World's Coolest Sports gifts at Midwest Basketball Thursday, November 30, 2006
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 6:22 AM,
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Scoring as The Screener
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 5:45 AM,
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Stocking Stuffer Ideas from Midwest Basketball Wednesday, November 29, 2006
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 9:45 AM,
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After this season, Hill might hang 'em up Tuesday, November 28, 2006
He offers glimpses of his past all-star self, a skilled craftsman at work.
He looks as if he's enjoying the game immensely while shepherding his younger teammates.
And moreover, he appears healthier than at any time during his star-crossed career with the Orlando Magic.
Why, then, would SG Grant Hill even mention retirement?
Hill tells the Sentinel that retiring is a viable option at the end of the season when his seven-year contract with the Magic expires.
I actually had asked Grant about playing next season -- the length and terms of a deal that might appeal to him and the Magic -- when he volunteered the notion of hanging up his sneakers.
"I could do that," Hill said, nodding. "I don't know. There's something to be said about going out healthy, leaving on your own terms, while still being able to play at a certain level.
"I don't know. . . . I'm not really thinking about it right now. We'll see."
Hill squirms just talking about it.
Although he's 34 and rebuilt through six surgeries since 2000, I never really bought into this possibility: Grant finishing this season in one piece and riding off into the sunset or, more likely, into the business world.
After missing five prime years, he seemingly wanted to milk the most out of the time he had left.
"I can understand that," Magic General Manager Otis Smith said of Hill's notion to go out on a healthy note. "Nothing would surprise me with Grant. It wouldn't surprise me either way."
The physical, mental and emotional trauma has taken its toll on Hill and his family. He goes through a rigorous program just to play.
Last season, when he was out with a sports hernia injury, he told me he'd rather quit than subject himself to a seventh operation.
After a hernia surgery early last season didn't take, Hill went the nonsurgical route this summer, taking a boom-or-bust, rehab or retire, approach.
By the look of his play, his arduous rehab was a success. So far, anyway. Maybe all the work he put in was to set up a last hurrah. Maybe he can't commit because he never has made it to the end of a season with the Magic as an active player.
Whatever, the next Grant Hill "comeback" might carry the ultimate twist this summer: Return . . . or retire?
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 9:50 AM,
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After Thanksgiving Sale Monday, November 27, 2006
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 8:12 AM,
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Fastbreak Drill: The 5-3-2
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 6:21 AM,
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World's Coolest Sports Gifts Tuesday, November 21, 2006
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 8:00 AM,
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Fall Shoe Clearance: Up to 70% Off at Amazon.com Monday, November 20, 2006
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 1:54 PM,
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How to Defend a Player in the Low Post
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 10:45 AM,
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 7:06 AM,
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O'Neal: I expect to play Friday, November 10, 2006
Heat center Shaquille O'Neal took responsibility for a bruised left knee that caused him to miss the past two games, but he hopes to play tonight in New Jersey against the Nets.
O'Neal, who wasn't wearing one of his protective pads, was injured in last Friday's 91-85 victory over the Nets when he bumped knees with New Jersey forward Bostjan Nachbar.
"I was kind of mad [after the game] because it was my fault," O'Neal said. "I warmed up before the game, and I only had one on. I didn't feel like going to get the other one. It was my bad. I should have had them on. It is my fault."
Following what he described as a "physical practice" on Thursday, coach Pat Riley said he expects O'Neal to play.
"He played the entire practice and looked good," Riley said. "His conditioning is a little off, but he didn't complain about any soreness. I think he is ready to play, but I'll find out tonight or Friday after he gets treatment."
O'Neal said the days off helped the soreness. "I still feel it, but not enough to sit out practices and games,'' said O'Neal, who had 21 points and nine rebounds against the Nets. "I wanted to come out and give the guys a run. I hope it feels good [Friday]. I expect to play, but when you bang your knee and take a couple of days off, there is always a chance it will swell again.
"It is always a banged-up toe, knee or ankle. I've always had legitimate freak injuries. I've never had a real injury. It has been happening throughout my career."
Dwyane Wade was encouraged by O'Neal's play in practice and thinks he will be ready to go.
"It was good to see him being mobile and trying to dunk on the leg," Wade said. "We always miss him. He is our force down low and our point guard down low. He makes plays and makes other guys' jobs a lot easier."
FLASH POINT
Seattle coach Bob Hill said after Tuesday's 90-87 loss to the Heat that "it's unbelievable what he gets away with," referring to Wade's palming of the ball. The Sonics were upset that Wade attempted 17 free throws when Seattle only had 23 chances as team.
