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| Bobby Jackson came back from a seven point effort in Game 1 to score 18 points with five rebounds for the Rockets in Game 2. |
Our View: Jackson took a massive 17 shots on the night hitting only seven, this on the heels of the 15 shots he took in Game 1. Considering he never took more than 14 shots in a game during the regular season, it is a bit surprising to see him jacking up so many shots though he has now taken 14 or more shots in four straight games dating back to the regular seasno.
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| Deron Williams had 22 points and five assists in the 90-84 Game 2 victory for the Jazz. |
Our View: This wasn't quite as big a night as Williams had in Game 1, but after two playoff contests he is averaging 21 points and 7.5 assists, awfully close to his regular season numbers (18.8 and 10.5).
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| Tracy McGrady made 9 of 22 shots on his way to 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in the Rockets Game 2 loss. |
Our View: It's starting to look like McGrady's team will never win a playoff series. He played great tonight, but without more support this series will go the way that all others have gone for McGrady.
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| Mehmet Okur had a solid effort in Game 2 as he recorded 16 points and 16 rebounds on the night in the Rockets 90-84 loss to the Jazz. |
Our View: After a four point, eight rebound effort in Game 1 it was nice to see Mehmet bounce back tonight as the Jazz improved to 2-0 in the series.
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| Caron Butler was only 4-for-13 for 12 points in 23 minutes of action in Game 2. Antawn Jamison also was 4-for-13 on the night. |
Our View: Neither of these two was able to get going, but at least Caron contributed seven boards and five assists on the night, though it was clear that the Wizards were outclassed on this night.
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| Gilbert Arenas played in Game 2 despite a sore wrist, but the results were poor as made just 2 of 10 shots to finish with seven points, three boards and three assists. |
Our View: Though he gamely tried to solider on, it is clear that Arenas just physically isn't able to take the stroke he needs to make shots. It remains to be seen just how effective he will be moving forward.
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| LeBron James scored 30 points and the Cavaliers destroyed the Wizards 116-86 to take a 2-0 series lead. |
Our View: James almost pulled of a triple-double on the night with 30 points, nine boards and 12 assists, but it would be nice to see him more efficient from the free-throw line than his 10-for-17 effort tonight.
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| Andrew Bynum is still a ways away from being able to play because of his injured knee, this according to the AP. “I think without a doubt that Andrew would come off the bench and we would play him a little bit off the bench if there was any chance that he could come back and play again, but it’s such a remote thing. We’re not seriously thinking about it,” HC Phil Jackson said. |
Our View: It sure sounds like there is very little chance of Bynum being back in the lineup even if the Lakers advance far into the playoff, so don't count on any production from the burgeoning star any time soon.
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| D.J. Mbenga was injured at practice on Monday when he took a shot to the ribs, this according to the Lakers Official Site. |
Our View: No official report on the injury has been released, but Mbenga is currently being listed as day-to-day.
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| Brendan Haywood was ejected in the third period of the Wizards and Cavs Game 2 matchup after picking up a flagrant 2 foul for the foul he put on LeBron James while he was driving the lane, this according to the AP. |
Our View: Haywood ended the game with 10 points, three boards and two blocks in 17 minutes of action.
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| Kevin Garnett missed practice again on Monday due to personal reasons related to the pregnancy of his wife, this according to the Boston Globe. |
Our View: The team fully expects Garnett to play in Game 2 as he has been missing a fair amount of practices of late to deal with his family. Garnett had 16 points, 10 boards and four assists in 34 minutes in Game 1, so his game was still strong despite the distractions.
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| Rajon Rondo scored 15 points with nine assists and six rebounds in the Celtics Game 1 victory over the Hawks on Sunday night as he held Hawks PG Mike Bibby to just five points and once assist, this according to the AP. |
Our View: Certainly the big-3 in Boston will be counted on throughout the Celtics playoff run, but given they way Rondo played in Game 1 the Celtics appear even deeper than they did a few days ago.
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| Linas Kleiza, who scored 23 points in Game 1, may find himself in the starting lineup for the Nuggets in Game 2, this according to the Rocky Mountain News. |
Our View: HC George Karl often likes to play the matchups, so they may go with more size in the starting lineup in the form of Kleiza.
