Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Monday, November 17
Updated: November 17
9:36 AM ET
Orlando Magic: The Orlando Sentinel is already listing head coach Doc Rivers "doubtful" for Thursday's game should the Magic extend their losing streak to 10 tonight. The paper is reporting that the team is already compiling a list of coaches to replace Rivers. "I don't know if I can do a better job, actually, with a group of guys that we have right now," Rivers said. "But we're still losing games. It's tough for me. It's tough for the players. It's tough for management. We put them [management] in a tough position because they have to look to see if we're doing a good job. I think we are." And at least one player agrees with him. "It's not him," Drew Gooden said. "He's on the bench. He can only do so much. I hate it when teams are struggling. You don't look at what's going on, on the court; you look behind the scenes for an excuse. There's no way in this world this is all on Doc Rivers. We're all out there playing. He's doing the best job he possibly can. He can only tell us so much. Doc Rivers should be our coach this season, next season, the season after that and the season after that."
Denver Nuggets: Nene Hilario might be a no-no come Tuesday night when the Nuggets travel to play the Timberwolves after the power forward felt a "pop" in his left hip during the latest practice session. "We won't know much until (today), but I talked to (trainer) Jim (Gillen) and he was optimistic," general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said in the Denver Post. "(The injury) isn't real high (on the groin), which is usually a bad one than down lower. ... Hopefully it's not too serious." Hilario is listed as day to day.
Dallas Mavericks: As far as referring goes, Mark Cuban claims the NBA is still in the Dark Ages. "Without information, we are just as in the dark as we were in the past," he said in the Ft. Worth Star Telegram. "The league says we can ask them about any calls we have questions about, but they tend to dismiss the process when the questions start applying to 10, 15 or more calls in a game. More importantly, they know that most teams have given up on questioning calls." He recognizes that the league is compiling more information on referees' calls but says they are doing little with this information. "I don't expect anything different to happen this time than any other time," Cuban said. "For some reason, even though the league is tracking more information, they are afraid to proactively share it."
KiddNew Jersey Nets: Jason Kidd and the Nets are learning that sometimes, less is more. "The 40-minute club . . . you love to have those minutes, but sometimes it gets diluted in your performance," Kidd explained in the New York Post. "So you'd rather have shorter time and be at full strength rather than play 40 minutes and be diluted in the sense of not getting things done. I'll take the shorter minutes as long as we keep winning." In the Nets' first eight games, Kidd averaged more than 40 minutes a game. In the last two, he has played a total of 68.
Houston Rockets: Forget basketball. Eddie Griffin is having hard enough time with life. "He's bright and a great talent, but he's had trouble coping with life in the NBA," Rusty Hardin, Griffin's Houston-based attorney, said in the Philadelphia Inquirer. "His biggest priority now is to get his life in order. We're not even thinking of getting back on the court. If he does get back on the court, it means he's in good shape." Griffin is currently on the team's suspended list after missing team practices and flights while also being under investigation for striking and shooting at a female acquaintance. "He's a really nice kid," Hardon said. "But he's pretty confused right now. With kids that you pluck out of college as 19-year-olds and thrust into the NBA, some don't adjust very well. He's had some problems coping with this stuff."
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Monday, November 17
Updated: November 17
9:36 AM ET
Orlando Magic: The Orlando Sentinel is already listing head coach Doc Rivers "doubtful" for Thursday's game should the Magic extend their losing streak to 10 tonight. The paper is reporting that the team is already compiling a list of coaches to replace Rivers. "I don't know if I can do a better job, actually, with a group of guys that we have right now," Rivers said. "But we're still losing games. It's tough for me. It's tough for the players. It's tough for management. We put them [management] in a tough position because they have to look to see if we're doing a good job. I think we are." And at least one player agrees with him. "It's not him," Drew Gooden said. "He's on the bench. He can only do so much. I hate it when teams are struggling. You don't look at what's going on, on the court; you look behind the scenes for an excuse. There's no way in this world this is all on Doc Rivers. We're all out there playing. He's doing the best job he possibly can. He can only tell us so much. Doc Rivers should be our coach this season, next season, the season after that and the season after that."
Denver Nuggets: Nene Hilario might be a no-no come Tuesday night when the Nuggets travel to play the Timberwolves after the power forward felt a "pop" in his left hip during the latest practice session. "We won't know much until (today), but I talked to (trainer) Jim (Gillen) and he was optimistic," general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said in the Denver Post. "(The injury) isn't real high (on the groin), which is usually a bad one than down lower. ... Hopefully it's not too serious." Hilario is listed as day to day.
Dallas Mavericks: As far as referring goes, Mark Cuban claims the NBA is still in the Dark Ages. "Without information, we are just as in the dark as we were in the past," he said in the Ft. Worth Star Telegram. "The league says we can ask them about any calls we have questions about, but they tend to dismiss the process when the questions start applying to 10, 15 or more calls in a game. More importantly, they know that most teams have given up on questioning calls." He recognizes that the league is compiling more information on referees' calls but says they are doing little with this information. "I don't expect anything different to happen this time than any other time," Cuban said. "For some reason, even though the league is tracking more information, they are afraid to proactively share it."
KiddNew Jersey Nets: Jason Kidd and the Nets are learning that sometimes, less is more. "The 40-minute club . . . you love to have those minutes, but sometimes it gets diluted in your performance," Kidd explained in the New York Post. "So you'd rather have shorter time and be at full strength rather than play 40 minutes and be diluted in the sense of not getting things done. I'll take the shorter minutes as long as we keep winning." In the Nets' first eight games, Kidd averaged more than 40 minutes a game. In the last two, he has played a total of 68.
Houston Rockets: Forget basketball. Eddie Griffin is having hard enough time with life. "He's bright and a great talent, but he's had trouble coping with life in the NBA," Rusty Hardin, Griffin's Houston-based attorney, said in the Philadelphia Inquirer. "His biggest priority now is to get his life in order. We're not even thinking of getting back on the court. If he does get back on the court, it means he's in good shape." Griffin is currently on the team's suspended list after missing team practices and flights while also being under investigation for striking and shooting at a female acquaintance. "He's a really nice kid," Hardon said. "But he's pretty confused right now. With kids that you pluck out of college as 19-year-olds and thrust into the NBA, some don't adjust very well. He's had some problems coping with this stuff."
