Ellis finally shows off shooting touch for Bucks
MILWAUKEE One hour before his Bucks faced Atlanta Tuesday night, coach Scott Skiles called it. He knew Monta Ellis was ready for a breakout game in a Milwaukee uniform — that it would happen “at any moment” — and he was right.
After struggling through his first six games with the Bucks, Ellis finally looked like the player who seemingly scored at will for six-plus seasons with Golden State. With Milwaukee on a two-game losing streak and its shot at the playoffs slipping away, Ellis scored 33 points on 15 of 24 shooting to give the Bucks a much-needed 108-101 home win over the Hawks.
“There was just something about today,” Ellis said after the game. “I was light on my feet. I was moving. I went into one of my modes. It felt good.”
Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but for the first time since being traded to the Bucks two weeks ago, Ellis’ wife, Juanika, was able to make it to Milwaukee for the game.
“She really lifted me up today,” Ellis said. “I really just wanted to come out and have fun tonight.”
Though his kids were in Memphis with family and not in Milwaukee, Ellis was able to have an online video chat with them before the game. And his son had a message that seemed to motivate the player who has averaged between 19.0 and 25.5 points in each of the past five seasons.
“My son, he loves basketball, so he told Daddy to go out and play ball,” Ellis said.
Perhaps that was the inside information that made Skiles confident things would turn around for the 26-year-old guard. In his first six games with the Bucks, Ellis averaged 12.1 points on 34.2 percent shooting. In 37 games this season with Golden State, Ellis averaged 21.9 points while hitting 43.3 percent of his shots.
His shooting woes since being dealt along with Ekpe Udoh for Andrew Bogut at the trade deadline were starting to get in Ellis’ head.
“I got down on myself a little bit,” Ellis said. “I’m glad I got out of that slump. It was just one of those times when I went through a spurt where my shot wasn’t going down.”
Entering play Tuesday, Milwaukee was in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and 2.5 games behind the No. 8 New York Knicks. To make matters worse for the Bucks, they were coming off a loss 24 hours earlier in New York despite the Knicks’ playing without Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin. Plus, just prior to the game, Skiles found out that starting forwards Ersan Ilyasova (back spasms) and Carlos Delfino (groin) would be unavailable against the Hawks.
But Ellis’ offensive dominance changed the game and Milwaukee’s outlook toward the playoffs.
“I think he figured out tonight that we want him to do that,” center Drew Gooden said. “We need him to do that. With scorers, all you have to do is hit your first shot. Then if you hit your second shot, the other team’s going to be in trouble. It’s momentum. It’s confidence.
“You’re going to have stretches where you can’t hit the side of a barn, but then you have stretches where you can shoot with your eyes closed and it will go in. You just have to weather the storm and keep at it.”
Ellis scored just four points on 2 of 14 shooting in New York. While his shooting was much improved against Atlanta, Ellis was also distributing the ball to teammates as the Hawks began to pay extra attention to him.
“He played so well (shooting the ball), but didn’t have a greedy game,” Skiles said. “He just kind of took it how it came. I thought he played a very unselfish game for a plus-30-point game.
“You can’t expect him to have games like (against the Knicks) very often. That’s not who he’s been his entire career. It was nice to see him shake it off. He needed it. He was down a little bit about how he shot the ball, and he was great. All around, obviously it was his best game for us.”
Udoh was happy to see the Ellis he knew from their time together in the Bay area.
“That’s Monta Ellis. What else can you say?” Udoh said. “We really saw who he was tonight. He’s going to put up more games like this. He was the same player, just trying to figure it out.
“Tonight you got to see that when he hits shots he’s pretty unstoppable.”
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Monta Ellis Has Finally Arrived: Bucks Defeat Hawks 108-101
In what can only be described as an offensive masterpiece, the Milwaukee Bucks ended their two-game losing streak with a 108-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. At the heart of the victory was Monta Ellis, who finally broke free from his offensive rut since joining Milwaukee on March 16th.
Ellis led a balanced offensive attack, topping the 20-point plateau for the first time since joining Milwaukee. He continued to pour it on after reaching the 20-point mark, reaching 33 points on 15-of-24 shooting. He also dished out eight assists, grabbed four rebounds and picked up a steal.
