While everyone laughed off Chauncey Billups’ claim that he should be the starting point guard for the Detroit Pistons, it turns out that the matter isn’t so laughable. At least, not to Brandon Jennings. There are guarantees about who will start at the point for the Pistons next season. Per MLive: “While Jennings is as close to a lock as there is to open the season running the Pistons offense, the team does have four point guards on the roster with Chauncey Billups, Will Bynum and rookie Peyton Siva also under contract. And all of them would like to be the starter, too. In fact, when Billups signed in Detroit, he said he was returning to the Pistons to be their starting point guard. ‘So did Will Bynum, so did Peyton Siva, so did Brandon Jennings. They all told me that when they signed,’ president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said with a laugh. ‘I was like, ‘Yeah, you are. You right, bro. I said that to all of them. ‘You right, bro.’ So what’s the truth? That decision will be up to new coach Maurice Cheeks and he hasn’t committed to anyone yet, according to Dumars. ‘I don’t know yet,’ Dumars said Tuesday after introducing Jennings in a news conference at The Palace. ‘I can tell you what Mo has told every guy from Chauncey to Brandon to every guy. He said, ‘Look, come in and earn it. I’m going to give it to whoever earns it.’ He said that to every single guy. He said, ‘Joe I’m not going to put myself in a trick box where I’m committing myself to something and it doesn’t play out.’ So, he’s kept it wide open. He said, ‘Let’s see what happens.’ That’s exactly what he said. That’s exactly how it’s going to be.’ Dumars also said no decision has been made as to who will be the starter at shooting guard.”

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by Jay Wallis / @JayWallis11

The Detroit Pistons have traded Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton and Slava Kravtsov to the Milwaukee Bucks for Brandon Jennings. The Bucks will give Jennings a three-year, $24 million contract.

The Pistons made this trade because: their front office is still just as impatient.

As discussed in a previous Court Changes, when the Pistons decided to give Josh Smith a hefty four-year, $56 million contract, they were doing so in order to take a step toward relevancy. With the insertion of Jennings, owner Tom Gores has a better chance of getting his wish to “find [their] way into the Playoffs,” and general manager Joe Dumars might be able to get another contract extension after this season. Furthermore, since the Bobcats will receive the Pistons’ 2014 first-round pick as long as it’s outside the top eight, this is a season to go for it.

Jennings has averaged 17.0 ppg, 5.7 apg and 34.6 mpg through four seasons in Milwaukee. He is a shoot-first and shoot-second gunner who has plenty of kinks and deficiencies to his game; however, he still has time to improve being only 23 since he decided to play overseas rather than at the collegiate level. Last season, he shot a career-best 37.5 percent from three-point range and averaged a career-best 6.5 apg.

After the East’s top five teams (Heat, Pacers, Bulls, Nets, Knicks), the last three Playoff spots are there for the taking. By bringing in Jennings, the Pistons appear to have put themselves in position to make the Playoffs for the first time since 2009 and to possibly grab the 6-seed.

The Bucks made this trade because: Milwaukee has a trigger-happy owner who has a constantly revolving door for his rosters.

As long as Herb Kohl remains the Bucks’ owner, it is unlikely to see Milwaukee at the very bottom of the East. The former US Senator purchased the team in 1985 and has shown an aversion for rebuilding. When any of his teams have a bad year, instead of tearing things down and starting over, Kohl has a tendency to make trades in order to stay near the playoff fringe. He rarely feels the need to keep a player long term and has mandated that the Bucks “stay relevant” every year.

In 2003, after Ray Allen was the face of the franchise for over six years, Milwaukee traded him for Gary Payton, who only lasted one season. The next year, Kohl brought in Keith Van Horn midway through the season and shipped him out midway through the next. After a couple promising years with the Bucks, in 2005, high-flying swingman Desmond Mason was traded to the Hornets for All-Star Jamaal Magloire, who in turn lasted one season with the Bucks. And Kohl’s most recent actions verify this approach. In 2010, he gave Drew Gooden what is now considered one of the worst contracts this decade—seven years, $32 million—hoping to build on their first round appearance the previous season. Just this past year, he traded away several promising players, including forward Tobias Harris, for JJ Redick—even though Redick’s contract expired that season. Redick turned out to be another traded player who lasted less than one season.

So, with Monta Ellis and Jennings lacking any sort of chemistry and being a horrible duo on the same team (again, this pairing happened in the first place because of Kohl’s need to endlessly bring in new players), this era could only last so long for either of them. Once they let Ellis go to the Mavs, the Bucks attempted to sign unrestricted free agent Jeff Teague before the Hawks decided to match their offer. This bid showed the Bucks’ disinterest in bringing back Jennings and desire to move in yet another different direction. This new direction will not include six of the team’s nine leading scorers from last season—just the way Kohl likes it.

This is good for the Pistons because: they might have their next Chauncey Billups.

When Billups came to the Pistons in 2002, there were a lot of cons to go along with his pros. Even though he had been serviceable during his time with the Celtics, Raptors, Nuggets and Wolves, there was a reason he had been with four teams in his first five years. Rather than being Big-Shot Billups, he was Bad-Shot Billups, shooting below 40 percent from the field during his first three seasons. Many around the NBA began to consider him a lottery-pick bust.

By the end of the ’01-02 season, however, he showed flashes of what was soon to come, breaking out for 22 ppg, 5.7 apg and 5.0 rpg during three playoff games. Dumars rolled the dice on this inefficient point guard, giving him a six-year, $35 million contract. The rest was history as Billups became a fan favorite and took the Pistons to two straight Finals appearances, including a Championship over the favored Lakers in 2004.

Jennings has the chance to turn his game around just as Billups did 11 years ago. Failing to shoot over 40 percent from the field in three of his first four seasons, he is nothing short of a shot-chunker and nothing close to a standard pass-first point guard. He loves to take questionable step-back, fadeaway jumpers that can only be considered as ill advised. (Unless you are Stephen Curry.) Last season, Jennings only took 18 percent of his shots from inside 17 feet, according to Synergy Stats. When you compare this to Chris Paul, for example, who took over 37 percent of his shots from this distance, it becomes clear that Jennings settles for jumpers far too often.

But Billups had the same bad habits and transformed his game, changing from a scorer to a facilitator. Jennings certainly has the potential to be a playmaker if he just sets his mind to it and approaches the game in a different way.

Last season, Jennings averaged 2.7 apg leading to field goals at the rim, according to Hoopdata. This matched Tony Parker’s mark and almost equaled LeBron James’. He even went though a four-game stretch in which he averaged 20 ppg, 14.5 apg and only 3 tpg in 43.5 minutes. He also shot 50 percent from the field and 57 percent from three-point range, showing his ability to take and make better shots. He obviously won’t put up these numbers on a regular basis, but this provides concrete evidence he has the capacity to be a playmaking point guard.

Luckily for Jennings, he now has an older Billups to take him under his wing and teach him how to improve his shot selection, defense and leadership. And therein lies the lingering question: Will Jennings take this change in scenery as a chance to also change his image? Can he become the point guard the Bucks envisioned as their future when they drafted him 10th in 2009? With Billups by his side, Jennings could allow the Palace to experience some déjà vu.

This is bad for the Pistons because: they might have their next Allen Iverson.

The Pistons eventually traded Billups to the Denver Nuggets for A.I. at the start of the ’08-09 season. This turned into, as Iverson put it, “the worst year of [his] career.” After shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point range, the League’s epitome of the shoot-first point guard was sent to the bench toward the end of the season. Iverson did not like this one bit, publicly claiming the Pistons lied to him about never benching him. Eventually, Iverson had “back problems” that kept him out of the Playoffs where his team was swept by the Cavaliers.

Iverson changed the game of basketball during his time with the 76ers and will be remembered for his dazzling handles, unmatched quickness and incredible 48-point outburst in their sole 2001 NBA Finals win. There can only be one A.I.

But he will also be remembered as a player who could only play one way and couldn’t or wouldn’t adjust to a team’s needs. There’s a reason he was only 34 when he played presumably his last NBA game. He’s healthy and can still play—but can only play his way.

Jennings, who has similar immaturity problems that Iverson had throughout his NBA career, might not care that Billups is on his team, ready and willing to mentor him. Jennings is a second-tier point guard who thinks he’s a top-five point guard. Even though confidence is important to any professional athlete, this inflated self-assessment has hindered his discipline and efficiency.

Since the notorious 55-point explosion in his seventh game as a rookie, Jennings has plateaued statistically and has been shooting like he is bound to have another one of these performances. He had the sixth most field-goal attempts among point guards last year but only converted 39.9 percent of these shots, which is second worst among 123 players to average 15 field-goal attempts per game. And just like Iverson, Jennings will keep shooting and shooting, no matter what his teammates have to offer or how open he is.

In addition to problems similar to A.I., Jennings has a few unique problems of his own. He is weakest when shooting near the basket. While most guards shoot around 55 percent or better at the rim, Jennings shot below 50 percent at the rim last season, according to Basketball Reference. He also shot a dreadful 28 percent from 3-to-10 feet away. Both of these low percentages are in large part because he can’t shoot with his right hand. If he finds himself driving on the right side of the floor, he will often awkwardly shoot with his left hand, exposing the ball to defenders. Additionally, Jennings seriously struggled in isolation last season, being in the 28th percentile in isolation play, according to Synergy Stats.

Jennings is the Walmart version of A.I. with just as much immaturity and irrational willingness to put up shot after shot. To add to the problem, the Pistons brought in Smith, another impulsive lefty shooter from Oak Hill Academy who will want to shoot the ball just as much as Jennings. And that right there could drive the entire Pistons coaching staff insane.

