it looks like GSW's grand plan of having awful jerseys to distract their opponents is working well!

Meanwhile, McHale says that Jeremy Lin's basically been playing sick in the last two games, which explain his suckitude during that stretch I guess. and it probably cost them yesterday's close game against the Wizards, though they have an extremely favorable stretch coming up. and will mercifully finally have the guys they traded for available . (i'd think Garcia will probably see playing time pretty soon, not sure about Robinson. though I'd think if they just tell him to stop shooting and grab boards he'd be instantly more useful.) as the Kings took their sweet time taking the physicals. (or maybe they don't have any physician on payroll so they had to wait for an appointment or something ;))

Lin's 3p% development per month is very encouraging though.

Nov .263
Dec .292
Jan .327
Feb .452

He's basically gone from god awful to damn good in the stretch of a few month. guess the knee really was still bothering him early on.

Few other notes: Royce White 's recent couple games in the D-League have been god awful, guess all that tweeting and not practicing is catching up to him. I am mildly intrigued by Glen Rice Jr though, he's not consistent at all but he seem to have a legit shot and is pretty tall for a SG (6-6). with pretty good athleticism, seem like a potential volume shooting guard in the making?

Though between him and Royce White, that's some pretty serious personal issue collection down there.

LeBron and Durant are, unsurprisingly, 1-2 in the league in WS. Guess who's #3?

***

I was a big proponent of Rice at GT (on the court, anyway) and had pegged him as a sleeper to do well in the D-League. He seemed to take off for Rio Grande with the call-up of Chris Johnson to the T-Wolves - in part it was getting fed minutes and touches, in part he may have benefited from spending time as an undersized three.
For the unfamiliar, he's not like his dad - an erratic shooter, but a capable passer, good rebounder, and able defender. (Also, he's getting loads of blocks this year, kinda weird for a wing.) If he'll buy into the role, he could be a real asset at the next level as a do everything energy guy off the bench. Left school early after getting kicked off a college team that really need him (he was their best player) - was unable to find a school (afaict) to take him on for his senior year.

LeBron and Durant are, unsurprisingly, 1-2 in the league in WS. Guess who's #3?

Is it Tyson Chandler?

edit: no -- though Chandler is 6th in the league

LeBron and Durant are, unsurprisingly, 1-2 in the league in WS. Guess who's #3?

Tim Duncan?

EDIT: Not even close

EDIT 2: Damn, I should have known that one.

Either Paul or Harden. Probably Harden, since that would be the surprise answer. As I have said many times, I think OKC will feel Harden's absence in the money games, beginning in RD 2.

I thought the rest of 902 was indicating that Glen Rice Jr. is #3 in win shares.

Yikes, I knew Harden was good but thought his D would have taken a bit more toll on his WS then that.

Also, Chandler Parson's #2 on the Rockets WS, that's pretty scary considering how this guy is getting paid pennies.

You'd figure the Rockets almost certainly try to make a play for one of the big 3 FA this off season no? especially Bynum or Howard. I suppose Paul could work too but that's a bit more tricky.

Yup, it's Glen Rice Jr. I mean Harden. I'd've thought the iffy team D would've hurt him more as well (WS doesn't know that Harden takes plays off, that Asik makes up for some of that, etc...).

Big FA: I'm sure HOU will chat 'em up.

edit: stupid double post

wtf triple post?

Quick check-in on the Clips-Grizz race for 3rd. Grizzlies are now 1.5 back - even in the loss column. They play each other on March 13th. In between now and then, the Grizz play DAL, @MIA, @ORL, POR, @CLE, NOH, @POR. It's a bit road heavy, but outside of the MIA game, none of those teams are above .500. The Clips play CHA, @IND, @CLE, OKC, MIL, @DEN, DET. 4 home against 3 away, but @IND, OKC, and @DEN are going to be really tough games.

I say all that to say this - the Grizzlies need to go about 6-1 leading into that Clippers game. If they do that, they could be within a .5 game or maybe even up on the Clippers. And that is important because the @POR, @LAC sequence is a back-to-back that is the first half of an all-road 4-in-5 that concludes with @DEN, @UTA. Dropping the last 3 of those games would not be surprising at all. UTA, LAC, and DEN have lost 15 games combined at home all year. Portland is actually pretty good at home too for that matter. If they're still 1.5-2 back or worse when they play the Clippers, they could easily be 3-4-5 back 4 days later. If that happens, their shot at the 3 seed will probably be gone.

I would like to know where all the "Grizzlies can go all the way with this team" people were in between early December and the Gay trade. They were sure awfully quiet.

Re: Glen Rice Jr.: Bristol Palin is single again, right?...

I would like to know where all the "Grizzlies can go all the way with this team" people were in between early December and the Gay trade. They were sure awfully quiet.

