Ed Davis Gives Weary Raptors Fans Something to Be Positive About

 Toronto  No Responses »
Dec 082012
 

There has been little to be positive about in terms of the Toronto Raptors, but Ed Davis might be the rare exception.

While Toronto has struggled its way through this NBA season, Davis’ play has been one of few bright spots after a season in which he, along DeMar DeRozan, both seemed to take major steps in the wrong direction in their development. Davis has started to show signs of maturity on and off the floor.

Hard to focus on anything positive after a pathetic effort from the Raptors in Utah that has fans demanding answers. Davis was not much of a factor in this one, as he struggled then left the game after bending his left ring finger while diving for a ball.

It was said via Twitter from several Raptors’ media in attendance that he had X-rays that came back negative. He was in theory able to return, but given the state of the game, Toronto decided not to risk it.

Davis had a bad night before the injury with no points, a rebound and a couple of fouls. Prior to tonight Davis had been fairly consistent. Things had been going well for Davis, since a game that sparked controversy from his good play and the poor play of Andrea Bargnani. The game was against San Antonio and ended in a double-overtime loss.

Davis had a double-double in that game of 15 points and 14 rebounds with a career-high eight offensive boards. I said at the time it was the best game of his career for the Raptors, having seen them all. Yet Ed and I—who was in attendance covering the game—were both spectators for the overtime. Raptors coach Dwane Casey would on that night pledge his allegiance to Andrea Bargnani, and things have been terrible for Toronto since.

Ed Davis however, has thrived since that time. Excluding tonight in Utah he has scored in double figures four of the last six games, including the performance against the Spurs. He had another double-double in a tough loss to the Kings in which he again would only be watching at the end of the night thanks to Casey’s decision. 

In this six-game window Davis has averaged 10 points and 8.6 rebounds a game as well. He’s also had five blocks and three steals, never shooting below 50 percent in any of the six games.

Ed Davis has had a bumpy start to his NBA career, not many would deny that. He missed training camp in his rookie season and than had a rushed camp thanks to the NBA lockout in year two. This season he was able to experience his first full training camp and preseason, after an experience at Las Vegas Summer League in which he was a major focus.

There was a change in Davis, and it was something I noticed right away covering the team’s media day. Davis had always been a fairly quiet guy, not mean at all, but not engaging. I was taken aback when Ed approached me and said hello, and we exchanged pleasantries.

This came after a surprise Twitter exchange we had in the spring not long after the draft. He told me through my Twitter handle (@DinoNationBlog) to keep sleeping on him. I have never asked him what caused him to tweet this my way. I think it was based on some tweets I had made about the possibility of him being traded, as part of a deal for the Raptors eight pick in last year’s draft.

That was a possibility, but it was not meant as me reporting, or speculating, but more as a joke to someone I know that is a huge Ed Davis fan. A lesson learned in social media for me for sure. This thought came to me after as to why Ed might have tweeted that. Instead, I just responded with that, I was rooting for him to prove his doubters wrong in Las Vegas.

Won’t break out the Vegas stats for you, but he did lead the Raptors in scoring, and over the summer he reconstructed his jump shot with the help of Raptors’ coaching staff. He is pretty proud of the work he put into it. I had an interview with him about it and you could see the pride beaming from his face.

While DeMar DeRozan’s improved play was noted earlier in the season, Ed’s play deserves mention too. He faces a great, yet tough situation, in being the backup to public enemy No. 1 these days in Andrea Bargnani.

Can Ed remain motivated and keep playing at this high level, despite averaging a career low in minutes this season under Dwane Casey?

Time will tell and as Ed Davis told me, sleeping on him might not be a good idea. Many were heading into this season after he struggled in 2011-12. In a crowded Raptors’ frontcourt he is starting to make himself noticed. He is also getting a lot of fans jumping off Bargnani’s bandwagon and aboard his.

I’m not ready to declare him the most popular backup next to Tim Tebow or anything. Still, the number of Ed Davis’ supporters is trending up. Impressive in a situation when almost everything connected to the Raptors is trending in the opposite direction.

