The Good, the Bad, the Kitchen Sink
Terry Brown
Monday, December 1
Updated: December 1
2:48 PM ET
Here we are, six weeks in, wondering if I'm going to have to wait 'till Christmas to see the Cavs win their first one on the road or the Magic win their first one at home before LeBron and crew head to Orlando for a Dec. 25 date.
The Good
Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
IversonWeek's work: 2-2 record, 30 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.2 apg, 2.2 spg, 8 triples, 45% shooting
Allen Iverson scores 30. Allen Iverson scores 40. Allen Iverson scores 50. Only this time, those 30-, 40- and 50-point games are putting him a full 3.6 points ahead of the next highest guy in the scoring column (last year's king Tracy McGrady). To put that into perspective, Zach Randolph is scoring less than four points per game less than McGrady and he's No. 13 on the same list.
Voshon Lenard, Denver Nuggets
Week's work: 3-0 record, 21.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1 apg, 0.6 spg, 10 triples, 50% Shooting
Last year, Denver went 17-65 and only one Nugget averaged more than 11 points per game, and a lot of good it did that guy who now plays for the Orlando Magic. This year, the Nuggets are 10-6 . . . I SAID THE NUGGETS ARE 10-6 . . . And there are five players averaging 11 or more points, led last week by Lenard, who was a second-round draft pick, did time in the CBA and has changed uniforms four times in his eight NBA seasons but would do anything to stay out of Orlando, himself.
Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings
Week's work: 3-0 record, 16 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6 apg, 1.6 spg, 5 triples, 57% shooting
The hottest team in the league is not in Los Angeles and the hottest point guard in same said league is not in New Orleans. The Kings have now won eight games in a row and Mike Bibby is shooting a career-high 48 percent from the field, career-best 4 6 percent from distance and 81 percent from the line. Compare that to the Lakers' current six-game streak and Baron Davis' 40 percent from the field, 38 percent from distance and 60 percent from the line.
Devean George, Los Angeles Lakers
Week's work: 3-0 record, 13.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.3 spg, 4 triples, 61% shooting
Shaq and Kobe were great. Karl and Gary make them greater. But if the fifth starter in this bunch continues to average double digits while shooting 79 percent from the field (George was 15-for-19 on the week before the Lakers squashed the Pacers) then they could very well become the greatest.
The Bad
Bonzi Wells, Portland Trail Blazers
WellsWeak work: 1-1 record, 2.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2 apg, 0spg, 0 bpg, 13% shooting
Small children growing up in the Northwest will hear stories for years to come about the basketball player who didn't listen to his parents and was never seen or heard from again.
Tyronn Lue, Orlando Magic
Weak work: 0-3 record, 7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 4 apg, 0.3 spg, 30% shooting
All Tyronn ever did was help guard Allen Iverson a few years ago when Derek Fisher and Kobe got tired during the NBA Finals. But then the Wizards had to go and give him a contract and a starting position, followed by the Magic, followed by 15 losses in a row and we've got to put him here for putting up numbers that were better than he ever accumulated for the Lakers in the first place.
Kelvin Cato, Houston Rockets
Weak work: 1-3 record, 3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.2 spg, 0.2 bpg, 25% shooting
Once blocked 11 shots in a single NCAA game followed by eight blocks in a single NBA game and had 24 of them in the first 12 games this season. Too bad he had a grand total of one in the next four just as Houston folk were starting to name twin babies after him and Yao.
Ronald Murray, Seattle SuperSonics
Weak work: 0-3 record, 10.6 ppg, 6 rpg, 1 apg, 0.6 spg, 29% shooting
After scoring 20 or more points in 10 of 11 games, Flip hits his first slump on the chin by going three straight games without reaching that plateau. But, fear not, there are definite signs he's working his way out of his shooting slump. On Tuesday, he went 4-for-17. On Friday, he went 4-for-14. On Saturday, he went 4-for-12. When next we talk, he should be at a respectable 4-for-7 or 8 and we can start working on his defense or lack thereof.
The Ugly
Camby
Sure, the Nuggets are winning. Sure, Marcus Camby has played in all 16 of their games after missing 106 of them over the last two seasons. And sure, Mr. Camby is blocking lots of shots and grabbing lots of rebounds.
But after averaging 14.8 points per game on 48 percent shooting as a rookie and 10.9 points per game on his career on 46 percent shooting, he has cracked the double digit column only one time this entire season and is averaging a scant 4.4 points per game on 30 percent shooting after scoring only one point against the Clippers on Friday night before leaving the game with a strained groin.
The Kitchen Sink
KNICK OF TIME
In the seven games that the New York Knicks have won this year, Dikembe Mutombo has played an average of 31.6 minutes and tallied 9.4 points and 9.4 boards per contest. In their 10 losses, Mutombo has averaged 20.8 minutes, 6.1 points and 5.5 rebounds. In fact, when Mutombo playes 30 or more minutes, the Knicks are 5-1. When he plays less than that, they are 2-9.
