Knicks expect Anthony to miss 1-2 weeks (AP)
The New York Knicks say they expect Carmelo Anthony to miss a week or two with a strained right groin. Anthony was hurt Monday, leaving after six minutes of a 99-88 victory over Utah and continuing an injury-plagued season. Anthony has missed three games with various ankle, wrist and hand injuries and shot poorly in a handful of others while playing through the pain.
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What Can the Miami Heat Expect from Mike Miller When He Returns
Mike Miller won’t shoot 6-of-6 from beyond the arc every night. I’m terribly sorry to disappoint those who believe in fairy tales, but it’s not going to happen.
However, I will tell you this. If Dwyane Wade gets healthy again and Mike Miller maintains his health throughout the regular and postseason, the Miami Heat will be extremely difficult to stop on their way to a championship.
Since July of 2010, the Heat have had it all to win a championship. They’ve got their slashers (LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, big men (Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem) and sharpshooters (Mike Miller and James Jones). Unfortunately for them, the team has yet to play at 100 percent. Not once since the time that all these players were brought together have the Heat played at full strength.
Last year was a mess. Not only did the big three have to gel within their new surroundings, but they also had to deal with the losses of Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller. While many will discount these two and pass them to the side, those two could have played key roles down the stretch that the big three couldn’t possibly do consistently.
Both players were there for the NBA Finals, but they were hampered by injuries so drastic and nagging that they weren’t nearly up to full health. It wasn’t even until October that Haslem said he was healthy, and if you couldn’t tell by Miller’s shot for the entire season, you would notice that he wasn’t up to par with the Miller that shot 48 percent from beyond the arc the previous year.
Haslem was missed for so many reasons that don’t show up in the stat column. He has a hard-work ethic that tends to rub off on his teammates, can hit the mid-range jumper, is arguably the league’s best rebounder and is the best defender of big men. When you attempt to replace him with Joel Anthony and Juwan Howard, you’re obviously not going to get the same results.
I knew that Miller was definitely missed throughout the 2010-11 season, but I didn’t realize to what extent until I saw him play healthy for the first time in a Miami Heat uniform against the San Antonio Spurs.
The purpose of bringing Miller was to not only have another scoring threat on the floor, but to have that main perimeter threat. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh aren’t three-point threats. Mario Chalmers is coming into his own as one this year, but he was still wildly inconsistent last year. Eddie House was streaky all year, and James Jones doesn’t provide any defense or intangibles to warrant playing time.
By the way, if you were wondering why you didn’t see Jones that much this year, there’s your reason. Coach Erik Spoelstra favors defense too much to have a player like Jones on the floor. He’d much rather have a defender and solid perimeter threat like Shane Battier on the floor before he puts Jones out there to guard the opposing shooting guard or small forward.
Back to Miller, though. He’ll get playing time this year because unlike Jones, Miller provides a lot more than just three-point shooting. He hustles after every ball if you haven’t noticed already, is a decent rebounder and defender and can create his own shot. If Miller maintains his health and continues shooting like he did in his first game back, you won’t see Jones until garbage time.
On a team like the Heat, there’s nothing more important on offense than creating space. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade aren’t shooters, and they don’t want to be. They’re slashers, and they’re content with being such. It’s difficult for them to get open when the attention’s focused solely on them, but it makes it even more difficult when there aren’t any other consistent threats to look to.
The same goes for Chris Bosh. He’s not primarily a slasher, as he can consistently hit the mid-range jumper, but he also resides within the perimeter. That causes even more problems for the Heat, as they now have two slashers and one slasher/mid-range shooter all attempting to get a shot off near the painted area.
A lot of wires get crossed in those situations. If you have three players, four if you add Udonis Hasle—who’s usually on with those three, playing within the perimeter—you give the defense no reason to be worried about a three-point shooter. Even though those shots are only worth one more point, defenses will purposely adjust so that they can limit the three-point shooting of the opposition.
Since Spoelstra is so adamant about sticking to the plan and playing defense, that leaves the Heat in a bind. They have a whole bunch of players that like to drive and either Mario Chalmers or Shane Battier. Those two can hit their fair share, but no opposing defense will adjust just so that they can defend the perimeter shooting of Chalmers and Battier.
That’s where a player like Miller comes in. Teams will adjust to Miller’s three-point shooting because they recognize how consistent of a shooter he is. He’s a 40 percent career shooter from downtown and has shot as well as 48 percent, which came in the year before he joined Miami.
