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Here, the former Jonas Brothers singer—now a burgeoning fashion plate and front row regular—shows you how to up your jacket game... more >
Celebrity Style Evolution: Lil Wayne
Platinum-selling Grammy winner Lil Wayne wasn't always the shirtless, skinny jean-wearing rock star we see today. Take a journey through two decades of Weezy fashion
Phase V: Boldly Going Where No Rapper Has Gone Before, 2011
This is the Wayne we love. Yes, there is a 90% chance those are women's pants. But this is legendary Wayne—brash, unpredictable, electrifying. Wayne is a rock star, blessed and cursed by a gift that the world can't get enough of. And, finally, he looks the part.
- Tags
- Style,
- Profiles,
- Style Story,
- Lil Wayne
- The Original Donald
- GQ Style: Wes Anderson's Highly Influential, Slightly Tweaked Take on Reality
- Jerry Lee Lewis Will Not go to Hell
- Matthew McConaughey: America's Space Cowboy
- Logan Lerman Went to Bootcamp with Brad Pitt for Fury
- Under the Influence: How Def Jam's Early Days Inspired this Season's Look
Food + Travel
- David Chang's Kitchen: Don't Get All "Fresh" with Me
- David Chang's Kitchen: Your Idea of Bologna is Total Baloney
- Chart: The Family Tree of Bourbon Whiskey
- Recipe: Semi-Summer Salad - Chef Jeff Taibe of Oak + Almond
- The Great Franco-Italian Pasta Experiment
- How to Pick from an Overpriced Restaurant Wine List


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Description And Comments
Dance the night away in front of Cinderella Castle with a live DJ and other entertainment.
This dance party is scheduled to run from 1:00am to 5:30am on March 1, 2012, as part of the One More Disney Day promotion that keeps the park open from 6:00am on February 29 to 6:00am until March 1, 2012.
Other Attractions in Main Street, U.S.A.
- A Frozen Holiday Wish
- Casey's Corner Pianist
- Celebrate the Magic
- Celebrate the Season
- Dapper Dans
- Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
- Dream Along With Mickey
- Flag Retreat
- Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season
- Magic Kingdom Welcome Show
- Main Street Electrical Parade
- Main Street Philharmonic
- Main Street Trolley Show
- Meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
- Meet Tinker Bell at Town Square Theater
- Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
- Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party
- Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street U.S.A. Station
- Wishes Nighttime Spectacular
|Main Street, U.S.A.
|Opening Date
|February 29, 2012
|15 minutes
Inaccurate/stale data?
Let us know.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tel: (803)798-4590
The Westminster Child Development Center is a community outreach ministry providing affordable, quality child care service through Westminster Prebyterian Church.
The center fulfils its mission by buturing with kind and loving guidance the children entrusted to its care and by helping child grow in their understanding and appreciation of God's love.
WCDC is committed to a program design that strives for the total development of preschool children with an emphasis on age-appropriate spiritual, physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth.
School Overview
|School Type
|Early Childhood / Day Care
|Religious Affiliation
|Grades Offered
|Grades Prekindergarten - Kindergarten
Student Body
|Total Students
|66 students
|Student Body Type
|% Students of Color
State avg.: 13%
Academics and Faculty
|Total Classroom Teachers
|1 teachers
|Student : Teacher Ratio
National avg.: 13:1
Nearby Schools:
All Schools | High Schools | Elementary Schools | Preschools | Public Schools
Show me:
- School Location Miles Students Grades
ColumbiaMontessori Early Learning Center
1101 Balsam Rd
Columbia, SC, 29210
(803)772-2262Montessori School0.6 mi | n/a students | Gr. PK
ColumbiaSloan's School
171 Starlight Dr
Columbia, SC, 29210
(803)772-16770.9 mi | 46 students | Gr. 5-12
RussellvilleMiracle Academy Preparatory School
Po Box 47
Russellville, SC, 29476
(843)567-4644(Christian)1.5 mi | 103 students | Gr. PK-12
RussellvilleNew Life Christian Academy
Po Box 92
Russellville, SC, 29476
(843)567-3100(Christian)1.5 mi | 18 students | Gr. K-12
ColumbiaRiverland Hills Cdc
500 Saint Andrews Road
Columbia, SC, 29210
(803)798-2716Daycare / Preschool2.6 mi | 30 students | Gr. K
School Reviews
Area Statistics
Recent Articles
Updated October 26, 2014
What do you do when you are dissatisfied with your local public schools? Homeschool your children? Send them to private school? Let's look at your options.
Your religion matters to you. You want your child to attend a school which will combine academics and religious education. Here is an overview of what is available together with some links to denominational web sites.
Add things up and you'll quickly find the answer- math is crucial both in academics and the real world. By following these strategies and following personal training programs, students can uncover their weaknesses and conquer math.


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Boom time in job market: Search for new talent to rev up recru...MUMBAI:Boom times back in the job market? Recruiters think so. Hiring data for the July-September quarter shows a two-year high and more than half a dozen recruiters reckon levels last seen during the 2007 boom will return in the next few months. Times of India, 1 month ago
Cos foresee 2007-like boom for talent at all levels - Economic Times, 1 month ago
Significant expansion likely in jobs market soon - Economic Times, 1 month ago
Indian eCommerce showing emerging employment sunshine
The talent battle in eCommerce is growing fierce as a bundle of huge business houses like Reliance Industries, Tata, Birla, Aditya, Future Group and Arvind Retail are now backing the early movers like Snapdeal, Flipkart and Jabong for hiring scarce ...ITvoir.com, 1 month ago
Big business houses clash with early movers to hire senior leaders
MUMBAI: The war for talent in the e-commerce space is turning fierce as a bunch of large business houses including Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla, Tata, Future Group and Arvind Retail are now clashing with early movers like Flipkart, Snapdeal and ...Economic Times, 1 month ago Talent war hots up in E-commerce space; big business houses clash to hire senior leaders Economic Times, 1 month ago
Revealed! Infosys Gives Salary Hikes Upto Rs 6 Crore
BANGALORE: Infosys has increased the salaries up to Rs 6 Crore for its executives, including executive vice-presidents and a few vice-presidents reports rediff.com. A rise in their pay packages includes some of the recent recruits from German ...Silicon India, 2 months ago Top Infosys executives' salaries raised to Rs 6 crore Rediff.com, 2 months ago Top Infy executives' salaries might create new benchmark Business Standard India, 2 months ago
IBM cuts salaries of skill laggards in US
BANGALORE: Keep learning new skills. IBM is sending out that message rather sternly. It has cut salaries by 10% of US employees who have not kept pace with emerging technologies and changing client requirements. Indian employees seem unaffected as ...Economic Times, 2 months ago IBM cuts 10% salaries of skill laggard employees in US Economic Times, 2 months ago
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Republican lawmakers from Spokane and Eastern Washington received failing grades in a new statewide report on racial equity issued by a liberal-leaning organization. Only Democratic state Rep. Andy Billig from Spokane's 3rd District received an "A" based on votes on 25 pieces of legislation over the past two years. Billig will move to the Senate in January. Read more
u 2012 Washington General Election
State Representative, Pos. 2, Legislative District 3 (central Spokane)
About this race
The candidates for position 2 have framed the race as one about the need for experience or change. Incumbent Timm Ormsby, who if re-elected would become the senior-most legislator representing any part of the city of Spokane, says his experience in the Legislature makes him effective "at bringing the voice of our community to Olympia," as he said at a recent League of Women Voters forum. His challenger, Dave White, says Democrats have burdened businesses and citizens with too many taxes and regulations. "We need a change in direction," White said at the same forum.
Legislators are paid $42,106 annually, plus healthcare benefits. House terms are two years.
Last updated: Nov. 13, 6:02 p.m. Election results
|Timm Ormsby (D)
|Dave White (R)
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
Related coverage
Democrats holding edge in Legislature
Democrats appear likely to hold on to both chambers of the Washington Legislature. Republicans had pushed to recapture the state Senate, where the Democrats currently have five more seats than Republicans. Control of the House has not been as much in dispute because Democrats have a wider margin, with 14 more seats than the GOP, and the party appeared to easily maintain a wide majority there. Read more
Party lines clearly divide candidates
The race between incumbent Democratic state Rep. Timm Ormsby and his Republican opponent, Dave White, gives voters a clear choice along party lines. Dave White, a Spokane County public works inspector, says his priority is to lower taxes and regulations. Businesses are struggling in the current economy, he said. Read more
Judge rules against two-thirds tax law
OLYMPIA – Requiring a supermajority for the Legislature to approve tax increases, as Washington voters have required several times over the past two decades, is unconstitutional, a King County Superior Court judge said Wednesday. The state constitution says legislation is to be passed by a simple majority and voters can't change that standard with an initiative, Judge Bruce Heller ruled in a case brought by a dozen state representatives, the state teachers union and education advocates. Read more
Supermajority for taxes unconstitutional, judge rules
OLYMPIA — A King County Superior Court judge says the super-majority approved by voters for tax increases is unconstitutional. Read more
White enters 3rd District House race
Dave White, a county utilities inspector and Republican activist, will run for the state House of Representatives this fall in…Read more
3rd Lege District "town hall" call on Wednesday
Residents of Spokane's 3rd Legislative District might be getting a call around 6 p.m. Wednesday inviting them to…Read more


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All | Editorial | General Tech | Graphics Cards | Networking | Motherboards | Cases and Cooling | Processors | Chipsets | Memory | Displays | Systems | Storage | Mobile | Shows and Expos
Intel Develops Tera-Scale Research Chips
Subject: General Tech | September 26, 2006 - 06:54 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San
Francisco, Sept. 26, 2006 — Intel Corporation today described the
significant technical challenges that need to be addressed if
computing, from personal devices to giant data centers, is to keep up
with increasing demand by consumers and businesses for Internet-based
software, services and media-rich experiences.
INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, San
Small vulnerability found in OpenSSL
Subject: General Tech | September 26, 2006 - 11:58 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
A very specific vulnerability in OpenSSL has been discovered, and patched recently. It is only one particular signature, so it is likely to have affected very little, but that's no excuse not to patch. Slashdot has links to the article.
VIA CX700M -Unified Chipset with HDTV support
Subject: General Tech | September 26, 2006 - 11:43 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
The VIA CX700M integrates premium graphics, audio, memory, storage, and
HDTV support all in a single chip design. This unified design enables
the creation of smaller form factor designs, reduced power consumption,
and easier cooling, all of which opens the door for an expanded range
of embedded solutions. This is all done in a single chip package
exactly the same size as a North bridge, i.e. 37.5mm x 37.5mm,
representing a saving of over 34% in board real estate.
The death of DVD movies?
Subject: General Tech | September 25, 2006 - 06:05 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
The Tech Zone puts forward some thoughts on the death of DVD movies, in all three flavours. They cover several points, including the fact that it can be easier and quicker to download from iTunes than to wait for a rental store to have the movie in stock or wait for a mail delivery.
Intel, Omnicom Media Group Announce Collaboration to Bring Internet-Delivered Ads to TVs
Subject: General Tech | September 25, 2006 - 01:41 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Santa Clara, Calif., and New York,
Sept. 25, 2006 - Intel Corporation and Omnicom Media Group (OMG), which
includes global media agencies OMD Worldwide and PHD Network, today
announced a collaboration to develop "10 foot" or large screen
advertising templates for Internet-delivered advertising to TVs
connected to Intel® Viiv™ technology-based computers.
Santa Clara, Calif., and New York,
Come visit the upgraded forums, they're still shiny and have that new car smell
Subject: General Tech | September 22, 2006 - 06:31 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
The PC Perspective forums have undergone an upgrade, which you can read about here. Or, if you want to head directly into the forums, the ASUS M2N32-SLI thread has moved to mega-thread status, and will cover almost any problem you could run into. There is a very active argument in the Lightning Round, which asks you to choose your favorite type of government and defend your choice. The
Mighty Mini Mouse
Subject: General Tech | September 22, 2006 - 03:31 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Futurelooks reviews a tiny Bluetooth mouse, not much bigger than the 2 AA batteries that it runs on. It is easy to recharge, and will fit in even the most cramped laptop case. Mind you, you might want to keep it tied to something, as it will be very easy to lose.
A Vincent shooter, non-RPG Squaresoft game
Subject: General Tech | September 22, 2006 - 12:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
On the one hand, you are playing Vincent, with all his guns. On the other hand, it's a non-RPG from SquareSoft, who have a dodgy history when they try to break away from that. Then you read the article at Ars Technica and find out there is an entire level where you are forced to play as Cait Sith.
A sneek peek at AMDs roadmap
Subject: General Tech | September 22, 2006 - 11:48 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Head to the Inquirer, who have a link to a Dutch site that has a list of AMDs upcoming processors and some of the specs. The new FX's don't have a release date yet, but the 3 GHz X2 6000+ is to be out in November.
I call shenanigans!
Subject: General Tech | September 21, 2006 - 11:48 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
AMD seems to have hired a marketing company called Design Reactor, who specialize in viral marketing and joining tech forums to spam them with messages. This time they were advertising AMD's Virtual Tradeshow, and you might have even seen them on our forums. Drop by NGOHQ for more info.
Revenge of the iPod Mini
Subject: General Tech | September 20, 2006 - 03:44 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
The new 2nd Generation iPod nano is different from it's predecessor. With 24 hours of playback time and an aluminium casing, these changes are in the rigth direction as well. Ars Technica can tell you all about it.
Intel Chairman Unveils The World's Most Remote Digital City
Subject: General Tech | September 20, 2006 - 03:35 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
PARINTINS, Brazil, Sept. 20, 2006
— In one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth, the Amazon,
Intel Corporation has created a wireless, high-speed Internet network
for residents to access vast resources of medical, educational and
commercial knowledge through computers.
PARINTINS, Brazil, Sept. 20, 2006
Are you a golf addict who's allergic to grass?
Subject: General Tech | September 20, 2006 - 12:49 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Thanks to Shot Online, you can now participate in a MMO golf game. Gamepyre reviews the free online version that is available right now, as well as the bought version which opens up more features for those who fall in love with the game.
Thinking about the C02 your PC spews out
Subject: General Tech | September 20, 2006 - 12:25 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Leaving your PC on 24/7 sucks up a noticable amount of power, the generation of which which tends to cause pollution. VIA Arena takes a moment to think about what a person can do to eevn out the damage ... without giving up PCs or Distributed Computing altogether.
That use for tha radio be a good one
Subject: General Tech | September 19, 2006 - 11:49 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Thar' be some swabs from Germany been inventing stick on electronics. Ye can pump the bilge water and extend tha plank with one switch, and ye aren't forced to run wires through your entire ship.
Intel, UC Santa Barbara Develop World's First Hybrid Silicon Laser
Subject: General Tech | September 18, 2006 - 03:53 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 18,
2006 — Researchers from Intel Corporation and the University of
California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) have built the world's first
electrically powered Hybrid Silicon Laser using standard silicon
manufacturing processes. This breakthrough addresses one of the last
major barriers to producing low-cost, high-bandwidth silicon photonics
devices for use inside and around future computers and data centers.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 18,
Digital Leaders Forum To Focus On Digital Inclusion Policy, Opportunities
Subject: General Tech | September 18, 2006 - 03:52 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
CARTAGENA, Colombia, Sept. 18,
2006 — Intel Corporation hosted the first meeting in Latin America to
unite leaders representing 16 countries to set a new technology
direction to support the region's social and economic growth.
CARTAGENA, Colombia, Sept. 18,
AOL, Intel Deliver On-Demand Video Entertainment to Intel® Viiv(TM) Technology-Based PCs
Subject: General Tech | September 18, 2006 - 03:51 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
DULLES, Va. and SANTA CLARA, Calif. -
September 18, 2006 - Combining the powerful capabilities of the PC with
the familiar face of TV, AOL and Intel Corporation today launched the
AOL Video service for Intel® Viiv™ technology-based PCs with a goal to
create the ultimate on-demand entertainment experience.
Time to update your webcam?
Subject: General Tech | September 18, 2006 - 12:04 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Webcams are an ever more popular way to embarrass yourself on the web, and occasionally get your 15 minutes of fame. Well, it isn't going to happen if you are using a 7 year old webcam that is on it's last legs. The Tech Zone will help you buy a new one by highlighting the important features available now.
Got questions? We've got answers to spare!
Subject: General Tech | September 15, 2006 - 06:49 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Troubles with WoW looking a bit odd and running slow? Maybe we can help.
PC Perspective
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Possible Duplicate:
Why are my ' characters turned into \' when POSTed to my server?
Just put my site live. For some reasons backslashes are added ' signs even though I only do escape them before inserting to db. This only happens on the work server, not my local server. Where should I look? I don't think this is a script issue.


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Kentucky Frontline Gets Headlines, but Harrison Twins Most Important Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats looked like an NBA team Tuesday night when they thoroughly eviscerated the Kansas Jayhawks 72-40.
This wasn't your run-of-the-mill November schedule-filler, either. The Jayhawks were ranked No. 5 and largely considered a Final Four threat out of the Big 12. Kentucky made a statement to the rest of the country, and it was deafeningly loud.
For anyone watching, the first thing that jumped out was Kentucky's deep and physically imposing front line. Between Karl Towns, Dakari Johnson, Willie Cauley-Stein, Marcus Lee, Alex Poythress and Trey Lyles, John Calipari has an entire roster of big guys who could contribute at the NBA level today if needed and the guards in Aaron and Andrew Harrison to keep them involved.
Johnson finished with 11 points, Towns had nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks, Cauley-Stein tallied seven points and 10 rebounds, Lee added four points, seven rebounds and four blocks, Poythress had four points, three rebounds and two blocks, and Lyles finished with four points and four rebounds.
As a team, Kentucky racked up an incredible 11 blocks and completely dominated the paint on both sides of the ball.
Despite the litany of NBA-ready big guys who will impose their will all season with length, overall size and athleticism, the Harrison brothers are the most important players on Calipari's roster.
The two sophomore (which constitutes veteran status on Kentucky) guards completely controlled the tempo from the opening tip and proved themselves as the best perimeter threats the Wildcats have at their disposal. For as talented as freshman Devin Booker may be, he never looked comfortable from distance and finished 1-of-6 from three-point range.
The Harrisons were a combined 4-of-5 from downtown and hit some momentum-swinging shots in the early going.
With so many formidable bigs, opposing teams are going to have to utilize double-teams at some point if they dream of stopping the Wildcats. That will leave shots open on the outside, and the Harrisons will be more than ready to knock them down.
However, everything the Harrisons do for this team does not necessarily show up in the box score.
They provide a calming presence on the floor with the ball in their hands and are in complete control of the tempo and the game. What's more, it is their responsibility as the primary guards and ball-handlers to spread the shots around and keep so many elite pieces happy this season.
An impressive 12 different players scored in the rout against Kansas, and everyone who stepped on the court felt like he was involved on the offensive end at some point.
When you have nine McDonald's All-Americans on the team, it is easy to envision a scenario in which players are not happy with the number of shots they receive on a game-to-game basis. The Harrison brothers can quell any concerns about that becoming a problem, as they are more than willing to act as distributors who only care about whether the team is winning.
While neither has posted notable assist numbers yet, they are keeping the ball moving. It is important with so much talent that the guards don't simply pound the ball into the ground until most of the shot clock has ticked away, and the Harrison brothers rarely do. Rather, Kentucky's offense has kept the ball in motion, allowing a number of guys to touch it.
The real value of the Harrisons, though, follows supply-and-demand principles.
