SB Nation Houston: All Posts by Jason Patt

Grizzlies rumors: Ed Pinckney to interview for coach job again

2013-06-19T13:45:49Z

The Memphis Grizzlies will conduct a second interview on Wednesday with Chicago Bulls assistant Ed Pinckney for the team's vacant head coaching position, according to CSN Chicago's Aggrey Sam.

More: Grizzlies coaching search coverage at Grizzly Bear Blues

Pinckney first interviewed with the Grizzlies last week after the Bulls granted permission. Pinckney seems like a long shot to replace Lionel Hollins for the Memphis job, with George Karl, Alvin Gentry and current Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger currently in the mix. However, Pinckney impressed enough in his first interview to garner a second, so he's clearly still in the running.

Pinckney began his coaching career in 2003 at Villanova, his alma mater, under Jay Wright after spending six years with the Miami Heat as a radio and television analyst. Pinckney then moved on to the NBA in 2007 when he became an assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Pinckney joined Tom Thibodeau's staff in Chicago in September 2010 and has enjoyed a lot of success.

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NBA Draft rumors roundup: Potential top pick Alex Len cleared to walk without crutches

2013-06-19T13:18:30Z

Kentucky's Nerlens Noel has long been the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the upcoming NBA Draft, but the hype has been growing in the past week for Alex Len. The Maryland big man has been sidelined this summer after having surgery for a stress fracture in his ankle, but that has not stopped him from rising up draft boards.

Len (scouting report) received more good news on Tuesday, as he was cleared to walk without crutches, according to the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell. Based on the suggested timetable for recovery, Len should be able to start running again in August and make a full recovery in time for training camp in October.

While Len has his own injury concerns, ESPN's Chad Ford says in his latest mock draft that there are some in the Cleveland Cavaliers organization that prefer him over Noel (scouting report) due to lingering questions about Noel's knee. Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops has heard similar rumblings, which is why he has Len on the top of his latest mock draft. Barring a setback, Len will be back several months before Noel and could help contribute more to a possible run to the playoffs, a goal of owner Dan Gilbert.

Speaking of Noel, Mary Schmitt-Boyer of The Plain Dealer reports that the Kentucky star will visit with the Cavs on Thursday instead of the weekend as initially planned.

-- Kansas' Ben McLemore (scouting report) has seen his stock slip because of poor workouts, which could be great news for Indiana's Victor Oladipo (scouting report). Ford says that McLemore and Oladipo are seen as the two-best fits in Orlando, but Oladipo has the upper hand in part due to McLemore's less than stellar workout with Orlando.

-- It has been known for a while that the Dallas Mavericks want to get rid of the No. 13 pick in order to make cap space for a run at Dwight Howard, and Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News reports that there's essentially a zero percent chance that pick will be on the Mavs' roster next season. The most likely scenario is a trade, but a draft-and-stash is also a possibility. Ford believes Russian star Sergey Karasev (scouting report) would be the most logical pick if Dallas keeps it.

-- The Minnesota Timberwolves hosted Lehigh's C.J. McCollum (scouting report) on Tuesday, but Ford believes the team has zeroed in on Georgia's Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (scouting report) or UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad (scouting report). The Wolves need shooters, and Caldwell-Pope is arguably the best one in the draft.

-- The Utah Jazz need a point guard, and they have worked out almost every top prospect available at that position -- every top point guard except for Michigan's Trey Burke (scouting report), that is. And according to The Salt Lake Tribune's Steve Luhm, the Jazz aren't expected to work out Burke prior to the draft, as it's extremely unlikely that he'll fall all the way to No. 14. Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams (scouting report) likely won't fall that far either, but he was in for a workout on Tuesday.

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NBA Draft rumors roundup: Cavaliers still considering multiple options with No. 1 pick

2013-06-17T15:30:05Z

Prior to tearing his ACL in February, Nerlens Noel (scouting report) was pretty much a lock to go No. 1 overall in the upcoming draft. But while many mock drafts still have Noel going No. 1 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Cavs are unsure about taking the rehabbing big man.

More: Fear The Sword on if the Cavs don't draft Noel Noel hopes to be back by Christmas

Cleveland took Kyrie Irving with the first pick in the 2011 NBA Draft despite injury concerns, but they were more sold on his talent than they are Noel's. The Cavs like Noel's defense, but a lack of offense and two major knee injuries in four years could make them look elsewhere.

Who are they possibly considering besides Noel? Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer says Cleveland is also seriously looking at Alex Len (scouting report), Anthony Bennett (scouting report), Ben McLemore (scouting report) and Otto Porter (scouting report). Victor Oladipo (scouting report) may also be under consideration, but that's believed to be more of a long shot.