To be fair, I'm not really sure that's what anyone is saying now either. It seems to be more of they were a fringey sort of contender that might catch some breaks and go deep. I think that was a pretty good description of the team. The difference between me and some of the people who didn't like the trade is that I think it's still basically an accurate description and I'm increasingly skeptical that the Gay trade actually moved the needle on their chances, which aren't great. If anything I think it might have helped.

Honestly, the people who have pushed the narrative that the Gay trade threw away some chance of playoff run have mostly seemed to me to be national mainstream-type commentators who just needed something to say about them after this trade went down. I haven't seen too much from anyone that would make me think "this guy actually thinks the Grizz had some sort of real championship shot before they traded Rudy." At most I think there are people who saw them as a team, that because of their play-style and the way they have gone out the last two years, might be a really tough out that could go deeper than people think and now don't have that chance without Gay. But some of them are sort of talking about it in a way that makes it sound like they actually thought the Grizz had more than a puncher's chance before.

OKC bringing back Derek Fisher. I guess that might help.

I'm unfamiliar with how the D-league works in the NBA, for a guy like Glen Rice that was drafted by the Vipers themselves , he can technically be sold / signed by any team ?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OLK4t9Q_sxk#t=0s

Also, in the latest Viper game, he did this. that's some pretty serious elevation, though i think with that sort of show boating he's going to get punch in the face by someone soon.

Any NBA team can get any d league guy, so long as he's not a nba player that has been assigned there (like white).
Rice was one of 4 guys in their dunk contest a week back...

Fisher: I shouldn't have been surprised I guess but ... really?

Fisher : the NBA version's Roger Clemens

The problem with having Fisher on your roster is that you might use him.

Fisher : the NBA version's Omar Vizquel

fixed

On the one hand, Fisher is terrible and this is a terrible decision. On the other hand, I guess at least Maynor was so bad that it won't change their backup PG production much.

Fisher : the NBA version's Omar Vizquel

More of a backup catcher - Pat Borders?

If you price him right, yup. Only a mil of Rip's contract next year is guaranteed and the Bulls looked as if they've been setting themselves up all year for that move (to not pay tax).

If the Bulls wanted, they could have sent money with Rip that pretty much would have covered his salary the rest of this year and the buyout for next. Not that I think Jerry would do that, but it wasn't rumored; it was rumored that Denver wanted him and wanted a first round pick to take him off the Bulls hands. The Bulls passed.

OKC bringing back Derek Fisher. I guess that might help.

Doesn't he need to be in the league to stay as head of the union from the players side?

If the Bulls wanted, they could have sent money with Rip that pretty much would have covered his salary the rest of this year and the buyout for next. Not that I think Jerry would do that, but it wasn't rumored; it was rumored that Denver wanted him and wanted a first round pick to take him off the Bulls hands. The Bulls passed.

Exactly - I thought that that was what they'd do. (A move like that, at least - sending a first + some $.) I guess this way they can say 'we paid tax'?

Fisher could go straight to management, couldn't he? (If they wanted him...)

Exactly - I thought that that was what they'd do. (A move like that, at least - sending a first + some $.) I guess this way they can say 'we paid tax'?

I guess that's possibly where the negotiations could have broke down. If the Bulls were paying everything owed Rip, I could see them not wanting to include a pick. They'd only send the pick if they weren't sending money.

But they're now also paying tax.
Granted, I'd haven't done the math to see what they'd save/spend - I was just surprised. They didn't have to play footsie with Fesenko, etc... granted, that means spending money as well.

the people who have pushed the narrative that the Gay trade threw away some chance of playoff run have mostly seemed to me to be national mainstream-type commentators who just needed something to say about them after this trade went down

Gay also seems fairly popular, so I doubt anyone wanted to point out that the team is basically just as good without him. The MSM doesn't usually trash stars to that degree (they might say that players' attitudes kill teams, but not that they aren't as talented as everyone thinks).

More of a backup catcher - Pat Borders?

I'd compare him to Matt Stairs.

I guess this way they can say 'we paid tax'?

Is it just me, or are teams making a really big deal out of the repeater penalty way before it should be a concern? I have heard that penalty used as an explanation for several moves or possible moves when teams could wait until they're actually in danger of repeatedly being in the tax before scrambling to get under it.

I guess it could just be a PR justification for not wanting to pay the tax this year.

Fisher: I like the idea of PG = C, as game managers.

Haberstroh on LBJ as elite jump shooter. ($) Two bits of trivia from the piece: LeBron has more shot attempts from outside ten feet than the other nine guys in the league's top 10 for FG% put together - and - of the 28 guys who have taken 400 or more Js this year, LeBron leads them all in FG% on jumpers.

