2010 NBA Mock Draft (Version 3)

1)    Minnesota Timberwolves- John Wall- PG (Kentucky)

 

Minnesota may be the only team dreading this pick.  Wall may be the consensus number 1 pick by draft night, and Minnesota's surplus at point guard has been well documented.  That said, however, Wall is listed at 6'4" and could play alongside a smaller point guard in the NBA (much like Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry in Golden State).  There is also a very real possibility that Minnesota will look to trade down if they land this pick.

 

2)    New Jersey Nets- Derrick Favors- PF (Georgia Tech)

 

The Nets have been ravaged by injuries this season, but they have a great foundation for the future.  Devin Harris and Brook Lopez will be the cornerstones, with Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Terrence Williams, and Yi Jianlian as complimentary pieces.  What the franchise lacks, however, is an athletic banger on the inside.  Favors would fill that void very nicely.

 

3)    Utah Jazz (from New York via Phoenix)- Ed Davis- PF (North Carolina)

 

Davis has the skill set to be an All-Star at the next level.  He has size, touch near the rim, and good shot blocking ability.  He is a little raw and will likely have to work hard for minutes as three of the Tar Heels' best players (Davis, John Henson, and Deon Thompson) are all true power forwards.  However, Davis is dripping with upside, and Utah has multiple first-round picks and a long-term starting power forward in Paul Milsap.

 

4)    Memphis Grizzlies- Greg Monroe- PF (Georgetown)

 

The Grizzlies went with size last year when point guards were readily available and got burned.  This time around, I expect to see them follow the herd and in this draft, that means drafting size.  Monroe has a great frame and a real understanding of the game.  He needs to show leadership and competitive fire to move up draft boards, but if he does, he has the talent to land in the top 5.

 

5)    Golden State Warriors- Donatas Motiejunas- PF (Lithuania)

 

Golden State doesn't have much use for big men in their system, but Motiejunas has a great jump shot and a legitimate 7-foot frame.  He will need some seasoning, but Don Nelson's aversion to young players will give him time.

 

6)    Los Angeles Clippers- Willie Warren- PG (Oklahoma)

 

Warren has a lot to prove this season, playing without Blake Griffin, but if the first two games are any indication, he's well on his way to silencing his doubters.  Warren has combo-guard size, but really needs to show consistent point guard skills to land this high.  Also has a solid strong and can score in bunches.

 

7)    New Orleans Hornets- Al Farouq-Aminu- SF (Wake Forest)

 

Farouq-Aminu is very athletic and has good basketball IQ.  He had a chance to be a lottery pick in last year's draft but decided to return to Wake Forest for another season.  With his set of skills and an extra year of college experience, Farouq-Aminu should be one of the more NBA-ready prospects in this class, which is music to Chris Paul's ears.

 

8)    Charlotte Bobcats- Cole Aldrich- C (Kansas)

 

The Bobcats would love to find a way to move up and land Wall, as they are in dire need of a franchise point guard.  I believe that the Minnesota Timberwolves have a very real interest in Aldridge, a local product, and a good fit into their thin frontcourt.  If the draft falls this way, I think a Wall-and-Ryan Gomes for Aldrich-and-Gerald Wallace trade makes a lot of sense.  (The salaries don't match, but it provides the groundwork for a win-win deal.)

 

9)    Washington Wizards- Devin Ebanks- SF (West Virginia)

 

The Wizards have 8 players under contract for next season (assuming they make a pick up the last year of Randy Foye's rookie contract), for a total of $58 million.  They are off to another slow start despite the 8^th highest payroll in the league.  If things don't turn around quickly, I expect the Wizards to become sellers around the trade deadline.  Caron Butler's name was mentioned in trade rumors regularly last season, and his salary commitment (about $20 million combined for this season and next) and talent level may make him affordable.  Ebanks would be a nice replacement.

 

10) Philadelphia 76ers- Paul George- SG/SF (Fresno State)

 

George is an athletic swingman, who strikes me as a poor-man's Andre Iguodala.  They duo would give the 76ers a ton of versatility and make them a very precarious team to defend.

 

11) Detroit Pistons- Solomon Alabi- C (Florida State)

 

With Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, and Will Bynum in the backcourt and two rookies backing up Tayshaun Prince at the small forward, Detroit will be one of the easiest teams to project come draft time.  Craig Brackins and DeMarcus Cousins will get a look here too, but Alabi has fantastic size and surprisingly refined skills.

 

12) Oklahoma City Thunder- DeMarcus Cousins- PF (Kentucky)

 

The Thunder have done a great job building around Kevin Durant.  Jeff Green is a good glue guy and Russell Westbrook has flashes of brilliance surrounding episodes of painful immaturity.  The frontcourt, however, is still very much a work in progress.  Cousins has great athleticism and potential.  He is definitely worth a bit of a gamble at #12.

 

13) Utah Jazz- Terrico White- SG (Mississippi)

 

Landing a quality big man along with a promising off-guard like Davis and White is a dream scenario for the Jazz.  White can score in bunches and really stretch the floor, allowing Deron Williams to operate.

 

14) Toronto Raptors- Patrick Patterson- PF (Kentucky)

 

Toronto will have their hands full trying to keep Chris Bosh in the Great White North this off-season, and if they fail, they need a contingency plan.  Patterson may never be the player that Bosh is, but few are.  He does possess a similarly effective face up game, and a strong, albeit slightly undersized body.

