Tuesday Bolts – 7.26.11
Chris Palmer of ESPN.com on top point guards: “In just his third season, the 22-year-old guard landed himself on the All-NBA second team and is one of two guards to average at least 21 points and seven assists. Westbrook is arguably the best athlete in the NBA. He’s a speed demon on the break and has the dangerous ability to change direction at full speed in the middle of the floor. He fuels his last two steps before he takes off on one leg with an explosive burst that seems to allow him to accelerate in the air, making an attempt to block his shot all but a guaranteed trip to the line. (His 7.7 free throw attempts per game were first among point guards and eighth overall.) That more than 60 percent of his attempts came at the rim is a testament to the fact that defenders simply can’t stay in front of him. But it also is indicative of the fact that his jump shot is far too unreliable. With an improved midrange shot, Westbrook could score the same (or more) on fewer attempts, allowing him to focus more on setting up his teammates. When Westbrook is able to find a happy medium between scorer and facilitator, he could find himself on top of this list.”
Rajon Rondo on Perk: “It wasn’t like the man passed away or something,” Rondo said. “I think we put too much emphasis on it. It’s a business. He got traded. He’s very happy where he’s at. We still talk and I’m always going to have his back. It shouldn’t have affected us the way it affected us.”
Nate Robinson dunking in Indonesia.
Charley Rosen grades every NBA coach for HoopsHype: “Scott Brooks: Unimaginative offense and imaginary defense can only go so far. Not nearly far enough to match the talent at his disposal. Grade: C plus.”
One Thunder fan supposedly had a pretty crazy encounter with Ron Artest: “Our friendship now official, Ron wanted to meet face-to-face. Ron may not be a man of commitment, but he did like talking about the future. Specifically, meeting me in Oklahoma City. He brought it up on several occasions. I was never sure if he truly meant it or not. And I didn’t know what I’d do if he did mean it.”
Pretty surprised that KD wasn’t one of the 10 most marketable players.
Jeffrey Morton of Denver Stiffs on rebuilding: “So you must, as a team, find a star (because winning in the NBA requires stars) who want’s to stay in Denver. People point to Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City, but I keep telling people that he signed almost the same exact contract extension that Melo did after his third year. In the NBA you get paid on your third contract. So it’s yet to be actually seen if Durant will choose to stay in OKC when his extension is up. Is there a player out there that would willing spend the majority of their career’s in Denver and build a contending team? If so, what kind of player would they be?”
Durant made a cool $400,000 in Manilla.
Kevin Arnovitz of TrueHoop on the Suns trading Nash: “Nash’s presence would be very nice salve to a 37-45 season — though mediocrity for Phoenix has its drawbacks. A win total in that neighborhood means the Suns will likely be drafting somewhere in the 10-15 range, limiting their chances of landing a future All-Star. For the Suns and their fans, this is a tortuous thought process with few attractive options. And that’s why our closets and garages fill up with old stuff even though we know damn well it’s time to purge.”
