Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NBA. Show all posts
Warriors 47-1 On Fastbreak Points To Beat Mavs 128-120
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Andrew Bogut and the Golden State Warriors improve to 65-7 beating the Dallas Mavericks with the
three-point shot and fastbreak points.
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Mavs pulled close in the 4th quarter again, only to lose by 8 to the Warriors, 128-120.
by Rodney FisherOn the night his former team gives him a championship ring, David Lee's 12pts, 9 boards, and 6 assists could not help get the win. Wesley Matthews led the Mavs with 26 points. JJ Barra added 21 points in the road loss.
Thompson and Curry combined for 73 points, including 14-28 from the three point line. Nine of the fourteen made three-pointers came from Klay Thompson on his route to his third 40 point game this season. The Warrriors now improve to 65-7 and only need to go 8-2 in their remaining games to surpass the record-setting Chicago Bulls 72-10 record.
The Mavericks decided to give their Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams the night off to prepare for a back-to-back road series that starts in Sacramento on Sunday. Without them, the Mavs slow defense was on full display.
Key Stat: The Warriors outscored the Mavs on fastbreak points 47-1.
Stephen Curry poured in 33 points on slow shooting night. Draymond Green logged his 29th double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 assists to go with seven boards.
With the stat line the Warriors had you would have thought the game would have been a blowout, but the old Mavs hung tough.
Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr:
“It was one of the strangest games we’ve had this year when you look at the stats. We beat them 47-1 in fastbreak points and had seven turnovers. If you tell me that before the game, I tell you win by 30. That is one of the best coached teams in the league so even when they are down Dirk Nowitzki, Devin Harris and Deron Williams they generate really good offense. We say it all the time, they have NBA players. Our defense was horrific. Dallas exposed us, they ran great stuff, they made shots and they deserve all the credit in the world, but our defense was horrific. We lost focus time-after-time. It’s strange because usually when we lose focus we turn the ball over, but we only had seven turnovers, a season low. We did a good job offensively, but defensively we were kind of a mess.”
Most of the postgame conversation centered around a possible matchup of both teams in the first round of the playoffs. Say what you will, but the Mavs have played the Warriors tougher than most teams in their 2-1 season series. Both teams and coaches took the high road to say they are not worried about who the play in the playoffs just yet.
Why The Mavs Can Still Make The Playoffs
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| Pondering the possibilities of the Dallas Mavericks to make the playoffs. |
Even with Chandler Parsons out for the rest of the season, the Dallas Mavericks can still make the playoffs.
by Rodney FisherFour teams all vying for the last three playoff spots in the Western Conference. What do the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, and Portland Trailblazers have in common? They are all losing.
The Mavs high hopes for securing a #5 seed have collapsed since the All-Star break. Poor bench play, an experimental small lineup, and the poor play of their young nucleus of Parsons and Wes Matthews have been the biggest factors. The news that Parsons will miss yet another playoff run for the Mavs is not the death blow most fans think it is.
Looking back at how the Mavs played at the beginning of the season, you see them taking advantage of a jump-shot heavy league with Zsa Zsa Pachula surprisingly becoming an instant double-double. Keep in mind that he barely missed being the only Maverick to make the All-Star team by fan vote. For whatever reason, he has been relegated to the bench but with Parsons out the hope of running a small starting lineup with Dirk playing the five does not work.
Add in the emergence of one Saleh Majri, the 28-year old NBA rookie. He is not next great Big Man, but has shown enough flashes to twist Rick Carlisle's arm to start. This could get the Mavs back to playing the winning basketball they played prior to the All-Star break. Maybe.
Missing Parsons is not like missing Dirk. Sure they will have to rest Dirk a few games to preserve him, but he us playing great basketball right now. Now Wes Matthews can get back to playing offense on the perimeter and shooting the three. Deron Williams can put-up-or-shut-up if he wants to really reestablish himself in the league as an elite point guard. Everyone, including Javale McGee, will have to make a major contribution.
The other three teams in the hurt are facing their own problems. Houston, currently on a three game losing streak, is nursing their own injury plagued squad and dealing with a new coach with a fractured locker room. Utah has some tough games against San Antonio, Golden State, Clippers, and the Mavs to break the 1-1 series tie. The Blazers young squad led by Damon Lillard is fiery and quick, but how much can one man do.
