Heat Notes: Dragic, Wade, Winslow
The Suns are “always changing something,” unlike the Heat and Spurs, who show more loyalty, Goran Dragic contends in an interview with Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports. The point guard cautioned that he’s grateful to the Suns and has no regrets about his time with them, but he recounted his frustration with the team’s decision to sign Isaiah Thomas instead of a big man in the summer of 2014, as Lee details. The Suns are reeling now, losers of nine straight, and the chance to play for a consistent winner is what Dragic has wanted. “That’s why I didn’t hesitate to sign [with the Heat] in free agency, because they are always on top,” Dragic said to Lee. “They are always looking at that big picture to win a championship. I still remember that year with the Suns, when we made the [conference finals in 2010]. That was one of the best moments in my career and I want to feel that again, to be in the playoffs and to be a contender.”
See more amid the latest from Miami:
- Dwyane Wade likes to win, too, but he’s grateful in some regard for last season’s rare playoff miss for the Heat, notes Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post. “Nothing went right for us last year, but everything happened for a reason and it was much-needed rest for this team,” Wade said. “I ain’t gonna lie to you, I was happy. Once we weren’t good enough and we knew we weren’t winning the championship, I didn’t really care about making it to the first round just to say we made it to the first round. I enjoyed knowing I was going to have a long summer to focus on my body. It was good for us.”
- Rookie small forward Justise Winslow earned the respect of Pacers forward Paul George on Monday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel reports. Indiana’s star player scored 32 points against the Heat but took 29 shots to reach that point total. Winslow limited him to one shot in overtime as the Heat pulled out the victory. “He’s got a lot to learn, but he’s a good, solid defender,” George said during his postgame interview. “He’s got great feet. He’s real aggressive. That’s what you want out of your young defenders.”
- Shooting guard Josh Richardson was assigned on Monday to the team’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, and will play in that league’s Showcase event which begins on Wednesday, Michael A. Scotto of the Associated Press tweets. Power forward Jarnell Stokes was also sent to the D-League, according to the team’s website, which confirmed the Richardson assignment.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/29/15
The Eastern Conference standings more closely resemble a wild card race than the typical separation seen in most seasons. All but five of the 15 conference teams have records at or above .500 entering play Tuesday, a stunning development given the Western Conference’s dominance in the past 15 years.
As expected, the Cavaliers are at the top, though they lead the pack by just two games while dealing with inconsistency and point guard Kyrie Irving‘s absence. Irving returned to action last week and it’s generally assumed that Cleveland will pull away from the cluster of winning teams and grab the top seed in the playoffs.
Beyond the defending conference champions, it’s a game of musical chairs where a team could be in a comfortable spot one week and drop to the bottom half of the standings the next. The teams from No. 2 through No. 10 have at least 12 losses but no more than 14.
Even the team currently in the No. 12 spot, the Knicks, have realistic ambitions of getting into the playoffs this season. The Hawks, who led the conference during the regular season last year, got off to a mediocre start but have won six of their last seven games. The Raptors once again top the Atlantic Division but have the Celtics nipping at their heels.
Veteran, playoff-tested teams like the Bulls and Heat are still in the mix but look more vulnerable than they have in recent seasons.
This leads us to our question of the day: Assuming the Cavaliers will take the top spot in the East, which conference team will emerge as the No. 2 seed in the playoffs?
Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
And-Ones: Bryant, Van Gundy, Nets
Kobe Bryant claims that former Hornets coach Dave Cowens told him that Charlotte wasn’t interested in him during the 1996 draft, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com reports. Bryant was shipped to the Lakers for Vlade Divac soon after the draft. “Cowens told me he didn’t want me,” Bryant told reporters in Charlotte. “It wasn’t a question of me even playing here. They had a couple of guards already, a couple small forwards already.” Cowens refuted Bryant’s account of his draft-night odyssey to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. Cowens told Himmelsbach that the Hornets were more concerned at the time that Bryant would play professionally in Italy, as his camp threatened if he didn’t wind up with the Lakers or Knicks. Cowens also denied telling Bryant the Hornets didn’t have a spot for him. “I’d never say anything like that to a player,” Cowens told Himmelsbach. “I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me. It wasn’t about him not being able to play for us. It was just [the trade] was already worked out.”
In other news around the league:
- Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy expects a lot of volatility in the Eastern Conference standings this season. Detroit is among 10 conference teams above the .500 mark. “Cleveland hasn’t created a lot of space but they’ve sort of separated themselves as the team at the top of the East. But then everybody else, it’s sort of gone up and down,” he told the assembled media, including Hoops Rumors, last week. “The standings change every single day. We’ve played enough now to say there’s a good chance it stays like that throughout most of the rest of the year. There’s a lot of parity.”
