Average NBA 2 point now more efficient than the 3 pointer

 

NBA speed

 

OKC Record start this season

When Portland Held Tyrese Haliburton to Zero points

When Steph Curry Calls his own play

Zach Lowe 10 things

This week, we feature amazing -- and season-long! -- interior defense from the 6-foot-3 Ja Morant, clever new moves from an MVP and two rising Blazers, then show some love for "The Legend of Zelda" and its gold cartridge.

1. Ja Morant's rim protection was a thing before The Block

We witnessed man take flight in Los Angeles on Sunday, when Morant -- the snarling, trash-talking, audacious soul of the league's hottest team -- rose from the dotted line to impale Avery Bradley's shot into the backboard.

Morant was moving up and forward, on an diagonal trajectory like a rising stock price, up until the second he obliterated Bradley's layup. He almost literally resembled a superhero taking to the skies.

But it's the tranquility that makes the play -- makes you tremble at what possibilities this comet of a point guard holds within him. Morant floated down from the heavens after the block, landed easily on two feet, and jogged the ball up the floor as if nothing remarkable had happened -- as if the block was no big deal, a feat of revenge he expected to execute the moment Bradley stole the ball from him.

Morant has been leaping in front of enemy layups with ferocity and precision all season:

That is Morant fulfilling his job as low man, with verticality that would make Roy Hibbert proud.

There he is thwarting another fast break -- this time against Stephen Curry during the Memphis Grizzlies' statement win Tuesday.

Morant has played the best defense of his career since returning from injury, and the Grizz rank sixth in points allowed per possession in that stretch. Watching the franchise player fling himself into (sometimes) unglamorous parts of defense has a catalyzing effect on chemistry. It sets the tone for the team -- defines what it stands for.

One reason Morant is the real deal as a franchise player is that he never carries himself as if the franchise belongs to him. One of Morant's clutch buckets against Golden State came on a catch-and-go drive out of a Tyus Jones pick-and-roll; Jones was cooking, and Morant was happy to cede some late-game offense to him. (Jones unlocked a new level of aggression when Morant was out, and has sustained it; the Grizz are plus-7 per 100 possessions when their two point guards play together.)

Earlier in that game, Morant slowed down in semi-transition, pitched the ball back to Desmond Bane, and in one motion screened off Bane's man to create a trail 3. Morant could outrun everyone if he wanted, but he senses when slowing down might open a pocket of space for a teammate.

He also dunked out of a backdoor cut; Morant entered the league with an advanced off-ball game -- rare for a young point guard. He doesn't just cut to score, either; he cuts to suck in attention that might create a shot for someone else.

This guy is special. The Grizz -- having just passed the Utah Jazz for No. 3 in the West -- might be, too, and way ahead of schedule.

2. Nassir Little, becoming the player the Blazers thought they'd need

With Damian Lillard undergoing surgery, Portland is officially engaging tank mode -- hoping for some Tim-Duncan-to-the-Spurs-style miracle to jumpstart the Lillard era. (Portland had no plans to trade Lillard pre-surgery, and has none as of now to trade him going forward, sources say. Lillard, of course, could change that with one conversation.)

Portland punting could have major trickle-down effects: putting a play-in berth (at minimum) on a silver platter for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and turning the No. 10 spot into a slap-fight between the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, and San Antonio Spurs.

The problem with the Duncan one-year-tank comparison is that the Spurs had a winning foundation when injuries destroyed their team in 1996-97, and Duncan walked into the NBA as an MVP candidate. That does not happen. Do the current Blazers have the foundation for it to matter in the short-term if they luck into a top-three pick? The presumed top three are good -- scouts are drooling over Jabari Smith's recent performances -- but it's asking a lot.

Meanwhile, Little may be turning into the 3-and-D tweener forward the Blazers needed when they were trying to win. Little's shot comes and goes -- he's at 32% on 3s -- but his form looks fine, and he's stepping into them with confidence. He's only 21.

More encouraging has been watching Little zip by defenders who run him off the arc, knife into the lane, and make the next pass. He has shown glimpses of a post game against switches, or when defenses hide guards on him.

Little is a solid defender, with a chance to be really good. He's strong enough to defend power forwards, and envelopes wings with his massive 7-1 wingspan. Little isn't super athletic, but he's the right kind of fast to excel on defense -- quick in tight spaces, nimble changing direction, with good balance and instincts.

He erased Kyrie Irving twice during Portland's win this week:

He also spent a lot of time on Kevin Durant, and anyone who survives Irving and Durant without looking foolish is someone to watch.

3. Nikola Jokic, slippin'

The forgotten MVP is still out there, hauling the broken Denver Nuggets above .500, slapping up that 26-14-7 line, and leading the league in almost every advanced metric. Jokic overtook Rudy Gobert in defensive rebounding rate, and remains on pace for the highest single-season player efficiency rating ever.

The Nuggets are still very good with Jokic on the floor (+9.3 per 100 possessions), and still the Washington Generals (-11.8) without him.

Every season, Jokic unveils some weird new skill or masters something he only dabbled in before. This year, it might be approaching for a ball screen before slipping hard to the rim:

On lots of those plays, Jokic doesn't come within 10 feet of the ball handler before changing course.

Without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., Jokic has to do everything for the Nuggets. Opponents expect Jokic to exert that control via traditional actions; they anticipate Jokic setting real picks and then popping for a 3, rolling hard, or posting up a switch.

This darting, early slip plays against those expectations.

4. Blake Griffin's finishing

It's worrisome that Griffin was perhaps the Brooklyn Nets' best defender on Giannis Antetokounmpo in last year's playoffs -- and definitely the Net who guarded Antetokounmpo most -- because Brooklyn may not have a role for Griffin on offense right now.

Almost half of Griffin's shots since the 2018-19 season have been 3s, and he's 18-of-86 this season. Defenses aren't guarding him. Brooklyn's best lineups provide space for Griffin's rim runs, but then this happens:

Griffin is shooting 52% in the restricted area, the lowest mark of his career -- and one that ranks in the 5th percentile among bigs, per Cleaning The Glass. Watching early-career Griffin spike Timofey Mozgov into the earth's core is like watching a totally different player -- and basically is, considering how leg injuries sapped Griffin's once-godly leaping ability.

Every layup is an adventure:

Peak Griffin throws that down before Myles Turner recovers. Even last season's Griffin generates a smidgen more air time to complete that up-and-under.

It's hard to play a big struggling on 3s and at the rim. Griffin will always be an elite passer, but the Nets are not built for him to leverage that skill. This isn't fatal to Brooklyn, even if they meet Antetokounmpo again. Milwaukee gradually figured out Griffin's drop-back defense during last season's seven-game epic. (Antetokounmpo does not get enough credit as a problem-solver over long series.)

The Nets could try that scheme with James Johnson, LaMarcus Aldridge, and even Paul Millsap in Griffin's place. Nicolas Claxton would get lots of chances at Antetokounmpo, but he's at a severe strength disadvantage. Brooklyn's failsafe is outscoring teams. This isn't to close the book on Griffin, either. He was plus-34 in Brooklyn's Scary Hours demolition of the Chicago Bulls Wednesday. He will get hot from 3. He plays really hard; only Kyle Lowry has drawn more charges. If the Nets get where they want to go, Griffin will play some part.

