As for the Instagram issue
Napsal: čtv 23. srp 2018 7:32:12With every Anthony Davis put-back dunk Curt Schilling Jersey , reverse alley-oop jam, step-back 3-pointer or game-sealing block in the playoffs, the New Orleans Pelicans take a step closer to becoming the NBA’s next small-market success story.
That didn’t quite happen with Chris Paul, who essentially forced a trade after his sixth season in the Big Easy amid concerns about uncertain ownership.
The 25-year-old Davis is now in his sixth season in New Orleans. And the five-time All-Star is not only playing historically good basketball, but seems to see no need for moving vans in order to go ring hunting.
Davis, after all, was a young fan when Reggie Miller was in the twilight of an 18-year career with Indiana that transformed the Pacers into playoff regulars – and while Tim Duncan was embarking on a long career in San Antonio highlighted by five NBA titles.
”There’s always, you know, `You can’t win in a small market or you can’t get noticed in a small market,’ but then you look at those guys and they’ve won and been well recognized in their respective teams,” Davis said, referring to Miller and Duncan. ”I love the city of New Orleans. I love playing for the city. The city’s showed me a lot of love, so I couldn’t ask for a better place to be.”
New Orleans is noticing. So, apparently, is the rest of the world.
Sharp-shooting forward Nikola Mirotic, a Montenegro native acquired by the Pelicans in a mid-season trade Authentic Kentavius Street Jersey , said Davis already has enhanced New Orleans’ international profile because of the NBA’s global appeal.
”I know in my country, for example – or Spain, or Serbia – they all talk about him. They all want to see him playing because of the show he puts on,” Mirotic said. ”He’s still young. There’s a lot of room for him to improve. I’m sure he’s going to be someone that everybody is going to remember in the future.”
Saints quarterback Drew Brees remains New Orleans’ most popular athlete. But Davis’ rising global star power is on full display.
The Pelicans’ home arena, the Smoothie King Center, was packed to the rafters and deafeningly loud during games 3 and 4 of sixth-seeded New Orleans’ somewhat surprising first-round sweep of the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. The series victory not only was New Orleans’ first since 2008, but only the second since the NBA returned 16 seasons ago to the city where the Pete Maravich-led Jazz originally played from 1974-79, before moving to Utah.
Davis averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game during the first round of the playoffs, earning him constant ”M-V-P” chants from fans – who hope this is just the start.
”We would want this to be something that changes the mindset of not just what we do here, but also of other people looking to come here,” said Pelicans forward Solomon Hill, who joined Davis as a free agent in 2016. ”From player personnel to the front office, whatever it may be, we’re trying to let everybody know that New Orleans is a place where we’re trying to win – and he’s the key piece you need.”
Sitting on the bench in street clothes and a walking boot watching Davis these days is fellow All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who is due to become a free agent this offseason. The Pelicans have said they’ll try to re-sign Cousins Chukwuma Okorafor Jersey Elite , who technically is now part of his first playoff team in eight NBA seasons, but who still has yet to play in the postseason because of his Achilles tear in January.
Davis said he hopes the way the Pelicans played, and the way fans cheered, in the first round gives Cousins ”a little itch to come back.”
New Orleans hardly looked like a playoff lock in the highly competitive Western Conference after Cousins was injured. But Davis averaged an NBA-high 30.2 points during the last 34 regular season games, with the Pelicans going 21-13.
Unlike when Paul was in New Orleans, the Pelicans are now on sound financial footing, with the same local ownership as the NFL’s Saints. They have a modern, spacious, permanent practice facility on the same campus as Saints headquarters and a team-friendly arena lease that runs through 2024.
Davis is under contract for three more seasons.
”I know that his goal is to be the foundation of a team that wins consistently here,” coach Alvin Gentry said. ”With the talent-level that he is and the way he can make other guys better just by being on the court with them, I see no reason why that can’t happen.”
