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Those of you who have been following my CBA reports already know that Kenyon Martin has been a disappointment for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers thus far.  According to a report by ESPN’s Marc Stein, the team is strongly considering parting ways with the underacheiving power forward.  As a matter of fact, the article states that only serious sanctions threatened by the CBA have “stopped Xinjiang from making the move already.”  Via ESPN…

The Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China are giving strong consideration to releasing star forward Kenyon Martin, according to sources close to the situation.

If Xinjiang goes through with the move, it would be the test case for established NBA players who signed in China during the lockout to possibly return to the NBA sooner than expected.

Sources told ESPN.com that only the threat of serious sanctions from Chinese league officials for releasing a player of Martin’s stature in-season, including the potential forfeiture of games, has stopped Xinjiang from making the move already.

Based on new rules instituted for this season in China, teams there were told that they could only sign NBA free agents and could not grant out clauses to those players to come back to the States in the event of the lockout ending. For the high-profile American signees — Martin, Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Aaron Brooks — that meant they were committing to staying through the end of the Chinese Basketball Association season in March before having the freedom to sign a new NBA deal.

Chinese teams were likewise threatened by serious sanctions, including forfeiture of games, if they opted to release a player in-season like sources say Xinjiang wants to do with Martin now. But sources say Xinjiang is sufficiently frustrated with the team’s slow start and is willing to test the rule and let him go.

If waived, Martin would still need to secure a FIBA letter of clearance from Xinjiang before he could join an NBA team, but there is a belief in Chinese basketball circles that the first release of an NBA player such as Martin could open the door to the returns of Chandler, Smith and Brooks as well.

It’s widely assumed around the NBA that Martin, Chandler, Smith and Brooks are all eager to get back to the States as soon as possible.

Xinjiang has the biggest budget in China even after signing Martin and recently bought former Portland Trail Blazers guard Patty Mills out of a deal in his native Australia to replace the injured Quincy Douby, a former first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings. Xinjiang is also one of the Chinese teams that negotiated with Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant earlier this summer.

It was initially thought that Xinjiang management, desperate to win a CBA championship this season, would be the last Chinese team to release its NBA import, but sources say that the Flying Tigers are pondering roster shakeups after a sluggish start to the season.

This certainly doesn’t strike me as any sort of surprise.  Kenyon is averaging 14 points and 9.7 rebounds in 11 appearances, which, on his standards, would be great numbers in the NBA, but is certainly not what Xinjiang was looking for in a league where Josh Boone is an imposing presence in the paint.  When they inked Kenyon Martin to a $3 million deal they expected him to be a threat on offense and a monster on defense… and he has been neither.  I’ve watched a good portion of his games and he doesn’t look like the guy from the Denver Nuggets, let alone the New Jersey Nets.  He doesn’t move without the ball, crash the offensive glass, or patrol the paint on defense.  What he does do is take an average of one three-pointer a game, and he’s bricked every single one of ‘em.  It’s not just the numbers, either; it’s the wins and losses.  Eight and four doesn’t seem so bad, but consider the fact that Xinjiang lost one regular season game all of last season.  They came into ’11/12 feeling like it was championship or bust, and right now they feel that it’s going to be bust with K-Mart. 

To sum all of that up, as the ESPN article points out, Xinjiang is certainly willing to write a big check or two, but they didn’t make Martin the highest-paid player in league history to miss jumpers and help quadruple last season’s loss total just weeks into the season.  So, despite his big-name status, I’m not at all surprised that they’d like to end the expiriment and send him on his way.  The problem?  It seems that the league doesn’t want him gone… so much so that they’ve threatened to make Xinjiang forfeit games if they do cut Martin loose.

I’m not exactly sure how the league can do that, but apparently they can.  I know all of the American players have no out clauses in their deals, but I never knew a team wouldn’t be allowed to waive their star import in the case that they were genuinely dissatisfied.  ESPN’s article states the following…

Chinese teams were likewise threatened by serious sanctions, including forfeiture of games, if they opted to release a player in-season like sources say Xinjiang wants to do with Martin now.

…but as far as I can tell there’s no rule in the CBA against waiving players at any time for any reason at all; it happens on a regular basis.  Gerald Green, Dan Gadzuric, Earl Clark, and others have already been sent packing this season alone.  Clark’s release was a mutual agreement, and Gadzuric’s was due to injury, but Green was simply let go out of the blue because his team (Foshan) wasn’t satisfied with his play (and he was putting up much better individual numbers than Martin is).  The same thing happened to former Cleveland Cavalier Dwayne Jones, who was a teammate of Wilson Chandler at the beginning of the season.  I’m not sure what part of Kenyon’s contract makes it any different to release him than it was for other teams to release one of their American players… but it all seems pretty sketchy, and like it could be based simply on what the league feels is best for it’s product.  If Jilin was to waive Cartier Martin tomorrow would they be threatened in this manner?  I have a funny feeling they wouldn’t, yet I don’t see the difference.  Kenyon just has a bigger name and plays for a more notable team.

Anyway, talk of Kenyon’s potential release has brought about some speculation that it could open the floodgates for all of the other big-name NBAers to their way back to the NBA.  This I do not see happening.  The only reason there’s any talk of Kenyon’s release is beacuse he isn’t playing well.  JR Smith, Wilson Chandler, and Aaron Brooks are all earning their money.  Smith puts on a show every time he plays, Brooks has Guangdong in second place, and Wilson Chandler has put up some ridiculous statistics.  None of them appear to be at all disgruntled and their teams seem pleased with them, so regardless of what happens with Martin I wouldn’t expect to see any of those three back in the States until their CBA seasons have come to a close (sometime in March or April).

