Kansas lands transfer Tarik Black from Memphis (Yahoo! Sports)
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Memphis forward Tarik Black is transferring to Kansas and will be eligible to play immediately.
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8 Takeaways from the 2nd Round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs
Now that the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs is in the books, there are four teams left to fight for a ring and twice that many lessons to take away from the semifinal series that just came to a close.
The Indiana Pacers proved that defense counts for an awful lot, especially when there’s a dominant big man like Roy Hibbert in the middle. At the same time, Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks learned that it’s important to have a backup plan.
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors announced their arrival but ultimately fell to a better-prepared, more experienced San Antonio Spurs squad. And Scott Brooks is going to have to do some explaining in OKC after the surprisingly fun (you read that right) Memphis Grizzlies mauled the Thunder.
Plus, the Miami Heat showed that even the gutsiest opponent could hardly make them sweat.
There were takeaways aplenty in the second round of the NBA playoffs. You’d better hurry up and absorb them; the conference finals are just around the corner.
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8 Takeaways from the 2nd Round of the NBA Playoffs
Now that the second round of the 2013 NBA playoffs is in the books, there are four teams left to fight for a ring and twice that many lessons to take away from the semifinal series that just came to a close.
The Indiana Pacers proved that defense counts for an awful lot, especially when there’s a dominant big man like Roy Hibbert in the middle. At the same time, Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks learned that it’s important to have a backup plan.
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors announced their arrival but ultimately fell to a better-prepared, more experienced San Antonio Spurs squad. And Scott Brooks is going to have to do some explaining in OKC after the surprisingly fun (you read that right) Memphis Grizzlies mauled the Thunder.
Plus, the Miami Heat showed that even the gutsiest opponent could hardly make them sweat.
There were takeaways aplenty in the second round of the NBA playoffs. You’d better hurry up and absorb them; the conference finals are just around the corner.
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Fact vs. Fiction from Miami Heat’s NBA Playoff Performance so Far
The Miami Heat have won eight of nine games to start the 2013 NBA playoffs. That’s not a surprise. But some of the reasons they’ve had such success might be a little unexpected.
Miami is rebounding the ball well, but now turning the ball over. Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen have struggled from beyond the arc, but Norris Cole can’t miss.
So, let’s play a little game of fact or fiction with these mentioned seemingly surprising elements of Miami’s postseason, and others, and determine if these trends will continue.
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NY Knicks Hero Was Supposed to Be Cut from Team
New York Knicks forward Chris Copeland scored 13 huge points in a Game 5 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday and has become a key player off the bench. But the fact that he’s even on the team might be his most impressive accomplishment to date.
Copeland’s 13 points off the bench led New York’s second unit in a game that could have sent the Knicks home for the summer, as he scored eight second-half points to help the Knicks keep the Pacers at arm’s length.
After an impressive performance, Mike Woodson remembered back to the concerns over the tweener forward going from the Summer League to the NBA (via Al Iannazzone of Newsday):
We didn’t think he was physically equipped to play at this level and just knowing the game at this level. It took him a while. He sat and learned patiently. We played him here and there. But each time he’s played he’s been productive on the floor.
His performance in Game 5 was huge, with J.R. Smith having another iffy night off the bench and Raymond Felton the only member of the starting lineup to put up double-figure scoring alongside Carmelo Anthony.
For his solid night, Copeland was even one of the three Knicks to represent the team in the postgame press conference.
New York signed Copeland last July with nothing more than a chance to make the roster out of training camp.
Previously, he played in the NBA D-League way back in 2006-07, and he then jumped overseas to play in Belgium, Germany and Spain.
Making the roster out of training camp was a big accomplishment, but even seeing the floor as a guy who hasn’t played stateside since 2007 is extremely impressive.
Copeland has proven to be a quality power forward on offense, providing the necessary tools to stretch the floor and give the Knicks continuity from the first unit to the second when they keep a small lineup on the court. His role will likely increase over the course of the next few games if the Knicks are able to survive, and they’re even starting to depend on him to add something off the bench.
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K-State adds F Bolden from Georgetown (Yahoo! Sports)
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State says sophomore forward Brandon Bolden is joining the Wildcats after leaving Georgetown.
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Comparing Mock Drafts for the Phoenix Suns from Around the Web
The 2013 NBA draft is now just a little over a month away, and Phoenix Suns fans may want to circle the date (June 27), as it could be the most important night of the offseason for this team.
As of now, the Suns have their own pick (fourth overall), Miami’s first-round pick (30th overall), and Denver’s second-round pick (57th overall). But with the NBA lottery less than a week away, that fourth overall pick could still change.
