Sve vesti - bez komentarisanja

[Monta Ellis #11]

Not so fast on Bulls-Lakers deal
Trade involving Gasol and Boozer has difficult salary cap issues


The Bulls and Lakers had exploratory trade talks centered on All-Star center Pau Gasol, league sources confirmed. However, multiple obstacles exist for any deal to occur before Thursday's 2 p.m. deadline.

The talks, first reported by ESPN.com's Marc Stein, were driven at least in part by Arn Tellem, the shared agent of Gasol and Derrick Rose. Tellem has had a longstanding strong relationship with Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

Sending Carlos Boozer and C.J. Watson to the Lakers would satisfy trade provisions under the collective bargaining agreement.

However, the Lakers, who are seeking an upgrade at point guard, have zero interest in adding the remaining three years and $47.1 million remaining on Boozer's contract. A habitual luxury tax team, they are wary of the more prohibitive penalties under the new collective bargaining agreement, which toughen in 2013-14.

Thus, a third team would need to be engaged and sources said the Bulls have not found one.

Gasol has two years and $38.3 million left on his deal. However, his contract carries a 15 percent trade kicker. That means he would make close to $22 million next season if he's traded. And the Bulls have luxury tax concerns of their own when Rose's five-year, $95 million extension kicks in next season.

The Bulls own expiring contracts in Watson, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and Omer Asik, as well as future assets such as the Bobcats' first-round pick obtained in the Tyrus Thomas trade and the draft rights to international phenom Nikola Mirotic.

However, the Lakers are seeking at least one bona fide star on top of draft picks to move Gasol, so cap relief alone likely wouldn't finalize the deal.

The Los Angeles Times reported the Lakers asked the Bulls for Joakim Noah, an unknown player and two first-round picks in return for Gasol.

Gasol, who almost was traded to the Hornets before the season in an aborted Chris Paul deal, has been the subject of trade rumors all season.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,4460788.story

[Monta Ellis #11]

Report: D’Antoni wanted to trade ‘Melo for Deron Williams


We know that now-former New York Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni and team owner James Dolan met Wednesday morning and came out of that meeting deciding to resign because of differences in how they saw the future of the organization.

Those differences were major — D’Antoni wanted to trade Carmelo Anthony to the Nets for Deron Williams. So reports David Aldridge of TNT and NBA.com.

"D’Antoni, the source said, had been advocating that the Knicks attempt to trade Anthony to the New Jersey Nets for guard Deron Williams, a deal D’Antoni believed would be beneficial for both franchises. But Dolan categorically declined that request, and the “conflicting visions” between the owner and head coach about Anthony meant there was no way forward.

D’Antoni had hoped the Knicks’ inspired and winning play with Lin as the centerpiece — while Anthony and Stoudemire were injured — would convince Dolan the Knicks could win without Anthony.

D’Antoni and Anthony clearly had differences and the coach didn’t think he could run his offense right with Anthony in it. In recent games Anthony had been setting up in his preferred area on the elbow extended, which threw off the spacing of the Knicks pick-and-roll with Jeremy Lin. The whole offense fell apart and became desperation isolations.

But this is bigger than just play sets — this is about how to build a team to fit a system. D’Antoni may or may not have been able to win with his style in New York but we’ll never know because the Knicks management kept giving him an ill-fitting roster that would never work with what he wanted to run. At one point he had a good point guard for his system — which is point-guard dependent — in Raymond Felton, but he was traded to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony deal. Which brought in Chauncey Billups — not as good a system fit but solid. Then he was amnestied to make way for Tyson Chandler and not really replaced. Had they not lucked into Jeremy Lin the Knicks would have had all their hopes pinned on the already strained back on Baron Davis.

D’Antoni wanted a guy that fits his system. Dolan put a lot of effort into getting Anthony to New York (pushing aside then decision maker Donnie Walsh to do it). Dolan loves ‘Melo. It was a battle D’Antoni could not win, so he chose to leave the battlefield.


http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...liams/related/

[Monta Ellis #11]

Spurs trade Richard Jefferson to Warriors for Stephen Jackson


The Spurs have acquired Stephen Jackson from the Warriors in exchange for Richard Jefferson, according to a report from Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Golden State will also receive a conditional first round draft pick as part of the deal, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group.

Jackson wasn’t with the Warriors for very long at all, having just been sent there Tuesday as part of the deal that shipped Monta Ellis to Milwaukee in exchange for Andrew Bogut.

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich knows what he’s getting with Jackson, who played in San Antonio for two seasons early in his career, and helped the Spurs win a championship in 2003. A lot has happened with Jackson since then, both on and off the court, and he’s bounced around the league for a variety of reasons while playing for five different teams.

Popovich runs one of the tightest ships in the league, though, and wouldn’t be bringing Jackson into the fold unless he knew he could control the situation. When healthy and dialed-in, Jackson is an above-average defender, and can provide a scoring punch when necessary, as well.

The salaries of Jackson and Jefferson match almost exactly, in the neighborhood of $10 million this season. The reason San Antonio had to throw in the draft pick was likely to entice the Warriors to commit to an extra year of Jefferson at that price; whether or not that actually makes sense for Golden State is questionable at best.

Jackson’s contract expires at the end of this season, making him a low-risk, short-term rental that would appear to immediately improve the Spurs, who currently sit in second place in the Western Conference standings.


http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...ephen-jackson/

[Monta Ellis #11]

Only a fool would coach for Dolan


The man who replaces Mike Woodson will be the ninth Knicks coach in this still-young century. They were, in order: Jeff Van Gundy, Don Chaney, Herb Williams (the first of his two stints in Red Holzman’s old job), Lenny Wilkens, Larry Brown, Isiah Thomas and Mike D’Antoni.
“I want to be clear,” said the owner, James Dolan. “I believe in our talent. I believe in their commitment. … I believe that we have the talent and the character to succeed.”
Now I want to be clear. As it applies to the next guy who takes this job: You are a fool.
However lucrative the deal, whatever your price, your pride comes cheap.

It’s worth mentioning that Dolan’s remarks were prepared. He did not take questions before New York played Portland on Wednesday night (by the way, only a team as immature as the Knicks could snap a six-game losing streak, win by 42 and still manage to embarrass themselves by running up the score).

