Washington 101, Detroit 98
The Good: Gilbert Arenas scored 24 points on 9-of-11 field goal shooting and led the Wizards past the Pistons in Flip Saunders' first game against his former team. Detroit's fourth guard, Will Bynum, scored 23 points in 32 minutes off the bench for the Pistons.
The Bad: Rodney Stuckey and Ben Gordon combined to shoot just 6-of-26 for the Pistons, who shot better from 3-point range (41.9%) than they did from 2-point range (40.3%).
The Ugly: Nick Young posted a 2-for-10 performance against Detroit, and is now 4-for-21 in his last two games.
Boston 91, New Jersey 88
The Good: Rasheed Wallace got the start and led Boston with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Rajon Rondo had a performance reminiscent of his run in the 2009 playoffs, posting 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 13 assists in the win. Glen 'Big Baby' Davis also added 18 off the bench. Courtney Lee led the Nets with 21 points, who also got 19 points from Chris Douglas-Roberts and 17 points and 10 rebounds from Brook Lopez.
The Bad: New Jersey's reserves were on the court for a total of 102 minutes, and only accounted for 20 points against a short-handed Celtics team, playing without all the members of their Big 3.
The Ugly: Boston only shot 53.8% from the free throw line as a team, including a dubious 6-of-14 effort by Rondo.
Philadelphia 93, New York 85
The Good: Philadelphia moved to 4-0 on the preseason for the first time in over 3o years behind 26 points from Thaddeus Young and 20 points and 8 rebounds from Elton Brand. The 76ers also got double-digit showings from Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams. Al Harrington scored 18 points and David Lee collected 12 rebounds to keep the Knicks close.
The Bad: Former first-rounder Danilo Gallinari posted just 4 points and 4 rebounds on 1-of-6 shooting in his 19 minutes for New York, while Iguodala committed 8 turnovers for the 76ers.
The Ugly: Nate Robinson (15 points) outscored Philadelphia's bench (14 points) all by himself.
Orlando 121, New Orleans 86
The Good: Orlando moved to a perfect 5-0 with an offensive explosion against the Hornets. The Magic had eclipsed the 100-point plateau by the end of the third quarter behind 60.9% field goal shooting, paced by 22 points from Ryan Anderson in just 19 minutes (including 16 points in a 3:30 span in the third quarter). Mickael Pietrus scored 19 points in his 25 minutes, a span in which Orlando outscored the Hornets by an astounding 48 points!
The Bad: New Orleans shot only 38.9% from the field and trailed by 16 points after one quarter, 26 points at halftime, and 36 at the end of the third quarter.
The Ugly: Hornets' guard Bobby Brown shot just 1-of-7 from the field and the team was outscored by 33 points in his 18 minutes.
Chicago 87, Milwaukee 86
The Good: Chicago survived to beat Milwaukee, as the Bucks missed two potential game winning shots in the final 14 seconds. Joakim Noah had 20 points and 16 rebounds and Taj Gibson had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago, while Hakim Warrick countered with a game-high 25 points for Milwaukee before fouling out of the game.
The Bad: Jannero Pargo shot 3-for-11 from the field for Chicago and rookie Brandon Jennings was only 2-for-13 from the floor for Milwaukee. (Jennings did add 6 rebounds and 12 assists, in addition to his 10 points.)
The Ugly: This game felt like a preseason game. The teams combined to shoot 57.1% (32-for-56) from the free throw line and 29% (11-for-38) from 3-point range.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
NBA Preseason-October 12th
Atlanta 107, Charlotte 90
The Good: Jeff Teague had his second solid showing in as many days, tallying 17 points and 7 assists off the bench, and Zaza Pachulia and Juan Dixon added 14 apiece in the Hawks' second win on the preseason. Gerald Wallace made all 12 of his free throws on his way to 20 points and rookie Gerald Henderson scored 13 points on 4-of-6 field goals and 5-of-5 free throws for Charlotte.
The Bad: Charlotte committed 22 turnovers and shot just 16.7% (2-for-12) from the 3-point arc in the loss.
The Ugly: Vlad Radmanovic and Raja Bell combined to shoot a horrendous 2-for-13 from the field for the Bobcats.
Cleveland 111, Olympiakos 94
The Good: As a team, Cleveland shot 55.1% from the field and 45.5% from behind the 3-point line. The Cavs had 7 players reach double figures, including reserves Koby Carl and J.J. Hickson. Former NBA 6th men Josh Childress and Linas Kleiza had 16 points apiece for Olympiakos.
The Bad: Cleveland is loaded with scorers, but it appears defense (especially on the perimeter) could be the Cavs downfall. The Grecian side shot 47.5% from the field, including 42.1% from behind the 3-point line.
Oklahoma City 110, Phoenix 105
The Good: Kevin Durant posted 30 points and 11 rebounds in only 31 minutes for Oklahoma City, who held on to beat Phoenix in Overtime. The Thunder outscored the Suns by 24 with Durant on the floor, but struggled without him in the fourth quarter, blowing a 17 point lead. Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with 20 points and 6 rebounds.
The Bad: After a couple of strong outings, Channing Frye struggled against the Thunder, shooting just 2-of-10 from the field. While Durant played well, he did commit 7 turnovers for Oklahoma City.
The Ugly: The Suns' defense struggled mightily on the perimeter, allowing the Thunder to shoot 52.9% (9-of-17) from beyond the arc.
Orlando 102, Memphis 83
The Good: The Magic remained unbeaten in the preseason behind double-digit performances from 6 players (Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat and J.J. Redick). The Magic outscored Memphis by 26 points with off-season addition Jason Williams on the floor and 25 points when Redick was in the game. Sam Young led Memphis with 22 points.
The Bad: Hasheem Thabeet took only one shot and went scoreless in his 18 minutes, but did post 2 rebounds and 3 blocks in his second straight start. Memphis managed only 65.4% from the free throw line in moving to 1-3 on the preseason.
