David Andersen to Rockets

The Houston Rockets have signed center David Andersen(notes) to a multiyear contract to help make up for the loss of Yao Ming(notes).
The Rockets acquired the rights to the 6-foot-11 Andersen in a trade with Atlanta on July 14. Houston scrambled to find a center after announcing in June that Yao was out indefinitely with a hairline fracture in his left foot.
Yao announced last month that he would have surgery to repair the injury, a decision that will likely keep him out all of next season. The seven-time All-Star underwent the procedure the following week.
Andersen was a second-round draft choice of the Hawks in 2002. He has spent his career in his native Australia and in Europe, most recently in the Spanish League with FC Barcelona, where he averaged 11.1 points and 4.1 rebounds last season.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=As9ZctOlp9MgS27iCSEf_bmLvLYF?slug=ap-rockets-andersen&prov=ap&type=lgns

White of the Night: Jose Calderon

Beautiful night in Indiana, as the Pacers start three American Whites, and win a big one over the Rockets!

Interesting stat from NY: New York has outscored opponents by 53 points when Gallinari has been on the court during the four games since he returned from injury. Gallinari made our list of top performers again tonight, scoring a smooth 11 on 5, in only 17 min.

Sean Marks thrust into the starting C spot in N.O., and good to see him do well.

But, oh, J.C. Superstar! Jose Calderon, in his return from injury game, proves his worth, leading the Raptors to victory, and earning our White of the Night.


Top White Performers:

Nowitzki: 26p - 7 reb -- 36 min
Scola: 25p - 7 reb -- 38 min
Calderon: 23p (10 shots) - 10a -- 29 min
Bargnani: 22p (13 shots) - 5 reb -- 30 min
Turkoglu: 22p - 3 reb - 2a -- 38 min
Lee: 19p (11 shots) - 14 reb -- 34 min
P Gasol: 18p (12 shots) - 6 reb -- 28 min
Hinrich: 17p (11 shots) - 5 reb - 7a -- 32 min
Stojakovic: 17p -- 39 min
B Lopez: 15p - 8 reb -- 35 min
Nocioni: 15p (10 shots) - 6 reb - 3a -- 33 min
Murphy: 14p (10 reb) - 16 reb -- 33 min
Dunleavy: 13p - 4 reb -- 27 min
Vujacic: 13p (7 shots) - 2 reb - 3a -- 25 min
M Miller: 12p - 9 reb - 5a -- 29 min
Gallinari: 11p (5 shots) -- 17 min
Love: 11p (6 shots) - 5 reb -- 22 min
Marks: 10p - 7 reb -- 29 min
Novak: 10p -- 22 min
Szczerbiak: 10p (5 shots) -- 14 min
Radmanovic: 10p (5 shots) -- 13 min
Nesterovic: 9p (5 shots) -- 15 min
Pachulia: 9p (3 shots) - 6 reb -- 22 min
Najera: 9p (4 shots) - 6 reb -- 25 min
Foster: 8p - 7 reb -- 30 min
Barry: 8p - 8 reb -- 21 min
Ridnour: 7p - 4a - 5 stl -- 26 min
Gray: 7p - team high 7 reb -- 22 min
Biedrins: 6p - 13 reb - 4 blk -- 34 min

White of the Night: David Lee

Fantastic shooting nights for Dirk (30 on 16), Udrih (24 on 11), Scola (19 on 10), and Novak (14 on 7), but how can we not give the White of the Night to David Lee, for a monster 25p-16r game, leading Dantoni's squad in a vindication win over the sinking Suns!

David is having a banner year, and is currently second in the league for double-doubles. He is a sure lock on attaining All-Star status, and congratulations for him for bringing it strong every night, turning the Knicks around.





Nowitzki: 30p (16 shots) - 5 reb -- 36 min
Lee: 25p - 16 reb -- 35 min
Udrih: 24p (11 shots) - 3 reb - 3a -- 39 min
Stojakovic: 20p - 10 reb -- 39 min
Scola: 19p (10 shots) - 9 reb -- 34 min
Bargnani: 16p - 6 reb - 3a -- 40 min
Novak: 14p (7 shots) -- 24 min
Varejao: 12p - 8 reb -- 38 min
Walton: 11p - 2 stl - 2 blk -- 20 min
M Gasol: 11p - team high 6 reb - 3a -- 25 min
Collison: 11p - 7 reb -- 26 min
P Gasol: 10p - 6 reb - 3a -- 31 min
Gallinari: 10p (6 shots) -- 18 min
Alexander: 9p - 3 reb -- 11 min
Nash: 9p - 6 reb - 19a -- 38 min
Barry: 9p (4 shots) -- 23 min
Krstic: 9p - 5 reb -- 21 min
Fernandez: 9p -- 23 min
Szczerbiak: 8p - team high 10 reb -- 23 min
Przybilla: 6p - game high 15 reb -- 21 min
Anderson: 4p - team high 10 reb -- 16 min

The Synergy of White Basketball

It's a simple fact: White basketball players are better team players, and make those around them better. Chalk it up to better passing, more court awareness, less selfishness, better basketball IQ, and probably other reasons.

Look at the list of best 5 man units in the league, www.82games.com/0809/USORT13.HTM:

Denver's best unit includes Kleiza and Andersen.
Utah's best unit includes Korver, Kiriklenko, and Okur.
Portland's best unit includes Blake, Fernandez, and Pyzybilla.
Indiana's best unit includes Murphy and Foster.
Miami's best unit includes Quinn.
Chicago's best unit includes Nocioni.

So why is it that none of these guys starts?

Whites of the Night: Turkoglu & Nowitzki

Scalabrine starting at C seems to be just the thing the Celtics needed to get back on the winning track. Great for Brian, and great to seem him get more comfortable in his starting role, as his points are trending up!

The Italian rookie Gallinari (Knicks) finally gets back from injury. Can't wait to see him in regular action.

The co-Whites of the Night are Nowitzki and Turkoglu, for their equally spectacular offensive nights. Kleiza was also fantastic, and deserves recognition as well. Kleiza is a superb athlete and scorer, and deserves to be getting major minutes.


Nowitzki: 39p (20 shots) - 8 reb -- 39 min
Turkoglu: 31p (16 shots) - 4 reb - 5a -- 30 min
B Lopez: 28p (17 shots) - 10 reb -- 41 min
Kleiza: 26p (13 shots) - 5 reb -- 36 min
Okur: 23p (15 shots) - 11 reb -- 39 min
Ginobili: 21p (11 shots) -6 reb - 4a -- 31 min
Nocioni: 17p (8 shots) - 15 reb -- 31 min
Lee: 15p (9 shots) - 11 reb -- 39 min
Fernandez: 15p (11 shots) - 4 reb -- 33 min
Bonner: 12p - 11 reb -- 29 min
Kirilenko: 12p - 3 reb - 4a -- 34 min
Scalabrine: 11p (8 shots) - 4 reb -- 29 min
Rodriguez: 10p (7 shots) - 5a -- 21 min
Stojakovic: 10p - 6 reb -- 37 min
Alexander: 9p (6 shots) -- 9 min
Scola: 9p (5 shots) - 5 reb -- 26 min
Andersen: 5p (2 shots) - team high 9 reb -- 27 min
Przybilla: 2p (1 shot) - team high 10 reb -- 28 min

Whatever happened to... Kevin Pittsnogle

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — There is a middle school up the hill from the McDonald’s here, and behind it are several classroom trailers, the type that are added when space gets tight and are never taken away.

Kevin Pittsnogle has put aside his basketball career for a chance to help a high school team as an assistant coach and teach special education students in his hometown, Martinsburg, W.Va. Inside one of the trailers last Friday stood a tall man with a familiar face. He wore a Bugs Bunny tie and a gray dress shirt with sleeves rolled to the elbows. Tattoos spilled to his wrists. He spoke kindly to two of his special education students, who called him Mr. Pittsnogle.

On the inside of the door was a sign: “You are who you choose to be.” For now, this is who Kevin Pittsnogle chooses to be.

Less than four years ago, he was a basketball star and a folk hero, a homegrown kid with a funny name, a bowl haircut, a 6-foot-11 frame covered in tattoos, and a baby-soft 3-point shot. During West Virginia’s unexpected thrill ride to the quarterfinals of the 2005 N.C.A.A. tournament, his name became a taunting verb: you’ve been Pittsnogled. His mother still has a box of the T-shirts in a closet. Less than three years ago, Pittsnogle was an all-American senior averaging 19.3 points who led West Virginia to the 2006 regional semifinals. He expected to be chosen in the N.B.A draft. He was not.

Now, at 24, he is a middle school teacher in his hometown. He is also an unpaid assistant coach for a high school basketball team. He bowls in leagues three nights a week and occasionally plays bingo at Big Bucks Bingo. His wife, Heather, is a bank teller. They have two children and live in a double-wide trailer, and together they wonder how much appetite they have for uprooting their lives again so Pittsnogle can have one more chance at a basketball career.

People approach Pittsnogle because he is both an icon and one of them. They excitedly review his exploits at West Virginia, maybe his 22 points and 8 rebounds in the 2005 tournament against Texas Tech or the 25 points he had in the overtime loss to Louisville in the regional final. They tell him that they wish he were still playing basketball. “I’ll say, ‘Me, too — sometimes,’ ” Pittsnogle said. He laughed his good-natured laugh, and sounded like someone who truly was not so sure.

