Today’s Top NBA Preseason Stories

– The state of coaching in the NBA: Who’s safe, who’s on the hot seat? (from Ben Golliver, Sports Illustrated):

” The comically tumultuous nature of NBA coaching is easily summed up: 30 percent of the league’s teams enter the 2014-15 season with a new coach, and that figure amounts to a dramatic improvement compared to the instability seen last year.

Indeed, only nine of the league’s 30 teams hired new coaches this offseason, a sharp dip from the 14 teams that completed coaching changes prior to the 2013-14 season. Five of those nine teams were actually repeat offenders, as the Bucks, Cavaliers, Lakers, Nets and Pistons all found themselves looking for new coaches after their 2013 hires didn’t work out for one reason (losing) or another (egos).”

Read it here: http://www.si.com/nba/2014/10/17/state-of-coaching-in-nba-hot-seat

– Warriors Hope Steve Kerr Is the Final Ingredient in Creating an NBA Juggernaut (from Howard Beck, Bleacher Report):

” Kerr’s challenge now is to harness that talent more effectively—and take it further—than his predecessor, Mark Jackson, could. Though the Warriors won 47 and 51 games the last two seasons, making the playoffs both years, there was always a sense they had underachieved.

The Warriors tapped Kerr to unlock their full offensive potential.

The Curry-Thompson backcourt might be the NBA‘s best (a “beautiful combination,” Kerr says). Lee is a skilled scorer. Iguodala and Bogut are deft passers. The Warriors should be one of the most potent teams in the NBA. Yet they ranked 12^th last season in points per 100 possessions—solid, but not elite.

The offense too often stalled and stagnated, resulting in muddled isolation plays and contested jumpers. There was little movement or dynamism, and little sense of cohesion.”

Read it here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2232010-warriors-hope-steve-kerr-may-be-final-ingredient-in-creating-nba-juggernaut

– Nuggets rookie Jusuf Nurkic gobbling up rebounds (from Nate Timmons, denverstiffs.com):

” Make no bones about it, Nurkic is still very much a work in progress, but the promise he has shown already is encouraging. He has shown various post moves (various touch on those shots, too), shot blocking ability, a pretty decent looking jumper, a willing passer, and perhaps most importantly: he uses his body well.

Nurkic likes to mix it up to gain or deny post position, and can often be found jockeying for rebounding position under the hoop. Jusuf has a knack for tracking down the ball, and that’s not just him being a space eater. One of the first things I noticed about Nurkic, with the Nuggets, is how he moves when a shot is about to go up. Nurkic begins the rebounding process as the shooter is getting ready to launch and that puts him in optimal position, quite often. He understands boxing out, but more than that, he understands how to use his body to his advantage.”

Read and view it here: http://www.denverstiffs.com/2014/10/20/7009603/denver-nuggets-rookie-jusuf-nurkic-gobbling-up-rebounds

– For Trail Blazers to take next step, defense must improve (from Jeff Caplan, nba.com):

Read it here: http://www.nba.com/preview/2014/POR/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt13a

– Magic’s Willie Green and assistant GM Scott Perry share a mutual respect (from Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel):

” About four months ago, the Los Angeles Clippers released veteran guard Willie Green, and when it happened, Green intended to sign with an NBA title contender. Green, who was on the cusp of his 3rd birthday, wasn’t interested in joining a rebuilding team.

So Green understandably felt concerned when he learned the Orlando Magic, one of the league’s worst teams, claimed him off waivers.

“I’m not going to kid you, I was surprised,” Green remembers.

But Magic assistant general manager Scott Perry helped mitigate Green’s apprehension. Perry and Green have known each other since the 1990s, going back to Green’s days as a high-school player in Detroit. Perry and Green built a friendship over the years, and their mutual respect played a key role in easing Green’s worries about joining the Magic”

Read it here: http://www.kansas.com/sports/nba/article3081846.html

– Memphis Grizzlies X-Factors: 3 Key Role Players in 2014-2015 (from Joe Mullinax, grizzlybearblues):

” On a team as deep as the Memphis Grizzlies, there are some potentially forgotten stories. Players who maybe don’t command the attention of a Zach Randolph or the questions of potential like a Jordan Adams, but that does not lessen the potential impact that their presence (or lack thereof) will make on the upcoming season. Who among these lesser contemplated Grizzlies will make the most impact?”

Read about and view Jon Leuer, Courtney Lee and Kosta Koufas here: http://www.grizzlybearblues.com/2014/10/20/7000139/memphis-grizzlies-x-factors-jon-leuer-courtney-lee-kosta-koufos

– LaMarcus Aldridge – Defense by the numbers (from David MacKay, ripcityproject.com):

” LaMarcus Aldridge gets a fair bit of flack for being a “soft defender.” I believe this misconception actually stems from a pretty interesting phenomenon. Sometimes when a player dominates one side of the ball without doing so outright on the other, they are deemed insufficient in their area of lesser proficiency. Aldridge is a spectacular offensive player and a more than adequate defensive one, despite the large gap between so-called specialties.”

