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Hache Man · 12-06-07, 04:44 PM

A.I. Heads to Area 51

Somehow, it would have been much more fitting if Wednesday night's Lakers-Nuggets tilt had been played in southern Nevada instead of the Pepsi Center.

Perhaps Area 51 would have been more appropriate a locale, considering that would not only match the final points tally that Allen Iverson put up but -- given the area's renowned air of mystery -- would also match the strange quality in a matchup between two superstars where one (A.I.) more than doubled the output of the other (Kobe Bryant, 25 points), yet his team wound up on the losing end of this affair.

While that may not exactly constitute a UFO sighting, it's pretty rare footage indeed to see such a strange occurrence as we did last night in Denver.

Iverson was having one of those games, having nailed 17-of-23 for 49 points through three quarters. But Kobe Bryant, knocked out briefly with a shoulder injury and limited to just 13 points through three, wound up outscoring The Answer by 10 points in the crucial fourth, as the Lakers again rebounded to beat Denver.

And to think 'Melo was just harping Wednesday morning about last Thursday's "embarrassing moment" when Denver blew a 17-point lead and wound up losing to the Lakers by 28. So much for revenge.

The Lakers had balance – in addition to Kobe's 25, Vladimir Radmanovic scored 21, Derek Fisher put up 20 and Lamar Odom added 17 – while Denver had Iverson, Carmelo Anthony (26) and no other starter with more than six points.

LA's strategy of getting the ball out of A.I.'s hands in the final quarter worked like a charm as he managed a layup on four attempts for just two points. This, just a quarter after potting 16 of his team's 30 points.

The 51 points he threw down marked a new NBA season best, but it was just the fifth-best total in Iverson's illustrious career. A couple of years ago, he managed a career-high 60 against the Magic. And while this was one of the better individual efforts in Nugget history, Iverson's 51 point night was way off the team mark of 73, set by David Thompson back in 1978. But it represented the most points scored by a Nugget since Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf put up 51 in 1995.

Iverson's total was the most ever by a Nugget at the Pepsi Center, which opened in the fall of 1999.

Iverson, who played all 48 minutes, managed 33 points in the first half, which matched the most he's ever had heading into the third quarter.

While he's struggled from long distance this year (31.5 per cent), Iverson's overall numbers this year are amazingly consistent with what he did last season after the trade. After averaging 24.8 PPG, 7.2 APG and 3.0 RPG with the Nuggets last season, he's at 24.9 PPG, 7.1 APG and 3.0 RPG this year.

So while we try to figure out how scoring 51 isn't good enough to get your team a win, let's review the remainder of Wednesday's action around the NBA…

You know when your wife says she has a "headache," so isn't in the mood to play? Well, there's talk that Jason Kidd's migraine that forced him to sit last night against the Knicks may qualify as something similar. Sources close to the Nets have suggested that J-Kidd is sitting out because he wants to either be traded or get a contract extension. "He's on strike," said a team source. Well, this is certainly one situation that bears closer scrutiny. The Mavs, the Cavs and the Lakers are possible trade partners should the Nets decide to bite the bullet and deal their veteran PG. Kidd hasn't been getting his shot off as much this year, but as always, he's racking up the assists and boards, making him a threat for a Triple-Double every time he steps on the floor. The possibility of him teaming with LeBron in Cleveland – something they have both publicly declared they'd like to do one day – is the stuff that fantasy is made of. Just imagine what those two stars could accomplish together.
No Tim Duncan, no problem-o. With the Big Fundamental (ankle) out of action, Manu Ginobili stepped in to the starting lineup for the first time this season and put up a season-high 37 points on 12-of-24 shooting from the floor and 11-of-12 from the line. He added six assists, two steals and a block to lead the Spurs past their archrival Dallas, 97-95. I guess that index finger on Ginobili's shooting hand, that made him questionable for the game, wasn't an issue after all. Despite spending the entire season coming off the bench before last night, Ginobili has been given more offensive responsibility this year, and he's running with it. Assuming the Spurs don't keep him in the starting five, I can't see anyone touching Manu as Sixth Man of the Year this season.
Andre Miller enjoyed his first double-double of the season Wednesday, nailing 10-of-16 from the floor en route to 26 points, with 12 assists, five rebounds and just two turnovers. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to lead Philly past the blazing Celtics, but Miller is definitely picking things up offensively of late. He's actually averaging 14 shots per game this year – the most he's ever taken in his career – and if his FT shooting wasn't so bad (61.5 percent), Miller would be having an even better season. He's even hoisting more shots from beyond the arc, however, Miller still can't hit them (0-for-9 from 3-point land this year). You've got to figure if Miller can raise his FT percentage back to his normal career rate of a shade under 80 percent, he'll be averaging about 16 to 17 points per game. Add in his recent assist binge (7.4 per game over the past five), and you've got something on your hands, here.

