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Morning shootaround — March 18

March 18, 2016  ·  8:06 AM ET


VIDEO: Highlights from Thursday’s games

NEWS OF THE MORNING

Spurs gearing up for Warriors | Okafor’s surgery delayed | Barnes, Henson get chippy at end of game | Biyombo delivers for Raptors

No. 1: Spurs handle Blazers, start prepping for Warriors — The San Antonio Spurs surged past the Portland Trail Blazers last night en route to a 118-110 win thanks in large part to a 39-point third quarter. The victory marked San Antonio’s 43rd straight at home as a showdown with the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) looms. Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com was on hand in San Antonio last night for the win and reports on how the Spurs are officially gearing up for their big showdown:

It would have been understandable for the Spurs to look past the Portland Trail Blazers, who they trounced 118-110 on Thursday, with an eye toward Saturday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Even in the visiting locker room prior to Thursday’s game, a couple of Trail Blazers dressing for warm-ups figured San Antonio would overlook them in anticipation of the clash against Golden State.

No chance.

Starting with the team’s 109-101 triumph March 10 over the Chicago Bulls, a victory that kicked off its current five-game homestand, and leading into Saturday’s rematch against Golden State, the San Antonio Spurs appear to be as healthy and locked in as the unit has been this season.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made sure of it, calling back-to-back timeouts with a little more than four minutes remaining and his team up 15 points on Portland.

“Stay focused, stay focused,” said point guard Tony Parker, who finished with 18 points and 16 assists. “Pop’s always been like that. It’s a 48-minute game. He was trying to prepare us for Saturday because, on Saturday, if you rest one minute [Golden State] can go up 15-0 real quick in a minute. That’s why he was like that.”

ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Spurs a 66 percent chance of beating the Warriors, based on a variety of reasons. The Spurs lead the NBA in scoring margin, which historically has been more predictive of future success than a team’s win-loss record. Coming off a full day’s rest, as there’s no practice scheduled for Friday, San Antonio will host a Warriors team fresh off an outing the night before in Dallas. The Spurs are 34-0 this season in the AT&T Center.

…

LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard, meanwhile, finally have emerged as San Antonio’s top scoring threats. Popovich believes Tim Duncan’s eight-game absence — starting with the Jan. 25 meeting against the Warriors and ending on Feb. 10 — sped up the development of chemistry between Aldridge and Leonard.

They scored 22 points apiece and combined for four blocks against the Trail Blazers.

“[Aldridge] and Kawhi both, I think they were trying to fit in, trying to see where things are, and they’ve gotten to the point where they’re taking over,” Duncan said. “They understand that we’re going to ride them, and that builds their confidence.”

Chemistry also seems to be peaking between Aldridge and Parker over the past several games. Seven of Parker’s assists against the Trail Blazers flew Aldridge’s way.

“Love playing with him,” Parker said of Aldridge. “I know exactly where he’s going to be. It’s funny because even if he hits five shots in a row, they’re still staying with me, and I’m like, ‘Go to LaMarcus. Go guard him.’ They still give him that wide-open shot. He got a lot of shots tonight, and he’s been knocking them down. I feel like L.A. is feeling more comfortable with the system. He’s playing great.”

…

“It’s going to be a big one. Obviously, they beat us pretty bad in the first one,” Parker said. “So it’s our second time playing them. It’s going to be a good test. The whole stretch these last four games, all of them were great tests for us.

“They’re the defending champs, and they’ve been playing unbelievable this year. We’ve been playing great too. So we get another shot at it.”

Duncan initially tried to take a measured approach in expressing his thoughts about Saturday’s matchup, but excitement ultimately won out.

“We’re going to show up for the game and we’re going to play it. It’s not going to change our season or anything else,” Duncan said. “It’ll be a great matchup for us, two of the best records in the league, and they’re playing exceptionally well. So it’s a good test for us; a playoff type of atmosphere, playoff type of intensity, a good experience for us. But I’ll leave it at that.

“We’re sitting in a great position right now. On top of that, we’re healthy, which is a big part of it. But to have someone like [Golden State] to continue to put the pressure on us, it’s great. It’s great for our focus. It’s great to have games like this. It’ll be a lot of fun, and we’re excited about it.”


VIDEO: Tim Duncan talks after Thursday’s big win

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Morning shootaround — July 17

July 17, 2015  ·  8:12 AM ET


VIDEO: Josh Smith signs with the Clippers

NEWS OF THE MORNING

NBPA takes issue with NBA’s view on finances | Clippers willing to take low-risk chance on Josh Smith | Bucks and Henson negotiating an extension | Nuggets see Gallo in their future

No. 1: NBPA chief takes issue on NBA’s stance on finances — Well, figure that we’ll be occasionally hearing scattered back-and-forths from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and union chief Michele Roberts between now and possibly 2017. After Silver stated a few days ago that teams are losing money and cited rising expenses, Roberts insists the league is in far better shape financially than Silver indicated. Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN took a stab at the latest between Silver and Roberts …

After the NBA’s Board of Governors met on Tuesday, Silver said that the league’s revenue “was much higher than we had ever modeled” but also said that a significant number of NBA teams are losing money because of rising expenses.

The league is set to receive a revenue windfall in the coming year when a new national broadcast deal kicks in. In turn, the salary cap will escalate rapidly and could near $90 million for the 2016-17 season.

The players union, if it chooses to, can opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement in 2017, though Silver said on Tuesday he didn’t believe such an outcome was certain.

“You know, I’m not sure if the players’ association is going to opt out,” Silver said. “Michele [Roberts] made some early remarks suggesting maybe they were leaning that direction, but she hasn’t told me that she plans to opt out. And I know that in discussions that she and I have had and I’ve had with players’ association representatives, it’s clear the goal on both sides is to avoid any sort of work stoppage whatsoever and maybe even to avoid the opt-out.”

The collective bargaining agreement between owners and the union stipulates that players receive a fixed percentage of the NBA’s overall revenue. The precise number was a battleground in the last negotiation between owners and players.

If the aggregate salaries committed to players fall short of that amount — as they currently do — the owners make up the difference. Silver said the league, despite being flush with revenue, is bracing for such a result.

“There are projections that for next year we could be writing a check moving close to half a billion dollars to the players’ association,” Silver said. “That’s not of course the ideal outcome from our standpoint. It’s not something we predicted when we went into this collective bargaining agreement.

In the past year, Roberts has challenged the underlying principle of a salary cap and mocked the suggestion of NBA owners losing money. On Thursday she took aim at Silver’s characterization that the NBA owners “largely are paying our players off the gross” under the current collective bargaining agreement.

“Under the CBA, we do not have a gross compensation system,” Roberts said. “The players’ 50 percent share is calculated net of a substantial amount of expenses and deductions.”

