In between games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals, Dirk Nowitzki commented on the defense of the Denver Nuggets in game 1. "They really made me work for everything I got," Nowitzki said following the game. "They have a lot of good bodies they can throw at me. And they do a good job of rotating and staying down and playing physical." Nowitzki went on to discuss the talents of the individual Nuggets defenders.
In light of these comments, TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Chris Webber both scrutinized Nowitzki for praising Denver's defense. Their rationale was that players should not admit when an opponent can lock them down. This does not make sense to me, because professional athletes are often criticized for being extremely arrogant and overconfident in their abilities. I think it is refreshing to see an athlete like Dirk Nowitzki, one of the elite scorers in the NBA, commenting on his opponents in a positive manner. Players are admired when they praise their teammates for good play, so why should it be any different when they do the same for opponents? I believe this comment was simply the result of Nowitzki understanding how his opponents can stop him. Certainly his scoring statistics will show that his offensive mindset has not changed, and because of this, I believe TNT made too much of the comments.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
East Region: Elite Eight Recap (By David Gentile)
Player of the Round: Despite playing from behind yet again, the Pittsburgh Panthers performed well in crunch time to hold off Xavier. Levance fields made two big plays at the end of the game to secure the victory: A 3-pointer with 56 seconds left to give Pitt a one point lead, and on the next possession a fast break layup off of Dejuan Blair's steal. He proved that experienced guard play does make all the difference in the NCAA tournament.
Best Team Performance: The Villanova Wildcats used their athletic advantage over Duke to win a second straight game by at least 20 points. The Blue Devils were a step behind the Wildcats for the duration of the game, as they led for only 1 minute, 36 seconds of the first half. Duke lost yet another tournament game because of poor 3-point shooting (5-27 from downtown), which was a direct result of Villanova's perimeter defense.
Who is Going to Detroit?: Of all the elite eight matchups, this one presents the most realistic opportunity for an upset. Villanova beat Pittsburgh 67-57 earlier in the season, a game in which Dejuan Blair scored only 7 points. The Wildcats are on a hot streak and Pittsburgh has needed to come back in both of its last two games. I believe that Villanova will be the first team to knock off a number one seed in this tournament.
Best Team Performance: The Villanova Wildcats used their athletic advantage over Duke to win a second straight game by at least 20 points. The Blue Devils were a step behind the Wildcats for the duration of the game, as they led for only 1 minute, 36 seconds of the first half. Duke lost yet another tournament game because of poor 3-point shooting (5-27 from downtown), which was a direct result of Villanova's perimeter defense.
Who is Going to Detroit?: Of all the elite eight matchups, this one presents the most realistic opportunity for an upset. Villanova beat Pittsburgh 67-57 earlier in the season, a game in which Dejuan Blair scored only 7 points. The Wildcats are on a hot streak and Pittsburgh has needed to come back in both of its last two games. I believe that Villanova will be the first team to knock off a number one seed in this tournament.
Midwest Region: Elite Eight Recap (By David Gentile)
Player of the Round: Michigan State's Goran Suton excelled against Kansas, leading the Spartans to victory in a game they trailed most of the way. He finished the day with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals, playing well at both ends of the court. Despite a slow start against Kansas center Cole Aldrich, Suton played solid post defense that neutralized Aldrich's presence in the second half. He helped limited Kansas to a remarkable 1-2 in the paint in the final 20 minutes.
Best Team Performance: Louisville bounced back from suspect performances in the first two rounds with a 103-64 victory over Arizona. The Cardinals shot the lights out, going 38-66 (57.6%) from the floor, 14-29 (48.3%) from 3-point range, and 13-14 (92.9%) from the free throw line. The Wildcats had a difficult night shooting, going 24-63 (38.1%) from the floor and 7-24 (29.2%) from 3-point range. Louisville's largest win in NCAA tournament history was also Arizona's worst lost in tournament history. Once the Cardinals took a 29-17 lead with 7:13 remaining in the first half, they went on a roll that left Arizona on the wrong end of a 39 point blowout.
Who is Going to Detroit?: Michigan State proved it can win close games against lower seeds, yet USC and Kansas do not compare to the powerhouse Louisville they will have to face in the next round, who just hit its stride against Arizona in the sweet sixteen. Certainly the Spartans will keep it closer than 39 points, but they have not proven that they can play 40 minutes of solid basketball on both ends of the court in this tournament, and Louisville will exploit this inconsistency to make a big run at some point in the game. The last time Michigan State played a team worthy of a number one seed? They lost 98-63 against North Carolina at home in December.
Best Team Performance: Louisville bounced back from suspect performances in the first two rounds with a 103-64 victory over Arizona. The Cardinals shot the lights out, going 38-66 (57.6%) from the floor, 14-29 (48.3%) from 3-point range, and 13-14 (92.9%) from the free throw line. The Wildcats had a difficult night shooting, going 24-63 (38.1%) from the floor and 7-24 (29.2%) from 3-point range. Louisville's largest win in NCAA tournament history was also Arizona's worst lost in tournament history. Once the Cardinals took a 29-17 lead with 7:13 remaining in the first half, they went on a roll that left Arizona on the wrong end of a 39 point blowout.
