ducks
11-09-2005, 11:21 AM
Surprise parties
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
November 9, 2005
Steve Kerr
Yahoo! Sports Exclusive
STEVE KERR'S THREE POINTS
1. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
T.J. Ford, Richard Hamilton and Gilbert Arenas – Each was the catalyst in their respective teams' 3-0 starts. Ford averaged 17 points and 10 assists while continually breaking down defenses with his relentless penetration. Hamilton averaged 27 points, shot 60 percent from the field, 92 percent from the line and hit the game-winner at the buzzer to beat Boston. Arenas has been unstoppable from inside and out, using his strength and speed to score 26 points a game and leading his team past three Eastern Conference foes.
2. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Gary Payton on his new role as a mentor to his Miami Heat teammates – "I didn't used to say much to young teammates, but now that I have kids as old as some of the guys on my team, I realize they do need some guidance."
3. GAME OF THE WEEK
Thursday: Detroit Pistons at Phoenix Suns – The undefeated Pistons are playing with more freedom under Flip Saunders than they did with Larry Brown. They're pushing the ball and taking advantage of fast-break opportunities while still playing suffocating defense. No team runs as well as Phoenix, however. The Suns run on every possession. Without Amare Stoudemire, the Pistons are a very difficult front-line matchup for Mike D'Antoni's team. Phoenix will have to hold its own on the boards to have a shot to beat Ben Wallace and Detroit.
Several surprising new faces have jumped into the limelight in this young NBA season, making the most of opportunities brought on by venue changes, new systems and good old fashioned playing time.
Perhaps no one stands out more than Smush Parker, who for the time being has answered one of the most asked questions of the preseason: Who will be the Los Angeles Lakers' point guard?
Parker has provided Phil Jackson with an athletic yet controlled lead guard who can shoot the ball and space the floor in the triangle offense. Through four games, Smush has averaged 18 points and 3.8 assists and committed just five turnovers while shooting a sizzling 60 percent. Not bad for a player who has bounced around the NBA for three seasons without much success. Sometimes it just takes the right opportunity for a player to find a home, and maybe L.A. is the place for Parker.
Another surprise at Staples Center is a man who has a locker down the corridor from Parker – Los Angeles Clippers rookie James Singleton. Virtually unknown heading into the season, Singleton began his NBA career with back-to-back double-doubles and has played his way into the rotation for coach Mike Dunleavy.
Singleton is a terrific offensive rebounder and an energy player, but unlike most players who fit that mold, he has a soft shooting touch. His play is a big reason why the Clips are 3-1 and tied for the Pacific Division lead.
The team that won the Pacific last season – the Phoenix Suns – may have found a gem in Boris Diaw. After two nondescript seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Diaw came to Phoenix in the Joe Johnson sign-and-trade and has quickly found a home playing for Mike D'Antoni.
Diaw is a rare talent – he's 6-foot-9 and handles the ball beautifully – but he doesn't shoot well. In Atlanta, he played point guard and struggled to make an impact because of his poor outside stroke, but D'Antoni plays Diaw off the bench at either the four or five position to take advantage of his speed and ball-handling skills.
Being surrounded by the Suns' shooters has made Diaw a lethal threat. He has continually driven around bigger defenders for easy hoops, and his size and ability to defend the low post allows D'Antoni to expose mismatches with Diaw's speed at the big positions, much like Shawn Marion. Diaw finished one rebound shy of a triple-double in the Suns' loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
Diaw's old team in Atlanta made a terrific offseason acquisition of its own in Zaza Pachulia. The former Milwaukee Bucks center now starts for the Hawks, providing Atlanta with the kind of blue-collar big man every young team needs. Through four games, Pachulia is averaging 13 points and eight boards and anchoring the defense. While his offensive skills need work, Pachulia is tough and a very good foul shooter, making 19 of 22 free throws on the young season.
In Boston, second-year pro Delonte West has won the point guard battle for the Celtics and played very well the first three games. After beating out Dan Dickau, Marcus Banks and Oriene Greene, West has displayed poise and control in leading the Boston offense. He's averaging 11 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and has a nice 3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. West's solid play will be critical to Doc Rivers' youth movement.
One of last season's biggest surprises – Chris Duhon of the Chicago Bulls – enjoyed a terrific first week of the season. Duhon had a triple-double in the Bulls' amazing come-from-behind victory over Charlotte and followed that up with a double-double performance in a loss to New Jersey.