Take note that it was also on a Washington Wizards team that didn’t have many players attracting attention like Wade and James.
Three-point shooters space the floor. It’s an obvious fact that we all know of. If you have a bunch of players that like to drive in and score around the rim, you’re going to need a consistent three-point threat that can be there to kick out to and hit the wide-open shot. Miller has proven too many times in the past about his shooting abilities, and now that he’s healthy, he can finally pick up where he left off.
As nice as it is to see Miller hustle after every loose ball, the Heat brought him here to shoot. He’s supposed to be the shooter for the Heat. They gave him $30 million over the next five years for the sole purpose of being the shooter who can be relied on by the big three when they’re being double or tripled teamed.
The beautiful thing about this Heat team is that there are constant double teams. Dwyane Wade is too quick to be contained by one player, LeBron James is too big and Chris Bosh is too versatile. Defenses are playing pick your poison against the Heat, and they have to force double teams because there are so few players that can guard either of those players and take them one-on-one.
Instead of allowing the offense to be stagnant with three or four players who are constantly working in the perimeter, the Heat now have the shooter that they’ve been waiting for. The Heat now have a player that can be constantly relied on both sides of the court and for so much more.
Miller isn’t your standard perimeter player. He’s not the type to shy away from contact like so many of these players that pitch a tent on the three-point line. He’s going to rebound, defense and go after loose balls just like any other guard, forward or center. While it can get him into trouble as far as injuries go, we’ll just have to keep holding our breaths until that actually happen.
Speaking of which, it wasn’t the constant abuse on the court that took Miller out last year. The first thumb injury he had occurred in a practice during the preseason, when he somehow caught his thumb in LeBron James’ jersey. For as many times as we’ve seen Miller leave it all on the floor, it’s flooring that a freak injury like that took him out of commission for so long.
You need your thumbs if you’re a shooter. They’re the key component of a shooter’s stroke, and it certainly didn’t help Miller that he had not one, but two thumbs that were injured. Couple that with a shoulder injury and a few concussions, and you have a player that has more reason to be in a hospital let alone a basketball court.
With a healthy Miller, and now Eddy Curry making his debut, the Heat are one more step towards finally being at 100 percent. It appears that they can wait on Dwyane Wade, but they’ll make due with Shane Battier and Mike Miller taking his spot. They certainly served their purpose in the Heat’s win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Now this team really has no excuses.
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Dwight Howard doesn’t expect trade
The Orlando Magic center, when asked if he anticipates that the team will trade him before the deadline, said, “I don’t think they are going to do anything right now because we’re winning.”
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Wolves expect ups and downs from rookies
MINNEAPOLIS Timberwolves rookies Derrick Williams and Ricky Rubio each have just two NBA games under their belts, and the results have been mixed for both.
In Minnesota’s season opener, a 104-100 loss to Oklahoma City, both Rubio and Williams were impressive. Rubio finished with just six points, but the 21-year-old point guard had zero turnovers and a team-high six assists including a fast-break pass that led to a Williams dunk and graced the highlight reels. Williams scored 13 and grabbed six rebounds in his NBA debut.
The following night against Milwaukee, both rookies struggled. Rubio had three of Minnesota’s 25 turnovers to go along with four assists. Williams scored just three points and was called for a pair of offensive fouls.
“They’re going to be inconsistent. We’re inconsistent right now as a team,” said Wolves coach Rick Adelman. “We’ve had two close games, but they’re two rookies and they’re going to have to figure out how they’re going to succeed.”
Rubio is in his first year with the Wolves after they drafted him fifth overall in 2009. He spent two more years in his native Spain before coming to the NBA.
Now, two games into his NBA career, Rubio is having to adjust a bit to the new league after playing in Spain.
“I have to control the game,” Rubio said. “It was hard to control with all those turnovers. I have to learn a lot of things. In the end of the day it’s the same; it’s basketball. But maybe here you can run more and you can find more spaces here.”
Adelman missed Minnesota’s game in Milwaukee to attend a funeral. When he went back and watched the film from the Timberwolves’ 98-95 loss, he noticed inconsistencies in the rookies from one game to the next.
“The first night, Ricky did some really nice things,” Adelman said. “The other night, I turned on SportsCenter after the Milwaukee game. They showed all his turnovers. So that’s the way it goes. But they have to improve, like everybody else on our team. They have to figure out how they’re going to be successful. But they’re going to be up and down.”
