Intro by Rob L on Sunday, January 21st, 2007 at 11:34 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2738214&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines

New Jersey Nets forward Richard Jefferson will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle Monday.

The team gave no timetable for his return.

Terrible news for Nets fans. The team had just gotten on a roll and seemed ready to take solid control of the Atlantic.

3 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Friday, January 19th, 2007 at 1:17 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://www.nba.com/features/schuhmann_070112.html?rss=true

So, this year, both the three point attempts per game and the percentage of field goal attempts that are threes are almost at the level that they were at the end of the short-line era. One could guess that they will surpass that number next season...

...This season, the league is shooting .349 from downtown, so for every attempt from beyond the arc, 1.05 points are scored. Meanwhile, they're shooting .484 from inside the arc, which translates to 0.97 points per shot.

So, as a league, everybody needs to keep chucking them up.

Of course, that's a pretty general statement. Don't pass up an open lane to the hoop for a 25-footer with Dikembe Mutombo in your grill. That would be just silly.

Schuhmann has written an interesting article here. It was nice to include 3PA/FTA in the table to clearly see the relative change. As a sidenote, possessions per game are at their highest since the 1999-2000 season.

3 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Monday, January 15th, 2007 at 2:13 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2731833

Webber told ESPN.com on Monday via e-mail that he has chosen to sign with the Detroit Pistons, which will officially happen Tuesday after he clears waivers at 2 p.m. ET.

But first, Webber will spend the Martin Luther King holiday with family members after flying to his native Detroit ... and he says he'll attend the Pistons' home game as a fan Monday afternoon against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Hmmm...I wonder if this will really impact the Pistons or not. If I were Flip Saunders how would I utilize Webber?

18 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Wednesday, January 3rd, 2007 at 4:34 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2718720

Miami Heat coach Pat Riley will take an indefinite leave of absence because of ongoing hip and knee problems, and top assistant Ron Rothstein will fill his spot on an interim basis.

The 61-year-old Riley disclosed his plans Wednesday, two days before he'll undergo surgery to remove floating chips in his right knee. He will not be with the team Wednesday night when it hosts the Los Angeles Clippers.

"I'm just tired of the pain and the medication," said Riley, who said there is no timetable for when he would like to return.

But he insisted he plans to be back with the defending champions.

What terrible timing for the Heat to lose their coach as Shaq is close to a return. But health is obviously more important than a game. Even basketball. Here's hoping all goes well for Riley.

5 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Friday, December 29th, 2006 at 5:55 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://www.nba.com/features/schuhmann_061222.html?rss=true

...to get a better look at the big picture, I think it's a good idea to look at other team stats and figure out how assist-field goal ratio (or that of your opponent) compares to more traditional categories like rebounding or turnovers in determining success league-wide...

...I knew that assist-field goal ratio (and therefore assists per game) was a good indicator, and before breaking down the numbers, I thought that turnovers (avoiding them) and free throw attempts would be strong as well.

Not quite.

Not a detailed statistical study by any stretch, but interesting anyway. The non-correlation of free throw attempts and winning percentage is certainly something to be looked into deeper.

7 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Thursday, December 28th, 2006 at 1:13 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/basketball/16332465.htm

Wade sprained his wrist midway through the first quarter while trying to navigate his way through a pick and left the game for good moments later. An X-ray taken in the locker room was negative, and Wade's status is day-to-day, coach Pat Riley said.

Wade will have a magnetic resonance imaging exam on the wrist today.

So it isn't broken, but this is not good news for Miami fans. Though if I had to lay a bet on this one I'd take "He fights his way through it and no one even remembers he sprained his wrist" for five.

4 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Monday, December 18th, 2006 at 4:35 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://www.nba.com/rookies/rankings_061211.html?rss=true

We need you Brandon.

Last year, not having to think about the No. 1 spot grew a little tiring. We love Chris Paul, but let's face it: the rookie race wasn't all that interesting in 2005-06. By April, we were starving for a little intrigue.

Now, we've certainly got that this season... although you might want to call it inconsistency instead of intrigue.

Jorge Garbajosa is related to Clive Owen somehow. I just know it.

2 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Wednesday, December 13th, 2006 at 12:37 am | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2695675

Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom sprained his right knee in the first quarter of Tuesday's game against the Houston Rockets and coach Phil Jackson said he might be out for more than a month.

With a good stretch of games on the road it will be interesting to see how the Lakers respond.

0 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Friday, November 17th, 2006 at 8:01 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2666452

Shaquille O'Neal will undergo knee surgery and be sidelined for four to six weeks, the Miami Heat said Friday.

O'Neal tore cartilage in his left knee Sunday when he collided with Houston's Chuck Hayes. The injury was originally diagnosed as a hyperextended knee.

This is not good for Heat fans.

4 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Friday, November 17th, 2006 at 4:03 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/16033881.htm

From the Charlotte Observer:

Emeka Okafor, NBA defensive player of the year?

That would have been a reach not so long ago, but based on his start this season, he belongs in the discussion.

He leads the NBA in blocked shots (4.1 per game). He is third in rebounding (12.3 per game). And his five steals against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday showed he's about as disruptive as a defender gets in this league.

0 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Tuesday, November 14th, 2006 at 12:43 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/lopez/4332535.html

From the Houston Chronicle:

For all the praise heaped on Rockets center Yao Ming lately, including being named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, the greatest compliment was an insult.

The Big Diesel essentially coughed a puff of smoke in Yao's face.

After being outplayed, outrun and overwhelmed in Sunday's impressive Rockets win at Miami, Shaquille O'Neal said Yao was "pretty much" the same as always.

Yao is the best, and we're not just talking statistically anymore. He is the most dominating big man in the league, having tossed 34 points on 11-of-19 shooting and 14 rebounds in O'Neal's face in the early-season showdown.

Also from the article:

Statistics matter, of course. And on that front Yao had it over every other center, including O'Neal, a year ago. Yao is putting up head-spinning numbers again, ranking seventh in scoring (27.3 points per game), ninth in field-goal percentage (.593), 14th in rebounding (10.0), 10th in blocked shots (2.0) and sixth in free-throw shooting among players who have taken at least 40 freebies (.879).

McGrady matters, too. A lot.

But while statistics don't separate good players and good teams from great ones, other immeasurable things do.

You heard it here first, folks. Stats can't measure greatness.

3 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Thursday, November 9th, 2006 at 11:58 am | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2003375501_sonics09.html

Seattle has been all but mathematically eliminated as a long-term home for the Sonics and Storm, meaning the future of professional basketball in the area is down to two options — the suburbs or so long.

By overwhelmingly approving Initiative 91 on Tuesday, Seattle voters effectively ended any notion that the NBA and WNBA teams would remain in their namesake city.

The initiative requires Seattle to receive cash profit in exchange for granting subsidies to benefit a professional sports franchise, such as tax money for a new arena.

I had read elsewhere that Initiative 91 set the return rate (on public investment in a sports arena) at that of a 30 year bond. I don't know if that's super unreasonable or not. Just thought I'd mention it.

4 Comments

Intro by Rob L on Tuesday, November 7th, 2006 at 12:58 pm | permalink | trackback |

Original Article: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2652056

Kings center Brad Miller will miss at least four weeks with an injured left foot, adding the biggest problem yet to Sacramento's early season woes.

2 Comments