The Ugly: Ryan Anderson got off 10 shots in 16 minutes (including six 3-pointers), but only made 2-of-10.
Milwaukee 96, Houston 92
The Good: Michael Redd was the game's high scorer with 18 points and Carlos Delfino added 16 points and 8 rebounds in Milwaukee's win. Ryan Andresen led Houston with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
The Bad: Houston shot just 37.8% as a team, including a 1-for-6 showing by Shane Battier, a 3-for-10 performance by Aaron Brooks, and a 3-for-12 effort by Chase Budinger.
The Ugly: Two games ago, I was ready to anoint Brandon Jennings as the NBA's next big thing. Today, I'm not so sure. Jennings was just 1-of-8 for 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in 14 minutes.
LA Clippers 124, Golden State 117
The Good: The Clippers got 27 points from Rasual Butler, 22 points from Eric Gordon, and 15 points and 9 rebounds from Blake Griffin. Golden State was led by 32 points from Anthony Morrow and 24 points from Monta Ellis.
The Bad: Stephen Curry was back to his old self, shooting just 3-for-10 from the floor.
The Ugly: If you like offense, there was nothing ugly about this game. If you prefer defense, the whole thing was ugly. Both teams shot 50% or better from both the field and the 3-point line in combining for over 240 points.
The Good: Jeff Teague had his second solid showing in as many days, tallying 17 points and 7 assists off the bench, and Zaza Pachulia and Juan Dixon added 14 apiece in the Hawks' second win on the preseason. Gerald Wallace made all 12 of his free throws on his way to 20 points and rookie Gerald Henderson scored 13 points on 4-of-6 field goals and 5-of-5 free throws for Charlotte.
The Bad: Charlotte committed 22 turnovers and shot just 16.7% (2-for-12) from the 3-point arc in the loss.
The Ugly: Vlad Radmanovic and Raja Bell combined to shoot a horrendous 2-for-13 from the field for the Bobcats.
Cleveland 111, Olympiakos 94
The Good: As a team, Cleveland shot 55.1% from the field and 45.5% from behind the 3-point line. The Cavs had 7 players reach double figures, including reserves Koby Carl and J.J. Hickson. Former NBA 6th men Josh Childress and Linas Kleiza had 16 points apiece for Olympiakos.
The Bad: Cleveland is loaded with scorers, but it appears defense (especially on the perimeter) could be the Cavs downfall. The Grecian side shot 47.5% from the field, including 42.1% from behind the 3-point line.
Oklahoma City 110, Phoenix 105
The Good: Kevin Durant posted 30 points and 11 rebounds in only 31 minutes for Oklahoma City, who held on to beat Phoenix in Overtime. The Thunder outscored the Suns by 24 with Durant on the floor, but struggled without him in the fourth quarter, blowing a 17 point lead. Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with 20 points and 6 rebounds.
The Bad: After a couple of strong outings, Channing Frye struggled against the Thunder, shooting just 2-of-10 from the field. While Durant played well, he did commit 7 turnovers for Oklahoma City.
The Ugly: The Suns' defense struggled mightily on the perimeter, allowing the Thunder to shoot 52.9% (9-of-17) from beyond the arc.
Orlando 102, Memphis 83
The Good: The Magic remained unbeaten in the preseason behind double-digit performances from 6 players (Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat and J.J. Redick). The Magic outscored Memphis by 26 points with off-season addition Jason Williams on the floor and 25 points when Redick was in the game. Sam Young led Memphis with 22 points.
The Bad: Hasheem Thabeet took only one shot and went scoreless in his 18 minutes, but did post 2 rebounds and 3 blocks in his second straight start. Memphis managed only 65.4% from the free throw line in moving to 1-3 on the preseason.
The Ugly: Ryan Anderson got off 10 shots in 16 minutes (including six 3-pointers), but only made 2-of-10.
Milwaukee 96, Houston 92
The Good: Michael Redd was the game's high scorer with 18 points and Carlos Delfino added 16 points and 8 rebounds in Milwaukee's win. Ryan Andresen led Houston with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
The Bad: Houston shot just 37.8% as a team, including a 1-for-6 showing by Shane Battier, a 3-for-10 performance by Aaron Brooks, and a 3-for-12 effort by Chase Budinger.
The Ugly: Two games ago, I was ready to anoint Brandon Jennings as the NBA's next big thing. Today, I'm not so sure. Jennings was just 1-of-8 for 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in 14 minutes.
LA Clippers 124, Golden State 117
The Good: The Clippers got 27 points from Rasual Butler, 22 points from Eric Gordon, and 15 points and 9 rebounds from Blake Griffin. Golden State was led by 32 points from Anthony Morrow and 24 points from Monta Ellis.
The Bad: Stephen Curry was back to his old self, shooting just 3-for-10 from the floor.
The Ugly: If you like offense, there was nothing ugly about this game. If you prefer defense, the whole thing was ugly. Both teams shot 50% or better from both the field and the 3-point line in combining for over 240 points.
NBA Preseason-October 11th
Denver 128, Indiana 112
The Good:Carmelo Anthony had 45 points on 14-of-19 from the floor to lead the Nuggets, who also got 21 points from Nene on their way to a victory over the Pacers in Beijing. Roy Hibbert had 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots for Inidiana.
The Bad: Danny Granger scored only 8 points on 1-of-5 from the field and Dahntay Jones was 2-of-7 on his way to fouling out in 23 minutes.
Boston 100, New Jersey 93
The Good: Paul Pierce scored 25 points for the Celtics, who also got solid performances off the bench from Eddie House (13 points) and Marquis Daniels (9 points and a +12 rating in 19 minutes). Brook Lopez led the Nets with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots, and rookie Yi Jianlian scored 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
The Bad: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Rasheed Wallace combined to shoot just 5-of-19 from the field for Boston.
The Ugly: The Nets one-upped the Celtics, as new additions Terrence Williams, Rafer Alston, and Courtney Lee combined to shoot 5-of-20 in the loss.
