For the life of me, I can’t figure out what has happened – and, continues to happen – to the Indiana Pacers.
By all rights the Pacers should have already won a title. Over the past two seasons, they consistently outplayed the Miami Heat, but just couldn’t close the deal when it was in their grasp. This is not to take anything away from the Heat; they got the job done when it mattered and the Pacers didn’t. But that’s all history, anyway.
Let’s talk about right now.
The Pacers have a team that is deep, physical, and built to win in the grueling postseason. Everyone is well aware that they stumbled down the home stretch of the regular season, and had to fight to keep their number one seed in the playoffs.
In the first round, the Atlanta Hawks – the eighth seed – pushed the Pacers to brink of elimination, and frankly, looked better than the Pacers for most of the series. Only via a gutty fourth quarter performance by David West in game seven are the Pacers in the second round. After their poor performance in the first round, no one would be surprised if they were eliminated in the second, as they take on the Wizards. The Wizards are not really young, but they do have two very young elite talents in the backcourt. For those interested in wagering on these matchups, platforms like ยูฟ่าเบท แพลตฟอร์มเดิมพันกีฬา offer opportunities to engage with the excitement of the games while adding an extra layer of thrill.
The first game looked like what most of us would expect, given what we’ve seen so far from both of these teams. The Wizards looked better than the Pacers, even playing on Indiana’s home court. John Wall and Bradley Beal looked unstoppable, especially Beal, and the Pacers look like they don’t even want to be there. Pacers fans have to be discouraged and in a bit of shock of what they are seeing unfold right in front of them.
To be clear, the Wizards have some talent, but it’s not the kind of team you would expect to look like they clearly outmatch the number one seed. One the surface, they have elite wings in Wall and Beal. Nene is a top center and they have depth in the post with Gortat and Drew Gooden. Trevor Ariza has done some nice things. But no one would expect that they (or, frankly, the Hawks) would be making the Pacers look like they shouldn’t have even have made the playoffs.
In an NBA playoff year that been one of the best in some time, the Pacers no longer look like the dark horse. It’s somewhat baffling – is it locker room issues? Has the roster aged to a point where it looks better on paper than in reality?
Will Frank Vogel, who up until a month ago, was being heralded as one of the brightest coaching lights in the NBA, be able to keep his job if the Pacers can’t suddenly start looking like, well, the Pacers?
One thing is certain: as of this moment the Pacers cannot be considered a serious title contender and, while the Heat are the number two seed, they clearly look like the East’s strongest candidate thus far. The Pacers may be on the brink of becoming yet another team that was built for success but could never get over the hump. As a basketball fan, I’m much more excited by what Washington is doing than Indiana, and I would wager most NBA fans feel the same.
The 62nd annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament recently concluded this past Easter weekend in beautiful Portsmouth, VA. Dozens of European scouts, agents, and teams were on hand to watch the some of the top collegiate seniors in the nation compete in a 3 game tournament. In addition to overseas representatives, nearly every NBA and NBDL had at least one scout and other front office personnel in attendance to scout the talent represented. The event took place at Churchland HS and was open daily to the public. 64 players were split up between 8 teams, whose names were based on local businesses who help sponsor the event.
Measurements were once again taken measuring players heights, weights, vertical, and wingspan, these results can be found here.
Here are reports on some of the top performers at the event split up by positions.
Guards
Tim Frazier (PG, 6’1”, Penn State)
Smart PG who uses ball screens exceptionally well. Showcased a solid floater once he reached lane area. Is excellent in transition and kept dribble alive until he had passing angle or a shot to score. Stronger then he looks and has a nice change of speed. One of the top PG’s here.
Travis Bader (SG, 6’5”, Oakland)
Undoubtedly the top shooter at the event, the NCAA All-Time leader in threes made for a career (504) put on a show throughout the 3 games, knocking down triple after triple. Terrific form and release and got good elevation as well. Moved well without the ball but struggled to score with pressure. Limited on the defensive end but showed a willingness to give 100% hustle and energy on this end. Played his way onto an NBA Summer League roster spot in my mind.