For as incredible as Kentucky's front line is, the Wildcats could realistically afford to lose up to three big guys to injury or something else and still have more talent in the paint than any team in the country. That is a worst-case scenario, and nobody wants to see injuries in college sports, but Kentucky does have that security blanket.
There is a smaller supply of elite guards on this roster, even if Ulis and Booker do eventually fulfill their potential. Impressive guard play will always be in demand at the college level, and there is simply less room for error from the Harrison brothers because they don't have the established pieces in the backcourt behind them to pick up any slack.
It is imperative that they both stay healthy all year.
Sure, the platoon system is working brilliantly now, but you have to figure certain players will separate themselves and earn crunch-time minutes at some point. The Harrison brothers will likely be the ones on the floor in the backcourt down the stretch of March Madness games, especially if platoon No. 1 continues to play like it did Tuesday, via Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal:
It is no coincidence that platoon No. 1 features the Harrisons.
Aaron Harrison drilled game-turning shots in the final moments against Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament and carved a spot out for himself in Big Blue Nation lore forever. Those types of crunch-time contributions are why Calipari needs him on the floor down the stretch of close games.
Experience and leadership from the Harrisons will be critical on a team that is so reliant on production from freshmen. Ideally, they will act as mentors for Ulis and Booker as the year progresses. The Harrisons should understand everything the freshmen go through because they experienced growing pains themselves last season when Kentucky almost didn't make the NCAA tournament.
They also boast a proven ability to come through in the clutch, which Kentucky will need at some point this season. Every game isn't going to be as lopsided as the Kansas one was Tuesday.
In fact, the game against Buffalo was surprisingly close for most of the 40 minutes, and the Wildcats even trailed at the half. Every opponent is going to give Kentucky its best shot, so the Wildcats have to be ready to deliver on a nightly basis.
The Harrison brothers sparked Kentucky's turnaround from a season ago as they gradually improved throughout the schedule. If they consistently act as leaders and go-to options throughout the 2014-15 campaign and deliver a national championship to Lexington, they will be Kentucky legends forever.
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View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
How Important Is the 2014-15 Season to the New York Knicks?
Are the New York Knicks biding time, trumpeting patience and process as a way of readying themselves and their fans for another year of feckless basketball? Or are mentions of playoff contention indications of a team legitimately concerned with now, just as much as it is with later?
Different words have been flung around since the end of last season, many of them conflicting with one another. Instead of breeding balance, the Knicks are creating confusion, making it difficult—nigh impossible—to comprehend the importance of now.
Patience. Process.
Which is it?
For a team so incontestably invested in dissociating itself from failures of years past, the Knicks have not entered 2014-15 with the fixed purpose or definitive direction conducive to redemption.
Patience and Process
If nothing else, the Knicks—buoyed by Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher's candor—have been forthright about their attempt to reinvent themselves. Said reincarnation begins on the offensive end, where they're implementing a somewhat-doctored version of the storied triangle assault.
This is not a halfhearted installation. Their roster isn't ideally built for the triangle, but what little control over the cosmetic makeup Jackson had he exploited. He re-signed Carmelo Anthony, mid-range extraordinaire; he acquired Jose Calderon, the ideal off-ball point man; and he signed the triangle-fit Jason Smith.
Commitment to fully triangle-ing has been further evident in repeated acceptance of the lengthy process at hand. No one involved is entertaining instant mastery. If it's not Jackson preaching patience, it's Fisher. And if it's not one of them, it's someone else.
Including Anthony.
"It's a work in progress now," he said ahead New York's regular-season opener, per ESPN New York's Ian Begley. "It's going to be a work in progress until the end of the season."
Indeed, the Knicks are facing a steep learning curve, one Doug Eberhardt and Mike Prada, writing for SB Nation, say cannot be skirted or abbreviated:
Combine a willingness to suffer through that transition year with long-term roster stability and extreme patience from management, and maybe a team can succeed going all-in on the Triangle. That is what the Knicks, under Jackson's tutelage, will be hoping to accomplish. But that's a tough sell for any owner, general manager or fan base; New York, of course, is not noted for being laid-back.
Triangle advocates believe previous coaches failed because of that lack of patience, and not any inherent problem with the system.
The triangle is complicated and, at its heart, endorses almost everything the Knicks did not last year: selflessness, ball movement, off-ball movement, spacing and reactive decision-making.
Elements of it have been integrated into other offenses over the years, aside from Jackson's Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. Those who tried to fully embrace it have failed spectacularly. (Think Jim Cleamons with the Dallas Mavericks and Kurt Rambis with the Minnesota Timberwolves.)
Recently, the triangle's core tenets have also come under siege as they pertain to today's NBA. In previous years, it's called for an onrush of mid-range jumpers and post-ups, two scoring methods that go against the league's three-point shooting influx.
These Knicks, then, must not only grasp the triangle but manipulate it.
Only three of Jackson's Bulls and Lakers teams averaged more than 20 three-point attempts per game. Twenty squads, meanwhile, cleared 20 attempts last year. It's adapt or die for this offense. And after the Knicks adapt, they'll have to wait some more.
Then some more.
They may, in fact, wait well into 2015-16, since the Knicks of today aren't the Knicks of tomorrow.
Roster turnover will play a significant part of their ongoing development. The team is flush with expiring contracts and impending cap space, the latter of which it intends to use.
"Carmelo took less money—even though it seems rather minuscule—but it's enough for us to have flexibility in the coming year and then as the years go on the pie's going to get bigger, things will happen," Jackson said, per Begley.
New faces—whomever they are—will need time, just as the current Knicks need time. There's no telling when the quest for headlining additions will end, either. It could be this summer; it could be next summer. This game of musical free-agency ventures could feasibly last for years.
And if the Knicks of today are merely a makeshift model for that broad, imprecise chase, how can this season itself be anything more?
Playoff Aspirations
Most teams in the Knicks' situation that are struggling with a new system and employing a temporary core would be classified as "rebuilding." They wouldn't be expected to make the playoffs or do much of anything at all. Most rebuilding factions would willingly relegate themselves to the draft lottery while evaluating young talent and experimenting with different lineups.
But for all the similarities that can be drawn, the Knicks are not most rebuilding teams.
Anthony makes them different.
Thirty-year-old superstars playing at their peak aren't typical components of lottery-lost franchises. Anthony returned to the Knicks knowing they wouldn't become insta-contenders—he's admitted as much—but his submission to their plan (and dollar signs) hasn't bought them unconditional time.
It was Anthony who called the Knicks a playoff team in August, per the New York Post's Fred Kerber, and the rest of team has followed suit.
"There's been teams that are learning a system, and once they figure that system out, they win," Amar'e Stoudemire said, via Newsday's Al Iannazzone. "When Tim Duncan played with the Spurs, his second year, they were somewhat of a new team but they won the championship. I'm sure we can search for that goal."
Comparing the Knicks to any San Antonio Spurs team of the last 18 years is beyond absurdly ambitious. But the crux of San Antonio's blueprint is one they are striving to replicate.
Like the Spurs, the Knicks are simultaneously planning for the future while trying to win now. However lofty or deluded that seems, they have no other choice.
Mixed Messages
What can we take away from the Knicks' patience-seeking, playoff-searching ways?
Not much. Not right now.
Some of what they're saying and doing trivializes this season. In addition to installing a new, complex offensive system, they've failed to elevate the ceiling of their 24th-ranked defense from last year. Their ability to lighten the scoring load that's sat upon Anthony's shoulders since 2011 is predicated upon ball movement and the shot-making abilities of inconsistent role players. Still-developing talents such as Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Cleanthony Early should also see substantial court time.
Next year's first-round draft pick in hand, developing offense in mind, bottom-feeding defense in tow, it's easy to say that 2014-15 will be nothing more than an empty, lottery-forsaken year for the Knicks. Not even Anthony's offensive dominance can completely kill that train of thought.
But so long as they play in the Eastern Conference, such wisdom is not infallible.
The East isn't built for traditional transitioning teams. Alleged tankers (Philadelphia 76ers) and raw-prospect-packed rotations (Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks) make it implausible for a superstar-led team like the Knicks to count on bottoming out. It would take the most flagrant of tank jobs that, in all likelihood, would draw the ire of fans and perhaps the league.
Missing the playoffs also isn't an effective sales pitch. If the Knicks want to spend forthcoming cap space on a Marc Gasol or Goran Dragic in 2015, or a Kevin Durant in 2016, they'll want something of value outside Anthony to sling. They'll need signs of progress.
And, in this case, there are no better harbingers of transcendent change than wins and playoff appearances.
So, immediately, the Knicks are who they are until injuries, a lack of talent, conference competition or a complete shift of course proves otherwise: the rare rebuilding team with its eyes fixated on tomorrow and its heart invested in today.
*Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference and NBA.com unless otherwise cited.
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Who Is Cleveland Cavaliers' Most Important Player Outside of the Big 3?
The revamped Cleveland Cavaliers may simultaneously employ the NBA's best No. 1 option, second fiddle and third wheel this season. That is one of the many luxuries stemming from a summer that witnessed LeBron James' return, Kevin Love's arrival and Kyrie Irving's max-contract commitment.
But three players does not an NBA champion make—not even if those three have All-World credentials.
The strength of Cleveland's championship stock may hinge on the diversification of this team's production. James, Love and Irving can (and have) put the Cavs in title talks, per Odds Shark, but it's going to take more to close that conversation.
Specifically, it's going to take consistent and efficient production from a supporting cast featuring a mix of aging vets and still-developing prospects. And those prospects in particular—Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters—will be critical to putting an end to The Forest City's decades-long championship drought.
Sure, the Cavs will need Mike Miller's three-point cannon and the spacing it creates, but they could lean on James Jones, Matthew Dellavedova and rookie Joe Harris for the long ball if they have to. Plus, Cleveland may yet add Ray Allen's historically prolific perimeter touch to the mix.
