Archives › Matt Moore
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Eric Gordon was limited in training camp with soreness in his knee which has given him problems for over a year. He was supposed to return for preseason, but that hasn’t happened yet. And now coach Monty Williams is talking about him missing the entire preseason. From the Times-Picayune: But Williams said Sunday that Gordon could miss the final…
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Video: James Harden and Tony Parker surprise kids at a pickup game
Oct 21, 2012, 6:00 PM EDT
So that’s pretty cool. You have to wonder if players ever get tired of it, if they’re numb to the adoration and excitement caused by just their presence. Choosing Harden and Parker for this, two of the more understated, if not humble, stars in the game provides a good background for it. And the dunks…
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Video: Jeff Green is still athletic, and is developing that Celtics attitude
Oct 21, 2012, 3:00 PM EDT
This is not bad for a guy who’s coming back from heart surgery. The block is exceptional, and nasty. But the attitude that comes with it is quintessential Celtics. Green seems to be embracing this team’s attitude. Gone is the doe-eyed youngster who seemed intimidated by the Celtics’ veterans two-years ago, replaced with a man…
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The Detroit Free Press reports that Pistons F Corey Maggette will have an MRI on his calf this week due to a strain he suffered against the Heat the other night. Maggette was on crutches after the game but walking on his own power Friday, and the MRI is considered precautionary. The Pistons either desperately…
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Chris Paul is technically back in that same spot so many stars have been in over the past few years which has resulted in a transition of teams. He’s a free agent at the end of this season with his contract expiring. He would have been a free agent this summer but as part of…
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Ricky Rubio tore his ACL in March. Derrick Rose tore his in April. Both players are point guards who their teams desperately need back on the floor, both face an excruciating journey back to the court. It’s not a race between the two, as the two teams aren’t in the same division, the two aren’t…
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Andrew Bogut is on schedule, but there’s still no timetable for his return
Oct 20, 2012, 10:44 PM EDT
As the Warriors shut down Stephen Curry for the preseason, they have another concern on their hands. Andrew Bogut has not played. He has not scrimmaged. He has not participated in a basketball game since surgery. And while he’s spoken of making it back for the regular season opener, the Warriors have not given a…
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Ray Allen is known for threes. This is not going to shock you. I mean, that’s what he does. He shoots, and makes, a ton of threes. Lots of threes. “ALL OF THE THREES” as the kids might say. But if you’ve watched the Celtics closely, you’ve seen that when teams over-commit to stopping Allen on the…
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Nene was traded from Denver for a number of reasons. Among them, his injuries which held him out constantly, and a perceived lack of effort. In Washington, he’s a huge part of what the Wizards want to do. They’re banking on him, especially with John Wall out two months. Problem is, there’s no telling when…
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From the Los Angeles Times: “I’m not going to get into that stuff,” Howard said Friday in a quiet moment before the Lakers last to Sacramento, 103-98, in an exhibition game at Thomas and Mack Center. “I’m happy that I’m here. This year is very important, and I’m looking forward to doing some great things here.”…
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The Clippers brought in veterans for depth, who are now all banged up
Oct 20, 2012, 9:00 AM EDT
The Clippers went for the sure thing this offseason. They want to compete now, so instead of developing young talent or going for upside, they brought in veterans to round out their roster. They wound up with a pretty deep team with a lot of experience. Who are currently all hurt in minor ways. From…
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Video: (Extremely) Early returns on Andre Drummond very promising
Oct 14, 2012, 9:23 PM EDT
I hammered Andre Drummond‘s draft prospects. Physically he was incredibly gifted. But we’ve seen so many talented athletic big men flame out because of the mental game, and that part was of massive concern. Not just from media, but scouts, draft experts, the works. He was worth the risk for the right team. But none…
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Kevin Love’s past the Wolves not giving him the max extension. (Note: Totally not over it.)