If Martin is waived he could be a guy who could give a big boost to a contending team, but it’s too early to talk about that.  He still needs to be let go and get FIBA clearance to sign a new deal.  I’m not saying it won’t happen, but if the CBA really plans to force Xinjiang to forfeit games then I’m thinking they keep him.

Zhejiang 103, Foshan 96: As well as JR Smith has performed lately, I think he could be even better if he’d stop taking so many jumpers.  I’m sure he didn’t want to, but in this game he was forced to resort to something other than the three-pointer to avoid a three-game losing streak.  JR missed all five of his long-range attempts today, most of which came pretty early in the game.  With Zhejiang down three with a minute and 37 seconds to go, JR decided to take the ball from the backcourt straight to the rack. The result was a spectacular and-one poster dunk, and was fouled in the process.  He hit the freethrow to make it 96 all.  Foshan was unable to score on the ensuing possession, and JR was foolishly fouled after grabbing a rebound.  He made two more, putting Zhejiang up 98-96.  Next, Smith stole a pass and took it the other way for an uncontested slam that made it 100-96.  Foshan failed to score the rest of the way as JR hit a couple more freethrows to make it 9 of the game’s last 10 for him.  He had a total of 38 on 13-24.  A small crowd chanted his named as he waved his arms and shouted excitedly during the closing seconds.

Zhejiang’s Josh Boone had a big double-double with 17 points and 19 boards.  Marcus Haislip led Foshan with 26.  There were 81 total freethrows taken in the game making it a little painful to watch up until the exciting ending.

Guangsha 126, Shanxi 112: Even though Marcus Williams and Charles Gaines sat for the entire first quarter, Shanxi was able to score 26 points.  Even that left them down four, though, and Guangsha was just getting started.  Chandler and Ramos got off to slow starts (combined to make just three of their first nine), but both played well down the stretch–particularly Ramons.  Peter John activated beast-mode a little before the midway point of the third quarter, which is when Guangsha started to run away with it.  Ramos finished with 34 points and 14 boards while Chandler put up 19/8.  Marcus Williams was good for Shanxi with a game-high 36 points on 13-16.  Charles Gaines did most of his damage (28/10) when the game was already over.  Gaines and Williams were noticably angry with the refs throughout the game.  I thought there were bad calls made in favor of both teams.

Shanghai 94, Bayi 85: Three in a row for the Sharks!  Ryan Kelly led the way with 31 as Mike Harris did his thing with 24/8.  The Rockets shot 8-32 from distance and also left 9 points at the stripe.  Shanghai made 16 of their 18 freethrow attempts and shot 30% from range.

Guangdong 128, Dongguan 104: Aaron Brooks had one of his bigger statistical games of the season with 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists in this blowout victory.  James Singleton also had a big game with 24/10/5.  Brooks and Singleton haven’t put up numbers like some of the other NBA guys this season because Guangdong is such a good team with more depth than most of the other squads.  For Dongguan, Shavlik Randolph had 33/10 and Josh Akognon scored 34.

Beijing 105, Qindago 97: Qindago’s brief winning streak has come to an end, but Beijing’s 12-gamer has not.  Marbury’s 28/5/7 and Randolph Morris’s 30 helped the Ducks remain undefeated.  Lester Hudson began the game 1-10 from three, but finished 5-18 from range as he scored 31 points.  In just his second game with Qindago Olumide Oyedeji posted 22/17.

Liaoning 108, Fujian 94: Will McDonald was pretty beastly with his 39 points and 11 boards, but Fujian shot far too poorly (38%) to win this one.  Rodney Carney scored 35 for Liaoning.  Fujian actually won the second half by 10 points, but they’d fallen so far behind by halftime that it didn’t matter.

Shandong 99, Jiangsu 91: Marcus Williams had 30, Jackson Vroman 24, and my main man Hu Xuefeng 26, but they still lost to Alan Anderson and company by eight.  Anderson and Othello Hunter had 23 a piece while also combining for 28 boards.  Shandong won the fourth quarter 31-18. 

Xinjiang 94, Jilin 89: The Flying Tigers overcame a game-high 29 points from Cartier Martin and escaped with a five-point victory.  Kenyon Martin continues to put up extremely pedestrian numbers (12/8) as Patty Mills continues to dominate (26/7/3).

Kings 96 @ Warriors 107: When I say I don’t watch college basketball, I mean I don’t watch college basketball.  I don’t watch it once a week, or once a month, or when nothing else is on.  I don’t watch college basketball at all, ever… and even I came into tonight’s Kings game very much aware of Jimmer Fredette’s shot-making capabilities.  So, I’m not going to talk about his 4-6 shooting from three-point land.  I am going to talk about his four assists, six trips to the stripe, and three non-three-point FGs. 

