The Chicago Bulls got off to a miserable start this year, one that consisted of bum ankle to their star point guard that altered the team’s fortunes, rumors of the coach’s impending firing, and the search for more offense after the departure of Ben Gordon.
While the ship hasn’t totally been righted, the Bulls appear capable of returning to the postseason, even though the team’s makeup could change by the Feb. 18 NBA trading deadline.
First off, when point guard Derrick Rose injured his ankle early in the preseason, the entire Bulls team felt his pain.
Rose hasn’t missed any regular season games, but he certainly wasn’t his explosive self early on.
“It was frustrating,” Rose said.
Rose eventually worked his way through the injury, but it wasn’t easy.
“He missed the whole month of training camp pretty much and that set him back, getting in condition and from a mental aspect of not being able to push off his ankle the way he wants to,” Bulls coach Vinny DelNegro said. “He has relied on athleticism a lot and when that was taken away from him, that obviously changes things.”
Now healthy, Rose has shown marked improvement after earning Rookie of the Year honors last year. This season he has been named to his first NBA all-star game, something that should become an annual occurrence over the next decade or so.
Not only were the Bulls coping with injuries to Rose, along with Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas, but Chicago was dealing earlier in the season with rumors of Del Negro’s potential departure.
The low point came when the Bulls squandered a 35-point lead and lost 102-98 to the visiting Sacramento Kings on Dec. 21. The Bulls would lose their next game in New York, 88-81 to drop to a season-high seven games under .500 (10-17). As recently as Jan. 8, the Bulls were 14-20, but then turned things around by winning 9 of their next 11 games.
Before that recent surge, nobody was receiving more heat than Del Negro. It seemed like every day there was a story speculating on his potential successor. Del Negro says when the team was at its lowest, his only recourse was to keep battling.
“I never get too excited or too down if you win or lose, you have to keep fighting and figure things out, especially with young teams,” he said. “Some of our guys are playing at a high level.”
The players, like everybody else were aware of the rumors, but like their coach, they had no choice but to block out all distractions and concentrate on trying to turn around a disappointing season.
“The players really kept together,” Rose said. “We weren’t worried about anything like that and we let the front office deal with that, it’s not our business. Our job is to come in, play hard and make this organization look good.”
Few have done more to make a team look good than Rose, one of the most explosive players breaking down a defenders in the NBA.
“The way he’s been playing he has really helped us turn the season around,” Bulls swingman John Salmons said.
Just when the team was regaining its collective health, Joakim Noah is now out until at least the all-star break with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Earlier, Hinrich missed six games with left thumb sprain before returning the second week of December. Thomas was sidelined 22 games with a left radius fracture from Nov. 7 to Dec. 22.
Plus Luol Deng, says it took time to come back from right tibia stress fracture that cost him the final 22 games of last season and the playoffs.
“I missed all that time last year and in the summer I didn’t touch the ball and didn’t run,” Deng said. “I sat around, waiting for my bone to heal and I am starting to play better as the season goes on.”
The same, Deng says goes for Del Negro, who came to the Bulls without any head coaching experience.
“You can’t expect coach to be great right away after he got the job,” Deng said. “One thing he has done great is get better, and that is all you can ask.”
Seemingly, the Bulls have gotten over the worst, although a prolonged losing streak could invite that same old negativity to return.
This is a young team that still is searching for offense that hasn’t been replaced since Gordon opted to go to Detroit
Still, if the Bulls can stay around the .500 mark that might be enough for an Eastern Conference playoff berth. Like last year, the Bulls hope to be playing their best basketball in April, when they won five of their last six regular season games to finish 41-41 before giving the 2008 champion Celtics all they could handle in the postseason.
Could you talk about competing for a playoff spot in the Western Conference? It looks as if a .550 percentage may be needed to get in.
Chris Paul: Yea, it’s going to be tough. We’re playing with a lot of energy and have to figure how to put it together for 48 minutes.
Can the Hornets make the playoffs with the way the roster is constructed now?
CP: We can do it the way we are constructed right now. We have all the pieces. We have a great power forward, a great center. Devin (Brown) is playing outstanding, Peja (Stojakovic) is tough. We just have to commit to the defensive end.
Do you relish role as a leader despite being just 24 years old?
CP: Yes, it’s fun. Me and D-West are two guys who have been here the longest. I was thrown into the fire my rookie year. I haven’t played a game in the NBA that I haven’t started. I’m not a 10-year vet or anything like that but I have played a lot of games. I accept the responsibility that comes with that and it means night in and night out I have to bring it.
Will the adjustment to Emeka Okafor at center continue to take some time?
CP: We are 30-some games into the season and the chemistry has to be there. It’s a little fine tuning. It’s too late in the season for us to say we have to find our rhythm. It’s time for that to happen. We know when we play hard and play together and when we do, we are tough to beat. We have all the shooters and rebounders. I’m pushing it. We just have to do it. Sometimes it’s mental with us.
Do you feel there is a smaller margin of error game to game with this team?
CP: Most definitely. We probably don’t have the deepest bench within the league. We are pretty consistent who we will play night in and night out. What we have is effort. Guys go out and play hard. That is something you can’t coach or teach.
What is the key for the Hornets to have success?
