SB Nation - Patrick Ewing

Could The Pacers Use More Decorative Banners In The Rafters?

spstevenson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:25:33 -0000

They are the symbol of a franchise. The past stuffed into a single number. The history crammed into the rafters of an arena.

Banners of retired jersey numbers act as bodiless tombstones hung high above the present bundle of front office staff, coaches and players. They wave in the cross-hairs of high altitutude to represent the past keeping an eye on the present. They're making sure that no one forgets.

On Friday, the Indiana Pacers added another name and banner to the rafters of the Fieldhouse. The man who, along with his brother Herb, helped save the franchise from relocation was honored with his own banner. Now, Mel Simon's marker keeps watch over the blue and gold along with Mel Daniels, Roger Brown, Georgie McGinnis, Reggie Miller and coach Bobby "Slick" Leonard. The pantheon of Pacers pride.

But should the Pacers reserve the Jersey Legends just for the Mount Rushmore of Pacers royalty, or is it time to begin opening the door for a grander overview of the franchise, thus allowing a new society of notoriety and knighthood to grow? The reason it popped into my mind was because of that big, awkward-looking 7-foot-4 dude sitting courtside during Friday's game. I think he's a famous BMX rider.

The decision to either put Rik Smits' name in lights or keep him off guest list is near the borderline for how the Pacers handle jersey ceremonies in the future. When we look up at the rafters 15 years from now, will Smits, Dale Davis, Mark Jackson and others be added to the list, or will it be just Danny Granger (fingers crossed) as the only one joining the hallowed ranks? The rest of the NBA doesn't offer a clear choice...

Each NBA team has its own way of honoring those who have served the team.

Some teams honor only the best. The Lakers have seven franchise players who changed the course of team history during the 60's, 70's and 80's. Compared to the Celtics, the Lakers have one of the stingiest and exclusive banner hanging clubs around. The Celts, the only team that can aptly be considered more successful than the Lakers in NBA history, have 23 numbers and more swaying in their home.

Some teams honor fallen heroes (Timberwolves - Malik Sealy, Hornets - Bobby Phillis), while other teams honor other team's heroes (Heat - Michael Jordan and Dan Marino). Some teams honor franchise stalwarts (Jazz - Mark Eaton), while other teams honor even just the minimal time spent with greatness (Nets - Julius Erving, Suns - Charles Barkley).

There is no blueprint. Each team does it differently. But if you compare teams based on retired jerseys for players who played the majority of their careers from 1980-present, the Pacers rank near the bottom of the league. With only one player from 80's and 90's generation (Uncle Reg), Indiana is right on par with a team like the Knicks, which also has only honored one member from those big time 90's squads (Patrick Ewing). Other teams that had successful runs in the 80's and 90's have been much more lenient in their presentations.

The Suns lead the pack with seven members added in the modern era. The Celtics and Jazz have added six each, and most of the other squads pack three or more additions of players who played in the 80's and beyond. The Pacers are in the "one and done" club with the Knicks, Timberwolves and Hornets.

So there's the spectrum. I can see the benefits of both sides. Keep the list low and reserved for the toppermost of the poppermost and you've distinguished your Roll of Fame for the very best that ever was that wore your jersey. The exclusivity keeps you from becoming like the Jazz, which even considered raising a banner for Lewis Scott from Celtic Pride.

But opening the door to more players who allowed this franchise to stay in Indiana, rise to the top of the NBA ranks for nearly two full decades and also to build one of the best arenas in the league could use a little lovin' too. Hey, and maybe you boost Rik Smits retro jersey sales while you're at it. Everybody wins.

Whichever side of the fence you reside on, here's an opportunity to rank which other players would go first in the jersey line, and where you would draw the line on who makes the cut. I guess I'd go with Smits and Jackson as the next batch of people. If you were running the Pacers, how would you handle the jersey conundrum?

Orlando Magic News for September 1st: Some Stan Van Gundy Tidbits; Dwight Howard In Africa

erivera7 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:35:05 -0000

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Stan Van Gundy hosts coaches clinic
Let's begin with some Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy news, shall we?

Stan Van Gundy will host a Florida Association of Basketball Coaches coaches clinic at Lake Mary Prep next Saturday.

Registration is open now.

The clinic goes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 12 and registration is $40 for FABC members and $65 for non-members.
Who Would Win If The NBA’s Coaches Played A 3-on-3 Tournament?
Aron Phillips of Dime Magazine comes up with a neat idea. (HT: magicfaninTN)

When I heard this weekend that new Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis was mostly likely going to add Bill Laimbeer and Reggie Theus to his staff, this got me thinking: If there was a 3-on-3 tournament amongst the NBA’s current coaching staff, who would win?

Magic: Stan Van Gundy (college basketball for his father at SUNY Brockport), Patrick Ewing (17 seasons, 11 NBA All-Star Games and one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history) and Steve Clifford (four years with the University of Maine at Farmington)
TwitVid
Dwight Howard will be in Africa for Basketball without Borders, the NBA's and FIBA's global basketball development program that uses sports to create positive social changes. Check out the video to see Superman.
Are the Wizards one of the ten best teams in the NBA?
Somewhat relevant to Orlando, a few days ago, Dave Berri of the Wages of Wins Journal examines whether or not the new-look Washington Wizards will launch themselves in the discussion for the Eastern Conference Title.

