by Zettler Clay
In case you didn’t know, JaVale McGee has a penchant for aerial hand-on-ball connection.
Apparently (and fictitiously), McGee heard whispers that owning Wesley Matthews’ shot was sort of like, well, easy. After all, Matthews is a 6’5 guard coming around the corner to a waiting 7-footer with a pterodactyl wingspan.
Pick on someone your own size, he was told.
So McGee set his sights on the league’s best dunker Wednesday night.
Well then.
by Micah Hart
For the complete Bragging Rights rules and to vote for other matchups, click here. In this matchup D-Wade’s alma mater takes on Derrick Rose and the Memphis Tigers. It’s on!
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Marquette Golden Eagles
Starters (all stats per 48 minutes):
Dwyane Wade, Heat: 33.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1.9 steals
Wesley Matthews, Trail Blazers: 22.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.2 blocks, 1.8 steals
Steve Novak, Spurs: 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.5 blocks, 0.5 steals
Lazar Hayward, Timberwolves: 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.7 blocks, 1.1 steals
Jerel McNeal*, Hornets: 19.5 points, 4,2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.3 blocks, 1.4 steals
*McNeal has yet to appear in an NBA game, so his NBA D-League stats are listed here
Missed the cut: None
Team synopsis: This team is fairly similar to the squad Wade took to the Final Four in 2003, in the sense that most of the team doesn’t really have much of an NBA future. In fact, they only qualify to participate because McNeal was recently given a 10-day contract by the Hornets. Still, Wade and Matthews are a nice 1-2 combo. (more…)
by Micah Hart
When Portland signed restricted free-agent Wesley Matthews to an offer sheet this past offseason, I wasn’t sure if they really liked him, or if they just liked to stick it to the Jazz. After all, this is the same team that signed Utah’s Paul Millsap to a large offer sheet the year before, forcing the Jazz to match (and paving the way for Carlos Boozer‘s exit from Salt Lake City).
Regardless of their intent, the signing is working out well for the Blazers. Matthews, playing in place of the injured Brandon Roy, dropped 30 points on the Grizzlies last night, every one of them needed in a 100-99 win in Memphis. With Roy’s status up in the air (Is there a more injury-cursed franchise in all of sports than Portland?), the Blazers are going to need Matthews to continue to play at this level if they want to keep up in the loaded Western Conference.
Last night, he was worth every penny.
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