While we are saddened with SG’s departure, we are happy to announce the daily links will continue. Do check back in for a few other surprises in the next couple of days.
Jefferson upbeat, optimistic after 20 point loss vs. Utah last night.
Jerry Zgoda posts his game recap of last night’s 11th straight loss.
It came one night after the Wolves surrendered 152 points and lost by 38 at Phoenix in a lost season when what’s left to play for, according to their coach, is pride and dignity.
“Yeah, losing by 20 is a little better than losing by 40, I guess,” center Al Jefferson said.
The Jazz — now 44-24 after winning 25 of its last 32 games — already has assured itself of its 20th winning season in the last 22
Kevin Love crabby, disgruntled, potentially hungry.
More from Jerry Z on his blog from last night’s “well fought” contest in Utah.
“He’s just got to continue to fight through with whatever frustration he’s feeling now,” Rambis said. “That’s what guys do at this level. You’ve got to let go, move forward. Whatever is frustrating him, you let it go and continue to do the things that are his strengths.
“He does a good job of playing hard and does a great job of rebounding the basketball and he’s such a team player. He just has to keep those concepts in his head.”
Potential Future Wolf Evan Turner receives silver-tongued backup to Illini douchery
From Paul Banks at Not Qualified to Comment
Evan was candid about his disgust with the Illini trash-talking on Saturday. “They were just running their mouths too much, and that was it.They were hitting shots and front runners, and they were running them off entirely too much. That’s all I’m saying,” Turner re-iterated. Now I can’t verify this, but what I heard from three different reporters who were court-side for Illini-Ohio St, was Illini freshman D.J. Richardson supposedly said: “If I keep spanking you, they’re going to send my black ass to jail. At Turner. And Turner’s friend/former high school teammate Demetri McCamey added: “You’re going to prison,” at Richardson.
Great comeback.
Derrick Rose thinks John Calipari is lunatic, Wall great.
From Nick Friedell. ESPN
“Wow,” he said after a pause. “My game to John Wall’s … I really don’t know. I haven’t watched him really enough to look at his game like that or say anything about his game. All I know is that he is a great player. And they’re playing good basketball right now, so I can’t say anything about him.
Rose does know that John Calipari, his former coach at Memphis, and Wall’s current coach at Kentucky, is getting ready for March Madness in his own special way.
“Coach Cal always flips out,” Rose said. “It could be tournament play, practice, whatever. He’s always yelling, always going crazy. That’s Cal. If he’s not doing that you know something’s wrong.”
This just in: Draft players who are not tentative, confused on court, named O’Bryant.
From Jonathan Givony. New York Times NBA Blog
A player must have the capacity to process this often highly complex information, though, and with the amount of time between the three N.C.A.A. tournament weekends, we can begin to get a feel for how well prepared a player is mentally and tactically for the matchup at hand.
Is he nervous, tentative and confused about his team’s game plan? Is he able to adjust quickly to developments on the court? Will the ball get heavy in his hands late in games? Will he be capable of making good decisions?
When John Wall and Evan Turner bring the ball up the court late in games for their respective Kentucky and Ohio State teams, the eyes of every N.B.A. team will be on them, trying to assess how they respond to playing in the biggest game of their career. Will they want the ball and be willing to take responsibilities?
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