This is the opportunity for the Mavs to galvanize as a unit and make the playoffs. An eighth seed, no matter the team, will be the sacrificial lamb for the Golden Warriors, but making the playoffs is the standard for Mavericks basketball.
Do you think the Mavs can still make the playoffs?
Mavs Release Official Statement on Chandler Parsons Knee
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| Chandler Parsons out for the Dallas Mavericks again... |
by Rodney Fisher
Here is the Mavs official statement:
MAVERICKS FORWARD CHANDLER PARSONS TO MISS ROAD TRIP
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks announced today that forward Chandler Parsons will not travel with the team on the upcoming road trip due to a right knee injury. Treatment options are currently being explored.
Chandler (6-10, 230) has played in 61 games (51 starts) and has averaged 13.7 points, while shooting .490 from the field and .414 from 3-point range in 29.5 minutes. He also has averaged 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
© 2016 Dallas Mavericks
Anthony Davis is Being Too Nice To the Pelicans
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| Anthony Davis will miss the remainder of the NBA season and Olympic Rio Games. |
The news of Anthony Davis, the 23-year old basketball phenom, will mess the rest of the NBA season to finally fix his bad shoulder and knee disturbs me.
by Rodney FisherYou draft a 19-year old freak of nature, NCAA champion, and Olympic gold medalist as your cornerstone building block for a franchise and a city to promote, but because you want to remain marginally relevant and stay in the conversation with free agents you allow your him to forego getting his torn labrum fixed for three years?
I don't see the rationale here by the Pelicans to let this linger so long.
"If I think about, 'Oh well, I can keep playing with my knee and all this,' I think that's just being selfish."
I commend Davis for playing through off-and-on pain in his left shoulder, but son you have to put your young body first when it comes to a team that can not make the playoffs or put adequate pieces around you. Don't wait for three more years to pass and you start to have knee trouble before you decide to finally do something.
With his partially torn labrum, Davis has still proven to be one of the NBA brightest young stars. We should all be more impressed today by his 21pts, 10 board career average.
Why do the Pelicans believe that now is the time to have this surgery done? Does it have anything to do with a $24 million bonus added to his contract extension if he makes an All-NBA team this season? Hard to do if you only play 61 games.
"Of course it came up. But nah, I told them, at the end of the day, I'm worried about my health. It it happens, it happens. I mean, it's gonna take care of itself."
This is what happens when there is no true veteran leadership on the team to guide Davis. I can't see Kobe, LeBron, Garnett, Duncan, or any of the All-Star players that he has played with telling him to let this linger on for this team. If you were a legitimate contender in the conference or a perennial playoff team, then maybe. But for the New Orleans Pelicans...a franchise that can't get him a solid coach?
This is expected to sideline him for five to six months, missing his opportunity to play for the Olympic team. This honor that only comes around every four years is too important to pass up for a young player looking to grow his brand.
"Twenty-three years old...A couple more Olympics, maybe? But it's definetely a tough situation. I love USA basketball, love when I was there in 2012, love when I played in the World Cup in 2014."
Maybe the change of heart by Davis and the Pelicans to finally make repairs will signify a postive change for both parties. Maybe the Pelicans will take their time and finally put together a team around their young star. For others in the NBA, be ready for a two-arm Anthony Davis to return...
Do you think Anthony Davis is being too nice to the Pelicans?
The Impact of David Lee for the Dallas Mavericks
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| David Lee is making an immediate impact for the Dallas Mavericks. |
David Lee in Dallas
by Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
First of all allow me to send a special shout out to the Boston Celtics. And before I get into this article and say, “Thank you NOT for using him up!” I know what your thinking, “How could a columnist start a story off like this?” Well the answer is simple.
Danny Ainge and his stooge of a coach kept him on the bench while Boston continued to stink up the joint. Flash forward to last Monday night. David came off the bench and scored a few points and grabbed 3 rebounds to change the dynamics of the game. Dallas has a few big men that settles for jump shots and hate posting up. David will be that change we need. He plays great defense, he can pass from the blocks and he can score in traffic.
If you go back a year ago to the Golden State Warriors winning the NBA Championship. The person Steve Kerr played in front of him was Draymond Green. Draymond struggled in the last 2 games with scoring, defense and rebounds. Kerr injected Lee and he brought life into the games. Sad to see that he was sent back to the bench and Green began to play better. The Warriors won the championship, but Lee was the forgotten piece to the series.