Adding together the Wins Produced of these players we get 54.8 wins. The minutes of these players, though, summed to 22,456. For these minutes to be played, the Wizards would have to average about 274 minutes per game. Assuming the Wizards are not playing a large number of overtime games, someone is going to have to play fewer minutes, and therefore, 54 wins is not quite right (assuming these players offer the same level of production). Nevertheless, it does look like these ten players can win between 45 and 50 games. And with a bit of improvement here and there, maybe this edition of the Wizards can indeed post numbers similar to what the Nuggets did last year.

Of course, we are assuming

- Arenas returns to what he was two years ago.

- Haywood returns to what he was a year ago.

- Miller maintains the productivity we saw last year in Minnesota
NBA Summer Forecast: East standings
UPDATE: ESPN.com predicts the number of wins and losses for each team in the Eastern Conference, as well as seedings. The Magic are projected third.

Orlando's magical run to the NBA Finals didn't make a believer out of everyone, and the sorta-swap of Hedo Turkoglu for Vince Carter got mixed reviews (here and here). But some like what they see, including a starting lineup that features four recent All-Stars, and expect big things again in O-Town.

As always, take these kind of predictions with a grain of salt. Case in point, someone on the ESPN "panel" predicted that the Chicago Bulls would win 55 games this year. No offense to Derrick Rose and Co. but that's ridiculous.

Happy Birthday, Patrick Ewing!

erivera7 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:00:50 -0000

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As is our custom at Third Quarter Collapse, we'd like to extend a happy birthday to Orlando Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing, who turns 47 today. Patrick has been credited for furthering Dwight Howard's offensive development since his arrival to the coaching staff two years ago. Ewing also made local and national headlines after guaranteeing an Orlando win over Boston in Game 7 of the 2009 Eastern Semifinals - a guarantee which held up, as the Magic defeated the Celtics. There have been rumblings that Patrick would like a shot at a head coaching gig in the Association, but has yet to be given the opportunity (which puzzles the mind of Stan Van Gundy) from a team. Until Ewing gets the chance, he'll be sitting on the sidelines for Orlando.

Oh, and there's still his commercial to marvel at ..

Many happy returns, Patrick.

Poll: Which Orlando Magic Player Do You Represent?

erivera7 — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:00:13 -0000

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Jerseys.

For fans, it's an item of clothing that is commonly purchased to support one's favorite player and/or team. For the Orlando Magic, it's not uncommon to see a Dwight Howard jersey being donned by a person, or a Rashard Lewis uni, etc. It's a basic and easy way of displaying fan-hood and loyalty, whenever applicable.

Today's poll isn't a poll, per se, but rather .. a survey, of sorts. For those in the community, if you own a jersey, which player are you representing? If you don't own a jersey, which player would you represent? To be honest, there is no right or wrong answer. Each person has a player that they're drawn to, for whatever reason.

.. or maybe a coach.

Can't go wrong with Stan Van Gundy or Hall of Famer, Patrick Ewing. There's always the option of customizing a jersey, or perhaps, snag an old Magic jersey for Big Pat.

Just saying.

So, what is your jersey of choice?

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks: The Rivalry part 3

DolPhanDave — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 04:15:08 -0000

The 98-99 season was shortened to 50-games due to a lockout, and it didn't begin until February 5^th, 1999. The Heat were able to claim the 1^st seed in the East, finishing with the same 33-17 record as Orlando and Indiana, but held tiebreakers that allowed them to finish ahead of both teams. The Knicks didn't find their groove until late in the short season and squeaked into the playoffs, finishing 1 game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets.

The Knicks got an early jump on the Heat, ending any ‘1 seed always dominates the 8 seed' thoughts. They beat Miami by 20 points at the Miami Arena in Game 1, and took Game 3 in New York as well, and looked to shock the Heat with a would've been series ending Game 4 victory. Miami overcame an 8-point deficit and rallied to beat the Knicks by 15, sending the series back to Miami for a decisive 5^th game.

A defensive struggle, the teams fought back and fourth in Game 5 until the Heat held a 1-point lead in the final seconds. Fate would then step in for the Knicks, as Allan Houston hit a running jumper that bounced on the rim a few hundred times before finally falling with only 0.8 seconds left, propelling the Knicks to an improbable series victory that would be the beginning of a Playoff run that would take them all the way to the NBA Finals, where the Knicks fell in 5 games to the Spurs for their 1^st NBA Title.

The following season would see the Heat win their 4^th straight Atlantic Division title, but this time the Knicks were not far behind, grabbing the 3^rd seed in the East. The two teams breezed through the 1^st round, with the Heat sweeping the Pistons and the Knicks sweeping Toronto.

This would make it the 4^th straight year that the Heat and Knicks faced each other in the postseason, and for the 4^th time Miami hosted Game 1. The series was very evenly matched, and the teams would split Games 1-through-6. One memorable moment from those games came in overtime during Game 3. After Patrick Ewing sent the game to OT by hitting a clutch jumper with just two seconds left, then hit a couple free throws to put the Knicks up by 1 in the final seconds of OT.