PEJA TO THE POINT
Not only is Peja Stojakovic the fourth-highest scorer in the NBA right now at 23.3 points per game, but there are only three players in the entire league shooting better than his 53 percent from the field and only one player who has made more triples than his 36 in 16 games. By comparison, those three players scoring more points are shooting a combined 41 percent from the field while those three players with higher shooting percentages have made a combined 31 triples.
FREE SPREE
Sprewell
Used to be that Latrell Sprewell could smell the rim from a block away and there wasn't anything you or I could do to keep him away from it. But times have changed.
Already four times this season, he has failed to get to the free-throw line once and the result has been a grand total of 18 points in those four contests despite playing 152 minutes. Two of those occurrences came last week as he was held scoreless against the Pacers and managed only five points against the Knicks before forcing his way into the paint and being awarded 12 free throws the following game against the Grizzlies. As a result, he scored 24 points and the Timberwolves won their only game of the week.
LESS IS MORE
Two years ago, we thought Al Harrington might very well win the Sixthman of the Year Award. Last year, we thought he might finally win his starting position. This year, we're not sure if the Indiana Pacers really want him to get any better at all because in the three games the team has dropped this season, he's averaged a whopping 20.3 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from distance.
But in the 14 games that the Pacers have won this year, Harrington has averaged 10.7 points per game on 39 percent shooting from the field and 9 percent shooting from distance.
AIR APPARENT
Michael Jordan, No. 3 pick in the 1984 draft and former Wizard franchise player.
Last year: 20 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 44% shooting
Gilbert Arenas, No. 31 pick in the 2001 draft and current Wizard franchise player.
This year: 20.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 41% shooting
PAYBACK SPECIAL
New Orleans Hornets (11-6) versus Chicago Bulls (4-12)
Saturday, Dec. 6 in Chicago at 8:30 pm EST
Remember when the Bulls tried to blame all those losses on poor Tim Floyd. Well, now that they've gotten rid of another coach and Floyd's old boss, they should be just about ready to blame yet another lose on him, too.
THE END
"If you beat the quote-unquote teams you're supposed to beat and you lose to the best teams, then you're no good. If you beat the good teams and you lose to the not-so-good teams, you're no good. So if you ever lose, you're no good. It doesn't matter who you lose to."
Rocket coach Jeff Van Gundy on why there have been no truly great teams in the NBA since the 1972 Dolphins.
Terry Brown
Monday, December 1
Updated: December 1
2:48 PM ET
Here we are, six weeks in, wondering if I'm going to have to wait 'till Christmas to see the Cavs win their first one on the road or the Magic win their first one at home before LeBron and crew head to Orlando for a Dec. 25 date.
The Good
Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
IversonWeek's work: 2-2 record, 30 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.2 apg, 2.2 spg, 8 triples, 45% shooting
Allen Iverson scores 30. Allen Iverson scores 40. Allen Iverson scores 50. Only this time, those 30-, 40- and 50-point games are putting him a full 3.6 points ahead of the next highest guy in the scoring column (last year's king Tracy McGrady). To put that into perspective, Zach Randolph is scoring less than four points per game less than McGrady and he's No. 13 on the same list.
Voshon Lenard, Denver Nuggets
Week's work: 3-0 record, 21.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1 apg, 0.6 spg, 10 triples, 50% Shooting
Last year, Denver went 17-65 and only one Nugget averaged more than 11 points per game, and a lot of good it did that guy who now plays for the Orlando Magic. This year, the Nuggets are 10-6 . . . I SAID THE NUGGETS ARE 10-6 . . . And there are five players averaging 11 or more points, led last week by Lenard, who was a second-round draft pick, did time in the CBA and has changed uniforms four times in his eight NBA seasons but would do anything to stay out of Orlando, himself.
Mike Bibby, Sacramento Kings
Week's work: 3-0 record, 16 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6 apg, 1.6 spg, 5 triples, 57% shooting
The hottest team in the league is not in Los Angeles and the hottest point guard in same said league is not in New Orleans. The Kings have now won eight games in a row and Mike Bibby is shooting a career-high 48 percent from the field, career-best 4 6 percent from distance and 81 percent from the line. Compare that to the Lakers' current six-game streak and Baron Davis' 40 percent from the field, 38 percent from distance and 60 percent from the line.
Devean George, Los Angeles Lakers
Week's work: 3-0 record, 13.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.3 spg, 4 triples, 61% shooting
Shaq and Kobe were great. Karl and Gary make them greater. But if the fifth starter in this bunch continues to average double digits while shooting 79 percent from the field (George was 15-for-19 on the week before the Lakers squashed the Pacers) then they could very well become the greatest.
The Bad
Bonzi Wells, Portland Trail Blazers
WellsWeak work: 1-1 record, 2.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2 apg, 0spg, 0 bpg, 13% shooting
Small children growing up in the Northwest will hear stories for years to come about the basketball player who didn't listen to his parents and was never seen or heard from again.
