RIO DE JANEIRO — For two seasons, Chaska has unquestionably had the deepest roster in the league. But that's now up for serious debate thanks to a Rio lineup loaded with All-COMO potential. Star forward Paul George was a second-team selection in 2013-2014, and while he's probably still the most talented player in Brazil, he's watched while two of his teammates have collected Player of the Week awards. Center Andre Drummond earned one in early November, and now small forward Kawhi Leonard is being honored after putting up an average of 37.50 bones over four contests (Rio went 4-0 this week). "I'm so excited I can't feel my arms!" coach Jackie Moon said during a postgame presser on Sunday. The beleaguered boss won just 49 games combined in his first two seasons, and was reportedly coaching for his job this season. But a 19-5 start has cleared the tension in Rio. "I saw it on TV a couple times," he said when asked about his coaching origins. "I thought, 'I could do that.'"
0 Comments
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — There's a new sheriff in town, and he's getting more out of Russell Westbrook than the previous guy ever did. Jesus Shuttlesworth took the Grizzlies job because of the top-end talent in SoCal. But he knew that "Coach" Wagner had similar resources while going 62-102 in two seasons at the helm. So, what's been the key in getting Westbrook — the newest Player of the Week after averaging 41.50 bones over four contests — to step up? One only needed to be on the bench during Newport's big win over league power Duval United on Sunday to witness the budding player-coach relationship. "Basketball is like poetry in motion," Shuttlesworth told Westbrook during a timeout. "Cross the guy to the left, take him back to the right, he's fallin' back, then just J right in his face. Then you look at him and say, 'What?'" Westbrook did just that, and the Grizzlies are now 13-7 and on track for a high playoff seed. "Ship or bust," owner Peter Mayer said. "There is no doubt that this is the team of destiny. It's been set in stone ever since I got a henna tattoo of John Wall's name across my chest in 2010." Wall (21.30 average in 10 starts) has been a bit lackluster, but free agent signee LeBron James has been picking up the slack. "LeBron is King of the Grizzlies," Mayer said. "He is perfect in every way and will lead us to the promised land. Long live our King." ST. PAUL, Minn. — Eric Bledsoe's locker has an old magazine clipping taped inside it. The page is from last season's COMO Preview, and it doesn't have many nice things to say about him. "Ricky Rubio and Eric Bledsoe are starting in the backcourt," it reads. "A lot of responsibility for a guy who can't seem to live up to his potential (Rubio) and a guy who's sure to see his production drop this year (Bledsoe)." Of course, Rubio is gone. But Bledsoe remains, and he's gunning for a second straight All-COMO selection after two starts for an average of 36.50 bones this week. "Let's just say Eric's production couldn't have gone in a more opposite direction, and he is one of the key leaders on this championship-caliber Chill team," owner and GM Matthew Taylor said. "I have a feeling he won't be doubted anymore." 'Snowta is currently tied for third place with an 11-5 record. The Chill will travel to Jacksonville to play Duval United before three straight home games — vs. Colorado, Hollywood and Sunnyvale — this week. RIO DE JANEIRO — The pieces have finally fallen into place for Prince. After two seasons of overseeing an awful brand of basketball, the music icon finally has a roster that's championship ready. Embattled general manager Brendan Halleron has crafted the league's deepest lineup, with 22-year-old center Andre Drummond at center (both literally and figuratively). The UConn product poured in an average of 41.33 bones this week as the Rainmakers went 4-0 and pushed their season record to a COMO-best 8-2. Drummond's week included a 55-bone performance (29 points, 27 rebounds, three blocks, etc.) on Sunday that coach Jackie Moon called "riveting." "In the anals of history people are going to be talking about three things: the discovery of fire, invention of the submarine, and what Andre Drummond did this week," Moon said. SHOREWOOD, Minn. — The COMO Finals MVP picked up right where he left off. Steph Curry collected 62 bones (53 points, nine assists, four steals, four rebounds) during Saturday's blowout of Newport Beach, and averaged 47.50 bones over three appearances to win COMO Player of the Week as the Show got off to a 5-1 start. "There are three rules that I live by," Shorewood coach Bobby Finstock said. "Never let Steph go two minutes without the ball; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese." Finstock and Curry led Shorewood to back-to-back titles the past two seasons under the watch of GM Alex Smith. "We're on another level right now," Smith said. "We talked about this back in April: We want a three-peat. And Steph is going to be the key." |
Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|