The Cavs need a small forward, so Porter could be a good fit. Porter is arguably the most NBA-ready player in the draft and would provide Cleveland with some versatility on the wing. McLemore could also be an interesting fit, as the Cavs are reportedly intrigued by a three-guard lineup of him, Irving and Dion Waiters.

-- The Washington Wizards already have their backcourt of the future in John Wall and Bradley Beal, but that's not stopping them from taking a hard look at Oladipo. However, when the Wizards asked Oladipo to come to the Verizon Center to work out, he declined, instead asking the team to visit him. Because of the guard situation in Washington, Oladipo's camp is skeptical that the Wizards would actually take him.

-- The Phoenix Suns have three picks in the draft, with the first coming at No. 5. The Suns are considering a wide range of options, including Pittsburgh's Steven Adams (scouting report). The 19-year-old was impressive in a workout over the weekend, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Adams is considered a project by many, but new Suns coach Jeff Hornacek feels that he could contribute immediately.

-- Bennett is considered one of the most physically gifted players in the draft, as he can play effectively in the post and on the wing. Bennett received some high praise from NBA senior director of scouting operations Ryan Blake, who told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that the UNLV star reminds him of Larry Johnson.

-- With Dario Saric pulling out of the draft, ESPN's Chad Ford believes that Shabazz Muhammad (scouting report) and Sergey Karasev (scouting report) will see a bump in their draft stock. RealGM's Shams Charania reports that there's a lot of interest in Karasev, and seven teams drafting from Nos. 9-22 will fly out to Russia to meet with him.

-- There are updates on a couple other Euro prospects. Ford reports that French forward Livio Jean-Charles will stay in the draft, while Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD reports that French big man Mouhammadou Jaiteh is unsure whether he will remain in the draft or play in France for at least another year.

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Heat vs. Spurs, Game 5: Tony Parker, Tim Duncan stand tall against Miami

2013-06-17T14:30:05Z

Manu Ginobili and Danny Green may have stolen the show in the San Antonio Spurs' 114-104 Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat, but the contributions from Tony Parker and Tim Duncan were equally as important.

More: Spurs Game 5 coverage at Pounding The Rock Heat Game 5 coverage at Hot Hot Hoops

Parker led the Spurs with 26 points and five assists on 10-of-14 shooting, showing no ill effects from a hamstring injury suffered in Game 3, although he did walk with a bit of a limp after the game. Parker explained at his presser that he tried to conserve energy throughout the game so he would have his legs down the stretch, something he didn't have in Game 4.

"I was just trying to pace myself better during the game and not be out of gas like at the end of Game 4," Parker said. "In the second half (of Game 4), I didn't have enough juice and my hamstring was kind of fatigued. This game I was just trying to take my time. It helped because Manu was great and he had a good start, so I didn't have to be super aggressive in the first half."

Parker certainly seemed to be full of energy in the fourth quarter of Game 5, scoring nine points on 3-of-4 shooting. Parker had two fourth-quarter assists to go with those nine points, and it was his driving layup with 1:23 to go that helped seal the deal for San Antonio when it looked like Miami may make things really interesting.

As for Duncan, he got things going early, scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds in the first quarter as the Spurs jumped out to a 13-point lead after one. The big man finished the first half with 13 points and six rebounds, and although he was quiet in the second half, he still finished with a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

When the Spurs have their Big Three rolling, they're very difficult to defend. Toss in Green's hot shooting and a strong game from Kawhi Leonard (16 points on 6-of-8 shooting), and it's darn near impossible to stop them. Parker talked about how all the attention focused on him and Duncan have helped Green get so many open looks.

"You can't stop everything," Parker said. "If they're going to trap me and make sure I don't get off, or Timmy, I'm going to say 'Keep shooting, Danny.' He's (Green) doing great so far."

Parker, Duncan and the Spurs will look to close the Heat out in Miami on Tuesday.

Quotes via NBA.com's live stream

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Heat vs. Spurs, Game 5: Miami's Big Three not enough against San Antonio

2013-06-17T12:38:16Z

The Miami Heat's Big Three followed up their dominant Game 4 performance with another stellar effort in Game 5. When looking at the combined numbers of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh from Sunday, most would probably expect a Heat victory, especially when factoring in Ray Allen's 21 points off the bench.

The Big Three combined for 66 points, 19 assists and 16 rebounds on 25-of-55 shooting, but it was not nearly enough as Miami fell to the San Antonio Spurs, 114-104. With the loss, the defending-champion Heat find themselves in the same situation as the 2011 NBA Finals, heading home down 3-2.