Guard Jrue Holiday, who had 33 points in Game 2 and 41 in Game 4, is under contract for four more seasons. Veteran guard Rajon Rondo, who won a title in Boston with a ”Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, said he came to New Orleans on a one-year deal to play with the ”Big Three” of Davis Buffalo Bills Jerseys Womens , Cousins and Holiday. During the playoffs, Rondo has emerged as the club’s third star, piling up 53 assists in four games.
Davis wants Rondo back next year as well, and very well may get his wish.
”We just can’t make this a one-every-three-years or one-every-two-years” playoff run, Davis said. ”It needs to be a consistent thing where before every season they’re talking about: These are the top five teams that we know are going to be in there – and we need to be one of them.”
—
New coach Matt Nagy looked out his window Tuesday morning and saw a group working in unison to create something bigger and better for the Chicago Bears.
He was impressed.
The construction workers laying the foundation for an expanded practice facility were putting on a clinic in teamwork.
"The communication of the guys who are building, pouring the concrete and the cement and people in the background talking," he said Tuesday. "How do you do this? How do you do that? That's what we're doing right now as a team."
The Bears are trying to build something bigger and better after finishing last in the NFC North four straight years.
General manager Ryan Pace fired John Fox after three seasons and replaced him with Nagy, hoping a coach with an offensive background will get the most out of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
There's a growing buzz for a team coming off a 5-11 season. But there's also plenty of work to do, particularly for an offense learning a new system, and the job kicked into another gear with the start of a voluntary veteran minicamp on Tuesday.
For Nagy, it's his first shot as a head coach after 10 seasons working under Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Kansas City. He's trying to help lift a franchise with one playoff appearance in 11 years and nothing but .500 or losing records since 2012.
"Just very obsessive about being detailed and having us be detailed," defensive end Akiem Hicks said. "And watching his morning meetings, you always get a good feel for a coach with how he addresses the entire team, and he makes sure he hits all his points, he has his (index) cards out and making sure that he gets everybody in line and knowing what we've got for the day and stuff like that."
While a defense that ranked 10th overall last season has many of its top players back as well as coordinator Vic Fangio, the offense is adjusting to a new system. Trubisky's development could ultimately determine the fate of Pace and Nagy in Chicago. But there are other issues facing the Bears.
Though they signed free agent receiver Allen Robinson and gave Trubisky a new No. 1 target Dallas Goedert Color Rush Jersey , depth at the position remains an issue. Robinson is working his way back after tearing his ACL in last year's opener with Jacksonville, and guard Kyle Long is recovering from ankle, shoulder and neck surgeries.
Neither player participated in team drills Tuesday. And Nagy had no timetable for when they will start.
Another issue is the mindset of running back Jordan Howard after Bears-related photos disappeared from his Instagram account a few weeks ago amid trade rumors. He sidestepped questions about that while insisting he has a future in Chicago and can be a productive player in Nagy's system despite his struggles catching passes.
"They told my agent they had no plans to trade me or anything like that," Howard said. "So that's comforting."
He said he "really wasn't hurt" by the rumors.
With more than 2,400 yards since the Bears took him in the fifth round in 2016, Howard has been one of Pace's most successful draft picks. He ran for 1,122 yards last season after finishing second in the NFL with 1,313 as a rookie.
But there's a perception his struggles in the passing game make him an odd fit in a system that demands the running backs catch the ball.
"I feel like I can fit in pretty much (any) offense," Howard said. "Yeah, I have had struggles receiving but anytime people doubt me, they just push me to do better and improve. That is definitely one thing I want to improve on."
Nagy also dismissed that idea, saying, "To sit there and say he doesn't fit this offense I don't think is very fair."
He said Howard "absolutely" will be a featured running back in 2018 and envisions him and Tarik Cohen once again forming a dynamic tandem.
As for the Instagram issue, Howard said there was "nothing to it" and wouldn't acknowledge removing Bears-related pictures. There were plenty on Tuesday.
