Jerry West discussed what winning 33 straight games was like back in his playing days, as well as the lack of talent of some of the players in the game today. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today has details: “Some of our travel was maybe more difficult than the games we played,” West said… “Frankly, I didn’t mind three games in a row. I really didn’t,” West said. “For me, you’re much more focused. All you had to do was worry about trying to get some rest, which was difficult because we did not fly privately. For us at that point in time, I don’t think any of us thought it was anything other than another day at work. But it wasn’t work. It was fun.”… “I see a lot of players in the league today that I don’t think are very good,” West said. “Expansion has diluted the talent. It hasn’t made talent better. It’s harder to get a lot of good players on one team today.”
West also had plenty to say about the Heat’s current streak and the greatness of LeBron James: “”It may not end. That’s why I think it’s so remarkable,” West said. “I look at the schedule and I see one team on there that’s a terrific team, and obviously that’s the (San Antonio) Spurs.”… “Honestly, they’ve got an incredible chance to do it,” West said. “I think it could very easily be broken this year.”… “Miami has the biggest star in the game, the best player in the game, and having him as a teammate has to be very special for all the other players,” West said. “He makes it easy for them. He’s just one of those unique players who come along. … He’s just an amazing player. Frankly, I’m thrilled for him because of all the negative things said about him as a player. He’s rightly proved what kind of player he is and more important what kind of a person he is.”
Who are the players set to become hot commodities in the offseason? Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld had a pretty nice list, and it starts off with O.J. Mayo: “Entering this season, Mayo was determined to have a breakout year and improve his stock. Last offseason, the 25-year-old guard was hoping for the first big payday of his career, but it didn’t come. While he had several multi-year offers on the table, they weren’t worth nearly as much as Mayo had hoped. Rather than settling for one of the underwhelming long-term deals, Mayo decided to sign sign a shorter contract with the Mavericks in an effort to showcase his game. While Mayo signed a two-year deal with a player option for the second year, it’s all but guaranteed that he’s going to opt out and test free agency this summer. Mayo has played very well this season and should have a very different free agency experience this time around.”
Rick Adelman may resign when the season is over due to personal reasons, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com: “Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman, after twice contemplating quitting this season, may resign in the summer if his wife continues to have health issues, he told NBA.com on Thursday. Adelman left the team for three weeks — 11 games — January. “They’ve been terrific with everything,” he said of management, as wife Mary Kay was hospitalized and doctors tried to determine the cause of seizures. Now, clearly worn down by difficult months on the personal front and a challenging season on the court as the Timberwolves drown in a flurry of injuries, he admitted, “there’s a couple times I really struggled whether I should come back.” He later added: “I’m sure I’ll be thinking more about it as we move on here (through the season).”
Iman Shumpert’s knee-injury scare turned out to be a minor issue, from Barbara Barker of Newsday: “The Knicks finally got some good news on the injury front. After feeling “a pop” in his surgically repaired left knee Wednesday night, Iman Shumpert appears to be healthy and is expected to play in Friday night’s game at Toronto. “He’s fine. He’s going to be ready to go,” coach Mike Woodson said in an interview on ESPN Radio Thursday. “I was just being cautious last night. I saw him grimace after he went in for a layup, and he’s coming back from a tough injury.”… “I took a step to explode and go to the rim and felt it pop,” Shumpert said. “Last time I felt a pop, I was out eight months. I was nervous and more scared than anything.”
Dirk Nowitzki felt sympathy towards Rodrigue Beaubois, who had surgery on his broken hand. Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas has more: “Guard Rodrigue Beaubois underwent surgery to repair the fractured second metacarpal in his left hand, the Mavericks announced Wednesday night. No official timetable has been set for Beaubois’ return, but the odds of him playing again this season are extremely slim… “I feel bad for the kid,” Dirk Nowitzki said after Beaubois broke his hand Sunday. “It’s just sad. Just so many injuries. He’s been here for four years and has missed a lot of action. … It’s tough. We feel bad for him. But he’s a good kid. “He’ll stick around. The good thing is when you break your hand, you can still work out and run and stay in decent shape, because this is obviously a big summer for him. He’s a free agent and he obviously wants to stay in the league and have a long career. Hopefully he can get healthy and we’ll see where he lands.”
