[valentine]

ROOKIES

Surprises

When looking at something like a scoring leaderboard for rookies you expect to see lottery picks, and that’s true in this preseason. Names like Blake Griffin, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Evan Turner, and Gordon Hayward – they are all there in the top ten. But so are Gary Forbes of the Denver Nuggets (10.0 points a game) and Manny Harris of the Cleveland Cavaliers (9.8)

Forbes has bounced around since coming out of Massachusetts in 2008, going from Italy to the Philippines to Israel and twice stopping in the NBDL. As a shooting guard he has a chance to make the team – it’s a position the Nuggets don’t have much depth at. Harris went undrafted out of Michigan this year, but caught Cleveland’s eye at summer league. As a scoring point guard he might fit with the Cavaliers behind Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson.

Washington’s John Wall is leading the entire league with 8.0 assists a game. Maybe that’s not a huge surprise since the Wizards want to get him as much experience as possible in the short preseason, but still impressive.

L.A. Clippers forward Blake Griffin leads the entire league in rebounding with 12.3 a game.

Disappointments

There isn’t much more disappointing than Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner shooting 31% from the field. Gary Neal, signed as a shooter by the San Antonio Spurs, is only tossing in 36%. Detroit center Greg Monroe needs to do better than 5.2 rebounds a game if he’s on the floor for 27 minutes.

SOPHOMORES

Surprises

Quick, name the top five scoring sophomores of the preseason. Did you come up with Jeff Teague, Austin Daye, Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Tyreke Evans? Probably you got two, maybe three of those, but unless you follow the Hawks and Pistons on a regular basis you wouldn’t have picked Teague and Daye.

Believe it or not, but Philadelphia point guard Jrue Holiday is grabbing 7.0 rebounds a game, good for a second-place tie with Milwaukee’s Jon Brockman behind San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair. Oklahoma City big man Serge Ibaka is leading the entire league with 2.8 blocks a game.

Disappointments

This is where we talk turnovers. Golden State’s Stephen Curry at 5.6 a game is plain ridiculous. Trying to keep up are Atlanta’s Jeff Teague (granted it was one game) and Holiday, both giving the ball back 4.0 times a game. Oklahoma City’s Eric Maynor is doing it 2.8 times a game, but also only playing 21.4 minutes. Indiana’s Darren Collison, at 3.8 a game, at least has the excuse of learning a new offense and completely new teammates.

New Orleans guard Marcus Thornton has hit just 10-49 shots in the preseason.

STARTERS

Surprises

It’s not a surprise Minnesota power forward Kevin Love is a good rebounder, but what is a surprise is him leading the entire league in rebounding rate with 11.5 boards a game in 25.8 minutes, just ahead of Orlando’s Dwight Howard.

Seeing Denver’s Arron Afflalo putting in 20.6 points a game is quite a surprise. Even in college at UCLA Afflalo wasn’t necessarily known as a scorer. Sure, he scored and opposing Pac-10 teams knew he could score and would hurt them, but he wasn’t known as a “scorer” the likes of which would pour in over 20 points a game in the NBA.

Disappointments

Golden State’s Monta Ellis is only dishing 3.8 assists in 31.8 minutes a game, and Chicago’s Derrick Rose 3.5 in 28.4 minutes. Yes, it’s preseason, but with those minutes the assists should still be higher.

Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Charlotte’s Tyrus Thomas were both outrebounded by the following players in comparable minutes: Indiana’s Josh McRoberts, Washington’s Yi Jianlian, Orlando’s Ryan Anderson, Sacramento’s Omri Casspi, and Chicago’s Omer Asik. It should be noted both Portland and Charlotte are counting on rebounding from their forwards. Both Aldridge and Thomas are outrebounding, in comparable minutes: Utah’s Paul Millsap, Philadelphia’s Elton Brand, Toronto’s Andrea Bargnani, and New York’s Amar’e Stoudemire.

Bargnani is also shooting 30% from the field (but hey, so is L.A.’s Kobe Bryant, so that can’t be all bad).

Denver’s Chauncey “Mr. Big Shot” Billups is 0-7 from three-point range.

RESERVES

Surprises

Denver’s Shelden Williams is pulling down 8.2 rebounds a game and could end up being a very key player on this team with the injury to Kenyon Martin and the injury history of players like Nene and Chris Andersen. Could this be where Williams, the former lottery pick of the Atlanta Hawks, makes his mark?

