Southwest Notes: Rockets, Mavs, Chandler
All three Southwest Division teams in the playoffs are in action later today, as the Spurs and Grizzlies look to take control of their series, while the Mavs seek to delay their seemingly inevitable elimination at the hands of the Thunder. Here's the latest from around the division:
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld takes a look at the offseason for Rockets, recommending that they package their two picks in the middle of the first round to try to move up into the top five. The team's priorities should be finding a legitimate starting center and going after a franchise player who can be the go-to option late in games, Ingram says.
- As many as 10 Mavericks could be playing their final game for the team tonight, says Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com, who adds that only Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Brandan Wright and Kelenna Azubuike seem likely to return.
- Jason Terry believes the Mavs would be putting up a better title defense if the team had re-signed Tyson Chandler, notes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, but said he and his teammates can't dwell on that. "Tyson isn't coming back, and we've realized that," Terry said. "I definitely say he had a great season — Defensive Player of the Year — but it's a presence you've missed. An active big man that can cover ground, and so we don't have that. We try to find other ways to win with the group we have."
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Terry, Anthony, Spurs
Tonight at the American Airlines Center, the Mavericks will look to stave off a first round sweep at the hands of the Thunder. Barring a miracle turnaround and subsequent deep playoff run, things figure to look rather different in Dallas next season. Here’s more on the Mavs and other notes from around the league..
- Guard Jason Terry is worried that tonight’s game could be his last wearing a Mavericks uniform, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com. Terry will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and reportedly won’t take a discount to remain in Dallas.
- If the Mavericks don’t land Deron Williams this summer, then the team’s mission to clear cap space will be a disaster, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Howard Beck of the New York Times opines that the Knicks can only go so far with a Carmelo Anthony-centric offense. Beck also adds that Phil Jackson would demand a much more team-oriented game if he were coaching in New York, though that seems unlikely to come to fruition.
- As the Spurs and the Jazz do battle in their first round series, Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune points out that the two franchises have emulated each other quite a bit over the years.
Southwest Notes: Okafor, Spurs, Odom
The three Southwest Division teams that made it to the playoffs find themselves in three different positions at the moment. The Spurs look to take a 3-0 lead on the Jazz tomorrow in Salt Lake City, while the Grizzlies rebounded from their collapse in Game 1 against the Clippers to even that series at 1-1. The Mavs, meanwhile, are staring at the historically impossible 0-3 hole against the Thunder. Here's the rest of what's up in the Southwest:
- Hornets coach Monty Williams says Emeka Okafor's recovery from a knee injury that ended his season will help determine the team's long-term plans for the center, John Reid of the Times-Picayune reports. Earlier today, Luke Adams wondered whether the Hornets would use the amnesty clause to waive Okafor this summer as he previewed the team's offseason.
- In a Q&A on FIBA.com, Manu Ginobili says he thinks depth has been critical to the success of the Spurs this year (hat tip to Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News).
- Thunder point guard Derek Fisher believes former teammate Lamar Odom is headed in the right direction as he looks to move past this year's lost season with the Mavs, as Jeff Caplan ofESPNDallas reports.
Pacific Notes: Lee, Fields, Odom, Kobe, Fisher
Tonight, the Lakers look to take a commanding 3-0 lead on the Nuggets, while the Clippers await the first home playoff game of the Chris Paul/Blake Griffin era tomorrow. Here's what's happening off the court in the Pacific:
- Warriors big man David Lee might have been selected as a finalist for the U.S. Olympic team had it not been for his recent surgery to repair an abdominal muscle, Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida notes.
- Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group believes restricted free agent Landry Fields could be a fit for the Warriors if they don't bring back Brandon Rush or Dorell Wright.
- The Suns should pursue Lamar Odom despite the risks, argues Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Odom thrived under Suns coach Alvin Gentry when both were with the Clippers, and last season's Sixth Man of the Year should be available for a reasonable price, Coro contends.
- Kobe Bryant, one of the league's fiercest competitors, might have to work harder to shield his softer side in the next round of the playoffs if the Lakers match up with former teammate Derek Fisher and the Thunder, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com observes. “I’d be a little torn,” Bryant said.“I’ve always wanted to see him do well, I’m always pulling for him and so forth. But at the same time, being great friends, somebody has to win and I’d rather it be me.”
Odds & Ends: Kirilenko, Calipari, Bulls, Mavs
Ryan Anderson was a deserving recipient of the 2012 NBA Most Improved Player award, but some of the players further down in the voting results were head-scratchers. Andrew Bogut, who played in just 12 games this season, received a first-place vote from one of the 121 writers tasked with determining the award. Whether that voter mistook Bogut for Andrew Bynum or actually felt that Bogut somehow deserved the award, it's hard to imagine we'll see a worse choice during NBA award season.
Here are a few more Friday afternoon odds and ends from around the league:
- Andrei Kirilenko reiterated to media in Russia that reports of him having agreed to a deal or negotiating with the Nets are inaccurate. NetsDaily.com has the details.
