Written by: Ian Parfrey
By Ian Parfrey @Ianparfrey
Here’s some reading material in case the Nets-Knicks game isn’t turning out the way you want it to. Unfortunately, this is the last time these two teams will face each other in the regular season. I guess all we have to look forward to is seeing which New York team starts a brawl with the Celtics next.
A question: With the Knicks, Heat, and Lakers all desperate for big man depth, why has no one so much as worked out Kenyon Martin? Is that how bad his reputation is around the league?
Notes By Team:
Atlanta: What’s worse than losing 8 of their last 10? The Hawks lost guard Lou Williams for the season with a torn ACL suffered in Friday’s loss in Brooklyn. Williams was the Hawks’ leading bench scorer, averaging 14.1 points and 3.6 assists. If the Hawks don’t make a trade, rookie John Jenkins is the likely beneficiary of Williams’ playing time.
One down, two to go.
Boston: The Celtics had their 6-game winning streak snapped with a home loss to New Orleans where they scored 78 points. Last night they lost by 15 to the Pistons. It’s beginning to look like the Celtics only get up for big games. Rajon Rondo dominated the ball last night with mixed results: 8 points (4-16 FG), 9 rebounds, 15 assists, and 9 turnovers. The rest of the team had 7 assists.
Brooklyn: Reggie Evans grabbed 20 rebounds in 29 minutes as the Nets salvaged the split in a home-and-away series with the Hawks Friday night. Deron Williams added 24 points and 7 assists.
Chicago: The Bulls scored 76 points in regulation in an OT loss to the Grizzlies, a few nights after they held the Atlanta Hawks to 58. You can tell Tom Thibodeau was a Jeff Van Gundy assistant– he doesn’t like it when either team scores points.
Indiana: Paul George solidified his campaign for an All-Star berth with 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals in a win over the Rockets Friday night.
Miami: Playing center all season seems to be taking its toll on Chris Bosh, who is averaging 4.8 rebounds (in 33.9 minutes) over his last 10 games. The Heat may have solved the problem by signing Chris “Birdman” Andersen to a 10-day contract. Andersen, 34, has averaged 5.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks over 10 seasons. He appeared in 32 games for Denver last season. He replaces Josh Harrellson on the Heat roster.
The league is 20% less entertaining without Rasheed Wallace.
Milwaukee: The Bucks are 5-2 since Jim Boylan replaced Scott Skiles as head coach. Ersan Ilyasova had 27 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes Saturday night– where’s that been all year?
New York: The Knicks played in the 16th international regular-season game in NBA history Thursday in London, beating the Pistons 102-87. Iman Shumpert (ACL surgery) returned to the court after missing almost nine months of action, and had 8 points in 15 minutes. The Knicks have denied rumors that Rasheed Wallace (foot) is out for the year.
This week’s big games:
Monday, January 21– NETS @ KNICKS (3:30pm, YES, MSG)
Thursday, January 24– KNICKS @ Celtics (8pm, TNT)
Friday, January 25– Celtics @ Hawks
Sunday, January 27– Heat @ Celtics (1pm, ABC)
Sunday, January 27– Hawks @ KNICKS (6:30pm, ESPN)
Any word on Rose’s return? That could alter the landscape quite a bit.
He’s pretty close. They’re talking about him having a full-contact practice later this week; once that happens it’s a matter of days. It’s looking like he’ll be back before the AS break, for sure.
When he returns, the Bulls become the second-best team in the East behind Miami. Boozer and Noah have done a great job carrying them, and Rose will bring them back to where they were two years ago