Toronto 100, Washington 93
The Good: Rookie DeMar DeRozan had a strong showing for Toronto, posting 19 points, and the team shot a remarkable 90% (36-for-40) from the free throw line. Washington got double-doubles from Antawn Jamison and Andray Blatche, and Gilbert Arenas overcame a poor shooting night to contribute 14 points and 7 assists.
The Bad: Although Blatche notched a double-double, the Wizards were outscored by 21 points while he was on the floor. Nick Young also had an off night, going 2-of-11 from the field. Jarrett Jack played 32 minutes in relief of Jose Calderon, but only managed 10 points on a dreadful 3-of-13 shooting.
Detroit 100, Atlanta 91
The Good: Detroit has come a long way from the defensive-minded group that won the NBA Championship in 2004. They have a number of quick, athletic guards who can score in bunches, and their new faster paced offense was visible against Atlanta. Ben Gordon led Detroit with 22, while Rodney Stuckey had 20, and Richard Hamilton added 15. Marvin Williams led the Hawks with 19 points, who also got 12 points and 8 assists from rookie Jeff Teague.
The Bad: Tayshaun Prince went scorless, shooting 0-for-5, with 3 rebounds and 2 assists in his 21 minutes.
The Ugly: Atlanta shot 39.5% from the field as a team, including an 0-for-4 showing from Mike Bibby, a 1-for-7 outing from Al Horford, and a 3-for-9 effort from Josh Smith.
San Antonio 95, Miami 93
The Good: Second-round steal DeJuan Blair exploded with a 28 point, 11-for-13 shooting performance off the bench for the Spurs. He also added 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in only 26 minutes. Miami had to rely heavily on their young players without Dwyane Wade and Jermaine O'Neal in the lineup. The Heat got 20 points from Daequan Cook, 17 from Mario Chalmers, and 16 from Michael Beasley.
The Bad: Keith Bogans shot 0-for-6 for San Antonio and James Jones shot 0-for-5 for Miami in 21 minutes apiece.
The Ugly: Miami could only muster a disappointing 65% from the free throw line.
Dallas 114, Memphis 107
The Good: Kris Humphries had another strong showing for Dallas, posting 16 points and 9 rebounds in 21 minutes, and Dirk Nowitzki (26) and Jason Terry (23) surpassed the 20-point plateau. Mike Conley and Darrell Arthur had 17 apiece for the Grizzlies, who also got 13 apiece from Zach Randolph and rookie DeMarre Carroll.
The Bad: OJ Mayo had 10 points and 10 assists, but didn't gather a single rebound, or record a steal or a block. Second overall pick Hasheem Thabeet got his first preseason start, and had another lackluster showing, posting 5 points, 6 rebounds, and a block in 20 minutes.
The Ugly: There were only 2 blocked shots in this game, both recorded by Memphis.
The Good:Carmelo Anthony had 45 points on 14-of-19 from the floor to lead the Nuggets, who also got 21 points from Nene on their way to a victory over the Pacers in Beijing. Roy Hibbert had 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots for Inidiana.
The Bad: Danny Granger scored only 8 points on 1-of-5 from the field and Dahntay Jones was 2-of-7 on his way to fouling out in 23 minutes.
Boston 100, New Jersey 93
The Good: Paul Pierce scored 25 points for the Celtics, who also got solid performances off the bench from Eddie House (13 points) and Marquis Daniels (9 points and a +12 rating in 19 minutes). Brook Lopez led the Nets with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots, and rookie Yi Jianlian scored 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
The Bad: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Rasheed Wallace combined to shoot just 5-of-19 from the field for Boston.
The Ugly: The Nets one-upped the Celtics, as new additions Terrence Williams, Rafer Alston, and Courtney Lee combined to shoot 5-of-20 in the loss.
Toronto 100, Washington 93
The Good: Rookie DeMar DeRozan had a strong showing for Toronto, posting 19 points, and the team shot a remarkable 90% (36-for-40) from the free throw line. Washington got double-doubles from Antawn Jamison and Andray Blatche, and Gilbert Arenas overcame a poor shooting night to contribute 14 points and 7 assists.
The Bad: Although Blatche notched a double-double, the Wizards were outscored by 21 points while he was on the floor. Nick Young also had an off night, going 2-of-11 from the field. Jarrett Jack played 32 minutes in relief of Jose Calderon, but only managed 10 points on a dreadful 3-of-13 shooting.
Detroit 100, Atlanta 91
The Good: Detroit has come a long way from the defensive-minded group that won the NBA Championship in 2004. They have a number of quick, athletic guards who can score in bunches, and their new faster paced offense was visible against Atlanta. Ben Gordon led Detroit with 22, while Rodney Stuckey had 20, and Richard Hamilton added 15. Marvin Williams led the Hawks with 19 points, who also got 12 points and 8 assists from rookie Jeff Teague.
The Bad: Tayshaun Prince went scorless, shooting 0-for-5, with 3 rebounds and 2 assists in his 21 minutes.
The Ugly: Atlanta shot 39.5% from the field as a team, including an 0-for-4 showing from Mike Bibby, a 1-for-7 outing from Al Horford, and a 3-for-9 effort from Josh Smith.
San Antonio 95, Miami 93
The Good: Second-round steal DeJuan Blair exploded with a 28 point, 11-for-13 shooting performance off the bench for the Spurs. He also added 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in only 26 minutes. Miami had to rely heavily on their young players without Dwyane Wade and Jermaine O'Neal in the lineup. The Heat got 20 points from Daequan Cook, 17 from Mario Chalmers, and 16 from Michael Beasley.
The Bad: Keith Bogans shot 0-for-6 for San Antonio and James Jones shot 0-for-5 for Miami in 21 minutes apiece.
The Ugly: Miami could only muster a disappointing 65% from the free throw line.
