Posts tagged JameerNelson at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

The Magic improved by 12 games this year to finish with 52 wins, their most since 1996 when Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway carried the team all the way to the NBA Finals. GM Otis Smith deserves a lot of credit for the turnaround, first for bidding against himself to sign Rashard Lewis and then having the foresight of knowing Tony Battie would get suffer a season-ending injury to open up playing time for the soon-to-be Most Improved Player Hedo Turkoglu. For that, he was rewarded with a three-year extension.

Am I being a little harsh? Perhaps, but Smith is obviously riding the coat-tails of Dwight Howard's ascension to superstardom. Sure, Stan Van Gundy turned out to be a nice pick to coach this team, but he's only there because Smith's first choice, Billy Donovan, flaked out. And is anyone really excited about Jameer Nelson's future? Smith gave him a five-year, $35 million contract last summer, but he couldn't even hold down a starting job for all of last year.

Wouldn't a talented young point guard like Rodney Stuckey have been a nice replacement? Well, Smith gave the Pistons Orlando's 2007 first-rounder used to select Stuckey in the Darko Milicic/Carlos Arroyo trade. Darko lasted just a year and a half before leaving town while Magic fans are counting down the days Arroyo's contract comes off the books this summer. And don't even get me started about drafting JJ Redick ...

Smith is hardly the worst GM in the league, but I'm convinced the Magic are where they are despite his efforts, not because of it.

Notes from a trip to the NBA Playoffs.

Immediately after Saturday's heartbreaking 90-89 loss to the Pistons, Jameer Nelson boldly predicted that the Magic would extend the series with a Game 5 win in Detroit. In case you're just tuning in, the Magic fell short last night, allowing Detroit to clinch the series with a 91-86 win.

After the game, slumped in a chair in front of his locker with his feet soaking in ice and wearing only a towel, a dejected Nelson reflected on his "guarantee" and the attention it attracted. "I didn't guarantee a win," he said. "I didn't say, 'we're going to ...' I said 'we have to go win, we're going to come get this win.' And the media took it out of proportion or whatever they want to do. The media always wants a story. I mean, I really don't care what people write, you know?"

If you take his words literally, Nelson is fibbing: he did predict a win. It wasn't manufactured by the media. He didn't use the word "guarantee," but his exact words were, "We're going to go there and win this game." There's no ambiguity there.

But that's not really his point. Like Stan Van Gundy said before the game, his prediction was more about believing and expecting his team could win than than disrespecting the Pistons (none of whom, incidentally, actually took offense).

Notes from a trip to the NBA Playoffs.

Jameer Nelson turned a lot of heads when he "guaranteed" a win in Game 4, but speaking before tonight's game, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said he didn't mind the bold talk one bit. "Well, I would hope that's what they all feel," said Van Gundy. "I mean, I think he said it in the right way. He said right away, 'I'm not trying to be arrogant or cocky or anything else, but that's the mind set we have to have.' And it is. I mean, what would I want? A guy coming up here expecting to lose? 'We might win, [or] we hope we'll win.' No, you have to come out here expecting to win. Otherwise don't show up."

Van Gundy also commented on how the media often makes sweeping judgments about a team's character based solely on the outcome of the game. "What happens all the time is how well [we] play determines what you guys write about a team's character and everything," Van Gundy told the gaggle of reporters. "So automatically, if you play well, you have great character. And if you don't play well, it's because you don't have the 'resolve,' and the 'mental toughness' and all of that. We have all of that. We have to play well."

He continued: "It's a matter of a play here or there, that people write, 'It's the Pistons' experience, they know how to win.' And if you get one call or Turk makes the shot [at the end of Game 4], everything's different. That's just the way it is. Players have to deal with that perception of them and everything else and understand that's just the business we're in, and it's the way it is. It's a results-driven business. People are going to make comments on your character and your toughness and all of that based on one or two plays in the series."

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Magic-Pistons Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 this evening.

1. That Better Be A Darn Good Guarantee: I hate guarantees. Hate them. I hate them more from slow, unspectacular sized, non-hyper-athletic point guards that have been a contributing factor to their team's need for a guarantee. So part of me kind of hopes Jameer Nelson gets served tonight, like he has all series. Which is odd, because I'd really like for the Magic to have made this into a series. I don't necessarily mind the intent behind guarantees, in fact I think confidence is an absolute necessity going into an elimination game. It's making it public that creates the issue. Because as laid back as the Pistons are about the matter, it's still another reason for them to swat the mosquito that the Magic have turned into on their trek through the playoff jungle. And every time Nelson misses a shot tonight, you can bet the Pistons faithful are going to remind him of his little blip.

