Monday, December 27, 2004
L.A. seeking star-caliber point
THE UPSIDE!
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
Just a few weeks ago we were praising a 10-6 Clippers team that looked like it might have enough talent to make a run at the eighth playoff seed in the West. Now that same team is 12-13 and beginning to resemble the Clippers of old.
With both Marko Jaric and Shaun Livingston out, the Clippers have been forced to use Rick Brunson at the point. But their problems run even deeper than that, as this bad streak hit before Jaric went down.
As good as Jaric has been at times, the Clippers still need an experienced point guard to lead them down the stretch of winnable games. Livingston eventually might become that guy, but it could still take a while. In the meantime, the team is in danger of losing everything it built this season.
Typically, the Clippers of yore would sit idly by – maybe even trade away a good player or two to seal their fate. This team appears to be different. At head coach Mike Dunleavy's urging, sources claim the Clippers have been proactive about making a blockbuster deal for a star-quality point guard.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Baron Davis[/size]
[size=-2]Point Guard
New Orleans Hornets[/size]
[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]7[/size][size=-2]22.0[/size][size=-2]2.9[/size][size=-2]6.4[/size][size=-2].442[/size][size=-2].862[/size]They've set their sights on the Hornets' Baron Davis, offering a combination of Jaric, Chris Wilcox and Kerry Kittles.
Now here's where things get tricky for the Clippers. The Hornets are still on the fence about trading Davis. While a combo of Jaric, Wilcox and Kittles gives the Hornets two young players with small deals and lots of cap room (Kittles' $10.4 million comes off the books this summer), it still might not be enough to sway them.
However, if the Clippers agree to take David Wesley off the Hornets' hands (the numbers work if L.A. throws in Zeljko Rebraca's expiring contract) New Orleans might be willing to deal. That, however, means owner Donald Sterling would have to assume $84 million in long-term salary while sending out just more than $18 million.
Owners like Mark Cuban and Bruce Ratner do that all the time. But Sterling? It may be the price the Clippers have to pay if they're serious about winning. Davis has wanted to be a Clipper since the day he was drafted. Put him on the floor with Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Bobby Simmons, Shaun Livingston and Chris Kaman, and the Clippers have a young team that can really compete.
If Sterling won't bite, the Clippers probably are back where they are every year. They'll get a high draft pick, lose a free agent or two, and probably try in vain to sign a marquee player on their own.
Boston Celtics: The Celtics are in the middle of the rumor that just won't die – the return of Antoine Walker to Boston. Last week we told you a deal with the Hawks had been discussed internally in Boston, but there was little chance of anything actually happening.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Antoine Walker[/size]
[size=-2]Forward
Atlanta Hawks[/size]
[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]25[/size][size=-2]20.7[/size][size=-2]9.0[/size][size=-2]3.2[/size][size=-2].422[/size][size=-2].535[/size]Over the course of the past week, the reports have been all over the place. The New York Post claimed Danny Ainge was on the verge of acquiring Walker. Several Boston papers shot the story down completely.
What's going on? Insider talked to Walker's agent, Mark Bartelstein, over the weekend and Bartelstein refused to completely discount talk of a trade.
"Danny has a lot of interest in Antoine," Bartlestein said. "We've talked about him returning to Boston. But I have no idea whether they'll get a deal done with Atlanta. I think they'd like to move him, and it might be in Antoine's best interest to be moved."
The problem for the Celtics is they have little to offer the Hawks. As we reported last week, the Hawks are looking for expiring contracts and young players in return. For the Celtics to meet those criteria, they'd have to give up Gary Payton, Jiri Welsch, Michael Stewart and Tom Gugliotta to make it work under the cap. That's way too high a price for Walker.
Portland Trail Blazers: Even when the Blazers aren't talking trades, there seems to be constant upheaval within the organzation.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Darius Miles[/size]
[size=-2]Guard-Forward
Portland Trail Blazers[/size]
[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]24[/size][size=-2]11.7[/size][size=-2]4.8[/size][size=-2]1.7[/size][size=-2].470[/size][size=-2].573[/size]Last week Nick Van Exel replaced Damon Stoudamire as the team's starting point guard. With Shareef Abdur-Rahim out nursing a sore elbow, Darius Miles has been playing fantastic (16.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in Abdur-Rahim's absence), raising the question of whether Abdur-Rahim might be heading back to the bench – where he languished last season – once he returns.
