Empty the Bench

By: Zachariah Blott

On Monday, Milwaukee Bucks’ General Manager John Hammond made the expected announcement to not exercise the third year of Joe Alexander’s rookie contract. Basically this means that the eighth pick in the 2008 Draft will become the third first-round selection ever to become an unrestricted free agent after only two seasons. The Bucks made this decision after a single, injury-marred season under Alexander’s belt. The second-year forward is currently nursing a torn right hamstring until the New Year.

Alexander impressed draft scouts in ’08 with his freakish athleticism and a nice run of boxscores in March. I’m serious, the only production anyone in the league talked about from his three years at West Virginia were his final nine contests in which he averaged 24 PPG and 8 RPG. He shot a rather average 46% from the field during that fateful month, and Alexander actually hit below that mark in 5 of his final 6 games. That’s about it. A junior who was averaging 14 PPG from November through February suddenly became a lottery pick because it looked like he may have harnessed his off-the-charts athleticism and he was the god of dunking.

Like JaMarcus Russell, Alexander was supposed to turn great physical abilities and a limited run of college success into All-Star appearances. But then reality set in. During his rookie campaign, he played in 59 contests, scoring 4.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and shot a poor 42% – turns out his mid-range game only worked against slower college defenders. Since entering the league, he has been noted for his unpolished offensive
abilities and questionable lateral quickness, which is a nice way of saying he can’t guard his man. Freak athlete who works hard he may be, but a basketball player he is not.

Chase Budinger photo credit: Icon SMI

Looking back, draft aficionados and general managers should have seen this coming. Here’s the video from his Draft selection. It’s pointed out by the commentators that a) he’s shooting up the draft boards because of his high scoring average in March, b) he’s just now learning to use his athleticism to get to the rim, c) he needs to work on his defense and moving his feet, and d) he will need to adjust to being guarded by athletic forwards in the NBA. Which of these comments do you want to hear said about your newly acquired lottery pick?

Enter Houston rookie Chase Budinger. He has a similar build to Alexander (6-7, 220 to 6-8, 230), is also noted for his athleticism (he was the top high school volleyball player in the nation while splitting time with hoops), is also supposed to have a jumper, and they’re both obviously white. There have been similar things said about their games, but Budinger has already proven to be the superior NBA player, and he was a lowly second-round draft pick five months ago. The newest Rocket is actually doing the things Alexander was supposed to do.

In 16 minutes a night off the bench, Budinger is averaging 9.3 ppg (Alexander had 4.7), 2.5 rpg (2.0), is shooting 50% (42%) from the field, and he’s hitting 40% of his 3.8 triples per contest (35% of 0.8). Budinger actually has a jumper and a clue how to be part of a basketball team. Alexander might win a one-on-one driveway contest, but Budinger knows how to play within the flow of the professional game. Not only that, he’s playing some heads up defense, staying in front a variety of opponents he’s asked to guard (you’ll see him sticking shooting guards through power forwards), contesting shots, and fouling opponents less than Alexander did (1.5 FPG to 1.8). It’s still early in the season, but the Rockets are giving up a fantastic 9 points less per 100 possessions with Budinger on the floor compared to when he’s on the bench.

Should NBA scouts and GM’s have been able to figure this out? How did they draft these two so differently and get results so opposite of expectations?

Breaking down Budinger, after the jump …

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By Brian Spencer

It’s only one game in a long season, and it was on the road against a team that’s had their number for a few seasons now. Sometimes the ball simply doesn’t bounce your way, good shots don’t drop, everything your opponent does comes up roses. One bad game by the Orlando Magic is hardly cause for panic, but if head coach Stan Van Gundy is smart (and we already know he’s passionate), he uses Tuesday night’s 85-80 loss to the short-handed Detroit Pistons as an excuse to remind his team that last year was last year. If they hope to successfully defend their Eastern Conference crown and return to the NBA Finals, they’re going to have to work hard at it, every night. Probably even harder than they did last year.

The table was set for a Magic blowout win: the revamped Pistons are still finding their way and in search of their team identity, as evidenced by their back-to-back losses to the scary Oklahoma City Thunder and the raw Milwaukee Bucks. They were missing their leading scorer of the past seven seasons, Rip Hamilton, as well as ironman Tayshaun Prince, whose streak of consecutive regular-season games finally came to an end at an astounding 496. On top of that, the thin Pistons’ frontcourt looked to be overmatched by the brute low-post force of Dwight Howard, the seven-foot presence of backup center Marcin Gortat, and the versatility of Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, and Ryan Anderson.

This is why they play the game though.