This is bad for Mo Cheeks because: he will be on a short leash with such a talent-heavy roster.

In addition to all the Xs and Os involved with being a head coach, the NBA more than any other professional sport demands that their coaching staffs harness their roster’s talent. Mark Jackson, during his two years in Golden State, has already shown the benefits of having a great motivator as head coach.

Fortunately for Detroit, Cheeks is known more as a cheerleader than a strategist. But Cheeks has the daunting task of trying to find a way to exploit specific aspects of both Jennings’ and Smith’s games when both of these players have consistently and stubbornly avoided playing to their strengths. Smith, Drummond and Greg Monroe give Jennings offensive options he never saw with the Bucks. If Cheeks can’t convince his point guard to pay attention to his frontline, this could be a very short tenure for him, especially with all of the individual talent on this roster heightening expectations. Plenty of veteran coaches—George Karl, for instance—are currently waiting for the right opportunity, so Cheeks better make the pieces fit very quickly.

This is confusing for the Bucks because: their new trio of guards has just as many concerns as before.

Going into the 2013 postseason, the Bucks showcased a backcourt consisting of Jennings, Ellis and Redick. And with Kohl leading the way, that trio has now changed to Brandon Knight, OJ Mayo and Gary Neal.

Instead of getting younger or improving their backcourt, the Bucks have simply traded three problematic players for three players with just as many questions and concerns. Knight is only 21 but has given little reason to think he can be a point guard long-term. He’s a shooting guard in a point guard’s body playing too much like a shooting guard. Mayo is one year older than Ellis and has never shown the ability to score at will like Ellis while sharing his defensive deficiencies. Neal had his career-defining moment in Game 3 of last year’s NBA Finals when he poured in 24 unexpected points. Besides that, he simply seems like a role player who might not be ready for the larger part the Bucks are expecting him to play. And what could be most problematic of all is that none of these players are particularly good or willing passers. The Bucks should be worried just as much as the Pistons in terms of who will be the main facilitator.

As mentioned before, the Bucks are very confusing in what they’re trying to accomplish next season and beyond. Other than their hope in Sanders and Henson continuing to develop, any sort of long-term plan is an enigma.

The Pistons won this trade because: no matter how much the Pistons improve, they now have a team worth investing in.

Let’s make one thing clear: This isn’t the 2009 offseason for the Pistons. Villanueva/Gordon might have been expected to play similar roles as Smith/Jennings will, but the major difference is the hype that goes along with the recent signings. The Pistons finally have a team worth going to the Palace to watch. No longer are they wading in mediocrity, thinking about the good ol’ days during the mid-to-late 2000s. That era started off in a comparable manner. The Pistons made similar drastic changes to three of their starting positions in 2002 when Billups, Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince all joined the team.

With the signing of Jennings along with Smith, the Pistons have taken a step toward their winning ways from not too long ago. Even though these elite individual talents don’t seem as though they could fit together on the same team, Detroit has a legitimate chance to win now while leaving room to improve for the future. With Villanueva’s and Stuckey’s expiring contracts still available, the Pistons could easily make a mid-season trade consisting of these two for a strong wing player and/or deep threat. If they can’t find a trade suitor for these two, they will still have significant cap space during a highly anticipated summer of free agency.

Monroe, Drummond, Smith and Jennings are the faces of this franchise for the present and future. If they can find a way to fit together, understand their roles and rely on each other’s strengths, they will be a part of the elite East shortly. But that “if” may be much larger than we all think.

BJennings to the D?

— Charlie Villanueva (@CV31) July 30, 2013

Previously:
Court Changes: The New Argentinian Sixth Man
Court Changes: Nate The Lil’ Nugget
Court Changes: Monta Ellis Picks Dallas
Court Changes: Iggy Joins the Dubs
Court Changes: Josh Smith Going To Motown
Court Changes: Superman to Houston
Court Changes: Clippers Get Two Sharpshooters
Court Changes: Knicks Acquire Andrea Bargnani

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As he prepares for the battle to reclaim what was once his in Detroit (and to face drastic roster changes), veteran guard Chauncey Billups says he didn’t want to play the role he was forced into as an LA Clipper. Per Yahoo! Sports: “‘I’m 36 and I’m going to be 37 when the season starts,’ Billups said. ‘I’ve accomplished everything I tried to accomplish in basketball. So I don’t have anything to prove. But to my own personal self, I want to end my career playing my position and just doing what I do.’ […] Last season, he played just 22 games, averaging career-lows of 8.4 points and 2.2 assists. The Clippers then acquired shooting guard J.J. Redick to replace Billups, who played out of position alongside point guard Chris Paul. ‘I definitely wasn’t disappointed,’ Billups said. ‘I didn’t want to be a two-guard anyway. I did it there because it’s a way for me to get on the floor. You are playing behind the best point guard in the league in Chris. I never saw myself as a shooting guard. I never wanted to play it.’ […] ‘I always wanted to retire a Piston anyway,’ Billups said. ‘That’s where I stayed the longest and had most of my success. I always wanted to be remembered as a Piston. This will hopefully give me the opportunity to end my career there.’ Billups hasn’t played primarily as a reserve since the 2000-01 season when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He started every game he played with the Pistons from 2002-09. Although it would seem like a long shot with (Brandon) Jennings onboard, Billups plans to prove he deserves to be the starting point guard next season. Billups said his Achilles’ tendon, which has been medically cleared by the Pistons, ‘is fine’ and his body feels as good as it has in years. Billups was asked before the Jennings deal if he thought he had could start at point guard for Detroit and said: ‘I would think that when I’m healthy I give us the best chance to win. I’m not sure. But I believe in me.'”

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Despite his self-confidence, Brandon Knight has some stiff competition going into next season in Detroit. Chauncey Billups says that he expects to become the starting point guard for the Pistons once again. Per ABC 12 and the Detroit News: “Talked to Chauncey one on one … He told me he expects to start at point guard for the Detroit Pistons […] ‘It was, for one, validation for me because I kept making All-Star teams and making teams better,’ said Billups, who has played for the Nuggets, Knicks and Clippers since leaving Detroit. ‘I didn’t want to see the Pistons suffer, but at the same time I wanted people to know why it was what it was.’ He spoke with an slight edge to reporters gathered at The Palace’s West Atrium, where he was initially greeted by cheers and applause from Palace employees and some season-ticket holders. […] ‘I think leadership is severely, severely undervalued, and I felt like that being undervalued led them to making the move they made and it cost them,’ Billups said. ‘I didn’t want to see it cost them like this as a lifetime Piston, but I do want people to know the impact I made on the franchise.’ The relationship between a very strong-willed player and a strong-willed general manager was more mentor-mentee than employee-superior, and he felt he was owed more by Pistons president Joe Dumars. A phone call started the process of healing. The two men wouldn’t have been sitting side by side Tuesday if the seeds of reconciliation had not been sewn. ‘I just needed to hear him apologize for how it went down, to kind of stand on it, and he did that,’ Billups said. ‘As a man, I can’t do anything but respect that. Because I had to know it was nothing personal, it was what he thought was a good business move. But we had a personal relationship. I forgave Joe for all of that and we moved forward. I’m great.’ […] The old man has begun reclaiming things that were previously synonymous with his name during his time in Detroit. Andre Drummond has already given up the number 1 to the Finals MVP, and quite easily, it should be noted, although the team had to get clearance from the league for the change because it was well past the initial deadline. But the other thing, that starting point guard spot, is what Billups is also expecting to again make his own come opening night. ‘That pride, competitiveness doesn’t go with age,’ said Billups, who’ll turn 37 years old before the season begins. ‘I feel like I’m gonna give us the best chance to win basketball games in the starting point guard role.'”

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Guess who’s headed back to Motown? 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups is re-joining the Detroit Pistons, having agreed to a two-year deal worth a bit over $5 million. Per Yahoo! Sports: “Billups, 36, hopes to finish his career where it blossomed in the glory years of the Billups-Richard Hamilton-Ben Wallace Pistons of the mid-2000s. Billups will play the part of mentor for young Detroit guard Brandon Knight, and be a rotation guard off the bench for Detroit. Pistons general manager Joe Dumars has long regretted trading Billups to the Denver Nuggets for the expiring contract of Allen Iverson in the 2008-09 season. Now, Dumars has brought back Billups with a mandate to nurture and perform for the Pistons. For Billups, the trade sent him to his hometown Nuggets, where he played an immense part in the maturity of Carmelo Anthony and the franchise’s growth into a Western Conference finalist. For the Pistons, the loss of Billups started a spiral that eventually led to four straight non-playoff seasons. Now, Billups returns with a mandate to help Detroit’s talented young core reach the postseason again under new coach Mo Cheeks.”

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LA Clippers star forward Blake Griffin is perceived by some observers as being a tad “soft”, this especially after he was manhandled by Zach Randolph in this year’s Playoffs. His teammate Chauncey Billups doesn’t necessarily agree, but concedes that Griffin being less kind could work to his benefit. Per ESPN: “I don’t agree that Blake Griffin is soft. But what I will say about Blake is that he’s maybe too nice of a guy,’ Billups said. ‘Because there’s been times in games where people take shots at Blake. And I tell him if that’s me, you’re going to have to take this two- or three-game suspension, and I’m going to punish somebody. That’s just how I’m built. Blake is not really built like that. He’s … too soft of a guy inside for him to be like, ‘All right, I’m just going to hurt somebody.’ He just won’t do it. I wish he would, and I think that people would look at him a lot different if he did that. But he’s just not that kind of person.’ Billups said ‘there’s nobody that works harder’ than Griffin, but the three-time All-Star would benefit if the Clippers were able to add ‘a veteran down low to help him … to push him along a little faster.'”