"I don't know," he said. "You can go on there now and see if they're on there. I don't know."
NOTE: The Bears said defensive back Bryce Callahan signed his one-year restricted free agent tender.
.
That didn’t quite happen with Chris Paul, who essentially forced a trade after his sixth season in the Big Easy amid concerns about uncertain ownership.
The 25-year-old Davis is now in his sixth season in New Orleans. And the five-time All-Star is not only playing historically good basketball, but seems to see no need for moving vans in order to go ring hunting.
Davis, after all, was a young fan when Reggie Miller was in the twilight of an 18-year career with Indiana that transformed the Pacers into playoff regulars – and while Tim Duncan was embarking on a long career in San Antonio highlighted by five NBA titles.
”There’s always, you know, `You can’t win in a small market or you can’t get noticed in a small market,’ but then you look at those guys and they’ve won and been well recognized in their respective teams,” Davis said, referring to Miller and Duncan. ”I love the city of New Orleans. I love playing for the city. The city’s showed me a lot of love, so I couldn’t ask for a better place to be.”
New Orleans is noticing. So, apparently, is the rest of the world.
Sharp-shooting forward Nikola Mirotic, a Montenegro native acquired by the Pelicans in a mid-season trade Authentic Kentavius Street Jersey , said Davis already has enhanced New Orleans’ international profile because of the NBA’s global appeal.
”I know in my country, for example – or Spain, or Serbia – they all talk about him. They all want to see him playing because of the show he puts on,” Mirotic said. ”He’s still young. There’s a lot of room for him to improve. I’m sure he’s going to be someone that everybody is going to remember in the future.”
Saints quarterback Drew Brees remains New Orleans’ most popular athlete. But Davis’ rising global star power is on full display.
The Pelicans’ home arena, the Smoothie King Center, was packed to the rafters and deafeningly loud during games 3 and 4 of sixth-seeded New Orleans’ somewhat surprising first-round sweep of the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. The series victory not only was New Orleans’ first since 2008, but only the second since the NBA returned 16 seasons ago to the city where the Pete Maravich-led Jazz originally played from 1974-79, before moving to Utah.
Davis averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game during the first round of the playoffs, earning him constant ”M-V-P” chants from fans – who hope this is just the start.
”We would want this to be something that changes the mindset of not just what we do here, but also of other people looking to come here,” said Pelicans forward Solomon Hill, who joined Davis as a free agent in 2016. ”From player personnel to the front office, whatever it may be, we’re trying to let everybody know that New Orleans is a place where we’re trying to win – and he’s the key piece you need.”
Sitting on the bench in street clothes and a walking boot watching Davis these days is fellow All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who is due to become a free agent this offseason. The Pelicans have said they’ll try to re-sign Cousins Chukwuma Okorafor Jersey Elite , who technically is now part of his first playoff team in eight NBA seasons, but who still has yet to play in the postseason because of his Achilles tear in January.
Davis said he hopes the way the Pelicans played, and the way fans cheered, in the first round gives Cousins ”a little itch to come back.”
New Orleans hardly looked like a playoff lock in the highly competitive Western Conference after Cousins was injured. But Davis averaged an NBA-high 30.2 points during the last 34 regular season games, with the Pelicans going 21-13.
Unlike when Paul was in New Orleans, the Pelicans are now on sound financial footing, with the same local ownership as the NFL’s Saints. They have a modern, spacious, permanent practice facility on the same campus as Saints headquarters and a team-friendly arena lease that runs through 2024.
Davis is under contract for three more seasons.
”I know that his goal is to be the foundation of a team that wins consistently here,” coach Alvin Gentry said. ”With the talent-level that he is and the way he can make other guys better just by being on the court with them, I see no reason why that can’t happen.”
