The Cleveland Cavaliers started the season without star point guard Kyrie Irving and top reserve Iman Shumpert, but the roster can’t escape injuries. Fortunately for the team, the upcoming schedule favors the Cavs.

On Friday, the franchise announced center Timofey Mozgov (shoulder) and point guard Mo Williams (ankle) will be sidelined for two weeks and two games, respectively. Anderson Varejao, Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova are set for larger roles.

Although LeBron James and Co. must carry on without four of the top seven players, Cleveland stands atop the Eastern Conference at 9-3. Most importantly, the Cavaliers have posted a 6-0 record at home, where they’ll be playing two games without Williams and four of an expected six sans Mozgov.

The Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic certainly will pose a challenge. It wouldn’t be surprising if either opponent knocked off Cleveland, either. Nevertheless, the Hawks and Magic aren’t exactly a gauntlet needing to be survived. If the Cavs can limit Paul Millsap and Victor Oladipo, they should emerge with a win.

Following a road matchup with an inconsistent Toronto Raptors club, Cleveland heads south to face the Charlotte Hornets. Both franchises perform better at home, but the Raptors are at best a top-12 team while Charlotte is a borderline playoff squad. Plus, Williams should be back on the court by then.

The Cavaliers finish their potential Mozgov-less stretch with home matchups against the terrible Brooklyn Nets and lackluster-on-the-road Washington Wizards. Though rim protection could be a minor issue opposite Brooklyn, the Nets don’t have enough firepower to contest Cleveland for 48 minutes anyway.

Now, excluding Brooklyn, the Cavs aren’t facing a slew of pushovers. A cold-shooting night from Kevin Love or an inefficient outing from LeBron could doom Cleveland. However, it’s not like the team is heading into a two-week slate filled with premier foes.

In fact, the injuries to Williams and Mozgov probably came at an ideal time—though an ailment in and of itself is never ideal.

Shortly after Mozgov’s worst-case return date, Cleveland takes on the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, as well as the feisty Boston Celtics and ever-improving New York Knicks, a team that has already hung with the Cavs twice. Then in January, Cleveland meets a handful of the Western Conference’s elite.

Injuries happen, and the Cavaliers will probably encounter more before the brutal schedule later on this year. But right now, the injuries to Williams and Mozgov are merely bumps on the road.

The post Cavaliers Can’t Escape Injuries, but Schedule Isn’t Another Pain appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The San Antonio Spurs made the biggest move of the offseason, signing highly touted free agent LaMarcus Aldridge to held guide the franchise into the future alongside Kawhi Leonard. However, one of the veterans remains the key to the 2015-16’s success. Manu Ginobili.

Leonard has reached a different level of performance while Aldridge continues to adapt the San Antonio philosophies, but the Spurs wouldn’t have reached 8-2 without Manu Ginobili.

Through nine appearances, the 38-year-old has averaged a seemingly pedestrian 11.7 points, 3.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals. What’s lost in those numbers, though, is Ginobili is only playing 20.6 minutes per game.

While player efficiency rating isn’t a perfect metric, his 25.2 mark is merely four-tenths behind Leonard. That production was on display Monday night when the Spurs hosted Aldridge’s former team.

The Portland Trail Blazers trailed by just three points with 3:48 remaining, Ginobili took over. Over a span of five possessions, the Argentinian shooting guard buried all four of his shot attempts, including the dagger-three that gave San Antonio a 10-point lead with slightly more than one minute remaining

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8aVZJO4RxY

He finished with a season-best 17 points—14 of which came in the fourth quarter—adding four rebounds and three assists.

“He does what Manu does,” said Portland coach Terry Stotts, per ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “He made some good plays. He made his 3’s. He was aggressive going to the basket, got to his strong hand a couple times. He has done that for years.”

What makes this early-season stretch most impressive is the Spurs weren’t sure Ginobili would return for another 10-month grind. He’s contemplated retirement for a couple years, and though the suspicion was that Ginobili had one more season left, that was far from a certainty.

Shortly after announcing he would be back for 2015-16, per Argentinian newspaper La Nacion and via Pounding the Rock, Ginobili said:

I can’t believe the team still wants me and thinks I can play at age 38. I’m not playing because they feel bad for me. I think I can still contribute a lot to the team.

So far this season, Ginobili has done exactly that.

He’s provided a three-point threat, shooting 40.0 percent from long distance—which would be the third-best clip of his career. Perhaps most importantly, though, Ginobili has committed just 1.4 turnovers per outing, a 25 percent drop from each of his last seven seasons.

