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- Aaron Golden's
Basketball blog January 2011
Aaron Golden's Basketball blog January 2011
Portland-The Struggle to Survive
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 27, 2011
Greg Oden- first overall pick of the 2007 NBA draft-Injured
Brandon Roy- three time all-star-Injured
Marcus Camby- defensive player of the year in 2006-2007- Injured
With the deprivation of three exceptional players, it is almost
unfathomable that Portland is still holding the 8th seed in competitive
West. It’s even harder to believe that the Blazers were recently
on a five game winning streak. Although this Portland team has
become injury prone, key players are stepping up and are making the
best of what they have.
First off, LaMarcus Aldridge has been an outstanding
player thus far. Playing at an all-star caliber, Aldridge is
making his team look competitive. Bound to make his first
all-star appearance, LaMarcus Aldridge since December 15 has been
averaging 26.3 points per game as well as 10.3 rebounds per game.
Aldridge has stepped up as much as he can since his team has been
plagued by injuries and has really been the go to guy for the
Blazers. Secondly, Andre Miller has also helped his team out a
lot. Currently in his 13th season, Miller has been a valuable
asset. He constantly gets it done on both sides of the court
averaging 1.7 steals per game while also dishing out 7.1 assists per
game. Essentially, Andre Miller has stepped up in the absence of
Camby and Roy and continues to produce solid numbers. Next off,
Wesley Matthews has really established himself on the Portland
Trailblazers. This un-drafted player has filled much of the void
at the shooting guard position in place of Brandon Roy. Matthews
has been quite the contributor, averaging 16.2 points per game, and
even more staggering, Matthews has averaged 22.7 points per game in the
last 3 games. Moving on, Rudy Fernandez has been a spark off the
bench for the Blazers putting up some descent numbers as well as making
the highlight reel every once in a while. Lastly, Nicolas Batum
has also been showing progression in the absence of Roy and
Camby. He recently scored 23 points and then four days later
scored 24 points. Batum has shown some potential during this
period of injuries and has been a solid small forward.
Hopefully this array of talent continues to mesh
well together as well as keep on winning ball games. It is
important they keep on winning games in order to hold their spot in the
playoffs. These next few weeks will really test this Portland
team.
Bottom Line- Portland is a solid team that could have a promising future if Roy, Camby, and Oden ever get back onto the court.
Kevin Durant
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 24, 2011
Kevin
Durant’s versatility and profusion of talent puts him amongst the top
echelon of people to ever play the game of basketball. Durant has
a great multifaceted game which allows him to be a deadly player.
Now let’s get an inside look of Durant’s game
To start off, Durant can shoot from an infinite range. Whether he
backs up to the three point line or hits the small jumper in the lane,
their is no stopping him. With such a slender body, Durant can’t
back people down on the post as well as a big man can. However,
he more than makes up for this with a great jump shot. Durant
knocks down 1.7 threes per game and averages 28.3 points per
game. Kevin Durant can shoot over virtually any defender because
of his long body and even longer arms.
To complement Durant’s shooting skills, is his elusiveness and
dexterity. Durant’s astounding athleticism allows him to create
shots for himself and allows him to drive and finish at the
basket. Being such an agile big man, it is so hard for opponents
to guard him. If Durant has a height advantage in a given matchup
he will pull up for a jump shot because he knows the smaller players
won’t be able to block him. Now if Durant is guarded by a bigger
fellow he will utilize his quickness and beat you to the basket.
When a defender can no longer keep up with Durant’s
skill he has only one option left- to foul. Although this may
seem like a way to stop Durant from producing points, you are sadly
mistaken. When you send Kevin Durant to the line it is an
automatic two points for his team. Kevin Durant hits 88% of his
free throws ranking him among the highest in the league.
Another thing that makes Kevin Durant a great player is his
defense. Kevin Durant is a player that can haul down 6.3 rebounds
per game as well as get a big block or steal.(1.1 steals, 1.0
blocks) As you can see, Durant contributes in all aspects of
defense making him an even better player.
