I really wanted to play in front of the Madison Square Garden fans for the rest of my career, because they’re just unbelievable.” This didn’t make any sense, least of all to Lin. “I mean, to literally go from ‘If I score two, three, or four points today, it’s a good day’ to setting the record for the most points scored in your first five starts of any NBA player,” he says, still amazed. “I’d be a huge liar if I told myself, ‘I knew I could do that.’ You know what I mean? That’s not realistic. Let’s just be honest. I had no idea I could play like that. It was as amazing to me as it was to everybody else.”
George Karl explained how Andre Iguodala’s presence could make Ty Lawson very difficult to stop on offense, from Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post: “Late in the first, Iguodala utilized his speed to dart downcourt during transition. He received a pass from Lawson, paused and then fired it back to Lawson, who splashed a 3. “Ty is tremendous against any type of defensive recovery,” Denver coach George Karl said, “and with Andre (Miller) and (Danilo) Gallinari, you have two guys who are going to shrink the defense to them, and then you play against the recovery. Ty, I don’t know how you stop him when you have to come from help defense to take him out. How we get the play-making mentality in the game (is important).”
Dirk Nowitzki is doing his best to avoid surgery, but he may not have much choice in the matter if his knee continues to swell up. Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas has the quote: “I’m doing everything I can not to have surgery,” Nowitzki said Monday after sitting out a second consecutive preseason game due to the knee. “I guess that’s obvious that I really don’t want it done now. If I want to do it, I would love to do it after the season, get through the season somehow, but the swelling came back three or four times now. That’s obviously not good news. “If it’s going to keep swelling up on me, that’s obviously not a way to go throughout an 82-game season and hopefully long playoff run.”
- Kevin Garnett had nothing but praise for the abilities of rookie Jared Sullinger, who understands the importance of listening to the veterans. Paul Flannery of Weei has the piece: “Sully is very attentive,” Kevin Garnett said. “He’s a very hard worker. I love his IQ, and everything he’s gaining as far as respect and anything else these last few weeks, he’s earned.” Wow. File that under quotes we didn’t expect to hear in October. For his part, Sullinger has readily taken to Doc Rivers’ demanding coaching, and he has also passed the first round of KG tests. “[Garnett] talks a lot and everybody thinks it’s in a bad way. It’s really in a good way,” Sullinger said. “The intensity, the way he nods his head, the way he moves his body. You know, body language, everybody thinks that’s negative but really half his stuff is positive. You got to pay homage to the vets. You come in, you’ve got a closed mouth and you play basketball. When they start allowing you to come out of your comfort zone, talk, do all that kind of stuff, that’s how you develop team chemistry.”
- Joseph Goodman of Miami Herald has an update on the status of Mario Chalmers. It’s not necessarily good news:
Chalmers' injury might be a little more serious than first expected. Says he wants to be ready for the start of the season.
@MiamiHeraldHeat
Joseph Goodman
- Ronnie Brewer will join the Knicks for practice very soon, according to Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday:
Mike Woodson said there is a ''possibility'' Ronnie Brewer could practice this week, perhaps as early as tomorrow.
@Al_Iannazzone
Al Iannazzone
Amare Stoudemire is also ready to rejoin the Knicks in their next preseason game on Friday, according to Iannazzone: “Amar’e Stoudemire missed the Knicks’ first two preseason games because of a bone bruise in his left knee, but he said he “absolutely” will play in their next one Friday. Building cohesion and staying healthy are what Stoudemire hopes to get out of the Knicks’ remaining four warm-ups. “There’s not really much to accomplish in the preseason except for creating that chemistry and getting into more of a good flow and just try and become sharper and sharper on both ends of the court,” Stoudemire said after practice Monday. “We want to get through this preseason without injury and get ready to start the season off in good shape.”
Andrew Bynum will soon rejoin the 76ers for practice, according to John Mitchell of The Inquirer: “Andrew’s doing well,” Collins said Monday before the Sixers improved their preseason record to 2-1 with a 107-75 victory over Boston at the Wells Fargo Center. “He’s progressing and on track to where I think he hoped he would be at this time. Obviously, the next step for him is getting running and weight-bearing.” The plan for Bynum’s return to the court is for three days of practice beginning Oct. 24. Collins plans on a break for the Sixers on Oct. 27 and then practice the next three days before the team opens the season at home against Denver on Oct. 31.”