5. What to do with Jae'Sean Tate?

I love Tate. He's a turbocharged cinder block with the strength to jostle against centers on defense and the speed to chase guards. If Tate is barreling at you, get the hell out of his way. He's a good pick-and-roll screener -- clever passing on the move, with a mashing post game against smaller guys on switches. (Tate is shooting 57% on 2s.) The Rockets have scored 1.265 points per possession when Tate shoots out of post-up, or dishes to a teammate who fires -- second (!) among 85 guys with at least 20 post touches, per Second Spectrum.

The tanktastic Rockets have a dead-even scoring margin when Tate plays power forward next to Christian Wood in one-center lineups, per NBA.com. But Tate can get lost in more of a spot-up role around Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, and Wood. He is setting 10.6 ball screens per 100 possessions, down from 16 last season, per Second Spectrum. That leaves Tate chilling along the arc. Defenses ignore him to clog the paint. More teams are slotting their centers onto Tate -- allowing power forwards to take Wood -- and planting them in the paint.

That leaves Tate three choices when he gets the ball: chuck wide-open 3s; drive into the wall awaiting him; or pivot into a handoff. Tate is not shying from open 3s. He knows he'll have to hit them eventually, and the Rockets encourage him to let it fly.

Tate has made just 30% from deep -- not enough to pull defenses out of that scheme. He's probably best right now as a small-ball center, and the Rockets should use him in that style more often given Wood's shooting ability.

Regardless, the Rockets do and should view Tate as a keeper. (Houston's biggest on-court problem is their defense collapsing into a sinkhole whenever opponents put Green and Porter in any screening action.)

6. Anfernee Simons' float game

The happiest subplot of a miserable Portland season is Simons looking like a surefire starter with some chance of stardom on offense. He's averaging 14 points on solid shooting, and almost 30 during his recent five-game tear.

Simons has a filthy first step -- powerful and fast. He's hitting enough 3s -- about 40%, though only 32% off the bounce -- that help defenders pressure him on the pick-and-roll. Simons roasts those guys in open space.

His floater has been a revelation. He gets huge elevation, and lofts from odd angles going left or right.

Good freaking luck with that. Simons puts Claxton on skates with a vicious lefty hesitation dribble, and zooms into that super-long floater from the elbow -- a place where guys usually take normal jumpers. Buttery.

He jumps so high, he can get this baby off in heavy traffic:

Simons has nailed an amazing 53% from floater range, per Cleaning The Glass. Portland has scored 1.09 points when Simons shoots out of a pick-and-roll, or passes to a teammate who launches -- fifth among 126 players who have run at least 200 such plays, per Second Spectrum.

The Blazers are only minus-5 in 283 minutes when Simons has played without both Lillard and CJ McCollum.

Simons' next step is playmaking for others. He's a gunner, and over-dribbles setting up pick-and-rolls. Even so, you can see some early strides in his passing.

The Blazers hyped up Simons for years, which makes you wonder: If they knew this was coming, should they have tried to trade McCollum?

7. Two Magic Men, trending in opposite directions

Maybe injuries, virus protocols and roster circumstances have conspired against Chuma Okeke -- one of my most intriguing players going into this season -- but he is lost at sea on offense.

The Magic hoped to toss Okeke more ballhandling work -- pick-and-rolls, post touches -- but the development of Cole Anthony and immediate emergence of Franz Wagner scuttled those plans.

Okeke is having trouble figuring out life off the ball. He's shooting a dismal 24% on 3s, and his future as a role player is rickety until that shot comes along. His confidence seems to vary by the minute. He'll demur on one wide-open look, and two possessions later, bomb some tightly contested pull-up. Okeke has the vision and off-the-bounce chops to turn some random drives into profitable stuff, but a fair chunk end up zig-zagging to nowhere:

Advanced stats rate Okeke as one of the league's worst offensive players this season. (Only Daniel Theis ranks below him in 538's model.) Okeke has the outlines of someone who can defend every position. He plays hard, with pure intentions. There's a good all-around player in here somewhere.

A happy Magic addendum: Given I mentioned his early-season struggles, it's fair to note Gary Harris has transformed back into a stout 3-and-D guy. Since Nov. 27, Harris is averaging 16 points on 48% shooting -- including 41% on 3s. He has some pop back in his legs; Harris has hit 75% in the restricted area in that span.

His defense never waned. Contenders have noticed, and inquired about Harris as a potential trade candidate or buyout signing, sources say.

8. Cam Johnson, stretching his game

Johnson has been the league's most accurate high-volume 3-point shooter over the last seven weeks, having drained almost half his triples in that stretch. He has hit multiple 3s in 22 straight games, and scored in double-figures every game since Nov. 27. Yowza. Johnson can pump-and-go past defenders, and keep the Suns' efficiency machine moving. Still, Johnson is mostly an off-ball sniper. But amid injuries and virus-related absences, the Suns have let Johnson stretch himself. He's trying a few more mid-rangers, including pull-up 2s: The results have been uneven. Johnson is shooting poorly on midrangers, and doesn't probe for assists or free throws. But against postseason defenses, you need as many guys as possible who can create something from nothing late in the shot clock. With Phoenix a good bet to earn a top-two seed, there's little harm in giving Johnson leeway. Johnson's rim attempts are up a tick. He's a cagey cutter, with a knack for bullying smaller defenders on those plays. Johnson catches the ball on the move, lowers his shoulder, and keeps plowing until he's at the basket. (Johnson is shooting a tidy 70% in the restricted area.) That bulldozing becomes important when defenses stick bigger wings on Chris Paul and Devin Booker -- and stash smaller guards on Johnson. Johnson might have only one "A"-level strength -- lights-out shooting -- but he has very few (maybe zero) glaring weaknesses. Perhaps the best compliment coaches can give a role player is never worrying about him when he's on the floor. Monty Williams would probably say that about Johnson.

9. Herb Jones, flashing into your life

I would like to congratulate Jones -- the 35th pick in last year's draft -- for already reaching the point where executives from other teams go out of their way to reveal they were *this close* to drafting him. I call that Draymond Green Hindsight Syndrome, though it will never be as widespread for Jones as it is with Green (or Desmond Bane). Hounding defense is Jones's calling card. "Not on Herb!" was a catchphrase within the Pelicans before they opened camp. His ludicrous arms appear everywhere at once -- right in your face if you have the ball, but also somehow in every passing lane. He averages 1.5 steals and one block per game, and is one of only four guys leading their respective teams in both categories, per ESPN Stats & Information. Those go-go-Gadget arms help Jones finish around the rim on offense, where he has been less of a liability than expected. Defenses treat Jones as a non-shooter, but he's a respectable 24-of-62 (38.7%) on 3s -- as good above the break as from the corners. He has launched without hesitation in big moments. He's a smart cutter -- including on flashes into the middle when the defense isn't paying attention: If Jones slithers into inside position, he can extend the ball -- with either hand -- and flick it in. Jones is making a strong case for both the All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams. The Pels' reimagined starting five -- Devonte' Graham, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Jones, and Jonas Valanciunas -- has outscored opponents by 10.2 points per 100 possessions. The Ingram/Hart/Jones trio is rangy and switchable. Ingram is in the middle of perhaps the best stretch of his career. Almost every roster guy has played some role in the Pels grinding to 15-14 since their 1-12 start. They are within reach of the play-in, hoping Zion Williamson might return.

10. Jarrett Allen's Zelda love affair

The release of The Legend of Zelda, with its gold game cartridge, was a landmark event for any child of the 1980s and early 1990s. Allen was born in 1998, but grew up playing subsequent versions of the Zelda series. He collects Zelda-related memorabilia; his favorite such piece, he says, might be his 3D printout of one particular shield. Every time Allen scores, the Cavaliers' game operations staff plays a specific Zelda sound effect -- the jingle that (in the original) played when the protagonist uncovered some secret item or entry point. (Apparently that same sound -- or something very close to it -- has carried over into more recent Zelda iterations.) That sound triggers a little hit of dopamine in my brain. I smile every time. It brings back the excitement of having discovered something new in that game -- once you blew in the cartridge enough times for it to load. Allen first requested the effect with the Nets, when staffers approached players for suggestions. "It took me about 10 seconds to come up with the perfect one," Allen says. "Short and sweet." Facebook

How the Cavs are winning by going Big

By Brian Winhorst in ESPN.COM

THE NEMACOLIN RESORT is tucked into the hills of southern Pennsylvania, a high-end property with a chateau hotel, two golf courses and a modern spa with everything from gentlemen's facials to IV nutrient infusions.

In September, the Cleveland Cavaliers' coaching staff checked in for a stay and enjoyed absolutely none of it.

For days, the group, led by coach J.B. Bickerstaff, was holed up in a conference room watching film, studying analytics and working through meals.

"It's a really nice place," Bickerstaff says. "But we mostly worked."

Preseason coaching retreats are common in the NBA, but the mission the Cavs had for that trip was not. In a league that has been on a decadelong march to get smaller and faster, the Cavs were workshopping how they were going to get bigger.

Bigger, in fact, than anything the NBA has seen in a generation.

And so what began inside a hotel conference room some 70 miles south of Pittsburgh has knocked a procession of teams off balance throughout a league that has become infatuated with small ball.

Using a starting lineup featuring three 7-footers and reintegrating a former All-Star big man, the Cavs have big-footed their way into Eastern Conference contention. And doing so has not only changed the fortunes of a franchise not long ago predicted to continue its residence in the East basement, but also served as a resurrection that could disrupt NBA roster construction.

LAST MAY, CAVS general manager Koby Altman held a brutal season-ending news conference. He was asked if he thought he might get fired after a 22-50 season that capped a three-year run during which the team had amassed the most losses in the NBA.

Altman was grilled about young guard Kevin Porter Jr., who showed flashes of brilliance with the Houston Rockets after he'd washed out with the Cavs following a series of off-court issues. He had to explain how the midseason trade for center Jarrett Allen had disrupted chemistry and led to a buyout of center Andre Drummond.

Altman had to dance around the future of disgruntled center Kevin Love, whose injuries and disillusionment with the team had led to an escalating series of embarrassing events, from him inbounding the ball to the opposing team to just refusing to shoot.

As Altman sat on that Zoom call, he said he and owner Dan Gilbert had the same vision. He explained that rebuilding teams take chances on draft picks and miss, and he wished Porter the best. He said he tried to do right by Drummond by letting him go, and that the trade for Allen was too compelling not to do. And Altman said -- and this may have been the hardest to believe -- he thought Love "can really help us, I really do."

Altman was convinced there were small victories all around him. He knew that young guard Darius Garland had a 25-game stretch after the All-Star break where he'd shown tremendous growth, averaging 20 points and seven assists while shooting 47%. He knew that the team's internal numbers had shown Allen, whom they picked up from the Nets as part of the James Harden trade, was their most effective player. He knew that as bad as things looked with Love, that the numbers had shown the team was better when he was out there. And when he had talked to his players, they said they liked playing with Love when he was actually focused.

"There's a lot of optimism as to where we are as a franchise," Altman said that day. "The future's really, really bright."

You could almost hear the eyes rolling.

"It wasn't a dark place when we were losing," Altman says now, seven months later. "We were there, we saw it. People liked coming to work. They stayed in the offseason. J.B. had worked hard to make it a welcoming place, and you felt that."

No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley is a front-runner for Rookie of the Year. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

THEN, SOME LUCK. Projected to land the No. 5 pick, the Cavaliers heard their name called at No. 3 during June's draft lottery, a vital turn for a team in need of game-changing talent. Some years the No. 3 pick is a gold mine. Luka Doncic went third. So did Harden and Joel Embiid. But it's no guarantee, either: Jahlil Okafor, Otto Porter Jr. and Enes Freedom all were selected there in the previous decade.

Following the selections of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green, the consensus top two picks in the 2021 draft, Evan Mobley from USC was on the board.

There was no mystery in the first two picks in the draft and for weeks the Cavs felt confident it was going to be Mobley there for them at three. So they dove deep on him. They'd already watched him a lot in his one season with the Trojans and their background data kept checking out positive.

They loved Mobley's size combined with his skill. They loved his attitude as the son of a coach, who their research told them liked to be coached. They loved his work ethic, a feeling solidified after the draft when he asked the team if they could send a strength coach to work with him in Los Angeles in the offseason.

The Cavs had been in the lottery three straight years since LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers, but this was the first time they were able to get an immediate difference-maker, a belief that has been backed up by his role in the Cavs' turnaround.

But teams always fall in love with their picks. The Cavs weren't just going against the grain; they were committing to a path that would be difficult, if not impossible, to untangle.

Four days after drafting Mobley, the team signed Allen to a five-year, $100 million contract. Some draft experts and scouts projected Mobley could develop into a franchise center in the current taste of the NBA. In truth, Mobley and his camp thought this was possible too, so when Allen got paid there was some chin rubbing.

"People were looking at us sideways. It's one thing to be big but we felt Jarrett and Evan were big and active. It was building around that." Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff Twenty-five days after that, the Cavs acquired 7-footer Lauri Markkanen from the Chicago Bulls -- and then didn't make a move with Love, either via a trade or a buyout as some had expected.

Back in the hotel conference room, Bickerstaff and his assistants churned through their most fundamental question: How do you design an offensive and defensive system with two centers in 2021?

Bickerstaff, 42, has been around the NBA a long time. This is his 18th season in the league, but he was a ball boy and sponge as a child next to his father, longtime NBA coach and executive Bernie Bickerstaff. Translation: He's new-school as a head coach; old-school in philosophy.

Ask him about his favorite teams and he'll talk about the 1990s, when his dad was GM of the Seattle SuperSonics and they started three guys 6-foot-10 and taller. He'll talk about when his dad drafted 6-foot-8 Jalen Rose to the Denver Nuggets and made him a point guard.

Lessons, he says, that inform now.

