Around The World: June 1

06/01/12

Written by: DHawes22

June 1

Trail Blazers: Mock Draft Database

Trail Blazers: Why The Unexpected Is So Important In Pro Sports
"When I was with the Clippers, my coach, Bill Fitch, used me as a wrinkle and it definitely caught the opposition off-guard. After not playing for several games in a row coach Fitch came up to me just before the tip-off vs the then New Jersey Nets and told me I was starting. But then in the team meeting he went one step further and said he was going to isolate me vs Shawn Bradley. New Jersey wasn’t expecting that (neither was I.) But it worked for us, I scored 12 points in the 1st quarter, the defense adjusted to me, the main scorers were able take it the rest of the way and we went on to win the game. But you have to be careful, sometimes those little wrinkles can lead to disaster and what seemed like a good idea can lead to an embarrassing loss. But for the most part, in order to win in sports today you have to have a hidden trick up your sleeve."

Trail Blazers: Ford: Blazers Could Trade 6 and 11 for 2, pick Bradley Beal
"A steep price indeed. The Trail Blazers might not like anyone at No. 6, but that doesn't mean another team won't. So would the team rather use both of their draft assets to move up to take someone they do like, or use one pick and trade for a veteran? The Trail Blazers front office guys would have to really, really like Beal to use both picks to acquire him."

Trail Blazers: Draft Lottery Is Calm Before The Storm
"What Portland NEEDS though is a PG and a Center. With roughly $15-20 million to spend, these will likely be addressed in free agency. Many think that Goran Dragic is THAT guy at point guard. Don’t sleep on a deal with Kyle Lowry though. #11 pick for Lowry anyone? All I know is that all of this type of talk is healthy. It’s what will get us by during the usually solemn summer months when we are craving Blazers basketball. I still feel that it’s a strong bet that we will see Joel Freeland come over from Europe too."

Oregon Live: 2012 NBA draft: Should the Trail Blazers draft Jared Sullinger? (poll)
"Everybody is wondering if he can be the next Zach Randolph," a Pacific Division executive said. "Sullinger has some of those attributes. He has soft hands. He'll pass to the right guy. He's going to work down there and try to catch it. The problem is, can he get his shot off? I know he can make the college three, but I don't know if he wants to hang his hat on that to become an NBA player. But he does have that skill."

CSNNW: Blazers handling of GM is nothing compared to Clippers mess
"This past season, Olshey received high praise for orchestrating a complicated deal that brought in All-Star point guard Chris Paul from New Orleans, he also picked up Chauncey Billups off waivers, signed Kenyon Martin, and traded for Nick Young. "

Blazersedge via Oregon Live: Quick: Brandon Roy To Discuss Possible NBA Comeback With Agent
"For what it's worth: Agent for Brandon Roy says they "haven't really discussed" return to NBA. That's softer than previous denials of return"

Ball Don't Lie: Orlando Woolridge passes away at the age of 52
"Woolridge was one of the more powerful dunkers in NBA history, an impressive leaper with good enough touch to be expected to rank amongst the NBA's top scorers upon his jump from Notre Dame to the NBA in 1981. Woolridge teamed with Ennis Whatley to form one of the NBA's earliest go-to alley-oop duos, and he was the leading scorer on the 1983-84 Bulls, the last Bulls team for a decade that did not feature Michael Jordan as its top points per game performer. The self-described "black Curt Gowdy" was an avid outdoorsman and fisherman, and the cousin of NBA Hall of Famer Willis Reed."

Ball Don't Lie: Kendrick Perkins yelled at the TNT crew because they knocked his defense, before agreeing with them
"In Game 3, the Thunder switched on everything, rather than forcing Perkins to hedge while his screened-out teammates recovered. And Kendrick was brilliant, affecting shots and even blocking a Manu Ginobili 3-pointer. It was perimeter defense we rarely see from any big man, much less Perkins. And he should be commended for that as much as we're allowed to point out that the guy was left a little helpless in Game 2 playing out of his element."

Ball Don't Lie via AP: Lil Wayne denied access to the Thunder/Spurs game simply because he did not have a ticket
"Thunder spokesman Dan Mahoney says Lil Wayne's representatives did contact the team requesting tickets but insisted that he sit on the front row, and none of those seats was available. Oklahoma City sold out every home game during the regular season and playoffs this season. Mahoney says: 'We'd love to have him at a game, but like anyone else, he needs a ticket.''"