 

15) Sacramento Kings- Evan Turner- SG/SF (Ohio State)

 

The Kings appear to be building around Kevin Martin, Jason Thompson, and Tyreke Evans, so small forward and center make sense.  Turner has really helped his draft stock in his first two games, averaging 19 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assists in two wins, and could land much higher on draft night. 

 

16) San Antonio Spurs- Sylven Landesberg- SG (Virginia)

 

Landesberg had an under the radar freshman season, but is ready to breakout as a sophomore.  He can put up points in a hurry and would be a good replacement for an aging Michael Finley.

 

17) Chicago Bulls- Xavier Henry- SG (Kansas)

 

Henry has huge upside and fills a need for a young Bulls team.  He is only a freshman and chose Kansas to play with his older brother, but if the Jayhawks can make a Final Four run, Henry may follow teammates Cole Aldrich and Sheron Collins to the NBA.

 

18) Indiana Pacers- James Anderson- SG (Oklahoma State)

 

The Pacers are young, but need long-term answers in the backcourt.  Anderson has deadly range and will get a chance to prove himself against some of the best guards in the country (Warren, Henry, Sheron Collins, Avery Bradley) in the Big 12. 

 

19) Milwaukee Bucks- Craig Brackins- PF (Iowa State)

 

The Bucks lost Charlie Villanueva last summer and only appear to only have short-term plans with Hakim Warrick, so a power forward makes sense, especially one as talented as Brackins.  He is slightly undersized, but is rugged and tough inside.

 

20) Houston Rockets- Jerome Jordan- C (Tulsa)

 

Jordan is a project, but has good size and strength.  With Yao's future still up in the air, and a team full of undersized power forwards, Jordan will fit nicely.

 

21) Portland Trail Blazers- Jan Vesely- SF/PF (Czech Republic)

 

It may be a cliché to project an international player to the Trail Blazers, but clichés become clichés for a reason.  The Blazers have a very full roster as it stands and while a trade remains a possibility, if the draft were today, stashing a player in Europe for a year or two would be a great option for the Blazers.  Portland is also still in search of their small forward of the future, and Vesely has as good a chance as anyone left on the board.

 

22) Orlando Magic- Sheron Collins- PG (Kansas)

 

Orlando is one of the most complete teams in the league this season, but while Jason Williams has been a serviceable back up point guard so far, he's clearly not the answer in the long term.  Collins has an NBA-caliber crossover and can get by defenders at will.  He doesn't have great size or the typical NBA body type, but neither does Jameer Nelson, who has been very successful in Orlando.

 

23) Miami Heat- Jarvis Varnado- PF (Mississippi State)

 

Miami will be one of the big players this off-season, and with every loss by the Knicks and Nets, they look like a more desirable destination.  With that said, Varnado has a very similar body to Jermaine O'Neal and is one of the best players on the board at #23.

 

24) Boston Celtics- Gani Lawal- PF (Georgia Tech)

 

Lawal will likely take a back seat to Favors in the Yellowjackets' frontcourt this season, but he is very athletic and has a good all-around game.  Boston already lost Leon Powe and is likely to cut ties with the erratic Glen Davis in the near future.  Lawal would provide good energy off the bench.

 

25) Atlanta Hawks- Damion James- SF (Texas)

 

James is one of the most versatile players in this draft.  He can step out and shoot the jump shot as well as play on the block on both ends.  He would be a good fit along with Marvin Williams and Josh Smith in the Hawks' forward rotation.

 

26) Memphis Grizzlies (from Denver)- Kemba Walker- PG (Connecticut)

 

Memphis seems to have an affinity for Connecticut Huskies (Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams, Hasheem Thabeet) and they definitely need some depth at point guard.  Walker showed signs in limited minutes as a freshman and should have a breakout sophomore year.

 

27) Cleveland Cavaliers- Dexter Pittman- C (Texas)

 

Cleveland could use an infusion of youth into their extremely old rotation at the center position.  Pittman is a little undersized for an NBA center, but he has a wide body and nice touch near the basket.

 

28) New Jersey Nets (from Dallas)- Tyshawn Taylor- PG/SG (Kansas)

 

Taylor has great skills and his on-court performance will likely move him up draft boards, but his off-court character issues will give some teams pause.  He's definitely worth a pick at #28, especially since the Nets have a sure thing in Favors at #2.

 

29) Memphis Grizzlies (from LA Lakers)- Alexey Shved- PG/SG (Russia)

 

Shved has fantastic size for a combo guard and if the Grizzlies keep 3 first-rounders, they'll likely stash at least one in Europe for a couple of years.

 

30) Oklahoma City Thunder (from Phoenix)- Lance Stephenson- SG (Cincinnati)

 

Stephenson has character issues, but has an enormous ceiling.  A big freshman season could land Stephenson in the lottery, but until he shows maturity and big-game ability, he'll be a late first-rounder.  The Thunder have a lot of versatility and multiple first-rounder, so they can roll the dice on Stephenson's upside.

NBA Recap-November 17th

Cleveland 114, Golden State 108

 

Studs: LeBron James led the way with 31 points and 12 assists and J.J. Hickson had another career game, making 9-for-9 field goals on his way to 21 points and 9 rebounds, as the Cavaliers clipped Golden State.  All seven Warriors to see action scored in double figures, led by Monta Ellis, who posted 23 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals.

Duds: Ellis had good numbers, but shot 9-for-23 and committed 4 turnovers.  Darnell Jackson picked up 4 turnovers and 4 fouls in just 14 minutes for the Cavs.

