Around The World: April 18

04/18/12

Written by: DHawes22 / avg. rating: 5.0

April 18

Trailblazers.tv: Video: Trail Blazers Courtside

Trail Blazers: Preview: Trail Blazers V Jazz
"Desperately needing a win after back-to-back road losses, Utah earned a 123-121 triple-OT victory over Dallas on Monday, emerging with the win after blowing an eight-point lead late in regulation."

Trail Blazers: Larry Miller and Chad Buchanan Discuss Medical Staff on Courtside
"Our medical staff is very good about that. They're constantly searching out, whether it be within the regional market, national market, the world market, of new ways to treat players, to prevent injuries and care for injuries. That's one example of what Jay and our medical staff do, with Joel on the trip. In Phoenix, they saw a different cryogenic machine they used on Joel. They are constantly searching out there for new ways to prevent injuries and care for the injuries."

Trail Blazers: Staying Luke Warm The Rest Of The Season
"But there's also an individual goal that is still attainable this season: Luke Babbit, as pointed out by Matt Calkins in an excellent profile of the second-year forward, can finish the season leading the NBA in three-point percentage. Sitting at 37 on the season, all Babbitt needs to do is make seven or more three-pointers while keeping his shooting percentage roughly above 46 percent in the final four games."

Oregon Live: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Utah Jazz game preview
"Utah is a half game behind No. 8 Phoenix in the Western Conference. The Jazz are trying to return to the playoffs after missing last season, ending a four-season postseason streak. ... Jefferson and 28 points and 26 rebounds in the Jazz's triple-overtime win over Dallas on Monday. ... This game will be Utah's last road game. The Jazz end the season with home games against Orlando, Phoenix and Portland."

Oregon Live: Blazers shootaround: Raymond Felton in (probably), Jamal Crawford out, Joel Przybilla and Nicolas Batum game-time decisions
"If Przybilla is unable to go, Canales said he could turn to either Hasheem Thabeet or veteran Kurt Thomas to start at center. Thabeet has not started a game since starting 13 as a Memphis rookie in 2009-10, and Thomas has not played since March 30, sitting the last 10 games."

Oregon Live: Raymond Felton Q&A: Trail Blazers' point guard discusses disappointing season, future
"Whether I play or not, I’m going to enjoy this moment, enjoy being in the Rose Garden. It’s been great. We’ll see what happens this summer. I possibly could be back. Maybe not. Either way, I’ll be back, whether it’s on the home side or the visitor’s side."

Columbian: Blazers Seek Something To Play For
"Crawford’s primary competition, however, comes from New Jersey’s Anthony Morrow, who is shooting .930 from the stripe, but has not attempted enough to qualify. Just to be safe, Crawford should, you know, not miss again this season."

Blazersedge: Utah Jazz vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview
"Utah is missing several players from the lineup. Raja Bell, Josh Howard, Earl Watson, and C.J. Miles are all injured. This doesn't affect their starting lineup too much. Al Jefferson is playing great, right around the 20-point mark most nights. He pasted 28 points and 26 rebounds on the Mavericks. Paul Millsap is also good for plenty of points and rebounds. They're scary on the offensive boards and anywhere near the paint. 6'8" small forward DeMarre Carroll has been filling in the gaps, rebounding, passing, shooting incredibly well from the field. Point guard Devin Harris has been feast or famine, scoring 25 or 6, nothing in between. So, too, shooting guard Gordon Hayward, but he's been good for plenty of assists and a few rebounds and steals as well."

Willamette Week: Last Man Standing
“Kurt and I, we always play around with each other when we compete,” Bryant says in the documentary against footage of the two doing battle. “He’s always hitting me with illegal screens, and I’m always throwing him little elbows.”

Ball Don't Lie: Pistons’ lead over Cavs hits 50 points heading into fourth quarter, settles at 39 in laugher (VIDEO)
''Trust me, I'm trying to figure out what happened myself,'' Cavs forward Antawn Jamison (who missed all 10 of his field goal attempts, scoring just three points in nearly 29 minutes of work) told reporters after the game. ''I just know that I'm not going to be watching SportsCenter or reading any newspapers for the next couple days.'"

Ball Don't Lie: Antawn Jamison passes ball directly into referee’s face (VIDEO)
"Amazingly, this was the Cleveland Cavaliers' best highlight from Tuesday night's 39-point loss to the Detroit Pistons. Oh, well. If you're going to turn the ball over — as Jamison did four times in the blowout loss during an 0-for-10 shooting night he'll be very eager to forget about — you might as well go for the gusto."