Williams was Minnesota’s No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. The 20-year-old forward from the University of Arizona has shown flashes of his athleticism during the Timberwolves’ first two games, but he admits he’s still learning.
“I think I can rebound a little bit better,” Williams said. “I haven’t been hitting my shots lately. I’ve been trying to get up more shots lately and just knock down open shots like I know I can, just having the confidence to shoot it.”
Part of that learning process involves the two offensive fouls he was whistled for in the first quarter against Milwaukee.
“It’s just a different game. That’s just a learning experience I’ve already talked over and practiced it,” Williams said. “They’re waiting for the charge. That’s just a learning experience of me being a rookie.”
The early schedule for the Wolves is tough, and it will get tougher for the rookies Williams and Rubio. Minnesota plays host to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat on Friday at Target Center.
Williams he’s only 20, remember says he grew up watching James and Wade. James will turn 27 tomorrow, and the rookie Williams is eager to face him.
“It’s going to be pretty surreal,” Williams said. “I’m on the court with these guys in my third game in my career. It’s going to be really exciting. I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing.”
James has already noted his admiration of Rubio. After Minnesota’s season opener against the Thunder, James took to Twitter to say: “Rubio can pass that rock!”
“It’s nice to hear that from him,” Rubio said.
Friday’s game comes after a few days off for the Wolves. Their first two were on back-to-back nights, a byproduct of the NBA’s condensed 66-game season. Minnesota hosted Oklahoma City n Monday and then traveled to Milwaukee for its game the following night.
Welcome to the NBA, rookies.
“It’s a quick turnaround. Your memory has to be really quick, just forget about the game and get over it and you’re on to the next one,” Williams said.” That’s the first thing I learned as soon as I got here. You have a bad day, but so what. Get over it. You have another game the next day.”
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Michigan State Basketball: What to Expect from the Big Ten Schedule
Michigan State opens its Big Ten season tonight, hosting the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers are the only undefeated team left in the conference and are ranked 13th in the nation. Indiana got on the map with a thrilling, buzzer-beater win over the Kentucky Wildcats, who were ranked No. 1 in the nation at the time.
The Big Ten currently has five teams (including Michigan State) in the Top 25 ranked teams, so this is the first of many crucial Big Ten games the Spartans will face. At this point it really is not clear who the best teams in the Big Ten are, but this is what you should expect from Michigan State for the upcoming Big Ten schedule.
Obviously nothing is for sure since college basketball is very unpredictable, but when March rolls around, Michigan State almost has the same chance of being the second-best team in the Big Ten as being the seventh-best team. It’s not because they’re a bad team, but it’s because the Big Ten is actually very good, and every team has a capable chance of beating each other every night.
Between Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois and even Northwestern, it’s pretty much safe to say the Big Ten is the most competitive conference in the nation.
It’s well known and pretty clear that Ohio State, ranked No. 2 in the country, is the favorite of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are the most talented team led by All-American Jared Sullinger and have the most experience. It’s pretty obvious they should win the conference. They are the one elite team that has all the components to win it all.
To go with the talent and experience, the Buckeyes have great chemistry, good intangibles and a solid coach in Thad Matta. The one sure thing coming from the Big Ten is that Ohio State is the best team. After that, it’s pretty much up in the air.
As mentioned in previous articles, Michigan State is a very talented team led by forward Draymond Green, who is one of only a few players in the country who leads his team in points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals (15.5/3.5/9.8/1.2/1.5 per game), and starting point guard Keith Appling.
If all the pieces come together by the end of the season, the Spartans are capable of being an elite team and one of the best in the country. They have a tough schedule, and it won’t be an easy road, but with coach Tom Izzo running the show, the sky is the limit for the Spartans.
In time we will find out what teams are for real in the Big Ten, but the Spartans need to take it game by game, and their time begins tonight against the Indiana Hoosiers.
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Bobcats expect Augustin to play, but not Thomas
Bobcats coach Paul Silas says D.J. Augustin will start at point guard Wednesday night, but the team will be without forward Tyrus Thomas.
Augustin turned his ankle in the final minute of Monday night’s 96-95 win against the Bucks. Silas says Augustin is in some pain. If Augustin struggles with the ankle, look for Kemba Walker to see increased playing time.
Augustin had a team-high 19 points against the Bucks.
Thomas sprained his left ankle in the preseason against the Hawks and hasn’t practiced since.
For Miami, guard Eddy Curry and forward Mike Miller will not play. Center Dexter Pittman will dress for the game, but it’s unclear if he’ll play.