Along with his efficient scoring was Brandon Jennings’ 18 points, Drew Gooden’s 16, Mike Dunleavy’s 13 and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute’s 12. Together, that core group led the Bucks to 44-of-88 shooting as a team, including 15-of-16 from the charity stripe.
While Ellis will need to perform at this level on a more consistent basis in order to garner true respect as the Bucks’ star, his performance tonight cannot be undervalued. After all, Ellis not only scored in the way that he’s been expected to play, but he did so at a more efficient rate than any have come to expect.
His 15-of-24 shooting, a rate of 63 percent of his shots made, was his most efficient scoring performance of the season. Not once had he shot so well on such a large volume of shots, beckoning the question: Has Monta Ellis finally found his comfort zone?
I believe he has.
In 2012, Monta Ellis played 36 games with the Golden State Warriors. He shot the ball less than 10 times on just two occasions in those appearances, a sign of his irresponsibility as a scorer.
In his seven games with the Bucks, Ellis has already matched that number.
As long as Monta Ellis can turn this into a trend, rather than an occasional occurrence, his status as an elite player may soon be confirmed. With Brandon Jennings alongside him, the status of efficiency becomes furthermore imperative.
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Bob Knight finally says ‘Kentucky’
ESPN college basketball analyst and former Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight has finally called the Kentucky basketball team, ‘Kentucky.’
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Minnesota Timberwolves’ Derrick Williams Will Finally Realize His Potential
At the time of this writing, there is a rumor that a trade is imminent to send Timberwolves small forward Michael Beasley to the Lakers in a three-way trade. While the Lakers will benefit from the upgrade in offensive production that Michael Beasley will provide, the biggest beneficiary of the trade may very well be Derrick Williams.
Williams, the 2nd overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, has not had nearly the impact of other high profile draft picks from this class (Cleveland Cavaliers‘ Kyrie Irving and Detroit Pistons‘ Brandon Knight come to mind as consistent starters on their respective teams); he has also been overshadowed by his rookie teammate, Ricky Rubio.
While Rubio was a starter since the second week of the season until his season-ending injury, Williams has predominantly come off of the bench in his inaugural season.
He has averaged a respectable, if unspectacular, 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game, but the removal of Beasley will result in more minutes for Williams. Were he to average 28 minutes per game or more, Williams would become far more productive.
In eight games this season where Williams has played 28 minutes or more, he has averaged 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds.
Williams has also shown increased production in less playing time of late, scoring 15 points or more in three March contests in which he logged between 21-25 minutes.
His latest was a 19 point, eight rebound effort that included two steals and two blocks in a victory over Phoenix on March 12. Teammates Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic scored 30 and 24, respectively, as WIlliams chipped in off the bench.
Minnesota Timberwolves fans have been waiting for lottery-worthy production out of Derrick Williams; if the Beasley trade is consummated, they may finally see the Williams they have been waiting for.
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Pau Gasol Trade Rumors: Lakers Will Finally Embrace Future with Spanish Star
Judging by the temperature in the room, Pau Gasol should begin unpacking his bags and look forward to the rest of the season with the L.A. Lakers.
I was almost done filling out a farewell card for my favorite Spaniard in the NBA when a quick jaunt around the web showed the Lakers were far more likely to keep Pau Gasol than previously thought.
The L.A. Times’ Mike Bresnahan reported earlier:
The [Lakers and Celtics] talked last week about a trade for Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, though nothing was close to accomplished and discussions dried up.
The Lakers are unwilling to trade Pau Gasol for Rondo, making a deal with Boston unlikely before the trade deadline Thursday.
Before you go thinking about the Lakers taking a stab at Kyle Lowry, think again. The Rockets guard suffered a health issue recently that should keep him out of action for the next two to four weeks, hardly the player that would help a title contender.
CBS Sports’ Ken Berger echoes the thought:
The Lakers are said to be serious about trading Pau Gasol in the right deal, with the emphasis on saving on future payroll. But Rockets guard Kyle Lowry being out 2-4 weeks with a bacterial infection may have put the brakes on a potential Gasol-to-Houston deal.
The well is running dry on deals that would make sense regarding one of the best big men in the game. The Lakers may have been eager to send Gasol packing, but this should come as great news for Lakers fans.
It’s clear this team has holes, but none remain down low, where Gasol and Andrew Bynum continue to make headway as a dynamic duo and force in the paint.
