Felton’s Resurrection
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 27, 2011
Raymond
Felton has resurrected his game and established himself as a premier
player at his position as a New York Knick this season. The
explosiveness that we all saw Felton play with during his college years
at UNC has has returned and shown itself through his drastically
improved statistics.
Last season, playing for Charlotte, Felton wasn’t the most efficient
player. He averaged a mediocre PER of 15.6 in his 33 minutes on the
court. His statistics in that time period weren’t much to rave about
either. Felton averaged a low PPG total of 12.1 and an average APG
total of 5.6. These were the numbers that a slightly below average
point guard in the NBA would put up. Felton’s scoring and passing
abilities that he possessed in college seemingly failed to stick with
him in the NBA.
This season however, Felton shocked his teammates
and silenced his critics showing a miraculous improvement in his game
and playing at a level that no one thought he was still able to play
at. His PPG has gone up to 17.5 and his APG are at an impressive 8.9
making him much better than the average point guard in the NBA. His PER
has gone up to 17.5 as well, making him a more efficient player.
Felton’s game has shown a remarkable improvement this past season.
The Knicks demanded a lot out of Felton and he has exceeded the
enormous expectations that D’Antoni had for him. Expect a strong season
and a possible all star appearance within the next few years from this
outstanding player.
Anthony Morrow Jump Shot Analysis
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 22, 2011
There’s
a reason that Anthony Morrow’s jump shot is so deadly. He has nice
distance above the ground to avoid blocks. Morrow shoots a good
distance above his head so that he has a clear view of the basket and
bends his arms enough to produce an arc on his jumper. Morrow also
grazes the ball with his left hand in order to produce enough spin on
the ball so that it has a higher chance of rimming in. All these
factors combined result in a deadly jumper.
Morrow’s distance above the ground on his jump shots
is a key factor in why it is so good. This allows him to shoot over
larger defenders and generate power from his knees. Then there is the
distance the ball is above his head when he shoots. He gets the ball
high so he can see the basket well. Morrow also bends his arms so he
can produce a rainbow delivery which has a higher chance of going in
than a line drive. Morrow is also able to generate spin on the ball by
grazing it with his left hand. Spin makes it so that the ball has a
chance of going in when it makes contact with the rim.
There is a reason that Morrow is one of the best
pure shooters in the NBA. He has the highest 3 point shooting
percentage in history and amazing form in his jump shot. Morrow is a
constant target for double teams and reasonably so.
The Wild Wild West
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 19, 2011
The
NBA western conference is notorious for great teams and even
better players. It’s extremely difficult to make the all star team
amongst all these big names. The guard positions in the western
conference hosts some of the biggest names in basketball. Players like
Kobe Bryant, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Monta Ellis, Russel Westbrook,
Jason Kidd, Kevin Martin, Manu Ginobili, and Steve Nash all battle each
other for 4 spots in this star studded team.
Heres a list of the balloting numbers in the West:
Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 1,757,216; Chris Paul (NOH) 949,049; Manu
Ginobili (SA) 593,718; Steve Nash (Pho) 522,215; Deron Williams (Utah)
487,887; Russell Westbrook (OKC) 463,250; Tony Parker (SA) 355,993; Jason
Kidd (Dal) 303,164; Vince Carter (Pho) 277,430; Kevin Martin (Hou) 266,037
My opinion is that for the point guard position, Chris Paul will start
with Deron Williams as a reserve as both are putting up phenominal
numbers this year. Chris Paul is putting up 16.2 ppg 9.6 apg and a
spectaculer player effeciecny of 25.6. Williams is averaging 22.1 ppg
9.4 apg and an impressive 23.4 player efficiency rating. All 6 point
guards competing for these two positions are deserving of the role.
For the shooting guard role, I’d pick Kobe Bryant and Manu Ginobili.
Kobe is having a spectacular season as always and although Manu’s stats
aren’t the best, his team is arguably the best in the NBA and deserves
at least one all star.
When
Brook Lopez is mad, he becomes a better player. Brook becomes more
aggressive, takes smarter shots, and plays tighter defense. Recently
the Nets have lost 11 out of their past 12 games and Brook’s rage is
beginning to accumulate and present itself on the court. In the past
three games Brook has averaged 29 ppg 1.3 bpg and is shooting an
incredible 64% from the field. This is the Brook Lopez Nets fans hoped
and prayed for last season and now he is beginning to show his true
colors. When the Nets get into a tough offense stretch which has
occurred frequently this season, they need someone who is willing to
sacrifice his body and drive to the rim. Brook is beginning to fill
that role as he is averaging 9.5 free throw attempts a night over his
last two games and connected on 86.3% of them. Typically, players make
rash decisions that harm the team when they’re mad but Lopez is
succeeding in concentrating his rage into great basketball.