Small sample sizes can be manipulated, but that’s a promising start from the veteran in a role that could’ve become the roster’s biggest weakness had he not returned. Ginobili isn’t the dominant player of 2007, but he’s a sneaky key to the San Antonio’s success.

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Through a little more than two weeks of the 2015-16 regular season, Golden State has ripped off a franchise-best 10 consecutive victories to open the year. It’s the 14th time in league history a team reached 10-0, according to Basketball-Reference.

At this point, the last remaining question is how long the torrid streak will last. Considering the upcoming schedule, though, the Golden State Warriors—who have scored at least 100 points in every game—seem destined for the record.

Golden State’s average margin of victory sits at a stunning 17.1 points. The only other teams to have achieved even half of that mark are the San Antonio Spurs (plus-10.8) and Cleveland Cavaliers (plus-8.6).

Undoubtedly, Stephen Curry’s amazingly productive and efficient stretch has boosted the Warriors to that clip. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player must return to Earth eventually, but the 17.1-point difference will help ease Curry’s eventual regression.

But man, right now, Curry is on fire.

He’s topped the 30-point mark six times, scoring no fewer than 22 points en route to an average of 33.3. However, Curry isn’t singularly a shooter—despite being arguably the greatest in NBA history—because the 27-year-old has dished 5.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds per outing.

Again, Curry won’t continue that ridiculous rate of scoring. Even if that lapse happens soon, though, his teammates and the upcoming schedule will atone for Curry’s drop.

Klay Thompson has managed just 15.2 points per game and is shooting a mediocre-for-him 38.6 percent from three-point range. Per CSN Bay Area, the shooting guard recently admitted he shouldn’t have played through a back injury.

Additionally, rim-protecting center Andrew Bogut has returned to the lineup after missing six contests, and the Warriors have won by at least 13 points during each game he’s played.

Golden State’s opponents en route to 16-0 kicks off against the Brooklyn Nets (1-7). That would be a win. Next up are the Toronto Raptors (6-3), who average seven points fewer on the road than at home. Another win.

The Warriors then make a quick trip for a nationally televised matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers (5-4), a team that couldn’t beat Golden State with Bogut sidelined and a 3-of-15 three-point clip from players not named Curry. Los Angeles will be motivated to exact revenge for the early-season loss, but the Dubs have the edge.

If Golden State can return home and topple the Chicago Bulls (5-3) on the other side of the back-to-back, the Denver Nuggets (4-4) and Los Angeles Lakers (1-7) certainly don’t pose a major threat.

Yes, the undefeated season must end. It’s going to happen eventually, and the loss will probably end up arriving on the unlikeliest of nights. That’s just the way basketball works.

Nevertheless, a 16-0 start is likely, and there’s no end in sight for the Warriors.

The post Will the Golden State Warriors Set an NBA Record, Start 16-0? appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

When previewing the 2015-16 NBA season, all of us basketball fans had a terrific handle on what to expect from the Eastern Conference. Nine teams were reasonable playoff contenders and anyone else would be a stretch.

Seven games into the campaign, Andre Drummond and the Detroit Pistons have demanded a place in the discussion. It’s wise to buy some stock in Stan Van Gundy’s team.

Detroit knocked off the Atlanta Hawks—who haven’t lost since then—to open the season, then edged the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls at home. After falling to the Indiana Pacers despite a stunning 25-point, 29-rebound performance from Drummond, the Pistons handled the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers.

Although the defending-champion Golden State Warriors continued their dominance and handled Detroit, the 5-2 record for the team from Auburn Hills cannot be ignored.

The Pistons look like a playoff team, and it’s not simply because of the encouraging start. Andre Drummond, their standout center, has taken a massive leap in his development.

At this moment, he’s averaging 19.4 points and 19.6 rebounds. With some beast mode double doubles. But Drummond’s progression goes well beyond absurd numbers. He’s improving as a true low-post threat.

Andre Drummond beasting in Portland https://t.co/Tb7mXjfeHO

— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) November 9, 2015

Drummond has established himself enough to draw defenses and create space for point guard Reggie Jackson. Mike Prada of SB Nation posted an excellent breakdown of the Drummond-Jackson pick-and-roll.

