A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C: The Classical. Andrew Tobolowsky on hating Kobe Bryant, loving Dirk Nowitzki how aging turns down the volume on our anger and the "time at the end of things when our enemies are at last as harmless as our friends."
PF: Daily Thunder. Royce Young considers how Steven Adams' broken right hand, which is expected to keep him out at least three weeks, might impact the Oklahoma City Thunder's lineup and rotations, Sam Presti's trade-deadline plans and the team's hopes of snagging a Western Conference playoff spot.
SF: SLAM. A fun read from Yaron Weitzman on what Marc Gasol has changed to become a fringe-MVP candidate for the bruising and deeper-than-ever Memphis Grizzlies, although Big Spain insists that things aren't really that different: "I’m really surprised that everyone is surprised at how well I’m playing."
SG: BBallBreakdown. A bit late on this, but I dug Jesse Blanchard's look at how Kawhi Leonard's increasing offensive role, while almost certainly a positive development for the San Antonio Spurs in the long run, has meant Gregg Popovich's club looks a bit more hamstrung and a bit less dynamic in defending its title than it did in winning it.
PG: The Triangle. Zach Lowe on a wave of young big men developing into intriguing pieces worth monitoring.
6th: SB Nation and Sports Illustrated. Paul Flannery comes to us from New Orleans, where he looks at Anthony Davis' rise to the MVP conversation through the eyes of his Pelicans teammates and coaches ("It’s like 'NBA 2K' and you just created the best player"). Rob Mahoney digs deep into the All-Star big man's development on both ends of the floor, looking at the hard and meticulous work the former No. 1 ovrall pick has done to become one of the game's most dominant and ascendant two-way players.
7th: The Brooklyn Game. Devin Kharpertian takes a fun look at the Brooklyn Nets' tendency toward firing floaters, with Jarrett Jack, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez discussing how they developed the shot, why they use it and how they do so effectively against NBA defenders.
8th: ESPN.com. A really good read from Mike Wise on John Wall, who might not be quite on hometown hero Kevin Durant's level of megawatt stardom, but might just be exactly the right kind of leader to get the Washington Wizards where they want to go, and to get D.C. behind them, pushing them forward.
9th: The Triangle. Charles P. Pierce on catching consecutive games against Western monsters with the Atlanta Hawks, who "have played so well this season that they bring the future with them now everywhere they go".
10th: Rolling Stone. Good stuff from Michael Pina on Paul Millsap, who went from perennially underrated power forward in Utah to nightly matchup nightmare in Atlanta, and who now "has no major weaknesses, only good skills he's trying to make great."
- - - - - - -
Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don't Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
Stay connected with Ball Don't Lie on Twitter @YahooBDL, "Like" BDL on Facebook and follow BDL's Tumblr for year-round NBA talk, jokes and more.
from Yahoo Sports http://ift.tt/1FzDDoA
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire