#demar derozan one shot

[trashpandapagoda]

King and Queen - DeMar DeRozan Fanfiction - Part 1

I flexed my hands nervously and adjusted my laces once more. It was my first game as a Sacramento Monarch. I was nervous as I glanced around the room at my teammates' new faces. For the first part of the season, I played for LA Sparks, but ultimately the environment there was too toxic and I wanted out. I wasn’t expecting to land at the newly reborn Monarchs.

My teammates were cool so far and I was doing my best to come out of my shell and hang with them. They were eager to prove themselves and win games. I wanted the same. I led the league in 3-point throws last year and I only wanted to keep getting better. ‘Keep your head down, work, and then rest and repeat.” The advice from my dad that I lived by. 

“You ready to pop out and show these bitches?” Loni, my teammate sat down and shoulder-bumped me. “You sitting over here looking all mean and shit.”

“Stop, I’m just thinking. I can’t help the way my face looks.” I laughed and shouldered her back playfully. 

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you this earlier, but I love the box braids. You gotta hook me up with the braider you went to. My shit be looking trash as of late.” She reached up and twisted one of her braids in her hands. “I can’t sit still for long so maybe that’s why.”

“Yeah, I’ll text you the -” “Alright ladies, let’s head out for warm-ups!” Coach called out, “Let’s go, let’s go!”

“I’ll text you it later.” I finished explaining and picked my stuff up.

We headed out of the locker room and down to the court through the tunnel. I swallowed thickly and felt another nudge against me. Loni smiled reassuringly and bumped her chest before pointing at me, a silent ‘I gotchu.’

I nodded and did the same back. I was shocked at the amount of fans that showed up for the game as I glanced around. Seats in some sections were still empty and folks were filling in seats still, yet I couldn’t help but pivot and stare around the stadium. 

What caught my eye next was the owner of the Monarch and Kings, Vivek Ranadivé, sitting next to a few players from the Kings. One of them I recognized immediately was DeMar DeRozan. 

He turned slightly from the conversation with his teammates to stare back at me. 

I felt warm and tingly as I turned quickly away and focused on putting my water bottle and towel on my seat before moving to warm up with the girls.

The feeling of being watched didn’t stop, and I knew it was more than just the stadium of fans staring and taking pictures, but from someone else.

I turned a few times back in the direction of Vivek and Kings players, each time catching DeRozan’s eyes. I would smile awkwardly and turn quickly once more, not waiting to see if he returned the gesture.

Halfway through the warm-up, I heard my name called and saw Coach Kelly gesturing at me. “Vivek wants to speak to you really quick.”

“Me?” I asked dumbly, pointing at myself.

“Yes,” She seemed exasperated. “Is there another Dana Parker on the team?” 

I winced at the embarrassed feeling that flushed over me. Coach Kelly was harsh at times, constantly frowning and giving out commands like a drill sergeant. Yet, from what I’ve seen so far and learned from my teammates, she always had her players’ backs. Her style of coaching wasn’t much different from my dad’s so I was used to the harsh style.

I tossed the ball to my teammate Chloe and followed after her.

“Dana!” Vivek grinned widely, “I’m so excited to see you out here as an official Monarch! This has been the one thing I’ve been talking about nonstop to everyone since last week. I feel that you are going to do amazing things - some of our Kings players wanted to come to see you play as well!”

He gestured to the 4 guys sitting two seats from him and one of his associates. “Let me introduce you.”

He introduced the 3 guys who stood up first, I was quick to put names to faces and smiled politely to each of them. Finally, when he got to DeRozan.. I paused. 

I was a big fan of his game and watched him play throughout my middle school and high school years. My dad was from Compton as well so Demar was often a name my dad brought up to me and my brother. To meet him in person felt surreal.

“Dana Parker,” I introduced with a nervous smile and my hand out to shake.

He smiled back and dapped me up, “DeMar DeRozan. I been watching your game for the last two years. You gotta teach me how you do those 3-pointers. Out here shooting like Steph.” He joked.

I chuckled nervously, feeling my hand becoming clammy that was still in his grip.

He realized he was still holding my hand and tried to casually let it drop, but I could tell he also felt a little embarrassed.

Looks like I wasn’t the only one here with social anxiety.

“I wish, but I’m no Steph Curry.” I rubbed my arm nervously.

“Nah, you’re Dana Parker. You don’t gotta be anybody else.” He said sincerely.

Suddenly someone cleared their throat and I turned to see Vivek still standing there along with the other Kings players. “We won’t hold you up, Dana. Good luck and get that win.” He held his hand up in a fist bump with a grin.

I returned the gesture with my grin and nodded. “Will do, mister,” and I turned back to the court to finish up warm up.

I was ready to ball out. The crowd was here for a show and I was going to give it to them. All I could think about was what DeMar had said, “Nah, you’re Dana Parker. You don’t gotta be anybody else.”

[college-girl199328]

The former face met the new franchise face when the Raptors faced the host Chicago Bulls Tuesday night at the United Center.

Scottie Barnes doesn’t have any of DeMar DeRozan’s nuances when a play in the mid-range needs to be made.

He is bigger than DeRozan and much more is being asked of Barnes when DeRozan had Kyle Lowry as his running mate in Toronto.

For the time being, Barnes isn’t surrounded by much following a spate of injuries and two trades that sent two of Toronto’s best players packing their bags.

The night was short on marquee names outside of Barnes and DeRozan, but both teams competed in a game that would not be decided until late, which seems to be the Raptors' way when matched up against teams with similarly losing records.

Barnes and DeRozan were predictably double-teamed when the game turned very competitive.

Toronto led by nine with 3:13 remaining, but the outcome was never assured until the visitors stepped up defensively.

Once the Raptors were able to sustain their play on the defensive end, they closed out well in emerging with a 118-107 win to snap a hideous five-game losing streak.

During some stretches, the Raptors looked overmatched and unable to respond when the Bulls went on runs.

It changed in the second half when some much-needed defensive intensity and attention to detail allowed the Raptors to be competitive.

Just when it looked like the Bulls were going to run the visitors out of town, the Raptors mounted a response in turning a double-digit disadvantage into a one-possession game.

They were playing on a string, sharing the basketball, and attacking the rim by embracing an aggressive approach.

Offensively, Bruce Brown followed Gary Trent Jr.’s lead by emerging as the offensive catalyst in the third quarter.

The Raptors also got some quality play from veteran Thad Young, but it was the move to have Barnes play the center spot that had its biggest impact.

For the most part, Toronto’s bench was not as noticeable as it was in Atlanta until Jordan Nwora decided to take matters into his own hands in what turned out to be an explosive spurt.

The Raptors went off for 37 third-quarter points and would take a 90-89 lead into the fourth period.

He recorded four assists, three rebounds, one steal, and zero turnovers, highlighting why Dick can have a presence without scoring a single point.

Jontay Porter’s recent run of bad luck continued Tuesday when it was revealed the soft-shooting big suffered back spasms after playing five minutes.

He was ruled unavailable for the rest of the night and is likely questionable for Friday night’s tip in Houston when the Raptors get reunited with Fred VanVleet while getting their first look at Canada’s Dillon Brooks in a Rockets uniform.

Porter has been a revelation for the Raptors and was part of the team’s bench brigade that would outplay Toronto’s starters Sunday in Atlanta when the Hawks escaped with a one-point win on a late put-back dunk.

It bothered Porter to the point where he was limited to only four minutes in the Raptors’ home loss to the Clippers Friday night.

Toronto continued to be without its starting center Jakob Poeltl (back) and it is only true big, while also missing fellow starters Immanuel Quickley (quad) and R.J. Barrett (knee).

When he turned his ankle on a night the Raptors blew out the host Golden State Warriors, many felt the Raptors would be vulnerable when defending the rim.

Without Siakam, Barnes no longer can step into three-pointers because the floor is not sufficiently spaced.

No Siakam, no Quickley and it’s slim pickings when it comes to finding players who can draw defenders.

Barnes never made a single three-point shot Sunday and he went 0-for-3 in Tuesday’s first half when the Raptors trailed 63-53.

In reality, the score flattered the Raptors, who were not good and woefully thin in size.

Only one starter, Trent Jr. reached double figures in scoring when he netted 16 in playing 16 minutes.