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No. 2: Clippers willing to take low-risk chance on Josh Smith — The Clippers have had an interesting offseason to say the least. Much of it was tied up in the DeAndre Jordan drama, but both before and after Jordan reneged on a verbal deal with the Mavericks to return to the Clippers, LA made a few low-risk and potentially high-reward deals. First was trading for Lance Stephenson, and now signing Josh Smith on a one-year deal for the $1.5 million minimum. Both players were available because despite their talent, they were deemed expendable by their former teams for different reasons. Stephenson had a disappointing first season in Charlotte and, coupled with his goofy personality, was not worth the trouble (although Stephenson was mainly on good behavior in Charlotte). Smith had a decent showing with the Rockets after being dumped by Detroit, and even helped the Rockets beat the Clippers in the second round. For the Clippers, these deals could work because the issue with Stephenson and Smith aren’t talent-related. Here’s Eric Freeman of Ball Don’t Lie on the Smith signing …

With marquee signing Paul Pierce able to play as a stretch-4, Rivers can go super small with Griffin, Smith, or potentially Glen “Big Baby” Davis (still a free agent) as a nominal center or play more classic lineups without sacrificing much quickness. Smith also joins Lance Stephenson as a new reserve with a collection of skills, all while minimizing the likelihood that the Clippers will have to depend on one of these often frustrating players to their own detriment. Adding Smith increases what the Clippers can do while simultaneously diffusing risk.

That’s not to say that this is a can’t-miss pickup. Smith will probably have to see the bench when he threatens to shoot Los Angeles out of games, and his awful free-throw shooting ensures that teams will intentionally send him and Jordan to the line whenever it seems prudent. It’s also worth noting that Smith has not always had the best attitude, even if his reputation as a malcontent is overblown and the Clippers did just fine with Matt Barnes in the starting lineup.

But few teams add players of Smith’s caliber at this price to fill a glaring need. The Clippers’ bench has been a problem area for several seasons and has looked even more lacking in the frontcourt. Smith isn’t an All-Star candidate anymore, but L.A. doesn’t need him to be one. If he fills his role without complaints, breaks out in a few more playoff games and doesn’t cause major troubles, he will do just fine. Two weeks after Jordan appeared headed to Dallas, the Clippers have escaped also-ran status and look like a stronger contender than they were in June.

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No. 3: Bucks and Henson negotiating an extension — John Henson is a developing front-line player with unique defensive skills, and because of that, the Bucks are high on his future. Despite signing Greg Monroe to a free agent contract this summer, Milwaukee is busy trying to lock up Henson, who plays the same position (and also center in certain situations). It’s further proof that the Bucks’ plan is to keep its nucleus intact and allow it to grow, rather than chase free agent superstars who are unlikely to leave their own teams anyway. Henson can play alongside Monroe on the front line if the Bucks go big, or be the first player off the bench. In either event, the Bucks are hoping the price is right with Henson, who’s eligible for an extension this fall. Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has some details …

John Henson is in line for an expanded role this season, playing behind Monroe but also next to him in certain lineups if Bucks coach Jason Kidd decides to pair the 6-foot-11 duo.

“We think John is a great complement to Greg with his defensive ability and his ability as a premier shot-blocker in the league,” Bucks general manager John Hammond said.

Monroe will provide the low-post offense while Henson can discourage opponents from driving the lane. The former North Carolina player averaged 2.01 blocks per game last season, ranking fifth in the NBA, and had four games with six or more blocked shots.

Last week Hammond identified the 24-year-old Henson as one of six young players comprising the Bucks’ core group, along with the 25-year-old Monroe, 20-year-olds Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo, 23-year-old Michael Carter-Williams and 23-year-old Khris Middleton.

Henson, who spent a few days in Las Vegas as part of a large Bucks contingent at the NBA Summer League, admitted it felt good to hear that affirmation of his progress.

“It’s something I’ve been working toward,” he said. “I hope to keep improving.”

A source indicated serious talks between the Bucks and the fourth-year player are ongoing, with the goal of reaching an agreement on a multiyear contract extension. Henson is in the final year of his rookie-scale contract and is eligible to sign an extension this summer.

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No. 4: Nuggets see Gallo in their future — The Nuggets are clearly a team in transition and will probably have a fair amount of turnover in the near future. But they locked up Wilson Chandler to a contract extension and apparently are willing to do the same with Danilo Gallinari, their oft-injured but still-dangerous shooter. Gallo is entering the final year of his contract at $11.4 million, and even though he missed a stretch of 18 months after a pair of knee surgeries, the Nuggets have seen enough since his return to have confidence in his ability to help. Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post has details …

The Nuggets are a team in need to raise their shooting profile, and Gallinari helps them reach that goal. Given the Nuggets current financial situation, an extension will have to be structured to kick in at the start of the 2016-17 season, similar to what Kenneth Faried did a year ago. And that would be advantageous to Gallinari, who could negotiate a deal based on the estimates of how the salary cap will rise, and it’s expected to make a huge jump. That’s what New Orleans star Anthony Davis did with his extension.

Gallinari is one of only two small forwards on the roster, so the Nuggets are thin in that area. And despite some injury worries — Gallo has played more than 60 games in just three of his six seasons — he’s a player just hitting the prime of his career.

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SOME RANDOM HEADLINES: The NBA is looking to play some Saturday night games on ABC starting next season … Andre Iguodala had some fun demanding a trade … Luc Mbah a Moute failed his physical …

 

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Blogtable: Upset-minded team in East?

March 11, 2015  ·  10:30 AM ET

Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes across the globe to weigh in on the most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

BLOGTABLE: Extend the season? | Rethinking age limit? | Upset-minded East playoff team?


VIDEO: Paul George is holding out hope he’ll be able to return for a potential playoff run

> If I told you a sleeper team was going to pull off a major upset in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, which team would you tag to make that prediction come true: Bucks, Pacers, Hornets or Heat?

Steve Aschburner, NBA.com: Pacers, though I say that without trying to predict the first-round matchups. Indiana already is a different team that most foes have faced this season, and if Paul George is able to return and blend into what’s already working, the Pacers could bite a top seed in the behind. Now, if they wind up eighth and Atlanta stays at No. 1, that’s a tall order because the Hawks came close to upsetting them a year ago and are better now. But given the Pacers’ pride and desire to salvage what had been a mostly lost season, I’d take them very seriously.

Fran Blinebury, NBA.com: The Bucks with their stingy, No. 2-rated defense, 3-point shooting ability, rising youth in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Michael Carter-Williams and the been-there-done-that smarts of coach Jason Kidd. They could be a we-having-nothing-to-lose handful.

Scott Howard-Cooper, NBA.com: Maybe I’m just getting caught up in the good vibrations of the moment — stringing together wins, Paul George back on the practice court — but I’ll go Pacers. Same problems scoring, but Indy defends and rebounds. Tough not to like that as a starting point for an upset, obviously depending on the matchup. I’d put the Bucks a close second.