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Free agent guard Chauncey Billups, just like every other old NBA free agent out there, says he wants to take whatever may be left of his talents to South Beach. Billups made the admission after winning the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award. Per Fox Sports: “The Miami Heat went after Chauncey Billups before last season but weren’t able to get him. They soon will have another chance. The veteran point guard will become a free agent July 1. He said he then will consider the Heat. ‘Of course, I would have interest in Miami, of course,’ Billups said. The Heat went after Billups after he was released in December 2011 as part of the NBA’s amnesty provision. However, the Los Angeles Clippers won the bidding process, and he has played with them the past two seasons. But Billups, 36, said he will look at all options this summer. He was asked if the Clippers have any sort of inside track to re-sign him. ‘I’m wide open,’ Billups said. ‘Free agent means free.’ It remains to be seen if the Heat, who are pleased with young point guards Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole, might be willing to bring in a veteran at the position. But Billups said he’s been watching the Heat and believes he could be an asset. ‘Absolutely, I could help them,’ Billups said before the Heat faced San Antonio after having lost the Finals opener last Thursday. Billups averaged 15.0 points for the Clippers in 20 games in 2011-12 before suffering a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. He continued to be hampered by the injury last season, missing 38 of the first 41 games.”

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The NBA presented Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups with its inaugural Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award—a new annual honor given to a player selected by a panel of NBA legends “according to selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players and his commitment and dedication to his team”—Sunday night in Miami. Billups played just 22 regular season games this season due to injury, but returned for the Clippers’ first-round Playoff series. He averaged 8.4 points and 2.2 assists per game in 2012-13, while helping guide Chris Paul and the rest of the Clips’ backcourt.

Other finalists for the award included: Jerry Stackhouse (Brooklyn Nets), Luke Walton (Cleveland Cavaliers), Andre Iguodala (Denver Nuggets), Jarrett Jack (Golden State Warriors), Roy Hibbert (Indiana Pacers), Shane Battier (Miami Heat), Roger Mason, Jr. (New Orleans Hornets), Jason Kidd (New York Knicks), Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder), Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs) and Emeka Okafor (Washington Wizards).

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It was a 93-77 laugher for the LA Clippers over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers. So much so, that even Chauncey Billups made the highlight reel.

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Chauncey Billups is going to need some time off after aggravating his groin injury on Wednesday night, and his status for the remainder of the season is “in doubt.” From the L.A. Times: “When it comes to the injury front, the Los Angeles Clippers always seem to be in the one-step-forward, one-step-backward mode this season. So it figures that just when it looked as if the Clippers were completely healthy again, Chauncey Billups aggravated his strained right groin, leaving his playing status for the rest of the season in doubt. […] ‘He’s going to be out a little bit,’ Del Negro said. ‘I don’t know how much. I’ll know more [Friday], probably. But I don’t expect him around for a while. I’m not sure if Chauncey will be out a game, two games, two weeks. I don’t know yet. It depends on how he reacts working out.’ […] ‘We can just never get him healthy, so it’s been tough,” Del Negro said. ‘I feel bad for him. We’re trying to get some continuity, but it’s hard to when he’s in one or two games and out with the groin or the back or whatever.'”

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His return to the court only three games old, Chauncey Billups was back on the sidelines last night, as he nursed a bum left ankle. Per the LA Daily News: “After scoring 22 points on 5-for-15 shooting and adding seven assists in 60 minutes in his first three games of the season, veteran guard Chauncey Billups had to sit out Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center. Billups said his surgically repaired left Achilles tendon was fine, but he’s suffering from peroneal tendinitis in his left ankle. His ankle was so inflamed and weak he couldn’t jump or change directions adequately during the Clippers’ victory Monday over the Utah Jazz. The two injuries are unrelated, Billups added. ‘It’s something I’ve been dealing with for a couple of weeks, actually even before I played my first game,’ he said. ‘It was something I really wanted to get checked out because I just feel like I’ve worked way too hard to get back to play hurt, you know what I’m saying? Honestly, in that Utah game it was really painful. I couldn’t really push off my left foot. It was just really weak. I couldn’t explode off it. I couldn’t cut. So, everything I was doing I was just getting through it. I should be better than this.’ Billups underwent a battery of tests, including an MRI exam Tuesday, which revealed the ankle injury. Willie Green started in place of Billups at shooting guard against the Mavericks. Green started the Clippers’ first 14 games but then didn’t play a second in the next three.”

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Chauncey Billups got away with an egregious flop late in the fourth quarter last night in Utah, which quite understandably, left Jazz players and coaches steaming. Per the Salt Lake Tribune: “The controversial call during L.A.’s 105-104 win came after the Jazz took a 99-97 lead on Mo Williams’ 3-point shot. On the Clippers’ next possession, veteran Chauncey Billups ended up with the ball at the 3-point line. His shot missed but Williams was called for a foul by official Dick Bavetta. TV replays clearly showed Billups stuck out his left leg as Williams ran past him, creating the contact before falling to the court. Billups made two of his three free throws and the Clippers never trailed again. […] Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin wasn’t sure Billups should have been rewarded with a trip to the free-throw line. ‘At best, I thought it may have been an offensive foul,’ Corbin said, ‘because one of the points of emphasis, I thought, was you can’t throw your arms and legs out.’ According to Corbin, Williams ‘did a good job of challenging the shot and I thought he tried to get to the side of him. … Big call. Referee saw it a different way, but I thought we did everything we could do to challenge the shot.’ Asked about the play, Williams looked at reporters, rubbed some lotion into his hands and said, ‘Hmm.’ He paused before a member of the Jazz public relations staff said, ‘Next question.’ Later, after the crowd of reporters thinned, Williams said, ‘[Billups] is a vet … I can’t get mad. I get some of those. It just happened at the wrong time.'”

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Chauncey Billups will make his season debut tonight for the LA Clippers, according to Yahoo! Sports. Billups hasn’t suited up since a season-ending achilles injury in February: “Clippers guard Chauncey Billups will make his season debut tonight against Minnesota, a source says. Billups will start at shooting guard.”

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by Tracy Weissenberg / @basketballista

It seemed special when Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups came together on the Clippers last season. Paul, considered by many to be the best at his craft, had left it all on the court so many times without tasting the elusive success that comes with playing on an elite team. Billups, whose teams reached the Conference Finals for seven straight years, knew the feeling of standing atop the basketball world. He was named Finals MVP on the Pistons’ 2004 Championship team.

The two seemed to instantly click—a superstar and a pro’s pro—with the opportunity to turn around L.A.’s overlooked basketball franchise. With the Lakers hanging 16 banners in the building both teams share, what would it mean for the Clippers to win just one?

Unfortunately, the potential of the backcourt never fully came to fruition, as Billups’ season was cut short with a torn left Achilles’ tendon. This season, the Clippers brought back Billups as well as new additions including Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, Lamar Odom, Grant Hill and Willie Green. While many are wondering about how the minutes will be distributed, Billups chooses to look at the positive. On the team’s depth, he says, “I’d rather have it than not have it. Have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”

One thing is for sure. There will always be room for Billups, and even from the sidelines, his impact is felt.

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The Clippers backcourt—with Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford, Willie Green and Eric Bledsoe (to say nothing of L.A.’s abundance of small forwards who could slide over to shooting guard)—is truly stacked, about as stacked as any backcourt in the NBA. And it’s about to become a little more stacked. CBS reports Chauncey Billups is set to return to the floor in the coming two weeks: “Chauncey Billups is shooting to return from Achilles surgery the first week of December, a move that will exponentially increase the Clippers’ championship experience and make one of the deepest backcourts in the league even more crowded. If you’re a team with title aspirations that’s currently suffering through the late November doldrums with two straight road losses, as is true of the Clippers on both counts, this is a good problem to have. Look no further than the Knicks with Jason Kidd or the Clippers last season with Billups before he got hurt to understand what a title-tested point guard can do for a team. But Billups’ imminent return raises the question of how he will affect the Clippers’ backcourt rotation, which already includes Chris Paul, Willie Green, Eric Bledsoe and Jamal Crawford. Once 40-year-old swingman Grant Hill returns from a bone bruise in his knee, the distribution of minutes and roles will become even more dicey. ‘It seems like we’ll have an issue, but hopefully not,’ Paul said after the Clippers fell apart down the stretch and lost to the Nets 86-76 Friday night. ‘I think that’s the reason why we brought these great guys in our locker room so we won’t have an issue. Hopefully guys — which I believe — are all about winning. If you’re all about winning, then you play the minutes when you’ve got them.'”

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Chauncey Billups conceded at media day on Friday that a return for the regular-season opener “is not going to happen, I’m sure.” Mr. Big Shot, who ruptured his Achilles in early February, said he expects to be back on the floor before 2013. From the L.A. Times: “Billups is still recovering from surgery on his torn left Achilles’ tendon. As for the prospect of his playing on opening night, Oct. 31, Billups said, that is ‘not going to happen, I’m sure.’ He hasn’t been cleared yet to play five-on-five. But Billups said he expects to take part in limited team drills Saturday and to be playing sometime in December. ‘I’m going to listen to my body,’ Billups said. ‘When it tells me I’m ready to get back out there, that’s when I’ll be back out there.'”