Aldridge says that the Wiz and Clips agreed on an Ariza for Caron Butler swap, nixed by Sterling. (There's other interesting stuff there as well, no surprise considering the source.)

According to Basketball Reference's Simple Rating System, the Suns are having their worst season since their first, in 1968-69.

Yeah, I was trying to come up with a baseball Fisher -- a guy who was a role player on a bunch of championship teams, and then sticks around as a "leader" long after his playing ability has evaporated -- and couldn't really. I can think of guys like Vizquel, Kendall, and Julio Franco who pulled off the second part, but it's surprising how little that correlates with having won championships (in fact, if I'm not mistaken, those three combine for zero rings.)

Of course, in baseball, 1) there are fewer multi-time championship teams to begin with, and 2) individual players have less responsibility -- it'd be more logical to give Fisher credit for Lakers' wins (especially since he did hit some big shots...) than to give credit for Yankees' wins to Francisco Cervelli. Still, I was surprised I couldn't come up with anyone who fit the bill (although I bet there are some).

How about Joe Girardi?

Aldridge says that the Wiz and Clips agreed on an Ariza for Caron Butler swap, nixed by Sterling. (There's other interesting stuff there as well, no surprise considering the source.)

The first time I saw this I read it as "nixed by Stern," and I was wondering why the hell the commissioner would get involved in a Butler-Ariza trade.

I was wondering why the hell the commissioner would get involved in a Butler-Ariza trade.

Basketball reasons, duh.

Haberstroh on LBJ as elite jump shooter. ($) Two bits of trivia from the piece: LeBron has more shot attempts from outside ten feet than the other nine guys in the league's top 10 for FG% put together - and - of the 28 guys who have taken 400 or more Js this year, LeBron leads them all in FG% on jumpers.

I was wondering about this the other day. LeBron is shooting over 56% despite taking over 18% of his attempts as 3's. Does anyone have an easy way to find out what the highest FG% ever is for someone who takes, say, at least one 3 every 6 shots?

Yeah, I was trying to come up with a baseball Fisher -- a guy who was a role player on a bunch of championship teams, and then sticks around as a "leader" long after his playing ability has evaporated -- and couldn't really. I can think of guys like Vizquel, Kendall, and Julio Franco who pulled off the second part, but it's surprising how little that correlates with having won championships (in fact, if I'm not mistaken, those three combine for zero rings.)

david eckstein seems like a solid comp.

Rose update: he can dunk again.

Dunk update: LeBron is very good at it (skip to 35 seconds in).

I was wondering about this the other day. LeBron is shooting over 56% despite taking over 18% of his attempts as 3's. Does anyone have an easy way to find out what the highest FG% ever is for someone who takes, say, at least one 3 every 6 shots?

As a proxy, all players with >52% FG% and >2 3PA/G.

The best two season by this are Barkley - although in both of his seasons he only had ~13% of his shots as threes, more like 1 in 7 or 1 in 8. Then again, he also shot 22 and 28% from 3 in those seasons. Chuck really should have stuck to twos.

Parsing this list a bit more, for >800 FGA in a season and 15% of FGA as 3PA, you get Stockton at .538 on 27% 3PA in '96 followed by Mullin at .536 at 18% 3PA in '90. Obviously, Lebron's at .567 on 19% 3PA gives you a sense of the kind of season he's having, efficiency wise.

still doesnt seem fully confident doing that but it is a good sign

Parsing this list a bit more, for >800 FGA in a season and 15% of FGA as 3PA, you get Stockton at .538 on 27% 3PA in '96 followed by Mullin at .536 at 18% 3PA in '90.

Mullin's '96 is just under 800 FGA (792), but it's over 25% 3's and 55% shooting, which is pretty unbelievable as well. Stockton in '95 and '97 was also within 50 attempts of 800 at similar rates.

Of course, Stockton was taking 10 shots per game; LeBron is taking 18.

What do the non-Chicago people think of Rose coming back this year? I think that he should be back as soon as the doctors say he is fully ready to return. It is possible that there is a much higher risk of reinjury in the period immediately after a player returns, but I tend to think that the risk is built into the recovery timetable (ie- that doctors make a guy rehab until the risk is not that much more than normal). Rose and the Bulls are good enough that I do not think it is worth wasting a year of potential contention to minimally reduce the risk of reinjury.

What do the non-Chicago people think of Rose coming back this year?

My opinion, as a Celtics fan who wants Rose in the league for a long time, largely hinges on the risk you discuss. If there is a significantly larger risk of reinjury to coming back this season as opposed to waiting for next season, I absolutely do not want him to risk it. If there isn't, I would love to see what he could do to the Eastern Conference playoffs, even at 80% (or whatever). I don't know that Rose needs to wait until he's completely 100% to come back, but I would rather he (and the Bulls) err on the side of protecting his long-term health if there's a conflict there.