It was then time for rookie Anthony Carter to make a crazy shot that would again stir up controversy. He drove the baseline and put up a shot from behind the backboard, which traveled over the glass, hit the front rim and dropped in with 2.1 seconds left. Of course, the Knicks would protest but to no avail, and the two points by Carter would be the deciding ones of the game.

The rest of the series would be a sequence of missed Heat opportunities. Miami held a 15-point halftime lead in Game 6, leading the series 3-2. The Knicks would battle back and take a 2-point lead in the waning moments, and Anthony Carter missed a 3 at the buzzer that would've ended the series had it gone in. Game 7 was a similar story, with Miami going up by double digits in the 1^st half only to see New York battle back yet again, culminating in a Patrick Ewing dunk with just over a minute left that put the Knicks up by one in the final minute.

The score would stay that way into the final seconds when Miami held the ball with another chance to win the series. Whatever play the Heat called must have fallen apart, because of all people, Clarence Weatherspoon took the final shot for the Heat, which of course fell on the way side.

This would mark the end of the Heat-Knicks playoff rivalry, and really the rivalry all together. The Knicks and Heat have not both been good at the same time since then, and all the ‘heat' between the two teams has fizzled out. The closest thing to excitement between the two teams has been thanks to Dwyane Wade. He hit a cold blooded buzzer beater in Madison Square Garden in March of 05, getting right in the face of uber Knick-fan Spike Lee.

Then this past season Wade and the Heat slapped the Knicks twice in Miami, with Dwyane led the Heat back from a 16-point 2^nd half deficit with 24 4^th quarter points in front of a packed house. Then in April, Wade scored a career-high 55 points against the Knicks, falling just 1-point short of the Heat franchise mark set by Glen Rice in 1995. Could any of that spark a new rivalry? Probably not....at least not until the Knicks re-enter the world of competitive basketball.

Every series between the two teams went the full amount of games, and each deciding game came down to the final minutes. It's really a shame that the rivalry didn't last longer because it has the making of something that could last a very long time, especially with all the transplanted New Yorkers that live in South Florida.

Vegas Summer League Recap: Day 6

Jon L — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:00:48 -0000

See these guys? These guys are better than your guys.

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So...we're officially past the halfway point with this Summer League thing. It both feels like it just started and like it's been going on forever. Orlando probably had something to do with it. I had a pretty interesting conversation (well, sort of) on Twitter that got to the heart of what Summer League should be about. I've talked about this before, but there are several competing goals that teams have: see how their new draft picks look on the court with other NBA players, help young NBA players continue to develop, and see if any D-League guys or "Europe" guys can fill in the back of the roster. Is it worth playing your second-year center 35 minutes if he's generally having an awful game and you have undrafted free agents or D-League guys you could look at? Or do that center's struggles mean that he needs more on-court development, and as such should stay out there and lean from his mistakes? I'm not completely sure of what the answer is, but looking at the box scores and seeing so many DNPs makes me go back to the question of whether Summer League is worth it for players who don't already have NBA contracts. If you play a lot and play well, like Kasib Powell did in Orlando, then sure you could say that was a good decision. But too often guys end up sitting on the bench for the entire game, unable to show what they can do while that second-year center shoots 20 percent from the field and an undrafted free agent plays five uneventful minutes. And because teams are playing either every day or every other day, there aren't really any practices to show what a player can do. Perhaps the solution is for the D-League to field several Select teams, thus ensuring that guys get playing time in which they can show they can hang with NBA players.

By the way, if these recaps have seemed shorter the last few days, it's because a.) A lot of these teams have relatively few D-League guys (hence the Select team, I guess), and b.) Not a lot of guys have been playing well, D-League or otherwise. There are players who I expected to have been talking about a lot, but because I'm trying to avoid harping on poor performances (ahem, Blake Ahearn) I'm left with little to focus on. If this keeps up I'm going to have a hardedrtime writing a "which non-NBA players did well in Vegas" post than I did with Orlando. Unless of course I just talk about the Select team, which beat another NBA squad yesterday. Hit the jump for the recap of that one and the rest.

D-League Select 105, Sacramento Kings 89

The D-League team was actually down by seven at the half, but they dominated the second half, including a 31-14 fourth quarter. And hey, I can actually tell you who played well in this one! Othyus Jeffers, Othyus Jeffers, Othyus Jeffers. (That wasn't meant to be a Clarence Carter reference, but feel free to make it one if you wish.) Jeffers again led the D-Leaguers with 21 points on 7-12 shooting and a perfect day from the free-throw line, plus seven rebounds and two steals. I'll be really, really surprised if he spends all of next season in the D-League; a call-up (or an outright signing) should be soon in coming for this guy. This was the first game where Trey Johnson played well without caveat, and he shot 8-10 for 20 points and added a pair of rebounds. Gary Forbes has been playing pretty well, both in Vegas and in Orlando, and yesterday he had 17 points on 11 shots and four rebounds. Coleman Collins shot 100 percent on the day, shooting 3-3 from the field and 4-4 from the line.Kurt Looby took zero field goals, which is probably for the best, but I'll take six rebounds and three blocks in less than 15 minutes any day (though I could do without the six fouls). Curtis Stinson has started both official games at PG, and he's been solid enough, but Walker Russell has been really impressive generally

