NBA FanHouse

McMillan Scraps Blazers' 3-Guard Lineup

Matt Steinmetz — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:25:00 EST

Apparently, when you're a pretty good team but lose to the Warriors, it's time to make some changes. Even if you don't necessarily want to.

And that's what happened with coach Nate McMillan and the Blazers over the weekend. After losing to Golden State 108-94 on Friday night at Oracle Arena, lo and behold there was a different starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Timberwolves: Andre Miller out; Martell Webster in.

Gone is the three-guard starting lineup featuring Steve Blake, Miller and Brandon Roy, and McMillan explained the change pretty matter-of-factly to The Oregonian before his team blew out Minnesota on Saturday: "I want to give the team back to Brandon. It's his team."

What makes the move curious is that it was only one day prior when McMillan was singing the praises of his three-guard lineup. Not to mention that the three-guard lineup had won seven of eight games before that loss to Golden State.

"I was hoping it would work out the way it's worked out in the sense of still being able to have a spreader who could shoot the ball with Blake being out there," McMillan said Friday. "(And) having two guards who can recognize and get the ball to our bigs on the inside and then play off of Brandon on the perimeter."

But Roy was little factor in the loss to the Warriors, struggling from the field on his way to a 17-point night. It was obvious Roy was bothered some by the quickness of his defender, Monta Ellis. A frustrated Roy also picked up a technical foul in that game, just the third of his career.

One of the things McMillan was asked about on Friday was the wear and tear that Roy was taking by having to play the small forward position and guarding the opposition's best perimeter player. McMillan insisted that wasn't the case.

"I don't agree with that," McMillan said. "... He was guarding the same guys last year as he's guarding this year. I think that's perception more than anything. Nick (Batum) last year took the best offensive player and Brandon took the other wing regardless of who he was.

"He's not taking the best. He didn't take Ben Gordon (Wednesday vs. Detroit). He could have been running around chasing Ben Gordon. So, I don't agree with that. I think that's perception."

What is real, however, is that McMillan has made the switch and maintains it will be for a while. What's also apparent is the move sits well with Roy, but not necessarily with Miller.

"I feel like we tried it, and you could say it worked at times," Roy said. "But me sacrificing hurt the team, so it should get back to me playing full-out and getting some other guys in other areas to sacrifice a little bit."

Said Miller: "We went 7-2, so I don't think that's a problem. And over half of the games were on the road. I'm not going to look at it that way. We won games."

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

McMillan Scraps Blazers' 3-Guard Lineup originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Power Rankings: Soaring Hawks

Brett Pollakoff — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pacers, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Power Rankings

The Atlanta Hawks find themselves at the top of our rankings this week, thanks to a five-game winning streak against some strong competition -- a gritty overtime win over the Blazers and a road win in Boston were both impressive. Now, let's see if they can avoid the top-spot-jinx on Wednesday night, when they'll host Miami in a rematch of last year's first round playoff series. As for the other 29 teams? Read on to see how they stacked up.

1. Hawks (9-2) | Prev.: 5
Early front-runner for Sixth Man Award: Jamal Crawford. And by the way, who was Joe Johnson calling out earlier in the season and why? -- Matt Steinmetz
2. Suns (10-2) | Prev.: 2
Is there any other player in the league who can go 2-for-10 from the floor - which Nash did against Houston on Tuesday night - and still be the most influential player on the court? -- MS
3. Cavaliers (8-3) | Prev.: 12
The Cavs are still miles away from where they were last year, but who cares? They've won five in a row and eight of their last nine, and haven't missed a beat with Shaquille O'Neal sitting the last two with injury. Expect this team to continue picking up steam: four of their next five opponents are currently under .500. -- Matt Watson
4. Nuggets (8-3) | Prev.: 8
Carmelo Anthony dances with the Gods and charms their eyelids to slumber. Also, this Birdman blonde goatee thing he's growing is creeping me out. In conclusion, this team's really good. -- Matt Moore
5. Lakers (8-3) | Prev.: 1
Nothing to see here, people. Move along. Lakers are doing just fine, thank you - 8-3 and Pau Gasol hasn't even played a game yet. -- MS
6. Mavericks (8-3) | Prev.: 6
The Mavericks aren't considered elite at the moment, and we're struggling to figure out why. Victories over the Lakers and Rockets, and the fifth highest point differential in the league all have led to an 8-3 record. The opening night what the what loss to the surprisingly miserable Wizards doesn't look great, nor does the utter collapse against the Spurs without Duncan and Parker inspire confidence. But in the interim, Dirk Nowitzki's playing like the elite player he is, Jason Kidd is ripping out assists at a high rate, and Rodrigue Beaubois is a surprisingly talented rookie at both ends of the floor. Why are we always surprised at Dallas? -- MM
7. Magic (8-3) | Prev.: 9
Just as Rashard Lewis returns from suspension, Jameer Nelson goes down with a knee injury. He's expected back in 4-6 weeks, but that could put is into the new year before we get to see Orlando begin to try to work on its chemistry issues. -- BP

8. Celtics (8-3) | Prev.: 3
The blistering start with the return of Kevin Garnett and addition of Rasheed Wallace has begotten a hiccup of sorts, with losses to the Hawks and Pacers. The other Celtics loss came at the hands of the sizzling Suns, and yes, one of these teams is not like the other. Paul Pierce is banged up, and needless to say his health is vital for this team's offense. -- Tom Ziller
9. Blazers (8-4) | Prev.: 7
Portland has improved with every game, and has become a defensive force. Greg Oden is finally living up to his potential, even if it's only on the defensive side of the ball. If Nate McMillan can figure out how to better work in Andre Miller, this team looks primed for a deep, deep run in the playoffs and ready to take their place as the Lakers' heir apparent. Denver might have something to say about that, however. -- MM

10. Pacers (5-3) | Prev.: 24
There's two ways to look at Indiana's five-game winning streak. On the one hand, they've feasted on some cupcakes with a combined 14-37 record -- their home victory over the Celtics was their only opponent in that span with a winning record. That said, you play the games that are on the schedule, and the Pacers have answered the call with flair, winning by an average of nearly 12 points a game. Danny Granger remains one of the most underrated stars in the game, and Roy Hibbert is emerging into a double-double machine. -- MW

11. Rockets (6-5) | Prev.: 13
The John McClane of the NBA. There's no raucous feel-good attitude to this team. They're not pleasantly surprised when their offense lets them outscore a team or two. They expect to win every single game and kill themselves in the pursuit of that goal. And keep this in mind, the Rockets have yet to lose to a sub-.500 team, and two of their losses (Portland and LA) were followed by wins over those same teams. "Yippee ki-yay, Southwest Division." -- MM

12. Bulls (6-4) | Prev.: 10
The Bulls have an intriguing mix of veterans and youth -- and sure, to his credit, Vinny Del Negro hasn't been awful -- but there's just one glaring concern: they simply can't score, at least not on a consistent basis. It's a rare night the Bulls are outworked, but can they keep up their stamina while spending the next two weeks on the road on their cursed circus trip? A decade-long sample size suggests not: over the last 10 years, the Bulls have gone 9-56 on the annual early-season rite of passage. -- MW

13. Bucks (5-3) | Prev.: 15
Remember all the questions surrounding Brandon Jennings on draft day? How he watched his name called from a hotel room because none of the teams in the lottery could guarantee he wouldn't be the last in the green room? He's needed fewer than 10 games to make a lot of seasoned execs turn red -- even before his 55-point outburst made him a household name. Forget Rookie of the Year -- at this point in the (still extremely) young season, Jennings has to be included in the MVP conversation. -- MW

14. Thunder (6-5) | Prev.: 14
Don't look now, but the Thunder are still above .500 in the middle of November. Not exactly the biggest feat, but considering wins over the Spurs, Heat, and the Magic, the potential is there for this team to make a playoff run. But they've got to get better consistency from the Big 3 (Durant, Green, Westbrook), and quit losing silly games like Sunday's banana-peel blooper against the Clippers. -- MM

15. Heat (7-3) | Prev.: 4
Dwyane Wade saved the day when the team was short-handed against the Nets, but Miami was at full strength when they lost the next time out to the Thunder. The fact that no one's showing up to their home games definitely isn't helping the Heat take care of business against teams they should beat, and that situation isn't likely to change anytime soon. -- BP

16. Raptors (5-6) | Prev.: 16
Every game the Raptors lose seems like a waste of a superlative effort by Chris Bosh, the league's best big man early this season. Toronto has a dominant offense, capable of scoring on any team in the league. But the defense is as bad as ever: the team does everything poorly. Shooting defense? Awful. Opponent turnover rate? Awful. Defensive rebounding? Awful. Opponent free throw rate? Awful. Reggie Evans can help whenever he makes his season debut (he sprained a foot in preseason), but he won't be able to fix all these problems. That's problematic, if you figure the offense won't keep clicking like this forever. -- TZ

17. Kings (5-5) | Prev.: 20
Sacramento may be middle of the pack when it comes to these power rankings, but the Kings are among the NBA's elite when it comes to teams that play hard. All in all, a nice start to the Paul Westphal era. -- MS

18. Spurs (4-4) | Prev.: 11
Feast or famine. Win over the Mavericks or loss to the Thunder. Struggling to find an identity with the All-Stars or playing with fire without them. The Spurs are just weird right now. Every time they seem to be figuring things out (wins over Toronto and Mavericks in laughers), they turn around and do something like lose at home to the Thunder. But at least everyone's healthy...ish. For now. Eeeeee. -- MM

19. Pistons (5-6) | Prev.: 18
Considering they've played the last nine games without two veteran starters, the new-look Pistons are actually hanging in there. You want to talk about depth? Four different players have taken turns as the high scorer in the last four games. Will Bynum, who opened the year as the fourth guard, has averaged nearly 22 points a game in the last four while emerging as the team's best playmaker. So what's the bad news? This roster still needs another scoring big man to be taken seriously. Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince need to hurry back -- so Joe Dumars can put them on the trading block. -- MW

20. Jazz (4-6) | Prev.: 17
Fear for the Jazz. They're still dangerous and have time to get it together, but this team is a mess in terms of chemistry, effort, and focus. Sloan needs to do something to regain his team's attention. -- MM

21. 76ers (4-6) | Prev.: 23
The surprising problem for the 76ers, who have typically started slowly during the Andre Iguodala era, has been its defense, which doesn't reflect well on coach Eddie Jordan. Opponents are shooting an absurd 41 percent from three against Philly -- that figure was closer to league average (36.7 percent) last season. The team is still generating turnovers, but the perimeter players have apparently forgotten to stick a hand in the shooters' faces. Bummer, since the Sixers (despite adding designated sniper Jason Kapono) can't make it up with threes of their own. -- TZ

22. Bobcats (3-7) | Prev.: 19
Stephen Jackson, Boris Diaw and Gerald Wallace: Versatility or uniformity? Can't get that old Dylan lyric out of my head ... "... something is happening here but you don't know what it is ..." -- MS

23. Hornets (4-8) | Prev.: 21
From good, to bad, to worse, to oh noes, to "well, at least they beat the Clippers." The Hornets are in bad shape, with no real mercy in sight, and ownership is considering shipping newly acquired Emeka Okafor out of town, if you believe the reports. Scott's already gone, and Chris Paul's on the shelf. Long is not the word for what their season looks like. Agonizing. That's more like it. -- MM

24. Clippers (4-8) | Prev.: 22
Sure, everyone is waiting for Blake Griffin. But in the meantime, the Clippers really miss Eric Gordon. What's more, the Clippers are off to a terrible start at home (2-5). -- MS

25. Wizards (2-7) | Prev.: 25
Gilbert Arenas is back to being Agent Zero, and even has a Lil Penny-style video on his website to prove it. He's also said he'll begin doing the Twitter thing once he gets to a million followers, but Wizards fans would probably rather have some wins at this point than quirky quotes from their favorite player. Actually, scratch that: they're Wizards fans, so I've probably got that backwards. -- BP

26. Warriors (3-7) | Prev.: 26
Stephen Jackson's gone, Monta Ellis might be next and in the meantime Golden State is looking at this in the short-term: at Boston, vs. Portland, at Dallas, at San Antonio, vs. L.A. Lakers. -- MS

27. Grizzlies (2-8) | Prev.: 29
They replaced Allen Iverson who refused to come off the bench for them and then abandoned them, with Jamal Tinsley. I'm not even going to comment on that one. Just let that one stew in its own juices for a while. -- MM

28. Timberwolves (1-10) | Prev.: 27
Good news. Kevin Love is healing and the Wolves will likely have a return date on Friday after an X-Ray. Bad news. David Kahn seems to be already feeling the pressure for his point-guard splurges and the Rubio disaster. This franchise for all its excitement when Kahn was hired, somehow looks worse than it did under McHale. Yikes. -- MM

29. Knicks (1-9) | Prev.: 28
The Knicks truly couldn't be doing more to end the LeBron, Wade and Bosh speculation by Christmas. The team is awful and miserable after an awful and miserly summer. Sacrificing in the present for future success is obviously a world-worn strategy, but it's still little excuse for assembling so little talent and showing so little spirit. And the poor fans can't even root on John Wall! Sad. -- TZ

30. Nets (0-11) | Prev.: 30
Another 0-fer week for our heroic New Jersey Nets. This Saturday should provide a decent opportunity for Win No. 1: the Knicks are coming to town! And seriously, what a depressing affair that will be. Courtney Lee and Devin Harris may be back for that one; expect a full-on basketball war from the home team. -- TZ

NBA Power Rankings: Soaring Hawks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stinkface Chronicles: Iggy Popped

Rob Peterson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Grizzlies, Kings, Nets, Trail Blazers, Warriors, NBA Videos

Rookies. What do they know?

Not much except that, with the per diem paid over the table in NBA instead of under it in college, they need to get the donuts before practice, carry their teammates' bags and stay out of the way of the veterans.

Oh, about that last part? The Nets' Terrence Williams, rookie out of Louisville, may need to work on it a bit.

Video after the jump.

You see, poor Mr. Williams (and to be fair, two teammates) had the misfortune of trying to check the Sixers' Andre Iguodala on a fast break last Friday. And unlike the indignities of fetching fried pastry weathered by rookies off the court, Williams' suffered his inaugural association humiliation on it.

Iguodala, the man who delivered the blow to Williams' self-esteem, unleashed a dunk so furious that Iggy's teammates were moved to hold each other.

Let's look at the dunk itself. Like many of today's bruising, well-built forwards in the NBA, Iguodala tucked the ball in the crook of his elbow as if he were going to plunge into a Lincoln Financial Field end zone instead of emasculating T-Will by sweeping the leg on Williams' Y-chromosome.

But Iggy's tuck served two purposes: one, going one-on-three as he did, Iguodala had to protect the rock, and two, it allowed him to cup it so, as the late, great Chick Hearn once said -- and Sixers announcers Marc Zumoff alluded to -- "rock the baby to sleep." Then again, if anyone rocks their baby like this, I'm calling Child Protective Services, because it's clearly abusive.

Veterans Bobby Simmons, who has never played much defense in his career, and Courtney Lee, who probably had Dwight Howard come down hard on him in practice last season in Orlando more than a couple of times, backed away once they saw Iguodala tuck it. They know you don't pass from that position. But Williams challenged, and the rookie paid the price. Moments after Iguodala sent the Wachovia Center crowd into a frenzy, he nearly sent Williams into the courtside patrons.

Williams will learn. In the meantime, he can always tell his grandkids about the day he gave a piggy back ride to Iggy.

As for the Sixers bench, the dunk was cause for celebration. Because it was early in the game, most of the Philly subs had their warmups on and you can't really tell who's who from the camera angle. But you can see one Sixer get up, run down the length of the bench and embrace a teammate. Very touching.

Yet, the most interesting reaction may be from an assistant coach, who may or may not be Mike O'Koren. Check the video at the four-second mark. Just as Iguodala takes off, the coach two seats to the right of the first Sixer in his warmups, pops up as if his chair were wired for an electric shock. Decorum dictates, however, and he catches himself before he stands up.

Whether the coach was anticipating something great or whether he was just caught in Iguodala's backdraft can be debated. But when a seen-it-all coach does this and gets caught up in a slam, you got stinkface.

Speaking of which, Rudy Gay, who has perpetrated a few nasty slams in his time, got his on Tuesday night as he fought the Outlaw, but the Outlaw won.

Travis Outlaw, my goodness, you're a bad man. First off, the rebound was one of those man-among-boys reach-back-and-snatch-it-right-out-of-your-grille boards. But to follow up with a windmill off of both feet and in Gay's mug, well, sir, I must stand an applaud as the fans wearing jerseys with your number did at the end of the clip. Well done, and yes, as the announcer noticed, "And look at Rudy Gay. He's stunned!"