He was also the only starter to bury a look from distance, going 4-for-7 from beyond the three-point arc.

Toronto was at the epicenter of NBA trade gossip in the weeks and even months leading up to the eventual deals involving OG Anunoby and Siakam.

Most of the talk leading up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline involves the Bulls with names such as Alex Caruso and DeRozan being bandied about.

Zach LaVine is under contract, albeit an inflated deal that may make teams balk at acquiring his athleticism and scoring exploits.

LaVine wasn’t in the lineup against the Raptors as he continues to nurse an ankle injury that potentially could shelf him beyond Feb. 8.

Before his ankle setback, LaVine was sidelined for more than a month because of a foot issue.

[classictshirt]

Heat rally to stun Bulls will face Bucks in first round

Heat rally to stun Bulls will face Bucks in first round Jimmy Butler fell to the floor and released a cathartic yell as he converted a layup and got fouled with 2:17 remaining in the fourth quarter of Friday's Eastern Conference play-in game, giving the Miami Heat a lead over the Chicago Bulls they would not relinquish. About a minute later in the game, Butler made the pass that led to a 3-pointer from Max Strus, extending Miami's lead during a dominant stretch run from the Heat in a 102-91 victory over the Bulls to clinch the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Butler and Strus each scored 31 points and the Heat outscored the Bulls 15-1 over the final three minutes of the game. "That's what my team needed me to do," Butler said after the game. "Find a way." Miami advances into the playoffs with a victory and earns a first-round matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA's top overall seed. Game 1 begins Sunday in Milwaukee. "This week, with two games -- it feels like we're in round two already," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "And we just earned the right now to start the playoffs." The Heat led by 14 points in the first quarter and had a double-digit lead in the third, then the Bulls took the lead headed into the fourth quarter. But with five minutes remaining, the score was tied, setting the Heat up for a position they have been familiar with this season. Miami played in a league-high 54 clutch games this season and won 32 of them while the Bulls won 15, the fewest of any of the 20 teams to make the postseason. "Nothing new for us," said Strus, who with Butler became the first pair of Heat teammates with 30 points in a playoff or play-in game since LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in 2013. "Those are situations we're used to and have been in all year." Although Bam Adebayo went 1-for-9 from the field for eight points, Butler credited him for being a catalyst for the Heat's defensive effort, especially down the stretch. Chicago shot 5-for-12 when contested by Adebayo, including 2-for-5 in the fourth quarter. "The game isn't only depending on shots falling," Adebayo said. "I feel like I had a big impact on that game even though my shots weren't falling." This will be the fourth time the Heat and Bucks will meet in the playoffs; the previous three times the winner has gone on to reach the NBA Finals. The Bucks won the 2021 NBA championship after beating the Heat in the first round and Miami won a championship in 2013 after a first-round victory against the Bucks. "You're talking about an MVP in , all the shooting, how together they are, they've been together for a while," Butler said. "It's going to be tough; it is. Milwaukee has some great fans that are always showing up and showing out. So, we've got to play damn near perfect basketball, which we're capable of. Play hard, stick together through the good, through the bad. We are one and I think we're going to be okay. Let this season go, let the play-in go. 0-0 and get to work." Meanwhile, the Bulls season ends on the brink of the playoffs after rallying in the second half of the season. Chicago was seven games under .500 at the All-Star break, but went 14-9 to close the season to earn the East's No. 10 seed. In Wednesday's play-in game, the Bulls trailed by 19 points in the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors before storming back to extend their season to Friday's matchup with Miami. But the Bulls did not have one more comeback in them. Zach LaVine scored 15 points and struggled to shoot just 6-of-20 from the field. Coby White hit a 3-pointer with 3:47 remaining in the game to put the Bulls up 90-87. It was the last field goal Chicago converted all game. "This one hurt," said Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, who finished with 26 points. "It sucks. It shouldn't have ended like that. We gave ourselves an opportunity to win a game. We were up. We can't make the mistakes that we made, especially in a game like this. Now we're sitting in our reality with nothing to do." Read the full article

[opiatemasses]

Are You an Ethical Sports Fan?

Sports wouldn’t be where they are today without fans. Some of the greatest moments occur when fans and teams join together to celebrate a championship in their city, a standing ovation for an athlete’s first game coming back from a serious injury or playing their last game before retirement. Conversely, fans can also be terrible and contribute to some of the worst moments in sports.

On June 10th 2019, during game five of the NBA finals between the Golden States Warriors and Toronto Raptors, Kevin Durant went down with a ruptured Achilles in his right leg. This was a sad scene, however what happened next was even more shocking.

Toronto fans started cheering, provoking headlines and controversy. Toronto went from steps away to celebrating their first championship to being publicly humiliated for their fan behaviour. We as fans cheer for our favourite teams, however celebrating injury is wrong and unethical. This incident resulted in backlash from athletes, organisations and sport analysists:

Demarcus cousins, a teammate of Kevin Durant said that 'we're only idolized as superstar athletes, not human beings.'

Bob McCown one of Canada’s leading sports talk radio show hosts described this incident as “embarrassing” and that he is “…afraid that this is a legacy that will linger for some period of time”.

And this incident even caused a Toronto Raptors fan to create a GoFundMe:  Toronto Man Starts GoFundMe for Kevin Durant’s Charity After Raptors Fans Cheer Injury.  

This was an example of an unethical event, as nobody should ever wish harm on another person and this should be agreed upon everyone. Just like racism is wrong and unethical and although the cases of reported racism are decreasing internationally, as in 2019 there were 131 incidences compared to 137 in 2018, racism is still prevailing today. However, this blog will focus on issues that are not sufficiently discussed and most likely some of us are guilty of without realising.   

High-Performance Sport Built on Sacrifice of the Athlete’s Body

To understand how to be ethical sports fans towards athletes, it is important to gain an understanding of sports. An article by Nathan Kalman-Lamb contended that athletes involved in high performance spectator sport are both dehumanized and exploited. The whole idea of high-performance sport is predicated on athlete sacrifice (for more information look at reference for Hughes and Coakley). Although fans don’t necessarily want players to get hurt, fandom requires athletes to be willing to put themselves to potential pain, danger and harm in the course of their careers. An example from a hockey fan interviewed by Kalman-Lamb:

“If you get injured on the ice, if you get a slap shot in the knee, and you can’t really stand on it, you’re told to stay on the ice until the whistle goes. You’re not told to lie down or skate over to the bench, you’re going to play through the pain . . . it’s awesome to see”

With this said, because fans expect athletes to be willing to sacrifice and give it their all, when they feel like the athlete is not performing to those standards, they can be upset or angry. An example of what a hockey fan said watching a player who appeared not trying hard enough:

“That drives me wild. I feel almost a little personally offended, you know? You are professional, you are getting, in most cases, a really good paycheque. . . at least give good game, you know.”

These fans’ expectations can be linked to their own experiences as subjects of capitalism, that players should be enduring pain rather than rejecting it.

Mental Health

Mental health awareness is a significant issue. According to the National Institution of Mental Health around 20% of adults in the United States experience a mental disorder. However, this number is higher for professional athletes, with 35% of elite athletes suffering from poor mental health. The culture of sports makes athletes prone to mental health problems as mentioned before, athletes can be dehumanized and exploited. And a paper by Rice et al. (2016) found that the psychological impacts of injury, overtraining; public/media scrutiny and managing the pressure to perform were all stressors that potentially can increase the vulnerability of athletes to mental illness.

Below is a video of DeMar DeRozan, an NBA pro opening up about some of the hard choices he had to go through in his career.

Taking Action

First, we have to understand that athletes are human beings, they are not untouchable, they feel pain, depression and so on just like me or you. Athletes are no different from anyone else working their job, in their case playing a game for our amusement. And we have to understand that the whole idea of high-performance sport is built on the sacrifice of the athlete’s body, making them potentially more vulnerable to mental illness. What are some ways for us to start becoming better sport fans from our house?

Don’t insult or threaten athletes on social media for not playing through an injury, sitting out a game, or talking about how much you want sports to come back when there is a pandemic going on now.

Do not make negative comments on athletes’ personal life and decisions.

If we put ourselves in their shoes how would we feel getting constant insults or threats for what we have said or done. I would definitely feel upset and even maybe scared.

