'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 68

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings?year=2010&week=21

25 (23) Pistons 23-47: For one week, at least, let's focus on the positive in Motown: Stuckey ringing up 25 points in his first game back -- even in a loss that dropped Detroit to a demoralizing 0-3 vs. Indy this season -- undoubtedly qualifies.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5018884

Warriors sign Williams, waive Bell
The Golden State Warriors have signed forward Reggie Williams for the remainder of the season.

The Warriors also said Monday they have waived guard Raja Bell to reduce their roster to 15 players.

Williams has appeared in 11 games with Golden State. He is averaging 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He had signed two 10-day contracts with the team after being a free agent call-up from the NBA Development League. The Warriors needed to sign him for the rest of the season or let him go.

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http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/powerrankings

1: Orlando Magic
2: Cleveland Cavaliers
3: Utah Jazz
4: Los Angeles Lakers
5: San Antonio Spurs
6: Phoenix Suns
7: Denver Nuggets
8: Atlanta Hawks
9: Boston Celtics
10: Portland Trailblazers
26: Detroit Pistons

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http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/n ... id=5018588

Noah just happy to be playing
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah is only expected to play about 12 minutes on Monday night against the Houston Rockets, but after sitting out for the better part of almost two months because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot, he will gladly take it.

For Noah, just being back on the floor is a rejuvenating experience in itself. "It puts a lot of things in perspective," he said after Monday morning's shootaround. "You want to be out there on the court. You just realize how much you miss the game. It was a frustrating time. All I wanted to do was just be out there. It was a little depressing. But like I said, it puts a lot of things in perspective. It makes me happier to be out there."

Noah's impact is something that everybody on the team can feel. "It's great having him back," Rose said. "He brings up the energy. Just make sure everything out there is positive. Always getting rebounds, being active out there. That's why we need him out there to play."

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5019516

Paul to replace Collison in lineup
Chris Paul has been placed in the starting lineup against the Dallas Mavericks.

Hornets spokesman Dennis Rogers says Paul will replace rookie Darren Collison as a starter in Monday night's game and Marcus Thornton will start at shooting guard.

Paul has missed the last 25 games since tearing the meniscus in his left knee in late January, an injury that required arthroscopic surgery. The Hornets have gone 8-17 during that stretch without him.

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http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop

The Pistons almost had Joe Johnson instead of Rodney White.

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http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2010 ... e-for-sale

Warriors announce they're for sale
The Warriors said Monday that they have hired Galatioto Sports Partners, or GSP, to handle selling the franchise and serve as their exclusive financial adviser throughout the process.

While current owner Chris Cohan hadn't given any indication he planned to put the franchise up for sale right away, there had been thinking that he would certainly listen if an incredible offer was made.

The Warriors said they wouldn't comment further until an agreement or transaction with a buyer is reached.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/03/22/wolv ... ef:nbahpt2

Wolves waive former first-round pick Tucker
The Minnesota Timberwolves have waived forward Alando Tucker, a former first-round pick out of Wisconsin.

The Timberwolves acquired Tucker from Phoenix in December along with a conditional second-round draft pick and cash considerations for backup point guard Jason Hart. The 6-foot-6 Tucker appeared in four games for Minnesota, averaging 2.0 points in 6.3 minutes per game. He was waived Monday

Phoenix drafted Tucker 29th overall in 2007. He averaged 4.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 51 career appearances.

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http://www.nba.com/video/teams/pistons/ ... index.html

Postgame Recap - Pistons at Cavaliers
The Cavs beat the Pistons 104-79 Sunday night for their first series sweep in 30 years.

Video in the link above^.

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http://www.nba.com/pistons/index_main.html

Gordon To Visit Meijer
Ben Gordon will be appearing at the Meijer store in Chesterfield, located at 27255 23 Mile Rd., from 5-6 p.m. this Wednesday, March 24 to meet fans and sign autographs. Fans can pick up a free autograph card for him to sign or bring a personal item.

