Damian Lillard 2013 Rookie Of The Year
We knew it all season long. Now Damian Lillard is officially a rookie of the year!
Lillard led all rookies with a 19-point scoring average. He also averaged 6.1 assists and 3.1 rebounds, playing in all 82 games this season.
Tiffany Hayes leaves Hapoel Rishon Le-Zion, team signs Riquna Williams; Edremit sign Sandra Ygueravide
- American guard/forward Tiffany Hayes leaves Hapoel Rishon Le-Zion, last in the Israel D1 league. Hayes averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. She has alleged personal reasons, but it might have been hard for her to be the only star of a team that doesn’t win.
- HR Le-Zion replaced Hayes with the signing of american guard Riquna Williams, who was recently waived from Good Angels Kosice. Williams is a prolific scorer, but still needs to mature her game, so it will be a challenge for her to lead a team and try to save it from relegation.
- One of Williams’ guard teammates in the WNBA, Ivory Latta, who also plays for Tulsa Shock, signed with another israeli team: Maccabi Ramat Hen, that ranks 3rd in the League so far. Latta played for the team last season, when she lead the team in many aspects, so it looks as a very strong acquisition.
- Turkish team Edremit signed spanish guard Sandra Ygueravide, who was playing for Hondarribia-Irun. She was having one of her best seasons, as she was leading the team in both points (12,8) and assists (4,1). Edremit is having a difficult season: they have only won one game (1-11), and they rank second-to-last. She might help the team immediately, but will she be enough to contend the strength of the rest of the turkish clubs? Hard task ahead for the spanish player.
Taylor Rochestie and Caja Laboral part ways, Jermaine Taylor waived from Lagun Aro
- Caja Laboral released montenegrinian guard Taylor Rochestie, even before finishing his first season with the team. The team from Vitoria has many guards in the roster, and Rochestie didn’t come up to expectations. He averaged 6,1 points and 2,6 assists per game in 16 minutes. He also suffered diverse injuries.
- Recently acquired american guard/forward Jermaine Taylor also parted ways with Lagun Aro GBC, and he is reportedly close to signing with israeli team Hapoel Tel-Aviv. The spanish team is still in search for the player that holds them up in the standings and saves them from being relegated. He averaged 8,1 points and 3,1 rebounds per game in 17,5 minutes.
Howard, Gasol, Hill out for the Lakers
Dwight Howard (Lakers) will be out for at least a week after being diagnosed with a torn labrum in the shoulder.
Pau Gasol is suffering was already injured, plus an action in the team’s last game, leave him sidelined from the Lakers indefinetly.
Jordan Hill also suffered an injury to his right hip in the game against the Nuggets, and will be examined soon.
The Los Angeles Lakers are facing Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma and Cleveland this week, the first two playing on the road. I don’t know what Mike D’Antoni’s plans are, but his team needs to start winning now! They cannot wait anymore, or they’ll not win a playoffs spot. Sacre? Jamison as a 5? Earl Clark as a 4? Not many options…
Skiles, Milwaukee Part By 'Mutual' Decision
Head coach Scott Skiles and the Milwaukee Bucks have parted ways, apparently in a mutual decision, according to various sources and NBA media outlets.
The move, reported first late Monday by USA Today, was confirmed to NBA.com by a person close to the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. The Bucks are expected to make an official announcement Tuesday.
NBA: January 7, REVIEW
- OKC 99 – Wizards 101. A career high from Serge Ibaka with 26 points was not enough to compensate the horrible shooting game from Westbrook and Martin. See how rookie Bradley Beal sealed the game:
- Celtics 102 – Knicks 96. Unexpected win from the C’s, who played without Rondo. Defense and shot selection was key for Boston. Only good news for Knicks was Stoudemire, who has returned in a better shape than I thought. Carmelo scored only 20 points, shooting 6/26.
- Orlando 119 – Portland 125. Another OT win for Portland (5-0 in OTs this season), with the starting lineup scoring 105 points, including 4 double-doubles. Orlando loses the 8th time in a row, even though a season-high in points (29) and 3′s (6) from Redick.
- Cavs 92 – Bulls 118. A clean sweep. Though comitting 20 turnovers, Bulls shot 53,7% in FG’s, 71,4% in 3′s, and dished 34 assits. That’s enough to know how easy this game was for the Bulls. Also, Daequan Cook made his debut.
- Spurs 88 – Hornets 95. Surprising victory from the Hornets, that relied the game on team defense (they forced 19 turnovers from Spurs, not common). Eric Gordon lead his team in scoring with 24 points.
- Mavs 94 – Jazz 100. A season-high of Gordon Hayward (27 points) was just too much for the Mavs, where Nowitzki already leads the scoring charts. I still don’t understand why Hayward is not in the starting lineup, he is their best wing player by far.
- Grizzlies 113- Kings 81. Another monster night from Wayne Ellington (26 points, on 10/11, and 6/7 from the 3-point line), who lead the Grizzlies in a sweep that finished the good run from the Kings. Tyreke Evans returned from his injury, but the team was unable to find ways to score against the fierce defense from Memphis.
A busy first week of 2013 in women’s basketball
This 2013 year has started in a strong way in women’s basketball. Some of the most relevant clubs in Europe have made major moves in their rosters, the Turkish Cup has finished in a dramatic way, Maya Moore’s Shanxi have lost their leadership in the WCBA, and superstars Alba Torrens and Sue Bird have returned to basketball after severe injuries.