Prioritized humanity and ethics over whether our favourite team or athlete wins or loses.

With the global pandemic and not being able to attend live sports, now is an opportune time to reflect on our own behaviours as sport fans, so when live sports return we will be better sport fans and more importantly better people.

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References

Hughes, R., & Coakley, J. (1991). Positive deviance among athletes: The implications of overconformity to the sport ethic. Sociology of sport journal, 8(4), 307-325.

Kalman-Lamb, N. (2019). Athletic Labor and Social Reproduction. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 43(6), 515-530.

Rice, S. M., Purcell, R., De Silva, S., Mawren, D., McGorry, P. D., & Parker, A. G. (2016). The mental health of elite athletes: a narrative systematic review. Sports medicine, 46(9), 1333-1353.

[nutellamilkshake]

Sports Analysis: USA vs Serbia Full Game | Basketball Men's Gold Medal Match | Olympic Games Rio 2016 |

This is a sport analysis of the Olympic Games Rio 2016 battle between USA and Serbia. 

COURT DIMENSIONS

The venue of the game was an indoor stadium in Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Its court dimension  is 91.86 feet long and 49.21 feet wide. Other court dimensions are:

·       The free throw lane shall be marked at each end of the court with dimensions and markings as shown on the court diagram.   All boundary lines are part of the lane; lane space marks and neutral zone marks are not. The areas identified by the lane space markings are 2” by 6” inches.

·       The free throw line shall be drawn (2” wide) across each of the circles indicated in the court diagram.  It shall be parallel to the end line and shall be 15’ from the plane of the face of the backboard.

·       The three-point field goal area has parallel lines 3’ from the sidelines, extending from the baseline and an arc of 23’9” from the middle of the basket which intersects the parallel lines.

·       Four hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) perpendicular to the sideline on each side of the court and 28’ from the baseline.  These hash marks shall extend 3’ onto the court.

·       Two hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) perpendicular to the baseline on each side of the free throw lane line. These hash marks shall be 3’ from the free throw lane line and extend 6” onto the court.

·       Four hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) parallel to the baseline on each side of the free throw circle.  These hash marks shall be 13’ from the baseline and 3’ from the free throw lane lines and shall be 6” in length.

·       Two hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) perpendicular to the sideline, in front of the scorer ’s table, and 4’ on each side of the midcourt line. This will designate the Substitution Box.

·       A Restricted Area shall be marked with a half-circle 4’ from the center of the basket ring and then parallel to the lane line to the face of the backboard with a solid two-inch line.

EQUIPMENTS

·       Jersey and shorts

·       Basketball Shoes

·       Basketball Rim

·       Basketball Ball

·       Water Bottle

BASIC SKILLS

You can observe the basic skills showed by the players in the game between USA vs Serbia. Those basic skills are:

Dribbling

Dribbling is an important skill for all basketball players. This skill will allow you to move up and down the court, maneuver past defenders and execute plays. Proper dribbling requires ball-handling skills and knowledge of how to spread your fingers for ball control. It is also best if you know how to dribble equally well with both hands.

Shooting

In order to score points in basketball, you need to shoot the ball into the hoop. This requires the ability to properly hold and throw the ball into the air toward the basket while avoiding defenders. A proper shot requires precise aiming, arm extension and lift from the legs. There are different types of shots you need to learn, including jump shots, layups and free throws.

Running

Running is a big part of basketball. In a full-court game, you will find yourself running back and forth as the game quickly transitions between offense and defense. When you have the ball, running will help you to avoid defenders and get to the basket quicker. On defense, you often will find yourself needing to run after the opponent, especially during fast breaks.

Passing

Passing is another skill that when mastered can help you become a complete basketball player. Basketball is a team sport that involves finding a teammate who is open for a shot. The ability to pass the ball to this player can make the difference between scoring and not scoring. Really great passers are an important part of a basketball team and usually the ones who set up scoring plays.

Jumping

Jumping is another skill that can define how good a basketball player is. Jumping is involved in offense during the jump ball in the beginning, while taking shots and sometimes while trying to catch a pass. On defensive you will need the ability to jump when trying to block a shot or a pass. Being able to out jump your opponent for a rebound also is important.

TECHNICAL & TACTICAL SKILLS

From what I observed from the game, each of the player showcased their technical skills through their body movement competency, passing and receiving mastery, dribbling adroitness, shooting and rebounding skills, offensive and defensive ability. Most people only see the result of their hardwork through their technical skill. They don’t have knowledge on how hard each player worked for it each day. Blood, swear, tears and breakdowns were encountered by different players before arriving the different technical skills they have shown in the game. While a player has a technical skill, they also have tactical skill that helped both team manifest good transition of the play. Each team had different tactical skills depending on the situation and plays being shown by the opposing team. From what I have observed, USA showcased such tactical plays that help them beat Serbia such as having offense plays like handover, backdoor cut, 2 man play, 2 man game, Open play, and mostly shown tactical skill of the team USA is Man-screen roll over. The Serbia also showcased these tactical skills however, the USA did it better and executed it well. USA also had tactical skills in their defense like man to man defense and half-court press,1-3-1, switch and box defense. Both teams showed their different tactical and technical skills to have a smooth transition offense and defense.

RULES OF THE GAME

Rules for the Offense

The player must bounce, or dribble, the ball with one hand while moving both feet. If, at any time, both hands touch the ball or the player stops dribbling, the player must only move one foot. The foot that is stationary is called the pivot foot.

2) The basketball player can only take one turn at dribbling. In other words, once a player has stopped dribbling they cannot start another dribble. A player who starts dribbling again is called for a double-dribbling violation and looses the basketball to the other team. A player can only start another dribble after another player from either team touches or gains control of the basketball. This is usually after a shot or pass.

3) The ball must stay in bounds. If the offensive team looses the ball out of bounds the other team gets control of the basketball.

4) The players hand must be on top of the ball while dribbling. If they touch the bottom of the basketball while dribbling and continue to dribble this is called carrying the ball and the player will lose the ball to the other team.

5) Once the offensive team crosses half court, they may not go back into the backcourt. This is called a backcourt violation. If the defensive team knocks the ball into the backcourt, then the offensive team can recover the ball legally.

Rules of the Defense

.The main rule for the defensive player is not to foul. A foul is described as gaining an unfair advantage through physical contact. There is some interpretation that has to be made by the referee, but, in general, the defensive player may not touch the offensive player in a way that causes the offensive player to lose the ball or miss a shot.

Rules for Everyone

1) Although the foul rule is described above as a defensive rule, it applies exactly the same to all players on the court including offensive players.

2) Basketball players cannot kick the ball or hit it with their fist.

3) No player can touch the basketball while it is traveling downward towards the basket or if it is on the rim. This is called goaltending. (touching the ball on the rim is legal in some games).

OFFICIATING THE SPORT

The game between the USA vs Serbia was officiated by different officiating officials such as crew chief, referee, statistician, chairperson, scorer, assistant scorer, timekeeper and 24-second shot clock operator. The different officiating officials has different roles in officiating the game.

Crew Chief - The head official in basketball who is responsible for making the final decision of the game.

Referee - enforces the rules of the game and determines when a violation. or foul occurs and then stopping the game to issue the correct penalty. 

Statistician - Records all the aspect of the game which is now usually done on a computer, tablet or smartphone or manually with a paper template.

Chairperson - Ensure the smooth operation on the scoretable and communicates with the referees.

Scorer - Completes the scoresheet

Assistant scorer - Assist with operating the scoreboard.

Timekeeper - Operate the game clock and in most situations also operate the scoreboard.

24-second shot clock operator - Operate the shot clock by stopping and resetting according to the rules.

OVERALL ANALYSIS OF THE GAME

The USA blew out Serbia with the score 96–66. The USA dominated the game consisting of mostly all star NBA players such as Kevin Durant, Demar DeRozan, Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and Harrison Barnes. Both teams had shooting percentage with 48% consisting the team USA of 53.6% 2 points FG, 37.6% 3 points FG, 74.6 Free-throws while the team Serbia had 54.5% 2 points FG, 35.7 3 points FG and 77.7% Free-throws. Talking about the rebounds, team USA had 29 defensive rebounds and 16 offensive rebounds having a total of 44 rebounds while the team Serbia had 25 defensive rebounds and 11 offensive rebounds having a total of 36 rebounds. The team USA had 20.7% points from turnover, 19.6 fast break points, 19.1 second chance points, 39.4 % points in the paint and a 27.3 biggest lead. On the other hand, team Serbia had 16.9% points from turnover, 14.1 fast break points, 10.4 second chance points, 38.9 % points in the paint and a 19.1 biggest lead. The USA vs Serbia manifested an adequate good skills, team tactics and techniques, however in every game there will always be a loser or winner which the USA entitled the success while the Serbia had a downfall because of losing the game, but people where not discourage with the result for the Serbian played their hearts out and fought for their country’s name and showed their true love and passion in basketball.

