Around the League: Week of 3/24-3/30

[carey]

Kevin Durant went off against the Raptors for 51 and a game winner: CLICK

Knicks could have moved within 2 games of the 8th spot, but of course they blew a 15 point lead at the half when Jack went off: CLICK

Nash is back! Then isn't. He came off the bench for 11 assists in 19 minutes then missed the next game due to hamstring issues: CLICK

Westbrook not seriously injured: CLICK

What's wrong with Harrison Barnes: CLICK

The month of March has been an unmitigated disaster. In 11 games, Barnes is averaging 6.5 points in 26.8 minutes per game, shooting a miserable 30.8 percent overall and 21.9 percent from long range. The last five games have been especially wretched, with those shooting numbers dipping to 20.6 percent overall and 6.3 percent from deep. That includes an 0-of-7 goose egg in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks in a tighter-than-expected win on Thursday.

Ginobili plans to play next year.

Bosh, "We suck. There's no passion." O.k.?: CLICK

"We're going to have to draw the line in the sand somewhere," Bosh said. "We don't talk about it. We're not expressing ourselves in the locker room or on the court. So I figure I'll be the first one to say it, 'We suck.'

"And we need to turn it around. And if we don't turn it around, we'll be watching the championship at home.

[carey]

@ESPNSteinLine: Kevin Durant, according to Elias, now on pace for NBA's first 32+ PPG, 7+ RPG and 5+ APG season since a certain Michael Jordan in 1988-89.

[Ring_Wanted]

T-Mac missed that mark by 0.5 rebounds per game in 2002-03.

[Wally_West]

T-Mac missed that mark by 0.5 rebounds per game in 2002-03.

Wow, that's crazy. I always liked T-Mac, I wished he ended his career on better circumstances. Those last few years were hard to watch.

[INFORMER]

Commissioner Adam Silver told Bleacher Report he intends to revisit the issue after the season. He plans to meet with LeBron James, one of the loudest critics of the jerseys. The NBA could decide to curtail the use of the sleeved jerseys, leave it up to individual teams or simply kill the program for good.

King James gets beat in a game where he wore a sleeved jersey, cried about it, and now the "shirseys" have to go.

[iLLmatic]

I don't understand his complaint; did he not wear a tshirt growing up when playing basketball?

[Phoenix219]

Wow, how did I totally miss the 1 game Nash come back? 11 assists in 19 minutes? Thats fucking amazing. I thought he was done for the year months ago? Damn work, i'm missing the whole end of the season.

[Superbone]

Commissioner Adam Silver told Bleacher Report he intends to revisit the issue after the season. He plans to meet with LeBron James, one of the loudest critics of the jerseys. The NBA could decide to curtail the use of the sleeved jerseys, leave it up to individual teams or simply kill the program for good.

King James gets beat in a game where he wore a sleeved jersey, cried about it, and now the "shirseys" have to go.

OK, Mr. No Excuses.

The most excuses I've ever heard in basketball come out of that guy. It's always "No excuses, but..." with him.

[In2ition]

I don't understand his complaint; did he not wear a tshirt growing up when playing basketball?

I'm not a fan of the shirsey's. Good for fans, but not great for players. Tshirts can affect a jump shooter when they are really small and pull on your arm as you are reaching up. Just that tiny pull can affect muscle memory when shooting. I imagine that it is worse for LeBron, since the tshirt is going to feel even smaller for him. As a shooter growing up, I wouldn't wear tshirts while playing, because I didn't want to feel the short sleeve pull on my arm as I am going up with the ball. I feel like it's a legitimate gripe. Besides, I am not a fan.
Why would we want the players to wear anything that negatively affects performance?

[Superbone]

I don't understand his complaint; did he not wear a tshirt growing up when playing basketball?