The Pistons defense again surprised, holding the Magic to just 36% from the field as a team, including 28% from behind the three-point line. Defense was supposed to be Detroit’s biggest liability this year, but at this very early stage of the season they’re ranked second overall in points allowed, behind just the smothering Boston Celtics, at 85.3 points per. They outrebounded the bigger, stronger Magic by a margin of 44-42 thanks to a game-high 10 from a rejuvenated Ben Wallace and 14 total between starting guards Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey. And they got the Magic in early foul trouble, with both Howard and Gortat fouling out in the fourth quarter and combining for just 12 points and 12 boards.

Give it up for the Pistons. They scratched and clawed and hustled their way to the W. Backup PG Will Bynum, in particular, was magnificent, especially during the tight fourth quarter. Bynum wanted the ball in his hands, repeatedly broke down Jameer Nelson on the perimeter, and fearlessly drove into the teeth of the Magic defense to draw crucial fouls on the Magic bigs. He finished with 20 points, 3 boards, 2 assists, and 2 steals in 28 minutes off the bench.

For all the Pistons did well, though, the Magic were lazy for much of the night: look no further than their 35 three-point shots, the most ever attempted in a single game against any Detroit Pistons team. You got the sense that they felt like they could just show up and walk off the court with an easy win, and that’s something Van Gundy needs to nip in the bud immediately. They are not in a position to take anybody lightly.

I’m not suggesting that kind of attitude has or will manifest itself within this team, but I’ve seen it before in the post-championship Pistons of a few years ago, and it’s a recipe for disaster. The Magic may still consider themselves a hunter since they fell short of their ultimate goal last year, but they need to realize that they’re now actually the hunted in the East. They have a target on their chest, and on most nights they’re going to get their opponents’ best effort.

It’s only one game. But I think the Orlando Magic just got their first wake-up call of the season, and I think Stan Van Gundy just got his first chance to impart a valuable teaching lesson.

By: Andrew Thell

We here at ETB watch the NBA for different reasons in the regular season and the postseason. In the postseason we want to know who is the best, regardless of pace, age, excitement, athleticism or offensive prowess. When we tune in on a Wednesday night in November? Not so much. We can’t watch the Cavs and Celts every night. With that in mind, we’ll be doing an ongoing series on the youthful non-contenders detailing why they’re worth watching and what the future holds. Today: the Memphis Grizzlies.

Why They’re Worth Watching: Like a lot of teams we’ll discuss, the Grizzlies feature some of the most intriguing young talents in the NBA. 23-year-old Rudy Gay leads the pack as an electric combo forward that can do it all on both ends of the floor. His elite athleticism makes for nightly highlight-reel dunks and defensive plays, and Gay has the tools to be an All Star at some point. Gay is joined by electric scorer and last year’s third-overall pick OJ Mayo, who doesn’t play intelligent basketball yet, but has great natural scoring instincts and gifts. The 6-5 guard should be a 20-point-per scorer in this league for a long time to come, starting this season.

At the point the jury is still out on Mike Conley, but he’s just 22 and was taken with the 4th pick in 2007. Conley may lack the size and physical tools to be a plus starting point but is still fun to watch and has the makings of a solid backup. In the middle the Grizz have a trio of centers of note. Little-known Hamed Haddadi is a legit 7-2 big man out of Iran who led the Olympic summer games in blocks and rebounds with 2.6 and 11.2, though it remains to be seen if he is an NBA commodity. 2009 second-overall pick Hasheem Thabeet stands an inch taller at 7-3 and may be even more raw. The 22-year-old doesn’t exactly have basketball skills, but Thabeet has the tools to perhaps be a difference maker on the defensive end. Maybe. The most polished of their big men is unheralded Marc Gasol, a beastly big standing 7 feet and pushing 300 bucks who plays like a linebacker. Gasol is currently dropping 19 points, 12 boards and over a block and steal per game on 65% FGs after an impressive rookie campaign.

With that much young talent you can’t help but be curious how things will shake out for the team and the youngsters – all of whom could be on your team soon. On top of that, intrigue abounds in what new and creative ways Zach Randolph can bring boneheadedness to a new level and how Allen Iverson can further sabotage a young group of men. Drama.

What’s the Plan?: The plan should be to build around the scoring duo of OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay. It should be to bring in savvy, professional veterans on the cheap to teach these kids how to win. It should be to give the other young kids mentioned above as many minutes as possible in the interest educating them, giving them NBA experience and evaluating their talent and potential. It should be to find out what they have in Conley, Haddadi, Thabeet and hustle-big Darrell Arthur and then go forward accordingly with contract extensions. After all, this is a team that doesn’t have a single player under contract for the 2011-12 season, the first year they could be any sort of legitimate contender. They should be gearing up to make the appropriate contract commitments to their emerging young stars and make a big splash in free agency after next season.