Read it here: http://ripcityproject.com/2014/10/20/lamarcus-aldridge-defense-numbers/

– In the zone: Coach Rick Carlisle has ambitious goals for Mavericks defense (from Eddie Sefko, dallasnews.com):

” On a quick trip that took the Dallas Mavericks to one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams, and another one in a state of flux, coach Rick Carlisle unveiled this year’s version of the zone defense.

It didn’t look all that much different from the zones the Mavericks have employed in past seasons.

What was different, at least against Cleveland on Friday night when the Mavericks treated the game like a dress rehearsal for the regular season, was that the Mavericks used the zone for virtually the entire game. It was met with good reviews from none other than LeBron James.

It also was what Dirk Nowitzki wanted to see out of the Mavericks.”

Read it here: http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-mavericks/headlines/20141019-in-the-zone-coach-rick-carlisle-has-ambitious-goals-for-mavericks-defense.ece

– Timberwolves using zone defense (from Jerry Zgoda, startribune.com):

” Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders repeatedly has said thus far he wants a team that played almost no zone defense last season to at least dabble in it this season.

If the concepts work like they did during Sunday’s 112-94 preseason victory over injury-strapped Oklahoma City, they might do more than that.

“If we have the success we had tonight, we’ll probably use it a lot,” he said.

Read it here: http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/279734352.html

– Pau Gasol shows off improved chemistry with Bulls in win  (from Mark

Strotman,csnchicago.com):

” Pau Gasol has been around long enough to understand that this is a process. And Monday he took another step toward completing it.

Still understanding the tendencies of his new teammates and learning the intricacies of Tom Thibodeau’s system, the 14-year veteran had his best performance in a Bulls uniform, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a 101-96 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.

It was another achievement for Gasol, who continued to show more consistent flashes of being the player who can push the Bulls’ offense — which finished last in scoring a year ago — over the top in the Eastern Conference. And Gasol said after the game that he’s seeing it, too, albeit still inconsistently.

“I think we have really good spurts, where we show a high level of play on both ends of the floor,” he said. “Now it’s just a matter of being able to prolong those moments, a little longer, because we had in this last three games, too many ups and downs.””

Read it here: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/pau-gasol-shows-improved-chemistry-bulls-win

– Sixers have a lot to learn (from Bob Cooney, philly.com):

” THE DEPTHS to which the teaching lessons have to go with this young 76ers team sometimes even catch the coaching staff off guard.

Think of putting a finger in a leaking dike. And then another leak pops. And then another and another and another . . . There just aren’t fingers and toes to plug the holes.

Coach Brett Brown and his coaching staff have keyed on one very important area to his group this preseason: transition defense. When there is a missed Sixers shot, he wants his team to thwart the opposition from getting out in a full run, trying to hinder the first three steps anyone makes toward the other end of the court.”

Read it here: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers

/20141020_Sixers_have_a_lot_to_learn.html

– Three isn’t a magic number: On the Wizards’ struggles from downtown (from Nick Bilka,

bulletsforever.com):

” The Wizards’ offense has been among the lowest scoring in the preseason thanks mostly to

awful three-point shooting. Is there any hope things get turned around before the team’s shooters

get healthy?”

Read it here: http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/10/20/6999913/washington-wizards-three-point-

shooting-preseason-nba

– Derek Fisher’s day: In at 6:30 a.m., out at 6:30 p.m. (from Ian Begley, ESPNNewYork):

” There are outliers, but NBA players generally start their day in the mid-morning practice for no

more than three hours. Some players show up early, some stay late. But the hours required on a

run-of-the-mill practice day aren’t all that taxing. “

Read it here: http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/59223/fishers-day-in-at-6-a-

m-out-at-6-p-m

– Why the Knicks made Kurt Rambis a $1.4 million priority (from Marc Berman, NYPost):

” Rambis was a key offseason hire to ensure Fisher’s smooth transition from player to head

coach. His presence relating to Fisher can be seen as vital as president Phil Jackson, who has

been surprisingly hands-off and hasn’t traveled to any of the three road preseason games.”

Read it here: http://nypost.com/2014/10/19/kurt-rambis-looks-to-ease-pressure-on-derek-fisher/

– Are rising Raptors here to stay? (from Seerat Sohi, ESPN):

Read it here: http://proxy.espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/70718/toronto-raptors-here-to-stay

– NBA preseason rookie report (from Kevin Zimmerman, SBNation):

” From Jabari Parker to Jusuf Nurkic, here’s a look at which NBA rookies have stood out so far in

the preseason.”

