UNLV forward Moser transferring to Oregon (Yahoo! Sports)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Forward Mike Moser says he’ll transfer to Oregon for his senior season.
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Police investigate Phoenix Suns forward Beasley (Yahoo! Sports)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Scottsdale police are investigating Phoenix Suns forward Michael Beasley in connection with an alleged sexual assault.
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Baylor forward Jefferson staying for senior season (Yahoo! Sports)
WACO, Texas (AP) — Cory Jefferson is staying at Baylor for his senior season.
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Doug McDermott: All-American Forward Returning to Creighton
Doug McDermott will return to Creighton for his senior year, according to ESPN.
McDermott, an All-American this season, will likely be the overwhelming favorite for every player of the year award in his senior season.
The Bluejays forward averaged 23.2 PPG and 7.7 RPG in an average of 31.6 minutes each contest.
McDermott said of his difficult decision, “I’ve had enough of this. I’m ready to make this decision. This is where my heart is. The NBA can wait. I feel like I can play there someday, but this is an opportunity I can’t pass up.”
For a player of his magnitude to return is surprising at the surface level, but considering that he is not the type of athlete that projects to improve in the NBA, it is understandable that he would return to school.
The NBA Draft is a futures market, and players are, more often than not, selected based on their potential and not their skill level.
McDermott will likely not improve his draft stock by returning to Creighton, and he will likely not hurt his chances either.
Eamonn Brennan of ESPN wrote of McDermott’s decision, “Doug McDermott isn’t going to wow NBA scouts so much that he’ll be a lottery pick. At that point, aside from the ever-present injury risk all athletes face, the question changes from “why stay” to “well, why not?”
Why not indeed?
Doug McDermott clearly has the ability to dominate the college game, and he will likely receive more awards and attention at the college level than the pro level.
With little risk of losing out on a first round draft position and little ability to push up into the hallowed realm of the lottery, why not be a superstar just one more year?
Creighton will enter the new Big East this season, and they will do so behind the strength of their returning star.
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Lakers Forward Jordan Hill Medically Cleared to Play in Game 2 vs. Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jordan Hill has been cleared to play in Wednesday’s Game 2 of the team’s Western Conference first-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, according to Lakers.com’s Mike Trudell (via Twitter):
Hill had been out of the L.A. lineup since January after undergoing hip surgery. He played in 29 regular-season games for the Lakers, averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game on 50 percent shooting from the field.
It remains to be seen whether head coach Mike D’Antoni will play him, but at 6’10″, the 25-year-old center will provide D’Antoni with another option in the frontcourt in Game 2. The Lakers outscored the Spurs 40-32 in the paint in Game 1, but finished just plus-one on the boards and turned the ball over 18 times in the 91-79 defeat.
Hill should also help the Lakers’ second unit make more of a difference for the rest of the series. L.A.’s bench scored just 10 points in the Game 1 loss, while San Antonio’s bench, led by Manu Ginobili, accounted for 40 of the Spurs’ 91 points.
Hill, who averaged just 4.8 points per game in 12 playoff appearances for the Lakers last season, isn’t going to score a ton of points off the bench, but as long as he’s active, rebounding, defending and drawing fouls, he adds a crucial piece for D’Antoni, who was forced to play Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard for 43 and 41 minutes respectively in Game 1.
The seventh-seeded Lakers will take on the second-seeded Spurs at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT Wednesday night in Game 2. Games 3 and 4 in L.A. are scheduled for Friday and Sunday.
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Is Warriors’ Andrew Bogut a Cornerstone or Just a Role Player Going Forward?
Andrew Bogut has played a full regular season with the Golden State Warriors, and there is a lot of debate whether he is their cornerstone or just a role player going forward.
Bogut didn’t have a chance to play at an optimal level during the regular season, since he was hampered by the effects of the microfracture ankle surgery that he had during last offseason.