REFERENCES:

OFFICIAL, N.(2020). NBA OFICIAL. Retrieved from official.nba.com:https://official.nba.com/rulebook/

Stewart, T. (2018, December 11). The Five Basic Skills of Basketball. Retrieved from SportsRec: https://www.sportsrec.com/8072917/the-five-basic-skills-of-basketball

[mikhaelasworld]

SUPER MODEL PROFILE | SHU PEI QIN

Shu Pei Qin is a Chinese Fashion model and Actress. Shu Pei signed with Next Management in 2007 and her career quickly escalated. She debuted at the spring Rachel Roy show in New York and also walked for Brian Reyes, Catherine Malandrino, and Verrier. She appeared in a British Elle editorial in August 2008, and in September 2008, she appeared in a Vogue China editorial, alongside models Karlie Kloss and Hanne Gaby Odiele.

She has modeled in New York, London, Milan, Paris and Asia for big fashion houses and top brands such as Gucci, Burberry, Vera Wang, Chanel, Christian Dior,Versace,Rachel Roy, Brian Reyes, Catherine Malandrino, Verrier, Victoria Secret, Kenzo, Prabal Gurung,J. Mendel,Dries Van Noten, Dsquared2,Marni,Prada,Fendi, Alberta Ferretti,Alexander McQueen,Miumiu, Rochas, Louis Vuitton, Peter Som, Marc Jacobs and more.

She has graced the cover for Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Elle,Manifesto, Rouci,10 Magazine, S, Glow, Wallpaper,Numero,InStyle and more.

She became one of the spokespersons for Maybelline, Vera Wang,Armani. Shu Pei received her first Elle Style Award in July, 2010.

In 2013, Shu Pei became one of the celebrities to pose nude for fashion designer Marc Jacobs' "Protect The Skin You're In" T-shirt campaign against skin cancer.

She shot her first film Oh My God directed by Leste Chen. Shupei became an ambassador for a movie event hosted by Huayi Brothers' Non-profit Foundation, Huayi Brothers Fashion Group and Elle. On May 19, 2012, she participated a non-profit sport event called NBAJam Live NBAJam Live hosted by Huayi Brothers Media Corporation and NBA China. On the night of NBAJam Live, Shupei and fashion model Mengyao Xi and other stars of Huayi Brothers Media Corporation had an international basketball competition with NBA player Brandon Jennings, DeMar Darnell DeRozan, Horace Grant and Gary Dwayne Payton. On November 8, 2012, Shupei participated Swarovski's art exhibition in Shanghai, China.

Shu Pei married Zhao Lei (also named Leigh Gow), the general manager of the Huayi Brothers Fashion Group in 2012; they divorced in 2015. Qin later went into a relationship with Edison Chen. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Alaia Chen, in 2017.

[clogthelane]

Russell Westbrook is the Worst Three Point Shooter in the NBA

In amongst the internet’s obsession over Russell Westbrook telling his Houston Rockets teammates that Damian Lillard “can’t guard me,” it would have been easy to miss the fact that Westbrook and the Rockets were beaten by Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers 117-107. It would also have been easy to miss that for the 29th time this season, Westbrook failed to convert on more than half of his three point attempts. Despite the fact that Russ only went two of five on the deep ball, he actually raised his three point shooting percentage to 23.6%, a figure that would qualify for the WORST percentage in the league! 

The fact that Westbrook has always been a poor three point shooter has never before stopped him from heaving up miss after miss from behind the line, with the 8-time All-Star having launched at least 4 three-pointers a game for the last seven consecutive seasons. Sunday’s performance in a 124-115 loss to the Lakers though, may suggest that the tide is turning. For the first time this season – and indeed the first time since December 17th 2018 - Westbrook failed to take a shot from behind the three-point line.

Such a performance from Westbrook is rare though certainly long overdue. On the season Westbrook is averaging 4.7 three-point attempts per contest, making just 1.1 of those. If he continues on such a pace, Westbrook would be the first player EVER to attempt more than 4.5 three-pointers a game, and make less than 1.3 of them, per Basketball Reference.

Westbrook’s disastrous performance shooting the deep ball is not a new phenomenon. Since his career started more than a decade ago, Russ has attempted an astonishing 3,160 three-pointers. Of the 30 players who have attempted at least 3,000 three-pointers in that time, Westbrook has by far the worst conversion rate, nailing the shot just 30.4% of the time, per Basketball Reference. The second worst percentage in that time frame belongs to Jamal Crawford, who made 35% of his threes. Perhaps even more fascinating however, is the fact that Crawford is closer by percentage to the 6th ranked player (Kevin Durant at 38.6%) than he is to Westbrook.

While some players are far better on catch and shoot jumpers rather than creating their own shot, Westbrook has been atrocious in both areas this season behind the line. Westbrook has hit on just 27.6% of his pull-up threes, a figure that is tied (with Spencer Dinwiddie) for 81st out of 86 players who average at least 0.5 pull-up threes a game, per Second Spectrum. Additionally, on catch and shoot three-pointers, Russ is shooting a truly abysmal 21%, per Second Spectrum. Amongst players who take at least two catch and shoot threes per contest, this ranks DEAD LAST in the National Basketball Association.

In a way, Westbrook faces the same dilemma as Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers. Neither have proven that they can shoot the deep ball, and so defenses are more than willing to sag off them and allow them to heave up errant shots. But whereas Simmons will do anything possible to rid himself of the ball via a pass, Russ simply can’t pass up the opportunity to put up a shot as the defense retreats into the lane, or goes underneath on pick-and-roll action.

Again, this treatment from defenses around the league is not new. In OKC’s last two playoff exits, teams allowed Westbrook to shoot the Thunder out of the contest. In OKC’s last two playoff series clinching losses, Westbrook took an astounding 30 three pointers. Those are Curry-esque numbers. Draining just 11 of those threes however, is not.

Teams would much rather - and indeed be smart to - give Westbrook space behind the arc and allow his primary defender to drop into the lane to protect against the threat of his devastating dribble penetration game.

However, Houston’s isolation heavy play has meant that Westbrook has not lost his love of driving into the lane. He currently sits third in the league, registering 18.9 drives per game, behind only Trae Young (19.7) and DeMar DeRozan (20.0), per Second Spectrum. James Harden, Westbrook’s fellow future Hall of Fame teammate, is currently seventh in the league with 18.3 such forays a contest, down from his league leading total of 19.6 a season ago.

Westbrook continuing to launch threes wastes not only Houston possessions, but also his impeccable finish in and around the rim. Although Russ only attempts 6.9 field goals per game on drives – a figure that is 15th in the league – he lands those attempts at an incredible 57.9%, a number bettered this season only by DeMar DeRozan and Derrick Rose, per Second Spectrum.

His reluctance to ditch the three-ball also wastes the shooters around him on Houston’s wings in his drive and kick game. Houston’s bevy of shooters and philosophy in general toward the three-ball have led Russ to finish a drive with a pass 8.8 times per game, again third in the league behind only Fred VanVleet and DeMar DeRozan, per Second Spectrum. However, the fact that he is only sixth in the NBA in assists per game on drives (at 2.0) suggests that Houston’s sluggish shooting season thus far has stunted some of the impact of Westbrook’s hulking drives to the basket. The Rockets currently are languishing in 21st in the league in three-point percentage, though take Westbrook’s stats out of the equation and the Rocket’s jump to a respectable equal 12th.  

As an aside, there have been only two seasons in NBA history, in which a player has attempted at least 10 three-pointers and 10 free-throws per game, per Basketball Reference. Both of those seasons belong to Harden over the last two seasons. He is well on his way to repeating it for a third time, currently launching an absurd 13.4 three-pointers a game, whilst simultaneously going to the line an average of 12.3 times a contest. Houston doesn’t need Russ to be another Harden. Even 4.7 attempted threes a game for Westbrook is too many.

