Daily Recap- Oct. 30th.

Who Was Hot

John Wall/Marcin Gortat- The point guard/center duo for the Washington Wizards dominated the Orland Magic in a 105-98 win Thursday night. Their pick and roll was run to near perfection, with each finishing with a double-double (Wall-30 pts, 12 ast, Gortat 20pts, 12 reb).

Wall and Gortat appear to be in sync to start the season. Source- http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/229/files/2014/05/john-wall-marcin-gortat-nba-washington-wizards-orlando-magic-850x560.jpg

Perry Jones III- Talk about redemption. After a poor first game, Jones rebounded with 32 points and seven rebounds in a 93-90 loss to the Clippers. If his teammate Russell Westbrook

New York Knicks- After getting blown at home against the Bulls to start the season, the Knicks rebounded to play spoiler, defeating the Cavaliers in LeBron James' return by a score of 95-90. New York shot 53.6% from the field, 50% from three point range and 83% from the foul line, while limiting James to 17 points (on 5-15 shooting), and eight turnovers.

Who Was Not

Russell Westbrook/Oklahoma City Thunder- Things went from bad to worse for the Thunder on Thursday, losing 93-90 to the Los Angeles Clippers. To add insult to injury, Westbrook played only nine minutes due to breaking a bone in his right hand. If he is out for an extended period of time, the OKC will have a tough time maintaining a winning record.

J.J. Redick- The shooting guard out of Duke University turned in a poor performance, shooting 1-10 from the field with a minus seven rating in 30 minutes of playing time Thursday.

Dante Exum- The rookie point guard out of Australia struggled in his second career game, scoring only two points and committing two turnovers in 19 minutes of action. Exum is way more talented than he showed on Thursday, but it will take time for him to adjust to the NBA game.

Stat of the Night- John Wall recorded his third career game of 30 or more points and 10 or more assists Thursday. Based on what we've seen so far, Wall should be primed for a career-year with many more games like the one last night.

All stats and info courtesy of espn.com
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Daily Recap- Oct. 29th

Who Was Hot

Rajon Rondo- The Boston Celtic's point guard surprisingly started the first game of the season, and dropped 13 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in a 121-105 blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets. For the C's to have any chance at success this year, Rondo must control the tempo on offense and lead the team on defense.

Brandon Knight- Even though he struggled from the field (5-17 field goals), and the Bucks lost 108-106, Knight showcased high potential. He finished with 22 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, proving to head coach Jason Kidd that he is capable of leading this young team.

Chris Bosh- No LeBron? No problem. The Georgia Tech product looked like he did in his Toronto Raptors days, scoring 26 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in a 107-95 win over the Washington Wizards. Bosh hit three three-pointers and dished out four assists, and looks to be the number option going forward for the Heat.

Memphis Big Men- Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined to shoot 24-33 from the field and pull down a combined 22 rebounds in a 105-101 Grizzlies win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. If the duo can consistently put up close to double-doubles on a nightly basis, the Memphis Grizzlies will have a good chance to contend for a top six seed in the Western Conference.

Source- http://www.memphisconnect.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/grizz-5.jpg 

Who Was Not

Los Angeles Lakers- Back-to-back nights the Lakers have come out and looked clueless on both ends of the ball, as the Phoenix Suns dominated them 119-99. Kobe Bryant posted a game-high 31 points, but looked frustrated throughout the game, receiving a technical foul after he believed he was fouled. It's early, but the Lakers look like a lottery team already.

Bryant scored 31 points, but failed to get any help from his teammates. Source- http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2013/04/13/bryant_lakers_.jpg?itok=UKT4CMy2 

Perry Jones III- Given a chance to play big minutes due to Kevin Durant's injury, the small forward from Baylor shot 1-9 from the field in 31 minutes of play in a 106-89 loss to the Portland TrailBlazers. Chalk it up to nerves and playing against a stingy Portland defense, but Jones will need to contribute more on both ends of the floor for the Thunder to post a winning record during Durant's absence.