Read it here: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/10/19/7003327/nba-preseason-rookie-report-

jabari-parker-shabazz-napier

( For those with access to ESPN Insider:

– DeMar DeRozan Q & A (from Kevin Pelton):

Read it here: http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11717637 )

– Remembering Dennis Johnson (from Professor Parquet, Celticsblog.com):

Read it here: http://www.celticsblog.com/2014/10/20/7012785/celtic-great-dennis-johnson-clutch-underrated

And some additional player updates:

– Nick Stauskas: http://cowbellkingdom.com/nik-stauskas-and-his-greatest-skill/

– Alex Kirk: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/10/alex_kirk_continues_to_improve.html

– Darrell Arthur: http://www.dailycamera.com/nuggets-nba/ci_26759782/denver-nuggets-darrell-arthur-back-playing-pain-free

– Andre Iguodala: http://bluemanhoop.com/2014/10/19/on-andre-iguodala-and-the-point-forward-role/

– Marcin Gortat: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/marcin-gortat-continues-to-bring-big-game-personality-to-wizards/2014/10/19/586051c0-57de-11e4-8264-deed989ae9a2_story.html

– Derrick Rose: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/bulls-derrick-rose-blossoms-fourth-quarter-debut

– Brandon Bass, Jared Sullinger: http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4715192/gamebook-all-about-that-bass

– Jamal Crawford: http://www.clipsnation.com/2014/10/20/6971567/clippers-player-profile-jamal-crawford-2014-2015

– Renaldo Balkman: http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2014/10/20/7009277/why-renaldo-balkman-could-turn-up-in-2014-nba-d-league-draft

– Spencer Dinwiddie: http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/bynum-trade-dinwiddie-inching-closer-pistons-role

– James Jones: http://www.fearthesword.com/2014/10/18/6967257/2014-player-preview-james-jones

Today’s top NBA Preseason Stories

– Latest replay review adjustments give NBA referees more leeway to change calls (from Eric Freeman, Yahoo Sports):

” …(A)ny basketball fan can attest that the league’s replay system needs some useful adjustments and changes to operate more smoothly. It’s not yet clear if the NBA’s new replay rules announced via press release on Thursday will meet those goals, but they at least provide us with some topics for discussion.”

Read it here: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/latest-replay-review-adjustments-give-nba-referees-more-leeway-to-change-calls-015734068.html

– Instant-replay tweaks, rules changes announced for 2014-15 (from Steve Aschburner, nba.com):

Read it here: http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/10/16/instant-replay-tweaks-rules-changes-announced-for-2014-15/

– Quin Snyder: To Board Or Not To Board (from Dan Clayton, saltcityhoops.com):

” The coach has been a little cagey in describing exactly what his philosophy is relative to offensive rebounding. We know his basic philosophy: protect against the fast break. But how much of an absolutist is he about ignoring opportunities on the offensive glass? The Atlanta Hawks team he just came from had just 603 field goal attempts result from offensive rebounds all last season, third least in the league. Is that indicative of just how little Snyder cares about rebounding on that end?

“Guys gotta get back right away,” Snyder said in describing some of the defensive improvements they need to make, especially in transition. “You probably sacrifice some of the offensive glass, but that doesn’t mean our bigs can’t still offensive rebound.

What he wants to cut back on is ball-watching guards who aren’t anticipating and getting back. Opportunistic offensive rebounds by the wings are OK, he says, just as long as it’s clear what the priority is. “We’re not asking them to leave before the possession happens, but we want our guards out… You know, we’re sacrificing a little bit of that (offensive rebounding) to get back.”

Read it here: http://saltcityhoops.com/to-board-or-not-to-board/

– How The Blazers Thrive With Mid-Range Jump Shots (from evansclinchy, blazersedge.com):

” NBA conventional wisdom holds that mid-range jumpers are bad. So how do the Blazers take so many and still achieve so much success?”

Read it here: http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/17/6987045/portland-trail-blazers-offense-jump-shots-wesley-matthews-nicolas-batum

– From Language Barriers to Leadership: Jose Calderon’s Journey (from Jessica Camerato, Basketball Insiders):

” Jose Calderon ran the ball up the floor and called out a play. His teammates, unsure of the directive, stood still. Nothing happened.

This was back in 2005. Calderon had moved from his home country of Spain to play for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. He had mastered basketball in Europe. English, though, was another story. The point guard had knowledge of the language, but his accent and limited vocabulary made it difficult to communicate on the court.