The physicality of the former OKC stalwart and future Hall of Famer means that his forays into the paint often require defensive players to rotate off their assignments and come to held point guards contend with Westbrook, opening up the possibility for Westbrook to kick the ball to an open shooter for a relatively uncontested shot.

Westbrook and Harden are who we think they are. Extraordinarily high usage scorers who shoot a lot from the outside and drive hard to the basket. They don’t come from off-ball screens to grab open looks, nor do they cut to the basket just in time to catch a perfectly timed pass for an easy lay in. They operate almost exclusively as iso-ball players.

For Westbrook in particular, his disinterest in operating off the ball can be particularly stifling to the offense, as defenses don’t have to pay him the same respect while he stands in the corner as they would to Harden. In such situations, Westbrook’s defender can effectively sag off him and either drift into the lane to cut off a Harden pick and roll, or rotate and double team one of Houston’s more prolific shooters like Eric Gordon, Danuel House Jr., Ben McLemore, Gerald Green or Austin Rivers.

Harden averages an astonishing 14.8 isolation possessions per game, which leads the league, and is more than double Westbrook, who sits in second with 6.9 such possessions a game, per Second Spectrum. Third place? A tie between Dame Lillard and LeBron James, each of whom engage in 4.8 iso possessions a contest. The volume of these possessions doesn’t detract from the fact that the guard duo are very effective at shooting out of such plays, with both of them doing so at a clip just above 41%, consistent with other elite players such as Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers (just kidding).

What this runs into though, are the problems that Houston and OKC have faced in the playoffs in years past.

With so much of the offense concentrated in one (and now two) players’ hands in the regular season, and many of the wing players left to stand in the corner and wait for a pass to come to them, Houston really only has two players capable of creating their own shot.

As the defense gets better the further the playoffs goes (should Houston advance in the playoffs that is), and Westbrook and Harden find it more difficult to get good shots off, a heavy burden is going to fall on their teammates (particularly Eric Gordon) to get off good looks and create shots of their own. The stories of Harden and Westbrook in the playoffs over the last few years would suggest that that will not end well.

As Houston continues to rely on an iso-heavy offense, very little of a Harden-Westbrook pick and roll has been toyed with, particularly due to Westbrook’s inability to function as a threat from outside.

In such a scenario, with Westbrook as the ball-handler, defenders have to account for Harden behind the arc, and so are faced with the choice of going underneath on the screen, settling into the lane and trying to double team Westbrook on the drive, leaving Harden wide open for the pick and pop.

Defenders that stick tight to Harden however risk leaving their teammate to be absolutely smoked by Westbrook on his way to the basket and an easy lay in. An unenviable choice for the defense.

With Westbrook as the screener though, the same dilemma does not arise. Defenders are much more comfortable going underneath the screen and challenging Westbrook to loft up a shot from deep than they would be allowing Harden a one-on-one path to the basket.

Although it could be lethal, even if pick and roll action was set closer to the foul line, it seems unlikely that Mike D’Antoni and the Houston brains trust will be delving into the idea of the Harden-Westbrook pick and roll.

Westbrook’s abysmal three-point shooting is a real problem for Houston as the season progresses, and threatens to derail their offense if they can’t take the ball out of his hands behind the line.  

One thing that history does suggest though, is that if the defense continues to give Westbrook an open three-point shot, he will take it. Whether he makes it however, is another question entirely.

[rediscoverfitness]

Congratulations to my Toronto Raptors on winning the 2019 NBA Finals & becoming the WORLD CHAMPIONS! The reason I refer to this team as mine, is because of the looooooong relationship that we’ve had 😉 This post will be a long one, so scroll past if you’re not interested!

I grew up with soccer as my favorite sport but basketball was a close second. This all changed in the 1993 NBA Finals. I was mesmerized by the dominance of Michael Jordan and the overall battle between the Bulls vs Suns. I shot hoops everyday that summer in my driveway on a makeshift wooden net that my father built me. During the next two NBA seasons, the Houston Rockets won back-to-back titles. Hakeem Olajuwon was my favorite player during this time. I tried to mimic his every move on the court. I remember that I shook a defender off with the dream step, when I played for my grade 8 basketball team. My coach told me to dream step my butt to the bench! Lol! He didn’t want any flashy plays on his team.

When the NBA announced that Toronto was going to have a team, I was super excited!! All the students in my school were asked to fill out a survey, deciding on the team name. The choices were the Toronto Raptors or Towers. I friggin’ loved dinosaurs as a child! My brother and I watched The Land Before Time over and over again on VHS. Plus Jurassic Park was the biggest film during that time, so picking the Raptors was a no-brainer. When I found out that Isiah Thomas was the part-owner of the team, I took it as a sign that this was definitely my team! I wrote a school speech earlier that year on the Bad Boys- Detroit Pistons with Thomas as the leader.

I was surprised that the Toronto Raptors drafted Damon Stoudamire with their first pick. He was short! He was actually the same height as me...and I was 14 at the time! The rest of the team was made up of has beens and rejects of other teams (Oliver Miller, Tracy Murray, etc). Opening day was interesting. The team played at the Skydome. A cavernous stadium meant to seat 50,000 for the Toronto Blue Jays. It didn’t look right having a basketball court there. I’ll never forget when Alvin Robertson scored the first ever Raptors points on a three point shot! And we actually won the game (vs Nets)! Unfortunately, the team went on a 7-game losing streak afterwards and a dismal 21-61 record that season. One of the biggest highlights was when they actually won a game vs the 72-10 Chicago Bulls...with Steve Kerr missing the final shot (ironic). Damon Stoudamire won rookie of the year and quickly became our franchise leader.

Ohhh...The Vince Carter years. VC was amazing! He definitely was my favorite player at the time. I never saw anyone dunk like that before! He brought so much excitement to Toronto, Canada and the NBA, in general. Carter definitely put Toronto on the map. I remember going to Serbia for the summer and his name being mentioned, when I told people where I was from. That slam dunk contest in Oakland still stands as the greatest performance to date. After some early playoff exits and not coming through in the ECF semis, I expected Vince to elevate his game to the next level. But he stopped driving to the basket and said that “dunking was overrated.” I remember seeing him wince quite often when he took contact. He looked unmotivated and fragile. Vince Carter was eventually traded to the New Jersey Nets for absolutely nothing. It destroyed our franchise for years to come. I was so upset. Especially when Carter went back to playing aggressively and had incredible seasons for his new team. I truly felt hurt and disrespected as a Raptors fan. I despised him for years to come...

After the Raptors bombed the next couple of seasons, they were fortunate enough to land the number one pick in the NBA draft. I couldn’t believe they used it to draft Andrea Bargnani. He actually had a solid rookie year but I didn’t trust him to be good in the long run, which proved to be correct. With Chris Bosh as our franchise leader, the team made the playoffs a couple of seasons but lost in the first round. Then Bosh left in free agency to join Lebron and Wade in Miami. You all know the rest.

The next handful of seasons were really tough as a Raptors fan. Young DeMar DeRozan was our guy and the team looked lost and inexperienced. I continued to watch throughout but it was rough! Slowly, the team started to piece together some good players. Trading for Kyle Lowry and drafting Jonas Valanciunas.

My wife and I moved to San Francisco in 2012. I got NBA League Pass immediately and watched every game. The first couple of years in our new city had challenges, especially for me. I wasn’t able to work without a visa and was struggling to make friends. Being a Toronto Raptors fan really filled that void for me. It gave me enthusiasm and some purpose in my life. And a tie to home.

In 2014, Deanna and I took a year sabbatical and backpacked across India, South and East Africa. I would set my alarm for 3am (in New Delhi) to watch the epic 7 game series vs the Brooklyn Nets. The Toronto Raptors would make the playoffs every season starting that year but would have a lot of misfortune. Getting swept in the first round by Washington hurt. And then losing to the Lebron James led Cleveland Cavaliers year after year stung!