This season hasn’t been the best for Lopez who is
averaging career lows in field goal percentage at 46.6% and rebounds
per game at 5.9 rpg. His true shooting percentage is also at 54% which
is horrible for a center with a game like Brook. His offensive rating
is only 105, a point below the league average and his player efficiency
has dropped from 20 last season to a significantly lower 18.3. Brook’s
scoring hasn’t been horrible this season at a shade under 19 but it’s
much lower than the ppg total Nets fans expected him to put up which is
around 22-23 ppg.
This season isn’t even close to over and there is a lot of time for
Brook to improve his stats as well as get the Nets some much needed
wins. Who knows, maybe he’ll drop 40 next?
The Carmelo Anthony Trade
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 17, 2011
Rarely
do you see a professional basketball trade that has as much drama
involved as a reality show or a broadway play. The Carmelo Anthony
trade is one of those instances. Over the last four months, the Carmelo
trade has gone through many twists and turns and captured a large
audience in the mix. There are a couple of main characters involved in
this overhyped deal that seems to resemble the typical broadway play.
There’s the main protagonist, Carmelo Anthony who everyone tries their
best to accommodate. There’s the main antagonist, The Denver Nuggets
who want to get as much as they can out of Carmelo and prolong his
departure at all costs. Then there is the desperate team that attempts
to acquire Anthony and does so by working with the antagonist, who are
the New Jersey Nets. Finally there is the team that the protagonist
wants to go to but can’t due to several reasons which is the New York
Knicks. Like most broadway plays, this deal will probably not have a
happy ending and Melo will end up going to the Nets due to the upcoming
projected lockout.
Now that we know what the projected outcome will
most likely be, lets take a look at how it will impact the struggling
Nets. The three main players involved in the deal are Carmelo Anthony
of Denver, Chauncey Billups of Denver, and Richard Hamilton of Detroit.
The Nets will be trading Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, Anthony Morrow,
Ben Uzoh, Stephen Graham, and Quinton Ross as well as two first round
draft picks to Denver for Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden
Williams and Anthony Carter. The Nets will trade the expiring contract
of Troy Murphy as well as Johan Petro to Detroit in exchange for
Richard Hamilton. This will definately have a positive effect
offensively on the Nets who are in desperate need of scorers and
offensive talent. Carmelo Anthony scores the ball exceptionally well
and his offensive skills are envied by many. Carmelo’s lowest season
average of points per game in the past 5 seasons was 23.8 ppg in 08-09
and his lowest ever was 21 ppg in his rookie season. Melo’s true
shooting percentage is at an impressive 53%. What worries me though is
Anthony’s lack of defensive talent. His points allowed per 100
possessions is at a dismal 107 and his average wins contributed due to
defense is only a shade over 1 which is not what you want to see from a
superstar. Now lets take a look at how Chauncey Billups will impact the
team both offensively and defensively. His age will impact his stamina
and fitness level to a certain degree. Billups can still score the
ball, averaging 16.3 ppg and has a true shooting percentage of 62%
which is impressive. Billups also contributes 2.8 wins due to his
offensive talent. The wins contributed stat for Billups and Anthony
will change dramatically if they join the Nets. Now lets take a look at
the most balanced player in the deal, Richard Hamilton. Hamiltons stats
this season can’t relflect his level of play because he hasn’t played
with much motivation and intensity due to his issues with Detroit.
Richard’s a tough defender and has decent offensive talent and will
help the Nets on both ends. Other players involved in the deal are only
there to provide some sense of depth in the Nets bench which will be
horrible if this deal takes place. The Nets get a lot older acquiring
Billups, 35 and Hamilton, 32 but will get some much needed wins as well
as new fans drawn in by Anthony.
This deal will also impact Denver significantly.