Who is Going to Detroit?: Michigan State proved it can win close games against lower seeds, yet USC and Kansas do not compare to the powerhouse Louisville they will have to face in the next round, who just hit its stride against Arizona in the sweet sixteen. Certainly the Spartans will keep it closer than 39 points, but they have not proven that they can play 40 minutes of solid basketball on both ends of the court in this tournament, and Louisville will exploit this inconsistency to make a big run at some point in the game. The last time Michigan State played a team worthy of a number one seed? They lost 98-63 against North Carolina at home in December.
Monday, March 23, 2009
East Region: Second Round Recap (By David Gentile)
Player of the Round: The Pittsburgh Panthers survived yet another scare in the second round, defeating Oklahoma State 84-76. Senior Sam Young put the Panthers on his back, scoring 32 points and pulling down 8 rebounds. Young played all 40 minutes of the game and did not record a single foul.
Best Team Performance: Villanova left no doubt against UCLA, starting fast out of the gates with a 19-2 run en route to a dominating 89-69 victory. The Wildcats received good scoring production from just about everyone, as six of their players finished the game in double digits, including Dante Cunningham, who led the team with 18. They outperformed UCLA in every aspect of the game, winning the rebound battle 39 to 26, and the turnover battle 11 to 20.
Looking Ahead: The top four seeds have all arrived at the sweet sixteen, and the first game features Pittsburgh and Xavier. Xavier had some impressive wins early in the season, and they have good height, but they lack solid guard play needed to beat Pittsburgh. And that's the least of their troubles, because Pitt's two leading scorers are its big men.
Duke takes on Villanova in a matchup of teams capable of lighting up the scoreboard. Villanova enters the game averaging 77 points on the season, and the Wildcats have eclipsed the 80 point mark in 8 of their last 14 games. How will Villanova come out after narrowly escaping against American and then blowing out UCLA? Duke has only reached one elite eight in the last seven seasons, but history may also benefit them. Duke's only tournament loss to Villanova came in 1955, and the the Blue Devils have beaten the Wildcats in their last two tournament contests.
Best Team Performance: Villanova left no doubt against UCLA, starting fast out of the gates with a 19-2 run en route to a dominating 89-69 victory. The Wildcats received good scoring production from just about everyone, as six of their players finished the game in double digits, including Dante Cunningham, who led the team with 18. They outperformed UCLA in every aspect of the game, winning the rebound battle 39 to 26, and the turnover battle 11 to 20.
Looking Ahead: The top four seeds have all arrived at the sweet sixteen, and the first game features Pittsburgh and Xavier. Xavier had some impressive wins early in the season, and they have good height, but they lack solid guard play needed to beat Pittsburgh. And that's the least of their troubles, because Pitt's two leading scorers are its big men.
Duke takes on Villanova in a matchup of teams capable of lighting up the scoreboard. Villanova enters the game averaging 77 points on the season, and the Wildcats have eclipsed the 80 point mark in 8 of their last 14 games. How will Villanova come out after narrowly escaping against American and then blowing out UCLA? Duke has only reached one elite eight in the last seven seasons, but history may also benefit them. Duke's only tournament loss to Villanova came in 1955, and the the Blue Devils have beaten the Wildcats in their last two tournament contests.
Midwest Region: Second Round Recap (By David Gentile)
Player of the Round: It was an exceptional homecoming for Kansas center Cole Aldrich, who recorded the first triple double in an NCAA tournament since Dwayne Wade in 2003. Aldrich scored 13 points, grabbed 20 rebounds, and blocked 10 shots as Kansas defeated Dayton 60-43 in the Metrodome, only a few miles from where he grew up. His defensive presence helped the Jayhawks hold the Flyers to a remarkably low 16 of 72 (22 percent) shooting.
Best Team Performance: In a battle of true warriors between the Spartans and the Trojans, Michigan State banded together as an army and relied on exceptional team play to hold off USC 74-69. Offensively, four Spartans finished the day in double figures, and the team shared the ball well, recording 20 assists on 22 field goals. Defensively, Michigan State held USC to 1 of 10 from downtown, which made all the difference in a five point victory.
Looking Ahead: Arizona is in for a rude awakening. The lone remaining Pac 10 team will face its first tough test against Louisville. A team that many believed should have been in the NIT now has a chance to shock college basketball by upsetting Louisville.
Michigan State faces off against Kansas in a rematch of a game the Spartans won 75-62 on Jan. 10th. They exploited the two dimensional attack of the Jayhawks and controlled play from the very beginning. What's new this time around? Kansas has recorded a 16-3 record since that loss, and the young team has come together to play its best basketball of the season.
Best Team Performance: In a battle of true warriors between the Spartans and the Trojans, Michigan State banded together as an army and relied on exceptional team play to hold off USC 74-69. Offensively, four Spartans finished the day in double figures, and the team shared the ball well, recording 20 assists on 22 field goals. Defensively, Michigan State held USC to 1 of 10 from downtown, which made all the difference in a five point victory.