In two years he played for nine teams, in the Continental Basketball Association, the N.B.A.’s development league, the N.B.A.’s summer leagues, in France and in Puerto Rico. Last summer, he suspended the chase. He just wanted to come home again. “I thought, I’m done for good,” he said.


As a player, Pittsnogle is a pure shooter whose body does not match his skills. Kelvin Sampson, then the coach at Oklahoma, once called him a “two-guard who grew to 6-11.” After college, Pittsnogle’s weight grew, too, by about 40 pounds, to 300. “I kept hearing, ‘You’re overweight,’ ” Pittsnogle said. “ ‘You can average 20 points a game, but we’re not going to bring you up until you lose some weight.’ ” Instead, he shed the burden of hoop dreams. His circuitous journey, usually with the family in tow (a son, Kwynsie, is nearly 3, and a daughter, Amyyah, was born in May), grew tiresome.

But something happened on the way back to an ordinary life. Pittsnogle learned last fall that he had a thyroid condition that slowed his metabolism. It helped explain his fluctuating weight, long trending upward. Medication has helped him lose 25 pounds and re-energize his playing hopes. He is pondering N.B.A. summer leagues, one last time. “If I look the way I’m supposed to look, and play the way I’m supposed to play, I think I’ll get a chance,” Pittsnogle said. “If not, I’ll come back and live my life here.”

His attitude is dipped in realism. A teacher at his level makes about $25,000. A four-month season in the N.B.A.’s developmental league pays about the same, but would keep hope for an N.B.A. career alive. An offer, though, would force a decision over whether to leave the family behind or have his wife quit her job.

Playing overseas can be far more lucrative but more discombobulating. “I’m open to anything,” Heather Pittsnogle said, holding 8-month-old Amyyah while speaking Friday night over the din of a high school game between Jefferson and Hedgesville, a rival of Martinsburg High, where Pittsnogle starred. “But I might have to bite my tongue if we go overseas.”

Pittsnogle whispered into the ears of players as they came off the court and cheered good plays. People in the stands occasionally pointed at him.

Long after Hedgesville won, Pittsnogle stood in the gym, dressed in his Bugs Bunny tie and gray dress shirt, rolled to the elbows. On a dare, he grabbed a ball and effortlessly flipped a shot from behind the 3-point arc. It hit the back of the rim.

He asked for the ball again. This time, nothing but net. He shrugged. Kevin Pittsnogle has chosen who he wants to be. But he wants one more shot at being who he was.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/sports/ncaabasketball/16pittsnogle.html?_r=2

Croshere bounces again, to the Spurs

The Spurs signed veteran forward Austin Croshere to a 10-day contract Friday.

Croshere was waived by Milwaukee on Jan. 6 after appearing in 11 games. He averaged 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 rebounds.

The 12th pick by Indiana in the 1997 draft, Croshere had his best season in 1999-2000, averaging 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds as the Pacers reached the NBA finals.

The former Providence star has averaged 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 656 career games. He spent nine seasons with the Pacers before one-year stops in Dallas and Golden State.

In 68 playoff games, Croshere averaged 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds.

White of the Night: Steve Nash

Shocker in Cleveland: Pavlovic starts, and sees the most PT of any Cav tonight. Weird how erratic minutes can be in the NBA. But he performs spectacularly, scoring 19 on 10, in a solid all-around game. Wally Szczerbiak puts together a magnificent game at the same time, scoring 14 on 6 shots! Good work guys. As usual, our White athletes perform well when given the starting nod because of an injury ahead of them, making you wonder why they aren't getting more time to begin with...

White of the Night honors tonight to Steve Nash, for a very solid 20p-7r-14a game. Way to go MVSteve! The old man still gots it.

David Lee, 21 rebounds, wow. Perfect shooting game too, 6-6 for 15 points.

Dunleavy and Hinrich look to be coming on strong after their injury hiatus, great to see for us fans of the White America ballplayers.


