» October 2, 2009 5:52 PM | By Brandon Hoffman
- Marc J. Spears is an accomplished NBA writer. Today, he writes about Carlos Boozer’s uncertain future with the Jazz. It’s a good column, but Spears had to know when he wrote it that this is the part people would talk about the most: “Boozer knows he’s lost some supporters in Salt Lake City. To win them back, he’s going to have to prove he’s committed to the Jazz as long as he’s with them. After Boozer declared last season that he intended to opt out of his contract, Larry Miller, the franchise’s late owner, ripped him on a local radio show. ‘It’s one of the top 10 stupidest things I’ve heard an NBA player do in 20 years,’ Miller said at the time. When Miller died later in February, team sources say Boozer again raised the eyebrows of some in the organization by not attending either the funeral or the wake. Center Mehmet Okur was the only other player absent at the funeral – he didn’t attend because of his Muslim faith, but did go to the wake. Boozer said he also had a reason. ‘Funerals are a tough thing to go through,’ Boozer said. ‘After I saw [Miller] in the hospital, I wanted to remember him how I just saw him last. Confident. Happy. Not happy-happy, but happy enough to give us some words of wisdom for the rest of our season. That’s how I want to remember him. I didn’t want to go to his wake and see his body lying there. I didn’t want to go to his funeral, where it would be sad. I wanted to remember Larry as Larry, as a fiery competitor – happy, emotional, a leader.’”
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “Three days into training camp, and PG Jameer Nelson says his surgically repaired right shoulder has held up quite well. In fact, he discovered his rehabilitation has really paid off. ‘My right one is stronger than the left after all I’ve done,’ Nelson said after Thursday’s practice. Nelson, who missed 40 regular-season games and 19 playoff games with the injury until returning for the NBA Finals, said his shoulder is ‘getting bumped’ and put in awkward positions while scrimmaging. ‘I’m fine. The guys have tested it,’ he said. Speaking of point guards … Coach Stan Van Gundy doesn’t mind speaking about them at all. ‘Our point guards are playing very, very well,’ he said. ‘As far as a whole position, that’s been our best position.’”
- HOOPSWORLD analyst Mike Moreau says the Wizards have the goods to contend in the East: “The Wizards really have all the pieces on the offensive end: go-to scorer, perimeter shooting, versatile inside/outside production, and points in the post. They can explode offensively against any team. And those are the teams that are the most dangerous to the big boys. But realistically, to be a serious threat and not just a spoiler, Washington will have to make that commitment on the defensive end, because the Big 3 teams are defensive monsters. The Wizards won’t be that kind of defensive team, but they don’t have to be. They just need to be reasonably consistent and get back to that gritty, toughness of two years ago. Many aren’t expecting that, but I really think Flip Saunders can get them there.”
- Ray Allen on his competitive drive: “The one thing that drives me nuts is when people see me on the golf course, if I hit a bad shot, somebody will say, ‘Oh, this is not as easy as basketball’ or ‘Stick to basketball.’ What people don’t know is we have a passion for competition. We want to be the best at whatever it is that we do. Everybody who makes a living at a professional level — whether it’s basketball football, baseball, soccer, poker — it’s the mentality of the individual that pushes the individual to be great at it. That’s what I want people to understand. I’m not just a guy that shoots jump shots and I shoot jump shots every single day. No, this is a lifestyle of competition and discipline and trying to make people around me better and trying to motivate people and inspire people.”
- Chris Mannix: “Eddie Jordan, who made Brand one of his first phone calls when he was hired, plans on using the power forward in new ways. In addition to post-ups, Jordan wants Brand to get more catches on backdoor cuts and to be a threat from anywhere around 12-15 feet from the basket. ‘In some ways, Elton reminds me of Willis Reed,’ Jordan said. ‘He’s a good shot-blocker, good rebounder, good defender. He can play at the elbow and can play on the box. He’s going to have so many different angles and spots on the floor and little jump shots that are going to be there for him. It’s going to take him a while to find the niche in the offense. Forwards are going to run pick-and-rolls, though probably not him. Forwards are going to post up, and that’s probably going to be a lot of him. He’ll find his place.’ Brand agrees. He admits that the offense is a little awkward for him right now — ‘I’m making cuts I never made in my career,’ he said — but feels that eventually Jordan’s half-court sets will benefit the whole team.”
- Rosen analyzes the Princeton offense: “The Princeton Offense is a distant cousin of the Triangle Offense in that it’s a read, rather than an execution, scheme. Instead of following prescribed routes, the players react to where the ball is and what the defense is doing. One difference between these two plans of attack is the former features more back cuts and back screens, and the big man is often used as a ball reverser from the top of the key. It’s highly doubtful either Samuel Dalembert or Elton Brand will be asked to carry the ball across the time line. But who knows for sure? The major problem I have with the Princeton Offense is it’s difficult to take advantage of specific mismatches and also to get the ball to certain guys in their favorite spaces. There’s simply too much continuity to adjust the vital importance of matchup situations to the limitations of the shot clock. Of course, Jordan’s game plan calls for specialty plays, but, by and large, these represent departures from the norm.”
Category: Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
Tags: Carlos Boozer, Dan Majerle, Eddie Jordan, Elton Brand, Gilbert Arenas, Jameer Nelson, Larry Miller, Michael Jordan, Mike D'Antoni, Ray Allen
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