- A return to the NBA for John Calipari is looking increasingly unlikely, for now at least — Kentucky announced today that Calipari and his staff have signed multiyear contract extensions to stay with the Wildcats, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com fields questions from readers in a mailbag, with a focus on Derrick Rose's uncertain recovery timeline and the Bulls' roster next season.
- With the Mavericks on the verge of elimination, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says Mark Cuban's bad gambles were too much for the team to overcome.
- Dirk Nowitzki agrees that the Mavericks took a step back this season, rather than a step forward, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
Kyler On Williams, Nash, Gordon, Mayo, Hibbert
In his NBA AM column at HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler shares the latest rumblings on a handful of this summer's top free agents. Here are the highlights:
- It's far from a done deal, but the general feeling around the Nets is that they're in the driver's seat for Deron Williams. Kyler names the Mavericks, Trail Blazers, and Magic as other teams that figure to aggressively pursue the point guard.
- Steve Nash continues to tell people that returning to Phoenix is a "real and viable option." Kyler points out that even if Nash ends up elsewhere, the Suns could work out a sign-and-trade to get something out of it.
- It's nearly a lock that Eric Gordon will be retained by the Hornets, but it's not clear how high the bidding will go. The Hornets were unable to agree on an extension with Gordon earlier this season, and while that was due in part to not having new ownership in place yet, there are also questions about the 23-year-old's durability.
- According to Kyler, there's a good chance O.J. Mayo doesn't become a restricted free agent this summer, since a qualifying offer would put the Grizzlies over the tax line. If Memphis doesn't extend a qualifying offer, Mayo would be eligible for unrestricted free agency.
- Kevin Garnett would like to finish his career with the Celtics.
- The Pacers are prepared to match just about any offer for Roy Hibbert, and will let the market set the price for their center.
- The Nets hope to deal with Brook Lopez's free agency after working out some of their other situations, but Lopez could disrupt their plans if he signs an offer sheet with another club early in the free agent period.
Southwest Notes: Mayo, Marion, Hornets
Coming into the postseason, most pundits figured Utah's frontcourt size could give the Spurs some trouble in Round One, but so far San Antonio has been in complete control of the series. Al Jefferson called last night's blowout "embarrassing" and said the Spurs have an unmistakable swagger, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. I still think the Jazz can take a game or two from the Spurs, but the odds of San Antonio being knocked off by an eighth seed again look very slim.
Here are the rest of the day's updates out of the Southwest Division:
- Lang Greene of HoopsWorld writes that O.J. Mayo appears unlikely to re-sign the Grizzlies, and examines some potential landing spots for the former third overall pick.
- Mayo was reportedly nearly traded to the Celtics at this season's trade deadline, but he tells Chris Mannix of SI.com that Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace never approached him about a possible deal.
- Although speculation earlier this season suggested Shawn Marion could eventually be traded or amnestied to clear cap space, Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com argues that the Mavericks need "The Matrix" going forward.
- Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune discusses the possibility of rebranding the New Orleans franchise and changing the Hornets nickname.
Odds & Ends: Raptors, Bulls, Magic, Frye
Here are this evening's miscellaneous stories:
- Lang Greene of HoopsWorld had his weekly chat with fans tonight. Among the more significant things he talked about were the chances that Tyreke Evans gets shopped this summer, the Nets pursuing Kevin Garnett if Deron Williams leaves, the Hornets matching any offer for Eric Gordon, and Portland being the realistic destination for Goran Dragic.
- With $12MM in cap space before the draft, Bryan Colangelo talked about the Raptors' approach going into the offseason: "If there was going to be a year to make a bigger splash, whether in free agency or utilizing the space to acquire players by trade, I felt that would be better served in a subsequent season and that’s probably this summer" (Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld reports). Colangelo also told Brotherston that he and Ed Stefanski will be very active in terms of placing and entertaining calls with other GMs in the upcoming weeks and months.
- Scoop Jackson, Melissa Isaacson, and Jon Greenberg of ESPN cover a few topics on the Bulls, including how Derrick Rose's injury will affect Chicago's title hopes over the next two years, whether Luol Deng should immediately get surgery and skip the Olympics, and Carlos Boozer's reliability in the playoffs.
- Magic GM Otis Smith traveled to Los Angeles to check on Dwight Howard as he recuperates from surgery, according to Illiana Limón and Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. While there had been speculation that Howard is estranged from the franchise, Smith and Magic CEO Alex Martins say that he hasn't asked for a trade.
- Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times provides a "to-do list" for the Nuggets if they are to have any chance at beating the Lakers.
- Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas wonders if the Mavericks should make strategic defensive adjustments on Russell Westbrook or just hope that he starts missing mid-range jumpshots.
- An article posted on Suns.com reports that Channing Frye underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder today.
Mavs Notes: Deron, Chandler, Barea
The latest news and notes surrounding the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night:
- SportsDayDFW's Eddie Sefko has a mailbag column in which he outlines several reasons why Deron Williams should consider signing with the Mavs, most notably Williams' roots in the area and the opportunity to play with Dirk Nowitzki.