The Cavs will also undoubtedly benefit from the energy and intelligence of veterans Anderson Varejao and Shawn Marion. But it's hard to peg Varejao for an important role after seeing him miss 166 games over the past four seasons to injury. As for the 36-year-old Marion, he figures to be a part-time player at best as Father Time's grip tightens around him.
Those guys are Cleveland's helpers. Waiters and Thompson, though, could be Cleveland's real difference-makers.
From a statistical standpoint, Waiters has the chance to show as well as any non-Big-Three Cavalier.
The explosive scoring guard erupted for 14.7 points and 3.0 assists as a rookie in 2012-13. For an encore, he bumped his scoring average (15.9), effective field-goal percentage (47.9, up from 45.1) and player efficiency rating (14.0 from 13.7) during his sophomore campaign, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
He can create his own scoring chances—66.4 percent of his career two-point field goals have been unassisted—and his ability to wreak havoc off the bounce can keep pressure on opposing defenses even when Cleveland's talented trio catch a breather. Waiters is also a capable setup man when he's willing to share the basketball.
All of those are good traits to have, and seeing that he won't turn 23 until December, the future looks incredibly bright if he can build around them.
As for the present, well, that's a lot murkier. With Irving, Love and James on board, the Cavs don't need a lot of what Waiters has to offer. As soon as James signed on the dotted line, Waiters knew this season would be one of adaptation.
"I have to make adjustments," Waiters told reporters in July. "I have to find ways to impact the game without having the ball. I'm planning to go watch tape to see what [Dwyane Wade] did when he played with LeBron. I need to learn how to be effective out there with him."
Waiters is on the right track, but the Cavs don't need him to recreate the role Wade played alongside James with the Miami Heat. The spot set aside for Waiters is much further removed from the spotlight and far more limited in terms of touches. Bleacher Report's Jared Dubin provided insight on how Waiters needs to improve:
Whether Cavs coach David Blatt decides to start Waiters or not, the former Syracuse star should see major minutes with the second team. Cleveland's reserves need his offensive creativity, whereas that gift would feel redundant given the Big Three are better scorers and passers than Waiters.
He'll still see time with Cleveland's big boppers, but his responsibilities will change dramatically from what they have been.
"The Cavaliers don't necessarily need Waiters to drop 15-20 points a game," wrote Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman. "They need him to be timely, efficient and consistently threatening."
Waiters has the tools to succeed in such a role. Last season, he converted 41.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes, per SportVU player tracking data, which put him ahead of long-range snipers Danny Green (41.5), Vince Carter (40.1), Dirk Nowitzki (39.9) and the aforementioned Allen (39.9), among others.
But taking full advantage of that talent means leaving behind the ball-dominant skills responsible for getting him to the league. His NBA reality changed this summer as much as anyone on the roster, and it could take him all season (or longer) to catch up.
He has held or shared the lead in field-goal attempts during each of Cleveland's first four preseason games. While he has made the most of these shots (47.2 percent shooting), the volume is still surprising with all of the weapons now around him.
Eventually, these personnel changes and the adjustments they bring out of Waiters will be a good thing. But for now they could put too many bumps in his road to comfortably consider him Cleveland's fourth-most important player.
"This should result in a more efficient and less volatile player, but who knows," SportsOnEarth's Michael Pina wrote. "Context is everything here, and a scorer who's used to having the ball in his hands all the time must adapt when better players are brought into the fold."
On the surface, Cleveland's moves seem to negatively impact Thompson as much as anyone. After all, his natural power forward position can now be filled by the greatest player on the planet (James), a perennial All-Star (Love) or a former world champ (Marion).
Yet, this influx of talent actually puts Thompson in position to simplify his task list and focus on areas in which he has excelled in the past. And if he can pull this off, he should easily emerge as the fourth-most important piece of the puzzle.
"James, Love and Irving will grab the headlines, but it'll be how Thompson controls the paint on defense that could really tell the story of most games," wrote Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz. "Cleveland needs Thompson to transform into the elite defender and shot-blocker many believed he'd become in the league."
The Cavs badly need a rim protector. They have leaks on the defensive perimeter, and Love and Varejao don't offer much insurance behind them. Brendan Haywood missed all of last season with a broken foot, and he hasn't posted even an average PER since 2009-10, according to Basketball-Reference.com, so he won't be much help, either.
To date, Thompson has hardly been a rim deterrent at this level. He averaged 0.4 blocks per game last season. Opponents shot 58.0 percent against him at the rim, per SportVU, which was the second-worst rate of the 75 defenders to face at least five such attempts per game.
This was never supposed to be an issue. In fact, he entered the league overflowing with potential as an interior defender.
Thanks to a massive 7'2″ wingspan, per ESPN Insider (subscription required), Thompson averaged 2.4 blocks during his lone season at Texas and posted a 7.2 block percentage there, according to Sports-Reference.com. To put that second number into perspective, Anthony Davis and Serge Ibaka led the league with a 6.7 block percentage last season (minimum 20 minutes per game).
"Tristan is a high-energy guy that gets his hands on the ball at both ends of the court," Blatt told reporters earlier this month. "He has a very, very high motor. He's active."
If Thompson can rediscover his old shot-blocking form, he could go a long way toward addressing arguably the team's biggest weakness. And if guys such as James, Love and Marion force him to find most of his minutes at the center spot, he says that it's even better for him, per Cavs.com's Joe Gabriele:
I think playing the 5 is an advantage for me. I'm much quicker than a lot of the other centers in our league. So, I'll give them havoc and at the same time, I've got stronger over the summer where I can guard the 5's and body up against them.
And if you look at it, our league is changing. You don't really have the prototypical centers anymore—like the Shaqs, the Ewings, the Mutombos. Everyone's more mobile and athletic, so a 4 or 5 in this league isn't as big a difference.
Whether at the 4 or 5, Thompson simply needs to stay in his lane. And, unlike Waiters, Thompson should feel extremely comfortable with his role.
The Cavs aren't looking for more than interior activity out of him. Judging by his production through three preseason games—12.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks in 23.7 minutes—that is precisely what he is prepared to give.
Thompson doesn't need the ball to be effective. And his work as an off-ball cutter, above-the-rim finisher and offensive rebounder should all mesh well with the Big Three.
Not only can he coexist with that trio, his length, athleticism and defensive effort should also make it even better.
The Cavs, like any other championship hopefuls, will need everyone to make a successful title run. But Thompson will play the biggest role of Cleveland's support staff due to the uniqueness of his talents and the way they will complement the rest of this roster.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.
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Most important moves of the NBA offseason
While LeBron James' return to Cleveland made the headlines this summer, USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick breaks down other transactions that will pay dividends this season.
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UNC Basketball: Most Important Games on Tar Heels' 2014-15 Schedule
North Carolina lost in heartbreaking fashion to Iowa State in the round of 32 in last season's NCAA tournament, but there is reason to believe it could be one of the nation's best teams in 2014-15.
After all, Marcus Paige is a legitimate All-American candidate. J.P. Tokoto, Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson provide some stability, and freshmen Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson have particularly high ceilings.
However, North Carolina has to win some critical games during the regular season first to put itself in position for a successful tournament run. Coach Roy Williams certainly thinks the schedule will be difficult, based on comments from GoHeels.com:
We want a great schedule. This is my 12th year (as head coach at UNC). In our previous 11 years our schedule has been in the top 50 in the country every year and in 10 it's been in the top 25 according to strength of schedule.
This one may be a little off the charts.
The schedule is quite challenging, but some games are more important than others. Let's take a look at those.
* Note: While the Tar Heels could play some combination of UCLA, Florida, Wisconsin or Georgetown in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament early in the year, we avoided those contests because we are not quite sure who those opponents will be based on how the games unfold.
December 13 at Kentucky
This showdown between two blue-blood programs of college basketball squaring off in a legendary venue is sure to capture the nation's attention.
The Kentucky Wildcats will be one of the best teams in the country yet again after a number of players came back to school after a run to the national title game. Among those are Willie Cauley-Stein, Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison, who give John Calipari impressive options down low and on the perimeter.
Dakari Johnson and Alex Poythress also make this a more veteran group than some fans are accustomed to, which will help with the pressure that comes with playing at Kentucky.
Still, this is a Calipari team we are talking about. Of course, the newcomers are going to play a major role, and this year's group includes Karl Towns, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis. Calipari has talent, depth, experience and versatility across the court, and the wins are sure to follow.
The Wildcats could be a top-five team all year, which means a victory in a true road game would be astronomically important for the Tar Heels. It would give them serious ammunition come Selection Sunday for seeding purposes and would be a major confidence boost heading into ACC play.
That may ultimately be asking too much, but there is a lot on the table in this contest.
December 20 vs. Ohio State (in Chicago)
This game against Ohio State is on here for a reason, even if there may be a couple of more difficult ones.
We are working under the assumption that the Tar Heels drop the game in Kentucky in front of a raucous crowd. That means they will need a marquee nonconference win to make up for that, and this is a golden opportunity to do just that against a young team that will be much better in March than December.
The Buckeyes lost Aaron Craft, Lenzelle Smith and LaQuinton Ross but brought in a loaded recruiting class that is spearheaded by D'Angelo Russell, Keita Bates-Diop and Jae'Sean Tate. If you throw those guys in with the speedy Shannon Scott, Marc Loving and Sam Thompson, it is rather clear that this team will look to run all year.
Even big man Anthony Lee can get out in transition if needed.
This will be a solid test for the Tar Heels' transition game on a neutral floor. The advantage here is Paige, who will have the experience edge over Russell and the ball-handling abilities to prevent the defensive-stalwart Scott from racking up too many steals.
When the Buckeyes freshmen develop over the course of the year and hit their stride, they should make serious noise in the loaded Big Ten. That would make a North Carolina win in this one look even better for the Tar Heels come Selection Sunday.
March 7 vs. Duke
No introduction is needed here—a clash between Duke and North Carolina is bound to make any list of the most important games.
However, this one in Chapel Hill is especially important because it is the last game of the regular season and represents North Carolina's chance to avoid a season sweep if the Blue Devils win in Cameron.