Looking Ahead: Arizona is in for a rude awakening. The lone remaining Pac 10 team will face its first tough test against Louisville. A team that many believed should have been in the NIT now has a chance to shock college basketball by upsetting Louisville.
Michigan State faces off against Kansas in a rematch of a game the Spartans won 75-62 on Jan. 10th. They exploited the two dimensional attack of the Jayhawks and controlled play from the very beginning. What's new this time around? Kansas has recorded a 16-3 record since that loss, and the young team has come together to play its best basketball of the season.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
West Region First Round Recap (by Anthony Gentile)
Player of the Round: Roburt Sallie almost singlehandedly helped Memphis avoid a first round upset to Cal State Northridge. The sophomore came off the bench to score 35 points (10-for-15 3-pointers) including a number of clutch jumpers with Memphis trailing in the second half. Sallie’s previous season-high was 13 points.
The Unexpected: In the only upset of the round, 10-seed Maryland soundly dismantled seven-seed California 84-71. The Terrapins ended any debate as to whether they should have been invited by pressuring the Golden Bears into 14 turnovers and holding them to 29.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Best Team Performance: Without injured point guard Dominic James, six-seed Marquette watched a double-digit lead evaporate and erased a six-point deficit in the final 4:18 to beat 11-seed Utah State 58-57. Three Golden Eagles players finished in double figures and Marquette outrebounded the Aggies 27-22 to advance to the second round.
Looking Ahead: With all top seeds except for one advancing, expect close games on Saturday and Sunday. With the exception of the Purdue-Washington game, the West should hold true to form.
The Unexpected: In the only upset of the round, 10-seed Maryland soundly dismantled seven-seed California 84-71. The Terrapins ended any debate as to whether they should have been invited by pressuring the Golden Bears into 14 turnovers and holding them to 29.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Best Team Performance: Without injured point guard Dominic James, six-seed Marquette watched a double-digit lead evaporate and erased a six-point deficit in the final 4:18 to beat 11-seed Utah State 58-57. Three Golden Eagles players finished in double figures and Marquette outrebounded the Aggies 27-22 to advance to the second round.
Looking Ahead: With all top seeds except for one advancing, expect close games on Saturday and Sunday. With the exception of the Purdue-Washington game, the West should hold true to form.
East Region: First Round Recap (By David Gentile)
Player of the Round: Texas took what was a close game with Minnesota in the first half and made it theirs. A.J. Abrams led the way for the Longhorns, leading all scorers with 26 points, and shooting 8 of 15 from downtown. In what was a relatively even game in non-scoring categories, Abrams proved to be the difference, as he took Texas on his back and carried them to the second round.
The Unexpected: The only lower seed to win a game in this bracket was Wisconsin, but that was less of a surprise than American University's performance against Villanova. The Eagles kept the score close throughout the first half and built a 10 point lead by halftime. A 19-2 run by Villanova in the latter part of the second half secured the win for the Wildcats. American senior guards Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer combined for 39 points in the losing effort.
Honorable Mention: East Tennessee State had the best performance by a 16 seed in recent memory, giving Pittsburgh quite a scare.
Best Team Performance: Wisconsin trailed Florida State by 12 at halftime, only scoring 19 points in the first half. The Badgers came out strong defensively in the final 25 minutes, holding Florida State to fewer combined points in the second half and overtime than in the first half. Wisconsin did a great job of sharing the basketball, as four Badgers ended the day with double figures, despite the team only scoring 61 points.
Looking Ahead: Each of the second round matchups features a higher seeded team east of the St. Louis arch against a team west of the arch (I'm counting Wisconsin in the west, they are very close in terms of east-west to the arch). Will the underdog west step up its game and overcome the higher seeded east? Can Pittsburgh, Villanova, and UCLA shake off poor first round performances and continue their run for an NCAA title?
The Unexpected: The only lower seed to win a game in this bracket was Wisconsin, but that was less of a surprise than American University's performance against Villanova. The Eagles kept the score close throughout the first half and built a 10 point lead by halftime. A 19-2 run by Villanova in the latter part of the second half secured the win for the Wildcats. American senior guards Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer combined for 39 points in the losing effort.
Honorable Mention: East Tennessee State had the best performance by a 16 seed in recent memory, giving Pittsburgh quite a scare.
Best Team Performance: Wisconsin trailed Florida State by 12 at halftime, only scoring 19 points in the first half. The Badgers came out strong defensively in the final 25 minutes, holding Florida State to fewer combined points in the second half and overtime than in the first half. Wisconsin did a great job of sharing the basketball, as four Badgers ended the day with double figures, despite the team only scoring 61 points.
Looking Ahead: Each of the second round matchups features a higher seeded team east of the St. Louis arch against a team west of the arch (I'm counting Wisconsin in the west, they are very close in terms of east-west to the arch). Will the underdog west step up its game and overcome the higher seeded east? Can Pittsburgh, Villanova, and UCLA shake off poor first round performances and continue their run for an NCAA title?
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