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Chauncey Billups may be a member of the L.A. Clippers, but when OJ Mayo rang him up looking for some advice on where to sign his next deal this past summer, Mr. Big Shot pointed Mayo southward. Via ESPN Dallas: “The plan to have Jason Kidd help recruit Deron Williams to Dallas didn’t quite work out for the Mavs. But the Mavs did get an assist from an old point guard during the free-agency process. It just wasn’t one that’s ever worn a Mavs uniform. O.J. Mayo reached out to Chauncey Billups, one of his favorite players in the league, while researching potential destinations this summer. Billups strongly recommended that Mayo play for Rick Carlisle, who played a significant role in Billups achieving his potential. ‘He said (Carlisle) is a great coach for me to help expand my game,’ Mayo said. Billups, like Mayo now, was a No. 3 overall pick in his mid-20s who hadn’t lived up high-lottery expectations when he signed with the Carlisle-coached Pistons in the summer of 2002. Detroit was Billups’ fifth NBA team, and while he showed promise as a part-time starter the previous season in Minnesota, he had yet to prove he could be a premier point guard. … Billups’ advice to Mayo: Let Carlisle coach you.”

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Clippers guard Chauncey Billups, who’s as tough an NBA player as there is, said that while he respects what the cross-town rival Lakers have accomplished this offseason, people shouldn’t count out his Clippers—or the other 29 teams—just yet. The former Finals MVP is currently rehabbing his left Achilles tendon, with hopes of being ready for L.A.’s regular-season opener. Via The Detroit Free Press: “‘They are trying to stack the deck over there, but I tell you what—I’m very pleased with my team and what we’ve been able to do and I will just say this – don’t nobody scare me, man,’ said the former Piston with a chuckle. Billups, who was Finals MVP when leading the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title, spoke briefly with the Free Press over the phone Saturday afternoon and said his rehab is ‘going well.’ Billups, 35, suffered the injury in the February and some wondered if the 15-year veteran was facing the end of his career.”

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The Clippers’ search for a new shooting guard has come to an end. According to the L.A. Times, LAC has ended its pursuit of Ray Allen and signed both Jamal Crawford (to a three-year deal) and Chauncey Billups (one-year deal). Some details: “The Clippers were informed on Thursday that guards Jamal Crawford and Chauncey Billups intend to sign contracts with the team when the NBA’s moratorium period is lifted for free agents to sign deals, according to NBA executives who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Crawford, an unrestricted free agent who opted out of his $5.2 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, has been offered a spot by the Clippers. He is expected to sign a three-year, $15.7 million contract, according to the executives. Billups, who played in just 20 games last season with the Clippers before suffering a season-ending left Achilles tendon surgery, will sign a one-year deal that could be worth up to $4.3 million if he reaches bonuses, the executives said. With Crawford and Billups reaching deals with the Clippers, L.A. cancelled the visit they had planned for free agent shooting guard Ray Allen on Friday.”

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When it comes to the contract situation regarding unrestricted free agent Chauncey Billups, Chris Paul is acting as an unofficial member of the LA Clippers’ front-office. Paul is determined to play alongside Billups again. Per the Denver Post: “He knows my top priority right now is to make sure he’s back with us again next season,’ Paul said. ‘That was the best backcourt mate I played with since I’ve been in the NBA. He just gave me so much confidence and made things so much easier for me. So I need him back and want him back.’ Billups’s season ended after 20 games because of a torn Achilles tendon. He said he’s ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation and should be 100 percent healthy by the start of training camp. The former Colorado star averaged 14.9 points and 4.0 assists in 20 games — all starts — before his season ended Feb. 7. He was playing on a one-year contract with the Clippers after being waived by the New York Knicks. ‘I liked it a lot (in Los Angeles), but of course I would be crazy not to entertain any other offers that I might have,’ Billups said. ‘That’s the fun of being a free agent.’ Billups has been Paul’s mentor and friend ever since the point guard arrived in the NBA in 2005 from Wake Forest. Paul called playing with Billups last season ‘the best thing ever.’ ‘I tell people all the time had Chauncey not got injured, we were going to win the championship,’ Paul said. Any progress on his recruitment of Billups? ‘I think it’s going well,’ Paul said. ‘The top priority now is to get him healthy. I think that was the toughest thing for me. When he got injured, I was messed up because I know how hard he works and how much he loves to play. It feels a lot better now because I know how hard he’s been working and I know he’s going to be back.'”

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According to Fox Sports, the folks at USA Basketball are no longer interested in having Lamar Odom on the Olympic team they’re sending to London this summer: “[USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo] said he will have a meeting May 1 in Las Vegas with Team USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistants Nate McMillan, Mike D’Antoni and Jim Boeheim. It’s there that discussions will begin in earnest on which 12 players for the final roster will be selected from the group of 20 finalists that was announced in January, and which already has been pared down. Clippers guard Chauncey Billups is out of the mix due to a season-ending torn Achilles. And a source said that forward Lamar Odom, who had a poor season and has been made inactive by Dallas for the rest of the season due to squabbles with the team, has been eliminated from Olympic consideration.”

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When it was revealed that a torn Achilles tendon injury ended Chauncey Billups’ season, there was talk that the 35-year old guard could retire. Billups, though, insists that we have not seen the last of him on an NBA court. From Yahoo! Sports: “I will be back,’ Billups said. ‘I’m not done. I’m not retiring. I will definitely be back. This has been the story of my career, coming back, fighting, scrapping and I will play again.’ Billups suffered the tear on Monday night in Orlando, crumpling to the floor without warning. No collision. No contact. Just like that. He hadn’t felt any tenderness in the Achilles prior to the injury, he said. An MRI taken in Cleveland on Tuesday confirmed the tear. […] ‘I knew when I went down and tried to get up – and I couldn’t feel anything – that this was bad,’ Billups said. ‘I had never felt anything like that before. It was completely non-impact. Nobody hit me. Nobody kicked me. Nobody was around. …I’m probably still in a little bit of shock over this. … I’ve talked to a couple different doctors, gotten some opinions and I’m going to get a couple of more,’ Billups said. ‘This injury is not what it was 10 or 12 years ago. It’s not an easy injury, but it’s gotten a lot better and easier to come back from. I’m telling you: I will definitely be back.'”

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by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

UPDATE: As expected, the Los Angeles Clippers confirmed that Chauncey Billups’ season is over. Terrible news. Per the team website:

“Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in last night’s 107-102 Clippers’ win in Orlando. The injury, which occurred with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, will sideline Billups for the remainder of the 2011-12 NBA season. Billups underwent an MRI today at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio which confirmed the injury. He will return to Los Angeles on Thursday for further evaluation. A date for surgery is yet to be determined.”

The Los Angeles Clippers’ thrilling overtime victory over the Orlando Magic last night was dampened by concerns that Chauncey Billups may be done for the year.

The veteran guard suffered a left Achilles’ tendon injury midway through the fourth quarter, which many in the Clipper organization feared had been ruptured.

Understandably, there was a feeling of devastation within the locker room, as it quickly dawned on players and coaches just how big a blow the Chauncey Billups injury is.

From Hoopsworld and the LA Times:

Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro would not offer many details, except to confirm that it was an Achilles injury. “He’s going to be re-evaluated,” Del Negro said. “He’s got an Achilles injury. I don’t know the severity of it, but it’s kind of bittersweet. We will see what happens but we will re-evaluate it tomorrow.” Many of Billups’ teammates commented in the locker room that their point guard was “done,” hinting that the Achilles was more than a strain and was, in fact, a full tear. Billups left the locker room with his foot in a boot, walked with the aid of crutches … One of the Clippers coaches commented under his breath that losing Billups was “a damn shame.”

[…]

“It felt like somebody kicked me, man,” Billups said after the game as he made his way to the team bus with crutches under both arms and a walking boot on his foot. “I don’t know if it’s torn, but I know it’s not good.” There was a hush in the Clippers’ locker room after their 107-102 overtime victory over the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Chris Paul fought back tears when asked what Billups has meant to the team. Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro kept shaking his head, repeatedly saying how bad he felt for Billups and adding, “This is not good.”

Chauncey Billups was averaging 15 points a night, and had provided the young Clippers with invaluable leadership this season. An MRI today is expected to determine the 35-year old’s fate.

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Once the Chinese Basketball Association season’s ends, free agent Kenyon Martin will be free to sign with whichever NBA team he chooses. According to the LA Times, Chauncey Billups is hoping it’s the Clippers: “Kenyon Martin to the Clippers? Chauncey Billups would like to see that happen. In fact, the Clippers’ veteran guard said Saturday that he has reached out to the free-agent forward, a former teammate of his in Denver, about signing with the Clippers. What are Martin’s thoughts about doing so? ‘I’ll let him tell y’all that,’ Billups said with a smile. Asked about reports that the Clippers are one of a handful of teams that have contacted Martin, Coach Vinny Del Negro declined to go into specifics. ‘Kenyon is an experienced guy that knows how to play, can play some [power forward], play some [center],’ Del Negro said. ‘He brings a lot of athleticism …’ Del Negro neither confirmed nor denied that he has reached out to Martin.”

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Last night’s schedule featured only five contests, but between DeAndre Jordan‘s aerial showcase, LeBron James‘ extraterrestrial athleticism and John Wall‘s electric speed, the dearth of games generated its fair of highlights. Roll through the gallery above to take a look at Sunday’s best 15 plays.