- Municipal Targoviste (Romania) have changed half of their squad. Elina Babkina, Natalie Novosel, Monique Currie, Milka Bjelica and Chioma Nnamaka have finished their contracta with the club. In return, the romanians have added Matee Ajavon, Jori Davis and Ashley Walker.
- Perfumerías Avenida have fired coach Alberto Miranda and signed new head coach Victor Lapena; also, they released forward Nicole Powell due to bad off-court behavior (too many parties in Salamanca, reportedly), and as a consequence they have signed forward Monique Currie and guard Paola Ferrari.
- Italian team Lucca have fired american Devereaux Peters, and have signed Kathrin Ress in return.
- Tarsus and Amaya Valdemoro have parted ways. Let’s see which team signs the spanish idol, maybe a spanish team?
- USK Prague sign Eliba Babkina, released from Targoviste.
- Frida Eldebrink, candidate to Women’s Player of the Year is injured and out for the rest of the season.
- Sue Bird is back (though she didn’t have the best of the comebacks) for UMMC, where she already played in the starting lineup instead of spanish Silvia Dominguez.
- Maya Moore’s Shanxi have lost their first position (in favor of Liz Cambage’s Zhejiang) in the WCBA, where the playoffs spots have already been defined. However, Moore still averages 39,7 points per game, only followed by Cambage’s 34,5. These girls are improving the chinese league, and it’s getting more and more interesting.
- Finally, the Turkish Cup. There have been some interesting moments, such as the loss of Kayseri by one pint against Swords’ Ceyhan, and Larkins’ last second winning-shot against Canik. But, the most impressive game of this year so far has been the final of the Cup between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. Moreover, this was the game in which spanish superstar Alba Torrens returned back from a long-term injury; she and game-winning shot makers Sancho Lyttle can be determinant for Spain in this summer’s Eurobasket Women. See how the game ended (note that Pondexter cut her hand after losing the game):
(I do not own the rights to this video)
Recent Moves: NBA
The past days some minor moves have happened in NBA rosters, let’s have a look at them:
- Chicago Bulls sign Daequan Cook. Good acquisition from the Bulls, he kind of suits in the Thibodeau system. Cook is a great shooter, and if he could play consistent minutes in Oklahoma, why not in the Bulls?
- Cleveland Cavaliers release Donald Sloan and Samardo Samuels. The Cavs could be making room for an inminent trade involving Varejao. It will be interesting where the brazilian ends this season.
- Indiana Pacers waive Sam Young and sign Dominic McGuire. An exchange of forwards that I basically don’t understand. It’s just swaping a player for a similar one.
- Boston Celtics cut forwards Jarvis Varnado and Kris Joseph. The C’s are not displaying good basketball, and this young guys are not the answer to their problems. Another team possibly making moves soon.
- Dallas Mavericks release Chris Douglas-Roberts. I don’t agree with this move from the mavs. They need scoring from their bench, and CDR was the guy that could provide it. I guess his lack of defensive skills has been the reason.
- Philadelphia 76ers waive Maalik Wayns. After an impressive summer camp and preseason, this young prospect didn’t receive many opportunities with the 76ers. He was the backup point guard, but Collins said he prefers playing some minutes without a point guard (usually Turner gets the task of directing the ball) rather than playing Wayns.
- Minnesota Timberwolves waive Lazar Hayward. Another sensitive decision. I don’t know why the signed him. He is not the player they need, and even less with Love being injured again. They need to sign one or two veteran forwards from the free agency if they want to get to the playoffs, let’s see if they finally get Varejao or what moves they do. Expect them to be active.
- New Orleans Hornets sign Donald Sloan. Another backup point guard to cover the minutes Vasquez needs to rest. The venezuelan player is playing the best basketball of his life, and they just need some boost from the bench. Sloan can be a good source for that.
- Houston Rockets release brazilian guard Scott Machado. He never entered in McHale’s plans, so it could have been expected.
- Miami Heat waive Josh Harrelson. He didn’t have a shot, because he’s not what they need. Rumors say they’re trying to attach a rebounding big man instead; Chris Andersen, for example.
- Washington Wizards waive Shelvin Mack. John Wall is close to returning, and Garrett Temple is playing at a higher level than what Mack was doing.
Welcome!
I am oficially opening my new site! This is the first time I put myself not only into writing a blog, but also writing in English. I might get hard at times for me, but I am persistent and I will do it as well as can.
I am using this blog to write about basketball. I will try to gather up all the latest news around basketball, and I will give as much relevance to women’s basketball as to men’s one. I also pretend to analyse diverse leagues and championship happening at the time, not only NBA or Euroleague; I would also like to create new rankings, statistics or whatsoever I am able to create; and, as much as my studies allow me, I’d like to keep it all up to date.
I hope I don’t disappoint anyone, and if anyone gets bothered because of my bad english, I am sorry, I’ll make my best.
Finally, I’d like to mention that I thought about opening a blog in which I could write about almost everything I know (economics, law, politics, hip-hop, basketball, etc.), but I finally decided to go with the one of them in which I think I can be best. That’s basketball, that’s my passion. I hope I can share it properly, and I hope everyone enjoys it. I leave you with one of my favourite quotes, from one of the greatest:
“My greatest gift that I have in life is basketball“, Isiah Thomas.