Thus, Dolan kept his own streak alive. March 12 — a date capably noted by The New York Times’ Howard Beck — marked the fifth anniversary of his last interview, occasioned by a contract extension for Isiah Thomas.

“I think we have a great future,” remarked Dolan. “We’ve clearly improved.”
The Knicks were then six games under .500. They closed out that season with their newly extended coach by losing 15 of their last 19.
Thomas is gone, at least in theory, and his prized acquisitions for that team — Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry — are bad memories.

Still, despite all the resources that go with owning Madison Square Garden and playing in New York, the Knicks remain a perennial mess. The roster changes. The front office changes. But there’s one constant: Dolan.

In keeping with Knicks’ tradition, the cause and the symptom are confused.
The problem isn’t Carmelo Anthony.
It’s the Carmelo Anthony trade.
And who made that deal?

Who made that deal over the objections of his then-general manager, Donnie Walsh, and then his then-coach, D’Antoni (who finally realized late Wednesday morning that some things you just shouldn’t eat, no matter what you get paid)?
The same rich kid who doesn’t answer questions, that’s who.

I’m not arguing that D’Antoni was a championship coach. I’m just saying it took Dolan to turn him into a sympathetic figure.

Most New Yorkers I know were raised to believe that Walter O’Malley was a kind of anti-Christ. Recent scholarship suggests that his “crime” — moving the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1957 — owed less to greed than to the municipal power broker Robert Moses.

Unfortunately for Dolan’s legacy, he has no Robert Moses. There is no excuse. He looks like the very worst owner in New York sports history, a formidable accomplishment if you consider former Jets owner Leon Hess’ body of work and the last few years of Fred Wilpon, the former Bernie Madoff pal who, for reasons difficult to fathom, still owns the Mets.

But why stop there? Dolan is the worst owner in sports.
Frank McCourt? At least his Dodgers teams went to the postseason in four of his eight seasons as owner.
Dan Snyder? Irrational, perhaps. Thin-skinned, arrogant, sure. But is Vinny Cerrato a greater offense than Isiah Thomas? Only if you’re a Redskins fan. Plus, a five-year plus moratorium on interviews? Nah.
Donald Sterling? His record of underachievement spans decades. Still, none of his Clippers teams have done what the Knicks have done this season.
No team has squandered so much good will so quickly as these Knicks. A month ago, they were coming off a six-game winning streak. Euphoria had a name: Linsanity. The Knicks were the best story in sports.
But when D’Antoni resigned on Wednesday, they were riding a six-game losing streak. They’d lost eight of their last 10.
What changed? Carmelo Anthony came back from an injury. That’s it. But again, he’s the symptom, not the cause.
Anthony’s liabilities had all been explained to the owner. Anthony doesn’t play defense. Anthony doesn’t move without the ball. He doesn’t fit in.Dolan, basketball genius, made the deal anyway. And guess what? Anthony doesn’t play defense, doesn’t move without the ball and doesn’t fit in.
Remember playing three-on-three in the park? Anthony is the kid who circles back to get the ball from the kid who’s taking it out. That’s what he knows how to do.
Then again, that’s more than Dolan knows.
“We had a wonderful relationship,” Anthony said of D’Antoni after the game. “A great relationship.”

Whoever you are, you’ve been warned. The next guy to coach the Knicks is a fool.


http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/o...-sports-031412

[Monta Ellis #11]

Maybe Bulls really are the best team


If you go by the theory that things evolve in sports and always get better, then you don’t expect to see 1970s basketball beating 2012 basketball. That’s why there is no way the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.For Chicago, Derrick Rose was out with a strained groin. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade combined to score 71 points for Miami. And in 2012, you are not supposed to be able to remove a team’s only superstar and still beat the team defined by superstars. It upsets the accepted balance that insists ESPN highlights define a winner.

In the end, what happened wasn’t that the Bulls beat Miami 106-102, but that the Bulls’ Other Guys beat the Heat. Impossible. Incredible. The Bulls are trying to bring back the basics of the game, the notion that defense, rebounding, a deep bench and hustle plays win games.

Hustle plays. Can you imagine?

“This game was won in the trenches,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They just annihilated us on the glass. . . . This was not the type of physical performance we want. We need to get into that fistfight.”

The Bulls have the best record in the NBA, but nobody considers them the best team. Most people don’t think they have a chance, even with Rose, to beat Miami in a seven-game series. This game won’t change that.

Why? NBA teams take nights off during the regular season. The playoffs are a different animal. John Lucas III, the Bulls’ third point guard, had a freaky shooting night. And when news came at the last minute that Rose wasn’t going to play, the edge was taken off a potential statement night for both teams.

Still, this meant something. It’s hard to say what the Heat are even doing. The non-superstars were barely even there. Even Chris Bosh.

Hello? Three rebounds?

“We were trying to attack, going to the rim,” Wade said. “And they were ending up getting the ball.”

The Heat have lost four of their past seven games, and maybe they think they’ve already proven that they’re the best. That they can just turn it back on when they need to.

Maybe, but then why did James and Wade combine for 71 points? The complementary players aren’t supposed to shut down. And the way the backup Bulls punched them in the mouth all night suggests that something might be missing from the Heat.

“We’ve just got to figure it out,” James said. “We’ve got to put more bodies on guys. Just try to be a collective group, collective effort.”

The thing is, the Heat don’t see the Bulls as a measuring stick. But that’s exactly how the Bulls see the Heat. Last year, the Bulls dominated the Heat in the regular season, and then the Heat dominated the Bulls in the conference finals.

And since the Bulls didn’t add superstars, 2012 basketball suggests that they are not to be taken seriously. But the Bulls are trying to do this with patience and ideals.
They are trying to grow into a championship team. I think they’re doing it.

It’s a novel idea. Maybe an outdated one. With the trade deadline coming at 3 p.m. ET Thursday, reports are that the Bulls wanted to tear up the roster to get Dwight Howard or Pau Gasol.

We’ll know by the end of the day, but it’s hard to imagine general manager John Paxson willingly breaking up his creation for a quick shot with an additional superstar. If he can do it without losing more than one bit part, a draft choice and maybe Carlos Boozer — the most muscular man you’ll ever see who is unwilling to get his fingernails dirty — well, OK.

But it would just be so un-Bulls-like to make the trades the media outlets keep quoting unnamed sources as saying. Trade Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, C.J. Watson and/or Taj Gibson for one big superstud?