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http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/trueblu ... 00322.html

All-Rookie?
John Kuester wholeheartedly endorses Jonas Jerebko’s candidacy for the NBA All-Rookie team, but there’s at least one major hurdle the league’s first Swede has to clear in order to make the cut: It’s a team that no coach would ever have to put out on the floor. The rookie team ballots don’t discriminate by position, so theoretically voters can put five guards on the ballot – and that’s a theory that could blossom into reality this year after a guard-heavy 2009 draft. Jerebko is the highest-scoring non-perimeter player among all rookies. But he ranks ninth, behind guards Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, Marcus Thornton, Jonny Flynn, Darren Collison and James Harden, and also behind small forward Omri Casspi. “There’s no question in my mind he should make it,” Kuester said after Monday’s practice. “He should definitely make it. Is that strong enough?” Evans, Curry and Jennings are virtual locks, which will put Jerebko in a fight with Flynn, Collison, Thornton, Casspi, Harden, Gibson and Ty Lawson for the final two spots. If voters go on scoring, Jerebko will be hurt by the bigger numbers of Flynn, Thornton and Collison. Jerebko might also be hurt by the Pistons’ record. Rookies who’ve contributed to playoff contenders – like Oklahoma City’s Harden, Chicago’s Gibson and Denver’s Lawson – might get consideration beyond their statistics. “Of course, Brandon, Tyreke, Stephen,” Jerebko said Monday, ticking off the rookies that have impressed him. “Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton have been playing good lately, too. But it’s open. A lot of guards out there.

I think I’ve been playing solid the whole season. Could have been better, but I’ve been doing all right.” Jerebko is averaging 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, ranking third in rebounding behind Taj Gibson and DeJuan Blair. He’s fifth in minutes played among rookies (behind Evans, Curry, Jennings and Flynn), sixth in field-goal percentage and eighth in steals. “You can’t measure him by scoring because we don’t run plays for him,” Kuester said. “He just gets things off catch and shoot and offensive rebounding. He’s done a wonderful job. I’m proud of him.” Only three of the league’s top 20 rookie scorers are non-perimeter players. After Jerebko at No. 9 come Gibson at No. 12 and Blair at 16. Nine are point guards, six more are shooting guards and two are small forwards. Cracking the all-rookie team wasn’t a goal Jerebko set for himself after being made the 39th pick in last June’s draft. But he’s ratcheted up his goals along the way – from making the roster, to cracking the rotation, to starting, to contributing in areas beyond hustle plays – and admits it would be a nice capper to a season that exceeded all external expectations long ago. “It’s a great accomplishment and I would have it for the rest of my career,” he said. “So, of course, I want to be in it and I’m working to be in it, but we’ll see whoever gets it.”

Jerebko was one of the last two players off the practice court Monday – at the other end, Ben Wallace, again nursing sore knees, launched jump shots – as he worked with player development coach Steve Hetzel on fine-tuning his face-up game from the mid-post area. That will be one of his primary areas of focus over the off-season, in which he plans to play for the Swedish national team in August as it plays in a pre-Olympic European qualifier. “I’m going to be here in Detroit working on my game this summer,” he said. “I’m going to go back (to Sweden), take some time off, don’t touch a basketball for a couple of weeks. After that, I’m going to work on my game and get ready for next season. Ballhandling, shooting, everything can get better. But mainly my face-up game, making my jumpers and just handle that ball.” Grant Hill was the last Piston to be named first team All-Rookie in 1995 when he and Jason Kidd shared the Rookie of the Year award. Rodney Stuckey made second team despite missing the first 27 games of his rookie season with a broken hand. The only other Piston to make the second team since Hill’s 1995 first-team selection was Zeljko Rebraca in 2002.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/trueblu ... 00322.html

Wallace is officially questionable for Tuesday’s game at The Palace with Indiana, but Kuester all but counted him out. After missing eight games with a right patellar tendon strain, Wallace returned in Friday’s loss at Indiana but came out of that game with injuries to both knees.

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http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/trueblu ... 00322.html

Kuester on Rip Hamilton, who played less than 20 minutes in each weekend game and scored a total of six points after being blanked at Indiana: “I wish I could specifically touch one thing. Rip is a professional. He’s been in this league a long time and he knows what he has to get done to get ready. He came out here and worked in practice. He’s had games where he’s been outstanding and games where we need other people to pick it up.”

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http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/trueblu ... 00322.html

The Pistons would be officially eliminated from the playoffs tonight if Chicago and Toronto both win and Philadelphia loses.

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http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 322_1.html

Tobias (Voehringen, Germany): How dramatically would it change the Pistons’ landscape if we end up with the No. 1 pick and take John Wall? What would happen if we got the No. 2 or No. 3 pick?