With Abdur-Rahim claiming he could be ready to go as early as Monday, coach Maurice Cheeks has a tough decision to make.
"When you look at it, Shareef has been one of our more consistent players; you know what you are getting every night," Cheeks told The Oregonian. "But then you think of Darius, who has been on a tear in terms of the way he has been playing, and you think about the way we ended last year with him starting, and how we had a nice little group and continuity going. And now Darius has been put on the floor, and it looks like we are getting back to that continuity, and that makes it difficult.
"But Shareef has been as solid a player as we have had. And the way it has been in my years, is that a guy doesn't lose his position because he gets hurt. You lose it based on performance, and Shareef can't lose anything because of his performance," Cheeks said. "But then you think of Darius and the way he has been playing ... I mean, come on. He gives us a different dimension: rebounding, pushing the ball up the floor, he gives us a lot of different things.
"So I need to look at all things involved before I make that decision. And when you talk about a guy not losing a position because of injury, there is always different circumstances that makes that true or not true ... maybe this is it."
Los Angeles Lakers: What's Kobe Bryant's excuse for coming out firing on Christmas Day against the Heat? Bryant shot the ball 30 times in the Lakers loss. According to Bryant, his teammates are begging him to shoot the ball more.
"My teammates actually approached me and asked me to be more offensive minded," Bryant told the LA Daily News. "They felt like I was trying to get them the ball too much. They came to me and said, 'You know what, Kobe? We need you to start being more aggressive offensively.' They said, 'Don't worry about us, we'll get stuff within the flow of the game. But we'd like for you to kind of lead the charge for us.' "
Did Kobe ever consider that maybe his teammates were kidding? Bryant is second only to Allen Iverson in field goals attempted this season, averaging a whopping 21 shots per game and shooting 39 percent. Bryant also leads the league in free throws attempted averaging 11.6 per game.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Allen Iverson[/size]
[size=-2]Point Guard
Philadelphia 76ers[/size]
[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]24[/size][size=-2]28.7[/size][size=-2]3.9[/size][size=-2]7.2[/size][size=-2].420[/size][size=-2].813[/size]Philadelphia 76ers: Speaking of shooters, the Sixers continue to hover around .500, but how about the play of Allen Iverson? He's averaging 40 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 6.2 apg over his last five while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor.
"I truly am amazed at him," head coach Jim O'Brien said. "I'm just surprised at what he brings every time out."
Iverson is averaging 25 shots per game over that stretch, but when he's shooting this hot, that usually translates into wins for the Sixers.
New York Knicks: Yes, they may be in first place after a home win against the Bobcats on Sunday. But they've beaten one team with a winning record all season. One team. Is that progress?
Their hopes of late appear to hang on the frustratingly inconsistent Tim Thomas, who has averaged 14.4 points in his last five games. However, Knicks fans know that with Thomas, what you see one week isn't necessarily what you'll get the next week.
Coach Lenny Wilkens said Thomas' tendency to fade in and out can be maddening.
"Because you see so much," Wilkens told reporters. "But I'm trying to give him a little bit of the benefit of the doubt, that he's had a tough year. You saw him go to the hoop real strong a couple of times. You saw him post up strong. That's something I want every night if I can get it."
Then Wilkens caught himself. "Or four out of five nights."
Given Thomas' track record. Two out of five nights may be the best the Knicks will ever get.