- The D-League’s experiment with coaches challenging an official’s call is still a work in progress, as Adam Johnson of the D-League Digest examines. In its current structure, a coach can only challenge fourth-quarter calls. They lose a timeout if the challenge fails. Limiting challenges to the final quarter is just one of the complaints about the system, Johnson adds.
- The Nets are expected to play more than a dozen doubleheaders next season with their new D-League affiliate’s games preceding the NBA game at Barclays Center, team officials told NetsDaily. The Long Island Nets will begin their inaugural season next November. Barclays will curtain off parts of the arena during D-League games, the report adds.
Southwest Rumors: Terry, Davis, Mavericks
Veteran Rockets point guard Jason Terry is baffled by his team’s mediocre season, according to Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle. Their outings late last week, when they upset the Spurs on Christmas night and then were defeated by the last-place Pelicans the following evening, provide a perfect backdrop to Terry’s befuddlement, Creech continues. “It’s a wake-up call to have a performance like we did against San Antonio and then come back and follow that up with a poor performance against a New Orleans team that has struggled all season,” Terry told Creech. “That was a big step backwards. We have to stop playing in these spurts. It is frustrating but it also makes me optimistic because I know what we are capable of doing.” Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff sees Terry as part of the solution and plans to give him steady minutes after shuffling his point guard rotation, Fran Blinebury of NBA com reports. “I just feel like we need him on the floor,” Bickerstaff said. “There’s times where he needs the rest, obviously. But big moments in big games, he’s one of the guys that I trust the most.”
In other news around the Southwest Division:
- Pelicans star power forward Anthony Davis is frustrated with his team’s spotty effort, Andrew Lopez of the New Orleans Times-Picayune writes. Davis vented to Lopez after the team’s loss to the Magic on Monday. “We just don’t play hard all the time,” he said. “That starts with our first unit coming out and setting the pace and setting the tone for the rest of the game and setting the tone for the guys that sub in, especially after halftime. That’s kind of been our thing this year. It starts with the first unit and it starts with me.”
- Wesley Matthews and Chandler Parsons are rounding to form for the Mavericks after their extensive rehab from major injuries, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports. Matthews, who was signed to a four-year, $70M contract during the offseason while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, is averaging 15.2 points and making 41.2% of his 3-point attempts in December. Parsons, who underwent microfracture knee surgery, has averaged 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists the past three games after having his minutes restrictions lifted, MacMahon continues. “Both of these guys stated very clearly when their injuries happened that their goal was not only to be back, but to be back better than before,” coach Rick Carlisle told MacMahon and other media members. “To do that, it’s going to be a long-term proposition. … They’re both doing well. And they’ll do better and better and better as the season goes along.”
- The Spurs assigned point guard Ray McCallum to their D-League affiliate in Austin, the team’s website announced. McCallum, who is averaging 1.6 points in 7.1 minutes in 13 appearances with San Antonio, has already appeared in five games with Austin.
Southeast Notes: Fournier, Korver, Hornets
Evan Fournier confesses that he’s mindful of his contract situation, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports. Fournier is headed into restricted free agency this summer after the Magic failed to reach a rookie scale extension agreement with the swingman by the November 2nd deadline. “Of course. It is in the back of your mind,” Fournier told Schmitz. “You are trying to play your best basketball. … I don’t want to be a mediocre player or average. I know if I have a very good season, the money is gonna follow.”
In other news around the Southeast Division:
- Kyle Korver‘s shooting slump has worsened but Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer has instructed his starting shooting guard to keep firing away, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Korver is a 2 of 16 from the field and 1 of 13 from 3-point range in the last two games. “He is very hard on himself,” Budenholzer told Vivlamore. “We like to try to pick him up a little bit. He’s a perfectionist. So, I think we are all confident.”
- Dwyane Wade admits he’s not sure where this Heat season is headed after 30 games, as the veteran shooting guard relayed to Ethan J. Skolnick of the Miami Herald following the team’s loss to the Nets on Monday. “I said it since training camp, we don’t know what this team is going to be yet,” Wade said. “No one knows. I have no idea. 18-12, that’s what we are. I know we have a good team. I know that. 18-12, that is pretty good in the Eastern Conference. So that’s all I know.”
- Al Jefferson agrees with Hornets coach Steve Clifford’s decision to bring him off the bench for the time being, David Scott of the Charlotte Observer reports. Jefferson is still trying to get back in game shape after missing 11 games due to a calf injury and a suspension. Cody Zeller has been starting at center. “Right here, right now, it’s probably better that I come off the bench,” Jefferson told Scott. “In this league, it’s important to get off to a great start and you don’t want a guy like me coming in still trying to get back into the flow of things and slowing the offense down.”