No matter what difficulties the team was going through, I trusted our team president, Masai Ujiri. He made great decisions that put our team in the right direction. But when he traded DeMar DeRozan for Kawahi Leonard, I thought, what the h^*# is he doing? Leonard was injured the whole previous season and was a free agent after this year. Then I found out that Leonard was healthy and motivated to play...I was then down with the trade! My mentality was, let’s put it all on the line and go for it this year 🏆

What can I say for this year’s team. A wonderful group of players that play the right way. Unselfish, gritty, tough, defensive minded and play with all out hustle. Kawahi Leonard leads by example. A true professional with that stoic look to his face, with the sole focus to win. He doesn’t dance, show off or whine to the refs about foul calls. He brings the same focus and intensity on both the defensive and offensive end of the court. He is definitely my favorite player right now.

So, this is a summary of my 24 years following this team. If you’re still reading this, you probably now understand the deep relationship I have with my Toronto Raptors. Winning the NBA Finals meant a lot and was really emotional for me. They’ve really helped me in tough times and I’m forever grateful for that. My good friend Renée summarized it perfectly. She said to me, “you have a feeling none of us can have in basketball...you were birthed a team as a child, cheered them most of your life and watch them win their very first championship. No one will understand this feeling but you. Amazing, friend.”

[axislascl]

Nba 2k17 servers are terrible

#Nba 2k17 servers are terrible Ps4

It was quite similar to Vince Carter’s career trajectory. Later in his career, he developed a jumpshot and became a spot-up shooter. Originally, he was a purely athletic finisher who could defend three or four positions. One of the more pleasing aspects of this campaign was how my player evolved. Overall, I played seven seasons, which is by far and away the most I’ve played of any M圜AREER on this list. After Dirk Nowitzki retired, I jumped ship to the Memphis Grizzlies, where I achieved similar success with Marc Gasol and company.

#Nba 2k17 servers are terrible Ps4

The prospect of helping Dirk Nowitzki win one last ring, having my most balanced build and a generally likeable team all made this an unforgettable M圜AREER.īeing my debut M圜AREER on PS4, this campaign had a lot of firsts: my first 2K PRO-AM experience, my first M圜AREER story, as well as the first – and only – time I changed teams in a PS4 M圜AREER. There was a lot to love about my NBA 2K16 M圜AREER. #3: Small Forward – Lockdown Perimeter Defender (NBA 2K16) What’s more, NBA 2K19 was the game that essentially disbanded the NLSC squad due to our lack of enjoyment and gatekeeper nature of 2K PRO-AM, so that was also quite a downer. Sure, he was a beast on the boards and blocking shots, but constantly missing layups wears you down after a while. A weird continuity error in the story was also jarring, as a stint for the Los Angeles Lakers late in the previous season meant my rookie season for the Hawks was actually my sophomore season.Īnother point against this player was that I had limited success online. I think it says a lot about my patience that I not only returned to the mode but also won the championship in the following season. Indeed, after winning the game originally, I had to play it again, and I ultimately lost. With that said, the experience was ultimately soured by a server glitch on game seven of the NBA Finals that cost me the championship. In this iteration of M圜AREER, I had arguably my favourite sidekick in Trae Young and enjoyed greater control during team takeovers. Not many NBA players stood a chance when I was patrolling the paint. Single-game and regular-season block records tumbled, and quadruple doubles were commonplace I even managed a few 5×10 games. This centre build, however, was dominant in M圜AREER. While it certainly helped our overall paint presence, it ultimately meant I was taken away from the three-point game, something I previously excelled in. I created a 7’3” behemoth in the hope of solving an ongoing problem we were having online rebounding. #4: Centre – Rebounding Rim Protector (NBA 2K19)Īfter skipping NBA 2K18, I returned to the NLSC squad in NBA 2K19. Yet, despite shooting only 25% from beyond the arc, my raw stats across the board were impressive, and I managed to win a title with the post-big-three Spurs. I played my one season with San Antonio sporadically, partly due to my woeful perimeter shooting. The most fun I had with this build was online and with all due respect to Andrew, Q and zzcoolj21, who were all great teammates, that’s never a good sign. I never felt particularly invested in my teammates either – and if this image is anything to go by, DeMar DeRozan didn’t like me much either. However, this stint was short-lived since 2K often wants to revert to default rotations in M圜AREER. I felt like I unlocked my player’s limitless potential when I shifted to point guard after Dejounte Murray’s injury. Ultimately, though, the biggest flaw of this campaign was that I was playing in the wrong position. There were a few things that didn’t sit right about this experience, including getting a DNP in the opening game and the shameless Beats promotions. #5: Shooting Guard – Two-Way Pass-First Guard (NBA 2K20)Ī leftie shooting guard with a flair for driving to the hoop and making flashy passes? Surely this would have been the best M圜AREER experience of all time, right? So, I’m going to rank each of my last five M圜AREER campaigns on PS4 from worst to best. For this reason, I played a different position for each game.Įvery situation had its strengths and weaknesses, but some stood out more than others. During my run on PS4, I made a conscious decision to make each M圜AREER experience unique. However, it wasn’t until I purchased my PS4 that I played the game annually (except for NBA 2K18). M圜AREER has been a part of my basketball video game experience ever since I first picked up the mode in NBA 2K10, back when it was called My Player. What’s that? A surprise edition of The Sunday Substitute to start the new year? With the next generation of consoles here, I’ve decided to reflect on my PS4 M圜AREER experiences and rank them from worst to best.

[moviejersey]

[ad_1] LeBron James obtained a hero’s welcome on the Drew League on Saturday, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN, however Lakers followers shall be extra excited by what he stated than what he did on the courtroom.“I’m one hundred pc wholesome,” James instructed ESPN in an interview throughout his sport.It was James’ first time taking part in in public because the begin of April. He missed 26 video games final season, together with seven of the Lakers’ final eight common season contests, with a sprained left ankle, because the staff dropped into eleventh place within the West. James confirmed no lingering results from the ankle harm as he thrilled an overflow crowd on the Drew League, a Los Angeles custom in pro-am basketball for practically 50 years. He had 42 factors, 16 rebounds, 4 steals and three assists as his staff rallied to win an in depth sport. James performed alongside one other NBA star, DeMar DeRozan, who posted 30 factors and 14 rebounds.Kyrie Irving was additionally rumored as a potential Drew League participant, however he spent the day at a ladies basketball abilities camp run by Lakers assistant coach Phil Helpful.James’ presence prompted followers to begin lining up round 7 a.m. Pacific Time, regardless that his sport didn’t begin till 1:45 p.m., based on Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Instances. The standing-room-only crowd reacted to all the pieces he did, gasping when he missed his first shot and cheering loudly when he adopted that by sinking a three-pointer. “The day was loopy. A man all people needed to come back watch, it was already packed early within the morning,” stated former NBA participant Casper Ware Jr. “I [was] looking for a option to get individuals in, my shut associates and all this and quite a lot of them couldn’t even get in. He simply introduced that sort of environment the place there’s no room on the baseline to face or wherever. It’s simply the vitality he brings all over the place he goes.” (function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.5&appId=125075807517358"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); [ad_2] Source link

[saipparn]

Bobby Portis returning to Bulls might be what Patrick Williams needs

Bobby Portis wasn’t naming names.

Then again, the former Bull-turned-Bucks cult hero didn’t need to.

After a statement win for the defending NBA champs in Game 3 on Friday, Portis was talking about his mindset in the laugher. He had 18 points and 16 rebounds in just 25 minutes as the replacement for Khris Middleton (knee) in the starting lineup.

“Play with confidence,’’ Portis said. “That’s the biggest thing. Playing with confidence is a big thing out there on the basketball court, and you know who’s confident and you know who’s not.’’

Who did not?

The player Portis was assigned to guard at the start of the game and didn’t end up needing to guard — Patrick Williams. Instead, the Bucks used Portis to help double-team and push Bulls scorers DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine to their left hands all night, making them relatively ineffective.

That change was made possible by yet another passive and ineffective performance by Williams.

It’s important to note that Williams finished the game with nine shots, which was the same amount in his solid performance in Game 2, when he had 10 points and nine rebounds in a Bulls win.

But stats can be deceiving.

In the first quarter of Game 3, in which the Bucks outscored the Bulls 33-17 and established their defensive game plan, Williams took just two shots. The Bucks left him relatively open in the eight minutes when he was guarded by Portis.

