Insider Special: Good, Bad, & the Kitchen Sink

[Guest]

The Good, the Bad, the Kitchen Sink

By Terry Brown

Monday, December 16 Updated 11:51 AM EST

Making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out how long it's going to be before the Cavaliers and/or Nuggets start complaining about LeBron James shooting too much for St. Vincent-St. Mary's and not getting back on defense.

The Good

Ricky Davis, Cleveland Cavaliers

Week's work: 2-2 record, 34 ppg, 6 rpg, 6.2 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.7 bpg, 12 triples, 52% shooting

The 136 points in only 94 shots were very McGrady-ish. The 24 boards and 25 assists were very Bryant-esque. The 2-2 record was better than both of them.

Antoine Walker, Boston Celtics

Week's work: 3-1 record, 28.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 5 apg, 2 spg, 18 triples, 49% shooting

Try not to confuse his 33-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double on 57 percent shooting, including eight three-pointers, with Jason Kidd's 10-11-11 on 29 percent shooting, both happening last Friday, which would be the only thing the two have in common.

Sam Cassell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Week's work: 2-2 record, 28 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 7.5 apg, 2 spg, 5 triples, 50% shooting

In eight NBA seasons, Sam Cassell has played for five different teams, won one NBA title, recorded a 39-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double last week and should score his 10,000 point sometime this season.

Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

Week's work: 3-1 record, 21.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3 apg, 2.2 bpg, 52% shooting

The 33-of-39 shooting from the free throw line was nice, since he usually shoots about 72 percent. The fact that he took 39 free throws in four games was absolutely naughty, since he usually shoots about six per game.

The Bad

Samaki Walker, Los Angeles Lakers

Weak work: 1-2 record, 3 ppg, 6 rpg, 0 apg, 0 spg, 1.3 bpg, 40% shooting

Phil Jackson is happy at the start of each game if this guy has the proper shoe on the right foot. Most of the time, he plays like he does.

Steve Smith, San Antonio Spurs

Weak work: 2-0 record, 6.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.5 bpg, 28% shooting

After leading the entire NBA last year in three-point accuracy at 47 percent last year, Steve Smith went 2-for-10 last week and scored a total of 13 points in 59 minutes.

Gordan Giricek, Memphis Grizzlies

Weak work: 3-1 record, 7.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0 spg, 0 bpg, 43% shooting

If all you're going to do on the floor is score buckets, than the least you can do is hit one a quarter. Rookie, schmookie. Going into Saturday's contest, he was averaging 4.3 points per game on the week on 31 percent shooting.

DeShawn Stevenson, Utah Jazz

Weak work: DNP-Coach's Decision

In his rookie season, after the Jazz made him a first-round pick right out of sixth period at Washington Union High School in California, Stevenson played a total of 293 minutes and scored 89 points. So far this year, he has played 246 minutes and scored a total of 77 points. Last game, he didn't play at all. The game before that, he didn't play at all. The last six games he did get in, he scored a total of 10 points. The last two weeks, he played a total of 32 minutes. Gee, what was that guidance counselor saying about something to fall back on . . .

The Ugly

Since the return of Shaquille O'Neal on Nov. 22, the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that won 181 regular-season games spread out over three seasons ending in three consecutive titles, have gone 7-6.

In that same time frame, the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that won 68 games spread out over two cities in two different countries with different coaches, players and front offices, have gone 6-7.

The Kitchen Sink

THE OTHER MICHAEL

Michael Jordan may be the best shooting guard of all time. Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady may reign current. Fill in Allen Iverson where you will. Add in LeBron James next year.

But before we get to Ray Allen, Allan Houston or Jerry Stackhouse, let's not forget about that guy, um, whatshisname, down in Dallas, goatee, about 6-foot-7, from Wisconsin, I believe, on the tip of my tongue . . . Over the past six seasons counting the current one, Michael Finley has averaged 21.3 points per game, scoring 8,292 points in 388 games.

In that same amount of time, Stackhouse is at 22, Allen at 21 and Houston at 19.

In his career, Finley has averaged 19.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, four assists and 1.2 steals per game on 45 percent shooting.

Only Stackhouse has averaged more at 21.2. Not one of them can match him on the boards. Stackhouse is at 4.1 in assists while Allen matches him at 1.2 in steals.

But who got the movie? Who's on the magazine cover? Who got his own shoe right out of college?

In the first game of the new season, Finley scored 21 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. In his latest game of the season, he scored 22 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. In between, he's led his team to an NBA best 20-3 record, two games better in the loss column than any other team in the league.

In his second through fifth season in Dallas, Finley started 296 games of a possible 296, actually playing a mind-bending 12,352 minutes of a possible 14,208. That's 87 percent. That's, on average, 41.7 minutes per game for five seasons.

