SB Nation User Blog: David Arnott

Please Come Home For Christmas

David Arnott — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:44:01 -0000

In honor of Christmas, we're running the best Christmas songs of all time over the next couple days. Happy holidays to all. May you all be blessed with love and kinship.

Bobcats Defeat Pistons 88-76; Gerald Wallace is Back With a Vengeance

David Arnott — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:31:09 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

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The Bobcats downed the Pistons Tuesday night, 88-76. Those of you able to watch might be able to offer some more detailed analysis, but here are my snap judgments based on the box score:

-- It's fantastic to have Gerald Wallace back. He scored 29 points on 18 attempts from the field and grabbed 12 boards. He can't fall into a trap of thinking he can shoot threes effectively, though. As with most of the other guys on this team, he should only shoot from that distance to show the other team he might and can't rely on it as a real weapon.

-- Stephen Jackson's line looks like Stephen Jackson's line. His scoring was on the poor side of inefficient, with 13 points on 15 attempts and 5 turnovers, but he also grabbed 8 rebounds, a big plus from a guard spot.

-- Nazr Mohammed's scoring jumps out. Dude played only 18 minutes, but he scored 12 points on 9 attempts and grabbed an impressive 9 rebounds in that time.

-- Maybe we need to rethink Boris Diaw. Just as with Raymond Felton, instead of despairing that he doesn't step up on offense and hoping that he changes his stripes, maybe we should be glad his defense has been consistently solid all year. This game, in particular, Charlie Villanueva only managed 4 points on 2-8 shooting in 22 minutes.

-- The Stephen Graham menace continues to plague us.

What else did you see?

Open Gameday Thread Charlotte Bobcats vs. Detroit Pistons

David Arnott — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:06:29 -0000

TV: None | Radio: 1660 AM
SB Nation Pistons Blog: Motown String Music

Look. If you had one shot -- or one opportunity -- to seize everything you ever wanted, one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?

HoopData Improves the NBA Box Score

David Arnott — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:20:21 -0000

HoopData Improves the NBA Box Score

Via BlazersEdge, the best way to explain it is that these box scores have everything you'd look for in a box score, and they've also added every advanced stat you could want. Combined with Basketball-Reference, we're in basketball stat heaven.

Gameday Preview Charlotte Bobcats vs. Detroit Pistons

David Arnott — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:58:28 -0000

Pump Up Music: Third Eye Blind -- "Semi-Charmed Life"

The Big Picture: The Detroit Pistons have been doing something I love. They bring Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva off the bench, even though Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince have been out with injuries. Gordon has missed a few games due to injury, though, and both he and Hamilton are questionable for tonight's game.

But back to the lineup thing... John Kuester has completely flipped the energy unit idea on its head by starting those guys. By the end of the game, Villanueva is going to get starter's minutes, but by coming off the bench to start out, it deploys him in more valuable minutes. Think about it: As the clock ticks down, each second is slightly more valuable because there are that many fewer remaining in the game. The math is more complicated than that, of course, given the quarter breaks and the points situation, but, ultimately, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a more efficient rotation strategy to have the best players play their 36 minutes compressed into the final 42 rather than have them play those 36 spread over the whole 48.

Key to Victory: Don't get run down by the energy lineup that starts. Jason Maxiell has made a career out of outworking everyone on the boards, Jonas Jerebko is a fine swingman, another second round steal, Ben Wallace is trying to turn back time with everything he has, and so is Chucky Atkins. Against the Bobcats, though, and especially without Hamilton, expect the Pistons to unleash Will Bynum more than they have in recent games. He's torched Charlotte in the past.

For the Cats, it's a biggie: get Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson healthy again. If they're held out again tonight, that's okay, because it's best they come back healed for the rest of the season.

Detail That May Interest .08% of You: Jerebko has played the 5th most minutes of all rookies this season.

Hoping Gerald and Jack Get Back Soon

David Arnott — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:02:58 -0000

We're about to enter a tough period for the Bobcats. They're suffering their first major injuries of the season proper, after wading through Tyson Chandler's and Flip Murray's preseason lower body issues.

Anything involving Gerald Wallace and headaches is scary news, but Stephen Jackson's back injury is also a tough pill to swallow. Especially with Crash's concussion history, they've got to be careful about sending him out there too quickly. However, he's come back and played fairly well after previous head injuries. He and doctors have to worry about long term effects, since he'll probably be able to play through short term symptoms.

As for Jackson, though, a bad back injury is a nightmare scenario for the Cats, given Larry Brown's total opposition to playing rookies. It could be a chance to give Gerald Henderson big minutes with the starting lineup, but more likely, we'll end up seeing Stephen Graham getting 15+ minutes per night, Flip Murray getting a few more minutes, and D.J. Augustin miscast as Felton's back court mate, a situation where both guys' skills aren't exactly complementary.

