Off the heels of a five game winning streak and a tough loss to the Spurs, it's Bismack Biyombo and Lance Stephenson grabbing all the headlines.

It's been said, but Kemba Walker was great this week and he earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the second time of his career. He was close to scoring 30 points for six straight games, which would have been a Charlotte franchise record (Glen Rice had five in a row back in the day). If not for a tough fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs (3-10 from the floor and 0 assists), the Hornets might have reached a more important streak by winning six straight games.

Keeping with that same game, Bismack Biyombo had himself a third quarter to remember. He played so well that Gregg Popovich came out and said nice things about him. However Biyombo's great performance wasn't the only thing worth mentioning from this week. Dan Feldman over at NBC Sports wrote a great piece about Biyombo's new role on the Hornets and some of the adversity he's faced so far in his career. For those of you that love Biyombo (aka all of you), this is a must read.

In other news, Lance Stephenson made his return against the Spurs on Wednesday. Other than some poor free-throw shooting, he looked pretty good out there, especially with the second unit. Well, don't get comfortable with that because he might be on his way to Brooklyn. This bit of information may be stale by the time this article posts, but if not, expect a ton of articles tomorrow discussing hypothetical trades.

Now for some of the best tweets from the interwebz this week:

Hornets with Biz at center doing things defensively

The Kings' starting five is the best defensive lineup in the NBA?! http://t.co/SsVt1ta8hEpic.twitter.com/B9QS1mmblg

— Tom Ziller (@teamziller) January 13, 2015

Stats backing up Hornets early season tragedies

Kemba Walker may seem to get all the game-winners, but CHA has the most losses after holding a 4th-quarter lead: pic.twitter.com/my4421KoYm

— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) January 14, 2015

Biyombo is the best

Touch down by the @Panthers! That all I know about football...

— Bismack Biyombo (@bismackbiyombo0) January 11, 2015

The Miami Heat have struggled to find a new identity in the wake of LeBron James' decision and have limped out to a 17-22 start.  Still, they have enough talent to beat the inconsistent Kings if Sacramento is not on top of their game.  The Kings have had a couple days to recover from Tuesday night's heartbreaking loss to the Mavericks, but they could be without Rudy Gay.  Today's action tips off at 7:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Sacramento's a little bit banged up.  Rudy Gay suffered an injury to his left knee early in the game against the Mavericks on Tuesday and as of yesterday, it appears doubtful he will play tonight.  Likewise, backup forward Carl Landry also hurt himself in that game and injured his wrist and is listed as questionable.  On one bright note, Omri Casspi, who has been out with a knee contusion, has been upgrade from out to questionable.  That doesn't mean Omri will play tonight, but it does mean he's closer to returning which is good.

2. Hey, look who's playing really well for the Miami Heat! It's Hassan Whiteside!  Whiteside came back to the NBA after two full seasons out of the league and he's returned with a vengeance, averaging 7.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 15.8 minutes a game.  Those numbers have been even better over the last 6 games at 13.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in 24.1 minutes a game.  Whiteside has managed to claim the starting center spot from Chris Andersen and is making a name for himself around the league.  Going up against former teammate DeMarcus Cousins however will be his toughest challenge to date.

3. Miami's a terrible rebounding team and the Kings should look to punish them inside, Whiteside or no.  Cousins should have a field day going up against Miami's interior and Sacramento's guards and forwards should also look to penetrate the paint to try to get easy buckets and/or fouls.  Derrick Williams in particular should look to be aggressive, especially since it's probable he gets the start in place of Rudy Gay.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Chris Bosh vs. Jason Thompson

This obviously isn't the same Heat team as it has been in years past with LeBron James leading the way.  Chris Bosh, largely relegated to being a "superstar roleplayer" while LeBron was in town, is back to showing that he's still one of the NBA's best big men, and is making the most of his newfound touches to average 21.2 points on 47.2% from the floor and 39% from three.  Bosh can score from just about anywhere, and it will be up to JT to make life difficult for him.

PREGAME LIMERICK

There once was a Kings fan who cried
at the thought of untapped upside.
Now it's the Heat,
who get to repeat
"It's ok, we have Whiteside"

PREDICTION

Kings 110, Heat 109 after Hassan Whiteside saves the game for Sacramento with a game-winning goaltend.

Omri Casspi has missed 13 of the last 18 games as he's dealt with a knee contusion, but after participating in his first full practice in a while yesterday, Casspi has been upgraded as probable for tonight's game against the Miami Heat.  Casspi, when healthy, has been one of Sacramento's best bench players this season, averaging 7.9 points on 53.2% from the field to go along with 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists a game.

The Kings will need Casspi's help because they will be without the services of both Rudy Gay and Carl Landry.  Both Gay and Landry were hurt in Tuesday's game against the Mavericks, with Gay leaving the game and not returning.  Both players are listed as day-to-day and the team is still awaiting results of an MRI taken on Landry's injured wrist.  Gay has a knee strain that isn't believed to be serious and should not cause him to miss too much time.  Guard Ramon Sessions continues to be out with a lower back strain that has sidelined him for 12 straight games.  Derrick Williams will likely start in Rudy Gay's place.

The Heat themselves aren't immune to the injury bug, with star Dwyane Wade sitting out the second straight game with a strained left hamstring.  Rookie Shabazz Napier started in his place in their Wednesday night loss to the Warriors.

The Spurs summarily disposed of the Blazers tonight but a couple of young bench players registered fantastic outings.

The Portland Trail Blazers fell to the San Antonio Spurs tonight in a 110-96 contest that was, for all intents and purposes, a blowout....though it never quite felt like one. The Spurs made some pretty plays but they didn't run away with the game in any obvious fashion. Instead the Blazers' defense sprung a leak in the first quarter that never got patched, leading to a slow intake of water which eventually sunk the ship beyond rescue. Portland never gained control of the court for more than a couple plays straight and didn't win a single quarter. San Antonio never looked rattled. The game went in one direction; for the Blazers, that was straight south.

Various ailments plagued Portland's play during different parts of the game. Defense was the constant. Portland allowed San Antonio 35 points in the first period. The first unit couldn't cover the three-point arc, uncharacteristic lethargy keeping them just short of Spurs shooters. The second unit couldn't cover anything as Spurs guards broke down individual defenders and passed anywhere they pleased. Those trends continued and Spurs posted 60 at the break, 91 at the end of the third quarter. Their overall 45% field goal clip looked average but they fired 11-29 from the arc and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds. 16 Portland turnovers led to 25 Spurs points after, 17 off the break. As you might guess from those numbers, San Antonio was first to almost every contested ball tonight.