As were we all.

And finally, our FanHouse man in Northern California, Tom Ziller, threw this one our way, a sweet, sweet inbounds pass from Donte Greene to Jason Thompson. We'll let him explain.

"Nothing great from either bench (GSW was looking morose at that point). But watch Donte when JT actually throws it down. He mimics it, like he was actually executing the dunk off his pass. It's like a talent-show dad doing the choreography from the audience."

Agreed, Greene's reaction was priceless. But there was a slight bench reaction, not, however, from the Warriors players but Golden State coach Don Nelson. He looks perturbed, miffed and altogether bothered. He smacks his hands, shakes his head and thinks, "Paul Mokeski would have never let that happen. I need to go home to Hawai'i."

Nellie only has himself to blame. The Warriors are a mess of his own making and his stinkface may become permanent.

Stinkface Chronicles: Iggy Popped originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Power Rankings: Rising Suns

Brett Pollakoff — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Power Rankings

We're just eight games into the season, but there's no doubt who the surprise team is at this point. The Phoenix Suns are off to a 7-1 start, and have road wins over two of the three remaining one-loss teams. They've done it with Steve Nash leading the league in assists at almost 13 per game, and with the team leading the league in three-point shooting at a ridiculous 47 percent. But all of that only got the Suns to No. 2 in this week's rankings -- read on to see who's on top.

1. Lakers (6-1) | Prev.: 5
Pau Gasol has yet to play a game this season, and Andrew Bynum has missed the last two. But when Kobe Bryant goes for 40 or more three times in the team's first seven games, well, the wins just seem to come anyway.
2. Suns (7-1) | Prev.: 7
You could make a case for the Suns rising all the way to the top this week, especially considering the strength of their recent competition -- which they mostly steamrolled. But one or two doesn't make a whole lot of difference in November, and Phoenix will get their chance at the top-ranked Lakers soon enough: They head to L.A. for a TNT showdown Thursday.
3. Celtics (7-1) | Prev.: 2
After opening the season with eight games in 11 days, the Celtics looked weary in their last two. But they came out of it with just a single loss, and they still lead the league in point differential with an impressive + 14.1 -- the second best team in that department is only at +7.8.
4. Heat (5-1) | Prev.: 8
Contract years are a beautiful thing. Quentin Richardson is in one, and he's set a career mark for most consecutive games with at least nine rebounds -- Q has done it in five straight (and counting).
5. Hawks (5-2) | Prev.: 11
Jamal Crawford is thriving in his sixth man role, and has led or shared the team lead in scoring three times. The Hawks finally put it all together in a dismantling of the Nuggets at home, but whether or not they can take that same show on the road Friday in Boston will say a lot about exactly where this team is at this early point in the season.
6. Mavericks (5-2) | Prev.: 4
Dallas has actually looked like one of the top teams this season, but the fact that they gave away a game at the free throw line cannot go unpunished. But the next night Josh Howard returned, and so did the Mavs' solid play: They crushed the Raptors by 28 points.
7. Blazers (4-3) | Prev.: 13
Nate McMillan pushed the right button in placing Andre Miller alongside Brandon Roy and Steve Blake in the starting lineup, and the team is 2-0 since he made that adjustment.
8. Nuggets (5-2) | Prev.: 3
After the strong start, Denver has dropped two straight since Kenyon Martin went down with an injury. But Anthony Carter might have said it best after the Nuggets' first loss of the season: "When one person goes down, that's why everybody else gets paid to play. Kenyon ain't the whole team."
9. Magic (5-2) | Prev.: 1
Orlando has done well to start 5-2, playing without the suspended Rashard Lewis since the beginning, and missing Vince Carter for four of the last five with an ankle injury. Ryan Anderson had been filling in nicely, but losing him to an injury was too much to overcome, as Orlando lost by 28 without him in Oklahoma City.

10. Bulls (4-2) | Prev.: 16
Winners of three straight after the slow start, including a close one in Cleveland against LeBron and the Cavs. Joakim Noah has been so solid this season that he's making a local columnist eat his words -- literally, and with salsa no less.

11. Spurs (3-3) | Prev.: 6
Tony Parker is expected to miss about a week with an ankle sprain, but Manu Ginobili made sure the team wouldn't drop two straight. He went nuts against Toronto with 36 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and four blocked shots in 32 minutes off the bench. Batman, indeed.

12. Cavaliers (4-3) | Prev.: 10
The media circus surrounding the Cavs feasted last Friday at Madison Square Garden, when the "LeBron James to the Knicks" talk reached a fever pitch. They've had a few days to recover, just in time for Shaquille O'Neal versus Dwight Howard (and Stan Van Gundy) on ESPN this Wednesday.

13. Rockets (4-2) | Prev.: 9
The Rockets have played better than anyone expected, and have done it by playing smart, hard-nosed basketball. Unfortunately for them, Tracy McGrady is getting ready to come back and ruin everything, although the exact timing of his return is something that (surprise!) he and the team don't see eye to eye on.

14. Thunder (3-3) | Prev.: 14
Took apart a depleted Orlando Magic squad, and showed that if you don't make defense a priority against them, this Thunder team is capable of lighting you up -- they shot over 57 percent from the field, and over 53 percent from three-point land in that one. Oh, and also, there's this.

15. Bucks (3-2) | Prev.: 22
Winners of two straight in convincing fashion over the T'Wolves and the Knicks, and it could have been three in a row had they been able to protect an 18-point lead against the Bulls. But Brandon Jennings continues to impress, Andrew Bugut has done the heavy lifting, and everyone else is contributing just enough to keep the team afloat while Michael Redd is out.

16. Raptors (3-4) | Prev.: 21
It's been a pretty simple formula for the Raps this season: hold the other team under 100 points, and win (three times). Allow the other team to get into triple digits, and lose (four times). In other news, Chris Bosh continues his dominant season, with averages of 29 points and 11.6 rebounds through the team's first seven games.

17. Jazz (3-4) | Prev.: 17
Something's off with this year's Jazz team, but it's hard to tell exactly what it is yet. Consistency is something all teams struggle with, especially early on. But home losses aren't the way Utah normally does business, and they already have two to teams that, on paper, they should seemingly beat: the Rockets and the Kings.

18. Pistons (3-4) | Prev.: 23
Sure, I could drone on about the ups and downs of the team's season with Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince sidelined with injuries. But instead, do yourself a favor and read Matt Watson's excellent piece on the forced rebuilding situation in Detroit.

19. Bobcats (3-3) | Prev.: 18
Charlotte is an interesting team. They hammered the Hawks and hung with the Bulls this week, while Gerald Wallace (much to the delight of our own Matt Steinmetz) finally got himself a few assists -- three, to be exact, after going 94 field goal attempts without one through the team's first four games.

20. Kings (3-4) | Prev.: 26
No Kevin Martin? No problem for the Kings, what with the quick coming of age of rookie Tyreke Evans. Evans has led the team to two wins in Martin's absence, and is quickly making the term "combo guard" look very much like something that GMs should start to consider as a positive.

21. Hornets (3-5) | Prev.: 20
NOLA was very fortunate to beat the Mavs, looked wretched against the Raptors and Lakers, then rose up and delivered a 28-point road beatdown to the Clippers. David West's scoring and rebounding averages are down significantly from last year, and unless he can get back to having some occasionally monster performances, the team's going to continue to struggle.

22. Clippers (3-5) | Prev.: 25
Chris Kaman won the Western Conference player of the week award, which, considering he was competing against some 40-point performances from Kobe Bryant, was somewhat impressive. The Clips went 3-0 on the week, and Kaman averaged 24.3 points on .574 shooting from the field, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Sure, it all came to an abrupt end on Monday against the Hornets, but it was a good run while it lasted.

23. Sixers (3-4) | Prev.: 15
Philly seems to be still staggering after the Celtics beat them by 31 in the fourth game of the season. Since, they were lucky to beat a seriously undermanned Nets team, and followed that up with losses to the Pistons and the Suns.

24. Pacers (2-3) | Prev.: 29
After starting 0-3 against some quality competition, the Pacers have two wins over the Knicks and the Wizards -- the latter of which caused Washington to sacrifice a snack tray in frustration afterwards.