The Rest
Now that both Vince Carter and Jason Kidd are off the trading block, maybe the Mavericks can get back to dealing with what they have. Or maybe not. The latest rumor has the Mavs interested in reacquiring Blazers guard Nick Van Exel. That's just what the Mavs need – a third shoot-first point guard. ... It looks like Pat Garrity no longer fits into the Magic's plans. With Grant Hill fully recovered and the team adopting a run-and-gun style, Garrity has averaged just 12 minutes over his last five. "I'm healthy. I'm having fun again," said Garrity. "That's why it's a little frustrating to come out." Don't be surprised if Garrity is gone by the Feb. 24 trade deadline. ... Wizards coach Eddie Jordan is imploring his guards to start passing the ball to Kwame Brown in the post. So far Washington has survived on the outside shooting of Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes and the inside-outside game of Antawn Jamison. If the Wizards are going to sustain their success, Jordan believes Brown is the guy who can get them there. Now if only the guards and Brown will cooperate. "For us to go to another level, we have to incorporate Kwame as a post-up option – but Kwame has to help himself," Jordan said. "The message was, we're looking for you, but you've got to demand it. You've got to get there, got to get in position, got to act like you want the ball. You got to play out of it. You can't just turn it over. You can't take a bad shot." ... Chris Bosh seems to be making the most of the now Vince-less Raptors. In his first three games with this two new teammates – Eric Williams and Aaron Williams – Bosh is averaging 17.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg. ... The Jazz have been a mess defensively without Andrei Kirilenko. The team is averaging just 1.6 blocks per game without Kirilenko in the lineup. He alone was averaging 4.4 blocks before he went down. "We're not defending very well," coach Jerry Sloan said. "I think we're one of the poorest defensive teams that I've had in trying to defend, keeping your body between your man and the basket." ... Emeka Okafor has had 15 consecutive games with a double-double for the Bobcats. He's also scored 20 or more points in five of his last six. ... Reggie Miller, at the ripe old age of 39, is having his best season with the Pacers since 1997-98, averaging 19.4 ppg on 48 percent shooting. ... Speedy Claxton is averaging 15.2 points and 6 assists for the Warriors in his last five. However, expect his production to start to tail off a bit once Derek Fisher returns from injury this week. ... Since coming off the injured list Dec. 16, Jason Williams has been on fire for the Grizzlies. He's averaging 18 points and 7.6 assists and is shooting 45 percent from 3. ... Jeff McInnis' 16.8 points and 6 assists over the last five have the Cavaliers starting to think about a long-term extension. ... Yes, the Kings are coming off a miserable homestand and play five of their next six on the road, but they have to be embarking on the easiest road trip in the NBA. Their opponents? The Jazz, Knicks, Raptors, Hawks and Hornets.
L.A. seeking star-caliber point
THE UPSIDE!
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
Just a few weeks ago we were praising a 10-6 Clippers team that looked like it might have enough talent to make a run at the eighth playoff seed in the West. Now that same team is 12-13 and beginning to resemble the Clippers of old.
With both Marko Jaric and Shaun Livingston out, the Clippers have been forced to use Rick Brunson at the point. But their problems run even deeper than that, as this bad streak hit before Jaric went down.
As good as Jaric has been at times, the Clippers still need an experienced point guard to lead them down the stretch of winnable games. Livingston eventually might become that guy, but it could still take a while. In the meantime, the team is in danger of losing everything it built this season.
Typically, the Clippers of yore would sit idly by – maybe even trade away a good player or two to seal their fate. This team appears to be different. At head coach Mike Dunleavy's urging, sources claim the Clippers have been proactive about making a blockbuster deal for a star-quality point guard.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Baron Davis[/size]
[size=-2]Point Guard
New Orleans Hornets[/size]
You must be registered for see images attach
[size=-2]Profile[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]7[/size][size=-2]22.0[/size][size=-2]2.9[/size][size=-2]6.4[/size][size=-2].442[/size][size=-2].862[/size]They've set their sights on the Hornets' Baron Davis, offering a combination of Jaric, Chris Wilcox and Kerry Kittles.
Now here's where things get tricky for the Clippers. The Hornets are still on the fence about trading Davis. While a combo of Jaric, Wilcox and Kittles gives the Hornets two young players with small deals and lots of cap room (Kittles' $10.4 million comes off the books this summer), it still might not be enough to sway them.
However, if the Clippers agree to take David Wesley off the Hornets' hands (the numbers work if L.A. throws in Zeljko Rebraca's expiring contract) New Orleans might be willing to deal. That, however, means owner Donald Sterling would have to assume $84 million in long-term salary while sending out just more than $18 million.
Owners like Mark Cuban and Bruce Ratner do that all the time. But Sterling? It may be the price the Clippers have to pay if they're serious about winning. Davis has wanted to be a Clipper since the day he was drafted. Put him on the floor with Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Bobby Simmons, Shaun Livingston and Chris Kaman, and the Clippers have a young team that can really compete.
If Sterling won't bite, the Clippers probably are back where they are every year. They'll get a high draft pick, lose a free agent or two, and probably try in vain to sign a marquee player on their own.