Injury Report

The constant drama surrounding the Sonic PG situation continued last night when Delonte West (foot) and Luke Ridnour (quad) were both out of action. Ridnour's been missing for a few weeks, but is getting close. He's expected to practice today and possibly return to action Friday. West was hurt in practice on Tuesday, but it is not considered serious. Check for a report later today, but he could also return Friday. Last night, that left the point guard duties to Earl Watson, and while he was decent, he didn't exactly take full advantage of the extra minutes (10 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal). You were probably expecting a better line than that, especially in the dimes department after Watson dropped 11 in a game last week. It appears that Watson won't be emerging from this three-headed beast with much value, after all.

Tip-Ins: It looks like Steve Nash's early-season butter fingers problem is a thing of the past. He recorded a season-high 18 assists last night against just three turnovers. Over the last four games, he's averaging 16 dimes with only 2.25 turnovers. Now, that's some serious efficiency…T.J. Ford (arm) was back in action Wednesday, putting up 27 points in just 24 minutes. Look for him to reclaim the starting PG gig from Jose Calderon shortly, although the Spaniard is still looking very strong (14 points, nine assists and three rebounds)…With Stephon Marbury out of action after all, Jamal Crawford got the starting assignment at PG and he went nuts, scoring 29 points, dropping seven dimes and nailing a trio of treys to lead the short-handed Knicks to a much-needed win over the Nets…Mike James and Steve Francis aren't playing much these days, and Bonzi Wells, with significant minutes over the past three games, is starting to look like an attractive pickup. He broke out for a season-high 24 points last night on 11-of-14 shooting, adding seven boards, two assists and a steal…Cleveland dropped its fifth straight game last night – the most losses in a row for the Cavs since February/March 2006 – and finds itself sitting in ninth place in the East with a 9-11 record. Uh, LeBron, can you get better soon, please? King James (finger) missed his fourth straight last night, and with Larry Hughes (leg), Donyell Marshall (wrist) and Anderson Varejao (contract dispute) still MIA, this team is looking pretty different than the one that walked away with the Eastern Conference Championship last season. On the good news front, the Cavs matched the Bobcats' offer sheet to Varejao, so he could be back as soon as next week. Don't expect Sideshow Bob to get many touches, but he can definitely provide a boost in rebounds for your team. Hughes may also be back next week…Just when you thought it was safe to replace Damien Wilkins on your fantasy team, he came through with a big effort last night, scoring 17 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while nailing three 3-pointers and dishing four dimes. If you haven't cut him yet, keep him on your bench for the time being…Andrew Bynum returned after missing one game because of the flu, and while his scoring and rebounding continued to appear a bit under the weather, he managed three blocks, three assists and two steals, so not all was lost. At any rate, get this double-double machine back in your lineup immediately.