25. Wizards (2-5) | Prev.: 12
Things aren't going well in Washington, but the rumors of friction between Gilbert Arenas and Flip Saunders seem to be a bit ridiculous. Meanwhile, the team should be fine once Antawn Jamison returns, and three of the last four losses were to upper echelon teams, so it's not time to push the panic button just yet.

26. Warriors (2-4) | Prev.: 28
If these rankings were based on organizational health, the Warriors would be dead last. But as they showed in putting up 146 points on the T'Wolves on Monday, there's some talent on this roster that needs to be dealt with. Unfortunately, as long as Nellie is running the ship and Steven Jackson is in town, winning is going to be the exception, not the norm.

27. Timberwolves (1-7) | Prev.: 27
Jonny Flynn has been solid, but as long as Al Jefferson continues to struggle offensively, the T'Wolves are going to continue to have problems keeping pace.

28. Knicks (1-7) | Prev.: 19
What never gets mentioned in all the "LeBron to New York" talk is the fact that Mike D'Antoni's system appears to be just an awful, awful fit for the talents of King James.

29. Grizzlies (1-7) | Prev.: 24
The team needs to get out of the shadow of Allen Iverson -- whether it's due to trading him, waiving him, or his choosing to retire -- before they'll have any chance of moving in a positive direction.

30. Nets (0-7) | Prev.: 30
Thanks to a rash of injuries and ailments -- including swine flu taking out Chris Douglas-Roberts -- the team was actually forced to practice against furniture due to a lack of available bodies.

NBA Power Rankings: Rising Suns originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA HouseCast: Magic Fall, Celtics Impress, Lakers Survive

Brett Pollakoff — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Heat, Lakers, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, Rockets, Suns, Trail Blazers, NBA Last Night, Thunder

Welcome to the NBA FanHouse podcast, where our writers get together a few times a week to talk about everything going on in the world of hoops. Want to participate? Leave a comment, or follow us on Twitter @NBAFanHouse.

In a Wednesday edition of the HouseCast (and our first of the season), Matt Watson and Matt Moore joined me to discuss this week's Power Rankings. Of course, we couldn't do that without mentioning that once again, the top-ranked team -- Orlando, in this case -- went down the very same day the rankings were published.

We also recap a busy and interesting night of action, one where the Celtics remained dominant, the Suns remained undefeated, and the Lakers remained underwhelming, while barely surviving the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

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NBA HouseCast: Magic Fall, Celtics Impress, Lakers Survive originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jumping to Conclusions After One Night

Matt Steinmetz — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Lakers, Mavericks, Rockets, Trail Blazers

Home sweet home. Well, for one night anyway. In front of a 42-inch big screen on opening night in the NBA. Let's go ahead and try to read too much into it ...

o. You can't tell me the Cleveland Cavaliers aren't going to come knocking for Stephen Jackson at some point. Looks like LeBron James is going to need some more help.

Hard as this is to say, it doesn't seem like Shaquille O'Neal can even be your No. 2 option. Apparently, the Cavs are reluctant to give up Zydrunas Ilgauskas for Jackson because Cleveland doesn't want to get smaller.

Then again, Jackson would make the Cavaliers tougher, and he would give them someone other than James who can make a play. Besides, the Warriors have Ronny Turiaf to sweeten the deal if need be.

o. With all due respect to Dallas owner Mark Cuban, this year's version of the Mavs isn't better than that team that went to the Finals in 2006. The reason: it was the pre-exposed Dirk Nowitzki in 2006.

Back then, the belief was that a team with Nowitzki as its best player could win it all. But now we know better. And far as anyone can tell, Nowitzki is still Dallas' best player, a healthy Josh Howard or not.

Look, Nowitzki is a wonderful player. But after watching the Mavericks falter against the Heat in '06, then get dismantled by the Warriors in the first round the following season, it seems apparent the Mavericks aren't going to win a title (which is the only way they can be better, right?) until Nowitzki becomes his team's second-best player.

o. Didn't really notice the officiating on opening night, did you? Oh, that's right. The big boys were back.

o. Gilbert Arenas sure looked good in the opener, but Caron Butler might be the most important piece on that team. He's the Wizard most likely to do things other than score to help his team win.

And, yes, I say that even on a night he took 17 shots and had just one assist. By the way, Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld is the early leader in the Executive of the Year Award chase.

o. Pretty troubling sequence from the L.A. Clippers at the end of the first quarter against the Lakers, when they already were down 13. Baron Davis rushed a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining -- just for the sake of a 2-for-1 -- and missed badly. Davis missed so badly that the ball rebounded long to the opposite-of-shy Ricky Davis.

Time to get a good one, right? Exactly. Ricky Davis then proceeded to immediately launch another 3-pointer instead of running down the clock. Banked it home.

o. Houston coach Rick Adelman had to be thinking Warriors -- tonight's Rockets opponent -- down the stretch of their loss to Portland.

Interesting Adelman wasn't even considering coming back with Shane Battier, Trevor Ariza and Luis Scola after some of his subs got Houston back within four of Portland with a couple minutes left.

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Jumping to Conclusions After One Night originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Draft Class of 2006 Not Cashing In

Chris Tomasson — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Celtics, Grizzlies, Jazz, Lakers, Raptors, Trail Blazers, Thunder

Saturday is Halloween, but don't expect many NBA owners and general managers in this shaky economy to dress up as Bill Gates and throw money around.

Oct. 31 is the annual deadline for one-time first-round picks entering their fourth seasons to be eligible to sign extensions that would kick in for their fifth seasons. For stars, it's a chance to land their first really big contract.

But much is silent as the deadline approaches, meaning the overwhelming number of eligible players from the 2006 first round will become restricted free agents next summer. Three players from that draft -- Andrea Bargnani of Toronto and LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy of Portland -- have inked extensions, but not a lot more activity is expected.

An agent who represents a 2006 first-round pick told FanHouse on Monday it's his understanding only three other players from that draft -- Memphis' Rudy Gay, Utah's Ronnie Brewer and Boston's Rajon Rando -- are even still involved in serious negotiations to reach a deal by Saturday.

Even if all three signed extensions by Saturday, that would make the total of six an all-time low since this format started with the 1998 draft (draftees from 1995-97 became unrestricted free agents after three seasons so there was much more urgency). The 2005 class got just seven extensions before Oct. 31, 2008.

Two agents confirmed to FanHouse on Monday their former lottery picks won't sign extensions by Saturday and will become restricted free agents next summer. While it's pretty much confirming the obvious, Mark Bartelstein said Adam Morrison, the No. 3 pick in 2006, won't reach a deal with the Lakers. Guy Zucker said the same is true with his client, Oklahoma City's Thebo Sefolosha, taken No. 13 in that draft.

Indications are Tyrus Thomas, who went No. 4 in 2006 to Chicago, won't sign an extension with the Bulls. Thomas' agent, Brian Elfus, wouldn't offer a confirmation of anything that will happen to his client. But he said he wouldn't consider it a setback if no agreement reached by Saturday.

"I wouldn't be considering it a huge deal (if Thomas doesn't sign by Saturday),'' Elfus said.

With Nos. 1 and 2 selections Bargnani and Aldridge locked up, the highest pick from 2006 bound to be a restricted free agent is Morrison. While there never has been any serious discussion about an extension, Bartelstein said he and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak decided early this offseason that the team would continue to evaluate Morrison into this season.

"We want to give him this year to get his feet back under him,'' Bartelstein said of Morrison, who was traded by Charlotte to the Lakers last February and then played sparingly, not getting into a single playoff game during their title run. "(The Lakers) have a good feeling about him (for the future).''

Three of the 14 lottery picks from 2006 aren't even eligible for extensions due to having previously not had options on their original contracts picked up. Those busts are No. 5 Shelden Williams, No. 9 Patrick O'Bryant and No. 10 Mouhamed Sene.

Thabo Sefolosha, like Morrison, has been dealt, but a trade doesn't change anything when it comes to eligibility for an extension if the rookie contract third- and fourth-year options get picked up. Zucker said there were talks about the Thunder possibly extending Seflosaha, who started 22 of 23 games after being acquired last February from Chicago while averaging 8.5 points.

Update: Sefolosha Signs Extension with Thunder

"We had some discussions, but it didn't result in any conclusions,'' Zucker said. "But (team officials) like (Seflosha) for the future even though we weren't able to reach any financial arrangements.''