After finishing the season with a 25-57 record, it is clear that the Suns have a lot of work to do, and they need help at more than one position. Point guard may be left alone as Goran Dragic was the team’s best player this season, but the Suns desperately need help on the wings and down low.
Because Phoenix could use youth at several different positions, there is no clear-cut choice for the team’s lottery pick. As of now, Ben McLemore, Nerlens Noel, Anthony Bennett and Victor Oladipo appear to be the four top candidates, but there is no consensus on which one would be the best choice.
As a result, many expert mock drafts have conflicting feelings about who the Suns should take in the first round.
Let’s take a look at some of these online mock drafts to get a better idea of which draft prospects could prosper in Phoenix.
First, let’s start with a mock from ESPN analyst Chad Ford (insider required).
Ford has the Suns going with Victor Oladipo fourth, and Kentucky shooting guard Archie Goodwin 30th.
Considering that McLemore is taken with the second pick in this draft, Oladipo is the next best shooting guard available for the Suns.
Oladipo, the 6’5″ guard out of Indiana, is not the go-to scorer that the Suns crave. It simply isn’t in his nature to score 20 points per game. However, he has a wide array of skills, and in a best-case scenario, perhaps his career will emulate that of Andre Iguodala or Luol Deng.
Oladipo is quite explosive, and his athleticism allows him to get out in the fast break and perform emphatic dunks. He almost always takes smart shots, as evidenced by his crazy 60 percent field-goal shooting, and his 6.3 rebounds per game average is fantastic for a guard.
For the Suns, Oladipo could be used on offense as a great option to catch and shoot in the corner, do a backdoor cut and finish a play off the pass, or thrill the crowd with an exciting alley-oop on a fast-break play.
But what really makes him a potentially special player is his elite defense.
Oladipo led the Big Ten with 2.2 steals per game and a defensive rating of 86.9. He has enough defensive potential to come into the NBA and immediately be a force on the defensive end. If all goes well, he would be contributing on the offensive end while being trusted to take on elite guards such as Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and James Harden.
Archie Goodwin, the freshman guard out of Kentucky, is an interesting pick for the Suns.
On the bright side, Goodwin has tremendous length, standing 6’5″ tall with an enormous 6’10″ wingspan. He is also very aggressive at getting to the rim and can isolate to create offense for himself, and he is a solid perimeter defender.
But Kentucky struggled all season long, and Goodwin did, too. He was inconsistent with his shooting stroke and shot just 44 percent from the field and 27 percent from downtown.
He also turned the ball over 3.1 times in just 31.8 minutes per game, and he is only 18 years old, making him one of the youngest players in this draft class. With that being said, is Goodwin truly ready for the huge transition to the NBA so soon?
This is a pretty good mock draft, and with Noel and McLemore off the board, I do believe that Oladipo would be the best option for the Suns because of the defensive upside he brings.
However, drafting two guards in the first round isn’t a great idea. Goodwin isn’t a particularly enticing prospect, and if the Suns do take a shooting guard/small forward such as Oladipo with their first pick, they should probably target some frontcourt help later in the first round.
The second mock draft comes from nbadraft.net, and has the Suns taking Cody Zeller and James Ennis in the first round.
The Suns could use a center to replace Marcin Gortat, who only has one year left on his contract, but if Noel is gone, Alex Len may be a better option than Zeller.
The 7’0″ center had a fantastic freshman season with Indiana, putting up 15.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 62 percent from the field.
So what’s the problem? In his sophomore season, Zeller‘s production remained fairly stagnant and he was unable to develop into the dominant prospect that some thought he could become.
In fact, Zeller‘s PER, effective field-goal percentage and offensive rating all went down in his second season with Indiana, and he committed 0.6 more turnovers per game in about the same amount of playing time.
Zeller is still an athletic player, and quick 7-footers with the ability to run the floor don’t come around so often. But Zeller is purely an offensive force, and he would do little to help the Suns improve their defense down low.
Even on offense, his short 6’8″ wingspan (smaller than the 6’5″ Archie Goodwin mentioned earlier) and small hands would put him at a disadvantage when it comes to finishing down low.
James Ennis is a fairly unknown prospect coming out of Long Beach State, but he is an interesting name to watch. There are a lot of wings available to be taken in that 25-35 pick range, but Ennis could be a candidate for Phoenix.
In his sophomore season as the main man for the 49ers, the 6’7″ small forward put up 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He was named the Big West Player of the Year after leading his team to a regular season conference championship.
Ennis is a very versatile player with the ability to contribute in all sorts of ways. He is athletic enough to drive to the rim, large and strong enough to grab rebounds and has the range to make three-pointers.
On the other hand, Ennis did lead the Big West with 99 turnovers (three per game), and he himself said that he needs to improve his on-ball defense.