Before the injury, Bogut was a top center, something that the Warriors have lacked since the days of Robert Parish.
With less mobility, he has focused more on his defensive effort than putting up his left-handed jump hook or throwing down with authority. The translation is that fans have been underwhelmed by his production and lengthy absences.
If I had taken a sample of Warriors fans before the postseason, Bogut would’ve by far been grouped into the role player category going forward.
Then, the playoffs happened. I know it is early, but he started to change some minds in a gut-wrenching loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 on April 20.
Besides being posterized in the late second quarter by behemoth JaVale McGee, Bogut proved to be the overall presence that they needed.
As you can see from the highlights, he was there to block the first shot of the game and influenced many shots after that. He was slow getting back, but he was a major factor in the game.
He grabbed 14 boards and had three assists, one steal and four blocks to go with his nine points.
He also had the highest plus/minus number of anybody on the team, as the Dubs outscored Denver by 10 points when Bogut was on the court.
In the surprising win of Game 2, Bogut was right back in the middle of the action. His line was less impressive than Game 1, but he set the screens, kicked the ball out, made defensive adjustments and was just there to disrupt everyone in his sights.
He was called for fouls on screens, but he laid out Andre Iguodala on a beautiful screen in the first half. Bogut was also a plus-15 on the night.
Bogut is the quarterback of the defense. He continually calls out plays and pick-and-roll coverages, while he adjusts the positioning of his teammates as action develops.
Bogut needs to bring the offensive dimensions to the court, because that factor in his game has been missing this season. He is very skilled offensively, but hasn’t been able to show it off.
His scoring has significantly diminished this season from a career average of 12.2 points per game to only 5.8 this season. He might not be getting the points, but he is setting up a lot more offensive opportunities.
As you can see from this highlight below, Bogut is very adept at handling the ball.
His behind-the-back pass to Harrison Barnes shows just a small portion of what Bogut can do on offense, and the Dubs need him to maximize that, especially with David Lee being out for the remainder of the postseason.
He is a very effective screener and moves into the way of defenders to open perimeter shots for Curry and Klay Thompson. He can also draw out the big men to let teammates have a better look driving to the basket or settle for an open jumper.
Now that I have described the highlights of Bogut, let’s take a better look at his ankle injury.
Lance Silverman, M.D., a board-certified member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, reviewed the surgery and had this to say on his blog:
In Bogut’s case, the fact he has continued to swell and have pain indicates he likely falls into the 15% of patients who experience complications. I am very concerned when my patients continue to have pain 6 months after surgery, as that period gives you a good look at the recovery process.
The analysis, along with his continued setbacks, definitely scares management and Warriors fans. The true test of his ankle will be after he has had a full offseason to recover.
After most microfracture surgeries, players were better off in their second year after surgery versus the first. Bogut will be able to prove his worth before ownership decides to re-sign him, trade him or let him hit the open market.
How does this translate to the current Warriors team? Bogut is one of the dominant centers in the league when he has all of his tools working as shown by the highlights below.
Bogut demonstrates all of his skills as he makes huge blocks, passes the ball effectively, hits his shots and moves fluidly. He also brings the defensive intensity that the team severely lacks.
If he can bring this effort consistently next season, like three out of every four games, then the Warriors have found a cornerstone. However, he would be a short-term cornerstone until they can develop a legitimate center (possibly Festus Ezeli) or find one through trade or free agency.
The Warriors get rid of two heavy contracts at the end of next season when Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins become free agents. Bogut will also be in the same spot, after he takes home $14.2 million in the last year of his deal.
My perception is that Bogut will be departing, unless he plays at a level closer to his time with Milwaukee. If he can do that, then he will fit in with the Warriors’ youth movement.
If that can happen, I would assume he will get a shorter deal (two to three years) worth closer to a $10 million-per-year range.
The opportunity is open for Bogut to be a cornerstone of this franchise, but it all depends on the health of his ankle. If it heals correctly and he can demonstrate that he is the player that the Warriors coveted, then this team will be a playoff force in the coming years.