Can’t see it.

The Bulls are the better team than Miami right now, if that matters in 2012 hoops. Gibson, off the bench, demands that every rebound is his. Kyle Korver gets big 3-pointers. Watson could be a starting point guard on many teams. Noah is all elbows, while blocking shots and owning the boards.

And Lucas, the third point guard, had 24 points Wednesday.

“I played great; my teammates played great; we all had each other’s backs . . .” he said. “Everybody gets along. Our chemistry is . . . we all hang together. There’s no cliques. It’s a unit. Everybody is one.
“When you have that on a team, it’s going to be successful.”

It’s roughly the same stuff I learned in youth basketball camp a few decades ago. Jerry Sloan, then a Bulls player, said many of those things. The group believed.

It’s not that the Bulls are without stars, of course. Rose is the MVP. Deng snuck into the All-Star Game. But Rose was out Wednesday, and Deng’s troubled wrist hurt so much that he could barely shoot.

Even Boozer, the guy who won’t get dirty, seemed to realize that’s what his team needed. He scored just two points but had one of his best games of the season. Sometimes, the things that don’t hit the stat sheet can be the most important.

Sloan might have said that, too.

But now, the Bulls have something to fall back on. That’s why they keep winning, despite being a physical mess. Rose had a problem with his toe, then his back and now his groin. His style beats him down. Rip Hamilton, added in the offseason to give the Bulls another shooter, is brittle. The Bulls hope to get him back from his shoulder problem for the final 10 games, and then into the playoffs. Deng can’t get his wrist to heal.

But the other guys learned Wednesday that even they can gang up on superstars. If that’s not the modern way, it still has to have some value. It also shows the mentality of the whole team.

The Bulls are improving. The Heat were standing around.

“You’re going to lose games sometimes, going to go through some tough stretches,” Wade said. “That builds a team.”

Funny. The Bulls think that fighting, scrapping and hustling build a team. Imagine that.


http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/C...ck-Rose-031512

[Monta Ellis #11]

Nuggets trade Nene to Washington for McGee, Turiaf, sources confirm


JaVale McGee was taking his pre-game nap when his wake-up call came prematurely. Well, actually, wake-up texts.

The 7-footer had been traded to the Denver Nuggets, part of a deal that sends longtime Nuggets big man Nene to McGee's old team, the Washington Wizards.

"I'm definitely excited about coming to a playoff team but it's definitely bittersweet," McGee said by phone this afternoon. "But I'm just excited about getting some wins. I'm definitely a hard worker. I'll try to help the team win as immediately as possible."

Denver sent Nene to Washington for McGee and Ronny Turiaf in a three-team deal that also sends Nick Young from Washington to the Clippers, according to two NBA sources. Denver also gets a futuresecond-round pick. Other players may be added to complete the deal, which came right before the NBA 2 p.m. trade deadline on Thursday.

Before the season, Nene signed a five-year deal worth up to $67 million. He joined the Nuggets in 2002 after being drafted in the first round by New York Knicks.

McGee, 24, is a third-year pro out of Nevada. He is averaging 11.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 27.4 minutes per game. He has played in 41 games. For his career, McGee has averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds; he has played in 255 games, the most being last year when he started 75 or 79 games.

McGee immediately updated his Twitter page (@JaValeMcGee34) to say he is now with the Nuggets.

Turiaf, 29, is a 6-10 forward who has been sidelined with a broken hand since Jan. 2. Last season with the New York Knicks he averaged 4.2 points and 3.2 rebounds. He was drafted out of Gonzaga in 2005 in the second rounds.


http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci...shington-mcgee

[Monta Ellis #11]

Cleveland Cavaliers send Ramon Sessions to Los Angeles Lakers as part of a deal that nets a first-round pick, Luke Walton and Jason Kapono


CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers have acquired another key asset for their rebuild Thursday while jeopardizing their push for this season's playoffs.

The club completed a long-rumored trade by sending backup point guard Ramon Sessions to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 2012 first-round draft pick (top-14 protected) less than two hours before the NBA trade deadline. As part of the deal, the Cavs also get Luke Walton and Jason Kapono in exchange for Christian Eyenga.

Also, the Cavs will have the right to swap first-round draft position in 2013 with the Lakers pick and Miami's first-round pick, which the Cavs own.

The deal was first reported by Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

The Cavaliers, trying to remake their franchise around rookie point guard Kyrie Irving, now possess a pair of first- and second-round picks to use or potentially trade in advance of the June 28 draft. They also have a lottery-protected pick from Sacramento which won't likely be available given the Kings' woeful season.

The club opted not to deal power forward Antawn Jamison, 35, who becomes a free agent at season's end.

By trading Sessions, 25, the Cavaliers compromised their postseason chances because of what the point guard has meant to them in terms of running the second unit, giving Irving time to rest and occasionally playing alongside the 'Young Fella' as Sessions often calls the 19-year-old. Sessions is averaging 10.5 points and 5.2 assists. His 2.59 assist-to-turnover ratio is 15th among NBA guards. The Cavs are one game behind Milwaukee and New York in the loss column as they vie for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

But Sessions was likely to opt out of the final season of his contract that would pay him $4.55 million, allowing him to become a potential free agent. Losing both Sessions and Jamison, averaging 18.5 points per game, without compensation made little sense.

The Cavaliers will need to acquire a backup point guard to spell Irving. They will have to dip into the Development League or sign a free agent. One option could be Armon Johnson, waived by the Trail Blazers on Feb. 27.

The 23-year-old Johnson averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists and 7.2 minutes in 39 games over two seasons for the Blazers.

Walton, 31, has one year and $6.1 million left on his contract. He has battled injuries throughout his career. He has appeared in just nine
games this season.

Kapono, 31, was drafted by the Cavs in 2003, the same year they drafted LeBron James with the No. 1 overall pick. Kapono has played in 27 games this season for Lakers. His contract, worth $854,000, expires at the end of this season, according to ShamSports.com.

Eyenga, the Cavaliers' first-round pick in 2009, has played in just six games this season and has spent time
in the D-League.


http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index....end_ramon.html

[Monta Ellis #11]

Rockets acquire veterans Marcus Camby, Derek Fisher before trade deadline


The Rockets acquired Trail Blazers center Marcus Camby and Los Angeles Lakers point guard Derek Fisher in the final hour before the trade deadline on Thursday.