Game Notes: Both teams have serious injury problems. The Cavaliers were already without Shaquille O'Neal and Anderson Varejao before Jamario Moon left the game with a sprained ankle.  Golden State had just seven healthy players.  Kelenna Azubuike will have surgery Wednesday to repair a torn patella tendon.  He will miss the rest of the season.  Teammate C.J. Watson missed the game after testing positive for the H1N1 virus… James and Stephen Curry shared a moment after the game.  James encouraged the rookie to "keep getting better every day".

 

Oklahoma City 100, Miami 87

 

Studs: The Thunder recorded the night's biggest upset, beating the Heat in Miami behind 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists from Kevin Durant.  Russell Westbrook added 24 points and 7 assists in the win.  Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 22 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks; and Jermaine O'Neal (19 points and 10 rebounds) and Daequan Cook (17 points) joined him in double figures.

Duds: Wade shot just 6-for-19 from the floor, the same as the combination of Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem, and Quentin Richardson.  Wade also committed 6 turnovers.  Thabo Sefolosha shot 1-for-6 for Oklahoma City.

Game Notes: The Thunder shot 21-for-22 (95.5%) from the free throw line, compared to 20-for-30 (66.7%) for the Heat… It took Oklahoma City 38 tries to win 6 games last year.  They achieved the feat in 11 tries this season… The Thunder posted a 20-1 run over an 8-minute span of the first half and never looked back… Early in the first quarter, O'Neal and Jeff Green were both called for a foul after a difficult charge/block call.  The refs called a jump ball to decide possession.

 

Indiana 91, New Jersey 83

 

Studs: Danny Granger had a team-high 22 points and Roy Hibbert tied a career high with 19 points, as Indiana won their fifth straight game.  Second-year men Brook Lopez and Chris Douglas-Roberts were a two-man show for New Jersey, tallying 26 points and 16 rebounds, and 27 points and 12 rebounds, respectively.  Lopez also added 5 blocks in the loss.

Duds: Rafer Alston was 2-for-12 shooting and committed 5 turnovers for the Nets, who only dressed 8 players.  Aside from Lopez and Douglas-Roberts, the rest of the roster combined to shoot 8-for-28 (28.6%) with 30 points.  Brandon Rush and T.J. Ford were each 2-for-10 and rookie Tyler Hansbrough missed all five of his shot attempts for the Pacers.

Game Notes: The Pacers will look for their sixth straight win against the Knicks on Wednesday… New Jersey will next head to Milwaukee in search of their first win.  They are now six losses from the all-time record of 17 to start a season… The Nets unveiled their "10 is enough!" promotion, which offered season ticket holders two extra tickets for Tuesday night's game.  Still, the game only drew 11,332 fans… Neither team shot better than 40% from the field.

 

New Orleans 110, LA Clippers 102

 

Studs: David West led the Hornets to their first win of the Jeff Bower era with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.  Devin Brown added 16 points for New Orleans, who also got a dozen points from a trio of players (Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton, and Bobby Brown).  Al Thornton led all scorers with 30 points on 12-for-17 shooting and Baron Davis added 23 points and 9 assists in the loss.

Duds: Davis was just 7-for-21 from the floor and Marcus Camby was 1-for-5.  Peja Stojakovic scored 15 for the Hornets, but shot just 3-for-10 from the field and 1-for-7 from 3-point range.  Teammate James Posey was 1-for-7 from the floor.

Game Notes: The Clippers have lost 11 straight regular season games to New Orleans… Hornets' center Hilton Armstrong missed the game with a sprained shoulder and Clippers' guard Kareem Rush left the game with a torn ACL.  He'll miss the rest of the season.

 

Phoenix 111, Houston 105

 

Studs: Phoenix became the league's first 10-win team with a come-from-behind win over Houston led by 23 points from Amare Stoudemire and 16 assists from Steve Nash.  Carl Landry shot 13-for-18 and posted a career-high 27 points and 9 rebounds off the Rockets' bench.  Aaron Brooks added 13 assists in the loss.

Duds: Brooks facilitated well, but shot only 5-for-18, while teammate Trevor Ariza was just 8-for-21.  Nash was only 2-for-10 from the field.

Game Notes: Houston was up by 12 at the end of the first quarter and 4 after three quarters before Phoenix used a 14-8 run over the final 3 minutes to secure the win… The win marks the fifth time this season the Suns have won after facing a double-digit deficit.

 

Denver 130, Toronto 112

 

Studs: Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 32 points, reserve J.R. Smith added 29, and Nene had an all-around strong performance with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks as Denver posted 130 points to improve to 8-3.  Rookie DeMar DeRozan had his best game as a pro, recording a team-high 17 points for the Raptors.

Duds: Antoine Wright shot just 2-for-8 and Andrea Bargnani was just 5-for-14 for Toronto.  Chauncey Billups was 2-for-6 for just 7 points for the Nuggets.

Game Notes: Turkoglu missed the game with a sore hip, moving Wright (and his sore ankle) into the Raptors' starting five… Anthony woke up with a migraine headache, but played because as he said, "[his] legs still worked"… Pops Mensah-Bonsu made his first appearance as a Raptor, after being claimed off waivers from the Houston Rockets, posting 5 points and 4 rebounds.

 

Chicago 101, Sacramento 87

 

Studs: John Salmons had a team-high 23 points against his former team and Joakim Noah added 15 points and 14 rebounds as the Bulls won a battle of 5-4 teams.  Donte Greene made his fifth career start and led all scorers with 24 points. 