- The Hornets’ new D-League affiliate in Greensboro, N.C. will be called the Swarm, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports tweets. The Swarm will begin their inaugural season in 2016/17, Spears adds.
Pacific Rumors: Bledsoe, Karl, Clippers
The loss of Eric Bledsoe to a season-ending knee injury has forced Suns coach Jeff Hornacek to make several adjustments to his rotation, Greg Esposito of the team’s website reports. Brandon Knight has taken over the role as the main floor leader with Ronnie Price and Bryce Cotton backing him up. Rookie Devin Booker gets the nod at shooting guard, with Sonny Weems and Archie Goodwin in reserve, Hornacek told Esposito. The Suns nearly upset the Cavaliers on Monday and Hornacek felt his new backcourt played reasonably well in Bledsoe’s absence. “Without Eric in the game, it was a little different,” Hornacek told Esposito. “We had gone over a few plays that might be good for the guys. I thought they really came out and executed it. Defensively, we gave up a lot of 3-point attempts that we need to get better at. Some of it was closing out that we need to get better at.”
In other news around the Pacific Division:
- Kings coach George Karl has found it difficult to connect with his players and is frustrated by their lack of consistency, according to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. Karl can no longer be as fiery as he once was because of the way current players react, so he has tried to appeal to them in other ways, Jones continues. “Just tell stories,” Karl told Jones. “You try to bring up situations. My explanation the last couple of weeks is just trying to explain to them how difficult this league is, how tough it is to be successful in this league.”
- The Clippers used a three-guard alignment against the Wizards on Monday and coach Doc Rivers liked the results, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports. Rivers played reserves Jamal Crawford, Pablo Priogioni and Austin Rivers during the first half and the Clippers extended their lead. His son’s versatility allows the three-guard set to work, according to the coach. “The reason we get away with it is because Austin can guard the one, two or the three,” Doc Rivers told the assembled media. “We just put him on them and then we put Pablo on the second-best guy and put Jamal on the third guy. And so it works for us.”
- Chris Paul is impressed how the Clippers are playing without Blake Griffin, according to Robert Morales of the Long Beach Press-Telegram. The Clippers won their first two games after Griffin suffered a partially torn quad tendon. “I just think we’re fighting,” he told Morales. “We know we’re a big man short and so everyone knows that they have to be involved in the game.”
Wizards Notes: Beal, Gooden, Pierce
Bradley Beal could begin non-basketball activities this week, according to J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com. The Wizards shooting guard has missed nine consecutive games with a lower right leg injury. Beal will be on a minutes restriction when he returns, the report adds, but coach Randy Wittman has no plans to use Beal off the bench to save him for late-game situations. “No, because we’re going to have to control his minutes some when he first comes back like we have every year,” Wittman said. “We never had to deal with the problem again after getting a couple weeks of limited minutes.”
In other news regarding the Wizards:
- Nene and Drew Gooden could be close to returning from calf injuries, J. Michael reports in a separate story. Wittman isn’t sure if either will be back this week. “It could go anywhere from three or four days to two weeks,” Wittman told the team’s beat reporters. “When you’re dealing with a calf, until you fully don’t feel anything twinging down there [you don’t know]. They’re closer.”
- Paul Pierce carries only fond memories of his season with the Wizards, Rowan Kavner of Clippers.com writes. Pierce averaged 11.9 points and 4.9 rebounds last season, then boosted his scoring average to 14.6 points in the postseason before signing with the Clippers. “I had a lot of fun, truthfully, just being around the young guys, teaching them every day, talking to them,” Pierce told Kavner. “Even though it was one year, I had a lot of fun being around these guys. They welcomed me with open arms. I embraced the city, they embraced me back, and I really enjoyed my time.”
- The Wizards miss Pierce’s brutal candor and moxie but both sides needed to move on, J. Michael opines in a column following their loss to the Clippers on Monday. Pierce’s departure allowed small forward Otto Porter to take a starting role and rookie forward Kelly Oubre to gain a spot in the rotation, J. Michael continues. It also allowed Washington to play at a higher pace but there’s no denying that Pierce had a significant impact on his younger teammates, J. Michael adds.
Central Notes: Pachulia, Jackson, Butler
Zaza Pachulia had mixed feelings when the Bucks dealt him to the Mavericks during the offseason but he wound up in a better situation, Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. Pachulia has thrived with his new club, while Milwaukee has floundered without his leadership on and off the court, Gardner continues. “I really was sad to leave all that we were doing last year,” Pachulia told Gardner. “I had such a great relationship with these guys and the coaching staff. … I remember how sad they [Bucks players] were when they heard I got traded. I was making the game easier for them. So I was thinking I was doing something right.” Pachulia would have backed up the Bucks’ prized free agent, Greg Monroe, at center but has emerged as a starter with Dallas, averaging a double-double, Gardner adds.