Boston Celtics: The Celtics are in the middle of the rumor that just won't die – the return of Antoine Walker to Boston. Last week we told you a deal with the Hawks had been discussed internally in Boston, but there was little chance of anything actually happening.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Antoine Walker[/size]
[size=-2]Forward
Atlanta Hawks[/size]
You must be registered for see images attach
[size=-2]Profile[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]25[/size][size=-2]20.7[/size][size=-2]9.0[/size][size=-2]3.2[/size][size=-2].422[/size][size=-2].535[/size]Over the course of the past week, the reports have been all over the place. The New York Post claimed Danny Ainge was on the verge of acquiring Walker. Several Boston papers shot the story down completely.
What's going on? Insider talked to Walker's agent, Mark Bartelstein, over the weekend and Bartelstein refused to completely discount talk of a trade.
"Danny has a lot of interest in Antoine," Bartlestein said. "We've talked about him returning to Boston. But I have no idea whether they'll get a deal done with Atlanta. I think they'd like to move him, and it might be in Antoine's best interest to be moved."
The problem for the Celtics is they have little to offer the Hawks. As we reported last week, the Hawks are looking for expiring contracts and young players in return. For the Celtics to meet those criteria, they'd have to give up Gary Payton, Jiri Welsch, Michael Stewart and Tom Gugliotta to make it work under the cap. That's way too high a price for Walker.
Portland Trail Blazers: Even when the Blazers aren't talking trades, there seems to be constant upheaval within the organzation.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Darius Miles[/size]
[size=-2]Guard-Forward
Portland Trail Blazers[/size]
You must be registered for see images attach
[size=-2]Profile[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]24[/size][size=-2]11.7[/size][size=-2]4.8[/size][size=-2]1.7[/size][size=-2].470[/size][size=-2].573[/size]Last week Nick Van Exel replaced Damon Stoudamire as the team's starting point guard. With Shareef Abdur-Rahim out nursing a sore elbow, Darius Miles has been playing fantastic (16.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in Abdur-Rahim's absence), raising the question of whether Abdur-Rahim might be heading back to the bench – where he languished last season – once he returns.
With Abdur-Rahim claiming he could be ready to go as early as Monday, coach Maurice Cheeks has a tough decision to make.
"When you look at it, Shareef has been one of our more consistent players; you know what you are getting every night," Cheeks told The Oregonian. "But then you think of Darius, who has been on a tear in terms of the way he has been playing, and you think about the way we ended last year with him starting, and how we had a nice little group and continuity going. And now Darius has been put on the floor, and it looks like we are getting back to that continuity, and that makes it difficult.
"But Shareef has been as solid a player as we have had. And the way it has been in my years, is that a guy doesn't lose his position because he gets hurt. You lose it based on performance, and Shareef can't lose anything because of his performance," Cheeks said. "But then you think of Darius and the way he has been playing ... I mean, come on. He gives us a different dimension: rebounding, pushing the ball up the floor, he gives us a lot of different things.
"So I need to look at all things involved before I make that decision. And when you talk about a guy not losing a position because of injury, there is always different circumstances that makes that true or not true ... maybe this is it."
Los Angeles Lakers: What's Kobe Bryant's excuse for coming out firing on Christmas Day against the Heat? Bryant shot the ball 30 times in the Lakers loss. According to Bryant, his teammates are begging him to shoot the ball more.
"My teammates actually approached me and asked me to be more offensive minded," Bryant told the LA Daily News. "They felt like I was trying to get them the ball too much. They came to me and said, 'You know what, Kobe? We need you to start being more aggressive offensively.' They said, 'Don't worry about us, we'll get stuff within the flow of the game. But we'd like for you to kind of lead the charge for us.' "
Did Kobe ever consider that maybe his teammates were kidding? Bryant is second only to Allen Iverson in field goals attempted this season, averaging a whopping 21 shots per game and shooting 39 percent. Bryant also leads the league in free throws attempted averaging 11.6 per game.