Get well soon, Jack.

Knicks Defeat Bobcats 98-94; Wallace and Jackson Injured

David Arnott — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:37:15 -0000

More photos » by Paul J. Bereswill - AP

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The Knicks beat the Bobcats at Madison Square Garden, 98-94.

However, the major story of this game was Gerald Wallace's absence due to headaches, and Stephen Jackson leaving during the third quarter due to back spasms. Those two are the Bobcats' best defenders, along with Raymond Felton, and just like that, our wing situation is in flux.

If either of those players are out for an extended period of time, we're looking at big minutes for Ronald Murray and (gulp) Stephen Graham, because Larry Brown can't see past his preconceived notions of rookies' talent levels and can't be expected to play Gerald Henderson or Derrick Brown in the starters' places, as any other rational coach would do. Here's hoping Crash 'n Jax come back, healthy, quickly.

Highlights and lowlights after the jump.

BAD

-- Any time you can play Graham 17 minutes, you do it. I mean, I'm a stats guy, so I can point to every bit of recorded evidence showing that Graham is useless to the Cats, but even if you're not a stats-oriented person, and the only evidence you trust is subjective judgment of observed performance, I still don't see how it can be concluded that he deserves that many minutes. There are guys who are hustle All Stars and guys who supposedly bring intangibles (I love that "intangible" means you can't perceive it, but people still insist they perceive them), but Graham is neither of those things. What does Larry Brown see in him?

-- Boris Diaw continues to erode what goodwill he built up last season. If this is who he is, we can't keep giving him starter's minutes and expect to be a playoff-caliber club. In 24 minutes, he scored 4 points, got 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Oh, and he fouled out.

-- Zone defense continues to give the Cats fits. The Knicks deployed a matchup zone for big chunks of the game, baiting Charlotte into perimeter jumpers, which simply doesn't work for them. They were 5-18 from three, for 28%.

-- I understand wanting to get shooters in the game for the final possession, but only if we're down by 3. Why, down by 2, with about 9 seconds to go, was Acie Law in a game ~~for the first time as a Bobcat~~ for the first time in forever? Sure, get Flip in the game instead of Tyson Chandler, but removing Henderson for Law became crazy the moment the Knicks missed their first free throw. It doesn't help matters that Law -- ACIE LAW THE FOURTH! -- took the inbound, dribbled headlong the length of the floor, and then got swatted at the rim by Danilo Gallinari, with nary a pass in the possession.

GOOD

-- Derrick Brown and Gerald Henderson played extended minutes in Wallace and Jackson's absence. They should have played more, but, as noted above, Graham had to play. Amazingly, Henderson played in crunch time ahead of Flip, until the final possession. Whatever the reasoning, I applaud it. Henderson didn't shoot well, 0-3 in his 15 minutes, but he did run the floor and play good defense. Multiple times, he showed off his elite leaping ability when closing out on a shooter, jumping high with arm extended to try to redirect shots. It was legitimately startling to see his elevation.

-- In the 24 minutes Brown received, he beasted. 10 points on 5-6 shooting, 6 rebounds, 1 block, and another block that probably should have been allowed to stand but was ruled a foul instead. The guy has first round talent and a pretty good mind for the game. At worst, he seems like a more athletic Jared Dudley, which would make him a second round steal.

-- Felton did about as well as could be expected, given the circumstances, scoring 27 points on 22 attempts, grabbing 9 boards, and dishing 7 assists. Even without Wallace and Jackson, he's got to understand the odds are not with him when he tries to score instead of setting up others to score. It worked out this time, and the better shot selection he's displayed this season was in evidence. But if we're without Crash 'n Jax for any more time, I still want to see him facilitating instead of taking it upon himself to finish.

Open Gameday Thread Charlotte Bobcats at New York Knicks

David Arnott — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:29:14 -0000

TV: SportSouth | Radio: 610 AM
SB Nation Knicks Blog: Posting and Toasting

I lived in Manhattan for three years, but never made it to the Garden. Craziness, I know.

Gameday Preview Charlotte Bobcats at New York Knicks

David Arnott — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:30:03 -0000

Pump Up Music: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes -- "Wild World"

The Big Picture: Didn't the Bobcats just play these guys? Why, yes. Yes they did. Only one aspect of the big picture has changed since then, and that's the conspiracy theory that D.J. Augustin is on the Knicks' Christmas wish list and this is the weekend a transaction might get done.