Denver gains Devin Harris who is much younger and much more explosive
than Billups, a sharpshooter in Anthony Morrow, and young talent in
Derrick Favors as well as depth in their bench with Stephen Graham, Ben
Uzoh, and Quinton Ross. Harris can score the ball about as well as
Billups did as Harris averages 16 ppg and he passes the ball as well as
Billups too at 7.0 apg. Harris’ statline is almost identical to
Chauncey’s but Harris has the advantage over him in speed, stamina, and
potential regarding his all star appearance two years ago. Harris is
also more defensive minded and has quick hands which give him 1.1
steals a night. Anthony Morrow is the best three point shooter in NBA
history percentage wise and is more than capable of knocking down a
couple open jumpers. Denver has a couple players who can draw double
teams and leave Morrow wide open. Favors is a work in progress but has
the potential to be an all star power forward as shown by his high
player efficiency of 14.03 in his rookie season as well as his
outstanding atheleticism and size. Favors is also a great defensive
player and can be sent in to guard big men. The Nuggets also get two
first round draft picks making it really easy to rebuild once Melo
departs.
Detroit won’t be effected much just cleared of some cap space with the expiring contract of Murphy.
This trade will be one for the ages involved tons of players and
reshaping franchises. Perhaps it’s worth all the drama and attention
that it’s getting.
The Tragedies and Triumphs of Darko Milicic
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 16, 2011
After seasons of playing horribly, Darko Milicic has transformed himself into quite the low post threat
Darko can now do a number of things extremely well, making him a
dangerous offensive as well as defensive player. His stats have
increased in every category, he is now averaging 9.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, as
well as an incredible 2.2 blocks a night. His PER (Player Efficiency
Rating) is now at 13.4 which taking into consideration his prior years
as well as new role on the Timberwolves is great. His DWS (wins
contributed by defense) is now up to 1.0 as well as his DRB%
(percentage of total defensive rebounds grabbed) is up to 15.7
and taking into account that he plays along side Kevin Love, that’s not
too bad.
Offensively, Darko isn’t too shabby. His USG (usage percentage by a
team) is at 20.4% indicating that when the Timberwolves put him on the
floor, he contributes. His ORtg (number of points scored per 100
possessions in up to 93 which is well above the league average. Darko
also has a 9.1 ORB%.
Darko is also a team energy booster. He makes big
plays that recharge the team during a tough stretch like a huge dunk or
block. Darko has changed his game from a liability to his team to a
strong overall player that is a presence down low. It is amazing how
Milicic transformed himself to such a different player. When in 2003,
he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons over players like Carmelo Anthony
and Dwyane Wade, people had high expectations for him that he didn’t
even come close to meeting. Now, 7 seasons in, he is beginning to find
his game and play well.
Although Darko will probably never become as good of a player as the
superstars he was drafted over, he is now beginning to serve his
purpose and is making outstanding contributions to the Timberwolves.
Darko’s story has been an interesting one and I as well as many other
NBA fans are extremely curious to figure out where he will end up next.
Michael Jordan “A Basketball Fairy Tale”
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 15, 2011
Not
many people in the world find themselves getting cut from their high
school basketball team and going on to become one of the best NBA
players of all time. There’s a reason that movies, books, and posters
are frequently made with Michael Jordan’s face on the cover. But the
question is, how did he become so good? The answer is simple, he wasn’t
hard-working, he wasn’t motivated, he just loved to have fun. If you
enjoy doing something, you’re going to want to do it over and over
again. Michael really enjoyed to play basketball, so it wasn’t “hard
work” for him, it was simply a good time. The work he put in off the
court like working out and running made it so he had a more enjoyable
time doing what he loved, playing basketball.
Also Jordan loved to compete. Most people in the world would rather win
than lose, rather do better than do worse, but there is a select few
that love to excel in everything they do and will put in a crazy effort
to do so. Jordan is one of this select few. He loved to compete in
whatever he did and was always upset when his team lost. In the 1987
NBA playoff when the Bulls went up against the favored Celtics, Jordan
scored 63 points and took the Celtics to double overtime almost
singlehandedly but was still upset when the Bulls just fell short. Not
many players would be upset about scoring 63 points and losing in
double overtime but Jordan was because of his competitive spirit.
Many people say that Jordan was extremely skilled
and that’s why he was so good. Jordan could jump pretty high and hit
the mid range shot with efficiency but that was about it skill wise.
Jordan’s aggression came from his lust for victory. His speed and
muscles came from work off the court and even his jump shot came from
practice. The only skill that Jordan had which few other players in the
NBA had was his high jump.