The Rockets traded backup center Jordan Hill for Fisher. The Rockets will get Dallas’ 2012 first-round pick (from the Lakers) in the deal.

Fisher, 37, has averaged 5.9 points on just 38.3 percent shooting.

The Rockets will send the Blazers guard Jonny Flynn, center Hasheem Thabeet and the second-round pick they acquired from Minnesota.

Camby, who will turn 38 next week, has averaged 3.8 points and 8.8 rebounds this season but is still considered a top defensive center.

He was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2006-2007.

Camby is a long-time Houston-area resident and has often expressed interest in playing the Rockets.

Flynn, a backup point guard, averaged 3.4 points in 11 games this year. Thabeet, the second overall pick in 2009, scored six points in five games this season with the Rockets.



http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocket...-trailblazers/

[Ernesto]

“Linsanity” is dead. Welcome to Woodson’s Knicks.

When Mike Woodson was the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, his offense was nicknamed “iso Joe” for all the times Joe Johnson was given the ball in isolation. Josh Smith got to shoot a lot of jumpers that way, too.

That is music to Carmelo Anthony’s ears.

Mike Woodson knows what side his bread is buttered on, he knows that the favorite star of owner James Dolan chaffed in Mike D’Antoni’s pick-and-roll offense. And he’s going to give ‘Melo the rock. A lot. In isolation, jut like ‘Melo wants. From Howard Beck at the New York Times.

But then he spoke more bluntly, saying that he wanted everybody to know that when “I’ve got to get a big shot, I’m going to go to Melo and Amar’e and guys that have done it,” a reference to Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire.

“A lot of these guys are young,” Woodson said in reference to their teammates. “They’re still trying to figure it out.”

You can also read that this way: “I’m taking the ball out of Jeremy Lin’s hands when it matters most.”

Linsanity is dead.

(Woodson) prefers veterans to rookies. He wants the offense to run through his stars. He will run most of his plays for Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. None of this bodes well for Lin.

“Woody’s inclination would not be to play him,” said a person who has worked with Woodson.

Linsanity was a perfect storm. The Knicks desperately needed a pick-and-roll point guard to run Mike D’Antoni’s offense. Knicks management kept trading those guys away to get other pieces that didn’t really fit D’Antoni’s system. This season the Knicks were left with Toney Douglas as the point guard, but that’s not his fit, not in that system.

Then along comes Lin and his classic point guard skills. He played in a stretch of games against bad teams. But you started to see what the free wheeling D’Antoni offense can look like when you run it as designed.

Then Stoudemire and Anthony returned to the lineup, pushed the shooters to the side, mucked up the spacing on the floor and the Knicks lost six in a row. It’s more than just that — the Knicks aren’t a good team and the schedule got tough — but things got ugly.

So D’Antoni pushed to trade Anthony for a guy who would fit his system and when that didn’t work, he was out the door.

And Linsanity went with him.

Knicks fans, you clamored for Carmelo Anthony a year ago. Well, now you get him in all his glory. This is his team now.


http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...medium=twitter

[Monta Ellis #11]

Hornets and Louisiana Discuss Terms of New Orleans Arena Lease Through 2023-2024 Season


The Hornets franchise looks to stay in New Orleans for 12 more years.

What was first reported by the Times-Picayune today has come to pass, sort of.

The New Orleans Hornets and the State of Louisiana have finalized the proposed lease of the New Orleans Arena through the 2023-2024 Season. It has not been approved, but it has been `crystallized’ so that the potential owners have defined terms with which to work. All relevant parties, owners of the team and Arena aside, see this lease as good for all parties and have high confidence the two sets of owners (team and Arena) will agree to the lease. The owner must agree to the lease for it to take effect, and the potential owner must agree to agree to lease to be able to buy the team.

Here are the highlights from the Hornets media session on the subject:

Through 2023-2024 Season
No escape clause (e.g. Attendance Benchmarks that appeared in Amendment 2). “Benchmark will be eliminated from our vocabulary.”
$41m capital bond issue to eliminate state subsidies to the team, plus $8m already committed
$70m in State savings
No new taxes
Purchaser is buying a team that has already agreed to the lease
Two offseasons to complete Arena upgrades
$10m available at the option of the team in 2013 for additional upgrades to the Arena or practice facility
Promise of an All-Star Game during the lease period
The bills to cover this have not been filed or voted on
Look and branding of Arena will change, exterior will remain the same but may have more digital media, lighting etc.
Improvements are revenue generating and fan-experience focused
“I’m In” becomes “I’m In for Good”
Discussions are active, ongoing, and frequent with “two” groups
Ownership announcement is weeks away. Effective sale even later.

Analyses detailed enough to cause abdominal spasms of both the exciting bits and the boring ones will follow.

This is neither the beginning nor the end.

For now, enjoy.


http://www.hornets247.com/blog/2012/...medium=twitter

[Monta Ellis #11]

Washington Wizards made the right move in trading disappointing JaVale McGee and Nick Young


An immediate reaction after hearing JaVale McGee and Nick Young had been traded: “Great. Beautiful. Now no one from the Wizards will make ‘Sports Center’ at 11.” One Nene for essentially two knuckleheads is a bit harsh, especially considering neither player left over from the Gilbert Arenas years in Washington ever got into any real trouble off the court.

The truth: Whether McGee was inexplicably sprinting back on defense when his team was still on offense or Young was missing a layup by throwing the ball over the stanchion while impossibly missing the rim and the glass, they were almost blissfully unaware of how comically bad their misdeeds came across. In Nick and JaVale’s alternate universe, they can’t believe they were shipped out of town for anything less than Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in their primes.

That’s why the Washington Wizards are making a stab at a change in culture by acquiring Nene, Denver’s 29-year-old Brazilian center, for McGee in a three-team deal that also sent Young to the Clippers. It’s a culture change as much as it is a change in the pivot.

Plain and simple, a swap by two teams with equal concerns over the futures of their franchise centers brings Nene from the Nuggets to the Wizards. Washington soured so badly on McGee this season that it decided it would rather take on Nene’s $67 million contract signed less than three months ago than be forced to give their glacially developing big man anywhere close to the equivalent this summer.