Duds: The story for the Kings on this night was turnovers.  Sacramento committed 21 as a team, including four each by their rookies, Omri Casspi and Tyreke Evans, and seven by Jason Thompson.  The Bulls' point guards, Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich combined to shoot 3-for-21 from the field.

Game Notes: Evans became the first Kings' rookie in 18 years to score 20 points in five straight games… Chicago's Jannero Pargo scored 10 points in a 54-second span in the first and second quarters… Former Bull Andres Nocioni missed the game with a hip pointer… Bulls' rookie Taj Gibson fouled out after just 11 minutes.

 

LA Lakers 106, Detroit 93

 

Studs: Kobe Bryant had two rough starts, but got back on his game against Detroit, leading all scorers with 40 points, and adding 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.  Center Andrew Bynum added 17 points and 12 rebounds.  Will Bynum continued his strong play, posting 24 points and 6 assists on 9-for-12 shooting off the Pistons' bench.

Duds: Charlie Villanueva was 1-for-6 shooting and Rodney Stuckey was just 3-for-12, leaving the Pistons with only two reliable scorers (Bynum and Ben Gordon).

Game Notes: Bryant's performance marks the 100^th time he's reached 40 points in a game during his illustrious career, putting him third in NBA history behind just Wilt Chamberlain (271) and Michael Jordan (173)… The Lakers led by 28 in the fourth quarter before Detroit went on a torrid run to cut the lead to just 7… Lakers' center Pau Gasol is could make his first appearance of the season against Chicago on Thursday.

NBA Recap-November 16th

Atlanta 99, Portland 95 (OT)

 

Studs: Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 35 points and 9 assists, and Josh Smith added 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, as Atlanta clipped the Blazers in overtime.  Rudy Fernandez had team-highs with 19 points and 4 steals off Portland's bench.

Duds: Steve Blake had 11 assists, but recorded his third straight poor shooting game.  He was 3-for-11 against Atlanta, and is now 6-for-28 in his last three outings.  Jamal Crawford was 2-for-10 for the Hawks, with 6 points, 1 assist, and 3 turnovers in 26 minutes.

Game Notes: Atlanta has now won five straight and sits at 9-2, tied with Phoenix for the best record in the NBA.  The win snapped a 6-game winning streak by the Blazers and closed out the season series for the two teams.  The Hawks swept the 2-game set for the first time since the 1996-1997 season… Portland led by 12 in the third quarter and 9 at the beginning of the fourth before Atlanta stormed back to take a three point lead with seconds to play.  Fernandez hit a fall-away 3-pointer at the buzzer to force the overtime… Johnson had 8 points in overtime as the Hawks outscored Portland 14-10 in the extra 5 minutes.

 

Orlando 97, Charlotte 91

 

Studs: Orlando was finally at full strength against Charlotte, as Rashard Lewis got his first start after a league-imposed 10-game suspension and sharpshooter Ryan Anderson returned from injury in a reserve role.  The Magic had seven players in double figures, led by Jameer Nelson with 16 points.  Flip Murray led the Bobcats with 31 points on 13-for-21 shooting, and Boris Diaw added 21 points.

Duds: Stephen Jackson made his first Bobcats' appearance (more about that in a moment), posting 13 points and 9 rebounds, but he shot just 4-for-14 from the field.  Lewis was just 4-for-15 in his first action of the season, and Matt Barnes was 1-for-7 off Orlando's bench.

Game Notes: Earlier in the day, Jackson and point guard Acie Law IV were traded to the Bobcats, in exchange for Raja Bell and Vlad Radmanovic.  Jackson said he was pleased with the opportunity to start over.  He played 45 minutes… Orlando made 11-of-32 3-point attempts, and made 20 free throws (although they shot just 64.5% at the line) to overcome a 50.7% to 42.9% field goal shooting deficit.

 

Dallas 115, Milwaukee 113 (OT)

 

Studs: Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers with 32 points and added 11 rebounds, as Dallas survived with an overtime victory over the Bucks.  Drew Gooden had another strong performance, posting 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jason Kidd came up 1 point shy of a triple-double, with 9 points, 10 rebounds, and 17 assists.  Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists; and Ersan Ilyasova added 19 points and 12 rebounds off Milwaukee's bench.

Duds: Jennings got off to a slow start offensively, and ended up just 8-of-22 from the field.  Teammate and fellow rookie Jodie Meeks shot just 2-for-7.

Game Notes: Nowitzki rattled home a fade-away 18-footer to send the game to overtime, and then scored 7 of the Mavericks' 11 overtime points to secure the win… Shawn Marion is day-to-day after leaving in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle.