Dallas 114, Memphis 107
The Good: Kris Humphries had another strong showing for Dallas, posting 16 points and 9 rebounds in 21 minutes, and Dirk Nowitzki (26) and Jason Terry (23) surpassed the 20-point plateau. Mike Conley and Darrell Arthur had 17 apiece for the Grizzlies, who also got 13 apiece from Zach Randolph and rookie DeMarre Carroll.
The Bad: OJ Mayo had 10 points and 10 assists, but didn't gather a single rebound, or record a steal or a block. Second overall pick Hasheem Thabeet got his first preseason start, and had another lackluster showing, posting 5 points, 6 rebounds, and a block in 20 minutes.
The Ugly: There were only 2 blocked shots in this game, both recorded by Memphis.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
NBA Preseason-October 10th
New Orleans 88, Oklahoma City 79
The Good: Chris Paul had another magnificent performance, shooting 8-of-9 from the field on his way to 23 points, 8 assists, and 2 steals, without committing a turnover. Serge Ibaka had a solid showing for Oklahoma City, tallying 12 points and 9 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting.
The Bad: Kevin Durant managed only 11 points on 2-of-11 from the field, and and the Thunder shot only 37.8% in a loss.
The Ugly: New Orleans got the victory, despite shooting only 36.8% from the field. They also received another troubling performance from third-year small forward Julian Wright, who followed up a 1-of-6 showing against Charlotte with a 1-of-11 effort against Oklahoma City.
Cleveland 102, Charlotte 96
The Good: Cleveland came from behind in the 4th quarter to beat Charlotte and remain undefeated on the young preseason. Each team got a stellar showing from a second-year big man, as Cleveland's J.J. Hickson and Charlotte's Alexis Ajinca posted 15 points and 7 rebounds apiece.
The Bad: Jawad Williams was 0-for-4 from 3-point range and 0-for-6 overall, and went without a point in his 23 minutes for Cleveland.
Milwaukee 98, Chicag0 86
The Good: Milwaukee got a solid showing from off-season acquisition Hakim Warrick, as their presumptive starting power forward tallied 13 points and 8 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. Rookie James Johnson had 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists to lead the way for the Bulls.
The Bad: Luol Deng shot just 2-for-9, as the Bulls were outscored by 15 points while he was on the floor. Derrick Rose and Tyrus Thomas didn't play for Chicago, who recorded 27 turnovers as a team.
The Ugly: Coming off of a knee injury, Michael Redd had his second-straight poor shooting performance, with a 1-of-6 showing, in which he recorded only 5 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in only 12 minutes.
Golden State 104, Phoenix 101
The Good: Anthony Morrow scored 30 points off the bench for the Warriors, who also got 15 points and 13 rebounds from Anthony Randolph, 8 point and 15 rebounds from Andris Biedrins, and 17 points from Corey Maggette. The best (and most important) showing for Golden State, however, was posted by Stephen Curry, who broke out of his shooting slump by making 6-of-12 field goals on his way to 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Channing Frye made two 3-pointers and contributed 19 points and 8 rebounds for the Suns.
The Bad: The Suns' bench was badly outplayed in this game. Their 5 starters combined for a +/- rating of +52, while their bench combined for a -67. Earl Clark posted a -19, while shooting 4-of-16 from the field.
The Good: Chris Paul had another magnificent performance, shooting 8-of-9 from the field on his way to 23 points, 8 assists, and 2 steals, without committing a turnover. Serge Ibaka had a solid showing for Oklahoma City, tallying 12 points and 9 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting.
The Bad: Kevin Durant managed only 11 points on 2-of-11 from the field, and and the Thunder shot only 37.8% in a loss.
The Ugly: New Orleans got the victory, despite shooting only 36.8% from the field. They also received another troubling performance from third-year small forward Julian Wright, who followed up a 1-of-6 showing against Charlotte with a 1-of-11 effort against Oklahoma City.
Cleveland 102, Charlotte 96
The Good: Cleveland came from behind in the 4th quarter to beat Charlotte and remain undefeated on the young preseason. Each team got a stellar showing from a second-year big man, as Cleveland's J.J. Hickson and Charlotte's Alexis Ajinca posted 15 points and 7 rebounds apiece.
The Bad: Jawad Williams was 0-for-4 from 3-point range and 0-for-6 overall, and went without a point in his 23 minutes for Cleveland.
Milwaukee 98, Chicag0 86
The Good: Milwaukee got a solid showing from off-season acquisition Hakim Warrick, as their presumptive starting power forward tallied 13 points and 8 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench. Rookie James Johnson had 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists to lead the way for the Bulls.
The Bad: Luol Deng shot just 2-for-9, as the Bulls were outscored by 15 points while he was on the floor. Derrick Rose and Tyrus Thomas didn't play for Chicago, who recorded 27 turnovers as a team.
The Ugly: Coming off of a knee injury, Michael Redd had his second-straight poor shooting performance, with a 1-of-6 showing, in which he recorded only 5 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in only 12 minutes.
Golden State 104, Phoenix 101
The Good: Anthony Morrow scored 30 points off the bench for the Warriors, who also got 15 points and 13 rebounds from Anthony Randolph, 8 point and 15 rebounds from Andris Biedrins, and 17 points from Corey Maggette. The best (and most important) showing for Golden State, however, was posted by Stephen Curry, who broke out of his shooting slump by making 6-of-12 field goals on his way to 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Channing Frye made two 3-pointers and contributed 19 points and 8 rebounds for the Suns.
The Bad: The Suns' bench was badly outplayed in this game. Their 5 starters combined for a +/- rating of +52, while their bench combined for a -67. Earl Clark posted a -19, while shooting 4-of-16 from the field.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
NBA Preseason- October 9th
Orlando 113, Houston 104
The Good: Orlando had a very well-rounded performance in coming from behind to beat Houston, with 7 players in double-figures. Marcin Gortat did his best Dwight Howard impression, as he posted 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocked shots, as Howard got the night off. Houston got strong showings from their two rookies, as Chase Budinger led the team in scoring with 17 and Jermaine Taylor added 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
The Bad: Jason "White Chocolate" Williams looked rusty on his way to 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists on 1-of-5 shooting in 21 minutes.