Ben McLemore- The second-year guard was supposed to have an improved jumper coming into the season. Instead, McLemore posted a stat line of 0-5 from the field, two rebounds, two turnovers and one assist in 26 minutes Wednesday. In order for Sacramento to have a shot at the playoffs, he will have to prove he can be a viable third scoring option behind DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay.

Stat of the Night- The Hornets came back from 24 points down to beat the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, making it the largest comeback in Charlotte's history.

All stats and info courtesy of espn.com
Follow me on Twitter @Lower_Merion33

Daily Recap- Oct. 28th

Who Was Hot

Anthony Davis/Omer Asik- It doesn't matter that he played the Magic. Anthony Davis would've dominated any team, and looks primed for another spectacular season. Posting 26 points, 17 rebounds and nine (yes nine) blocks in the the Pelican's 101-84 win. Davis looked dominant on both tends of the floor, showcasing his athleticism anytime he wanted to. Asik on the other hand, posted 14 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks, proving that he can be a defensive anchor alongside his young teammate. The duo should be worth keeping an eye on, as the Pelican's defense will lead them to the postseason.

San Antonio Offense- Even though they only scored 101 points and defeated the Dallas Mavericks by a point, the Spurs offense looked like it did in the NBA Finals last year. Yes they committed 20 turnovers, but they shot 53% from the field, 50% from three point range and 81% from the foul line as a team. Five players scored in double figures, led by 23 points on 9-15 shooting (4-4 3pt) from Tony Parker. Even without Patty Mills and Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs looked comfortable and should post another 50-win season.

Source- Getty images/Bleacherreport

Who Was Not

Chandler Parsons- The Dallas Mavericks' big free agent acquisition failed to live up to his big contract Tuesday night, scoring only five points on 2-10 shooting in 34 minutes. For Dallas to be successful and grab a high seed in a tough Western Conference this year, Parsons will need to be a legitimate third scoring option. For now, I'll chalk it up to nerves and a good Spurs' defense.

Los Angeles Lakers- The return of Kobe Bryant was supposed to revive the Lakers and give them the extra boost they needed. For the most part, #24 looked good. His athleticism, speed and shot selection looked respectable, and he showed no ill effects of two major surgeries in the last two years. The rest of his team however, was a different story. Turnovers, silly fouls, and no perimeter shooting plagued L.A. most of the night as they shot 35% from the floor. Oh, and rookie Julius Randle broke his right tibia, and will most likely miss the rest of the season. Oh, and Bryant took an elbow (or two) from former teammate Dwight Howard, and then the two exchanged heated words for a minute or two, drawing technical fouls. The Laker's superstar is playing with subpar teammates to begin with, and will now have to do even more work than anticipated.

Stat of the Night- The Spurs have now won all of their openers when coming off of a championship (5-0).

All stats and info courtesy of espn.com
Follow me on Twitter @Lower_Merion33

2014-15 NBA Preview

The 2014-15 NBA season begins tonight, featuring a trio of games, two of which, will begin at 8 p.m. The  New Orleans Pelicans will host the Orlando Magic, while the San Antonio Spurs will look to start their quest for back-to-back titles by hosting the Dallas Mavericks. The nightcap will be the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Houston Rockets at 10:30 p.m., with the heavily anticipated return of 19-year pro Kobe Bryant. The latter two games will be featured on TNT. After a whirlwind offseason that saw LeBron James return to Cleveland, Carmelo Anthony stay in New York, and Pau Gasol finally leave the Lakers to go to the Chicago Bulls, the regular season is finally upon. Granted, it has not come without a price, as all-stars Rajon Rondo and Kevin Durant are out for the first few weeks of the season with injuries. Pacers forward Paul George is out the entire season with a leg injury as well. Here are some things to think about and look forward to as the 2014-15 NBA season gets underway.

The Western Conference will be as tightly packed and competitive as ever. Source- http://hoopeduponline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/west-asg-reserves.jpg

Wild Wild West

It's an overused way to describe the NBA's western conference, but it has been accurate for several years now. Only eight teams can make the playoffs in each conference, but the West had 10 teams that would've made the playoffs in the East, while the East only had two teams (Indiana and Miami) who would've been playoff teams in the West. Nothing has changed. Teams like San Antonio, Los Angeles (Clippers) and Oklahoma City saw their rosters stay mostly the same, while the other playoff contenders added key pieces to help fine-tune their rosters and make a strong playoff push. Expect several teams that missed out on the playoffs last year (Phoenix, New Orleans, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver) to field much more competitive teams and contend for playoff spots.

