Somethign interesting in an ESPN mention about the Rox..

Not going to post the whole thing, but here's the lnk:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hruby/051104

The bit that caught my eye:

"4. There is no "NBA" in T-E-A-M
If noted basketball fan Spike Lee added an anti-NBA jeremiad to the blistering racial slur montage in "Do the Right Thing," it likely would go as follows:

Hot-dogging, no-passing, me-first one-on-one streetballing, Iverson jacking 50 shots, Kobe shooting over three defenders while four guys stand in the corner checking out the Laker girls, that's why you won a bronze medal at the Olympics, can't play as a team, I hate this game, whatever happened to Hickory High and the '72-73 Knicks, losers!

Or something like that. Is team ball nearly extinct in the star-obsessed world of pro basketball?

Not according to the numbers. Last season, the percentage of shots taken by the top two scorers on each team ranged from 24.4 percent (Atlanta, New Orleans) to 41.1 percent (Houston). Most clubs were in the 30-percent area."

The bit about Houston caught my eye. I did not know teh top two scorers on the Rockets led the league last yeat in percentage of shots taken.

And everybody always yells about Yao not taking enough shots - did TMac take THAT many shots?? Good grief, no WONDER his body is giving him fits - he's worn out!

Anyway, just thought it was interesting.

Oh, and one other Rox mention in the same article:

"7. College Guys Play Harder
No. No. A thousand times no. Compared to their pro counterparts, college players do a lot more jersey-popping and floor-slapping.

But play with more energy? Please.

"Coming out of college, I had no idea what it took to be successful in this league," Daniels says. "It took me going to San Antonio and playing around a professional group of guys.

"Things happen so quickly at this level. Decisions are made so much faster. Guys are a lot craftier, they think a lot quicker and they react a lot quicker."

College players show emotion. For sheer atmosphere, pep bands and rabid fans trump corporate boxes and Jock Jams Vols. 1-5. Couple that with a lower degree of skill, and the college game can appear more intense.

Don't be fooled.

In the time it takes a campus star to pound his chest, drop into a defensive stance and raise a fist, a pro player can use a quick hesitation dribble to get to the rim. Economy of motion does not equal economy of effort.

"When you watch Tracy McGrady score, it doesn't look like he's working," Haywood says. "But that's because he's just that good. College guys look a little more rugged, like they're playing extra hard when they're doing the same thing we're doing.""



Nice to see TMac getting the love from other players.