Odds & Ends: Bucks, Williams, Beasley, Raptors
Here are some notes from around the NBA on a quiet Thursday night…
- Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines the Bucks and their chance at becoming one of the league's pleasant surprises this season. He says the team is sharing the basketball, swarming on defense and scoring triple-digit points on a regular basis. In fact, the loss of Andrew Bogut to a broken ankle could be a reason why the ball is moving so well on offense. All this despite Stephen Jackson's touchy situation. "And it is my understanding that he has requested a trade," writes Hunt.
- Deron Williams is staying positive in New Jersey, according to Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. The Nets have been hit hard by injuries lately, even playing with just eight players in uniform on Wednesday against the Pistons. "But, you know, hopefully we get some guys back here soon," Williams said of his depleted team. "What can you do?" This is a sign of progress for Williams, who used to pout and show his frustration on the court. Williams' rosy perspective could be something of a positive sign for the Nets, who will be looking to retain the 27-year-old point guard when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's still considering his one-year, $17.8MM player option.
- Michael Beasley might have a reputation for being a detrimental black hole, but the numbers tell a different story, according to Rob Parker of the New York Times. "The Wolves are not, as has been suggested, better without Beasley; the Wolves’ offense may be a bit more fluid when he sits, but the skill that produced Beasley’s volume scoring last season is still present and still valuable," writes Parker. An analysis of on/off data from this season shows that the Timberwolves benefit from having Beasley on the court. The 23-year-old forward should hope NBA teams see this — he's a restricted free agent after this season.
- The Raptors are struggling, so coach Dwane Casey is going back to the basics. For one thing, he's focusing on the team's poor 2-6 record at home. While taking away comforts would be one way to shake up his players, "there really are no visible extras this team enjoys," writes Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. Ganter also notes that Amir Johnson's recent struggles might be tied to personal issues off the court.
Condensed NBA Schedule Hurts, Leads to Free Agent Signings
The shortened 2011/12 NBA season makes for more games for fans to watch each night, but it's doing a number on the league's players. AP Sports writer Jon Krawczynski examines the effect of the condensed schedule on NBA players.
Pointing to numbers from STATS LLC, Krawczynski notes that 727 games were missed during the first 307 games of the regular season due to injuries and illness. While this is 111 fewer games missed than at the same point last season, the types of injuries observed this season (pulled muscles, turned ankles and bum toes) reveal the stress placed on players' bodies.
"What's kind of stunk about this preseason was that it was so short," said Timberwolves forward Anthony Tolliver. "Our bodies didn't get acclimated to playing this many games in this many nights. … You'll probably see more injuries, on average, this year, than other years because of that fact."
These injuries have had various consequences, including the signing of free agents as stopgaps. Take Mike James, for example. Derrick Rose's sprained left toe caused him to miss five games in January. His first DNP happened on January 11th, when his backup C.J. Watson was still healing from an injured elbow. This left John Lucas as the sole point guard for the Bulls that evening, compelling the team to sign the veteran point guard James, who was released 17 days later.
A more recent example would be Keith Bogans, the 31-year-old guard signed by the Nets to add some depth while MarShon Brooks recovers from his broken toe and Anthony Morrow deals with a bad ankle. Francisco Elson is yet another example. The 35-year-old center was signed by the Sixers last week to give the team added depth in the middle while Spencer Hawes and Nikola Vucevic recover from injuries.
The cascade of injuries hasn't affected just player signings — they've influenced the way coaches approach practice. According to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins has cut out full-contact practices during morning shootarounds before games, something he favored before this 66-game schedule.
"You don't want to do too much," he said. "We just try to watch film and do a lot of talking."
Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes that Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman has adjusted his team's practice schedule, canceling some shootaround practices on game days to give his players more rest.
With the 2011/12 NBA season about a one-third finished, we can expect to see more unexpected signings to plug the holes in rosters riddled by injuries.
Poll: Which Team Will Sign Kenyon Martin?
Kenyon Martin, who was recently given clearance to sign with an NBA team, is drawing interest from a handful of squads. We noted earlier today that Martin was approached with an offer from the Heat, while the Clippers look to make an informal offer. The Hawks also met with Martin's representatives, while the Knicks reportedly have him on their radar. This isn't even to mention the other teams mentioned in reports, including the Lakers and Spurs.
Martin is expected to choose which suitor to join by the weekend.
Nuggets Notes: Martin, Karl, Playoffs
Here are the latest notes on the Nuggets, who visit the Clippers tonight…
- Kenyon Martin will not return to the Nuggets this season, writes Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post, citing a league source. The 34-year-old power forward had been playing in China but was recently cleared by FIBA to return to the NBA, as we noted earlier today.
- Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports takes a look at the Nuggets post-Carmelo Anthony. Among the interesting tidbits of information is that coach George Karl says this version of the Nuggets easier to coach than his previous teams. Karl also shared what he said to Anthony when the Nuggets visited the Knicks on Jan. 21: "I respect you. You’re the best scorer I ever coached. What you did [in Denver] before I got here, and what we did once we got together, is a pretty good run. It doesn’t have a lot of playoff success, but it has a lot of good basketball."
- Kiki Vandeweghe, a contributor for FOX Sports and former GM of the Nuggets, discusses the Nuggets as they visit the Clippers tonight and host the Lakers on Friday. He says the Nuggets will have to assert their running-style of play if they hope to win against their next two opponents. If they can't, the stars on the other teams (e.g., Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin) will find a way to push their teams to victory. "And that's why I think it's fair when people wonder whether the Nuggets can succeed in the playoffs," writes Vandeweghe. "It's the truth. NBA championships are won by teams with stars."