News From Around The World: November 6

11/06/12

Written by: DHawes22 / avg. rating: 5.0

November 6

Trail Blazers TV: Trail Blazers 91, Mavericks 114

Trail Blazers TV: Nicolas Batum Puts Chris Kaman On A Poster

Trail Blazers TV: Lillard Goes Reverse

Trail Blazers: Trail Blazers, Wells Fargo and Paul Allen Partner With Red Cross To Aid In Hurricane Sandy Relief
"The Portland Trail Blazers will team-up with Wells Fargo and the American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter to raise funds and awareness in support of the relief efforts benefiting those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Donations will be accepted through the American Red Cross website – www.redcross.org, all Wells Fargo ATM locations and at the Trail Blazers vs. LA Clippers game on Thursday, November 8th."

Trail Blazers: The Damian Lillard File: Three Games In
"With 20 points and nine assists against Houston on Nov 3, Damian Lillard joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with at least 20 points and seven assists in their first three career games. "

Oregon Live: Despite loss to Dallas, Blazers show that season might be better than expected
“We can play with anybody and beat anybody — anywhere,” Matthews said, revealing what he’ll take away from the Blazers’ first four games."

Oregon Live: Blazers Insider: It's a night of lessons learned for Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard during off night
“I don’t even really look at this as adversity,’’ Lillard said. “You are not going to make every shot, you are not going to have a great game every game. The best thing for me to do is watch it, and take what I can from it and move on and try to get ready for the next game.’’

Oregon Live: Blazers fall to Mayo, Mavericks 114-91 to complete trip with 1-2 mark
"Meyers Leonard, who entered Monday night's game averaging 2.7 and 3.0 rebounds, played his best shift in four games in the first half. During a 13-minute stretch, Leonard scored six points, hauled in seven rebounds and added one assist while making 3 of 4 field goals. Among his shots was a breathtaking alley-oop lob from fellow rookie Damian Lillard. Leonard finished with six points and nine rebounds."

Oregon Live: NBA High-5: Door wide open for James Harden, others, to fill league's void of great young shooting guards
"Beyond Harden and Mayo, it's hard to see who the next great shooting guard might be. Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, like Roy, won the Rookie of the Year award, but the Kings did not give him an extension and will allow him to become a restricted free agent next summer. Milwaukee's Monta Ellis can score like few others, but it's possible he'll end up a point guard if he ever gets on a playoff team."

CSNNW: Lillard making his mark within team concept
“I know I have to get LaMarcus, Wes, Nic, J.J. their shots first before I look for my own,” Lillard told CSNNW.com. “They are the glue to this team and if they get off, we have a good shot at winning the game.”

CSNNW: Blazers collapse in fourth, fall to Mavericks
"We can't win if the other team is shooting 62 percent and we're shooting 38 percent," Nicolas Batum said. "Mayo got in a rhythm and he never got out of it. This was a tough night."

Rip City Project: Recap Game 4: Blazers 91, Mavericks 114
"Meyers is looking totally lost on defense, and easily exposed in both one-on-one and pick and roll sets. That being said, he looked less lost Monday than he did Saturday, and less lost Saturday than he did Friday, etc. The kid is showing that he can improve on defense. And regardless of how bad he looked Monday on defense, he looked actually passable to good on offense. Meyers scored six points in his 23 minutes of action, putting down two very nice dunks. He also dished out a nice give-and-go assist to Nicolas Batum, and collected nine rebounds. We’ll qualify Leonard’s “long way to go” with “but he’ll get there,” for now. I have a feeling, though, he will get there."

Blazersedge: Analysis: Trail Blazers Show Heart, Eventually Succumb to Dallas Attack
"Dallas employed an effective and all-too obvious strategy tonight: abuse every point guard and center you see. Those are the weak spots in Portland's defense and center remains questionable on offense as well. The Mavericks started the game running Darren Collison right down the throat of the lane and Damian Lillard both. The speedy point guard drew two immediate fouls on Portland's young hero, sending him to the pines before the arena seats had warmed. In Lillard's absence the Blazers had to invent new ways of scoring. Ronnie Price wasn't able to defend Collison either and Dallas looked to cruise."

Blazersedge via ESPN Los Angeles: Kamenetzky: Dwight Howard Shows Love To LaMarcus Aldridge
"There are a lot of great centers who play in the NBA today. There's just so many guards that outshine them. I think LaMarcus (Aldridge) is a good center. DeMarcus Cousins. A power forward-center. Al Jefferson. There's a lot of guys who can play down there... It's not a flashy position. You never see a center on SportsCenter shooting a fadeaway. It's always the guards. Those are the highlights that everybody wants to see."

