Pulse of the NBA

(SportsNetwork.com) – This will be my final column. I recently received a highly critical email from a reader denigrating my body of work. He said he initially enjoyed reading my stuff, but said the content went all downhill quickly, that I’ve written a lot of stupid things and I’m an embarrassment to journalism.

Here was my response:

“Why would anybody write such a hateful letter. I am. just guessing but ill bet your life is a mess and you are a hateful mess. What have you done that anyone would consider positive or nice. I am betting nothing. In fact ill bet you are negative force in everyone who comes in contact with you. You most likely have made your family miserable. Alcoholic maybe. I just celebrated my 21 year anniversary of sobriety. You should try it. Maybe it will help you become a person that folks would like to have around. In the mean while start reading Chris Broussard.”

Can you imagine my employer thought this was an outrageous, distasteful and highly unprofessional response and I was immediately terminated?

I think I’ll next apply for a job with the NBA, where they’re far more understanding and forgiving of this type of behavior.

I hope you enjoyed that little piece of sarcasm, and now onto real basketball talk.

And speaking of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, he selected the Atlanta Hawks Kyle Korver to the Eastern Conference All-Star team on Tuesday after the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade pulled out with a hamstring injury.

He became the fourth member of the East-leading Hawks on the squad, joining Jeff Teague, Al Horford and Paul Millsap, who were all selected as reserves.

Korver is on pace to be the first player in NBA history to make more than 50 percent of his field goals (51.6) and 3-point attempts (52.8) and better than 90 percent of his free throws (92.0). He is averaging 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Those are obviously very impressive numbers, but I thought the right choice to replace Wade was the Milwaukee Buck’s Brandon Knight. And Wade was on board with that choice, too.

If I had a say, Brandon Knight,” Wade said of his recommendation for a replacement. “I think it would be fitting for a Miami guy to take an honorary Miami guy’s spot. I think he’s done a great job of leading that team that a lot of people didn’t give a chance, to being a very good team that’s respected.”

Knight has been the best player on the most improved team this season, which also has had to deal with the loss of star rookie Jabari Parker, and long absences from Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova.

With their 29-23 record, the Bucks have nearly double their win total of 15 from last season, and are miraculously in the picture in the Central Division race, sitting 3 1/2 games back of the first-place Chicago Bulls and 2 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers

And if you want to talk about numbers on how Korver and Knight stack up, TotalPlayerValue.com, a basketball analytics website that rates players by their monetary value, has Knight valued at $10 million this season and Korver at $6.5 million.

A LIGTHNING BOLT FOR THE THUNDER

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who are tied for the ninth spot in the Western Conference playoff race with the New Orleans Pelicans, are getting some unexpected help in their postseason push from a player who has been sidelined for most of the season.

Rookie Mitch McGary, who was the 21st overall pick of the 2014 draft, missed the first 17 games with a fractured left foot, an injury he sustained in the team’s preseason opener. After making his NBA debut against the Phoenix Suns in mid-December, something called periostitis of his left tibia forced McGary to sit out 23 more games.

The 22-year-old power forward was activated recently, but he wasn’t expected to get much playing time with Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison ahead of him on the depth chart off the Thunder’s bench. But with Perkins serving a one-game suspension for last Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers and starting center Steven Adams exiting the contest early with a fractured left hand, McGary got his chance to play, and, boy, did he take advantage of it.

In 23 minutes, he shot 8-of-9 from the floor, and scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, including five off the offensive glass.

The very next night in Denver, McGary showed that performance was no fluke, as he put up 17 points and another 10 rebounds, including five offensive in 25 minutes, as the Clippers beat the Nuggets, 124-114.

“I thought he gave us great energy,” said coach Scott Brooks following the win. “We knew that Sam (Presti) drafted him because he has a great feel for the game. He has a high motor and he loves the game and he has enthusiasm for his teammates. And you see that on the court.”

McGary’s eye-opening performances are even more impressive considering how long he was sidelined and that he’s not in peak condition yet.

“I’m not in the best shape right now,” McGary said. “It may look like it when I’m doing my runs. But I can get in a lot better shape than this. Usually when I’m in good shape, my motor’s on the whole time. Hopefully, I can get in good shape and keep it going.”

Teammate Reggie Jackson has become a quick fan of McGary’s, and is really impressed with his skill set.

“There’s not really much that Mitch can’t do,” Jackson said. “He’s been special for us. He’s playing great. Hopefully, he can keep it up.”

With Adams sidelined at least three weeks following surgery, McGary will get plenty of opportunity to do just that.

Categorized in: NBA