The Ugly: Houston made a huge commitment to Trevor Ariza in the hopes that he would be their next Ron Artest. So far in the preseason, it's looking like an ill-advised decision. Ariza followed up a 1-of-11 shooting night in Houston's last contest with a 4-of-12 showing against Orlando.
Philadelphia 93, New Jersey 92
The Good: Philadelphia came from 14 down at the start of the fourth quarter, to beat New Jersey by a point on an Elton Brand jumper with 7 seconds left. Marresse Speights led the '6ers with 16 points and Thaddeus Young notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Chris Douglas-Roberts led New Jersey with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
The Bad: Devin Harris missed all five of his shot attempts, but facilitated well, tallying 8 assists. Samuel Dalembert, meanwhile, contributed no points and only 4 rebounds in 21 minutes for Philadelphia.
The Ugly: Andre Iguodala had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, but shot a horrendous 2-of-14 from the field.
Dallas 123, Washington 115
The Good: Shawn Marion looked like his old self, scoring 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting for Dallas, who also got 15 points and 7 rebounds from Kris Humphries and 14 points from rookie Rodrique Beaubois. Gilbert Arenas also looked like the Hibachi of 2006, scoring 12 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the field. Javale McGee was also flawless from the field, scoring 14 on 5-of-5.
The Bad: Matt Carroll of Dallas and Randy Foye of Washington each shot just 1-of-7 from the field.
The Ugly: Washington lost despite shooting 53.2% from the field becuase they could only manage 61.9% from the free throw line.
Boston 96, New York 82
The Good: Boston got 13 points and 12 rebounds from their big off-season acquisition, Rasheed Wallace. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Kendrick Perkins also reached double-digits for the Celtics.
The Bad: Paul Pierce shot just 4-of-12 in 24 minutes for Boston, and sharp-shooter Ray Allen was only 4-of-7 from the free throw line.
The Ugly: You didn't think I forgot about the Knicks, did you? Where to begin? New York scored only 8 points in the first quarter, and shot just 37.7% from the field and just 55.9% from the free throw line. Their wing-man rotation of Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Larry Hughes, and Jared Jeffries combined to shoot just 4-of-22 from the field, and Eddy Curry (down 40 pounds over the off-season) is still not fit enough to see the floor.
Toronto 112, Minnesota 97
The Good: Andrea Bargnani scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, as the Raptors beat Minnesota by shooting 53.9% from the field. Kevin Love shot poorly, but tallied 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
The Bad: Three of Minnesota's starters shot 30% of worse from the floor: Sasha Pavlovic (1-of-5), Corey Brewer (4-of-14), and Kevin Love (3-of-10). Al Jefferson, who shot well, only gathered 1 rebound in his 18 minutes.
The Ugly: The Timberwolves shot just 1-of-14 from 3-point range.
San Antonio 107, Olympiakos 89
The Good: San Antonio played 18 players and shot 55.7% from the field in beating Grecian side Olympiakos. Second-year man George Hill led the Spurs with 17 points on 5-of-8 from the field. Josh Childress had 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and a block in his return stateside.
The Bad: Former Nugget Linas Kleiza was only 2-of-7 and former Arkansas standout Patrick Beverley was only 1-of-6 for Olympiakos.
Golden State 110, LA Lakers 91
The Good: The Warriors ruined the Lakers' return to the LA Forum, led by 24 points from Monta Ellis and 18 points apiece from Anthony Randolph and Kelenna Azibuike. Andrew Bynum led the Lakers in scoring for the second-straight game, with 19 points on 7-of-11 field goal shooting.
The Bad: After a huge effort in his Laker debut, Ron Artest struggled on Friday, shooting just 2-of-7 on his way to 6 points. Derek Fisher also struggled, shooting 1-of-6.
The Ugly: I hate to sound like a broken record, but Stephen Curry continued to struggle with his shot, managing only 6 points on 1-of-7 shooting, although he did facilitate well, contributing 8 assists in 24 minutes.
LA Clippers 97, Portland 85
The Good: The Clippers looked like anything but the Clippers in their win over Portland. LA shot 52.6% from the field and had 30 assists on 41 made field goals, including 10 assists from Sebastian Telfair and 8 from Baron Davis. Rasual Butler led LA with 14 points and top pick Blake Griffin added 8 points and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes, in his first action of the preseason.
The Bad: Portland shot just 38.2% from the field and got only 9 points and 4 assists from Brandon Roy, who shot 2-of-7 and committed 4 turnovers in 22 minutes. The Blazers also shot a disappointing 61.1% from the free throw line.
The Good: Orlando had a very well-rounded performance in coming from behind to beat Houston, with 7 players in double-figures. Marcin Gortat did his best Dwight Howard impression, as he posted 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocked shots, as Howard got the night off. Houston got strong showings from their two rookies, as Chase Budinger led the team in scoring with 17 and Jermaine Taylor added 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
The Bad: Jason "White Chocolate" Williams looked rusty on his way to 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists on 1-of-5 shooting in 21 minutes.
The Ugly: Houston made a huge commitment to Trevor Ariza in the hopes that he would be their next Ron Artest. So far in the preseason, it's looking like an ill-advised decision. Ariza followed up a 1-of-11 shooting night in Houston's last contest with a 4-of-12 showing against Orlando.
Philadelphia 93, New Jersey 92
The Good: Philadelphia came from 14 down at the start of the fourth quarter, to beat New Jersey by a point on an Elton Brand jumper with 7 seconds left. Marresse Speights led the '6ers with 16 points and Thaddeus Young notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Chris Douglas-Roberts led New Jersey with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
The Bad: Devin Harris missed all five of his shot attempts, but facilitated well, tallying 8 assists. Samuel Dalembert, meanwhile, contributed no points and only 4 rebounds in 21 minutes for Philadelphia.
The Ugly: Andre Iguodala had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals, but shot a horrendous 2-of-14 from the field.
