Omer Asik scores on his own basket in Rockets’ win over Raptors (VIDEO) (Ball Don’t Lie)

 Toronto  No Responses »
Nov 282012
 

Omer Asik’s been great on the defensive boards for the Houston Rockets, grabbing nearly 28 percent of opponents’ misses during his time on the court this season. The Toronto Raptors, the Rockets’ Tuesday night opponents, kind of stink on the offensive glass, posting the league’s ninth-worst offensive rebounding percentage thus far. Logic, then, dictates that just about whenever the Raptors missed a shot on Tuesday, if Asik was out there, he’d be Hoovering it and quickly tossing an outlet pass to Houston table-setters James Harden and Jeremy Lin.
And then plays like this happen, and you’re reminded that logic doesn’t always reign in a game with a round ball that bounces funny from time to time:

Welp. Not precisely the kind of defensive glass-cleaning Houston’s come to expect from its 26-year-old starting center.

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Derrick Rose: Slumping Chicago Bulls Must Adapt to Life Without Star PG

 Chicago  No Responses »
Nov 202012
 

The Chicago Bulls are currently mired in a two-game losing streak, and their only victory in the past four games has come against the mediocre Phoenix Suns in overtime.

It’s clear that this 5-5 team is struggling to adapt without superstar point guard Derrick Rose, who is out indefinitely rehabbing a torn ACL suffering in last year’s first playoff game.

However, that’s no excuse for their poor defensive effort, something that head coach Tom Thibodeau is fuming about. He vented to ESPN Chicago’s Nick Friedell:

“The defense right now, the intensity, we got to get that part right,” a frustrated Thibodeau said. “We got to get that right. The rebounding’s not good, the turnovers … so the defense the rebounding and the turnovers, all three are a problem right now so we got to correct that. Those three things put you in position to win. Then the inside out and sharing the ball. So we got to correct that.” 

While the Bulls are still ninth in the league in points allowed—giving up just 94.2 per game—they haven’t held a team under 100 since beating the Minnesota Timberwolves back on November 10th—four games ago.

If that trend continues, the Bulls are going to lose a lot more than they win. They aren’t an offensive team whatsoever without Rose, relying on a relatively even point distribution between their starters and primary bench players.

Luol Deng is the “go-to” scorer now, and is averaging just 18.1 points in 40.1 minutes of play. When Joakim Noah, a player renowned for his defensive intensity and hustle, is the second leading scorer—it’s readily apparent that this isn’t a group that will outgun anyone.

The Chicago brass did its best to find an adequate replacement for Rose in the offseason, bringing “Captain” Kirk Hinrich back aboard to facilitate and signing a surprisingly rejuvenated Nate Robinson to get buckets off the bench, but coach Thib’s squad is obviously still hurting without the 2010 MVP’s production.

It’s looking like the only way to keep this ship afloat is to figure out a way to play defense, and fortunately that is the head coach’s specialty. He’s a mastermind that knows how to hinder the opposition, regardless of personnel. Unfortunately, it seems that the players and Thibodeau aren’t on the same page right now.

Until they get their act together, dial up the intensity on D and buckle down for stops, the Bulls are going to struggle. They have a chance to turn things around and get back above .500 on Wednesday night when they travel to Houston to take on the Rockets.

If you tune in, make sure to observe how the team is playing defense as a unit against a feisty young team that includes James Harden, Jeremy Lin and former Bull, Omer Asik. It’s imperative that they succeed on that end in order to hold the Rockets under 100 points and pick up a W. 

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Create-a-Caption: Kobe Bryant advises James Harden (Ball Don’t Lie)

 LA Clippers  No Responses »
Nov 192012
 

“One thing you have to keep in mind, James — you’ve got to get your teammates involved, you know? I mean, you’re using about 30 percent of your team’s possessions and assisting on about 23 percent of your teammates’ buckets. Me , on the other hand? I’m using fewer possessions than you are and dropping dimes more often. I just really think that if you got on my level as a facilitator, James, your team would be better off … something to think about, man.” — Kobe Bryant, trolling James Harden and everyone who’s watched the NBA for the past decade or so, before dishing 11 helpers against just three turnovers in 35 minutes en route to his 18th career triple-double in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 119-108 win over Harden’s Houston Rockets on Sunday (probably).
That’s my story, anyway. What do you think Kobe and James chatted about pregame? Best caption wins more advice from Kobe, this time on how to stay healthy . Good luck.
In our last adventure : The Miami Heat getting smoked by the Los Angeles Clippers is the kind of thing that gives Erik Spoelstra the ol’ pruneface.