Unfortunately, it curiously seems like Memphis has more of an interest in giving contracts and minutes to aging malcontents that don’t play defense or even vaguely resemble leaders on the court or off. Bringing in Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson were colossal, inexplicable, inexcusable mistakes. It makes you wonder if there is a plan.

How the Future Looks: I simply cannot fathom why the Iverson and Zandolph moves were made. This franchise will suffer in ways both subtle and obvious for seasons to come as a result. Still, there’s significant room for optimism in Memphis based purely on their volume of young talent and massive financial flexibility. Things could change and get better here in a hurry. Unfortunately, it appears their best asset, Rudy Gay, not only wants no part of this mess but also doesn’t get along with Mr. Mayo. Gay has declined to sign a contract extension and will become a restricted free agent.

After next season the only players under team control will be potential bust Thabeet, OJ Mayo, Darrel Arthur and Sam Young. That leaves a lot of work for GM Chris Wallace, a man that I am not confident in given his history. Wallace’s tenure was not exactly celebrated in Boston earlier this decade. This is the guy who traded a young Joe Johnson for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers, traded for Vin Baker and his bloated contract and made numerous other questionable trades and free-agent signings. So far in Memphis his acquisitions of Iverson and Randolph and drafting of Conley and Thabeet leave a lot to be desired. If Wallace can give reasonable long-term contracts to Gay, Mayo and Gasol and then make a splash in free agency in the next two offseasons things could work out. I’m not optimistic. But as Brian discussed, that doesn’t mean we’re not watching.

More from The Kids are Alright Series:
- Detroit Pistons
- Philadelphia 76ers

Rudy Gay photo credit: Icon SMI

By Darren Yuvan

In the weeks and days leading up to the start of the 2009–2010 NBA season, the Houston Rockets were left for dead: declared too short, too inexperienced and simply not talented enough to make a run at the postseason. Charles Barkley even predicted the Rockets for the worst record in the Western Conference. And really, when you look at them on paper, who could blame him?

We all know Yao is done until next season, Ron Artest is in Hollywood where his crazy act belongs, Von Wafer bolted for Greece with his feelings hurt and Tracy McGrady may or may not return from microfracture surgery later this year as a semi-useful NBA player. In their wake is a mish-mash of role players, former international stars and baby-faced former college studs who have yet to prove their NBA-worthiness on a grand scale.

But genius GM Daryl Morey seems to have done it again, assembling a team that not only has desire and something to prove, but also real talent and extreme likeability. The Rockets play the game the right way and are the dictionary definition of the classic sports cliché, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” A surprising 3–1 start to the season, with victories over expected Western Conference powers the Portland Trailblazers and the Utah Jazz, have the Rockets in first place in their division at this admittedly infantile stage of the season.

Morey was heavily criticized by many for giving former Lakers role player Trevor Ariza a huge 5-year, $33 million deal in the offseason and letting his lone remaining star, Ron Artest, head to the Lakers for a similar deal in what essentially amounted to an even swap. Ariza is currently averaging 21.3 pts, 3.3 rebs and 3.3 assists per game on 47-percent shooting, including 52 percent from the three-point line. And while his handle sometimes looks suspect, ETB favorite Ariza has taken much better than expected to the increased demands of a primary scorer while still maintaining his customary tough on-the-ball defense, getting two steals a game so far this year.

Meanwhile, Ron Artest is mired in a season-opening slump that has him averaging only 8.7 points per game on 32 percent shooting and is seemingly unsure of himself and his role in the Lake Show. Admittedly, Ron did look a bit more comfortable in the Lakers recent win over Atlanta, scoring 12 points to go along with 7 boards and 4 assists. But the early returns have a huge advantage to Morey, Ariza and the Rockets with this one. We’ll be treated to direct faceoff this Wednesday night, with the Lakers coming to Houston for an early head-to-head battle.

Taking a look at Morey’s other moves, after the jump …

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By Brian Spencer

On paper, Monday night’s matchup between the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies didn’t exactly strike me as a game I needed to watch. Sure, there was the “much-anticipated” debut of Allen Iverson in a Grizzlies uniform, but other than that, it looked like two young, mostly bad teams were set for 48 minutes of sloppy basketball highlighted by the occasional, and certainly not without merit, highlight-reel dunk from a guy like Memphis’ Rudy Gay or OJ Mayo, or Sacramento’s Jason Thompson or Tyreke Evans.