Blazersedge via ESPN: ESPN Panel Agrees Blazers G Damian Lillard Is "Best Rookie So Far"
"Lillard defeated the up-and-coming James Harden-led Rockets, who looked unstoppable before their game against Portland. Plus, every other rookie hasn't shined as brightly. With Davis' injury, Bradley Beal's slow start, and Dion Waiters' Cavs getting thumped by a Rose-less Bulls squad, the race is now Lillard's to lose."

Blazersedge via ESPN: Hollinger: Blazers G Damian Lillard Is One Of West's Surprises
"Barea has some measure of notoriety. He bounced between the Mavs and the D-League for a while before evolving as an offensive threat and working as a key figure off the bench of the team's 2010-11 championship squad. Now in Minnesota, he'll be asked to hold down the fort with Ricky Rubio still on the shelf, and as always (as a 5-9, maybe, lead guard) Barea has to try and get away with as much as he can while defending against taller opponents."

Ball Don't Lie: The NBA warns its first two penalized floppers, citing giants of industry Donald Sloan and J.J. Barea for censure (VIDEO)
"That’s why we have to tread very lightly on Portland’s first of 82 games. Damian Lillard was spectacular (or at least one or two turnovers short of spectacular). LaMarcus Aldridge looked like he’d spent his entire summer in the gym shooting jumpers until he couldn’t lift his arms anymore. Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews made timely shots, limited their stupid offensive possessions, and totally manned-up on defense. Those are the things we should expect for this season. We should also be prepared for four guys playing well to not be enough to win many games."

Ball Don't Lie: President Barack Obama played Election Day basketball with Scottie Pippen
"According to one report, Obama's team won Tuesday's game by 20 points, which isn't too surprising considering he played with both ringers. However, it's also possible that his talents overlapped with Pippen's a little too much. In the past, Obama has compared his game to that of Tayshaun Prince, who plays much like Pippen as an all-around small forward. Might Team Obama have performed better with a different kind of Hall of Fame talent?"

Ball Don't Lie: DeAndre Jordan drops Tyler Zeller with inadvertent 4th-quarter elbow in Clips’ loss to Cavs (VIDEO)
"Jordan's rebound-seeking/boom-lowering right arm, the first of what will likely be many thousands of sharpened elbows Zeller will face in the underground paint during his NBA career — floored the North Carolina product, would send the North Carolina product to the sidelines and out for the final 5:39 which his teammates rode out for a solid 108-101 road win. Zeller finished with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting, seven boards (four offensive), two assists, one steal and one bracing wake-up call in 24-plus minutes."

Ball Don't Lie: The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly remain ultra-cheap, as they chased away the man who traded for Chris Paul
"It's true that Olshey's annual salary in Portland nearly doubled the offer that the Clippers gave him, but to me the sticking point is the "one year" part of Los Angeles' offer. Sterling couldn't be bothered to put two or three (or, heaven forbid, four or five?) years on the table for the man whose cap work and draft work aided in turning the Clippers back into winners?"

The Basketball Jones: Rasheed Wallace explains his new 3-point celebration
“It’s three points. Take that to the head.”

The Basketball Jones: Dion Waiters thinks he’s a better skater than Kyrie Irving
"Can someone please let Dion Waiters know where the best skating rink in or around Cleveland is so that he and Kyrie Irving can settle this skating dispute like men? And can someone please take a video camera with them to film it so we can all weigh in? Thanks in advance. Winner takes on Rajon Rondo in a roller skating death match."

The Basketball Jones: Nikola Pekovic and Andrei Kirilenko made Alexey Shved cut his hair
"To be fair, the Timberwolves were 1-1 while Alexey Shved was doing his best Lou Amundson impression. So Shved looking like some random dude who probably drives a Camaro (read: “a man”) but could be from anywhere isn’t the only reason they won. But the young Russian did have the best game of his NBA career last night, pouring in all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter of Minnesota’s comeback win, so his hair advisory committee may be on to something. At the very least, he has to be more aerodynamic with less hair."

