Points in the Paint

» May 26, 2009 8:09 PM | By Brandon Hoffman
  • Travis Heath of HOOPSWORLD:  “When Chauncey Billups first arrived in Denver in early November it didn’t take much time at all for the Denver Nuggets to achieve a very high level of chemistry. A couple of major reasons why included Billups’ high basketball I.Q. and the excellent job George Karl and his staff did to get everyone on the same page. However, there was another factor that played an important role that many people aren’t aware of. Billups, Chris Andersen, Dahntay Jones and J.R. Smith all trained together at Joe Abunassar’s Impact Basketball in Las Vegas last summer. At the start of the summer, none of the players knew they would be on the same NBA team. As the calendar moved closer to autumn, both Jones and Andersen signed deals with Denver and joined Smith with the Nuggets. When Billups was traded to Denver in November, the four were united together for the first time on a NBA team. ‘It was definitely an advantage for me,’ said Billups. ‘After the trade coming here, I knew J.R.’s game from working out with him all summer. And Dahntay, of course, and Bird.  So that was an advantage for me not having to take time to get to know the games of those guys. Working out with them all summer I think helped us get off to the start we got off to after the trade.’”
  • Kevin Ding ranks the most reliable Laker players. Derek Fisher comes in at number six:  “A month ago, he was a viable No. 3 given his outstanding postseason resume. Now, not only does he keep missing shots, he keeps forcing shots. If Brown missed his next 24 shots from 3-point range, he would still be shooting better than Fisher’s 22.9 percent! Even more disappointing for the Lakers is that Fisher hasn’t done what he has made him so valuable to them: getting the ball where it’s should go. Fisher ranked fourth in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio in the regular season behind such ball-handling luminaries as Jose Calderon, Jason Kidd and Chris Paul. Fisher’s ratio was 3.6, whereas in the postseason it is 1.9 … putting him behind Walton (2.7), Farmar (2.2) and Bryant (2.0).”
  • Scott Souza of the Metro West Daily News reports that Kevin Garnett had bone spur surgery today, and adds that the surgery was not intended to correct the problem that sidelined him for all but four games from the end of February to the playoffs. The swollen tendon that kept him of the playoffs can only be remedied with rest and rehabilitation.
  • Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus:  “The ESPN broadcast focused extensively on the rebound differential and the Nuggets’ ability to get to the free-throw line, as well as the play of Denver’s reserves. Chris Andersen delivered his best performance since early in the Dallas series, grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking a pair of shots in 24 minutes of action. J.R. Smith, who seems to feed on Birdman’s energy as well as that of the Pepsi Center crowd, scored 24 points and knocked down four three-pointers, and even Linas Kleiza added 10 points in 13 minutes. The contrast with the Lakers’ bench, which shot a combined 7-for-27 from the field, could not have been much more dramatic. Here’s the thing, though. The Nuggets’ runs did not generally come with the bench in the game, like in the series with New Orleans or the first two games against Dallas. Instead, Denver dominated when the starting lineups were in the side (counting Lamar Odom as the Lakers’ sixth starter here). The Nuggets’ starting five played the first 8:13 of the game and the opening 8:06 of the third quarter. In those 16 minutes of action, Denver outscored the Lakers by 13 points.”
  • Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy on Mo’s Game 4 guarantee:  “‘I think a lot of times that’s a little bit overstated and overplayed. I mean, if you asked any player on both teams who is going to win the series – I’d hope they would say ‘yes.’ If that makes it a guarantee, it makes it a guarantee, but I’d be a lot more concerned if I had a player who said ‘Well, you know, I’m not really sure. They seem to be a lot better than us.’ That would concern me. Now if a player steps up at the podium after a game, no questions asked, and announces it that would be a little different.’”
  • Art Garcia of NBA.com:  “The Nuggets aren’t apologizing for their tact and neither is Karl for his openness. The gently balding and rounding 58-year-old is doing what most of us don’t do in the moment. He’s savoring it. Before dropping Game 3 at The Can, the drum-soloing skipper took his customary walk in Crestmoor Park. Considering the frenzy this town has been put in by his team, signing a few autographs didn’t come as a surprise. Here’s the other end of the spectrum. ‘When there are guys running off the soccer fields, maybe it’s time for a hat and sunglasses,’ he admitted. Good luck going incognito, George. He broke out the White Album for the first time in a couple of decades. ‘They’re some crazy songs on there,’ he said. Forgive him for not remembering the hodgepodge lineup on The Beatles’ most sprawling effort. Karl has plenty on his mind these days. Like a rant on Twitter and Facebook eventually leading to the downfall of society. Asked about the impact of Chris Andersen — another of the off-the-bench heroes in Game 4 — Karl turns to the heavens again. ‘I look at him and say thank you,’ he said of the Bird. ‘He’s a gift from the gods. I never thought he could do what he’s done.’ Aren’t most coaches at this time of year supposed to be sleeping on the couch in their office after watching film and not contemplating Mother Nature’s intervention? This guy is channeling Phil Collins, catching a Springsteen concert in HD and recalling his ill-fated foray into rap. Karl once brought in a hip-hop professor for a crash course on the genre. Oh yeah, he’s a fan of Shaggy.”
  • Jonathan Abrams of The New York Times:  “The Cavaliers may eventually wipe out their deficit against the Magic and they have the team, or more specifically the player in James, to claw back. For that to happen, action will have to finally follow in the place of words. Howard’s response after hearing of Williams’s guarantee? ‘There’s a scripture that says pride comes before the fall,’ he said. ‘Being too prideful isn’t good, especially when it comes to the game of basketball.’”

Category: 2009 NBA Playoffs, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Issues, Orlando Magic, Points in the Paint

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