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raven
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Hill's a much-needed feel-good story
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
It's getting ugly folks. The "SportsNation" has spoken. The pitchforks have been sharpened. The NBA, it appears, is going to hell.
Reading the national takes on the Ron Artest brawl, it appears the consensus opinion is the league faces a serious problem. Apparently, the masses feel this incident of player-fan violence is part of a bigger trend.
I got more than 1,000 e-mails from Insider readers yesterday. I read every one. Almost every e-mail fell into one of two camps. The first thought NBA commissioner David Stern didn't go far enough. Artest represents everything that was wrong with the NBA, and Stern should kick him, and players like him, out of it.
The other camp was horrified with how rabid the response has been. While no one argued Artest should escape punishment, many believed his punishment was too harsh. There were circumstances that led to his irrational response. Artest should be punished, they argued, but he should not be Stern's scapegoat.
Either way, it appears everyone believes the league is in trouble.
With all the ugliness enshrouding the league at the moment, it's easy to lose sight of the bright spots that have made this season one of the most interesting in recent memory.
For every Artest, there is a Grant Hill. Hill, remarkably, won the NBA Player of the Week award on Monday. One year ago, the Magic believed he might never play basketball again.
Before you turn off your TVs, cancel your subscription to Insider and hang up your hightops for a Pilates mat … hear me out.
THE GOOD
Orlando Magic: Here's a bright spot that can never get enough exposure. Not only is Hill back. He's BACK.
Dedication to his rehab program seems to have paid off for Grant Hill.
Hill is averaging 25.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 4.6 apg on 55 percent shooting over his last five. Those averages exceed what he did in his best season (1999-2000), when he averaged 25.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 5.2 apg on 49 percent shooting.
This is coming from a guy who, a year ago, thought his career might be over.
Last season, after two failed Hill comeback attempts, the Magic took drastic measures, shutting him down for the entire season. The hope was twofold.
One, the team thought a full year off without playing basketball might help his broken ankle heal more fully. Two, in the event it didn't heal (something the Magic believed was likely), Hill could retire and the Magic could immediately get him off the books.
Who would've ever thought it would come to this?
When I saw him in training camp this fall, Hill had an unusual aura about him. Last season, he looked dejected, despondent. This year, he had a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
Instead of talking in quiet, hushed tones about his injury, he was joking and upbeat.
"The ankle feels good," Hill said. "It's a relief to be able to think about something other than my ankle. To think about working the rust off or working on my shot.
"The last four years, the world centered on my ankle. That was it. Now I can look at other facets of my game and team."
The verdict among his teammates and coaches was the same. For the first time since he injured his ankle in 2000, Hill looked like Grant Hill again.
"The basketball part is coming along good," Hill said. "It's a process. I understand that as well as anybody. I'm not where I'd like to be. But you take baby steps.
"I took a lot of time off and didn't play a lot this summer. I'm getting my legs. I had six turnovers the other day and lost the ball going to the basket. I'm just trying to overcome that."
Hill always has been overcoming something, it seems.
He had four surgeries to repair the ankle. The rehabs and false starts were frustrating, but Hill persevered.
While Hill waited for his ankle to heal, he spent hours in the gym shooting jump shots – the one real hole in his game before the injury. While Hill doesn't have the athleticism he once had, he's developed a devastating mid-range jumper that more than compensates for his lack of explosiveness headed to the basket.
Factor in his basketball IQ, his ability to play point-forward and his leadership, and he's helped turn the Magic from the worst team in the East into a legitimate contender.
The only legitimate question left is whether Hill can stay healthy.
Sources inside the Magic claim they've been told by doctors that Hill's ankle is fully healed and won't break unless it was an injury that would break anyone's ankle. If that continues to hold true, and Hill believes it will, the Magic could be the feel-good story of the season.
"I've been waiting a long time," Hill said in October. "It feels so good to be playing again. And more importantly, I think we've got a team with a real chance. Coming back is great. But having the chance to win, that's why I've went through all this."
If Hill doesn't make you feel good about the NBA, nothing will.
Phoenix Suns: Forget about Shaquille O'Neal or Yao Ming for a minute. The best center in the league this year has been the Suns' Amare Stoudemire. His play this week brings to mind just one word: Wow!. Stoudemire averaged 34 ppg and 9.3 rpg leading the Suns to a 4-0 week. For the season, Stoudemire now leads the league in ppg – averaging 28.7. The 6-foot-10 big man just turned 22 on Tuesday and looks like he might be the second coming of Moses Malone. He has a rare, potent combination of strength, athleticism and aggressiveness. I think we're looking at the next truly great player in the NBA.
Sacramento Kings: It looks like Peja Stojakovic's shooting slump is over. And with it, the Kings' troubles. Stojakovic is shooting 46 percent (19-for-41) from beyond the arc in the Kings' last five games, all wins for Sacramento. He's not the only one on fire now. Chris Webber is averaging 21.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg and 5.2 apg during that stretch. And Mike Bibby is averaging 19.4 ppg and 5.2 apg while shooting nearly 50 percent from 3. With all three players red hot at the moment, the Kings will be tough to beat.