Jordan was so good at basketball because he enjoyed it that much.
Playing in a game wasn’t a burden for him, it was more of a good time.
Jordan was about as good of a basketball player as there ever was
because of his love for the game. No one can excel as much as he did in
something that they don’t have passion for. I call Jordan’s career “A
Basketball Fairy Tale” because well it had about as happy of an ending
as a fairytale could have, he went from being cut from his high school
team to one of the best players in NBA history.
The New Fresh Look of Westbrook
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 14, 2011
Russell
Westbrook is an explosion of offensive talent and a threat to anyone
guarding him. He has increased every aspect of his game since last
season. His points per game have gone up from 16 to a whopping 22. His
assists per contest are now up to 8 and his rebounds are stationary at
an impressive five. Westbrook combines a Jason Kidd all around game
with a Kobe Bryant scorers mentality. He has the ability to take over
games and leave his opposition in the dust. The sad thing is though
that no one recognizes Westbrook enough because he is constantly
outshone by superstar and MVP candidate Kevin Durant. Sure Durant’s
good and all, but potential wise Westbrook is better and Westbrook is a
better all around player that Durant.
Durant can score as indicated by his 29 ppg and he
can rebound too as he hauls down 6 a night. His assists though are a
bit on the lower side and well he gets 39 minutes a night opposed to
Westbrook’s 36. Durant also plays small forward and is 6’9 while
Westbrook plays point guard and is 6’3. Durant’s job on the court is to
score tons of points and get some rebounds and at 6’9 his body is built
to do so. He scores 29 a night which outshines most small forwards but
grabs 6 boards a contest which is only slightly abover average for a
small forward.
Westbrook on the other hand is a point guard, a
completely different position. Westbrook’s role on the court is to set
other players up and score a fair amount while doing so. Westbrook
scores way more than a fair amount, averaging 22 ppg while the average
point guard in the NBA averages around 15 a night. Westbrook averages
8.3 assists per game which is also above the average NBA point guards
assist total that is around 6. In addition to this Westbrook averages 5
rebounds a night while the average point guard hauls down around 2 a
night. Also as icing on the cake, Westbrook also has 2 steals per game.
Durant has reached the pinnacle of his talent scoring around 30 a game
and averaging 6 rebounds. That great that he can put up such great
numbers, but there’s no room for improvement. Westbrook on the other
hand has improved every season since his rookie year and has shown no
sign of slowing down. It’s tough to say how much better Westbrook will
get but it’s certain that he has not yet reached his maximum.
How
many players in the NBA today are over 35 and are still putting up good
numbers. I can only think of two, Chauncey Billups and Grant Hill.
Billups of course being the better of the two. Chauncey is probably one
of the toughest players in the NBA, his toughness was created and
polished from spending eight seasons with the Detroit Pistons. Detroit
is notorious for hard fouls, tough defense, and balanced offense. Back
when Chauncey played for Detroit, they were not a team anyone wanted to
tangle with. Chauncey also can hit the 3-ball with accuracy and
consistency, shooting a blistering 41% from beyond the arc this season.
His scoring and passing abilities haven’t gone down at all too. At age
35, Chauncey is averaging 17 points and 5 assists a game in 33 minutes
a night. That makes Chauncey an extremely efficient player.
Chauncey’s fitness is also a factor that has kept
him playing at a high level for so long. While most veteran NBA players
have tired legs and are looking to finish their careers on the
bench, Chauncey is as competitive as ever. He still plays hard everyday
and loves to win. At 35, the post season is like an extra mile after a
long marathon that no one looks forward to running but Billups enjoys
the competition and runs it with willingness and enthusiasm.
Chauncey’s love for basketball, fiery competitive nature, and
unbelievable fitness not only allows him to play basketball well but
also lets him extend his career long past other professional players.
This makes Chauncey’s youth endless. He is no worse than when he was
playing in his prime 10 years ago. Chauncey is and will be good for the
next couple years.