Shaun Powell, NBA.com: Honestly, I don’t like any of their chances, but I’ll go with the Bucks. They’ll likely have a better seeding and therefore a more evenly-matched first round. Plus, they’re young with fresh legs that’ll come in handy in late April, and their coach, Jason Kidd, has been there and done that in this league.

John Schuhmann, NBA.com: Indiana is the clear pick. The Pacers have been the best team in the league (both in regard to record and point differential) since Feb. 1. They have a great defense and an offense that has improved with a healthy George Hill in the starting lineup and Rodney Stuckey coming off the bench. They have a coach and a roster with playoff experience, and maybe one of the league’s best players coming back. But I would still have a hard time picking them against Atlanta, Chicago or Cleveland. 

Sekou Smith, NBA.com: I’m tagging the Pacers and relishing the idea, based on the standings at this moment, of a Cleveland Cavaliers-Pacers No. 2 vs No. 7 first-round matchup. Talk about a major upset, this one would be colossal. Paul George comes back. Roy Hibbert rediscovers the All-Star within. Coach Frank Vogel gets his revenge for last season’s meltdown and the team’s staggering fall from grace. Doing it at the expense of long-time foe LeBron James would only add to the intrigue of a storybook scenario for the Pacers … and it is indeed an absolute fantasy. I don’t think there are any upsets to be had in the first round. Not based on what we see in the standings right now.

Ian Thomsen, NBA.com: The Pacers are the East’s poor-man version of OKC. Based on their current trend with their best players – including Paul George – returning to health, then no one at the top of the standings is going to want to see Indiana.

Lang Whitaker, NBA.com’s All Ball blog: I have a hard time pegging the Pacers as an underdog, even as long as Paul George is out. This is a team with guys like Roy Hibbert, David West, George Hill, Luis Scola — quality NBA veteran players. I know that they’ve been without George this season and have dealt with other injuries, but if anything, to me the Pacers have the pieces to be better than they’ve been for most of this season. And then it’s not if George returns, it’s which George might return — I don’t expect to see the George who was one of the best players in the NBA, because that will take time to find and get back to, even just mentally. But I do think if they can get back any version of George that provides depth and is able to knock down an occasional open jumper, that could be a huge postseason help.

Upset-minded East teams
For more debates, go to #AmexNBA or www.nba.com/homecourtadvantage.

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Morning shootaround — Dec. 17

December 17, 2014  ·  7:22 AM ET


VIDEO: Highlights from games played Dec. 16

NEWS OF THE MORNING

Report: Kings talk with Jackson | Reports: Cavs, Rockets still interested in Brewer | Bucks’ next moves after Parker’s injury | Kobe offered support to George

No. 1: Report: Kings’ brass meets with Jackson — Two days ago, the Sacramento Kings fired coach Mike Malone and replaced him with his top assistant, Tyrone Corbin, on an interim basis. Since then, there have been names aplenty — the foremost being George Karl and Chris Mullin — who have popped up as potential Sacramento hires for the coaching gig. Add another name to the list, writes Sam Amick of USA Today, as the team has also spoken with former Golden State Warriors coach and current ESPN analyst Mark Jackson:

In the days that have followed the Sacramento Kings’ surprising firing of coach Michael Malone, the only thing certain about where they go from here has been the uncertainty.

Tyrone Corbin was deemed the interim for the foreseeable future, though no one was quite sure how long that term might last. Longtime head coach George Karl was widely seen as a frontrunner to replace him, but his reported candidacy was followed by proverbial crickets. Golden State Warriors legend and current Kings advisor Chris Mullin was and remains an intriguing possibility, but early indications are that he won’t be taking on the head coaching title anytime soon.

Yet late Tuesday night at Sleep Train Arena, after the Kings fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-92, another possible candidate emerged in the most convenient of ways: former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson. After calling the game courtside for ESPN, Jackson had a lengthy meeting with Mullin, Kings general manager Pete D’Alessandro and franchise centerpiece DeMarcus Cousins inside the “Chairman’s Lounge” where they had requested that arena workers and others give them some privacy.

Jackson, Mullin, and Cousins entered the room at approximately 10:20 p.m. Pacific time, with Cousins sporting a black suit as he continues to recover from his bout with viral meningitis that has kept him out of action since Nov. 26. D’Alessandro joined them approximately 20 minutes into the meeting, and the group finally exited just before midnight, long after the room had been cleared so that they could have a moment to discuss, well, connect the dots yourself.

Or, of course, maybe it was just a couple of old childhood pals sharing stories with their Kings friends. Mullin and Jackson have been the best of friends since their high school days, when Jackson was coming up at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn and Mullin was a star at Power Memorial Academy in New York City. They played together at St. John’s University as well, then later spent three seasons side by side yet again with the Indiana Pacers (1997-2000).

What’s more, D’Alessandro was a video coordinator at St. John’s during Jackson’s senior season. Jackson, Mullin, and D’Alessandro have made a habit of visiting in this nature whenever their paths may cross, but the involvement of Cousins was certainly enough to warrant notice.

The Jackson possibility was previously known, and the dynamics on display leading up to their meeting said everything about why the Kings might be seriously interested in bringing him aboard. According to one of the participants, Cousins expressed a desire to meet Jackson, whose ability to connect with his players during the last three seasons with the Warriors was a very real and valuable part of his successes there.


VIDEO: Who should be the next coach of the Sacramento Kings?

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Bucks see brighter ‘next tomorrow’ thanks to Parker, Antetokounmpo

October 2, 2014  ·  4:47 PM ET


VIDEO: Giannis Antetokounmpo looking toward 2014-15 season

ST. FRANCIS, Wis. – John Henson won’t turn 24 until three days after Christmas, but when you get him talking about his precocious Milwaukee Bucks’ teammates Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo, you start looking around for a front porch and a rocking chair. Henson isn’t about to drop a “whippersnapper” on anyone but yes, he admitted this week, the two kids do make him feel old.

“It does, man,” Henson said after a morning session Wednesday in coach Jason Kidd‘s first Bucks camp. “When I was 19, I was a sophomore in college, not even thinking about the NBA. It’s interesting, man. I’m as excited to see them grow as anybody else.”

The number of anybody elses is unusually high, too, considering it’s, well, Milwaukee. A training camp visit by a major sports network added to the buzz.

“I think it’s good to have some excitement out here,” Henson said. “I saw the ESPN [production] truck out there, I didn’t know what was going on. I had to search my app and make sure nothing came up. They were just talking about training camp. So that’s something that’s new for me here.”

The days of ignoring the Bucks are dwindling. Used to be, some big media enterprise or national reporter would wait for Milwaukee to come to them, say, for a road game in New York or L.A. It’d be a quick peek and then, yeah, back to flyover status for a team stuck somewhere in the NBA’s steerage class of the flawed and the futile.