The Spurs will look to repeat as champs for the first time in team franchise history. Source- http://www.vosizneias.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/h_51422558-725x412.jpg

Return of a Star and a Legend

While last season was exciting and fun to watch on many levels, it missed two of it's big players for most of the year. Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant, both attempting to come back from serious injuries (torn ACL and torn Achilles respectively), re-injured themselves early into the season, and would not play again in 2013-14. Rose, the youngest MVP in league history, regained full health and participated in the FIBA World Championships for Team USA over the summer. The 26-year-old point guard has shown flashes of his old self, but will need to showcase a consistent jumper, and stay healthy in order to prove he is truly back.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, 36-year-old shooting guard Kobe Bryant is coming off of two major injuries in the past two seasons. The torn achilles suffered in April of 2013 kept him out of the playoffs, and then the torn meniscus suffered in November of last season kept him out for the rest of the year after only playing six games. The critics have been more vocal than ever, doubting that Bryant can return to even close to what he was two years ago when he averaged 27 points and six assists per game. Bryant maintains that he is fully healthy and will have no problems getting back into the swing of things. His athleticism has looked diminished during the preseason, but his intelligence and intangibles will drive him to perform at a high level once again.

Bryant looks to regain his form as he prepares for his 19th NBA season. Source- http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/307/files/2014/10/arron-afflalo-kobe-bryant-nba-preseason-denver-nuggets-los-angeles-lakers.jpg

Top-Tier of East Will Entertain

Realistically, there are only three power teams in the Eastern Conference- The Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. The Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets are on the outside looking in as of right now, but that could change as the season progresses. For now, the Cavs, Wiz and Bulls will compete to determine the top three seeds, as all three teams possess depth, talent and experience. Paul Pierce will look to guide the Wizards talented backcourt to a deep playoff run as his Hall-of-Fame career winds down. LeBron James will look to lead his hometown Cavaliers to the finals once again, this time, with help from Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose will look to regain the form they and before Rose's injuries, with Pau Gasol looking for a fresh start in the windy city.

Predictions

Regular Season MVP- Chris Paul
Rookie of the Year- Jabari Parker
Western Conference Finals- Bulls over Cavaliers 4-2
Eastern Conference Finals- Thunder over Spurs 4-3
NBA Finals- Thunder over Bulls 4-2
Finals MVP- Kevin Durant

One thing is for sure, the NBA is back and should be as exciting, if not more exciting than last year.

Ready... Set... Go!

Tune in to NBA.com for any and all information on all 32 teams.
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

Russell Westbrook is excited for the season. How about you? Source- http://binaryapi.ap.org/5ccbc0998bb941b2aa09d908c88f32f6/460x.jpg

Bryant and Rose Set to Return Amid Question Marks

Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose are arguably two of the biggest stars in the NBA. The former is one of the greatest players of all-time and a five time champion, while the latter is youngest MVP in league history. Both are coming off of multiple serious injuries, and will be closely watched as the 2014-15 season begins.

Bryant suffered a torn achilles in the Spring of 2013, days before the playoffs were set to begin. He spent the entire offseason rushing a recovery only to injure his right knee after only playing six games in the 2013-14 season. 

Rose tore his ACL in the 2012 NBA playoffs, and then missed the entire 2012-13 NBA season. He returned for the 2013-14 season, but tore his meniscus only a few weeks into the season, and would not play again for the rest of the year.

Both players have stated that they are fully healthy and have experienced no setbacks. Bryant has averaged 19 points per game throughout the preseason, while Rose has averaged 17.5 points per game.

In order for their respective teams to compete for playoff spots this season, the two all-stars must be fully healthy and play at a high level. Only time will tell if this will happen. Stay tuned for more updates.