Jason Thompson had a fairly solid game, with 31 points on 23 shots and 10 rebounds, but also nine fouls. Marcus Landry has played relatively well, and yesterday he had 10 points on 4-6 shooting, though he didn't do much else. Tyreke Evans is a very good rebounder for his position, but the shooting still isn't there. He cut down on his turnovers, though. Did I mention that the D-League team beat another NBA squad, this one also featuring several first-round picks

Denver Nuggets 77, Washington Wizards 70

Nick Young came down to earth a little bit, scoring only 17 points, but it came on 12 shots and he also had three steals. Andray Blatche's numbers looked good again, 27 points on 21 shots, 15 rebounds (eight offensive), three assists and two steals, but he didn't look great doing it. He was exhorting his teammates to make harder cuts on offense, but he had his share of boneheaded plays as well. If you expect me to say another Wizard had a good game, I can't. Those three assists were a team high. JaVale McGee finished with eight rebounds and five blocks, but he also shot 3-12 and by all accounts looked pretty terrible overall.

Sonny Weems bounced back from a poor game to score 17 points on 15 shots and grab 11 boards. Richard Hendrix had a nice, solid game, with 10 points on 4-6 shooting and six rebounds in 19 minutes. CJ Giles also played fairly well, with 10 points on seven shots and seven rebounds, though he also had seven fouls. Ronald Dupree saw his first extended action and finished with 11 points on 4-9 shooting along with three rebounds, three assists and a block

Houston Rockets 87, Portland Trail Blazers 8

Chase Budinger Summer League Jersey Retirement Watch: Budinger had an excellent 17 points on eight shots thanks to going 2-2 from behind the arc and 3-3 from the free-throw line. Maarty Leunen also had a fairly efficient day, with 14 points on eight shots, along with five rebounds and four assists. Jerryd Bayless had 13 points on 10 shots and six rebounds, though he also had only two assists and six turnovers. James White shot 3-4 but more importantly did a good job of getting to the free-throw line, and ended up with 16 points on four shots. Four turnovers, though. Pooh Jeter finished with 15 points on 11 shots and had a game-high six assists and only one turnover. Rod Benson only played a little over three minutes, but he had two rebounds in that time.

Milwaukee Bucks 87, Chicago Bulls 72

Not too much interesting about this one. Joe Alexander's shooting has been improving gradually, and he had 18 points on 16 shots yesterday with five rebounds and three blocks, and Brandon Jennings had 14 points on 10 shots with nine assists, but neither of those are really noteworthy. Taj Gibson has rebounded the ball well so far, and he had eight against the Bucks, but he also had 10 fouls. DeMarcus Nelson has been shooting the ball and rebounding fairly well, and he shot 6-12 with six rebounds yesterday, but he's not getting to the free throw line much and his overall efficiency is suffering (more with Nelson later today). My former college chum Linton Johnson (not really, but we were at Tulane at the same time) played just under five and a half minutes, but he had three rebounds in that time which isn't bad

Toronto Raptors 74, Phoenix Suns 73

DeMar DeRozan continues to impress, with 20 points on 16 shots, and only two fouls and a single turnover. Quincy Douby's also played fairly well, and he scored 16 points on 12 shots, though he also shot 1-5 on his three-pointers. Earl Clark can rebound, I'll tell you that, with 12 rebounds in just over 27 minutes, though he also had five rebounds and needed 12 shots to get 13 points. Smush Parker has pretty much disappeared since the first game against the Lakers. Coincidence? Paul Davis was injured and had to be taken out of the gym on a stretcher, so hopefully he's okay. He always stuck me as a guy who'd do alright in the D-League

Detroit Pistons 96, New York Knicks 73

This game was all about Austin Daye and DaJuan Summers. Daye had 27 points on 17 shots and 13 rebounds despite being what one person on Twitter called "all arms and legs." Summers finished with 26 points on 21 shots and eight rebounds. Jonas Jerebko was less efficient shooting-wise, but he had 12 rebounds, and he's generally been solid in that area. Toney Douglas has been racking up the assists so far, and he had 10 yesterday, but his shooting has been pretty terrible. Saer Sene played only nine minutes, but he had three rebounds and two blocks in that time. David Noel, Ron Howard, Patrick Ewing Jr. and Dwayne Jones all got DNPs. Booooooo. Just for that I stuck this recap at the bottom.

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks: The Rivalry part 2

DolPhanDave — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:15:07 -0000

The first big Heat-Knicks game of the 96-97 season came in April with the two teams battling for the Atlantic Division crown. A controversial 3-pointer by Sasha Danilovic that would've tied the game in the final minute was ruled a 2 after the referee's convened, and the Heat ended up losing by one. Miami still managed to hold off the Knicks for their first Division title and the 2^nd seed in the East (of course Chicago was #1). New York didn't fall far in the standings, claiming the 3 seed.

