By the numbers
There was a comment from a reader on our site asking where we're getting our stats for the U.S.'s exhibition games in Macau. Maybe it's part of that Internet filtering going on in China, but the box scores that USA Basketball is calling official seem to have mistakes.
Watching this morning's game, I credited Deron Williams with eight points and five assists. The play-by-play on ESPN.com agreed with me. Williams also hit two free throws in the first half and missed both his free throws in the second half.
But the USA Basketball box score had Williams with six points, seven assists and going 0-for-2 at the foul line. I'm definitely not 100 percent awake at 6 a.m. for these games, but unless I'm going crazy, Williams did hit two free throws in the first half.
Obviously, I'm on my couch at home and they're on site in Macau, but I think the numbers I have are right. It's taken hours, by the way, just to see recaps from the Associated Press and box scores from USA Basketball.
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Carlos Boozer was asked after the game about Kobe Bryant's defense on Lithuania's Sarunas Jasikevicius. Bryant picked up Jasikevicius at three-quarters court on the game's first possession and hounded him into several shaky passes and shots.
"Kobe's our best defender, hands down," Boozer said. "Kobe takes the challenge of guarding the best perimeter player regardless of who it is , regardless of whether he's a point guard, a three, a four, whatever he is.
"Kobe locked him up. He got a couple of open shots during the course of the game, but when Kobe was on him, I don't think he scored. I think he was actually a little tentative in shooting the ball when Kobe was on him."
--Ross Siler
Watching this morning's game, I credited Deron Williams with eight points and five assists. The play-by-play on ESPN.com agreed with me. Williams also hit two free throws in the first half and missed both his free throws in the second half.
But the USA Basketball box score had Williams with six points, seven assists and going 0-for-2 at the foul line. I'm definitely not 100 percent awake at 6 a.m. for these games, but unless I'm going crazy, Williams did hit two free throws in the first half.
Obviously, I'm on my couch at home and they're on site in Macau, but I think the numbers I have are right. It's taken hours, by the way, just to see recaps from the Associated Press and box scores from USA Basketball.
* * *
Carlos Boozer was asked after the game about Kobe Bryant's defense on Lithuania's Sarunas Jasikevicius. Bryant picked up Jasikevicius at three-quarters court on the game's first possession and hounded him into several shaky passes and shots.
"Kobe's our best defender, hands down," Boozer said. "Kobe takes the challenge of guarding the best perimeter player regardless of who it is , regardless of whether he's a point guard, a three, a four, whatever he is.
"Kobe locked him up. He got a couple of open shots during the course of the game, but when Kobe was on him, I don't think he scored. I think he was actually a little tentative in shooting the ball when Kobe was on him."
--Ross Siler
1:28 PM
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2 Comments:
I don't think it's a big deal that Paul is the primary backup point guard with Williams playing mostly the shooting guard position. If Deron was the backup point, Paul would rarely get on the court, since he can't play the 2. I think if the team were to play it's absolute best, Deron would be playing the point; but this way seems to be the best for everybody to get minutes.
After wathcing the tune-up games for USA Basketball, I think it may be time for Jason Kidd to come up with a mysterious illness or injury and be relieved of his starting point guard duties. In the first game abroad, Kidd recorded exactly zero assists. Just what I like to see in a starting PG, especially the guy who's supposed to be the best we can put on the court.
How about sending Kidd home, putting Tyson Chandler or Amare Stoudemire on the team and letting DWill start (since he's got the size of Kidd, but shoots better) and having CP3 come of the bench. It's time for Kidd to hang it up with USA Basketball.
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