“That was the problem in the beginning,” Calderon told Basketball Insiders. “A few times I just called plays and nobody moved because they didn’t know [what I was saying].”

” Nine seasons later, that initial transition is a distant memory as Calderon has developed into a reliable, veteran point guard on the New York Knicks. The person who was once unable to communicate plays is now revered as an on-the-court coach by his teammates and staff.

Read it here: http://www.basketballinsiders.com/from-language-barriers-to-leadership-jose-calderons-journey/

– Timberwolves trio went through weeks of hell with Navy SEAL trainer (from Phil Ervin, foxsports.com):

” Some members of Minnesota’s revamped roster, including Corey Brewer and Kevin Martin, worked with their longstanding trainers again this offseason. Center Gorgui Dieng spent much of his time in Minneapolis working out at the University of Minnesota. Nikola Pekovic was limited to the elliptical and the pool while recovering from an Achilles’ injury.

Muhammad, Anthony Bennett and Ronny Turiaf, though, took a trip to hell.

And they came back looking like this.

Matrisciano’s famed “chameleon training” — a series of unconventional, physically and mentally taxing evolutions geared toward adaptation and overcoming — has transformed the bodies of Blake Griffin, Zach Randolph, Aaron Afflalo, Gilbert Arenas, Navy SEALs, triathletes, wartime boxers and even pregnant women (with an altered regimen, of course). His reputation is translucent in NBA circles, his mystique burgeoned by the fact he doesn’t recruit athletes — “they come to me” — and dresses like a modern-day urban ninja when meeting face-to-face with the media.”

Read it here: http://www.foxsports.com/north/story/timberwolves-trio-went-through-weeks-of-hell-with-navy-seal-trainer-093014

– Film Study: The Nets new offense (from Reed Wallach, netsdaily.com):

” With a roster built around perimeter scoring threats and one offensive force in the paint, the Nets should be swinging the ball around the three-point line, cutting off the ball to get easy eight footers, and then pounding it into Brook Lopez for easy finishes. It may have taken the fourth coach in three seasons in Brooklyn to realize it, but it seems as if Lionel Hollins has figured out how to get the Brooklyn Nets efficient offensive looks.

Read and view it here: http://www.netsdaily.com/2014/10/16/6990349/film-study-the-brooklyn-nets-new-offense

– Bulls Update (from Joe Cowley, Chicago Sun-Times):

” Mike Dunleavy might be moved to the new-look bench crew. Don’t call it a demotion; it might have to be done out of necessity.

With newcomers Nikola Mirotic and Aaron Brooks still finding their way with that second group, coach Tom Thibodeau has been kicking around the idea of promoting first-round pick Doug McDermott to the starting lineup so that Dunleavy can help stabilize the bench, which was outscored 38-24 by the Hawks, including an 11-4 run in the second quarter that put the Bulls in a hole for most of the game.

“I don’t want to overlook what Mike’s done, either,’’ Thibodeau said of the switch. “Mike has shot the ball extremely well. He helps that first unit function well, so I’m not locked into it.

“As I said, that’s the great value of Mike — he’s started before, he’s come off the bench, he’s comfortable in both roles. We’ll see how it unfolds.’’

– Warriors’ Ognjen Kuzmic showing how he belongs (from Rusty Simmons, SFGate):

“He’s got a lot of tools. He just needs the time and the belief. It’s exciting to watch his growth,” Kerr said. “He doesn’t really know how good he can be yet. As he gains experience and confidence, I think he’s going to be really good for us.”

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Warriors-Ognjen-Kuzmic-showing-how-he-belongs-5828630.php

– Kerr finally gets his chance with Curry (from Scott Howard-Cooper, nba.com):

” (Kerr) was the Suns general manager in June 2009 and wanted Curry in the draft. Badly. There was phone call after phone call between Kerr and Riley, his Warriors counterpart. There were internal conversations among Phoenix management about the risk of trading 26-year-old Amar’e Stoudemire coming off three consecutive seasons of at least 20 points and eight rebounds — and the risk of keeping Stoudemire with free agency a year away and growing health concerns.

The Warriors were very interested, intrigued by the chance to get the known of a proven power forward over the uncertainty of a scoring point guard from mid-major Davidson. They also really liked Curry and, in fact, doubted he would be on the board when Riley picked seventh. Arizona’s Jordan Hill was the fallback, probably for both sides, for the Suns if a deal had been arranged and for Golden State to keep if no deal was in place.

It got close, but never imminent. The Warriors were not going to trade for Stoudemire unless he at least showed strong likelihood of re-signing as a free agent the next summer, and Riley had yet to so much as ask the Suns for permission to have the conversation. And if Golden State and Stoudemire did talk, the result would have been the same. He was not going to commit to anything at that point other than showing up, playing hard and keeping an open mind about the future, an understandable stance that almost certainly would have ended the talks bouncing between Phoenix and Oakland.