More than just bragging rights could be on the line, though, since both teams have ACC title aspirations and visions of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Winning a high-stakes rivalry game like this would make a serious impression on the selection committee in March.
The Blue Devils will be one of the best teams in the nation with freshmen Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow to go along with veterans Quinn Cook, Rasheed Sulaimon and Amile Jefferson. Mike Krzyzewski has options all over the floor, but having elite players at center and point guard means the Blue Devils are primed for a big season.
Okafor will dominate down low on both sides thanks to his strength, rebounding prowess and array of low-post moves. It will also help having a pass-first point guard like Jones setting the table for the big man, and Okafor's presence will open up shooters on the outside.
Okafor and Winslow also shore up the defense, which was a serious concern last year.
Winslow in particular is critical here, as he can guard four different positions effectively. Adam Rowe of 247Sports noted that Winslow caught plenty of eyes on that side of the ball before he even made it to college:
Duke and North Carolina may just be the class of the ACC this year. Just like it's supposed to be.
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Which Cleveland Cavs Bench Player Will Have Most Important Role This Season?
Lost in all the hoopla surrounding superstars LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving this summer are the little people.
OK, so maybe that's a bad description of NBA players. Instead, let's say sometimes it's easy to forget that role players can have a huge impact on a team's title chances.
We know that with James, Love and Irving, the Cavs should be very good. What we don't know is just how good they can be. Much of this revolves around the team's X-factors, the role players that will be needed to step up on a regular basis.
That being said, which Cavs reserve will have the most important role this season? Players like Shawn Marion, James Jones and Matthew Dellavedova will definitely help but aren't crucial to the Cavs' championship chances.
Instead, the title of most important role comes down to three players. Swingman Mike Miller, shooting guard Dion Waiters (if he's named the team's sixth man) and forward/center Tristan Thompson should all carry the most impact off the bench.
Let's break down what each brings to the Cavaliers and who will ultimately play the biggest role for Cleveland this season.
Mike Miller
Role: Spread the offense, knock down three-pointers
Miller possesses the most experience of the Cavs' bench core. He's spent 14 seasons in the NBA thus far, collecting two championship rings with the Miami Heat.
While he's not going to score, rebound, pass or defend at a high level, the 6'8″ Miller is downright lethal when shooting from the outside.
In today's NBA, this skill is extremely valuable.
The Cavs were a very poor shooting team from the outside last season. They knocked down just 35.6 percent of their three-pointers, 18th in the league. The world-champion San Antonio Spurs, by comparison, led the NBA by shooting 39.7 percent from deep.
But Miller's just one man, what kind of an impact can he really have?
Consider the before and after shooting stats Miller had on the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies, his homes the past two years.
|Miller's Impact
|Team 3P%
|NBA Rank
|Miami Heat 2012-13 (w/Miller)
|Miami Heat 2013-14 (w/o Miller)
While the Heat terrorized opponents from behind the arc with Miller, they dropped 10 spots in the rankings after amnestying him.
The Grizzlies, one of the league's worst shooting teams, eagerly scooped Miller up. His presence helped Memphis jump five spots from the previous season.
|Miller's Impact
|Team 3P%
|NBA Rank
|Memphis Grizzlies 2012-13 (w/o Miller)
|Memphis Grizzlies 2013-14 (w/Miller)
Now on the Cavaliers, Miller's role remains the same.
He can come off screens, spot up in the corner and space the floor for Cleveland. A lifetime 40.9 percent marksman from deep, Miller's three-point shooting will no doubt be an important component of the Cavs' offensive game plan.
Dion Waiters
Role: Playmaker, instant offense off bench
If head coach David Blatt decides to start Waiters, he'll be doing the team and third-year shooting guard a major disservice.
The 6'4″, 215-pound Waiters is talented enough to begin the game for many teams, as he averaged 18.3 points and 3.5 assists in 24 games as a starter last season. He's also the best shooting guard on the roster, and technically deserves the honor over a player like Miller.
That being said, Waiters' best quality is his ability to score in isolation and pick-and-roll opportunities. When asked to come off screens and operate within the flow of an offense, Waiters has struggled.
Coming off the bench as the team's sixth man would be an ideal fit.
Cleveland has plenty of scoring with James, Love and Irving in the starting five. What they need is someone to run the offense and create scoring opportunities for himself and others in the reserves.
This is where Waiters comes in.
As a sixth man, Waiters averaged 14.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 27.8 minutes a game last season. He greatly improved his three-point shooting to 36.7 percent, up from 28.9 percent as a reserve in 2012-13.
As rare as it may be, there will be games when the first unit's shots aren't falling and they need someone to come in and provide a spark.
Whether it be Manu Ginobili with the Spurs or Jamal Crawford of the Los Angeles Clippers, many of the league's best teams keep an instant scorer on their bench to help balance out the rotation.
Miller is great, but he's not going to orchestrate an offense like Waiters can.
After a summer spent working on his game and dropping 10 pounds, Waiters should be even quicker off the dribble and attacking the rim.
The Cavaliers should keep him on the bench to start games, as his scoring and playmaking abilities will definitely be needed as the team's sixth man.
Tristan Thompson
Role: Rebounding, defense, center insurance
After starting every game at power forward the past two seasons, Thompson will almost certainly come off the bench now in favor of Love and Anderson Varejao.
Given the Cavs' lack of depth at center, the 6'9″ Thompson will likely be used to back up both post spots.
This is both an intriguing and terrifying situation.
Although undersized, Thompson did start 25 games at center for the Cavaliers during his rookie season filling in for an injured Varejao. While some of the bigger opponents gave him trouble, Thompson did post a respectable 10.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in 28.8 minutes a night.
According to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal, Thompson will indeed be used at the 5:
Regardless of whether he starts, Thompson is expected to play a lot of minutes at center this season. He is undersized there, but athletic enough to handle the job. He has played there off and on throughout his first three years in the league.
While his size doesn't necessarily reflect that of a classic NBA center, Thompson's skill set matches up perfectly.
While at the University of Texas, Thompson made a name for himself with his motor, rebounding, post defense and shot blocking.
Playing for a young Cavs team that needed his scoring, Thompson's defensive game struggled while his blocks plummeted (1.0 to 0.4 from rookie to third season).
Now that his role is changing back to what it was with Texas, Thompson's focus should once again reflect his strengths.
Cleveland better hope so, at least.
Varejao is fantastic when healthy but hasn't topped 65 games since the 2009-10 season. Brendan Haywood is still rehabbing from a stress fracture and likely won't be ready for the start of training camp.
The Cavs are very thin inside and need Thompson to bring some toughness, defense and rebounding off the bench.
While Miller, Waiters and Thompson will all be key components to the team, one in particular stands out.
Given the Cavs' lack of depth in the post, Thompson will have the most important role of any bench player this season.
It's not going to be easy, either. Thompson is going to have to regularly face players two, three, even four inches taller than him. On any given night, he could be sacrificing 30-40 pounds to his opponent.
Doing the dirty work may not be what Thompson envisioned his career objective to be four years after being a No. 4 overall pick, but here we stand.
James, Love and Irving will grab the headlines, but it'll be how Thompson controls the paint on defense that could really tell the story of most games.
Cleveland needs Thompson to transform into the elite defender and shot-blocker many believed he'd become in the league.
This role will most definitely prove crucial to the Cavs' season success.
Greg Swartz has covered the Cleveland Cavaliers for Bleacher Report since 2010. Connect with him on Twitter for more basketball news and conversation.
All stats provided by Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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Manu Ginobili Remains as Important and Unpredictable as Ever to Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili remains a mystery.
I'm not talking about his talent, because it should be fairly obvious to all that he possesses tons of it. Rather, the manner in which Ginobili chooses to use his gifts is what produces question marks.
The 6'6" Manu is wildly unpredictable, which makes it difficult to guess what comes next with him. Will he break away from the play? Gamble on defense? Ignore head coach Gregg Popovich?
There's just no way for teammates or opponents to know, and boy does it give him an edge. He's always been the proverbial X-factor, and I feel confident in saying that will always be the case. That might sound like an exaggeration, but let's take a look back at his career and see how he's evolved.
Crossovers and Dunks
Long before even setting foot on an NBA court, Ginobili was a star. He helped Argentina hand Team USA its first loss at the World Championships since the Americans began using NBA players.
Manu had great ball-handling skills and demonstrated a great level of athleticism. I wouldn't accuse the Spurs of being unpatriotic, but it's probably fair to assume they loved what they saw from Ginobili against the United States. He showed no fear against NBA players and was constantly on the attack.
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper offered this appraisal of Ginobili's performance in 2010: "Ginobili was everywhere. There just was no way to know the extent of the preview, that it was the first look for most in North America of a unique talent who would play a pivotal role in delivering three titles and making San Antonio, along with the Lakers, the dominant team of the first decade of the 2000s."
San Antonio selected Manu with the No. 57 pick in the 1999 draft and kept him stashed away in Europe. By 2002, the Spurs felt it was time to bring him in.
Ginobili joined the Spurs and backed up Stephen Jackson at the 2-guard. Considering Manu was fresh off the World Championships and it was difficult to project how he would adjust to the speed of the NBA game, Popovich brought him along slowly.
Ginobili only averaged 7.6 points in 20.7 minutes per game during his rookie year.
Once the bright lights of the postseason came on, though, Ginobili became a seemingly maniacal king slayer. Despite coming off the bench, he felt comfortable attacking every player on a Los Angeles Lakers squad that was trying to win its fourth consecutive title.
Manu produced 11.7 points and 2.5 assists in 24.7 minutes per game against the Lakers, while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 61.5 percent from long range.
Ginobili broke off plays to creatively attack defenders off the bounce and finish at the rim with authority. His play led to the demise of the Lakers, and San Antonio went on to win the championship.
Just like that, a reckless star was born.
