Blake Griffin’s injury has has had many implications
We have a two-week special folks! Blake Griffin gave us an off-court surprise, while his teammate took advantage of a golden opportunity. The Beard tried to put some distance between himself and the other MVP candidates…and wait, did Josh Smith get back to being good again? Zach LaVine took to the skies during All-Star Weekend, and a historic flurry of deals were completed at the trade deadline. Lastly, Big Shot Bosh beat something far more serious than the buzzer.
This is The Weeks That Were.
Surprise! Blake Griffin Underwent Sudden Surgery
So this unexpected news about Blake Griffin getting surgery on his elbow for a staph infection came out of nowhere on Sunday, Feb. 8. He had the surgery on the next day, and now the big question on people’s minds is when will he recover. A staph infection isn’t your run-of-the-mill sports injury, my friends. They are very serious and sometimes fatal ailments. Fortunately, he’ll most likely be fine and be back out on the court in a couple more weeks. Mind you, his relatively small timetable of at least approximately three weeks doesn’t downplay the seriousness of the affliction in any way. Regardless, we here at FantasyPros wish Griffin a full and speedy recovery. Since All-Star Weekend just came and went, lets take a trip down memory lane at one of the most famous dunks the contest has seen in recent memory.
-This GIF can be found at GIFSoup.com
I gave this dunk a lot of flak when I saw it, and I still do. Not to say that it’s not impressive, because it most certainly is. It’s just that for all the buzz this dunk created, it’s essentially an in-game alley-oop that just so happens to be over the hood of a car. You and I have both seen Griffin do far more impressive jams during a game. Like this:
-This GIF can be found on GIF.MockSession.com
I’m not sure the camera angle in the GIF does it full justice, so hows about ya watch it instead? By the way Griffin, if you really want to impress us with using a car as a prop, then maybe you should take a leaf out of the Black Mamba’s book.
-This GIF can be found on GIFBin.com
One Man’s Injury Is Another Man’s Gain
With Blake Griffin out of the picture for a little while, other bigs on the Clippers’ roster would have to play more minutes and have their roles expanded. Spencer Hawes looked like the biggest beneficiary from the outset, since he got to enter the starting lineup in Griffin’s absence. However, it was really DeAndre Jordan who was ready to feast! Jordan went crazy with the rebounds on Feb. 9, grabbing a career-high 27 of them during a 115-98 road win in Dallas. The highlights of this incredible performance are totally worth watching.
After the game, he took the crown from LeBron James at being the best post-game interview. Make sure to turn on the volume for this Vine.
DeAndre Jordan postgame interview. https://t.co/no9QVI4zIn
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 15, 2015
-This Vine was posted by Andrew Han
There’s much more (awkward) hilarity that came into play here, so go ahead and watch the full interview!
The win was a triumphant end to a difficult eight-game road trip that resulted in a 3-5 record. Not only were the 27 rebounds an NBA season-high, but Jordan tied his own season-high of 22 points that night. Chip in three blocks from Jordan, and you have the best game of his career and one of the best performances from a big man all season. He was only three shy of tying Michael Cage’s single-game franchise record of 30 rebounds. After going without a 20-20 game in his first 481 games, DeAndre 3000 has manged to produce three in his last six outings.
Three, you say? Yes, three! The first was a 22-point, 20-board performance in a tough 102-100 loss to Brooklyn on Feb. 2, and this game against Dallas was the second. The third was the very next game, which was a 110-95 blowout on the Rockets on Feb. 11. Jordan’s 24 points and 20 boards helped his Clips crush Houston. Watch Chris Paul allow DeAndre Jordan to snag number 20 below:
-This GIF can be found on Gfycat.com
It’s your move, Hassan Whiteside.
Growing Out the Beard
James Harden finished the best week of his flourishing career before the All-Star break. It started on Feb. 8 in a loss against the dominating Portland Trail Blazers. Despite how undermanned the Rockets are at the moment, Harden wasn’t going to let that get in the way of giving his all. This game illustrated just how well Harden knows how to draw the foul and get to the line, as he converted 19 of 23 attempts from the charity stripe. Most of that was due to Portland’s Wesley Matthews being taken advantage of whenever trying to defend Harden. Harden reacted to that by intentionally making contact with Matthews’ hands when attempting the jump shot and it worked to perfection. By halftime, Harden had dropped 20 on the Blazers, then added 16 more in the third quarter, and an extra nine in the final period for an astounding 45 points!