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Twitter Reaction to Rajon Rondo’s Rollercoaster Return to Boston Celtics

 Boston  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

In an NBA Atlantic Division showdown, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics by a score of 95-94 in overtime. Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with 16 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, tallying his 14th career regular season triple-double.

Twitter’s reaction to Rondo’s roller coaster night, however, sums up the tale of two halves.

Rondo was phenomenal, for the most part, making 8-of-14 from the field and grabbing three offensive boards. His triple-double alone was impressive, but those numbers are down right nasty.

Especially when you remember that we’re talking about a 6’1″ point guard.

Even Rondo’s arch rival Los Angeles Lakers had some praise for the one-man band. Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles reports that Dwight Howard was the most impressed.

 

The Lakers’ locker room is enthralled watching Rajon Rondo’s near triple-double in the first half. DH: “The game just comes easy to him”

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 8, 2012

 

At the half, Rondo had 14 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and two blocks on 7-of-11 shooting.  Minutes into the third quarter, he picked up the first of many triple-doubles to come in the 2012-13 regular season.

As one responder noted, who would have thought that assists would be the last thing he needed?

 

Rajon Rondo gets his first triple-double of the season with 2:43 left in the 3rd quarter. 16pts, 12rbs & 10asts.

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 8, 2012

 

Avid fans did not hesitate to sing Rondo’s praise, as the NBA’s triple-double master continues to shock and awe any crowd he finds. In fact, he has done so at a rate that no other point guard has even come close to matching.

Not even Chris Paul.

 

Rajon Rondo has 24 triple doubles from 2008-09 to 2012 (including playoffs), which is 3 times more than the next guard on the list (CP3, 8).

— Jared McKiernan (@jaredmmckiernan) December 8, 2012

 

Just for the record, Rondo has more triple-doubles since 2008-09 than LeBron James. Rondo rests at 24 while James sits at 21.

So where does he sit in Celtics history? Consider him the best of the post-Bird era in the triple-double category.

 

Most triple-doubles by Celtics player since 1992-93 season (1st season w/o Bird)– Rajon Rondo 14, Antoine Walker 13, Paul Pierce 6

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 8, 2012

 

That’s 14 in the regular season and another 10 in the playoffs.

One more statistic? Okay then.

 

Most triple doubles in last 3 seasons- Rajon Rondo 10 (including tonight), LeBron James 5, Andre Iguodala 4

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 8, 2012

 

Unfortunately, not all went well for Rondo. Despite leading the Celtics to what should have been a victory, Rondo could not convert when it mattered most.

He slipped on his attempt at a buzzer-beating game-winner.

 

A tragic end to a magical evening in which Rondo went… Well, Rondo was just being Rondo.

Anyone still up for a debate about his being elite?

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Live Blog: Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

 Boston  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers have a lot in common so far this season.

They both are gritty east coast teams. They both are led by great point guards who love to pass (Jrue Holiday is second to Rajon Rondo in the Eastern Conference assist leader race).

But more importantly, they both have aspirations of going deep into the playoffs.

This weekend the Atlantic Division foes have a two-game weekend series to see who is going to take the lead in chasing down the Big Apple teams in the Atlantic Division…

Right now, Philly goes into the second game up one after Evan Turner did just enough to over shadow Rajon Rondo’s triple double and beat the Celtics in OT Friday night.

Final score: Philadelphia 76ers 95, Boston Celtics 94.

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Woodson: Knicks can eclipse Heat in East

 New York  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

Maybe the rest of the NBA needed to see the Knicks trounce the Heat again before they could truly view New York as a contender.

Mike Woodson didn’t.

The Knicks coach believed his team could go toe to toe with the Heat before it beat Miami without Carmelo Anthony on Thursday night. New York’s 20-point win in South Beach just strengthened Woodson’s opinion.

“I think it’s out there, there’s no doubt about that,” Woodson said of the notion that the Knicks can finish atop the Eastern Conference, above the Heat.

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Magic Johnson’s a believer

 New York  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

The Lakers Hall of Famer said Friday morning on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” that the Knicks pose a legitimate threat to the Heat in the Eastern Conference — especially if Amar’e Stoudemire accepts a role off of Mike Woodson’s bench.Listen to the complete interview: Why is Magic confident the Knicks can challenge Miami for the Eastern Conference crown?