Dunleavy: 22p (15 shots) - 3a - 2 blk -- 28 min
Nash: 20p (10 shots) - 7 reb - 14a -- 45 min
Bargnani: 20p (14 shots) - 5 reb -- 40 min
B Miller: 20p (7 shots) - 9 reb - 3a -- 31 min
Pavlovic: 19p (10 shots) - 6 reb - 2 stl -- 43 min
Kleiza: 18p (11 shots) - 4 reb - 3a -- 30 min
B Lopez: 17p (10 shots) - 6a - 2blk -- 32 min
Ridnour: 17p (11 shots) - 10a - 3 stl -- 37 min
Murphy: 15p (9 shots) - 15 reb - 3a - 2 stl -- 41 min
Lee: 15p (6 shots) - 21 reb - 4a -- 42 min
Stojakovic: 15p - 6 reb -- 39 min
Radmanovic: 15p (9 shots) -- 15 min
Pachulia: 14p (8 shots) - team high 8 reb - 2 blk -- 30 min
Udrih: 14p (10 shots) - 2a -- 38 min
Szczerbiak: 14p (6 shots) - 4 reb -- 29 min
Bonner: 13p (8 shots) - 3 reb -- 20 min
Love: 13p - 14 reb (7 off) - 2 stl -- 25 min
Okur: 13p - 8 reb -- 30 min
Kirilenko: 13p (7 shots) - 6 reb - 4a - 3 stl -- 31 min
Turkoglu: 13p - 5 reb - 3a - 2 blk
P Gasol: 13p - 9 reb -- 20 min
Hinrich: 12p (6 shots) - 3 reb - 5a - 2 stl -- 30 min
Harpring: 12p (8 shots) - 2a -- 15 min
M Gasol: 12p (8 shots) - 10 reb - 3a -- 34 min
Nocioni: 11p - 6 reb - 2 stl -- 37 min
Biedrins: 10p - 9 reb - 2a -- 33 min
Przybilla: 4p - 11 reb (6 off) -- 21 min

White of the Night: Brad Miller

Overall, great night to be a White basketball fan! Seven of our guys scored 20 or more just tonight, topped off by Bargnani, who continues to impress in his starting role. But how can we not give the White of the Night to Brad Miller, for a monster 30p-22r game, leading his team to victory in triple overtime! Good work, Brad.

Newsflash: The Pacers start three White Americans! That is sweet enough, but then they go on to beat the Detroit Piston black-sketball team in a thriller! How sweet it is.

--Utah is fighting them for White Basketball standard-bearer right now, playing Whites for a full 63% of the minutes tonight.

--Ryan Anderson starting for the Nets, with Yi's injury. Man, this is his big chance, play like you belong big man!

--Breakout game for Joe Alexander too! Very nice. Play the man, coach!

Bargnani: 31p (14 shots) - team high 10 reb -- 39 min
B Miller: 30p (20 shots) - 22 reb - 2 stl -- 51 min
Lee: 30p (21 shots) - team high 10 reb - 6a - 2 stl -- 41 min
Ginobili: 27p (15 shots) - 3 reb - 2a - 3 stl -- 30 min
Ridnour: 25p - 9 reb - 4a -- 42 min
P Gasol: 21p (14 shots) - 5 reb -- 31 min
Nowitzki: 20p - 13 reb -- 38 min
Murphy: 18p (9 shots) - 13 reb -- 45 min
Udrih: 17p - 6 reb - 7a -- 56 min
Nocioni: 16p - 4 reb - 3a -- 30 min
Stojakovic: 16p -- 35 min
Korver: 14p - 4 reb - 2 blk -- 33 min
Koufos: 14p (9 shots) - 5 reb -- 27 min
Krstic: 14p (8 shots) - 11 reb - 2 blk -- 31 min
Collison: 13p (7 shots) - 11 reb -- 40 min
Alexander: 13p (8 shots) - 5 reb - 5a -- 17 min
B Lopez: 13p - team high 8 reb - 5 blk -- 31 min
Anderson: 13p (8 shots) - 4 reb - 2 stl -- 26 min
Hinrich: 12p (6 shots) - 5 reb - 6a -- 32 min
Biedrins: 12p (8 shots) - 14 reb - 4a - 5 blk
Dunleavy: 12p - 6 reb -- 33 min
Kirilenko: 12p - 4a -- 39 min
Bogut: 12p - 11 reb (6 off) - 2 blk -- 37 min
Foster: 11p (5 shots) - 7 reb - 4a -- 7 min
Harpring: 10p - 2 reb -- 17 min
Bonner: 10p - 5 reb - 4a -- 33 min
Okur: 9p - team high 9 reb - 4a -- 33 min
Scalabrine: 9p - 4 reb -- 27 min
Nesterovic: 8p - 5 reb -- 20 min

White of the Night: Dirk Nowitzki

Look at Birdman Anderson continuing his spectacular play, leading the team in boards and blocks, to go with 3 steals, in his 21 minutes. Oh yeah, and 15 points on 8 shots. The complete game!

Redick also continues his torrid pace, playing well, as usual, and trending up in minutes.

Nice game by Stevie Nashty, but his fellow MVP gets the prized White of the Night for his spectacular 44p-14r game! Monster game for Dirk!