Now the Bucks boast two of the league’s most promising, young talents. Parker and Antetokounmpo are twin sources of optimism and untapped potential for a franchise with new ownership, a new coach, hopes for a new arena and a fresh set of ambitions.

Last season, the Bucks lost their way to the opportunity to draft Parker with the No. 2 pick in the June draft. The rookie hopes he doesn’t have to go through anything resembling their 15-67 season.

“I think the guys really don’t take winning for granted, because they lost so much,” Parker said, sharing his first impression of his new team. “So with that attitude, that mindset, they appreciate winning a little more. They leave it out on the floor, just play with a little bit more heart, because they know winning isn’t guaranteed.”

It might be more achievable, at least, with the two teens in tow.

Parker and Antetokounmpo got to this point from widely divergent paths The former has competed at basketball’s highest levels in high school (Simeon in Chicago, Ill.) and college (Duke) before turning pro last spring in a flip-a-coin decision with Andrew Wiggins atop the 2014 draft.

Parker went second, which gave him way more stability this summer as the Bucks pledged their allegiance from the start. Wiggins, meanwhile, got embraced by the Cavaliers, got excited about LeBron James‘ return to Cleveland and then got traded to Minnesota as the major chip delivering Kevin Love.

Parker, listed at 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, also got a head start on this whole NBA thing as the son of former Golden State forward Sonny Parker (1976-82).

“His time was different,” Parker said of going to school on his father’s experience. “During the ’70s and ’80s, they flew commercial all the time. And they practiced in two-a-days for a month straight, maybe even longer.

“But what he told me to remember is, the game never changes. Players change. But keep that same mentality. The rules of success, that formula, never changes. He always tells me to keep it by the playbook.”

Sonny Parker averaged 9.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 24.2 minutes, the first two of which some Bucks fans might expect Jabari to double in his rookie season. But the younger Parker isn’t talking numbers and he’s maintaining perspective.

“Until I get to my sixth year, he’s got it over me,” he said of his father. “I’ve got to just listen to him and hopefully I’ll get to where he was.”

Parker and the Bucks have penciled him in as a power forward, a nod to his build and relative athleticism. He has impressed the staff and his new teammates with his diligence and his humility – even Antetokounmpo said, “He’s a great kid” – and has shrugged off early predictions as the Rookie of the Year favorite.

“More advanced, more comfortable,” Antetokounmpo said of the difference between his rookie arrival and Parker’s. “That confidence he has, for a young guy, he surprises you. He’s got, like, nerves. He’s always … how can I say it? … he don’t care who’s going to guard him. He even doesn’t care who he’s going to defend. Whether it’s a young guy or a big guy, he don’t care, he just plays his game.”

Said Henson: “Great rookie to have – comes in, works hard, doesn’t say much. Bought a stereo for the locker room so we can listen to music. Just goes about his business.”

If Parker is headed to power forward, Antetokounmpo could have his position decided by dartboard. Drafted 15th overall in 2013 as a raw sleeper pick from Greece, the lanky teen from Athens grew another two inches in the offseason. Now he’s 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and notions of actually playing point guard for one of the game’s all-time greats at that spot. Everyone in Milwaukee’s camp keeps a straight face on the possibility, too.

“We try to stay away from labeling,” Kidd said. “The one thing he has is a natural instinct to make plays and find ways to win. As far as being a point guard, I think he can start the offense, he can go coast-to-coast – he’s very comfortable with the ball in the open court.”

Can Antetokounmpo guard some of the gnats and water bugs among NBA point guards?

“We’ll see,” Kidd said. “He probably could play center. Y’know, 6-11. Guys, whatever they can do to help a team win. Magic [Johnson] played all positions to help win a championship [in 1980 with the Lakers]. When you have that type of ability and skill level to play multiple positions, it helps the coach, it helps your teammates and it also gives you more time on the floor.’

The key differences in their development, in Kidd’s eyes, are the refinements with which Parker has grown up, different from the rough edges so to be sanded off Antetokounmpo. But if Parker can produce half the YouTube moments that the “Greek Freak” did in 2013-14, the Bucks will be thrilled.

“You’re probably looking at small things – fundamentals, footwork – when you look at Jabari,” Kidd said. “But he probably isn’t growing any more. Giannis has grown over two inches – he gets accustomed to being 6-9, he wakes up and he’s 6-11. … He has to go through kind of understanding his body.

“They’re both 19 year olds, they’re both different. But they’re both capable of playing at a high level in due time.”

Some Milwaukee fans are thinking five, 10, even 15 years ahead with both these guys in the lineup. That’s a little far out there for Parker and Antetokounmpo.

“I’m thinking day by day,” Antetokounmpo said. “Hopefully we stick here for long years and everything goes well and we take the Bucks back to a championship like before [1971]. But if you don’t play hard now or tomorrow or the next tomorrow, it can’t happen.”

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Morning Shootaround — Dec. 29

December 29, 2013  ·  9:48 AM ET


VIDEO: The Daily Zap, a quick rundown of the 12 games played Dec. 28

NEWS OF THE MORNING

Bosh rises to sink Blazers | Smith lashes out at Cheeks | Clippers interested in Bynum? | Wolves back to .500

No. 1: Bosh rises to sink Blazers — On a night the Miami Heat were looking to avoid consecutive losses for the third time this season, LeBron James sat out with a groin injury and Dwyane Wade didn’t have it going. But there was the often overlooked member of the Big Three, Chris Bosh, an All-Star in his own right, standing by to save the day. The Heat’s power forward outplayed LaMarcus Aldridge, posting 37 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds to beat the Portland Trail Blazers, the West’s No. 1 team. In the final huddle Heat coach Erik Spoelstra drew up a play, but Bosh overruled it, wanting to take the 3, and Spoelstra smartly rolled with it. After Bosh drilled the shot, the Heat bench, including James, erupted and showered Bosh with a wild celebration that revealed how big that win was and how much Bosh’s teammates enjoy seeing him succeed.
Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report provides the details:

“My call at the end of the game was much more conservative,” Spoelstra said, after the Heat’s 108-107 victory. “I drew something up to get him on the move, and he said no, I want it for three.”

Bosh wanted the extra space, especially since he knew his momentum would take him away from the hoop anyway.

He wanted the extra point too.

“I told him I wanted to go for the jugular,” Bosh said.

“So he overruled it and became a prophet,” Spoelstra said. “Why did I even diagram something else for him? I mean, he already hit two threes. He was feeling it, he wanted it, and as soon as he said it, I said, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’ It was much better than what I had planned.”

It was. So much better.

Norris Cole inbounded to Dwyane Wade from the left side, with Mario Chalmers running Damian Lillard down the baseline from right to left, while Ray Allen occupied Mo Williams‘ attention on the left wing. It was similar to the previous play, in which Allen’s screen freed Wade for a slam.

Bosh set a brush screen—and this time, Aldridge left him to help Nicolas Batum chase down Wade.

“My job was to drive his man to me,” Wade said.

It went just as they planned.

“It didn’t really go exactly like that,” Wade said.

OK, it didn’t. Wade lost the handle briefly, before chucking the ball behind him on one bounce, fortunate that Williams didn’t budge.

“He threw a crazy pass a little bit, I’m not going to lie,” Bosh said. “But I was able to see it, nobody was in the vicinity, so I didn’t have to rush, and I was able to lock into the goal the whole time.”

Bosh collected it with his left side touching the three-point line, backing up, stepping in and launching from 26 feet with 2.6 seconds left.

With 0.5 seconds left, it fell through.

***

No. 2: Smith lashes out at Cheeks — The Detroit Pistons were on the verge of hitting .500, but have now lost four of five and two in a row, blasted on back-to-back nights by Orlando and then at Washington on Saturday. And now the Pistons have the first signs of internal conflict brewing with big free-agent acquisition Josh Smith unhappy about being benched for the entire second half and suggesting that coach Maurice Cheeks called him out for not playing hard. As David Mayo of MLive reports:

Josh Smith didn’t play the second half of a 106-82 blowout against the Washington Wizards, the second time head coach Maurice Cheeks has made that decision this season.

This time, Smith suggested Cheeks called him out for not playing hard, and that he took “real offense” to the accusation.

Smith also was benched the second half of a Nov. 12 game at Golden State.

“Like I told y’all before when we had this conversation, when you hit adverse times, characters are gonna be tested,” Smith said. “It’s either that we’re gonna come closer together and make it all one team, or are you gonna use a scapegoat to get away from what’s really at hand?”

What’s really at hand is the Pistons (14-18) have lost four of five, bombed in a two-game road trip against sub-.500 teams this weekend, and now have their first hint of internal upheaval.

How long it lasts remains to be seen.

Asked if Smith will start Monday’s home rematch with the Wizards, Cheeks replied, “I assume he will. I don’t know why he wouldn’t. We’ll wait until that next game gets there.”

Smith said he isn’t inclined to have a personal discussion with Cheeks about their disagreement before the next game.

“To me, it’s over with,” Smith said. “But you know, some people hold grudges longer than others. I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m not saying that he (Cheeks) does. I don’t know.

“But I’m not the type of person that really likes to go all the time in the coach’s office and have one-on-one sitdowns. I’m more of a team morale guy, worrying about what we can do, as far as teammates are concerned, to make ourselves more successful.”

***

No. 3: Clippers interested in Bynum? — The former Lakers big man, troubled by knee injuries and possibly a lack of desire to play at the highest level, was suspended indefinitely by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday for conduct detrimental to the team. Reports have the Cavs eager to deal Andrew Bynum. The Clippers, in need of frontline support behind center DeAndre Jordan and power forward Blake Griffin, could be one team interested in trying to make it work with the troubled 7-footer who had not long ago put himself in the discussion alongside Dwight Howard as the league’s top center. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times breaks it down:

The Clippers would have interest in Bynum if he was released by the Cavaliers, according to several NBA executives who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

But according to one Eastern Conference executive, the Clippers would have competition for Bynum because the Miami Heat also would have interest in the seven-footer.

The Clippers have the NBA-maximum 15-player roster and would have to waive a player if they were to sign Bynum, who is still only 26.

The Cavaliers signed Bynum to a two-year, $24-million deal over the summer. But only $6 million of Bynum’s $12.2-million contract for this season is guaranteed if he is waived before Jan. 7.

The Eastern Conference executive said it’s possible Bynum will be released by the Cavaliers in early January if they can’t trade him so the team is not on the hook for the last $6 million Bynum would be owed.

Bynum has averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 20.0 minutes in the 24 games he has played with the Cavaliers. He had 18 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes when he started for the Cavaliers against the Clippers on Dec. 7

.***

No. 4: Wolves back to .500 — It had been since Dec. 10-11 that the Minnesota Timberwolves had won consecutive games. A team expected to make the playoffs this season following last year’s disastrous injury problems, the Wolves have yet to find any consistency and have lost late leads in multiple games. On Saturday night, they avoided a letdown on the second night of a back-to-back, blowing out woeful Milwaukee to get back to .500. They haven’t won three in a row since starting the season with three consecutive victories. They’ll get the chance to match their season-high win streak at home on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks, a team they handled twice in November. Kent Youngblood of the Minnesota Star Tribune has the story:

The message, at halftime, was something like this: Don’t let it happen again.

The Timberwolves were winning against the lowly Bucks on the road Saturday night, but Milwaukee was getting too many easy baskets and points in the paint. This was feeling a bit too much like last week’s game against the Lakers. Or the week before in Boston, when the Wolves had followed an impressive win with a listless loss.

Not to worry.

With Kevin Love leading the way, the Wolves scored the first 14 points of the third quarter and built their lead to as much as 31 late in the quarter at Bradley Center. That was enough to withstand some shoddy play by the bench to start the fourth quarter. The result was a 117-95 victory that ended a three-game road losing streak and put the Wolves (15-15) back at .500 with five of their next six games at home.

“We haven’t played great in the second night of back-to-backs,” said Love, who scored 33 points with 15 rebounds. He made four of six three-pointers and had six assists. It was his 10th consecutive game with 25 or more points, most in the league this season, and his fifth game with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds.

The Wolves, who won Friday against Washington, have won two in a row, sweeping both ends of a back-to-back for only the second time in eight tries this season. Love and center Nikola Pekovic (19 points, 11 rebounds) took advantage of a Bucks lineup missing 6-11 John Henson. Kevin Martin added 20 points and Corey Brewer had 12.

***

SOME RANDOM HEADLINES: Deron Williams‘ season keeps getting uglier as Nets get crushed by superior Pacers … Knicks hope to get Carmelo Anthony back for tough Texas road swing. … Bradley Beal makes welcome return 24 hours after limping off the floor and helps Wizards rout of Pistons … Nets center Brook Lopez will undergo foot surgery next Saturday

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Sanders Frustrated By Short Minutes

November 3, 2013  ·  10:33 AM ET

VIDEO: Larry Sanders might need more quality minutes for more quality work

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MILWAUKEE – It is pro sports’ chicken-or-egg quandary, setting up an eternal conflict between coaches and athletes: Does a player play more when he plays better, or does the player play better when he plays more?

Milwaukee center Larry Sanders is solidly in the camp of the latter. Bucks coach Larry Drew? Leaning more toward the former right now.

Sanders – the 6-foot-11 defensive savant whose breakthrough 2012-13 season included strong support for the Defensive Player (seventh) and Most Improved (third) awards, as well as a four-year, $44 million extension over the summer – is one frustrated shot-swatter and rebounder at the moment.

Through Milwaukee’s first three games, his production is down significantly: 2.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 17.3 minutes, compared to last season’s 9.8, 9.5, 2.8 and 27.3. After taking an average of 8.5 shots and making about half (50.6) in 2012-13, he has shot 4-for-16 so far, in a mixed bag of jump hooks, short jumpers and layups.