CP: Defense. We are capable of it. When we get stops we are tough to beat. When we get transitions, ball screens, that is the NBA. Defense is so key for us on a nightly basis. The funny thing is that when you see us, we can do it, but we just have to commit to it every time. When we defend, you go on spurts.
You play so hard on both ends of the court and are a perennial all-NBA defender. How much does it take it out of you to play so hard on defensively and offensively?
CP: Defense is fun for me. You never want guys to score on you. I get frustrated if I blow a defensive assignment and I take pride in it. I am always trying to be a step ahead.
It must make you feel good for your role in helping basketball in New Orleans not only on the court but as an ambassador?
CP: It makes it exciting. New Orleans is a city that I love. They embraced me from Day 1 that I got there. It’s home for me and I love everything about the city and the city can use everything they can get.
You are signed for the next few years, with a player option in 2012-2013. Do you get tired of people asking you all the time if you want to get traded?
CP: Yeah. I’m good. This team here we’re capable of great things and we just have to stick to it.
You won a gold medal on the 2008 Olympic team. What was that experience like?
CP: The Olympics was great. It was the first time I had the opportunity to see what it felt like to be a champion. It really pushed me and motivates me because now I want an NBA ring.
Are there more Olympics in your future?
CP: Yes, 2012 in London. I want to be there.
This year would be your third All-Star appearance.
CP: (interrupts) I have to make the All-Star Game first.
Assuming you do, I would think that it doesn’t get old being selected an All-Star?
CP: No, it would definitely be an honor and a pleasure. You look at the West, it is such a tough task getting in the All-Star Game. You have Chauncey Billups, Deron Williams, Tony Parker, Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, TracyMcGrady (laughs) you can go on for days.
Can you talk about your first All-Star Game in 2008, played in your city. You had a great game with 16 points and 14 assists.
CP: That was pretty special because that was my first All-Star Game in New Orleans. We lost, though.
What player is hardest for you to defend against?
CP: Probably guys who are as quick as I am. A ballhandler. In this league if you are guarding a good ballhandler, one guy can’t defend him, it takes two. There is too much open space on the court. If it’s a guy who can really handle the ball well, you can’t guard him I don’t care who you are.
Is there really anybody as quick as you?
CP: Tony Parker, D-Will, those guys are guys who are hard to stay with unless you have help. If you put me on the court with one person, in every game we play if I am pushing the ball and I see their big man is not backing in help mode, now I can go at it. The guys are too good with the ball in the NBA. The three-point line is so high that it’s spacing the court up. You have to have some help.
Your coach George Karl has said you bring an IQ to the game that is important to the Nuggets. Karl calls you the quarterback of the team’s defense. Could you talk about the defensive mindset that you bring to Denver?
Kenyon Martin: Everybody can’t score in the league and you have to be able to do something different. I have always been known as a defensive player, paying attention to detail mostly, helping with the game plan, how we should play pick and rolls or post up. I always tend to draw the assignment of the tough post player. I just try to do all I can to make sure we are successful.
Early in your career you went to the NBA Finals in consecutive seasons (2002 and 2003) with the New Jersey Nets. As a young player, what was that experience like?
KM: It was a great experience. We came up a little short. The team we put together in New Jersey and the way we were playing, it was just an exciting time. Even though we came up short, just getting there was fun for myself and the Nets.
Denver advanced to the Western Conference finals last year, losing 4-2 to the Los Angeles Lakers. The first two losses in that series were by a combined eight points. Have you closed the gap with the Lakers and can you emerge out of the Western Conference?
KM: We were good last year. We threw two games away and made mistakes late in the game. I like our chances. I liked our chances last year. I think their experience was the deciding factor but I like our chances.
Can the Nuggets earn a berth in the NBA Finals without making any deals?
KM: I think so. We have a great team in place. As long as we get better each and every game we play and every month we play and learn from our mistakes… As long as we get the team to focus in on the defensive end because we can score with anybody in the league… If we lock in on defense, the sky is the limit for us.
What has it been like to see the continued progression of Carmelo Anthony?
KM: He works hard and when you work as hard as Melo does you have great results. He works extremely hard all summer long and during the season and I think he is trying to get us over the hump and he is putting his best foot forward. And we are all trying to help him because we’re trying to do it as a team. You can’t do it by yourself.
You have had microfracture surgery on both knees. Could you talk about how you were able to overcome such a difficult procedure twice?
KM: Just always focusing in. Knowing you are a part of sport, I just locked in and did all I could to make sure I did not let it get the best of me. It’s a very, very difficult surgery to come back from and I had two of them. A lot of people don’t make it back from the first. I have been blessed. The good Lord has blessed me to be mentally strong first and foremost. I just put my best foot forward with rehab and got my mind together.
You are still a double-figure scorer, but are scoring less than you did earlier in your career. It seems that you don’t feel you need to score in order to make an impact.
KM: That is true. If I have the opportunities to score I will take advantage of it but I try to do everything defense, pass and everything I can to make sure we are successful. If the opportunity presents itself that I have to go out and score a few games, I will. I am still capable of doing that, but I am just looking to make us a better team.
One of the most disappointing teams in the early NBA season has been the Washington Wizards. With the addition of new coach Flip Saunders, along with Randy Foye and Mike Miller from Minnesota, the Wizards were expected to seriously contend for a playoff berth after a 19-63 nightmare last season.
This hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for Washington, who began the season winning just four of their first 13 games.