Jimmer had a nice little “welcome to the NBA” moment early on.  After missing his first attempt at a jump shot, Monta Ellis snatched the long rebound and went the other way with it.  Jimmer was being hidden defensively on Dorell Wright, but was forced to pick up Monta in the transition situation.  The Mississippi Bullet proceeded to blow by him as if he was nailed to the hardwood.  I’m thinking Jimmer never saw someone shift gears quite like that in the NCAA, or even at Kings camp.  He continued to struggle on defense throughout his 35-minute experience, but he hardly missed another shot the rest of the way.  He finished with a team-high (tied with Marcus Thornton) of 21 points on 7-11, and he was able to do much more than just catch and shoot.  He created a couple of opportunities for himself (and his teammates) off the dribble, which, as far as I know, wasn’t advertised as being one of his tricks (was it?  Like I said, I don’t watch college basketball).  The other thing he did well was get out in transition and use his body to get to the line.  On a couple of occasions he wasn’t able to finish a fastbreak layup, but he was able to create enough contact to get to the stripe, where he’ll be deadly (despite some 3-6 clunking in tonight’s game).

Of the rookie debuts I’ve watched thus far–Knight, Irving, Shumpert, etc–Jimmer’s was the best.  He obviously doesn’t have the athletic or all-around abilities of those other guys, but as far as an ability to make an impact right now, he showed as much of that as anyone else.  I know, it’s just one preseason game against the Warriors (who still appear to be far from the defensive-minded team that Mark Jackson has the high hope of turning them in to), but hey, a guy’s got to start somewhere.  One preseason game is all we’ve got to go by right now, and Jimmer’s went very well. 

One thing that could be a problem for this young man is defense.  It’s going to be hard for the Kings to hide him all season long.  They matched him up with Dorell Wright for parts of this game, and that worked out alright because Wright does most of his damage from beyond the arc.  However, throwing a 6’2 dude on the three man isn’t going to work on most occasions, and trying to hide a guy can create other bad cross-matches.  He’s fortunate to be paired up with one of the league’s biggest PGs in Tyreke Evans; that’ll help, but he’ll still be a liability.  He tried to guard a few guys tonight and was taken to the cleaners at least once by all of them

Speaking of Tyreke Evans, he looked like his old self, which was a refreshing sight.  He scored 17 on just 10 shots as he repeatedly made his methodical drives to the basket.  Had he refrained from firing four three-pointers (still can’t shoot a lick) his numbers would’ve looked even better at 14 points on 6-7.  I think Tyreke is in for a big season if he can just stay healthy.  People have already kind of forgotten about the promise he showed in his rookie season.  That’s ok… they’ll remember soon.

Golden State’s most impressive player was probably Ekpe Udoh, who had 10/4 on 5-9 off the bench.  Well, Steph Curry and Monta Ellis combined for 40/14, but that’s routine.  They coasted most of the way and simply converted on damn near all their attempts when they did decide it was their turn to shoot (Monta went 8-11 from the field).  So yeah, I’m going with Ekpe for most impressive as he beasted in the first quarter with 8 points on 4-5.  They weren’t all garbage buckets either… he threw in a nice little baby hook in a post-up situation.  He also attempted one of the ugliest half hooks you’ll ever see (botched the footwork), but hey, one for two ain’t bad for a youngin’.  Ekpe only played in 58 games last season (was injured a lot), but I expect that we’ll see him more regularly this year.  I think he’s still far too raw to be counted on to produce offensively, but he’s an athletic player with pretty good size, and they don’t need him to score.  All they need him to do is hustle like Lou Amundson… if he can do that then he’s got himself a job, because anyone idiot can play offense better than Amunson.

One last thing from this game before I move along: what the hell were you doing out there, JJ Hickson?  TWO points in 32 minutes?  This was your Kings debut and I forgot you were even out there.  The only thing I recall JJ doing is getting called for three seconds after being stifled by Udoh in the post.  Dude was completely invisible out there.  Cleveland got Omri Casspi out of him, but I bet they wish they could do the whole Hickson expiriment all over again…

Spurs 87 @ Rockets 101: Jordan Hill sighting, and in a major way!  The 8th overall pick from the 2009 draft hasn’t done much but collect dust on the bench over his first three years in the league, but maybe this will be his year?  Houston doesn’t have anything at center, so if Jordan can continue to be even half as good as he was tonight then he’ll be on the floor.  He finished up with 17 points and 13 boards and was every bit as good as those numbers indicate.  He was very active (photo evidence of a dive to the floor) both offensively and on the glass.  He wasn’t credited with any shot blocks, but I recall some good defensive moments against Tiago Splitter.  His D weakened a little down the stretch (looked tired), but he was still gobbling up the rebounds and putting points on the board.  He was consistently impactful throughout the entire game–no stretches of bad play whatsoever.  I thought he was clearly the player of the game.  He looked really big out there, too… at least until Hasheem Thabeet stepped onto the floor.

Speaking of Thabeet, he had a good stretch in the first half.  Unlike Hill, he wasn’t able to put together a complete game, though.  His highlight of the night came when he hustled for a rebound, saved the ball to Scola for an easy score, and sprinted the other way to block a driving layup.  He kind of fizzled after that, collecting a bunch of fouls and finishing with 4/3 and the aforementioned block.