Williams took two more shots in the second quarter as the Bucks stretched the lead to 60-41 at halftime, all but ending any hopes the Bulls had of taking control of the series.

Williams, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft, took four more shots in mop-up time in the fourth. He missed them all to finish the night 0-for-9 from the field with one point and four rebounds.

That’s unacceptable. Not just from a top-five pick, but from any player in the starting lineup.

“The playoffs, it’s all-in,’’ Portis said. “Every guy that steps out there needs to know his role and what he needs to do on the floor to impact winning.’’

At just 20 years old and experiencing his first postseason, of course Williams doesn’t know that. But the Bulls have to wonder when something will click for him? “Passive Pat’’ is not a nickname any player wants.

Besides, the excuses about his age and experience are starting to run thin, especially in a postseason where other 20-year-olds are not only making winning plays, but in some cases dominating (see the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards).

If Williams isn’t ready, putting him on a playoff stage as a starter might not be the best decision.

Since he was drafted out of Florida State, Williams basically has been handed a starting job. It might be time for him to compete for it next year, showing more than he did in beating out an undersized Javonte Green this season and a lame-duck Lauri Markkanen last season.

Which brings us back to Portis.

He owns a $4.5 million player option next season. If Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas can free up salary, bringing Portis back to the organization that drafted him would be a good move.

He’d be an emotional spark plug for a team that too often looks like it would rather be in church singing. But more importantly, he would be real competition for Williams, who might need to be pushed, especially in that confidence department.

[junker-town]

DeMar DeRozan hunted Giannis Antetokounmpo to save the Bulls in Game 2

DeMar DeRozan said he wouldn’t shoot 6-of-25 again. Then he scored 41 points vs. Bucks to save Chicago Game 2.

DeMar DeRozan has a history of coming up short in the NBA Playoffs. DeRozan led the Toronto Raptors to 50+ wins in each of his last three years with the franchise before routinely getting smoked by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the postseason. DeRozan was eventually traded to the San Antonio Spurs as the headliner in a package for Kawhi Leonard, who immediately led the Raptors to their first ever NBA championship.

Now at age-32, DeRozan has put together the most prolific season of his career with the Chicago Bulls, one that saw him average a career-high 28 points per game while putting his name in the MVP conversation. The regular season success still didn’t silence doubters about his playoff failures, and his Game 1 performance against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round only gave his critics more ammunition.

DeRozan shot only 6-of-25 from the field in Chicago’s Game 1 loss in what was one of his worst efforts of the year. After the game, DeRozan told reporters there was “no way in hell” he was going to shoot 6-of-25 again.

"No way in hell I shoot 6 for 25 again" — DeMar DeRozan#NBAPlayoffs #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/QB0K3EPCU6

— ’ (@_Talkin_NBA) April 18, 2022

NBA fans immediately got off jokes at DeRozan’s expense after hearing the quote. DeRozan had his fair share of poor shooting nights in the playoffs during his time with the Raptors, and he seemed to be tempting the basketball gods by saying it wasn’t going to happen again. With two of the game’s best defenders in Jrue Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo staring him down on every possession, it felt like a bold claim to make.

The Bulls were again a double-digit underdog as the series returned to Milwaukee for Game 2. DeRozan missed his first jump shot of the game, and then missed his next two jumpers as well. A less confident player might have been shaken by such a start, but not DeRozan. Eventually, DeRozan found his way into some easy buckets, and by halftime the Bulls led by 63-49 behind 12 points from DeMar.

Milwaukee made a change in the second half without injured big man Bobby Portis, moving Antetokounmpo to the five and changing his defensive assignment so he could switch any screen on DeRozan. The Bucks chipped away at the lead, and eventually the game came down to an individual matchup between the teams’ two biggest stars: the two-time MVP in Giannis vs. the veteran wing with a history of playoff failure.

All DeRozan did was go 8-of-9 from the field when guarded by Giannis, according to NBA.com’s matchup data. The only time Antetokounmpo stopped him was on a ferocious block near the basket. Otherwise, DeRozan was calmly draining jumper after jumper over Giannis’ outstretched arm.

Here’s a video of every matchup between DeRozan and Antetokounmpo from Game 2.

There are several instances of Antetokounmpo playing in a deep drop like Brook Lopez, which played perfectly into DeRozan’s midrange heavy attack. When Giannis did get to the level of the screen defensively, he seemed a step slow to contest, possibly because he didn’t want to foul DeRozan on his jumpers like so many other suckers this season.

Giannis is my pick for the best defender alive, but DeRozan kept him off-balance by leading the dance in the halfcourt. Giannis didn’t know which way DeRozan was going, and he was worried about getting got on his signature pump fake. With the game on the line and the Bulls’ up three in the final seconds, DeRozan got the ball after two offensive rebounds, drove to the lane, and finished through contact from Antetokounmpo to seal the win.

DeRozan ended the night with 41 points on 16-of-31 shooting. He was right: there was no way in hell he was shooting 6-of-25 again.

This was nothing new for DeRozan this year. He took 71 percent of his attempts from midrange — with 41 percent of them coming from ‘long midrange’ — according to Cleaning the Glass, which led all players. He made 49 percent of his midrange shots — and 46 percent of his ‘long midrange’ shots — two numbers that are incredibly impressive compared to league-wide averages.

This was the DeRozan that Bulls fans watched all season — but not the same player NBA fans are used to seeing come up short in the playoffs. DeRozan is simply a more confident offensive player at age-32, knowing his exact spots on the floor and owning a deep bag of tricks to get defenders feeling uncomfortable. His game is old-school in a late-’90s kind of way: he’s taking the type of long midrange shots the Bucks want to surrender, but he makes them more efficiently than just about anyone.

DeRozan called his shot and came through for the Bulls in Game 2. With Middleton now likely set to miss time after spraining his MCL in the second half, the Bulls might really have a shot to make this series interesting now. If it happens, it will mainly be because DeRozan is ready to shine on the biggest stage possible.

[pparn]

Warriors roll to most lopsided win, beat Bulls 138-96

CHICAGO -- — The Golden State Warriors were in a rut and in need of a breather. They sure got one.

Andrew Wiggins scored 21 points, Stephen Curry added 19 and the Warriors rolled to their most lopsided win of the season, dominating the Chicago Bulls 138-96 on Friday night.

Rookie Jonathan Kuminga finished with 25 points and Jordan Poole scored 22.

The Warriors broke out of their slump in a huge way, pulling away early after dropping four of five. It was just the sort of easy win they were seeking coming off a lopsided loss at defending champion Milwaukee the previous night.

“We came out pretty determined,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “Obviously, they were behind the 8-ball almost immediately when Zach (LaVine) got injured.”

The Bulls lost LaVine to a left knee injury in the opening minutes. They got booed off the court trailing 78-47 at halftime and wound up with their worst loss this season.

Wiggins scored 20 in the first half and shot 8 of 11 in the game while making three 3-pointers. Curry shook off a slow start in a total turnaround for the Warriors after they trailed 77-38 at halftime in Milwaukee on Thursday.

Poole nailed five 3-pointers, and the Warriors made it look easy even though they were missing Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

“If you’re a good team, good things usually happen and you can usually bounce back,” Curry said. “I just like the way we responded.”

Nikola Vucevic had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago. Coby White added 20 points, and DeMar DeRozan scored 17.

But the Bulls lost for the third time in four games after winning nine straight to match their best streak since the end of the 2010-11 regular season.

LAVINE HURT

Things took an alarming turn for them when LaVine — who tore the ACL in his left knee playing for Minnesota in February 2017 — was hurt in the opening minutes.

Coach Billy Donovan said he thinks LaVine felt some discomfort going for an offensive rebound and tried to play through it. LaVine walked gingerly toward the locker room with 8:28 left in the first quarter. He never went to the ground.

The All-Star and Olympic gold medal winner was scheduled to have an MRI on Saturday. Donovan said LaVine was not traveling with the team to Boston for Saturday’s game. The Bulls visit Memphis on Monday before hosting Cleveland two days later.

“The MRI will tell a lot more once he gets that done,” Donovan said. “I don’t want to sit there and speculate that they’ve got more concern or not."

PULLING AWAY

Things didn't get any better for Chicago after LaVine exited the game. The Bulls took another lopsided loss after getting blown out by Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets two nights earlier.