There hasn’t been a lot of news around Ennis, but keep your eyes open for that name as we get closer to the draft.
As for Zeller, this was one of the few mock drafts still taking the center as a top-five pick. But some of the concerns about him are justified, and there are several other prospects the Suns should strongly consider taking with their pick before Zeller.
The final mock draft comes from Bleacher Report’s very own Jonathan Wasserman, who has the Suns taking UNLV forward Anthony Bennett and Kansas center Jeff Withey.
Anthony Bennett, the undersized tweener, is expected to be a top pick, and he is one of the most versatile scorers in his class.
Bennett is a powerful and explosive leaper who can stun the crowd with great dunks, and he can either score in the paint on opposing big men or shoot mid-range jump shots and three-pointers. He would bring some excitement back to the U.S. Airways Center with his highlights.
Bennett averaged 16.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game for UNLV, and he could be an exciting prospect to watch, despite a shoulder injury that will keep him out for four months.
I personally believe that Oladipo is the better pick fourth overall, but Bennett could really help strengthen the frontcourt, as Luis Scola is only getting older, Channing Frye is returning from enlarged-heart issues and Markieff Morris shows potential but may not be ready to be a full-time starter just yet.
Then, center Jeff Withey would join Kansas alums Markieff and Marcus Morris to add some depth down low, which may be necessary if the Suns consider trading Marcin Gortat sometime before his contract expires next summer.
Withey has a fantastic 7’3″ wingspan, and he has developed into one of the best post defenders in the NCAA.
On offense, Withey is a great target for point guards on the move and he thrives in pick-and-roll scenarios. However, his average lower body strength often prevents him from establishing good post position, and he is not a great offensive weapon with his back to the basket.
But on defense, Withey was fantastic. In 30.9 minutes per game, Withey averaged 3.9 blocks and put up a defensive rating of 83.7. Both of those statistics led the Big 12 in 2012-13.
Withey may not be expected to be the team’s future starting center, but at the very least he would be a strong defensive presence to protect the rim and intimidate opposing offenses in a bench role.
This is by far my favorite of the three mock drafts, and although the Suns don’t address their urgent need of a wing player, they vastly improve the frontcourt with two solid prospects. With one specializing on offense and the other on defense, the Suns would hopefully see improvement on both ends of the court next season.
However, Bennett and Withey is not the best combination for the Suns in the first round. Withey would be a fantastic pick if he falls to 30th overall, but Victor Oladipo is the better prospect to take fourth, as Chad Ford suggested.
With Oladipo and Withey, the Suns draft two defensive specialists to hopefully start becoming the smart, defensive-oriented team that Lindsey Hunter wants to see.
They still would not have a go-to scorer, but that does not necessarily have to be addressed immediately. The Suns could target a new primary scoring option in free agency, going after Monta Ellis or Josh Smith.
Or, they could wait one or two more seasons and hope to find their new clutch scorer in an upcoming draft. If the Suns do not make any major acquisitions in free agency this season, they certainly won’t improve enough with just Oladipo and Withey to compete for a playoff spot next season.
They may have another top-five pick, and the 2014 class is expected to be the strongest in years, as it offers fantastic prospects such as Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Julius Randle.
Either way, it’s now Ryan McDonough’s decision of which path to take. But his first test will be the 2013 draft, and if he proves successful in evaluating talent this year, he could potentially make the Phoenix Suns’ rebuilding process a relatively short one.
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Metta World Peace Says Golden State Warriors a ‘Pinky Toe Away’ from Contending
Metta World Peace chimed in on the Golden State Warriors‘ impressive playoff run as only he could, mixing metaphors, incorporating a language that only he may be able to understand and, beneath it all, hitting on a kernel of truth.
After the Dubs fell to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6, MWP hit Twitter with a pair of gems. First, he gave his Pacific Division rivals a healthy endorsement, highlighting just how near Golden State might be to reaching the next level in its development.
Then, things got a little weirder.
World Peace clearly watched the game, as both Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry missed a handful of pretty open looks when the Warriors had a shot to pull ahead in the fourth quarter. But he seems to have coined a new nickname for Thompson, renamed the Spurs after their coach and gotten a little too preoccupied with a fast food chain.
On the whole, though, this is what we’ve come to expect from MWP’s social media dabblings.
And if we sift through the weirdness, we see that World Peace’s opinion is being echoed by plenty of other sources.
Perhaps most importantly, the Warriors’ fans seem to share the same optimism, as they stayed late to cheer for their fallen team. And as if the Dubs were trying to outclass themselves, they returned to the floor to thank their fans for the support.
