Steph’s up & under with hot sauce
Today’s Panels:
First Half Only:
Second Half Only:
First Half
Rachel Nichols’ one-on-one conversation with DeMarcus Cousins, who will be making his Warriors/Season debut on Friday vs the Clippers:
Highlights from the interview:
“Kind of nervous about it, actually. You know, at the end of this month, it’ll basically be a calendar year. So it’s been a long time coming, to say the least” – Cousins
“Well, obviously, I won’t be the same player. I’ve gotten better” – Cousins
“With Dominique [Wilkins], that’s who I’ve probably spoken to the most. And he just basically tells me to attack it. Once you realize you are healed, like, don’t think about it. Just go forward” – Cousins
“I can’t worry about what people think about me” – Cousins
“I prefer teammates that have emotions. It means you care” – Cousins
“I don’t really pay attention to storylines. I mean, they’re gonna say what they have to say. They’re gonna add their opinions. We’re the most hated team in sports” – Cousins
“I’m back, and I’m not looking back. I’m moving forward. I’m leaving it on the floor every night. And I plan on coming back for that top spot” – Cousins
How soon until Warriors and Boogie mesh?
“He could come back and do what he does best: rebounding and defend. He doesn’t have to come in and be a savior for this team. They’re already great without him” – T-Mac
“Boogie on Warriors is a real life sports science project” – Friedell
“They’re still going to win the title, no matter whether this works or it doesn’t” – Friedell
“If he’s not rolling early on, for a guy that wants to get paid big-big money and wants that extension after the season form somewhere, that’s what I think the Warriors have a little bit of fear of if he doesn’t find his niche early, is he going to rock the boat a little bit internally?” – Friedell
Draymond Green after the game last night (Via Kerith Burke/NBC Sports Bay Area):
“All hell about to break loose. It’s going to be fun”
“Is DeMarcus going to fit into what they already have in place?” – Friedell
“In New Orleans, in Golden State have been around him love the emotion. They [his teammates] how much he plays the game” – Nichols
“I would love playing with a guy like that” – T-Mac
Steph still the most exciting player?
23 points | 8-10 FG | 7-8 3PM in the 3rd quarter vs the Pelicans
“It’s unbelievable. It just continues to build. It is the basketball equivalent of going to Vegas, going to the craps table and just hitting all night long and everybody is going bonkers. The players love it, the coaches love it, Steph loves it” – Friedell
“This is why this team is just so explosive because you have this guy who’s changed basketball. You got teams out here that are drafting and trying to build teams because of Steph freaking Curry” – T-Mac
January 17, 2000 – Malik Sealy (Timberwolves) banking in the game winning three at the buzzer vs the Pacers!!!
May he rest in peace
Young legs; What could Gasol have done differently?
Reputations; Who is left for Jarrett Allen to block?
Movement; When did Nurk turn into John Stockton?
Recorded his first career triple-double vs the Cavs last night
10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists along with 5 blocks
Safety; Dunk of the year so far?
Jamychal Green on Ersan Ilyasova!
Let’s…
Top all-time charges gone wrong:
3) 2002: Ricky Davis on Steve Nash
2) 2013: LeBron on Paul Millsap
1) 2006: Kobe on Nash
Moving on…
Rockets asking too much of Harden?
Scored 58 points last night! Joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA History with back-to-back 55 point games
Harden’s last 2 games: 115 points WITHOUT A SINGLE ASSIST!
“No. Because their team is constructed around him. He’s surrounded by a bunch of shooters. That’s why he’s able to do what he does on a nightly basis. It’s why you can’t really guard him 1-on-1 because he’s a great 1-on-1 player” – T-Mac
“Unbelievable and doing things nobody’s really seen before. But then I go: ‘Oh my god, that Chris Paul contract is going to kill the Rockets because he can’t stay on the floor and is not the player he used to be'” – Friedell on what he thinks when it comes to Harden
“He doesn’t have enough talent to win if Chris Paul is out” – Friedell
Second Half
Kyrie on recent phone call to LeBron:
Kyrie realizing how good he had it with LeBron?
“This was a pretty big stunner. LeBron, I am told, after the conversation felt that it was a genuine and honest conversation. He will take Kyrie of his word. I have no clue what Kyrie is doing here. He just does strange stuff sometimes. I see him taking a jab at his teammates still. He’s kindly saying to his teammates: ‘I’m LeBron now. You guys are the young stupid kids like I was. Start paying attention to me like I should have been paying attention to LeBron'” – Windhorst
“It had to be genuine. He has won a championship with LeBron” – T-Mac
“He had an 18 assist game [last night]. It took him 5 games to get 18 assists in his first five games with LeBron” – Windhorst
Who wins if Celtics face Raptors in playoff series?
“This is why I had picked to win a championship because they have it all: depth, a closer, they can defend and rebound” – T-Mac
“Celtics over Raptors” – T-Mac
“Kyrie’s value in a playoff setting just increases because of what he can do under pressure” – Windhorst
Debut of The Jump OT:
T-Mac & Scottie Pippen on stopping James Harden
All-Star Draft to be televised Feb. 7! #TeleviseTheDraft
Players cool with idea of Dwyane Wade farewell All-Star appearance?
“Other guys better get with the program. This man is a 3-time champion. He deserves it” – T-Mac
“He’s got a compelling situation. The players will make a hard push for Dwyane. I’m not mad it at” – Windhorst
How should Harden & KD feel about All-Star fan vote?
“This is so disrespectful on all levels of voting” – T-Mac
“For Doncic to be ahead of these two guys is insane” – T-Mac
“The media loves Doncic. Will the players back up the rookie?” – Windhorst
“The players will back up Rose before Doncic” – T-Mac
January 17, 2003 – Ricky Davis (Cavs) rocking the rim hard vs the Nuggets!
Turkish Gov’t seeks warrant for Knicks’ Enes Kanter
Commissioner Adam Silver at a London news conference had this to say on Kanter’s situation:
“There are significant issues that he is dealing with, and I recognize that for the NBA, that by virtue of the fact that we’re a global business, we have to pay a lot of attention to these issues as well”
Knicks vs Wiz
Knicks vs Wizards from London!
Mavs mending fences?
Sources: Mavs hopeful of moving forward with Dennis Smith Jr. (Via Tim MacMahon)
A source told MacMahon:
“Plan A is to still fix this”
Blake Griffin fined $15k for verbal abuse of official on Monday
Would Noah Vonleh be a good fit for 76ers? (Via New York Daily News)
“He is having the best season of his career. He would help the depth on the 76ers. I don’t know if they’re going to trade” – Windhorst
“What happens with Markelle Fultz affects, and his trade situation, what they are going to do the rest of the season. The fact that we’re talking about Vonleh and not Fultz is a victory for the 76ers right now” – Windhorst
“If he can come in and knock down outside shots playing with that big 3, it’s a great asset to them” – T-Mac
Bulls at Nuggets
Expect Nuggets to bounce back form Warriors bout?
“You’re jumping for joy. Bounce back from that bad loss to the Warriors. This might get ugly” – T-Mac
Heat fine Dion Waiters for publicly complaining about playing time
Heat coach, Erik Spoelstra (Via Ira Winderman/Sun Sentinel):
“Obviously, it’s not acceptable behavior”
“He really has to be patient. They’re looking out for his best interests. He’s been out for quite some time and you don’t want to rush back and potentially hurt yourself again” – T-Mac
“When you invest in him, this is part of the Dion Waiters experience” – Windhorst