NBA Power Rankings- November 16th

CONTENDERS

1)    Phoenix (9-2)-(W-PHI, NOH, TOR; L-LAL) Last: 2

2)    LA Lakers (7-3)- (W-PHO; L-DEN, HOU) Last: 1

3)    Dallas (7-3)- (W-HOU, MIN, DET; L-SAS) Last: 3

4)    Cleveland (7-3)- (W-ORL, MIA, UTA) Last: 11

5)    Denver (7-3)- (W-CHI, LAL; L-MIL) Last: 6

6)    Atlanta (8-2)- (W-NYK, BOS, NOH) Last: 8

7)    Boston (8-3)- (W-UTA; L-ATL, IND) Last: 4

8)    Miami (7-2)- (W-WAS, NJN; L-CLE) Last: 5

9)    Orlando (7-3)- (W-CHA, NJN; L-CLE) Last: 7

JURY'S OUT

10) Portland (8-3)- (W-MEM, MIN, NOH, CHA) Last: 10

11) Houston (6-4)- (W- MEM, LAL; L-DAL, SAC) Last: 12

12) Milwaukee (5-2)- (W-DEN, GSW) Last: 17

13) Indiana (4-3)- (W-GSW, BOS) Last: 19

14) Chicago (5-4)- (W- PHI; L-DEN, TOR) Last: 9

15) Toronto (5-5)- (W- CHI, LAC; L-SAS, PHO) Last: 14

16) San Antonio (4-4)- (W-TOR, DAL; L- OKC) Last: 22

17) Sacramento (5-4)- (W-OKC, HOU) Last: 23

18) Utah (4-6)- (W-NYK, PHI; L-BOS, CLE) Last: 21

19) Oklahoma City (5-5)- (W- LAC, SAS; L-SAC, LAC) Last: 13

20) Detroit (5-5)- (W-CHA, WAS; L-DAL) Last: 16

21) Philadelphia (4-6)- (W- NJN; L-PHO, UTA, CHI) Last: 18

22) Washington (2-7)- (L-MIA, DET) Last: 20

LOTTERY BOUND

23) Charlotte (3-6)- (L-ORL, DET, POR) Last: 15

24) New Orleans (3-8)- (W-LAC; L-PHO, POR, ATL) Last: 24

25) LA Clippers (4-7)- (W- OKC; L-NOH, OKC, TOR) Last: 25

26)  Golden State (3-6)- (W-MIN, NYK; L-IND, MIL) Last: 26

27) Memphis (2-8)- (W- MIN; L-POR, HOU) Last: 28

28) New York (1-9)- (L-UTA, ATL, GSW) Last: 27

29) New Jersey (0-10)- (L-PHI, ORL, MIA) Last: 30

30) Minnesota (1-10)- (L-GSW, POR, DAL, MEM) Last: 29

NBA Recap-November 15th

Dallas 95, Detroit 90

 

Studs: Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists; and Drew Gooden added 11 points and 11 rebounds in his first start with Dallas.  Detroit got 28 points from Rodney Stuckey and 27 from his backup, Will Bynum.

Duds: Ben Gordon was terrible, shooting 1-for-16 from the floor and committing 4 turnovers in 41 minutes, and Jason Terry was just 1-for-7 off the Mavericks' bench.

Game Notes: Stuckey and Bynum combined to shoot 23-for-36 (63.9%), but the rest of the Pistons were just 15-for-47 (31.9%).  Stuckey, Bynum, Charlie Villanueva (6-for-16), and Ben Wallace (4-for-5) were the only Pistons to record more than 1 made basket… Dallas committed only 7 turnovers and recorded 25 assists on 36 made field goals… Gordon, who missed a game tying 3-pointer with 2 seconds left, was dealing with flu-like symptoms before the game… Gooden started for Erick Dampier, who missed the game with flu-like symptoms of his own…

 

LA Clippers 101, Oklahoma City 93

 

Studs: The Clippers were firing on all cylinders against the Thunder, as Chris Kaman had 25 points and 7 rebounds, Baron Davis had 24 and 6 assists, and a rejuvenated Al Thornton added 20 points in the win.  Kevin Durant poured in 40 points and added 8 rebounds in a losing effort.

Duds: Thabo Sefolosha was 1-for-9 and rookie James Harden was 0-for-8, heaping a ton of pressure on Durant offensively. 

Game Notes: In their prior two games, the Clippers had lost after leading by 9 and 22 points, respectively.  They led the Thunder by 13 before coughing up the advantage, but held on this time to improve to 4-7… Russell Westbrook had team-highs with 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals for the Thunder.

 

Phoenix 101, Toronto 100

Studs: Amare Stoudemire had 30 points and 8 rebounds, Steve Nash added 23 points and 9 assists, and Channing Frye canned 6 3-pointer on his way to 20 points as Phoenix survived the Raptors to improve to and NBA-best 9-2.  Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. 

Duds: Aside from Bosh (10-for-19), Amir Johnson (3-for-5), and Sonny Weems (2-for-2), no Raptor shot at or above 50%, but the team managed 45.5%.  Aside from Stoudemire, Nash, and Frye, the Suns combined to shoot just 9-for-33 (27.3%) for 28 points.

Game Notes: The game was played on Stoudemire's 27^th birthday… The Suns have now won 13 straight games at home… Nash converted a 3-point play with 38.9 seconds left to give the Suns the win… Bosh has an NBA-leading 8 double-doubles in 10 games this season.

 

Houston 101, LA Lakers 91

 

Studs: Aaron Brooks exploded for a career-high 33 points and reserve center Ryan Anderson added a career-high of his own, with 19 as Houston handed the Lakers their second straight loss.  Ron Artest had a team-high 22 points and Andrew Bynum added 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the loss.

Duds: Kobe Bryant was just 5-for-20 and Derek Fisher managed only 3-for-13, as the high-powered Lakers shot just 38.1% as a team.  Aside from Brooks, Houston's starters combined for just 20 points on 7-for-27 shooting.  Trevor Ariza tried to force it against his old team for the second time this season, going 2-for-12 with 6 turnovers.

Game Notes: Ariza received his 2009 Championship Ring before the game… Bryant has been playing through a groin injury he sustained last week against New Orleans… Phil Jackson reported that Lakers' center Pau Gasol has gone nearly a week without reporting any soreness, which means the missing piece in the Lakers' frontcourt should be returning relatively soon.