On the bright side, Portland's offense clicked well. The Blazers shot 50% from the field, though only 32% from behind the arc. That might have been enough had any offensive rebounds come their way. Portland totaled a shocking 2 O-rebs in 48 minutes. Normally that's half a center's worth of production for them, not the whole team for the whole game. Portland attempted 74 shots while San Antonio lofted 94. Getting out-attempted by 20 is not Trail Blazer basketball.

Between the turnovers, the Spurs winning the hustle plays, a rebounding deficit, a large three-point deficit, and getting up 20 fewer shots than the opponent the Blazers never really had a chance.

There's not much to the analysis in this one other than...

A. The Spurs are good.

B. The Spurs weren't going to give this one up after losing the last meeting between these teams in triple overtime. (Plus looking up at the Blazers in the standings and hearing how the guard may be changing in the West.)

C. Portland's defense just isn't the same with Chris Kaman in the game as it is when Robin Lopez plays. That may seem obvious but it bears repeating. It's shown up in small ways over the last couple weeks but it showed up big time tonight. The rotations aren't the same. The rebounding isn't the same. The confidence isn't there. And the Blazers can't win with offense alone...at least not against good teams,

D. When the Blazers don't play with verve and energy, they have a hard time making up for it. Everybody needs to remember what makes this team great. It's not the talent, it's how the talent operates and meshes.

If the listless loss was a cloud, a couple of bench players provided one heck of a silver lining.

Meyers Leonard hit every shot he took, took only smart shots, gave his all on defense, dove to the floor after loose balls, and even set some credible screens. We've been hard on Leonard in the past (for good reason). Even during his recent, decent performances the praise has been a little tongue-in-cheek, like seeing your little brother explode for an unexpected dunk and wondering where it came from and if he'll ever do it again. But Meyers wasn't anybody's little brother on this night. He played the way the game is meant to be played: with energy, with authority, with intelligence, and within the team framework. This may be my favorite Leonard outing ever. If he's going to play like this--especially standing out as an island with his teammates not following suit--he deserves legit credit. That was not just an NBA-type performance, that was a good NBA-type performance. Following on the heels of a really nice couple weeks, the bar has now been raised. Leonard deserves equal footing, and equal respect, with everybody else on the team. We've always said that it's the responsibility of every bench player to play so well that Coach Stotts can't possibly DNP him anymore. That moment has arrived for Meyers. Congratulations, Mr. Leonard. Here's to many more nights like this.

CJ McCollum may not have quite reached that point yet, but he played a great offensive game. He hit 7-10 shots for 17 points and it could have been 20 if he would have hit his free throws. That's not bad for 20 minutes. Like Leonard, McCollum played with authority, within his own skin, within the offense. His points didn't come from a random outburst of CJ Ball. The opportunities opened, he took them, he made the Spurs pay for giving them to him. Well done.

Unfortunately Nicolas Batum continued his mini-implosion, coughing up 5 turnovers against 2 assists and 5 points. Wesley Matthews continued his struggles as well, attempting 4 shots and making but 1. Steve Blake produced his usual assists but every other aspect of his game seems limp at this point.

The Blazers face the Memphis Grizzlies tomorrow night in a 6:00 Pacific start. On paper this is the hardest game of the current 4 bracketed by the Clippers and Kings. It'd be ironic for the Blazers to come out ahead in the face of their most difficult challenge, but let's hope they do just that.

Boxscore

The Instant Recap with more on the game and reaction to it.

Pounding The Rock can finally get that Blazers monkey off their back.

--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge

The Kings were completely shut down by the Heat defense, looking out of their comfort zone the entire game

The Sacramento Kings' offense died a horrible death Friday night. The Miami Heat waltzed into Sleep Train Arena and regulated the entire flow of the game with their defensive schemes, and the Kings could not adjust. The result was a contest that was basically over after the third quarter, with the formal final score of 95-83.

The Heat did several things to lull the Kings into a funk. They were first able to regulate the tempo by making it difficult for the Kings to inbound the ball, and constant pressure in the backcourt made it hard for the Kings to get into their offense quickly. Darren Collison had a very difficult night dealing with the Heat's aggressive ball pressure, with rookie Shabazz Napier in his grill all night. Collison ended the night with 13 points but only on 5/12 shooting, and 1/4 from three. The Heat also neutralized DeMarcus Cousins, who had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Cousins had 8 turnovers on the night and shot 5/12 from the field, having trouble dealing with the Heat's double teams in the post and failing to finish many of his post moves. That being said, Boogie also forced the issue far too often, as we saw the bad version of Magic Cousins throwing the ball all over the court. The Kings as a team had 15 turnovers, not an atrocious number overall, but had way too many when the game was competitive. Ben McLemore struggled mightily in the first half, but finally chugged to life in the second, ending the game with 15 points including 3/7 from three point range.

Defensively, the Kings had no answer for Chris Bosh and Luol Deng. While Jason Thompson played with heart and challenged as best as he could, Bosh was hot for much of the night, scoring both in isolation situations and spotting up as the Heat executed their offense. Bosh scored 30 points on 20 shots. Deng also got loose for too many open looks with his off-ball movement. Neither Derrick Williams nor Omri Casspi were able to track him consistently for any stretch of time, and Deng lit them up for 25 points on 18 shots.

The Kings really missed Rudy Gay's playmaking ability tonight. True, the Heat were missing Dwyane Wade so its tough to play the injury card, but without Rudy the Kings have no creativity on the perimeter. Collison and McLemore aren't guards who are going to consistently create shots for themselves and others, and while Cousins is a magnificent talent, leaving him as the sole playmaker out there will rarely be effective. The absence of Carl Landry also robbed the bench of whatever little punch it had anyways, as Kings fans were treated to a healthy dose of Reggie Evans trying to operate in the post. Lets hope they get healthy soon because the schedule is going to start ramping up in difficulty very soon. The Kings next play tomorrow against the Clippers.

For the opponent's perspective, visit Hot Hot Hoops

A five-game road trip started ominously but ended with a 95-83 win over the Sacramento Kings. Playing without Dwyane Wade - and a foul-prone Hassan Whiteside - the Heat were led by Chris Bosh's 30 points.

After a blowout loss to the Portland Trail Blazers just a week ago, it seemed as though the Miami Heat might completely fall apart.

Of course, that was before the emergence of Hassan Whiteside, the unexpected savior of the season, and the subsequent 3-1 finish to the road trip.

