NBA: Hot Team Take To TNT

[VNewz...]

 

HOT TEAMS TAKE TO TNT

MIAMI (6-1) @ ATLANTA (4-2) -- This is the second meeting this week between the Southeast Division rivals, with the Hawks scoring a 100-92 road victory Monday as they dominated inside the paint and from long range. According to NBA.com Stats, the Hawks shot 63.0 percent from inside the paint (12 percent above its season norm), including 65.0 percent from in the restricted area. Atlanta also connected on 56.3 percent (9-for-16)       from beyond the arc. Those numbers represent a significant improvement from last year's season series, when the Hawks dropped three of four games, shooting .487 inside the paint and .264 from threes.

 

L.A. LAKERS (4-3) @ PORTLAND (4-1) -- The Lakers dropped their first two before winning four of their last five. Andrew Bynum has averaged 22.7 points, 17.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in three games after missing the first four while serving a four-game suspension. On Jan. 3, Bynum totaled 21 points and 22 rebounds as the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 108-99 at STAPLES Center. It was Bynum's first career 20-point, 20-rebound game, as he became the youngest Laker to do so (24       years, 68 days) since Rudy LaRuso tallied 30 points and 21 rebounds on Feb. 26, 1961 at the age of 23 years, 107 days old. The last Laker to record a 20-20 game prior to Bynum was Pau Gasol, who posted 30 points and 20 rebounds on Feb. 16, 2011 at Cleveland. According to NBA.com Stats, Bynum's gaudy averages translate into 31 precent of his team's offense, 46 percent of its rebounds, and 61 percent of its blocks, while his Player Usage (the estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he is on the floor) is 31.6 percent. By comparison, Bynum's Player Usage last season was 20.2 percent ... The Lakers took three of four meetings last year with Portland. The Trail Blazers, however, have won 10 of the last 12 matchups with the Lakers at the Rose Garden.

 

Stats & Stuff:       Boston's Paul Pierce (968) is three games away from tying Kevin McHale (971) for third place on Boston's all-time games played list.  Dallas' bench outscored Phoenix's bench, 51-21, in the Mavericks' win       over the Suns yesterday. The Mavericks' bench has outscored its counterparts by an average of 27.3 points in Dallas' three victories this season. Sacramento ranks first in the NBA in offensive rebounding, pulling down 15.0 boards a game. Sacramento finished last season ranked second (13.1 orpg). The Kings also pace the league in three-point field goal defense, with opponents shooting 23.6 percent from three-point range. Five opponents have made three or fewer three-pointers. In 2010-11, the Kings were 11th in three-point field goal defense. San Antonio's Tim Duncan (21,715) is 76 points away from passing Larry Bird, (21,791) for 27th on the all-time scoring list.      

 

Second-Year Sensations Each Thursday, NBA Newswill highlight several second-year players who are acclimating quite nicely in their second NBA campaign. This week's rising stars features three frontcourt players:      

 

DERRICK FAVORS (Utah) -- Favors has started three of Utah's first six games, averaging 8.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.33 blocks, but numbers indicate he's effective regardless of whether he's on the floor to start the game. In three starts, Favors is averaging 10.0 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting .556 from the field in 25.0 mpg. In three games off the bench, his numbers are: 7.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .529 fgp, and 22.3 mpg. Favors recorded career highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds Dec. 30, in 102-99 win over Philadelphia. BLAKE GRIFFIN (L.A. Clippers) -- True, Griffin plays and performs like a grizzled veteran with a horde of All-Star appearances to his name, but he is in only his second season, so ... The manchild is averaging a near double-double -- 25.2 points and 9.6 rebounds -- while shooting .568 from the field and adding 2.6 apg and 1.2 spg for good measure. He leads the sophomore class in scoring and rebounding, and has scored at least 20 points. How integral is Griffin to the success of the Clippers? Despite the Clippers acquiring All-Star point guard Chris Paul and signing forward Caron Butler, Griffin's Player Usage, according to NBA.com Stats, is 34.9 percent. By comparison, Paul's is 22.9 percent and Butler's 20.9 percent.

 

GREG MONROE (Detroit) -- Monroe came on strong near the end of his Rookie season, and ended up recorded a team-high 21 double-doubles (points/rebounds), the most double-doubles recorded by a Piston since Chauncey Billups(27) during the 2005-06 season. He hasn't missed a beat. He ranks second among his class in scoring (14.7 ppg) and rebounds (.9.3), while shooting .567 from the field, seventh among all players.      

 

NBA and Sprint Tip Off 2012 All-Star Balloting The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sprint tipped off 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting yesterday during a special event in Orlando, the Official Host City of NBA All-Star 2012. The 61st NBA All-Star Game, which will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at the Amway Center on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.

 

Today's Quote TRACY McGRADY, who is averaging 10.0 points on .512 shooting in 21.3 mpg off the bench for Atlanta, on his strong start to the season: "People sometimes forget what you've done in this league. I haven't gone anywhere. And I'm only 32. People forget that, too. I'm younger than Kobe, younger than Ray Allen, younger than a lot of guys. I just haven't been healthy. I haven't felt like this in a while." NBA.com Jan. 5, 2011