David Stockton (PG, 5’11”, Gonzaga)
One of the top pure PG’s at the event and was able to run his team very well. Excellent passer in both half-court and in transition. Found his teammates and was able to create easy shots for others. Size is a major issue as he is vulnerable to the post up and struggled to finish inside. Didn’t even look to score half the time instead opting out for the pass. Did show some craftiness finishing with the off hand on several drives and moved his feet well on the perimeter. Needs to improve shooting, especially from the NBA 3 pt line. The HOF John Stockton was in attendance to watch his son the entire event. Should carve out a nice career in Europe.
Tyler Johnson (G, 6’4”, Fresno State)
This was the first time seeing Johnson and I came away impressed. In the running’s for top overall athlete in the tournament. Plays hard and does numerous things well on the court. Understands defensive rotations and is unafraid.
Markel Starks (PG, 6’1”, Georgetown)
Big time shot maker and shot taker who possess great confidence in his abilities. Great ball handler who was able to get to the paint at will. Can hit the NBA 3 and has a good floater in the lane. Got a little ahead of himself at times but I left impressed with his ability to both score and get teammates involved.
Patrick Miller (PG, 6’0”, Tennessee State)
The 5th leading scorer in the nation (23.7 ppg) showed the ability to run a team and be a playmaker for not only himself but also his teammates. Built like an NFL running back, Miller fought his way through screens and contact did not seem to faze him even at the PIT, where the officials let the players play more physical. Explosive athlete who can turn the corner on the P/R. Needs to improve NBA 3 point shooting and ability to go left. Excellent on-ball defender and attacked the rim hard. Should of earned himself a spot in Chicago.
Jake Odum (G, 6’4”, Indiana State)
One of the most consistent players here. Fundamentally sound and skilled. Doesn’t hurt you really in any way on either side of the floor. Underrated quickness. Good shooter who can hit shots with feet set and off the dribble.
Wings
Taylor Braun (SF, 6’7”, North Dakota State)
The Summit League Player of the Year showed solid fundamentals and some underrated athleticism all week. High IQ smooth player who can score at the rim with either hand. Solid ball handler who can create his own shot and hit the 3. Took some questionable shots at times and needs to improve quickness off the dribble. Put in good effort on defensive end but lost track of his man off the ball. Definitely earned himself a spot in Chicago and most likely will be on an NBA Summer League roster.
Fuquan Edwin (G/F, 6’6”, Seton Hall)
One of the best perimeter defenders here. Showed the ability to guard several positions, moved his feet well, and was in good defensive position. Showed the ability to create his own shot, but struggled with his shooting after game 1. Aggressive wing with a quick first step.
Josh Huestis (F, 6’7”, Stanford)
One of the best athletes at the event. Played both the 3 and the 4 this week, but at this point is more of an undersized 4 but has the tools to develop into more of a 3. Excellent rebounder and shot blocker who showed how he became Stanford All-Time leader in blocks. Showed a nice 1-dribble pull-up but shooting was inconsistent. Struggled to keep SG’s in front of him, but showed he could defend in the paint.
Shawn Glover (F, 6’7”, Oral Roberts)
Terrific overall scorer who can score both at the basket and on the perimeter. Solid athlete who did the little things well. Shot is a little slow and his midrange is better than his 3 at this point.
Drew Crawford (W, 6’5”, Northwestern)
Versatile player who defends and scorers. Shot release and form reminds me a little of Harrison Barnes. Can score in bunches. 3 pointer is streaky.
Bigs
Javon McCrea (F, 6’7”, Buffalo)
One of the most physically dominant players in attendance. McCrea is a bit undersized height wise for the PF position but he showed the ability to rebound at a high rate and embraced the physical play inside that the P.I.T allows. Defended and protected the paint. Showed the ability to put ball on floor for one dribble in a straight line drive. Hit multiple elbow jumpers throughout the 3 games but shot has hitch, gets little elevation, and shooting motion is at side of the head, which lead to major inconsistencies. Needs to continue to improve perimeter skills so he can make move to the SF, but overall the Mid-American POY had an excellent showing.
