Patrick Beverley Says He Is Best Defensive Player in NBA This Season
December 20th, 2016 by Joseph Zucker No comments »
It's only December, but Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley is already kicking his Defensive Player of the Year candidacy into high gear.
"I'm the best guard in this league, defensively, man, hands down," Beverley said Tuesday, per ESPN.com's Calvin Watkins. "You can ask any team; ask any coach; ask any player. They will tell you the truth. This year, I'm the best defender in the league."
Beverley has long been considered an irritant on the defensive end. He infamously injured Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook in the 2013 playoffs after attempting a steal prior to a timeout:
Beverley explained his defensive mindset in a 2014 interview with Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins:
Basketball players want to be comfortable, they want to be lackadaisical, they want to make the right passes and take the right shots. No. When you play me, I'm going to get right up in your grill and let you know it's ...
Ranking the Most Attractive Trade Targets in the NBA
December 20th, 2016 by Dan Favale No comments »
Some NBA trade targets are (much) more appealing than others.
We already looked at the players who hold the most auction value. The focus there was on the potential return teams could generate from certain names. But priorities shift to outside suitors when considering the most tempting trade options.
Superstars remain the cream of the crop from this perspective, but they seldom reach the chopping block. Studs like Paul George and John Wall aren't readily available, so they're not as attractive because of what it would take for their respective squads to answer the phone.
Team situations impact player values as well. Terrence Ross is balling and on a bargain-bin contract, but the Toronto Raptors aren't in a position to move someone of consequence without a blockbuster return of their own. That detracts from Ross' curb appeal.
Buyers aren't looking to overhaul their entire roster most of the time. Failing the acquisition of a legitimate ...
Resting Era Is Here to Stay, but NBA Needs to Remember That Winning Still Counts
December 20th, 2016 by Kevin Ding No comments »
The smell of the Korean fried chicken wings wafted above all the other catered food options, and the steam drifted at the same slow speed from the shower area into the quiet locker room.
It was the losing team's locker room, and the guys sitting in it cared deeply that they were the losing team.
Allow me to take you back to the feeling that night in Milwaukee, two weeks before last Christmas, when something came to an end that probably will never be recaptured in this Rest Era of the NBA.
It was a team having given more than anyone could have expected, both mentally and physically, in pursuit of a regular-season victory.
The Golden State Warriors didn't win that night, losing the 25th game of their season after winning the first 24 to set a record in major professional sports. It came at the end of two weeks on the road, the ...
DeMarcus Cousins Fined for Confrontation with Reporter: Latest Details, Reaction
December 20th, 2016 by Joseph Zucker No comments »
The Sacramento Kings fined DeMarcus Cousins on Tuesday after he confronted the Sacramento Bee's Andy Furillo.
The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears provided a statement from the team:
The Kings have a clear set of standards of conduct expected of our entire organization. As a result of negative interactions with certain members of the media that were not corrected after verbal warnings, we have decided to impose a substantial fine. If this behavior is repeated again we will be forced to consider further discipline.
Victor Contreras of the Sacramento Bee reported Cousins was fined $50k. Cousins would release a statement regarding the news (via James Ham of CSN California):
There is a time, place and manner to say everything, and I chose the wrong ones. Like most people, I am fiercely protective of my friends and family, and I let my emotions get the best of me in this situation. I understand my actions were inexcusable and I commit to ...
NBA Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on Nerlens Noel, DeMarcus Cousins and More
December 20th, 2016 by Andy Bailey No comments »
There was always going to be at least some trade buzz surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers this season. They came into 2016-17 with four young centers, three of whom were lottery picks. There had to be an odd man out.
Two months into the season, it looks Nerlens Noel is that man.
And he isn't the only one who might be on the move ahead of the February 23 trade deadline. The oft-gossiped-about DeMarcus Cousins is in the rumor mill again. And we have a surprise appearance from the Grindfather, Tony Allen, as well.
Who Will Take on Nerlens Noel?
After logging a total of 18 minutes in his first two appearances for the 76ers this season, it looks like Nerlens Noel may have to wait a while before he sees the floor again. And this time, it's not because of an injury.
According to Philly.com's Keith Pompey, Noel is "out ...
How Kemba Walker Fixed His Shot and Became an Elite NBA Point Guard
December 20th, 2016 by Michael Pina No comments »
The NBA is filled with countless examples: Rajon Rondo, Ricky Rubio and Derrick Rose are inarguable liabilities from deep. Russell Westbrook—a career 30.4 percent three-point shooter—may experience a harsh fall from grace once his athleticism declines.
The Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic have to be questioning whether Emmanuel Mudiay, Marcus Smart and Elfrid Payton can respectively steer dominant attacks while defenders routinely dip beneath screens to muck up the offense.
Kemba Walker is officially no longer in that company.
His career changed when the Charlotte Hornets hired assistant Bruce Kreutzer. A coach for nearly 40 years, he arrived before the 2015-16 season to help players boost their shooting percentages. And Walker was the organization's priority target.
The pair initially met right after a workout, where Kreutzer filmed the franchise point guard's jump shots. He concluded that in order for Walker to have a more direct line to the basket, he should move his shot ...
Monday NBA Roundup: Expectations Dog Developing Timberwolves, Even in Victory
December 20th, 2016 by Grant Hughes No comments »
It says a lot about the Minnesota Timberwolves when a win somehow doesn't feel like it matters.
And it says even more about our collective expectations of where they're supposed to be as a franchise. Despite its remarkable youth, a new head coach and last year's 29-win season, it seems as though Minnesota is underachieving in an unforgivable way, squandering its skill and failing to deliver on the promise that arrived with Karl-Anthony Towns and quintupled (rough estimate) with Tom Thibodeau's arrival.
The Wolves beat the Phoenix Suns 115-108 on Monday, staving off exactly the kind of comeback that tends to get completed against them while flashing the requisite promise of their considerable young talent.
Andrew Wiggins Eurostepped through traffic to complete a buzzer-beater early and rang up buckets in bunches late, making eight of his 11 field goals after halftime:
Zach LaVine got loose in the open floor like he always does, and Towns ...
Russell Westbrook vs. Hawks: Stats, Highlights and Reaction
December 19th, 2016 by Rob Goldberg No comments »
Russell Westbrook continues to put up ridiculous numbers.
While the Oklahoma City Thunder guard didn't add another triple-double to his tally Monday, he showcased his scoring ability in a 110-108 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Westbrook has more than filled the stat sheet this season, securing 13 triple-doubles while averaging double digits in points, assists and rebounds.
He focused on the first category against Atlanta, lighting up the scoreboard early, as Royce Young of ESPN.com noted:
His shot was falling no matter where he was on the court, via NBA:
The effort continued well into the second half, with the five-time All-Star making even tougher shots:
Westbrook spread the ball to his teammates, too, but they were likely difficult to trust down the stretch, as Kevin Smith of RealGM argued:
After tying the game at 108 on a pull-up jumper with 32.1 seconds remaining, Westbrook tried to do it again after the Hawks eased ahead on Paul ...
Dwight Howard Injury: Hawks Star Ruled Out vs. Thunder Due to Back Tightness
December 19th, 2016 by Scott Polacek No comments »
Atlanta Hawks big man Dwight Howard will not play in Monday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of back tightness, per David Aldridge of NBA.com.
Despite an impressive career, physical ailments are nothing new for Howard. He suffered a quad injury earlier in the season, and he has dealt with back injuries throughout his NBA tenure. He even underwent season-ending back surgery in 2012.
When healthy, Howard is a primary piece in Atlanta's frontcourt rotation. In his first season with the team, he is averaging 14.2 points, 13.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game as a double-double threat and the primary anchor for the Hawks' interior defense on a nightly basis.
While he still struggles at the free-throw line (52.4 percent), Howard has made 63.2 percent of his field-goal attempts this season, which would be the highest mark of his career if he maintained it.
The 31-year-old is no longer in his prime, ...
Kevin Love Injury: Cavaliers Star out vs. Bucks with Injured Knee
December 19th, 2016 by Joseph Zucker No comments »
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will miss Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks due to a knee injury, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
"He took a blow to the knee, knee-to-knee, and it swelled up on him, and it's kind of stiff," coach Tyronn Lue explained.
The injury first occurred Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers and has apparently only gotten worse. He will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis following Tuesday's game.
Cleveland also played without Love last week while resting him and LeBron James against the Memphis Grizzlies.
From a statistical perspective, Love's second season in Cleveland represented a minor improvement over his first. According to Basketball-Reference.com, his player efficiency rating climbed from 18.8 to 19.0, and his points per 36 minutes rose from 17.5 to 18.3. Love's .419 field-goal percentage was the second-worst of his career, though.
Of course, that didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things after Love ...