Basketball Symphonies
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 11, 2011
When
you see great basketball being played, it’s like a symphony. For those
of you that don’t know what a symphony is, it is a collaboration of
various musical instruments. In order for a team to become successful
in the NBA, they need various player with various talents which serve
as musical instruments to come together and for a symphony which is a
team. In order for a symphony to sound good the instruments have to
mesh well together much as players have to have good chemistry. For
those of you who have read my previous articles, you know that I am a
Nets fan and their team right now is horrible as their record is a
horrendous 10-27. Within the next few days though, their team or
symphony has a chance to improve drastically. The Nets are part of an
enormous trade that would land them Carmelo Anthony of the Denver
Nuggets, Chauncey Billups of the Denver Nuggets, and Richard Hamilton
of the Detroit Pistons as well as two other role players who don’t
matter too much. To do this, the Nets are giving away Anthony Morrow,
Derrick Favors and Devin Harris along with various role players
including Johan Petro, Ben Uzoh and a disappointing Troy Murphy. This
new team or symphony has a high chance of working out beautifully.
Chauncey Billups will serve as the point guard or composer while
Richard Hamilton and Carmelo Anthony are the two lead chairs. Players
such as Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez make up the second row, and
various role player fill out the rest of the spots. Chauncey Billups,
the composer, has experience with the two lead chairs as he played with
Hamilton in Detroit and Anthony in Denver. If this trade works out, it
has the potential to become a great symphony and perhaps even land the
Nets a spot in the playoffs.
Chris Paul’s Lust For Victory
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 5, 2011
Chris
Paul is different from most players in the NBA in several ways. Paul is
unselfish and prefers that his teammates excel rather than himself.
Paul is extremely focused on victory and always does whatever it takes
to achieve it. He is also aware of his exteremely high skill level and
knows that he can score his share of points at any given moment. This
is why Paul is considered the best point guard in the NBA, because he
does whatever a point guard is supposed to do. Point guards role on the
court is to set up their teamates for easy shots and score whenever
neccessary. Most pointguards don’t do this and are more conserned with
padding their own numbers. Paul knows that 20 points per game is
useless if those 20 are garbage points. If a player scores 11 when his
team is up by 30, those 11 points wouldn’t have helped the cause. Paul
focuses the majority of the game on setting his teamates up and only
scores when they require him to. Say there is a close game and no body
is open, Paul will try to score. Say a teamate finds him an open shot
then only will Paul think to shoot rather than pass. Chris Paul’s
understanding of his role allows him to excel in it.
Paul prefers his teamates excel rather than himself.
A team with four or five players averaging 15 points per game is better
than one player averaging 25 points per game. Paul knows that a
championship requires a complete roster jam packed with offensive
talent. If Paul doesn’t have one, he will do everything in his power to
create one meaning that he will draw defenders and leave players wide
open. He will give up the easy layup on the fast break. Chris Paul
understands the value of victory and does everything he possibly can to
achieve it.
Unlike most players, Paul is aware of his incredible skill but chooses
not to boast about it. He does his trash talking on the court without
opening his mouth unless he has to call a play. Paul finds that making
plays and his teammates better is the only effective way to advertise
his extraordinary skill. You won’t see him on a commercial hitting 50
foot shots or tweeting about his skill. This is what makes him the
perfect player. No coach in the NBA would turn Chris Paul down if their
team needed a point guard.
Chris Paul is one of the NBA’s elite not so much
because of his numbers but more because of his mindset. He uses his
talent for victory, whether it would be scoring the basketball or
dishing an assist. This makes him different from most NBA players and
in most cases different is better.
You’re Going to Be Big Someday Derrick Favors
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 4, 2011
Derrick
Favors is a player that most people underrate and underappreciate but
for what reason? Is it because his numbers aren’t gaudy? Is it because
he is not a ballhog? Is it because he only goes about his business on
the court and does what he is supposed to? Sadly, this is exactly why
Derrick Favors is not a household name. Doing your job is not what NBA
fans look for. Say a player is on a breakaway to the rim with no one in
sight. Fans would prefer that that player does a 360 dunk instead of a
basic layup. The point total for both is the same except the chances of
missing a 360 dunk are much higher than the chances of missing a layup.
The Nets coach Avery Johnson puts Favors on the court to grab offensive
and defensive rebounds, get second chance points, and play with energy
and passion. Derrick follows Avery’s orders and does these three things
with excellency and efficiency. He has shown as a rookie that he is
able to take on multiple roles and excel at them. This is why Derrick
Favors will become a household name and an amazing player in the future.