Popovich has mostly kept Ginobili in a second-unit role throughout his career (except for the 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2010-11 campaigns where he started over 55 games in each), in an effort to preserve his 2-guard. He's only cracked the 30-minute barrier on average twice (2007-08 and 2010-11 seasons), which has kept him fresh for playoff runs, where the real magic happens.
An argument could be made that he's been the best postseason 2-guard not named Kobe or Dwyane Wade over the last decade.
During his younger years, Popovich entrusted him in late-game situations where he came through time and time again. For instance, many remember Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals as the Robert Horry game, but few might recall that Ginobili had the assist on the game-winning basket.
Once the Detroit Pistons' Rasheed Wallace trapped Manu in the corner, the 2-guard quickly responded by feeding an open Horry.
That kind of decision-making is the reason why the coaching staff feels confident down the stretch of games with the ball in Ginobili's hands. He delivered again in Game 7 of the 2006 Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks. Manu capped a comeback by nailing a three-pointer to give San Antonio the lead late.
On the flip side, bad Ginobili showed up a few possessions later when he fouled Dirk Nowitzki and allowed him to convert a three-point play that sent the game to overtime where Dallas ultimately prevailed.
That sequence of events captures Ginobili's career perfectly. He's always been a moment away from the biggest and worst play of his career. At age 37, his skills have eroded with time, but he's still the mysterious player he's always been.
Jumpers and Floaters
San Antonio's backup 2-guard has become a little slower and less athletic in the latter portion of his career, but he's still important to the Spurs' success.
Sure, the team operates now like a fine-tuned machine that was created for basketball, but the right pieces are still mandatory.
The Spurs seemingly operate as one, with everything flowing perfectly because that's what Popovich demands. Manu is a big part of that because of his ball-handling, passing (6.8 assists per 36 minutes last season) and shooting (46.9 percent field-goal shooting last campaign).
He no longer attacks the rim with reckless abandon and regularly dunks over defenders, because he's evolved in conjunction with the decline of his physical state.
Still, Ginobili keeps the ball live and continues to dish out remarkable passes to teammates, which explains why San Antonio had the best playoff offense last year, according to ESPN.com.
Grantland's Zach Lowe offered this take in May:
He's still pretty much the only player who can get away with breaking the offense and not having Gregg Popovich look like he wants to murder somebody.
His wild drives and outrageous passes are otherwise anathema for the Spurs, whose offensive system is an acutely constructed machine that runs with Peyton Manning–esque precision — except when Manu decides to pursue something that seems beyond possibility until the moment it actually happens.
He's relying a little more on jump shots and floaters, without sacrificing too much in terms of efficiency. Don't get it twisted, Ginobili still dropped the hammer on the Miami Heat's Chris Bosh during the Finals, but that's no longer the norm.
Manu fits within Pop's motion offense, but he's no longer an overwhelming option for opponents.
He's more of a role player now, as opposed to a star. And yet, Manu will continue to decide games because he's a threat for a throwback performance.
For instance, in Game 1 of the 2014 Finals, Ginobili dropped 16 points and 11 assists on the Heat. He had similar numbers in Games 2 and 5, but he had a dud in the fourth contest (seven points and four turnovers).
His energy and playmaking off the bench will still impact games when he has it going, and the unpredictable nature of his game will continue to catch people by surprise.
The ascension of Kawhi Leonard will push Manu to the background ever so slightly, but he will continue to remain relevant and important to San Antonio's success. Even in limited minutes, he's the best second-unit player on the Spurs, and he will continue to swing series, while also occasionally looking like he's sabotaging them.
Manu being Manu is just awesome, and the Spurs will take him as such. The latest title run is proof that he still affects San Antonio's title window.
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How Important Is the Pick-and-Roll in Today's NBA?
Pick-and-rolls are everywhere in today's NBA.
Slowly, surely, they have become one of the most common plays offenses run. Five years ago, during the 2009-10 season, the average team ran pick-and-rolls that ended in a shot, turnover or foul 16.4 percent of the time, according to Synergy Sports (subscription required). By the end of last year, that number had climbed to 21.8 percent.
With offenses employing—and defenses seeing—these plays more than 20 percent of the time on average, the importance of understanding and excelling within and against pick-and-rolls should prove principal to overall success.
In theory.
To find out how much of an impact pick-and-roll savvy has on offensive and defensive performance, we turn to the numbers.
Synergy breaks pick-and-roll efficiency into two categories: plays that end with the ball-handler and possessions that end with the roll man. Since the distribution of pick-and-rolls varies by team, we'll need to find a weighted efficiency mean that accounts for differences in frequency.
Teams won't split pick-and-rolls between ball-handlers and roll men evenly. For example, 23 percent of the San Antonio Spurs' offensive plays came within pick-and-rolls last season. About 16.6 percent of those sets ended with the ball-handler, while 6.4 finished with the roll man.
And yet the Spurs' roll men averaged more points per possession (.97) than their ball-handlers (.88), hence the problem at hand…which has been solved.
Bleacher Report's resident math wizard Adam Fromal provided yours truly with an equation to combat such imbalance.
The equation itself can be seen here. If you're not into that sort of thing, just know it yields an accurate, all-inclusive average that sheds light on the correlation between pick-and-roll performance and general success.
Does that light reinforce the value of pick-and-roll comprehension, or is its increase in popularity more reasonless celebrity than substantiated significance?
Pick-and-Roll Offense
Everything starts on the offensive end.
Offenses dictate the frequency with which pick-and-rolls are enacted and seen. Lately, they've been cropping up more than regularly, emerging as something of an offensive monopoly.
Wrote SB Nation's Doug Eberhardt in April:
The pick and roll is the genesis of the modern NBA offense. It forces the defense to make a decision on each and every possession. That decision then opens up a multitude of offensive options: the pull-up jumper, the drive to the paint, the pass to the rolling or popping man, the kick-out pass, the dish to someone coming off an action on the opposite side, etc. There is so much going on.
Stressing the point from earlier, here's a look at how often offenses have worked in pick-and-rolls since 2009:
There has been a 32.9 percent increase in the average league-wide use of pick-and-rolls over the last five years. That's quite the jump. Frankly, it's absurd.
Perhaps in a good way.
Looking at last year only, here's how a team's weighted pick-and-roll efficiency—in points per possession—compares to its overall offensive display:
That's a fairly strong correlation.
Each of the seven most efficient pick-and-roll offenses also finished in the top seven of Synergy's overall offensive rankings. Pure happenstance? It could be.
It just doesn't seem to be.
When analyzing the pick-and-roll data since 2009, the relationship at hand doesn't change:
The 16 best pick-and-roll offenses over the last five years all ranked in the top 10 of offensive efficiency or better.
Stretching even deeper, only two of the top 30 pick-and-roll performers—Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors—weren't top-10 offenses as well. Both aberrations coincidentally came during the 2010-11 crusade.
Subpar execution has also spelled bad things for general offensive efforts. Just two of the 30 worst pick-and-roll acts since 2009 ranked in the top half of offensive efficiency during their respective years.
Take a look at where the 34 worst pick-and-roll offenses—bottom-30 marks plus four statistical ties—ranked in general since 2009:
Good luck trying maintain a top or even run-of-the-mill offense without pick-and-roll success.
With little doubt that strong pick-and-roll attacks positively impact offensive displays, there's but one question left to ask: Is one version more important than the other?
Plays ending with ball-handlers make up the majority of pick-and-rolls. Not one team ran more plays for its roll men last season.
And truthfully, that's no surprise.
Ball-handlers control the rock. They're the decision-makers. It's fitting they're the ones finishing plays more.
Below you'll see how a team's rock-wielder efficiency last season compared to its offensive standing:
Without pause, let's see how things look on the roll men side of things:
Results on both ends continue to support what we already know. But there is a tighter correlation between offensive success and ball-handler efficiency.
This also shouldn't come as a mind-bending shock.
Roll men are, well, rolling. They're moving toward the basket, whereas ball-handlers are more likely to find themselves on the perimeter. Converting shots closer to the iron is easier. That's what the numbers show here.
No team averaged fewer than .84 points per possession in roll-man offense. The league-wide average for ball-handlers was noticeably lower, checking in at 0.79.
Creating separation and finding success in the latter category is harder. By and large, the teams that did boasted better offenses overall; only two top-10 offenses ranked outside the top half of ball-handler efficiency.
Generally speaking, though, teams—as we've seen—shouldn't rely on one specialty.
As always, balance is important.
Pick-and-Roll Defense
Time to flip the script.
As the NBA has evolved, so has its players and rules. And like Forum Blue & Gold's Darius Soriano explained in March 2013, this gradual and ongoing transformation has not only impacted how teams defend but what they're defending:
With the current rules regarding hand checking and the defensive three second rule, as well as a shift towards more mobile big men who can space the floor, the NBA has become a pick and roll league. It's really a simple formula: Guards can't be defended as physically on the perimeter + an open middle due to defensive three seconds and big men spacing the floor = a style of play conducive to the P&R. A key for defenses, then, is the ability to slow this action.
Upticks in pick-and-roll implementation has put pressure on defenses to master prevention against it. If teams are going to see it, they must be able to stop it.
Multicolored dots abound below once again, showing the link between a team's weighted pick-and-roll defense against blanketed defensive results last season. Note that in this case, lower numbers—points allowed per possession—indicate a better defense:
Things have certainly changed here.
A relationship exists, but it's far weaker than the one on offense. The league's best pick-and-roll defense came from the Miami Heat, yet they ranked just 13th overall. The Los Angeles Lakers found themselves tied with the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards for second place, and their general defense was awful.
Outliers of that kind weren't found on the offensive end. Again, the seven best pick-and-roll offenses all ranked in the top 10 of offensive efficiency. Four of the top 10 pick-and-roll defenses came complete with top-10 overall finishes here.
It's not a big difference, but it is a difference.
