Basketball Intelligence For 4/11/22
TEAM-SPECIFIC STORIES
- BOS: Behind The Scenes Of How A Portland Connection Reshaped The Celtics (from Jason Quick, The Athletic): https://theathletic.com/3230403/2022/04/11/how-ime-udoka-became-the-can-man-behind-the-scenes-of-how-a-portland-connection-reshaped-the-celtics/
- CHI: Q & A: Zach Lavine (from KC Johnson, NBC Sports): https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/bulls-zach-lavine-supremely-confident-ahead-first-nba-playoffs
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- CLE: Will Jarrett Allen Be Ready For The Play-In? (from Chris Fedor, cleveland.com): https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2022/04/will-jarrett-allen-be-ready-for-cavaliers-play-in-tournament-game-against-brooklyn-nets.html
- DET: 2022 Offseason Guide: The Pistons (from Bobby Marks, ESPN): https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/33689823/nba-offseason-guide-2022-detroit-pistons-rebuilding-process-starting-show-results
- DET: Pistons Beat Writer Rod Beard's Well-Deserved Promotion (from Detroit News): https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2022/04/10/beard-detroit-pistons-thank-you/9532816002/
(Note: BI had the honor & privilege of meeting Rod & much of the rest of the wonderful Pistons beat writers crew at a Kings game this season. We wish Rod all the best in his new status.)
- GSW: Is Klay Back? (from Eric Apricot, Dub Nation HQ):
- GSW: Breaking Bad Habits Key To Dubs' Playoff Run (from Monte Poole, NBC Sports): https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-must-break-bad-habits-nba-playoff-matchup-vs-nuggets-awaits
- HOU: Takeaways From Loss To Hawks (from Jonathan Feigin, Houston Chronicle): https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/rockets/article/A-season-send-off-with-a-loss-but-reasons-for-17071415.php
- LAC: Clippers End Regular Season On A High Note (from Mirjam Swanson, OC Register): https://www.dailynews.com/2022/04/10/clippers-rout-thunder-to-win-5th-straight-game-play-in-awaits
- LAL: The Lakers Don't Value Coaches. They Lowball, Berate & Discard Them (from Bill Oram, The Athletic): https://theathletic.com/3241509/2022/04/11/frank-vogel-lakers-replacements/
From Dan Woike, LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2022-04-10/los-angeles-lakers-denver-nuggets-frank-vogel
From Andy Nesbitt, USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2022/04/11/the-lakers-should-be-embarrassed-by-what-they-did-to-frank-vogel/50055371
From Kyle Goon, OC Register: https://www.ocregister.com/2022/04/10/report-lakers-to-fire-coach-frank-vogel
- LAL: Where The Lakers Stand Heading Into 2022 Offseason (from Scott Rafferty, Sporting News): https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/lakers-eliminated-playoffs-free-agents-contracts-draft-picks/w2gcgnx4qoniwmpluxh0mt1j
- MIA: Big Questions For The Heat As Playoffs Begin (from Wes Goldberg, The Wes Side):
- MIL: Jrue Holiday's Defensive Secrets (from Eric Nehm, The Athletic): https://theathletic.com/3203712/2022/04/11/bucks-guard-jrue-holiday-on-his-secrets-to-being-one-of-the-nbas-best-defenders/
- MIN: Finch's Contract Extension & The Wolves' Path Forward (from Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic): https://theathletic.com/3241829/2022/04/11/chris-finch-and-sachin-gupta-open-up-about-finchs-contract-extension-and-the-path-forward-for-the-timberwolves/
- MIN: Wolves' Play-In Primer (from Aidan Berg, Dunking With Wolves): https://dunkingwithwolves.com/2022/04/10/minnesota-timberwolves-play-in-tournament-primer/
- NYK: Toppin & Quickley Closed Out The Season In Style (from Tommy Beer, What's On Tap):
From Joe Flynn, Posting And Toasting: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/2022/4/10/23019695/knicks-105-raptors-94-scenes-from-the-continuing-legend-of-iq-and-obi
- ORL: Markelle Fultz: 2021-22 Season Analysis (from Josh Cohen, magic.com): https://www.nba.com/magic/news/2021-22-season-analysis-markelle-fultz-20220411
- ORL: Jamahl Mosley Brings Passion, Energy To Magic (from Marc J Spears, Andscape): https://andscape.com/features/he-just-has-a-charisma-about-him-jamahl-mosley-brings-passion-energy-to-magic/
- ORL: Franz Wagner's Rookie Season (from Garrett Townsend, Orlando Pinstriped Post): https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2022/4/8/23016272/orlando-magic-franz-wagner-as-the-rookie-of-the-year