More: Heat Game 5 coverage at Hot Hot Hoops Spurs Game 5 coverage at Pounding The Rock

James and Wade had 25 points apiece, and the duo had 15 combined in the early going. But that didn't stop the Heat from falling behind by 13 after the first quarter and by as many as 17 in the second. Miami fought all the way back to get to within one in the third quarter before hitting a wall.

"They continue to have great starts," Wade said afterward. "We continue to start slow. We just dug ourselves into a deep hole really early. Unlike Game 3, we fought back. We got it within one. We used so much to get back, and they continued to keep coming at us."

While James did finish with a solid line of 25 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals, he shot just 8-of-22 overall and went 0-of-4 with one point during San Antonio's crucial 21-2 run in the second half. James has not been at his best in these Finals, but he says he's not worried about legacy implications.

"I always just focus on the present," James said. "The next challenge is Tuesday night. We will get better tomorrow. We're going to watch film, see ways we can clean up our starts, especially to our first quarter. We're not playing well in the first quarter. We have to figure that out. We have an opportunity on our home floor with our home fans to keep the series going and we're looking forward to it."

What hurt more than what Miami's Big Three did or didn't do offensively was the team's dismal effort defensively. The Spurs shot 60.0 percent from the field, getting plenty of open looks against a Heat defense that has been surprisingly inconsistent the last few rounds of the playoffs.

In order to successfully defend their title, Miami must now win two games in a row, a feat that seemed trivial earlier in the year when they were busy winning 27 straight. But the Heat have not won two games in a row since beating the Chicago Bulls four straight in the second round and taking the first game from the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. When asked why this has been the case, James was left scratching his head.

"If I knew the answer we would have won two games in a row," James said. "We just haven't been able to do it."

All quotes via NBA.com's live streaming

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Heat vs. Spurs, Game 5: Danny Green's 3-point barrage again sparks San Antonio

2013-06-17T12:00:07Z

The bright lights of a first NBA Finals can often prove to be too much for a young player, something that seemed evident when James Harden faced the Miami Heat last season. That has not been the case for Danny Green, who has burned the Heat time and time again in his first Finals appearance.

More: Spurs Game 5 coverage at Pounding The Rock Heat Game 5 coverage at Hot Hot Hoops

Green continued his remarkable shooting display in the Spurs' 114-104 Game 5 victory over the Heat, scoring 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting and 6-of-10 from three. Green's fourth three of the game in the third quarter gave him 23 for the series, which broke Ray Allen's previous NBA Finals record of 22 3-point makes in a series, a fact that Green didn't even realize at the time.

"I had no idea," Green said. "After the game today, I found out. I'm lucky enough to have the opportunity to be on this stage. My teammates have done a great job of finding me and getting me open. Seems everything is going right for me. I'm feeling truly blessed right now. It's got to be a higher power. The basketball gods are in our favor right now."

Following his 6-of-10 effort on Sunday, Green is now 25-of-38 from three in the series, which is good for 65.8 percent. This has been a breakout series in a season that has seen Green become a permanent member of San Antonio's starting lineup, which is impressive considering he was in the D-League just two years ago.

"The whole season has made him more confident," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's somebody who has gotten a lot of minutes. He basically has the green light. When you do it for 82 games, the last thing to see is if he can do it when the real lights are on. He's certainly answered that question."

Green has made some tough shots in the series, but many of his makes have been wide open looks. Green is 18-of-24 on open threes in the series according to ESPN Stats & Info, and the fact that he continues to get such open looks is something Tony Parker "can't believe" is still happening this late in the series. Needless to say, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is none too pleased with how often Green has been open.

"It's something that we have to correct," Spoelstra said. "We've just got to do it better, do it harder, be more committed. He's making some open looks and some contested looks. But the open looks are the one's that are killing us."

The Heat must make adjustments on Green to eliminate some of those open looks, although that could leave them even more vulnerable to the plethora of other weapons for San Antonio. Parker pointed out that not everybody can be stopped, so it's pretty much a pick-your-poison for Miami.

Green is currently averaging 18 points per game in the series, and in addition to his hot shooting, he has also played stellar defense on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. If the Spurs go on to win the title, Green may be the front-runner for Finals MVP, which isn't too shabby for a guy who used to be known more for his dancing ability rather than his ability on the basketball court.

However, Green knows that he and San Antonio can't revel in their success, and getting that last victory in Miami will prove to be extremely tough.

"We'll reflect back and let it hit us when it's over," Green said. "We still have a lot more work to do. There's still some business to be done. We have to carry it out and finish it.

