Links to the Present: January 25, 2012

2012-01-25 Off By Colin McGowan

“‘That’s more like it.’ That’s likely how Cavs fans felt after watching their discomforting defeats over the weekend — then witnessing how Cleveland fought to the finish against LeBron James and the Heat. Perhaps what Cavs forward Antawn Jamison said at practice Monday is true: ‘Last year is last year.'” [Sam Amico]

“I swear the Knicks are a professional comedy group. With all of the fanfare surrounding the Carmelo Anthony acquisition, and Amare Stoudemire proclaiming that ‘New York is back’ on like four separate occasions, and then drastically overpaying for Tyson Chandler in the offseason, you’d think that the Knicks were just steamrolling through the Eastern Conference. I mean, that’s at least what Knicks fans thought would happen. Instead, the Knicks are just 7-10 and haven’t really beaten many good teams. Melo is hosting his own personal brickfest every night and Amare may or may not have retired during the lockout and just didn’t tell anybody. Knicks fans want to fire Mike D’Antoni and they have Josh Harrelson and Mike Bibby playing meaningful minutes. While Community is off the air, I think New York Knicks basketball may be the best comedy on TV.” [Conrad Kaczmarek]

“Irving is showing everyone why the Cleveland Cavaliers chose him with the first overall pick in last year’s draft. He has improved his pick-and-roll play and demonstrated an ability to break down defenders and create offense for himself and his teammates. In isolation situations, Irving produces 1.189 points per possession (this includes points he scores and those generated by assists). That puts Irving in the top 4 percent of NBA players. Irving scores most effectively from isolations at the top of the key. He knows it, too, and finds a way to begin 48 percent of his isolation possessions from that spot, according to Synergy Sports. On those plays, Irving drives to his left 58.3 percent of the time.” [Sebastian Pruiti]

And here’s a Youtube video of that ridiculous Alonzo Gee dunk from last night.

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