- SAC: Kings Move On From Alvin Gentry (from James Ham, The Kings Beat):
https://kings-beat.beehiiv.com/p/breaking-kings-move-alvin-gentry-coaching-search-begins
From Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee: https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article260292240.html
- SAS: Why The Spurs Went For The Play-In (from Jeff McDonald, ExpressNews):
- TOR: Shaped By Nurse's Patient Guidance, The Raptors Are A Playoff Threat (from Michael Grange, Sportsnet): https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/as-raptors-conclude-regular-season-nurse-already-onto-next-project-against-76ers/
- UTA: Gobert's DPOY Chances, Part II (from Zarin Ficklin, Salt City Hoops): https://saltcityhoops.com/gobert-dpoy-part-ii-impact/
LEAGUE-WIDE STORIES
- The Hoops Habit MVP Ladder (from Michael Shearer): https://hoopshabit.com/2022/04/11/nba-mvp-ladder-nba-mvp-ballot/
- 75 Things About The 20 Teams Still Standing (from ESPN): https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33716884/nba-playoffs-2022-75-things-need-know-20-teams-standing
- Ranking The Play-In Teams (from Sanjesh Singh, NBC Sports): https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/ranking-all-eight-teams-2022-nba-play-tournament
- Play-In Primer: One Big Question For Each Opening Matchup (from Rohan Nadkarni, Sports Illustrated): https://www.si.com/nba/2022/04/11/nba-play-in-tournament-one-big-question
- The LAC-MIN Play-In (from Law Murray, The Athletic): https://theathletic.com/3241590/2022/04/11/clippers-play-in-timberwolves-playoffs/
- The NOP-SAS Play-In (from Tobias Buehner, Rollcall Sportsnet): https://rollcallsportsnet.com/play-in-preview-sas-nop/
- Previewing The DAL-UTA Series (from Tyler Watts, The Smoking Cuban): https://thesmokingcuban.com/posts/dallas-mavericks-xfactors-2022-playoffs-utah-jazz
From Andy Larsen, Salt Lake Tribune:https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2022/04/10/triple-team-which-jazz/
- Previewing The PHI-TOR Series (from John Schuhmann, NBA.com): https://www.nba.com/news/series-preview-philadelphia-76ers-4-vs-toronto-raptors-5
- The Rookie Scale: Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, Jose Alvarado, Bones Hyland (from J Kyle Mann, The Ringer): https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/4/11/23019852/nba-rookie-scottie-barnes-evan-mobley
-How The Post Became The NBA's New Playmaking Frontier (from Joe Wolfond, The Score): https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/2335980
- NBA Coaches: The Art Of Calling Timeouts (from Law Murray): https://theathletic.com/3238052/2022/04/11/art-of-calling-timeouts/
- 2022 Draft Prospects' Go-To Moves (from Adam Spinella, The Box And One):
- Shaedon Sharpe: 2022 Draft Mystery Man (from Nathan Grubel, No Ceilings):
- 2022 Draft Big Board 1.0 (from Lazarus Jackson, Detroit Bad Boys): https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2022/4/11/23002232/nba-draft-2022-detroit-pistons-laz-jackson-big-board-1-0-chet-holmgren-jabari-smith-paolo-banchero
- 2022 Draft: Prospects 11-20 (from Alex Golden, 8 Points, 9 Seconds): https://8points9seconds.com/2022/04/11/nba-draft-prospects-11-20-2022-big-board/
- What NBA Scouts Saw At Nike Hoop Summit (from Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report): https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2955115-what-nba-scouts-saw-at-nike-hoop-summit-from-top-2023-nba-draft-prospects
- Alvin Gentry Loves Seeing Monty Williams, Other African-American HCs Shine (form Duane Rankin, Arizona Republic): https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2022/04/11/gentry-loves-seeing-williams-fellow-black-nba-coaches-have-success/9537090002/?cid=twitter_azcentral
- Yesterday's Games (from Jack Simone, Enjoy Basketball):
https://enjoybasketball.beehiiv.com/p/enjoy-basketball-nba-season-officially
FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY: from the BI archives: http://basketballintelligence.net/2018/04/11/todays-best-nba-reporting-analysis-41118/
Today's BI is dedicated to the memory of John Drew: https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/former-hawks-forward-john-drew-dies-at-age-67/5L2N4J6JIJFV3MR6DH4N43T66Q/