There have been some real surprising early returns to begin the season, starting with Andrew Bynum and Russell Westbrook. No one expected the center back any time soon, and Westbrook was supposed to be out for at least the first month of the season. Or was he? See what the point guard had to say about the timetable for his return, how Bynum’s knees have been feeling since his return, what LeBron James is set to accomplish and more below.
STORY OF THE DAY:
Bynum came back earlier than anyone could have anticipated and made an immediate impact in limited minutes in the very first game of the season. He played again on Monday and posted his best line with 10 points, four rebounds and three blocks. Unfortunately, what he had to say after the game didn’t provide any indication that he will be back to being the dominant center he once was any time soon. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio has details:
“I don’t think it’s going to come back,” Bynum said Monday prior to the Cavs’ 93-92 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. Bynum was talking about his explosiveness, the type that enabled him to average 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game two seasons ago with the Los Angeles Lakers… “It makes you have to rely more on footwork and skills vs. athleticism,” he said. All of it makes Bynum wonder if he’ll ever feel the same on the floor. “I missed the entire year last year and that’s for a reason,” he said. “I have skill, I have talent. I just need to get my timing back.”… Bynum admitted to having pains here and there (describing them as “little sharp”), but overall his knees are responding well to playing time. And as Cavs coach Mike Brown said, Bynum clearly “impacted the game.”… It won’t really matter if Bynum’s old explosiveness returns. All he’ll need is to stay on the floor, and do what he’s done so far. “I’m coming along,” he said. “(But) not there yet.”
It’s good to hear that he’s coming along, but “little sharp pains here and there” in his knees? That is never a good sign. Hopefully for the center, it’s a small blip and nothing more as he continues to try to make a full comeback from his troublesome knee situation.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Kevin Martin said something interesting and rather unexpected after his team’s victory against the New York Knicks on Sunday: “This is such a fun team to play on. Nobody is trying to lead the league in scoring here.”
A dig at his former teammate Kevin Durant, perhaps??
UPCOMING FEAT FOR THE KING:
Barring an unforeseen setback, LeBron James is going to join a very exclusive club in his next game against the Toronto Raptors, from Ira Winderman of Sun Sentinel:
With Sunday’s 25-point performance against the Washington Wizards, James has now scored in double figures in 499 consecutive regular-season games.
It not only is the longest active such streak in the NBA, but with 10 or more points against the Raptors, he will become just the fifth player in league history with a streak of 500 games or more.
The current NBA 500 club:
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Michael Jordan (866 consecutive games)
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (787 consecutive games )
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (508 consecutive games)
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Karl Malone (575 consecutive games)
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Moses Malone (526 consecutive games)
HAVING A POTTY MOUTH WILL COST YOU:
Randy Wittman wasn’t shy about letting the media know how frustrated he was with his team’s defense on Sunday after losing their third straight game to open the season. Afterwards, the coach dropped an F-bomb while describing what the team needs to do:
For this offense, the league has fined Wittman $20,000.
PLAY OF THE DAY:
Andre Iguodala has been a valuable utility man for the Golden State Warriors in the first four games of the season. Even when he receives somewhat of an errant pass, this is the type of thing he can do with it:
Great reflexes, Mr. Iguodala. The wingman had a breakout game against the team he began his career with, dropping a game-high 32 points which included seven whopping 3-pointers.
NOSTRADAMUS MELO?:
Carmelo Anthony has enjoyed what he has seen from fellow Syracuse product Michael Carter-Williams so far. No one expected the guard to be anywhere near as good as he has been so far, except maybe Anthony, from Al Iannazzone of Newsday:
Anthony had high praise for Syracuse product and 76ers rookie guard Michael Carter-Williams, who’s averaging 20.7 points, 9.0 assists and 4.3 steals through three games. “I always liked him,” Anthony said. “I’ve been telling people all along whoever gets him was going to get a steal.”
SOME NOTABLES:
– The Philadelphia 76ers have obviously been the surprise team so far. The play of Carter-Williams is well-documented at this point, but what about the play of Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes? The two have opened the season playing phenomenal basketball. Most expect the two to drop off significantly in production, but remember, they are both in a contract season. Never underestimate the potential of a player’s abilities in a contract year.
– Don’t sleep on the Orlando Magic, who have now blown out the New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets at home to end up with a 2-2 record. No one expected much from them this season, but the growth of Nikola Vucevic, an improvement in Arron Afflalo’s overall game, the development of Andrew Nicholson and the play of their prized pick Victor Oladipo has the potential to make them a relevant team. Unfortunately, Tobias Harris is still weeks away from returning to action, according to John Denton of NBA.com. When he does return, there is no telling what this team may be able to do.
– The Golden State Warriors have run three of their first four opponents out of the gym with their talented starting lineup. From top to bottom, they are one of the most unselfish groups in the league and execute like few are capable of – although turnovers have been aplenty to begin the season. The bench, on the other hand, hasn’t been anywhere near the level of the starting unit. It’s a concern in the early going, and Mark Jackson made sure to address the situation after wreaking havoc on the 76ers on Monday, from Marcus Thompson of Bay Area News Group:
Mark Jackson makes a point to rip his bench: “I don’t see (blowouts) benefiting us much if our reserves play the way that they’ve played.”
MJax: “I’ve been very disappointed in the way those guys have closed out ballgames. They’ve got an opportunity to play extended mins …”
MJax: “… and they haven’t made a statements with their play. So I’m disappointed in that.”
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