James Harden with the filthy euro step in transition. #MVP https://t.co/Q6XPSJg9oY
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 17, 2015
-This Vine was posted by Rockets Insider
Harden’s nine fourth quarter points tied the rest of his team’s combined fourth quarter output, as the rest of the Rockets hit just 4-of-18 shots in the final period. The lackadaisical effort to finish the game sealed Houston’s fate in the 109-98 loss, making it their first loss of the season with a 40+ point effort from Harden. Harden’s final statline was 45 points on 11-of-25 shooting with four triples, nine rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and four turnovers.
The Rockets’ very next outing on Feb. 10 against the Phoenix Suns featured another outstanding performance from “The Bearded One.” Any time the Rockets needed offense, Harden was there to bring home the points. Sometimes we saw him aggressively attack the rim and others he would dish the ball across the floor to the open man on the wing. Harden has fully morphed his offensive game into being arguably the league’s most complete and undefendable player.
James Harden crosses over PJ Tucker something fierce and finds Josh Smith for the slam. https://t.co/Al1YE4BBtG
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 17, 2015
-This Vine was posted by ClutchFans
Even as a sixth-man on the Thunder, we knew how good Harden was offensively, but his revamped defense this season is the reason why he is the current favorite to win the league’s MVP award. I bet ya there aren’t any YouTube vids bashing his D this season. The Rockets trust him defensively, and we saw him shut down Eric Bledsoe outside the arch and Markieff Morris in the paint in this contest. Dwight Howard’s absence has forced the Rockets to be creative with their lineups, and sometimes Harden is the guy who is left to play defense in the post. So far, he’s done an admirable job of jamming up significantly bigger opposing players down low. When it was all said and done, he finished with 40 points on 13-of-23 shots, while hitting 11-of-14 free throws, to go along with 12 rebounds and just one dime short of the elusive triple-double.
Before the All-Star break, Harden was putting up 27.5 points per game with 45 percent shooting and 39 percent three-point shooting on the season. He also had 6.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game and is currently the league-leader in free throws converted and attempted. His Player Efficiency rating was 27.61, good for fifth in the league. Numbers like these are the primary reason why the Rockets have still played elite basketball despite the loss of Dwight Howard. The secondary reason is that…
J-Smoove Is Back!
Josh Smith has become an integral piece of Houston’s puzzle and the they look a lot more like a championship team because of Smith. In the 26 games that Smith had been a Rocket until the All-Star break, both Houston and Detroit have gone 16-10 in that span. The Pistons’ jel better without Smoove’s inefficient shot selection, but while the Rockets’ win percentage has slightly fallen since Smith’s arrival, he is not to blame for that.
He has yet to turn in a bad performance this month and now we are seeing the same things that made him so great in Atlanta. First and foremost, his best offensive skill is his passing. His vision and ability to spot the open man and facilitate the offense is top-notch. Just look at this no-look pass to Corey Brewer against the Clippers on Feb. 11:
Check out this BEAUTIFUL no-look bounce pass by Josh Smith to Corey Brewer. #HOUvsLAC https://t.co/pdsCr1Roz7
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 17, 2015
-This Vine was posted by Red Nation Hoops
I get that his 3.4 turnovers per 36 minutes is a problem, but he only turns over the ball so much because he is the main ball handler for the second-unit, and plays the point when he’s on the floor. I mean, it’s tough to blame the guy when he carves up defenses like this:
Josh Smith threading needles on ESPN. https://t.co/GwY1KZ2PUQ
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) February 12, 2015
-This Vine was posted by the Houston Rockets
Secondly, Smith’s shot selection has improved drastically. This was Smith’s shot chart from his time in Detroit this season.
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Below is Smith’s shot chart since going to Houston. It’s showing totals through the All-Star break.
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The difference in shot selection is a reflection of Smith adapting to Houston’s schemes. Only 9.8 percent of his shots as a Rocket came from between 16 feet and the perimeter, which is known as the “long-two,” the least efficient shot in basketball. 25 percent of his shots in Detroit this season were in that range. His true shooting percentage is at 49 percent, which isn’t that good, but in Detroit it was a meager 41.7 percent this season.
On the defensive side of the ball since Smith went to Houston, opponents have shot 2.8 percent below league average from everywhere on the floor when Smith has guarded them. Much of that is due to Smith’s strong blocking ability. At just 6’9″, the Rockets let him play center often because of his ability to protect the rim and chase down opposing ball handlers.
Josh Smith Chasedown Block On Kyrie Irving https://t.co/GJO1TjNK8G
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 21, 2015
-This Vine was posted on cjzero
NBA All-Star Weekend
So the All-Star Celebrity Game is always good fun, but few aspects of the weekend were more entertaining than watching teenage sports sensation Mo’ne Davis spin around four-time Celebrity Game MVP Kevin Hart.