With teams wary about costs due to the economy, that has cut down on the number of extensions. So has fears about the salary cap going down significantly next summer and teams losing flexibility.

"Teams know that a player will be restricted next summer and they can still match an offer on him,'' Bartelstein said of the lack of extensions being handed out. "Each team has a unique set of circumstances and some are trying to create cap room and have flexibility. I would say those factors, cap room, the player becoming restricted, and the economy.''

Also, 2006 won't exactly go down as a landmark draft in NBA history. Roy, a two-time participant, is the only player picked that night who has made an All-Star Game, although Aldridge is knocking hard on the door. Bargnani, No. 7 pick Randy Foye, No. 8 Gay, No. 14 Brewer and No. 21 Rondo are also all very much on the rise, but after that the first-round list drops off at the pace of an Acapulco cliff diver.

Here's a look at the 14 lottery picks and No. 21 Rondo and how they stand as Saturday's extension deadline approaches:

No. 1 Andrea Bargnani, Toronto: Has signed a five-year, $50 million extension.

No. 2 LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland: Has signed five-year, $65 million extension.

No. 3 Adam Morrison, Lakers: It remains to be seen if there's any chance of a Lakers return after he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.

No. 4 Tyrus Thomas, Chicago: Unlikely to receive extension after averaging 7.7 points in three seasons. He will have ample chance this season to continue to prove himself.

No. 5 Shelden Williams, Boston: Originally chosen by Atlanta and then traded to Sacramento, but his third-year option for 2009-10 wasn't picked up the Kings last year. So he's not a candidate for an extension.

No. 6 Brandon Roy, Portland: Has signed a five-year maximum extension that could be worth more than $80 million.

No. 7 Randy Foye, Washington: Unlikely to sign extension, with a so-so preseason not helping. The Wizards will continue to evaluate Foye, acquired last June from Minnesota, in his first season with the team.

No. 8 Rudy Gay, Memphis: After averaging 16.7 points in three seasons, he's definitely in the Grizzlies' future. The sides are talking, and it's 50-50 a deal can be reached.

No. 9 Patrick O'Bryant, Toronto: Originally chosen by Golden State, such a colossal mistake that his third-year option for 2008-09 wasn't picked up before the Oct. 31, 2007 deadline. So he's not a candidate for an extension.

No. 10 Mouhamed Sene, out of NBA: Originally chosen by Seattle, which moved to Oklahoma City, but his option for 2009-10 wasn't picked up and he was waived last February. He's now playing in France.

No. 11 J.J. Redick, Orlando: Unlikely to sign extension. Might be looking for a new home next summer.

No. 12 Hilton Armstrong, New Orleans: Unlikely to sign extension. Might want to change his name to Red Roof Armstrong after he's averaged 3.6 points in three seasons and put his long-term future with the Hornets very much in doubt.

No. 13 Thabo Sefolosha, Oklahoma City: While he won't be extended, he could be another young piece Thunder officials might want to hold on to after he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.

No. 14 Ronnie Brewer, Utah: An intriguing athletic player on a team that always has been short on athleticism. It wouldn't be a surprise if an 11th-hour agreement were to be reached on an extension.

No. 21 Rajon Rondo, Boston: The steal of the 2006 draft, having developed into an upper-echelon point guard. The sides are talking, and it's not out of the question a deal could be hammered out by Saturday.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

NBA Draft Class of 2006 Not Cashing In originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blazers Reportedly Lock Up Aldridge

Matt Moore — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA Transactions

The operative phrase here is "with plenty of time to spare."

The Blazers and LaMarcus Aldridge had been working on an extension, the second of the big two the Blazers needed to lock up to ensure stability in their young, contending core (the other being Brandon Roy). The two had until October 31st to get a deal done in order to avoid Aldridge becoming a restricted agent next summer.

There had been rumors that Aldridge was unhappy about how long it was taking, given the Blazers' hyper-eager approach to Roy's five-year, $80 million deal. With Oct. 31 just 10 days away, the clock was ticking. Both sides were confident a deal would get done, but you couldn't blame Blazers fans for getting nervous.

Well, it's Miller time, baby. Not ... Andre Miller ... like the beer ... because Aldridge has a deal, according to ESPN. That snappy wrap-up did not go as well as I planned. Let's move on.

Chad Ford at the four-letter fleet is reporting it's a 5-year, $70 million deal, with incentives to push it to $80 million. Now comes the fun part, trying to figure out if Aldridge is underpaid, overpaid, or paid precisely what he's worth. One comparison would be Joe Johnson's last deal with Atlanta, which was same years, same money. Steve Nash's first contract with Phoenix was five years, $65 million. Blazers Edge reports the deal puts it at about 90% of the max.

An outstanding characteristic of Aldridge is his talent level. He's just a talented power forward. Tall guys that can shoot from range tend to be pretty valuable in the NBA. But you have to think much of this extension is also based on what the Blazers expect from him. And that's got to be something which isn't talent-based, but work-ethic related.

When I broke down an average night from Aldridge last season, I commented on how active he was on defense, but how he didn't commit to the most difficult tasks. He's got to commit to rebounding and his down-low game for the Blazers to reach the elite. Even with Greg Oden, Aldridge needs to be a physical force. Nothing dominant, just an improvement. Considering how far Aldridge has come from where he was coming out of Texas, this is well within reason.

The preseason started rocky for the Blazers, what with Andre Miller's stress over starting and all, but getting Aldridge inked puts them back on track. The Blazers are being careful with what they commit to long-term, and are locking up the sure things on their team. And they're sure Aldridge has the talent to be a star on a championship team.

Blazers Reportedly Lock Up Aldridge originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Trail Blazers

Will Brinson — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA Preseason, NBA Previews

FanHouse previews all 30 NBA teams in advance of the 2009-10 season.

Kevin Pritchard has, amazingly, gone from "favorite NBA genius" to "evil, demented mastermind who garners shifty and angry eyes from people who root for other teams." I'm not sure when that happened -- I believe it was in his second consecutive year of draft-fleecing when people finally stood up and said, "ENOUGH!"

Of course, the Trailblazers are still beloved (again, I think) and are, without question, the pre-eminent NBA team on the rise -- even though that's probably a bit of a misnomer considering they won their division last year. Well, tied. I mean, they won, but I'm pretty sure everyone would take Denver > Portland in terms of performance coming down the stretch in 2009.

However, this past offseason was somewhat different, because it didn't feel like Pritchard was "building" anymore. Instead, he went out and signed Andre Miller from free agency. Miller, over the course of his career, has been one of the best-performing and most underrated point guard in the NBA. And he seemed to be the perfect piece in a potential championship puzzle.

Then the preseason happened, and things got awkward. Personally, I think that the Blazers will be fine; Nate McMillan's a veteran coach, so you know he's far too smart to allow Miller to come in and taint an otherwise spectacularly congenial locker room.

That general feeling of goodwill in Portland starts, naturally, with Brandon Roy, who, besides being one of the best players in the NBA, is also one of the nicest. But his quiet demeanor on and off the court is a stark contrast to his steadily improving, deadly All-Star-caliber game that carries this team.

Even though, somehow, it might not be Roy's [insert: leap/level/jump verb cliche here] that makes the difference in the 2009-10 Portland squad. I mean, yeah, he needs to be really good again, but that probably won't be a big issue. What might is the improvement of Greg Oden (you notice he's not mentioned below), the continued breakout of LaMarcus Aldridge (he really is quite good) and the further development of the various upside-riddled role players like Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw.

But this team is straight stacked and will be getting all the "sexy love" leading up to the season -- that is to say, because they seem like such a semi-sleeper in the Western Conference, you can expect a lot of people picking them to do things that might actually exceed their ability, even if the baseline for success is built based on last year and the talent level that populates this roster.

So, in summary, be careful: yeah, this is a team that's seemingly crafted in almost perfect (and more importantly, patient) fashion. And yeah, they're the defending division champs, but they're gonna get a lot of love, and every time I think of the West Coast and over-hyping I can't help but think of the 49ers and Cardinals from the NFL ... but maybe this year that won't be such a bad thing.

Last Season By the Numbers

Record: 54-28 under Nate McMillan. Finished 1st in the Northwest Division, 4th overall in the Western Conference. Eliminated by the Houston Rockets(4-2) in the first round.

Offense: 99.4 points per 100 possessions, 14th in the NBA. 15th in shooting, 7th in turnover rate, 1st in offensive rebounding, 17th in free throw rate.