2. 50/50, Win-Win: Chauncey Billups is 50/50 to play tonight. But since the Magic are about 0-2000 in things falling right for them in this series, I wouldn't bank too much on Billups taking the night off. Although, with as well as Rodney Stuckey has played in his absence, you have to wonder if the Pistons feel any urgency to get him back on the floor, especially with this series feeling so completely finalized. Billups has struggled this postseason in general, and it might do him more good to take the night off, see if the Pistons can finish up the Magic at home, and get some rest for the Conference Finals. If the Magic were to somehow pull off a mini-miracle and win tonight, it would just put them in better shape to put the foot to the throat in Game 6. It's pretty much a win-win situation for the Pistons.

Orlando suffered a crushing blow to their hopes of moving on in the playoffs with a tough Game 4 loss at home to the Pistons. Detroit is the only team to win a road game in this round of the playoffs, and did so by just a single point and without their starting point guard, Chauncey Billups. So maybe that's why Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis still feel that they have a chance to take the series, even though they find themselves in a 3-1 hole and facing a possible elimination game in Detroit.

Nelson, right after the Game 4 loss, didn't hesitate to predict that things would be different in Game 5:

"You know what, we're going to make some adjustments, and we're going to go there and win this (next) game," Nelson boldly predicted. "I'm not being arrogant or cocky or anything like that, but (Saturday) we let it slip out of our hands, let Game 2 slip out of our hands, and we're going to win this (next) game in Detroit.

Whatever you say, Jameer. Rashard Lewis isn't predicting anything at the moment, but after losing three out of four to Detroit, he somehow feels like he's playing for the better team:

We had our chance and let it slip away. For some reason, I feel we're still the better team," Magic forward Rashard Lewis said. "We just made too many mistakes at the end.

"It was our mistakes, nothing they did. They still got to beat us one more time."

I suppose you want your players to be confident, even when facing elimination and the unlikely prospect of trying to beat the Pistons three straight games, two of which would be in their building. But guaranteeing victories and saying you're on the better team at this point just sounds like these guys are out of touch with reality.

After two days of literally spending every waking hour with Pistons' trainer Arnie Kander, it's still unclear whether Chauncey Billups will be able to go in Game 4. The hamstring injury that Billups suffered in Game 3 at the hands (er, feet) of Jameer Nelson is still restricting him from even walking fast at this point, so we'll have to wait until tip-off to see if Chauncey will be able to run.

It's going to take a lot to keep Billups on the sidelines for a playoff game, because in his mind, even if he isn't 100%, he's able to help his team by simply being out there.

"I don't have to be 100 percent. This whole postseason I haven't been 100 percent but one or two games anyway," Billups said. "I just want to be good enough to be productive. I don't care if I even score, but I just think if I'm out there running the show and I'm taking control of the game, that's me being productive."

My guess is that Billups will start, and then we'll see how much he's limited by the injury. Rodney Stuckey is a capable backup, so if he has to go extended minutes the Pistons should be okay. The key for them will be to bring the defensive intensity from the opening tip, and not get blown out in the first quarter like they did in Game 3. Detroit let Orlando start the game with a 20-3 run, which as you might imagine, is extremely tough to overcome on the road in the playoffs.

UPDATE: Chauncey's officially been ruled out. Stuckey will get the start.

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Pistons-Magic Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 3 this evening.

1. Where Time Stands Still: Maybe tonight we'll actually play the game for the correct amount of time, huh? I know, I know, much ado about nothing. But the impact on this game could be considerable if the Magic come out fighting mad. The Magic shot the lights out in the third quarter of Game 2 before falling back off into the void in the fourth, and still managed to keep the game close to the very end where they lost because the Pistons had a three point lead (kind-of) and the refs called a rather questionable foul on Keyon Dooling. This isn't to say the Pistons wouldn't have won anyway, I have every confidence they would have. But it doesn't change the fact that if you're on the Magic, you have to have at least a glimmer of confidence heading back to the friendly confines of the Magic Kingdom. If the Magic can use Game 3 as their proverbial rallying point, it might give them the boost they need to get past Detroit's defense which has been, well ...