The Wizards have nine players who have the capability of being either restricted or unrestricted free agents after the season. Seen as key pieces in the offseason, Foye will be a restricted free agent and Miller an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2010. The question is whether Washington has gotten off to such a poor start because of so many players with either expiring deals or uncertain futures with the team.
In Washington’s case, the struggles could be pinned more on injuries, although one never knows how much the uncertainty of next year affects this season.
As for the injuries, Antawn Jamison missed the first nine games with a shoulder injury and the Wizards were 2-7 during that span. Jamison’s injury had the biggest negative impact on the team. Plus Miller is out with a calf injury and Gilbert Arenas, after playing a total of just 15 games the previous two seasons, has struggled to get into rhythm with a 1.54 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Usually when NBA teams don’t play up to par, injuries play a much bigger role than uncertain salary status.
Yet, having players approaching free agency is often difficult to deal with. Look at the saga that the Cleveland Cavaliers have experienced with LeBron James, wondering if he will go or stay.
Again, it may or may not have a big impact on a team, but it also can definitely be awfully annoying. With James, the Cavs are expected to contend for the Eastern Conference title and without him, they would appear to be a potential lottery team. So even if James has vowed not to talk about it, the subject will still be discussed frequently and his teammates will be asked constantly about it and it just creates a negative atmosphere. The same situation exits in places such as Toronto (Chris Bosh) and Miami (Dwyane Wade), just to name a few.
Last year, Andre Miller was asked almost on a daily basis about his impending free agency and all the trade rumors that accompanied him while he was with the Philadelphia 76ers. Miller’s teammates were also constantly asked about it and there was no denying that it made for an uneasy situation.
Then when Miller wasn’t dealt by the February trading deadline, the questioning turned as to whether he would be coming back with the team. Miller eventually signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Two of the most pleasant early-season surprises in the NBA this season have been Atlanta and Phoenix, who both won 11 of their first 14 games. One wonders it the Hawks will be worn down by questioning of Joe Johnson, an unrestricted free agent in 2010, or the Suns in addressing questions about whether Amare Stoudemire will exercise an early termination option.
Some would say that having so many potential free agents is good for a team since the players are performing for new contracts. However, sometimes a player may look to pad statistics instead of playing a team game. And NBA talent evaluators should be shrewd enough to see whether a player is competing to win or for a new contract.
In the NBA, talent obviously earns the big payday, but so does winning. A classic example is James Posey.
After coming off the bench and averaging 7.4 points for the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics, Posey was a hot commodity. He was looked on as a winner, especially after averaging 7.2 points for the 2006 NBA champion Miami Heat. Posey signed a four-year $25 million contract with the New Orleans Hornets, and now in his second season is only averaging about 5 points per game.
If one goes down the line, just about every top NBA team will have to deal with the questions accompanying potential free agents.
Good teams can’t use distractions about contract issues as an excuse but that doesn’t mean that it’s an easy situation to deal with.
He came on so strong at the end of last season and looked right at home in the postseason that a natural question in his second year is whether Derrick Rose will be able to move up to the select group of point guards in the NBA.
Actually the question isn’t whether he will, but when will the ascent actually occur?
Whether Rose will make an appreciable leap in his second season running the Chicago Bulls offense remains to be seen, but few doubt that he will eventually be listed among the NBA’s best point guards.
Coming off an outstanding showing in his first postseason, Rose provided enough evidence that he is going to be a serious impact player. This should be no revelation since Rose was the first player taken in the 2008 draft.
First, before glancing into the future, it’s impossible not to look behind. In losing a seven-game opening round series to the Boston Celtics, Rose was truly an impact player. While players don’t always match their regular season statistics in the postseason, Rose exceeded his output.
As a rookie, he averaged 16.8 points, 6.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 turnovers. Against the Celtics in a truly pulsating first-round, Rose averaged 19.7 points, 6.4 assists, 6.3 rebounds. Of course it must be noted that he averaged over seven minutes a game more in the postseason.
Two negatives were that he averaged 5.0 turnovers in that Boston series and he missed all four of his three point attempts.
Both statistics are related because Rose is not yet a threat as a three-point shooter. He shot 22.2 percent in the regular season. Since he derives so much of his offense by driving to the basket, he is more apt to turn the ball over while attempting to create his own scoring opportunities.
The other part of Rose’s game that must improve is his defense. True, when somebody is creating so much on offense, there is a tendency to rest on D. Yet to move up to the elite level, he has to make a better effort when the opponent has the ball.
One other question about Rose will be his health. He just turned 21, played in 81 games during his Rookie of the Year campaign and averaged 44.7 minutes in the playoff series with Boston. However, Rose suffered an ankle injury during this preseason and still hasn’t looked 100 percent, although in an opening 92-85 win over the San Antonio Spurs, Rose had 13 points (5 for 12 shooting), seven rebounds, seven assists and just one turnover in 33 minutes.
While there can always be debate, it says here that Chris Paul of New Orleans and Utah’s Deron Williams are currently the top two point guards in the NBA. (It’s hard to believe that Williams hasn’t earned an All-Star invitation, something that should be remedied this year).
The thing that has to be noticed about both is that they have improved each year in the league. Both are now in their fifth NBA season.
Last year Paul was a first-team All-NBA Defensive Team selection while Williams received three second-team votes.