"It's going to take everything we've got. We know how good they are. We know how aggressive they come back, especially from a loss. The whole world knows how they're going to bounce back. It's going to be tough, especially in their home building. We've got to be on point."

Quotes via NBA.com's live streaming

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2013 NBA Finals, Heat vs. Spurs Game 5: San Antonio uses big second-half run to grab 114-104 victory and 3-2 series lead

2013-06-17T02:53:38Z

The San Antonio Spurs are just one win away from knocking off the defending champion Miami Heat thanks to a 114-104 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs used a 21-2 second-half run to seize control of the game and the series.

Spurs coverage at Pounding The Rock Heat coverage at Hot Hot Hoops

Manu Ginobili started for the first time all season, and he delivered after struggling for much of the series. Ginobili finished with 24 points and 10 assists to spearhead a balanced Spurs attack that saw all five starters finish in double figures. Tony Parker led the way with 26 points on 10-of-14 from the field.

Danny Green continued his hot shooting, scoring 24 points and breaking Ray Allen's record for most three-pointers in an NBA Finals series in the process. Green finished the night 6-10 from beyond the arc, giving him 25 three-pointers in the series. That takes him well over Allen's mark of 22 and Green has at least one more game to extend his new record. Tim Duncan notched a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds. San Antonio's offense was humming all night long, shooting 61.8 percent in the first half and 60.0 percent for the game.

LeBron James had 25 points for Miami, but he shot just 8-of-22 from the field. Dwyane Wade had 25 points and 10 assists, while Chris Bosh had 16 points and six rebounds. Allen added 21 points off the bench, with 15 of those coming in the fourth quarter as the Heat made one final rally.

The Spurs got off to a fast start, with a rejuvenated Ginobili scoring seven early points. The Heat weathered the storm momentarily, but San Antonio finished the first quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 32-19 lead to the second.

The Spurs appeared on the verge of blowing things wide open in the second quarter, as a flurry of Green threes pushed the lead out to as many as 17 points. The Heat responded with a 12-0 run to cut their deficit to five, but the Spurs took a nine-point lead into the break thanks to a slashing layup by Parker in the final seconds of the half.

Miami quickly got back into the game at the outset of the second half, taking advantage of some sloppy Spurs play to get to within two. Things were tight for much of the rest of the third quarter, but San Antonio finished the quarter with a flourish, taking an 87-75 lead into the final frame.

The Spurs kept the momentum going into the fourth before holding off the Heat's last-gasp rally. San Antonio now has two chances to win the title, with Game 6 coming on Tuesday.

The Big How Many?

The Big Three mostly did their part, with James, Wade and Bosh combining for 66 points, 19 assists and 16 rebounds. But James struggled with his shooting and the Heat defense had no answer for the Spurs' offense, so those contributions were all for naught.

Who turns the ball over?

The Spurs had some sloppy moments with the ball, and they finished with 19 turnovers on the night. Those turnovers led to 20 Miami points, but San Antonio's hot shooting made up for some of the carelessness with the ball. The Heat had 15 turnovers.

Will these teams keep hitting a bunch of threes, and does it matter?

Neither team had a clear advantage from deep, with the Heat actually making two more three-pointers. But it was Green's flurry of threes in the first half that helped give San Antonio its 17-point first-half lead, so those seemed to have a larger impact on the game.

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Danny Green breaks record for most 3-pointers in NBA Finals

2013-06-17T01:59:08Z

San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Danny Green broke Ray Allen's record for most 3-pointers in an NBA Finals series with a third-quarter trey in Game 5 against the Miami Heat. The three was Green's 23rd of the series, breaking Allen's previous record of 22 set in 2008 as a member of the Boston Celtics.

More: Spurs coverage at Pounding The Rock

Green has been shooting the lights out all series long, with a current mark of 23-of-34 from beyond the arc. Five of Green's 11 misses in the series came in Game 1, so he's 19-of-25 in the last three-plus games.

The spark Green has provided the Spurs has been invaluable, and he's a huge reason why they're in position to possibly grab a 3-2 series lead. Making Green's run all the more remarkable is the fact that he was an NBA afterthought just two years ago, toiling in the D-League after getting waived by both the Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers.

SB Nation Houston: All Posts by Jason Patt

Grizzlies rumors: Ed Pinckney to interview for coach job again

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One Win Away

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2013 NBA Finals, Heat vs. Spurs Game 5: San Antonio uses big second-half run to grab 114-104 victory and 3-2 series lead

The Big How Many?

Who turns the ball over?

Will these teams keep hitting a bunch of threes, and does it matter?

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Danny Green breaks record for most 3-pointers in NBA Finals

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