Sanders has been the opposite of smooth, offensively, looking at times like he’s wrestling a lawn chair. And in his view, he hasn’t broken enough of a sweat to do much better. He played 21:37 in the Bucks’ 97-90 loss to Toronto Saturday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, contributing four points, four boards and one block.

“I feel like I’m capable of being in the game at the end and helping my team win, coming up with blocks and rebounds,” Sanders told NBA.com before exiting the locker room swiftly. “I haven’t been able to get my rhythm out there. I understand foul trouble situations, but tonight I wasn’t in foul trouble.

“Last year I finished so many games. I feel like that’s when I lock in the most. But I haven’t been able to get in the game to finish. That carries over to the next game. When you sit the last three quarters of each game, I can’t have no carryover. And it’s hard for me. I’m still a young player. It’s only my eighth year playing basketball.”

Sanders, 24, has played only 15 of his 52 minutes so far in the second half. He logged 3:12 at New York Wednesday, 5:34 at Boston Friday and 6:18 against the Raptors after the break. But then, the Bucks outscored the Knicks 52-34 after halftime and the Celtics 58-35. They had a 39-34 edge on the Raptors through 18 minutes of the second half Saturday before slipping back to lose the game by seven (and the half, 46-44).

Drew’s lineup in the fourth quarter Saturday primarly was O.J. Mayo and rookie point Nate Wolters in the backcourt, Khris Middleton, John Henson and 18-year-old project Giannis Antetokounmpo up front. That group, over the first 6:07 of the quarter, erased Toronto’s 12-point lead, getting the Bucks even at 85-85.

Drew subbed in Caron Butler for Middleton, who had missed a pair of free throws and a couple layups, over the final 3:04. Milwaukee got no closer than three.

“Throughout the game,” Drew said, “I just didn’t feel like we put a burst together, where we were really moving and flying around. So I elected to go smaller in the fourth quarter, move Khris to the four and Giannis to the three, and it got us going. At that point, I was really going to ride that group.”

Said Sanders: “That makes sense. But it’s not that group – Caron goes in. It’s about trust. Who you trust down the stretch, that’s who you’re going to play.”

If this is a trust issue, it may well be a temporary, evolving one. Drew has on his hands a roster that’s not just new to him but new to each other. He’s searching for combinations, with even his starting lineup fluid for now. His top two point-guard options – Brandon Knight (right hamstring strain) and Luke Ridnour (back spasms) – have been out, which messes with everyone’s rhythm.

Also, Drew has Zaza Pachulia as an option at center, a familiar face from the coach’s three seasons in Atlanta. Pachulia has averaged 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 26.0 minutes – though it’s a small sample size and the burly veteran didn’t play in the fourth quarter Saturday, either.

Drew suggested some of Sanders’ struggle on offense and frustration overall stems from adjusting to his third coach (after Scott Skiles and interim Jim Boylan) in 10 months. “It’s him still trying to learn this system and trying to learn his teammates,” Drew said. “He had some point-blank shots right around the basket – he just couldn’t get ’em to drop.

“I thought that Larry played with some energy though. That’s the thing that, in my conversations with him, I want him to bring on a nightly basis. The other stuff will fall into place.”

Henson – the second-year forward who has had to scrape for his own minutes amid the newness, despite his strong summer in Las Vegas – said he has tried to calm Sanders, whose emotions sometimes outstrip his maturity.

“I talk to Larry, because he’s one of my best friends on the team,” Henson said late Saturday. “I told him, ‘You’re going to close 90 percent of our games.’ He’s just frustrated right now.”

Henson thinks Sanders might be pressing to show the world he’s worth the fat contract extension he received in the offseason. Sanders doesn’t feel that way, though. And Drew said, even if he did, he shouldn’t.

“Yeah, I’ve had that conversation,” the coach said. “There’s no need to press now. He’s in a good position. I know a lot of guys who get in that position of not knowing what their future holds, they do have a tendency to press. But for him, nah, there’s no need to press. Just go out there and play.”

And there’s the rub. Sanders puts the emphasis in that sentence on “go out there.” Drew, at the moment, is focused on the “play.”

This isn’t so much Larry vs. Larry as it is one Larry seeing things differently from the other Larry while serving separate agendas. One man’s chicken to the other man’s egg, with 79 games to go.

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Swift, Swat Start To Bucks’ ‘G-Bo’ Project

October 11, 2013  ·  2:13 PM ET

 

The initial plan had been to write a little on Twitter about Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks’ roll o’ the dice, first-round draft pick. But by the time you get done with his name, his identifying information and the pronunciation guide (YAHN-iss Ah-deh-toh-KOON-bo), well, there goes your 140 characters.

So HTB it is!

To hear the Bucks’ bosses talk about their upcoming season and the need to stay competitive in a smallish market with many fans of limited means – and to maintain visibility and popularity for a new-arena pitch underway – the development of Antetokounmpo in 2013-14 figured to be a low priority. Yet the long-armed kid played 57 minutes in Milwaukee’s first two preseason games, getting force-fed on the NBA game while managing to force open a few skeptics’ or sleepers’ eyes.

The 6-foot-9 youngster scored 14 points in the opener against Cleveland, shooting 3-of 7 from the floor, 7-of-10 from the line and hitting one of his three 3-pointers. He had four rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks, with five turnovers and five fouls in 29:12. He was the best of the Bucks with a plus-13 plus/minus.

Against Minnesota in Sioux Falls Thursday, the fellow some have taken to calling “G-Bo” – headline writers are rooting for that to take hold – played another 28 minutes. He scored four points on 1-of-6 shooting with a couple free throws, and had seven boards, one steal, four blocks, seven turnovers and five fouls.

His minutes were due in part to Ersan Ilyasova‘s sprained right ankle. His play is expectedly raw. But the 7-foot-3 wingspan that helped generate those seven blocked shots in two games is something that can’t be coached. And Antetokounmpo already has shown glimmers of what convinced Bucks general manager John Hammond to grab him at No. 15 in the June draft.

Enough, perhaps to recalibrate some of the team’s hopes and dreams for his rookie season.

“To me, success for Giannis is, I want people to see it,” Hammond had said when camps opened. “When you see him make a play, when you see a kid 19 years old on the floor doing what he’s doing, you say, ‘I get it. I see who he can be.’ ”

Hammond and Bucks VP of player personnel Dave Babcock watched Antetokounmpo work at Tim Grgurich‘s Las Vegas summer camp in August, with the GM ‘fessing up to moments when he got “giddy” over this play or that by the kid. Visions of the new guy alongside Larry Sanders and John Henson started swatting shots in Hammond’s head.

“I don’t think you’re going to see it, possibly, every night,” he said. “But just show it once in a while. To me, that’s what I’m looking for.”