Finally, Durant not only makes himself look good but he also helps out
his team tremendously. Durant averages nearly 3 assists per
game. There is also another thing Durant has, however this
does not show up in the stats column. Kevin Durant has become a
leader through his past experiences on team USA. Leading team USA
to a championship Durant developed many leadership qualities that he
now brings to his Thunder team. Kevin Durant helps his team on
the court and points them in the right direction. Lastly, when
Durant is on the floor he draws double teams creating space for his
teammates leading to better shots and resulting in wins. With
such an offensive presence, teams often overlook Durant’s teammates.
Bottom line- When you have a repetoire like Durant you are bound to be a great player.
The Knicks
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 20, 2011
With
the acquisition of Amar’e Stoudemire during the offseason, there was no
question that Amar’e would have an immeasurable impact on the New York
Knicks. The question moreover, was how far would Stoudemire be
able to take his new team and would he be able to turn around this New
York Knicks franchise that has been suffering for over a decade
now? From 2002-2009 the New York Knicks have not finished above
500. With the addition of stoudemire the Knicks are now 22-18, 4
games above 500 and look better than ever. Since Amar’e
Stoudemire came to the Knicks he has been averaging career highs in
both points(26.4) and blocks(2.4). It is astonishing to see
that since Stoudemire has left Nash he is averaging more points, and
this really makes one consider how good the point guard for the Knicks
really is. Raymond Felton is on his way towards a breakout
season, currently averaging 17.7 ppg and 8.9 apg. Felton has
really filled the void for the Knicks at the point guard position and
has been able to set up his teammates as well as leading Stoudemire to
one of his best season’s ever. Although Felton and Stoudemire are
great, they are backed up by a great all around squad. Danillo Gallinari
and Wilson Chandler have improved their play and really get the job
done on the offensive side of the court. Gallo contributes his
superb shooting skills and has become an excellent 3 point shooter for
the team. In addition, Chandler is a spark off the bench
averaging over 17 ppg. To top it all of, Landry Fields has been a
true X-factor for the Knicks; the rookie has made great plays
throughout the season and during the stretch, often giving the Knicks
the upper edge over the opposition. Bottom Line- Knicks will
almost definitely make the playoffs and it should be interesting to see
how far they actually wind up going.
Return of the Celtics
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 18, 2011
After
a devastating loss against the Lakers in the 2010 championship, the
Celtics were in quite the dilemma. Many Celtic fans thought this
would be their last shot of winning because of their aging superstars
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce as well as the possibility of Ray Allen
not re-signing with the Celtics. As the new season neared,
everything seemed to fall in place for the better. Ray Allen
re-signed, Pierce and Garnett did not leave, and Doc Rivers, head coach
of the Celtics stayed as well. Although the Celtics were able to
maintain their all-stars and coach; the Celtics still needed to improve
their team. So in order to take their team to the next level,
especially because Rasheed Wallace was retiring and Perkins was hurt,
the Celtics acquired Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal or as I like
to call them, The Twin Towers. With depth from their two new big
men, along with retaining their veteran all-stars, and with their
rising all-star Rajan Rondo stepping up, the Celtics were looking like
one of the most dominant team’s in the league. Early in the
season, the Celtics looked like a championship contender when they took
a huge win over Miami on opening day. The Celtics looked as good
as ever especially with Rondo dishing out a total of 82 assists in the
first five games of the season. Unfortunately
though, the Celtics were plagued with injuries. Even with
injuries from Rondo, Garnett, Shaq, Jermaine, West, and Perkins, the
Celtics were still able to maintain dominance in the league. The
Celtics currently have a record of 30-9 which is truly astounding,
considering all the adversity they had to overcome. So far this
season, Pierce and Allen have scored the bulk of the points and remain
to be great contributors to the Celtics even at their old ages.
Shaq has also stepped up quite a bit this season, when scoring 23
points and recording 5 blocks in his last contest. Pierce as well
continues to play exceptionally well averaging nearly 20 points and
hauling down over 5 rebounds per game. Bottom line- The Celtics
have built a well balanced team and it should be very interesting to
see how they do when all their players are healthy.
Rookies On The Rise
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 16, 2011
Each
year roughly 60 new players make it into the NBA. However, only a
handful of rookies have success let alone potential. Here is an
analysis of rookies to look out for this season.
Blake Griffin- Without a doubt Blake Griffin is the most dominant
rookie in the league today. So far this season Blake Griffin has a
staggering 30 double-doubles. To perform such a feat is mind-boggling,
yet Griffin is able to do this as a rookie. The talent and potential
that lies within Blake Griffin is limitless. Not only does Griffin has
the strength to overpower some of the most formidable defenders but is
also extremely agile and elusive. When a big man such as Griffin can
run up and down the court and maneuver smoothly through opposition it
is nearly impossible to stop. His astounding ability to be as quick as
a guard and as powerful as a big man allows him to play at an all-star
caliber day in and day out. Griffin currently averages 22 points per
game and 12.7 rebounds per game, however; Griffin averages a minuscule
.7 blocks per game as well as .7 steals per game. If Griffin continues
to improve and work on all aspects of his game, Griffin could be an
all-time great.
John Wall- After John Wall was selected 1st in this
season’s draft, he quickly lived up to the expectations. During his
first few weeks of playing with the Wizards, John Wall was exceeding
tremendously. Wall was among the league leaders in steals and averaged
over 10 assists per game during his first seven games. During the early
stages of the season Wall was phenomenal and was in the midst of
becoming an all-star. This streak however ended to abruptly. Wall’s
success was instantly hindered by an injury. Once Wall recovered from
injury he failed to put up the numbers he had at the beginning of the
season. Although John Wall hit a minor setback his game is gradually
progressing back to the way he was. Hopefully Wall will continue to
progress throughout the duration of the season and even surpass what he
had done earlier in the season.
Landry Fields- Fields can rebound, shoot, pass,
block, steal, but there is something he will never be able to do. He
will never be a first round pick. Although Fields was a second round
pick in the NBA draft he has had an immense impact on the Knicks this
season. The rookie Fields shocked us all when he started for the Knicks
on opening game. A second round pick had somehow cracked his way into a
starting lineup. Although it may seem unfathomable it is all true. So
far this season Fields has shot over 50 percent from the field, has
averaged 7.4 rebounds per game and scores 10 points per game. Fields
however has more than just stellar stats. Landry Fields is the type of
player that makes big plays without being asked. This rookie hustles on
offense and defense and is prominent to Knick fans for his follow-up
dunks. Landry Fields has proven himself among the top rookies and
continues to elevate his game.
The Clippers rise, putting Miami in demise
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 14, 2011
The
Clippers extended their winning streak yesterday after an exhilarating
win over the Miami Heat. With contributing efforts from Blake Griffin,
Baron Davis, and Eric Gordon the Clippers came out with a 111-105
victory. The overconfident Miami team had their hands full right from
the start when the Clippers scored 44 points in the first quarter. The
Clippers were able to hold on to their lead the for the rest of the
game which resulted in an unexpected loss for the nearly unstoppable
Miami Heat.
Although shaky at the beginning of the season, the Clippers are now
looking like a great NBA team. Blake Griffin continues to show his
dominance on the court with his insane dunks. In addition, Eric Gordon
continues to succeed for he is averaging 23.6 points per game. Not only
that, Baron Davis is gradually progressing from his injury earlier this
season. Last night we saw signs of what he did as an all-star years ago
when he dropped 20 points and dishing out 9 assists. The Clippers are
now looking great and playing competitive games against the elite teams
in the NBA.
Now moving onto Miami- Right when it seems that Miami has lived up to
the hype and reached greatness; Miami hit another setback when losing
to the Clippers last night. The Big three are still struggling as of
now in building a good chemistry. Although James, Wade, and Bosh played
well together scoring a total of 84 points, the rest of the heat did
not contribute enough. Those three can’t win a title alone and need
contributions from other starters and bench players. Winning is a team
effort, and in order for it to happen everyone has to contribute. Sure
Lebron, Wade, and Bosh are great but they’re not a 12
man NBA roster themselves. If the Heat want to be successful and make
it deep into the playoffs, they need to get better contributions from
role players like Joel Anthony and Carlos Arroyo.
D-Rose and The Bulls
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 13, 2011
Derrick
Rose is one of the elite point guards in the NBA today. His ability to
get to the basket and dish out assists is extraordinary. What separates
him though from other top-notch point guards? The answer is simple; his
explosiveness is like no other player in the league. Rose is so quick
off the dribble and can accelerate to the basket at will. To complement
Rose’s explosiveness, is his extreme dexterity. Rose is capable of
duking out big men like Amar’e Stoudemire in midair while still
finishing gracefully at the basket. To make matters worse for the
opposing team, Rose has added a lethal jump shot to his offensive
arsenal. Rose currently averages 1.6 3s per game which is literally 8
times the amount as what he did last year from 3 pt land. Aside from
Rose’s ability to shoot and score, he has also shown he is capable of
being an efficient passer averaging 8.1 assists per game. Throughout
the season thus far Derrick Rose has been able to create open shots for
his teammates.
In addition, Rose has also been helped tremendously
by the Bulls off season move to acquire Carlos Boozer. Boozer has
become a valuable asset to Rose’s passing game and together they lead
their team with a record of 25-12. Rose has a very good all around game
as well as being able to average nearly 5 rebounds per game. Rose has
carried his team this season, and are now one of the top teams in the
East. Although the Bulls are one of the better teams in the league they
are not quite championship material for they lack a shooting guard and
young Derrick Rose still needs to develop his game for the Bulls to
have a shot at winning the championship.
Charlotte - A Happy
Ending?
Posted by:
aarongolden | January 12, 2011
Before
the start of the 2010-2011 season the Bobcats neglected to re-sign
Raymond Felton and also traded away Tyson Chandler. With these
detrimental mistakes it seemed as if the Bobcats were destined for
failure. This was all too true when the Charlotte Bobcats began an
ignominious season under head coach Larry Brown. The Charlotte Bobcats
started out 9-19 and during this stretch they put up abominable stats
such as last in turnovers per game, 29th in points per game, 20th in
Fg%, and 23rd in 3ptFg%. Although Larry Brown is a hall of fame coach
his desired style of play is not applicable to this Charlotte Bobcats.
Larry Brown’s defensive-minded and slow pace game did not pass muster
with the young Charlotte Bobcats. In addition, as the season progressed
matters only got worse for Coach Brown. Players no longer listened to
Brown nor did they execute his plays during the game. With the Bobcats
losing interest in their coach, it was time for a change. Larry Brown
decided to resign from his coaching job and Paul Silas took the job as
interim head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. During the Bobcat’s first
practice with the new head coach, drastic changes were made instantly.
Silas wanted to bring energy to the table by introducing a fast pace
game to his young Charlotte Bobcats team. By the time of the Bobcat’s
first game under new head coach Paul Silas, the new uptempo pace of
game immediately clicked for the Bobcats. The Bobcats wound up beating
the Detroit Pistons 105-100, with major contributions from D.J.
Augustin scoring 27 points and Stephen Jackson with 23. This new
uptempo pace worked like a charm for the Bobcats. Not only does Silas
like playing uptempo but he also accentuates the importance of taking
the open shot. Silas allowed his team more reign over the game by
minimizing the amount of plays called and letting players like Jackson
and Augustin to do their “thing” on the court. As of now the Bobcats
are 5-2 with Coach Silas, and have an overall record of 14-21. With
this record they are in playoff contention and can make the eighth seed
or better if they continue to play the way they do. Lastly, former
all-star Gerald “crash” Wallace will be returning to the Bobcats soon,
once he is fully recovered from his injury. After traveling the
downward slope, the Bobcats could be making their way back up the
ladder.
