Ball or Nuthin'

Memphis Struggles Late, But Forces Game 6

T Lamont — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:08:27 +0000

Before the postseason started, the Grizzlies were tabbed as ‘the team that nobody wants to play.’

A more accurate moniker would seem to be ‘the team that nobody wants to play…until the fourth quarter.’

Amid some more very shaky moments in the final period, Memphis held on at home to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers, 92-80, forcing a Game 6 in their first-round series.

Much like the series opener, the Clippers allowed the Grizzlies to get out to a huge lead in the second and third quarters. And, also much like the season opener, L.A. stormed back behind its stellar bench play. In particular, Mo Williams came in and lifted the visitors with his shooting, while Reggie Evans provided his usual hustle and rebounding to give his team extra possessions.

But on this night, the Grizzlies were able to stave off the Clippers because of two big reasons: injuries to the Clippers’ big two players, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Will the Clippers be able to rebound from Griffin's injury?

On an ugly spill late in the third quarter, Griffin hyperextended his left knee. Surprisingly, Griffin, who was fouled on the play, elected to shoot the free throws, which allowed him to remain eligible for the remainder of the contest. But the damage to Griffin was done, as he was unable to play with his customary level of aggression after the ailment.

In the middle of L.A.’s late-game comeback attempt, Chris Paul appeared to tweak his previously injured groin on a couple of different plays. First, he couldn’t execute a one-on-one move, and the look on his face displayed discomfort. On the other end of the court, CP3 reached for his groin area while battling in the paint for a defensive rebound with the bigs.

Memphis once again stumbled down the home stretch, encountering many of the same lapses in execution that tormented them in their first loss of the series. The Grizzlies began letting Mike Conley run around screens on the perimeter, either looking for his own offense or to create for another team member. They also negated the positive effects of getting the ball into the hands of Zach Randolph or Marc Gasol (in the post). They started relying heavily on bailout jumpers with the game clock running down, which is not one of their strengths.

Eventually, the Grizzlies got Rudy Gay on a post up in the key and a drive to the basket for a layup that put a halt to the Clipper momentum. Plus, Memphis got an added boost from the defensive intensity of Quincy Pondexter, who was assigned to Paul at the end game. Pondexter used his quickness to keep Paul in front of him, and used his length to combat any field goal attempts.

Although the Grizzlies didn’t look good in the process, they did enough to earn a trip back to L.A.

Next, they’ll have to dethrone Paul and Griffin on their home turf.

Miami Eliminates Carmelo Anthony…Uh…the Knicks

T Lamont — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:30:16 +0000

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Watching the humbling end to the New York Knicks season, I was a little confused as to how I should feel.

LeBron James and the Miami Heat took care of business in a rather casual fashion on Wednesday night, eliminating the Knicks from the playoffs with a 106-94 victory in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

On paper, the matchup between the two teams appears to be rather intriguing. Both teams are filled with offensive talent. Miami’s roster contains the likes of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, while New York boasts the skills of Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and J.R. Smith. The Knicks also have the added benefit from the defensive services of Tyson Chandler.

From the peripheral, New York should give the Heat all they can handle…and more. But this series proved to be quite the opposite.

Miami dominated New York in just about every way possible. Their defensive speed swarmed the seventh-seeded team. Their offense lived in the paint, getting consistent penetration which their above-the-rim wingmen have been finishing with ease.

But most importantly, the Heat played together with more urgency than the Knicks.

When asked how his team was able to expel their opponents from the postseason, James indicated that Miami was able to play with great intensity to get the job done. However, anyone who saw tonight’s game would certainly disagree with James’ assessment. The home team absolutely cruised to its win, playing off of the unselfish cohabitation of three stars who aren’t threatened by sharing their individual successes for a greater good. While LeBron can be – and clearly has been, criticized for his sometimes apparent lack of aggression in key situations, he, along with Wade and Bosh, have not undermined the abilities of each other or their lesser talented teammates. The Heat’s ‘Big Three’ combined for 67 points. But in the critical close-out game of the series, they allow their teammates to shine, as they contributed 39 points.

As for the Knicks, well, they were a different story.