2. Stingy As All Get Out: No, the Pistons aren't leading the playoff teams in opponents' field goal percentage. Philadelphia's unheralded and momentary uprising cut that thing off at the knees before the playoffs had even barely gotten started. But they're still holding teams to 41.9% shooting and only 31 makes a game. In news that will shock and amaze you, the problem with Detroit is not stopping their streaky, inconsistent offense. It's getting past the gauntlet. The Magic did a better job in Game 2 of getting out in transition like I called for, but they would be better served by working to create good quality shots instead of blindly hoping for threes to fall like manna from the heavens. Let me put it this way. Whatever Detroit decides to give you? It's probably poisoned.

Notes from a trip to the NBA Playoffs.

As Will Brinson already explained earlier this evening, the Pistons got a bit of a gift at the end of the third quarter last night as Chauncey Billups hit a three-pointer after the clocks should have expired to give the Pistons a two-point lead heading into the fourth.

During the post-game press conference, Billups explained what was going through his head. "Obviously when we took it out I knew it was five seconds, so I just tried to get it up, get it up," he said. "I saw a couple of guys converge on me [so] I threw it to [Rodney Stuckey]. I thought Stuck had to shoot it. When Stuck went up and looked and saw four seconds on the clock, that's why he didn't shoot it, he kicked it back. But I didn't see that, I was just like, I just got to hurry up and get it off. It's a tough play, man. It sucks to be on the other end of that play, you know what I'm saying? But I'll take it, man, I'll take it."

During the Pistons' Game 1 victory over Orlando, you may recall a play where Rashard Lewis wrapped up Theo Ratliff under the basket, causing Jason Maxiell to come over and have some words with Lewis. Well, Theo wanted to make sure everyone knows that he can take care of himself, and also took the opportunity to get in some digs at the Magic since, you know, no one's asked him a question in about 10 years:

"There's no sense in guys coming to my rescue," Ratliff said Sunday. "I mean, that was Rashard Lewis. He's a 3 man."

"Dwight is an imposing player, but we've played against some of the Hall of Famers so it's not really something we worry about," Ratliff said.

"They're a finesse team," Ratliff said. "They're a 3-point shooting team."

Not surprisingly, the Magic players didn't take too kindly to someone whose corpse played a whopping 12 minutes the entire game lighting them up like that. So of course, Lewis and Jameer Nelson had some words for Theo as well.

You can have a lot of energy in five minutes a game," Lewis said. "What's he played? 15 games? Tell him to come out and guard me."

"Who? Who?" [Jameer] Nelson asked mockingly when Ratliff's comments were repeated by reporters. "I'm getting sick and tired of people calling us soft."

Don't get me wrong, I like trash talk in the playoffs as much as the next guy. But it's very Celtics-like to have your scrubs talking trash when they don't contribute nearly what the team's superstars do on the floor, and all it's going to do is make things harder on your teammates who do get the bulk of the minutes. We saw what can happen when a role player mouths off to the opposing team's star. I'm sure the Pistons would prefer that Ratliff doesn't provide any similar motivation to the Magic.

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Magic-Pistons game tonight.

1. Superman Vs. The Automatons: Chris Webber said on Inside the NBA after the Magic eliminated the Raptors that the Pistons would not choose to double Dwight Howard. That's a matter of some debate in the Pistons camp, and it looks like they have decided to bring the double. The thinking here is pretty clear. We shut down Dwight Howard, and this team is without competent weaponry. Howard has to be on his game for every single game in this series. He needs to take advantage when he gets a step, an opening, or a mismatch. He needs to control the boards at both ends of the floor. But most importantly, he needs to make the pass to the open shooter on the perimeter. From there the question gets a little more dicey for the Magic ...

2. .Better Be Good: If the Magic perimeter shooters aren't on target in this series, it could get out of hand very fast. They are going to get open shots. The Pistons are willing to accept shots from Jameer Nelson, from Maurice Evans, from Keith Bogans. As long as it's not Howard dunking on them or Turkoglu slicing to the basket, they'll take their chances with their ability to closeout and put pressure on shooters. Keith Bogans was 12 of 14 against the Pistons this season, and he has to keep up that kind of accuracy to force the Pistons out of the double-team.