Tony Parker will have an MRI on his injured calf, according to The Associated Press: “San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker plans to have an MRI on Thursday on his troublesome left calf, although he doesn’t expect to miss any playing time in the Western Conference finals. Parker says the MRI is “just to make sure” he’s improving on schedule from the injury, which limited his effectiveness in the final two games of the Spurs’ second-round series against Golden State. Parker had 15 points and a career-best 18 assists in San Antonio’s Game 2 win against Memphis on Tuesday night. The Spurs lead the series 2-0. Game 3 is Saturday night in Memphis. Parker says his calf feels better and the three-day break between games arrives “at a perfect time for me.”
Dwyane Wade is playing with more pain in his knee than he did last season, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald: “Dwyane Wade said before Wednesday’s game that his injured right knee is causing him more pain than the left knee injury that hindered him in last year’s postseason. This year’s injury is a bone bruise. Last year’s injury involved cartilage in the knee and required arthroscopic surgery in July, forcing him to miss the Olympics. Despite not having a game the past week, “I feel the same,” Wade said. “Time doesn’t help me right now. It’s unfortunate I’ve had to deal with this thing for two months now. “When I feel great, I’m going to attack. When I don’t, I know how to be a team player and give of myself for other guys. … Even though my knee isn’t 100 percent, it ain’t gone.”
Stan Van Gundy admits that he is scared of the possibility of never coaching in the NBA again, from Mike Bianchi of Orlando Sentinel: “We love where we’re living and quite honestly it would be hard for us to leave Central Florida. … As much as I would like to be back in coaching, we’re all real happy here. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but for right now we’ve decided not to pursue anything.” Asked what if there’s a chance he will never coach again, Van Gundy replied: “I guess there’s a chance. … The reason I say that is because I don’t know when it will be a good time (to return). If I’m going to wait until everyone is out of high school, we’re talking another four years. By then, I’d still be young enough, but I don’t know if there would be any interest (from NBA teams). Every year, you’re out of it, it gets harder and harder to get back in.”…”It is possible and that scares me,” he said. “Coaching is all I’ve ever done and all I know.”
If you ever wonder what happened to Michael Redd, Mirin Fader of SLAM Online has the answer: “Still working out, training, planning to play with somebody next year,” said the former All-Star, now 33. “I’d love to play on a contender to let the League know that I can still play after having gone through what I’ve gone through.”… “The first injury was just: I’ll be back soon, just a bump in the road. Nothing career-ending,” he said. “But I came back too soon. After the second injury, I had two emotions: an extreme high in one moment from the Olympics, and then the very next moment, an extreme low. That was a dark time, really dark. It was like, this was not supposed to happen again.”
Phil Jackson, despite favoring the play of Carmelo Anthony, thinks the Knicks need more players that play the right way, from Ian Begley of ESPN New York: “Back in April, Phil Jackson praised the Knicks. He went as far as to say they could challenge for the NBA title. Now? Not so much. In an interview with the New York Times, the Zen Master hinted that the Knicks are a ways away from winning an NBA crown. “The Knicks still have to find some accommodating group of guys that know how to play ball together, move the ball, play the game the right way,” he said… Jackson said he thinks the team’s star, Carmelo Anthony, is “an amazing ballplayer who still has another level to step up,” according to the Times.”
Michael Jordan believes forcing LeBron James to his left is the best way to guard him, but James doesn’t agree with that notion. Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com has more: “That theory is wrong, I guess,” James said of the Jordan report. James plays basketball right-handed but writes left-handed. Over the years he’s gotten better going left, though at one time it was indeed considered one of the weaker parts of his game. According to Synergy Sports, when James went left on isolations this season he shot 56.3 percent (63-for-112) from the floor. When he went right, he shot 48.5 percent (47-for-97). Among the 52 players with at least 50 isolation drives going left, James had the best efficiency in the league. The data shows James drives left 51 percent and goes right 49 percent.”
There’s a lot of misinformation about PJ Carlesimo.
Not really true that he lost the locker room. He is a player’s coach and isn’t tough on the players. A few lesser players, like MarShon and Teletovic were upset with their lack of playing time. Wallace was upset at the end, with not being used correctly. The rookies, especially Toko Shengelia, had good reason to be upset, with being inactive most of the year, but he didn’t complain.
PJ was let go because he likely received many, many suggestions (warnings) from the front office, which he apparently chose to ignore, despite most fans and superiors in the organization felt were good ideas. He would have been released even if he got past the Bulls, although that made the decision easier.
Nets called more Iso plays under PJ than any coach in the NBA. He had no creativity on offense.
Wallace Regressed since he took over and there was never any strategy in how to use Gerald. Even Avery Johnson realized that Reggie Evans and Wallace shouldn’t be playing at the same time because opponents would clog the middle. It was obvious. Instead he benched Hump and began starting Evans and playing him 35 minutes most nights. He even played Reggie 50 minutes in the OT loss to Bulls in game 4 where Blatche played 1/2 as many minutes.
Blatche gained back some of the weight that was lost while Avery was coach, and PJ didn’t seem to know that Andray used to be a PF. He never for the whole season practiced any plays for Lopez with Blatche. Although time and time again it was proven that Lopez + Blatche was the best line up, it never seemed to sink in. in that dreadful 3OT loss to the Bulls in Game 4, Blatche didn’t play from the beginning of the 4th quarter until the end, when Evans finally fouled out.
Then there was regression by MarShon, Teletovic not being used properly and maybe most of all having 21 year old rookie sensation Toko Shengelia inactive most of the year, despite proving to be a super high energy guy who could score inside, and defend, at the SF position, with that being the weakest position on the team. GM Billy King had to send Toko and Tyshawn Taylor to the D-League multiple times, just to get some game experience. They proved to be 2 of the best players in the D-League, but each time they returned to the team, PJ would continue to have them Inactive.
Toko was Inactive for the entire 7 game playoffs, despite the need as SF, with JJ playing on one leg. Toko was the star of the game in the one chance he had to play more than 3 minutes (next to last game) in the 2nd half the season.
PJ knew that he was going to get fired for not developing the young players.
Hump also regressed under PJ and even Avery Johnson recognized it was better to start Hump than Evans. It wasn’t until the end of the season, that PJ realized that Hump wasn’t that bad.
The Nets front office felt that the team under-achieved with PJ. That is why he was fired.
No, the Nets weren’t going to be able to challenge the Heat, but with one big trade using Hump and other assets they could have moved to elite level and clear 2nd best team in the East. That is what the next coach will be expected to do.