After a tough loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, it was hard to predict exactly what version of the Heat would be present at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. Dwyane Wade would sit out the game as he nurses a lingering hamstring injury and Chris Andersen would be out of action as well, due to an undisclosed illness. But the Heat did catch a break with the Kings' Rudy Game missing the game.

Miami's starting lineup included Shabazz Napier (making his second-straight start), Mario Chalmers, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Whiteside. However, "Hassanity" would soon be taken out of the game after picking up two quick fouls in the first two minutes. With Andersen out of action, Udonis Haslem would play significant time (and have a solid game, chipping in 7 points and 6 points in 24 minutes).

Bosh would have to match up with Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, the borderline All-Star that's been fighting injury and the overall ineptitude of the Kings' front office this season. And it was a matchup that Bosh would dominate, finishing with 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting (including all three 3-point attempts) to go with 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steal.

Miami would take a 52-44 lead at the half but, as Heat fans have realized, that has absolutely nothing to do with the final score of the game. That was hardly the case on Friday, as Miami started the third quarter with a 5-0 run and eventually built up a 17-point lead in the same period. With Whiteside still limited by foul trouble (and finishing with only four points and just one rebound), perhaps Miami's best player was Luol Deng.

Deng has been inconsistent at times this season but was absolutely spectacular against the Kings, ending with an efficient 25 points (on 11-of-18 shooting), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. He was moving freely without the ball, cutting well and hitting from the perimeter. A true difference maker.

The Heat also got a nice contribution from Shawne Williams (7 points) off the bench.

The win was certainly a feel-good moment for Miami, who are off until they face the Oklahoma City Thunder (19-20) on Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena. But there are still points that need to be addressed:

• Will the Heat front office make a trade? Andersen's curious illness could be a cautious move to protect a player that might be on his way out of Miami via trade.
• What has happened to Napier's development? The rookie point guard missed several layups and wasn't much of a factor. Yanking him in and out of the Sioux Falls Skyforce may have wreaked havoc with the young' player's confidence.
• And Napier will have to produce with Norris Cole clearly incapable of doing so. Cole might also be on his way out as he continues to struggle as a starter or as a reserve.
• The Heat bench has become a weakness and must be strengthened some how. Danny Granger has regressed and James Ennis has yet to become a regular member of head coach Erik Spoelstra's rotation.

A quick second look at the Heat's win over the Kings.

If only the rest of the NBA were the Sacremento Kings right? Your Miami Heat beat the Kings last night 95-83 without Dwyane Wade. The Heat were consistent on the defensive end throughout and used gang rebounding to offset the production of Demarcus Cousins. In 5 of the past 6 games Miami has held the opponent to under 100 points. The Heat have also out rebounded the opponent for the 4th straight time and 8th time in the past 11 games. So clearly from those stats you can see a defensive identity being created. Time to look at some players:

[Chris Bosh 30 points, 7 rebounds] - With Wade being out, Bosh took on the scoring load. On both ends of the floor he accepted the challenge of containing Cousins, who had 7 turnovers and only 3 points int eh 2nd half.

[Luol Deng - 25 points, 6 rebounds] - Deng did to Sacramento what he previously did to Dallas. He himself gets in rhythm when the offense is consistently moving the ball around. Last night was no different.

[Shabazz Napier 12 points] - Funny how he went from D League to 2nd game in a row as the starting Point Guard. I hope once Wade comes back, Napier is his back court mate. The kid doesn't have a shot but his vision is great on the floor and he has a natural ability to be a talented floor general. Hope he doesn't go back to the D League next week though.

[Hassan Whiteside - 4 points, 2 blocks] - Was I the only one hoping for a 20-10 game of anger from Whiteside to the Kings for cutting him years ago? Once I read Birdman was out, I had a feeling Hassan would be struggling. The problem with Whiteside is that as good as he and Miami is when he's on the floor, he has to learn not to foul so quickly. He picked up his 2nd fould less than 2 minutes into the game. It's also crazy to me how even with minimal minutes, the man makes an impact on the floor. Including last night Whiteside has had at least 2 blocks for the past 9 games.

Miami has often had trouble in the 3rd quarter, but recently have been improving. Will the OKC Thunder prove to be too much offense for this team or will Miami establish its defensive identity? It goes down Tuesday. See you then!

Chris Bosh and Luol Deng were far and away the best players on the floor in last night's win over the Kings. Who else had a good night?

I used the GameScore metric available at www.basketball-reference.com to ascertain who were the best players in last night's win over Sacramento.

First Star

Chris Bosh (MIA) 26.9 (NBA seventh)

Bosh led all players with 38:59 on the court and with 30 points. He made 11-of-20 shots from the field, including all three three-point attempts. He also made five-of-six free throws and a game-high plus-13 rating. He had seven rebounds, three assists, three steals, a blocked shot, a turnover and a single personal foul.

Tonight's win was more about committing to holding a good offensive team to 83 points. That's a talented offensive team and we were really trying to get after it. - HEAT coach Erik Spoelstra

Second Star

Luol Deng (MIA) 24.8 (NBA ninth star)

Deng made 11-of-18 shots from the field, and two-of-four from three-point range for 25 points on the night. He made one-of-two from the line with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. He also closed up shop with a plus-10 rating, and somehow managed to finish with zero fouls and zero turnovers.

Third Star

Shabazz Napier (MIA) 10.1

Napier has continued to impress in his third tour of duty with the HEAT. The now starting point guard didn’t really blow anyone out of the water with his shooting touch last night, going three-for-11 and one-of-three from deep. he made five-of-six from the stripe with six rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block to go along with his 12 points. He earned a plus-10 rating with three turnovers and a foul.

Fourth Star

Derrick Williams (SAC) 9.0

Williams played 33:14 last night, and was one of five Kings to finish in double figures, with 10 points (which ranked fifth on the team). He sunk five-of-11 shots, missing his only three-point attempt. He posted a game-worst-tying minus-16 rating, along with six rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Fifth Star

DeMarcus Cousins (SAC) 8.8

Cousins led the Kings with 17 points on the night, with a game leading 11 rebounds. He shot four-of-12 and made all nine of his free throws. He would add five assists, a steal, three fouls, and a minus-8 rating. His eight turnovers are the main reason he did not earn a higher gamescore.

Honorable Mention

Ray McCallum (SAC) 8.6

McCallum had the sixth highest gamescore, but played only 15 minutes for the Kings last night. In terms of GameScore over minutes played, he finished behind only Bosh and Deng. He came off the bench in the second quarter and made three-of-three from outside, and four-of-five overall to finish with 11 points. He had three rebounds and two assists, along with two turnovers and two fouls. He was also one of very few Kings to finish on the positive side of the plus-minus metric, at plus-3 on the night.