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Last night, 11 games and countless players brought us an insane night of hoops. From Chauncey Billups’ game-winner to Andre Miller’s 28 points to Jason Smith’s block party, roll through the gallery above to take a look at Wednesday’s best 15 plays.

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With Chris Paul in street clothes, Vinny Del Negro entrusted Chauncey Billups with the Clippers’ final possession last night, and Billups lived up to his nickame of “Mr. Big Shot” for one night anyway. Must suck for the Dallas Mavericks to lose back-to-back games thanks to clutch shots by Derek Fisher and Chauncey Billups.

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We’ve recently gotten peaks at who may or may not be on the Team USA squad for the London 2012 Games, and today, the official list of 20 finalists was revealed: “Eight 2008 Olympic gold medalists, 10 members of the 2010 USA World Championship gold medal winning team, one national team player and one newcomer to the USA Basketball National Team were among the 20 finalists named today for the 2012 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team by USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo. The official 12-man U.S. Olympic team roster will be announced later this year. Named as a finalist for the 2012 USA team were: LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers); Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks); Chauncey Billups (Los Angeles Clippers); Chris Bosh (Miami Heat); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); LeBron James (Miami Heat); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder); and Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets). Griffin was also officially added to the USA Basketball National Team roster. The 2012 USA coaching staff is led by Duke University’s Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, and serving as USA assistant coaches are Syracuse University’s Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, New York Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.”

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by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo has checked and re-checked his list of the world’s best American-born basketball players.

According to Sheridan Hoops, Colangelo has settled on the 19 ballers that he intends to take with him to London for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games:

We told you earlier today that LaMarcus Aldridge is on the verge of being added to the preliminary Team USA roster for the 2012 Olympics. Now we’re reporting something even better: The entire 19-man roster. Here it is, alphabetically, from my impeccable international basketball sources:

LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Durant, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams.

The final, 12-man roster will be announced in mid-to-late June.

All that we be left after that, will be for this squad to go out and prove that they deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the 1992 Dream Team. No pressure or anything, fellas.

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New York’s most infamous front-office executive, Isiah Thomas, tells a sports radio show that the cost to acquire Tyson Chandler may have been a tad too high. From the NY Post: “Isiah Thomas, FIU coach and former Knicks president, finally spoke out on the club’s acquisition of center Tyson Chandler and did not sound enthused. Conveniently appearing on the Sid Rosenberg Show on Miami radio yesterday following the Knicks’ 2-4 start, Thomas questioned Glen Grunwald’s acquisition of Chandler, which forced the team to cut Chauncey Billups to get under the salary cap. Thomas said the NBA has become a guard’s league, and the Knicks cannot win solely with a star-powered frontcourt of Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. The Chandler commitment cost them a shot at point guard Chris Paul with next summer’s salary cap space, and Paul was subsequently dealt to the Clippers. ‘The guard play right now in the NBA is off the charts,’ Thomas said. ‘Losing Chauncey, I thought he brought a veteran leadership to the team. His savviness and guard play has always been severely undervalued. Detroit found that out when they let Chauncey go. I think there was a certain amount of leadership to what he brought to [the Knicks] last year.’ Grunwald has an interim general manager tag, but Thomas is no longer considered to be in the running if Knicks owner James Dolan makes a move for a permanent GM this summer. Thomas defended Mike D’Antoni, saying it is tough to win with the guards the coach has. ‘If you don’t have great guards, it’s hard to put together a game plan,’ Thomas said. ‘You’re only as good a coach as your guards.’”

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After the Knicks waived Chauncey Billups, the veteran made it clear he wanted to sign with the Heat or Lakers. But the Clippers claimed Billups, and the next day, they traded for Chris Paul. Chauncey tells Yahoo! how he initially didn’t see it working with Chris Paul: “‘My whole thing was if they were pursuing C.P., why would they get in my way?’ Billups said. ‘When they got me, the C.P. trade was off. Then it was back on, off, back on and then, boom, they get C.P. It made me more like, Why would y’all get in my way if that is what you were trying to do?’ […] Don’t be surprised if Billups is handling the ball as much or more than Paul on offense – which would allow Paul to be a stronger scoring threat. Billups believes their backcourt partnership will get Paul some easy jump shots. […] ‘It’s all good,” Billups said. ‘I’m going to do what I always do: Make the situation better than when I got here.'”

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The latest twist in the never-ending Chris Paul trade saga is that the Clippers are now in a better position to swap for the superstar point guard, thanks to the Chauncey Billups acquisition. Per CBS Sports: “By claiming Billups for about $2 million, the Clippers were able to solve the dilemma of not having another point guard on the roster — Mo Williams likely slides into the Jason Terry sixth man role, if he isn’t included in the trade or waived with amnesty. Thus, L.A. could responsibly include [Eric] Bledsoe in a blockbuster package for Paul. Given that the league already has vetoed a previous three-team trade that would’ve sent Paul to the Lakers, executives brokering the deal for the owner-less Hornets ‘have nowhere else to go,’ said a person familiar with the negotiations. ‘They have no choice’ but to make sure Paul is traded to the Clippers, the person said. The fact that Paul is dictating the terms by limiting the teams he’d agree to stay at least two years with to those that reside in L.A., Clippers GM Neil Olshey has all the leverage. So Olshey’s resistance to including Bledsoe, sharpshooting guard Eric Gordon and the Timberwolves’ unprotected 2012 first-round pick is no longer an issue. The deal in its final form will be better than what the league was demanding earlier in the day, when the Clippers wisely walked away from the talks. The negotiations were declared dead hours earlier, after which Olshey spoke with the Los Angeles media and said, ‘We felt it was in the best interest of the team to keep this roster intact.’ In fact, Olshey’s hand is so strong in this negotiation that he could hold out for an even better deal now that he has an experienced, championship caliber point guard on the roster. But rival executives were circulating this conspiracy theory Monday night: Was it a coincidence that the Clippers were able to get Billups for $2 million when they were negotiating a related trade with the league office, which knew the competing bids? The salacious conspiracy theory was only perpetuated by the conflict of interest inherent in the NBA’s handling of the trade for the Hornets, who were taken over by the league in December 2010. Given the backlash against the soap opera that has dominated the reopening of NBA business after the lockout — and the potential death knell for the New Orleans franchise if Paul were stranded there and forced to leave as a free agent after the season with no compensation — the pressure was never greater on the league to ensure that Paul was moved to L.A.”

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Chauncey Billups isn’t handling the fact that he was waived by the Knicks very well, and tells Yahoo! Sports that any (non-contending) team that dares to sign him will be in a world of trouble: “He wants the freedom of free agency to choose a contender, Billups says. As one of the game’s great leaders, and gentlemen, Billups warns that player will be a distant memory should a team claim him off the amnesty waiver wire. ‘I’ m tired of being the good guy,’ Billups said. ‘I’m tired of being viewed as the guy. After a while, you just kind of get taken advantage of in these situations. I’ve been known as a leader, and I am a leader, but a leader can be as disruptive as he can be productive, especially when you carry a strong voice and people rally around you. This is about me now. This is about me, and teams should know that right now.’ The Knicks picked up Billups’ $14.2 million option for the 2011-’12 season, but used the new amnesty provision on him so that they could sign free agent Tyson Chandler. Under the new rule, the team that offers to pay the highest portion of his contract can secure him in a blind bidding process. The Knicks will be left to pay for the remainder of the deal. If Billups goes unclaimed, he can sign as a free agent. The Miami Heat would be a strong possibility for him, among several contenders.”

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The New York Knicks’ frontline just got a tremdenous boost, and their point guard play will be considerably worse in 2012. But they’ll be a fascinating squad. From the NY Times: Knicks trades are complete. It’s a 3-team deal w/Dallas and Washington. NY sends Turiaf, 2013 2nd-rd pick and cash to Wizards. Knicks acquire Chandler, plus rights to Ahmad Nivins and Giorgos Printezis. Mavs get Andy Rautins and protected 2012 2nd-rd pick from Wiz. Also official now: Knicks waive Chauncey Billups under amnesty provision. From interim GM Glen Grunwald: ‘Signing a player of Tyson’s caliber, with championship experience … is an opportunity we could not pass up.’ D’Antoni: ‘Tyson will be the anchor to our defense.’ Calls Tyson-Melo-Amare ‘one of the most formidable front lines in the entire league.'”

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In a move intended to help clear enough cap space to enable the Knicks to sign free agent Tyson Chandler, big man Ronny Turiaf has been sent to Washington, most likely for a future Draft pick. The team is also expected to waive point guard Chauncey Billups via the amnesty clause, after which the Chandler signing will be finalized. Here’s the report, courtesy of the NY Post: “The Knicks are in the final stages of sending Ronny Turiaf’s $4.2 million contract to Washington and could be completed tonight, according to sources. That would complete the Tyson Chandler bonanza as the Knicks would have enough room to move under the salary cap after waiving Chauncey Billups by the amnesty clause. The Turiaf trade was the holdup to the deal being official. It does not appear the Knicks would receive anything in return and will likely have to give the Wizards cash to pay for part of his pact. Though the Knicks could get back a trade exception.”

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The rumor mill has been blowing up as the signing period begins tomorrow, and to little surprise, the Knicks are on the tip of everybody’s tongue. And just today, to much surprise, it was revealed that Tyson Chandler may end up in NYC this season. According to Marc Stein at ESPNDallas.com, “‘New York is Tyson’s first choice,’ one source told ESPN.com, confirming a Thursday report from CBSSports.com that the Knicks have jumped ahead of the Golden State Warriors in the race to sign Chandler. ‘It’s 98 percent sure that Tyson is going to wind up with the Knicks.To create sufficient salary-cap space to sign Chandler, New York is expected to shed the contracts of Chauncey Billups and Ronny Turiaf, through either trades or the forthcoming amnesty clause.”