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| Nene Hilario was able to participate in 1-on-1 drills on Monday but until he plays in a full practice he will likely remain on the sidelines, this according to the Rocky Mountain News. |
Our View: Nene has been out for seven games with a groin injury but it sounds like he is getting closer to a return, something the Nuggets could certainly use against the Lakers.
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| The Bucks have signed Scott Skiles to be their new head coach, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel confirms. Skiles previously piloted the Suns and Bulls and managed a 281-251 regular season record |
Our View: Skiles brings a tough-nosed approach to a team in need of some, uh, gumption. The Bucks have a few nice pieces, including Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut, and Skiles' first priority will likely be to improve the club's poor defense.
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| Grant Hill aggravated his groin injury in Game 1 against the Spurs. "Looking back at the tape he was hurting more than I thought," head coach Mike D'Antoni tells the East Valley Tribune. "There were a couple of defensive plays he was really hurting." Hill is expected to continue suiting up, but his floor time may be limited. |
Our View: The Suns could really use a healthy Hill in this first round battle, but it doesn't sound like that will happen.
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| Manu Ginobili has been named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, the league announced on Monday. The Spurs guard received 615 out of a possible 620 points and 123 out of 124 first-place votes. Leandro Barbosa and Jason Terry finished second and third. |
Our View: It probably helped that Manu padded his stats with 23 starts, but that's beside the point. He is coming off his best regular season as a pro and turned in a fine fantasy campaign.
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| Rafer Alston will miss Game 2 against the Jazz due to his strained right hamstring, the Houston Chronicle confirms. "I'm shooting for (Game) 3," Alston explains. "I can't take the chance to go earlier than possible. I feel a little better. I did pull it. It was more to the severe side than it was moderate. They say as the days go by I'll start to feel better." |
Our View: Bobby Jackson and Aaron Brooks are filling the point while Alston is out. The Rockets badly need Skip 2 My Lou back, as their outside shooting suffered in Game 1.
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| Daniel Gibson's left ankle injury may have been a blessing in disguise. The guard has been forced to slow down his game, as he's still not 100 percent. "I'm seeing more things," Gibson tells the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "It's easier to find guys when you're not moving 100 miles per hour. You feel the game out a little more because you know you're limited in some of the things you can do." He finished with 11 points and five assists in Game 1 against the Wizards. |
Our View: Gibson was having a nice sophomore campaign until the ankle injury cost him the better parts of February and March. We know he's quick and can shoot, but if he starts adding more assists on a regular basis, he could become a much more interesting fantasy player.
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| Gilbert Arenas is expected to play in Game 2 against the Cavaliers despite a sprained right wrist, the Washington Post notes. He injured the joint late in Game 1 and did not practice on Sunday. |
Our View: Arenas will almost certainly fight through the pain, as the Wizards dropped the opener and need to fight back.
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| The Bucks are reportedly close to naming Scott Skiles as their new head coach, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Skiles was the Bucks first-round pick in 1986, but he lasted only one season with the team. He eventually went on to star with the Magic. He has posted a 281-251 record as a head coach with the Suns and Bulls. |
Our View: Skiles has rubbed some people the wrong way during his head coaching days, but it's often because he wants guys to play hard and (shockingly) play defense. And he is usually open and honest, almost to a fault. The Bucks need some tough love after going 26-56 and allowing a league-worst 48.0 shooting percentage in 2007-08.
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| Scot Pollard will undergo right ankle surgery on Friday, the Boston Globe confirms. The big man underwent an operation on March 11 to repair a torn tendon in his left ankle. "The recovery on my left one is so long, it's going to be middle of June before I'm allowed to run," Pollard says. "We did an MRI on the [right] ankle. It has some of the same issues, not as bad. The doctor said I'd need surgery eventually." |
Our View: Pollard added that the recovery process would give him plenty of time to work on his facial hair and count his millions. The former Kansas star has barely played the last two seasons, and he may need to catch on with a new team in 2008-09.
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| Andrea Bargnani started at small forward for the Raptors in Sunday's playoff game against the Magic. The move to replace Jamario Moon didn't work. Bargnani had five points and three rebounds over 28 minutes. "I think arguably you can say that Andrea was one of our better players last year in the playoffs and you're trying to get your more experienced players on the court with more minutes," head coach Sam Mitchell explains to the Toronto Star. |
Our View: Either way, the Raptors are likely to struggle to match up with Hedo Turkoglu and/or Rashard Lewis. They may as well continue to get Bargnani more experience, as he should be a big part of their future.
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