"People were looking at us sideways," Bickerstaff says. "It's one thing to be big but we felt Jarrett and Evan were big and active. It was building around that."

Says Altman: "We watched a lot of film and we looked at the last few champions. They were great defensive teams. The Bucks had Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and [Brook] Lopez. The Lakers had LeBron, [Anthony] Davis and [Dwight] Howard. They played big and they won.

"We didn't see Evan as a player exactly like Jarrett and thought they could play together."

CLEVELAND'S BIG SWING has been working. The Cavs ranked No. 25 in defense last season, and in 2019-20, when Bickerstaff took over midseason after John Beilein resigned, they ranked dead last.

This season, with Allen and Mobley, who are both mobile enough to switch out and defend the perimeter and long and defensive-minded enough to challenge shots in the paint, the Cavs' defense has soared up the rankings, settling in at No. 2 behind the NBA-best Golden State Warriors.

Their size has overwhelmed opponents, who are shooting a league-worst 59.3% in the restricted area against them. It's the bedrock for their turnaround, which has them 20-13 and in position to challenge for a top-four seed.

"The other teams really feel that size," Bickerstaff says.

The Cavs initially signed Markkanen to be a backup. After the signing, Altman met with Love. He told the veteran, who had two years and $60 million left on his contract, that he'd be a bench player for the first time in his career.

Love accepted the situation but had a request: If he earned minutes, he wanted to get them. Love saw veterans with big contracts get stuck when teams went young, namely John Wall in Houston, and wanted to know he wouldn't be buried to wait out his contract.

There was something else in mind for Love. Over the summer, Altman traded for Ricky Rubio to be a stabilizing backup guard. But it was also someone Love could connect with on the second unit. They played three seasons together in Minnesota, where Love became an All-Star.

Love came into camp in September in good condition -- which was in some doubt after he left Team USA training in July after struggling to get into shape. With limited depth on the wing, Bickerstaff made the decision to put Markkanen in the starting lineup at small forward so Love would have more room to play.

"I thought we had a tremendous offseason by getting Evan, Lauri and Rubio," Altman says. "We had [a] process and ping pong balls. But I really liked our top seven to eight guys and I knew we were going to take a step forward."

Led by big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers' paint defense has suffocated opposing teams. EPA/SHAWN THEW Not everyone agreed. Sportsbooks set the Cavs' preseason over/under total between 26 and 27 wins. ESPN predicted a 26-56 season. The decision to start the three 7-footers was mocked. They gave up 255 points combined in their first two games. Then, 11 games in, Collin Sexton, Cleveland's leading scorer last season, was lost for the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee.

But the Cavs started winning. Garland, with more playing time with Sexton out, expanded his play from last season and is a sudden All-Star candidate, averaging 19.5 points and 7.3 assists per game. Allen, whose big contract was questioned, has been a defensive rock and extremely efficient offensively, averaging a career-high 16.8 points and shooting 70%.

Mobley, 20, has shown he can shoot, pass and defend multiple positions. It is rare for a rookie to impact winning, but he's doing so. He is one of the front-runners for Rookie of the Year despite missing time with a sprained right elbow.

Love, for his part, is having his most efficient season since he came to the Cavs in 2014-15. He plays 20 minutes a game and has maintained a positive attitude throughout the season.

"We've got a good thing going and I'm having a lot of fun," Love said after he scored 22 points in a blowout win over the Toronto Raptors Sunday night. "It's going to be great watching this young team develop."

Through nearly half the season, the Cavs have played the toughest schedule of any team so far. Despite injuries and COVID-19 issues, Bickerstaff has them racking up milestones. They went 3-2 on an early Western Conference-heavy road swing, the first time they've had a winning record on a five-game trip since their title-winning 2016 campaign. They won in Miami for the first time in 20 tries. And they have the easiest schedule remaining.

On Christmas, the Cavs announced a contract extension for Bickerstaff through the 2026-27 season, the first time a Cavs coach has landed an extension since Mike Brown in 2008.

The team still has holes, notably at wing. But it is unquestionably overachieving -- a welcomed situation for a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs without James on the roster since 1998.

"We're not done evolving," Bickerstaff says. "But we like where we are."

The Astounding Evolution of Kevin Durant

Is the NBA finals riggged?

NBA finals : The trilogy

An article from TheGame Haus
2017 NBA Finals Preview

 The 2017 NBA Finals are set and the wait is finally over. The world gets to see the Golden State Warriors matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third-straight year in the Finals. It is the grudge match of all grudge matches. Everyone has been waiting for this series since the season tipped off on Oct. 25, 2016. Some have been waiting for this since Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors in July. This third fight between the Warriors and Cavs will be bigger than the “Thrilla in Manila”.

The Golden State Warriors went 67-15 this season following a record-breaking 73-win season in 2016. Golden State also broke the record for most wins over a three-year span.
This Warriors team is actually better than last year’s team thanks to the signing of Kevin Durant. The Warriors took it easy in the regular season because their goal all year was to meet the Cavs in the Finals.
Golden State made quick work of their playoff opponents. They swept all three opponents in a tough Western Conference. What the Warriors have done this postseason has been impressive and they sent a message. Winning the Finals is an obsession to them and nothing else is considered acceptable.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have not had it as easy as the Warriors. Cleveland went 51-31 and finished as the second seed in the East. The Cavs really struggled in the second half of the season. After Jan. 1st the Cavs went 26-24. They looked bad defensively and some started to question whether or not they were capable of another Finals run.
All those questions were put to bed quickly once the playoffs started. The Cavs easily swept the Pacers and Raptors before meeting the top-seeded Celtics in the conference finals. Cleveland then wiped Boston off their home-court in embarrassing fashion. Boston stole game three but all that did was delay the inevitable. Cleveland went on to finish the next two games easily to reach the finals for the third straight year.

The first year these two teams met in the Finals was in 2015. Kevin Love had been hurt in the first round and would miss the remainder of the playoffs.
Game 1 of the Finals dealt another injury to a Cleveland star. Kyrie Irving went down with a fractured kneecap in the first game of the series during overtime. Golden State would win that game and win the series 4-2 to capture its first title in 40 years.

Many called the Warriors title tainted claiming that they would not have won the championship had the Cavaliers been healthy. They were champions without respect and it was their mission to prove they were worthy of the crown.
LeBron had failed to bring a title to Cleveland and many were wondering if it was the right move to leave Miami. The criticism was high despite him averaging 35.8 points per game, 8.8 assists per game and 13.3 rebounds per game while shooting just 38.9 percent from the field. Just as the Warriors were determined to prove they were worthy of the crown, LeBron was determined to bring a title home.

Cleveland and Golden State would meet again in the 2016 Finals for a rematch. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were both healthy for this matchup and many thought the Cavaliers would prove they were truly the better team. Coming into the Finals the Cavaliers had only lost two games in the East.
The Warriors had a much tougher road in the West. They had to comeback from being down 3-1 in the Western Conference finals. Throughout the playoffs, Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala were dealing with nagging injuries. They played through those injuries but were not at full strength and expanded tons of energy just to get to the Finals.