Guard Jrue Holiday, who had 33 points in Game 2 and 41 in Game 4, is under contract for four more seasons. Veteran guard Rajon Rondo, who won a title in Boston with a ”Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, said he came to New Orleans on a one-year deal to play with the ”Big Three” of Davis Buffalo Bills Jerseys Womens , Cousins and Holiday. During the playoffs, Rondo has emerged as the club’s third star, piling up 53 assists in four games.
Davis wants Rondo back next year as well, and very well may get his wish.
”We just can’t make this a one-every-three-years or one-every-two-years” playoff run, Davis said. ”It needs to be a consistent thing where before every season they’re talking about: These are the top five teams that we know are going to be in there – and we need to be one of them.”
—
New coach Matt Nagy looked out his window Tuesday morning and saw a group working in unison to create something bigger and better for the Chicago Bears.
He was impressed.
The construction workers laying the foundation for an expanded practice facility were putting on a clinic in teamwork.
"The communication of the guys who are building, pouring the concrete and the cement and people in the background talking," he said Tuesday. "How do you do this? How do you do that? That's what we're doing right now as a team."
The Bears are trying to build something bigger and better after finishing last in the NFC North four straight years.
General manager Ryan Pace fired John Fox after three seasons and replaced him with Nagy, hoping a coach with an offensive background will get the most out of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
There's a growing buzz for a team coming off a 5-11 season. But there's also plenty of work to do, particularly for an offense learning a new system, and the job kicked into another gear with the start of a voluntary veteran minicamp on Tuesday.
For Nagy, it's his first shot as a head coach after 10 seasons working under Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Kansas City. He's trying to help lift a franchise with one playoff appearance in 11 years and nothing but .500 or losing records since 2012.
"Just very obsessive about being detailed and having us be detailed," defensive end Akiem Hicks said. "And watching his morning meetings, you always get a good feel for a coach with how he addresses the entire team, and he makes sure he hits all his points, he has his (index) cards out and making sure that he gets everybody in line and knowing what we've got for the day and stuff like that."
While a defense that ranked 10th overall last season has many of its top players back as well as coordinator Vic Fangio, the offense is adjusting to a new system. Trubisky's development could ultimately determine the fate of Pace and Nagy in Chicago. But there are other issues facing the Bears.
Though they signed free agent receiver Allen Robinson and gave Trubisky a new No. 1 target Dallas Goedert Color Rush Jersey , depth at the position remains an issue. Robinson is working his way back after tearing his ACL in last year's opener with Jacksonville, and guard Kyle Long is recovering from ankle, shoulder and neck surgeries.
Neither player participated in team drills Tuesday. And Nagy had no timetable for when they will start.
Another issue is the mindset of running back Jordan Howard after Bears-related photos disappeared from his Instagram account a few weeks ago amid trade rumors. He sidestepped questions about that while insisting he has a future in Chicago and can be a productive player in Nagy's system despite his struggles catching passes.
"They told my agent they had no plans to trade me or anything like that," Howard said. "So that's comforting."
He said he "really wasn't hurt" by the rumors.
With more than 2,400 yards since the Bears took him in the fifth round in 2016, Howard has been one of Pace's most successful draft picks. He ran for 1,122 yards last season after finishing second in the NFL with 1,313 as a rookie.
But there's a perception his struggles in the passing game make him an odd fit in a system that demands the running backs catch the ball.
"I feel like I can fit in pretty much (any) offense," Howard said. "Yeah, I have had struggles receiving but anytime people doubt me, they just push me to do better and improve. That is definitely one thing I want to improve on."
Nagy also dismissed that idea, saying, "To sit there and say he doesn't fit this offense I don't think is very fair."
He said Howard "absolutely" will be a featured running back in 2018 and envisions him and Tarik Cohen once again forming a dynamic tandem.
As for the Instagram issue, Howard said there was "nothing to it" and wouldn't acknowledge removing Bears-related pictures. There were plenty on Tuesday.
"I don't know," he said. "You can go on there now and see if they're on there. I don't know."
NOTE: The Bears said defensive back Bryce Callahan signed his one-year restricted free agent tender.
.