But it's one that erases itself when poring over pick-and-roll defenses since 2009:
Journeying back five years has strengthened the relationship. Three of the 15 best pick-and-roll defenses since 2009 finished outside the top 10 of defensive efficiency. That's it.
Moreover, the difference in teams that found defensive success while struggling against pick-and-rolls is even bigger.
Here you'll see where the 37 worst pick-and-roll defenses—bottom-30 marks plus seven statistical ties—ranked on defense overall since 2009:
Best of luck to defenses not thriving against pick-and-rolls. These numbers are nigh identical to the offensive ones above.
That brings us back to identifying the driving force behind strong pick-and-roll defenses.
Last season's results are especially important when separated, since the immediate correlation wasn't as strong, so here's the link between ball-handler defense and total protection:
Pausing remains overrated, so here's how it looks when charting roll-man prevention:
Stronger connections are found between roll-man defense and overall guardianship this time.
Four of the top 12 ball-handler defenses ranked outside the top half of defensive efficiency, or 33 percent. Only three of the top 14 roll-man defenses—top-12 marks plus two ties—finished in the bottom 15 of defensive rank, or 21 percent.
This one's more of an inconclusive difference. Having a specialty seems to help teams more on defense than offense, yet the dichotomy changes nothing.
Defending the pick-and-roll one way or the other—or both—counts for more than brownie points.
Finding Value
Offenses won't stop running pick-and-rolls.
Defenses won't stop seeing pick-and-rolls
They're everywhere, on both ends of the floor, omnipresent and never-ending.
"Coaches see something and say, 'Oh, that's hard to defend. Maybe we'll run that,'" current New York Knicks president Phil Jackson told Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum last year. "Screen-roll…San Antonio has a system, a way of doing things, and maybe a couple others. But most everybody runs that screen-roll."
That hasn't changed, nor will it any time soon.
To succeed in the NBA, teams need to have a pick-and-roll identity, whether it's on offense or defense. They aren't everything—the Sacramento Kings, a 28-win disaster, ranked in the top 10 of both pick-and-roll defense and offense last year—but they're a start, a foundation.
Most of the league's 2014 playoff teams (13) ranked in the top 10 of pick-and-roll offense or defense during the regular season.
Two teams finished in the top 10 of both.
Those teams were the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat and the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.
Grasping the pick-and-roll—on either end of the floor—matters. There will always be exceptions and anomalies, but pick-and-rolls are, at this point, an NBA constant.
And so, too, must be the ability to navigate them.
All stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference and Synergy Sports unless otherwise cited.
Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com
View full post on Bleacher Report – NBA
Ranking the Most Important 'Glue Guys' in College Basketball in 2014-15
Star power is a great asset to a college basketball team, but having too many elite talents can cause its own problems. Sometimes, the most valuable asset to a coach is the kind of player who doesn't always look good in a box score but does a little of everything to help his team win.
The archetypal "glue guy" does the dirty work as a defender while also grabbing key rebounds, making the right pass and knocking down the occasional big shot when the defense ignores him. He's usually a team leader; therefore, upperclassmen are the norm in this category.
Wisconsin's Josh Gasser, who has been helping the Badgers grind their way to wins for three years already, has a chance to do the same for a national champion to close out his college career.
Here is a closer look at Gasser and the rest of the 10 best glue guys in the country, with an eye to picking the ones who will make the biggest difference in the way the 2014-15 season unfolds.
These rankings are based on three major factors: how good the player is at making the variety of contributions the role calls for, how badly his team needs someone to do what he does and how much of an impact his team is likely to have on the national scene.
View full post on Bleacher Report – College Basketball
Duke Basketball: Most Important Games on Blue Devils' 2014-15 Schedule
College basketball seasons are defined by performances in March, but there are still plenty of important games that help pave the road to the Madness.
Duke is looking to bounce back from a rather disappointing 2013-14 campaign by its lofty standards. An ACC title and deep run in the NCAA tournament are all well within the realm of possibility for a squad that will be anchored by a talented batch of freshmen.
Some games will be more important than others if the Blue Devils want to achieve those goals. Here is a look at three critical contests in particular while a full schedule can be found at Duke's official website.
At Wisconsin, Dec. 3
There is plenty at stake in this early season showdown with Wisconsin.
For one, it is an incredible test for a young Duke team because the Kohl Center is one of the nation's most intimidating venues. Duke always brings out the best in the opposing crowd, and playing in a raucous venue like this will help get the freshmen ready for ACC play.
This game also represents an opportunity to grab a marquee victory on the road for seeding purposes and the overall resume because Wisconsin may very well be in the top five at tipoff.
Finally, Jahlil Okafor will have the chance to prove himself as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA draft against one of the most established big men in the nation. Frank Kaminsky could test Okafor's ability to extend his game beyond the paint if they guard each other, and he will battle on the boards all game with the Duke center.
The Badgers were a Kentucky miracle three-pointer away from playing for the national title last season and return the majority of their core in Kaminsky, Sam Dekker, Traevon Jackson, Josh Gasser, Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig. No team on Duke's schedule bring the combination of Final Four experience and overall talent like Wisconsin does.
Throw in conference pride as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and this is an important early game for Duke as it tries to set the tone for the entire season.
North Carolina, Feb. 18
You are reading an article about Duke basketball, so there should be no explanation necessary about why a contest with hated rival North Carolina would be on this list.
The Blue Devils and Tar Heels split their two regular-season showdowns last year, and both have serious ACC title aspirations this time around. Picking up a head-to-head victory would be critical in the conference race, and it is necessary for Duke to defend its home court considering it also has to travel to Chapel Hill.
If Wisconsin represents a test for Okafor against Kaminsky, then this game is the test for young point guard Tyus Jones. Marcus R. Fuller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press was looking forward to this showdown as early as last season:
Marcus Paige could challenge for ACC Player of the Year thanks to his ability to control the flow of a game from the point guard spot, hit from beyond the three-point line and set up his teammates with crisp, precise passes. If North Carolina is going to win the ACC, Paige will be the primary reason why.
No pressure or anything, Mr. Jones.
This team isn't just Paige and company, though. Head coach Roy Williams has Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson, Joel Berry, J.P. Tokoto, Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks at his disposal, giving him options all over the floor.
A Scrabble contest between Duke and North Carolina would be important, so a basketball showdown with ACC title implications certainly qualifies for this list.
At Virginia, Jan. 31
This is Duke's only game against the defending ACC regular-season and tournament champions, so if it is going to be the bully on the conference block this year, it has to wrestle the title away from Virginia.
The Cavaliers lost Joe Harris, which should not be overlooked, but that doesn't mean they are going to return to mediocrity. Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill and Justin Anderson are a formidable trio while Mike Tobey and London Perrantes could develop into a solid one-two punch on the post and perimeter over the course of the year.
However, the overarching concern with this game could be Virginia's unique, slow-it-down style of play.
Duke is a young team that features a number of freshmen, which means it will be critical to avoid frustration with a slower tempo. It will also be important that the Blue Devils don't try to compensate for that when they get the ball by pushing the pace too much in transition and making sloppy turnovers and mistakes.
Another subplot here is the fact that Mike Krzyzewski was upset and fearful for his players' safety when Duke lost at Virginia last season and the crowd stormed the floor.
He suggested as much in the aftermath, according to The Associated Press (via ESPN.com):
Look, do you know how close you are to—just put yourself in the position of one of our players or coaches. I'm not saying any fan did this, but the potential is there all the time for a fan to just go up to you and say, 'Coach you're a [expletive],' or push you or hit you. And what do you do? What if you did something? That would be the story. We deserve that type of protection.
I'm always concerned about stuff like that, especially at this time of the year. What if that happened and we get a kid suspended? That becomes the national story. It's not all fun and games when people are rushing the court, especially for the team that lost. Again, congratulations to them, and they should have fun and burn benches and do all that stuff. I'm all for that. They have a great school, great kids, but get us off the court. That's the bottom line.
As long as the Blue Devils win this time around, they won't have to worry about it.
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text:
Senior Member
Must sees. Warning on harsh language.
1) A lot. Not alot. A lot.
2) You're = you are.
3) Your = possessive.
4) Ridiculous. Not rediculous.
5) Cassiopeia. Not Cassiopiea. Not Cassieopeia. Not Cassiopea.
6) , vs ; The comma separates items in a list, and different elements of a single sentence. The semicolon can be used instead of a comma IF the two joined parts could both be considered separate and complete sentences; this includes lists.
See what I did there?
7) There = a place.
8) Their = group possessive.
9) They're = they are.
Update I)
Used against me in this thread many times already:
10) It's = it is.
11) Its = possessive.
Update II)
12) Two = a value of 2.
13) Too = as well or in excess of.
14) To = EVERYTHING ELSE.
Update III)
15) Definitely. Not definately. Not definetely.
Update IV)
16) Everyday = an adjective. Ex: "My everyday clothes."
17) Every day = a time expression.
Feel free to list more. We must educate the masses on basic English.
Edit: I don't expect people to never make mistakes when in the heat of a match. **** happens.
Edit2: More updates will come later.
who cares? if its understood then who gives a ****? just saying.
I defiantly--against the people that don't-- approve people who use grammar correctly.
And yes, defiantly. Long story short, I am not complacent.
Half of those are spelling issues.
It's the fact that people with piss-poor use of language often dare to say stuff like: "ur so fuking scrub nob lern 2 pley the gaen". Honestly, if you're going to call me anything in the direction of me being dumb please do it while looking smart.
Its Mia Ali. Not 1 ping and a I warned you dumb a** feeder
you forgot:
Karthas - Karthus
Shaico - Shaco
lol its funny that you guys care so much....its the internet if they sound like an idiot insulting you then it should be even easier to laugh at them and move on....why do you need to correct them?
your rediculous
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text:
Gov. Terry McAuliffe is creating a new workforce development initiative with a focus on helping military veterans find jobs.
McAuliffe signed an executive order Wednesday creating the new initiative, which will be led by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones.