How is Kenyon Martin responding to the Mile-High expectations in Denver?
Denver Nuggets: Have the Nuggets rebounded from their awful early-season slump? The team went 3-0 at home this week with victories over the Raptors, Bulls and Mavericks. There are a lot of factors that have contributed to the Nuggets' turnaround (including a pretty soft week schedule-wise and huge individual games by Earl Boykins and Greg Buckner), but how about the play of Kenyon Martin? After getting off to a painfully slow start, Martin averaged 18.6 ppg and 12 rpg for the Nuggets while shooting 50 percent from the field. That's what the Nuggets thought they were getting when they paid him $92 million this summer. Then again, he did it against three teams without a great power forward. When he has to start playing against the elite in the West again, can he sustain those numbers?
Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs might still miss Carlos Boozer, but Drew Gooden has turned into a worthy replacement. Gooden's 13.2 ppg and 12.4 rpg on 50 percent shooting from the field in his last five games are right on par with what Boozer (15.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg) gave the team last season. However, Gooden adds something to the mix that Boozer doesn't: shot blocking. While he isn't an elite shot blocker, his 1.6 bpg over the last five games doubles what Boozer typically gave the Cavs. Gooden leads the Cavs in the plus/minus category and has helped the Cavs become the second-best rebounding team in the league.
THE BAD
New Jersey Nets: The Nets hit a new low this week. They're averaging a mere 81.4 ppg this season. How bad is that? The lowly 2002-03 Denver Nuggets averaged 84.2 ppg in their 17-victory season. The lowly 1998-99 Bulls averaged 81.9 ppg. In other words, we're talking about the worst scoring average in the past 20-plus years in the NBA.
Seattle SuperSonics: What happens to the Sonics when their perimeter shots stop falling? The Sonics shot a season-low 35.9 percent and made only five 3-pointers on Sunday against the Celtics and were blown out 108-83. With both Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis shooting blanks, no one else on the Sonics could really take over. After the game, former Sonics star Gary Payton claimed the Celtics had figured out his former team. "They live on the 3," said Payton. "If they make 'em, they're great. But we ran at 'em kept a hand down their throat and made it hard for them."
Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs' great start might come to a screeching halt. The word out of Dallas is that Dirk Nowitzki's ankle injury is serious and that he'll likely miss some time. When you factor in that Michael Finley is already out and several other players, including Jason Terry and Marquis Daniels, are hurting, the Mavs could be in trouble.
Chicago Bulls: The Bulls are in the middle of their annual "circus trip." Each year, early in the season, the circus comes to the United Center and the Bulls go on a Western Conference road swing. This year, the team is 0-5 with three games to go. Overall, the Bulls haven't won a game on this trip in six years. They're 0-37 and will likely be 0-40 by the time this trip is over. You think it's time to call the schedule makers and get this trip canceled next year?
Mike Dunleavy Jr. might be testing the Warriors' patience.
Golden State Warriors: Are the Warriors losing patience with Mike Dunleavy? That's the word out of Golden State, though the statement probably needs to be clarified. Head coach Mike Montgomery has been frustrated. GM Chris Mullin still remains Dunleavy's firmest supporter. But how long will that last? Montgomery played Dunleavy just 19 minutes in Sunday's loss to the Grizzlies. In the last five games, Dunleavy is averaging 10 ppg on 41 percent shooting. Those aren't the numbers the Warriors were expecting out of their third-year future star. With Mickael Pietrus now back in the lineup, will Montgomery eventually keep Dunleavy's minutes reduced to get Pietrus, who's a much better defender, more playing time?
New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets continue to play everyone tight, but the team is just 1-8. Here's the biggest reason why: The Hornets get to the line less, far less, than any other team in the league. Against the Suns on Wednesday, they got to the line just once. That's right, two free throws. A league record. The game before, they took a whopping three free throws. The good news is they made all five. For the season, the Hornets are averaging just 17 free throws a game. The Heat, the league leaders, average 32 a game. Now, for the irony: The Hornets lead the league in free-throw percentage, shooting 81 percent per game.
THE UPSIDE
Toronto Raptors: Lost in all the chaos surrounding the Pistons and Pacers was the Raptors' very real attempt to trade Vince Carter and Jalen Rose this week. The truth is that the Raptors play better without Vinsanity (we saw that again on Sunday when the Blazers made their improbable comeback on the Spurs with Carter, once again, on the bench). Sources claim the leak about a possible Blazers trade was deliberate. The Raptors knew a "real" rumor would generate interest from other clubs, and they got their wish. While Blazers GM John Nash continues to claim a trade with the Blazers was never "real," a number of other teams are now in the hunt. The Sonics, Heat, Grizzlies and Mavs have all made a play, though they, like the Blazers, are trying to fashion something that leaves Rose in Toronto.
A few other teams could or should make a pitch. Among the pitches that might make the Raptors pull the trigger: The Hornets could offer Jamaal Magloire and Jamal Mashburn (who might retire) for Carter. The Kings could offer Peja Stojakovic and Doug Christie for a combo of Carter and Donyell Marshall. The Clippers could offer to send Kerry Kittles (who's in the last year or his contract) and Chris Wilcox in a deal that would give the Raptors lots of cap space and a young player with big upside. The Timberwolves could offer a combo of Latrell Sprewell (expiring contract), Wally Szczerbiak and Ervin Johnson for Carter and Rose. The Wizards could suggest a combo of Larry Hughes, Kwame Brown and Juan Dixon for Carter.
New York Knicks: The Knicks Jamal Crawford broke out of his season-long slump this week shortly after Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf declared that Crawford would never win a championship. Crawford averaged 21 ppg and 5.5 apg for the week and helped lead the Knicks to two improbable victories over the Rockets on the road and the red-hot Cavs at home.
Philadelphia 76ers: Kyle Korver, meet Stu Jackson and the rest of the folks who select players for our Olympic team. The Sixers' small forward has gone from being a Steve Kerr-like sharp shooter into a legit 30-minute a night shooting threat. Korver ranks third in the league in 3-pointers made while shooting an impressive 45 percent from the field. This guy is as pure a shooter as it comes. About 96 percent of his shots are jump shots and 67 of his 84 field-goal attempts this season have been 3s.
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers might have finally found their point guard. After two so-so seasons, Marko Jaric seems to be finding his rhythm. He's averaging 13.8 ppg and an impressive 7.8 apg over his last five. Even better? He led the league in steals per game this week with 3.2 spg and ranks fourth in the league.
Boston Celtics: Doc Rivers' decision to bench Ricky Davis seems to have paid off. "I basically said, 'You're now Vinnie Johnson,' " Rivers said. "When you come in, just go for it." Davis responded with 25 points off the bench for the Celtics on Sunday. Jiri Welsch, who will now take over as the starting small forward, also was impressive scoring 12 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Charlotte Bobcats: A 5-4 Bobcats team? It's not as bizarre as it sounds. Think about this. They've lost four games when they had leads late in the fourth quarter before completely falling apart. The Bobcats, for 3½ quarters outplayed the Wizards, Bucks, Jazz and Pistons this season only to fall in the last seconds. Believe what you want about the expansion team, but they are better than any of us gave them credit for.
Utah Jazz: We know how well Carlos Boozer has panned out for the Jazz, but what about their other big offseason acquisition, Mehmet Okur? Okur showed up to camp out of shape and quickly drew the wrath of head coach Jerry Sloan. Ten games into the season he has yet to work his way into the starting lineup, though he's shown some encouraging signs lately. He had 19 points and seven boards against the Pistons and an 18-point, eight-rebound performance against the Hawks on Saturday. Still, don't expect Sloan to insert him in the starting lineup anytime soon. He likes Jarron Collins' defense in the starting unit and prefers Okur's scoring punch off the bench. Okur isn't complaining. "Coach knows what is best for the team," said Okur. "I can't say 'You must start me.' I wouldn't do that. I want to do what helps us win."
Los Angeles Lakers: After a rocky, 6-5 start, look for the Lakers to make a little run the next few weeks. The Lakers are 4-1 at the Staples Center and are about to enjoy a lot more home cooking. Consider that 13 of their next 17 games are at home. To make matters even better, five of the next six games are against teams with losing records. Factor in more consistent efforts of late from Lamar Odom and Caron Butler, and the Lakers could be poised to make a move in the Pacific.
THE REST
With the Pistons in a serious defensive funk, the new reigning defensive heavyweights in the NBA are the Spurs who are giving up a league low 87.8 ppg. They're also holding teams to a league-low 41 percent shooting from the field. … Why are the Rockets off to such an uneven start? Coach Jeff Van Gundy is blaming himself. "You, as another coach, would be saying, 'That coach has no clue what he's doing,'" Van Gundy told the Houston Chronicle. "So, that's what I'm saying when I look at myself. C'mon. Losing two games – like that. I'm as much of the problem when I want to be part of the solution. To me, that is an absolutely poor job of coaching. If I can just let that go, then I should not be coaching. I'm not sure after watching the last two losses I should be, anyway." … Who said the Heat wouldn't have enough perimeter shooting to take advantage of Shaq in the middle? While Dwyane Wade has hit just one 3 all year, his backup, Damon Jones, currently ranks second in the league in 3-pointers made. … Without Pau Gasol in the lineup, the Grizzlies have turned to Bonzi Wells as their primary scorer. Wells has responded by averaging 21.5 ppg over his last two. … Bucks forward Desmond Mason is making a strong push for Sixth Man of the Year honors. In his last five games, he's averaged 16.8 ppg coming off the bench for the Bucks. … After getting off to a slow start in Atlanta, Hawks rookie Josh Childress is starting to settle down. He's had a solid week for the Hawks, averaging 12.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2 spg on 61 percent shooting from the field. … Keep watching the Wolves' Eddie Griffin closely. He had 13 boards against the Mavs and 23 points against the Hornets this week. If he can keep from going "Artest" on them, he has the talent to put the Wolves over the top in the West. … The Wizards are in the weakest portion of their schedule. The team won the first two games in an 11-game stint where they don't face a team with a winning record. That includes games against the Raptors, Sixers, Nets, Hawks, Bulls, Knicks and Hornets.
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