The best possible scenario is getting a guard on the cheap that allows you to keep Gasol and Bynum as clear mismatches for opponents to face.
Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD reports just the deal that would work:
The Lakers have been linked to Ramon Sessions for weeks and they continue to express significant interest in the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ point guard. While other teams have called about Sessions, the Lakers are believed to be the frontrunner to acquire his services, if they decide to pull the trigger on a deal.
If they can get Sessions and keep Gasol, they would be far deeper as they head into the playoff push.
Gasol should only be dealt for another superstar or budding talent that may one day feature as a marquee name.
As of now, no such deal exists.
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LeBron James Finally Steps Up in the Clutch as Miami Heat Outlast Pacers in OT
With 10.6 seconds left in regulation and the Heat down 85-82, LeBron James was hit with a pass in the corner behind the three-point line from Dwyane Wade.
I’m sure you know what’s coming next: LeBron passes the ball to some other member of the Heat like Udonis Haslem, Shane Battier or maybe even Dexter Pittman, right?
No, this time LeBron actually took the shot that we’ve all wanted him to take all season. He took the final shot of the game for the Heat, and he made it.
LeBron, we all knew you could do it. We’re all just glad that you realized you could do it tonight against the Indiana Pacers.
For all of the LeBron haters who talk about his fourth-quarter issues, it should be known that LeBron scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, which included his three-pointer that sent the game to overtime with just 10.6 seconds left on the clock.
In overtime, LeBron hit a big-time three-point with under two minutes left to bring the Heat within two. Then he followed that up with an assist to Chris Bosh with just over a minute left to tie the game at 91-91.
With the game tied at 91, LeBron missed a go-ahead three-pointer with just under 30 seconds left. But luckily Udonis Haslem grabbed the offensive rebound and passed the ball back out to LeBron James at the top of the three-point line.
Instead of putting up another shot after he had just come up short on his last attempt, LeBron made the mature and wise decision in passing the ball to Wade, who hit the eventual game-winner over Paul George with just .1 seconds left on the clock.
While people could pick apart the fact that LeBron passed up a chance at the game-winner, there’s no doubt that LeBron fans finally saw what they wanted to out of “King James” when he stepped up and hit the shot to send the game to overtime.
LeBron is one of the smartest players in the game today, and he knows when it’s time for him to step up and when it’s time for him to let someone else step up. And tonight he proved just that.
A win like the Heat got Saturday night against the Pacers can be a real difference maker moving forward into the second half of the 2011-12 NBA season.
The win gives Miami confidence heading into a rough stretch of road games against the Eastern Conference elite in the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers and the Chicago Bulls.
While LeBron ended the night with 27 points, there’s no doubt that three of those points that came with just 10.6 seconds left on the clock may very well be the three most important points of his season so far.
The Heat’s big three combined for 68 points, and when they combine for that many, they are a very difficult team to beat. Just ask the Indiana Pacers.
Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @peteremerick.
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Lin finally scores in Rising Stars Challenge
Jeremy Lin is sharing the backcourt with Ricky Rubio in BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, but they’re trailing in the second half.
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Temple Basketball: The Owls Are Finally Getting Respect
A 10-game winning streak delivers a few things to a basketball team. It instills confidence in a team as they wind down the season. It begets fear and trepidation in opposing teams. It also garners the recognition of the polls, and a top-25 ranking.
Both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP rank Temple at No. 22. The Owls are finally getting what Miss Aretha Franklin requested in 1967— a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Temple’s ascent to the Top 25 could not have arrived at a better time. With four games remaining in the regular season, the Owls and their blue collar, Broad Street swagger have the moxie to close out their regular season Atlantic-10 Conference play on a 14-game winning streak.
The Owls are favorites for the A-10 crown, but the road to their fourth A-10 championship in five seasons likely passes through an overachieving Saint Louis team that is only one half game behind Temple for first place.
The Billikens defeated Temple on January 11, 72-67. Saint Louis is clamoring for A-10 respect, and they have their eyes set on a championship. However, the Owls of now are battle tested, healthy and possess the pride of a team that has been winning handily. With arguably one of the best trio of guards (Ramone Moore, Khalif Wyatt and Juan Fernandez) in the entire country, Temple has the talent and ability to dominate the upcoming A-10 tournament.