For a team president whose contract is expiring this summer, Ernie Grunfeld sending McGee and Young packing at the NBA trade deadline is analogous to coming back from 18 points down in the final three minutes to keep the season alive. Unless you believe Ted Leonsis was going to make Grunfeld his general manager for life, this was maybe Grunfeld’s last shot to save his job.

In parting ways with a 7-foot kid (and McGee, at 24, is still a kid), the Wizards bid adieu to a player with just enough promise to break their heart. Grunfeld was so unsure of whether McGee would ever “get it,” he got rid of him for a player who brought instant buyer’s remorse in Denver, where Nene is averaging as many points (13) as millions he will make per year until 2016.

The Wizards were unsure McGee would stop goaltending when the ball was on an obvious downward arc. They were tired of waiting for him to routinely grab a meaningful defensive rebound instead of gloating over a meaningless triple-double. They were tired of his mother, Pamela McGee, berating their coaches from her seat behind the basket near the Wizards’ bench at Verizon Center. For all McGee’s shot-blocking prowess and catch-and-slam forays above the rim, the Wizards were really worried he might never eliminate the brain freezes that manifested themselves in some of the most no, he didn’t bloopers that played on national cable shows.

This is twisted, but I’m going to miss how sublimely clueless Nick and JaVale were to the end. They never understood how or why an off-the-backboard dunk in the middle of a loss or a jack-knifing, three-point prayer with 21 seconds left on the 24-second shot clock — often when the Wizards were leading in the final minute — pushed any of the game’s etiquette or dumb-shot barriers.
They actually were more oblivious to understanding how to play and win in the NBA than to the exasperated coaches who pleaded with them to learn.

There is no award for such things, but underdeveloped talents who challenge each other to a cinnamon-eating contest on YouTube (still my favorite Wizards’ highlight for both) deserves a parting acknowledgment. Respect, fellas; it took an ungodly lack of concentration to tune out so many for so long.

Now it’s on to Nene, who, if he remains healthy and hungry into his 30s, can be another problem solved entering free agency. With between $15 million and $17 million under the NBA salary cap, the Wizards can say they’ve got the two most important positions on the floor — point guard and center — spoken for.

The good news for the Wizards: They don’t have to back up the truck and completely start over. The bad news: More of Grunfeld’s young talent ultimately did not pan out.

I always thought his job would hinge on what happened with Arenas’s $126 million contract, but Grunfeld somehow moved that for the slightly less-exorbitant contract of Rashard Lewis. Then I thought Grunfeld was toast because of signing Andray Blatche to an extension that will still pay one of the most maligned players in franchise history $21 million for the next three years.

But now Grunfeld remaining as architect of the Wizards comes down to this: Does the jettisoning of McGee and Young and the acquisition of Nene and what he does the remaining 26 games of another lost season count enough in Leonsis’s mind to justify that Grunfeld has, in fact, executed the owner’s plan?

I don’t know. I do know that now that McGee and the playful Young (I won’t miss his ability to drop 20 and give up 30, but I already miss his smile) are gone, Blatche is the last of a dying breed in Washington — the hugely disappointing youngster who never realized the aspirations of the franchise or the fan base.

He’s another player from the Gil era who is now too old to be called a youngster anymore — yet still too unaware and unaccomplished to be anything more than hugely disappointing.

Poor ’Dray; it feels like the comedy club is closing and his partners left him with the tab.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...DFS_story.html

[Monta Ellis #11]

Think twice before hoping Zen Master rescues the Knicks


You know me: I’m too professional, polite and reverential of the coaching profession to speculate about interim Mike Woodson’s successor while he still retains the Knicks’ (favorite coach) title ... at least as long as he’s undefeated.

Pressed by unfeeling editors, I had no choice but to voice an educated estimation whether Phil Jackson can be tempted to return to his NBA roots as the Knicks’ coach.

Off the record — because I don’t want Jackson to see my name attached to any of this, knowing once he sees I’m still writing, he will feel compelled to end his career the way it began, with me covering him — the possibility of him accepting the job probably is as fanciful-squared as I plan to lead you to believe.
Will Action Jackson politic for the position? Not on Jim Buss’ life.

Nevertheless, should interim owner James Dolan let it be known he would clear the decks and give Jackson full control, in writing, not the unauthentic autonomy verbally gifted to Donnie Walsh, I think he might (the operative word) entertain the notion.

Keep in mind, Jackson, after leaving the Bulls following the 1997-98 championship season, turned down Red Holzman’s appeal to coach the Knicks. And I think we are all aware Jackson would do anything within reason for his beloved mentor, post-playing career counselor and forever friend.

The awkwardly effective Jackson, who led the NBA in personal fouls (330) in 1975, was under Holzman’s two-titled influence for nine seasons. At the time of Red’s appeal, he was team president Dave Checketts’ treasured consultant.

Problem was, the Knicks weren’t especially special, and the clearly seduced Jackson already was in the process of sidling up to sirens Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire don’t exactly remind me of those two, or, for that matter, arouse recollections of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Hence, relocation from Phony-opolis to New York is stringently risk-reward. The guy already has as many rings (11 as a coach) as Red Auerbach, Red Holzman and Red Klotz. Hell, even disgraced former (for 10 minutes) Notre Dame coach George O’Leary couldn’t embellish that resume.

Suppose Jackson came to Broadway and the Knicks won the Tony for the first time since he was there in very short pants (’73). Granted, it would be the tinsel on his tombstone, but is it really worth the peril of tarnishing his tiara?

It would be like the Pope logging onto Career Builder and looking for an occupation upgrade.

If Jackson and his isosceles triangle hit town and failed to deliver the goods, he would be just like the countless others who succeeded Holzman, including Red himself.
Phil’s no fool; the mastermind only acts like one in commercials. He had the rarified roster in Albany (Patroons), Chicago and Los Angeles Here, all that’s rolled off the assembly line is a mismatched mélange that occasionally gets out of its own way.

Meanwhile, what has Jackson done in the NBA lately? Last I looked, his Lakers got swept by the Mavericks in the 2010-11 Western Conference semifinals. Buying books for your players only takes you so far.
Personally, I’ve had my Phil of Jackson. Eleven titles may qualify him as a Zen Master in the Land of Botoxic Waste, but that kind of pap is target practice in New York.
This isn’t the Head & Shoulders, pot-smoking, motorcycle-riding, midnight cowboy, hippie from the late ’60s and ’70s.