Mo'ne Davis vs. Kevin Hart!! https://t.co/wJzBQqUJHv
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 21, 2015
-This Vine was posted by Steve Noah
This year’s Rising Stars Game had a different spin to it. This time it featured 10 American up-and-coming basketball stars against 10 from outside the country. Team World vanquished Team USA 121-112 behind the game’s MVP, Andrew Wiggins. The Canadian put up 22 points on the night.
As a Heat fan, it was nice to see Team Bosh (Chris Bosh, Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash) bring home the Shooting Stars trophy for the third straight time. The Skills Challenge was reformatted into a tournament style event this year, but it was remarkable to see Patrick Beverly come in as an injury replacement for John Wall and win it all. The three-point contest was stacked to the brim this year, featuring headliners like Kyrie Irving and the Splash Brothers. In the end, Stephen Curry showed the NBA why he should be considered the league’s consensus-best shooter. He ended the finals by hitting 13 threes in a row to score 27 points and topple 2013 winner Kyrie Irving (17 points) and Klay Thompson (14 points). The dunk contest was the main event and it was good to see them go back to the original format, instead of the horrid “West vs. East” three-on-three format they had last year. Zach LaVine easily crushed Victor Oladipo, Mason Plumlee, and Giannis Antetokounpo. That “Space Jam” dunk of his got everyone up out of their seats! Look at all of the 19-year-old’s rim crushing jams in one Vine.
Lavine All-Star Dunks https://t.co/pVnsxWddTJ
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 21, 2015
-This Vine was posted by tim burke
Lastly, the All-Star Weekend’s Main Event did not disappoint. History was made at Madison Square Garden yet again, with Russell Westbrook scoring the most points ever during one half of an All-Star Game with 27. All in all, his 41 points pushed the West past the East 163-158 and earned him the game’s MVP award. His point total was second in the history of the All-Star Game to Wilt Chamberlain’s 42 back in 1962. Watch Westbrook ferociously finish an alley-oop from Chris Paul!
-This GIF was found on Gfycat.com
Best NBA Trade Deadline Ever?
Boy, where do I begin? Examining the barrage of deals that led to 39 players switching teams would require its own separate article, so I’ll go over the three main story lines that people have been talking about regarding the league’s most active deadline in 25 years.
1. KG Heads Back to Minny
-This GIF was found on Giphy.com
Kevin Garnett went back to his original team in a deal that sent Thaddeus Young to Brooklyn. Garnett’s toughness and defensive prowess put the Timberwolves on the map in the first place. Before the trade went down, the deal was seen as Garnett giving the league a two-month final lap with his old team before hanging it up for good. However, Minnesota hopes they can work out a two-year deal with the 38-year-old in the offseason. The Timberwolves didn’t bring him back because they think he can help them tremendously on the court, but moreso to coach up the talented youth on the roster in Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Gorgui Dieng, Zach LaVine, and Shabazz Muhammad. Garnett will again be reunited with Flip Saunders and assistant coach Sam Mitchell, who was a favorite teammate of Garnett early in his career. Seeing Garnett in a Timberwolves jersey when he returns to action on Wednesday night will make me reminisce about my days as an early basketball fan in elementary school. Of course, Wolves’ fans will have even fonder memories that resurface.
Honestly though, the Nets won the deal. They get a 26-year-old solid offensive player who is now in his prime. Young’s detractors say that his $10 million player option next season is too much, and that he is too small to play power forward effectively. I agree with those opinions, but considering the loss of Paul Pierce and Garnett, you have to think that Brooklyn’s roster is better off with Young, even if he is undersized and may become overpaid.
2. Reggie Jackson Rolls to Detroit
Reggie Jackson celebrating on the Pistons' bench! https://t.co/ekZyc1vuXw
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 22, 2015
-This Vine was posted by @TeamRegJackson
The Thunder, Jazz, and Pistons were involved in a three-team deal that featured two main cogs; Reggie Jackson, who was sent from Oklahoma City to Detroit, and Enes Kanter, who was jettisoned from the Jazz to the Thunder. The Pistons have been looking for a point guard after Brandon Jennings‘ injury and Reggie Jackson’s youth, size, and track record of success when given starter’s minutes all interested Detroit enough to pull the trigger. Jackson had wanted to leave the Thunder and go to a team where he could become a starter and make a name for himself. The acquisition of Dion Waiters took away even more minutes and opportunities from Jackson and compounded the situation further.
The Thunder also sent away Kendrick Perkins to Utah in the deal, but the Jazz will likely buy him out, eventually leaving him available as a free agent for a championship contender that wants some extra size, like the Bulls, Cavaliers or Clippers. The 22-year-old Kanter, who was averaging 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in 27.1 minutes per game this season in Utah, will fill the void left by Perkins and projects to be the first big man coming off the bench for Oklahoma City most nights.