The governor plans to ask 10,000 businesses to sign commitments for hiring veterans.
McAuliffe said the state also lacks enough technically proficient front-line workers and directed state agencies to come up with a plan to boost the number of skilled workers by 50,000 in the next three years.
Va. governor creates new workforce initiative
Gov. Terry McAuliffe is creating a new workforce development initiative with a focus on helping military veterans find jobs.
Copyright © 2014 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Around The Watercooler
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Bafana have qualified for AFCON 2015. How will they fare at the tournament? Have your say on our Forum!
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Johannesburg - Orlando Pirates were surprised by amateur outfit Djabal FC, according to head coach Roger de Sa, who insists they will not underestimate the underdogs in their return leg CAF Champions League clash, despite their significant advantage.
Zimbabwean international Takesure Chinyama scored four goals and Sifiso Myeni struck once to give the Buccaneers a 5-0 win over Djabal in their first leg preliminary round clash at Orlando Stadium on Saturday night.
"For us this game was a question of the unknown," De Sa said.
"We didn't really know how they were going to play and it was frustrating at times, especially their offside trap.
"For a team of amateurs, or semi-professionals, they really gave us a good fight and this is a good wakeup call for us.
"We wanted more goals but we rested some of our key players and we got the result. I just hope this lead will be enough."
Djabal coach Ahamada Jambay refused to blame the altitude or the conditions for his side's crushing defeat, sending a warning to Pirates that his side would aim to hit back in the return leg.
The visiting side have won the east African island's league title two years running, and Jambay hoped to have some his key players available for the next fixture.
"This was not a question of the geographic conditions. We came against a professional team - and just to remind you, we come from Comoros, and all our teams are amateurs," Jambay said.
"There are two of my most experienced players who have played for the national team seven times and were not available today.
"We don't pay our players and they are all volunteers, who play for pleasure, so we could bring an element of surprise."
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text:
Dr. Xinqian Chen, MD
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Aurora Baycare Medical Center
- 2845 Greenbrier Rd
Green Bay, WI 54311
- 2 Office Locations
- (920) 288-8000
Dr. Xinqian Chen has been practicing medicine for 30 years. Dr. Chen graduated from the The Fourth Military Med Univ, Xian City, Shaanxi, China in 1984. He practices medicine in Green Bay, WI and 1 other location and specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Dr. Chen is affiliated with Aurora Baycare Medical Center. He speaks English, French, Chinese and Spanish.
Gender: Male
Years in Practice: 30 Years
Languages Spoken: English, French, Chinese, Spanish
Medical School: The Fourth Military Med Univ, Xian City, Shaanxi, China
Graduation Date: 1984
Hospital Affiliations: Aurora Baycare Medical Center
Specialties: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
*This physician has multiple office locations. See Appointments for details.


text:
So the Stanford Women's Basketball game at New Mexico started out Stanford enough. Find out what we are really talking about below the C and R's StanfordWBBBlog Twitter Account.
November 24- Stanford Holds off New Mexico
So the Stanford Women's Basketball game at New Mexico started out Stanford enough. Stanford, even though without their leading scorer Lili Thompson (illness), found themselves up 22-6 in the first five minutes. Credit Karlie Samuelson (KSam) with four made threes for 12 points in that span.
Then New Mexico stopped the threes, and like Texas, they also stopped Stanford's screen and drive to the basket game. Stanford was stuck, could not score, and when you watched on the free streaming video from the Mountain West Network, no on in a black uniform (which C and R love) was even within three feet of the paint. New Mexico clawed back and took the lead. Stanford didn't have an inside game and could not penetrate inside. The low scoring half ended with Stanford's Amber Orrange heaving a three and banking it at the buzzer to tie it at 35 (yes, Stanford was down at that point, as NM went on their own 21-4 run).
One fiery locker room talk from Stanford coach Tara Vanderveer later and Stanford comes out and goes on a 14-2 run in the first five minutes. Then Stanford, without a strong post presence, could not stop NM when they drove. New Mexico actually took the lead, 65-64, with 45 seconds left in the game, going on another run, this time out scoring Stanford 12-1.
Other notables, KSam hit six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 23 points and sister Bonnie Samuelson (BSam) added two free throws in the final seconds to help preserve the victory. As R said, Bonnie is automatic. The ball didn't even rest in her hand before it was in the hoop. Kaylee Johnson's 22 rebounds is only the 12th time in Stanford history a player has produced 20-plus rebounds in a game. Brianna Roberson, she of the tiny and the speed, knows she can't take on a post player straight up on offense, so continues to use her speed and just run at the basket and shoot. She gets the foul call almost every single time. She was 3-4 from the line. Amber Orrange added 18 points, including that banked-in 3-pointer from more than 30 feet at the first-half buzzer. She also had the block with seven seconds left to keep New Mexico from even getting a shot off when Stanford was only up by three, 68-65.
Get better Lili. Get taller Erica McCall and Kailee Johnson so Stanford can utilize the post position more. Go soak up some sun in Hawaii, Stanford. Should be good for what ails ya.
Everyone have a happy Thanksgiving.
November 20- Stanford Can't Stay on Top, Fall to Texas
Stanford did not lead for the majority of the game…they were down by 10 at one point…Amber Orrange kept Stanford in it with some clutch shooting near the end…the game went into overtime…no, dear reader, you are not suffering deja vu nor is this a late write up of the UConn-Stanford game. This was the Texas-Stanford game, and it had a different ending, too.
So four days ago, the Stanford Women's Basketball team executed a well thought out and rehearsed game plan, and knocked off then #1 UConn, winner of last year's championship. Four days later, Stanford accidently found itself ranked #1 by the coach's poll and yet the team looked like they were suffering an emotional hangover on the floor. No energy, not much emotion when things were going well, which, granted, wasn't often (So here's a picture of Lili showing mucho emotion).
Even when Texas tied the game with 1.4 seconds left Stanford didn't attempt a shot. Which is strange because, remember the UConn game when Amber Orrange tied the game with 1.4 seconds left? Stanford's three point specialist Karlie Samuelson (KSam) got the ball with 1.4 seconds left and dribbled about ¼ of the way up the court and didn't even attempt a shot. You're the 3-point stud, maybe they even foul you, at least take a chance!
As C and R mentioned, the game went into overtime tied at 75 (And Stanford only got the lead with about 1:43 left). And C and R are thinking, Stanford must be telling each other in the huddle… Overtime is our time, we know how to do this, we beat UConn in overtime, no problem, we got this. But instead they just looked tired. They got behind and had to play the foul game and ended up losing 87-81.
To be fair, several players were nursing injuries, Taylor Greenfield and Ksam were limping at several points throughout the game, and Lili Thompson hit the floor numerous times, in this and the UConn game.
However two things stick out. Texas must have seen the UConn game film on Stanford's screens to free the guards and were all over it. Stanford had a very hard time penetrating the paint like they could against UConn. Once that did not work, Stanford didn't seem to have too many options. And Texas had height and boxed out well. Hard to get rebounds.
And the second thing is with no real post presence for Stanford, Texas could drive all day and not get stopped. They executed their own pick and roll and both Stanford players stayed on the ball handler, letting the tall screener roll to the basket unimpeded. When the ball was passed to the tall screener, a third Stanford defender would rotate over, not in time to stop the shot, but just in time to foul. Texas successful did it twice in 45 seconds, they were so sure it could not be stopped. That and stopping drives must be addressed.
Okay, Game Balls:
Yes, Stanford's own home streak ended, but did you know in their last 113 games at Maples, Stanford is 110-3?
Well, don't feel to bad for Stanford. They travel to New Mexico before heading to HAWAII for the Rainbow Wahine Shootout Thanksgiving Tournament.
November 17- Stanford Beats UConn in OT 88-86
There are so many outstanding moments to highlight in Stanford's come-from-behind, overtime win over #1 UConn, ending a 47-game win streak. Yes, that's right, we said it... The Stanford Women's Basketball team beat UConn!!
Nom, Nom Nom
Oh yeah, big plays: Stanford guards Amber Orrange and Lili Thonpson driving the lane for baskets in TVD's new offense, including Amber's pair of lay ins in the final seconds to keep it close. Or how about Amber's three with 1.4 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 77? UConn guarded the Samuelsons but left Amber alone…BAM. Lili was flying all over the floor and scored 24, including two free throws to cut the lead to 71-70 with 42 seconds to play. However it was Amber Orrange's 17 points at key, key points that kept Stanford in it. Amber even made a go-ahead jumper with 1:38 left in overtime, and was trending on twitter, something that is hard to do for women's sports.
And what about D? In overtime, Stanford forced a 5-second violation and prevented the Huskies from getting off a final shot on OT. Stanford shut down UConn's three point shooter, Kalena Mosqueda-Lewis. She was guarded primarily by Karlie Samuelson, had only two points in the half. She only got four shots off and missed them all. Her points came on the free-throw line. She finally made her first basket, a three, with 9:40 left in regulation. UConn's preseason All-America Breana Stewart, at one point in the second half, scored about 8 points in like, two seconds to start to pull UConn away, and C turned to R and said, oh no, here we go. She looks like a player who could take over a game, like our very own Nneka Ogwumike. And then she disappeared. If she can learn that skill to go for the kill, then they will be unstoppable. This variation of UConn looked beatable.
But, there before the grace of god go I...or us...or Stanford. Really, with a two point win in OT, it was really just one bad foul call away from going the other way. I just want to give a shout out to all the UConn fans I saw in social media. They were gracious, and if there were any bad sports, C and R don't want to hear about them. Yes, this is just the second game of the season, both teams will look very differently in March, when the games really count. We know, we know. Someone on twitter said, after watching the Stanford student body storm the court, geez, Stanford acts like they won the National Championship or something. When you feel like an underdog, and it is reflected back to you by so many outside sources, this IS a national championship, a very hard thing to win, and something that those players will remember forever.
Looking forward to a great season! C and R really, really mean it this time!
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