"Talk about palming the ball," Wade said. "Everybody does it some in this league. Bob can go on with that."
As for the disparity in free throws, Wade noted that he only had six attempts in the season opener against Chicago.
"I haven't reached any kind of stature in this league, not at all," Wade said. "I earn everything that I get. I was going to the basket, and they were fouling me."
NEW DW
Wade couldn't resist a jab at teammate Dorell Wright. When the media approached Wade, he said, "You guys should be talking to the `New D.W.' He is a star in the making."
Wright replied: "He has got to stop that stuff. It has got to go away."
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 5:50 AM,
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LATEST SOUL JERSEYS Thursday, November 09, 2006
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 5:20 AM,
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West due for breakout game Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Two successive good days of practice -- a rarity this fall for Delonte West -- should have been enough. But when the Celtics finished yesterday, West kept at it, practicing his post offense and defense against (gulp) Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, and Al Jefferson.
Uh, Doc Rivers, is that what you want to see from your young guard who has been idled by back and foot woes for much of the last six weeks?
"I love his competitiveness," Rivers said. "It's good to be nuts."
We might actually get a soup-to-nuts performance from West tonight against the Charlotte Bobcats, which would indicate that the third-year guard is closer to where he feels he needs to be. At this point, the 0-3 Celtics -- the only winless team in the Eastern Conference -- need all the help they can muster.
So far, in three games, West has been noticeable only occasionally, which is very uncharacteristic, and has shot a wretched 3 of 16 from the field. He played only 11 minutes last Saturday night against the Wizards and just 16 the night before against the Pistons. This is a guy who averaged 30-plus minutes last year and didn't play 11 or 16 minutes unless he was hurt in the game. He also started every game (71) he played.
But the draft-night arrivals of Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo pretty much signaled that West's point guard responsibilities were going to be diminished, if not eliminated outright. He did start Opening Night -- not at the point -- when Rivers went to a small lineup (a mistake, as it turned out). And he may wind up getting more time at the point than was first envisioned.
The reason: Opponents are basically begging Telfair and Rondo to beat them from the outside. Rivers feels that if West is out there, the opposition will have to guard him because he is a better shooter. And Paul Pierce won't see so many double teams.
That's the theory, anyway. But over the first three games, Telfair is shooting 54 percent, Rondo is shooting 44 percent, and West is at, ahem, 19 percent. No wonder Rivers said, "I think he's pretty close to having a breakout game." It can't get a whole lot worse.
Rivers said West's situation this year reminded him of Jefferson's last year, when Jefferson got hurt on the first day of camp and didn't make it to the exhibition floor until weeks later. West was bothered by a bad back and an infected foot, but he still played in four exhibition games, including the last two, going 28 and 31 minutes.
"We can't expect him to just walk on the floor and be a great player," Rivers said. "We have to have patience with Delonte. I don't think he's hiding anything. I just think he's rusty. His timing is off."
Said Pierce, "He'll get back in the groove. He's had two great practices. He's a guy who I know is going to be there, who is going to be consistent. We trust him."
And when West's shot starts falling, Pierce said, "That's another person on the scouting report that you have to worry about. We encourage him to shoot. I encourage the guys who I have confidence in, the guys who I believe in and who can make the shots. I want them to shoot. That's going to make it easier for me."
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 10:49 AM,
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The Stutter Step Opens up Your Options
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 5:55 AM,
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Warriors feel right at home in Dallas Tuesday, November 07, 2006
At Monday morning's shootaround, Don Nelson referred to himself as a "proud papa" in regard to his former Dallas Mavericks team.
That explains what happened Monday evening at the AmericanAirlines Center, when the Warriors and Mavericks fought with the type of fury that only a sibling rivalry can spark.
A game marked by two ejections, a flagrant foul against Warriors guard Monta Ellis and other assorted chippiness came down to a wild sequence in which the Mavericks missed one 3-pointer, then failed to get another one off while acting coach Del Harris frantically gestured at midcourt for a timeout that never came.
That cemented a 107-104 Golden State victory and made sure that one of the best games of Baron Davis' Warriors career -- 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds while playing all 48 minutes -- would not be needlessly wasted.
In other words, it was just another typical trip to the Metroplex for the Warriors, who won twice here last season in dramatic fashion, with game-winning shots in the final second from Davis and Jason Richardson.
"(The Mavericks) are like the big brother," said Richardson, who poured home 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds. "They won the Western Conference (last season), they're the more successful team, and we're the little brother trying to get in their place."