Nowitzki: 44p (26 shots) - 14 reb -- 42 min
Nash: 23p (13 shots) - 5 reb - 6a -- 35 min
Turkoglu: 17p - 8a -- 35 min
Redick: 15p (9 shots) - 2 reb -- 26 min
Andersen: 15p (8 shots) - team high 10 reb - 3 stl - 2 blk -- 21 min
Hawes: 14p - 4 reb -- 27 min
Radmanovic: 12p (6 shots) - 6 reb -- 19 min
P Gasol: 11p - 7 reb - 4a - 2 stl - 2 blk -- 41 min
Pachulia: 10p - 11 reb (7 off) -- 31 min
Barry: 9p (5 shots) - 5a -- 17 min
Love: 8p - 9 reb - 3a - 2 blk -- 24 min
Udrih: 8p - 2 reb - 3a -- 17 min
M Gasol: 6p - game high 11 reb -- 39 min

White of the Night: Mehmet Okur

What can we say about the White of the Night - Mehmet Okur! WOW An historic game, scoring 43 on only 19 shots.

Great display of White basketball in the game between the Jazz and the Pacers, with White athletes accounting for 48% of the minutes and 51% of the points for the Pacers, and 45% of the minutes and 63% of the points for the Jazz. It hardly gets any better than that!

Breakout game by Brook Lopez! He would have been the WotN on just about any other night. Beautiful.

Stop the presses: Scalabrine starts for Boston... Whoa

It is nice to see Ukic continue to trend upwards with his minutes and production. Hopefully he can keep it up even after Calderon returns.

And oh, yes, welcome back, Kirk Hinrich.

Okur: 43p (19 shots) - 9 reb - 3a -- 28 min
B Lopez: 31p (17 shots) - 13 reb - 2 blk -- 40 min
Lee: 24p (16 shots) - 9 reb - 3a -- 33 min
Bargnani: 23p - 8 reb - 3a -- 38 min
Kirilenko: 23p - 12 reb - 3a - 3 stl - 3 blk -- 41 min
Dunleavy: 20p (14 shots) - 7 reb - 2a -- 23 min
Bogut: 18p (12 shots) - 10 reb - 3a - 2 stl -- 38 min
Ukic: 16p (12 shots) - 3 reb - 3a - 2 stl -- 23 min
Blake: 16p - 10a - 3 stl -- 39 min
Ridnour: 14p - 3 reb - 10a -- 36 min
Krstic: 12p (8 shots) - 4 reb -- 23 min
Murphy: 12p - 10 reb - 3a - 2 blk -- 31 min
Nesterovic: 12p - 4a - 2 blk -- ? min
Scalabrine: 11p - 2 reb - 2a -- 28 min
Foster: 11p (7 shots) - 8 reb - 4a - 2 stl -- 34 min
Humphries: 9p (5 shots) - 4 reb -- 20 min

White of the Night: Vladimir Radmanovic

Vladimir Radmanovic proves he is not ready to bury yet, taking advantage of his reinsertion into the starting lineup to earn the White of the Night!

Great to see Chris Quinn return to major action (31 min) down in Miami, let's hope to see more of that.







Turkoglu: 21p (12 shots) - 5 reb - 5a -- 37 min
Radmanovic: 18p (10 shots) - 7 reb - 2 stl -- 31 min
Ginobili: 18p (13 shots) - 3 reb - 4a -- 31 min
Belinelli: 17p - 3 reb - 2a - 2 stl -- 30 min
Bargnani: 17p - 9 reb - 3a -- 31 min
Udrih: 16p - 5 reb - 6a - 2 stl -- 35 min
Nowitzki: 15p - 8 reb - 2 stl -- 37 min
Nash: 14p (8 shots) - 5 reb - 12a -- 36 min
P Gasol: 14p - 18 reb (8 off) - 3a -- 39 min
B Miller: 13p - 7 reb - 5a -- 34 min
Quinn: 12p - 3 reb - 7a -- 31 min
Redick: 12p (9 shots) -- 28 min
Kapono: 12p (7 shots) - 2 reb - 2a - 2 stl -- 24 min
Biedrins: 11p - 9 reb - 3 blk -- 27 min
Dunleavy: 10p - 4 reb -- 22 min
Vujacic: 10p (5 shots) - 4 reb -- 19 min
Novak: 9p (3 shots) -- 12 min
Hawes: 8p - team high 8 reb - 2a -- 21 min

White of the Night: Nick Collison

Great game on Saturday night from Nick Collison, starting at C for OKC, winning the White of the Night recognition. Great to see Nick back in the lineup, with his thumb fully bandaged, but obviously still able to get the job done.