NBA Recap-November 14th

Atlanta 121, New Orleans 98

 

Studs: Joe Johnson had a game-high 26 points, along with 5 rebounds and 7 assists, and Jamal Crawford added 21 points off the Hawks' bench.  Josh Smith also chipped in with 17 points and 17 rebounds.  Peja Stojakovic made 10-of-17 shots on his way to 25 for the Hornets, playing their first game without the injured Chris Paul.

Duds: Starters Devin Brown and David West both struggled mightily without Paul.  Brown was 1-for-6 and West just 4-for-17 (while committing 4 turnovers).  Marvin Williams was 2-for-10 for Atlanta.

Game Notes: The game featured 52 fast break points- 29 for the Hawks and 23 for the Hornets… The game might has well have been called after three quarters.  Atlanta is 7-0 when leading after three quarters, while New Orleans is 0-7 when trailing after three periods… Rookie Darren Collison made his first career start in Paul's place, posting 10 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals in 26 minutes… An update on Paul's status should come on Monday.

 

Indiana 113, Boston 104

 

Studs: Indiana had six players in double figures, led by Danny Granger with 29 and Dahntay Jones with 25 as they handed Boston their second straight loss.  Ray Allen led the Celtics with 24 points and Kendrick Perkins added 11 points and 13 rebounds.

Duds: Boston's usually impenetrable defense was surprising porous in this one, allowing the short-handed Pacers to shoot 52.6% from the floor and 50% from behind the arc.  The Pacers' Solomon Jones fouled out in just 15 minutes.

Game Notes:  Boston led by 9 at halftime but was outscored 61-43 in the second half… After starting 7-0, the Celtics have lost 3 of 4.  The Pacers, on the other hand, have won 4 straight after starting 0-3… Paul Pierce was just 4-for-10 the night after sustained a bruised left knee.

 

Detroit 106, Washington 103

 

Studs: Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva each shot 10-for-21 from the floor and led the Pistons past Washington with 29 and 25, respectively.  Mike Miller returned after missing three games with a sprained AC joint, and scored 20 points, as did Earl Boykins, who signed with Washington on Wednesday and on Saturday, played in his first NBA game since April 2008.

Duds: The Pistons' Rodney Stuckey and the Wizards' Andray Blatche were each 5-for-13 from the field.

Game Notes: Gordon, Villanueva, Stuckey, and Will Bynum combined for 91 of Detroit's 106 points… Washington's Antawn Jamison will make his season debut on Wednesday against the Cavaliers… Many of us had high hopes for the Wizards this season, but they find themselves just 2-7 through 9 games.

 

Portland 80, Charlotte 74

 

Studs: Brandon Roy led the Blazers with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists; and Greg Oden made all four of his field goal attempts and blocked 4 shots as Portland escaped Charlotte with a win.  Boris Diaw led the Bobcats with 21 points and 6 rebounds.

Duds: Flip Murray was just 1-for-8 for the Bobcats, and Steve Blake had his second rough shooting game in as many nights, posting a 2-for-10 for the Blazers.

Game Notes: Both benches really struggled in this one.  Portland's reserves were 3-for-11 with 13 points and Charlotte's were 7-for-23 with 17 points… Portland had just 8 assists on 27 made field goals in the ugly win… Oden had 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks, but fouled out in just 17 minutes… Portland is now 8-3 overall and 5-1 on the road.  They have won 6 straight… Travis Outlaw suffered a stress fracture in his left foot in the first quarter.  He'll miss 6-8 weeks.

 

Cleveland 107, Utah 103

 

Studs: LeBron James was back to his old tricks, posting 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists, and teammate J.J. Hickson had his best game as a pro, tallying 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting.  The Cavs started Jamario Moon in place of Mo Williams, who responded by adding 21 points off the bench.  Carlos Boozer had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Eric Maynor started for the second straight game in place of Deron Williams, and netted 24.

Duds: Both teams shot over 50% from the field, so finding a dud is tough.  The worst performance of the night was Daniel Gibson, who shot 1-for-4, with 3 points and 4 turnovers in 21 minutes.

Game Notes: After likening James to Picasso on Thursday, Cavs' coach Mike Brown called him Rembrandt on Saturday.  James scored Cleveland's final 8 points for the second straight game… Shaquille O'Neal missed the game with a strained shoulder… Cleveland has now won 6 straight after opening the season 1-3… James said after the game that the NBA should retire the number 23 in honor of Michael Jordan.  According to James, he'll switch to #6 next season.

 

Miami 81, New Jersey 80

 

Studs: Miami held off the Nets thanks to a huge performance off the bench from Udonis Haslem.  Haslem shot 12-for-20, and tallied 28 points and 12 rebounds.  Dwyane Wade had a good night too, posting 22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, and 2 blocks.  Brook Lopez and Trenton Hassell led the Nets with 17 points apiece, and Chris Douglas-Roberts added 16 off New Jersey's bench.

Duds: The Nets played just 8 players, only 6 of who scored a point.  Of those six, Rafer Alston and Terrence Williams combined to shoot just 6-for-20.  Daequan Cook, Joel Anthony, and Carlos Arroyo combined to shoot 5-for-21 for the Heat.

Game Notes: Wade was 1-for-5 from 3-point range, but hit his most important attempt. With .1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Wade sank a 3 to give Miami the win… Heat center Jermaine O'Neal missed the game with a bruised hip and point guard Mario Chalmers left just 4:25 into the game with a strained shoulder… Quentin Richardson hasn't attempted a free throw since April 12^th.