The modernized Jackson is suntanned-toed, sunset-ogling, Marina del Rey-residin’, cradle-rocking, medically-refurbished (in need of another knee replacement) hush puppy soft.

On the Flip Wilson side, instead of wondering whether Jackson would condescend to coach the Knicks, the more relevant question is, what makes anyone think Dolan & his Dolts remotely would consider ceding control? ... As if the Knicks are legally, morally and spiritually obligated to romance Big Chief Triangle?

Even without inclusive authority, Jackson’s power trip is insufferable. He once shooed Lakers president Jerry West — the person responsible for his lavish appointment, who still believes Phil would be an ideal fit for the Knicks — from the locker room when he walked in during a team meeting.

If that didn’t take implausibility to its outer limit, Jackson tried again when he walked out in a haughty huff on Cesar Millan in the middle of a TV episode. The Dog Whisperer was in the home of Phil’s girlfriend, Jeanie Buss, in an attempt to train her dog (technically), but more important, the two humans in the room, one uncoachable.

Back to the present. Far be it from me to let the air out of your Jordans, but where is the sum gain for either Jackson or the Knicks?
No matter how much Dolan charges and insults customers, Madison Square Garden remains sold out. How would the presence of a deified coach guarantee any more revenue or any more rings (see Riley, Pat)?
I can tell you this with unshakable certainty: There is no way in this warped world Jackson will coach or manage the Knicks if Isiah Thomas continues to have any say or sway in personnel decisions.
Seems to me, hiring Jim Boeheim makes more sense. Nobody else has won a championship with Anthony.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knick...gyV5h85Xi8AL/0

[Monta Ellis #11]

Power Rankings


1.Chicago (34-9)
Pace: 92.6 (21), Off: 105.9 (3), Def: 95.7 (2)
The Bulls host three East playoff teams in the next six days, including the Heat in Wednesday's game of the week. So it's not a good time to be going through some defensive regression or for Luol Deng to be ailing. Those three East teams they play each has an All-Star at small forward.
Previous: 1

2.Miami (31-9)
Pace: 94.4 (12), Off: 107.7 (1), Def: 97.1 (4)
First, LeBron James hit big shots in regulation and overtime. Then, he deferred to Dwyane Wade on the final possession. What are we supposed to make of that? Do we praise him or criticize him when he makes two different late-game decisions in the same game? Next time, he needs to think about the narrative!
Previous: 3

3.Oklahoma City (32-9)
Pace: 96.0 (5), Off: 106.6 (2), Def: 99.4 (12)
Overall, the Thunder have more issues defensively, but their offense has been the problem in their last three defeats, including Friday's loss to the Cavs, when they struggled from deep and from the line. Two days after Bulls-Heat, we get Thunder-Spurs from OKC. Both matchups trump any amateur hoops this week.
Previous: 2

4.San Antonio (26-13)
Pace: 94.1 (14), Off: 104.6 (6), Def: 101.0 (15)
The Spurs played just two games last week. They benefited from Tyson Chandler's absence on Wednesday, and apparently suffered from Tony Parker's absence on Friday. But offense wasn't really the problem against the Clippers. Some assemblage of defense will be needed Friday in Oklahoma City.
Previous: 5

5.L.A. Lakers (25-16)
Pace: 92.5 (22), Off: 101.6 (13), Def: 98.5 (9)
After Andrew Bynum came up big in the post at the end of Sunday's win over Boston, Kobe Bryant said it was "was the first time we've ever trusted him in that situation." Well, Bynum is now 24-for-28 (86 percent) in clutch-time this season, which is pretty ridiculous. Bryant is 23-for-76 (30 percent), which is pretty bad.
Previous: 4

6.Memphis (24-16)
Pace: 94.1 (15), Off: 99.6 (19), Def: 97.8 (7)
It's unclear how a team manages to get outrebounded by 17 by the Suns, but that's what the Grizzlies did on Saturday. A night later, they managed to shut down a Denver offense that had been on fire. As far as individual matchups go, there aren't many much better than Kobe Bryant vs. Tony Allen, which we get Tuesday.
Previous: 9

7.Orlando (27-15)
Pace: 91.6 (28), Off: 102.2 (12), Def: 99.3 (11)
Well, here we are. It's finally time for the Magic to make the decision that will determine the future of their franchise. Parting with Dwight Howard is obviously tough to do, especially when you're third in the conference. But all signs indicate that the Magic will get nothing for him if they don't pull the trigger now.
Previous: 8

8.Philadelphia (25-17)
Pace: 92.3 (24), Off: 102.7 (9), Def: 93.8 (1)
Evan Turner, who's in the starting lineup for good, is a big X-factor in the Eastern Conference. He's averaged 22.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in helping the Sixers win three straight, including big division wins over Boston and New York. The new lineup gets tested more this week, facing the Pacers, Heat and Bulls.
Previous: 11

9.L.A. Clippers (23-16)
Pace: 92.4 (23), Off: 104.7 (5), Def: 103.2 (22)
In his time in New Orleans, Chris Paul led the Hornets to a disproportionately good record in close games. But this season, he's made more news with his late-game miscues, including a missed free throw in Minnesota on Monday and a failure to recover on Jordan Farmar's game-winner on Wednesday.
Previous: 7

10.Indiana (23-16)
Pace: 93.7 (17), Off: 100.7 (15), Def: 98.0 (8)
The Pacers are a volatile bunch. They followed a five-game losing streak with a six-game winning streak, and have now lost four straight again. Further, they've lost seven straight against the other teams in the top six of the Eastern Conference. They can end that streak with a win over the Sixers on Wednesday.
Previous: 6

11.Boston (21-19)
Pace: 92.3 (25), Off: 98.2 (25), Def: 96.3 (3)
Does the Big Three era end this week or does it last until May? The answer to that probably depends on what other teams are willing to give the Celtics to rent Ray Allen for six weeks. Danny Ainge doesn't need to rush into a rebuild, because if he just stands pat, he'll get to go shopping this summer.
Previous: 13