This is a group with a ton of young perimeter talent in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes. Plus, Andrew Bogut can only get healthier. With a roster composed of great citizens and diligent workers, it’s no wonder that everyone is predicting (and in some cases, hoping for) great things in the future.
Taking a realistic approach, it’s going to be hard to make it out of the Western Conference in the next few seasons. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets all have a strong mix of youth and experience. Plus, the Spurs don’t seem capable of fading away, and the Los Angeles Lakers probably won’t stand for the kind of results they had this year.
And the Clippers will be right back in the picture if Chris Paul comes back.
The climb to the top of the West seems like it’ll always be a steep one. But remember, the Warriors came this far with a banged-up Andrew Bogut, a lost season from Brandon Rush and three rookies playing huge minutes.
As scary as it sounds, World Peace is right: The Warriors are actually really close to contending.
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Winners and Losers from Thursday’s Wild NBA Playoff Action
Thursday’s NBA playoff action saw Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks stave off elimination with an ugly 85-75 win over the Indiana Pacers. It also saw the San Antonio Spurs eliminate the Golden State Warriors by a final score of 94-82 at Oracle Arena in Oakland.
Of course, if you scanned a box score, you’d know that.
What you might not easily surmise is the way Indiana’s bench and ball security allowed the Knicks to prolong their playoff lives. And let’s not forget the Miami Heat, who probably spent Thursday night smiling contentedly to themselves, secure in the knowledge that they could wipe the floor with either of the bumbling Eastern Conference foes they could potentially meet in the next round.
Also lurking below the surface of the evening’s results was the battle-tested truism that experience counts for an awful lot in the postseason. Just ask the Spurs, whose veterans dug deep to find a way to win.
As for the Warriors, well, they’ll go home having learned a hard lesson about experimenting with quirky lineups when the stakes are highest. Hint: It’s not a good idea.
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NBA Playoffs 2013: Analyzing Fastest Rising Young Stars from Postseason
The 2013 NBA playoffs have been a showcase for some of the game’s most promising young stars—some of whom not receiving the proper attention before the postseason got underway.
There is a particularly captivating trio that have led their teams to more success than was expected at the outset. Each player has shown grit, toughness, clutch play and made an impact on both ends of the floor throughout.
Below is a breakdown of three studs 25 years old and younger who have fared well and should only continue to improve.
Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors
Not only can Curry shoot, but he is as crafty as anyone at creating space off the dribble and also taking opponents to the rack in those situations.
Curry isn’t the most formidable player in terms of physicality, yet he finds a way to consistently finish around the rim. Oh, and that’s not even to mention how fantastic he is at passing. There have been fewer true combo guards in recent memory.
What has been most impressive is how well Curry has improved as a defender, and how he’s gutted through injuries to both ankles to still be out there for his team, which is already shorthanded without David Lee.
ESPN Stats & Info highlights how resilient Curry has been to the pain he’s experienced:
Though his shooting percentage is beginning to decline in the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, there’s no question Curry is an All-Star player.
It’s mind-boggling that Curry wasn’t selected to the prestigious squad, but he isn’t likely to be snubbed for many years to come.
Paul George, SF, Indiana Pacers
The sheer athleticism that George brings to the table is staggering, and he only continues to develop into a better all-around product.
George has struggled to find his shooting groove in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks, but has contributed so vitally in many other areas.
What George does isn’t always evident in the box score. He can handle the ball well, shoot nicely and throw down thunderous dunks. The reason the Pacers entered Thursday with a 3-1 lead is because of George’s prowess as a defender, which has helped shut down the likes of Carmelo Anthony.
ESPN’s Chris Palmer points to a historic achievement George notched in the regular season:
The NBA’s leading scorer, Anthony, is shooting just 32 percent when George guards him in this series, which is truly phenomenal (h/t ESPN).
For the postseason, George is averaging 18.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and five assists from the 3 position while playing a treacherous amount of minutes. It’s impossible to discount him as a future max contract-caliber player.
Mike Conley Jr., PG, Memphis Grizzlies
There may not be a more underrated point guard in the NBA than Conley, who has been quietly improving since being the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 draft.
With phenomenal lateral quickness, Conley can get past anyone off the dribble and shuffle his feet against even his most athletic counterparts.
Check out the company he joined in dominating the Oklahoma City Thunder in a Game 2 triumph (h/t ESPN Stats & Info):
The least respected aspect of Conley’s game, though, has been his baffling efficiency with the basketball. Conley has averaged 7.6 assists to just 1.9 turnovers per contest in these playoffs—a 4-to-1 assist-turnover ratio.
That’s a large reason why the Grizzlies find themselves in the Western Conference finals, awaiting the winner of the Spurs-Warriors series.
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