New York just didn’t have the cohesion that Miami did. The Heat operated with a purpose, and their parts fit together to achieve the goal at hand. The Knicks didn’t seem to have a feasible offensive game plan. And aside from that, their defensive intensity left a lot to be desired.

Anthony needs to figure out how to score and facilitate the New York offense.

So, their loss was expected.

But my confused feelings begin and end with Anthony. As the contest wound down, ‘Melo looked as if he were determined to continue to go after it on the offensive end – which, of course, is no surprise. However, Anthony’s competitiveness made me feel a sense of sorrow for the elite scorer. His heart to win is undoubtedly in the right place, and he plays with all of the aggression that you would count on from a franchise player.

Unfortunately, Anthony is currently a victim of his own strength. ‘Melo is perhaps the best scorer in the league (notice that I didn’t say shooter, or finisher…but scorer), but he simply does not know how to leverage the skills of his teammates to take his team to another level. Sure, Anthony’s not a point guard. But to a certain degree, he has to learn how to be a point forward. The makeup of his current team requires it from him,and he has to figure it out.

So, yes, my heart goes out Carmelo Anthony.

But it also goes out to Stoudemire and Smith, players who’ll never realize their potential playing alongside one of the NBA’s best players.

Lakers Get Beat by Andre Miller and JaVale McGee

T Lamont — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:11:26 +0000

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Go ahead, admit it…when Kobe Bryant got hot late in the fourth quarter, you thought the Nuggets were about to go fishin’.

Kobe did his thing tonight, putting up his 14th 40-point playoff performance (43 pts, 5 3FGM). But the Lakers could not seal the deal in Staples against Denver, mainly because of two matchups:

Andre Miller vs. Steve Blake

For some reason, Mike Brown allowed Steve Blake to be picked apart by one of the league’s premier veteran point guards, Andre Miller. In the third, and most of the fourth quarters, George Karl’s team worked behind the pace-setting skills of Miller. Miller primarily operated one-on-one against Blake, without any adjustment from Brown or the Lakers’ coaches. A defensive switch – maybe putting Ramon Session, or even Kobe Bryant on Miller – would have changed the flow of the game. Such an adjustment would have forced the Nuggets to find another playmaker to control their offense, and that would have been detrimental to Denver’s ability to avoid elimination in Game 5.

JaVale McGee vs. L.A.’s Entire Front Line

Welcome to a franchise of importance, JaVale McGee. McGee, long ridiculed as a bonehead, unintelligent player (to put it nicely), has disproved a lot of his detractors. His performances with the Nuggets – under coach Karl – have been markedly better, and McGee clearly does not look lost…as he appeared to be at times in Washington. It seems as if McGee is being purposefully coached, and he is responding well. (For further proof that the Wizards coaches, staff and franchise are the real problem, also look at the turnaround that Nick Young has made with the Clippers).

McGee made the Lakers' bigs look slow in Game 5.

Nevertheless, McGee was dominant in all areas that a big man needs to be. He controlled the paint by attacking the glass, blocking (and altering) shots, and finishing with power at the tin. McGee single-handedly outplayed the entire Lakers’ front court (21 pts., 14 rebs., 2 blks.) – not necessarily by statistics – by having tons of energy and being aggressive. The former Wizard had his own personal dunk contest tonight. McGee showed that he was quicker, more athletic, could jump higher and faster to the ball than Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol all night long.

The Nuggets lived to fight another day. The loss was tough for Los Angeles, but they are a team that is able to win in Denver. L.A.’s issues have more to do with execution rather than mismatches, and their discipline needs to improve if they want to avoid coming back home for a Game 7.

Cole Hamels Beans Rookies?

T Lamont — Tue, 08 May 2012 02:56:32 +0000

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On Sunday night, Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels made his presence felt – and felt bold enough to let us know about it.

How did he do it?

By dominating the Nationals at home, only allowing one run on five hits in 8 innings. By striking out 8 batters and walking only one.

Oh, and by beaning 19-year-old Washington sensation, Bryce Harper.

