Rookie expectations should be tempered
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Friday, October 17
Updated: October 17
12:13 PM ET
This is the LeBron James we've all been waiting for?
Four-for-18 shooting from the field.
Six fouls and an automatic seat on the bench with 37 seconds remaining in the game.
An 86-78 loss to a team missing its two best players.
"It's on national TV," James said in the L.A. Times shortly before the Cleveland Cavs played the Los Angeles Lakers without Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on TNT. "I'm trying to get a good rating. We're going to be on TV a lot. If we can play good here, we're going to get a lot of people watching during the season. It'll help the NBA, also."
But even before this game, James, considered the most heralded high school phenom to enter the NBA, was averaging only eight points, four rebounds and 4.3 assists per preseason game. But he wasn't the only one. Darko Milicic, the No. 2 pick of the draft just behind James, has averaged only 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Take away Carmelo Anthony, the No. 3 pick of the Nuggets, and there are only five rookies averaging double digits during a period when they are seeing significant time on the court for evaluation.
For example, Willie Green of the Sixers and No. 41 pick in the draft, is averaging 12 points per game but happens to play shooting guard. During the regular season, he'll be fighting for minutes with some guy named Allen Iverson. Josh Howard, the No. 29 pick, is averaging 10.8 points per game but will be sitting bench for the Mavs behind Antawn Jamison and Dirk Nowitzki. Darius Sangaila is putting up 10.3 points per game for the Kings, who already have Chris Webber.
Tim Duncan was the last player to really make noise as a rookie.
The point is that these guys are logging more minutes and getting more touches now than they will in the regular season.
Except, of course, for the likes of James, Anthony and perhaps Chris Bosh of the Raptors, averaging 15 a game, and Dwayne Wade of the Heat, averaging 13.3 a game.
James and Anthony, who last we saw lead Syracuse to an NCAA title, are expected to not only start, but log significant minutes and put up considerable numbers. But, then again, they are still rookies, still young and, by design, are sometimes brought along on pace by their coaches.
But we may have forgotten what it's like for a rookie to really come along, albeit with more experience from college, and really make some noise in his first season in the NBA.
Shaquille O'Neal averaged a whopping 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game during his rookie season on 56 percent shooting. Tim Duncan averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks on 55 percent shooting. Allen Iverson averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 assists and two steals and scored 40 points in five consecutive games as a rookie.
Mitch Richmond, not on any cereal boxes or shoe boxes, averaged 22 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a rookie for the Golden State Warriors in 1989.
Compare that to Mike Miller winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2001 with averages of 11.9 points, four rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Of course, the ranks have been diluted with much younger, often foreign accented players who routinely take a bit more time to develop but nonetheless become just as good players, even all-stars and All-NBAers.
And this is not meant to be an argument for or against mandatory college sentences or age limits. But with all the hype, all the flashy new No. 23 jerseys, all the magazine covers and newspaper articles, wouldn't it be nice to see another rookie exceed expectations.
---------------------------------------------
Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Friday, October 17
Updated: October 17
12:14 PM ET
GriffinHouston Rockets: If going AWOL once wasn't enough for Eddie Griffin, why not do it again. "When I met with him last night, I told him, 'You're suspended for two additional games,' " coach Jeff Van Gundy said in the Houston Chronicle. "We talked through it and had a good talk. He didn't show up again today, so we suspended him indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. Hopefully, he'll get himself together and get back and rejoin us soon, because he is an integral part of what we're trying to do." Griffin will be fined more than $25,000 for every game he misses. "We're going to see this as a very short-term blip on the radar and get Eddie back as soon as he's ready to conform to what he is expected to do, which starts with showing up to work every day, on time, ready to play and perform well," Van Gundy said.
Dallas Mavericks: Paging Dr. Dirk Nowitzki. "I told them it wasn't that bad," the Dallas power forward said in the Dallas Morning News after the team's medical staff advised that he should have an MRI done on his right ankle. "They wanted me to do it. But I've done this so many times, I know when it's hurt." Nowitzki hurt the ankle while in practice and may miss the next preseason game.
Chicago Bulls: Eddy Curry thought his former coach didn't like him while he was with the Bulls so he took it out on Tim Floyd Thursday night. "I was definitely motivated," Curry said in the Chicago Sun Times. "They're a talented team, and with Floyd being there, it's always a plus to beat them." Curry scored 25 points and grabbed seven boards in the preseason victory of the Hornets while Floyd downplayed the building controversy. "I think that was probably a youthful look at things when you're not playing," said Floyd. "A year ago, [Curry] said he thought it was personal with Bill Cartwright, didn't he? I think Eddy is a wonderful human being. Tell him I said that. And I think he's going to be a wonderful player."
O'NealIndiana Pacers: Jermaine O'Neal will probably miss the remainder of the preseason with back problems and is already worried about his future. "Hopefully my body's able to endure the NBA season," O'Neal said in the Indianapolis Star. "But if my body breaks down too much I have to look at not playing in the Olympics. It's so up in the air. I told (coach Rick Carlisle) the other day, I don't know how I'm going to do it." O'Neal is expected to see Dan Dyrek, the physical therapist who prolonged the career of Larry Bird after he had similar problems.
Washington Wizards: Jerry Stackhouse will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will likely miss the beginning of the regular season. "I haven't been able to play up to the level I'm capable of playing and I'm hoping that this procedure will ease my discomfort so that I can get back and be 100 percent and help the team in any way I can," Stackhouse said in the Washington Post.