Oct 14, 2012, 3:00 PM EDT
When the Timberwolves decided not to give Kevin Love, All-Star, dominant rebounder, scorer, and best player on the team the max extension of five years, smart basketball fans largely had the same reaction: “Why in God’s name would you not give Kevin Love the five-year max?” The answer lies somewhere in the bowels of the…
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Kobe Bryant has been accused of being a bad teammate for his behavior by Smush Parker, who Bryant said was a bad teammate because he sucked. In response, Bryant has posted on FaceBook a brief message about leadership. It is one of the most Bryant things you’ll read, even if his publicist team likely wrote…
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T-Mac has left the league he excited, dominated, disappointed, and called home for over a decade. He’s headed to China, and in that decision comes a departure from the NBA which he has been a part of the tapestry of his entire career. McGrady took to FaceBook recently to thank some people and some fans.…
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Report: Josh Smith won’t sign an extension, Hawks can thank the new CBA
Oct 14, 2012, 9:00 AM EDT
From the New York Daily News: Josh Smith has told the Hawks that he isnt going to sign an extension during the season. Hed rather wait to become a free agent, when he can get a five-year deal. An extension would limit him to a three-year deal, according to the new CBA rules. New GM…
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Sessions says he was worried the Lakers would trade him if he re-signed
Oct 13, 2012, 7:00 PM EDT
The Lakers didn’t want Ramon Sessions back as a free agent, at least not for what he was asking. That’s a rough thing to deal with, but they wanted to land a difference maker, they were gearing up for one more run with Kobe and Pau, and Sessions had a rough playoffs. They got Steve…
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The Celtics may bench Brandon Bass for Jared Sullinger. Quick question: Why?
Oct 13, 2012, 5:00 PM EDT
From the Boston Herald: “I have no comment on that question. No comment,” Bass responded when asked if he cared whether he started. “We have to keep getting better as a team. I think (coach Doc Rivers) will make the best decision for the team.” Rivers raised eyebrows earlier in the week when he speculated…
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When the Lakers landed Steve Nash, even before Dwight Howard, there was exultation across Lakers Land. The team would no longer need to run everything through Kobe Bryant, wouldn’t struggle getting the ball to the bigs, would have someone to quarterback, coordinate, and execute the offense. Yes, it was going to be a great new…
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A year later, the Wolves drafting Williams still doesn’t make sense for anyone
Oct 13, 2012, 1:00 PM EDT
From Canis Hoopus.com: At some point, I think this team is just going to have to face the facts: Williams is a guy who could potentially be a pretty good power forward, on a team that has absolutely no minutes available at power forward. It’s not like the Wolves are oblivious to this sort of…
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1. The disconnect isn’t necessarily obvious. If you watch preseason, on the surface, there’s not much outside of the number of minutes for starters between regular season and this. I mean, the game is fundamentally the same. But the speed and intensity differential is startling, and you’ll see the shift for small moments with the…
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Chris Paul is back in action. After offseason thumb surgery for an injury sustained in Team USA practice, Paul was only cleared for basketball activity in the last week. But late Friday night, the Clippers announced that Paul’s going to get run in the Clippers’ preseason game Sunday: Paul, who was medically cleared for full…
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Last season: The Nuggets continue to out-perform expectations while never really accomplishing anything of note. They battled through all the roster turnover from one year to the next and a slew of quietly really damaging injuries to land the sixth seed last season after a hot start. Danilo Gallinari suffered two significant injuries that severely…
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Last season: So freaking close. The Thunder beat the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals in Oklahoma City by 11 points. A double-digit victory over he mighty triumverate. It was their fifth win in a row and they looked, as teams do when the win by double-digits, like the superior team…
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Doc Rivers has a good understanding of Sullinger’s weaknesses, and a plan to combat them
Oct 7, 2012, 9:00 PM EDT
I was down on Jared Sullinger in this year’s draft, and it had nothing to do with the medical red flags. So much of his game was predicated on being able to control the game off the glass against smaller college players. Bigger players gave him fits. The bigger issue, honestly, was lateral quickness and…