The Warriors led 37-28 through the first quarter despite just two points from Curry, then outscored Chicago 41-19 in the second. The 78 points were the most in a half for Golden State this season and the most allowed by the Bulls.

Curry scored the first six points in an 11-0 run that Wiggins finished with a driving bank shot, making it 54-33 with about 7 minutes left in the half.

TIP-INS

Warriors: The Warriors rested Thompson as planned after he played 20 minutes at Milwaukee in his third game back. They plan to “bump him up a little bit” when they visit Minnesota on Sunday, Kerr said. The five-time All-Star missed 2 1/2 years because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament and an Achilles tendon injury. ... Kerr is “hopeful” Green (left calf tightness) returns Tuesday when the Warriors host Detroit. Green missed his third consecutive game and Kerr said it makes more sense to have him continue rehabbing in the Bay Area rather than join the team at Minnesota.

Bulls: G Alex Caruso was not planning to travel with the team to Boston and Memphis. He missed his 11th game in a row, the past five because of COVID-19 after being sidelined with a sprained left foot. ... The Bulls signed F Malcolm Hill to a 10-day hardship contract. Hill played at Illinois from 2013-14 to 2016-17 and grew up near St. Louis in Belleville, Ill. สล็อตเว็บตรงไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์

[defensefilms]

Previews And Predictions For 1st Round Of The NBA Playoffs

1. Dallas Mavericks vs Utah Jazz

Look, if Luka Doncic is injured, then there isn’t much to talk about here and the Jazz should sweep these guys, but they’re the Jazz, so they’ll do it in 6.

The more interesting subplot here, is the chemistry between Utah’s best players in Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. 

Ever since that Rudy Covid-19 interview which turned out to be a bad look, things haven’t been right between these two, but beyond that, is the fact that Rudy Gobert tends to call out his teammates in interviews and that look to have way more to do with any apparent animus between the two.

The result has been Rudy Gobert getting the “Kristapz Porzingis” treatment any time he gets a mismatch under the rim, and Jazz players, Donovan Mitchell in particular just refuse to pass him the ball. 

I for one, consider Rudy Gobert to be the best player on the Jazz, and consider him their leader because he is a top 5 center and defensive player in the league, and I don’t know if Mitchell is a top 5 shooting guard. We can debate that. 

So by far those two guys, are the story of the series, in a series the Jazz should dominate.

2. Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls

May turn out to be among the more lopsided matchups of the series, and really the question here is how long can the Bull hold on? Can they win 1 game and then win another to really turn it into a series.

But the reality here is that Milwaukee should dominate. 

DeMar DeRozan will try to help them stave off elimination, maybe he can average some career playoff highs and I think I’ll view his season as a success if he averages 25-28 points per game for this series, Zach Lavine should help out too.

But all that is a whole lot of preamble for what should play out, which is a dominant Bucks performance to end this series in no more than 5 games.

3. Golden State Warriors vs Denver Nuggets

I couldn’t think of a worse time for the Nuggets to play against Golden State.

It’s starting to appear very likely that Steph Curry will be back from a foot injury that kept him off the court for the last part of the regular season.

That swing the series big time, because this was a close series until we realized the Warriors were getting their best player back.

Remember Jamal Murray won’t be back for a while and Michael Porter Jr has been out for most of this season. So this truly is Jokic vs the Warriors. This is going to be an uphill battle for the Nuggets with Steph returning.

But if Jokic somehow pulled it off, this here would be the shining moment of Nikola Jokic’s career because not a single dude on the Warriors is going to be able to stop him, which brings you to the first and most interesting part of this series, which is, how do the Warriors stop Jokic?

I don’t think they can. I think Jokic is getting ready to average 28-34 points per game and the Warriors will opt to guard the players off the ball as opposed to bodying up on Jokic, because they don’t have a body that can do that.

Look. Should Steph be back, then this series is over in 5 games.

4. Memphis Grizzlies vs Minnesota Timberwolves

This is going to be so much fun to watch.

The Memphis Grizzlies have been awesome this year, they’ve shot teams out the gym, played above the rim through Ja Morant and have been the party bus team of the year.

In contrast their opponents from Minnesota will feel that arriving at this point was a long time coming. 

Minnesota were awesome in their play in victory over the Clippers.

Charles Barkley was on NBA TNT calling the Timberwolves “one of the dumbest teams he’s ever seen play basketball”, and what I think Charles is alluding to, is the T-Wolves pace of play, which just like the Grizzlies, is among the fastest in the league.

Sit back for what will be one of the most entertaining series of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

The Grizzlies are most people’s favorite but the two teams tied the regulars season series 2-2 with neither team winning a game on the road, so perhaps there’ll be a big mental edge for the team that breaks that trend.

Give me the Timberwolves in 7 games but this is a nervous pick at best.

5. Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks

I would absolutely love it if Trae Young and the Hawks did to the Miami Heat what they did to the Sixers in last years playoffs. 

Indeed this Heat team are kind of poised for an upset. They got their act together 

Unfortunately i don’t think that will happen. 

I think Miami have so much depth and will be so good defensively, that it will be enough to beat this Hawks team.

What Miami don’t do well, is rack up points. They do execute well when it comes to moving the ball for open shots but they do not look to outscore opponents and that’s where Atlanta can put a sting in the tale.

I don’t like Atlanta, but if I could pick a guy from their roster I would pick Kevin Huerter, and just for the sake of the troll in me, I hope they make him Jimmy Butler’s primary defender, because if they do, and if the Hawks guard Jimmy the way that you’re supposed to, It’ll be a meme.

That would take over and officially become the story of the series if it happened.

All told, I’ll pick Miami to win the series in 6 games, but if there was ever a time for Trae Young to be “Ice Trae”, it’s right now, because I can’t live with the idea that the Sixers are the only favorite to lose a series to Trae Young in the post season.

6. Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans looked good in their play-in victory over the San Antonio Spurs but that shouldn’t be the story going in to this series.

This is about the Phoenix Suns show and proving that they are indeed like that.

They dominated the regular season and in their first playoff series since losing last year’s finals, it’s time for Phoenix to make a statement to be heard by everyone in their conference.

It ain’t enough to go 6 or 7 games with the Pelicans. Y’all gotta dominate. This needs to be finished at 4, maybe 5 games max.  

Brandon Ingram vs Mikal Bridges is the matchup to watch for me and I  kind of wish the Sixers had found a way to get Mikal, he’s been sensational this year. 

And speaking of guys the Sixers should have signed, CJ McCollum has been sensational for New Orleans but that still shouldn’t matter, this series is 100% about the Suns putting a whoopin’ on one of CP3′s former teams on their road to the 2022 NBA Finals.

7. Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets

Other than the Sixers and the Raptors, this may be the closest series of the opening round. 

This series will have so many subplots, along with high quality basketball and star power.

Starting with one, Kyrie Irving, who faces the Boston Celtics in the post season for the first time since leaving Boston in 2019.

Then there is Boston Celtics coach, Ime Udoka, whose defensive schemes have solidified as the favorite in the coaching battle between him and Steve Nash, and should he eliminate this Nets squad from the post season, will surely elevate him into NBA coaching’s elite.

There is the Jason Tatum-Jalen Brown narrative and how many thought that the Celtics should trade one or the other back when the Celtics season was not looking as promising as it is now, and what better way to kill that narrative than to beat an all star duo like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant?

Here’s the thing, I got too many people telling me that the Celtics are favorites and what I do know is that if Boston approaches this game like a 2 seed favorite punching down at the 7th seed underdogs, they will lose. 

This far from your typical 2nd vs 7th playoff matchup, and I am uncomfortable with the amount of people picking Boston because I doubt the Nets are going to go down easy.

If the Celtics star duo plays their best, and the Nets duo plays their best, I think the Nets win that game. If that trend plays out over a series, the Nets will win. 

A lot of people are expecting Brooklyn to go down in flames, and I think the opposite will happen and the Nets kick out several times, find ways to score with their role players and at the very least, play out a 7 game series, which they win.

And looming on the outside of it all, is the possibility that the Nets could have Ben Simmons on the court at some point in this series.

Let me just say, that is a terrible idea. If Ben thinks the Boston crowd are going to go easy, he’s out of his mind, and honestly, the time for Simmons to participate is well and truly passed.