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Magic expect warm welcome for home opener
Dwight Howard was greeted warmly by an emotional group of Orlando Magic fans during an open scrimmage earlier this month.
A similar scene will surely occur in front of a bigger crowd Monday night.
Howard will play in what could be his final home opener for the Magic when they meet a Houston Rockets team beginning its season under new coach Kevin McHale.
Orlando (0-1) is probably seeing the final go-around for a superstar center for the second time following the departure of Shaquille O’Neal to the Lakers after the 1995-96 season.
Like O’Neal, Howard led the Magic to one NBA finals appearance but has grown unhappy with the organization’s inability to surround him with more talent. Howard averaged a career-best 22.9 points last season and was second in the league with 14.1 rebounds, and now enters the final season of his contract after requesting a trade through agent Dan Fegan.
Orlando fans have made their voices heard on their desire to keep the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He was greeted by a loud ovation from about 9,000 fans Dec. 17 during a scrimmage before Howard began his eighth season with the franchise.
“It was emotional,” Howard said. “It was great to see their reaction. And like I’ve told you guys from Day 1, I love this city. … When I came here, everybody called our team the Orlando Tragic. I wanted to change it. Nobody says tragic anymore.”
Howard struggled in Sunday’s season-opening 97-89 loss at Oklahoma City, making 4 of 12 shots for 11 points to go with 15 boards.
NBA commissioner David Stern weighed in on the Howard situation Sunday, saying before the game, “That’s the beauty of the soap opera. How it plays out, we’ll wait and see.”
The Magic have a good chance of recovering against the Rockets after winning the last four games in the series by an average of 15.5 points. Howard shot 70.7 percent and averaged 19.5 points and 15.3 rebounds in those games.
Houston is learning that rebuilding without a top-notch center isn’t easy in the wake of Yao Ming’s retirement. The Rockets tried to acquire Lakers star Pau Gasol before the season in a three-team trade that involved Chris Paul, but it was rejected by the league.
Instead, Houston will count on an unheralded roster that includes Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin as well as former Orlando guard Courtney Lee and newcomer Jonny Flynn.
Houston went 43-39 last season, missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys, that you never really know if they’re going to flow or not,” Scola said. “Hopefully, some of these guys surprise us.”
The Rockets ranked third in the league in scoring last season with 105.9 points per game. McHale, who went 39-55 in two previous coaching stints with Minnesota, is hoping he can help the team execute even better.
“These guys can make plays,” McHale said. “What we don’t do, and what we’ve got to get way better at, is a lot of little stuff. We’ve got to cut harder, we’ve got to set better screens. These guys make shots and plays, they can play offensive basketball.”
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NBA Season Preview: What to Watch for and Expect from the Orlando Magic
The Magic were amongst the headlines this season, largely because of the confusion surrounding the fate of Dwight Howard, Orlando’s elite center who looked destined to leave before the start of the season, before then being taken off the trading block. While a number of teams, most notably the Nets and Lakers, looked prepared to do anything to secure the star center’s service ahead of his impending free agency in the summer, the Magic seemed inclined to keep him, at least for a little longer.
Their rationale is understandable; like it or not, their team’s on-court fortunes are dependent on Howard. If he plays well, as he has done the past few seasons where he has been amongst the best players in the league, Orlando can at least make some noise results-wise. The burning question this season will be whether or not Howard will be motivated to play his hardest.
While he might play with even greater intensity in an attempt to convince teams to go for him midseason, he may just as likely pout, angered that his desire to move to greener pastures could not be satisfied right away. Although Orlando have some solid talent aside from Howard, the fact is their hopes for this season rest on whether or not their want-away star is motivated enough to play to his full potential.
Best Case: No. 4 Seed
The same position the Magic finished in at the end of last season’s regular season. While Chicago and Miami should be too good again for Orlando, Atlanta has regressed, Boston is aging and the Knicks will have to deal with a lack of depth, especially in the backcourt. In a weakened Eastern Conference, even if Howard is present and playing for only half a season, Orlando have a good chance to finish in the top half of the playoff field.
Worst Case: Miss the Playoffs
On the other hand, if Howard phones it in before leaving sometime in spring, the Magic have precious little to fall back on. Unless they can grab several players in return for their star, just as the Hornets did in the Chris Paul deal, their team will be struggling to get into the postseason, let alone challenge for a Finals berth.