Like Rose, Paul was a poor three-point shooter as a rookie. He shot .282 from beyond the arc as a rookie and last year was up to .364. Williams on the other hand had his best three-point shooting season as a rookie (.410) and worst last year (.310) and that remains an inconsistent part of his game.
Still, both Williams and Paul are much better shooters and defenders than Rose and each has more savvy as a floor leader. That is to be expected with their experience.
In looking at Paul and Williams, it’s interesting how players develop.
Williams made his great improvement, at least from a statistical standpoint between his first and second year, going from 10.8 points and 4.5 assists per game to 16.2 and 9.3 his second season. Of course his minutes increased more than eight per game, but his improved play earned Williams the extra minutes.
Paul made his biggest gain between his second and third season. He went from averaging 17.3 points and 8.9 assists his second year to 21.1 points and 11.6 assists his third season.
What made that leap so impressive is that his playing time went up less than one minute per game.
It goes to show that players develop at different rates. Don’t be surprised if Rose shows his greatest improvement between his second and third seasons.
Before taking aim at Paul or Williams, there are several other point guards that will provide plenty of competition for Rose, including greybeards such as Steve Nash, Chauncey Billups and Jason Kidd. There are also veterans with All-Star experience (Devin Harris, Tony Parker, Gilbert Arenas, Mo Williams, Jameer Nelson, Baron Davis) and others looking to crack the top group (Rajon Rondo, Jose Calderon, Russell Westbrook).
Rose has the ability to move above all these point guards before taking direct aim at Paul and Williams. Asking for it to happen in his second season may be too much to expect.
Elton Brand arrived a year ago in Philadelphia with a big contract, and even larger expectations. After signing a five-year $80 million contract, Brand could be seen on billboard all around the city. The 76ers were touting a Brand New Era and for the first time in a while, there was a palpable buzz around the team.
The Sixers were seemingly taking a gamble in Brand who returned to play just eight late-season games with the Los Angeles Clippers after recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.
Brand’s debut with the Sixers never came close to matching the considerable buidup. He suffered a right shoulder dislocation on Dec. 17 against Milwaukee, missed 16 games, played in six more before announcing that he would undergo season-ending surgery.
Brand played just 29 games, averaging career lows in points per game (13.8) and minutes (31.7). He also averaged 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots.
For somebody who has career averages of 20.0 points. 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots, it was quite a departure.
“I have something to prove, absolutely, but it’s more to my teammates to (president an general manager) Ed Stefanski and the organization,” Brand said after modeling the Sixers’ new uniforms during a team promotion at the Wachovia Center.
Now a new season has arrived and Brand and the Sixers have taken a much lower profile, especially in a sports-crazed town such as Philadelphia, with the Phillies as the reigning World Series champions, the Eagles a contender for the Super Bowl and the Flyers being touted as a Stanley Cup candidate.
The Sixers?
This is a team that didn’t make any shattering offseason moves as they did the previous season when they signed Brand and re-signed Andre Iguodala, spending about $160 million in the two deals.
So the Sixers are looking at Brand as something new, a much more effective and healthier version from a year ago.
Even without Brand for the majority of the season, the Sixers earned a second straight playoff berth. The Sixers exited in the first round last season, losing in six games to the Orlando Magic, the eventual NBA finalist.
The Sixers were highly competitive with Orlando, until Hedo Turkoglu hit a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left in an 84-81 win in Philadelphia that tied the series at two games apiece.
While many Eastern Conference teams made significant upgrades, the Sixers’ best addition could be a healthy Brand.
“I’m excited to be healthy, to add what I can to the team,” Brand said. “Two first-round losses for a young team that’s OK, but I was brought here to get further than that and that is my goal and what I have been thinking about the offseason.”
The 6-foot-9 Brand is a two-time All-Star, but now entering his 11th season, he has to prove that he is durable an capable of reviving his career.
At 30, he is sort of a greybeard on this young Sixers team, that certainly has the ability to return to the postseason.
Lou Williams will step in at point guard for the departed Andre Miller, who signed with Portland as a free agent.
Iguodala, now entering his sixth season, could be a potential All-Star after averaging 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in an NBA-high 39.9 minutes.
Forward Thaddeus Young, who just turned 21 in June, enters his third season as one of the bright young players in the game after averaging 15.3 points last season.
“When you roll out Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young, you have three nice core players and then the others have to step up,” Stefanski said.
That is true, but in a strange way, Brand at this point is more of an unknown than Iguodala and Young due to his recent injury history.
Brand has worked diligently in the offseason and fully expects to resume his role as a highly productive NBA player.
“I expect to be healthy throughout the season. Stats wise in this system, I expect to do what I have done most of my career,” he said. “If it’s not 20 (points), it’s close to that. If it’s not 10 rebounds, it’s close to that and if not 2-3 blocks it will be close to that, but overall winning is the most important factor.”
At least Brand has passed the eye test this summer while working out with his teammates. He has spent countless hours in the gym, refining his game
“He’s been killing everybody out there on the court,” Young said of Brand. “Some days I don’t even want to guard him. It’s hard to guard him he’s so big and strong, makes all type of hook shots and turnaround jumpers.”
Stefanski, whose first major move as team president and general manager was signing Brand, says that Brand will enter this season 100 percent healthy.