In the beginning of the series, none of that seemed to matter. Golden State took a 2-0 series lead and had the largest combined margin of victory in NBA Finals history. Cleveland would win Game 3 and Golden State won Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. In that game, Draymond Green was assessed a flagrant foul, setting his playoff total to four, resulting in a suspension for Game 5. No team had ever come back from down 3-1 in the NBA Finals.

Cleveland was able to win Games 5 and Game 6 to force an epic Game 7.
After six games the teams were tied in games won and total score. It was as close as a series as it could ever be and the final game of the year would truly decide a champion.

In Game 7, LeBron James blocked a late layup attempt by Andre Iguodala that set up a game-winning 3-pointer by Kyrie Irving. The Cavs won Game 7 93-89 and ended a 52-year championship drought in the city of Cleveland.
The Warriors had lost in the Finals and believed that had Iggy been healthier he would have dunked the ball. Golden State fans also believed that Curry wasn’t healthy and that if Draymond had not been suspended they would have won Game 6 and the series.


Fast forward to now and here we are set for round three. The Warriors added superstar Kevin Durant to help them get back to the Finals for a third-straight season. The Cavaliers added minor pieces but have made it back to defend their title.

Golden State ended a 40 year drought and Cleveland ended a 52-year drought.
As mentioned earlier the Warriors enter the Finals 12-0 and the Cavaliers enter the Finals 12-1. Both teams sprinted to the Finals as fast as possible, and as rested as possible.

In round three, there are no excuses. Both teams are healthy and both teams will be rested. It is time to put up or shut up. It is time to make a mark on history.
Who’s era is it really? Without trying to predict too far ahead, it is unlikely these teams meet for a fourth straight Finals appearance.

Cleveland comes into the Finals averaging 116.8 points per game while Golden State comes in averaging 118.3 points per game. Both teams are great offensively but the team who plays the best defense will win this series.
There are so many fun matchups the world gets to see in this series as well. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson versus Kyrie Irving. Draymond Green versus Tristan Thompson, LeBron James or Kevin Love.

The most intriguing though is when Kevin Durant and LeBron James match up against one another. Two of the best players in the world will fight it out to be called the champion.

This series will go down in history. At the end of the day, the Warriors are going to win because they have just too much firepower. They lost last season by four points in Game 7. Adding Kevin Durant to the mix will just be too much. All eyes are on the Finals to see who really is the best between these two franchises.
The new greatest rivalry in sports will write the newest chapter this summer, changing legacies forever.

Prediction: Golden State Warriors 4-2



I agree with the above prediction by TheGameHaus. GSW should be able to win this one based on the talent on paper. I have some doubts on Steph curry as he usually comes up short in the finals. The first year Iggy showed his resilience for the Warriors to get though a severely depleted Cavs. so I believe the Durant addition would be a saving grace for them. But it is tough to count Lebron out. The way he motivates his team and somehow manages to get the best out of them by putting them in positions they can excel. Remember how Delly looked like a top 10 player against Steph in 2015 finals. GSW still can outlast an epic performance from Lebron, just assume Lebron is able to shutdown Durant, it has to be Lebron defending cause I dont see anyone else doing it. A simple pass to Draymond with Kevin Love or Tristan against him would be sufficient to take advantage of the matchup. Last year,Cavs attacked Steph defensively but they missed Bogut and Draymond protecting the basket for most of the series. So even if Kyrie attacks Steph there should be Durant(who has shown tremendous improviement in his defensive skills) ,Dray (if he manages to keep off suspension) & JAVALE MCGEE to alter and block shots. Not to mention that GSW went 12-0 without any output from Klay. So all analysis points to the Warriors taking the title. If Cavs still manages to take the title without any injuries on GSW then we have to accept Lebron is on his way to surpass Jordan and Durants legacy would be on hold.
Makes up for a great time for the basketball fans though they have to endure a boring regular/playoff season.

NBA TV rights deal - A call for Justice

Has the NBA ever been more richer than now?

The NBA had signed a nine year 24 bn $ deal with the current broadcasters ESPN and Turner. It is a 180% increase from the current deal. The new deal will take effect from 2016-17 i.e after the end of the current season. NBA is set to receive around 2.6 bn $ per annum from ESPN and Turner combined.

I love the fact that most of the money is set to go to the players as part of the new players association agreement with the league. Atleast 51% of the deal is set to be distributed to the players.

The current salary cap of 70 mn $ looks like peanuts in comparison to the above deal  which is the reason why players like Enes Kanter and Roy Hibbert almost get the same pay as Russell westbrook and Kawhi Leonard who are expected to be  future Hall of Fame players.

This anomaly in the pay-talent scale is so prevalent in the NBA that it upto the player to make the choice of either opting for more money  or  a paycut to chase the ring.

Russell westbrook can, if he chooses play for the sixers , get a 25mn p.a deal but he chose to continue playing with the team he was developed in OKC.

Such decisions are critical to the team as they need to limit their player salary spend within the cap. Otherwise they need to pay double for every dollar above the cap.This system is meant to ensure that there is a talent parity in the league across the 30 teams. The intention was to ensure that the large market cities like NY and LA dont spend buy the entire talent pool with their deep pockets and push all the smaller market teams to the D league.

It is absolutely essential for the NBA to ensure that all the 1230 regular season games (man thats a lot !!!) are competitive and valuable TV time to sell. This strategy has worked for the NBA.

The National Basketball Association is the most watched sports league in the United States and they are not looking for one major annual event like Superbowl for their entire revenue (NFL) or the World series like Major league baseball

As I saw recently even Milwaukee Bucks game against GSW is as interesting as a top tier contest. It has ensured that there are not many bad games in NBA relatively to the other leagues.

It has also ensured that most of the teams are able to sell their season tickets easily and creating valuable ad space for the entire 1230 games which keeps all the team owners happy.

This also ensures that the NBA brand is valued at a premium and even a team like OKC or Bucks will fetch a huge profit when sold.It looks like NBA has been at the forefront of all other sports leagues their management and preserving at their brand.


But I believe it is time for NBA to give it back to the players. The league makes around 4 bn $ annually. By standards lets assume around 10% is required as operating costs for running the league and a further 25% as the expected return for the owners then we are left with a cool 65% for the players salaries.

Lets do the math. 65 % would be like around 110mn$ as the salary cap for the players which would be more appropriate in the current scenario.

The league has no business in withholding  huge cash reserves and has an obligation to distribute the same to their stakeholders. And there are no valuable stakeholders than the players involved.

By the way this agreement is not only important to the players like Lebron James and James Harden. They would still get their money from their individual lucrative shoe deals.It is important for players like Hassan Whiteside, patrick beverley who in their own way are extremely valuable to a team but simply cant  get the big bucks in the existing CBA. Now valuable role/fringe players would be paid a just price. It is important for them as they cant get a shoe contract or multi year sponsorship deal and basically their entire life earnings needs to come from the small 5-10 year window in the league.

This new deal should ensure that there are atleast three 20 mn$ players in the playoff teams and superstars can earn upto 40mn$ per annum.

Only such an agreement would do Justice to the ridiculous amount of money that NBA earns now and can someone please pay Stephen curry 30mn$.