Langlois: Even though the Pistons have a greater need up front than on the perimeter, I think there’s a real chance they would take Wall if the breaks went their way on May 18 and they wound up with the No. 1 pick. Let’s remember that teams aren’t close to finalizing their draft boards yet, but the consensus is that Wall is the clear-cut No. 1 player this year – maybe not by a mile, but by acclamation. I think Joe Dumars and his staff would ponder the possibilities of pairing Wall and Rodney Stuckey, two young players with great physical attributes who could cross-match defensively when needed and even take turns playing the point. Wall is seen, of course, as a more natural point guard, and if they were ever to be paired, Stuckey would spend more time off the ball than on it, but John Kuester would be able to make that call over the course of games based on most favorable matchups. The speed-size-strength combo of Stuckey and Wall would have devastating potential. Of course, subsequent moves would be necessary to thin out a crowded backcourt and restock the frontcourt, but Joe D would be dealing from strength, at least. And if they were picking No. 2 or 3? I suspect it would come down to a choice of Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins at No. 2. If they picked third and Wall and Evan Turner went 1-2, they’d be facing the same choice. The question would be if the Pistons think enough of Turner to take him over either Cousins or Favors. Turner’s a Brandon Roy-type shooting guard, a player who perhaps would become the de facto point guard in late-game situations. If the Pistons think he can become a Roy-type All-Star, as well, then maybe you take him over the greater need in the frontcourt.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 322_1.html

Darrell (Detroit): If the Pistons landed the top pick, would they select Walls in spite of the number of guards they presently have or would they trade down a couple of picks and go after a big man?

Langlois: It all depends, after the full body of evaluation has taken place, if the Pistons think Wall can be a superstar and nobody else in the draft really can approach that level, Darrell. I don’t know that yet – I’m not sure the Pistons are close to making that determination yet. If they think Wall is going to be an All-NBA player for years and Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins, at their best, might be guys who make a few All-Star teams, then they probably hang on to the No. 1 pick and take Wall. But if they think there isn’t a huge gap in the potential of those players, and whoever is choosing second or third offers something too good to pass up – and I’ll again cite the 1993 draft, when Orlando shipped No. 1 pick Chris Webber to Golden State for No. 3 pick Penny Hardaway and three future No. 1 picks – then, by all means, you trade down a few spots, get a player you like a great deal and pocket the assets.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 322_1.html

Marcos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): If the Pistons wind up picking between 5 and 10, do you expect the player drafted to be a starter next year? Second, if Cole Aldrich, Ed Davis, Hassan Whiteside and Greg Monroe are all available, who would you pick?

Langlois: I don’t know about starting or not – it all depends on what the rest of the roster looks like. But at 5, 6 or 7, I think the Pistons definitely would come away with a player good enough to crack the rotation. At 8 or beyond, it’s a little less certain. My choice would come down to Davis or Monroe, and it would depend on what I saw in individual workouts. I’d try to get them both in town on the same day to go against each other. An oversimplified evaluation is that Davis is more athletic, Monroe more skilled.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 322_1.html

Justin (Reed City, Mich.): Let’s say you are in the shoes of Joe D and you have the No. 4 pick. Let’s say Turner, Wall and Cousins are gone. Do you trade up? Who would you pick?

Langlois: Probably a moot point, because I don’t think the Pistons will be picking No. 4. Like all 14 lottery teams, they’ll have a chance to pick 1, 2 or 3. But if you don’t get one of the top three picks, then picks 4-14 are determined by record. And Washington appears to have the inside track at No. 4 right now. The Wizards are on an 11-game losing streak and are two games behind the Pistons’ in the win column. Not sure they’ll win two more the rest of the way. But, just for fun, if the Pistons were picking No. 4 and Turner, Wall and Cousins were gone, I think Joe D would very happily snap up Derrick Favors.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 322_1.html

Tony (Warren, Mich.): If you had to make the choice today between Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins, who would you take and why?

Langlois: I’ll bet 80 percent or more of NBA teams wouldn’t be able to tell you with conviction today which choice they would make, Tony. I haven’t seen much from Cousins that would scare me away, but there are surely plenty of whispers about behavioral issues that some scouts say is just immaturity and others worry runs deeper. Favors is only 18, an athlete comparable to a young Antonio McDyess and has shown good offensive skills. I guess, today, I’d say Favors. But the draft is still three months away. Lots can change.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 322_2.html

Anthony (Spokane, Wash.): I’ve heard rumors that Joe Dumars has interest in Omar Samhan of St. Mary’s. Is there any truth to that? He would be a great big man to have.

Langlois: Take it for what it’s worth, but ESPN.com’s Chad Ford has Samham ranked as the No. 17 center and the No. 139 overall player. I got a look at him when St. Mary’s routed Gonzaga to win its conference tournament and again in the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. I think he’d have had a better chance of making a mark in the NBA of 20 years ago, but I wonder where he fits in today’s game. Today’s big men would beat him downcourt and make him a defensive liability, I suspect. But I’m guessing the last two weeks have NBA scouts focusing more on his strengths – good footwork and a really nice touch around the rim – and wondering if they won’t compensate for his athleticism weaknesses enough to make him at least a second-round draft prospect who might need some international or D-League seasoning.