Dallas 123, Washington 115
The Good: Shawn Marion looked like his old self, scoring 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting for Dallas, who also got 15 points and 7 rebounds from Kris Humphries and 14 points from rookie Rodrique Beaubois. Gilbert Arenas also looked like the Hibachi of 2006, scoring 12 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the field. Javale McGee was also flawless from the field, scoring 14 on 5-of-5.
The Bad: Matt Carroll of Dallas and Randy Foye of Washington each shot just 1-of-7 from the field.
The Ugly: Washington lost despite shooting 53.2% from the field becuase they could only manage 61.9% from the free throw line.
Boston 96, New York 82
The Good: Boston got 13 points and 12 rebounds from their big off-season acquisition, Rasheed Wallace. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Kendrick Perkins also reached double-digits for the Celtics.
The Bad: Paul Pierce shot just 4-of-12 in 24 minutes for Boston, and sharp-shooter Ray Allen was only 4-of-7 from the free throw line.
The Ugly: You didn't think I forgot about the Knicks, did you? Where to begin? New York scored only 8 points in the first quarter, and shot just 37.7% from the field and just 55.9% from the free throw line. Their wing-man rotation of Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Larry Hughes, and Jared Jeffries combined to shoot just 4-of-22 from the field, and Eddy Curry (down 40 pounds over the off-season) is still not fit enough to see the floor.
Toronto 112, Minnesota 97
The Good: Andrea Bargnani scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, as the Raptors beat Minnesota by shooting 53.9% from the field. Kevin Love shot poorly, but tallied 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
The Bad: Three of Minnesota's starters shot 30% of worse from the floor: Sasha Pavlovic (1-of-5), Corey Brewer (4-of-14), and Kevin Love (3-of-10). Al Jefferson, who shot well, only gathered 1 rebound in his 18 minutes.
The Ugly: The Timberwolves shot just 1-of-14 from 3-point range.
San Antonio 107, Olympiakos 89
The Good: San Antonio played 18 players and shot 55.7% from the field in beating Grecian side Olympiakos. Second-year man George Hill led the Spurs with 17 points on 5-of-8 from the field. Josh Childress had 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and a block in his return stateside.
The Bad: Former Nugget Linas Kleiza was only 2-of-7 and former Arkansas standout Patrick Beverley was only 1-of-6 for Olympiakos.
Golden State 110, LA Lakers 91
The Good: The Warriors ruined the Lakers' return to the LA Forum, led by 24 points from Monta Ellis and 18 points apiece from Anthony Randolph and Kelenna Azibuike. Andrew Bynum led the Lakers in scoring for the second-straight game, with 19 points on 7-of-11 field goal shooting.
The Bad: After a huge effort in his Laker debut, Ron Artest struggled on Friday, shooting just 2-of-7 on his way to 6 points. Derek Fisher also struggled, shooting 1-of-6.
The Ugly: I hate to sound like a broken record, but Stephen Curry continued to struggle with his shot, managing only 6 points on 1-of-7 shooting, although he did facilitate well, contributing 8 assists in 24 minutes.
LA Clippers 97, Portland 85
The Good: The Clippers looked like anything but the Clippers in their win over Portland. LA shot 52.6% from the field and had 30 assists on 41 made field goals, including 10 assists from Sebastian Telfair and 8 from Baron Davis. Rasual Butler led LA with 14 points and top pick Blake Griffin added 8 points and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes, in his first action of the preseason.
The Bad: Portland shot just 38.2% from the field and got only 9 points and 4 assists from Brandon Roy, who shot 2-of-7 and committed 4 turnovers in 22 minutes. The Blazers also shot a disappointing 61.1% from the free throw line.
Friday, October 9, 2009
NBA Preseason- October 8th
Indiana 126, Denver 104
The Good: Indiana had an exceptional performance against Denver, scoring 126 points on 52.5% shooting as a team. The got 20 points apiece from Troy Murphy, Brandon Rush, and Roy Hibbert. Hibbert also added 11 rebounds and 8 blocks. Rookie AJ Price also contributed 16 points and made four 3-pointers.
The Bad: While the Pacers dominated offensively, the Nuggets were barely able to get out of their own way. They were able to crack 100 points due to the fast pace of play, but Denver could only manage 37.8% from the field, including a 5-for-16 showing from J.R. Smith.
Utah 109, Real Madrid 87
The Good: Paul Milsap led the way for the Jazz with 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting off the bench, but it was hardly a one-man show, as Utah shot 58.6% from the field. Former University of Michigan star Louis Bullock led the way for Real with 18 points.
The Bad: Utah won the game handily, but showed signs of complacency, committing 23 turnovers and shooting just 70.6% from the free throw line.
Charlotte 108, New Orleans 101
The Good: The Bobcats shot 40% from behind the 3-point line and were led by D.J. Augistin's 22 points, which came on 16-for-18 from the free throw line. The Hornets also had reason to be pleased, as they got solid contributions from their rookies. Darren Collison scored 12 points and added 6 assists, while former LSU standout Marcus Thornton had 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Chris Paul had a ho-hum 24 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and added 6 assists in the loss.
The Bad: Many folks in basketball circles believe that Julian Wright is poised to have a breakout season for New Orleans, but he could only muster 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting against the Bobcats.
The Ugly: Earl Barron committed 4 turnovers and fouled out after 21 minutes without recording a point.
The Good: Indiana had an exceptional performance against Denver, scoring 126 points on 52.5% shooting as a team. The got 20 points apiece from Troy Murphy, Brandon Rush, and Roy Hibbert. Hibbert also added 11 rebounds and 8 blocks. Rookie AJ Price also contributed 16 points and made four 3-pointers.
The Bad: While the Pacers dominated offensively, the Nuggets were barely able to get out of their own way. They were able to crack 100 points due to the fast pace of play, but Denver could only manage 37.8% from the field, including a 5-for-16 showing from J.R. Smith.