“This is the team that’s going to give the Heat the most trouble because they have the perimeter players,” Johnson said on the radio show.

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10 numbers to know: Knicks beat the Heat

 New York  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

Ten stats to know from the Knicks’ win over the Heat on Thursday, with the help of vast resources, including the Elias Sports Bureau and Basketball-Reference.com.

1. The Knicks are 14-4, their best 18-game start since going 14-4 in 1993-94, a season in which they lost to the Houston Rockets in seven games in the NBA Finals.

2.Via Elias: The Knicks are the third team in NBA history to go on the road and beat a defending NBA champ by at least 20 points, while playing without their leading scorer.

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Opening Tip: Knicks’ conditioning key?

 New York  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

Every weekday throughout the season, ESPNNewYork.com will tackle a burning question about the Knicks in our “Opening Tip” segment.

Today’s Burning Question: How big a role did Mike Woodson’s offseason conditioning program play in getting the Knicks to compete at a consistently high level?

After the Heat game, Tyson Chandler was asked what people learned about the Knicks on Thursday night. He said, “We’re a deep team.”

But there was something else: How well-conditioned the players are, which allowed them to jump out to a 85-67 lead with 3:05 to play in the third quarter.

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Will the Philadelphia 76ers Regret Trading Away Moe Harkless?

 Philadelphia  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

They say the grass is always greener. Especially when “they” are up north in December.

But in the aftermath of the Sixers’ biggest blockbuster trade since the Chris Webber experiment, is it really greenest in Orlando?

When conducting a roll call of the biggest names involved in their massive summer transaction, one can quickly rattle off the likes of Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. The third marquee name, Andre Iguodala, was the seemingly biggest chip Philly cashed in to consummate the deal.

But there’s another player, a rookie in fact, who may actually be the one who comes back to haunt the team.

Moe Harkless.

Whoa, whoa, whoa—stop the clock, you say. Moe Harkless, who scored a whole bunch of nothing in 15 minutes for the lowly Magic on Wednesday? The one who’s put up a total of four points in his past three outings?

Yup, that Moe Harkless.

Harkless is just 19 years old, an age that, for a mid-first-round draft pick, usually results in an extended hibernation on the bench or extended obscurity in the Development League. But the former St. John’s star has already shown enough, this early in the season, to warrant a look as a starter.

And frankly, it’s his defense that’s opening a lot of eyes.

Looking beyond the previous numbers, the 6’9″ Harkless is shooting close to 50 percent from the field, and is averaging over 11 rebounds, two blocks and nearly two steals over a 48-minute-per-game clip. He even showed glimpses of what could be to come with a ten-point, seven-rebound, four-block performance against the Knicks earlier this season. Some scouts have even favorably compared him to Rudy Gay or Paul George.

And remember, he is probably still shaking off the effects of a groin injury. That hampered his preseason and is notoriously an ailment that lingers and is…well, a pain in the groin.

Just picture the young stat-stuffer in the small forward position for the Sixers, with the similarly-skilled but more polished Evan Turner moved to a more natural shooting guard spot. Hell, throw in second-year center Nikola Vucevic, who’s nearly averaging a double-double, and it’s enough to understand how buyer’s remorse may begin to creep in.

Steady veteran Jason Richardson continues to do yeoman’s work with his new employers. But, frankly, if the aforementioned youngsters continue to develop and improve, it completely rests on a healthy, rejuvenated, effective Bynum (with a contract extension to boot) to justify the trade.

Harkless could very well turn out to be just another meddling forward with more potential than production. Vucevic could come back down to earth, settle back at the perimeter and lack the toughness which eventually made him expendable in Philly. And Bynum could come back with a vengeance and lead the Sixers to the Promised Land for the first time since Moses.

But boy, at least for a Sixers fan, the grass sure looks pretty green in Orlando right about now.

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Is Jason Terry or Courtney Lee a Better Fit with Boston Celtics Starters?

 Boston  No Responses »
Dec 072012
 

More so than at any point in the last five years, this season the Boston Celtics have struggled to find a reliable rotation—new pieces have entered the organization, and roles have yet to be figured out. If you’re searching for ways to cast blame on the Celtics’ overall dysfunction, look no further than their permeable starting lineup.