Terrence Williams followed up an awful first half with a very impressive second half.  Ever since his Nets days I’ve felt that T-Will needs to play with the ball in his hands.  To me he’s a point guard who’s spent the majority of his career playing out of position.  He doesn’t move well without the ball and he can’t really catch and shoot, rendering him rather useless off the ball, but as soon as he gets the rock in his hands you see flashes of brilliance.  You also see some ill-advised jumpers and questionable decisions, but the flashes of brilliance are always there.  After looking downright out of place in the first half, Houston let him handle the ball a little bit later on.  He suddenly exploded for 14 points… I believe 12 of them came in the fourth quarter.  He also grabbed 9 boards, some of which really showcased his incredible athleticism.  Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey talked about him a little bit during the game.  He emphasized how much Terrence loves the game, the excellent camp he’s had, and that he plays more pickup ball in the offseason than anyone else on the team.  Still, I have doubts that this will be “his year.”  He didn’t start putting it together until the ball was placed in his hand, and how often will they be putting it in his hands this season?  They’ve got Lowry, Dragic, and Flynn.  Terrence is going to have to learn to be more effective away from the ball if he wants to be on the floor. 

Nobody looked good for San Antonio.  I thought they looked alright early on… like, they moved the ball around and got some clean looks, but the next thing I knew they were shooting 20 percent on eight made FGs at halftime.  The only reason San Antonio had any points on the board is because Houston sent ‘em to the line 42 times.  Apparently Kevin McHale has been teaching his perimeter players to put their forearms on drivers, but he may want to re-think that strategy as the officials called a foul every single time. 

Knicks 93 @ Nets 82: This was certainly the ugliest of the three games I watched today.  The Knicks didn’t even play very well, they just have so much more talent than the Nets… it wasn’t even fair.  New Jersey’s looking real sorry headed into the regular season.  They haven’t re-signed Kris Humphries, leaving them with Brook Lopez, Shelden Williams, and a balding Johan Petro (did anyone notice his hair? Poor guy desperately needs Bosley) in the frontcourt.  They amnestied Travis Outlaw and signed Shawne Williams, but aside from he and Anthony Morrow there’s nothing doing at either wing spot.  I guess there’s Marshon Brooks, who had his moments today (10 PTS in 14 mins), but he’s a rookie.  Deron Williams and Jordan Farmar are a respectable PG rotation, but man, Billy King has some serious holes to fill without much time left to do it.  He’ll have to find a way to get it done if he wants to put a respectable product on the floor this year. 

A few of New York’s regular’s looked a little off.  Landry Fields looked downright awful early before redeeming himself a little bit later on.  He went 2-12, but you can forget the numbers because it’s not like he just had a rough shooting night.  He looked uncomfortable trying to do some pretty basic sh!t… like bounce the ball in a low-pressure situation, for instance.  Carmelo was another guy who clearly didn’t have his rhythm.  He made some tough jumpers, but airballed two uncontesed ones and botched a layup.  That, to me, is a sign of a guy who’s out of practice.  I’m not worried about him at all, though.  He looked to be in shape and will recover his touch in no time.  He did make a couple great passes after realizing his jumper was a little f@cked up.

Your eyes do not deceive you; that right there is a Renaldo Balkman sighting.  There were Renaldo Balkman sightings all game long as he led everybody with 20 points.  This indicates one of two things: preseason is a joke, or Renaldo is a better player than he’s given credit for.  I honestly believe it’s the latter–I’ve felt that way since the guy was a rookie playing under Isiah Thomas.  Despite a lack of skills he’s always contributed when allowed to play.  I like the guy because he works hard and plays within his limitations (did take and make a three today that had me rubbing my eyes).  Mike D’Antoni may be wise to consider finding a role for him.  He’ll do all the things that most Knickerbockers shy away from.  That’s what Tyson Chandler is for, you say?  Yeah, well, he had his moments today, but he isn’t turning a Pringles team into a defensive-minded squad all by himself.  Knicks fans, just accept that now so you won’t be disappointed later on.  Tyson will help, but it takes five guys buying in… and why in the world would I believe that’s gonna happen.  The f@cking coach won’t even buy in.  I guess it’s worth noting that Chandler grabbed 4 boards and swatted a couple shots today.  He looked pretty good on Brook Lopez, but at the same time you could tell that Lopez was just plain struggling.  Tyson didn’t even have to leave the floor, or move his arm, one of the times that he stuffed Brook.

Oh wow, I almost forgot: Iman Shumpert debuted with 16 points and quickly became the talk of the online basketball world earlier today.  Some feel that he’s got PG abilities that the Knicks desperately need and will make an impact from the get-go, while others feel that it’s just one preseason game against the Nets.  How do I feel?  Don’t know yet.  I’m not sold off of the one game.  I did like how he played, though.  I guess you could say I’m an Iman fan.  See what i did there?

Bucks 96 @ Wolves 117: Does anyone know who Jon Leur is?  Anybody at all?  Well, he scored 18 points for the Bucks.  Kevin Love–we all know who he is, but could hardly recognize him due to the wight loss–led the T-Wolves with 21/15.  Mike Beasley also had 21, and Derrick Williams debuted with 14.  Oh, and Ricky Rubio?  He only made one shot, but posted 6/6/7, which looks pretty good.  I’m a little confused as to why the NBA chose to make this the only game they didn’t play on NBAtv… one would think the first images of Ricky Rubio playing on an NBA floor would take precedent over the Tim Duncan-less Spurs facing off with the Yao Ming-less Rockets.  Oh well, the Houston game was cool.  I guess I’ve got no complaints.  Here’s a little Rubio for ya…

David Kahn was reportedly seen salivating in his executive box. 