The Rest

Darren Collison (SAC) 8.6
Shawne Williams (MIA) 6.8
Udonis Haslem (MIA) 6.1
Mario Chalmers (MIA) 5.9
Ben McLemore (SAC) 5.4
Reggie Evans (SAC) 4.1
Hassan Whiteside (MIA) 3.5
Nik Stauskas (SAC) 2.2
Ryan Hollins (SAC) 2.0
Jason Thompson (SAC) 1.9
Norris Cole (MIA) 0.6
James Ennis (MIA) 0.6
Danny Granger (MIA) 0.5
Omri Casspi (SAC) -0.5

Miami's off until Tuesday night, when they'll host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Miami, FL. Continue to join us here at Hot Hot Hoops for all of your Heat news.

This season's hot start began with a surprising win in Los Angeles against the Clippers.  Now the Kings are struggling and could use a big win as the Clippers visit.  Today's action tips off at 7:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet California and on KHTK 1140.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. For a team that is 26-14, the L.A. Clippers have disappointed this season.  While teams like the Warriors and Blazers are improving upon seasons past, the Clippers seem to be regressing.  Just yesterday they lost a close game to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in what turned out to be a shootout.  Last year they were the 1st ranked offense and 9th ranked defense.  This year they are 3rd and 16th respectively.

2.  The last time these two teams played, Jamal Crawford wasn't available and the Clippers also couldn't buy a three point basket, going just 9 for 31.  Crawford has routinely killed the Kings in the past, and the Clippers are one of the best three point shooting teams in the league: 2nd in makes, 5th in attempts and 4th in percentage.  Those could be big factors.

3. Both teams are on the second night of a back to back and both teams played their starters heavy minutes last night.  The Kings were without Rudy Gay and Carl Landry, both of whom are listed as day-to-day with their availability in doubt for tonight.  The Clippers feature a healthy roster from top to bottom.

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Chris Paul vs. Darren Collison

The master meets the apprentice here.  Collison started his career as Paul's backup in New Orleans and last year served as his backup in Los Angeles.  These two know each other's games very well.  Paul's equally dangerous as a passer and scorer, so it will take a team effort to cut off some of his options.

PREGAME LIMERICK

Doc traded the farm for his son,
in hopes that he'd be the one.
Early returns are in,
to Clippers fans' chagrin,
that Austin Rivers isn't much fun.

PREDICTION

Kings 104, Clippers 93 after someone finally tells Derrick Williams that he was drafted 2nd overall, not 2nd in the 2nd round.

This week the D-League has held a showcase in Santa Cruz during which NBA executives from around the league gathered to watch the talent assembled.  Among the players there, Quincy Miller of Sacramento's affiliate Reno Bighorns drew the most attention and had interviews with the Kings, Pacers, Hawks, Thunder and Spurs.

Per a report from RealGM's Shams Charania, Miller has decided to join the Kings on a 10-day contract, which makes a lot of sense as with Rudy Gay out with injury there could be some opportunity to play at the Small Forward position (which is the 6'9" Miller's natural fit).  According to Charania, the Kings are trying to get Miller to join the team in time for tonight's game against the L.A. Clippers.

Miller has ties to the current Kings front office in that he was drafted in the 2nd round by the Denver Nuggets in the 2012 NBA draft.  Both Kings GM Pete D'Alessandro and Assistant Mike Bratz were part of that front office that selected him, so they've got a lot of information already.  The Nuggets chose not to re-sign Miller after his second year in the league, as he posted a disappointing 4.9 points on just 36.7% from the field and 31.9% from three.

Miller has shined in the D-League however, averaging a league-high 26.3 points on 52.2% shooting and 35.6% from three.  He's also getting to the line 7.5 times and converting 89.5% of his attempts.  He's also averaging 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.7 blocks a game.  Note that some of these numbers are inflated because of the unorthodox style that Reno plays, but it's still clear that this guy has plenty of talent.  We'll see if he can harness that talent in the big leagues now.

(Thanks to Fireplug for the FanPost)

After a tough loss to the Cavs in LA last night, the Clippers will be looking to bounce back and at the same time avenge an earlier loss to the Kings in Sacramento.

2014/2015 NBA Regular Season
	vs
26-14		16-23
January 17, 2015, 7:00 PM
STAPLES Center
Prime Ticket, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM
Win-Loss Breakdown
11-8	East	4-8
15-6	West	12-15
17-7	Home	10-13
9-7	Road	6-10
8-11	.500+	6-12
18-3	.500-	10-11
6-4	L10	4-6
Probable Starters
Chris Paul	PG	Darren Collison
J.J. Redick	SG	Ben McLemore
Matt Barnes	SF	Derrick Williams
Blake Griffin	PF	Jason Thompson
DeAndre Jordan	C	DeMarcus Cousins
Advanced Stats
96.52 (12th of 30)	Pace	96.81 (10th of 30)
110.2 (2nd of 30)	ORtg	103.3 (16th of 30)
103.8 (17th of 30)	DRtg	105.4 (23rd of 30)
Injuries/Other
		Rudy Gay (knee) Doubtful

The Back Story: Kings lead season series 1-0

The Big Picture: Despite a headline-making shake up in personnel, the lack of solid production from the bench once again doomed the Clippers as they fell to the Heat 126-121. In what seems to be a theme this year, the exploits of the starters (Blake Griffin had 34 points, 10 rebounds and Chris Paul had 15 points, 14 assists) were not enough to overcome the ineptitude of the reserves. On one end of the spectrum, Griffin and Paul each had a plus/minus rating of +11. On the other end, Jamal Crawford and the newly-acquired Austin Rivers had ratings of -19 and -18, respectively. A lack of faith in the bench makes games like tonight's back-to-back a bit concerning, especially against teams that seem to be extra motivated when facing this Los Angeles squad.

The Antagonist: The Kings, too, find themselves licking their wounds after falling to an Eastern Conference foe. Unlike the Clippers, the Sacramento Starters all found themselves with negative plus/minus ratings. The Kings bench, on the other hand, all netted positive plus/minus. Needless to say, facing a team with anything resembling a competent bench seems daunting at this point. Since firing coach Mike Malone, the Kings have gone 5-10 after starting the season 11-13. One could say the jazz isn't jiving.