“He looks absolutely terrific,” Stefanski said. “His body fat, body weight is probably as good as it’s ever been and as a doctor said to me, Elton looks like a prize fighter who is cut so well.”
So Brand is ready to make the fight and attempt to regain his status as one of the elite power forwards in the game.
For him, he hopes it truly is a new era in Sixers basketball, one that matches the hype from a year ago.
Doug Collins and New York Post basketball writer Peter Vescey have been selected to receive the 2009 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement festivities scheduled for September 10-11, 2009 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
On Sept. 19, a statue of Collins and his college coach Will Robinson will be unveiled at Illinois State University. Collins averaged 29.1 points per game in his three-year college career before earning a berth on the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team and later becoming a four-time NBA all-star with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Robinson passed away at the age of 96 in April of 2008.
Collins talked to HoopsHype.com about these events and others pertaining to basketball.
Could you give your reaction to your Hall of Fame honor?
Doug Collins: I was shocked. I don’t think a lot of people realize. I’ve been a broadcaster 21 years, if you go back to when I worked for CBS in the 80’s. The great thing for me I have been involved in tremendous companies. It was great being with CBS and doing the NCAA tournament and NBA playoffs of course with Turner. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to play and broadcast the NBA finals, the NBA all-star game and the Olympics. And now Dick Ebersol asked me to do the 2012 Olympics in London (for NBC). I feel very fortunate.
Your broadcasting success seems to stem from being able to explain a complicated game in simple terms. Could you talk about that?
DC: That is my exact goal. One thing I learned a long time ago. It’s one thing to have a mind as a coach or player but so many people watching are casual viewers and you can’t talk coach-speak. You have to be able to articulate in a way it makes it easy for the fan at home. The fan sees what is happening. I like to say what happened and this is why it happened. Many times, it may be action off the ball. We are trained as people to watch the ball and so much of the game in the NBA and my career was played off the ball. But coach-speak is a killer. You can do that in clinics but not on television.
When you do a broadcast, what is your philosophy?
DC: Don Hewitt (the 60 Minutes creator), who recently passed away, said the essence of television was four words – tell me a story. That is my philosophy of broadcasting. Tell me a story. When you sit down to watch, there will be a story, a beginning a middle and an end. I am in charge of telling the story. As much as I might prepare, that story may change every night and you have to be so prepared.
It must be exciting to have a statue of you and your former coach Will Robinson at Illinois State.
DC: Two years ago they named the court after me, which is amazing. I got the first full basketball scholarship at Illinois State. Back then freshmen couldn’t play varsity. As a sophomore Will Robinson came in, the first black man to be a Division I basketball head coach. He was amazing. The first moment I met Will Robinson, he said, “You’ve got it and if you pay attention and trust me, I will take you where you want to go.” That was the beginning of a more than 30-year love affair with the guy.
You will always be remembered for making the two free throws after being almost knocked out in the 1972 Gold Medal game with Russia, giving the U.S. a 50-49 lead with three seconds left. We all know what happened after that, but what are your recollections of that moment?
DC: I was knocked out and was a little shaky but something that happens will resonate forever. One of the coaches was talking about getting a replacement to shoot the free throws and coach (Hank) Iba said, “If he can walk he is shooting them.” It was like an electric surge went through me. He instilled in me that I wasn’t going to miss them and I was able to come through.
This is probably a month you’ll never forget.
DC: Actually, I was going back the last 14 months of my life and it’s been an unbelievable time. Last summer my son Chris was part of the Olympic team in Beijing. Coach K brought his assistants from Duke, and he became part of the scouting and preparation. The Olympics were special for many reasons. I had 36 years of heartache when my gold medal in 1972 was taken away. Coach K and JerryColangelo asked me to speak to the team. As soon as the final game was over, LeBron James hugged me and said you are a big part of this and said we consider you part of this gold medal. My son was a part of a gold medal and I had that moment. And a grandson was born in January. Then my son-in-law Paul Romancazuk won a state championship (as coach for Pennsylvania’s Archbishop Carroll) and then we had the wonderful NBA playoff run and now the Curt Gowdy Award and this statue and it’s a lifetime of achievements that happened in 14 months.
How close were you to returning to coaching the Chicago Bulls in 2008?
DC: There has been the perception that I am dying to get back to coaching. What I always have done is say I will listen. It would be silly not to listen to opportunities in life. One of the great things about working for Turner is that they are about family and want what is best for my family. Two years ago John Paxson called me and I was very close to going to Chicago. They were a young team and I really saw a good 6-7 year run. Chicago is a city my wife and I spent 10 years in. Jerry Reinsdorf said he loved me like a son, and said he could always find a coach but didn’t want something to hurt our friendship and that he couldn’t fire me again. I said let’s give a hug and move on.
This past year your name was linked to both Philadelphia and Detroit coaching situations. What was fact and fiction?
DC: All this stuff with Philadelphia, I never spoke with them. I was never part of that equation. JoeDumars called me about coming to Detroit. We spoke a few times and I don’t think situation was right for me. I didn’t want to go to a team starting over. There is perception I am itching and that isn’t case. I will keep an open mind on things.
It appears as if more teams feel they have a shot at least to get to the NBA finals than in recent years. What are your thoughts on the Eastern Conference?