Deviating back to my first point, Derrick’s numbers
are not gaudy, but they are efficient. In less than 19 minutes of
playing time, Favors scores over 6 points, hauls down over 5 rebounds,
as well as .5 blocks and .3 steals. Say Favors was starting and
received a starters role of 38 minutes a night. Assuming his numbers
stay as they are, he would average over 12 points, over 10 rebounds, 1
block and .6 steals a night in his rookie season. The problem is that
most people don’t look so far into his numbers. They see the stats that
indicate that he’s averaging 6 and 5 and immediately judge him as a
mediocre player. The thing that they don’t understand is that he’s
doing all of this under 19 minutes, the guy is playing less than 2 full
quarters and giving us this much. Knick’s rookie Landry Fields, who
most consider better than Favors averages 12 points and 8 rebounds in
31 minutes of playing time. If Derrick played that much time every
game, his numbers would easily equal or surpass Fields.
Secondly, Favors is not a ballhog. Favors takes
shots he believes that he can make indicated by his 56% field goal
percentage. Most rookies believe that in order to shine in the NBA,
they must take difficult shots. Favors maturity level clearly surpasses
that of the average rookie power forward who would have a field goal
percentage in the mid 40s.
As you can see, Derrick Favors is an amazing and efficient player. I’d
buy a Favors jersey soon, because in a couple of years they will be in
extremely high demand.
Gilbert Arenas Road to Redemption
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 3, 2011
This
season Gilbert arenas has shown that his two year term at a halfway
house has not destroyed his immense talent. Gilbert has shown that he
is still able to make jump shots with ease and hit layups with extreme
finesse. Gilbert even hit an 85 foot jump shot against the New Jersey
Nets showing that he is still as strong as ever. Gilbert may not be a
top five scorer anymore but who says he can’t play at that level
again. He is currently playing off the bench for Orlando and still
putting up starters numbers. Gilbert’s explosive nature and fiery
personality is second to none and will surely propel him to the top
once again.
Anyone who has seen Arenas play back in his glory
days and even now knows that he loves to win. Back in Washington
earlier this year, he was not given that opportunity as Washing ton had
a dismal winning percentage as well the worst record in the East. Now
that he’s with a squad that is capable of winning games and even
contending for the NBA title, his attitude as well as play style have
changed dramatically. Gilbert is no longer concerned with attaining
amazing numbers and is now more unselfish than ever. He is now focused
entirely on what he desires the most, an NBA championship. Being
surrounded with solid players in Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, and
Hedo Turkoglu as well as all star talent in Dwight Howard who’s to say
he doesn’t win one with Orlando.
To sum it up, Gilbert is a great basketball player
who is extremely fun to watch and a gift to fans everywhere. Every
human makes mistakes so lets not be so critical to Gilbert’s mistake.
He has served his time in a halfway house for his mistake and is now
prepared to rebuild his image. It would be too much of a loss to lose
this fantastic player so fans, please root for Arenas and cheer every
time he makes a shot. In high school people told Arenas that he
wouldn’t make it and would amount to nothing, this has clearly had a
significant effect on him and he tries his best every day to prove
these doubters wrong. We as NBA fans should help him on his quest to do
so.
The Spirit of Basketball: Sasha Vujacic
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 2, 2011
Although
Sasha Vujacic is not a household name by any means, he expresses energy
and spirit on the court to be envied by many. Sasha dives hustles and
runs for loose balls with a seemingly endless amount of energy. Today
against the Timberwolves, Sasha Vujacic scored his season high 22
points and one could not help but notice the positive energy he brought
to the floor. Seeing him play and compete so actively was basketball
played at his best. Every time something happened on the court
that was negative, Sasha seemed to use it to his advantage. If a shot
was missed, Sasha chased down the rebound, if a turnover was committed,
Sasha raced to the opposite side of the court. When Sasha took a shot,
he was quick to sprint to the basket to grab an offensive rebound in
case the shot was missed and it rarely was.
Vujacic is not a player that will get you big
numbers or highlight plays, but the positive energy he brings to court
is irreplaceable. At first I opposed the Terrence Williams trade but
after seeing Sasha play basketball, I fully support it. Avery Johnson,
coach of the New Jersey Nets, should play Vujacic more perhaps even
start him in order to prevent the scoring slumps that the Nets often
face. It may not show up on the stat sheet but Vujacic is speedy,
flashy, and unpredictable which makes him difficult to defend. Not to
mention his “lights out” shot that can go in even if he’s contested.
Sasha isn’t a ball hog either, he’ll take smart shots that are high
percentage. He’s extremely unselfish and is willing to dish the ball
out to other players when neccessary.