 

Chicago 94, Philadelphia 88

 

Studs: The Bulls gave the term 'balanced' a new meaning on Saturday night.  Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng led Chicago with 19 points apiece, and Joakim Noah, John Salmons, Derrick Rose, and Brad Miller scored 14 points each in the win.  No one else scored for the Bulls.  Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists; and Lou Williams chipped in with 20 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Duds: Thaddeus Young was 5-for-15 from the field and Philly's bench combined to shoot 4-for-15 with 9 points.  Rookie Taj Gibson and James Johnson went scoreless and combined to shoot 0-for-8 for the Bulls.

Game Notes: The Bulls overcame 20 turnovers to win the game largely thanks to Philadelphia's struggles at the free throw line.  The 76ers shot just 61.9% at the charity stripe… Chicago will play its next 6 games on the road and won't be back to the United Center until December 2^nd… Speights sprained his left knee and will be evaluated on Sunday.

 

Memphis 97, Minnesota 87

 

Studs: Marc Gasol made all 8 of his field goal attempts and posted 17 points and 16 rebounds as Memphis furthered Minnesota's misery.  Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo had 19 points apiece, and rookie Sam Young added 15 off the bench.  Corey Brewer had 16 to lead the Timberwolves, who played without All Star Al Jefferson for the second straight game.

Duds: Rookie Jonny Flynn had arguably his worst game as a pro, shooting just 5-for-14 and committing 6 turnovers in the Wolves' 10^th straight loss.  Teammate Ryan Gomes shot better, but one-upped Flynn with 7 turnovers, as Minnesota tallied 20 as a team.  Zach Randolph was 2-for-9 for the Grizzlies.

Game Notes: The first half featured 13 ties and 9 lead changes, with neither team compiling a double-digit lead… Both teams shot between 48 and 49% from the field and below 15% from 3-point range, but Memphis had a +11 advantage at the free throw line… Memphis signed Jamaal Tinsely on Saturday.  He will presumably take Allen Iverson's vacant minutes and roster spot.

 

Milwaukee 129, Golden State 125

 

Studs: Brandon Jennings. Period.  The Bucks' superstar rookie exploded for 55 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists against the Warriors.  Jennings's 55 came on 21-for-34 shooting, and marks the highest total for a rookie since 1968 (Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe).  Monta Ellis had 26 and Corey Maggette 25 for the Warriors.

Duds: Everyone guarding Brandon Jennings.  Jennings made 7-of-8 3-point attempts and blew past Golden State defenders at will.  Milwaukee shot 52.7% as a team and made 14-of-24 3-point attempts.

Game Notes: Are you starting to notice a theme here?  Jennings went scoreless in the first quarter, before putting in 10 in the second, 29 in the third, and 16 in the fourth to secure the victory and break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's franchise rookie record for points scored.  The remarkable third quarter effort included a 12-for-12 start before Jennings missed a 3 with 5.9 seconds left in the period. 

 

Oklahoma City 101, San Antonio 98

 

Studs: The Thunder's big 3 willed them past the Spurs' big 3 thanks to 25 points from Kevin Durant, 21 points and 10 rebounds from Jeff Green, and 19 points and 11 assists from Russell Westbrook.  Tim Duncan and Tony Parker played well in their first games back from injury, scoring 22 and 17, respectively, but it wasn't enough.  George Hill also tallied 18 off the Spurs' bench.

Duds: Manu Ginobili went 0-for-8 from the field for the Spurs and Durant shot just 6-for-18 for Oklahoma City.

Game Notes: Oklahoma City is now 5-4.  Their 5^th win last season didn't come until early January… San Antonio is 4-4 through their first 8 games, but the schedule offers a little relief.  They play 7 of their next 9 at home.

NBA Recap-November 13th

Orlando 88, New Jersey 72

 

Studs: Every Magic starter ended in double figures led by Dwight Howard with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks.  Matt Barnes also played well, tallying 13 points and 13 rebounds as Orlando handed the Nets their 9^th straight loss to open the season.  Rafer Alston became the second player of the season (LeBron James) to record a triple-double, posting 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for New Jersey.

Duds: Howard's presence frustrated Brook Lopez all game long.  The Nets' second-year center shot just 1-for-12, while rookie Terrence Williams was 3-for-17 off the bench.  J.J. Redick was scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting in 33 minutes for the Magic.

Game Notes: New Jersey shot just 32.9% and recorded only 12 assists, 10 of which belonged to Alston… The Magic will get Rashard Lewis back for their next game against Charlotte on Monday.  Orlando needs his shooting badly, they were just 8-for-29 from 3-point range against New Jersey.

 

Utah 112, Philadelphia 90

 

Studs: Carlos Boozer picked up the slack for Deron Williams, who missed the game for personal reasons, and Eric Maynor showed that he is a very capable backup.  Boozer posted 24 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals; and Maynor added 13 points and 11 assists.  Thaddeus Young led the 76ers with 17 points and Andre Iguodala overcame a rough shooting night by tallying 11 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 blocks.

Duds: Lou Williams and Marresse Speights each shot just 33.3% from the floor and committed 4 turnovers apiece in the loss.

Game Notes: The Jazz started a small lineup, which featured two rookies- Maynor and former Marquette standout Wes Matthews… Utah shot over 50% from the field and the 3-point line, and over 90% from the charity stripe.  They also committed just 3 first half turnovers.

