Dallas Mavericks: Should the Mavs Rest Their Players in the Final Two Games?
Despite a number of instances where they looked more like a team that didn’t know how to play basketball than the defending NBA Champions, the Dallas Mavericks are back in the NBA playoffs and will indeed defend their title this year.
The Mavs clinched their 12th-straight playoff appearance when the Houston Rockets lost to the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday and further strengthened their grasp on the No. 6 seed in the West by beating the Golden State Warriors earlier tonight.
Now for the $64,000 question: do the champs rest up for the playoffs?
Dallas plays two more games before closing out the season, as they play the Chicago Bulls tomorrow and the Atlanta Hawks next Thursday. These are two teams that are still playing to secure their positioning in the Eastern Conference.
As it stands, the Mavs hold a one-game lead over the Denver Nuggets for the seventh seed and a 2.5-game lead over the Phoenix Suns for the eighth spot, and both of those teams have three games left to play, including a game in Phoenix tomorrow night between the Nuggets and Suns.
In short, Dallas has a one-game lead that decides whether or not they play the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Los Angeles Lakers.
A lose-lose situation, if you will.
Here are two ways to look at it: with two games against two contending East teams, playing and attempting to get some wins under the belt would be a great confidence-boost as they enter the playoffs. But resting up avoids any freak injuries towards the end of the year, and the Mavs can enter postseason play, hopefully, at full health.
There’s nothing wrong with looking at either situation, but the logical idea would be to rest up and get ready for either OKC or the Lake Show. The risks of that are extremely high, with a great chance of Dallas falling back to eighth when all is said and done and ending up facing the San Antonio Spurs, unless Phoenix loses tomorrow against Denver.
That means that Dallas could finish seventh, at worst.
Head coach Rick Carlisle did a great job of managing each player’s minutes in the win against the Warriors.
Delonte West: 33 minutes
Jason Terry: 28 minutes
Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter and Shawn Marion: 27 minutes
Jason Kidd: 22 minutes
With Rodrigue Beaubois back in the rotation, Dallas is now back at full health and can utilize their athletic and talented bench against whoever they face.
They can’t afford to lose anyone this late.
What do you think? Should the Mavs rest up or keep playing to make a statement and gain confidence heading forward? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
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2013 NCAA Tournament: Kansas, Syracuse and Others Who Could Make the Final Four
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that made all the difference” -Robert Frost
When the NCAA decided to go to the pod system and no longer tether the opening round venues to their regional sites, it was done so to make it easier for schools, especially lower, mid-major teams who typically only get to play one lopsided contest to travel and compete in the tournament in a cost effective manner.
However, when it comes to how the pod system has functioned in practice, it is the larger schools who are benefiting from the structure.
Consider last year’s final two schools, Kentucky and Kansas. Kentucky’s road to the Final Four went through Louisville and Atlanta. In total, they traveled 475 miles away from campus to get to their two venues. Kansas, the national runners-up, were right behind the Wildcats. Their road through Omaha and St. Louis totaled 501 miles.
This is not to say, the teams with the fewest miles traveled always find themselves in the Final Four.
The Ohio State Buckeyes logged more than 1,000 miles on their way to New Orleans and the Louisville Cardinals traveled a total of 4,043 miles. Rick Pitino‘s team took a round-about way to the Superdome through west coast swings in Portland and Phoenix.
Ohio State and Louisville defied to odds and traveled long distances to get to the Final Four. But it is clear that Kentucky and Kansas had an advantage by staying close to home.
This is not an article about the merits of the pod-system. (I am personally okay with this, it is good to reward the teams who over-achieve or play at a high level all year). Instead, this is a look at next year’s tournament venues and five teams who could make similar runs, like the Wildcats and Jayhawks, and find themselves, close to home and on their way to the Final Four in Atlanta.
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Why not start with the national runner’s up? Kansas loses their two best players in Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson. However, don’t expect the Jayhawks to drop off much from last year. They return Jeff Withey and will look to win their 9th straight Big 12 regular season title.
Bill Self’s bunch could play first round games in Kansas City, MO and then head to Arlington, TX to play the South Region Final at The New Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Could be a sweet draw for the Jayhawks to return to the Final Four.