Right now, the little Warriors hold sway over the Mavericks' home court. Golden State became the first team to win four straight games at the AmericanAirlines Center since the Philadelphia 76ers did so from 1997 to 2001.
"For some reason teams just match up well with other teams," said Warriors forward Troy Murphy, who turned in 20 points and six rebounds in his best game of the season. "We play well here."
Said Nelson: "I never expected this win. I really thought we were not able to beat a good team at this point in the season. But I was wrong and my team proved me wrong."
The Warriors (2-2) made sure Dallas (0-3) remained winless by keeping things simple at the offensive end and scrambling like wild men on defense.
Scoring-wise, the Warriors rediscovered the beauty of a well-placed 3-point shot, taking a season-high 23 and hitting 10, many of them coming from the exact same play: either Davis or Richardson would post up, then wait for a double-team to come before kicking the ball back out to the 3-point line.
"They tried some different defenders on me, but it's tough, because I'm definitely going to find the open man," said Davis, who last played 48 full minutes in March 2004. "This year, our spacing is so good, and guys know what to do when someone's posting up, that it's pretty scary."
Nelson wanted to turn Dirk Nowitzki, the German superstar he nurtured for years, into a passer, so Golden State ran a constant stream of multiple defenders at him. Mickael Pietrus, reinstalled in the starting lineup in place of Mike Dunleavy, drew the primary assignment, but everybody from Davis to center Andris Biedrins ended up taking a turn against Nowitzki, who finished with 26 points but only had two in the decisive fourth quarter.
It helped that the Mavericks were without Josh Howard, who sprained an ankle after landing on Pietrus' foot in the second quarter, and Jason Terry, who was sent off for a level 2 flagrant foul after hammering Ellis during a 3-on-1 Warriors breakaway with 3 minutes and 5 seconds left.
After the Warriors built a double-digit lead on a Richardson layup at the 2:26 mark, Dallas got to within three points behind a 3-pointer by Devin Harris, a jumper by Nowitzki and a layup from Harris with 1:08 remaining.
However, Jerry Stackhouse let an uncontested pass slip through his hands the next time downcourt, and then missed a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds to go. Anthony Johnson grabbed the offensive rebound, but he and Harris passed the ball back and forth until the buzzer sounded.
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 10:36 AM,
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Veteran Hill impresses Hawks coach Monday, November 06, 2006
As impressed as he has been by the Orlando Magic's young talent, there's someone other than Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson who has caught the eye of Hawks coach Mike Woodson.
Veteran guard Grant Hill, Woodson said, is playing like the Grant Hill of old. And when he does, he makes the Magic a totally different team.
"I think he brings the real deal," Woodson said of Hill, whose team faces the Hawks at 2 p.m. today at Philips Arena. "His demeanor and the fact that he's been around, that he knows how to play, it's invaluable. He makes guys around him better. I like their team a lot, they're well-coached. But Grant ... he's just such a classy veteran. He makes guys around him respond and do the right things on the floor.
"Without him, they're a good team, there's no question about that. But with him, they're a complete team. And we'll have to contend with that [today]."
Hill, a 12-year veteran and captain who has battled back from five surgeries on his left ankle, leads the Magic with 22.0 points per game. He scored a team-high 25 points in the Magic's 105-103 home loss to Philadelphia Friday night.
"He's still as competitive and dangerous as ever," Woodson said of Hill, 34, who battled a sports hernia injury over the summer. "He might not be as explosive as he once was. But he's still the threat he's always been because he knows the game."
Johnson wears 'Jordan'
Hawks guard Joe Johnson is officially a member of the Jordan family now. He was added Friday to the roster of high-profile athletes wearing the [Michael] Jordan brand of footwear and apparel.
He joins New Orleans point guard Chris Paul and Dallas guard Josh Howard as the latest additions to the Jordan team. Denver's Carmelo Anthony, Seattle's Ray Allen, San Antonio's Michael Finley, Sacramento's Mike Bibby, Detroit's Rip Hamilton and New York's Quentin Richardson are other NBA players on the Jordan roster.
"This is something that's been in the works since the summer while we were in Japan," Johnson said, referring to his time spent with the U.S. national team at the World Championships. "It was one of those things that you just couldn't let pass by without being a part of it. So I'm glad to join that distinguished group of guys."
Hawks are forever young
For the third straight year, the Hawks are the league's youngest team with an average age of 23.6 years. The league average is 26.5 years.