12-06-07, 04:44 PM	#75 (permalink)
Hache Man Moderator On The Rays' Wagon Join Date: Aug 19, 2005 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 42,764	Re: NBA News/NBA Fantasy News 2006/2007 A.I. Heads to Area 51 Somehow, it would have been much more fitting if Wednesday night's Lakers-Nuggets tilt had been played in southern Nevada instead of the Pepsi Center. Perhaps Area 51 would have been more appropriate a locale, considering that would not only match the final points tally that Allen Iverson put up but -- given the area's renowned air of mystery -- would also match the strange quality in a matchup between two superstars where one (A.I.) more than doubled the output of the other (Kobe Bryant, 25 points), yet his team wound up on the losing end of this affair. While that may not exactly constitute a UFO sighting, it's pretty rare footage indeed to see such a strange occurrence as we did last night in Denver. Iverson was having one of those games, having nailed 17-of-23 for 49 points through three quarters. But Kobe Bryant, knocked out briefly with a shoulder injury and limited to just 13 points through three, wound up outscoring The Answer by 10 points in the crucial fourth, as the Lakers again rebounded to beat Denver. And to think 'Melo was just harping Wednesday morning about last Thursday's "embarrassing moment" when Denver blew a 17-point lead and wound up losing to the Lakers by 28. So much for revenge. The Lakers had balance – in addition to Kobe's 25, Vladimir Radmanovic scored 21, Derek Fisher put up 20 and Lamar Odom added 17 – while Denver had Iverson, Carmelo Anthony (26) and no other starter with more than six points. LA's strategy of getting the ball out of A.I.'s hands in the final quarter worked like a charm as he managed a layup on four attempts for just two points. This, just a quarter after potting 16 of his team's 30 points. The 51 points he threw down marked a new NBA season best, but it was just the fifth-best total in Iverson's illustrious career. A couple of years ago, he managed a career-high 60 against the Magic. And while this was one of the better individual efforts in Nugget history, Iverson's 51 point night was way off the team mark of 73, set by David Thompson back in 1978. But it represented the most points scored by a Nugget since Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf put up 51 in 1995. Iverson's total was the most ever by a Nugget at the Pepsi Center, which opened in the fall of 1999. Iverson, who played all 48 minutes, managed 33 points in the first half, which matched the most he's ever had heading into the third quarter. While he's struggled from long distance this year (31.5 per cent), Iverson's overall numbers this year are amazingly consistent with what he did last season after the trade. After averaging 24.8 PPG, 7.2 APG and 3.0 RPG with the Nuggets last season, he's at 24.9 PPG, 7.1 APG and 3.0 RPG this year. So while we try to figure out how scoring 51 isn't good enough to get your team a win, let's review the remainder of Wednesday's action around the NBA… You know when your wife says she has a "headache," so isn't in the mood to play? Well, there's talk that Jason Kidd's migraine that forced him to sit last night against the Knicks may qualify as something similar. Sources close to the Nets have suggested that J-Kidd is sitting out because he wants to either be traded or get a contract extension. "He's on strike," said a team source. Well, this is certainly one situation that bears closer scrutiny. The Mavs, the Cavs and the Lakers are possible trade partners should the Nets decide to bite the bullet and deal their veteran PG. Kidd hasn't been getting his shot off as much this year, but as always, he's racking up the assists and boards, making him a threat for a Triple-Double every time he steps on the floor. The possibility of him teaming with LeBron in Cleveland – something they have both publicly declared they'd like to do one day – is the stuff that fantasy is made of. Just imagine what those two stars could accomplish together. No Tim Duncan, no problem-o. With the Big Fundamental (ankle) out of action, Manu Ginobili stepped in to the starting lineup for the first time this season and put up a season-high 37 points on 12-of-24 shooting from the floor and 11-of-12 from the line. He added six assists, two steals and a block to lead the Spurs past their archrival Dallas, 97-95. I guess that index finger on Ginobili's shooting hand, that made him questionable for the game, wasn't an issue after all. Despite spending the entire season coming off the bench before last night, Ginobili has been given more offensive responsibility this year, and he's running with it. Assuming the Spurs don't keep him in the starting five, I can't see anyone touching Manu as Sixth Man of the Year this season. Andre Miller enjoyed his first double-double of the season Wednesday, nailing 10-of-16 from the floor en route to 26 points, with 12 assists, five rebounds and just two turnovers. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to lead Philly past the blazing Celtics, but Miller is definitely picking things up offensively of late. He's actually averaging 14 shots per game this year – the most he's ever taken in his career – and if his FT shooting wasn't so bad (61.5 percent), Miller would be having an even better season. He's even hoisting more shots from beyond the arc, however, Miller still can't hit them (0-for-9 from 3-point land this year). You've got to figure if Miller can raise his FT percentage back to his normal career rate of a shade under 80 percent, he'll be averaging about 16 to 17 points per game. Add in his recent assist binge (7.4 per game over the past five), and you've got something on your hands, here. Injury Report The constant drama surrounding the Sonic PG situation continued last night when Delonte West (foot) and Luke Ridnour (quad) were both out of action. Ridnour's been missing for a few weeks, but is getting close. He's expected to practice today and possibly return to action Friday. West was hurt in practice on Tuesday, but it is not considered serious. Check for a report later today, but he could also return Friday. Last night, that left the point guard duties to Earl Watson, and while he was decent, he didn't exactly take full advantage of the extra minutes (10 points, six assists, three rebounds and a steal). You were probably expecting a better line than that, especially in the dimes department after Watson dropped 11 in a game last week. It appears that Watson won't be emerging from this three-headed beast with much value, after all. Tip-Ins: It looks like Steve Nash's early-season butter fingers problem is a thing of the past. He recorded a season-high 18 assists last night against just three turnovers. Over the last four games, he's averaging 16 dimes with only 2.25 turnovers. Now, that's some serious efficiency…T.J. Ford (arm) was back in action Wednesday, putting up 27 points in just 24 minutes. Look for him to reclaim the starting PG gig from Jose Calderon shortly, although the Spaniard is still looking very strong (14 points, nine assists and three rebounds)…With Stephon Marbury out of action after all, Jamal Crawford got the starting assignment at PG and he went nuts, scoring 29 points, dropping seven dimes and nailing a trio of treys to lead the short-handed Knicks to a much-needed win over the Nets…Mike James and Steve Francis aren't playing much these days, and Bonzi Wells, with significant minutes over the past three games, is starting to look like an attractive pickup. He broke out for a season-high 24 points last night on 11-of-14 shooting, adding seven boards, two assists and a steal…Cleveland dropped its fifth straight game last night – the most losses in a row for the Cavs since February/March 2006 – and finds itself sitting in ninth place in the East with a 9-11 record. Uh, LeBron, can you get better soon, please? King James (finger) missed his fourth straight last night, and with Larry Hughes (leg), Donyell Marshall (wrist) and Anderson Varejao (contract dispute) still MIA, this team is looking pretty different than the one that walked away with the Eastern Conference Championship last season. On the good news front, the Cavs matched the Bobcats' offer sheet to Varejao, so he could be back as soon as next week. Don't expect Sideshow Bob to get many touches, but he can definitely provide a boost in rebounds for your team. Hughes may also be back next week…Just when you thought it was safe to replace Damien Wilkins on your fantasy team, he came through with a big effort last night, scoring 17 points on 7-for-14 shooting, while nailing three 3-pointers and dishing four dimes. If you haven't cut him yet, keep him on your bench for the time being…Andrew Bynum returned after missing one game because of the flu, and while his scoring and rebounding continued to appear a bit under the weather, he managed three blocks, three assists and two steals, so not all was lost. At any rate, get this double-double machine back in your lineup immediately.