In other news around the Central Division:
- Point guard Reggie Jackson came to the Pistons during the trade deadline last season with questions about his character after complaining about his role with the Thunder. That didn’t give Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy any concerns when he made the deal. “You look at Reggie’s situation, there was really nothing bad there,” Van Gundy told the assembled media last week, including Hoops Rumors. “He was a guy that was looking for an opportunity to play more and he was sort of villifed for that. I guess people wanted him to be happy being a backup his entire career.”
- Jimmy Butler has put himself in a sticky situation by trying to become the Bulls’ leader with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah still in the locker room, Dan Feldman of NBCSports.com opines. Butler’s power play shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a problem but it remains to be seen how he handles being the team’s best player, Feldman adds. Feldman was commenting on an assertion by ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell during a podcast with Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post that Butler has “really rubbed some people the wrong way ” with his recent actions and that Butler has not earned the trust of his teammates to be their leader.
- The Bucks’ interest in veteran small forward Caron Butler is now “on hold,” Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. The Kings had promised to try and trade Butler, who played 78 games for the Pistons last season but has appeared in just nine with Sacramento.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround: 12/21/15
In any game that involves DeAndre Jordan, Andre Drummond or Dwight Howard, the threat is always there. No, we’re not talking about those centers posting a 20-20 game. We’re talking about opposing coaches employing the “Hack-A-Dre” or “Hack-A-Dwight” strategy.
The tactic is occasionally used as a means to play catchup. Drummond and Jordan are the league’s worst free throw shooters, with both under 40%. Howard is making his free throws at a 51.8% rate, fourth worst among all qualifiers.
Last season’s otherwise highly entertaining Western Conference playoffs sometimes slowed to a crawl, with Jordan and Howard being grabbed off the ball for multiple possessions. That led to a fierce debate about whether the league should change its rules regarding intentional fouls off the ball.
Currently, teams can employ the tactic of sending a poor free throw shooter to the line during the first 10 minutes of a quarter. After that, it results in not only free throws but also possession.
Last week, Clippers coach Doc Rivers not only employed the “Hack-A-Dwight” tactic but also intentionally fouled his frontcourt partner Clint Capela. We’ve also seen the strategy used against the league’s poorest foul-shooting guard, Rajon Rondo.
The argument to change the rule is to preserve the entertainment value of the game. No one buys a ticket to see a bad free throw shooter go to the line 15-20 times.
Those in the favor of the status quo believe it’s up to the poor free throw shooters to improve their game, so that opposing coaches won’t be so eager to order their players to foul them.
This leads us to our question of the day: Should the league change the rules regarding intentional fouls off the ball in order to remove “Hack-A” tactics?
Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
And-Ones: Silver, Howard, Bradley
The controversial rules regarding intentional fouls will not be changed this season, NBA commissioner Adam Silver told Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post via email. Silver said he wouldn’t take action in midseason to prevent teams from employing “Hack-A” strategies, in which poor free throw shooters are fouled before the two-minute mark of a quarter. But the issue will be revisited when the competition committee meets in July, Silver added to Bontemps, who also conducted a phone interview with the commissioner and touched on a variety of topics.
In other news around the league:
- The Mavericks shouldn’t even consider a trade for Dwight Howard, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News opines. Howard’s drama queen act and reputation as a coach killer isn’t worth the risk of bringing him aboard, Sefko continues. The Rockets center is also getting more brittle by the season, so the Mavs should not waste their cap space and trade assets on him, Sefko concludes.
- Celtics shooting guard Avery Bradley is currently 20th in steals at 1.6 per game but Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy says that doesn’t measure Bradley’s true impact as a defender. The Celtics force a league-best 17.9 turnovers per game and Van Gundy credits Bradley for making that happen. “It’s a very, very aggressive defensive team,” Van Gundy said. “Bradley and [Jae] Crowder in particular are really aggressive defenders and when they have [Marcus] Smart, that gives them another guy that can really get after you on the defensive end of the floor. Bradley is one of the best pressure defenders in the league and sort of spearheads the whole thing.”
- Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler does not regret the critical comments he made about first-year coach Fred Hoiberg, John Jackson of the Associated Press reports. Butler ripped Hoiberg for being too soft on his players over the weekend, then met with his coach to discuss his concerns. Butler believes he needs to be more of a team leader, Jackson adds. “[I was] a little frustrated after a loss, yeah, but then again, I put a lot of it on myself now because I have to lead better,” he said. Center Pau Gasol said he doesn’t mind Butler’s comments, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune tweets. “I think it’s good that certain guys want to take ownership and say, ‘Hey, let’s go,’” he told Johnson.