December 2016 – DownToBuck

Jonathon Simmons 19 Points Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

This is the first time in my nearly half-decade of highlight making that I have heard the word “naughty” used to reference a slam dunk. And I sincerely hope it is the last. “Naughty” is a word that has no place being uttered inside a place of basketball. That’s a word reserved for two things:…

Josh Richardson 19 Points/8 Assists Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

Josh Richardson’s shooting percentages are way down from last year, probably because he’s been thrust into a starting shooting guard role that he’s not quite ready for. Even while making 25 of 47 field goals in his last three games, he’s hovering around 40% shooting, and his three-point percentage has dropped off ominously. That’s okay…

Shabazz Muhammad 22 Points Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

Shabazz Muhammad idly watched the snow fall outside his window. He had a lot of friends here in Minnesota, but sometimes he felt so alone, and never had the loneliness been more acute than it was now, on Christmas Day… Figuring he could at least be doing something productive with his time, Shabazz gathered up…

Cristiano Felicio 12 Points/3 Dunks Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

Cristiano “The Brazilian Shaq” Felicio has been seeing more consistent minutes lately after playing only sporadically for most of November. That previous state of affairs confused me because the Bulls have very little in the way of backup big men. Those cupboards are bare, as they say. Lopez and Gibson are the starters, and then…

T.J. McConnell 17 Points/8 Assists Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

It might seem that T.J. “The Scot Stockton” McConnell has been marginalized this season since he no longer holds the title of “starting point guard” for the Sixers. Never fear, University of Arizona fans (the only people in the universe who care about T.J.)! McConnell is actually getting more minutes per game than he was…

Raymond Felton 26 Points/8 Assists Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

I don’t want to say that Raymond Felton’s performance tonight calls into question Chris Paul’s value to the Clippers, but… Raymond Felton’s performance tonight calls into question Chris Paul’s value to the Clippers. Paul has only had two games this season of at least 26 points and at least 8 assists. Only two, out of…

Montrezl Harrell Career High 29 Points Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

It’s official: we all need to apologize to Mike D’Antoni RIGHT NOW for ever doubting his coaching skills. Give him a superstar point guard, and he’ll give you an offense that can drop 140 points without even trying. He’ll also turn Montrezl Harrell into an offensive stud, right after doing the same with Clint Capela….

Jon Leuer 22 Points Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

One of the most underrated catchphrases in American sports commentating is Greg Kelser’s (the Pistons color commentator) “nice” after the Pistons do something good. Sometimes he follows it up with additional commentary, but a lot of the time he just lets it hang out there by itself. “Nice.” I love it. If the Pistons ever…

Caris LeVert 12 Points Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

Full disclosure: up until this evening, I thought Caris LeVert’s first name was “Chris”. Easy mistake to make if you’re a dumbass like me. I’d never actually heard the Nets commentators say his first name; it was always just “LeVert”. And somehow my brain changed the “a” to an “h” every time I saw his…

Ersan Ilyasova 23 Points Full Highlights (12/30/2016)

Glad to see Ersan Ilyasova is still making that improbable step-back three work for him. Well, indifferent more than glad, if I’m being honest. As I said before, I don’t EVEN care about this dude anymore. Seeing him hit a bunch of threes while Joel Embiid cheers him on evokes no emotion in me, positive…