Much has been written and said about Hammond’s marching orders from owner Herb Kohl. The NBA intelligentsia scoffs at the idea of a franchise getting itself “stuck in the middle,” settling for low playoff berths that generally translate into quick eliminations followed by mediocre draft position.

That’s the Milwaukee way, though, which makes Antetokounmpo a luxury of sorts. He is every inch a project player like Kwame Brown, Darko Milicic, Jonas Valanciunas and many others, but without the risk of the high picks spent on those guys. A mandate to compete, but with the permission to take a flyer on a potentially homegrown breakout talent, has the Bucks and coach Larry Drew on a dual track.

“We keep talking about him this upcoming season and what we expect of him,” Hammond said. “I would like to see him get exposed but not over-exposed. Give him an opportunity to be on the floor when it’s possible, but not have him out there too much where he would lose his confidence and those around him would lose confidence.

“At 18 years old, 19 in December, the kinds of things he’s doing on the floor are unusual to say the least. So it’s a growth curve but that curve could be extremely high.”

Higher, perhaps, even than the spelling and pronunciation curves.

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Which State Could Construct The Best NBA Roster?

August 4, 2013  ·  12:36 PM ET

By Jonathan Hartzell, NBA.com

Just for fun, we decided to see which states produce the best NBA players. Then we created the best hypothetical teams that could be put together from players that were born in those states. Not surprisingly, the most populous states in sunny climes are well represented in our top 10, and a team full of All-Stars from a golden West Coast state runs away with the No. 1 spot. Here’s the rundown from 10th place up to No. 1:

 

10. Florida

New York Knicks v Miami Heat - Game One

Amar’e Stoudemire leads team Florida.

PG – Brandon Knight – 13.1 ppg, 3.9 apg, 3.2 rpg (career averages)

SG – Vince Carter – 20.8 ppg, 3.8 apg, 5.0 rpg

SF – Chandler Parsons – 12.8 ppg, 2.9 apg, 5.1 rpg

PF – Amar’e Stoudemire – 21.3 ppg, 1.4 apg, 8.6 rpg

C – Larry Sanders – 6.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.9 bpg

Bench: Marreese Speights, Marquis Daniels, Reggie Evans, Trevor Ariza, Udonis Haslem, Keyon Dooling, Steve Blake

Overview: Team Florida is led by Stoudemire of the New York Knicks and Parsons of the Houston Rockets. They would be tough to score on in the paint, but guard depth would be a clear problem for this squad.

9. New Jersey

Charlotte Bobcats v New York Knicks

J.R. Smith leads streaky team New Jersey.

PG – MarShon Brooks – 8.5 ppg, 1.6 apg, 2.4 rpg

SG – J.R. Smith – 13.2 ppg, 2.1 apg, 3.2 rpg

SF – Gerald Henderson – 11.3 ppg, 1.8 apg, 3.1 rpg

PF – Kenneth Faried – 11.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg

C – Andrew Bynum – 11.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg

Bench: David West, Earl Clark, Tyshawn Taylor, Jason Thompson, Chris Copeland, Randy Foye

Overview: New Jersey certainly would be an exciting team to watch. However, led by Smith of the Knicks and Bynum of the Cleveland Cavaliers, they would be an extremely streaky squad that could defeat or lose to any team on any given night.

8. Georgia

Dwight Howard and Josh Smith

Dwight Howard and Josh Smith finally would be able to play on the same team.

PG – Toney Douglas – 8.6 ppg, 2. apg, 2.3 rpg

SG – Jodie Meeks – 8.0 ppg, 0.9 apg, 2.2 rpg

SF – Al-Farouq Aminu – 6.3 ppg, 1.0 apg, 5.2 rpg

PF – Josh Smith – 15.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.1 bpg

C – Dwight Howard – 18.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 2.2 bpg

Bench: Derrick Favors, , J.J. Hickson, Andrew Goudelock, Jae Crowder, Jordan Hill, Chris Singleton

Overview: Georgia is able to construct one of the best frontcourts in the United States with Smith and Howard. These two friends since high school would have their way around the rim, but the limited guard depth may prove to be too much to overcome.

7. Texas

LaMarcus Aldridge and Chris Bosh

LaMarcus Aldridge and Chris Bosh would create an extremely offensive frontcourt.

PG – Daniel Gibson – 7.8 ppg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 rpg

SG – Wesley Matthews – 13.4 ppg, 1.2 spg, 2.9 rpg

SF – Jimmy Butler – 6.6 ppg, 1.0 apg, 3.1 rpg

PF – Chris Bosh – 19.5, 2.1 apg, 8.9 rpg

C – LaMarcus Aldridge – 18.3 ppg, 1.0 bpg, 7.8 rpg

Bench: DeAndre Jordan, Quincy Acy, Mike Dunleavy, Kendrick Perkins, Emeka Okafor, Ronnie Price, Darrell Arthur

Overview: While Georgia may have a more dangerous starting frontcourt, the bench depth of Texas allows them to claim the seventh spot. Bosh, Aldridge, and Matthews would be able to handle most of the scoring with Jordan, Perkins, and Okafor being huge bodies to have come off the bench.

6. Pennsylvania

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant leads team Pennsylvania.

PG – Tyreke Evans – 17.5 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.8 rpg

SG – Kobe Bryant – 25.5 ppg, 4.8 apg, 5.3 rpg

SF – Michael-Kidd Gilchrist – 9.0 ppg, 1.5 apg, 5.8 rpg

PF – Marcus Morris – 6.8 ppg, 0.7 apg, 3.1 rpg

C – Markieff Morris – 7.8 ppg, 1.2 apg, 4.7 rpg

Bench: Dion Waiters, Kyle Lowry, Dejuan Blair, Jameer Nelson, Lavoy Allen, Hakim Warrick, John Salmons

Overview: Pennsylvania is led by an intriguing backcourt of Evans and Bryant which would take some of the pressure off their tiny frontcourt. But Pennsylvania could be tough to beat if the Morris twins are able to hold their own and Dion Waiters provides a spark off the bench.

5. North Carolina

John Wall guards Chris Paul.

John Wall and Chris Paul would have their way with opposing defenses.

PG – Chris Paul – 18.6 ppg, 9.8 apg, 2.4 spg

SG – John Wall – 16.9 ppg, 8.0 apg, 1.5 spg

SF – Kent Bazemore – 2.0 ppg, 0.4 rpg, 0.4 apg

PF – John Henson – 6.0 ppg, 0.7 bpg, 4.7 rpg

C – Hassan Whiteside – 1.5 ppg, 0.8 bpg, 2.1 rpg

Bench: Ishmael Smith, Anthony Morrow, Eric Maynor, Darius Johnson-Odom

Overview: Yes. I know John Wall would be a weird, undersized shooting guard. But his and Paul’s speed would be nearly impossible to slow down and with the emerging Henson in the frontcourt, North Carolina could surprise some people. 

4. Ohio

LeBron James

LeBron James would be even more outstanding with Stephen Curry on his team.

PG – Stephen Curry – 19.2 ppg, 6.1 apg, 1.7 spg

SG – Kevin Martin – 17.8 ppg, 2.0 apg, 3.3 rpg

SF – LeBron James – 27.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 6.9 apg

PF – Jared Sullinger – 6.0 ppg, 0.8 apg, 5.9 rpg

C – Byron Mullens – 8.4 ppg, 1.0 apg, 4.8 rpg

Bench: Luke Babbitt, Kosta Koufos, Norris Cole, Daequan Cook

Overview: James and Curry lead team Ohio and besides help from Kevin Martin, there wouldn’t be much more than those two scoring for this team. But those two are more than enough and James passing the ball out to Curry for countless 3-pointers would be beautiful to watch.

3. New York

Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony leads team New York.

PG – Kemba Walker – 15.2 ppg, 5.9 apg, 1.7 spg

SG – Danny Green – 8.7 ppg, 1.3 apg, 2.9 rpg

SF – Carmelo Anthony – 25.0 ppg, 3.1 apg, 6.4 rpg

PF – Joakim Noah – 9.4 ppf, 9.1 rpb, 1.5 bpg

C – Roy Hibbert – 11.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.8 bpg

Bench: Andre Drummond, Tobias Harris, Jimmer Fredette, Greg Oden, Andray Blatche, Taj Gibson, Channing Frye, Metta World Peace, Maurice Harkless

Overview: Team New York is loaded with talent at every position and they have some of the best depth in the nation. Noah and Hibbert would be an unmatched force inside and Anthony would be able to handle most of the scoring. The main problem would be a lack of 3-point shooters but with a starting lineup like theirs, it could be worked around.

2. Illinois

Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade

Derrick Rose and Dwyane Wade would be nearly impossible to defend.

PG – Derrick Rose – 21.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.8 apg

SG – Dwyane Wade – 24.7 ppg, 6.1 apg, 1.8 spg

SF – Iman Shumpert – 8.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.4 spg

PF – Andre Iguodala – 15.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.7 spg

C – Anthony Davis – 13.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg

Bench: Tony Allen, Steve Novak, Will Bynum, Evan Turner, Patrick Beverley, Luke Harangody, Jeremy Pargo, Will Bynum

Overview: Team Illinois and team New York are relatively equal talent wise with New York having much better depth. But the backcourt of Rose and Wade would have their way with New York and the frontcourt defense from Shumpert, Iguodala, and Davis would be incredibly difficult to defeat, no matter how undersized Iggy is at power forward.

1. California

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love lead team California.

PG – Russell Westbrook – 19.9 ppg, 6.9 apg, 4.8 rpg

SG – James Harden – 16.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 3.8 rpg

SF – Paul George – 12.9 ppg, 1.5 spg, 5.8 rpg

PF – Kevin Love – 17.3 ppg, 1.9 apg, 12.2 rpg

C – Tyson Chandler – 8.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg

Bench: Paul Pierce, Andre Miller, Brook Lopez,  Jeremy Lin, DeMar DeRozan, Brandon Jennings, Klay Thompson, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard

Overview: Is there any argument that California doesn’t have the best team? Led by the backcourt duo of Westbrook and Harden, the Golden State has All-Stars at every starting position and three on the bench. They’re an excess of talent who would be nearly impossible for any other state to defeat.

———————————————————————————————————————————————

And just for argument’s sake, here’s the best roster the rest of the world could assemble:

International

PG – Kyrie Irving (Australia) – 20.6 ppg, 5.7 apg, 1.3 spg

SG – Tony Parker (France) – 17.1 ppg, 6.0 apg, 3.0 rpg

SF – Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) – 12.4 ppg, 1.4 spg, 1.9 bpg

PF – Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) – 22.6 ppg, 2.6 apg, 8.2 rpg

C – Marc Gasol  (Spain) – 13.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.6 bpg

Bench: Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), Steve Nash (South Africa), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Pau Gasol (Spain), Ricky Rubio (Spain), Omer Asik (Turkey), Ersan Ilyasova (Turkey), Nikola Pekovic (Montenegro), Luol Deng (Great Britain), Nicolas Batum (France)

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Las Vegas Summer League: Day 11 Recap

July 22, 2013  ·  11:58 PM ET

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LAS VEGAS — Ian Clark is the essence of Summer League.

The 22-year-old out of Belmont was the Ohio Valley Conference co-player of the year. He was a two-time defensive player of the year and a four-time all-conference selection. He never shot below 40 percent in a season from behind the arc.

At the June 27 NBA Draft at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Clark’s name was never called.

Undrafted and looking for his big shot, the unheralded, and mostly unheard of Clark — not Kent Bazemore or Draymond Green, but the 6-foot-3, 175-pound Clark — carried the Golden State Warriors, with seven 3-pointers and a game-high 33 points, to a  91-77 victory over the Phoenix Suns in the inaugural Summer League tournament championship game.

In the NBA playoffs they call that kind of performance a podium game because the player would be asked to appear at the dais to meet the media. In the Summer League, well, let’s call it a contract game. It might not come from the Warriors, whose well-stocked backcourt includes the impressive Bazemore (who was also voted to the all-Summer-League team). But there’s 29 other NBA teams out there that might want Clark, and only one has to make an offer.

At least a few, according to a Warriors official, have offered Clark at least a partially guaranteed contract. The 2013 Summer League championship game MVP, the official said, also has lucrative options in Europe.

“Hopefully,” Clark said of making an NBA roster after besting his career-high at Belmont by one point. “I just wanted to come out here and play hard, and I think that’s what Summer League is for, to come out here and showcase your talents.

Before the championship game, Clark had averaged 9.0 points, scoring 54 points in the previous six games.

The Warriors capped their Vegas run with a 7-0 record and made it consecutive summers without a loss. The Phoenix Suns, led by new coach Jeff Hornacek and key roster players Marcus and Markieff Morris, along with P.J. Tucker, suffered their first loss but may have gained a pretty good player as they continue to rebuild next season.

Late first-round draft pick Archie Goodwin had an impressive run and ended it with 18 points. The lanky, 6-foot-5, one-and-done guard out of Kentucky consistently outplayed Kendall Marshall, the Suns’ lottery pick from last season. Goodwin averaged 13.1 ppg and shot 50 percent from the floor.

So that will do it for the 2013 Las Vegas Summer League. The big boys are in town now for a U.S. Men’s National Team mini-camp that started Monday and runs through Thursday, when the intra-squad scrimmage will be broadcast live at 9 p.m. ET on NBA TV.

2013 All-Summer League Team

MVP: Jonas Valanciunas (Toronto)

Kent Bazemore (Golden State)

Cody Zeller (Charlotte)

John Henson (Milwaukee)

Jeff Taylor (Charlotte)

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