The Subplots

• Comparison of key metrics. The Clippers are near the top of the NBA in offensive rating with 110.2 while the Kings find themselves in the middle of the pack with a 103.3 rating. The pace and defensive ratings of the two teams are basically a wash, so the offensive rating should be what proves the difference in the game.
• Double the SEGABABA double the fun. Both teams played last night so there is no using the "tired" excuse tonight. If you really wanted to build one in anyway, the Kings did play at home so they didn't have to travel. It will be interesting to see the attrition if the game is close late.
• Boogie Beasting. Demarcus Cousins seems to be putting it all together. This season he is averaging career highs in minutes (33.4), points (24.0), assists (3.3), blocks (1.6) and free throw percentage (.813). It could be argued he is the best center in the game. He usually shows up big against the Clippers. If DeAndre Jordan can hold him to 30 points and 15 rebounds, I will consider it a win. I'm also hoping we can get through the game without him injuring JJ.
• The trade that wasn't. Among the rumors that floated around during the last few days was that of a Jordan Farmar for Ramon Sessions trade. Of course, this trade fell through, speculatively because of the acquisition of Austin Rivers. As a result, Farmar was waived by the team on Friday. While I know it would've been nice to get something back for a player we used the bi-annual exception on, there is something karmically pleasing about just cutting him outright. I never liked that guy.
• Pacific Standings. The Clippers currently hold the best record within the division at 5-2. The Warriors and Phoenix are tied at 5-3. Sacramento is 3-8 against the division but two of those wins were against the Suns and the Clippers. The Lakers just don't matter.
• Break from the East. The Eastern conference is demonstrably weaker than the West, someone should let the Clippers in on this fact. While they hold a winning record over both conferences, The Clippers have inexplicably struggled more with the East (11-8) than the West (15-6).
• Zero. Austin "Call me SubZero" Rivers scored zero last night on 0-4 shooting. Not exactly the best first impression, but I don't think anyone expected him to have a breakout game his first time in a Clipper uniform. Rivers has played the Kings twice this season while a member of the Pelicans. He scored a combined 10 points in a total of 46 minutes played, so this might not be the best game for a breakout either.
• A little reinforcement? After being waived by the Celtics, Nate Robinson was seen wearing an LA Kings beanie. Could this mean he is on his way to the Clippers? The Clippers are interested in signing Nate Robinson. Here he is wearing an @LAKings beanie after he was waived. pic.twitter.com/5OJZaWgYhu

  — Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) January 16, 2015

• Connections. Darren Collison played for the Clippers last season, his summer Collison went to Sacramento after being offered the MLE. Ryan Hollins signed with the Kings this off season to back up DeMarcus Cousins. Matt Barnes played high school basketball and football at Del Campo High in Sacramento. Reggie Evans played for the Clippers previously and was a major component in their miraculous comeback win against the Grizzlies. Spencer Hawes started his career with the Kings before he was traded to Philadelphia.
• Get the Kings perspective at Sactown Royalty.
• Wikipedia definition: King (Burger)
  Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain. After Insta-Burger King ran into financial difficulties in 1954, its two Miami-based franchisees, David Edgerton and James McLamore, purchased the company and renamed it Burger King. Over the next half century, the company would change hands four times, with its third set of owners, a partnership of TPG Capital, Bain Capital, and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, taking it public in 2002. In late 2010, 3G Capital of Brazil acquired a majority stake in BK in a deal valued at US$3.26 billion. The new owners promptly initiated a restructuring of the company to reverse its fortunes. 3G, along with partner Berkshire Hathaway, eventually merged the company with Canadian-based donut chain Tim Hortons.

DeMarcus Cousins was a late scratch for Sacramento, which should make things a bit easier on the Clippers in their quest to avoid a second loss to the Kings.

2014/2015 NBA Regular Season
	vs
26-14		16-23
January 17, 2015, 7:00 PM
Sleep Train Arena
Prime Ticket, KFWB 980 AM, KWKW 1330 AM
Win-Loss Breakdown
11-8	East	4-8
15-6	West	12-15
17-7	Home	10-13
9-7	Road	6-10
8-11	.500+	6-12
18-3	.500-	10-11
6-4	L10	4-6
Probable Starters
Chris Paul	PG	Darren Collison
J.J. Redick	SG	Ben McLemore
Matt Barnes	SF	Derrick Williams
Blake Griffin	PF	Jason Thompson
DeAndre Jordan	C	DeMarcus CousinsRyan Hollins
Advanced Stats
96.52 (12th of 30)	Pace	96.81 (10th of 30)
110.2 (2nd of 30)	ORtg	103.3 (16th of 30)
103.8 (17th of 30)	DRtg	105.4 (23rd of 30)
Injuries/Other
		Rudy Gay (knee) Doubtful

BROOKLYN - Well, it didn't take long to chalk up another L in the loss column.

It was a game that saw Brooklyn lead for the entirety of the first half, but a big third quarter from the Wizards notched them the victory, 99-90.

The Nets were up by as much as seven in the third quarter. Kevin Garnett forced a contested three pointer from the corner that fell right into the hands of the Wizards. They had the ball - and game in their hands from that point on. They immediately answered with a 12-2 run to jolt their lead up to seven by the end of the quarter. After Garnett's shot, the Nets shot 4-of-15 from the field and watched their deficit climb as the Wizards outscored them 27-19 in the quarter alone.

The loss, by no means, is placed on the back of Garnett because of so. It just shows the Nets can't waste ANY possessions because you just never know when they're gonna get ice cold.

Marcin Gortat was a machine in all aspects. He was 5-of-6 from the field and finished with 10 points and 16 rebounds. The Nets had no answer for him down low, but Bradley Beal was the real offensive threat. He filled the stat sheet with 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Former Net, Paul Pierce, was yet again ineffective vs. Brooklyn, ending his night with seven points on 2-for-9 shooting.

Brooklyn did all they could in the fourth quarter. They jumped out to a 9-4 run to cut their seven point lead down to two, but Washington did a good job on the defensive end to prevent Brooklyn from finding an offensive rhythm. The Nets trailed 85-81, but Washington capped off the game with a 14-9 run, while holding Brooklyn scoreless for nearly three minutes to end the game.

The six consecutive losses matches the Nets' longest losing skid at home since 2013.

It was a game the Nets could've taken, but due to the inability to take advantage of Washington's mistakes, they couldn't prevail. And by mistakes, I mean the 13 turnovers coughed up by Washington. Not to mention their 14-for-27 night at the free throw line. They were also outrebounded 49-40, and Coach Hollins wasn't shy about it afterwards.

"We're not a very good rebounding team as it goes already. We held our own last night, but we were just a lot more spry last night. Tonight, they came out and they were pushing and banging, and we didn't have a resistance."