What do the non-Chicago people think of Rose coming back this year? I think that he should be back as soon as the doctors say he is fully ready to return. It is possible that there is a much higher risk of reinjury in the period immediately after a player returns, but I tend to think that the risk is built into the recovery timetable (ie- that doctors make a guy rehab until the risk is not that much more than normal). Rose and the Bulls are good enough that I do not think it is worth wasting a year of potential contention to minimally reduce the risk of reinjury.

i would disagree with the bolded statement. the bulls have no offense, and getting rose in the lineup at 80% doesn't meaningfully change that. they are not a good team.

they're a highly motivated team, which is a credit to the butcher, but they're just not talented. even compared to past years, they don't korver or asik or brewer, and i think rose is 100% right that he should sit out until he's fully himself again.



i'll tell you this, it's seriously frustrating to think that rose could be in the lineup this week despite tearing his ACL 9 months ago, whereas andrew bynum is still not even practicing because he might have mildly sprained his knee 6 months ago. i'm not gonna #### on him if he really does have an injury, but it ####### sucks to have to follow the sixers right now.

jesus ####### christ, he's bane.

Edit: post error.

i would disagree with the bolded statement. the bulls have no offense, and getting rose in the lineup at 80% doesn't meaningfully change that.

This underestimates how terrible Kirk Hinrich is. Rose at 10% is an upgrade on Hinrich.

they're a highly motivated team, which is a credit to the butcher, but they're just not talented. even compared to past years, they don't korver or asik or brewer, and i think rose is 100% right that he should sit out until he's fully himself again.

I've said this before, but the idea that their talent is lacking because Korver or Brewer are gone is silly - hell, Butler is better than Brewer (they do miss Korver's 3pt shooting which has had a domino affect on the rest of the team but he isn't the difference on any team). I'll give you Asik, but we're not talking about replacing significant minutes here (Noah's replaced most of them, and at a higher level than what Asik gave the Bulls). Going to my previous point, losing Watson might be the most significant loss from last year considering how bad (and hurt) Hinrich has been, but NateRob has done just fine in the scoring guard off the bench role.

If one believes the Bulls weren't that good when healthy either of the last 2 years, you're not going to believe that they're going to be good this year when healthy. I think that's a perfectly reasonable position, but I do not think there's a significant non-Rose* reason to downgrade this year's team compared to the last 2.

*I think the schedule and their consistent effort made their offense better relative to everyone else during last year's compressed schedule, so even with Rose they weren't going to be a top 5 ORtg team again.

Well just as we were discussing the Vipers and D-league yesterday , today the Rockets announce that they signed Tim Ohlbrecht from the Vipers to a deal (3 years, 2 team option) . interesting choice, though Ohlbrecht was obviously one of the best player down there not already on their roster, doesn't he just kinda bring the same thing Montejunas does though ? (except more defensive oriented I guess. ) they're both PF / C tweener in a sense. and both have good jump shots you generally expect from European players. though D-Mo has a much better offensive game as a whole.

Still it is amusing to see the Rocket's nearly all white front court though.

Lakers lost to the Nuggets ( in Denver, surprise!) and the Celtics beat the Jazz in OT, good day for the Rockets in general, now Jazz lead over them is a mere half game and the Lakers are again 3 back .

BTW, if John Wall wasn't hurt most of the Year the Wizards would have so easily made the playoffs. on the bright side they get another high pick probably which should guarantee a run next year barring more injuries.

Yeah, that was one of those scheduled losses on the Laker calendar they couldn't afford to give up. It just goes to show that, for all the fears non-Laker fans have of this team rising up, the hole they've dug is too deep, and they're just not who we though they were.

D12, 3-14 from the line. Un. #######. Believable.

3-14? wow.

When are they going to force some of those guys to start using the underhand FTs?

We all know how much Bill Russell dominated when he joined a mostly white, nowhere near as athletic league in 1956. Would he be able to dominate on defense if a 21 year old Bill Russell stepped into a hot tub and accidently turned the dial up to 2013?

This video makes me think he just might have.

Should have finished with a dunk though. Had he done that, Tom Chambers would have been derivative.

HUAL recently talked briefly about underhanded free throws. The one Barry who stuck with it (stepbrother of the famous ones, who mostly hate their dad and didn't want to honor him, afaict) had to adjust his form in order to deal with the baggier outfits of today.

Just imagine what Russell could have done if he could shoot the ball.

@ZachLowe_NBA: Rudy Gay is shooting 37.5 percent, and 26.1 % from three, as a Raptor.
@tomhaberstroh: NBA's 2nd-most FGA per game since trade.