What was once set in stone has suddenly turned into a weekly guessing game, with any finished product now miles from being realized.  

Before diving in to discuss whether Jason Terry or Courtney Lee is the better fit to be on the court for the opening tip, let it be said that this question will soon be rendered a moot point.

Based on his incredible impact last season beside Rajon Rondo, Brandon Bass, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, third-year guard Avery Bradley will be inserted into the starting lineup once he’s cleared to return from two offseason shoulder surgeries.

But in the meantime, the Terry or Lee question is an interesting one. Let’s first summarize how each player has individually performed in a Celtics uniform before taking a look at how they’ve played with the starters, and, more importantly, how the starters have played with them.

 

Courtney Lee

Excluding Andrew Bynum from the conversation, a solid argument can be made that Courtney Lee has been the most disappointing offseason acquisition in the NBA.

After scoring 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting in the season opener against Miami, Lee’s next four scoring totals by game went like this: seven, two, four and six.

He was playing hesitant, unsure basketball while the team struggled to a 2-3 record. After scoring six points against the Sixers, Lee was replaced in the starting lineup by Terry for Boston’s next game against Milwaukee. He failed to score.

Lee was the new piece, the sore thumb. It may not have been fair, but at the time, Doc Rivers’ decision to place him on the bench was best for the team.

A lot goes into wins and losses apart from who starts the basketball game, and according to a slew of statistics, when Lee is on the floor beside Rondo, Bass, Pierce and Garnett, the Celtics are very, very good.

They’ve shared the court for just 35 minutes, but their per-48 numbers are above the team’s average in several basic yet significant categories, such as rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

Also, they’re shooting the lights out.

The unit’s true shooting percentage is 65.7 percent (as a team, Boston’s is 55.4 percent), they score 1.22 points per possession while giving 0.991 and grab a quarter of all the offensive rebounds available (still below league average, but seven percentage points higher than what the Celtics are doing as a team).

On both offense and defense, second-chance points, points off turnover, points in the paint and fast-break points are all higher (or lower) than the team’s average. Overall they haven’t played much together, but looking at the numbers it’s impossible to say Lee doesn’t  fit. 

 

Jason Terry

Right now Terry is in the starting lineup, and he should be. He’s shooting 39.7 percent on three-pointers (his best since 2007), boasting a true shooting percentage of 63.3 percent (a career best) and is getting to the line more than he did last season on about three fewer minutes of action per game.

He was inserted into the starting lineup in Milwaukee on November 10, and it’s no coincidence that the win Boston came away with that night stands as one of the team’s two or three most important of the season. The Celtics needed Terry, and he responded.

But this wasn’t how it was supposed to be, and there’s more than a good chance this won’t be how it ends. Terry is an above-average offensive player, and utilizing a scoring ability such as his off the bench is a weapon most teams wish they had.

Doc Rivers wants to use Terry with his second unit. But he also wants wins, and thanks to his overall consistency, Terry is the safer bet.

The most used five-man unit the Celtics have deployed this season is Rondo, Bass, Pierce, Terry and Garnett. They’re scoring 1.05 points per possession (a top-10 offense on par with the San Antonio Spurs) while giving up .093 points per possession (a defense that would be best in the league by a staggering three points per 100 possessions).

 

Who Should Be In The Starting Lineup Moving Forward?

Either option, honestly, is solid. Both can shoot and both can create off the dribble. So far Terry has played beside the other starters for more than 100 more than Lee.

A discrepancy this large can’t be ignored, but when you factor in defensive intensity with his glowing numbers running amongst the starters, Lee should be given another shot in the starting lineup. 

The clip below encapsulates the type of impact Lee can have to kick off a basketball game. He’s fast, has quick hands and feet (making him a nightmare for opposing players driving at him in isolation) and is more than capable of knocking down a jump shot or finishing at the rim.    

Looking at the big picture, who starts at shooting guard until Avery Bradley gets healthy is not the difference between Boston winning the championship or falling in the first round. But if they want to re-establish themselves as a defense-first organization while remaining a fast-paced offense capable of matching up well against nearly every team in the league, Courtney Lee should not be coming off the bench.

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