Before the teams could meet in the playoffs, the Heat had to first get past Orlando in the 1^st round. A series that was much better then some would've thought saw the home team win each game, including a series winning 5^th and deciding game for Miami. Meanwhile, the Knicks breezed through a 1^st round sweep of Charlotte, and the 1^st ever Heat-Knicks playoff series was set.

Game 1 was close until the very end, but Patrick Ewing put the game away in the final minute with a big dunk. The Heat rebounded in Game 2 thanks to a big three-pointer by Jamal Mashburn, and the series was tied heading back to Madison Square Garden. It was there that the Knicks took hold of the series. It was Ewing again in Game 3, but this time it was his defense. He came out to the three-point line to block Tim Hardaway's game-tying 3 attempt, then secured the ball and the game for New York. Game 4 was pretty much all Knicks as they cruised to an 11-point win and a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Game 5 is still probably one of the most memorable Heat games in the franchise's history, and it certainly had a lasting effect on this playoff series and the Heat-Knicks rivalry as well. During the 4^th quarter of a lop-sided Heat win, Miami forward P.J. Brown and Knicks point guard Charlie Ward were jostling for position after a missed free throw, but Brown flipped Ward over his shoulder, body slamming the smaller player. This led to the memorable brawl between the Heat and Knicks, which took place under the basket in front of the Knicks bench, leading to several Knicks leaving the bench to join the fight. Unfortunately for New York, those players were Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, John Starks and Larry Johnson, all of whom were suspended 1-game for leaving the bench during an on-court altercation.

Ewing, Houston and Ward all missed Game 6 while Johnson and Starks sat out Game 7. The Knicks were unable to be as competitive without their core group of players, and the Heat came away with an improbable win against a Knicks team many thought were poised to take down the mighty Chicago Bulls (who beat Miami 4 games to 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals).

Needless to say, the rivalry was in the midst of its most heated times. The following season Miami won their 2^nd straight Atlantic Division crown, while the Knicks fell all the way to the 7^th seed. This meant that the Knicks wouldn't have to wait until the 2^nd round of the playoffs to get another shot at Miami, as the teams would meet in round 1. As if the Knicks weren't mad enough after the way the previous years playoffs went down, New York was also denied a victory by NBA Officials when a would-be game winning tip in by Allan Houston was waived off, apparently being touched after the buzzer. Replays would show otherwise, but the NBA denied the Knicks protest.

With the Heat poised to make another run at the Bulls and the Knicks falling in the standings, the 1^st round series was still surrounded by drama following the previous year's playoff meeting. However this year the Knicks would be without Patrick Ewing, who was out with a wrist injury. The teams split the first 4 games, with neither team looking amazingly better then the other. Game 4 would be another memorable one, and again it was due to a fight. This time it was between former Hornets teammates Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson. If you recall, neither landed a punch despite about 20 being thrown, but the lasting image is of Jeff Van Gundy hanging on Zo's leg during the fight.

Unfortunately, this led to suspensions for both players and the Zo-less Heat lost Game 5 at home despite making a crazy comeback attempt. The Heat trailed by 20 at the half, but thanks to a lot of clutch shooting by Timmy Hardaway drew within 2 points in the 4^th quarter. The Knicks would again take over and soon the lead was back at 13, and the game was out of reach for Miami.

The teams were now even at 1 win apiece in Playoff meetings, but little did they know that destiny was not finished messing with the Heat and Knicks.

The Word from Summer League

Seth — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:36:59 -0000

The SummerKnicks have a few practices under their belts, and all the media types in attendance are buzzing about a couple of young Knicks. Toney Douglas and Jordan Hill are making waves their first Knick practices while Danilo Gallinari continues his return from back surgery. Some reviews:

- It didn't take the beat guys long to realize that Toney Douglas can flat-out ball. Says Frank Isola:

When I see Toney Douglas he reminds me of another former Knick who wore No. 23; Gary Grant, who was a nutty and funny as any player the Knicks have had in the last 15 years.

But when he steps on the court, Douglas plays with passion, heart and has a defensive intensity the Knicks haven’t seen in the backcourt since one of Douglas’ mentors, Charlie Ward, was the starting point guard.

After watching a few practices, Douglas looks like an NBA player who will translate from the Vegas Summer League to the real thing.

I haven't read a word of doubt about Douglas from early on, so I guess that's something.

- Jordan Hill, meanwhile, got mixed reviews. Here's what Alan Hahn had to say:

But the Knicks have seen enough with the 6-10 1/2 Hill to believe he can eventually grow into being a "center" in Mike D'Antoni's system. His mid-range game, quickness and ability to run are the reasons why they want to develop him as such rather than as a power forward. The belief is that Hill can pull opposing bigs out to the perimeter and either shoot his jumper or blow by them with his quickness. I think that aspect of his game (putting the ball on the floor) certainly needs to improve before that becomes a legitimate part of his skill set. But he's young.

Again, especially if David Lee sticks around, Hill can take his time developing an offensive repertoire. If he can run a pick-and-roll and finish at the rim, he'll be able to hang. It's on defense that his size is sorely needed, and that's what I'm most interested to hear about and see this week.