How can the best player in the league earn a meagre 11 mn$.

Getting ready for the NBA Season

Rocking the Rondo gear Lets Bleed Green!!!!. Got the original NBA gear from Jabong of one of my favorite Celtics Rajon Rondo. It is a shame that they would be tanking this year but still Rondo is the only true point guard left in the NBA

Lebron coming back to Cleveland

An article by Christine Brennan of USA Today

He angered an entire state when he left, but that won't matter if he comes back to Cleveland

The speculation is fun, little more than a 21st century parlor game to distract us until the World Cup is over and NFL training camps open.

Is LeBron James really going back to the Cleveland Cavaliers?

We have no idea, of course, but here's one opinion: He should.

If LeBron, now nearly 30, wants to be loved, there's no place that will ever love him more than his hometown. He grew up in Akron, just south of Cleveland. He still owns a home there, spends summers there and holds his charity bike ride there.

When he left the Cavaliers four years ago, the parting couldn't have been more bitter. Jilted fans burned his jersey and owner Dan Gilbert posted a taunting letter on the team web site. The passion on both sides was fierce and remarkable.

But that means nothing now. Gilbert's letter is gone from the web site, taken down just this week – which seems about three years too late – but whatever the case, it's gone now. All seems to be forgiven.

Northeast Ohio sports fans, some of the most loyal in the nation, almost certainly can't wait to welcome their prodigal son. The same probably goes for Gilbert, should all the decimal points align. Why would four-year-old pettiness cause any trouble now? How many times did George Steinbrenner hire Billy Martin?

Can you imagine, LeBron back in Cleveland? First Johnny Manziel gets drafted by the Browns. Then the city lands the 2016 Republican national convention. And next, perhaps, LeBron.

When did Cleveland become L.A.?

Hope springs eternal after the Cavaliers made a trade Wednesday to clear enough salary cap space to potentially offer James a huge deal and bring him back to the team where he spent the first seven years of his NBA career before going to Miami for the past four seasons. till, the sting of 2010 remains very real to many Ohioans. Usually people are about four decades older than LeBron was when they move from Ohio to Florida. Losing LeBron was just another punch to the gut of the good people of the Rust Belt. First LeBron, then more electoral votes. If he returns, the symbolism is enormous.

If LeBron does indeed come back, he returns as a very different player than when he left. When he played for Cleveland at the beginning of his career, LeBron was expected to bring home a championship. As the years went by and that didn't happen, the expectation became a burden. It understandably gnawed at him, and it ate at the fans. Pressure built. How could it have been a pleasant time?

Were LeBron to come home now, it would be quite a change from the first time around. He took the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals four times, and won two championships. Analysis of LeBron and his Miami teammates and what it all meant could fill a few encyclopedias, but, simply put, if he returns to Cleveland now, he comes back a proven champion. To be sure, there would be pressure to bring the success he had in Miami to Cleveland. But he would have different teammates. And he would have time. As an Ohioan myself, I can assure you that there's nothing we like more than proving that you can go home again.

San Antonio will be NBA Champs 2014

I have always loved the way the Spurs play. Pop and Duncan had epitomized the unselfish "team-oriented" play of the Spurs.The way they run their offense where everyone gets a touch on the ball till anyone shoots. They play the percentage game to the book.With almost an unassailable 3-1 Lead in the final against the previously considered to be the invincible Heat they have proved that they are one the most disciplined organizations in the sporting world with a soon to be 5th title in 15 years. Kudos to Pop and Duncan to show us how Basketball should be played even in this individual superstar age.



I believe any team with such an incredible team offense and a sturdy defensive system will always be good like the Spurs but for Pop to make all the players to buy in to the system is just amazing. Long live the Spurs and long live their Legacy !!!!!.

All the Game 7's

This year, the NBA playoffs has been just crazy. In the super strong Western conference where even .500 performance will not guarantee a playoff spot all the first rounds were amazing.Portland became the first entrant to the 2nd round in the West today after a very hard fought series with Houston but it is going to be really tough for them from here as they cant just rely on their 3 point shooting. No team in the history of NBA has ever won the title solely dependent on their 3 ball.Still the dynamic backcourt of Lillard,Batum,Wesley Matthews and Mo Williams (who are all 3 point scorers) will be a handful for any playoff team. But I believe they are going to face tougher defensive systems than the Rockets in the ensuing rounds.

The Game 7's on Saturday

It is actually on Sunday morning India Time but anyways there are three exciting Game 7's. While everyone expected the West to be tough no one expected any Game 7's in the East. The top seed Indiana Pacers suddenly seems to have hit the pause button and with their star player Roy Hibbert looking like a Zombie out their against the lowly Hawks,things have started to get interesting in the East.

Hawks at Pacers

No one took the Hawks seriously even said that they were trying to tank at the end of the season which could open the door somehow for the Knicks but Atlanta ensured that they have no intention to give up yet. Man, they are suddenly looking like a tough team with an impressive backcourt and Paul Millsap being their anchor in the front court.But again like Portland they seem to be heavily dependent on 3 ball and somehow that never wins Championships.They might win this game against the fading Pacers. But if Indiana somehow regains their mojo in Roy Hibbert and win this game it could serve as a morale booster then they might be a serious contender for the Eastern Conference,

Grizzlies at Thunder

Wat can i say about the Grizzlies... If you want to see a Blue collar team with the pound and grind style of play,look no further than the Grizzlies. It is amazing to see how they just sloooowwww the game down and force the opponents to play at their pace. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are the best frontcourt in the world. I dont think there is ever a better passer than Gasol at the high post. I will be rooting for the Grizzlies for this game cause no one who plays the game like Russell Westbrook (dickhead !!!)deserves to win. I hope OKC loses this round and they blow up the team and separate Durant and Westbrook for good .This will help Durant as he can actually thrive with other supporting cast in OKC or in any other team and finally get the title he deserves. Cause winning with Westbrook doesnt seem right to me. But Zach Randolph is suspended for this crucial Game 7. Wat a dick move by the NBA in sidelining him for such an important game. Most probably the Grizzlies will make some changes in the off-season and Zach and Marc will be separated if they dont win now. That would be a shame so I would be supporting the Grizzlies to show their blue collar toughness against the Thunder to win the first round.

Warriors at Clippers

This has been a weird series. At the end of the season Clippers looked like they are one of the contenders for the Championships but they hardly played like one in this series. Golden State warriors are playing for their coach as Mark Jackson is almost certain to be fired if they didnt win in the first round. I thought Doc rivers would bring in the much needed system based play which the Clippers need to become an elite team but somehow the supporting cast barring Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes have been disappointing. They need something from Jared Dudley,Danny Granger and the inconsistent Blake Griffin.The very fact that they are struggling against a Bogut less Warriors is a testament to their weak performance. I believe it doesnt matter which team wins Game 7, they are gonna lose in the next round unless somehow they miraculously uplift their performance.