"We can't age any faster," said Hawks forward Josh Smith, who turns 21 in December. "If we were the youngest last year and didn't swap all our young guys for 10-year veterans, we figured we'd be the youngest team again this year. But that's not going to stop us from accomplishing our goals."
One of those goals is controlling the tempo of games the way they did in Friday night's win over the Knicks. The Hawks struggled early, but once they took the lead, they held on to it for the final 33 minutes.
"The good teams, when they dictate games and control from the beginning to the end, they have that killer instinct," Woodson said. "We're not there yet, but that's where we have to get to. When you step on a team, you have to know that you can never let up."
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 8:06 AM,
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WNBA - Preparing For The 2007 Season
As fall slowly gives way to winter and the WNBA offseason approaches its third month, teams finally know where they stand in the upcoming WNBA Draft and the free agent signing period is only two months away. That means coaches and general managers are busy working to put together the best team they can for 2007 and find the best players available to round out their team. As the college basketball season quickly approaches, teams are also preparing lists of college players who they would like to see play in person and are marking key game dates on their calendars.
"Once the college season gets going teams get to go out and evaluate the talent that's out there, look at the prospects and get ready for the upcoming draft," Charlotte Sting coach Muggsy Bogues said.
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Kent Smith/NBAE/Getty |
But the college season opening day will not be the first time coaches and general managers get to take a look at the future 2007 WNBA Draft class. New York Liberty head coach Pat Coyle put it best when asked about how the Liberty are preparing for the Draft.
"We've been tracking the seniors for four years now. We've watched tape and seen them live."
Seattle head coach Anne Donovan said that her team has already "broken the college players down" and evaluated who they think are the lottery picks and who might be the next tier.
Teams will continue scouting players who they believe will still be available when it is time to make their selections. For example, the Connecticut Sun, who make the final selection of each round (barring any trades), will not heavily scout a projected top-five player. But last week's Draft Lottery, where the Phoenix Mercury and San Antonio Silver Stars lucked out and moved up in the Draft, did change the way some teams are approaching their player evaluation process.
"We kind of wanted to wait to see what the Lottery did," San Antonio Silver Stars head coach Dan Hughes said. "The Lottery bumped us up, so it's a good thing. We're going to spend a little more time looking at the top of the Draft class."
College games will not be the only place that team management will be scouting players during the offseason. Although some believe that they already know about most of the talent overseas, several coaches and GM's will make trips around the world to look for hidden talent while evaluating current WNBA players offseason play.
"My general manager has been over there and we have players overseas," Bogues said. "We use that as one of the resources and you have to find where the best players are so we can have access to them."
However, some coaches are not as interested in searching for foreign talent and would like to focus more on scouting college players.
"Most of the players are already known," Detroit Shock head coach Bill Laimbeer said of potential overseas talent.
Laimbeer also believes that "very few new foreign players come on the scene." But teams are certainly paying close attention to what is going on around the world. Silver Stars assistant coach Sandy Brondello keeps an eye on overseas action and informs Coach Hughes about what's going on in leagues throughout the world. The Silver Stars will likely make a trip overseas this year.
And, of course, several teams will look to improve their rosters and fill in open holes via free agency. Signing a key free agent could turn a borderline playoff team into a contender overnight, might add more depth to an already-talented team or a proven veteran to assist younger players and allow a team to fill other needs. There are currently 26 unrestricted free agents and 18 restricted free agents.
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D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty |
The Sting and Liberty are two examples of teams that will likely look to sign the best player available without much regard to position.
"We're going to look to see who's available and then look back and see what best player fits our team and then go from there," Bogues said about the Sting free agency plans.
Pat Coyle said the Liberty are "just going to look at the best available players right now at all positions."
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a prime example of a team that has specific needs with holes they wouldd like to fill in their lineup.
"I'd like to see us improve ourselves rebounding-wise on the front line and maybe some veteran type of presence in that area with what we already have," Hughes said. "Also, I think a defensive presence on our team would be a good addition. I thought we really improved offensively. We averaged over 10 points a game more than the year before, but I liked to see defense and rebounding addressed in free agency."
With free agents signing on with other teams, some teams could possibly lose key players. The Seattle Storm, for example, are entering the free agent period with one restricted free agent and one unrestricted free agent.
"Janell Burse is an unrestricted free agent, so we'll work hard to keep Janelle in market, and Iziane Castro Marquez is a restricted free agent, so I'm sure she'll test the waters a bit," Donovan said about Seattle's two free agents.
