Photo by Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich on 5/7/2014
Woefully absent in Oklahoma City’s Game One blowout los against Los Angeles was that sort of star power Los Angeles got from Chris Paul. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were forcing things and trying too hard to get things going. That is usually when Oklahoma City struggles. Especially when Westbrook takes it upon himself to […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gthSEekzGW4
Roy Hibbert did manage to show up for a Playoff game after his goose egg performance in Game One. In fact, his performance in Game Two might have been better than any performance he has had in the last several months. If Indiana gets this Roy Hibbert, the team will be very difficult to beat. Particularly with that defense.
Hibbert scored 28 points — not a typo — and grabbed nine rebounds for the Pacers in an 86-82 win over the Wizards to even the series at one heading to Washington.
Before Wednesday’s game, Hibbert had just 37 total points in eight playoff games. Take out that 13-point performance in Game Seven against the Hawks, and that is 24 points in seven games, four less than what he scored in Game Two against the Wizards. It is good to know this Roy Hibbert was still in there. And there was certainly some relief for Hibbert as he embraced his college coach, John Thompson III, after the game.
Indiana did look to get Hibbert involved and that helped the build a lead. Washington showed it will not go anywhere though. The Wizards made this a close game and it took Paul George closing things to put the Wizards away. Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Bradley Beal scored 17 points for Washington. The Wizards uncharacteristically made only 5 of 21 3-pointers.
It appears the Pacers are going to make this a series. Of course, they have to string two of these performances in a row. A tough thing for them to do this postseason.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
It is good to be the MVP.
Kevin Durant will grace the cover of NBA2K15, due in stores October 2014. This will be Durant’s third video game cover after he was on the cover of NBA2K13 with Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose and the failed NBA Elite 11 game put out by EA Sports.
No word yet if Durant will individually thank every single one of the game designers just like he thanked his teammates following his MVP award acceptance. But it is still a great honor for a player who was undoubtedly the league’s best this season.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
Welcome to the big stage Portland. This is where the Playoffs really begin. The Trail Blazers have not been out of the first round since 2001 and have played the exact same number of Playoffs games in franchise history as Tim Duncan. There was a little bit of an experience gap. That, of course, is […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
Life is not good for Roy Hibbert right now. The dude cannot get his game going, much less grab a rebound. His goose egg performance in Game One drew some ire from fans as the last straw of a Playoffs of inconsistency and lack of confidence. He is averaging 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich on 5/6/2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUlV0q4_CQ0
Remember when the Nets swept the Heat in the regular season?
Miami does not either. Those memories of any success against the Heat from the regular season might have been completely erased with a dominant 107-86 win in Game One of the teams’ series in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Miami looked refreshed from the time off after the team’s sweep of Charlotte. Brooklyn looked a bit beat up from its seven-game battle with a defensive-minded Toronto team. That is no excuse but it was clear at this point who was ready for this challenge.
LeBron James had another day at the office with 22 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Miami uncharacteristically dominated the inside with 52-28 advantage on the glass and an 84.6 percent defensive rebound rate.
Deron Williams and Joe Johnson each had 17 points and the Nets even shot 47 percent from the floor. That is pretty good against Miami. The Nets even hit 10 3-pointers. So maybe Brooklyn is not completely out of things. This is just one game after all.
But an impressive one game indeed.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s0PJAA2UWw&feature=youtu.be
Kevin Durant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player on Tuesday, winning by a wide margin over LeBron James. Durant received all but six first-place votes. James finished second and Blake Griffin finished third.
Durant opened his acceptance speech in complete disbelief that this moment had arrived for him, admitting he only dreamed of becoming a rec league coach and helping the kids in his neighborhood outside of Washington, D.C. He took a few moments in the middle of his speech overcome with emotion.
The rise of any MVP is quite an amazing story. Durant’s is no different.
He singled out every one of his teammates to thank them for getting him to this point. Durant is truly a special player.
He averaged a league-high 32.0 points per game, shooting 50.3 percent from the floor. Durant became the 26th player in NBA history to average at least 30.0 points per game and shoot better than 50 percent in the regular season.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
It is really not their fault that the NBA likes putting cameramen on the sideline. It is good media relations. And it isn’t their fault they are so close to the court. The NBA likes those revenue and atmosphere producing courtside seats.
The combination of the two creates the potential for injury however and it has long been a complaint of players and fans to move the cameramen back.
In Monday’s Game One between the Wizards and the Pacers, the camera monsters nearly devoured Marcin Gortat. Fortunately, he was OK to finish the game. But it did inspire an impassioned plea from Chris Webber to move the cameramen back.
(h/t Awful Announcing)
OFFICIAL: The #Warriors have relieved Head Coach Mark Jackson of his duties: http://t.co/o8FFN3tbWv
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 6, 2014
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“I want to give a shout-out to Toronto the city. This has got to be one of the best places and best atmospheres I’ve played in in a long time. Paul and I were talking … about different places we’ve played and the passion, but this place was rocking, man. D-Will (Deron Williams) was shooting free throws (in the final minute) and our ears were ringing. Big shout to the Toronto Raptors, their fans and their city.”
—Kevin Garnett, via Mike Koreen of the Toronto Sun
It was one of the enduring images of the First Round of the Playoffs. The loud boisterous crowd inside — and outside — Air Canada Centre for the Raptors fans.
Toronto has not been out of the first round since 2001 and the team came excruciatingly close to advancing, but the fans were first class all the way.They were loud, passionate and involved. As they always are in the Playoffs.
Hopefully, we will see more of this great fan base in Toronto.
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0 comments by Jeff Garcia
Cross posted with permission from Project Spurs.com The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers will face off this Tuesday night in San Antonio for Game 1 of their second round postseason series. The Spurs are coming off a 4-3 series win over the Mavericks while the Blazers are coming off a 4-2 series win […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
It is easy to take a superstar for granted. Their every night greatness makes the amazing mundane. The Playoffs often serve as a reminder of how great these players can be when they are forced to step up even with all the attention and focus placed on them. The performances are breathtaking. Sometimes it feels […]
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich on 5/5/2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5RrqMVdosE
Rumors that the Pacers were anywhere near back are largely overblown. Roy Hibbert? Not even close. Indiana? Not dominant at all.
Hibbert failed to score and failed to grab a rebound. This is a guy who is 7-foot-2!
That was actually important in this game as the Wizards dominated the glass 53-36 including 17 offensive rebounds. 17! Against one of the better defensive rebounding teams in the regular season. This is beginning to make no sense. Or whatever sense was left after the Pacers’ utter collapse in the second half of the season.
Bradley Beal scored 25 points to lead the way for the Wizards offensively. Washington trailed for only one possession early in the second quarter. The Wizards opened as much as an 18-point lead.
Paul George and George Hill each had 18 points to lead the Pacers. A late barrage of 3-pointers were nowhere near enough as Indiana fell into a 1-0 hole again.
0 comments by Philip Rossman-Reich
Doc Rivers has been the voice and pulse of the Clippers throughout this tumultuous week. He has at times kept his focus both on the court as the coach and on the organization for which he runs basketball operations. Rivers has been the leader for the organization. The public face speaking about the Donald Sterling […]
0 comments by Jeff Garcia
You know it was only a matter of time before “Saturday Night Live” weighed in on the Donald Sterling drama as only they can.
After NBA Commissioner banned Sterling for life and will try to get him to sell the Clippers, Sterling never had a press conference to give his side of the story. Until now.
Check out SNL’s skit of “Sterling” giving his thoughts on his action. Pure comedy.