- Sefko also notes that the contracts of Nowitzki and Shawn Marion expire the same year, which could potentially allow the team to sign another star to pair with Williams while the guard is still in his prime.
- SportsDayDFW's Brad Townsend writes that the Mavs are feeling the loss of Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea, both of whom left the team in free agency before the season.
Injuries Take A Starring Role In 2012 Playoffs
With horrific injuries spelling an early end to the season for Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert, let's take a look at the other 14 playoff teams to see how a missing player may mean the difference between a Finals appearance and a first-round exit.
- Heat: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade enter the playoffs healthier than usual thanks to some much needed rest during the final week of the regular season. The Heat stand to benefit the most from Shumpert and Rose's injuries as a sweep against the Knicks means less of a challenge for Wade on the offensive end and an easier path to winning a title. Look for the Heat to advance to at least the Finals if they can duplicate the success they enjoyed during the first half of the season.
- Pacers: The Pacers are injury-free heading into Game 2 against the Magic, who pulled off the upset Saturday evening in Indiana. Utilizing seven-foot-two center Roy Hibbert's size to their fullest advantage will be key for the Pacers as their big man only managed to score eight points but blocked nine shots as he dominated the paint defensively. With Dwight Howard on the shelf for the entirety of the playoffs, the Magic are severely undersized with six-foot-nine Glen Davis taking over at center for Superman.
- Celtics: Ray Allen is expected to miss Game 1 in Atlanta against the Hawks as he battles bone spurs in his right ankle. If the Celtics had missed the playoffs, Allen would have undergone surgery immediately to help alleviate the pain. The Celtics will turn to Avery Bradley and his burgeoning reputation as a solid three-point shooter for the majority of the series as Allen's status remains unknown.
- Hawks: The center position has been an area of concern for the Hawks with Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia currently sidelined with injuries. Horford, who has been out since January 11 with a torn left pectoral muscle, will miss the entire first round of the playoffs but may be able to return if the team advances. A foot injury to Pachulia that caused him to miss the team's last seven games will force the Hawks to rely on Jason Collins in order to solidify their frontcourt.
- Magic: The Magic's chances of making a run in the playoffs took a huge hit when Howard called it a season in mid-April as he elected to undergo surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. Without Howard, the Magic will feature an undersized frontcourt against a much larger Pacers squad. Much uncertainty surrounds the future of the franchise given Howard's impending free agency in 2013 and his desire to replace head coach Stan Van Gundy.
- Sixers: Aside from rookie center Lavoy Allen spraining his thumb in Game 1, the Sixers feature a healthy roster as they return to action Tuesday night against the Bulls. With Rose out for the remainder of the series, the Sixers will look to capitalize on the perimeter as Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner should benefit from having to guard John Lucas III rather than the league's reigning MVP.
- Spurs: After a series of injuries cost Manu Ginobili nearly half the season, the Spurs enter the playoffs with a fresh roster looking to make a title run. Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, 36, played a career-low 28.2 MPG this season but is still performing at a high level. The addition of Stephen Jackson at the trade deadline along with the subtraction of Richard Jefferson may be enough to lead the Spurs to their fifth title under Gregg Popovich.
- Thunder: James Harden returned to action on Saturday night against the Mavs after missing his last two games with a concussion suffered against the Lakers last Sunday. He appeared to be completely recovered as he scored an efficient 19 points in 35 minutes of the bench. Beyond Harden, the Thunder lost backup point guard Eric Maynor for the season due to a torn ACL in January, but remedied the situation by signing veteran Derek Fisher to a contract in March.
- Lakers: A healthy Andrew Bynum and a rested Kobe Bryant may allow for the under-the-radar Lakers to make a run in the wide-open Western Conference playoffs. While not an injury, Los Angeles will be without Metta World Peace for the first six games of the playoffs due to suspension.
- Grizzlies: Memphis lost Darrell Arthur for the season after the power forward suffered a torn Achilles tendon in practice back in December. A healthy Zach Randolph has played himself back into shape after missing time earlier this season due to a knee injury.
- Clippers: Many critics expected the Clippers to implode after Chauncey Billups went down on February 6 with a torn Achilles tendon. While the Clippers slipped to the fifth seed, they reinvented the image of the franchise and gained respect from around the league thanks to MVP-like play from Chris Paul.
- Nuggets: After spending the majority of the season abroad in China, Wilson Chandler returned to Denver for a brief stint before suffering a season-ending injury to his hip in mid-April. The Nuggets will open against the Lakers without Rudy Fernandez, who had surgery on his lower back in March to end his season.
- Mavericks: A healthy Mavs squad will face a difficult journey in defending their title as they open the playoffs against the Thunder. Saturday night saw a missed opportunity by Dallas to steal Game 1 on the road as they lost in Oklahoma City by the score of 99-98. Any chance of exploiting Harden's concussion was nullified with a strong performance by the Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
- Jazz: Small forward C.J. Miles may miss the start of the playoffs against the Spurs with a strained calf. The team will look for strong production out of star Al Jefferson, who had the opportunity to rest late last week as the center only played limited minutes in the team's regular season finale.