Why are the Spurs so good.... season after season

I always had this question that how can a basketball team made up of essentially three veterans of the past decade and a handful of other team rejects or very low draft picks seem to have a 60% win ratio in the past 16 seasons. Kelly Scaletta from BR had this wonderful report on the same.
Gregg Popovich, the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has established his place on the Mount Rushmore of coaches, alongside Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson and Pat Riley. What makes him and his team so successful, though?

Establishing he belongs with the greatest is not hard.
According to Basketball Reference, Popovich is 247 games over .500 for his career, putting him third all time.
If the Spurs win 58, he’ll move into second this season. Considering the Spurs are off to a 14-2 start, that’s a distinct possibility.
He is on pace to have his 16th consecutive season winning at least 60 percent of his games. No team in history, not even the Boston Celtics of the 60s, has ever come close to that. No other coach, not even Phil Jackson, has even brushed up against that.
In fact, after perusing Basketball Reference’s data, it appears no other coach or team has ever even had more than 12 such consecutive seasons.

That he has been able to have such a sustained level of success in a league that has extended to 30 teams and in an era of free agency, it’s all the more remarkable. When you consider that San Antonio is a small market, it’s phenomenal.
(The city of San Antonio is the seventh largest in the country, but based on market size, it is only 37th, making it the fourth-smallest market in the league).
With four wins in five finals appearances during that span and two Coach of the Year awards, the credentials are clearly there for Popovich to lay claim to the title of hands-down greatest active coach in the game. But, what has he done to get there?
There are three things that make him so successful: the X’s and O’s of his system, his cultivation of an atmosphere where players desire to put the team and system above individual glory and his developing a familial environment that relieves the pressures of the game.

The X’s and O’s


Ultimately, coaching begins with a system. Nothing else matters if you don’t have one. It’s very hard for a player to be where he is supposed to be on the court if he doesn’t have somewhere to be. That’s not a problem in San Antonio.
Popovich has developed an offense that is consistently one of the best in the league.
These are not your slightly older brother’s version of the Spurs that dominated the aughts with Duncan-led boring ball. No-sirree-Bob! These are the new and improved, Parker-led Spurs. These guys run up and down the court.
Since 2011, they are the seventh-fastest paced team and have the fourth-most efficient offense in the league. Only the Miami Heat have a higher effective field-goal percentage. How do they generate so much offense?
The Spurs' use of screens is outright beautiful. They’ll use pick-and-rolls, double screens, triple screens and even quadruple screens to set up an open shot. Here’s a perfect example. (This was literally the first play I looked at. I didn’t have to go scouring for one). Look at the number of screens set for Tony Parker on this “loop play” to create an open shot.

First, the Spurs set up a screen with Matt Bonner, also forcing the Utah Jazz into effectively screening out Parker’s defender, Alec Burks, and themselves as well. Burks fights through the screen, though, and keeps up.
Parker runs through the screen and loops around, where Kawhi Leonard sets a second pick. Now, Parker can either come around Leonard, catch the pass from Duncan and drive to the rim, having a serious mismatch against Richard Jefferson, or, if Burks can fight his way through the second screen (which he does) Parker can go high and let Duncan set a third one.
Now, Parker is running at full speed, and Duncan is setting the pick. Burks can’t get through the third screen, and Parker has the wide open jumper for an easy two.
This is the essence of Popovich’s offense. Create open shots by setting screens.
And, it’s not always multiple screens setting up a shot. Sometimes, it’s one player blocking out two players at one time. Watch Matt Bonner (sort of) screen two Orlando Magic to set up this open three for Marco Belinelli.
he Spurs run a beautiful kind of team game, with every player constantly doing his job. They use team ball to set up shots, and that’s on coaching.
The defense is no different in that, once again, it’s the team concept that rules the day.
Popovich likes to have as many players as possible in the paint, keeping it packed, utilizing as much of the three seconds as possible. Each defender bobs in and out, maximizing the time they can spend in the paint. This sort of discipline comes from practice and deliberate coaching.
They shift their perimeter defenders to the strong side, and when the ball gets passed to the opposite side, they just seamlessly flow to where the ball is, always keeping the paint packed and the point of attack protected. Again, this issues from coaching.
The Spurs have ridden this team-oriented defense to the second-best efficiency in the NBA.
There’s no “I” in Spurs, but there is a “U”.
The amazing thing about the Spurs is that they’ve had so much success in spite of the lack of perceived “talent” on the team. For a team without it, they have an awful lot of it.
Consider the facts.
Apart from Duncan, who was taken first overall in 1997, the Spurs start Leonard (taken 15th), Parker (taken 28th), Tiago Splitter (taken 28th) and Danny Green (taken 46th).
Green came within a Ray Allen miracle of going from the D-League to the NBA Finals MVP.
The other heavy rotation players include Boris Diaw (whom they picked up off the waiver wire), Manu Ginobili (taken 57th), Marco Belinelli (signed with a mid-level exception) and Patty Mills (taken 55th).
This is a group of players that Popovich has developed into something more than they were before they got there. If you have a few players who end up being more than you thought they’d be, it’s good fortune. When it’s virtually every player you coach, it’s good coaching.
There are no attention-seeking glory hounds on this roster, and there is no room for them.
It helps that leadership, from the owner, Peter Holt (if you’re not a Spurs fan, you probably couldn’t even name him), down to the stars, Duncan, Parker and Ginobili, all buy into the philosophy. The system is what matters here.
For the Spurs, ultimately, it’s Popovich who calls the shots. Make no mistake about it. Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated quotes Manu Ginobili.
If Pop is really mad, then you drop the discussion. We might talk for 10 minutes about how to defend the pick-and-roll, and he may change his idea. But once he is convinced that is the way, then that is the way. And if you don’t follow, you end up in the Pop doghouse.
The players all buy into the system, in part because they’re required to, but in part because it works. This amalgamation of lottery leftovers and waiver-wire waifs has had greater team success, but each individual has also enjoyed a greater career for having bought into the system.
On the Spurs, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and each part has become happily greater because he has been content to merely be a part of the whole. There are no divas on this team. They have no place here.
Cultivating a Culture of Winning
For a man name Gregg, there are a lot of “gr” words that describe him well. “Great” comes to mind, but so do “grump” and “gruff.” Then again, so does “gregarious,” “gravity” and occasionally it seems (on the inside at least) “grinning.”
Perhaps the best word, though, is “grandpa.” The particular mix of grumpy and love he seems to deliver to both players and commentators alike is grandfatherly. How apt that his nickname is “Pop.”
For all the task-mastering Popovich does, he does so with a genuine concern for his players. They realize this, and it pays dividends. They want to play for him. They want to play for each other.
And, this is something absolutely cultivated by Popovich. As he reveals to Golliver.
Yes, we’re disciplined with what we do. But that’s not enough. Relationships with people are what it’s all about. You have to make players realize you care about them. And they have to care about each other and be interested in each other. Then they start to feel a responsibility toward each other. Then they want to do for each other.
And I have always thought it helps if you can make it fun, and one of the ways you do that is let them think you’re a little crazy, that you’re interested in things outside of basketball. ‘Are there weapons of mass destruction? Or aren’t there? What, don’t you read the papers?’ You have to give the message that the world is wider than a basketball court.
In this little bit of goofiness on the bench between Ginobili and Duncan here, you see the kind of harmless fun that happens on a team where the players have a genuine affection for one another. That’s a chemistry cultivated by Popovich.
With other coaches, the tough, exacting style that Popovich has wears players down over time, but the reason he has been able to sustain success with it for 16 years and counting is because he blends together his expert understanding and exacting style with a human side.
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." It's an apt expression to describe the relationship between the Spurs and their coach. In short, it’s more than what Popovich does that makes him so successful, it’s who he is.
It’s not any one of those three things that account for his success as much as it is the way he’s managed to weave them together into something that has become what you expect from Spurs basketball.