Tyronn Lue, Orlando Magic
Weak work: 0-3 record, 7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 4 apg, 0.3 spg, 30% shooting
All Tyronn ever did was help guard Allen Iverson a few years ago when Derek Fisher and Kobe got tired during the NBA Finals. But then the Wizards had to go and give him a contract and a starting position, followed by the Magic, followed by 15 losses in a row and we've got to put him here for putting up numbers that were better than he ever accumulated for the Lakers in the first place.
Kelvin Cato, Houston Rockets
Weak work: 1-3 record, 3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.2 spg, 0.2 bpg, 25% shooting
Once blocked 11 shots in a single NCAA game followed by eight blocks in a single NBA game and had 24 of them in the first 12 games this season. Too bad he had a grand total of one in the next four just as Houston folk were starting to name twin babies after him and Yao.
Ronald Murray, Seattle SuperSonics
Weak work: 0-3 record, 10.6 ppg, 6 rpg, 1 apg, 0.6 spg, 29% shooting
After scoring 20 or more points in 10 of 11 games, Flip hits his first slump on the chin by going three straight games without reaching that plateau. But, fear not, there are definite signs he's working his way out of his shooting slump. On Tuesday, he went 4-for-17. On Friday, he went 4-for-14. On Saturday, he went 4-for-12. When next we talk, he should be at a respectable 4-for-7 or 8 and we can start working on his defense or lack thereof.
The Ugly
Camby
Sure, the Nuggets are winning. Sure, Marcus Camby has played in all 16 of their games after missing 106 of them over the last two seasons. And sure, Mr. Camby is blocking lots of shots and grabbing lots of rebounds.
But after averaging 14.8 points per game on 48 percent shooting as a rookie and 10.9 points per game on his career on 46 percent shooting, he has cracked the double digit column only one time this entire season and is averaging a scant 4.4 points per game on 30 percent shooting after scoring only one point against the Clippers on Friday night before leaving the game with a strained groin.
The Kitchen Sink
KNICK OF TIME
In the seven games that the New York Knicks have won this year, Dikembe Mutombo has played an average of 31.6 minutes and tallied 9.4 points and 9.4 boards per contest. In their 10 losses, Mutombo has averaged 20.8 minutes, 6.1 points and 5.5 rebounds. In fact, when Mutombo playes 30 or more minutes, the Knicks are 5-1. When he plays less than that, they are 2-9.
PEJA TO THE POINT
Not only is Peja Stojakovic the fourth-highest scorer in the NBA right now at 23.3 points per game, but there are only three players in the entire league shooting better than his 53 percent from the field and only one player who has made more triples than his 36 in 16 games. By comparison, those three players scoring more points are shooting a combined 41 percent from the field while those three players with higher shooting percentages have made a combined 31 triples.
FREE SPREE
Sprewell
Used to be that Latrell Sprewell could smell the rim from a block away and there wasn't anything you or I could do to keep him away from it. But times have changed.
Already four times this season, he has failed to get to the free-throw line once and the result has been a grand total of 18 points in those four contests despite playing 152 minutes. Two of those occurrences came last week as he was held scoreless against the Pacers and managed only five points against the Knicks before forcing his way into the paint and being awarded 12 free throws the following game against the Grizzlies. As a result, he scored 24 points and the Timberwolves won their only game of the week.
LESS IS MORE
Two years ago, we thought Al Harrington might very well win the Sixthman of the Year Award. Last year, we thought he might finally win his starting position. This year, we're not sure if the Indiana Pacers really want him to get any better at all because in the three games the team has dropped this season, he's averaged a whopping 20.3 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from distance.
But in the 14 games that the Pacers have won this year, Harrington has averaged 10.7 points per game on 39 percent shooting from the field and 9 percent shooting from distance.
AIR APPARENT
Michael Jordan, No. 3 pick in the 1984 draft and former Wizard franchise player.
Last year: 20 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, 44% shooting
Gilbert Arenas, No. 31 pick in the 2001 draft and current Wizard franchise player.
This year: 20.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 41% shooting
PAYBACK SPECIAL
New Orleans Hornets (11-6) versus Chicago Bulls (4-12)
Saturday, Dec. 6 in Chicago at 8:30 pm EST
Remember when the Bulls tried to blame all those losses on poor Tim Floyd. Well, now that they've gotten rid of another coach and Floyd's old boss, they should be just about ready to blame yet another lose on him, too.
THE END
"If you beat the quote-unquote teams you're supposed to beat and you lose to the best teams, then you're no good. If you beat the good teams and you lose to the not-so-good teams, you're no good. So if you ever lose, you're no good. It doesn't matter who you lose to."
Rocket coach Jeff Van Gundy on why there have been no truly great teams in the NBA since the 1972 Dolphins.
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