Lastly, a little footwear news for you sneaker people!  Courtney Lee took the floor in a pair of black/cement Jordan IIIs, one of my favorite sneakers of all-time…

…and Dominic McGuire opted for a pair of cool grey XIs…

I was thinking during the Dubs game… I like Dominic McGuire for that squad.  He’s a tall, athletic guy who can guard multiple positions.  If Mark Jackson wants to turn corners defensively he’s going to need a guy like McGuire who can get the job done on that end of the floor.  I don’t think he’ll play a ton, but I expect he’ll have a role.

Cleveland 91 @ Detroit 87: I knew I missed NBA basketball, but I didn’t even realize how much until I heard Pistons play-by-play guy George Blaha rattling off the starting lineups: Will Bynum, Damien Wilkins, Anderson Varejao, and “the high-scoring” Antawn Jamison were a few of the not-so big names that rounded them out… yet, upon hearing these names, I suddenly felt my heart rate pick up, and then I heard that NBA on FSN music and that was all she wrote–I was in the damn zone.  I didn’t even give a f@ck if it was preseason, or who was starting, or that there were only about 12 fans at The Palace, because for the first time since June, it was NBA time, baby!  I can honestly say I’ve never been so happy to see Antawn Jamison on my TV.

Duh-Duh-Da-Da-Da-Da…

I took so many notes on this game I don’t even know where to begin.  I was clearly a bit over-excited, somehow managing to cover an entire piece of computer paper.  I guess no one really cares about the results of a preseason contest, so I’ll focus on how players performed individually, beginning with Samardo Samuels.

Cleveland’s second-year F/C was the best player on the floor last night, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 boards off the bench.  In just 25 minutes of play he was able to scrap his way to the freethrow line 16 times.  He was crazy active… Blaha was calling his name about every 10 seconds.  Detroit has a couple guys in Greg Monroe and Jason Maxiell who can compete with him physically, yet he was still able to be very effective.  Cleveland does not win this game without his energy and passion.

The players who I was most impressed by were probably Greg Monroe, Brandon Knight, and Kyrie Irving.  I’ll begin with Monroe before moving on to the first-round PGs.

Monroe finished with 12 points, 13 boards, and a pair of blocks in 27 minutes.  He scored the 12 points despite a tough defensive effort from the pesky Anderson Varejao, and his finest moments included a sweeping hook early on and couple of big baskets late in the 4th.  I love this young man’s combination of size and skill, and he seems to be serious about a commitment to defense.  I think this could be a big year for him. 

Now, the match up everyone came to see: Kyrie Irving vs Brandon Knight; the #1 vs #8 selections.  Both players came off the bench (Brandon Knight to a solid ovation considering how few people there were in the building) around the three-minute mark of the first.  I was impressed by Knight’s composure right from the start, but Irving appeared to have a little nervous energy built up.  He bricked the hell out of his first shot and didn’t get much closer on his second try.  His handle on the ball was shaky, and the game appeared to be moving a little too fast for him.  He’d collect himself as the second quarter came along, though.  From that point on his comfort level steadily rose and he was very agressive in trying to score the ball.  He broke the ice with a couple freethrows after ripping Knight and showed a some flair in the open court with a pretty spin move (did get his shot swatted on that play, but still a nice move). 

Following being stripped and then scored on, Knight sgot his first bucket on a long three-pointer, then assisted on a triple on the following possession.  He followed up the assist by stealing the ball and taking it the other way for a tough layup.  This was easily the most impressive stretch from either player, although both had their share of promising moments.  Each player showed a lot, but did so in different ways.  Irving displayed a lot of ability, but was only looking to create scoring opportunities for himself, really (as his 21 points on 4-14 with 3 assists to 5 TOs would suggest), whereas Knight did an excellent job of running the show and picking his spots.  As I mentioned a moment ago, I was extremely impressed by Knight’s composure.  He didn’t look like a young man playing in his first NBA game… not at all.  He finished with just 9 points and 4 assists, but I’d say he was equally as impressive as Irving, albeit in a different way.  Despite his reasonable effectiveness, Kyrie tried to do too much at times.  On one play he lowered his head and drove directly into a swarm of four Pistons.  He’s going to have to learn when to get his and when to stick to the script… but you’ve gotta love how he’s already shown the ability to get his in just his first game on the professional level.  Remember, this year’s kids didn’t even get a summer league.

Other players who had their moments included Austin Daye, Jonas Jerebko, and Tristan Thompson.  Daye knocked down three of four threes on his way to a team-high 18 points off the bench.  He was very active as he swatted 5 shots and grabbed 6 boards.  Knight seemed to have his eye on him and found him wide open for a few of those triples.  Jerebko didn’t really put up any numbers, but I liked his activity.  He collected a few floor burns and just generally looked good.  As for Tristan Thompson, he was silent until the fourth quarter, but showed flashes of natural ability late as he dunked a few balls and swatted a few shots.  He did look rather raw, and was denied in stone-cold fashion by Jason Maxiell on one poster attempt.  I guess there’s no shame in that, though.  It happened to Tyson Chandler once and he just got PAID.  Speaking of Maxiell, he also had a nasty putback slam.  It’s a new season and he’s dropped some pounds, but you still shouldn’t get in his way around the rim.  Nothin’s changed there.

Detroit lost the game, but I came away feeling better about their team than I had felt before.  I’d never fully realized how much young talent they have mixed in with those guys who haven’t lived up to their contracts.  Monroe could become one of the better centers in the NBA.  Jerebko and Daye are active athletes who will be productive wing players for years to come.  Brandon Knight is clearly the real deal.  I think Joe Dumars would be wise to build around these four.