Additionally, per NBA.com, Detroit boasts a 96.7 defensive rating, which is a top-10 mark in the league. The Pistons are a formidable yet not dominant offensive unit, so defense will be the roster’s calling card at least until Brandon Jennings returns from an Achilles injury.

In addition to Drummond’s rim-protection and dominant rebounding, Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rookie swingman Stanley Johnson are tough on the perimeter. Points won’t come easy against Detroit.

Now, this isn’t to say the Pistons are suddenly a title contender because of an eye-opening beginning to 2015-16. The roster lacks the firepower to survive the Eastern Conference.

But on paper, there’s absolutely enough in the arsenal to reach the postseason. Drummond’s improvement is the key to that statement, because he’s proved we underestimated the 22-year-old. We knew he had superstar potential but didn’t expect that transition to happen yet. It’s clear he’s started to hit the next level.

As long as Drummond is healthy, Detroit is a low-seed playoff contender. If Jackson and Jennings can co-exist in the backcourt while Drummond dominates up front, the Pistons bandwagon grow even larger.

All aboard.

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Kyrie Irving is working back from a knee injury, and it appears the Cleveland Cavaliers point guard could return sooner than initially expected.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Irving wouldn’t offer a specific date but—contrary to what the team has suggested—said he has one in mind.

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel. In terms of a date, I do have one in my head, but obviously, I’m not going to share it for a little bit. I think all the rumors that everyone said in terms of January or whatever, I’ll let them stay out there. But for me, I’m just trying to take it one day at a time, and I’m just continuing the process.”

Per the report, Irving’s focus has shifted to strength training and conditioning. I’m not a doctor nor am I pretending to be one, but that seems to be encouraging news. After all, January is nearly 60 days away.

Irving added that he’s cleared to sprint, participate in basketball activities and isn’t limited in workouts, while the current restriction is no contact. Consequently, the next important headlines are likely “Kyrie Irving cleared for contact” and “Kyrie Irving says he’s 100 percent.”

Perhaps they come at the same time, but there’s a bit of hopeful precedent to check out once that moment arrives. Last season, Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George made his debut 13 days after the team cleared him to play.

But George was limited at the beginning, and the Cavaliers might want to wait for Irving to be both conditioned and physically prepared before inserting him into the lineup.

Besides, LeBron James and Kevin Love can shoulder the load until Irving’s knee is ready for game action, and offseason addition Mo Williams is filling in admirably. He’s tallied 15.4 points and 4.4 assists per game so far. It’s a small sample size, but Cleveland can’t ask for much more than the performance reflected in his 18.2 player efficiency rating.

The Cavaliers don’t need to rush Irving back onto the floor, and he’s smart not to put a deadline on that return—even if it’s sooner than we once thought.

The post Kyrie Irving: ‘There’s a Light at the End of the Tunnel’ appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The Washington Wizards would be smart to offer a contract extension to starting shooting guard Bradley Beal, but they made an ever wiser decision to delay the negotiations.

Although Beal deserves a new deal and the Wizards are almost certainly going to pay the Florida product whatever he wants, the front office properly exploited the collective bargaining agreement and its loopholes.

TNT’s David Aldridge notes Washington wants Beal back, so there’s no need to panic.

Wizards, per sources, won’t extend @RealDealBeal23 before deadline. Still hope to sign impact FA in July, then re-sign Beal, who’ll be RFA.

— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) November 2, 2015

This wasn’t a shocking outcome, because the Wizards have two excellent reasons to wait on officially retaining Beal.

Washington would only be able to offer a four-year extension instead of a five-year deal. When you have a star, you do everything to keep him for as long as you can. Waiting until the summer affords the Wizards the opportunity for another season of Beal, which should be a good thing.

Additionally, cap holds significantly impact a team’s plan for free agency. If Beal had signed a deal before the Nov. 2 restricted free agent deadline, the cap hit would be exactly what his new salary is.

The max contract for a player with less than six years of NBA service is projected to be about $20.4 million, and Beal should command a salary near the max. However, his cap hold would be 250 percent of his current salary—which is a shade below $5.7 million, according to HoopsHype.

Most importantly, though, Beal’s upcoming $14.2 million cap hold is essentially irrelevant because the Wizards hold his Bird Rights and can exceed the projected $89 million salary cap in 2016-17 to re-sign Beal.

This leaves a few extra millions in the bank for the franchise to pursue Oklahoma City Thunder star and Washington native Kevin Durant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuL_S6quVfM

The downside to not immediately extending Beal’s contract is that the rest of the NBA will have a chance to submit an offer sheet for his services. Washington made a calculated decision but must be prepared to pay him a $20-plus-million salary.