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED: 41 + 526 = 567
SYRACUSE ORANGE
Syracuse’s chances definitely went down when Dion Waiters and Fab Melo declared for the NBA Draft. However, the Orange still return a talented roster including Brandon Triche, Michael Carter-Williams and CJ Fair.
This season is their last year in the Big East (and maybe in the Jim Boeheim-era). If the Orange can repeat their success in the conference, it could never have to leave “Big East Country.”
Their first two games could be in Philadelphia and then play a regional final somewhere in New York City. The venue is yet to be determined, however, the NCAA is trying to make the site Madison Square Garden. MSG would be home games for the Orange.
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED: 254 + 246 = 500
UCLA BRUINS
UCLA was a dysfunctional mess last season. However, they play in the Pac-12, the weakest of the BCS-Conferences, and they landed one of the top two recruits in Shabazz Mohamed. If UCLA can bounce back in 2013, they could get a path like the 2008 UCLA team that did not have to leave California to make it to the Final Four. UCLA could open in San Jose and then play the West Regional at Staples Center in Los Angeles, only 15 miles from campus.
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED: 336 + 15 = 351
INDIANA HOOSIERS
Head Coach Tom Crean and the Hoosiers bring back all five starters and add one of the nation’s top recruiting classes to the mix. But the Big Ten can be unpredictable at times, and it won’t be a cakewalk.
Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State will all be strong again next season. However, Indiana is the best team in the Big Ten and will probably be a preseason Top 3 team. If they live up to the hype, their road to the Final Four could start close to home in Lexington, KY and then go through Indianapolis.
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED: 176 + 53 = 229
BAYLOR BEARS
As Entourage character Bob Ryan would say, “what if you could make the Final Four and never have to leave your state. Would that be something you might be interested in?”
The Baylor Bears could make the Final Four without leaving Texas, but like every team who receives a favorable draw in the NCAA Tournament, they are going to have to earn it. In order for Baylor to get the draw of playing in the South Region, they will have to win the Big 12 regular season title, something no team not named “Kansas” has done in the past eight years. If Scott Drew‘s boys are up for the challenge and can pull it off, they could play 2nd and 3rd round games in Austin and play the Regional games in Arlington. The last school to draw two tournament sites in their home state was UCLA in 2008 and they made the Final Four.
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED: 101 + 103 miles = 204
Only 334 days until Selection Sunday! Who’s ready?
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Williams returns in time for Clips’ final stretch
MINNEAPOLIS While the Clippers got their house in order, turning themselves from a flailing and fragile team into one that once again resembles a player in the Western Conference, Mo Williams sat and watched.
The sedentary life meant daily foot massages, turns on the elliptical trainer and, lately, trash talking his way through 1-on-1 games with teammates. It also meant an extra five pounds.
It was easy, while the Clippers beat Dallas, Oklahoma City and Memphis in winning 9 of 11, to forget that they were missing Williams.
So on Thursday, in an otherwise forgettable 95-82 win over undermanned Minnesota, Williams reminded them.
As the playoffs loom, there is always room in a crowded backcourt and in an inexperienced locker room for a change-of-pace, attacking point guard and a veteran voice.
Williams showed again what he can provide on the court, providing a jolt with 14 points, five assists and a steal to a team that sorely needed it after an exhilarating and draining victory at Oklahoma City the night before.
“We needed him desperately,” Clippers forward Blake Griffin said. “It’s good to have him back.”
It took all of nine seconds for the Clippers to inbound the ball, get it up the court and into Williams’ hands before he launched a jumper on his first touch. It missed, but before a minute had passed, Williams drained a 3-pointer.
In all, he made 6 of 11 shots in just under 20 minutes. But it was the way Williams played, with a bounce in his step and tremendous decisiveness that stood in contrast the orchestrated probing when the offense is in the hands of Chris Paul. If Eric Bledsoe can change the pace of the game defensively, it is Williams who can do so at the other end.
“That’s what Mo does,” said Paul, whose acquisition pushed Williams to the bench, a role he accepted grudgingly at the start of the season. “Once we saw that first one left his hands, it’s OK, he’s back. When you shoot the ball like he can, you don’t lose it too often.
