problem and a J.R. (Smith) problem. ‘You want your bench guys to be playing so well. And then it comes down to the circumstances of how you want to coach the game and the matchups you’re involved with. The more weapons you have, the more versatility you have, the more options you have, usually the better team you are.’ The Nuggets have one of the NBA’s most prolific benches.”
David Friedman of Pro Basketball News: “D’Antoni has turned the Knicks into a more exciting team to watch with his seven seconds or less offensive philosophy but the reality is that in terms of the bottom line — wins and losses — the Knicks are not much better than they were when Isiah Thomas ran the show; Thomas had a .402 winning percentage in his first season on New York’s bench, virtually identical to the .406 winning percentage that D’Antoni has posted so far in his first season in New York. Of course, Knicks’ fans surely remember that in Thomas’ second season as New York’s coach, the team’s winning percentage dropped to .280, which is exactly the winning percentage that Larry Brown had in his only season as New York’s coach (in the year prior to Thomas taking over the coaching duties); the hope/expectation in New York is that the Knicks will steadily improve under D’Antoni and not regress the way that they did under Thomas but that is why the team’s late season collapse should raise eyebrows: Several key statistics suggest that the Knicks are what their record says they are — a lower tier team, albeit one that now plays at a much faster pace.”
Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee: “When Kings coach Kenny Natt looked at his team’s schedule for this week and saw four days between games, there was recent precedent for what to do with all that time. His decision to take two of four days off in an identical stretch earlier this month resulted in a refreshed team and a surprise win over Denver on March 8. And in a season in which so little has gone right, he saw no reason to change course. But Natt’s inner old school wouldn’t let him reward his team after a listless loss Sunday, when the Kings trailed by as many as 29 points against Philadelphia after blowing out New York on Friday. ‘The fact that we played like that on the road (against the Knicks) and were flat (against the 76ers), that hit me pretty hard,’ Natt said. ‘(Monday) was supposed to be one of those off days during this long stretch. But I was so ticked off, I just said, ‘Hey, you took the night off (Sunday), so we’ll practice tomorrow.’ That’s why we’re here.’ With no intention of letting up until the Kings tip off against Memphis on Friday at Arco Arena. ‘We’re practicing the rest of this week,’ Natt said. ‘We need to come in because guys don’t appreciate the time off. We as coaches, we’re here most of the time anyway (on off days). (The players) don’t deserve the days off. You earn days off.’”
Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle: “His way works. He was right about Aaron Brooks, Kyle Lowry, Carl Landry, Ron Artest, Von Wafer and especially Luis Scola. He drafted Brooks, was able to trade into position to get Landry, listened to his scouts on Wafer and made a terrific trade to get Scola from the Spurs. He has the guts to take a chance. When some fans wondered how he could get rid of a starting point guard on a playoff team (Rafer Alston) and trust a backup on a bad team (Lowry with Memphis), Morey seemed almost cocky about what he’d pulled off. ‘We really, really like Kyle Lowry,’ he said. Houston fans haven’t had a GM they really believed in since Drayton McLane showed Gerry Hunsicker the door almost five years ago. They believe in Morey. Take two steps back and look at the big picture. To think the Rockets could be in first place with 10 games left after all that has happened makes this season an amazing accomplishment no matter what happens after this.”
Dave McMenamin of NBA.com: “Four years of college couldn’t prepare Clippers forward Al Thornton for this. Exhausted and humiliated after a 28-point home loss to the perennially powerful San Antonio Spurs, on a night when the Clippers used their 26th different starting lineup of the season, Thornton was chewed out in the locker room. Not by a teammate. Not by a coach. But by the owner of his team, Donald Sterling. Sterling reportedly called Thornton the most selfish player he has ever seen. He lit into the whole team, threatening to trade every player on the roster. ‘I don’t think anybody can prepare for anything like that,’ Thornton says weeks after the March 2 incident. ‘That was the first time the owner came in here and that type of situation happened to me. It shows you that he cares and he wants to win, that’s the bottom line. Some of the things he said I wouldn’t agree with, but it shows he wants to win. He wants to be competitive.’ Whether Sterling’s rant was misguided or not — particularly the bit directed at Thornton, the Clippers’ second-leading scorer (17.1 points per game) and their most durable player — is beside the point. Thornton got the message.”
David Moore of The Dallas Morning News: “The snap of the net as the ball rips through seems louder once the sun is down. Jason Terry knows that sound. As a teenager in Seattle, he shot baskets in the dark outside his home after he heard Ricky Pierce say in an interview that was part of his routine. ‘He said if you can shoot with the lights off,’ Terry remembers, pausing for emphasis, ‘when the lights come on you’ll be able to knock them down.’ What does a seventh-grade recollection have to do with today? Well, Terry is the league’s most prolific sixth man with an average of 19.8 points. It has been 19 years since a player averaged more points off the bench. You guessed it. Pierce. ‘I don’t think there’s any question he’s going to win it,’ Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle says of Terry’s designs on the Sixth Man award. ‘I don’t know of anyone who is close to him in terms of what he’s done. He’s been great all year.’ Terry embraces a task many players of his stature abhor. He doesn’t view his role off the bench as a slight or a sacrifice. He views it as best for the team.”
Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer: “‘Just trust me.’ It was that simple and that complex when Raymond Felton met with his coach about 10 games into this season. The Charlotte Bobcats had started 3-7 and the offense was the least productive in the NBA. Coach Larry Brown was riding Felton hard, as is his habit with point guards. Felton didn’t mind that; he considered himself lucky to have a former point guard for a coach. He just needed to make sure Brown understood something. ‘Just trust me,’ Felton recalled telling Brown. ‘I’m going to play hard every night. I’m going to do what you want me to do. But at the same time, let me be me. I told him, ‘Push me to be better because I want to be better. And I want to make the team better. Everything just worked out.’ The new coach started out with misgivings about just what Felton was. Now he’s Felton’s biggest advocate.”
Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel: “Point guard play is an urgent concern because the Bucks still have a chance in the Eastern Conference playoff race, despite going 3-9 over their last 12 games. The Bucks open a crucial four-game trip Wednesday night in Toronto. ‘It’s a maturation process,’ Skiles said of Sessions’ recent woes. ‘There finally becomes a book on you. You’ve played enough that people know what you do. They take it away from you, and you’ve got to make adjustments accordingly.’ Sessions had two turnovers early in the third quarter against Portland, and also saw a fast-break chance snuffed on a blocked shot by Trail Blazers center Joel Przybilla. ‘They’re being big and seeing if he can finish over them,’ Skiles said of opposing big men. ‘They do that with all point guards. You develop other ways to get fouled or different ways to finish. It comes with growing up in the league.’”
Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal: “Conley’s newfound autonomy on the court is an ongoing process — something demonstrated recently by Hollins’ growing confidence. ‘In the past few games, I’ve given him the whole list of plays that I had,’ Hollins said. ‘I told him to study the plays and figure out what plays he’s comfortable with. I also gave him a list of plays for each of the individuals we would like to go to and told him to make sure that each of the players got these plays every so often.’ In short: Conley no longer must look to the bench for instructions on every offensive possession. Playing with the trust of the coaching staff has also boosted Conley’s confidence with his shooting. He’s appeared more comfortable shooting from the perimeter and routinely attacks the basket off the dribble. Conley has shown marked improvement from beyond the arc where he’s shooting 42 percent over the past 57 games.”
Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star: “Ford’s biggest adjustment this season has been getting used to O’Brien’s offense, which relies more on ball movement than dribbling. O’Brien told Ford during their first meeting following the trade last summer that he could have his ‘best years in a Pacers uniform,’ as long as he adapted his game some. ‘In high school and in college he was unstoppable off the dribble, but there’s a whole different level of game up here,’ said O’Brien, who’d prefer his point guards give up the ball early in the offense, then be prepared to attack later in the set when the defense is out of position. Ford has had a tendency to drive the lane and get stuck because teams load up on him, causing him to either force up a shot or turn the ball over. That was more evident when Granger went down with his foot injury, and the Pacers had less firepower. Ford, who has started 49 games this season, is averaging a team-high 2.49 turnovers to go with 15.1 points an 5.2 assists a game.”
Peter Vecsey of the New York Post: “I could not believe my lyin’ ears listening to Dominique Wilkins Saturday afternoon preceding the Hawks’ loss to the Cavaliers. During his Hall-of-Fame 15-year NBA career, asserted the Human Highlight Film, he was never intimidated by a player he had to guard. Not Larry Bird. Not Julius Erving. Not James Worthy. Not Terry Cummings, Marques Johnson, John Drew, Alex English, Walter Davis, or anyone forward, small or big, you care to name . . . other than Bernard King. ‘Bernard scared me!’ ‘Nique accentuated. ‘He truly made me sorry I had to play that night! We’d set up for the opening tip and you might as well put 40 points next to his name. He was unstoppable. I’d reach out to shake his hand and he wouldn’t even look at me. He’d have that evil game face on. I’d turn my back to him and say to myself, ‘Aw, spit, I can’t believe I got to cover this guy.’”
Paul Flannery of WEEI.com: “Garnett’s impact, especially on the defensive end, has been well-documented. The same is true for the intangible and tangible benefit of having him on the floor calling out screens, holding everyone accountable, being half-insane. This is all true, but the hidden value of Kevin Garnett on a basketball floor is what happens when he is simply on the court. ‘Teams respect him even if he doesn’t shoot the ball,’ Ray Allen said. ‘Rondo has bigger gaps (to drive). His man doesn’t help as much. Glen (Davis) has been knocking down that shot. He’s been playing well. As a young player in this league you have to do that over and over again to get teams to give you that respect. Kevin obviously has that respect and when he’s out there people automatically from the word go are going to play him. You can see the effect with myself and Paul.’ The key to the Celtics offense is not Pierce’s individual brilliance, Allen’s shooting or Rondo’s ability to break down defenses. The key is the spacing, ball movement and, most importantly, the trust to pass and be in the right spots. ‘He’s unselfish to a fault, as well all know, at times,’ Rivers said. ‘You sometimes wants him to shoot the ball but he’s always looking to pass. It’s amazing how hard guys cut when he gets the ball in the post because they might get the ball back.’” (Via CelticsBlog)
Brian Windhorst of The Plain Dealer: “When James first came into the NBA at the age of 18 he didn’t even tape his ankles, sometimes ate McDonald’s an hour before tipoff and his main use for ice was cooling beverages. As he’s matured, part out of necessity and part out of pride, he’s serious about preparing and maintaining his body for the rigors of an NBA season. That includes a wide range of measures from diet and recovery techniques to the Vajrasana, Virasana and the particularly stunning Salamba Sarvangasana. They are yoga poses and they are also an essential part of James’ routine every week. ‘Yoga isn’t just about the body, it’s also about the mind and it’s a technique that has really helped me,’ James said. ‘You do have to focus because there’s some positions that can really hurt you at times if you aren’t focused and breathing right.’ From the ‘thunderbolt pose’ to the ‘hero pose’ to even ‘downward facing dog,’ James has become a devout believer in the benefits of yoga. He and assistant athletic trainer Mike Mancias have been developing a regimen over the last two years.”