I`ve watched him since his playing days at Florida. He can play and he has an vivid understanding to the game. He`s a 2 time All-Star with career average of 14.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Dallas struggles at rebounding and he`s the key to turning it around. Sad to see a good player fall out of the rotation on two teams that need him. Rick Calisle has to recognize time management and allow him to play his game. I can see him staying here for the long term.
The buyout from Boston was a good thing and the 2.1 million portion from Dallas wasn`t so bad either. The Mavs still has cap room to build but received a quality player to boost post play in the line up.
OUs Buddy Hield Should Be the #1 Pick in the NBA Draft
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| Is Buddy Hield really the #1 in the NBA Draft? |
Should OUs Buddy Hield be the #1 pick in the NBA Draft?
by Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
Scouting talent for the NBA is a risky job. You see so many talented players from schools all over the country. The first place NBA general managers look at are the schools with championships pedigree like DUKE, Michigan, Michigan State, Kansas and Kentucky. But, the BIG 12 has a really good player in Buddy Hield. Let`s take a look at Buddy and dissect his game from the college ranks looking forward to next season in the NBA.
Buddy at OU
Buddy is a 6`4, 214 pound senior guard at Oklahoma. Since attending OU he has gotten better across the board. As a freshman he averaged 7.8 points a game shooting .238 from the field. His sophomore year he averaged 16.5 points a game with 46 steals. His junior year his average raised to 17.4 and .359 from the 3 point arc. Now, it`s his senior year and he`s making noise. He could easily go in the first round along with other dynamic players. Buddy has a tremendous upside to his game. He`s very coachable and is great in the locker room. Buddy was named Big 12 player of the year. He holds numerous scoring marks at OU, he`s scored 182 three pointers in 2 years for the Sooner`s. He`s the undisputed leader on and off the floor. He`s also a bit of a trash talker and vocal leader for his team.
Buddy In The NBA
He has the size to play along side the greats but, there's a big difference from playing college players to competing 82 games against men. The NBA game is much faster and physical from the NCAA`s.
I see him going early in the second round. First rounders at the guard position are bigger and more athletic than Buddy. You can`t count any players out, but the truth is the truth. He will be looked over during the draft.
Press Release: Dallas Mavericks Sign David Lee
MAVERICKS SIGN FREE AGENT DAVID LEE
DALLAS—The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent forward/center David Lee. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a related move, the Mavericks also requested waivers on guard John Jenkins.
Lee (6-9, 245) was originally drafted by the New York Knicks with the 30th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. He spent the first five years of his career as a Knick before signing as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors prior to the 2010-11 season. He played five seasons with the Warriors before being traded to the Boston Celtics this past offseason.
The two-time NBA All-Star (2010, 2013) holds career averages of 14.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 30.9 minutes in 725 career games (494 starts) with New York, Golden State and Boston. Lee was named All-NBA Third Team in 2013 and was a member of Golden State’s 2015 World Championship squad.
The Saint Louis, Mo., native was waived by the Celtics February 19 and cleared waivers before the Mavericks signed him as a free agent. Lee will wear number 42.
Jenkins was signed by the Mavericks as a free agent on July 24, 2015. He saw action in 21 games for Dallas this season (1 start) and averaged 3.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest.
© 2016 Dallas Mavericks
More NBA Trade Rumors
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| Will Trevor Ariza stay in Houston? |
NBA Trade Rumors
by Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
It`s that time of year! Every team is gearing up for the playoffs and getting the right fit to make a run at the NBA Championship. First things first, you have to look at cap space, long term deals and locker room fit. Dwight Howard is at the to of the list. Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Al Horford, Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside, Luol Deng and Randy Foye are just a tip of the iceberg.
Dwight Howard is the key to the movement. During the All-Star break it was rumored that the Rockets wanted a 3 team trade for Howard. “I never ask anyone for a trade. The team and I will fix what`s broken”, Howard said. “You have to remember that they`re only rumors that`s all”.
Howard wants a max deal deal that could land him 8 years 124 million, but Houston is reluctant. “Why would you give a player that kind of money and he only practices every other practice,!” said Houston`s ex coach Kevin McHale. Houston thought of trading Howard to Memphis for Marc Gasol before he went down with an injury last month.