Mo knows we need him to score. He’s instant offense. We need him out there to be our playmaker.”
All season long it has appeared the Clippers had a surplus of guards, but injuries to Chauncey Billups, Bledsoe and Williams have kept overcrowding to a minimum, even with the trade deadline acquisition of Nick Young.
The last three weeks have provided an opportunity for Bledsoe, the second-year guard who missed the first five weeks recovering from knee surgery, to contribute more. He has been disruptive at the defensive end, and has gained the trust of Del Negro who has played him down the stretch in crucial games. It has also allowed Randy Foye to settle in as the starter alongside Paul and Nick Young has begun to take on the role of a defending big guards and small forwards off the bench though his shooting remains erratic.
“With me being out, it gave guys the opportunity to get in a better rhythm and got guys some more minutes,” Williams said. “That should be helpful. It shows our depth and it showed me areas where I can come back and fit in. It’s easy for me because I’m coming off the bench. I think it’s harder if you’re the starter and you’re missing and then you’re coming back and playing heavy minutes. I’m not playing 30-something minutes anyway, so I’m not really concerned about the rhythm of the game.”
Del Negro said Williams’ return will force him to juggle the rotation once more, but he is pleased to have the problem.
“It’s another weapon,” Del Negro said of Williams. “If Mo’s having an off night, we’ve got Bled or Nick Young now. We’ve got other options. Guys have to be ready. Some nights it’s going to accept their role and do their job right now. The bottom line is we’re trying to win basketball games.”
Williams said before the game that he wasn’t excited to be returning a nine-year veteran, he has been in the league too long for that. But he was happy to back with eight games to play before the playoffs.
Williams credited the entire training staff for the work they did on his toe, which was badly sprained in a loss at New Orleans, forcing him to hobble off the court. The trainers used laser treatment and gave it almost daily massages.
“It wasn’t the country club massage, I’ll tell you that,” said Williams, who joked that he might have sweated off all the weight he had gained. “I wanted to cry.”
He had set a target of returning last Saturday against Sacramento, but it did not feel quite right so the target date was pushed back. After practice Tuesday in Oklahoma City, he engaged Young in a heated 1-on-1 where their mouths got in as much work as their legs.
It was important to wait, said Williams who, along with Kenyon Martin, is the only active Clipper to have played in a conference final. The Clippers trail the Lakers by a game for the Pacific Division lead, and lead Memphis by 1 games for fourth place and homecourt advantage in the first round.
“Obviously the playoffs are nearing,” Williams said as he soaked his feet in a bucket of ice water. “It’s a different basketball game then. I’ve talked privately with some of the young guys that haven’t been to the playoffs, letting them know how different the playoffs are. Every possession is key. The attention to detail has to be at high alert. You’ve got to be all in. You’ve got to be all one.”
And most importantly, as Williams might note, you have to be all there.
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College Basketball 2012: Final Four Home Court Advantage
Bleacher Report was on scene in New Orleans to capture all the sights and sounds of the Big Easy prior to the big NCAA Final Four games: Louisville vs. Kentucky and Kansas vs. Ohio State!
Loud and passionate fans of all four teams packed New Orleans to show their support, creating a truly fun and exciting atmosphere. Number 1 seed Kentucky was set to square off against number 4 seed Louisville. Not many people expected The Cardinals to make it this far, but their fans never had any doubt and showed up in droves to cheer their team on. Despite a strong Louisville effort, The Wildcats were able to secure the win 69-61.
The other big game featured a battle of Number 2 seeds between Ohio State and Kansas. The Jayhawks were in big trouble early, facing a 9 point deficit in the first half, but they managed a furious comeback in the second half to come all the way back for a narrow 64-62 victory.
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Kobe Bryant Injury: Los Angeles Lakers Wise to Rest Him in Final Stretch Run
Kobe Bryant will be on the shelf again on Wednesday night in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ first meeting of the season against the San Antonio Spurs. It was reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.
Bryant has a sore left shin and has missed the last two games for the Lakers.