Isaiah Armwood (F, 6’9”, George Washington)
I thought Armwood was the best player on his team and one of the top rebounders at the event. Big time athlete who needs to add more strength in lower body. Struggled shooting the 3 but hit a couple of midrange jumpers in game 3.
Akil Mitchell (F, 6’8”, Virginia)
One of my favorite players at the event. Excellent defender who not only showed that he can block shots and play physical and tough inside but also showed he could defend guards adequately at the end of the shot clock on the perimeter. Gives 100% effort and energy on the floor and plays with passion. Tremendous rebounder. Showed he could face up and score the ball. Did some things that we did not see him do at UVA in the post. Love his demeanor and attitude. Struggles to go left and needs to continue to get stronger but his play this week may have garnered him an NBA roster spot.
Richard Solomon (C, 6’10”, California)
Big time rebounder on both ends who uses both his excellent wingspan and athleticism to keep the ball alive. Had numerous rim shaking dunks- tries to dunk everything. Runs the floor very well. Needs to get stronger especially in lower body. Is a tweener between the 4 and the 5 position. Rushed his shot a bit from 15’ but form looked solid. Showed the ability to hedge screens but is foul prone down low in paint. Loved his motor and activity throughout. The D- League should definitely be an option.
Shawn Jones (PF, 6’8”, Middle Tenn)
The Conference USA POY was one of the top shot blockers this year using excellent timing, solid athleticism, and activity from the weak side to protect the rim. The lefty showed the ability to knock down the trailing 15’ and was all over the boards. Is he willing to come out on perimeter to guard Pick and Pop? One of the more impressive bigs this week.
Davante Gardner (F, 6’8”, Marquette)
Was consistent all week on the glass and getting clean up points. Fluid and moves very well for size (290 lbs). Showed he could hit the midrange set shot and also showed patience and the ability to score in the post. Uses size and strength to his advantage- gets deep inside position and gets excellent rebounding position. Needs to improve positioning and he is a tweener. Body reminds me of Herb Pope who played at the PIT a couple of years ago and offensively he is similar to Zach Randolph. Go to move in post is spin move. His play this week earned him the MVP at the event.
Shayne Whittington (C, 6’11”, Western Michigan)
Showed the ability all week to stretch the floor out to the NBA 3-point line. Excellent movement- does not move like he is 6’11”. Settled for too many perimeter shots even though he hit a decent amount and lacks a true post move. Defended well and had a good overall showing.
Okaro White (F, 6’9”, Florida State)
Terrific athlete who is active and has a high motor. Runs the floor like a deer and did an excellent job on the defensive end. Needs to continue to add strength. Scrappy player who is quick on his feet. Shot is slow and he struggled to hit NBA 3 but stroke looked decent. I could see him playing in the D-League this year and getting a call up at some point.
Ronald Roberts (SF/PF, 6’8”, Saint Josephs)
An undersized 4 man who played both the 3 and the 4 at the PIT. Big time explosive athlete. Was aggressive scoring the basketball. Defends and rebounds well but needs to improve skill level.
You would think that Chris Paul would be beloved in Los Angeles. After all, he’s helped make the Clippers, considered to be the worst-run organization in all of professional sports over the last 30 years, actually relevant. But, that’s not the case:
“I thought the city would have embraced him,” Clippers forward Blake Griffin said of Paul. “I mean, it seems like everywhere we go, people love Chris. I don’t know why he would get booed at a Dodger game.”
Paul said he understood being the victim of the Untrue Blue. Fans booed him at the Dodgers’ game against the San Francisco Giants on Friday, he said, because L.A. remains a Lakers town. Sadly, even being shown on the Dodger Stadium video board alongside Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford couldn’t protect him from the scorn of a sellout crowd.
