Erick Blasco

http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2010/11/20/1826754/sacramento-kings-breakdown-rugged-kings-need-more-polish

Drew the help, AJ had an easy layup because Ilgauskas can't contest and get back to try and rebound. D-Will eats ankles for dinner.

lol, that's funny!

This is a gutty win if the Blazers can finish off. A win over Orlando, and then to go on the road and win in Phoenix on the second night of a back-to-back is very impressive.

Oh absolutely, the Mavs have been extremely impressive, especially on defense. They're playing some of the best basketball in the league. What they did to the Jazz last week, especially, was masterful. If they play the same way throughout the season, this Mavs team has more teeth than that gutless Finals loser from earlier in the decade. The cast isn't the same, and may be a touch worse, but it's as if Dirk and Cuban have finally grown up. This Mavs team has some sophistication and it's caught my attention.

Coach Nick looked at this game with his breakdown. Lots of good things to say all around. http://bballbreakdown.com/

It's funny because it's true!

Because it's really hard, and really inefficient, and really hard, and the goals of most offenses are to score as close as possible---layups and threes just beyond the arc---and it's really hard. If you chuck a 50-footer, the defense has prevented a layup and allowed a really tough three. Plus, if you do it early in the shot clock, you've prevented the opposing team from even trying on defense. Plus most good defenses pressure the ball when it's brought up the court. This sounds like a question that would be asked by Antoine Walker...

I doubt that there are better fans in the league than Bulls fans.

Feb 2008

You were a bit off...

Ahhhh, my bad.

Two of those guys aren't rotation players (is Mardy Collins in the league? He was awful), and one is a niche player in a system perfect for him. So it's the Spurs last decade vs Jordan Hill's future. If you want in-game scouting, the Lakers are pretty good, and Boston is excellent. Good defense means good players, good coaching, and good scouting.

Mr. Paul should be a bit higher than 13... Kevin Martin, Hedo Turkoglu, and Antawn Jamison shouldn't be anywhere near this list.

24 points and 16 assists with zero turnovers...that's a pretty good line.

As long as LeBron is obsessed with himself, I'm fine with Woj's obsession with undermining LeBron.

my favorite actor

He does wobble too much, and I wish he wasn't so wishy-washy...he says he's going to do a comprehensive point guard breakdown soon and I hope he sticks to one gun during that one. I think he's going to look at the Bulls soon, and I'm prepared to hear, "Derrick Rose is by far the best point guard in the NBA." I think he stuck Barnes into the title in that Barnes' stupid technical was the turning point according to him. As for the individual points, Brandon, you NEVER give Kobe an open jumper. He'll make those shots nearly all the time. You always fight through against a good shooter and trust your defense against the threat of Kobe's drive. When Bell went over the screens, the Jazz had some decent success against Kobe, and they took away the passes to Gasol. Kobe hit a tough three, but most of the other plays were strung out very well. That's good defense. Taking a short cut and giving Kobe an open jumper is playing Russian roulette. I think the outrage on the Kirielnko foul is that Kobe isn't going up to shoot to make the shot. If it goes in, it's fluky. He's trying to strictly draw a foul. I don't agreee with Coach Nick's outrage, but I can see where he's coming from. It's like what John Wall did a few weeks ago when he chucked up a 50 footer knowing Philadelphia had a foul to give and was going to foul him. Nobody actually takes 50 footers trying to make them (unless you're Vince Carter). With the Kobe standing around thing, Fisher was back balancing the floor.Kobe could've simply backed up to the middle to receive an emergency pass. He and Fisher just stood in the same place. you can see Fish trying to set a screen for Kobe towards the end and Kobe ignored it. With the shot clock thing, the Jazz could easily have rotated. They had plenty of time. With the way the Jazz defense was set up, the help defender responsible for Gasol was standing in front of the basket. Gasol would've had a mid-range jumper. I trust Gasol rolling or popping from 15 more than Artest on a corner three, but I'm not going to be too hard. I think Kobe found an open man which is a good play. I even appreciate Kobe's trust in Artest. A left-handed bounce pass moving away from the target is incredibly difficult. Few players can make them, and most of their names start with Steve, Deron, or Chris. Maybe Rondo can make that pass, but most defenses never go under screens so I have no idea. It's not much of an insult to say that Kobe can't make that pass. LeBron and Wade can't. If he tries to use two hands, the Jazz would've probably clogged the hole and Kobe would've had a more looping pass which would've allowed the defense to close to Gasol. He also did talk about Fisher making an awful pass, and it's hard to describe EVERY single play in a basketball game. He focused on general trends, Deron Williams, and the close of the game. About the D-Will stuff, look at those assist numbers and his team's offensive execution. If he makes the right play and misses good shots, he'll usually make---I mean what are you going to do, destroy a guy for missing a few open jumpers? Also, it's impossible for someone to watch every single moment of every single game, and even more impossible to post scouting reports on it. He probably was watching Jazz-Lakers because they're two high profile teams, just like his work on the Heat. He wasn't getting on Blake for missing shots really, just those two awful decisions to pick up his dribble to early and try some scoop layup. It's very important for players to stay within their roles. I also think he does a good job. Most of what he's said is stuff I agree with in my own analysis. There are disagreements, but at least he shows his work and makes analysis based on his work. If you have a counter you can show of a few pocket passes Kobe's made, go ahead. I don't remember him making any left-handed pocket bounce passes. All I remember off the top of my head is D-Will and Nash. I've seen much less of Chris Paul, so I can't explicitly say that he would've made that pass either.

Coach Nick wasn't a fan of Steve Blake against the Jazz, and raves about Deron Williams. Check it out! http://bballbreakdown.com/

Have you seen Murphy play this year? I have. The guy has offered nothing. Until he gets himself back into shape to track down rebounds, he has no right to complain about playing time, not when Kris Humphries is kicking his [expletive].

No they don't. They need to find a solution by the second round of the playoffs.They still have the third most wins in the Eastern Conference guys.

Any team led by Sloan and D-Will will have big time heart, but the Jazz need to start playing better early in games against the Lakers. They spend so much time running their system junk early on, the Lakers scout it to death, and the Jazz have to spend entire games playing catch up. This string of fortune won't last forever.

lmao, I thought this thread was about Jeff Van Gundy calling Mark Jackson ignorant.

I don't think they're talented enough, though I'd like to see Hibbert...I haven't seen him play this year. They run a real good offense. Lots of movement, well-spaced, some Princeton stuff, lots of curls and pindowns into screen/rolls. I'm not sure if they have the one-on-one scorers to beat Boston, Orlando, Miami, and Chicago in the playoffs.

I mean I know why it's not on ESPN--9 start time with a college game after the first NBA game (a good matchup in Orlando-Miami), but Utah-New Orleans needs some more national attention. From what I remember, none of their four games are Nationally Televised, and that's a disservice to NBA fans in my opinion.