[size=-2][/size][size=-1]Allen Iverson[/size]
[size=-2]Point Guard
Philadelphia 76ers[/size]
You must be registered for see images attach
[size=-2]Profile[/size][size=-2][/size]2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
[size=-2]GM[/size][size=-2]PPG[/size][size=-2]RPG[/size][size=-2]APG[/size][size=-2]FG%[/size][size=-2]FT%[/size][size=-2]24[/size][size=-2]28.7[/size][size=-2]3.9[/size][size=-2]7.2[/size][size=-2].420[/size][size=-2].813[/size]Philadelphia 76ers: Speaking of shooters, the Sixers continue to hover around .500, but how about the play of Allen Iverson? He's averaging 40 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 6.2 apg over his last five while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor.
"I truly am amazed at him," head coach Jim O'Brien said. "I'm just surprised at what he brings every time out."
Iverson is averaging 25 shots per game over that stretch, but when he's shooting this hot, that usually translates into wins for the Sixers.
New York Knicks: Yes, they may be in first place after a home win against the Bobcats on Sunday. But they've beaten one team with a winning record all season. One team. Is that progress?
Their hopes of late appear to hang on the frustratingly inconsistent Tim Thomas, who has averaged 14.4 points in his last five games. However, Knicks fans know that with Thomas, what you see one week isn't necessarily what you'll get the next week.
Coach Lenny Wilkens said Thomas' tendency to fade in and out can be maddening.
"Because you see so much," Wilkens told reporters. "But I'm trying to give him a little bit of the benefit of the doubt, that he's had a tough year. You saw him go to the hoop real strong a couple of times. You saw him post up strong. That's something I want every night if I can get it."
Then Wilkens caught himself. "Or four out of five nights."
Given Thomas' track record. Two out of five nights may be the best the Knicks will ever get.
The Rest
Now that both Vince Carter and Jason Kidd are off the trading block, maybe the Mavericks can get back to dealing with what they have. Or maybe not. The latest rumor has the Mavs interested in reacquiring Blazers guard Nick Van Exel. That's just what the Mavs need – a third shoot-first point guard. ... It looks like Pat Garrity no longer fits into the Magic's plans. With Grant Hill fully recovered and the team adopting a run-and-gun style, Garrity has averaged just 12 minutes over his last five. "I'm healthy. I'm having fun again," said Garrity. "That's why it's a little frustrating to come out." Don't be surprised if Garrity is gone by the Feb. 24 trade deadline. ... Wizards coach Eddie Jordan is imploring his guards to start passing the ball to Kwame Brown in the post. So far Washington has survived on the outside shooting of Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes and the inside-outside game of Antawn Jamison. If the Wizards are going to sustain their success, Jordan believes Brown is the guy who can get them there. Now if only the guards and Brown will cooperate. "For us to go to another level, we have to incorporate Kwame as a post-up option – but Kwame has to help himself," Jordan said. "The message was, we're looking for you, but you've got to demand it. You've got to get there, got to get in position, got to act like you want the ball. You got to play out of it. You can't just turn it over. You can't take a bad shot." ... Chris Bosh seems to be making the most of the now Vince-less Raptors. In his first three games with this two new teammates – Eric Williams and Aaron Williams – Bosh is averaging 17.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg. ... The Jazz have been a mess defensively without Andrei Kirilenko. The team is averaging just 1.6 blocks per game without Kirilenko in the lineup. He alone was averaging 4.4 blocks before he went down. "We're not defending very well," coach Jerry Sloan said. "I think we're one of the poorest defensive teams that I've had in trying to defend, keeping your body between your man and the basket." ... Emeka Okafor has had 15 consecutive games with a double-double for the Bobcats. He's also scored 20 or more points in five of his last six. ... Reggie Miller, at the ripe old age of 39, is having his best season with the Pacers since 1997-98, averaging 19.4 ppg on 48 percent shooting. ... Speedy Claxton is averaging 15.2 points and 6 assists for the Warriors in his last five. However, expect his production to start to tail off a bit once Derek Fisher returns from injury this week. ... Since coming off the injured list Dec. 16, Jason Williams has been on fire for the Grizzlies. He's averaging 18 points and 7.6 assists and is shooting 45 percent from 3. ... Jeff McInnis' 16.8 points and 6 assists over the last five have the Cavaliers starting to think about a long-term extension. ... Yes, the Kings are coming off a miserable homestand and play five of their next six on the road, but they have to be embarking on the easiest road trip in the NBA. Their opponents? The Jazz, Knicks, Raptors, Hawks and Hornets.