During his absence, the Lakers were blown out of the water in a road loss at Phoenix and barely escaped a close victory against the worst team in the Western Conference, the New Orleans Hornets.
Although it sounds crazy, the Lakers are better off resting Kobe, even if Wednesday night’s game against the Spurs is a crucial matchup to see where the Lakers stand in the Western Conference.
It’s pretty clear that the Lakers miss Kobe. Currently, Devin Ebanks is starting in his place, and he’s highly inexperienced. In fact, prior to Saturday’s game, Ebanks hadn’t logged 20 minutes of playing time since the first two games of the regular season. He had been used sparingly throughout much of the season, and all of a sudden, in the last two games, he’s been putting up 26 minutes.
That being said, this is only the regular season. The Lakers’ No. 1 priority at this point should be staying healthy during the final stretch run. The one man who needs the rest the most is Kobe. He has been averaging almost five more minutes per game on the floor this year compared to last year, and he’s obviously one year older.
Kobe has cited fatigue as a possible reason for a few of his poor shooting slumps. That can’t happen in the playoffs. If being fresh for the playoffs means missing a few regular season games, then so be it.
The Lakers look like they’re on their way to make the playoffs anyway. Plus, it’s not like the Lakers can’t win without Kobe. They still have two towering big men in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum who can give opposing teams nightmares in the paint. Also, the addition of Ramon Sessions has made the Lakers offense run more smoothly and has helped guys like Matt Barnes and Metta World Peace elevate their games.
The team could still lock up the Pacific Division if Kobe misses a few games here and there in the final push for the playoffs.
Even the San Antonio Spurs have rested their players on several occasions this season in order to keep them fresh for the playoff push.
All that matters is for a team to qualify for a playoff spot. Seeding doesn’t really matter, especially in this hectic and crazy season.
And once the rested Kobe returns from his injury, the Mamba will strike more viciously than ever before, and Lakers fans will be happy to forget the few games they lost late in the regular season because of his absence.
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Perry Jones III heads to NBA, skips final 2 years at Baylor
Perry Jones III averaged 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds for Baylor this season.
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Shabazz Muhammad: Power Ranking Final Contenders to Land Elite Recruit
Shabazz Muhammad, the nation’s top undeclared recruit, will make his college choice in a couple days, but still hasn’t tipped his hand as to which of the three finalists has an edge. According to Rivals, the Las Vegas native will choose between Duke, Kentucky and UCLA.
Let’s take a look at the chances each of the schools have to land the coveted forward. His decision will shift the balance of power in college basketball heading into next season.
1. Kentucky
Wildcats head coach John Calipari proved his one-and-done system not only prepares players for the NBA quickly, but is also capable of winning a national championship. That should give him a leg up in the Muhammad sweepstakes since the swingman has NBA dreams.
Since the roster has so much turnover on a yearly basis, Muhammad would receive ample playing time right away and would likely become a key contributor like Anthony Davis. At 6’6”, he’d do more of his damage on the perimeter than Davis, but both guys have extremely bright futures.
Kentucky will be the focal point of college basketball as it attempts to defend the title, and the spotlight is usually what elite recruits are looking for to showcase their ability. That’s why the Wildcats have an edge, in my opinion.
2. Duke
After a shocking loss to Lehigh in the NCAA tournament, Mike Krzyzewski has gone back to the drawing board to figure out a way to make sure there’s no similar disappointment next season. Muhammad would be one way to do it.
Hyped freshman Austin Rivers had a solid season on the offensive end and decided to bolt for the NBA. Muhammad would be able to replace him immediately and should provide a more well-rounded game, especially on the defense.
The Blue Devils would be in much better shape if it weren’t for that opening-game loss. They still have a legitimate chance to land Muhammad since he sounds truly undecided, but Coach K will have to work his magic to overcome Kentucky.
3. UCLA
It’s been a rough season at UCLA. The college basketball power finished in the middle of the Pac-12 and was rocked by a Sports Illustrated report about recent problems at the school, including drinking and drug use, which have caused the team to struggle.
That’s not an ideal situation for a recruit to enter, but the program is still one of the most prominent in the sport. Playing out West—where Muhammad resides—represents the biggest advantage Ben Howland must utilize to land Muhammad.