There are also some teams that are in a position where signing a free agent is not necessary because they already have enough players under contract. According to coach Laimbeer, the Detroit Shock will not be able to participate in free agency because all of their starters and key reserves are under contract.
However coaches and general managers decide to improve their rosters for the upcoming season, expect several changes coming into the 2007 season. The offseason began with a team with a 2.5% chance of winning the Draft Lottery come out with the top overall pick, and that is just the start to what is sure to be an exciting offseason.
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 7:41 AM,
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The Stutter Step Jump Shot Thursday, November 02, 2006
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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 10:33 AM,
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For openers, an exhilarating win
All of the preseason hype of Brandon Roy, and all of the preseason promises from Zach Randolph, and all of the heart-tugging story lines presented by Ime Udoka . . . they all came together Wednesday and provided what can only be considered the ultimate start to a season for the Trail Blazers.
A young Blazers team supposedly years from contention surprised and dazzled in their season opener, blitzing the Seattle SuperSonics 110-106 at KeyArena with a dizzying combination of Roy's versatility, Randolph's power, Udoka's heady play and a host of other clutch performances.
"You can go on and on," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "It was a team effort."
To many, the Blazers' victory was beyond expectation, but it validated all of the endearing and promising story lines that dotted the preseason.
Roy, a preseason candidate to win rookie of the year, started his campaign in convincing fashion by scoring 20 points in front of his hometown crowd, which couldn't help but cheer his every basket.
And Randolph, the oft-troubled forward who vowed this season to let his on-the-court actions speak louder than his past transgressions, was the best player on the court, finishing with 30 points and 10 rebounds.
And Udoka, the Portland native whose improbable quest to make the team was made tougher by the sudden passing of his father, had 10 points and two crucial offensive rebounds in the frantic final seconds.
There also was guard Juan Dixon, the veteran reserve threatened to be pushed aside with the team's emphasis on Roy and second-year player Martell Webster, scoring 18 points in 23 minutes. And Travis Outlaw, 22, the forward who is at the end of his chances to show he is a viable player on this team, contributing with a key steal and block to go along with his nine points.
"It's like we are a book, but everybody has their own chapter," said point guard Jarrett Jack, who had 13 points, six assists and six rebounds in 44 minutes. "Zach might start the book off, then Brandon and I might take over, then Juan and Travis. . . . It's fun because everyone is contributing, and that makes everyone that much more into the game."
It was an incredible start for a team that has asked for patience as its youth and inexperience mature.
"I think a lot of people will probably think the final score was wrong," Dixon said. "But I'm telling you, we are a different team."
The win ended a string of 16 road losses dating to last season, when the Blazers finished an NBA-worst 21-61.
But with eight new players, and an understanding of what McMillan wants from them now that he is in his second season at the helm, the Blazers say they can change the perceptions formed about them during the last two seasons of massive losing.
The biggest change has been the addition of Roy, the sixth pick in the draft. After receiving a rousing ovation during introductions, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard out of the University of Washington came out quickly and scored six of the Blazers' first 10 points.
But Roy really emerged in the third quarter, when McMillan moved him to point guard. With the ball in his hands, Roy began to create his own shot, splitting defenders on pick-and-roll plays for driving layups, then, when defenders dropped off, hitting multiple 15-foot jumpers. In all, Roy finished hitting 10 of 16 shots.
"When I moved to point guard, I had the ball and I was able to attack," Roy said. "It just opened the game up so much for me."
That he did it amid so much fanfare and media attention -- Roy was dominated before and after the game by Seattle media -- speaks to the maturity that the Blazers have touted since he was drafted.
"This was like a dream," Roy said. "Last night when I went to sleep, I dreamed of having a game like this. And when I woke up, I said that was too good to be true. So to come out and have that game . . . it's an incredible feeling, one words can't explain. I'm going to remember this for the rest of my life."
At the start of the game, Randolph was having a forgettable opener. He missed his first four shots, including an airball in the lane and a shot that was rejected, but after a challenge by McMillan to get back into the free throw lane, Randolph awoke in dominating fashion.
He scored 20 of his 30 points in the second half and was constantly torturing the Sonics' inside players, who had no answer except to foul. Randolph hit 14 of 15 free throws.
"I'm just getting my grind on," Randolph said. "Like I have been saying, I have a lot to prove this season."
And so do the Blazers, who have vowed to finish with a better record than last season. After one game, they have taken a step in doing so.
posted by Brandon Schenz @ 9:40 AM,
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