Ball Don't Lie: Was Phil Jackson interested in taking over the Orlando Magic, and bringing Scottie Pippen in as coach?
"This is a strange story, but a somewhat believable one. Former Orlando Magic guard and Charlotte Bobcat coach Sam Vincent, according to Vincent, attempted to recruit Phil Jackson to take over the Magic's GM opening before Jackson pulled out on Thursday evening. And, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz, it appears as if Jackson wanted to bring Scottie Pippen along for the ride as coach to fill in the empty seat left behind by Stan Van Gundy two weeks ago, before passing on the project altogether. Schmitz doesn't reveal Pippen by name, as the candidate Vincent named is currently working for another NBA team, but just a short bit of research reveals the former Bulls star fits all the criteria as hinted at by the Sentinel scribe, as relayed by Vincent."

Ball Don't Lie: Behind the Box Score, where the Oklahoma City Thunder’s defense earned them a huge win
"Finally, after begging that was in place even before the series started (when most assumed that this would be the smartest move for the Thunder, just not confident in the idea that Scott Brooks would sign off on it), long-armed defensive guard Thabo Sefolosha (who played nearly 37 of the game's first 43 minutes before the benches were emptied) switched over to guard Tony Parker, and finally nearly doubled Derek Fisher up in minutes played. We have no idea why it took until the third game in the series for Brooks to adopt a strategy that was a clear game-shifter from the outset, but the results were fantastic — five turnovers for Parker, who made half his shots but struggled to find clear looks at the hoop. Six steals and a whole lot of defensive havoc that went behind the box score (I hate it when movies do that) for Sefolosha."

The Basketball Jones via CSNNE: Brian Scalabrine inspired Rajon Rondo’s incredible performance last night
“Rajon, they’re collapsing on you,” Scalabrine said of his message to Rondo on Comcast SportsNet New England’s pregame show. “Use your instincts, make plays. That’s what you want to do. That’s why you’re so special. Your instincts are off the charts. If you see a layup, shoot a layup. If you [see] a pass, make the pass. Trust your guys: trust Ray Allen, trust Paul Pierce. And I feel like he feels that he needs to be more aggressive making basketball plays . . . If 20 shots is what it takes, that’s what it takes. Rajon Rondo needs to be more aggressive in making his players around him more better.”

The Basketball Jones: Video: OKC mayor zings Charles Barkley
"If the Oklahoma City Thunder figure out a way to advance to the NBA Finals, I think we can all agree the best part will be the continued humiliation of Charles Barkley by the entirety of the state’s capitol. In fact, if one decided they wanted to root for the Thunder for that reason alone, one might be making a wise decision."

SLAM: Post Up: Spurs Done Streaking
"Thabo Sefolosha played like prime Bruce Bowen with cartoon arms and an electric motor. The second half devolved into the Thunder starting lineup doing an Oprah-esque, “Everybody gets a lob!” impression. And a pissed-off Gregg Popovich gave a mid-timeout interview where he emasculated Craig Sager to distract everyone from the fact that he didn’t want to say, “I’m not sure I have answers for this one.”

SLAM via Yahoo!: Eric Gordon Still Planning on Becoming a Free Agent
“Eric Gordon was surprised to hear the New Orleans Hornets won the top pick in the NBA’s draft lottery. Hornets coach Monty Williams and assistant general manager Tim Connelly called Gordon to talk to him about the windfall that will bring Kentucky forward Anthony Davis to New Orleans. But despite the news, Gordon still plans on exploring his options in free agency. ‘Wherever I end up will be a good situation or I’m going to make it a good situation,’ Gordon said. Gordon made $3.1 million in the final year of his contract and will be a restricted free agent this summer. He turned down in January a four-year contract that would have paid him close to $50 million, league sources said. He averaged 20.6 points and 3.4 assists in just nine games last season after being slowed by a right knee injury that required surgery."

ESPN: Fact or Fiction: The C's will take Game 3.
"Fact. The notion that Boston will struggle to get past a heartbreaking Game 2 loss is laughable. The Celtics have no other choice. They are fighting for their season and being back at TD Garden should help them steal Game 3. Miami still wins this series (maybe as quick as five games), but Boston makes things interesting for the weekend."

Sports Illustrated: Heat look to show toughness, slow Rajon Rondo in Game 3 vs. Celtics
"They'll learn from [Game 2] and come out of it with a fresh mind knowing they have two in Boston,'' said Dwyane Wade of the Celtics' homecoming. "We know we are going to get this team's best shot. [In Game 2] they gave us a great shot, and we were able to win on our home floor. If they give us that same effort, can we pull it off and win this kind of game on the road? [That would] be a testament to this team.''