A year and a half ago, Duhon suffered through a poor performance at the Chicago predraft camp, went undrafted and appeared headed for a career in Europe. Today, he is co-captain of the Bulls and one of the team's best players. He's a pass-first point guard who has improved his shooting dramatically, and he is a hard-nosed, gritty defender.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
By Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
November 9, 2005
Steve Kerr
Yahoo! Sports Exclusive
STEVE KERR'S THREE POINTS
1. PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
T.J. Ford, Richard Hamilton and Gilbert Arenas – Each was the catalyst in their respective teams' 3-0 starts. Ford averaged 17 points and 10 assists while continually breaking down defenses with his relentless penetration. Hamilton averaged 27 points, shot 60 percent from the field, 92 percent from the line and hit the game-winner at the buzzer to beat Boston. Arenas has been unstoppable from inside and out, using his strength and speed to score 26 points a game and leading his team past three Eastern Conference foes.
2. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Gary Payton on his new role as a mentor to his Miami Heat teammates – "I didn't used to say much to young teammates, but now that I have kids as old as some of the guys on my team, I realize they do need some guidance."
3. GAME OF THE WEEK
Thursday: Detroit Pistons at Phoenix Suns – The undefeated Pistons are playing with more freedom under Flip Saunders than they did with Larry Brown. They're pushing the ball and taking advantage of fast-break opportunities while still playing suffocating defense. No team runs as well as Phoenix, however. The Suns run on every possession. Without Amare Stoudemire, the Pistons are a very difficult front-line matchup for Mike D'Antoni's team. Phoenix will have to hold its own on the boards to have a shot to beat Ben Wallace and Detroit.
Several surprising new faces have jumped into the limelight in this young NBA season, making the most of opportunities brought on by venue changes, new systems and good old fashioned playing time.
Perhaps no one stands out more than Smush Parker, who for the time being has answered one of the most asked questions of the preseason: Who will be the Los Angeles Lakers' point guard?
Parker has provided Phil Jackson with an athletic yet controlled lead guard who can shoot the ball and space the floor in the triangle offense. Through four games, Smush has averaged 18 points and 3.8 assists and committed just five turnovers while shooting a sizzling 60 percent. Not bad for a player who has bounced around the NBA for three seasons without much success. Sometimes it just takes the right opportunity for a player to find a home, and maybe L.A. is the place for Parker.
Another surprise at Staples Center is a man who has a locker down the corridor from Parker – Los Angeles Clippers rookie James Singleton. Virtually unknown heading into the season, Singleton began his NBA career with back-to-back double-doubles and has played his way into the rotation for coach Mike Dunleavy.
Singleton is a terrific offensive rebounder and an energy player, but unlike most players who fit that mold, he has a soft shooting touch. His play is a big reason why the Clips are 3-1 and tied for the Pacific Division lead.
The team that won the Pacific last season – the Phoenix Suns – may have found a gem in Boris Diaw. After two nondescript seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Diaw came to Phoenix in the Joe Johnson sign-and-trade and has quickly found a home playing for Mike D'Antoni.
Diaw is a rare talent – he's 6-foot-9 and handles the ball beautifully – but he doesn't shoot well. In Atlanta, he played point guard and struggled to make an impact because of his poor outside stroke, but D'Antoni plays Diaw off the bench at either the four or five position to take advantage of his speed and ball-handling skills.
Being surrounded by the Suns' shooters has made Diaw a lethal threat. He has continually driven around bigger defenders for easy hoops, and his size and ability to defend the low post allows D'Antoni to expose mismatches with Diaw's speed at the big positions, much like Shawn Marion. Diaw finished one rebound shy of a triple-double in the Suns' loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
Diaw's old team in Atlanta made a terrific offseason acquisition of its own in Zaza Pachulia. The former Milwaukee Bucks center now starts for the Hawks, providing Atlanta with the kind of blue-collar big man every young team needs. Through four games, Pachulia is averaging 13 points and eight boards and anchoring the defense. While his offensive skills need work, Pachulia is tough and a very good foul shooter, making 19 of 22 free throws on the young season.
In Boston, second-year pro Delonte West has won the point guard battle for the Celtics and played very well the first three games. After beating out Dan Dickau, Marcus Banks and Oriene Greene, West has displayed poise and control in leading the Boston offense. He's averaging 11 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and has a nice 3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. West's solid play will be critical to Doc Rivers' youth movement.
One of last season's biggest surprises – Chris Duhon of the Chicago Bulls – enjoyed a terrific first week of the season. Duhon had a triple-double in the Bulls' amazing come-from-behind victory over Charlotte and followed that up with a double-double performance in a loss to New Jersey.
A year and a half ago, Duhon suffered through a poor performance at the Chicago predraft camp, went undrafted and appeared headed for a career in Europe. Today, he is co-captain of the Bulls and one of the team's best players. He's a pass-first point guard who has improved his shooting dramatically, and he is a hard-nosed, gritty defender.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.