Now, the Wizards aren’t in bad shape. They have money to spare, and the San Antonio Spurs showed this exact process can be accomplished. During the summer of 2015, they had to re-sign budding star Kawhi Leonard while working to clear room for a potential big-name signing in LaMarcus Aldridge.

Five minutes after the free-agency moratorium lifted at 12:01 a.m. ET July 1, Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Leonard and the Spurs agreed to the framework of a five-year deal.

But that was merely the framework. Leonard trusted San Antonio to manipulate the numbers and still offer his max contract, which became official on July 16. In the meantime, the Spurs signed Aldridge and a other free agents before exceeding the salary cap to retain Leonard.

As long as there’s an element of trust between Beal and the Wizards, this was the correct move. If Washington brings Durant home and keeps its shooting guard, not re-signing Beal right now couldn’t be a smarter decision.

The post Washington Wizards Made Smart Move Not Yet Re-Signing Bradley Beal appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Julius Randle proved a handful of things during what was essentially his NBA debut, and a won’t-back-down mentality certainly was one of them.

The Los Angeles Lakers power forward played a physical game Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Julius Randle battled with veteran and T-Wolves legend Kevin Garnett throughout the night.

And it was a true battle, not merely an individual matchup.

From the second-year player tossing an in-bounds pass off of Garnett’s back to a few arguments to some extracurricular activity away from the ball, Julius Randle never shied away from the veteran.

He said as much after the game, too.

“I’m not scared of anybody,” Randle said, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “The main thing is we know that’s his thing. That’s what he does, try to get in people’s heads. I’ve been watching him my whole life so I knew what to expect.”

It’s easy to say something like that, but Julius Randle wasn’t lying. One of their verbal spats actually resulted in Garnett picking up a technical.

Randle gave Garnett a less-than-friendly bump when the veteran was jogging toward his spot on the block. Shockingly, someone considered one of the greatest trash-talkers in NBA history didn’t take too kindly to the unnecessary—yet relatively humorous—elbow.

Randle says hi to KG https://t.co/5xSKwmr2GF

— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) October 29, 2015

The 20-year-old Randle earned a little praise from his own veteran teammate. According to Medina, Kobe Bryant said Randle was a “grown-ass man’ for standing up to Garnett.

Other than the Lakers eventually losing 112-111, it was a wonderful night for Randle. After all, it was essentially the first game of his NBA career. Last season as a rookie, Randle landed awkwardly during the season opener, broke his leg and was lost for the season.

Julius Randle still has plenty of developing to do before we heap too much praise. He’s a limited scorer, relies on his left hand and isn’t a standout defender.

Nevertheless, Randle atones for his lack of versatility with sheer physicality that’s advanced enough to handle a large portion of NBA post players. He showed fans what they had missed during the 2014-15 campaign and provided a legitimate reason to watch a Lakers team that won’t make the postseason this year.

Come for Randle’s bullying on the block, but stay for his fearless attitude.

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The Portland Trail Blazers offense is in a remarkably poor situation, but All-Star point guard Damian Lillard plans to address part of the problem by being more aggressive at the rim in 2015-16.

According to Jason Quick of CSN Northwest, Damian Lillard said he’s not focused on drawing more fouls but hopes his offseason work of not shying away from contact will pay off.

“In the past I was trying to beat guys to the rim and get the ball on the glass. This year, in the summer, I worked a lot on getting into people’s body, drawing contact. And (work on) my balance, using angles, and getting to spots on the floor.”

Lillard attempted just 4.9 free throws per game last season, which ranked 24th in the NBA. His 86.4 percent mark from the charity stripe was fourth-best among players who attempted at least four free throws.

What’s more telling, though, is the rate Damian Lillard earned trips to the line.

Though the presence of LaMarcus Aldridge and Robin Lopez in the post certainly didn’t help Lillard, he sometimes looked for fancy finishes than contact. Yes, he wasn’t getting superstar calls, but Lillard hoisted 1,360 field goals compared to just 398—a 29.3 percent pace.

That needs to change this season, because Portland lost five of its top six scorers. LaMarcus Aldridge signed with the San Antonio Spurs, Wesley Matthews bolted for the Dallas Mavericks, Arron Afflalo and Robin Lopez each headed off to the New York Knicks and the franchise traded Nicolas Batum.