Top White game reports:
Okur: 22p (9 shots) - 6 reb -- 21 min
Collison: 21p (12 shots) - 9 reb (6 off) - 4a - 2 stl -- 35 min
Scola: 18p - 11 reb -- 27 min
Blake: 15p - 4 reb - 4a - 3 stl -- 38 min
Bogut: 14p (8 shots) - 7 reb - 2 blk -- 27 min
Lee: 14p - 11 reb -- 34 min
Ridnour: 12p - 9 reb - 6a -- 35 min
Fernandez: 12p (7 shots) - 6a -- 25 min
Morrison: 11p (6 shots) - 2 reb - 3a - 2 stl -- 22 min
Nocioni: 11p - 2 reb -- 33 min
Kirilenko: 11p - 7 reb - 7a - 2 stl - 2 blk -- 31 min
Harpring: 11p - 2 reb -- 17 min
Biedrins: 10p (5 shots) - 6 reb - 3a - 2 blk -- 33 min
Krstic: 8p - 2 reb - 2 blk -- 13 min
Love: 5p - game high 12 reb -- 22 min

Whites of the Night: Dunleavy & Murphy

White American basketball returns to Indiana! Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy combine for 46 points, very sweet, earning them both the White of the Night honors.

It is nice to see Novak earning more minutes for the Clips. Let's hope that trend continues, freeing up one of the best shooters in the league.

Alert, alert: Redick sighting in Orlando (sweet 15 on 7)!


Murphy: 24p (14 shots) - 6 reb - 3a -- 32 min
Dunleavy: 22p (14 shots) - 4 reb - 5a -- 23 min
P Gasol: 21p (13 shots) - 11 reb - 4a -- 41 min
Turkoglu: 21p (9 shots) - 6 reb - 4a -- 24 min
Bargnani: 21p (14 shots) - 8 reb - 2 blk -- 35 min
Hawes: 19p (11 shots) - 5 reb -- 28 min
Nowitzki: 19p (12 shots) - 7 reb -- 33 min
Redick: 15p (7 shots) - 4 reb -- 20 min
Novak: 14p -- 26 min
Scola: 14p (7 shots) - 6 reb -- 23 min
Varejao: 14p (10 shots) - 9 reb -- 35 min
Ginobili: 13p (9 shots) - 4 reb - 5a - 4 stl -- 25 min
Lee: 13p (8 shots) - 15 reb (7 reb) -- 37 min
Stojakovic: 12p - 4 reb -- 30 min
Bonner: 11p (6 shots) - 3 reb - 2 blk -- 22 min
Kapono: 11p - 2 reb - 6a -- 24 min
Nowitzki: 10p - 7 reb - 7a -- 38 min
Krstic: 10p - 3 reb - 2 blk -- 23 min
Ridnour: 10p - 3 reb - 5a -- 25 min
B Miller: 9p - 15 reb - 4a -- 40 min
Carroll: 9p (5 shots) -- 14 min
Nash: 9p - 12a - 2 stl -- 29 min
Collison: 8p - team high 10 reb -- 36 min
Amundson: 8p (3 shots) - 7 reb - 2 blk -- 29 min

White of the Night: Pau Gasol

Wow, some incredible games by our White athletes on Wednesday!

-- Awesome efficiency by: Bargnani, 25 on 9, Love 16 on 5, Okur 20 on 10!
--Biedrins with an insane stat line: 12p-17r-8a-3s-3b
--Amundson leads his team in rebounds, ripping down 14, including 9 on the offensive glass.
--Kleiza takes his starting opportunity to show off his skills, leading the Nuggets in scoring.
--Brook Lopez with 5 blocks to complement is 17p-8r night.

But how can we not give the coveted White of the Night to Pau Gasol for his monster 33p-18r game? Beautiful game by the Spaniard, yet again.

And let us not forget: welcome back, Mike Dunleavy!