***
Often, when people discuss the Spurs, they ask whether Duncan made Popovich or Popovich made Duncan. That’s the wrong question. Duncan would be great anywhere, and so would Popovich. But Parker, Ginobili, Bruce Bowen and a host of other players are who they are because they had Pop.

He didn’t make Duncan great, but he turned the Spurs into a great franchise. Outside of Jerry West and the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s hard to think of any one person who has had a greater impact on one team for so long a time. He truly is one of the great coaches in the history of the game.

Article on bird flipping atheletes : Kohli makes the cover

Just saw the report from Br
Link

Possible Offensive sets by the Celtics in 2013

Read this wonderful article in BR about the sets to be employed by Brad Stevens - the new coach of the Celtics.
Offensive Sets
Stevens has a number of preferred sets he likes to run in order to create open shots. They're designed to put players in a position to make a play, whether it's isolating a big man in the post or giving a guard a driving angle.
Spread
Butler upset the No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers early last season in a fantastic game they pulled out in overtime. In crunch time, Stevens ran this stretch set for crucial possessions. It allowed Butler to give its best player, Rotnei Clarke, the ball with space to operate and make a high-percentage play.
A popular set at every level, including the NBA, Stevens spreads his wings in the corners and bigs in the paint. This gives the point guard extra room to work.

From here, the ball-handler is in a playmaker position. Stevens can allow him to work one-on-one in an attempt to beat his man and draw a help defender.
For this particular play, Stevens called for a high-ball screen with a big man who can shoot it.
The Celtics frequently ran out high-ball screens for Rajon Rondo, which is something Stevens is likely to continue calling. Given the open court he has to work with, Rondo's quickness and craftiness off the dribble makes him difficult to contain on the perimeter.
Rondo and Kelly Olynyk, Boston's promising pick-and-pop rookie center, could thrive playing the two-man game in this set. Butler converted on the same play later in overtime, spreading three players out at the baseline and sending the big man out for a ball screen.
This time, the ball-handler uses the screen and hesitation dribble to penetrate and get to the rack.
Flex Offense
The flex offense, which is popular at the college level, is predicated on ball movement, screens and motion. Jerry Sloan is most famous for using it in the pros.
It's an offense that sees constant action with a variety of different options and Plan Bs to fall back on. Below, Butler goes into the flex offense by using cross screens (or flex cuts) and spacing to isolate Matt Howard, their top post player, in his sweet spot with room to operate.

If the defense is able to take away Howard in the post, Butler could then reverse it, where more down-screening action and movement is ready to take place.
The ball keeps moving until a mismatch or open shot is finally found.
You can expect Jeff Green to play a huge role in this offense. At 6'9'', he's got the size of a 4 and the skill set of a 3. Green should see a number of favorable matchups that coach Stevens will try and exploit.
And by trading Paul Pierce, the Celtics lost their top shot-creator. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Stevens implement some flex sets into Boston's offense to help open up some scoring opportunities.
Box Set
Stevens likes to run box sets, which run a number of quick-hitter plays to set up open looks and jumpers.
The offense sets up like a box with a man at each corner of the key.
In this case, the guard at the far low block circles around the top of the key, gets a screen from the high-post man and cuts to the near wing.

Once he gets the ball, the initial far-post screener follows and sets a ball screen before slipping into space for the open pick-and-pop.
With big men like Olynyk, Green, Brandon Bass and Jared Sullinger capable of knocking down mid-range jumpers, Stevens should have some of these box sets ready to go.
Execution
College isn't the NBA, where you can put the ball in a guy's hands and expect him to go get you a bucket.
Coaches need to rely on play-calling and their teams' ability to execute. This is where Stevens' teams typically shine. Like Rivers used to do in Boston, Steven can draw up some pretty impressive stuff with a clipboard. Within a play, each player needs to do their part, whether it's being a decoy in the corner or setting an important screen. Take a look at a little misdirection play Stevens uses to pick up an easy half-court bucket.
While the ball is moving on one side, the back screen is happening on the other, hence the misdirection. But the play was made possible by Butler's ability to draw Wisconsin's big man away from the rim. This is really all about recognition and setting an effective screen. Butler timed the play beautifully and executed it to perfection. Without Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the Celtics will be looking to pick up as many easy buckets as possible. And Stevens' mind, playbook and point guard should allow them to do so.

Defensive Rebounding
One of the great qualities about most Brad Stevens teams is that they clean the defensive glass. KenPom has Butler's defense ranked No. 11 in the country in opponent offensive-rebounding rate. Butler has been ranked in the top 20 three times since 2010 and at 40 or better since 2009. Without Garnett, Stevens is likely to put a large emphasis on defensive rebounding. This is an area where the rookie Olynyk needs to improve and one that Sullinger must establish his presence in.
The Fit
Throughout his time at Butler, Stevens has mostly stuck to a man-to-man defense. Offensively, there's nothing spectacularly unusual about his system. There are no surprises or special tricks Stevens has in his bag on either side of the ball. He seems to have a counter for everything and a sense that smells weakness. Stevens has the right plays for right moment for the right people. No system or defensive scheme is going to make this Boston team a contender in 2013-14. But Stevens' savvy game-planning and organization-first approach should be a great long-term addition and fit with this team. If Rondo can remain patient, he and Stevens could probably pull off some pretty magical stuff on the offensive end.
Thanks to Jonathan Wasserman for the above illustrative article on sets.

NBA Playoffs Post game chat

OKC Vs Denver Nuggets

Wat an Amazing game today at Altitude City. Denver Nuggets enjoying a good season with the acquisition of players like Igoudala and Mcgee to their roster really gave an interesting match with the defending Western Conf Champs OKC. Westbrook hit the stride in the first half but it is the turnovers coupled with the amazing transition offense of Denver which gave them a sizeable advantage into the second half.
It should be mentioned that the little known Wilson Chandler had a career night today with more than 30 points in a team which usually shares the points with the bench. The Denver bench was amazing as always outscoring their OKC counterparts. But OKC never ,had a bench it is just Durant & Westbrook accounting for almost 80 points amongst themselves.

As expected OKC made a late 4th Quarter Comeback and even managed to tie it in the last minute. But Ty Lawson had other ideas when he made an improbable jump shot over Sefalosha in the last second and Denver won. Wat an amazing match between the 2nd and 4th place team in the Western Conf. Cant wait for the playoffs I believe OKC should perform way better than last year to win a rejuvenated Western conf with teams like the Clippers, Nuggets etc.