The Warriors took Curry seventh and he turned into a star. The Suns kept Stoudemire one more season and 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds and played it right to not get into a bidding war with the Knicks in 2010 free agency.

And….

The Warriors ended up hiring Kerr to coach. To coach the entire roster, obviously, but with Curry as the best player and one of the main attractions of choosing Golden State over the option of working for long-time friend and coaching mentor Phil Jackson with the Knicks.”

Read it here: http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/10/16/kerr-finally-gets-his-chance-with-curry/

– The Lakers must embrace their youth movement (from Ben R, silverscreenandroll.com):

” Following a bizarre offseason in which the Lakers essentially struck out on all of the major free agents and signed almost no one of consequence, they are left with an oddball mix of young players and veterans that has to be managed well for any measure of team success.”

Read it here: http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2014/10/16/6854305/to-experience-success-this-season-the-lakers-must-embrace-their-youth

– Who is new Nets coach Lionel Hollins? (from Lou DiPietro, yesnetwork.com):

” Despite four decades of NBA success, Hollins’ resume is not well-known by many”

Read it here: http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20141017&content_id=98722350&oid=36318

– Outside shooting, no longer lost art, has regained NBA’s respect (from Associated Press):

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Outside-shooting-no-longer-lost-art-has-5828096.php

– Hard Cap 201: Graduate Hard Caponomics (from Daniel Leroux, midlevelexceptional.com):

” The NBA’s soft cap provides the system with a volatility and nuance that other North American sports leagues just cannot match. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement combines a lack of prohibition on excessive spending with some pretty substantial penalties so franchises that choose to be aggressive can do so but at a great cost, as we saw last season with the Brooklyn Nets.

As I discussed in the introduction to the NBA’s hard cap, the league has created a smart system to prevent teams from gaming the system too much. To briefly recap, there are certain tools for building a team that franchises over the luxury tax apron cannot use, most notably acquiring players via sign-and-trade and using either the full Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception or the Bi-Annual Exception. To close a potential loophole, the current CBA forces teams that utilize one or more of these pieces to stay under the apron for the rest of that league year, creating a narrow hard cap that will affect more than one-third of the NBA’s franchises this season.

That introduction laid the groundwork for the consequences and functional purpose of the hard cap but the real fun comes from how it actually works.”

Read it here: http://midlevelexceptional.com/2014/10/17/advanced-hard-cap/

– Jeff  Van Gundy Has Quick Fixes to Speed Up NBA’s Slow Finishes (from Mitch Lawrence, NBCNewYork.com):

“…(N)umerous timeouts down the stretch of playoff games, in particular, also mean bringing games to a screeching halt, making them culprits, along with TV replays and the customary inordinate number of fouls. The last two minutes of games can last a lifetime.

“When you’re coaching, you really don’t notice it as much,’’ Van Gundy said. “But when you watch it on TV, it is just beyond comprehension.’

I know people are saying, ‘Well, we can’t cut a timeout, because it’s going to cost us money.’ But you know what? Look at this next TV contract we have and look how it’s going to make everybody plenty of money. How about we go with the concept of giving back to the fan? By cutting a timeout, we’ll be doing that and we would also be helping to keep the flow of the game going.’’

And some additional player updates:

– Otto Porter: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/wizards-otto-porter-seeing-role-more-clearly-in-second-season/2014/10/16/d30aeeaa-5575-11e4-809b-8cc0a295c773_story.html

– Jeff Ayres: http://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Ayres-eager-for-expanded-role-5828521.php#/0

– Kentavius Caldwell-Pope: http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2014/10/17/detroit-pistons-kentavious-caldwell-pope/17424825/

– George Hill: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2233419-the-reinvention-of-george-hill-is-critical-the-to-indiana-pacers

– Phil Pressey: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2014/10/phil_pressey_shows_he_belongs

– Greg McDermott: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/korver-hopes-mcdermott-has-similar-experience-thibs-bulls

– Jimmy Butler: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/bulls-confidence-grows-so-too-does-jimmy-butlers-game

– Dwight Howard: http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/10/17/hakeem-howard-is-ready-for-an-mvp-type-season/

– Shabazz Napier: http://www.hothothoops.com/2014/10/17/6991981/miami-heat-point-guard-decision-easy-one-shabazz-napier-rookie

– Devyn Marble: http://www.basketballinsiders.com/devyn-marbles-looks-to-make-noise-in-rookie-season/

Today’s Top NBA Preseason Stories

– How Stan Van Gundy Is Helping Josh Smith (from Michael Pina, bballbreakdown.com):

” With Stan Van Gundy now serving as Detroit’s head coach, the time for excuses is over. Van Gundy is one of the league’s brightest leaders, and as likely a coach as any to help get Smith’s career back on track, hopefully to the point where he is a long-term partner beside Andre Drummond. The preseason has not been all pretty – not that any preseason ever is – but in it, there have been a few things from Smith that suggest his second year with the Pistons could be far more successful than his first.