He’s the type of player who can turn the program around in a single season, but right now the Bruins seem like a long shot to land him. They have to be encouraged that he hasn’t eliminated them yet, but it will take an extraordinary effort to close the deal.
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NCAA Men’s College Basketball: 5 Reasons Ohio State Can Return to the Final Four
When sophomore post player Jared Sullinger lumbered off the floor in New Orleans following Ohio State’s painful 64-62 loss to Kansas in the 2012 Final Four, he didn’t carry the Buckeyes’ chances of returning to national prominence with him. It will certainly be hard for coach Thad Matta to replace the All-American power forward (who willl likely take his talents to the NBA). However, Matta welcomes back gritty point guard Aaron Craft, guard Lenzelle Smith Jr., and, most likely, sophomore forward Deshaun Thomas, who emerged as a potential future All-American with his outstanding play during Ohio State’s run to the Final Four.
True, the Buckeyes also lose senior forward William Buford, who leaves as the school’s No. 3 all-time scorer. But Buford’s play was so up-and-down this season, it would not be a stretch to say that his returning teammates have already learned to compensate without having the 6’6″ forward on the floor.
And it’s not like teams don’t get better sometimes when a prominent All-American leaves. Check your history books. In 1983, the Virginia Cavaliers were one of the most dominant teams in the country, led by center Ralph Sampson. Guess where the Cavaliers ended up at the end of the 1984 season? The Final Four.
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Suns face Jazz for final playoff spot
The Phoenix Suns are doing their best to make a push into playoff position in the Western Conference.
One team standing directly in their way is the Utah Jazz.
The visiting Suns have a chance to move ahead of the Jazz in the conference standings with a seventh consecutive victory in the series Wednesday night.
After losing four of six games to end March, Phoenix (27-26) beat New Orleans 92-75 on Sunday then followed that with a 109-100 victory at Sacramento on Tuesday to surpass the .500 mark for the third time this season.
“We needed this bad,” said veteran Michael Redd, who scored 16 points off the bench against the Kings. “This league is all about having rhythm and we got it, and got the win.”
Though Phoenix has won 15 of 22, it currently sits 10th in the West. However, the Suns are one-half game behind ninth-place Utah (28-26) and 1 12 back of Houston, which owns the eighth and final playoff spot.
Phoenix has missed the postseason two of the last three seasons.
“We know every game is critical,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “You have to treat every game like a playoff game. This group understands that urgency.”
The Suns have a chance to move ahead of the Jazz in the standings if they can run their series winning streak to seven games over Utah. Phoenix has won three of four on the road overall, and three in a row at Utah by an average margin of 14 points.
Phoenix continued to build momentum Tuesday as Marcin Gortat had 20 points with 10 rebounds and Steve Nash added 18 with 12 assists as the Suns used a 12-2 run in the fourth quarter to pull away in Sacramento.
Despite the victory, Phoenix players agreed that the club needs to show some improvement after blowing a 17-point first-half lead and allowing Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins to score a career-high 41 points and rookie Isaiah Thomas to finish with 25.
“It was definitely a tough game,” Gortat said. “We still need to work our defense. We’ve got to play smarter, play harder. Don’t let this happen.”
The Suns allowed Utah to shoot 52.2 percent and outrebound them 42-34, but pulled out a 120-111 home victory March 14 by shooting a season-high 56.4 percent in the teams’ only previous meeting this season. Channing Frye scored 26 points, Gortat had 25, Jared Dudley finished with 21 and Steve Nash added 12 with 16 assists to help Phoenix overcome a 13-point deficit in that contest.
Nash, who bounced back Tuesday after back problems limited him to four or fewer points in three of the previous four games, has totaled 36 points on 12-of-21 shooting in the Suns’ last two trips to Utah.
The Jazz snapped a three-game skid with a 102-97 win at Portland on Monday. Paul Millsap had 31 points, including the go-ahead dunk with 1:11 remaining, and pulled down 11 rebounds while Gordon Hayward scored 20.
“We needed this win bad, and it showed how we played out there,” Millsap said. “The will not to lose, the will to make it to that next level to get in the playoffs, it came out.”