Eric mentioned this one too, but Phoenix’s Channing Frye blocking 2.5 shots a game registers as quite a shock. Really? Channing Frye? The guy who was in the three-point shootout last All-Star Weekend? If that keeps up the Suns will be quite pleased – and he may justify the contract he signed.

MORE BY JASON FLEMING

NBA Chat With Jason Fleming: Chat with HOOPSWORLD editor Jason Fleming about preseason, camp battles,…
How About Those Timberwolves?: The Minnesota Timberwolves are not going to be a playoff team in 2011, but …
Rudy Needs Different Approach: Rudy Fernandez has been fined again for his agent talking about wanting…
View Jason Fleming Archive 
There have been quite a few impressive shooting performances, but Portland’s Rudy Fernandez taking 34 three-pointers in six games and hitting 59% of them has to top the list. Other players like Love and Charlotte’s D.J. Augustin are shooting well while making over 10, but Fernandez has by far the largest sample size. Given he was already known as a good shooter – though streaky – Portland might be able to build on this. Plus, lately he has seemed downright accepting of staying in Portland; success will do that. (Inexplicably Fernandez is shooting only 23% inside the arc.)
Disappointments

By the way, Frye’s blocks are impressive but he is also 3-20 from three-point range. That can’t happen, even with the blocks. Milwaukee’s Ersan Ilyasova isn’t much better at 4-20. San Antonio’s George Hill is 1-11 and Toronto’s Jose Calderon is 1-10.

Minnesota’s Corey Brewer is shooting a pathetic 7-32 from the field.

TEAMS

Surprises

First we have the Memphis Grizzlies at 7-0, and then we have the Minnesota Timberwolves at 5-1.

The Orlando Magic (along with Memphis and Utah) is one of three undefeated teams, but it’s the manner with which they are winning: blowing out opponents by 25.0 points a game. That’s the mark of a veteran team whose players know their role and know what they need to contribute.

Another nice surprise is seeing the Cleveland Cavaliers at 5-2 and winning by 7.2 points a game. Of course, when you consider Cleveland is one of two teams (Orlando is the other) holding opponents under 90 points a game, it starts to make sense. They are going to hang their hats on defense, it seems, and it just might bring them regular season success as well.

Disappointments

It’s tough to gauge a disappointing team in preseason because the intent has to be taken into account. Are the Atlanta Hawks disappointing at 1-4? Probably, because they are still trying to prove themselves and take that next step, but they are also playing some young guys to shore up their bench.

Are the Lakers a disappointment at 2-3? Perhaps to some, but preseason success is hardly something they measure themselves by.

The Phoenix Suns are on the opposite end of the spectrum from the Magic. With them roles are still way up in the air, hence a 1-5 record and losing by 15.7 points a game. Yikes.

What’s caught your attention this preseason? What are your surprises and disappointments? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

By Jason Fleming

[thunderforthewinParticipant]

Early in the preseason Kyle Korver, went for for 22, 17 and 15, but his minutes have gone down in preseason and so have his numbers, probably due to the coach working out the other players, but i wouldnt be surprised if hes the bulls starting 2 man.

Jordan Crawford i have also been surprised by, however i shouldnt be, he came in as a scorer and hes scoring, averaging 15 ppg and going off for 30 against the wizards and 20 against detroit

 

[thunderforthewinParticipant]

Early in the preseason Kyle Korver, went for for 22, 17 and 15, but his minutes have gone down in preseason and so have his numbers, probably due to the coach working out the other players, but i wouldnt be surprised if hes the bulls starting 2 man.

Jordan Crawford i have also been surprised by, however i shouldnt be, he came in as a scorer and hes scoring, averaging 15 ppg and going off for 30 against the wizards and 20 against detroit

 

[mj23mj23besteverParticipant]

who will be the bulls starting 2 could be korver brewer ive even read it could be bogans providng his solid d and good pereimter d to the starters imo id actually start bogans to bring korvers scoring ability off the bench

[mj23mj23besteverParticipant]

who will be the bulls starting 2 could be korver brewer ive even read it could be bogans providng his solid d and good pereimter d to the starters imo id actually start bogans to bring korvers scoring ability off the bench

[Author]

Posts