DC: You have three heavyweights in the East. Cleveland adds Shaq and we’ll see if that will work to bring the Cavaliers a championship. Every day there will be questions asking whether LeBron is coming back. They added pieces, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon are good additions. You saw last year at the three spot in the playoffs they got exposed. They love to slide LeBron to four and play small. They couldn’t do it against Orlando.
Then you have Orlando who lost Turkoglu but added Vince Carter, Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass. They are incredibly deep. I also liked moving Rafer Alston because he wasn’t happy sitting. Orlando tasted it last year and is poised to make another great run. They are very good on the road.
You have Boston, with Kevin Garnett coming back healthy, Rasheed Wallace has added depth to the team. If they are healthy they will be very good. The No. 1 seed could prove so important, because you have to play only one of those other two teams in the playoffs.
To me the next little rung, I feel Chicago is going to be good. They will have Derrick Rose, JohnSalmons, Luol Deng at the three and have a bigger team. They were undersized. I like that they kept Hinrich and I like Pargo off the bench. The big key for them will be young big guys Noah and Thomas and if they show the improvement they showed in playoffs when they went toe to toe with Boston.
Another team is Washington if they stay healthy. Arenas, Caron Butler, Jamison, Mike Miller, Randy Foye, Flip Saunders. If they can defend and rebound that will be a good team.
Toronto improved with Turkoglu and I like Jarrett Jack with his toughness. The Raptors will want to show they will be in the mix to keep Chris Bosh.
Atlanta is interesting. Jamal Crawford should help. I like Jeff Teague at the point. A question is the play at small forward and can it be consistent.
New Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan runs a lot of that Princeton offense. Last year Philadelphia went with a big lineup and lost its identity. They are an open floor team. When Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert played together with Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala, they had no shooting and spacing.
They lost Andre Miller and you have to wonder if they will have enough shooting.
And then there is Miami. Dwyane Wade is a one-man show and basically carried them to the playoffs. Can he do it again?
What about the Western Conference?
DC: In the West, the Lakers are still the team to beat. I love what San Antonio has done. The Spurs needed to add speed and quickness with Richard Jefferson. If the Spurs want to bring Ginobili off the bench, they now have the depth and speed and quickness to do it.
Dallas made nice moves, with Shawn Marion, Tim Thomas and Drew Gooden.
Portland is very good. Is Greg Oden able to stay healthy and can he take over. Can the team run more with Andre Miller?
One of the keys last year for Denver’s success was keeping Kenyon Martin healthy. He and Nene must stay healthy. Chauncey Billups had a great year.
Utah has the Carlos Boozer (contract) situation hanging over them . You can’t give him away but you have to watch what contracts you take back due to the luxury tax. If Deron Williams stays healthy, he makes them very tough at home.
I think New Orleans will be in the playoff mix, but so much is on Chris Paul and David West. Now they have Emeka Okafor, but Peja Stojakovic is key and a big part is three point shooting. If he plays like two years ago and Paul and West continue their progress, they are back in the mix. I thought they lost some mojo last year.
The globalization of basketball has made the sport a world-wide affair, giving players plenty of exposure but little rest. And that is where the debate begins as to whether it’s wise for NBA players to compete for their national teams.
Those who saw the U.S. recapture the gold medal in the Beiing Olympics would surely give a thumbs up to representing one’s country. And it must be noted that despite the success of the U.S., there are many other countries where world tournaments are considered as popular as anything else, including NBA games.
The pressure for many non-U.S. players to compete for their countries in various tournaments is immense, a true source of national pride.
When Kevin Garnett decided not to compete for the U.S. team, it barely caused a whimper. However, if Pau Gasol decided not to play for Spain or Manu Ginobili had decided to sit out the most recent Olympics for Argentina, it would caused commotion among sports fans in those respective countries.
If it were only once every four years in the Olympics that players competed, that would likely be more acceptable, but even the U.S. has asked its players for a multi-year commitment. Many other coutnries ask for an even greater level of commitment.
This issue came up again when San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker recently suffered a mild sprain of his right ankle while playing for the French National Team. When asked to comment, the Spurs told Hoopshype.com that they have sent out a release on the matter that was their position.
The Spurs stated that Parker would begin his rehabilitation process in San Antonio before rejoining the French National Team. It also stated that a timeline for Parker’s return would be determmined based on how he responds to his rehabilitation program.
“We want to thank Tony for returning to San Antonio to allow our medical staff to examine him,” said Spurs General Manager RC Buford. “It shows his maturity and his dedication to the Spurs organization.”
The Spurs didn’t want to comment on having players competing for their various National Teams in the offseason. One has to think it’s a touchy issue since the Spurs are the same team that had Manu Ginobili miss the beginning of the last season after he needed surgery following the 2008 Olympics to repair a ligament injury in his left ankle.
Ginobili had originally suffered a posterior impingement of his left ankle in the first round of the 2008 playoffs against Phoenix. The injury hampered him the duration of the playoffs. After rest and rehabilitation he was cleared to play for the Olympics, where he re-aggravated the injury. Ginobili had surgery in September of 2008 and missed the beginning of the 2008-2009 season.
It was an injury-plagued year for Ginobili, who only appeared in 44 games and whose season ended prematurely in April with a stress fracture in his right ankle, causing him to miss the playoffs.
Anybody would agree that there are positives and negatives about NBA players competing in the offseason.
