Good morning. Let’s basketball.
Good morning. The Pistons are now stealing wins.
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WAIVE THE JOSH SMITH IN YOUR LIFE: Heavens bless Zito Madu, who boiled the Pistons’ legend down to this consumable lesson. Speaking of which ...
THE PISTONS! Brandon Jennings picked Kyle Lowry’s pocket in a one-possession game to seal a Detroit win. Clutch defense!
THE KEVIN GARNETT FAREWELL TOUR CONTINUES: KG hit Dwight Howard with a head butt, was ejected.
WELL THEN: I believe this Nikola Vucevic dunk on Pau Gasol invokes that GOT YOU SUCKA Clause of 1993, which means that barring a late push from other competitors Vucevic will now by an East All-Star starter in Pau’s place, and has won the right to Spanish citizenship.
THE REST OF LAST NIGHT: The Nets have lost six straight and are two blinks from a fire sale. The Bulls had a bad home loss to the Magic. The Pelicans had a bad road loss to the Celtics.
PISTONS METER: Detroit is now only two games out of the No. 8 seed.
HAWKS METER: Atlanta is now four games up on the Raptors, Wizards and Bulls in the East. Four games!
WESTERLY CONCERNS: The Spurs seem to have survived their lull (4.5-game cushion on No. 9) and the Suns have a 2.5-game lead on New Orleans and Oklahoma City. It looks like Golden State and Portland are on their ways to the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds, but there’s plenty of time.
DUNK FINGER: If you don’t know about Gerald Green’s “dunk finger,” this story will catch you up. Pretty inspiring stuff, and very cool of the Suns to make up foam versions of Green’s right hand for fans.
SO MUCH POWER: Hawks and Warriors, Hawks and Warriors!
AN APOLOGY: Over the summer I cracked wise about Grizzlies controlling partner Robert Pera choosing Graduation as his favorite Kanye West album. I have recently prayed on this matter, and I have determined I was in error in my rejection of Pera’s opinion. I ignored the very important context of what the triumphalist, wealth-focused album meant at that point in young Mr. Pera’s life. For a guy who was when Graduation came out a 29-year-old Silicon Valley CEO ... of course Graduation was his life’s soundtrack! Just as The College Dropout was for us struggling 20-somethings in 2004. So, please accept my apologies for questioning your taste level, Mr. Pera.
MEET HASSAN WHITESIDE: Miami might have itself a stud call-up in the Marshall product. The Kings drafted him in the second round in 2010 after he’d been projected to the lottery. He was quite obviously a longer-term project; the Kings gave up on him quickly. Alas.
THE LINE DAVID BLATT CROSSED: We mentioned the David Blatt quote about Kevin Love on Monday, and I wrote about it at some length on Monday. For his part, Kevin Love said he wanted clarification from Blatt and received it. I don’t buy Blatt’s explanation. Just like I don’t buy the mustache sharpening thing the Cavs tried to sell us a couple months ago. But if it’s good enough for Love, then it’s good enough.
YES OKAY: If you’re in or around New York over the next month, there’s an exhibition themed around Space Jam in Chelsea. It looks amazing. (Via The Notorious J.D.H.)
WOW: From Paul Coro’s on-the-scene report about the Cavaliers’ practice in Phoenix: a fan there held up a “Love to L.A.” sign! Poor Suns.
ON MR. SMITH: Upon reading David Aldridge’s excellent Morning Tip, which leads with a discussion of Josh Smith, something struck me. Everyone involved in the ordeal has been a total class act in the aftermath. Smith has been gracious despite being fired in such a public way. Stan Van Gundy and the entire Pistons organization has been incredibly careful not to gloat about the winning turn or pin the 5-23 start on Smith. Everyone has just been really cool, and that’s really cool.
Happy Tuesday, everyone. See you next time.
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