Watching Detroit in their three preseason games, the first and least surprising thing that jumps out is Van Gundy’s unwillingness to play Smith, Greg Monroe, and Drummond together. One of the three has started each game off the bench, with three different front-court combinations in the starting lineup. This is clearly a smart thing to do, and incredibly beneficial to Smith in particular, whose playmaking ability can be unleashed with another shooter on the court.“

Read and view it here: http://bballbreakdown.com/2014/10/13/how-stan-van-gundy-is-helping-josh-smith/

And read David Aldridge’s Q & A with SVG in yesterday’s Morning Tip (NBA.com):

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/features/david_aldridge/10/13/morning-tip-nba-media-rights-deal-effect-on-contracts-andrew-wiggins-as-minnesota-timbewolves-savior-qa-with-detroit-pistons-stan-van-gundy/

– 33 Crazy Predictions for the NBA Season (from Zach Lowe, Grantland.com):

” Kevin Durant’s injury is the latest reminder that preseason predictions are folly. Too many unknowns will emerge between now and June — injuries, ownership changes, firings, inexplicable slumps, and X-rated Twitter escapades.

Predictions are also fun! It’s useful to comb new rosters, league trends, and burbling scuttlebutt, and suss out things that could happen over the next 10 months. You’re mostly going to be wrong, especially on the ultraspecific calls, but it’s a good way to take in the wider NBA landscape and hazard some funky educated guesses.

Herewith, our third annual 33 Crazy Predictions for the NBA Season”

Read Zach’s predictions here: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/33-crazy-predictions-for-the-nba-season/

– Raptor Lucas Nogueira (from Stephen Brotherston, Pro BBall Report):

” When the Toronto Raptors traded John Salmons earlier this summer, they received a young unsigned former first round draft pick back in addition to the veteran Lou Williams. The long lanky center Lucas ‘Bebe’ Nogueira is a potential shot swatting machine who looked good as a reserve in Spain’s top league, however, a serious nagging groin injury has left him not quite ready to play for the Raptors in preseason games. Fortunately, his return to action shouldn’t be very far off.

“I can warm up,” Nogueira said. “This is the worst experience of my life. Warm up with the team, do everything and the coach sees you, but I see the doctors and the doctors say, no you can’t play.

“I think for me, this is the best and worst experience. The best because this is my dream coming true, the first year in the NBA and worst because I can’t help my team.”

Read it here: http://probballreport.com/lucas-nogueira-is-not-quite-ready-to-play-for-the-raptors/

– Role switches for Warriors’ duo produce promising results (from Rusty Simmons, SFgate.com):

” The Warriors returned home early Monday morning from a week in Southern California, where they went 3-0 and were applauded by their head coach for being further along than he expected two weeks into training camp.

That hasn’t stopped Steve Kerr from continuing to tinker with his lineup. Harrison Barnes replaced Andre Iguodala in the starting lineup for Sunday’s 41-point preseason win over the Lakers, and the new-look rotation just might stick for a while.

The move accomplishes two major things: First, it gets Barnes into the starting five, in which he thrived in the 2013 playoffs. Second, it allows Iguodala to act as a backup ball distributor until Shaun Livingston returns from toe surgery — a timeline that Kerr believes could stretch a week or two into the regular season.

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/warriors/article/Role-switches-for-Warriors-duo-produce-5820333.php

And, the same subject, covered by Drew Garrison (SBNation) here: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/10/14/6971291/golden-state-warriors-andre-iguodala-bench-steve-kerr

– Harrison Barnes Scouting Report (from Rafael Uehara, BBall Breakdown):

” As a rookie, Harrison Barnes had a promising season as an important part of a Golden State Warriors team that was tied 2-2 with the San Antonio Spurs heading into game five of the Western Conference semifinals. However, be it because of Andre Iguodala’s addition changing his role or some other unknown reason, Barnes’s second season was a comparative disaster. Other than on-ball defense and transition scoring — aspects he can be easily effective in due to his physical profile and by playing hard — Barnes was found wanting in all other areas of his game.

There was a big difference in the way in which he was used. Barnes spent 1318 of his 2058 minutes in his first season in five-man lineups that had all of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and David Lee in them. Once the Warriors acquired Iguodala, however, head coach Mark Jackson installed the veteran in Barnes’s place and designated the 21-year-old as the leader of his second unit. A second unit is a mostly outdated concept, as it is now widely understood that the best way to manage your rotation is by staggering minutes in order to always have one of your best players on the court and limit the drop-off in production once you substitute. Jackson, however, was not much of a forward thinker in that department.”