Kings fans who made the trip to Arco Arena for their team’s home opener, and those watching at home on the NBA League Pass (which is still on free preview, by the way, and still available for $20 off the regular price), ended up with a significantly richer return on their time investment.

This game had it all, including:

– Allen Iverson checking into the game late in the first quarter for the first time as a Memphis Grizzlie, thereby marking his debut as the NBA’s Most Depressing Player of the Year. It almost took him longer to score (he finished with 11 points on 5-9 shooting in about 17 minutes) than it did for him to start popping off to the media about how unhappy he is coming off the bench. You totally didn’t see this coming, did you? A few snippets from what almost amounts to a postgame rant… after one game.

“I had a problem with my butt from sitting on the bench so long,” Iverson said. “That’s the only thing I had a problem with. I’m not a reserve basketball player. I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. That’s something for the media to talk about. It’s only a big issue when the media talks about it. The subject never came up in my career until everything happened in Detroit. No one talked about me being a sub or anything like that until last year.”

“I went to the bench and told my teammates that I didn’t think they knew I was in the game. They didn’t. They didn’t even think I was in the game and that was a bad thing. I was like, ‘Man, I was wide-open.’ Obviously, [the Kings] didn’t think I was in the game because someone big ended up on me. I guess [the Grizzlies] got used to me sitting so long that I didn’t even get in the game. If we’re winning, I can play 10 minutes and I’m happy. When we’re losing, that’s when I trip out.”

So, in other words, get used to AI tripping out this season. Good times in Memphis, as usual.

Kevin Martin Photo Credit: Icon SMI

- Kevin Martin, the Kings’ would-be franchise player, hanging 48 on the Grizzlies’ disinterested and disengaged defense. That established a new all-time Kings high for points scored in a home opener. Good for him. We’re not huge fans, and think Martin is somewhat of a one-dimensional talent–think Michael Redd–but he always keeps quiet and goes about his business in relative NBA anonymity for a team going nowhere, and I have a lot of respect for that. Maybe AI should give him a call.

Marc Gasol dominates, Spencer Hawes isn’t a stiff, and Kings fans get an A after the break….

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By Brian Spencer

When you think about NBA all-time greats Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, most NBA fans think about those unforgettable NBA Finals battles between their Boston Celtics and LA Lakers.

Growing up as a Pistons fan, however, when I think about Bird, I think about his heartbreaking steal of an errant inbounds pass by Isiah Thomas in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals that turned the series’ tide in Boston’s favor. When I think about Johnson, I think about his tense pregame kisses on Thomas’ cheek during the 1988 NBA Finals and the brutal battles that ensued. It was a Golden Era of NBA basketball, one that Bird, Johnson, and Thomas played huge roles in cultivating, and it was that era that helped hook me and millions others onto this sport for life.

Today Bird and Johnson looked back on and talked about their careers, their rivalries, and about today’s NBA as they promoted their new book, When the Game Was Ours, on a conference call with NBA writers. More excerpts from the call later, but here’s my Q&A with these two NBA legends. The questions shouldn’t surprise you.

Empty the Bench: There’s a lot said in the book about Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, and the playoff battles you two had with the Bad Boys era Detroit Pistons. I know you both didn’t really agree with the level of physicality those teams had–at one point, Magic, you said the Pistons “crossed the line all the time”–so I’m wondering if despite all that you have respect for what those teams accomplished, and if you feel like they deserved those championships.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson: They definitely deserved them. They played so well, and that three-guard combination was probably one of the best we’ve seen in basketball when you think about Joe Dumars and Isiah and Vinnie Johnson. And then when you add in guys like Dennis Rodman, John Salley, [Bill] Laimbeer, and [Rick] Mahorn, and then when they got Mark Aguirre.

They were just a tremendous team and we’re never going to take anything away from them. The main thing is that it’s okay to get fouled up top–and Larry can talk about this more because he had to play them more–but when you get fouled up top, they should have just left it there. But then they loved to hit you on the way down another couple of times, so that’s what I was talking about.

Larry Bird: You can’t take anything away from a champion. They were true champions. They played the game differently at times than you’d like, but it was a rough game. The Finals are rough. We knew it was going to be a tough series. But they were a very talented team… always felt like sometimes they might have went over the line a little bit, but you have to be man enough to step up and take care of yourself.

As far as the team, they had great teams. Bill Laimbeer was a very heady player, a very smart player, and one helluva coach too by the way. You can’t take anything away from those guys, they’re champions and they should be talked about like champions.

Magic Johnson talks about the Kurt Rambis/Bill Laimbeer pairing in Minnesota after the break…

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By: Zachariah Blott

The 2009-10 season is only one week old, so it’s way too early to look at any trends or statistics with a discerning eye, but it’s just so damn fun! Here are some numbers from this young season that you probably didn’t know.

- What do the Knicks’ Danilo Gallinari, the 76ers’ Louis Williams, the Rockets’ Trevor Ariza, the Clippers’ Chris Kaman, and the Wizards’ Andray Blatche have in common? I’ll give you a hint: it’s actually something good. They are all averaging over 20 ppg. The shooting Gallinari (6 of 12 from deep per game) was drafted for is happening, Williams’ speed benefits Philadelphia’s up-tempo pace (7th best 97.5 possessions per game), Ariza is shooting out of his mind (52.4% from 3), Kaman is receiving more touches with Griffin out and lots of court time (41 mpg), and Blatche is hitting an absurd 72% of his shots inside. Who’s most likely to stay above 20 for the entire 82? Without a doubt it’s Gallinari: he is a picture-perfect shooter whose 47% FG and 50% 3FG are both slightly above his rookie numbers, so it’s easy to see them remaining fairly intact on the run-and-gun Knicks.

- Why do draft pundits continue to value players with height (like Thabeet) over players with a history of production, like Denver rook Ty Lawson? Even with crazy quickness, 47% 3FG, and a fantastic 6.6-1.9 A/TO rate in college, teams didn’t want the UNC point guard because he’s only 5-11. The Nuggets happily took the 18th pick off of Minnesota’s hands on draft night and promptly made him Chauncey Billups’ backup. How’s the short but productive former-Tar Heel doing? Playing 22 minutes off the bench each game, Lawson is shooting 50% overall and 40% from deep. He also has 10 assists to only 2 turnovers, and he’s corralled at least 1 steal in each of his three games. Don’t forget he was the catalyst to Denver’s opening-night victory over Utah, scoring 7 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter while also dishing out 6 assists. And where would a potential draftee with Lawson’s quickness be selected if he was 4 inches taller, but was a streaky shooter at best and had a reputation for making poor decisions in the half-court? He’d be the #1 pick.

Ty Lawson photo credit: Icon SMI

- If I had to guess which rookie would make the best run at a triple-double, I’d probably be looking at Tyreke Evans (great build, some PG skills), Stephen Curry (can shoot, pass, and steal the rock), or DeJuan Blair (if you count offensive and defensive rebounds separately). I was way off. Brandon Jennings, the first-year player I consider the most overrated, went for a very Rajon Rondo-esque 17, 9, and 9 IN HIS FIRST NBA GAME. Could he actually do it? Those 9 boards will probably be a season-high, so I doubt it. I’m still putting my money on Evans as the rookie most likely to accomplish the feat.

-Which 6-11 forward/center who averaged only 4.2 ppg in 2008-09 is currently the league’s most dangerous 3-point weapon? Phoenix’s Channing Frye, that’s who. After languishing on Portland’s bench for the past two years (check out his blog, one of the best player blogs in the league), the Suns decided to add the quick center to their starting frontcourt for a measly $2 million. Their up-and-down pace plays right into Frye’s hands, especially since he’s always been a decent spot-up shooter. Now he’s able to hit wide-open 3′s on the fast break as defenses collapse into the paint, and no one is going to contest his outside shot anyway. The results are insane: he’s hitting the second-most 3′s per game (4.3) and connecting on the best percentage among the 50 players who attempt at least 4 per game (65%).

Five more statistical trends from the opening games, after the jump …

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And this wraps up the annual blogger preview series (better late than never, yeah?) For more on the Southeast Division, be sure to check out Zachariah Blott’s preview here.

Atlanta Hawks: Peachtree Hoops    

Charlotte Bobcats: Rufus on Fire | QueenCityHoops

Miami Heat: Peninsula Is Mightier | SportsAgentBlog.com    

Orlando Magic: Third Quarter Collapse    

Washington Wizards: Bullets Forever | Hoops Addict | Truth About It

More 2008-09 NBA Blogger Previews

Eastern Conference:
- Atlantic Division
- Central Division

Western Conference:
- Southwest Division
- Northwest Division
- Pacific Division

The 2009-10 NBA season is, obviously, already underway, but there’s still time to read up on the Pacific Division and sound like an expert next time the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Kings, or Suns come up at a cocktail party. And come up they will. ETB contributor Zachariah Blott has more on the Pacific here, too.

More 2008-09 NBA Blogger Previews

Eastern Conference:
- Atlantic Division
- Central Division
- Southeast Division

Western Conference:
- Southwest Division
- Northwest Division