Utah 109, Real Madrid 87
The Good: Paul Milsap led the way for the Jazz with 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting off the bench, but it was hardly a one-man show, as Utah shot 58.6% from the field. Former University of Michigan star Louis Bullock led the way for Real with 18 points.
The Bad: Utah won the game handily, but showed signs of complacency, committing 23 turnovers and shooting just 70.6% from the free throw line.
Charlotte 108, New Orleans 101
The Good: The Bobcats shot 40% from behind the 3-point line and were led by D.J. Augistin's 22 points, which came on 16-for-18 from the free throw line. The Hornets also had reason to be pleased, as they got solid contributions from their rookies. Darren Collison scored 12 points and added 6 assists, while former LSU standout Marcus Thornton had 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Chris Paul had a ho-hum 24 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and added 6 assists in the loss.
The Bad: Many folks in basketball circles believe that Julian Wright is poised to have a breakout season for New Orleans, but he could only muster 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting against the Bobcats.
The Ugly: Earl Barron committed 4 turnovers and fouled out after 21 minutes without recording a point.
NBA Preseason-October 7th
Atlanta 108, New Orleans 102
The Good: Chris Paul had 20 points, 7 assists, and only one turnover, and Bobby Brown added 23 points off the bench for the Hornets, while Joe Johnson scored 17 points on 7-of-10 from the field for the Hawks. Atlanta also got solid contributions from Jeff Teague (19 points), Zaza Pachulia (17 points), and Mario West (11 rebounds).
The Bad: Peja Stojakovic was 1-for-8 for only 3 points in 22 minutes for New Orleans, and Hornets off-season addition Darius Songiala was 1-for-4 with 4 points, before fouling out in just 16 minutes of action.
Orlando 90, Miami 86
The Good: Dwight Howard had 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks for the Magic, who got double-digit contributions from three bench players: Ryan Anderson (16), Mickael Pietrus (14), and J.J. Redick (13). James Jones made all three of his 3-point attempts and shot 5-for-7 from the field on his way to 16 points for the Heat. He also had 3 steals, with no turnovers and no fouls in his 24 minutes.
The Bad: Vince Carter, Jameer Nelson, and Matt Barnes combined to shoot 4-for-23 for the Magic, while Dwayne Wade, Michael Beasley, and Mario Chalmers were a combined 10-for-37 for the Heat.
The Ugly: Despite shooting 33.8% from the floor, Miami kept the game close, as Orland could only muster 39.7% in an ugly win.
Philadelphia 84, Toronto 79
The Good: Philadelphia improved to 2-0 on the young preseason, due to great free throw shooting and a balanced offensive attack. The 76ers shot 93% from the free throw line (26-for-28) and had seven players above 8 points, with no one above 11 points.
The Bad: Toronto gave this game away by shooting a lowly 60.9% from the charity stripe and 1-for-13 from 3-point range.
The Ugly: Philadelphia won despite shooting 37% from the field.
Detroit 113, Milwaukee 104
The Good: The Pistons shot 55.9% from the field and had three players eclipse the 20-point plateau: Ben Gordon with 24, Will Bynum with 23, and Rodney Stuckey with 21. Meanwhile, Brandon Jennings looked like a star in the making for the Bucks. The rookie netted 18 points, and added 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals in 27 minutes.
The Bad: The Bucks off-guard rotation of Michael Redd, Jodie Meeks, Carlos Delfino, and Charlie Bell combined to shoot 9-of-33 from the field.
Memphis 99, Oklahoma City 91
The Good: Second-round pick Sam Young led Memphis with 22 points on 4-of-7 from the floor and 13-of-16 from the line in just 20 minutes. Kevin Durant had 17 points on a very economical 4-of-9 from the field for the Thunder, who also got 10 points in 26 minutes from Shaun Livingston.
The Bad: Durant's sidekicks Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden combined to shoot just 7-of-25 from the field.
The Ugly: Memphis chose to address size and defense rather than looking for a ball handler with the second pick in the draft, and it's easy to question their decision after a performance like this one. Hasheem Thabeet was slightly better, with 6 points and 7 rebounds in 26 minutes, but the Grizzlies' point guard rotation of Mike Conley, Marcus Williams, and Mike Taylor combined to shoot 2-of-13 from the field.
Houston 96, Boston 90
The Good: Aaron Brooks built on a strong 2008-2009 season with a great showing against the Celtics, tallying 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting, which included three 3-pointers.
The Bad: Boston didn't have a player with more than 5 rebounds and had only one player, Michael Sweetney, in double-digits, with 10 points.
The Ugly: Trevor Ariza shot a deplorable 1-of-11 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts in his 25 minutes.
LA Lakers 118, Golden State 101
The Good: The Lakers looked like the defending World Champions in their performance against Golden State. A healthy Andrew Bynum led the way with 24 points, and Kobe Bryant added 22 points and 9 rebounds. The Lakers also got 11 points apiece from Pau Gasol, Jordan Farmar, and Shannon Brown. Their most impressive performance, however, came from Ron Artest, who flirted with the illusive preseason triple-double on his way to 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in his first game as a Laker. Golden State got impressive showings from its young up-and-comers, as Anthony Morrow netted 25 points and Anthony Randolph added 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 42 minutes of action.
The Bad: Stephen Curry continued his trend of poor shooting outings, with a 5-of-15 effort against the Lakers. Curry did have 11 points and 4 assists, but also committed 6 turnovers in his 42 minutes.
The Ugly: Stephen Jackson is clearly upset with his situation in Golden State, and an unhappy Captain Jack is an ugly Captain Jack. Jackson shot just 1-of-9, netting 5 points in 20 minutes.
Portland 89, Sacramento 86
The Good: Greg Oden played 26 minutes and tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds, and a youthful looking Juwan Howard scored 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting for the victorious Blazers, while Kevin Martin led the Kings with 28 points and five made 3-pointers.
