Here is our regular look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points the way the guys at the Russian River Brewery love their beer...
• We complain about the amount of isolation the Knicks run with Carmelo Anthony, and with reason because their offensive flow can crumble if they do it too much and the Knicks become easier to defend. But some ‘Melo in isolation is a good thing — he’s good at it and because he can score in a variety of ways he forces double teams and adjustments from the defense. Over at Posting and Toasting there is a good, detailed look at where and when the Knicks should isolate Melo.
• Popeye Jones has been hired as a Pacers’ assistant coach.
• The first rule of Tim Grgurich’s skills camp is don’t talk about Tim Grgurich’s skills camp. Grgurich is a very well-respected assistant coach and he hosts a very secretive skills camp every summer in Las Vegas that a number of players attend. Otto Porter had to back out this year.
• The Lakers Jordan Hill is working on being more of a stretch four to fit in Mike D’Antoni’s offense.
• Announcers vastly overestimate the idea of momentum in a sports contest.
• Bucks GM John Hammond thinks Carlos Delfino is the starting three for Milwaukee.
• Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard was playing video blackjack, hit on 20 and won. It’s better to be lucky than good... Pritchard can tell you all about that.
• Over at Grantland, Zach Lowe had some fun looking at the etymology of all the team names in the NBA. Man there just are a lot of bad fits. But count me in the group that wouldn’t have Jazz that high.
• Hawks big man Al Horford will not suit up for the Dominican Republic national team this summer at the FIBA Americas tournament.
• Doug Overton is the new coach of the Nets’ D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor.
• Finally, watch high schooler Josh Ruggles hit 135 threes in five minutes.