In 2015-16, Lillard should be targeting a 40-percent rate of getting to the free-throw line compared to attempting field goals. Russell Westbrook (45.5) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Eric Bledsoe (42.2) of the Phoenix Suns are similar to Lillard’s attack-first mentality, but they were much better than his 29.3.

Damian Lillard netted a career-best 21.0 points per game last year, and the Blazers will need another new personal high from the explosive guard for the team to even remain relevant.

And if Damian Lillard has his way, a respectable portion will come from the free-throw line.

The post Damian Lillard Wants to Shoot More Free Throws appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The roster desperately needed a wing defender, yet they traded Reggie Bullock and Chris Douglas-Roberts while releasing Jordan Farmar to make room for the young Rivers. It further depleted Los Angeles’ already-thin bench, since Rivers wasn’t really an upgrade over Farmar.

But even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.

At least for one pivotal playoff game, Rivers proved his dad right. The point guard tallied 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting in just 17 minutes of action, helping the Clippers knock off the defending-champion San Antonio Spurs 114-105 Sunday to even the first round series at two apiece.

Rivers scored all seven points during a 7-1 run in the second quarter, a critical stretch when Los Angeles’ starters were on the bench. He flat-out overpowered Patty Mills in the post for an easy layup and knocked down a couple jumpers.

Austin Rivers going AT Patty Mills. Kind of awkward.

— Matthew Tynan (@Matthew_Tynan) April 26, 2015

Rivers’ contributions eased the burden on Chris Paul, who shredded San Antonio for 34 points and seven assists, while Blake Griffin added 20 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists.

But that’s the craziest part: The superstar duo played stellar games, and the Clippers needed to hold off the Spurs late in the fourth quarter. Without Rivers—since J.J. Redick, an underrated key to LA’s offense, struggled from the perimeter—San Antonio would’ve taken a decisive 3-1 series edge.

Los Angeles’ bench does not form an imposing unit. Jamal Crawford plays clutch minutes, but that leaves Rivers and Glen “Big Baby” Davis as the only reserves who actually play. Though Hedo Turkoglu might log a couple forgettable possessions, that’s it.

The Spurs are very likely to negate deficits or extend advantages when Doc Rivers—who rarely staggers his starters, for some stunning reason—sends out the backups. But if Rivers’ confidence and production continues into Games 5, 6 and perhaps 7, Los Angeles will be in a much better position to pull off the upset.

Rivers can help change the series. When Doc and the franchise finalized the trade for the coach’s son, that phrase was not expected to be realistic.

But it is; It’s unbelievably legitimate. Paul recognized it, too, as noted by Dan Woike of The Orange County Register.

I came into one of the timeouts, and I told Austin, I said, ‘Man, I trust you. I believe in you. Be aggressive.’ And without his production today, we don’t win the game.”

Rivers can help change the series. Welcome to the NBA playoffs, where things get really weird.

Unless otherwise noted, stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and are accurate as of April 26.

In addition to his work for The Hoop Doctors, David Kenyon contributes to Bleacher Report and Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.

The post Austin Rivers Provides Spark for Clippers, Is Curious X-Factor For Rest of Series appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

But the 37-year-old said some things about some former teammates to ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, and the timing couldn’t have been worse.

Pierce, who played for the Brooklyn Nets last season, explained how he felt Deron Williams didn’t want to be an MVP candidate, called Joe Johnson “a reluctant leader” and said that Kevin Garnett wasn’t properly utilized.

One year later, Pierce is now a starter on an inconsistent Washington Wizards squad, and the longtime-pro shared the words of wisdom he’s offered to John Wall and Bradley Beal. Per MacMullan:

I talk to them a lot about mental preparation and consistency. I keep telling Wall and Beal, ‘You’ve got to make up your mind. Do you want to be good, or do you want to be great? Because if you want to be great, you gotta do it every single night, not just when you feel like it.’

Both of those guys have the potential to be great. I love them. But sometimes I’m not sure they realize what it takes.”

Then Tuesday happened. Now, to be fair, MacMullan wrote this column from Philadelphia, and the Wizards visited the 76ers on April 8. There is a very strong possibility Pierce’s words are a week old.

Plus, Washington was literally playing for nothing other than a realistically meaningless victory in the win column. However, the Wizards performance suggested that “meaningless” was their mindset for 58 minutes.

It’s hard to describe how bad that basketball game was. Like, if you didn’t stumble into Indiana’s 99-95 double-overtime victory, try watching paint dry. That’s probably more exciting.