If the Knicks do in fact sign Chandler, things may get even crazier: “Signing Chandler, sources said, could free up the Knicks to offer star forward Amare Stoudemire to the New Orleans Hornets in a trade scenario for Chris Paul, who badly wants to reunite with Chandler after their time together with the Hornets.”

Who knows how much validity there is to these rumors, but one things for sure: we are in for a helluva abbreviated offseason.

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Chauncey Billups knows that he’d become expendable should the Knicks and Hornets work out a trade involving Chris Paul, and he’s not thrilled with the idea. From the NY Times: “Chauncey Billups was yanked from his hometown and dropped into New York in February because of a superstar’s discontent. Now another superstar’s wanderlust could send him packing again. Ten months ago, it was Carmelo Anthony who spurred the relocation by forcing the Denver Nuggets into a blockbuster deal that sent Anthony and Billups to the Knicks. Now it is Chris Paul, the disenchanted New Orleans Hornets star, who is reportedly agitating for a trade to New York, at Billups’s expense. Although a deal is only a remote possibility, it would surely involve Billups, who plays the same position (point guard) and who is one of the Knicks’ few valued assets. ‘It wouldn’t make me happy,’ Billups said. ‘Because for me, at this juncture in my career, I just want to win.’ At 35, with six teams and five trades on his résumé, Billups is a certified authority on change, especially the unplanned kind. He is not the sort to overreact to frothy rumors. But he has understandable concerns.”

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Former Knicks team president Donnie Walsh says he doesn’t miss the grind of NBA front-office work and is enjoying his new role as consultant. He also claims that the roster he helped put together in New York is close to being able to challenge for a championship. From the NY Post: “Donnie Walsh, after spending a summer in Indianapolis relaxing with his family, has no regrets on his decision to pass on Knicks owner James Dolan’s contract extension to run the franchise. Last night, Walsh, 70, was back in Manhattan, looking dapper as the Bronx native/former Fordham Prep star was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame at the New York Athletic Club. ‘I spent the last 25 years running franchises, now I’m not,’ Walsh said. ‘But there’s a release that I don’t have to do that anymore. I haven’t missed it in that nature and I’ve enjoyed being home with my family.’ … Walsh knows he did not finish the job of building a title contender but said he feels he came close, assembling Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. ‘We have a core of players we can build around to build a [championship-contending] team,’ Walsh said. ‘We’re not finished. There’s more pieces. But I think we got some really good players that can lead a team and form a core of that team. What we have are the most important things.'”

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Vegas’ Impact League continues to remind us what we might be missing come October 9th. Highlight’s from Day 6 included Chauncey draining pull-up threes, John Wall showing off his handle, and JJ Hickson letting JaVale McGee know what it feels like to be “the other guy” in a poster.

(H/T: BallisLife)

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The Impact Basketball League added some notable star power to kick off their second week of action when New York Knicks pg Chauncey Billups came through for his first run in the series on Monday. The five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA Selection and former NBA champion teamed up for the first time with Knicks first-round draft pick Iman Shumpert in the day’s second game, and said afterwards that he likes what he’s seen from the No. 17 overall pick out of Georgia Tech.

“We didn’t get a win but it was a fun game,” Billups told SLAMonline afterwards. “We had a good time, but I’m just looking forward to playing more with my new teammate Shumpert. He’s very athletic, and I’m just trying to learn his game right now. I’ll only have to play with him a few times and I will see how to best use him. I’m gonna try to make him a star, man.”

Shumpert, who paid his own way to Las Vegas to compete in the full slate of these Impact games, has done very well for himself thus far. He is bigger and quicker than most people think up close and in person, and Knicks fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about this kid.

Since last Monday, he’s averaging 18.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists per game, but it’s also been his freakishly athletic abilities on the defensive end of the floor that have really made him stand out. Which is one aspect of Shumpert’s game, specifically, that Chauncey believes will allow him to come in immediately and fill a need for the Knicks next season.

“A lot of young guys want to come in and be effective by scoring,” Billups said. “They want to show they have all the nice moves, which is good, you gotta have that in your skill-set, but if you’re talking about playing winning basketball it’s a little different. Some things are more important than others, and Shumpert’s going to be a good one because he’s able to defend. That’s probably what we’ll need him to do more than anything this year with all the scoring power we have on the team, is come in and stop some guys, and also get some buckets for us when we need it too.”

As far as the opportunity to learn how to play winning NBA basketball from the guy they call Mr. Big Shot for a reason, Shumpert noted that he’s looking forward to that, and was excited to get out and play alongside Billups for the first time on Monday.

“It was good to get out here and play with Chauncey,” Shumpert said after the game. “Of course we’re gonna need some more games together, we don’t really know each other well at this point, but today was great, and it’s just our first time playing together so it will only get better as more games come. ”
Shumpert added that he came out to Impact to improve his game by getting some run in against NBA competition, and was all business when asked about how that was going for him so far.

“It’s going good, and I feel like I’m playing well. It is different for me because I’m used to being ball dominant, and right now I’m working on playing off the ball more here, but I’m getting used to it. I’m trying to learn how to pick my spots, and get to the right spots on the floor, and it’s been a good adjustment so far.”

When asked if off the ball was where he saw himself playing in the League next season, he said he didn’t know that for sure. At the moment, the combo guard is trying to develop that aspect of his game too just in case that ends up being a role he can help Chauncey and the Knicks in next season.
“I don’t know if they’ll need me to play off the ball next season or not at this point, but I’m just trying to get used to doing that now so that just in case I am I’ll be ready for it.”

Which seems to be the thought process necessary for developing the mentality to play the winning NBA basketball referred to by Billups earlier; something Chauncey also plans to assist the young rookie with moving forward. Just like guys did for him when he was coming from the same spot Shumpert’s in now, as Chauncey went on to recall on Monday.

“There were a few guys who helped me develop the right mentality to play in this League when I first came in. Guys like Jason Kidd and Tim Hardaway did a lot for me,” Billups added. “I used to talk with those guys about the attitude and the mentality you needed in this game, Sam Cassell was great for me also, but the player who’s done the most for me over my career was the Terrell Brandon. I had the pleasure of playing with him for two years in Minneapolis and he made the biggest difference for me of any player in my career. I do plan to pass those things along to Shumpert as well the more we get to know each other.”

Iman certainly appears receptive to the tutorial forthcoming from Billups too. He’s put himself in a position to start learning from one of the greats as early as possible, and has excelled on the court all summer long in the process. There’s good reason to believe that Chauncey very well could help make this kid into a star when it’s all said and done, too, especially since that’s his intention.

Brendan Bowers is an NBA writer from Cleveland, OH. You can follow him on Twitter @StepienRules.

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With the NBA’s start date quickly approaching and now new deal set in place, it’s looking unlikely that players will have a chance to participate in training camp and/or preseason games. As a result, Impact Basketball is organizing the “lockout league,” which will include a variety of NBAers, including Chauncey Billups, John Wall, Zach Randolph, Stephen Jackson and others.

The NY Times has the details:

“A swarm of Knicks, Clippers and Rockets players will soon descend on Las Vegas for two weeks of intense competition — only without coaches, contracts or the imprimatur of the N.B.A. The jerseys will be unfamiliar and the games fairly meaningless. But for the first time since June, N.B.A. players will be competing against N.B.A. players in something resembling an N.B.A.-caliber league. The site will be the Impact Basketball gymnasium, about two miles from the Strip. The unofficial commissioner will be Joe Abunassar, a longtime trainer of N.B.A. players. More than 40 players, locked out of N.B.A. facilities because of a labor standoff, have committed to play. Chauncey Billups, John Wall, Zach Randolph and Stephen Jackson will be among the headliners. ‘This is an effort on our part to get these guys as ready for training camp as they can get, without going to training camp,’ Abunassar said in a phone interview. ‘That’s the allure of it.’ The tournament has been named the Impact Basketball Competitive Training Series. You could call it the Lockout League.

“As many as eight teams, featuring seven or eight players each, will play daily starting Sept. 12. The series will end with two days of playoffs, with a championship game Sept. 23. Games will be officiated and played under N.B.A. rules, albeit with 10-minute quarters and without coaches barking from the benches. The plan is to sell tickets (about 500 a day, with proceeds donated to charity) and to stream the games live on the Internet.

“Billups will probably be joined by his Knicks teammates Shawne Williams and Iman Shumpert. Another roster will feature at least four Rockets: Kyle Lowry, Chuck Hayes, Chase Budinger and Courtney Lee. Mo Williams and DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers will form the core of a team, with hopes that their teammate Blake Griffin, last season’s rookie of the year, will join them. Others who have committed include J.J. Hickson of the Kings, Eric Maynor of the Thunder, Al Harrington of the Nuggets, Jermaine O’Neal of the Celtics and Jared Dudley of the Suns. Box scores will be kept. Standings will be posted.“

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by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Chauncey Billups knows that his NBA days are numbered. After missing out on much of the New York Knicks’ first-round sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics last spring, Chauncey is filled with regret, and plenty questions about what the future holds.

Though Billups believes he could have made a big difference during the Knicks/Celtics series, there’s no use in looking back now, and Chauncey wants another crack at leading New York on the basketball floor.

The lockout is making none of that possible, of course, and shortening what little time Chauncey Billups has left in the NBA.