The Heat has their eyes set on Houston swingman Trevor Ariza. Ariza loves it in Houston along side Harding.
Take a look at Randy Foye in Denver. Denver is guard heavy with rookie Emmanuel Mudiay getting better and Jameer Nelson on the bench to provide a spark.
The New Orleans Pelicans are going back and forth with Bucks big man Greg Monroe. He would be a good fit with Anthony Davis in the post. The Pelicans are also flirting with Omer Asik and Ryan Anderson in a trade.
Stay tuned!
2016 NBA All-Star First Timers
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| Isiah Thomas joins the new list of NBA All-Stars. |
First Time NBA All Stars
by Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
The 2016 NBA All Star game with be very intriguing. This will be Kobe`s last year playing (retiring), Pau Gasol didn`t make it and Dirk will be taking a rest while on the team. The starting line ups is a ball handlers dream with Chris Paul, James Harden, John Wall and Kyrie Irving.
Let take a look at the new guys playing for the first time. Draymond Green, Andre Drummond and Isiah Thomas will make their first appearance in the 2016 game. Lets take a look at these young guys and how they got to be All stars.
Draymond Green - Forward GS Warriors
He leads the NBA in triple doubles with 6 this season. He`s a forward with great court vision and distribute the ball like a guard. He has good ball handling skills and will take a rebound and push it down the floor for a score or an assist. This won`t be his last All-Star game.
Andre Drummond - Center Detroit Pistons
He leads the league in double-double and in rebounds this season. He`s the face of the resurgence of the Pistons. He`s the only true center beside DeMarcus Cousins playing in this years game. Great as a post player when his back is facing the rim.
Isaiah Thomas - Point Guard Boston Celtics
Brad Stevens stepped into a hornets nest by becoming the head coach for the Boston Celtics. He had no stars and cornerstone for the rebuilding of the franchise. They traded away Jeff Green and others to rebuild. In comes Isaiah Thomas. He is the unquestioned leader for his team. The team roll when he has control of the ball. I can say I`m happy to see him shine.
This years All-Star Game will be one to remember. Not because of the star power but the first year players that have made their way to the forefront to the NBA`s elite. Great job guys.
Are The Dallas Mavericks Ready To Trade Deron Williams?
| Will Deron Williams still be a Dallas Maverick after the NBA trade deadline? |
NBA Trade Rumors: Dallas Mavericks
by Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
Deron Williams for Jeff Teague? Why would the Mavs entertain the thought?
Seriously speaking Deron Williams should have been a Dallas Maverick four years ago when he decided to take the money from the Brooklyn Nets. He was in his prime, but instead it was four injury prone years wasting away in the Northeast.
Lets talk trade now.
Jeff Teague is younger, an All-Star last year on a team with 60 wins, and his contract dollar wise makes sense. Dennis Schroder has been playing lights out which makes Jeff Teague expendable. Schroder's contract saves the Hawks money and he is younger. Deron Williams is on a team filled with guards and trading him gives more playing time to J.J. Barea, Raymond Felton and Devin Harris. Teague can easily play at the shooting guard position because he is a scorer. Teague can make the clutch shots with the shot clock running down. Williams has struggled in the clutch shooting 37% when he has the ball in his hands.
The Mavs lost big game play when they gave up Monta Ellis and he`s playing big in Indiana right now. The Mavs needs a proven stopper in the paint and rebounding is down on both ends of the floor. JaVale McGee, Selah Merji and Satnam Singh Bahamara could be dealt as well. The problem is not with guards it`s with the big men. There`s so many players on the trading block but the Mavs need to pick up an enforcer in the paint that can play in the post.
Let`s sit back and see what the Mavericks do at the NBA trade deadline.
Can Any Teams in the Western Conference Beat the Spurs or Warriors
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| Are there any teams in the West that can challenge the Warriors or the Spurs. |
Can any teams in the Western Conference beat the Spurs or Warriors?
by Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
It`s Monday and I usually watch the WWE, but tonight is a special night for basketball fans all over the country. The Spurs are playing the Golden State Warriors in Oakland. The Warriors leads the NBA in points scored and the Spurs leads the NBA in defense. The young brash boy from the Bay Area was supposed to be tested by the NBA`s elder statesmen. The game wasn`t even close. The Warriors came out with so much energy that the Spurs couldn`t keep up. It was lopsided to say the least. Curry scored 37 points and saw limited playing time in the 4th. In a span of 8 days the Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavs and San Antonio Spurs by 30 points.