Sixers 103 @ Wizards 78: Seventy-eight points?  The Wizards are going to have to re-sign three or four Nick Youngs.  Anywho, one preseason game in I’ve got John Wall making me look pretty stupid.  Flip Saunders effectively described the first performance from what I expect to be Wall’s break-out season in just one word: “terrible.“  Eight points, three assists, and six TOs on 3-12 in a 25-point loss don’t really allow me to argue with that assessment.  However, he did do this…

…and how many players in the league are capable of making that play?  That’s what I’ve chosen to take away from this game as I continue to anticipate a huge season for Wall (but probably not for the Wizards).

Also, how ’bout some “one-handed devestation” from Jan Vesely…

A studly European high-flyer is something the league’s lacking… but not for long?  This Vesely kid had a pretty solid debut with 7 points, 3 boards, and 2 steals in about 22 minutes of play.  The fact that he only had one turnover in this mess is also a rather impressive feat. 

A handful of guys put in work for the Sixers: Spencer Hawes looked not-sucky early on as he scored a variety of buckets inside on his way to 14/9.  Jrue Holiday out-played John Wall with 12/4/5, Lou Williams led the squad with 19 points, and ET phoned home for 16/7/3.  I’d like to see the Sixers find a way to get Thad Young more involved this season; he scored 10 points on 4-7 in 19 minutes.

Chicago 95 @ Indiana 86: Psycho T picked up where he left off in last season’s playoffs with 19 points and 11 boards, both game highs.  Unfortunately for the Pacemakers, Hansbrough’s performance wasn’t the only aspect of their showing that was somethin’ like the opening round of the 2011 postseason.  Let’s see… how ’bout 60% shooting and an 11-point lead at the end of one ——-> 26% shooting the rest of the way in a nine-point loss?  Sounds kind of familiar to me.  I didn’t get to see any of this game, so that’s all the insight I’ve got.  Hope ya liked it.  Derrick Rose and Luol Deng went 16-16 from the stripe as they shared team-high honors with 16 a piece.

Hornets 97 @ Grizzlies 90: He’s no Chris Paul, but Jarrett Jack can play.  Hopefully I can snag him in the later rounds of my upcoming fantasy draft, ’cause I’ve got a feeling this won’t be the last time he drops 24 (and 6/6) this season.  Speaking of PGs who can play, how ’bout Jannero Pargo’s little brother Jeremy going for 15 and 7 in his first NBA game?  The low-key Grizzlies signee out-played first-round pick Josh Selby, who had just 2 points on 1-5. 

As for the Grizzly loss… these weren’t the real Memphis Grizzlies.  Brian Skinner started at center.  That doesn’t count.

The Memphis Flyer’s Chris Herrington on MEM’s logjam at PG…

Guards: Second-round pick Josh Selby had a rough first outing, getting routinely abused by veteran Hornets point guard Jarrett Jack early and shooting 1-5 from the floor, including some bad misses. He never looked comfortable and certainly didn’t look like he had a position. Selby had some high-scoring performances in many of the all-star pick-up games held during the lockout, but as I tweeted late in the game, Selby learned tonight that even a preseason game against a bunch of non-roster invites is much more serious competition than a summer exhibition against stars.

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins essentially said the same thing afterward. “He’s young and has a lot to learn. He saw tonight that the NBA is a lot different than those charity pick-up games he played in during the summer,” Hollins said.

It’s only one game, obviously, but Selby’s performance underscored my prior sense that he would benefit from some heavy D League minutes, but I wonder if Xavier Henry’s injury will impact the team’s willingness to send Selby away for seasoning.

While Selby was struggling, the team’s other new addition, rookie free agent Jeremy Pargo, was shining in his first NBA game. After playing two seasons of professional ball in Israel, the 25-year-old Pargo comes in with more experience than most rookies, and it showed. He was comfortable on both ends, attacking offensively and staying with his man defensively. A stocky, powerfully built 6’2” point guard, Pargo has a good chance to be the team’s best defender at the position. If he proves viable offensively — and tonight was a good start, as he scored 15 points on 6-12 shooting, including 1-2 from three-point range, and notched 7 assists and zero turnover — Pargo could be a bargain on a cheap (for the NBA) two-year contract. There’s a long way to go, but this was a terrific first step in Pargo’s NBA career.

The competition between Pargo and second-year incumbent Greivis Vasquez for minutes behind Mike Conley could be interesting because they’re totally different players. Pargo is a quick, physical small guard who seems to excel guarding on the ball and breaking down defenders off the dribble. Vasquez is a bigger guard who struggles with man-to-man defense but is a strong floor leader with excellent court vision and passing ability and emerging effectiveness as a scorer and shooter. Vasquez was good tonight too, hitting three of four shots inside the arc (his only long-range attempt rimmed out) and delivering 6 assists to one turnover.

Looks like Selby could be collecting bench splinters this season.

Quote of the Day: Brandon Knight on his own preseason debut…

“I didn’t really pay much attention to the match ups. I tried to get everything else right as far as running the team, making smart decisions, trying to compete and getting defensive schemes down. That was really my main priority. It was fun to finally play again; it’s been a while since I’ve been able to run up and down the court in a game.”

This young man knows what’s up.  I thought he accomplished all of that.