Prediction: No. 5 Seed
Even if Howard leaves before the end of the season, look for him to play to his usual high standards and help the Magic to a strong enough position for a playoff berth. Most crucial for Orlando, however, will be who they can acquire in a trade for their key center, and whether they can establish a strong enough platform from which to launch the impending rebuilding of their team.
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NBA Season Preview: What to Watch for and Expect from the Boston Celtics
A sea change seemed to take place in the Eastern Conference last season, one which saw the rise of the talent-loaded Heat and the dynamic young Bulls coincide with what seemed to be the start of a slow but steady decline for the Boston Celtics. Although they won their division easily and entered the playoffs as the number three seed, their aging core was badly exposed in the playoffs against Miami, where the Celtics were brushed aside too easily, and they enter this season as longshots to appear in their third Finals series in five years.
Although the relatively young Rajon Rondo emerged as the team’s best player last season, Boston are still heavily dependent on their veterans, which could spell trouble in such a shortened and rushed regular season where their stamina will be severely tested. They might look to remedy the situation by reverting to a heavier rotation policy, but their lack of depth looks to also conspire to hurt them.
While the Celtics arguably made an upgrade by swapping Glen Davis for Brandon Bass, there is a massive drop talent wise between the starting five and the rest of the roster. There is little genuine quality coming off the bench, and more complete teams like Chicago and Miami will look to take advantage of that fact.
Best Case: No. 3 Seed
In the twilights of their respective careers they may be, but Pierce, Garnett and Allen can still be deadly on their day. With an elite point guard in Rondo, Boston still has some top class talent on their team. If the Celtics can ward off injuries to key players, there is no reason why they cannot hold off the Knicks in the Atlantic and emerge with one of the best records in the conferences. Still, expect the Bulls and Heat to be too good, and once again finish ahead of the men in green before the postseason.
Worst Case: No. 8 Seed
The shortened schedule could prove to be a killer, and there is every possibility that a number of players, from all teams, could succumb to injury as a result. The problem for Celtics is the dire lack of depth, or any backups who look even remotely capable of filling in for the likes of Pierce or Rondo.
Prediction: No. 6 Seed
At least one key player will go down, and the team will struggle as a result. The Celtics will need everything to go right if they are to stay among the Eastern Conference elite; more than likely, an infusion of new blood will be required to return Boston to contender status in the near future.
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NBA Season Preview: What to Watch for and Expect from the Miami Heat
A loss to the Mavericks was a cruel pill to swallow to end last season, but Miami enter as title favorites once again, and for good reason. The so called Big Three looked slick and deadly for large stretches of last season, with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade seemingly hashing out an acceptable balance of power. Overshadowed in the offseason by the free agency drama surrounding the likes of Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, the Heat will be quietly determined to silence their numerous critics and claim the first of what they hope will be many championships.
If anything, an already devastatingly talented Miami team improved through the addition of Shane Battier, a tough, determined defender who adds an extra dimension to the Heat team that they didn’t have last season. The team should also gel better together this year, when the harsh glare of the media spotlight should be less intense.
The only side in an Eastern Conference in flux that looks capable of going toe to toe with Miami are the Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls. While the Heat managed to vanquish the Bulls en route to the Finals last season, Chicago have also had time to develop an understanding together as a team, and they arguably have greater depth as well. For the Heat, the specter of being unable to close out games is one that they will have to work to dispel; LeBron in particular will be looked upon to deliver in the clutch, after he disappointed late in games during the postseason.
Best Case: First
Although the Big Three have engendered some ill will among the public, there is no denying that, on their day, they are capable of downing any other team in the league. If they can keep clicking, they will cruise through the regular season, shortened though it may be. Miami also benefit from a weak Southeast Division, where the Hawks look solidly mediocre, and the Magic will almost certainly lose Dwight Howard within a few months.
Worst Case: Third
The Bulls are capable of matching the Heat’s firepower throughout the season, and the cramped schedule might play to the favor of Chicago’s youthful core. The only other team in the Eastern Conference that could possibly match Miami are the New York Knicks, and that’s only if the “new Big Three” of Stoudemire, Anthony and Chandler can overcome weakness elsewhere in the team. A long-term injury to someone like Wade and James is the only other scenario which would see the Heat drop to third.
Final Prediction: Second
The Heat’s quality is undeniable, and they will certainly be a threat in the playoffs. In such a rushed season, however, the Bulls look like they could be in prime position to repeat their feats of last year and finish ahead of Miami, in the regular season if not in the playoffs.
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