Defense: 94.1 points per 100 possession, 4th in the NBA. 14th in shooting defense, 12th in opponent turnover rate, 6th in defensive rebounding, 12th in opponent free throw rate.

Top Performers: Brandon Roy led the team in scoring with 22.6 points per game. Breakout LaMarcus Aldridge was second with 18.1 points per. Joel Pryzbilla was the team's top rebounder at 8.7 boards per and Aldridge clocking in at second with 7.5. Roy (5.1 assists per game) barely edged out Steve Blake (5.0) for "top passer." Unsurprisingly, Roy also led the team with 1.1 steal per, while Aldridge managed 1.0 Oden, Pryzbilla (leading at 1.2) and Aldridge all averaged over a block per game.

All statistics via Basketball-Reference.com.

Player to Watch

FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller preview one player to watch from each team. Here's a snippet of Moore's post on Joel Przybilla.

Przybilla is the polar opposite of his younger replacement (as in, the guy he's being replaced by). No hype. Not flashy. Not heralded and swooned over. But when we start throwing out the phrases "effective" and "workman," Przbilla is as prime a candidate as any. The Vanilla Gorilla has not only done the work, put in the time, and become a very solid NBA center, but he's got the numbers to back it up.

See Matt Moore's full post on Joel Pryzbilla.

Offseason Tracker

IN: Victor Claver (draft), Jeff Pendergraph (draft), Dante Cunningham (draft), Patrick Mills (draft), Andre Miller (free agency)

OUT: Sergio Rodriguez (trade), Channing Frye (free agency).

FanHouse Preview: Trail Blazers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player to Watch: Joel Przybilla

Matt Moore — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA Preseason

FanHouse previews a player to watch from each NBA team in advance of the 2009-10 season.

More than seven feet tall. A mountain of a man. A true big man for the modern age. Able to score, rebound, and defend in the post. Loved by teammates. Feared by opponents. The crucial down-low component that could help the Blazers contend for a championship.

I'm talking, of course, about Joel Przybilla.

Why, who were you thinking of?

Przybilla is the polar opposite of his younger replacement (as in, the guy he's being replaced by). No hype. Not flashy. Not heralded or swooned over. But when we start throwing out the phrases "effective" and "workman," Przybilla is as prime a candidate as any. The Vanilla Gorilla has not only done the work, put in the time, and become a very solid NBA center, but he's got the numbers to back it up.

Taking a waltz down Przybilla's advanced metrics is a pleasant experience, like eating ice cream on a hot afternoon, or throwing up after you've drank too much. You just feel better after. His true shooting percentage was tops on the Blazers at 65%, but of course he only took three field goals a game. JP still posted career numbers in points and rebounds per 36 (and per game, if you're archaic).

His contributions on the team level are what are most important, though. He led the Blazers in Offensive Rating (points scored by the team per 100 possessions) and was second in defensive ratings. He finished fourth in plus/minus on the squad, which is pretty impressive considering his low minutes. As someone who is considered the worst starting player on the Blazers, Przy slides in a league-average 15.4 PER. But what's most impressive about this set of stats, though, is his usage.

Przybilla was one of the most efficient players on the most efficient offensive team last season, and managed to do so with only a 10.2 Usage rate, which is second to last among all Blazer players. So essentially, when you talk about those players that make their team better without needing to have the ball in their hands? Statistically, Joel Przybilla fits that mold perfectly.

As a comparison, Greg Oden's PER in his rookie season was 18.1, 3 points higher than Przybilla. But Oden's usage was also nine percent higher than Przybilla. Which is fine, if your team is building around Oden. But the Blazers, as you may have heard, have this guy named Brandon Roy, and he's pretty good. And they have LaMarcus Aldridge. And Rudy Fernandez. And Andre Miller, now.

So they have tons of players who need touches. Przybilla is a great component because he manages to consistently create winning lineups without needing the ball much. Oden was much the opposite in his rookie season.

Of course, the "rookie season" part of that is what needs emphasis. Oden is certainly capable of becoming a player much greater than Przybilla, worthy of touches and points and all the accolades and hype he's already received.

But at the same time, Przybilla is a much more known quantity, and that's to be appreciated. He works hard on defense, moves in the flow of the offense, does his job, and allows the Blazers' best players to make plays. So do yourself a favor. Take a few moments this season to appreciate the guy who's not on the cover of the magazines, but who's putting in the work to get his team ahead.

Player to Watch: Joel Przybilla originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill Walton Apologizes to Portland

Tom Ziller — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers

Legend Bill Walton has been laid up for a couple years due to serious back issues, which has not only deprived us NBA fans of absurd superlative commentary on ESPN broadcasts, but more important has prevented Walton from getting around much. But a surgery has helped out, and Walton is on his feet. It's only appropriate that those feet -- once cursed -- have taken Walton to Portland.

Walton left Portland in 1979 in truly ugly fashion, as expertly documented in David Halberstam's The Breaks of the Game. Walton, who suffered a foot injury which denied the Blazers an opportunity for a repeat championship in 1978 and destroyed his career, accused Portland doctors and staff of malpractice on his way out, suing close friends in the process.

And now, he tells Portland he's sorry.

The Oregonian's Jason Quick documents Walton's return to Rip City, where Big Red is working on some charitable activities. Walton met with Blazers staff, and let loose.

Blazers ambassador Bill Schonely, who was the team's broadcaster when Walton played and has remained friends with him, was at the staff meeting.

"He was very, very emotional," Schonely said. "He apologized for the things he did in the past. You know, he's 56 now, and we all grow up. But I know he is sincere. And he was close to death, and that tends to make you think about things. Now that he's making a comeback, I think he thought there's nothing he could do but apologize."

It's closure Walton no doubt needs ... and that Blazers fans deserve. But again, allow me to be selfish once again. We need more of this on the TV during Mavs-Spurs or whatever.

"I went from thinking I was going to die, to wanting to die, to being afraid I was going to live, to now seeing rainbows, Calliopes, clowns, and dreams of a better tomorrow," Walton said.

He sees rainbows, Calliopes, clowns and dreams of a better tomorrow, people. He's back. Bill Walton is back.

Bill Walton Apologizes to Portland originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Jeopardy Appearance Is Embarrassing

Will Brinson — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA Videos

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been on camera a lot in his life: from the basketball court on over to the Airplane movies, he's not camera shy. Of course, despite his talents and high standing on the hardwood, he typically plays a "less than brilliant" character in other genres of "film." Perhaps this clip from Jeopardy, via In Game Now, explains why that is. Or perhaps it just points to his ego. Or id. Or whatever.

Now, it seems a touch unfair to Kareem to simply laugh at him and point and go "bwahahahahahahaha." Why? Well, the category was "I went to UCLA" and the quote used in that clue was originally said by Abdul-Jabbar. But dude, the Trailblazers? When you see "Trailblazers" + "UCLA" you know automatically that the answer is "Bill Walton." Or "Trailblazers" + "Stoned-Out Hipster" if you prefer, but it should have been obvious anyway.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Jeopardy Appearance Is Embarrassing originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talking to the Trail Blazers

Elie Seckbach — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA Videos, FanHouse Exclusive

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

The Portland Trail Blazers are one of the most exciting teams in the NBA. They are more than ready to make a splash this upcoming season. In this FanHouse exclusive, we talk to Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, Nicolas Batum and Jarron Collins to see how training camp is going.

Check out the video after the jump.

Talking to the Trail Blazers originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Andre Miller's Arrival in Portland Not Quite Rosy

Tom Ziller — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:34:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers

Even skeptics chalked up Portland's Andre Miller acquisition as a win. Miller, one of the best distributors of this decade, figured to augment an already lethal Blazers offense while providing a jolt of veteran leadership. Even if you don't believe in the power of savvy, Miller's passing skills sit on a different plane than those of Steve Blake, the incumbent.

What Portland probably didn't count on was Miller causing drama ... in the preseason. Blazers coach Nate McMillan has been insisting Blake is the starter for now. But Miller told Yahoo!'s Marc Spears that coming off the bench wasn't a part of the deal when he signed with Portland. And we have a problem.

Here's what Miller says about his perceived role upon signing his three-year, $21 million contract:

"If I was told right out when I had my meetings that I would be a backup, then I wouldn't have come here," Miller told Yahoo! Sports this week.