But Pierce’s contributions—or lack thereof—have essentially become the most memorable part of the night.

https://twitter.com/KJ_NBA/status/588205928761184257

He checked out of the game with 5:03 remaining in the third quarter, when the Pacers held a slim 48-47 advantage. From that point on, the veteran occupied what one can only assume was his favorite seat on the bench for the final 22 minutes.

Maybe Pierce wasn’t mentally prepared for the outing, which caused his display of inconsistency. He didn’t bring it on Tuesday. He wasn’t great. Perhaps he simply didn’t feel like being great.

Whatever the reason, though, Pierce lived up to his criticisms of other players. And the timing couldn’t have been better.

Paul Pierce out there talking all that trash and here he is getting smoked by CJ Miles https://t.co/VYwifcCuAi

— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) April 15, 2015

Unless otherwise noted, stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and are accurate as of April 15.

In addition to his work for The Hoop Doctors, David Kenyon contributes to Bleacher Report and Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.

The post Paul Pierce Indirectly Offers Hilarious Lesson in Humility appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Charlotte appeared to need a single piece in order to solidify itself as a perennial playoff team, and Stephenson seemed like an adequate fit.

Plus, the 23-year-old had just compiled a career-best season, tallying 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game on the Indiana Pacers. He knocked down 49.1 percent of his attempts from the field, including a decent 35.2 mark from long distance.

Stephenson was entering his prime. On-court antics notwithstanding, it wasn’t inappropriate to think he would only get better. Though nine months later, it’s remarkable how wrong that thought was.

The Hornets dropped $27.4 million on the shooting guard this offseason, according to HoopsHype salary numbers. The payoff? A meager 8.2 points on 37.6 percent shooting along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per outing.

However, as pointed out by Grantland’s Riley McAtee, Stephenson will finish the 2014-15 campaign posting the worst three-point percentage—17.1—in NBA history by a player who hoisted at least 100 triples.

Lance Stephenson is about to wrap up the worst 3-point shooting season ever… http://t.co/22KGs4MdKl

— Riley McAtee (@RileyMcAtee) April 13, 2015

Stephenson’s first season in Charlotte has proved itself an abject failure.

Perhaps some of the shortcomings stemmed from unrealistic expectations, that Stephenson was theoretically evolving into the superstar mold. Yet from the outset, Hornets coach Steve Clifford didn’t buy that notion.

Just 16 games into the season, Clifford voiced a striking statement about the fifth-year pro. Per ESPN’s Michael Wallace:

To be fair, one of the things that’s made it more difficult for him is that he came here and people proclaimed him as the next superstar. He’s not a star. He’s a guy that has talent to become a star. To be a star in this league, you have to do it over years.”

Nevertheless, throughout the season, Stephenson—whose year has ended due to a toe injury—was benched during the fourth quarter of tightly contested matchups.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering what should have been Charlotte’s go-to unit of Walker, Stephenson, Gerald Henderson, Cody Zeller and Jefferson has posted a 93.3 offensive rating and 102.1 defensive clip in a team-high 155 minutes, per NBA.com. When Michael Kidd-Gilchrist replaces Stephenson in that lineup, the offensive mark rises to 104.0 while the defensive number stands firm at 102.1.

Just two weeks ago, Stephenson cited a desire for “freedom to let me play through mistakes,” according to the Associated Press.

But after 61 games of his miserable shot selections and direct influence on poor offensive spacing, the somehow-still-playoff-contending Hornets couldn’t let Stephenson make the same mistakes. Any “DNP-Coach’s Decision” was an unfortunate, necessary decision.

Maybe Stephenson will turn it around next season. For the Hornets’ sake, hopefully he does. But Stephenson can’t change the past, and 2014-15 was a historically bad one.

Unless otherwise noted, stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and are accurate as of April 14.

In addition to his work for The Hoop Doctors, David Kenyon contributes to Bleacher Report and Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.

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The two-time defending conference and 2014 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs have recovered from an injury-infested season and risen to the No. 2 seed in the West. However, the Spurs have only achieved that status because they’ve played—and won—a single game more than the other three teams competing to a host an opening round series.

Granted, considering San Antonio was 5.5 games back of the second-place Memphis Grizzlies on March 24, per shrpsports, the Spurs’ rise was an impressive one.

Nevertheless, the Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets have all recorded a 54-26 record, creating a grid-lock in the middle of the standings with just two contests remaining for each squad.