So what gives?
In Los Angeles, the Clippers are the “other team”. The team that isn’t the Lakers, a team that “borrows” the court of the Lakers when they need to play a home game. It’s been this way since the Clippers franchise moved into L.A. from San Diego in 1984. The Clippers have horrible ownership and have been the laughingstock of the league, well, since even their days in San Diego.
Team owner Donald Sterling lobbied the NBA to allow him to move the Clippers to Los Angeles because of poor attendance…but the reason so few people were coming out to watch the games was that the team was awful for years. Bringing the team to L.A. did nothing to solve the poor management of Sterling and the Lakers were already well established. Remember, this was during the height of Magic Johnson’s ‘Showtime’ Laker teams. Sterling had purchased the team in 1981, and was based in L.A.
So the city of L.A. considered Chris Paul an outsider. They expected him to play for the Clippers for a season after David Stern’s ludicrous move to prevent him from going from New Orleans to the Lakers, then they expected him to move over to the ‘real’ L.A. team. Since he hasn’t, they haven’t embraced him.
Chris Paul is arguably one of the most marketable players in the NBA at the moment, with national endorsements, elite play and a winning personality. But as long as he stays with the Clippers, he will probably continue to be considered the ‘away team’ on the team’s home court.
Strengths
Shot blocking machine- does a great job of blocking shots from the weakside and altering or blocking his own man’s shot- good timing and showed excellent anticipation. Good help defender. Good length. Communicates and talks on both ends. Shows good energy and motor. Boxes out and calls out screens. Has some decent back to basket moves- showed a spin move and a nice drop step move. Does a good job of selling the fact that he is going one way in post, then going opposite way- has a nice slide dribble. When he takes time in post- he is not bad. Good athlete- had several big time above rim finishes. Closes out on perimeter under control and showed he could defend decently on perimeter because of decent lateral quickness and excellent length. One of the best defenders I have seen this year- all around- does more on defense besides just block shots. Able to block shots and doesn’t get a lot of fouls- only fouls when he brings his arms down- but stays straight up most of the time. Doesn’t go for pump fakes.
High Ceiling- potential filled player.
Weaknesses
Needs to get stronger w/ the ball. Needs to add more weight to frame- shouldn’t be hard to do w/ his frame. Had a better attitude when things are going his way- needs to be like that all the time- good kid off the court. Does not run the floor very well- runs better on offensive end then defensive end- always trails in transition D. Needs to improve screening and overall passing as well.
Not a good free throw shooter- not terrible- but could definitely improve. Not a bad back-to-basket player on the offensive end because he shows good aggression, but must slow down- out of control in post- makes moves way too quickly. Needs to improve as a rebounder- gets low and boxes out decently but is so light that he can be pushed out of position and he is not very strong w/ the ball. Falls down more than he should- needs to improve balance. Does not have a jump shot- everything is post offensively- wont even look to shoot open 10-15’. Seems to space sometimes- basketball IQ needs improvement.
Overview
Top shot blocker and interior defender I have seen this year in any division. In the 2 games I saw him play, he blocked over 10 shots and influenced countless others. Is averaging over 5 blocks per game on the season. Reminds me of Tyson Chandler in this aspect. Has great length and athleticism.
Is a D1 transfer from James Madison University. Is a great kid with a good personality. If he can add about 20 lbs to his frame, he would be a beast. Has a frame that he should be able to add weight too.
Has the potential to be an impact player on the defensive end at the next level in Europe. Would be a player that if he can add some muscle weight, would be a good candidate for D-League. At his height and ability to change the game on defense, he won’t be hard pressed to find a job in Europe when he finishes the season.
Take a moment to check out the 2014 Copa Mundial Pro Tournament, which is an invite-only pro tournament. They are currently accepting profiles for consideration, and will be until December 20th.
After that date, they will begin sending out the invites! Visit www.d1stars.com and click on “News” for more information or simply email your resume to scouting@d1stars.com.
