NBA Thread

[GM Franchise]

Cleveland Cavaliers Anthony Bennett off to historically bad start

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1837663-cavs-top-pick-anthony-bennett-off-to-historically-rough-start?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

No. 1 overall draft picks in the NBA have been known for rough starts on occasion. Maybe none as rough as Anthony Bennett, however.

Through four games, Bennett is 0-of-15 from the field for the Cleveland Cavaliers. We repeat: four games, zero buckets.

Ouch.

The No. 1 pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, Bennett's selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers surprised many. As Benjamin Hoffman wrote in the New York Times at the time:

At No. 1, the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled a surprise by selecting Anthony Bennett, a power forward from Nevada-Las Vegas, rather than Nerlens Noel, a player talked of as a future No. 1 pick since he was in high school. The selection of Bennett, a big-bodied rebounding specialist who is expected to be an excellent pick-and-roll partner with Kyrie Irving, drew huge cheers from the crowd.

"I'm just as surprised as everyone else," Bennett said. "I didn't really have any idea who's going No. 1 or who was going No. 2. I heard everything was up for grabs."

No. 1, No. 2, apples or oranges; Bennett can't seem to toss a biscuit in the ocean at this point. The 6'8" forward has blanked so far during the young 2013-14 season. The Cavs managed a close, 93-92 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night despite Bennett's impotence.


Bennett? Three tries, three misses in just under 10 minutes. As the rookie himself intimated, he's heading undercover.


It isn't that Bennett isn't trying, he's all about rookie hustle—grabbing rebounds, going hard to the hoop and, perhaps too often, chucking them up from outside in a desperate attempt to make something happen. Eight out of 15 tries have been from beyond the arc so far.

At some point, Bennett will look back and laugh. Not quite yet, though. Welcome to the NBA and high expectations, big man.

[James Porter]

Sleeper in the East = Toronto Raptors

A team that will be carried by Derozan and Rudy Gay could be fun to watch.

[GM Franchise]

Orlando is another under the radar team out east to watch as well.

[GM Franchise]

[Gates]

Sleeper in the East = Toronto Raptors

A team that will be carried by Derozan and Rudy Gay could be fun to watch.

Sadly, DeRozan and Gay can't seem to play well at the same time, it's always one or the other.

And they aren't playing JV all that much, which is odd. I know he gets into foul trouble, but even when he isn't, they sit him to play Hansborough.

Sadly this team needs to finish 8th (or better) or last. A 9th place finish will really boil blood.

[J-Reb]

Sadly, DeRozan and Gay can't seem to play well at the same time, it's always one or the other.

And they aren't playing JV all that much, which is odd. I know he gets into foul trouble, but even when he isn't, they sit him to play Hansborough.

Sadly this team needs to finish 8th (or better) or last. A 9th place finish will really boil blood.

DeRozan and Gay are really the same player - they both need to dominate the ball to be successful.  They should be running the ball through the post on every play because I'm not sure there is a center in the East that can guard JV one-on-one... the guy is a bull.

[Gates]

DeRozan and Gay are really the same player - they both need to dominate the ball to be successful.  They should be running the ball through the post on every play because I'm not sure there is a center in the East that can guard JV one-on-one... the guy is a bull.

He is. However they don't seem to be playing him as much. I think it was the game against Charlotte, he sat most of if not all of the 4th quarter and in the post game, Casey said he wanted to get JV out there more...but didn't.

As for DeMar and Rudy...you're right. Though I think I heard that it's not like they both play mediocre...its always one has a great game and one has a bad game. That might have been more in relation to last year, but still, if your two best scorers can't co-exist, you've got to move one of them to be able to compete. Right?

[J-Reb]

Who do you move, though?  The book is all-but-written on Rudy Gay.  He isn't going to play defense, will dominate the ball, and shoot below 50% from the field.  Memphis was able to hide him on defense because their post play was so good for so long but the team actually got better offensively once they moved him.

DeRozen is in the same boat.  He has some potential if he could go to a team where he'd be the 3rd or 4th option but until that contract runs out, he's really handcuffed to Toronto.

There really isn't a win-win scenario there.

[Gates]

It isn't. Sadly. And being from the Toronto area, I get to hear about it each time they play lol.

[J-Reb]

Consider yourself lucky.  I live in Bobcats/Hornets land.

[GM Franchise]

Consider yourself lucky.  I live in Bobcats/Hornets land.

Try being a Clippers fan before Blake Griffin was drafted and the Chris Paul trade lol.

[Justin]

Consider yourself lucky.  I live in Bobcats/Hornets land.

Al Jefferson starts tonight....he should help immensely.  It means I don't have to watch Biyombo play 40 minutes a game.

[GM Franchise]

Scary hoop collapse during Harlem Globetrotters game.

Scary Hoop Collapse on Globetrotter, Shatters Backboard

[GM Franchise]

Tony Allen ejected for kicking Chris Paul in the face.

[GM Franchise]

Derrick Rose out indefinitely

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/story/_/id/10025640/derrick-rose-chicago-bulls-indefinitely-needs-surgery-torn-medial-meniscus-knee

Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose needs surgery on his injured right knee and is out indefinitely.

The Bulls updated Rose's status Saturday, one day after the former league MVP suffered the injury against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Derrick Rose left Friday's loss to the Blazers on crutches after injuring his right knee.
Rose underwent an MRI, which revealed a medial meniscus tear in his knee. The three-time All-Star missed all of last season after suffering an injury to his left knee in the 2012 playoffs.

Rose was taken to the locker room at the end of the third quarter Friday, putting barely any weight on his right leg. He left the trainer's room on crutches after the game and appeared to be in considerable pain.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Friday that Rose "couldn't push off his right knee" and acknowledged that he was concerned about the 25-year-old.

Rose tore his left ACL in April 2012 and did not play at all last season while recovering from reconstructive surgery to the knee.

"I know how much work he's put into his rehab, the type of person he is, the type of player he is," Thibodeau said Friday. "So concern for that -- I feel for him because of all the things he does mean to our team."

Rose led Chicago with 20 points, five rebounds and three assists when he was helped off the court with 3:20 remaining in the third quarter Friday against Portland.

He lost his footing while trying to change direction to get back on defense when Nicolas Batum stole a pass from Joakim Noah and started the other way. It didn't appear there was any contact on the play, but Rose limped across the court and couldn't put any weight on his knee. After the Blazers scored, he came out of the game during a timeout.

Information from ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell was used in this report.