One can surely cite the injury factor as a reason not to have the players compete. Yet there are plenty of players who go through the year-round grind and come through fine.
Take Kobe Bryant for instance. In less than one year’s time, Bryant competed for the Olympic team, then played in all 82 regular season games for the Los Angeles Lakers, and another 23 in the postseason. The extra workload didn’t seem to bother Bryant, the Finals MVP.
In addition, there is Bryant’s teammate Pau Gasol, who participated in the same whirlwind schedule. Gasol was on Spain’s silver medal Olympic team, and then played in 81 regular season games and 23 more in the playoffs for the Lakers.
Yet Gasol is an interesting case study because in 2006 he suffered a broken foot in Spain’s semifinal win over Argentina during the FIBA World Championships. Gasol then missed the first 23 games of the 2006-2007 NBA season for the Memphis Grizzlies. That season the Grizzlies went 22-60 after three consecutive years of competing in the postseason. Memphis has been in a free-fall ever since.
And even if a player escapes injury and competes in more than 100 NBA games such as Bryant and Gasol, this past year, one wonders what toll that takes on the body down the road.
One person who is clearly against seeing NBA players participate in national tournaments is Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
When contacted by Hoopshype.com for his views, Cuban sent his blog of 2006. His views haven’t changed since then.
“I’ve said it before and I will say it again, the NBA is making a huge mistake by letting our players participate in the Olympics and its qualifying competitions,” Cuban wrote. “Anyone who thinks the Olympics are anything more or less than a business ought to try to bid on the TV rights or talk to any of the many businesses who have been sued for trademark infringements.”
Cuban totally isn’t against having players compete in the offseason, he just feels that there is a better economic way as far as the NBA is concerned.
“If the game of basketball truly has grown to the level of interest we all think and hope it has, then we should just dump playing for the Olympics and hold our own tournament,” he wrote. “If we were really , really smart, we would work with the NHL,NFL , MLB, the USA Track and Field organizations, Tennis and other sports with strong professional bases and create our own games. Then supporting the international development of the games would make sense. Then we could have bidding to host the SuperGames. To provide TV coverage. To sponsors. A Winter SuperGames, A Summer SuperGames every 4 years.”
Again, even Cuban would be in favor of some sort of competition that would put the toll on the bodies of NBA players. And there is no bigger proponent of the NBA game than Cuban.
The NBA players would argue that they have to keep working out in the offseason anyway, so why not be in a competitive setting that the Olympics or these other tournaments provide.
There is something to be said for that, but one has to wonder how much pounding an NBA player’s body can take in a league where the seasons are long and the offseasons for many have become increasingly shorter.
The Portland Trail Blazers won’t be on anybody’s short list of main NBA title contenders, but in signing Andre Miller, they have become a better team.
Possibly a much better one.
The Trail Blazers have added a veteran player who is a much-needed component to a young team.
Can Miller take the Trail Blazers to the next level? That’s a difficult question because he has always been a starting guard on some good but not great teams, so it’s hard to tell.
As one scout said, “He won’t play any defense, but he knows how to run a team.”
And a young team like Portland can greatly use his savvy and unselfish nature.
The skeptics will question the fact that Miller is 33-years-old and isn’t considered among the better athletes playing the point guard position.
That could be true, but he has an old-school game, one that is less likely to deteriorate with age. He has never relied on speed to blow by defenders because he never had much to begin with, yet Miller simply knows how to run an offense and find the open man.
In the last two years he became more of a scorer in Philadelphia because he sensed the 76ers needed his offense. This past season he averaged 16.5 points after averaging a career-high 17.0 in 2007-2008. Not so coincidentally, the 76ers made the playoffs in each of the past two years.
Miller also proved to be one of the top point guards at posting up and it showed the versatility of his game. Miller is proficient shooting off the dribble, and is capable of driving to the basket and drawing fouls. He’s also has a career .802 free throw percentage shooter.
Miller is difficult to get to know personally because he keeps to himself, but that shouldn’t suggest that he doesn’t connect with his teammates.
There was no player who was more respected by his teammates on the 76ers than Miller. He played with a calm confidence, never cared about statistics and always showed up for work.
Miller has played in 530 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NBA and he has missed just three games in 10 NBA seasons.
Critics also point out that he isn’t much of a three-point shooter and the facts bear that out. Miller is a 21 percent career three-point shooter but he doesn’t take that many shots from beyond the arc.
Last season Miller attempted just 53 three pointers.
He comes to a Portland team that has plenty of young talent. The Trail Blazers need somebody to guide this young group and it says here that the players will truly appreciate what he brings to the team.
Brandon Roy will love playing off the ball, knowing that Miller will find him for quality open shots. If LaMarcus Aldridge posts up, Miller will get him the ball in the most opportune of spots.
Greg Oden, whose offensive game is a work in progress, will get easy baskets as a benefit of playing with Miller.
Miller averaged 6.5 assists last year and likely would have averaged more if the Sixers had a better post-up game.
In addition, Miller will bring a professional attitude to the team, a no-nonsense performer who comes early to practice, leaves late and has a basketball IQ that is off the charts.
Are there negatives?
Well, Miller wouldn’t have been available for this long if there weren’t. As the scout said, Miller will never be a member of the All-Defensive Team. He has trouble guarding quick point guards off the dribble, but then again, who doesn’t?