 

Golden State 121, New York 107

 

Studs: Stephen Jackson led the Warriors with 23 points and three others (Monta Ellis, Kelenna Azubuike, and Corey Maggette) scored 22 apiece.  C.J. Watson provided a lift as well, shooting 7-for-8 on his way to 19 points.  Danilo Gallinari had team-highs with 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks.

Duds: The Knicks starting backcourt of Chris Duhon and Larry Hughes combined to shoot 2-for-13 from the field, with just 8 points in 48 minutes.  New York also committed 21 turnovers as a team.

Game Notes: Knicks' guard Nate Robinson returned to the team after missing 6 games with a sprained ankle… The Warriors scored 31 points off New York turnovers and shot a remarkable 58.3% for the game.

 

Atlanta 97, Boston 86

 

Studs: Joe Johnson led the Hawks past Boston with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while Al Horford recorded a double-double (12 points and 13 rebounds) and Jamal Crawford put in 18 points off the bench.  Paul Pierce matched Johnson with 24 points.

Duds: Boston made just 1-of-15 3-point attempts and managed only 68.4% from the free throw line.  Shelden Williams and Eddie House combined to shoot just 2-for-9 off the Celtics' bench.

Game Notes: Atlanta was out-shot 49.3% to 45.2% and outscored in the paint by a margin of 58-44, but won from the free throw line (+4) and the 3-point line (+12).  The also won the rebounding battle 47-29… Pierce bruised his knee in the third quarter, but returned to the game.

 

Portland 86, New Orleans 78

 

Studs: LaMarcus Aldridge had team-highs with 20 points and 13 rebounds and Brandon Roy added 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.  Rookies Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison had career-highs 20 and 18 points, respectively for the Hornets.

Duds: Peja Stojakovic was just 1-for-7 and Chris Paul was 1-for-8 before leaving the game with an injury. (More on that in a moment.) Steve Blake was 1-for-7 for the Blazers, as neither team shot better than 38% from the field.

Game Notes: Paul sustained what the team is calling a "severe" ankle sprain.  He left in the third quarter and did not return.  Paul considers the injury day-to-day, but the team has said he'll miss a week or two… Before the injury, Paul was far from himself.  He went scoreless in the first quarter, finally connecting on a pair of free throws late in the second period.  He said that playing without ex-coach Byron Scott was "obviously" strange.

 

Dallas 89, Minnesota 77

 

Studs: Dirk Nowitzki had game-highs with 20 points and 11 rebounds as Dallas handed the Timberwolves their 9^th straight defeat.  Shawn Marion (15) and Jason Terry (12) also reached double figures for the Mavs.  Jonny Flynn led Minnesota with 11 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

Duds: Flynn's backup, Ramon Sessions, was just 1-for-8, and starters Corey Brewer and Ryan Gomes combined to shoot 8-for-25 in the loss.

Game Notes: The Timberwolves were without Al Jefferson, who missed the game for personal reasons.  Nathan Jawai started in Jefferson's place, earning his first start with Minnesota.  Jason Hart saw his first action of the season, filling Jefferson's roster spot… Nowitzki picked up a technical in the third quarter and immediately went off, posting 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the subsequent 7 minutes of action… Minnesota shot 32.6% from the field and 59.3% from the free throw line.

 

Sacramento 109, Houston 100

 

Studs: Jason Thompson had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Beno Udrih (22) and Tyreke Evans (20) joined him in the 20s, as the Kings disposed of Houston.  Trevor Ariza led the Rockets with 28 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals; and Shane Battier added 23 points in the loss.

Duds: Aaron Brooks was just 4-for-13 and the Rockets' bench combined to shoot 4-for-24 with 12 points.  Spencer Hawes was 2-for-11 for Sacramento.

Game Notes: The Kings are now 4-1 at home and have won 4 straight for the first time in 2 seasons.  Despite their early success, Sacramento is still struggling to draw fans.  Only 11,762 saw this one in person… Houston had 25 fast break points to only 9 for the Kings.

 

Denver 105, LA Lakers 79

 

Studs: Carmelo Anthony had 25 points on 11-of-20 shooting and J.R. Smith added 20 off the bench as Denver came from behind to beat the Lakers.  Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 15 rebounds to pace L.A.

Duds: Derek Fisher, Josh Powell, Shannon Brown, Luke Walton, Adam Morrison, and Sasha Vujacic combined to shoot 4-for-30 with 8 points in 89 minutes.

Game Notes: The Lakes played strong out of the gates but clearly ran out of gas after playing a tough back-to-back against two of the toughest teams in the Western Conference (Phoenix and Denver).  L.A. scored 56 points in the first half, but only 23 in the second, including 0 from Kobe Bryant over the final 24 minutes… 5'10" rookie Ty Lawson dunked on 7-footer D.J. Mbenga.

 

Toronto 104, LA Clippers 89

 

Studs: Toronto finished up a tough day for L.A. basketball by dominating the Clippers in the second half.  Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists.  Marco Belinelli added 15 points off Toronto's bench.  Chris Kaman led the Clippers with 25 points and 7 rebounds.

Duds: Rasual Butler was just 2-for-10 from the floor and DeAndre Jordan was 1-for-4 from the charity stripe.

Game Notes:  Toronto led by as many as 22 points in the second quarter, but outscored the Clippers 59-35 in the second half to win going away... The Clippers missed their last 12 shots and went scoreless over the game's last 6:58.