Read it here: http://bballbreakdown.com/2014/10/12/harrison-barnes-scouting-report/

And Harrison Barnes Q & A at nba.com: http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/media-day-qa-harrison-barnes

– Jarrett Jack finds ‘new beginning’ in Brooklyn (from Mike Mazzeo, EspnNewYork):

” During the 2012-13 playoffs, Jarrett Jack was unstoppable.

He averaged 17.2 points and 4.7 assists in 35.5 minutes per game for the Golden State Warriors while shooting 50.6 percent from the field. The 12-game stretch represented the best stretch of basketball Jack has played during his 10-year career.

He parlayed that postseason success into a four-year, $25 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but struggled to produce on a young team which quickly found itself in rebuilding mode.
The Nets, who coveted Jack dating back to last season’s trade deadline, acquired him in a three-way deal over the summer — which enabled Cleveland to bring back superstar LeBron James with its extra cap space — with the hope that he can rediscover his sparkplug scoring ways off their bench.

Jack believes he’s primed to have a big year in Brooklyn. “No question,” he said. “With the combination of the system and then the players that draw so much attention themselves, it allows opportunities for all of us to be successful.””

Read it here: http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/brooklyn-nets/post/_/id/20774/jack-finds-new-beginning-in-brooklyn

– Replacing Bradley Beal will be a team effort for Washington Wizards (from Jorge Castillo, Washington Post):

Read it here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/replacing-bradley-beal-will-be-a-team-effort-for-washington-wizards/2014/10/13/9f714c1e-5319-11e4-892e-602188e70e9c_story.html

– Bulls’ Tom Thibodeau envious of Spurs’ model   (from Mark Strotman, csnchicago.com):

” A main theme of Tom Thibodeau’s messages to his team this preseason has been preparing, practicing and playing as if it were the regular season.

And the way the Bulls head coach sees it, if the defending champions are doing it, it’s probably a good idea to follow suit.

“I’m watching San Antonio and they’re going after it,” Thibodeau said prior to the Bulls’ Monday night contest against the Denver Nuggets. “(Tony) Parker, (Tim) Duncan are playing huge minutes right off the start. I think that’s a sign of their readiness to start the season.”

Read it here: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/bulls-tom-thibodeau-envious-spurs-model

– Bulls, Nuggets draft-night trade paying off for both sides  (from Mike Singer, csnchicago.com):

” There’s only been a small sample size, but the draft-night trade between the Bulls and Nuggets has seen positive returns for both parties.

The Bulls acquired Doug McDermott, the 11th pick, in exchange for Nos. 16 and 19, which became 6-foot-11 center Jusuf Nurkic and Michigan State guard Gary Harris. When Harris was chosen at No. 19, he said he already knew that he was headed to the Nuggets, despite wearing a Bulls hat as he crossed the stage.”

Read it here: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/bulls-nuggets-draft-night-trade-paying-both-sides

– Payton Continues to Show Plenty of Promise (from John Denton, nba.com/magic)

” In a matter of seconds on Monday night, rookie Elfrid Payton showed off the rare combination of skills that made the Orlando Magic fall in love with him in last June’s NBA Draft and eagerly anticipate his future.

However, in a game-turning fourth quarter, Payton’s strong start to the night was undone when he was forced to stomach a hearty taste of reality.

It is merely the preseason and plenty of growing pains are undoubtedly ahead, but Payton showed promise in the first start of his professional career. If there were any nerves, the 20-year-old didn’t show any in the Magic’s 99-97 loss to the Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena.”

Read it here: http://www.nba.com/magic/payton-continues-show-plenty-promise

– The Playmaking of Shabazz Napier and James Ennis  (from Couper Moorhead, heat.com):

” Youth with potential is a great thing to have in any context. But as soon as that youth is on your roster, the discovery process begins.

What does this potential mean?

How likely is this player to realize it?

From afar, two of Miami’s rookies might appear to fit into fairly typical molds. James Ennis the hyper-athletic wing who slashes to the rim and finishes on the break, and Shabazz Napier the super-quick point guard who makes a living scoring off the dribble. With enough efficiency and effectiveness, each is a useful player type to have in a rotation, particularly in combination with young, energized legs.

Just three games in their first preseason, however, it’s far too early to start worrying about slotting either player into pre-defined roles. This is especially true when each has already shown a more complete skillset than is to be expected in the early hours of the league’s marathon season, and part of that arsenal includes one of the most valuable, yet underrated, skills in the game: passing.”

