Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.
Week 18: Do more teams have a chance? | No. 1 yo-yo guy | Who believes in the Grizzlies?
Who is the one player who alternately infuriates you with boneheaded plays and thrills you with the occasional good ones.
Steve Aschburner: Can I answer Tim Duncan and call it good? Y’know, yo-yo … No? OK, my 2012-13 winner of the Nate Robinson Award would be … yeah, Nate Robinson. Let’s face it, they could name the trophy after him, awarded annually to the player who drives his coach the battiest. Robinson has been a necessary evil for Tom Thibodeau in Chicago, gobbling minutes that would normally go to rehabbing Derrick Rose and chronically dinged Kirk Hinrich. All his charms and all his flaws have been on display in large helpings — reeling off eight points in a row one moment, firing up his turnover machine the next. He’s always Ornette Coleman, stubborn free-jazz improviser miscast in whichever of the 30 Duke Ellington orchestras employs him. A careful study of November video will reveal that, yes, Thibodeau did have more hair back then.
Fran Blinebury: Josh Smith, Josh Smith and Josh Smith.
Jeff Caplan: Considering Nuggets coach George Karl can’t bring himself to play JaVale McGee enough so that the 7-footer can average more than 18.8 mpg, I’d have to say McGee owns this category. Despite being remarkably athletic with all kind of potential and flashes of brilliance at both ends, the fact is that Kosta Koufos has started all 57 games he’s played and averages four more minutes a game than McGee.
Scott Howard-Cooper: Josh Smith. Shot selection, defense. Shot selection, occasional rebounding. Quite the weighted scales back and forth. That’s a yo-yo guy.
John Schuhmann: This is a difficult question to answer, because, by principle, I don’t like guys who make “boneheaded plays.” Marcus Thornton certainly made a case for this distinction with his performance in Miami on Tuesday. And he’s more efficient than similar gunners like Jordan Crawford and Nick Young. But my answer is Andre Drummond. He can play out of control and has had some JaVale-esque moments this season, but, as a pretty raw rookie, he’s proven to be an impact player on both ends of the floor for Detroit. He could be a monster within the next couple of years and I think there are probably already a few teams that regret letting him slip to No. 9 in last year’s Draft.
Sekou Smith: You obviously haven’t watched Shaqtin’ A Fool lately. Nuggets center JaVale McGee is the runaway winner in this category. Few players in the league are capable of making as many jaw-dropping plays, both good and bad, as McGee. The Nuggets have gotten more of the good out of him, which bodes well for them come playoff time. A shot-blocker and shot-maker of his size in a postseason scenario, when games inevitably slow down and turn into half court battles, can be invaluable.
JAVALE……MCGEE!!!!! *Shaq voice* haha!
not sure about the block but it seems that it hit the board first… but it is to me javale is the best candidate. i tought he was better than djordan, but i was wrong.
Kobe got owned and threw a tantrum
got owned by the ref
Javale gets tired too easily and thats y he makes alot of goofy plays, the guy cant average more than 20 minutes, in fact he can play only 15 minutes of Nba basketball and be effective, this guy wont last long in the Nba am telling u he is still young but he cant run up and down the court, he cant control his movements when he gets tired.
Goaltend.
Oh it was only two points and not like it would have won the game for them.
Forget Mcgee or Robinso, Paul Pierce should win this. Smith is a close second though
One of the most idiotic comments I’ve heard in a long time!
wow your nuts
Paul Pierce??!! somebody here doesn’t know his basketball
michael beasley
thats an obvious goal tend.
if mcgee had the brains he would truly be one of the top centers taday
proves that natural talent only gets you so far
only good thing abo this is that its not naming the worst players-
but all players named are immensely good !! but one can say, have very vivid and visible bad days !
JaVale hands down, but lately he’s been pretty solid.
I personally think McGee is a beast, I dont think theres ever been someone so long and athletic. Yes, he’s young and makes mistakes but most of them are for effort and i would take that.
P.S. It a real shame that he has to battle asthma. (Because we would be seeing alot more Dunks baby whooo) lol
100% goaltending. NBA referees again fails…
As a fan who watches every nuggets game, It is unfair to judge McGee based off of a few mistakes, something every single player makes. He has changed significantly since being in Washington and has only one really bad play in a nuggets uniform (behind the back to stumbling alley oop). It is unfair how few minutes he gets because he is incredibly efficient and changes the game with his blocks and athleticism.
i’m not a nuggets fan, but i’m not trying to rip on mcgee either. he does makes a few mistakes, and everyone does, but the type of mistakes he does are easily avoidable and he does it a lot for how little minutes he gets. it’s fair he gets that many minutes, george karl is the coach and he does whatever it takes to win, so if mcgee is truly as effecient and game changing as you say, don’t you think karl would let him play more? he messes up easy plays and doesn’t try his hardest on every possesion, not that anyone actually tries their hardest every single possesion, but he should try his hardest with that many minutes and he would maybe get more. he’s really good when he tries to be, but he doesn’t try to be, that is the problem.
Deandre 3000.
Easy pick=Javale McGee.
it’s blocked okay, don’t be good as the ref
it did not hit the board first, just accept it
youre getting blind by the peds or getting punched to much… it hit the board first
it will always be javale mcgee lol
Sorry folks… watched it 50 times frame by frame… It is as close as can be, but the ball doesn’t hit the board before JaVale’s fingers change its direction… perfect timing.
As far the winner of this category… I would go with JR Smith with his contested 3pt shots from half court early in the shot clock, but JSmoove, DeAndre and JaVale are up there too… though I think JaVale would win this hands down if he played starter minutes.
George Karl has definitely made excellent progress with McGee though…
salty Laker fans lol, it was a clean block.
@ me-your off your rocker dude-even if you’re not a fan of Pierce-The Truth-you’d still respect his game-one of the best!