12.Atlanta (24-17)
Pace: 92.7 (20), Off: 99.4 (20), Def: 97.2 (5)
Joe Johnson is owed, like, a gazillion dollars over the next four years. And you know what? The Hawks are pretty much the same team whether he's in the lineup or not. They went 4-2 without him over the last few weeks, struggling a bit offensively, but still playing top-five defense. They're 17-13 without Al Horford.
Previous: 16

13.Houston (22-20)
Pace: 94.5 (11), Off: 102.6 (10), Def: 101.7 (17)
With Ricky Rubio out, you would think that the playoff door is wide open for the Rockets. But they're missing Kyle Lowry for 2-4 weeks with a bacterial infection, they needed a wrong-basket tip-in to get their only win in their last seven games, and they can't defend a lick. Don't go printing those playoff tickets just yet.
Previous: 12

14.Denver (23-19)
Pace: 97.2 (1), Off: 105.1 (4), Def: 102.2 (19)
The Nuggets have two losses since the break, and both came on the final possession. So those questions about winning without a go-to guy might just linger a bit. Danilo Gallinari could be that guy, but he's shot just 5-for-25 in his four games back from his ankle injury. And now Ty Lawson is hurt again.
Previous: 15

15.Dallas (23-20)
Pace: 94.1 (16), Off: 99.1 (22), Def: 97.4 (6)
Not surprisingly, the Mavs didn't hold up well playing nine games in the first 12 days after the break. They have the league's fourth-worst offense since the break, even though six of their nine opponents have been below-average defensive teams. They get some rest and play three more at home this week.
Previous: 10

16.Phoenix (19-21)
Pace: 94.5 (10), Off: 100.6 (17), Def: 101.9 (18)
The Suns are 5-1, with the league's fifth-best defense since the break. They have a chance to get back in the playoff picture if they can handle this week's back-to-back-to-back set better than they did their first one (they lost all three). If they do, Sunday's game against Houston may be the biggest of their season.
Previous: 19

17.Minnesota (21-21)
Pace: 95.7 (6), Off: 101.5 (14), Def: 100.7 (14)
It's hard to imagine the Wolves staying in the playoff picture without Ricky Rubio, especially with nine of their next 10 games on the road, and with J.J. Barea also banged up. But they should see what they can get before the deadline, because there's no benefit to falling in the standings. The Hornets have their pick.
Previous: 17

18.Portland (20-21)
Pace: 94.2 (13), Off: 102.8 (8), Def: 99.7 (13)
The Blazers desperately needed Saturday's win in Washington, their second-best offensive game of the season. But can they win two straight for the first time since Jan. 24? On Tuesday, they visit the Pacers, who have dropped four straight. Then they visit the Knicks, who have lost five in a row.
Previous: 18

19.Golden State (17-21)
Pace: 94.6 (9), Off: 103.5 (7), Def: 104.0 (24)
The Warriors aren't in playoff contention quite yet. They earned some relevance with big wins over the Clippers (twice), Hawks and Mavs over the last couple of weeks. They've started to play a little defense, and they have a relatively easy schedule for the remainder of March. Keep an eye on this team.
Previous: 21

20.New York (18-23)
Pace: 96.9 (2), Off: 98.8 (24), Def: 98.8 (10)
Well, if it wasn't clear before, this week made it obvious that the Knicks are pretty terrible defensively without Tyson Chandler. Of course, they had Chandler back on Sunday and still gave up 106 points to the Sixers. With five straight losses, New York is now closer to last place in the Atlantic Division than it is to first.
Previous: 14

21.Utah (19-21)
Pace: 93.5 (19), Off: 102.3 (11), Def: 104.2 (25)
If the Jazz have any hopes of making a run at the eighth spot in the West, it would help if they could defend every once in a while. They've held just one opponent under a point per possession in their last 13 games. And that's just not going to get it done when you're so inconsistent offensively.
Previous: 20

22.Cleveland (16-23)
Pace: 95.0 (8), Off: 99.3 (21), Def: 103.1 (21)
Suddenly, the Cavs are tied with the eighth-place Knicks in the loss column, with four very winnable games over the next eight days. They've won three straight over three Western Conference playoff teams, even though Kyrie Irving wasn't all that sharp until late in Sunday's win over Houston.
Previous: 23

23.Detroit (15-26)
Pace: 91.2 (29), Off: 96.4 (29), Def: 104.9 (26)
If Rodney Stuckey continues to play as well he has lately, he's going to have a much more lucrative offseason than he did in December. He has shot 48 percent as the Pistons have gone 11-6 over their last 17 games, and he's a minus-28 for a team that has been outscored by 239 points overall.
Previous: 22

24.Milwaukee (17-24)
Pace: 95.4 (7), Off: 100.7 (16), Def: 103.2 (23)
Somehow, the Bucks have become an offensive juggernaut, scoring 115 points per 100 possessions in their last three games. Ersan Ilyasova has averaged 20.0 points and 10.9 rebounds over the last 13 games and is 34-for-47 (72 percent) in his last three. Start printing those Ersanity t-shirts.
Previous: 24

25.New Jersey (14-28)
Pace: 91.8 (27), Off: 100.5 (18), Def: 108.2 (30)
Gerald Green went trending because of this ridiculousness, and deservedly so. But Green scored 26 points, his most in an NBA game in almost five years, because he can shoot. As they've waited for one dunk champ (the one in Orlando), the Nets have given another a second chance at an NBA career.
Previous: 25

26.Sacramento (14-27)
Pace: 96.4 (3), Off: 98.8 (23), Def: 106.0 (27)
From 60th pick to starting point guard, Rookie of the Month, and ... community activist! On Tuesday, rookie Isaiah Thomas showed up at Sacramento's City Council meeting, where the financing plan for the Kings' new arena was approved. If he wasn't a fan favorite already, that move had to clinch it.
Previous: 27

27.Toronto (13-28)
Pace: 92.2 (26), Off: 97.3 (26), Def: 101.1 (16)
Andrea Bargnani returned after a 20-game absence over the weekend. And because he showed improvement early in the season and still has to get back in shape, we'll just say it was a coincidence that the Raptors had two of their worst defensive games of the season against the Pistons and Bucks.
Previous: 26

28.New Orleans (10-31)
Pace: 91.0 (30), Off: 96.8 (27), Def: 102.8 (20)
Jarrett Jack has been back in the starting lineup for the last six games and has shot 23-for-38 in the last three. But the numbers show that the Hornets have been better on both ends with Greivis Vasquez running the point. The West's worst meets the East's worst on Monday at the Hive.
Previous: 28