DIME: Humble & Hungry: Dime’s 2012 NBA Rookie Journal With Dion Waiters, Vol. 2
"It’s going to be great playing with Kyrie this year. We can play off each other. In certain situations, we can help each other score just to help the team out. We both can split time as ones and twos. Kyrie expects to play some two guard this year, which means I’ll be at the one. I’ve told you all before we’re like the one-two combo – I can play the point, he can play the two. I’m a two guard obviously, but I can play the point guard as well. We’re going to give them different looks. Plus, with scouting reports, we basically already know going into every game who we are guarding. They try to make everything easy for us in that way so there is no confusion."

DIME: Report: James Harden Was Hurt OKC Didn’t Give Him More Time To Consider Their Final Offer
"Harden told Yahoo! Sports that, “After everything we established – everything we had done – you give me an hour? This was one of the biggest decisions of my life. I wanted to go home and pray about it. It hurt me. It hurt."

SLAM: Rookie Report: Week 1
"I use the word dominance because that’s how it’s appeared thus far. Lillard’s calm, cool and collected demeanor has seamlessly translated on to the court, as he is playing under control and at his own, commanding pace. Almost always, the biggest adjustment for rookie point guards is learning how to slow down, be patient and take what the defense gives (big reasons why John Wall and Brandon Jennings have had their share of struggles, and why Rajon Rondo always seems like he’s in control). Apparently, Lillard has already mastered this skill."

SLAM: The Post Up: Impressive Starts
"Portland hasn’t been able to close out games thus far. They have been ouscored in the fourth quarter in all four of their games."

SLAM via Charlotte Observer: Gerald Henderson Out 2-4 Weeks With a Sprained Left Foot
“The team initially didn’t think the injury was going to be a problem, but further medical tests revealed Henderson sprained the mid-foot area and will miss more time than expected. Through two games Henderson is averaging 12.5 points, 3 steals, 2.5 assists and 2 rebounds in 28 minutes. He had 18 points in Charlotte’s season-opening win against Indiana last Friday night. Either Ramon Sessions or Ben Gordon will take Henderson’s spot in the starting lineup when the Bobcats (1-1) host the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.”

ESPN: Which team is the most pleasant surprise in the West?
"San Antonio. At this point, each new Spurs season seems like a new edition of Kyrie Irving's "Uncle Drew" shtick -- the old guys unassumingly roll up to the court and proceed to wow all the bros in attendance. They're off to an even better start than last season, having won all four of their games, three of which were against 2012 playoff teams. Unbelievable."

Sports Illustrated: Despite several early surprises, the Heat still hold top spot in rankings
"Lee Jenkins and I were the only ones at SI.com brave enough to tab Damian Lillard as our pick for Rookie of the Year, but the bandwagon is filling up quickly after four games, even if people aren't sure yet how to pronounce his name. They'll learn fast. The point guard is showing poise beyond his years, becoming just the third player in history to tally at least 20 points and 10 assists in his debut, against the Lakers. He then turned in an equally impressive performance (20 points, nine assists, six rebounds) in an OT win against the Rockets three nights later. If Lillard keeps this up, he'll take home the rookie hardware and keep Portland relevant all season."

Trail Blazers: Weekend Plan: Specially Designed For Families And The Busy Nine-To-Fiver
"Built for the family-oriented fan with a busy work-week, the 12-game Weekend Pack maximizes the thrill-factor while keeping the competitions to Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A smattering of Western Conference rivals and Eastern Conference visitors during one-offs and key home stands, you can get your hands on this schedule-friendly pack for as low as $11/game and $52/game in the lower bowl."

Trail Blazers: The Rivals Plan: Two LAs, Oklahoma City And The Return Of Roy
"The smallest of the four big ticket plans, the eight game Rivals Pack packs a big punch. You’ll be in the building and eating a corndog while others are wondering how to get their hands on a way to see the return of Brandon Roy and the sure to sell out L.A. Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder."

Trail Blazers: Why The Value Plan Makes 'Cents' For You
"The Value Pack starts at just $5 a game. That’s 12 games for as low as $60! Talk about some serious bang for your buck. But that’s not even the best part about this ticket plan. Four of the 12 games take place in the month of January. And there is absolutely no better place to be during an Oregon winter’s night than inside the raucous Rose Garden. Not to mention this pack gets you into the arena to see some of the league’s biggest names and brightest young stars such as Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, and Rudy Gay."

Trail Blazers: Big Games Plan: 12 Of The Biggest Games
"This game has it all. Season opener, at home, against the loathe-inducing Lakers, in Steve Nash's first game in purple and gold and it's on Halloween night! Any game against the Lakers at the Rose Garden is going to be a lively one, but the confluence of circumstances in this particular game sets the stage for one of the all-time season openers in Trail Blazers history."