Now, batters being hit by pitches is not a totally rare occurrence…and neither is batters being hit by pitches on purpose. Traditionally, pitchers will bean hitters to send some type of message to the opposition. Usually, this is done when a team feels that it is being disrespected in some way.

But that’s not how Hamels operates:

That’s right…Cole Hamels beans players because they are rookies. Here’s his quote again:

“I was trying to hit him. I’m not going to deny it. It’s just…welcome to the big leagues.”

What? Does that make any sense?

Has anyone ever seen or heard of major league pitchers singling out first-year players to be the victims of 93 mph fastballs? Has anyone witnessed Hamels being the ‘rookie assassin’ that his quote claims that he is?

Something is extremely fishy about the lefty’s remarks. It’s almost seems to be a smoke screen that Hamels is trying to use to disguise the truth behind his actions.

Maybe Hamels wants a cool mohawk with the attached sideburn and beard lineup? Or perhaps Cole despises the lack of highlight material that comes with being a pitcher, as opposed to a hotshot outfielder? Or, in general, could Hamels simply be hating on the swag surrounding the youngster?

Regardless, Hamels was hit with a five-game suspension from major league baseball.

And based on what we recently witnessed in another professional sport, the authorities were extremely gracious with this punishment.

In the NBA, fans just observed Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace deliver a crushing elbow to the side of Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden’s head. Harden was held out of the next game with concussion-like symptoms, but clearly there was an issue of intent. World Peace stated emphatically that he did not know that Harden was in the area, and that he was celebrating. Obviously, the tape proves otherwise…however, the Laker did not go as far as to admit that he conducted the act with full intent. He was hit with a seven-game suspension (which he is still in the process of serving). The seven-game hit was severe for World Peace because he is an everyday player – meaning his absence will impact the outcome of each of the seven games that he will miss.

Hamels, however, will have only been scheduled to start one contest out of the five games that he will miss. So, in essence, Hamels is only being suspended for one game.

Now that’s unacceptable.

Considering that he went to the point of admitting that he purposely committed the action – and for no reason in particular – shouldn’t his penalty be stiffer than that of World Peace’s?

Sure, baseball may not be the contact sport that football or basketball is. But with the recent emphasis on protecting the well-being of athletes, it shouldn’t be long before major league baseball jumps on board.

And this would be the perfect spot.

Steve Blake Steps Up in Lakers’ Game 4 Victory

T Lamont — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:08:25 +0000

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The Denver Nuggets have done what seemed to be impossible…

…they’ve injected a sense of interest into this first-round matchup between themselves and the Los Angeles Lakers.

They dropped Game 1 in an unspectacular fashion. Game 2 was a more contested game, but ultimately the Lakers assumed enough control late to keep the Nuggets at bay.

Then came a switch of scenery from Staples to the Pepsi Center. And the location change gave the sixth-seed a boost. And some key adjustments from the seasoned George Karl delivered a Game 3 win for Denver, as well as some exciting moments for the Mile High fans. Here’s what worked well for Karl:

- Karl inserted the veteran, Andre Miller, into the lineup and he came up big. Miller allowed Denver to play at the pace that they desired, and created opportunities for Ty Lawson – and the result was that the Nuggets had two playmakers on the court at the same time. Miller’s patience and passing are a good fit against a team with the playoff experience like Los Angeles.

- Denver got rid of Kosta Koufus and gave more minutes to JaVale McGee and Timofey Mozgov. Pairing McGee with rookie forward Kenneth Fareid provides Karl with the boundless energy that infuses the play of the team. McGee’s supreme athleticism gives the added benefit of shot blocking, which is something that Andrew Bynum rarely has to contend with. The Nuggets also get more mobility from Mozgov than they did from Koufus, so expect to see McGee and Mozgov manning the middle for the remainder of the serious.

So, Denver has managed a 51-45 advantage going into the break. Let’s see how the second half progresses:

3rd Quarter:

8:37 – Lots of back and forth with each team trying to establish their style of play. Kobe Bryant gets a couple of quick buckets to bring the Lakers a bit closer.

L.A. 53, Denver 56

7:09 – The modest halftime lead has now evaporated for the home team. Six unanswered points have given L.A. the lead after Pau Gasol swishes a baseline jumper. Is it time for Miller and McGee?