Let’s also note that the Pistons sent away 27-year-old D.J. Augustin and 26-year-old Kyle Singler to the Thunder. Augustin will pickup Reggie Jackson’s old bench role behind Russell Westbrook. Singler, who hit 40 percent of his threes as a Piston this season, will likely be rotated in occasionally as a three-point shooter for the Thunder.
3. Miami enters “The Dragon”
Goran Dragic Miami Heat Debut! 02.21.15 #Heat vs #Pelicans #NBA #Basketball https://t.co/PqnxzjZyIq
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) February 22, 2015
-This Vine was posted by HueyHustla
Goran Dragic had felt like he was hung out to dry by Suns’ management when they brought in two other starting-caliber point guards over the last few years in Isaiah Thomas and Eric Bledsoe. Dragic didn’t like that he had to change his game from being the undisputed distributor, to playing primarily on the wing after Bledsoe and Thomas arrived. The Miami Heat have suffered from poor point guard play since the departure of Jason Williams. Dragic and Miami looked like a perfect match, so the Heat initiated a three-team deal with Phoenix and New Orleans and sacrificed four players and two future first-round picks to acquire Goran Dragic, and his brother Zoran, from the Suns.
At the time, many believed that this move would get Miami right back into the Eastern Conference championship conversation, as they would boast one of the league’s most dangerous starting fives in Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Hassan Whiteside.
Both of the Heat’s future first-round picks went to Pheonix, along with ex-Heat player Danny Granger, as they try to build a future contender. The Pelicans received Norris Cole, Shawne Williams and Justin Hamilton from Miami. Williams will likely be cut in New Orleans. The Pelicans also sent guard John Salmons to Phoenix, but the Suns hastily gave him the ax. Now that the Heat have two roster spots open, Salmons may just end up back in South Beach, where he played college ball as a Hurricane.
Overall, the Suns lost the Dragic brothers, Isaiah Thomas, Miles Plumlee, and Tyler Ennis during a multitude of trade deadline deals, but talent-wise they look almost as good as they were before, bringing in Brandon Knight and Marcus Thornton. Going back to the Dragic trade specifically, the Heat got him for a relative steal. The two first-round picks the Heat gave away account for years after 2016, and 2016 is the year when the team is set to revamp itself via the offseason free agency bonanza. Cole was going to walk in free agency this year. Williams and Granger were fringe rotation players, and Hamilton’s role was minimized with Whiteside’s emergence. Just when you thought the Heat were going to lay low, Pat Riley shows up again to build a possible championship contender out of nowhere! Heat fans experienced a piece of the optimistic joy they reveled in during the LeBron James-era, and once again appreciated the fact that they back a franchise that won’t accept losing. All was well in Miami, until this…
Feel Better, Bosh
This story is one that transcends basketball and hits on a more human-level. On Saturday, the Heat officially announced that Chris Bosh would miss at least the rest of the season with blood clots in his lung. Fortunately, Bosh is reportedly “resting comfortably” at a hospital and his “prognosis is good.” No one, not even Bosh, had ever seen this coming after winning his third straight Shooting Stars competition during All-Star Weekend. Eerily, Bosh’s diagnosis came soon after former Blazers forward Jerome Kersey succumbed to a blood clot in his leg that clogged his lungs on Feb. 18. Bosh had even complained about pain in his ribs for a while before the All-Star Break and he said that he was “hurt,” but “not injured.” If you put the pieces together, then it seems that he had likely dealt with this for some time and had no idea, which is quite a scary thought. Whatever the case, we are just happy that he is getting the ailment treated and we here at FantasyPros have our thoughts with him.
I hate to bring up the basketball implications of Bosh’s absence considering how serious it is and how fortunate he is to still be here. Bosh the family man and human being comes first, and Bosh the basketball player comes a distant second. However, considering how important this is from a basketball perspective, it is something that reluctantly must be noted. His absence has taken away the championship hopes the Heat had briefly reclaimed after the trade deadline. Not only is the optimism gone, but the Heat are now in a worse position talent-wise for the rest of the season than they were pre-deadline. Their core of Dragic, Wade, and Whiteside is less devastating than that of Wade, Bosh, and Whiteside. Plus, the Heat have no quality depth behind their starting five now, and lack any options who can play Bosh’s role as a “stretch four.” The biggest basketball question surrounding all of this is how the blood clots will affect Bosh’s career moving forward, since the Heat have invested five years and $118 million in him. Only time will tell, but now the Heat will be able to gauge just how valuable Bosh has been for them, albeit because of a very unfortunate situation. At this point, making the playoffs at all would be a success.
Jonathan Ebanks is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Jonathan, check out his archive and follow him @hogz4lyfe.