Portland will need to play good help defense, but Miller’s offensive contributions more than negate this situation.
For those who worry about Miller slowing down and the fact that he will turn 34 in March, it has to be pointed out that he had two of his best seasons over the last two years in Philadelphia. And he’s coming off a playoff series against Orlando where he averaged a career-best 21.2 points in the six-game loss.
It’s true that Miller has never played on a team that advanced past the first round of the playoffs. It can also be argued that he never played on a team that has the type of young talent that Portland possesses.
Nothing against Steve Blake, who did a serviceable job last season at point guard, but Miller is an upgrade.
Portland, which lost to Houston in the first round of the playoffs, is a better team with Miller. How much better remains to be seen, but he can be a difference maker for a Portland team that will greatly benefit from his leadership, his professional attitude and most importantly his play on the court.
The obvious first question is what are your feelings about being drafted by a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is certainly in need for a shooting guard?
Wayne Ellington: I felt pretty happy. I had two great workouts there. I knew they were interested and there is the opportunity to get on the court. That is why it really interested me. It’s a great situation and opportunity.
How hard was draft night, watching all the other draft picks selected until you were taken at No. 28.
WE: It was very tough, I was drained emotionally. It was crazy. I can’t even describe it. My palms were sweating.
Being a consistent perimeter shooter is a skill that isn’t in abundance in the NBA. Do you think that is a major selling point for you, the ability to hit from the outside?
WE: I think it is a pretty big part. Definitely in Minnesota. They need a shooter, somebody who can stretch the floor and I can do that. I hope I will be able to create space for guys like Kevin Love and Al Jefferson inside.
What part of your game do you want to continue improving as you enter your rookie season?
WE: I want to get better all around. Put the ball on the floor, get to the basket, improve defensively. There is so much to work on.
Are you looking to come in and be a starter for the Timberwolves?
WE: That is definitely what I am looking for. I feel it’s a great opportunity.
What’s up with the Wolves choosing point guards Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn with the fifth and sixth picks in the draft?
WE: They are two great point guards and with Ricky’s situation it’s kind of difficult. We don’t know what will happen. We are definitely happy to have both of them. We have Jonny for sure and possibly Ricky.
What are your goals as a rookie?
WE: My next goal is to possibly be one of the best rookies and be on the All-Rookie Team and play in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge.
You get asked this all the time, but what was it like to win the NCAA championship at North Carolina?
WE: It was unbelievable. We worked so hard and there was a lot of pressure on us. When we finally won it, you just can’t explain the feeling. We were all emotional and it was a great experience.
Leading up to the NCAA Tournament you had five games where you scored 19 or more points. Then in six NCAA Tournament games, you scored 19 or more points in five games. Did the urgency of the situation make you pick up your game?
WE: I said I had to turn it up a notch, and become more aggressive. I thought if I did that I could definitely help my team.
You averaged 15.8 points as a junior and 14.4 for your career. Would those numbers have been higher had you played on a different team?
WE: No question they would have been in almost any other situation But there was so much talent and a lot of us sacrificed and did what we had to win a championship.
Who wins in one-on-one, you or your former Episcopal Academy High School teammate Gerald Henderson?
WE: (Laughs). It goes back and forth, man. He knows my game and I know his game and it gets competitive.
Do people find it odd that a North Carolina player and a Duke Blue Devil are the best of friends?
WE: A little bit, man, but it’s all good.
What was practice like at North Carolina?
WE: Very competitive. Practices were tough. We like to get up and down and everybody really gets after each other. It’s why we had the best program in the country. We had a lot of talent and everybody worked hard.
You put your name in the draft after your sophomore season but then decided to return to North Carolina. I would guess that you were extremely happy with that decision.
WE: No question. It was something that was huge, making that decision and coming back, working harder getting better in all areas of my game and winning.
You were named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four. That would seem to be something that made the championship extra special.
WE: Yes it did. It was definitely something that felt great. I worked so hard and wanted to turn it up some.
You are from the Philadelphia area so I would guess you aren’t the most popular person with the locals after scoring 20 points in your 83-69 win over Villanova in the NCAA semifinal.
WE: (Laughing) Especially when I’m home in Philly, the Villanova fans don’t like me because we beat them.
You grew up playing a lot of basketball in Philadelphia. There is a reputation that Philadelphia players, especially the guards have for their toughness. What was it like playing in Philadelphia?
WE: It was a great experience. I don’t know what it is about Philly guards, but they are tougher. Playing there in high school really helped my game a lot.
Have you ever met another Philadelphia area guard named Kobe Bryant who played at Lower Merion High, which wasn’t far from your high school?
WE: I met him and from what I have experienced, he is a great guy. I can’t wait to match up with him. It will be a big-time challenge but I would look forward to it especially since he’s been my favorite player.
The Chicago Bulls got off to a miserable start this year, one that consisted of bum ankle to their star point guard that altered the team’s fortunes, rumors of the coach’s impending firing, and the search for more offense after the departure of Ben Gordon.
Could you talk about competing for a playoff spot in the Western Conference? It looks as if a .550 percentage may be needed to get in.
Doug Collins and New York Post basketball writer Peter Vescey have been selected to receive the 2009 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement festivities scheduled for September 10-11, 2009 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