I hope it doesn't come to that, but there are two further developments that might spur action from both teams:

1 -- Gerald Wallace publicly called out the bigs for their lackluster performances this season. Both Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler are playing well below their ceilings, but I'm not sure they're playing that far below reasonable expectations. It could be that they just need someone better in the front court, or even just someone different.

2 -- Nate Robinson wants out of New York. Everyone guessed this was coming, but now that it's out there, it might spur some action. He's a nice player, but I don't think there's any way to get him on our squad and move Flip Murray, which would have to happen to make room. Anyway, as noted above, we want a big.

Key to Victory: Don't get caught up in playing a gunner's game. The Knicks aren't great shooters, but they shoot better than the Cats, and they're built to play that game.

Detail That May Interest .08% of You: According to Wikipedia, more WWE Championships have been won at Madison Square Garden than at any other arena.

Bobcats Lose to Jazz 110-102

David Arnott — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:46:24 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Raymond looks personally hurt by the tech called on him.

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The Bobcats lost to the Jazz 110-102 Saturday night. Coach Larry Brown pulled the starters with more than six minutes to go in the fourth quarter, save Gerald Wallace, probably figuring the game was headed for garbage time. However, the reserves mounted a comeback, led by D.J. Augustin, getting within six. There just weren't enough possessions, though, and Utah's crunch time lineup managed to hold on for the victory.

Highlights and lowlights after the jump.

BAD

-- There has to be a certain point after which we can't just disagree with the decision to play Stephen Graham, but try to do something concrete about it. LB played him about 10 minutes before garbage time. Graham has proven this season that he's completely useless to this team, and this game was no different. If he's just going to be filler on the wing while Stephen Jackson takes a breather, why can't Gerald Henderson do it, if only to put the NBA game and its speed in front of him? I've never said Henderson would certainly be a difference maker for the Bobcats, but I'd like to find out if he might be, yet we know hardly anything about what he can do because LB refuses to play him in favor of the proven mediocrity.

Henderson hit a three pointer and played unembarrassing defense in garbage time, which happened to be against the Jazz starters. He should get some of Stephen Graham's minutes. Derrick Brown got a DNP-CD. He should get some of Stephen Graham's minutes. Graham played the bulk of those early 10 minutes after Boris Diaw got his fourth foul in the third quarter, and LB went with a lineup of Felton, Jackson, Graham, Wallace, Chandler. That seems like the perfect situation to play either of the rookies, but apparently Stephen Graham is the coach's son, or something.

Graham in 2009: .154 3P% (2-13). 11.1 Pts/36. 5.0 Reb/36. 1.5 Ast/36. 8.7 PER. This is insane. That I'm highlighting this and we're already a quarter of the way through the season is insane. If I took over player personnel decisions, the first thing I'd do is cut Graham and bring back Dontell Jefferson or another D-League swingman. Make it stop. I beg you, Coach Brown.

-- I was happy to see Tyson Chandler spending most of his time on Carlos Boozer or Paul Millsap instead of Mehmet Okur, but Boozer and Millsap torched the Cats, and Chandler couldn't get anything going on offense. He didn't rebound, either, ending up with 2 points, both free throws, and only 5 rebounds in 32 minutes.

-- Boris Diaw scored 8 points in the first quarter, and then not at all the rest of the game. He did get 5 assists, but he also only managed 3 rebounds. I'm leaning more and more to the point of view that Jax makes Diaw's uniqueness less an advantage than a liability. We'd probably be better off on the first unit with an more traditional power forward than we are with Boris's reverse skill set. Here's an idea: when Augustin is in, he makes an ideal front court partner because they have similar skill sets, and that redundancy from those positions might be particularly difficult to address.

GOOD

-- Gerald Wallace played 45 minutes and was a game changer the entire time. Take your pick of highlights: 30 points on 16 attempts from the field (10-13 from the line), or 13 rebounds, or his ridiculous block on Ronnie Brewer's fast break layup attempt, or the ridiculous block he made on a Deron Williams shot that was ruled a goaltend (I wasn't sure from my upper deck angle). In all respects, Wallace looked like the best player on the floor, right there with Boozer and Williams, All Stars through and through.

-- D.J. Augustin was handed the keys to the offense in a low-stakes situation, and he made the most of it. In the first three quarters, most of his minutes were against Jazz backup point guard, Eric Maynor, but in the fourth, when Augustin did most of his damage, he played against Williams, a far bigger, stronger, guard. D.J. finished with 16 points on only 6 attempts from the field, thanks to a three pointer and going 9-10 from the line. He only got 1 assist, but that's who he is. He's a good scorer in the Damon Stoudemire mold, and when he's at his best, he's also got a little of Devin Harris in him, driving the lane to create contact. When he's allowed to be himself, this is the kind of game that can happen.