The Basketball Jones: Video: Tony Parker crosses up Ramon Sessions, Jordan Hill loves it
"To be fair to Jordan Hill, this was a really good crossover. Like REALLY good. You’d clap too if it happened right in front of your face."

DIME: Daily Fantasy Basketball Diagnosis: 4.18
"Paul Pierce blew up for 43 points, two rebounds, three assists, two steals and four three-pointers. He shot 58 percent (11-19) from the floor and 94 percent (17-18) from the free-throw line, and had three turnovers. Pierce has been a pleasant surprise this season, giving his fantasy basketball owners top 24 value."

SLAM: The TP Show
"Oh, it’s a great relationship. Arriving at 19 in San Antonio, and he always pushed me as hard as he can do make the best player I can [be]. It’s been like a father-son relationship. It’s been great. I’ve never had a relationship like that with a coach, where he finally lets you do your thing and gives you enough freedom to let you do your thing. For me, he’s one of the greatest coaches in NBA history."

SLAM via AP: Kevin Love to Undergo Concussion Tests
“Kevin Love has finally turned a corner in his recovery from a recent concussion, and the Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star says he’s ready to take the necessary tests to return to the court. Love attended the game on Tuesday against Memphis, but watched from the locker room. He said he planned to take the league’s required concussion tests on Wednesday in hopes that he can be cleared to help a team that had lost 10 straight games heading into the night. ‘I’ve never really had a head injury before,’ said Love, who has missed four straight games after being knocked woozy in a game at Denver on April 11. ‘It’s just different. But I feel good. I feel like I’m good to go.’ "

SLAM via Yahoo!: Report: Ray Allen Was Nearly Traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
"As the NBA trade deadline lurched into its final hour a month ago, league sources say the call Ray Allen long feared had come: Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers was on the line, telling him he had been traded. Allen had been sent to the Memphis Grizzlies for a package including O.J. Mayo and a draft pick, and the Celtics’ Big Three had come to a most brusque ending. For 20 minutes or so, Allen had to process the information. They traded me to Memphis? And yet, as the disappointment dissolved to anger, Rivers returned with a messenger’s nightmare: Never mind. The deal fell apart. Take a deep breath and let’s go back to work again."

SLAM via Houston Chronicle: Kevin Martin Ready to Return from Shoulder Injury?
“Rockets guard Kevin Martin said he and Rockets coach Kevin McHale will meet to discuss whether he should come back after missing 20 games with a strained right shoulder. ‘I feel like I’m getting better,’ Martin said. ‘We’ll talk about what is the best thing for the team. We’ll see how tomorrow and at New Orleans go. I think it is a possibility. Me and coach, we have to get together and we’ll see.’ "

SLAM: Post Up: Melo Beats Boston
"Where to begin with this one—Carmelo’s triple-double? Paul Pierce’s 43 points? New York raining three-pointers? Steve friggin’ Novak? Under the bright lights of MSG, the Celtics and Knicks put on a show, though it wasn’t always close. ‘Melo messed around and put up 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, carving up the Cs left and right. He and the Knicks scored a ridiculous 72 points in the first half behind 14 long balls, and finished one trey short of a franchise record, with 19 three-pointers on the night. None were bigger than the pair that Novak (25 points, 8 threes) drilled in crunch time of the fourth to keep New York out in front. JR Smith had 25 off the bench, too, while Tyson Chandler added 20 and the Knicks improved to 14-5 under Mike Woodson. Boston fell out of a 3-way tie for fourth-place in the East and squandered a chance at clinching the Atlantic division. It’d be hard to pin this one on Pierce, though, whose 43 points came on 11-19 field goal shooting and 17-18 at the charity stripe. Kevin Garnett scored 20 and Rajon Rondo had 13 dimes to go with 13 points, but the Knicks were straight-up unconscious from 3-point land."

ESPN: LeBron vs. the field: 2011-12 Most Valuable Player.
"LeBron. I can't account for the voters, so I'll make my own argument. LeBron has better partners (but not by much) in Wade and Chris Bosh compared to Durant (Russell Westbrook and James Harden), but if Miami's Big Three played alongside the rest of the Thunder and Durant's trio were in Miami, OKC would have won 50-plus games this season. I don't think anyone is in LeBron's class."