- Danilo Gallinari isn't yet in game condition following the back surgery he had in April. That didn't stop the beat guys from dropping a few pause-worthy Gallo mentions, though:

Howard Beck:

In a gym buzzing with bright-eyed prospects, the most significant figure was a well-tanned spectator standing against the wall with his shirt off. Danilo Gallinari is weeks away from playing basketball, but he has never been more critical to the Knicks’ future

Hahn's Twitter:

As for Gallo, he is physically maturing. Rockin a Riviera tan. U know this dude cleans up at the club. LOL

Yikes.

A few other news items from Vegas:

- Patrick Ewing Jr.'s knee must be acting up, because he'll miss summer league. Hopefully he can still make it to Saratoga, but this seriously hurts his chances.

- Marc Berman finally answers the question that's been troubling me for weeks: Where the hell is Darko?

D'Antoni has high hopes for Darko Milicic but he's in Serbia where his wife gave birth and the Knicks probably won't get to work with him until close to training camp.

Too soon to make c-section joke, right? Think I just made myself vomit. Yup.

- Tonight's practice includes a visit from Eddy Curry, who touched down in Vegas this afternoon. He'll be watched closely by Knick staff, as his value as a player and an asset is still very much in question. Hahn's in attendance updating on Twitter as I write, and just posted the following:

Eddy Curry is on the court. OK he's not going to be mistaken for Jared Jeffries, but he is moving well. Just drills now.

We'll get to see this all for ourselves starting with Tuesday's game against the SummerGrizz. If you're around, check back here for a threads and recaps of all the summer league games. It's SKITA TIME!

2009 Orlando Pro Summer League, Day 2

erivera7 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:59:07 -0000

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"Yeah, definitely. I think it's the most important for me is to get playing time and just keep improving. Being around the guys in Dallas or Orlando is going to definitely help me to become a better basketball player. Competing against Dwight [Howard] or Dirk Nowitzki is going to definitely put me in the spot where I'm going to play against the best guys in the league. I hope that ... I really hope that I'm going to have a great season next year."

-- Marcin Gortat, Orlando Magic

Ben Q. Rock and I are covering the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League at the RDV SportsPlex, this week. For the next few days, we'll be watching the Magic play, as well as check out the other teams in the event. Ben will recap the Orlando games and provide his usual insights, as he always does. Meanwhile, I will chat with various coaches, front office personnel, players, and others, gathering their thoughts on a variety of topics. I'm proud to kick off Day 2 of our coverage .. beginning, right now.

I was able to speak with Orlando Magic assistant coach and Summer League head coach Patrick Ewing, Marcin Gortat, Vince Carter, and Russell Robinson - a player playing in the Summer League for the Magic, vying for a roster spot.

Click after the jump for the full transcript.

Patrick Ewing

Could you comment on your team's play against the Oklahoma City Thunder, yesterday?

We did some good things, but we made a lot of mistakes. We hope that we can regroup from what we did yesterday, come back, and win today.

What are some things you want to work on against the Boston Celtics, today?

Trying to get the guys to be unselfish. When they're making their move, if their guy is open, pass the ball. Pass it, move, rebound, block shots, defend. Just trying to get them play a total game.

Do you think Levance Fields or any of the other players that didn't play yesterday will see minutes today?

Oh, yeah. We're rotating our starting lineup.

Marcin Gortat

Wherever you're heading, are you excited to see where your career is progressing, considering where you started?

Yeah, definitely. I think it's the most important for me is to get playing time and just keep improving. Being around the guys in Dallas or Orlando is going to definitely help me to become a better basketball player. Competing against Dwight [Howard] or Dirk Nowitzki is going to definitely put me in the spot where I'm going to play against the best guys in the league. I hope that ... I really hope that I'm going to have a great season next year.

Have you spoken to anyone in particular about getting advice, given that this is a big moment and you're going to be signing a big contract?

Yeah, I've had a chance to talk to a couple of guys. They all told me that I have to stay humble and just don't forget about the stuff that I was doing the last two years. I'm talking about being the first in the gym, working on my game, improving every part of m y game so like I said, it's going to be a huge opportunity for me. I believe I'm going to get more playing time and my role might be bigger next year so I'm just going to try to show that I'm a better basketball player.

What other things would you like to showcase in your game?

I think I'll show a little more offensive skills and hopefully some of the leadership skills. Hopefully I'm going to have a chance to help the team, being as a starter or being the guy coming off the bench and helping the team a lot.

Did [Dallas Mavericks owner] Mark Cuban approach you personally in hopes of trying to sign you?

I came over to his house for dinner and we had a discussion. That's all.

Were you able to talk to [Mavs head coach] Rick Carlisle and anyone else?

Oh yeah, Rick Carlisle, [general manager and president of basketball operations] Donnie Nelson, obviously ... I had a chance to talk to those guys. I talked to Dirk Nowitzki so they all told me how it is. I asked a lot of questions about the team and everything sounds cool, so we'll see what's going on.

Are you excited to be playing in the Western Conference, if that's where you'll be playing?

That's going to be a new challenge. I've never played in the Western Conference and I'm going to have a chance to play against, I think, bigger competition. We'll see what's going to happen.

Vince Carter

Is there anyone in the Summer League that's stood out to you so far, in terms of individual play?

I've only seen ... this is my second game. I'm just watching my team, really, and getting acclimated with how the offense is running. What they're expecting. Getting an idea of what's going on. I think Ryan, watching him ... he was playing a lot better today than he did last game, so it was nice to see that.

Have you been able to give any of the players on the Orlando Magic Summer League roster any pointers?

I'm trying. I can't help it. I enjoy the game and I enjoy helping my team win, if possible so I don't know all of these guys but yet at the same time, if I can help them, I will.

Is there anyone in free agency that you're hoping Otis Smith signs? Have you been able to speak with him about that?

No, I haven't. I'm still out of the loop as far as what's going on. For me, it makes me feel better when I know what's going on because like I said, I like to help the best I can but we'll see.

I was able to speak with Ryan Anderson yesterday and he said you took him under his wing. What are some of the things you did for him last year in New Jersey?

Just more so ... confidence and his comfort. Sometimes, as a player, coach yells at you or says this and you, kind of, don't understand it in coach's terms or what not. Just to have a teammate that who's been there and who he knows that has his back, I think that was the biggest thing for him was just confidence. Having somebody on his side when ... he had the ability to ask me questions whenever he wanted to. That's what I am, that's what I was for him, and a lot of the other guys, even who were veterans.

How excited are you to be able to play with Dwight Howard and the other players? It seems to be a pick your poison type of deal, being able to play with this team.

Oh yeah, when you play on a team like this that has so many weapons, that's surrounded by a great big man, it just makes it fun. I'm excited about it. I feel like I can get guys the ball ... I'm excited to have that shooting around me.

Have you gotten any pointers from Jason Kidd, in terms of running the point, when you were with New Jersey?

Oh, of course, that's where I learned from ... just his vision, his ability to run the team. Who better to learn that position by him and also, Mark Jackson, who are guys I respected at that position ... Muggsy Bogues. I played with some pretty good point guards and I just think back to my time there ... this is how I feel like they would run the team. I may not be as fast as Jason Kidd but I feel like I can make good decisions under pressure.

Russell Robinson

How did you like your play, today? You were able to play a lot of minutes and get a good burn.

I think I did a good job of running the team, getting everybody involved ... especially early, especially Ryan, he had a tough day yesterday but it was good for him to bounce back. I think we did a good job of playing a team effort, today.

What are some things in your game that you're trying to work on in the Summer League?

Well, I'm just trying to show scouts that I can shoot it with consistency, and that I can run the team. I can play defense ... as I'm known already, so I'm just trying to show my game and play my game out there.

The Magic approached you to play for its Summer League team. Were there any other teams that approached you?

Well, I had some other options but this was the best fit for me and I figured that if I get out here, play my hardest, hopefully some good things will happen.

How do you like your chances of landing on an NBA roster? It's clear that a few teams like you.

I just keep faith. If anything, just go out, play hard everyday, and hopefully things work out for me and I think it will.

What was it like being able to play for head coach Bill Self at Kansas University, playing there for four years and winning a national title?

It was a great experience. Kansas fans are amazing.

Stay tuned for Ben's recap of the Magic v. Celtics game.

2009 Summer League Breakdown - New York Knicks

Jon L — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:00:12 -0000

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Towards the end of last season, the Knicks began paying attention to the D-League, bringing several players in for workouts and signing guys like Demetris Nichols, Courtney Sims and Cheikh Samb to short contracts. That interest has carried over to the Summer League, where New York has invited a fair number of D-League guys to participate. Yep, that's really the only interesting thing about their Summer League roster. The draftees and those D-League guys. David Noel, solid player. Same for Joe Crawford. Blake Ahearn certainly can play. Yep, nothing else going on here. I guess we'll just OH MAN THEY FOUND NIKOLOZ TSKITISHVILI. SKITA IS ON THE KNICKS' SUMMER LEAGUE TEAM. REPEAT: NIKOLOZ TSKITISHVILI IS ON THE NEW YORK KNICKS' SUMMER LEAGUE TEAM.

Ahem. Sorry about that. Full roster breakdown after the jump.

Jordan Hill (6'10"F/C) - Depending on how you felt about Hasheem Thabeet, Hill was probably the best big man prospect in this year's draft. It's not hard to imagine that the Knicks believe he can play an Amar'e Stoudemire-type role for them, and they're looking to move current starting PF David Lee. Hill's been working on his mid-range shot and his footwork, but he's athletic enough to play in Mike D'Antoni's offense, and he's a pretty good rebounder. Then again some people are saying he could be another Chris Wilcox, but I personally think a lot of what Wilcox is now is because of lack of development early in his career, so we'll see if D'Antoni can help Hill develop into something more.

Toney Douglas (6'1" G) - Douglas is a very good defender, something that D'Antoni has never really had from the point guard position. He's also a good ballhandler and a good three-point shooter who does a good job coming off screens, and perhaps most importantly for D'Antoni he's a very efficient scorer. He's not a great passer, though, and doesn't always make great decisions with the ball.

Wink Adams (6'1" G) - Ladies and gentlemen, your host for Password Plus, Wink Adams! Adams is a pretty efficient scorer, though he didn't rack up a ton of assists as a point guard in college. He's an okay rebounder, but his free-throw shooting also could use some work, and it really took a nosedive his last year at UNLV, going from 85 percent as a junior to 68 percent as a senior. His three-point shooting did the same, dropping to 27 percent after being at least 6 points better throughout his college career.

Rashaad Singleton (7'0" C) - Singleton is an athletic center who's still more about potential than being able to contributing. His rebounding jumped up in his senior year of college, but it still wasn't great and came against weaker competition (he transferred from the University of Georgia to Florida Southern). I haven't seen much written about his offense, but he seems to do okay, though his biggest asset is his shot-blocking. (Rashaad Singleton does not sound like a 7-footer -- Scott)

Joe Crawford (6'4" G) - Crawford spent the least season playing mostly with the LA D-Fenders, though I'm not sure what the likelihood of him getting called up was, since the Lakers kept drafting and trading for guards. Luckily for him the Knicks came calling last season, and Crawford is a talented scorer and a decent rebounder for his position. He hasn't been very consistent, but he can get pretty hot from behind the arc, and he's active on defense.

Blake Ahearn (6'2" G) - Ahearn has been one of the best three-point shooters in the D-League for several seasons now, and while he's gotten a couple of NBA looks he hasn't stuck yet. He should, though. He's more of a shooting guard though he's played some point, and while his defense isn't great he's certainly an NBA-caliber scorer, particularly from behind the arc.

Alex Acker (6'5" G) - Acker hasn't really stuck with any one NBA team either, having been traded and spending a few brief stints in the D-League. His shot selection is sometimes questionable, but he has a nice jumpshot and is also a good passer. He's an excellent rebounder for a guard, and he plays with a lot of energy, though not at a consistent level.

Patrick Ewing Jr. (6'8" F) The Knicks actually traded for Ewing last season before cutting him to make room on their roster for...someone, and Ewing has fought through knee injuries the last few years. He showed his talent when he played in the D-League, though, both scoring and rebounding fairly well. He doesn't have much of an outside game, but Ewing does a good job of getting to the line and converting, and he has some shot-blocking ability as well.

Ron Howard (6'5" G/F) - Howard played small forward for Fort Wayne last season, but he doesn't really have the size for it in the NBA. Howard's a really good defensive player, and his experience guarding bigger guys should serve him well. He also picked up his scoring, particularly towards the end of the season, though he shoots almost no threes. Also, his rebounding is inconsistent.

David Noel (6'6" F) - Noel's been a good D-League player, and he's a solid defender and a very efficient scorer. He also comes through with an occasional double-digit assist game. and his three-point shooting numbers are very good The bottom line is that Noel's a really solid all-around player who should be able to fill just about any role a team needs.

Mouhamed Saer Sene (7'0" C) - The Knicks got a look at Sene last season, and while his offensive game is still pretty underdeveloped, he's an excellent shot-blocker as well as a decent rebounder and an athletic post defender. He doesn't get to the free-throw line very much, which is probably for the best since his average there is pretty bad. The Knicks appear to be looking for a strong, shot-blocking center, though, between calling Sene and Samb up last year and inviting Sene and Singleton to Summer League, and it appears that they like Sene the most. He could be an interesting guy to pair with Jordan Hill up front.

Morris Almond (6'5" G) - Almond spent a fair amount of time in the D-League after not being able to crack the Jazz rotation on a consistent basis, but he's a talented player. Almond is an efficient scorer and a good three-point shooter, though he occasionally turns the ball over too much. He cut his turnovers down a fair amount this past season, though, so he's obviously working on that.

Warren Carter (6'9" F) - Carter spent the last few years playing in Turkey, Spain and Latvia, where he showed himself to be a pretty good scorer and rebounder, certainly better than he showed at the University of Illinois where he was a backup for three years. His free-throw shooting needs work, and he doesn't give much in the way of passing or shot-blocking, but he's worth a look, I suppose.

Yaroslav Korolev (6'9" F) - Korolev is a former Clippers lottery pick who never got much playing time before going back to Russia. He's fairly athletic, but also inconsistent and mistake-prone. Despite not always making great decisions he doesn't turn the ball over a whole lot, but his NBA shooting percentages were pretty abysmal. That's based on some small sample sizes, though, and it's Summer League after all, so I guess there's no harm in seeing what he can do now.

Nikoloz Tskitishvili (7'0" F) - Do I really need to tell you who this guy is? He's still considered somewhat of a project, if you can believe that (I'll bet you can). His three-point shooting has improved the last few years in Europe, as has his rebounding, but he's still only been averaging about four per game. It's hard to see him making it in the NBA at this point, after all that's happened and the fact that he hasn't shown much interest in seriously working on his game (or if he has, there are no tangible results from it), but like Carter and Korolev, there's no real harm to bringing him in.

Poll

Are you excited about the Knicks' Summer League team?

Everything D'Antoni touches turns to excitement.

63 votes

How could I not be excited with this many D-Leaguers on the roster?

62 votes

Skita Time!

65 votes

190 votes | Poll has closed