However, the numbers spoke and the three point numbers were once again a nightmare. They shot 44% from the field,  but 4-for-17 from three. Jarrett Jack capped off another solid start, scoring in double figures for the second consecutive game. In 40 minutes of action, Jack finished with 22 points and eight assists, but a horrid five turnovers -- half of what the Nets totaled on the night.

Brook Lopez, fresh off the rumor mill, finished with 15 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes. With him, Joe Johnson also chipped in 15.

The Nets start a three game West Coast trip this Wednesday vs. the Sacramento Kings as they start the second half portion of the 82-game schedule. Is 17-24 where you predicted this team to be at this point? Nate Silver sure did.

Quarter by quarter summary:

First quarter ... The Nets carried their convincing offensive play from last night straight into tonight's first quarter. It was a balanced offensive attack containing no true scorer, but six Nets' players hit on at least one field goal. They shot 11-of-21 in the quarter with Kevin Garnett leading the way with six points and four rebounds. The Wizards on the other hand turned the ball over four times and shot just 10-of-24 from the field. The Nets led, 26-23.

Second quarter ... The pace of the game stayed pretty consistent through the second quarter. The Nets finished the half shooting 46.5% from the field with Brook Lopez stealing the show ... again. Lopez put up 13 points and four rebounds to lead all scorers at the half. Like Lopez, Joe Johnson appeared to regain his touch from the field, finishing the half with 11 points.

The Wizards, led by Bradley Beal (12 points), scored 27 points in the quarter and shot 48.8% from the field in the half. They committed eight turnovers and didn't receive any production from former Net, Paul Pierce, who was just 1-of-7 to start the half.

Score at the half: Nets 51, Wizards 50.

Third quarter ... The Nets were up 61-54 when Kevin Garnett took a contested three pointer with 15 seconds remaining on the shot clock. It was a wasted possession and the Wizards immediately answered with a 12-2 run. It gave them a 64-63 lead, their first of the night since 38-36 in the second quarter.

From that point on, the Nets finished the quarter 4-for-15 from the field and 9-for-26 in the quarter. The awful shooting led to a 27-19 advantage for Washington and a 77-70 lead. Marcin Gortat emerged as an absolute force with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Fourth quarter ... The Nets jumped out to a 9-4 run to start the quarter and get back within two. The Wizards would prevail, however. The teams were evenly matched throughout the quarter, but Brooklyn's poor third quarter and lack of offensive execution in the late stages ultimately doomed their chances.

Final score: Wizards 99, Nets 90.

For more on the Washington Wizards, check them out at Bullets Forever.

• Game Thread: Brooklyn Nets vs. Washington Wizards, 8:00 PM - NetsDaily
• Wizards at Nets Boxscore - NBA.com
• 2nd Half Game Thread: Wizards at Nets - NetsDaily
• Wall Hits Nene For The Dunk (Video) - NBA.com
• Humphries' Big Slam (Video) - NBA.com
• Plumlee's Huge Alley-oop (Video) - NBA.com
• Washington Wizards vs. Brooklyn Nets - Recap - January 17, 2015 - AP

Another home game, another loss. Hear what the guys had to say on our latest feature of, "LISTEN UP!"

Washington Wizards 99, Brooklyn Nets 90.

Brook Lopez: 15 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes of action.

Joe Johnson: 15 points and five assists in 40 minutes.

Jarrett Jack: 22 points, eight assists and five turnovers in 40 minutes.

Things just aren't the way the Nets envisioned at the halfway mark of the season. They're 17-24 and have lost eight of their last nine games, now leading by only one game as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference over the Charlotte Hornets. They'll start a three game West Coast trip this Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings.

The shorthanded Kings were without their star player DeMarcus Cousins and managed to hang with the Los Angeles Clippers for most of the game before falling 117 to 108.  The Clippers were able to pull away with a couple of big runs in both the 3rd and 4th quarters and Sacramento was never able to fully close the gap.

Jason Thompson stepped up in Cousins' absence with one of the best games of his career, scoring 23 points to go with a career-high 22 rebounds.  Rudy Gay also made a surprising appearance off the bench to score 22 points despite all indications before the game that he would not play.  Darren Collison chipped in 17 points while also helping to hold Chris Paul to 12 points on just 4-13 shooting.

The Kings and Clippers spent much of the first half tied but it wasn't the usual suspects controlling the game.  Thompson was the main man for Sacramento while Matt Barnes inexplicably burst out for 22 first half points.  Barnes would finish with 26 points for Los Angeles.  Blake Griffin added a game-high 30 points on 11-16 from the field.

The big difference in the game was turnovers, as Sacramento gave up 18 to just 5 for Los Angeles.  The Clippers outscored the Kings 16 to 6 in Points off Turnovers.  The Kings also missed a lot of second chance opportunities, making just 10 of 20 of their second attempts.  They outrebounded the Clippers 54 to 34 thanks to the efforts of Thompson, Reggie Evans and three other Kings who secured at least five boards.

Quincy Miller, who was signed to a 10-day contract just today, made his first appearance for the Kings and showed some nice things in his five minutes of action.  While he missed all three of his shots, he was making quick decisions with the basketball and found Reggie Evans for a couple of easy baskets in the low post for two assists.  He also had two rebounds.

Rookie Nik Stauskas got his first DNP-CD of the year as both Miller and Ray McCallum saw time at Shooting Guard.

Sacramento now drops to 16-24 and begins a long stretch of games on the road the rest of this month, starting with a Monday visit to Portland.

For the opponent's perspective, visit Clips Nation.

The Clippers crafted a nice win in Sacramento behind big nights from Blake Griffin and Matt Barnes, who combined for 56 points and 15 rebounds.

41 down, 41 to go.

Tonight marked the halfway point of the Clippers' season (boy, time flies when you're arguing in the comments section!), and with tonight's win, they stand at a solid 27-14.

The game remained close throughout the first half, and Matt Barnes continued his recent trend of spectacular play, as he exploded for 22 points in 19 first half minutes (he would finish with 26). The Sacramento Kings were without center DeMarcus Cousins, who is dealing with an ankle injury, but they managed 13 offensive boards in the half despite old friend Ryan Hollins starting in place of the injured Cousins.

The Clippers pulled away in the third quarter, powered by Blake Griffin's 18 second half points (he finished with 30, 5, and 5). Chris Paul's shooting struggles continued, but he still managed 12 points and nine assists. Jamal Crawford was once again the lone star off the bench, and threw in 13 points on a tough 5-15 shooting night. For the Kings, Jason Thompson finished with 23 points and 22 boards, while Rudy Gay came back from a minor knee injury to score 22 off the bench.