Sasha’s will to succeed and love for the game is
clear to anyone who watches him play. He is a true gift to game of
basketball. His current role on the Nets should be far greater than
what it is. Sasha’s explosive ball handling, pinpoint jump shot, and
air tight defense make him a complete player and also a great one.
Avery should do the NBA a favor and allow this talented young man a
chance to shine in the New Jersey Nets starting lineup.
We Have The D-League For a Reason
Posted by: Dhruv Ohri | January 1, 2011
The
D-League was meant to develop players hence the name D-League. The
thing that I don’t understand though is instead of developing young
players in the D-league, NBA teams decide to play them in their rookie
season for 15 minutes a game and expect them to become all star talent.
The current view on the D-league is that it is a demotion and that view
is completely inaccurate. The D-league gives players such as Derrick
Favors of the New Jersey Nets a chance to shine and develop into
spectacular players. The NBA only has a few players who have the
complete package such as Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade as
stated in my last article. There is a way to create more players with
this level of talent, send all rookies that aren’t yet polished NBA
players to the D-League for a couple months and then marvel at the
results.
First lets take a look at what I mean by “a polished
NBA player”. A polished NBA player is one who has no problem at all
playing their role in the league. This is very rare for a rookie player
and only happens for 3-5 players a season, examples being Derrick Rose,
Blake Griffin, and Tyreke Evans. If a player isn’t in the running for
Rookie of the Year, they are not yet a polished NBA player. Then you
have to acknowledge those players who have shown that they are ready
for NBA level competition but have not put up amazing stats such as
Derrick Favors of the New Jersey Nets. Although it might be a good idea
to keep these kinds of players in the NBA for a while to familiarize
them with the high level of competition, they should still be sent to
the D-League for a brief time period. This time period should be about
3 weeks. The reason for this would be that success is something that
must be learned, it does not happen instantly. If a player has average
stats in the NBA, they should have phenomenal stats in the D-League.
Entrusting them with a higher level of responsiblity and a larger role
on a team is extremely beneficial. In the D-League, they can learn good
judgement, good decision making, and most importantly how to excel in
the sport of basketball.
The D-League is a resource that is currently
underused. Instead of sending old players who have reached the end of
their careers to the D-League, it should be a facility meant for honing
young talent.
The NBA’s best
broken down
Posted by: Dhruv
Ohri | December 31, 2010
There
are many factors that are necessary to winning a basketball game,
especially in the professional level. There’s team chemistry, skill
level, coaching, and determination. Although these are the more
prominent factors, there is one that almost everyone seems to overlook,
and that is intelligence. How is intelligence used on the court, you
may ask. It is a dominant part of basketball, most people may not
recognize it but players like Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwyane
Wade are geniuses. They may not be the typical genius who excels
academically and make contributions by inventing innovative software
but they are geniuses none the less. Not everyone can make decisions in
a split second that can impact a game positively but these players do
it exceptionally well. Making a shot with .3 seconds left on the clock
is extremely difficult. Think about all that the player has to do in
that time period. They have to locate the rims location on the court,
decide how much energy needs to be put on the ball in order to achieve
an optimum result, and shoot the ball so that it cannot be touched by
the defender. That takes an immense amount of brain power to do and
99.9% of the people in the world probably could not pull it off.
Even if you take a look at the typical play with 24
seconds on the shot clock, there is still a lot of decision making and
judgement involved. Say, a player gets the ball at the three point line
with 18 seconds left on the clock. Many things will impact what that
player decides to do with the ball. If his team is ahead by 30 points,
he may decide to take a relatively difficult shot or cross his defender
over because even if his shot misses or move fails, the game is already
won. Say his team is down by 2 points and there is a minute left in the
fourth quarter. The player will most likely try to pass the ball to
someone who is in the same situation as himself or has an open shot.
The factor that separates the NBA’s best from the average player is
that a player such as Lebron James or Kobe Bryant would try to make the
play themselves. If the defense would expect them to pass, they would
shoot or drive. Their unpredictable nature is what makes them so good.
You may recall an NBA commercial from not to long ago when Mickael
Pietrus stated that Kobe Bryant is the best player in the NBA because
of how unpredictable he is.
The two key factors that make an NBA player great
are unpredictable nature and intelligence. Other factors are important
but not neccessary. Larry Bird was poorly built and out of shape and
was also one of the best NBA players of all time, wonder why?