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Wildcats freshmen look forward to second season (Yahoo! Sports)
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s freshmen fell short of expectations in a disappointing season, and those returning are looking forward to using their experience to help the next crop of highly touted Wildcats avoid suffering the same fate.
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Michigan State signs 6-9 forward Gavin Schilling (Yahoo! Sports)
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State has added depth to its frontcourt by adding forward Gavin Schilling.
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Kenneth Faried Injury: Denver Nuggets Need Healthy Forward for Postseason Run
According to the Denver Nuggets‘ official Twitter feed, forward Kenneth Faried‘s recent leg injury has been revealed to be a sprained left ankle. Faried suffered damage to his anterior talofibular ligament and will miss the Nuggets’ final two regular season games.
If the Nuggets are to make a run through the postseason, they’ll need their rebounding machine to be at 100 percent.
Faried suffered the injury on April 14 during the first quarter of Denver’s 118-109 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Faried was driving the lane when he landed awkwardly on his ankle, hitting the ground with a deafening scream.
According to Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post, that won’t prevent Faried from playing in the postseason.
Now that that’s cleared up, let’s address the issue of health.
If Faried is to play during the postseason, the Nuggets must have him at 100 percent. Not only is he their leading rebounder, but he’s started all 80 games in 2012-13 and is their third-leading shot-blocker.
With that being said, basic individual statistics don’t tell the story.
Carrying the Rebounding Load
In an average of 28.1 minutes of action, Kenneth Faried led the Denver Nuggets at 9.2 rebounds per game. The second-leading rebounder on Denver’s roster is the fundamentally sound Kosta Koufos at 6.9 per contest in 22.5 minutes.
With that being said, Koufos is far from the force on the glass that Faried has proven to be.
Faried is eighth in the NBA in both rebounds per game and offensive rebounds per game. As anyone who has watched the Nuggets will tell you, however, it’s not about how many rebounds Faried gets.
It’s about how he gets them.
Faried is an aggressive player who thrives in crashing the boards with reckless abandon. Not only does Faried sky through the air, but he plays physical ball and runs the floor in transition as well as any big man in the NBA.
In other words, he’s the perfect rebounding force for Denver’s up-tempo offense.
Defensive Versatility
The Denver Nuggets are one of the best offensive teams in the NBA at 105.9 points per game. Unfortunately, they’re also one of the worst defensive teams, allowing 101 points per contest.
With Andre Iguodala on the perimeter and Kenneth Faried playing as a hybrid forward, however, the Nuggets do possess opportunistic stoppers.
Iguodala is widely considered to be an elite on-ball defender due to his blend of power and lateral quickness. His ability to pick up anyone from the 2 to the 4 will be wildly valuable should the Nuggets draw either the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets in the first round.
With that being said, Iguodala can only be as effective as those around him.
Faried has developed as a defender, picking up players at both the 3 and 4. His rebounding prowess and physicality makes him a terror in the post, while his elite athleticism enables him to work the perimeter.
On a bum ankle, however, the Nuggets will be without something rare—a defensive presence.
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Kevin Love looking forward to return
Just when Kevin Love was getting ready to try to salvage something positive from a lost seasons, one more injury cropped up to end it all.
A few days after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, Love vowed to come back stronger than ever from a massively disappointing season for him and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
”This was supposed to be such a big year for us and myself and everybody included in this organization,” Love said on Saturday before the Wolves hosted the Suns. ”It (ticks) me off in a lot of ways.”
Coming off of a breakout season in the NBA and playing a pivotal role in Team USA’s run to the gold medal in London, Love was poised to vault into the elite in this league, and take the Timberwolves with him.
But he broke his right hand twice — once just before the season started and then again in early January — and was limited to just 18 games. And as he was preparing to return after having surgery on his hand in January, Love felt discomfort in his
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