From the Boston Globe:

The lack of a full training camp may damage the Knicks more than any other club because they never had the opportunity to build chemistry with coach Mike D’Antoni last season. “It is tough, the uncertainty of not knowing what’s going to happen,’’ said Billups. “But I’ve been through it before, and as a veteran and as a professional, I’m just going to stay ready. “Whenever we can make a deal or whatever might happen, I’ll be ready to go.”

He has avoided serious injury in his career and has played at least 70 games in each of the past 11 seasons, but six weeks short of his 35th birthday, Billups realizes his time as a front-line player is diminishing. “I have played most of my career out,’’ he said. “I don’t have that many more years to play. I’m just looking forward to getting back out there.”

The Knicks are unlikely to compete for the Eastern Conference crown regardless of when the season starts, but they should be vastly different with Billups and Anthony more comfortable in the system, and Amar’e Stoudemire completely recovered from the back issues that ailed him during the playoffs. “That’s what I want so bad, is to have a training camp together, where we can build,’’ said Billups, who averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 21 games with New York. “Because I feel like with the players that we have and the ability that we have to put some pieces together, we can be a very good basketball team.’’

As he enters the twilight of his career, the Knicks can only hope to squeeze out what little magic may be left in Chauncey Billups.

Time is not on either party’s side.

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According to the 2004 NBA Finals MVP, the defending champion Dallas Mavericks remind him a lot of his old Detroit Pistons team. From the Free Press: “Team beats talent. That’s how many dubbed Dallas’ triumph over star-studded Miami and how many saw Detroit’s 2004 triumph over the Lakers, who featured Hall of Fame-bound Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton. ‘Yeah, I do,’ Billups, a Knicks point guard, told hoopshype.com recently when asked whether he saw a resemblance between this season’s Mavericks and the underdog Pistons in the 2004 finals against the Lakers. ‘I definitely do. … It’s not about names, how many people on your team can make the All-Star game. It’s not about that at all. It’s about putting the right pieces together. You got to have a cohesive unit.'”

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Wassup world, it’s Skyzoo checking in for week 2 of my Chain Link Champions blog series for SLAM. As stated last week, I’ll be here every Wednesday recapping the League’s events of the week prior, as well as chiming in with my views and takes on what’s been played. With that being said, it’s with great sadness that I begin to write the entry I didn’t wanna have to write: My beloved NYK’s are out of the Playoffs.

Off top, congrats to the Knicks for making the Playoffs for the first time in seven years. For the biggest city in the world (…”in the world Craig, the WORLD…”) to not have its professional basketball team in the Playoffs for seven years is mind blowing. So for the higher ups to put the pieces together to do so at the last minute and pull it off is admirable to say the very least. The city now has a team to be proud of and can openly rep without expecting a joke or laugh to follow behind it. Regardless of the outcome of the series, the reality of us being a top seed in the east is about two years away, at the most. Beautiful music.

The Chauncey Billups situation is a tough one. As a leader, finals MVP trophy owner, blueprint for “how to be a PG,” Chauncey is one of a kind. This is the guy who Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose said they looked up to and learned everything from in the 2010 World Basketball Classic last summer. The guy who pulls Toney Douglas to the side while in a suit and shows him how to attempt to stop Rondo by using Andy Rauntins (also in a suit) as a guide during time out huddles. The guy who, is pretty much, “the guy.” The problem is, the Roses and Westbrooks who he schooled last summer were listening, and they’re 12 years younger than he is, with the calves to match. As dope as Chauncey is, I’m not sure if he can keep up with the Roses, DWills, Westbrooks, CP3s, Rondos, Jennings, etc. of the new PG-led NBA. At most, the higher ups will pick up his contract for one more year, but the reality is, we need another PG for a good five year stretch to youthfully and explosively run the team at the 1 spot. Thus where both the realistic dilemma and the sweetest dream both lie.

To me, this offseason is about changing the bench, completely. The biggest concerns for us as of now are centers, point guards, and a good shooting guard to start. I personally like Landry Fields’ game and think he had a great first half of a season, but he should definitely be a first option off the bench. As I said Sunday on Twitter (@therealskyzoo), I’d like to see an OJ Mayo type of player come over to the 2 spot. One who can run a little bit when needed and has some height, but is primarily a “shoot the lights out” type of player. Doesn’t need the ball on every possession, but can get you 16 pts/5 rbs EVERY NIGHT. Add that to Melo’s 25 pts/7 rbs and Amar’e’s 24 pts/8 rbs, and that’s a pretty serious core to build around. In a perfect world, a Kendrick Perkins clone, worth 8 pts/14 rbs/4 blks per game who’s around 7-1 would be at the 5, and then, by the grace of the basketball Gods, CP3 chipping in 15 pts/12 asts/4 stls would easily have us on the road to the banners.

Bench-wise, keep Shawne Williams, Billy Walker, Landry Fields (who I’d move to the bench but bring in around eight minutes into the first quarter), Toney Douglas, Anthony Carter, and Derrick Brown. Everyone else GOES. Use the remaining four seats on two more back-up bigs (6-10-7-1 heighted players), another shooter, a la JJ Reddick, and a Greivis Vasquez-type of young PG. I actually wanted us to draft Vasquez, the 2010 recipient of the Naismith Collegiate award for best point guard in the nation (which was awarded to Jimmer Fredette this year). Memphis got the jump on us and picked up Greivis before our turn, and we drafted Andy Rautins, and THEN Landry Fields. Ironic, right?

So, a perfect world would and could look like this:

1) Chris Paul
2) OJ Mayo
3) Carmelo Anthony
4) Amare Stoudemire
5) Kendrick Perkins’ clone

Bench: Landry Fields, Derrick Brown, Toney Douglas, Anthony Carter, Shawne Williams, Billy Walker, Greivis Vasquez, two bigs (6’10-7’1) and JJ Reddick.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you put together a team. Or at least a dream.

So let’s pray that the Dolans and Walshs of the NYK world read rapper blogs. Til next week, see y’all by the Chain Links.

Sidebar: I had all types of intentions of covering the OKC/DEN, LA/NO, CHI/IND, ORL/ATL, MEM/SA and MIA/PHI series this week, but being that this was the Knicks’ first Playoffs in seven years, my blue and orange family deserved a full congrats and breakdown at once. “What you want me to do? I’m sorry!”

Sidebar 2: My Duck Down records fam are doing another NBA 2K contest for MC’s to be on NBA 2K12. As an NBA 2K alumni (2K11), it’s an extremely dope feeling to be both on and in a video game. Get with it at www.duckdown.com for more details on how to be involved.

—@therealskyzoo

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First Quarter

—The Pacers open their final regular season home game of the 2010-2011 season against the Knicks with a starting lineup of Daren Collison, Paul George, Danny Granger, Tyler Hansbrough, and Roy Hibbert. Chauncey Billups, Shawne Williams, Carmelo Anthony, Landry Fields, and Sheldon Williams all receive the nod from D’Antoni. Amar’e Stoudemire will not play tonight.

—Hansbrough strikes first blood with a wide open mid-range jumper.

—Granger drains a three in ‘Melo’s face only to have ‘Melo return the favor next time down. This game should shape up to be a NASCAR type game.

—The Pacers are really trying to establish Hansbrough early on, and Hansbrough definitely likes that role. He has six of their first nine points and is out hustling everyone right now.

—Paul George with two quick fouls early and gets taken out of the game. I wonder how the Pacers’ defensive plans will change with George on the bench…

—”Your wifes better!” is chanted by Pacer fans at Sheldon Williams during a free throw. Can you imagine how good his and Candace Parker’s kid is going to be? Scary…

—On a side note, I grew up a town north (Wheaton, Illinois) of Candace Parker’s home town (Naperville, Illinois). She reffed one of my league games in sixth grade, and she signed an autograph for everyone playing the game. None of us really had much to sign, so she signed everyone’s shoes who played in the game. I then turned around the next day and pulled off my own personal Sandlot impression by using the shoes outside and ruined the signature. My friends still make fun of me about it to this day. Anyway, back to the game.

—Hibbert dashes out in transition and gets great position inside on Sheldon Williams. Hibbert creates a completely different dimension to their team when he can beat his man down the floor consistantly.

—Forgot how uptempo the Knicks play until I’ve had to type what I’m seeing. My fingers are going to get a big time workout.

—Knicks doing a great job of drawing fouls tonight. Pacers already have four fouls with 7:43 left.

—Landry Fields impresses me every time I see him. He made a fantastic move by driving through three Pacer defenders and euro-stepped around the last one en route to a smooth looking layup.

—This game turned into a track meet already, 21-19 with 4:50 left.

—Tony Douglas just made an incredibly athletic play that might never be talked about again. He fell down and lost the ball, found it and dribbled his way back up and made a great bounce pass to ‘Melo. That might have been the first time I’ve ever seen Hansbrough outhustled in my life.

—Timeout taken with 2:51 left. I think the officials are even getting tired right now trying to keep up with this games’ pace. 26-22 New York.

—Dunleavy enters the game and within minutes makes a great pass to a slashing Josh McRoberts for a two handed slam, nails a mid range jumper on the next possession, and cuts backdoor for a layup on the following possession.

—Carmelo, however, refuses to be outdone and nails two threes in three possessions to tie the game at 33 to end the quarter. The Pacers need to find a way to stop ‘Melo or they may be in for a long night.

Second Quarter

—I’ve said it all year long: teams find themselves in a lot of trouble when Granger decides to attack the rim with concentration. He just powered his way into a layup and a nice assist in two straight possessions.