Millsap had 18 points and 10 rebounds at Phoenix last month.
Hayward has averaged 18.0 points in the last four games overall.
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Final Four: John Calipari Proves He’s an Elite Coach and That Talent Wins Titles
The Kentucky Wildcats are national champions (to the surprise of few) and are back on top of college basketball.
They cut down the nets for the first time in 14 years and now they strut more championship banners than any other school besides UCLA.
The 2012 Wildcats are one of the best national champions in recent memory and certainly the most talented.
Anthony Davis became only the second freshman to win the Naismith Trophy and has already drawn comparisons to the likes of Tim Duncan, Patrick Ewing and Bill Russell after only 40 college games. He will go first overall in the upcoming NBA Draft, no matter what team holds that selection.
He was one of the five underclassmen in Kentucky’s starting lineup this season. The other four all projected to be first-round draft picks as well.
Many NBA mock drafts have Michael Kidd-Gilchrist going second overall and are projecting Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, and Marquis Teague to be selected in the late first round.
Their sixth man and senior leader Darius Miller could go in the first round as well and Kyle Wiltjer has a great chance at making an NBA roster at some point.
Wiltjer may be the only remaining player out of this bunch returning to Lexington next year after Kentucky’s Final Four triumph. Just imagine if this entire group stuck around for another year or two.
John Calipari‘s “one and done” recruiting has made the program an NBA feeder team in the eyes of many, but there is no longer an argument about whether or not it can win a championship or be successful.
Kentucky has made three straight Elite Eight appearances, back to back Final Fours, and has now won another national title.
Others have argued that Calipari is only a great recruiter and that many coaches could have just as much success if they had that kind of talent.
There are many talented teams (1983 Houston, 1991 UNLV, 1997 Kansas) that have come up short of winning the Final Four in the history of college basketball. Talent doesn’t always win, whether it’s a starting five of freshman or an upperclassmen-heavy team of future NBA players.
Few coaches have been able to consistently maintain the level of success that Calipari has had in his career. His Kentucky teams have been to three straight Final Fours with what was essentially a different team in each season.
Recruiting is a big part of the equation for any great coach, but so is rebuilding a program all the time. Calipari has accomplished that as a head coach at UMass, Memphis and Kentucky.
UMass went from an Atlantic 10 afterthought to a national championship contender during Calipari’s tenure in Amherst.
Memphis experienced similar success after being a bottom-tier Conference USA team.
His vacated Final Four appearances during those previous coaching jobs (1996 at UMass and 2008 at Memphis) will always leave a tarnished mark on his legacy, but that doesn’t take away from his status as an elite coach.
Jerry Tarkanian was an elite coach during his long tenure at UNLV, despite the scandals and controversies that surrounded his basketball program. That baggage has kept him out of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for the time being (Calipari will likely face similar opposition), but Tarkanian is still considered a great coach.
The success may not stop after this season for John Calipari. Even with all his core players seemingly headed to the NBA (once again), Kentucky may not fall off too much next season.
Kyle Wiltjer will have a more prominent role next season, as could Doron Lamb and/or Marquis Teague if either of them doesn’t declare for the NBA Draft. Former North Carolina State point guard Ryan Harrow could start next season after red shirting.
Kentucky already has a great freshman class for 2012 after commitments from five-star recruits Alex Poythress and Archie Goodwin, and four-star center Willie Cauley.
The Wildcats are considered strong favorites to land the top two recruits this year, Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel. Muhammad is atop of the list for most recruiting rankings and Noel has already been described by some as Anthony Davis 2.0. The Wildcats might get Anthony Bennet as well, who is one of the top forward prospects in the country.
Kentucky could be just as dominant in 2013.
Only moments after Kentucky beat Kansas, Calipari talked about how he wants to coach an undefeated team before his career is over.
Repeating as Final Four champions with a new group of players is hard enough, let alone trying to accomplish what no team has done in four decades.
Running the table could be a possibility for Kentucky in the near future with the talent they are able to recruit year after year.
Even without a perfect season on his resume, John Calipari has proven he is an elite coach and a Hall of Famer.
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