P Gasol: 33p (21 shots) - 18 reb (8 off) - 2 blk
Bargnani: 25p (9 shots) - 4 reb - 2 blk -- 34 min
Kleiza: 21p (13 shots) - 7 reb -- 35 min
Turkoglu: 20p (12 shots) - 7 reb - 8a - 2 stl -- 37 min
Okur: 20p (10 shots) - 7 reb -- 28 min
B Lopez: 17p (11 shots) - team high 8 reb - 5 blk -- 31 min
Nash: 16p (9 shots) - 12a -- 43 min
Love: 16p (5 shots) - 15 reb -- 22 min
Szczerbiak: 15p (9 shots) - 5 reb -- 28 min
Korver: 15p (9 shots) - 6 reb - 4a -- 21 min
M Gasol: 14p (9 shots) - 10 reb - 3 stl -- 40 min
Varejao: 14p (9 shots) - 6 reb - 2 stl -- 32 min
Dunleavy: 14p - 4a -- 20 min
Belinelli: 14p -- 33 min
Kirilenko: 13p (10 shots) - 8 reb - 3a -- 27 min
Fernandez: 13p (10 shots) - 2 reb - 2a - 2 blk -- 30 min
Murphy: 12p - 6 reb -- 23 min
Kapono: 12p (8 shots) - 2 reb -- 25 min
Biedrins: 12p (8 shots) - 17 reb - 8a - 3 stl - 3 blk -- 38 min
Redick: 11p (7 shots) - 2a -- 19 min
Ridnour: 11p - 4a - 2 stl -- 22 min
Harpring: 10p (7 shots) -- 12 min
Nesterovic: 10p (6 shots) - 5 reb -- 16 min
Blake: 10p - 10a -- 33 min
Najera: 9p (6 shots) - 2 reb -- 14 min
Amundson: 9p - team high 14 reb (9 off) -- 25 min

White of the Night: Luis Scola

Weird news from Tuesday, Jan 6: Darius Songaila thrown into the starting lineup for the Wiz, then only gets to play less than half the game. Aaron Gray, Robert Swift, and Matt Carroll are stuck in the same "starting only to sit" routine. It is very weird.

Fantastic scoring night for Dirk, but the White of the Night award goes to Luis Scola for his monster game, pouring in 18 on 10 shots, and ripping down 17 rebounds. Nice job Luis!

Nowitzki: 34p (23 shots) - 4 reb - 3a - 2 blk -- 38 min
Turkoglu: 22p (12 shots) - 5 reb - 7a - 3 stl -- 34 min
Scola: 18p (10 shots) - 17 reb (6 off) -- 36 min
B Miller: 18p (12 shots) - 12 reb - 3a - 2 blk -- 34 min
Lee: 14p (9 shots) - 13 reb -- 35 min
M Gasol: 13p - 4 reb - 2 blk -- 29 min
Morrison: 13p (9 shots) -- 15 min
P Gasol: 10p - team high 8 reb - 5a -- 42 min
Redick: 8p (4 shots) - 3 reb -- 18 min

White of the Night: Mehmet Okur

Some very nice games in limited game action on Monday, Jan 5.

The Birdman actually led his team in rebounding in only 12 minutes of play, and Biedrins continues to rip down massive doses of rebounds, but the White of the Night goes to Mehmet Okur, for his efficient and high powered game manning the post for the Jazz.



Bargnani: 21p (13 shots) - 8 reb -- 36 min
Okur: 20p (12 shots) - 11 reb - 2 stl -- 33 min
Kirilenko: 15p (10 shots) - 5 eb - 3a - 2 blk -- 27 min
Murphy: 15p (10 shots) - 12 reb - 4a - 3 stl -- 31 min
Biedrins: 14p (10 shots) - 17 reb (6 off) - 3a -- 36 min
Bonner: 11p (7 shots) - 5 reb -- 31 min
Ukic: 11p (8 shots) -- 18 min
Koufos: 11p (6 shots) - 5 reb -- 19 min
Kleiza: 11p - 4 reb -- 21 min
Ginobili: 10p - 5 reb - 3a - 3 stl -- 26 min
Korver: 9p - 6 reb -- 24 min
Foster: 9p - 4 reb - 4a - 2 blk -- 16 min
Quinn: 8p (4 shots) -- 14 min
B Miller: 8p - 7 reb - 8a -- 32 min
Andersen: 6p (2 shots) - team high 9 reb -- 12 min

White of the Night: Vladimir Radmanovic

What a night for Radmanovic, making the most of his minutes, scoring 16 in only 18 minutes, on only 6 shots, enough to earn White of the Night for Sunday Jan 4.

Good to see Ukic and Novak in the top performers list, as well.

Nowitzki: 28p - 3 reb - 3a -- 34 min
P Gasol: 19p (9 shots) - 5 reb -- 28 min
M Gasol: 19p - 6 reb -- 28 min
Bargnani: 18p - 5 reb - 3a -- 36 min
Radmanovic: 16p (6 shots) - 4 reb -- 18 min
Novak: 15p (9 shots) - 2 reb 29 min
Fernandez: 14p - 5 reb - 3a - 3 stl -- 36 min
Lee: 14p - 14 reb - 2 blk -- 42 min
Blake: 13p - 3a -- 30 min
Ukic: 12p (6 shots) - 7a -- 23 min
Vujacic: 11p (7 shots) - 3 reb -- 25 min
Varejao: 10p - team high 10 reb - 39 min

White of the Night: Manu Ginobili

Great game by Manu Ginobili, taking the White of the Night award for Sat. Jan 3.