Temple is currently sitting at 21 wins. If they reach 25 wins, the Owls can expect either a sixth or seventh seed in the NCAA tournament. If the Owls reach 28 wins (four more regular season wins and another three A-10 tournament wins), they will be deserving of a fifth seed. With such a high seed, the Owls will be truly getting the respect they deserve.
My bold prediction is that Temple is a Sweet 16 team. They are eight players strong, and their defense is tough enough to lead them there. The only thing better than Temple getting the respect is Temple getting the wins. The next month of play will surely be exciting times for this Temple team.
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Detroit Pistons: Rodney Stuckey Finally Growing Up
If you have ever read my work as it pertains to Rodney Stuckey, you will know that I have been a very vocal critic of the Detroit Pistons guard.
I was put off by his inconsistent play and the fact that he appeared to be OK with essentially wasting his talent. It appeared to me that he was content to just play OK basketball.
I also was turned off by his attitude, especially last year, when a bad situation was made worse by a brooding, pouting and even whining Stuckey.
But a few things have changed since last year.
First, the Pistons drafted Brandon Knight. Knight has been projected by nearly everyone as the point guard of the future for the Pistons, which should be a firm smack in the face for Stuckey.
Sure, the Pistons can claim that they want Stuckey to play the two-guard or that they envision both guards being combo players, but if you are Stuckey, this should be a clear indication that the team is not fully sold on you.
Second, Stuckey received basically zero interest while he was a restricted free agent this offseason.
And sure, restricted free agents rarely are signed away from their team given that this system is intended to reward the original team. But nobody even kicked the tires on Stuckey, which should have been a real reality check for him.
This is the kid that has been compared to Dwyane Wade and was the heir apparent to future Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups. To go from that kind of company to not even receiving an offer should have been an even firmer smack in the face.
Add to that the fact that an injury limited him early in the season, allowing Knight to get injected into the starting lineup and leaving Stuckey on the bench, and you have the makings of a really bad situation.
But instead of going back into Stuckey 1.0 mode, Rodney decided to buck the trend. He instead decided to grow up.
Stuckey has not only been saying all the right things, but he also has been embracing his role as a do-everything guard on offense and top perimeter defender on the other side of the ball.
And, as Vincent Goodwill from the Detroit News reported yesterday, Knight has lit a fuse in Stuckey, helping to spur the veteran guard in the right direction.
When the Pistons brought Knight in this year, I hoped that his professionalism, hard work and character would rub off on some of the more petulant Pistons.
The environment in Detroit used to be that of hard work and determination, and it helped bring this team three titles.
It finally appears now that the young core of Knight, Jonas Jerebko and Greg Monroe have essentially led by example and helped to motivate the veterans.
This is quite a remarkable feat, and one that you really need to give the veterans credit for. Sure, they weren’t the ones leading, but they allowed themselves to be led.
This must have been a very humble pie to swallow, but as evidenced by the development of this team, it is one that they have gladly sucked down.
Stuckey actually is ideally suited to playing alongside Knight, especially if Brandon continues to develop his playmaking ability on the offensive side of the ball.
Stuckey is an incredibly athletic, quick and strong player. He doesn’t have a very consistent deep shot yet, and his finishing always will be a question mark, but he is the perfect match for Knight.
Knight needs to be paired with a slasher that can get to the hoop and is big enough to take some pressure off of him on the defensive side of the ball.
Stuckey needs a quick guard that can stretch the court by hitting deep shots.
They both can handle the ball, and they both can get to the hoop.
Sure, they both still need to improve parts of their games, and neither one is a traditional “pass-first” point guard.
But they seem to compliment one another quite well, and they should only get better.
And while Knight deserves to gain some credit for helping to boost Stuckey, you also have to give Stuckey quite a bit of credit for taking so much on the chin and choosing to strike through adversity and become a better player.
It is safe to say that I am finally warming up to Rodney Stuckey.
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Turnovers finally catch up with Lin (AP)
Jeremy Lin has flawlessly handled Linsanity. Handling the ball has been tougher. The Knicks’ point guard has been turnover prone, and it finally caught up to New York on Friday in an 89-85 loss to New Orleans. It was the Knicks’ first loss since Lin became the starter and an international sensation.
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