Read it here: http://www.nba.com/heat/newsrecap/more-passing-grades

– Blazers’ Matthews enters final year of his contract (from Eric Gundersen, columbian.com):

” Nicolas Batum said Matthews’ defense against James Harden, who shot 37 percent against Portland in the six-game series, was “unbelievable,” saying he was the “maybe the best defender in the NBA” during the series.

While Portland’s shooting guard isn’t focused on winning NBA honors like being selected to the All-Defensive team, he’s certainly not bashful about his place in the league.

“I’m never going to be the type that gets gaudy numbers to make an All-Defensive team,” said Matthews before getting to his case.

“Do I think I’m All-Defense? Absolutely. I think I’m the best two-way two-guard in the NBA. But I feel like we need to be a good defensive team within the scheme of the game. We’re not out there gambling, trying to reach and get steals. That would put us in a bind if I don’t get it,” Matthews said.”

Read it here: http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/oct/13/blazers-matthews-enters-final-year-of-his-contract/

– Back at the Garden, a Different Knicks Team Is in Search of Chemistry (from Scott Cacciola, NYTimes):

” Fisher reiterated that he was not focusing on wins and losses. The preseason, he said, is an opportunity for him to experiment with lineups and rotations, and for the players to unearth some chemistry.”

Read it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/sports/basketball/back-at-the-garden-a-different-knicks-team-is-in-search-of-chemistry.html

– Rookie Rodney Hood and Utah Jazz have plenty of reasons to smile in his big debut (from Jody Genessy, Deseret News):

” Hood, whose birthday is Oct. 20, was terrific in his first taste of NBA action, which included his first minutes of the exhibition season and his first start because of a new injury to Alec Burks (right shoulder bruise).

“Clearly,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said, “he had an impact on the game with his ability to space the floor.”

Read it here: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865613075/Rookie-Rodney-Hood-and-Utah-Jazz-have-plenty-of-reasons-to-smile-in-his-big-debut.html

– Derrick Rose shows stretches of old self in Bulls win  (from Mark Strotman, csnchicago.com):

” It’s not all back for Derrick Rose, but the glimpses are becoming more frequent.

If the Bulls point guard showed flashes of his old self in the preseason opener a week ago and showed glimpses in a pair of games last week, it’s fair to say that Rose has graduated to showing stretches of his former self following his performance in Monday’s 110-90 win over the Nuggets.”

Read and view it here: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/derrick-rose-shows-stretches-old-self-bulls-win

– Bulls’ Jimmy Butler: ‘I’m not even supposed to be in the NBA’  (from Mike Singer, csnchicago.com):

” Jimmy Butler has always been a menace on the defensive end, but the fourth-year guard is starting to realize his immense potential on the offensive end as well. ”

Read it here: http://www.csnchicago.com/bulls/bulls-jimmy-butler-im-not-even-supposed-be-nba

– How Will Paul Pierce Fit in Washington? (from Bobby Karalla, BBall Breakdown):

Read it here” http://bballbreakdown.com/2014/10/08/how-will-paul-pierce-fit-in-washington/

– Michael Jordan becoming great owner, too, for Hornets (from Sam Amick, USA Today):

” As Michael Jordan knows better than anyone from his legendary playing days, one good season does not a reputation make.

Respect and credibility are built over time, with one’s career a compilation of the good, the bad and — as had been the case in Jordan’s post-playing life as an owner and executive — the ugly.

But nearly 15 years after his management-ownership career began with the Washington Wizards, has Jordan finally become an effective boss? It’s certainly starting to seem that way.”

Read it here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/hornets/2014/10/14/michael-jordan-charlotte-ownership-rich-cho-steve-clifford-bobcats-name-change/17237095/

Additional player updates worth perusing:

– Giannis Antetokuonmpo:  http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/279042341.html

– Jusuf Nurkic: http://www.roundballminingcompany.com/2014/10/14/image-breakdown-nurkics-15-point-outbreak-vs-bulls/

– Jarnell Stokes: http://www.3sob.com/2014/october-2014/stoked-for-stokes/19081/

– Nikola Mirotic:  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2229499-early-lessons-from-nikola-mirotics-preseason-with-chicago-bulls

– Eric Gordon:  http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2014/10/guard_eric_gordon_using_the_pr.html

– Jordan Clarkson/Jabari Brown: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/clarkson-638393-brown-season.html

– Mo Williams: http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/279084601.html

QOTD (from Turkish coach Dusan Ivkovic) re: the global problem in European basketball of talent moving to the NBA: ” I coached many players who succeeded in the NBA because they left at the right moment, with maturity and experience. Now, many leave too young and unprepared, then come back worse players than they when they left. They wasted time by being impatient.”