Over the last four weeks in our Rookie Rankings, Toronto Raptors guard Terrence Ross ascended from ninth to sixth to fourth before plummeting entirely out of the table. That staged climb and quick descent somewhat resembles Ross in the open court, where he has unleashed some of the more memorable dunks this season. But dunks aren’t enough to get a spot in these rankings. Anyone who regularly reads this piece knows that I cut these kids very little slack. You don’t just
There were more than a few folks wondering if Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal had hit the Rookie Wall. To silence those folks, Beal broke through it. Right about the time rookies start to feel the rigor of their first NBA season – somewhere between 30 and 40 games, with back-to-backs and extended travel college players don’t face – Beal produced his best week of the season and showed why everyone was so high on him in June. [Read more…]
Over the last two weeks, readers of this weekly feature have let it be known that I am undervaluing Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond. [Read more…]
First things first: Happy New Year to the roundball-obsessed! We hope you enjoyed ringing in 2013 and that you continue to enjoy our work here at Sheridan Hoops throughout the year. To begin 2013, we have compiled resolutions for 8 teams. Without further ado, here are some adjustments/subtle changes teams will need to make to build upon the first two months of the 2012-13 season. [Read more…]
In the 2012 draft, Thomas Robinson and Damian Lillard could not have been closer together. Robinson went fifth to the Sacramento Kings and Lillard went sixth to the Portland Trail Blazers. In their rookie seasons. however, Robinson and Lillard could not be farther apart. To be fair, Lillard has had a better opportunity to show his wares. Portland basically gave him the point guard position with carte blanche to learn on the job, dumping everyone from last season except Nolan Smith. Robinson wasn’t
Given his precocious play and the piles of praise he is receiving, Damian Lillard appears to have a stronghold on this season’s Rookie of the Year. And the calendar hasn’t even changed. Some of that recognition came recently from San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who along with a national TV audience watched the point guard light up his squad for 29 points last week. “I think he’s a wonderful player,” said Popovich, who normally isn’t prone to effusive praise. “His skills
Now that this weekly feature has missed its regularly scheduled day for a second straight week, we may just move it to Friday. That will be discussed at the home office. Last week’s edition of The Bernucca List was “active players whose uniform number is zero.” Reader Kyle Neeley provided the correct answer just under three hours after the list was published. [Read more…]
Here at Sheridan Hoops, we’d like to think that we’re a little ahead of the NBA curve. Case in point: This morning, most of the basketball world is talking about how the Golden State Warriors went into Miami and stunned the defending champions by making more plays down the stretch of a hard-fought game. Three days ago, however, we already had made the case that the Warriors have been the biggest surprise of this season and have been flying under the mainstream