Tag: Derrick Rose

With Westbrook out, Harden’s 39 not enough in lethargic home loss

Playing their third game in four nights and second of a split back-to-back, the Rockets lacked their usual energy in a home loss to Detroit.

Playing their third game in a third city in four nights and the second of a split back-to-back, the Houston Rockets (17-9) lacked their usual energy in an uninspiring 115-107 home loss Saturday night to the Detroit Pistons.

The defeat (box score) snapped Houston’s winning streak at two games after wins Wednesday and Friday in Cleveland and Orlando, respectively.

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Former MVP Derrick Rose led the Pistons (11-15) with a throwback performance off the bench, posting 20 points and 12 assists in 26 minutes. Detroit led by a comfortable margin for most of the game.

James Harden scored a game-high 39 points, but the superstar Rockets guard didn’t seem to have his usual legs. The NBA’s scoring leader made just 4-of-13 three-pointers (30.8%), a night after hitting 10-of-15 (66.7%) in his 54-point outburst during Friday’s blowout win at Orlando.

“It is what it is,”Harden said when asked if the loss could be blamed on the schedule logistics. “We all know how difficult it is. You’ve got to just continue to play through it. It was a tough one for us tonight.”

Collectively, the Rockets made just 13-of-45 treys (29.5%) Saturday at Toyota Center after going 22-of-39 (56.4%) in Orlando on Friday.

 

Rookie guard Chris Clemons, who had relatively fresh legs after playing only three minutes on Friday, scored 17 points and hit 5-of-11 three-pointers (45.5%) off the bench. Outside of Clemons, though, the Rockets were just 8-of-34 from behind the three-point arc (23.5%).

“He made some big-time shots,” Harden said of Clemons. “His confidence continues to grow as he gets more minutes, and as he gets more comfortable on the floor. When his number is called, he’s ready to go.”

Despite 19 rebounds from Clint Capela amid the absence of usual Pistons starting center Andre Drummond (eye), the lethargic Rockets were still outrebounded by a 55-46 margin overall. Christian Wood led the Pistons with 13 rebounds in just 22 minutes off the bench.

Russell Westbrook sat out for planned maintenance after offseason knee surgery, as he’s done in one game of all back-to-backs so far this season. Westbrook entered Saturday on a hot streak, and his absence was especially significant in the team’s minutes without Harden (-11).

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The Rockets have an off day Sunday before wrapping up their current two-game homestand on Monday versus San Antonio (10-15).

The NBA MVPs of the decade, ranked

Come at me with your anger.

As we said when we ranked the teams of the decade, the Basketball Gods have really spoiled us in the 2010s.

Not only did we get incredible teams last decade, but they were also led by some of the most incredible players in NBA history that we’ve ever seen.

From Derrick Rose in 2010 to Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2019 and everyone in between, it felt like there was always some sort of historical precedent set by the MVP each year.

We’ve each MVP season right here. This one wasn’t easy — some of you are going to be extremely #MadOnline about it. But here we are.

Let’s dig in.

10. Derrick Rose (2010-11)

(Mike DiNovo-US PRESSWIRE)

LeBron James or Dwight Howard probably could’ve won this MVP, but you won’t ever catch me saying Derrick Rose didn’t deserve it. He was the best player and top scorer on a 62 win team. I understand it. Rose was a fine choice. By the way, he’s still the youngest MVP ever at 22 years old.

9. James Harden (2017-18)

(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

This MVP felt like a reward to James Harden for missing out on the award from the season before because he didn’t average a triple double. He averaged a league high 30.4 points per game that season, fueling his efficiency with his commitment to Moreyball. He became the first player to ever average 10 free throws and 10 three point attempts in a single year.

8. Giannis Antetokounmpo (2018-19)

(Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)

This MVP trophy was heavily debated throughout the season up until Antetokounmpo actually won it.  Harden went bonkers in that season, averaging a league leading 36 points per game.  But, ultimately, Antetokounmpo was just as deserving plus his team was better. He led the Bucks to a 60 win season behind his career high 27.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. Good show by Harden, though.

7. LeBron James (2011-12)

(Douglas Jones-USA TODAY Sports)

This was the third MVP of James’ career, making him the first player since Michael Jordan to win at least three in his career. He led the league in plus-minus at +7.6 and posted career highs in both field goal percentage (53%) and three point shooting (36%). Not going to lie to y’all. Game 6 in Boston moved James up a couple spots here.

6. Stephen Curry (2014-15)

(Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

This was we realized Stephen Curry was special. He became the first player in league history to take 8.1 threes per game and hit at least 44% of them — they weren’t easy looks, either. Right now the only other player ever to do that is Wizards GOAT Davis Bertans — seriously. So, basically, Bertans for MVP. Who’s with me? No one? Ok.

5.  Russell Westbrook (2016-17)

(Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports)

The further we move away from Westbrook’s MVP season, the more we critique it. The Thunder spoon-fed him triple doubles, he didn’t have to box out, blah blah blah. Those things are mostly true. My response: So what? He was still the first player to average a triple double in 56 years. He also hit a game winner that literally put his team in the playoffs. He was more than deserving of the award that season.