—Then what does Granger do? Weakly drive to the rim and get his shot blocked. You wonder why coaches don’t have a lot of hair…

—Bad airball by Bill Walker. And when I say bad, I mean REALLY bad. Like the kid who got picked last on the playground and chucked up an eyes closed airball bad. He took that shot from the elbow and it literally looked like a dead duck flying through the air. Knicks are struggling big time with ‘Melo on the bench.

—TJ Ford enters the game at the 9:55 mark and receives a big time cheer from the crowd. Nice to see the Pacer faithful back up Ford after a rough situation this season.

—Ronny Turiaf just rejected Danny Granger’s shot with authority. Granger got the ball back and nailed a three in the same possession. Great play by Turiaf and great recovery by Granger.

—Chauncey Billups showed his top notch awareness by taking the ball right out of Granger’s hands after Billups missed a layup. He then dishes the rock to Eric Brown who flushes down a nice dunk. Dunleavey fires right back with a layup that puts the score at 46-41 Pacers.

—’Melo rejects Dunleavey’s transition layup right into the hands of a hustling Granger who puts in a layup. Great job of running the floor and following up in transition by Granger. 48-43 Pacers with 5:44 left.

—Phenomenal pick and roll action at the top of the key by Dunleavey and McRoberts. Dunleavey drew both defenders and found a cutting McRoberts at the right time. McRoberts’ pump fake drew two defenders in the air and ducked under both of them to grab a bucket and the foul.

—Paul George enters the game at the 4:47 mark and grabs his third foul moments later at the 4:07 mark. The promising rookie just can’t catch a break tonight. Three fouls in three minutes means he needs to get in the film room and figure out the right angles to take on his defensive approach.

—Shawne Williams just darted from across the lane and pounded Darren Collison’s layup attempt off the glass. Extremely athletic play for Williams.

—On a side note, the NBA needs to make a rule that makes players with too similar of names illegal. I mean come on, Shawne Williams and Sheldon Williams? One of them needs a nickname to make things easier…

—56-51 Pacers with 2:53 left in the second.

—Key to this quarter: The Pacers have kept ‘Melo a complete non-factor this quarter. He has 1 point in 11 minutes. Guess the Pacers saw my previous post and decided to listen to me.

—And of course ‘Melo then sees my last comment and nails a triple. I swear he looked me in the eye after he shot it…

—Billups nails a trey of his own to up his three-ball count to four this half. A mishandled pass by Hibbert leading to an off the mark three by ‘Melo ends the half. 67-61 Pacers. I get my much needed rest from typing.

Third Quarter

—Anthony to Fields for the first basket after recess. Knicks didn’t lose a beat…

—Darren Collison just made a highlight play by going behind his back and between his legs, knifing through the defense and lays in a nice shot while avoiding the Knick defenders. That’s a move only found in NBA Live.

—Roy Hibbert spins off his defender and slams one home on the opposite side of the rim? Did I see that right?

—Chauncey Billups showing a little flair with a between the legs bounce pass to Sheldon Williams, and Williams misses the contested layup. Great way to say thanks Williams…

—The Pacers have put on a nice display on how to get out in transition the past few possessions. Darren Collison jumped out ahead and put in a layup while Danny Granger connected with Paul George on the ensuing possession.

—Carmelo Anthony has the entire Knick team on his back right now. Without him, the Knicks are down 20.

—Two Roy Hibbert free throws give the Pacers a 73-72 lead with 6:29 left to play.

—Paul George shows his enormous upside with a very bright and athletic play. George faked a shot, dished the ball into Hibbert in the post, faught for position with his defender and blew backdoor for a thunderous jam.

—Carmelo flat out puts the ball in the hoop. His pull up jumper, rom mid range or from three, simply leaves opposing defenders in shock. 78-77 Pacers with 4:06 left in the third.

—I think the Pacers might be a better fit for D’Antoni’s offense than the Knicks. Collison, George, and Granger have thrived in transition all night long. Collison just threw a quick lob to George who did what he does best: send the ball soaring through the hoop and hang on the rim.

—Carmelo Anthony is the definition of a run-killer. He tosses in a bucket every time the Pacers make a crowd pleasing play.

—Absolutely phenomenal help defense by Paul George. He saw his team mess up their defensive assignments and came from across the lane to help out and take a charge on Ronny Turiaf. Great way to make up for lost time in the first half by George. He may be the key to their series against the Chicago Roses (Sorry, I mean the Chicago Bulls).

—Dunleavey with a picture perfect pump fake to get his defender in the air and go right around him for a mid range jumper. Dunleavey provides the Pacers with a MUCH needed scorer off the bench. When he’s hot, the Pacers can compete with a lot of teams.

—Toney Douglass nailed a triple with 26 seconds left that every coach in America would cringe at during the shot and wipe his brow in relief after it goes it.

—Pacers are really rolling right now. Roy Hibbert throws in a nice hook shot with four seconds left to extend the lead to 93-87. Dunleavey shows he plays a little defense too with a steal at halfcourt and dishes out an assist to A.J Price at the buzzer. Pacers lead 96-87 heading into the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

—Dunleavey and Anthony Carter trade baskets to open up the final period. My fingers are moving around like jello right now; I’m running on fumes. I need to prepare myself better for these games. I should do some scouting reports on each team’s pace before I head into the arena and mentally prepare myself. If I had the Knicks every game, I’d have carpal tunnel syndrome without a doubt.

—A Shawne Williams layup extends a 6-0 Knick run to cut the lead to 98-95 with 9:37 left.

—Danny Granger ends the run with a triple to push the Pacers over the century mark. How does Toney Douglas respond? An airball that rivaled Bill Walker’s in the second half. Come on fellas…

—Chauncey Billups visibly shows his frustration on a non-foul call by shoving Daren Collison in transition. That simply cannot happen if the Knicks want a shot at wining this game. 103-97 Pacers with 6:07 left.

—The fourth quarter just has not been very kind to Billups. He played teriffic in the first three but has not shown up at the end. He just had his fadeaway jumper blocked by Collison and his three point attempt blocked by McRoberts in the same possession. Knicks need him to step his game up to make their final push.

—Carmelo. Anthony. Enough said. 105-103 Pacers.

—The Pacers must have forgotten about my previous comments. I guess I’m going to have to state them again. You’d think After his 29th point of the contest the Pacers would figure out that under NO circumstances should anyone leave ‘Melo. Don’t know how much simpler I can be.

—Paul George stepped up to the plate and contested a ‘Melo three that bricks off the side of the iron. What a difference a close out makes…

—Do the Knicks have enough juice left to make a comeback with 1:51 left? 109-105 Pacers.

—Melo just ended up on the wrong end of a rejection from Roy Hibbert. Pacers fail to capitalize on the other end, however, and Chauncey Billups hit one of his two free throws.

—Darren Collison makes a crucial turnover that leads to a Billups-to-Fields dunk. Collison lost the ball behind his back and never saw it again. Lesson: be efficient, not fancy. 109-108 Pacers with 36 seconds left.

—Bad clock management by the Pacers. A Collison fadeaway jumper off one foot cannot be your best option. EVER.

—Carmelo has ice cold veins. He just stared Granger down and nailed a 20 footer in his grill with 4.9 seconds left and pranced off the court with a grin. Not much Granger could do on that one, he was up in his kitchen that whole possession.

—Dunleavey calls a timeout before initially throwing the ball in. ‘Melo then tips Granger’s mid range attempt and Collison proves off the mark on his desperation heave.

—I guess the Knicks did have enough left in the tank to complete the comeback.

—Final score Knicks 110 Pacers 109. Carmelo leads all scorers with 34 points. Granger leads the Pacers with 20 points.

Postgame

Carmelo Anthony on the impact of this game on their upcoming playoff games: “It was a big game for us, confidence wise, coming down the stretch and finishing the regular season with some big momentum.” Carmelo further noted,”We want to prove it to ourselves that we can be a great defensive team, and these last couple games we’ve been doing that.”

The Knicks extended their winning streak to seven with the win and will be tested at home against the Bulls on Tuesday. The Pacers fly south to Orlando on Wednesday night for their regular season finale.

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by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

The year was 2004, when Isiah Thomas sauntered over to center court at Madison Square Garden, and triumphantly declared, “Welcome to the Playoffs.”

Nothing that silly or overwrought took place at MSG last night, as New York qualified for the postseason tournament for the first time since ’04.

The expectations for this current team are much higher — they were not only expected to make the Playoffs, but to do something meaningful once there.

From the NY Daily News:

[Chauncey] Billups, in fact, once had a streak of seven straight appearances in a conference finals. His attitude Sunday night was essentially, “Yeah, so we made the playoffs. Aren’t we supposed to do this?” “It’s crazy to think that a storied franchise like the Knicks went seven years without making it,” Billups added. “Every year I never think ‘I just want to make the playoffs.’ I go into every season thinking, ‘How far can we go this year.'”

“This is exactly where I expected to be… in the playoffs,” Amar’e Stoudemire said following the Knicks’ 123-107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night at the Garden. “This was the goal when I signed here. I sat down with Mr. Dolan and said this is our plan. The plan has come into full motion and now it is time to take the momentum into the playoffs.”

For now, it’s time for the Knicks and their fanbase to celebrate the end of a long and miserable drought.

Currently the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks will likely battle either Miami or Boston in the first round of the postseason. No one reasonably believes they’ll beat either team, but Knicks fans and media do expect them to make things interesting, at the very least.

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