Back in late August, Miller told Brian T. Smith of The Columbian that he expected to be the starting point guard ... but that he understood it was a spot he'd have to win.

I'm going in there as the starting point guard -- there's nothing else to it. Steve Blake is a great player ... he's done a good job. And I look at it as a challenge. Nothing is handed to you. So I have to go in there with the right attitude, knowing that, this is a point guard spot that is going to have to be battled for. I think I've earned the right in this league as a point guard to be a starter. I just have to go and prove it again.

It seems that going into training camp, Miller knew he wouldn't be handed the job. But perhaps he expected more deference ... like getting the call in the first couple preseason games. (Blake started Portland's first two preseason games, and Miller started the third.)

The starter-reserve problem is the chief problem, as Spears writes, but not the only problem. McMillan had previously told local media that Miller was the only player who failed the team's conditioning test at the start of training camp. Miller says a few players told him privately that they had also failed, but team staff "fixed" their times so that they would not have to suffer a week of extra conditioning work as Miller did.

In Spears's story, Miller also bemoans the lack of respect he commands in the league. You have to wonder if he's still miffed about the low interest he drew as a free agent this summer. And you really have to wonder what all this tension is going to do to the otherwise cordial Blazers roster.

Hat tip to Blazers Edge.

Andre Miller's Arrival in Portland Not Quite Rosy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greg Oden Looks Like a Different Player

Matt Steinmetz — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers

SACRAMENTO -- In his heart and in his mind, Greg Oden is back. But it won't be official -- to him, anyway -- until he's the starting center for the Portland Trail Blazers.

He will be. It's only a matter of time.

"Starting is something that will show I've had a great summer," Oden said before Portland's exhibition game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. "And it will mean that I deserve to be a starter in this league. I want to show everyone the work that I've put in."

Oden was a starter on Wednesday against the Kings, but only because coach Nate McMillan was switching around his lineup from the night before. Still, Oden made a strong case that's where he belongs.

He finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, and while he wasn't dominant he was awfully good. And it sure sounds like McMillan is beginning to lean Oden's way.

"The player will make that decision," McMillan said about who will start between Oden and Joel Przybilla. "I've always been a coach who if you earn it, you get it. He knew at the end of last season that at the start of training camp he wouldn't be at that starting center spot. I wanted to see him hungry. He's been hungry to become a starter. ... He's coming in working for it."

Oden is way ahead of where he was last year at this time. He had microfracture surgery in September 2007, spent the next several weeks on crutches and then began the slow, arduous rehab process.

Oden not only missed what should have been his rookie season, he wasn't healthy enough to put in work last summer. As a result, when he participated in his first training camp a year ago, he found he still had a ways to go.

"Last summer I didn't do anything but shoot jump shots and do some post moves," Oden said. "But I couldn't go up and down. I couldn't do any of that. Last year I weighed a little bit more so it was tough on me getting back. But this year I've had a good summer. I got to play a lot so I'm not coming in behind."

Oden's preseason debut against the Kings on Tuesday in Portland was more than a little bit encouraging. He had 18 points, including 10-of-12 from the foul line, and nine rebounds in 26 minutes.

And as good as that was the news was even better Wednesday with Oden backing up that performance with another nice effort. Oden said conventional wisdom about it taking two years to come back from microfracture surgery sounds about right.

"There's some truth to that," Oden said. "You've got to work out all of the kinks in your knee. And it's tough. You definitely think about it a lot. But I finally had me a good summer and I'm doing things I couldn't do before. It's behind me now."

More Steinmetz on Twitter: @matt_steinmetz

Greg Oden Looks Like a Different Player originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip-Off Timer: Portland Welcomes the Return of No. 20

Tim Povtak — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trail Blazers

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Wednesday, there are 20 days remaining.

It's tough to imagine another assistant coach in the NBA getting a welcome back like Maurice Lucas will when the regular season opens for the Portland Trail Blazers later this month.

They don't forget their heroes in this town.

The Blazers retired his No. 20 jersey -- the only No. 20 in the NBA to be retired -- back in 1988, even though he played only five seasons in Portland. That's how much he meant.

Lucas -- a huge part of the Blazers miraculous NBA title run in 1977 -- has been on the Portland staff since 2005, but he is returning to the sideline now after an ongoing bout with bladder cancer that included surgery in the spring.

Lucas missed the Blazers' run late last season that ended with their first playoff appearance in six years. He wasn't there, but the big men he tutors were there doing the things he had instilled in them.

"We are glad to have Luke back, healthy, and working with our big men again," Blazers head coach Nate McMillan said. "He is a very important part of our family. We all missed having him here during the stretch run.''

It was McMillan who added Lucas to his staff when he took the job in 2005. They had played together in Seattle late in Lucas' career. McMillan knew all about the toughness and work ethic that Lucas brought to the game.

Lucas, a 6-9, 220-pound power forward, joined the Blazers as a player before the 1976-77 season as part of the ABA dispersal draft. And although it was a young Bill Walton who garnered much of the attention, it was Lucas who did it all. He led the team in scoring (20.2 ppg), was second in rebounding (11.4 rpg) and served as the enforcer at a time when the games were considerably more physical than they are today.

With Lucas standing alongside him, the talented but frail-looking Walton didn't have to worry about the goons of the league abusing him. The Blazers won the title in just the seventh year of their existence, and in their first playoff appearance. Walton was so appreciative, he later named his son Luke in honor of his protector and good friend.

The Blazers haven't won a championship since.

Lucas, 57, will start this season focusing mostly on player development responsibilities at the team's practice facility and at home games. His road schedule, at least at the start, will be limited, at the advice of the doctors treating him. His role, working with LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden among others, will be key.

Since this staff came to Portland to start this rebuilding project, they have improved each season, winning 21, 32, 41 and 54 games. The fans that were once so rabid, but cooled during the lean years, are coming back in Portland.

When the season opens, they will roar their approval for the young and rising Blazers. They also will salute the comeback of Lucas, their original No. 20.

Tip-Off Timer: Portland Welcomes the Return of No. 20 originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Hair Watch: New Looks for Iverson, Andre Miller, and Sasha Vujacic

Brett Pollakoff — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:25:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Lakers, Trail Blazers, NBA Hair Watch

Training camps by themselves provide a fresh start for every NBA team, but sometimes, players feel the need to take things to a more personal level to cleanse themselves of the previous season.

This was certainly the case for Allen Iverson, who has gone back to his trademark braids after a year where he was traded to the Pistons, and was unceremoniously used as one of the scapegoats for his new (now old) team's horrific downward spiral.

It was a pretty big deal when Iverson cut his braids at the All-Star break last season, mainly because they had become a fashion statement that other players in the league looked to emulate over the years. But no one can blame him for reverting back to his old look, especially after a disastrous season in Detroit, one that Iverson is still bitter about to this day.

Andre Miller, the big offseason acquisition of the Portland Trail Blazers, also had a surprise in store in terms of his hair style at training camp. But while Iverson's look comes off as classic, Miller's can only be described as some sort of ridiculous abomination.

Thankfully, as reported by Joe Freeman of The Oregonian, Miller's look is only temporary.

"This is a routine every training camp," Miller said. "I've been doing this ever since I was little; letting my hair grow. Some guys wear five or six shirts. Some guys where three pair of socks. Some guys wear three pairs of shorts. I just wear stuff with my hair every now and then. Like I said, it's been a routine since I've been playing basketball. I don't really care what people think."

Miller said he usually sticks with the hairstyle through the first week of camp but trims it short for the season to "try and keep it more professional."

One player's look that should stick around more permanently is that of the Lakers' Sasha Vujacic.

Despite the fact that his team took home the title last season, Sasha can't honestly say that he was exactly a key component in that Lakers championship, uh, "machine."

One reason for his sub-par play, at least according to Phil Jackson, might have been the fact that Vujacic was too preoccupied with his hair to focus all of his attention on the game at hand.

"Sasha played with his hair last year more than he played on the court," Jackson said.

Vujacic agreed.

"Now, it's not in my eyes anymore and I don't have that compulsion thing going," Vujacic said.

Sure, Sahsha: it was the hair that made you miss all those wide open looks. Got it. *Whew.* Glad we got that straightened out, and just in time for the Lakers' title defense, too.

NBA Hair Watch: New Looks for Iverson, Andre Miller, and Sasha Vujacic originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ime Udoka to Sign With Portland, Joey Graham With Denver

Chris Tomasson — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, Trail Blazers, FanHouse Exclusive

Free-agent swingmen Ime Udoka and Joey Graham have chosen teams. Udoka will sign with Portland and Graham with Denver.