Click HERE for all news surrounding Bryant and the Lakers

Click HERE for all news surrounding Rose and the Bulls

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Thunder Can Survive Durant's Injury

Fans of the NBA and more importantly the Oklahoma City Thunder woke up to startling news a few days ago- Reigning 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant had been injured. Not just an ankle sprain or sore back, but a fractured right foot injury that will sideline him for the first quarter of the NBA season at minimum.

Image source- http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/104/399/hi-res-3a5a7db31459dadad6615b7a0449ba13_crop_north.jpg?w=759&h=506&q=75 

It was a crushing blow to Thunder fans, who were hoping that this was finally the year their team could breakthrough and win an NBA championship. In order to do have the best chance at achieving that, any team in the loaded Western Conference must secure home court and be playing their best basketball going into the NBA's second season. This now seems like a tall task for the Thunder.

Fear not all hope is not lost. You still have Russell Westbrook, one of the most dynamic, athletic and talented guards this game has seen in 20 years. Yes, he has been criticized for taking too many shots when he should have deferred to Durant. Yes he has had his own injury problems (three major knee surgeries in the last two years). Yes, every team will now overload their defense to stop him, as they no longer have to commit most of their attention to covering his injured teammate. They also have Reggie Jackson, Serge Ibaka and Jeremy Lamb; players who are capable of stepping up their game during Durant's absence. But there are several things that head coach Scott Brooks and the rest of the Thunder can do to achieve success in Durant's absence.

Utilize Reggie Jackson

Scott Brooks listen to me on this one. Reggie Jackson can play. The soon-to-be fourth year point guard out of Boston College has show tremendous growth. He started 36 games while Westbrook was injured last year, and showed flashes of scoring ability and leadership. While his shooting percentages will have to improve (44% FG, 34% 3pt), Jackson's athleticism and maturity will help the Thunder on both ends of the floor. The best way to utilize Jackson would be...

2 Guard Line-ups

Speaking of Reggie Jackson. He was used alongside Westbrook later in the season and in the playoffs, with successful results. Teams now had to worry about stopping two quick guards instead of  letting the less offensive Thabo Sefolosha, in addition to Durant of course. Jackson and Westbrook are more than capable of running the offense together, as the latter is one of the highest scoring point guards in the league on a yearly basis. In fact, some critics say he isn't a true point guard, rather a hybrid combo-guard. This can and will work in OKC's favor. Both guards will be able to score, as well as run the pick and roll effectively with Ibaka, which will make it extra tough for defenses. Speaking of Ibaka...

Growth From Ibaka

The sixth-year power forward out of the Congo will need to show more improvement in his scoring to keep the Thunder afloat during the first two months of the season. His defense will always be there (career 2.6 blocks per game), and his points per game has gone up each of the last three seasons (career-high 15.1 ppg). However, the 6'10'' big man will have to show more improvement in his post up game to be considered a real offensive threat, so Westbrook does not get double teamed as often. The good news is he is very capable of making this leap. Ibaka's mid-range jumper is very reliable and his athleticism will help him in scoring down low.

Final Thoughts

Thunders fans have no need to fear. Even with a tough schedule in the Western Conference, and the injury to Durant, OKC will be able to post a respectable record in his absence. Scott Brooks and his staff are among the best in the NBA, and will make the proper adjustments to their rotation. Expect Westbrook to shine, and averaged around 25-27 points, seven assists and six rebounds per game while Durant is sidelined.  The Thunder open their season on Wednesday, Oct. 29 on the road against the Portland Trailblazers, followed by a contest in Los Angeles against the Clippers the following night.

Westbrook is not only one of the most athletic players in the league, but one of the best finishers at the rim.

*All stats and measurements courtesy of Basketball Reference
Follow me on twitter @Lower_Merion33

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Hi my name is Jordan Vitkauskas and I am the creator of the Big Blog of Basketball. My goal is to post about any and everything relating to the NBA. I hope to generate passionate discussions among loyal NBA fans about many topics in the league. Welcome to the site and enjoy. Leave any comments/questions/concerns below. Stay tuned for more updates soon to come!

The NBA is set for new heights in the 2014-15 season.