Strengths
Physical defender who bumps cutters. Closes out with high hands. Active and quick hands defensively-makes plays- got multiple deflections tonight and guards the inbounds. Made the proper defensive rotations and has good bball IQ. Looks to make contact and box out on all rebounds. Hustles and plays hard. Incredible offensive rebounder because of hustle, vertical leap, and timing. Relentless motor.
Secures rebounds strongly with 2 hands.
Excellent athlete who runs the floor well and has good hands. Quick jump. Excellent in transition, gets out quickly. Very good slasher who can finish with contact. Head hunts on screens. Strong frame. Shot has good rotation and he has solid mechanics with a nice follow through. Showed he was capable to knock down the open corner 3 off the pick and pop play- hit back to back 3’s at a critical point in this game with under 4 min to play. Has a smooth FT stroke. Team player who shares the ball and does not force shots. Is in great physical condition- played a game high 37 minutes in this contest. Good high-low passer and is an underrated passer in general- better then his assist numbers would indicate. Does a good job of sealing inside.
Weaknesses
Struggles to change directions with the ball off the dribble. Needs to improve ball handling overall, dribbles with head down. Inconsistent shooter from 3 and needs to speed up release. What position is he on the floor? Struggled to finish around the rim tonight but hustled and was able to board most of his own misses.
Went for too many ball fakes when defending the perimeter and needs to improve lateral quickness.
Overview
Another solid performance tonight from the senior forward. Had 20 pts and 10 rebounds in his 1st game and led his team in scoring tonight in another win. Transfer from D1 Western Carolina, where he started last season. Should have a big year on a young team that needs his toughness, leadership, and competitiveness.
Needs to improve body language when things are not going his way, showed visible frustration on missed shots and fouls. Is supportive of teammates on bench and in game and listens to his coaches.
Needs to communicate more on the floor. Calls out screens but would like to see him talk more in general, but is a winner and a competitor.
Ross shouldn’t have a problem finding a role to play at the next level, either in a 2nd division European country or in another country/continent. His athleticism, strength, and rebounding ability will be highly coveted by a pro team.
With both the college and NBA basketball seasons closing in, it’s time to revive our regular roundup feature, where we whip around the world of basketball and see what’s happening that’s interesting right now.
First off, Lebron James did a cool Q&A on Twitter, which makes us wonder – would MJ or Magic have done something like that? Pretty sure Magic would have, but not so sure about His Airness.
Derrick Rose is not only ready physically for the season, he’s been slowly increasing his conversation as well, most recently saying that the only true rival for the Chigago Bulls right now are the Miami Heat.
“Well, I didn’t look at it as the banner thing. I just look at it as putting our guys up…. Listen, I think this is our arena when we play,” Rivers said. “So I just thought it would be good that we show our guys. No disrespect to them. But when we play, it’s the Clippers’ arena as far as I know.”
###
Finally, Hall of Fame center Bill Russell was arrested for carrying a loaded handgun into an airport inside of his luggage. No explanation was given but Russell has apologized for the incident.
BAKERSFIELD, August 10, 2013 – The Bakersfield Jam announced today that the team will hold five sets of open tryouts for the 2013-14 season. Tryouts will be held in Bakersfield and in its NBA affiliate markets (Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta and Salt Lake City).
The first tryout will be held in Los Angeles on September 7th and 8th, followed by Phoenix (Sept. 21-22), Salt Lake City (Sept. 28-29), Atlanta (Oct. 5-6) and Bakersfield (Oct. 12-13).
Open tryouts offer athletes an opportunity to showcase their talents in front of Jam coaches and front office personnel while they compete to earn a position in the team’s official training camp, which is scheduled to take place in November.
Interested players should submit completed registration forms along with $150 non-refundable participation fee to the Jam office. Participants who register after the pre-registration deadline (listed on registration form) or day-of registration will be charged $200.
For registration forms and additional information, please visit bakersfieldjam.com or call 661-679-7932.