I'm not a fan of the shirsey's. Good for fans, but not great for players. Tshirts can affect a jump shooter when they are really small and pull on your arm as you are reaching up. Just that tiny pull can affect muscle memory when shooting. I imagine that it is worse for LeBron, since the tshirt is going to feel even smaller for him. As a shooter growing up, I wouldn't wear tshirts while playing, because I didn't want to feel the short sleeve pull on my arm as I am going up with the ball. I feel like it's a legitimate gripe. Besides, I am not a fan.
Why would we want the players to wear anything that negatively affects performance?

To this day I don't play basketball in sleeves. In fact I'm wearing my Suns practice jersey right now as I just finished playing lunch pickup basketball.

[Mori Chu]

I heard some blogger say that the real reason for the sleeved jerseys is that they will put ads on the sleeves. Makes sense.

[Superbone]

I heard some blogger say that the real reason for the sleeved jerseys is that they will put ads on the sleeves. Makes sense.

From everything I read, the real reason is because Joe/Jill Shmoe would wear a sleeved jersey in public but not a normal sleeveless jersey which makes sense to me. It's all about the Benjamins.

[In2ition]

I believe both of these reasons are legitimate. I just don't like how they look and I don't like the idea of ads on them.

[INFORMER]

I imagine that it is worse for LeBron, since the tshirt is going to feel even smaller for him. As a shooter growing up, I wouldn't wear tshirts while playing, because I didn't want to feel the short sleeve pull on my arm as I am going up with the ball. I feel like it's a legitimate gripe.

I don't have a problem with him not liking them, I have a problem with him using it as an excuse after a loss, especially when the Spurs team the lit his butt up was wearing them too. The sleeves didn't seem to stop them from raining jumpers on him and his "Heatles" all night long.

It's just more of the same crap from LeBron. Refusing to shake hands after being ousted from the playoffs by the Magic because he's such a "winner" and "competitor." Crying about Wade being in and out of the lineup while Durant hasn't had Westbrook but still elevates his game and doesn't use it as an excuse. Then this sleeves nonsense. I'm just sick of it.

[carey]

Big Block Bosh?: CLICK

[carey]

Jeff Ayres haunted by ghost baby in San Antonio hotel room:CLICK, or don't.

Ayres: “You get in at whatever time. I took my room key. I could hear stuff in the hallway, like people in their rooms. So I’m thinking people are watching TV or whatever. So I get to my door, and my key doesn’t work, but it sounds like there’s somebody in my room. Like I hear a little baby, not crying but making noise. I’m like, ‘What the heck?’ I keep trying my key and it doesn’t work. So I go downstairs to get a new key, and I tell them (somebody’s in the room).

“So they call the room, and nobody answers. They’re like, ‘We can get you a new key and send you up with security and make sure nobody’s there, because there shouldn’t be anybody in there.’ Then they’re like, ‘We’ll just get you a new room.’ It was the creepiest thing. I heard a couple of other guys heard babies in the hallway, kids running down the hallway. Creepy. I really heard voices and a baby in the room, and there wasn’t anybody in there. It was crazy.”

[carey]

Stolen from Ziller's newsletter.

EAST PLAYOFF PICTURE UPDATE: The Heat trail the Pacers for No. 1 by two games. Toronto and Chicago are tied for No. 3; Brooklyn is two back. The Hawks have a 2.5-game lead over the Knicks for No. 8.

WEST PLAYOFF PICTURE UPDATE: San Antonio leads OKC by two games for No. 1. The Clippers lead the Rockets by 1.5 games for No. 3, and Houston has opened up a safe 3.5-game lead on Portland. Memphis is in No. 7 by a half-game, and Phoenix and Dallas are tied for No. 8. Guh! Race to the finish!

[m1chal]

GO all teams playing against Mavs and Grizz! Tonight, GO THUNDER! We need to take care of the Wizz tomorrow. Might be difficult.

[TOO]

Dammit Thunder, REBOUND THE BALL and its over.

[JeffreyLee]

Dammit Thunder, REBOUND THE BALL and its over.

Damit, we should be a half game up!