K-Love also deserves recognition for the noticable upswing in his game recently.

Ginobili: 21p (13 shots) - 3 reb - 3 stl -- 28 min
Stojakovic: 19p - 6 reb -- 40 min
Love: 18p - 12 reb -- 21 min
Scola: 16p (9 shots) - 11 reb -- 39 min
B Miller 13p - 9 reb - 6a -- 36 min
Nocioni: 13p - 3 reb - 3a -- 27 min
Murphy: 12p - 13 reb
Ridnour: 12p - 3 reb -- 29 min
B Lopez: 12p - 8 reb -- 30 min
Barry: 11p (6 shots) - 3a -- 23 min
Pachulia: 10p (4 shots) - 4 reb -- 17 min
Gray: 10p - team high 9 reb -- 32 min
Kleiza: 9p (5 shots) -- 10 min
Nesterovic: 8p -- 6 min
Alexander: 8p (4 shots) - 9 min

White of the Night: David Lee

What a way to start out the new year! Honestly, this has probably got to be the most solid overall night from our White ballplayers this year. Lots of high scorers, with some incredibly efficient games. Very sweet stuff, and very difficult to single out one guy for tonight's award.

Dirk led the night in PRA with 46, Varejao had an incredible game starting at C, Brad Miller was a monster on the glass and on offense, Pau led his team in rebounds and assists, Troy led his team in rebounds, assists, and steals, K-Love and Bonner shot the lights out... As I said, very tough to decide, but I have to give the White of the Night again to D-Lee for his sweet efficiency, hard work on the boards, and incredible 5 steals!

Tip of the hat also to Sasha Pavlovic, making our list of top performers for the first time this year.


Nowitzki: 31p - 4 reb - 5a - 4 stl - 2 blk -- 39 min
Varejao: 26p (14 shots) - 8 reb - 3 stl -- 31 min (starting C)
Lee: 26p (15 shots) - 11 reb - 3a - 5 stl -- 40 min
B Miller: 25p (18 shots) - 16 reb (8 off) -- 38 min
Okur: 21p (13 shots) - 13 reb - 2 blk -- 31 min
P Gasol: 21p (13 shots) - team high 11 reb - team high 6a -- 30 min
Love: 19p (9 shots) - 8 reb -- 25 min
Fernandez: 19p (11 shots) - 4 reb -- 36 min
Bargnani: 19p (12 shots) - 6 reb -- 32 min
Biedrins: 18p (12 shots) - 13 reb
Bonner: 16p (9 shots) - 29 min
Murphy: 15p - 18 reb - team high 5a - team high 3 stl
M Gasol: 15p - 11 reb - 2 stl -- 32 min
Stojakovic: 14p -- 36 min
Pavlovic: 13p (8 shots) - 5 reb -- 21 min
Ginobili: 13p - 6 reb - 6a - 5 stl -- 23 min
Nocioni: 11p (7 shots) -- 14 min
Belinelli: 10p - 6a -- 29 min
Przybilla: 10p (6 shots) - 7 reb -- 32 min
Kirilenko: 10p (6 shots) - 2 stl -- 11 min

White of the Night: Brook Lopez

Congratulations to Brook Lopez for a spectacular breakout game, starting at C for the Nets, earning the coveted White of the Night honors for the first time in his young career.

Barely beating out a very solid game from Andrea Bargnani, who performed spectacularly in his return to the starting lineup, including 5 blocks!

And let us not forget a tip of the hat to for Jose Calderon, continuing a very solid streak of play lately for the Raptors.

It is also really nice to see that Gortat has earned a spot in the regular rotation, after showing his worth while Howard was briefly down for the Magic.

Dec 31
Bargnani: 26p - 6 reb - 5 blk -- 41 min
B Lopez: 23p (13 shots) - 12 reb - 3a - 2 blk -- 37 min
Turkoglu: 18p - 9 reb - 4a -- 30 min
Calderon: 18p (9 shots) - 11a - 5 reb -- 34 min
Biedrins: 15p - 13 reb (6 off) - 2 stl -- 35 min
Gortat: 14p (9 shots) - 7 reb -- 18 min
Ridnour: 11p - 7 reb - 11a -- 34 min
Bogut: 11p - team high 9 reb -- 40 min
Scola: 11p - team high 10 reb - 2 stl -- 32 min
Nocioni: 10p - 5 reb - 4a -- 29 min
Andersen: 10p - team high 10 reb -- 16 min
Kleiza: 10p -- 14 min
Davis: 8p (3 shots) - 3 reb -- 16 min