The Bad: The Kings' frontcourt rotation looked shaky at best, with Jason Thompson, Kenny Thomas, Jon Brockman, and Sean May combining to shoot 3-of-16 from the field. LaMarcus Aldridge was also off of his game, scoring just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting in 24 minutes for Portland.
The Ugly: For the life of me, I can't understand why Sacramento would keep a proven commodity like Kevin Martin on the floor for 35 minutes in a game this early in the preseason. Martin played in just 51 games last season, has had a history of injury problems, and has nothing left to prove. In fact, he seems like the one player the Kings need to be careful with in the preseason, rather than running him ragged in games that don't matter.
The Good: Chris Paul had 20 points, 7 assists, and only one turnover, and Bobby Brown added 23 points off the bench for the Hornets, while Joe Johnson scored 17 points on 7-of-10 from the field for the Hawks. Atlanta also got solid contributions from Jeff Teague (19 points), Zaza Pachulia (17 points), and Mario West (11 rebounds).
The Bad: Peja Stojakovic was 1-for-8 for only 3 points in 22 minutes for New Orleans, and Hornets off-season addition Darius Songiala was 1-for-4 with 4 points, before fouling out in just 16 minutes of action.
Orlando 90, Miami 86
The Good: Dwight Howard had 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks for the Magic, who got double-digit contributions from three bench players: Ryan Anderson (16), Mickael Pietrus (14), and J.J. Redick (13). James Jones made all three of his 3-point attempts and shot 5-for-7 from the field on his way to 16 points for the Heat. He also had 3 steals, with no turnovers and no fouls in his 24 minutes.
The Bad: Vince Carter, Jameer Nelson, and Matt Barnes combined to shoot 4-for-23 for the Magic, while Dwayne Wade, Michael Beasley, and Mario Chalmers were a combined 10-for-37 for the Heat.
The Ugly: Despite shooting 33.8% from the floor, Miami kept the game close, as Orland could only muster 39.7% in an ugly win.
Philadelphia 84, Toronto 79
The Good: Philadelphia improved to 2-0 on the young preseason, due to great free throw shooting and a balanced offensive attack. The 76ers shot 93% from the free throw line (26-for-28) and had seven players above 8 points, with no one above 11 points.
The Bad: Toronto gave this game away by shooting a lowly 60.9% from the charity stripe and 1-for-13 from 3-point range.
The Ugly: Philadelphia won despite shooting 37% from the field.
Detroit 113, Milwaukee 104
The Good: The Pistons shot 55.9% from the field and had three players eclipse the 20-point plateau: Ben Gordon with 24, Will Bynum with 23, and Rodney Stuckey with 21. Meanwhile, Brandon Jennings looked like a star in the making for the Bucks. The rookie netted 18 points, and added 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals in 27 minutes.
The Bad: The Bucks off-guard rotation of Michael Redd, Jodie Meeks, Carlos Delfino, and Charlie Bell combined to shoot 9-of-33 from the field.
Memphis 99, Oklahoma City 91
The Good: Second-round pick Sam Young led Memphis with 22 points on 4-of-7 from the floor and 13-of-16 from the line in just 20 minutes. Kevin Durant had 17 points on a very economical 4-of-9 from the field for the Thunder, who also got 10 points in 26 minutes from Shaun Livingston.
The Bad: Durant's sidekicks Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden combined to shoot just 7-of-25 from the field.
The Ugly: Memphis chose to address size and defense rather than looking for a ball handler with the second pick in the draft, and it's easy to question their decision after a performance like this one. Hasheem Thabeet was slightly better, with 6 points and 7 rebounds in 26 minutes, but the Grizzlies' point guard rotation of Mike Conley, Marcus Williams, and Mike Taylor combined to shoot 2-of-13 from the field.
Houston 96, Boston 90
The Good: Aaron Brooks built on a strong 2008-2009 season with a great showing against the Celtics, tallying 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting, which included three 3-pointers.
The Bad: Boston didn't have a player with more than 5 rebounds and had only one player, Michael Sweetney, in double-digits, with 10 points.
The Ugly: Trevor Ariza shot a deplorable 1-of-11 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts in his 25 minutes.
LA Lakers 118, Golden State 101
The Good: The Lakers looked like the defending World Champions in their performance against Golden State. A healthy Andrew Bynum led the way with 24 points, and Kobe Bryant added 22 points and 9 rebounds. The Lakers also got 11 points apiece from Pau Gasol, Jordan Farmar, and Shannon Brown. Their most impressive performance, however, came from Ron Artest, who flirted with the illusive preseason triple-double on his way to 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in his first game as a Laker. Golden State got impressive showings from its young up-and-comers, as Anthony Morrow netted 25 points and Anthony Randolph added 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 blocks in 42 minutes of action.
The Bad: Stephen Curry continued his trend of poor shooting outings, with a 5-of-15 effort against the Lakers. Curry did have 11 points and 4 assists, but also committed 6 turnovers in his 42 minutes.
The Ugly: Stephen Jackson is clearly upset with his situation in Golden State, and an unhappy Captain Jack is an ugly Captain Jack. Jackson shot just 1-of-9, netting 5 points in 20 minutes.
Portland 89, Sacramento 86
The Good: Greg Oden played 26 minutes and tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds, and a youthful looking Juwan Howard scored 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting for the victorious Blazers, while Kevin Martin led the Kings with 28 points and five made 3-pointers.
The Bad: The Kings' frontcourt rotation looked shaky at best, with Jason Thompson, Kenny Thomas, Jon Brockman, and Sean May combining to shoot 3-of-16 from the field. LaMarcus Aldridge was also off of his game, scoring just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting in 24 minutes for Portland.
The Ugly: For the life of me, I can't understand why Sacramento would keep a proven commodity like Kevin Martin on the floor for 35 minutes in a game this early in the preseason. Martin played in just 51 games last season, has had a history of injury problems, and has nothing left to prove. In fact, he seems like the one player the Kings need to be careful with in the preseason, rather than running him ragged in games that don't matter.
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