Chris Mullin explains why the eye test is sometimes better than analytics, from Tim Kawakami of Mercury News: “-Q: Mark was telling me he’s encouraging Curry maybe to take a really deep 3 rather than make a risky pass sometimes in late-quarter situations… -MULLIN: That’s right. I love Mark’s demeanor on sideline. He doesn’t over-think it. Like that–if Curry commits a turnover, so many bad things can happen… as opposed to just getting up a shot. Just basic philosophy… When you say that, it doesn’t sound like you’re doing enough analytics, that you’re not watching enough film. Mark, that’s one of his strengths, from his eye test and lo and behold, when you have an eye like him, more times than not it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes that’s the fine line between a guy with a feel and a guy with a computer. Mark’s more a guy with a feel and sensing how they feel about each other how they feel about themselves, no second-guessing, and those things at playoff time become almost more important than the X’s and O’s.”
Klay Thompson agreed with Mark Jackson that the Warriors backcourt is the best shooting backcourt of all-time, from Marcus Thompson of Mercury News: “If you were expecting Klay Thompson to take the humble way out, think again. He may be reserved, but he isn’t shy. When asked for his thoughts about coach Mark Jackson calling him and point guard Stephen Curry the greatest shooting backcourt in the history of the game, Thompson didn’t have to think about it. “I believe it,” Thompson said before Thursday’s practice at Oracle Arena. “Coach Jackson has seen a lot of basketball. So for him to say that means a lot.”… “That’s cool that coach Jackson has a lot of confidence in us like that,” Thompson said. “I’d say we are because I’ve never played with a shooter like Steph. He’s the best shooter I’ve ever seen. As your point guard, that’s really rare to see. . . . I think we have the ability to be.”
David Stern thinks Derrick Rose shouldn’t play unless he is up to it, from USA Today: “NBA commissioner David Stern spoke to sports editors at a Commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, and when asked if he thought Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose should be playing, said pretty much what those around Rose have been saying for a while. “I wouldn’t want him to go if he doesn’t feel up to it,” he said. “He has his own medical advice and he should feel comfortable following it.”
- Brittney Griner reacted emotionally after seeing LeBron James give her a big shout out.
The Nets will soon sign Billy King to a multi-year deal, from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports: “The Brooklyn Nets are finalizing a multiyear contract extension with general manager Billy King, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. A formal announcement is expected in the near future, sources said. The extension for King almost assuredly will end speculation that Phil Jackson could be joining the organization. Jackson has expressed much more interest in running a front office than returning to coach. King’s contract was set to expire this summer, but talks have been ongoing since the fall on a new deal. After inheriting a gutted-out lottery roster in July 2010, King has reshaped the Nets into a 49-victory, No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.”
Stephen Curry said he wouldn’t have been able to play if Game 3 was on Thursday, from Kawakami: “It is notable, however, that today Curry did not practice–or said he wouldn’t before the work-out actually started and the media was ushered out of Oracle Arena–and that Curry said he couldn’t play if there was a game today due to the swelling that happened after Game 2. (He went back in after rolling his ankle, but then experienced problems the next morning.) There’s no game today, obviously, but for a player who has gone through as much ankle consternation as anybody in recent memory, that was quite an acknowledgement–and Curry is someone who knows what he can and can take with his ankles in the short- and long-term. Again: Curry”s likely going to play in such an important game and he said as much himself–presuming his ankle continues to respond to treatment.”
Andrew Bogut believes his physicality affected the Nuggets’ play in Game 2, from Kawakami: “BOGUT: I think so, especially when they’re trying to pressure us full-court. I think we want to keep Steph and Klay as fresh as possible, and Jarrett Jack, because they’ve got the ball in their hands for 85, 90% of the game. We don’t want guys pressuring them full-court. So when they do that, it’s a big guy’s responsibility to go and crack that guy once and then for the rest of the game he’s going to be looking around to make sure he doesn’t get hit again. -Q: When you see Iguodala a little dazed… -BOGUT: I never go out to hurt anybody or do anything cheap. I’ll set physical screens and if they go down, they go down.”