4. LeBron James (2009-10)

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Because this was the season before James left for Miami, it’s not often held up as one of his best. But believe me — it definitely was. James became the first non-Michael Jordan, non-Oscar Robertson player to total at least 2,250 points, 550 rebounds and 650 assists in a single season. It was the first time it had happened since 1989. He also became the first non-Wilt, non-Jordan player to post a PER of at least 31 twice in their career that season.

3. Kevin Durant (2013-14)

(Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)

Listen to how unbelievably great this season was. Only two names in the league’s history have averaged 32 points per game, shot 50% from the field and at least 35% from deep. They are Kevin Durant from 2014 and Michael Jordan in 1990. What else do you need to know?

2. Stephen Curry (2015-16)

(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Only one player in NBA history has ever joined the 45-50-90 club while averaging 30 points per game. Guess who. Stephen Curry’s 2015-16 season is the definition of a one of one. I don’t know if we’ll ever see this again. The sheer volume of Curry’s 3-point greatness might make this the best offensive season we’ve ever seen in our lives.

1. LeBron James (2012-13)

(Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports)

Just like Curry’s season, this one is a one-of-one. LeBron James is the only player in league history to shoot 55% from the field while averaging 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game. In an era where records are being shattered left and right by the best talent in the world, no player has been able to accomplish this feat yet. James still stands alone. That’s impressive.

Check out all of our NBA coverage here.

Pelicans vs. Pistons Recap: The Good, the Bad and the Ball

Derrick Rose exploded in the fourth quarter and broke the hearts of New Orleans Pelicans fans in the process.

Derrick Rose was the difference for the Detroit Pistons in a tightly contested matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Here was the good, the bad and the Ball from the Pelicans’ 105-103 loss to the Pistons.

The Good: NOLA’s Interior Defense

Despite not having Zion Williamson or Derrick Favors for Monday night’s contest, the Pelicans were able to hold Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin to a combined 5-20 shooting from the field. Overall, the Pistons scored just 105 points, which is the third-least points they’ve allowed this season.

Brandon Ingram was also stellar, scoring a game-high 31 points on 11-21 shooting from the field, including 4-9 shooting from behind the arc.

Unfortunately, the combination of those two things wasn’t enough for the Pelicans to snap their nine-game losing streak. They came close, but Derrick Rose scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, including the crowd-silencing buzzer-beater.

The Bad: Free-throw shooting

The Pelicans missed seven of the 22 free throws they attempted Monday night. They lost by two. Do the math.

The Ball

In his first game back on the bench, Lonzo Ball tallied 6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and one turnover in 29:31. He looked a bit better on defense, but his overall offensive game is still rough.

Christian Wood has been among most versatile offensive players in NBA

Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood had 28 points and 10 rebounds with a block and a steal during a victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood had 28 points and 10 rebounds with a block and a steal during a victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Wood, 24, made his NBA debut back in the 2014-15 season and has bounced around the league since then. During the offseason, the 6-foot-10 big man signed a one-year, minimum deal with the Pistons. While it is still early in the year, he has already played more games for Detroit than he has for any of his previous four teams.

Back in August 2018, Wood told HoopsHype that he could be an “X-factor” in the NBA. That is exactly what he’s been during with the Pistons thus far.

Wood is averaging 1.24 points per possession, which ranks in the 98th percentile of the league. Among all players who have finished at least 100 offensive possessions, only two have been more efficient than him.

Despite his 6-foot-10 frame, more than one-third of his field goal attempts have been on jump shots. He is currently shooting 13-for-26 (50.0 percent) on jumpers in a set offense, where he has been more efficient than all but two players with as many opportunities.

Considering how lethal his frontcourt partner Blake Griffin can be when attacking the basket, opponents often leave Wood wide open from three.

Against the San Antonio Spurs, big man Jakob Poeltl stayed near Griffin — who was already guarded by Rudy Gay. As such, Wood was left unguarded on the perimeter and nailed an easy three.

Detroit has been the most effective team in the league on spot-up possessions and Wood has contributed to that. The Pistons average the most points per possession in the NBA when spotting up, and they trail only the Milwaukee Bucks for most points per game on this play type among all teams in the Eastern Conference.

But given his size, Wood has also been dominant as a presence near the basket. Wood ranks in the 96th percentile among all big men on his attempts at the rim, per Cleaning the Glass.

Among the 77 players in the East who have had as many attempts in the restricted area, no one has been more accurate (79.6 percent) than Wood.

Derrick Rose’s comfort running pick-and-roll has played a large part in this success and the two have established a nice two-man game for Detroit.

The fluidity that the two have in the PnR was on display against the Spurs. Wood set a high pick and the defender committed to Rose, who drove to the lane and then found his big near the basket for a dunk.

During the 118 minutes that Wood has been on the court with Rose, Wood has averaged 20.7 points per 36 minutes and Detroit has outscored its opponents by 22.5 points per 100 possessions. That net rating currently ranks No. 5 overall among two-man lineups in the East who have had as many minutes shared.

Wood may not enter the starting rotation for the team, but he is valued within the organization. Head coach Dwane Casey recently said that “he went to the wall” to make sure the 24-year-old was on the roster this year. With that kind of trust and confidence, expect to see more of Wood moving forward.

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