- Marc Stein of ESPN explains why the Lakers can acquire Derek Fisher if they choose to: “Important update to our weekend report regarding the prospect of a return to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran guard Derek Fisher. Sources briefed on the discussions told ESPN.com on Monday that Fisher has, indeed, been verified by the league office as eligible to re-sign with the Lakers since July 1, which runs counter to the widely held assumption that Fisher had to wait at least one year from the date that the Lakers dealt him to Houston in March before a reunion with Kobe Bryant would be permissible.”
Danny Granger is ready to return to the court and looks better now in practice than he did all of last season, according to coach Frank Vogel. Mike Wells of Indianapolis Star has the story. “The good news is Danny Granger will play in a couple of preseason games. The bad news is Pacers fans won’t see Granger (knee) play at Bankers Life Fieldhouse until the regular season home opener on Nov. 3. Granger, who has gradually increased his practice load, said the plan is for him to play in the final two preseason games – Oct. 23 at Cleveland and Oct. 26 against Chicago in South Bend. “As (camp) goes on I think (the left knee) will be stronger and stronger,” Granger said. Coach Frank Vogel said Granger looked good in practice Monday. “He looked sharp,” Vogel said. “I was telling (team president) Donnie Walsh, I thought he looked sharper in today’s practice than he did all of last year.
- Stephen Jackson explained what motivates him to be on top of his game during his interview with Tzvi Twersky of Slam: “Well, the young guys motivate me now. Every time more young guys come into the League, I got to stay on my game because they’re coming for our spots. I’m always the guy that’s known for putting the young guys in they place (laughs). And these young these days, their talent is unbelievable. So I not only have to be ready to compete, but if I have young guys on my team, I have to be ready to be a mentor to them and show them the ropes just like Steve Smith and guys like that showed me. It’s a cycle: guys raised me in the League, and now it’s come to a point where guys are calling me ‘Uncle Jack’ now.
Jason Terry will write in a diary of his own for ESPN Boston this season. Here is a bit of an introduction of himself and why he’s often willing to sacrifice: “I know I’m new to this team. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I’m from Seattle, Washington. I’m one of 10 children. My mom was a single parent and raised all 10 of us. I’m the second oldest. I had to learn responsibility at an early age because I had to take care of my younger brothers and sisters while my mom was off working long hours driving the city bus. Now that I have a family of my own, it made me a much more responsible adult. I’ve had some tough obstacles to overcome in life with losing two siblings. The challenges that I went through, was all about sacrifice. In my life and in my career it’s been all about the sacrifice. On the court, I’ve been a player who has always sacrificed. Coming off the bench, when I could easily be starting for any team in the league, I’m showing everyone around me that sometimes sacrificing is good as long as it turns into a winning situation. I learned that from watching my mother sacrifice all her life.”
In an interview with Matt Moore of CBS Sports, David Lee explained why he believes he would have been an All-Star last season if not for the team’s record: “CBSSports: You want to make the playoffs. You want to win a championship. Outside of those things, what do you want for your career going forward? Lee: The biggest thing is to be on a winning team. I’ve done a lot of things individually with numbers. I think we’re a playoff-caliber team. We’re not a championship-caliber team; we still have some pieces to put in yet. But I think realistically we could be a 5-through-8 seed in the playoffs this year if everything falls into place. I think all the individual stuff will come. If you look at my numbers around All-Star [time] last year and all the stuff we were doing. LaMarcus Aldridge makes the All-Star team, and I don’t. I think if Portland and Golden State’s records are reversed, it’s probably the opposite way [I and I make the All-Star team]. And he’s a great player; I’m not talking bad about him at all. But I think all the All-Star appearances, all the respect you want to get, that comes with being on a winning team.”
Kevin McHale says Jeremy Lin will have to play better
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