Newly acquired guard Austin Rivers remains field-goalless as a Clipper thus far (0-7), but he did tally his first point of his Clipper career on one made free throw in the third quarter. But Rivers' effort tonight was not futile--he was active on defense, full of energy and managed to force a few turnovers. For what it's worth, it's nice to see a little pep in the step of the backup point guard.

Next up for the Clippers are the Boston Celtics, who will visit Staples Center for a Martin Luther King Day matinee.

The Blazers do plenty of things right versus the Grizzlies but one critical omission kept this game in the loss column.

The Portland Trail Blazers completed their mini road trip and the toughest week of their season so far in Memphis tonight, facing the powerhouse Grizzlies in the second night of a back-to-back. After a slow start Portland put up a fight but ended up succumbing to the Grizz 102-98. This loss puts the Blazers at 30-11 at the halfway point of their 2014-15 campaign. It also marks the first time they've dropped 3 straight games all year.

The contest can be summarized simply. The Blazers pack plenty of weapons in their arsenal. Over the course of the season we've become used to Wesley Matthews draining threes, LaMarcus Aldridge thrumming his way to 25+ points, Damian Lillard's fourth-quarter heroics, offensive rebounds and second-chance points, daredevil come-from-behind victories, a never-say-die attitude, confidence and swagger. But the foundation upon which all of those rest is defense. Without defensive intensity the Blazers lack the high ground from which to deploy their weapons effectively. They become a well-armed platoon fighting their way out of quicksand.

Tonight marked Exhibit A for the argument. The Blazers unloaded from every barrel just listed...throwing everything they had at the Grizzlies. But they couldn't stop Memphis from passing and running around their defense during a first half in which they surrendered 60 points. Down 20 in the third period, Portland made a run behind some three-point strikes, offensive rebounds, and forced turnovers. They started the fourth quarter within 8. Again defense let them down as their small bench lineup got pulverized in the paint. But the starters returned and made a game of it, finally showing the stopping power the team had lacked. The Grizzlies' lead was down to a single possession headed into the final minute of the game but Beno Udrih toasted the Blazers twice with easy jumpers...once on a steal gamble gone wrong and once off a supremely tardy reaction to a simple screen. Those 4 points equaled the final margin of the game.

So yeah, we can talk about LaMarcus Aldridge playing brilliantly once again with 32 points on 50% shooting, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks. We can talk about Wesley Matthews hitting an amazing 7 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc, passing Terry Porter for the most three-pointers made in Trail Blazers history. We can talk about Damian Lillard scoring 10 points in the final 5 minutes of the game to lead his team back in thrilling fashion. We can mention that the Blazers were never out of it even down 20, that they seized control of the game when they seized control of the boards, that Steve Blake had 8 assists and Chris Kaman 11 rebounds. None of it mattered in the end. Without the defense, it's like baking a really nice batch of cookies then dumping them right in the trash.

The Blazers cannot survive without playing "D". The Blazers cannot beat good teams if they wait until the fourth quarter to bring their "A" game. The difference between Portland's strong points sounding glorious or sad and ironic lies squarely in those two sentences.

Further Notes:

Aldridge, Matthews, and Blake had really good outings tonight. It was nice to see the two supporting guards back to productive territory after a hard stretch.

Damian Lillard scored 23 but hit only 9-26 shots, 3-10 from distance, and drew but 3 free throw attempts. That's not his best ball. Plus the same shots that make for highlight reels when they go in look painful when they don't, especially with Aldridge running hot next to Lillard. But LaMarcus touched the ball in the fourth at least. Plus you can't enjoy Lillard's heroics without living with a few misses alongside. On the other hand, Lillard's defense was more or less directly responsible for those two game-clinching Beno Udrih jumpers.

Chris Kaman spurred the second-half rebounding comeback but his offense and help defense were both poor.

Nicolas Batum, Thomas Robinson, and Meyers Leonard had abysmal outings. We'll skip over their non-appearance and hope for better in the next game.

The Blazers get a travel day tomorrow before returning home to face the Sacramento Kings on Monday. Theoretically that's a "get better" game and it'll probably turn out that way. But do not sleep on DeMarcus Cousins' ability to wreck Portland's defense, not the Kings' tendency to flourish when given mid-range shots that the Blazers tend to cede. If the Blazers play with energy and throw in a little defense it should be fine, but don't count it as a "gimme" matchup.

Boxscore

Our Instant Recap gives you post-game reaction.

Grizzly Bear Blues will be happy their team wrapped up this one successfully.

Don't forget you can call  234-738-3394 to leave a voicemail question for our weekly podcast or to answer our question to you: If the Blazers were to trade for a wing, would you prefer Wilson Chandler or Kevin Martin? Watch for the next edition to come out Tuesday, complete with a special announcement!

--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge

Despite wins coming few and far between for the Kings lately, Darren Collison continues to show his value on the floor and in the locker room.

When Darren Collison signed with the Sacramento Kings over the summer, he said he had one goal individually and for the team: win.

The Kings began the season meeting those expectations with a 9-5 start. But a couple of injuries/illnesses to DeMarcus Cousins and a coaching change later, and the Kings find themselves sitting in fourth place in the Pacific division with only four more wins than the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the team's troubles, Collison, who signed a three-year deal worth $16 million with the Kings, continues to have a positive impact both on the floor and in the locker room this season.

Now with his fifth team, Collison has solidified himself as a starting point guard in the NBA and as a leader. Just ask Kings forward Jason Thompson.

"He's a great floor general. I've been a guy that's been through a lot of point guards over my years and that's a guy that I've got a great relationship with; talk to him daily about him being one of the leaders of the team and also what he sees on the floor offensively, defensively," Thompson told Sactown Royalty. "As a big, at times I can't see behind me and he always has my back, so definitely a guy that puts a lot of pressure on the defense and makes the extra pass too."

Collison is putting up good numbers this season (16.5 points on 46 percent from the field, 5.9 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals), which are middle of the pack when compared to the rest of point guards in the league, but he gets those numbers consistently and combines it with energy and hustle. The ever-approachable guard brushes his individual accomplishments aside when asked about it, instead focusing on the task at hand, his passion for winning still burning strong.

"That's why we play this game, that's what I care about. What are we here for? We're here just to win games," Collison told Sactown Royalty. "I'm not much of that guy to just worry about myself individually. I understand that I am playing well and I do have some success individually, but it doesn't mean nothing if we're not winning."

It is this fighting spirit, which has led Collison to regaining a starting role, that his former head coach Doc Rivers applauds him for.

"I love the guy, he's just a fantastic kid. Basketball-wise he's been great here [in Sacramento] too, but I'm just happy for him," Rivers told Sactown Royalty. "He was a starter, almost an All-Star I think for one year in Indiana, and then all the sudden he doesn't even play and he goes to Dallas, and he ends up with us, and you don't see a lot of resurrections in our league and he's resurrected his career. So we're very happy about it. I wish he was with us still, but he's not. But he's a great, great kid."

Collison indeed was in the All-Star conversation in 2012 when he was with the Indiana Pacers. But then he got traded to the Dallas Mavericks where he was benched for Derek Fisher and Mike James and then later played backup for Chris Paul (for the second time). So he's seen his fair share of adversity. And adversity struck the Kings locker room in December when Michael Malone, who Collison had said was part of the reason he signed with the Kings, was fired and replaced with Tyrone Corbin. It was admittedly difficult for Collison to deal with the transition after it happened, but that has since changed.

"It was at first, but now I've kind of moved on. There's nothing we can do about it. Coach Ty is our coach right now and that's something we've got the embrace," Collison said.

Collison has moved on to the next chapter in the Kings saga and continues to put up good numbers while juggling the changes in the lineup that have repeatedly occurred as a result of a steady flow of injuries to multiple players. Embracing the coaching change and providing guidance to his teammates is what you will hear out of the UCLA product these days. His backcourt mate this season, Ben McLemore, can attest to that.

"He's helped me a lot throughout the course of the season. Just helping me move without the ball, getting my shot. Little things like that, just telling me where to be on the floor," McLemore said of Collison. "Very vocal, like every day, telling me, ‘be aggressive. Just go out there and give it your all,' trying to get me to talk up more and stuff like that, just stuff that vets do."

With wins coming sparingly and the early season hopes of making the playoffs slowly floating down the Sacramento River and into the Delta, Collison has a specific goal for the team as a whole for the rest of the 2014-15 campaign: continue to play together at a competitive level.

"Just making sure that we compete and don't fall to that temptation because we may not make it to the playoffs that everybody just starts playing for themselves. I don't want to play that type of basketball. I want us to continue to grow all the way up until next season so we can get better," Collison said.

With nearly a decade of losing seasons in the rear view mirror for this Kings franchise, a team full of guys playing for themselves is the last thing the fans want to see. So good on the new point guard they call "DC" for making that a goal moving forward.

With some of the top youngsters in the D-League drawing interest from opposing NBA teams, affiliated big league squads are beginning to feel the pressure to scoop them up first.

NBA executives and scouts can be found all over the gym in Santa Cruz, California this weekend. With the 2015 NBA D-League Showcase going on, there's plenty of talent on display, all in one general convenient location. This would, assumedly, allow such staffers to finally have an up close and personal look at some of the intriguing players from across the D-League hemisphere.

But ironically enough, the three most recent NBA call-ups --- Quincy Miller (from the Reno Bighorns to Sacramento Kings), JaMychal Green (from the Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs), and now reportedly James Michael McAdoo (from the Santa Cruz Warriors to the Golden State Warriors), have all been earned by minor leaguers who are subsequently signing with NBA teams affiliated with their D-League ones.

What's the catch? With such athletes playing much closer to home base in most cases with direct affiliates, don't executives already know the talent present in their own backyard, so to speak? Why has it taken this long for these signings to occur?

Of course, the flexibility of offering ten-day contracts only came about less than two weeks ago. Still, make no mistake; it hasn't just suddenly dawned on these executives that their respective minor league affiliates are employing some talented youngsters with intriguing potential.

Alas, NBA teams are beginning to feel the pressure to sign such players with other squads beginning to catch on. Discussions at the Showcase with coaches, scouts, and others reveal this to be the case.

The fact of the matter is everyone is all in one place. This not only allows "opposing" teams to explore other talents, but also discuss and ponder the opportunity to sign them, too. When word gets back to the affiliated NBA team(s), they know their window to keep such a player in the fold is limited, and choose to scoop them up instead.

By signing a hot commodity affiliated player to a ten-day contract or two, NBA teams derail the respective hopes' of their opponents, while also potentially deferring the present interest as well. By the time a certain young gun plays out his contract(s), perhaps opposing clubs will have already explored other options.

When signing an affiliate player to an NBA contract to fend off opponents, two things happen: the athlete gets paid, and the big league affiliate successfully keeps him in the fold. It's a win-win for both sides, and without a doubt, quite the strategy.

Blazer's Edge asks what's important to you on this holiday.

All of us folks at Blazer's Edge wish you well on this Martin Luther King holiday. Those who have the day off work or school, I hope you enjoy. For those settling in to watch a day's worth of NBA action, have fun! We're previewing the Portland Trail Blazers-Sacramento Kings game tonight and as always we'll be there with complete coverage from beginning to end.

I was also planning to do a Mailbag today but I looked at my children (who have an extra day off of school because of the holiday) and realized I've spent probably 15 minutes with them all weekend. (3 Blazers games between Friday and Monday plus day job plus other things.) So on behalf of my wonderful young boy and girl, I'm going to ask your indulgence in considering a different topic today. Mailbag questions can wait a day or two; they can't.

Which leads me into the topic of this post. We spend hours and hours discussing Blazers basketball on this site year 'round. But sometimes, on a day like today, it might be good to share the other things we're passionate about. (My children providing two easy examples for me.) After all, the dream of the guy this holiday honors involved sweeping changes in our society, a different way of looking at each other, and freedom to be passionate about the things that drive and inspire us regardless of race. The freedom to enjoy NBA basketball together is one aspect of that freedom. What are the others for you? What do you love and care about besides the Blazers? What inspires your passion?

The only thing I request is that you support each other in the comments by not discounting the passions of others. Nothing says the things you invest in have to be grandiose. If you're passionate about building a back porch or reading a series of novels or eating a Twinkie a day, that's awesome. If somebody's passion isn't yours, just state your own in tandem with them instead of arguing against theirs. Take this as a chance to get to know each other better in ways outside of basketball on a day that's about so much more than basketball. We see you all in Gameday Threads and trade Fanposts. Who are you in addition to all that?

Let us know below.

Also don't forget to let us know whether you'd prefer the Blazers trade for Wilson Chandler, Kevin Martin, or neither by calling in the voicemail of the Blazer's Edge Podcast at 234-738-3394. Leave us a 30-second clip favoring one view or the other and we might use it in tomorrow's show!

--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge