Raptors forward Pascal Siakam erupted for 32 points and eight rebounds against Sacramento on Friday, his sixth game after recovering from shoulder surgery. Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets that Siakam, who bounced back from a four-point game against Utah, is still trying to gain a rhythm.
“Last game I felt like I was running in mud the whole game,” Siakam said. “It’s just waking up every day continuing to push forward knowing it’s going to be tough, but once I get that rhythm and my legs under me I know what I can do, and I have to focus on that.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Evan Fournier, the Knicks’ major sign-and-trade acquisition this summer, hasn’t been playing in fourth quarters lately and it’s been an adjustment for the swingman, Mark Sanchez of the New York Post writes. “I think the situation right now is I don’t know how many minutes I’m going to play, so I have to have the mindset of: If I’m going to play 20 minutes, then just come out the gate with extreme energy,” he said. “Being very alert. Being ultra-aggressive. And trying to have an impact.”
- Kevin Durant missed his first game of the season on Friday due to a shoulder ailment. The Nets are trying to figure out how much to play Durant and James Harden during the regular season without wearing them out prior to the postseason, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “I think that we definitely are going to look for our spots to protect them,” Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said. “We just have to be very strategic. We’re a new team trying to find itself and trying to form that identity. Those guys are super-competitive, so they want to play. It’s a tricky balance.”
- The league’s crackdown on offensive moves in which players move into defender’s bodies to draw fouls has affected Harden. He’s going to the line less and committing more turnovers, Sanchez notes. The Nets star says he’s still getting used to the new parameters. “We’re in a little bit of a funk right now in a sense of just everything,” Harden said.
I think Fournier is not getting the message. The message is he needs to play better. He has been shooting erratically and his defensive, eh, effort has been suspect. I suspect his shooting will come around. He is never been great on defense but the effort needs to improve. Thibs ain’t that guy.
Yes. It’s simplistic, but he needs to play better. He’s shooting 40.6% from the field. He hasn’t shot below 43.8% since his second season in the league eight years ago.
Last four games, he’s scored a combined 19 points and is a cumulative -45 in +/-. Not going to get many minutes playing like that.
harden went from not getting fouled to shooting 20. refs still tinkering around.
Harden’s free throw numbers are nearly identical this season compared to last season. He’s only getting to the FT line 0.3 fewer times per game, dropping from 7.3 FT attempts to 7.0 FT attempts per game.
His point was that within this season, it is quite clear that the refs are still getting a grip on the new rules and how to ref James Harden. Not talking about last season.
And he’s right. First 12 games, Harden averaged 4.67 FT per game. Last five games, he’s had 12.6 FT per game.
before last game with 20 attempts, averaged bout 6.2 per. One point less. don’t care, just thought it was weird. and rct with better point.
Better for everybody 20 than 0!!!
Knicks are not running their offense. And their team D is bad. Most of that is on Mitch being out of shape. And a new starting 5. They have forgotten it’s work that gave them success. Fournier just needs good looks. And stop looking for threes. This team is three crazy. Right now I’m starting to lose it with Mitch. I thought he’d be a beast this yr. Considering he’s up for new contract. I know Knicks looked at Turner hard one time. I’m kind of wishing they would now. If he’s available.
Bulls will bring out this team. Looking forward to this game.
Derek Rose needs to start, that will help everybody. Try Kemba off the bench, take some pressure off him.I mean they lose to the Rockets at home if Burks hadn’t saved them.