Udoka's agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed Friday his client will sign with the Trail Blazers. It will be a one-year minimum contract worth $959,111 and likely partially guaranteed.

"We talked a lot with Denver,'' Bartelstein said about Udoka, who played last season with San Antonio. "But it's a good fit (for Udoka). They really let us know they wanted him.'' Udoka, who previously played for the Trail Blazers in 2006-07, was born and raised in Portland, and played collegiately at Portland State.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets will sign Graham, who averaged 7.7 points last season with Toronto, to a one-year non-guaranteed contract worth $884,881. Sources confirmed the deal. Nuggets guard J.R. Smith said he has heard Graham will sign, and called him "really athletic.''

The Nuggets had really wanted to sign free-agent guard Flip Murray, and offered him the minimum of $1.1 million. But Charlotte topped that Thursday with a one-year offer of the $1.99 million biannual exception, and Murray went to the Hornets.

The Nuggets have been looking for a wing player to replace Linas Kleiza, who bolted as a free agent in August. But the thinking now is Graham and James White, who also has a non-guaranteed contract, can fight it out in training camp for a possible roster spot.

Ime Udoka to Sign With Portland, Joey Graham With Denver originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Does the West Have an All-Star Center?

Chris Tomasson — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Clippers, Hornets, Jazz, Lakers, Nuggets, Rockets, Spurs, Suns, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Warriors

Bylaws have been checked. Rules have been scrutinized.

And, yes, it has been determined the West must start a center in February's All-Star Game in Dallas.

So, gentlemen, lace up your high tops. The race to be the starting center for the West is as wide open as the Yukon Territory.

Houston's Yao Ming, who has been voted by fans the starter the past seven years (he did miss the 2007 game due to injury), won't play before the All-Star Break due to a fractured foot. It will be interesting to see if he's even on the All-Star ballot. If so, he'll probably win the voting without stepping on the court.

Shaquille O'Neal, an All-Star last season with Phoenix, has moved to the East with Cleveland. So he's out of the mix.

Who's left?

Not a lot.

The only candidate with previous All-Star experience is Utah's Mehmut Okur, named an injury replacement in 2007. Keep in mind, though, that was the year All-Star had a very loose meaning in the West considering four injury replacements were named.

One presumes Minnesota's Al Jefferson again will be on the ballot at center even though he really is a power forward who often is forced to play out of position. But it remains to be seen how Jefferson will be come back from a torn ACL that ended his season last February after he had averaged 23.1 points and 11.0 rebounds. But for now, even though the Timberwolves should still be subpar, let's make Jefferson the favorite.

There's another guy in the mix who was hurt much of last season. The Lakers' Andrew Bynum, who at least did return late in the regular season from a knee injury before stumbling around in the playoffs, might be a year away from truly being All-Star worthy. But Bynum, helped by being with the Lakers, was third in fan voting last season behind Yao and O'Neal.

Want a darkhorse candidate? Denver's Nene averaged 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds last season, and could be even better now that he has fully recovered from testicular cancer surgery in January 2008.

"My motivation is different than last year,'' Nene said. "Last year, I was trying to overcome cancer, and I surprised myself (with his play). This year is different. ... But my goal is not to be an All-Star. My goal is to help the team go farther than last season (the Western Conference finals). But, if I deserve (to be an All-Star), I will be there.''

Nene is fully healthy after suffering a broken left arm in Denver's last playoff game. He took about six weeks off, and said now his "arm is perfect."

The native of Brazil also got his Green Card during the offseason. He's working to become a U.S. citizen, while also maintaining his Brazilian citizenship, although that is still a few years off.

Want some other West All-Star center candidates? Golden State's Andris Biedrins is a Latvian double-double machine. Portland's Greg Oden is still raw, but don't count him out yet.

There's the two-headed Clippers monster of Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman, who strangely were both listed on the All-Star ballot last year at center, which meant Clippers fans weren't allowed by rules to vote for both. There's New Orleans' Emeka Okafor, who arrived from Charlotte for Tyson Chandler in a swap of big men.

By the way, don't dare call Tim Duncan a center. The committee that drew up the All-Star ballot two years ago tried to put him on at that position. The complaining was so loud from San Antonio he soon was switched back to power forward.

So there you go. Every possible West All-Star starting center candidate has been mentioned (and, yes, Erick Dampier, you were intentionally excluded even though the All-Star Game is in your home city). As for a reserve in the game who's a center, that's probably not going to happen.

The rules call for NBA coaches, who vote on reserves, to select a backup center. But coaches are allowed to vote for somebody who doesn't play the position regularly. So, with top-notch centers in the West as common as Halley's Comet sightings, they'll likely just slide a power forward over to that spot.

But somebody who's listed as a center is going to have to start the game for the West. For any big man out there who wants some day to tell his grandchildren he once started an All-Star Game, now's your chance.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com.

Does the West Have an All-Star Center? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three Teams Cheaper Than the Grizzlies

Tom Ziller — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Grizzlies, Kings, Trail Blazers, Thunder

I, among others, have given Michael Heisley and the Memphis Grizzlies some gruff over the franchise's thrift this summer. While the team did take on Zach Randolph's hefty contract and eventually signed Allen Iverson, the perception remains that the Grizz exist only to suck the lives out of anxious prospects and to serve as financial lubricant for the rest of the NBA.

Part of that is, unfortunately, still valid. But with the acquisition of A.I., the Grizzlies find themselves at the threshold of the salary cap. Memphis will no longer be able to help the teams in contention execute swaps as a third party.

Luckily, three teams remain under the cap -- yes, three teams actually look to be cheaper than the Grizzlies this season. Check them out, after the jump.

Oklahoma City Thunder. Barring a major trade or an offer sheet to someone like David Lee, OKC will enter the season with the cheapest payroll in the land. (That's probably good, considering the financial trouble lead owner Clay Bennett has had over the past year.) According to ShamSports (the most trustworthy contract repository on the web), the Thunder have $50.7 million in payroll locked up this season. No Thunder player will be paid more than Etan Thomas's $7.9 million. The projected starting five -- Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic -- will earn a combined $21 million. (By comparison, Boston's starting five will make $61.7 million next season.)

The Thunder are still two seasons away from writing a massive check to Durant. He is eligible to negotiate a contract extension next July, but such an extension would not take effect until the 2011-12 season. OKC is being tagged as a playoff contender in the West this season.

Sacramento Kings. The Kings, however, are not being tagged as a playoff contender in the West this season. Sacramento expects to have the second lowest payroll in the NBA this season, currently tabbed at $52.3 million with second-round pick Jon Brockman still officially unsigned. (When -- not if, when -- he does sign, he'll only add roughly $500,000-$800,000 to the ledger.) Sacramento also expects to have something like 25 wins, an improvement over the 17 wins of 2008-09, but still way far off the rat race.

It remains to be seen what will make the Kings spend, and when. There's the idea the team is seeing what happens with the Tyreke Evans/Kevin Martin pairing, and is waiting to find out if Spencer Hawes and/or Jason Thompson will provide what the team needs long-term, and that the franchise will adjust (with its checkbook) from there. That could take longer than one season to sort out, so here's an opinion that the Kings may not actually be ready to spend in the summer of 2010, and that this team could be back on this list this time next year.

Portland Trail Blazers. It amazes me that Portland, which spent its entire free agency period trying to give away money, ends up with what will be the third lowest payroll this season. What's better is that this team is a legit NBA title contender. Darius Miles will take up the biggest chunk of salary this season -- yes, if not for the Miles stint in Memphis, the Blazers would have had an additional $9 million to fritter under the cap this July -- with Brandon Roy's payday waiting until 2009-10.

All told, the Blazers are in incredibly reasonable position in 2009-10 in terms of salary, too. The team won't likely be under the cap next July, as the extensions for Roy and (perhaps) LaMarcus Aldridge kick in. But the team won't be anywhere near the tax line either. Only Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake will be free agents come next summer, and the team should be able to deal with him (extensions or replacements) without breaking the bank.

This is all to say that the Blazers may be the most brilliantly run franchise in the NBA right now. A team that costs less than the Memphis Grizzlies and might win 60 games? Unbelievable.

Three Teams Cheaper Than the Grizzlies originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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