The West 2 seed will go to Southwest Division winner (Spurs, Rockets or Grizzlies) unless Clippers have better record than all 3.

— Darryl Howerton (@darrylhowerton) April 10, 2015

The four franchises are fighting for the second, third, fifth and sixth seeds, but three of the teams will earn home-court advantage.

Although two teams will end the regular season behind the Portland Trail Blazers (51-29) despite having a better record than Damian Lillard and Co., NBA rules stipulate the a division winner can finish no worse than fourth in the conference. However, the fifth-seeded team will host the series instead of Portland because of a superior mark.

Enough chatting. On to the scenarios.

In order for the Spurs to lock down the two-seed currently held, they need to win their final game versus the New Orleans Pelicans and hope for Houston to post victories in its last two, as noted by Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.

As far as Spurs and No. 2 seed goes, it's pretty simple: 1) Win out + 2) Either Memphis loses another or Houston doesn't lose again.

— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) April 12, 2015

Los Angeles has a slight edge over the Grizzlies for third because the Clips have managed a 35-15 record against conference opponents. If Lob City topples the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns, they’ll clinch the best mark of any four teams.

However, if the Rockets indeed beat the Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz to cap the season and Grizzlies knock off the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers, the tiebreaker will favor San Antonio due to its record against the tied teams.

Should the Spurs or Houston lose, however, Memphis and Los Angeles will immediately become the favorites to take the second and third seeds, while San Antonio would have the edge on the fifth seed.

Undecided on what the proper reaction is to all this? Zach Randolph can help.

The western conference standings/tie-breaker scenarios got me like: https://t.co/JlY1tOS2DO #wildwildwest

— Cade Carlton (@CadeCarlton) April 11, 2015

Don’t argue with Z-Bo.

In addition to his work for The Hoop Doctors, David Kenyon contributes to Bleacher Report and Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.

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But the Chicago Bulls accomplished something Thursday night that had no precedent.

After being outscored 33-12 in the second quarter against the Miami Heat, the Bulls rebounded after a halftime and amassed a 33-8 beatdown during the third frame.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, Chicago staked its place in league history as the first team to experience both sides of a quarter that showcased a 33-point performance by one squad and 12 points or less by the other crew.

Note: Basketball-Reference data dates back to 1955.

The pair of dramatic swings on the scoreboard led TNT’s Rachel Nichols to quote the 1989 film Major League when she asked Pau Gasol if they sacrificed a live chicken at halftime.

https://twitter.com/TheCauldron/status/586360926611247105

The Bulls also became the 14th unit to amass a 33-8 advantage in a single quarter, a feat the franchise achieved three times when a certain “Michael Jordan” fella was dominating the court.

So, on such a weird night, perhaps it was only fitting that Chicago earned an 89-78 victory. Gasol paced the Bulls with 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Taj Gibson added 14 and 12 off the bench.

But strange didn’t stop there.

Thursday marked the fourth (!) time since Jan. 3 that Miami allowed 33 points in a single quarter while scoring 12 or less. Chicago joined the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons to douse the Heat in a major way.

“Terrible” hardly describes that statistic, so how about this: That’s the first time since 1955 a team has sustained a 33-12 deficit four times in one season.

Not the 2012 Charlotte Bobcats. Not the 1973 Philadelphia 76ers. The 2015 Miami Heat—a team that has a legitimate shot to sneak into the playoffs has surrendered four egregious quarters.

Sometimes, basketball is weird.

In addition to his work for The Hoop Doctors, David Kenyon contributes to Bleacher Report and Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.

The post Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat Set Production, Futility Records in Same Game appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

From David Robinson to Tim Duncan to Manu Ginobili to Tony Parker, the proverbial torch has been seamlessly passed to the team’s next superstar.

Since Duncan’s NBA debut in 1997, the Gregg Popovich-coached Spurs have tallied at least 50 victories in every season except for the 50-game 1998-99 campaign. Each of the four players occupied leading roles at various times during that stretch, but the team never faltered.

This season, 23-year-old Kawhi Leonard has slowly initiated his takeover of the Spurs. And once again, the most-recent leader of the roster has been willing to relinquish the reins and become the second option.

Following San Antonio’s 110-98 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, Parker described how Kawhi’s emergence has demanded a new offensive balance. Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News provided the transcription.

