Some really interesting statistical work from the Wall Street Journal’s Chris Herring on how Carmelo Anthony affects the other Knicks: “This season, the 6-foot-8 forward is tied for a league-high seven games in which he’s scored 40 points or more. But a slight pattern has often emerged whenever Anthony gets in a scoring groove: The players around him typically make shots at a lower percentage as those games progress. The Knicks shoot 45%—which is right at the league average—as a team, and normally shoot slightly better in first halves (46%) than they do in second halves (44%). The numbers are far more disparate, however, when looking at how the Knicks’ role players shoot when Anthony catches fire. Anthony’s teammates have shot 47% in first halves during Anthony’s best-scoring performances, but just 41% on the back end of those games. The role players’ collective shooting percentage in those games falls even further in the second half, to 38%, when you take J.R. Smith—a sixth man who’s about as fearless offensively as Anthony—out of the equation.”
Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune reports on Wesley Matthews’ dissatisfaction with the way the Blazers have been playing lately: “After a game in which his shot was errant — 1 for 11 on 3-point attempts, 6 for 19 from the field — Portland’s starting guard seemed to call out his teammates. “We need to play with some pride, man,” Matthews said as he met with the media afterward. “I’m trying not to cuss right now, but we have to play with some damn heart. This is crazy. This is ridiculous.” Told that the Blazers’ playoff chances had reached zero, Portland’s starting shooting guard shook his head. “It’s not even about that,” Matthews said. “We have to play like this is the blessing that it is. We’re over here taking it for granted. We need to check our hearts at the door. We have six games left and we’ve lost seven in a row. we’re better than that.” It’s hard to win a game, a reporter mentioned, when a team is 2 for 20 on treys, as were the Blazers Friday night. “I’ll take the blame for that,” Matthews said. “I’m supposed to be able to knock down 3s. I’ve been off a little bit. But we can’t give up 11 or however many we gave up, either (the Rockets made 12 3-pointers). We have to knock down shots, but at the same time, we have to play some damn defense. We have to play with some heart and some toughness. Who cares if we’re not in the damn playoffs?” “
Speaking of Rick Adelman, here’s an excellent feature from Steve Aschburner at NBA.com on the longtime coach. There’s this bit at the end which is also pretty newsworthy: “It has been a tough year all around. His wife Mary Kay has been suffering from a series of seizures that had baffled doctors and pulled Adelman away from the team for 11 games in Janury. Her condition stabilized enough to allow him to return to — and concentrate on — his job. But it remains a concern, enough that many who know him believe he will walk away this summer from the two years left on a four-year, $20 million contract. No matter how intrigued he is by the potential in Minnesota, the untapped dynamics of getting Love and Rubio and the others on the floor together for an extended stretch. No matter how badly he’d like another shot at a ring or the satisfaction of building another team in need into something special. “Rick is a family guy, whether it’s your family or his family,” Webber said. “That’s his first and foremost priority. If it’s ever a situation where it’s a choice between family and basketball, basketball is going to lose every time.” “I need all of you, to stop what you're doing and listen. Stephen Jackson video from shootaround: http://t.co/ugPq4vTFeO
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Dan Malone is a journalism student at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He blogs, edits and learns things on the fly for Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on Twitter.
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