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Friday, October 17
Updated: October 17
12:13 PM ET
This is the LeBron James we've all been waiting for?
Four-for-18 shooting from the field.
Six fouls and an automatic seat on the bench with 37 seconds remaining in the game.
An 86-78 loss to a team missing its two best players.
"It's on national TV," James said in the L.A. Times shortly before the Cleveland Cavs played the Los Angeles Lakers without Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on TNT. "I'm trying to get a good rating. We're going to be on TV a lot. If we can play good here, we're going to get a lot of people watching during the season. It'll help the NBA, also."
But even before this game, James, considered the most heralded high school phenom to enter the NBA, was averaging only eight points, four rebounds and 4.3 assists per preseason game. But he wasn't the only one. Darko Milicic, the No. 2 pick of the draft just behind James, has averaged only 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Take away Carmelo Anthony, the No. 3 pick of the Nuggets, and there are only five rookies averaging double digits during a period when they are seeing significant time on the court for evaluation.
For example, Willie Green of the Sixers and No. 41 pick in the draft, is averaging 12 points per game but happens to play shooting guard. During the regular season, he'll be fighting for minutes with some guy named Allen Iverson. Josh Howard, the No. 29 pick, is averaging 10.8 points per game but will be sitting bench for the Mavs behind Antawn Jamison and Dirk Nowitzki. Darius Sangaila is putting up 10.3 points per game for the Kings, who already have Chris Webber.
Tim Duncan was the last player to really make noise as a rookie.
The point is that these guys are logging more minutes and getting more touches now than they will in the regular season.
Except, of course, for the likes of James, Anthony and perhaps Chris Bosh of the Raptors, averaging 15 a game, and Dwayne Wade of the Heat, averaging 13.3 a game.
James and Anthony, who last we saw lead Syracuse to an NCAA title, are expected to not only start, but log significant minutes and put up considerable numbers. But, then again, they are still rookies, still young and, by design, are sometimes brought along on pace by their coaches.
But we may have forgotten what it's like for a rookie to really come along, albeit with more experience from college, and really make some noise in his first season in the NBA.
Shaquille O'Neal averaged a whopping 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game during his rookie season on 56 percent shooting. Tim Duncan averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks on 55 percent shooting. Allen Iverson averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 assists and two steals and scored 40 points in five consecutive games as a rookie.
Mitch Richmond, not on any cereal boxes or shoe boxes, averaged 22 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a rookie for the Golden State Warriors in 1989.
Compare that to Mike Miller winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2001 with averages of 11.9 points, four rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Of course, the ranks have been diluted with much younger, often foreign accented players who routinely take a bit more time to develop but nonetheless become just as good players, even all-stars and All-NBAers.
And this is not meant to be an argument for or against mandatory college sentences or age limits. But with all the hype, all the flashy new No. 23 jerseys, all the magazine covers and newspaper articles, wouldn't it be nice to see another rookie exceed expectations.
---------------------------------------------
Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Friday, October 17
Updated: October 17
12:14 PM ET
GriffinHouston Rockets: If going AWOL once wasn't enough for Eddie Griffin, why not do it again. "When I met with him last night, I told him, 'You're suspended for two additional games,' " coach Jeff Van Gundy said in the Houston Chronicle. "We talked through it and had a good talk. He didn't show up again today, so we suspended him indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. Hopefully, he'll get himself together and get back and rejoin us soon, because he is an integral part of what we're trying to do." Griffin will be fined more than $25,000 for every game he misses. "We're going to see this as a very short-term blip on the radar and get Eddie back as soon as he's ready to conform to what he is expected to do, which starts with showing up to work every day, on time, ready to play and perform well," Van Gundy said.
Dallas Mavericks: Paging Dr. Dirk Nowitzki. "I told them it wasn't that bad," the Dallas power forward said in the Dallas Morning News after the team's medical staff advised that he should have an MRI done on his right ankle. "They wanted me to do it. But I've done this so many times, I know when it's hurt." Nowitzki hurt the ankle while in practice and may miss the next preseason game.
Chicago Bulls: Eddy Curry thought his former coach didn't like him while he was with the Bulls so he took it out on Tim Floyd Thursday night. "I was definitely motivated," Curry said in the Chicago Sun Times. "They're a talented team, and with Floyd being there, it's always a plus to beat them." Curry scored 25 points and grabbed seven boards in the preseason victory of the Hornets while Floyd downplayed the building controversy. "I think that was probably a youthful look at things when you're not playing," said Floyd. "A year ago, [Curry] said he thought it was personal with Bill Cartwright, didn't he? I think Eddy is a wonderful human being. Tell him I said that. And I think he's going to be a wonderful player."
O'NealIndiana Pacers: Jermaine O'Neal will probably miss the remainder of the preseason with back problems and is already worried about his future. "Hopefully my body's able to endure the NBA season," O'Neal said in the Indianapolis Star. "But if my body breaks down too much I have to look at not playing in the Olympics. It's so up in the air. I told (coach Rick Carlisle) the other day, I don't know how I'm going to do it." O'Neal is expected to see Dan Dyrek, the physical therapist who prolonged the career of Larry Bird after he had similar problems.
Washington Wizards: Jerry Stackhouse will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will likely miss the beginning of the regular season. "I haven't been able to play up to the level I'm capable of playing and I'm hoping that this procedure will ease my discomfort so that I can get back and be 100 percent and help the team in any way I can," Stackhouse said in the Washington Post.