L.A. 57, Denver 56

3:05 – Good defense by both teams is making scoring tough. But Andrew Bynum steps up and blocks an Al Harrington layup, and follows with a dunk. But Denver comes back with a three from Corey Brewer, and a fast break putback bucket from Aaron Afflalo .

L.A. 61, Denver 63

1:20 – Bryant spins to the hoop for a layup, and McGee follows with a reverse finish for Denver. Next comes another triple for Brewer.

L.A. 66, Denver 69

0:00 – The Nuggets have a possession that ends with Andre Miller getting to the tin for a deuce. However, the Lakers end the third with a penetration kickout to Jordan Hill for a short jumper

L.A. 70, Denver 71

The third quarter saw some increased defensive intensity as both teams struggled to gain momentum on the offensive end of the court. Denver desperately needs Danilo Gallinari to come to the forefront and show up with the game on the line. The Lakers played slightly better, and Bryant seems to be priming himself for an outburst in the final quarter. Stay tuned.

The Lakers got great fourth quarter production from Steve Blake.

4th Quarter:

9:20 – Steve Blake and Ramon Sessions each can jumpers (a long deuce and a trey) to give the Lakers a boost with their big dogs on the bench. Denver hangs tough with a three from Harrington, but Gasol swishes a jumper as well.

L.A. 77, Denver 76

7:14 – A flurry ended with a follow-dunk by Jordan Hill, who is putting up another great game for L.A. 12 points, 9 rebounds at the moment…

L.A. 80, Denver 76

4:43 – Blake coming through again with a jumper from the corner after a three-possession sequence. Andre Miller responds with a hoop to keep things nip and tuck.

L.A. 82, Denver 80

3:10 – Big turnover by an over-penetration from Kobe…and Afflalo gets a layup on the resulting fast break. Bynum gets two in the paint, and Kenneth Fareid bricks a pair of freebies. What happens next? Bryant for two more.

L.A. 86, Denver 82

2:42 – Gallinari, who’s been extremely quiet of late, hits two free throws. The Lakers don’t convert on their end, and a long pass ahead by the Nuggets leads to Gallinari getting blocked by…Steve Blake.

L.A. 86, Denver 84

1:43 – While Denver is struggling to find its closer, the Lakers pound the rock down into Bynum. The big fella gets fouled, and misses both at the line. Who’s gonna get the call for the home team?

L.A. 86, Denver 84

0:48 – Lawson comes off a curl and bricks a triple. Sessions misses a jumper, and the Nuggets race down the floor to give Gallinari and opportunity – and he swishes a deep two. L.A. comes back down…Gallinari is knocked to the hardwood from a Gasol screen, and Sessions hits a trey to put the Lakers back on top.

L.A. 89, Denver 86

0:40 – Harrington drives to the rim and his layup hits off the back iron. Miller follows but gets called for offensive interference. The basket is waved off.

L.A. 89, Denver 86

0:18 – The visitors quickly get into their offense…and a Bryant penetration draws the defense leaving Blake wide open. And, once again, Blake knocks it down – for three.

L.A. 92, Denver 86

0:07 – The Nuggets go to Gallinari, and he is off on a three from the top of the key. Blake (who else?) gets the rebound and is fouled. He misses both FTs, and Denver comes down for the quick two.

L.A. 92, Denver 88

0:00 – A very weird exchange to end the game. Figuring that they need to knock down some free throws, L.A. inbounds the ball to Bryant. With hands slapping him, the refs don’t make the call – Kobe loses the rock, the Nuggets pick it up and Brewer hoists a long errant shot to end the contest. Seems as if the refs knew the game was over before the rest of us did.

Final Score: L.A. 92, Denver 88

This game was decided in the first half. The Nuggets’ inability to establish a more sizable advantage going into the second half spelled trouble for a team that doesn’t have a true go-to-performer. Denver didn’t have enough scorers step up down the stretch. Conversely, the timely shooting contributions from Steve Blake made the difference for the Lakers.

Denver will have to attempt to create their own tempo early and often in Game 5. If they are unable to generate quick offense, their season will end in L.A.