29.Washington (9-30)
Pace: 96.2 (4), Off: 96.6 (28), Def: 106.3 (28)
Of course it was the Wizards who, on Wednesday, gave the Lakers a lesson in scoring balance (seven guys in double-figures) and late-game execution (8-2 run to close the game). Washington now has home wins over Oklahoma City and L.A., two teams who are obviously hoping the Wizards don't make The Finals.
Previous: 29

30.Charlotte (5-34)
Pace: 93.7 (18), Off: 92.6 (30), Def: 107.5 (29)
The Bobcats said goodbye to Boris Diaw and hello to the head coaching career of Stephen Silas, who took over after his dad got ejected on Tuesday and led the Cats to a win over the Magic. The younger Silas was then handed the reins in Friday's game against the Nets, and nobody scored 57 points this time.

http://www.nba.com/powerrankings/

[Monta Ellis #11]

Derek Fisher confirms buyout deal with Rockets


LOS ANGELES (AP)—Derek Fisher confirmed Sunday night he has reached a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets.

The 37-year-old point guard gave no indication of his plans for the future in a statement issued by his business manager.

The eighth-place Rockets acquired Fisher from the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, and the club was eager to put Fisher into its lineup, even planning to pick up his $3.4 million option for next season.

“Derek’s desire to win a sixth championship is what drives him and will continue to drive him as he moves forward,” manager Jamie Wior said in the statement.

If Fisher clears waivers in the next few days, he would become a free agent.

The Lakers traded the five-time NBA champion guard to Houston on Thursday for backup big man Jordan Hill. Los Angeles made the move partly to clear playing time for Ramon Sessions, acquired earlier in the day from Cleveland, but also to avoid paying significant salaries to three point guards.

Although Fisher’s contributions have declined in recent years, the trade upset the Lakers’ veterans—including Kobe Bryant, who considered Fisher an invaluable ingredient in the team’s chemistry. Bryant and Fisher were teammates for 13 of their 16 NBA seasons, serving as co-captains this season.

Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum all said they spoke to Fisher over the previous three days since the Lakers traded him.

“I know it’s hard to go through what he’s going through,” said Gasol, the subject of innumerable trade rumors himself. “We’ll see what ends up happening with him, but I’m not sure what he wants to do.”

Bryant said he had discussed the future with Fisher, but declined to share Fisher’s plans.

Fisher had played in 537 consecutive NBA games and had made 371 straight starts over the past five seasons for the Lakers, but the NBA players’ union leader was averaging just 5.9 points—his lowest average in 13 years—and 3.3 assists this season.

Sessions has injected quickness and ball-penetration skills into the Lakers in just two games. He had 10 points and six assists off the bench in the Lakers’ 103-99 loss to Utah on Sunday night.

Backup Steve Blake took Fisher’s starting spot, but the veteran hasn’t scored a point in his first two starts.


http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...-fishersfuture

[Monta Ellis #11]

Wilson Chandler re-signs with Nuggets on long-term contract


Sunday's signing of Wilson Chandler reminds one of Saturday morning, when coach George Karl lounged in the Pepsi Center stands, talking about the new-look Nuggets with the same powder-blue passion that the fans in those stands would later that night.

JaVale McGee, waiting for a finalized trade, would be a Nugget soon. Chandler too. Counting Chandler's scoring average of 15.3 points from last season, that would give Denver an incredible 10 players who average at least 8.8 points a game.

"I think it's fun," Karl said. "But in a normal regular season, you want a 30- (to) 40-game package of the eight, nine guys that you'll rotate in a game — and know how you're going to do it. With JaVale and Wilson, you can't even come close to that. ... But in the same sense, it can be advantageous to us, if we commit to 22 games and don't get egos and don't worry about minutes and get flustered about not playing. (I say to the players), 'Whatever you get, take it seriously and see what happens.' "

On Sunday, Chandler signed a five-year deal worth $37 million, Chand ler's agent said. The signing was first reported by The Denver Post. Also on Sunday, the Nene trade went through, making McGee, a former Wizards center, officially a Nugget. Chandler and McGee are expected to be available tonight when the Nuggets hosts the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. To make room for Chandler, the Nuggets waived Ronny Turiaf, as expected.

Chandler's journey involved passports and patience. Chandler originally came to the Nuggets last season as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade to New York. But during the lockout, he signed with a team in China, returning to the U.S. in February. But the Nuggets weren't going to offer the restricted free agent a single-year deal, so his agent, Chris Luchey, and the Nuggets' brass, notably Masai Ujiri, spent a few weeks negotiating. In the end, Luchey said he was impressed with Ujiri's dedication to building a young team of hungry, fast-paced players.

"Wilson wants to be a part of that," Luchey said.

McGee averaged 11.9 points and 8.8 rebounds for Washington and, as Boston coach Doc Rivers said before Saturday's loss in Denver, McGee plays "Dwight Howard-ish" defense.

Karl has had conversations with the 7-footer, who seemed refreshed and ready to play for a playoff contender.

"(Karl) was just saying it's a hardworking team and he wants me to come in and show him I'm ready to play hard," McGee said. "That's definitely what I'm ready to do. I'm ready to get on the floor."

Or above the rim. That's where McGee plays. He ranks fourth in the NBA with 2.5 blocked shots per game and will surely make some highlight reels catching lobs from Ty Lawson and Andre Miller.

But back to Karl: The biggest issue is figuring out minutes. More important, who will play the game's final minutes?

"Would you bet me $1,000 that tonight that you know the five guys who will finish the game?" Karl asked Saturday. "How many other teams know (who would finish the game for them)? I'd say 15 (to) 20. I'd almost bet that you can't name three guys. In a crazy way, we've gotten to that place.

"Now don't get me wrong. I think it's fun. But it's all about (how the game plays out) , matchups, offensive game versus defensive game, big-man game, little game.

"With Nene gone, Ty, (Danilo) Gallinari and everybody moves up with more responsibility and more circumstances. It's not only JaVale. It's everybody who has to make an adjustment to get comfortable. I told them today, we don't want to think too much. We just have to play hard and the harder you play and the more success we have, the more confidence we'll get at each level."


http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci...-term-contract