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Rodney Stuckey wouldn’t mind coming off the bench, but his coach disagrees (Ball Don’t Lie)

 Oklahoma City  No Responses »
Nov 162012
 

For years, it has been commonly accepted that basketball players would prefer to start. It marks status, showing that the coach has entrusted that player with getting the team off to a good start as part of the team’s ideal five-man unit. Earning that position is a milestone in any player’s career.
In recent years, however, the rise of players like James Harden (when he was with the Oklahoma City Thunder) and San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili has turned being a sixth man into a potentially prestigious role. This player doesn’t have to be thought of a bench player — he can be the star of the second wave of attackers, the player who gives his team a major advantage when the starters begin to tire and lesser talents enter the game.
It’s still rare for a player to want to come off the bench. That’s why it’s notable that Detroit Pistons combo guard Rodney Stuckey, long a starter, would prefer to come off the bench. What’s even more surprising is that Pistons coach Lawrence Frank doesn’t like the idea. From Vincent Goodwill for The Detroit News (via SLAM ):

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LeBron James leaves eager fan hanging after Heat hold off Nuggets (VIDEO) (Ball Don’t Lie)

 Miami  No Responses »
Nov 162012
 

The box score lists three blocked shots for LeBron James during the Miami Heat’s bounce-back 98-93 road win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, but his coldest rejection of the night came after the final buzzer. Behold:

“Close that hand. Close it up.” Sound advice, as always, from “Inside the NBA” commentator Kenny Smith. Another option: Turn into the skid and just go through the full swing-clasp-one-arm-bro-hug motion yourself. If James Harden can high-five invisible friends , I see no reason why you can’t do it; I mean, you’ve already got enough bread for a courtside seat, right? Big up yourself and dap up yourself. You’ve earned it (probably).
Playing without banged-up running buddy Dwyane Wade, James was again sensational on Thursday night, leading all scorers with 27 points on 11-for-23 shooting, dishing a game-high 12 assists against four turnovers, and grabbing a Heat-best seven rebounds as Miami held off a fourth-quarter Nuggets rally. James now ranks third in the league in scoring at 24.8 points per game, trailing only Kobe Bryant and James Harden; he’s also 17th in the league in rebounds per game and 15th in the league in assists per game, and he’s turning it over less than 10 percent of the time, a career low.
Exemplary work, LeBron. I’d shake your hand, but something tells me you wouldn’t be down for that.
Video via firstandskol . Hat-tip to C.J. Fogler .

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Carlos Boozer Wins NBA Player of the Night After Leading Bulls Past Suns

 Chicago  No Responses »
Nov 152012
 

Believe me when I say I’m just as surprised as you are.

Carlos Boozer—who has become a perpetual underachiever bordering on liability—led a battered Chicago Bulls team to a grueling road victory over the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night.

Yes, it was a night that saw Rudy Gay light up the Oklahoma City Thunder for 28 points and James Harden drop 30 points for the Houston Rockets. It was also a night that saw Kemba Walker defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves at the buzzer.

But those performances didn’t compare or rather, didn’t mean as much as Boozer’s eye-opening cause in Phoenix.

Stat Line: 28 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and one steal on 55 percent shooting.

It seemed as if it was going to be an easy night for the Derrick Rose-less Bulls.

Chicago led by as many 18 points and the game appeared out of reach for the Suns early on. But Phoenix fought back, as the Bulls squandered their commanding lead and were forced into overtime.

It was there that Chicago took over, scoring on its first five possessions to build a nine-point lead with less than a minute and a half to go. That proved to be a mountain the Suns weren’t prepared to climb.

Despite the dominant performance in overtime, though, make no mistake that the Bulls were in danger of losing this game. They relinquished what should have been an insurmountable lead as they couldn’t find a go-to scorer to lead their cause.

Enter Boozer.

The often ineffective power forward set a game-high in points, scoring and rebounding Chicago’s way to victory.

This was the performance Boozer needed, the one the Bulls have been waiting for all season. With him staring down the barrel of a summer where he could potentially be amnestied, Boozer had to remind Chicago why it threw $80 million his way more than two years ago.

No, one game isn’t going to save the forward’s job, but in this one game, he was the dominant force on the glass we once knew. He was also the reliable scorer we came to appreciate with the Utah Jazz.

Most importantly, though, he emerged as a player his teammates could look to in a time of need.

Both Joakim Noah and Luol Deng chipped in 21 points apiece, but the former struggled to get his shot to fall and the latter struggled to get his shot off at all.

Boozer, however, had no such issues. He shot at an extremely high percentage despite jacking up 20 attempts and subsequently, Chicago was plus-11 with him on the floor.

His willingness to log nearly 40 minutes on a 30-year-old body that is anything but durable was also a sign of his determination, something he had failed to show thus far this season.

But not here. On a night when the Bulls were far from their best, Boozer helped carry them to victory because he was at his best.

That being said, while it was an encouraging performance to say the least, we are nowhere near ready to conclude that Boozer is on a pathway back to success. 

However, this single performance was a start.

One that could ultimately spark Boozer’s return to prominence.

 

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