Guangsha 102, Xinjiang 92: Patty Mills was blazing hot early on, scoring 12 of his 39 points in just 10 minutes as he made 6 of his first 8 shots, but even at that point Xinjiang was unable to build up a solid lead.  Then, with two minutes to go in the first and Wilson Chandler on the bench, Guangsha got it going and never looked back.  They came back to take a two-point lead at the end of the quarter, and after some crazy back-and-forth action at the start of the second quarter they were able to ride Peter John Ramos to an eight-point halftime lead.  Ramos played excellent ball in the first half, scoring 12 of his 14 points on 5-7 from the field.  It would be Wilson Chandler’s turn in the second stanza, and particularly the fourth quarter.  Xinjiang put Chandler’s former teammate Kenyon Martin on him, which seemed to make him want to shoot.  He started off with a couple of misses but eventually proceeded to essentially take the game over.  He scored the first two buckets of a 12-0 Guangsha run that extended their five-point lead to 17.  Wilson didn’t shoot well overall–just 11 for 28–but he came up huge down the stretch and finished with 31 points and 13 boards, both team highs.

^^That was only the second-best highlight of the game.  During some crazy second-quarter action, 7’3 Peter John Ramos dribbled coast-to-coast before dishing a no-look pass which led to a dunk.  It was as awesome as it sounds, trust me.  Based on his size, skill, athletic ability, and the impact he has on these games in comparison to other NBA-caliber players, Ramos belongs in the big boy league. 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: Kenyon Martin did nothing in this game.  I’m not talking his typical nothing, either.  I’m talking 8 points on 4-11.  Yikes.

Shandong 107, Zhejiang 94: JR Smith started this game on the bench, Zhejiang fell behind, and they never got over the hump.  JR nailed a three from, jesus, I don’t even know… it was deep… from DENVER to make it a four-point game just before halftime, but that’s as close as I ever saw the Golden Bulls get.  So, despite JR’s 41 points, 5 boards, and 4 assists, Zhejiang loses their second in a row to a sub-.500 team.  Shandong’s Alan Anderson was excellent with 28 points on 19 shots, and Othello “double-double” Hunter was just as good with 25/10.  Hunter attempted to destroy the rim on numerous occasions.

Qindago 103, Jiangsu 86: Well sh!t, Lester Hudson and Qindago have got themselves a winning streak!  Lester only had to score 26 points to make it happen as three other Qindago players contributed 15 or more.  Jiangsu got 27/12 from Jackson Vroman, 23 from a dude named Meng Da, and a whole lot of nothing from everyone else.  Everyone else most notably includes Marcus “laptops” Williams, who scored 4 points on 1-10.

Bayi 101, Foshan 96: Wang Zhizhi made an incredible 10 of 13 shots as he dropped 22 for Bayi.  This win puts the Rockets at 6-4 while the loss for Foshan makes them 3-8.  Cutting Gerald Green still doesn’t appear to have accomplished anything, but it did allow him to sign on with the Lakers (non-guaranteed deal, though)!

Beijing 107, Tianjin 101: Stephon Marbury wasn’t about to let last round’s bye throw a monkey wrench into Beijing’s now 11-0 season.  Starbury was as in-rhythm as ever with 35/5/5, and Randolph Morris was pretty good himself with 21/10.  Donnell Harvey and David Harrison got their numbers (26/15, 20/13 respectively), but Tianjin remains the worst team in the league with yet another loss.

Jilin 90, Fujian 82: Cartier Martin messed around and got a triple-double as his Tigers took the W.  His 27 points, 11 boards, and 10 assists led the team in all three categories, and the dude only took 12 shots.  Incredible line right there.  Will McDonald led Fujian with 28.

Dongguan 117, Liaoning 95: Dongguan bounced back from having their six-game winning streak snapped by beating the hell out of the Carney crew.  Rodney was actually alright in the loss with 21 points, as was Josh Powell with 20/10, but neither one of ‘em were as nice as Shavlik Randolph, who put up 32/10.  Josh Akognon scored 28 points and dished 10 assists.

Shanghai 92, Shanxi 90: Break up the Shanghai Sharks, they’ve won two in a row!  Following a win over the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, the Sharks were able to escape with a two-point W thanks to Mike Harris’s 30 points and 11 rebounds.  He was able to out-play his counterpart, Charles Gaines, who had 21/13.  Huge effort from Harris.

I’m back with the third and final round of media day’s flyest footwear!  To read parts one and two, click here and here.

Brandon Knight + Adidas Crazy 8: Brandon Knight may be a rookie in the NBA, but he appears to be a vet in the shoe game.  Check out his classic Kobes done Detroit style. 

Jonas Jerebko + Nike Zoom Flight V: Another young Piston with great taste in oldschool footwear!  Jonas Jerebko definitely made a swagged-out decision when he opted for a pair of J-Kidd classics for his media day shoot.  I remember my dad having a pair of these in white and navy when I was in elementary school.  I always liked ‘em, and I recall being intrigued by that shiny bubble.  They had that cool outsole with all the bumps, too.  A very unique design that’s stood the test of time.

Emeka Okafor + Nike Air Max Closer IV, Trevor Ariza + Nike Hyperdunk 2010: It’s awfully difficult to hit the court in an ugly pair of player exclusives when you ball for the Hornets–their colors are simply too ill.  Here are ‘Meka and Trevor making some run-of-the-mill Nikes stand out in purple and teal.