He was a Maverick when they won 20 games in 1998 and then 19 in 1999, the year they drafted a lanky German sharpshooter who averaged only 8.2 points per game and signed an unproven point guard with wild hair who averaged only 7.9 points per game.

This year, he is again leading the team in minutes played at 39 per game.

But, of course, it's Dirk Nowitzki leading the team in scoring, Steve Nash leading in highlights and Don Nelson leading quotes.

But when I say Dallas Mavericks, you should know exactly who I'm talking about.

THE CUP IS HALF FULL

Shaquille O'Neal, who is shooting a career-best 62.5 percent from the charity stripe, could miss his next 23 free throws and still be above his career average of 53.5 percent.

FIFTH WHEEL

It's not the Mavs or Pacers or Suns or Hornets. The hottest team in the NBA with a four-game boost is from Motown and it isn't because of Richard Hamilton or Cliff Robinson or Ben Wallace. The Detroit bench has scored 41 percent of the team's points during the stretch, 152 of 369, averaging 38 points per game for a team that averages only 87.3 on the year.

MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH

You know all about Boston's dynamic duo of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker and their 51.6 points, 15 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game this December on 43.7 percent shooting. But what about Phoenix's Stephon Marbuy and Shawn Marion, who have averaged 46.3 points, 12 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game this December on 45.7 percent shooting.

HONOR AMONG THIEVES

Iverson is five steals away from No. 1,000 for his career after averaging 2.3 of them per game over his six-plus seasons. He is two behind Sacramento's Doug Christie for the season lead. Not bad. John Stockton, the NBA's all-time leader at 3,162 and counting, has averaged 2.19 per game over his 18-plus seasons. He is 735 ahead of Michael Jordan, who is second on the all-time list. Not beatable.

SEASON OF GIVING

Last year, the San Antonio Spurs averaged 14.4 turnovers per game and won 58 games. The year before that, they averaged 14 and won 58 games. And the year before that, they averaged 15 and won 53 games. This year, they're averaging a whopping 16.8 turnovers per game and are on pace to win 49 games while causing only 15.4 from their opponents. To put that in context, the Chicago Bulls, on pace to win 25 games, are also turning over the ball 16.8 timers per game while getting it back at 15.4.

MAKING A POINT

Jason Terry, No. 10 pick in the 1999 draft

This year: 17.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 7.9 apg, 1.8 spg, 40% from the field

Baron Davis, No. 3 pick in 1999 draft

This year: 17.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.7 apg, 2.1 spg, 41% from the field

QUARTER-FINAL SPECIAL

Indiana Pacers (18-5) versus Dallas Mavericks (20-3)

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002 at the America Airlines Center in Dallas

As we pass the halfway point of the first half of the season, it's the best team in the East with a road record of 7-4 traveling to take on the best team in the West with a home record of 11-0.

THE END

"It's better than being Bill Gates or Nelson Rockefeller's kid. He will get it all next year." — Adidas shoe czar Sonny Vaccaro filing for adoption papers.

[Traceman]

Did you see his JT versus Baron Davis comparision?

Brown said:

"MAKING A POINT

Jason Terry, No. 10 pick in the 1999 draft

This year: 17.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 7.9 apg, 1.8 spg, 40% from the field

Baron Davis, No. 3 pick in 1999 draft

This year: 17.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.7 apg, 2.1 spg, 41% from the field"

That is VERY similar to Cyman3's post comparing the two made just last Thursday (12/12). Cyman3 said:

"lets verbally compare the two players. Davis is stronger, Terry is faster.

When it comes to critics-

"Davis is a future allstar with the right stuff"- positive comments

"Terry needs to be playing SG and doesnt have PG skills"- negative comments

STATS

Davis-

17.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 7.8 apg, 2.15 spg, .35 bpg, .426 fg%, .588 ft%, .348 3pt%, 41.3 mpg

Terry-

17.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 8.0 apg, 2.05 spg, .29 bpg, .395 fg%, .881 ft%, .352 3pt%, 38.8 mpg

which player would u rather have on the hawks?"

I think that the similarity between Cyman3's post and Brown's analysis is a little bit more than a coinicidence. I think its great that Terry Brown (and others) come to the site and gather information because this site has a lot of folks who really watch the team and who really know what's going on. Nice to see some positive (and accurate)info about the team getting out into national media. Now, if JT and the rest of the guys can kick it up a notch and play like they are capable, perhaps we will see more good things come from this site. Good job Cyman3!

[cyman3]

Im surprised that he said the same thing i said...

u really think BROWN comes to hawksquawk?

[Diesel]

Brown posted a couple of times at the old site...

It was after he came for a Q & A..

So he knows that Hawksquawk exists.

I wouldn't be surprised if he lurks from time to time. I mean this is the Essential messageboard for fans of the Atlanta Hawks.