So, lets entertain the question at hand. Can any team in the West beat the Spurs or Warriors? The answer is Yes! You have Oklahoma City, Portland TrailBlazers, Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz.
The Spurs and Warriors are 1 and 2 in the West and the All-Star break hasn`t happened yet. You can be beat at anytime. The Warriors has dropped games to the Mavericks and a surprising Denver Nuggets team. The teams I listed above plays well in the playoffs. Who cares about the regular season. The key is to get to the Western Conference finals to see who will represent the the conference. My grandfather once shared an old saying with me, “Big horse runs fast, don`t run long!” Which means a team like San Antonio has the continuity to play well into the playoffs and eventually win it all. Let`s see who can beat these two teams and represent the West in the upcoming playoffs.
Can Any Team In The Eastern Conference Beat The Cavs?
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| What teams in the NBA Eastern Conference can beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs? |
Can any team in the Eastern Conference beat the Cavs?
by Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
Can any team in the Eastern Conference beat the Cavaliers? Well the answer is.. NO! Cleveland is hands down the best team in the east. Look at who`s next. Nobody. Im not a LeBron fan at all. The Cavs are a stacked team across the board. Let`s take a look at 4 teams that can push the Cavs for their limits.
Miami Heat
The Heat has some pretty good players. LeBron has won a championship with DeWayne Wade and Chris Bosh but stopping him would be an undaunted task. Deng matches up well against LeBron but limited minutes always hamper his 4th quarter production against LeBron.
Toronto Raptors
Could give them a run, but I only see them losing in 5 games easily. Young and talented they just don1t have the veteran leadership to compete with the Cavs.
Boston Celtics
Head Coach Brad Stevens unleashed the dogs against the Cavs last year. Marcus Smart can guard LeBron but he`s spending way too much time on being a knucklehead instead of being a professional.
The Celtics should allow David Lee to play his game because he`s the only champion on the roster winning a title with Golden state. You have to remember when Draymon Green disappeared during the final, David Lee was the catalyst for the turn around last year.
Chicago Bulls
The ONLY team in the east that match up well across the board. Jimmy Butler can play with these guys. He`s a proven start that can score and defend. PG Derek Rose is the key. If he`s healthy the point guard match between Kyrie Irvin and D`Rose is an awesome ticket in person or on network TV.
Let`s see how this all play out! Tyron Lue has his hands full with this cast of characters.
The Late Shift Live: All-NBA Podcast featuring Kobe Bryant Interviews tonight at 11pm CST
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| Kobe Bryant announces his retirement from basketball. |
Podcast: All-NBA Podcast
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| Kevin Durant returns for the OKC Thunder. Photo credit: Rodney Fisher |
The Last Shift is the web's #1 late night sports show. On the All-NBA podcast, host Rodney Fisher reviews the past week of NBA action and previews the week to come.
On this episode, we talk about the opening of the 2015-16 NBA season.
- Houston Rockets fire coach, but still not winning
- NBA Power Rankings
- Cleveland Cavaliers flying under the radar.
- Will the 76ers ever win a game?
The Late Shift is brought to you by NTXGAME.com and credentialed by the NBA.
NBA: Thunder Halt Mavs Win Streak 117-114
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| Russell Westbrook put up 31 points to beat the Dallas Mavericks 117-114. |
Podcast: The Late Shift All-NBA Weekly Podcast
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| The Late Shift: All-NBA Podcast |
The Last Shift is the web's #1 late night sports show. On the All-NBA podcast, host Rodney Fisher reviews the past week of NBA action and previews the week to come.
On this episode, we talk about the opening of the 2015-16 NBA season.
- Are the Warriors going to break the 72 win record?
- Biggest suprise so far?
- Early look at rookies.
- The wild, wild, Western Conference.
The Late Shift is brought to you by NTXGAME.com and credentialed by the NBA.
Kobe Bryant LIVE Interview - Sunday Night 9:30pm CST
Kobe Bryant, entering into his 20th NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, talks to NTXGAME.com live after the Mavs vs Lakers game this Sunday.
Live streaming video by Ustream
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