David West + Nike Hyperdunk 2011, George Hill + Nike LeBron 9: David West no longer gets to rock those aforementioned Hornets colors, but his navy blue Hyperdunks looked exceptionally sleek.  George Hill showed up in a non-red/white/black version of the latest LeBrons; a nice change of pace there.

Kawhi Leonard + Nike Air Foamposite One: The feet of young Kawhi Leonard could be seen shining in a pair of Pewter Foamposites.  The kid just signed his first NBA deal–might as well show up in a pair of $200 sneakers.  I would’ve done the same thing.

Chris Paul + Air Jordan XI Retro: Technically this isn’t a media day photo, but Paul wasn’t at Hornets’ media day and didn’t get traded in time for LA’s, so close enough.  Here he is arriving in his new city in style–Concord XI style, to be specific.

Did you happen to see a cool pair of shoes that I missed?  E-mail me at admin@nba247365.com and I’ll gladly tack them on to the end of this post.

I’m back with more photos of NBA feet, as promised!  Click here to read part one.

Caron Butler + Nike Air Max Closer V: A basic sneaker, but a nice, clean shoe right here.  The way the patent leather wraps around gives it a Jordan XI type of look, and Caron’s “3D” insignia on the tongue is a nice touch.  At first glance I couldn’t figure out why in the world Caron would have “3D” stitched onto his kicks.  He doesn’t wear #3 anymore, and there’s no “D” in his initials.  A quick google search revealed the meaning: Dedication, Determination, and Discipline.  Three of my favorite words right there.  I like it, Caron!  Also, shout-out to NikeTalker kiddwill58 for helping me ID these damn things.

Josh Smith + Adidas Pro Model: Adidas comes out with a new version of this shoe every year, and I always hate it.  It’s the official shoe of the 6’5, unathletic, lanky, I-play-soccer-in-the-fall-and-basketball-in-the-winter white kid (no racist, I’m white; it’s just that my people lack swag at times).  The shape is bad, the rubber toe looks stupid, and the three stripes don’t help it’s cause.  About the only thing it’s got going for it is that Antoine Walker once shimmied in a pair.  All of that being said, dare I say Josh Smith rocks this red/navy colorway of the newest Pro Models?  Can’t even lie… this is the first pair of Pro Models I’ve ever liked.

LeBron James + Nike LeBron 9, Chris Bosh + Nike Air Max Hyperize 2011, Dwyane Wade + Air Jordan Fly Wade 2: Miami’s big guns brought the HEAT!  Well, minus D-Wade.  I’m not feeling the Fly Wade 2 at all.  I don’t like the design (very generic), the shape (looks big and clunky from certain angles), or that logo on the tongue (looks like a blob).  They remind me of an old pair of AND1s–and not the Tai Chis.  Remember these damn things?  Covering the side of a shoe with holes was an AND1 thing, JB.  Anyway, LBJ’s signatures are always nice, and these Bosh PEs are clean.  I dig the yellow laces; they match the trim on the jersey and add a little flair.

Eric Bledsoe + Nike LeBron 9, Mo Williams + Nike Zoom Kobe VI: I guess I already touched on the LeBron 9s, but I’ll say it again: Nike has never produced a LeBron signature that I didn’t like.  MJ obviously impacted the shoe game in a way that may never be matched, but had LeBron stayed in Cleveland and won some titles I could’ve seen his line phasing into a “new Air Jordan” role at some point.  Now that he might be as widely hated as he is loved, this obviously won’t be happening… but it certainly has nothing to do with the shoes themselves.  His kicks are always fire.  As for the Kobe VIs… I’m not a huge fan, but I must admit that they do look pretty nice in red and white.  Also, take note of Bledsoe’s Polo socks.  That’s what I’d call a subtle yet stand-out touch, if that makes any sense.  Like, it’s a little thing that you probably don’t notice at first, but once you do you can’t say his swag would be the same without it.  I wonder if that was an intentional addition of swag or if he didn’t get his laundry done in time.

Tyson Chandler + Nike Hyperdunk 2011, Carmelo Anthony + Air Jordan Melo M8, Amare Stoudemire + Nike Air Max Sweep Thru: Looks like TC didn’t have any Knicks kicks yet, but man, that’s no excuse to rock some navy blue joints… just rock a pair of white-on-white forces or something.  That’s blatantly a Mavericks colorway; not a good look.  Anyway, Amare helps take attention away from Tyson’s tomfoolery with that two-tone cross strap on his Air Max Sweep Thrus… that sh!t is tight (both figuratively and litterally, I’d imagine)!  I don’t know how much I like ‘em in virtually all blue, but mix a little more black and white in there and you’ve got yourself a hot shoe.  As for Melo, I like the M8s.  They won’t turn any heads, but they aren’t ugly, either.  They look a helluvalot better than the Fly Wades, that’s for sure.

Kevin Durant + Nike Zoom KD IV: My favorite Durant kicks are still the KD IIs (wearing the black ones as I type this), but these are nice too.  I love the strap, the clear sh!t on the sides, and the massive KD logo on the back.  These would look awesome with some clear soles to match that material on the upper.  I have a funny feeling KD’s gonna be doing big things in these shoes this season…

I’ll be back with another six (or so) pairs tomorrow!  Some teams didn’t have their media day until this afternoon, so new photos are still surfacing.  Here’s a little sneak peek at part three.