One of the better quotes I can ever remember from Parker, on striking balance with Leonard: pic.twitter.com/7AzeVMoM0z

— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneyNBA) April 9, 2015

Parker has carried the Spurs during recent seasons, most notably throughout the last two campaigns that both included Western Conference championships and one NBA title.

Yet on a night when he racked up a game-high 27 points on a 13-of-18 shooting mark, Parker, who is still performing at an elite level, acknowledged that Leonard is asserting himself as the key to this squad.

I’ll try to do my best to stay aggressive and be involved. But Kawhi’s going to be the man. He’s playing great and sometimes I’ll have nights like this where I have the ball. But most of the time it’s going to be Kawhi.

…So I’ll play off him, like all those years I did with Timmy. I’ll just stand in the corner and just wait for Timmy to do his thing. We always did a great job sharing and wait our turn. It will be no different with me.”

To make this notion a little more impressive, it appears unlikely that Kawhi—a soft-spoken, sometimes expression-less superstar—will reverse the ideal.

Pop lauded Leonard’s lack of emotion after a steal and dunk against the Golden State Warriors, as noted by Jeff McDonald of the Express-News.

Pop, on his favorite part of Kawhi Leonard's big night vs. Warriors: pic.twitter.com/jM9S351ZCt

— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) April 7, 2015

The Spurs simply do not have any unnecessary egos. In the current state of pride-filled, flashy, overly emotional basketball, the continuation of San Antonio’s trend just seems unreal.

But it’s refreshing. We may never observe another collection of superstars as selfless as the quintet who have donned silver and black. Enjoy it while we can.

In addition to his work for The Hoop Doctors, David Kenyon contributes to Bleacher Report and Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.

The post Tony Parker Postgame Quote Shows How Rare San Antonio Spurs Are appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

New Orleans stunned the West-leading Golden State Warriors 103-100 on Tuesday night and improved to 42-35, while the San Antonio Spurs thrashed OKC 113-88 and dropped the Thunder to 42-36.

Consequently, the Pelicans assumed their position in the playoff picture for the first time since March 17, when the franchises were deadlocked at 37-30 records.

But things didn’t go so well for New Orleans during the following week.

The Pelicans lost to the Phoenix Suns, Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets. Oklahoma City, on the other hand, ripped off four consecutive wins.

Since then, however, OKC has posted a meager 1-6 record, and New Orleans has earned a victory in five of its last six outings—highlighted by Tuesday’s win over Golden State, though Pelicans star Anthony Davis wasn’t necessarily captivated by the triumph.

Anthony Davis wisdom quote: "Honestly we don't even consider this a big win, we consider this a good win."

— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) April 8, 2015

Nevertheless, even if Davis won’t admit the fact, the victory was immensely important because of what New Orleans must encounter to finish the 2014-15 regular season.

The Pelicans hold the tiebreaker over the Thunder, so Davis and Co.’s magic number is just four. But with the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs remaining on the docket, New Orleans needs another surprising win—or two—beyond potential victories against the Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Oklahoma City, on the other hand, has a remarkably more favorable slate, squaring off with the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers and T-Wolves. The Thunder have undoubtedly struggled lately, but their last four opponents were playoff-bound teams from the dominant West.

Answering which team has the edge moving forward requires careful interpretation. New Orleans has performed at a level where a postseason berth looks like it actually matters, while OKC has simply fought to tread water.

Granted, the Thunder certainly can overcome a stretch against mediocre and short-handed teams behind a few MVP-worthy performances from Russell Westbrook.

But the Pelicans are currently playing at a higher level. And after beating the best team in the league, New Orleans proved it can battle any roster, even without one of a key contributor in point guard Jrue Holiday.

One thing is for sure, though: The Pelicans don’t want the race for eighth to be decided on the final day, when they’ll challenge the San Antonio Spurs.

Just had a random fear that the #Pelicans' season ends w/ a playoff berth on the line by losing to the #Spurs' backups in the season finale.

— Mason Ginsberg (@MasonGinsberg) April 8, 2015

As for Oklahoma City, Westbrook would face Minnesota, who has posted the second-worst record this season. That matchup on April 15 might be the the biggest advantage Scott Brooks’ crew holds.

Though New Orleans has a slight advantage overall, it cannot expect much assistance from the Thunder. Oklahoma City might not lose twice down the stretch.

The battle for the eighth seed doesn’t get much more exciting than this.

In addition to his work for The Hoop Doctors, David Kenyon contributes to Bleacher Report and Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.

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