Turkoglu to Europe Not So Crazy a Thought
More Hedo Turkoglu news, courtesy of Bethlehem Shoals of The Baseline.

Hedo Turkoglu might yet turn into the hot story of the summer. And throw a whole 'nother monkey wrench into this most strange of summers. According to The Hoop, Hedo hasn't received an overseas offer, but isn't ruling out that possibility: [...]

But foreigners aren't all about just being happy to be here, or proving their people can hang. Hedo's over that. He's in line for someone to pay him like a star, and if that's not going to happen in America -- his adopted basketball home, the place he thought he'd infiltrated like a son of the soil -- then it might have to go down back in Europe. It's so obvious, and emotional, that I can't believe no one thought of it before. 

I wouldn't read too much into the news.

The odds that Turk goes overseas next season are low. This type of storyline springs up during the off-season, just have to take it with a grain of salt. 

Derek Fisher proves titles not won with great point guards
Scott Howard-Cooper of Sports Illustrated provides this interesting tidbit.

Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times connected the dots: Hedo Turkoglu was on the Kings when Robert Horry hit the historic shot in the 2002 Western Conference finals. Turkoglu was on the Spurs when Fisher's twisting fling of a buzzer-beater delivered an improbable victory in Game 5 of the 2004 second round. Turkoglu was on the Magic when Fisher burned Orlando with two series-turning three-pointers in Game 4 of the 2009 Finals. He's haunted.

X’s & O’s of Basketball: The 5 Angles of the Ball Screen
Coach Bruchu of the X's and O's of Basketball talks about the ball screen. I felt this was something relevant to post, given that the Orlando Magic run a ton of pick & rolls as the primary offensive sets. Doesn't hurt to gain a better understanding of how this particular play works in basketball. 

With the NBA and college seasons done and a break in my studies, I'm starting to go through all the notes I've colle cted over the past year. I went through one today I thought was worth talking about, Ganon Baker calls it "the 5 angles of the ball screen" (side, middle, flat, horns, baseline step-up).

2009 Finals SPM Scores
UPDATE: Neil Paine of Basketball-Reference provides the statistical plus/minus numbers for the 2009 NBA Finals and for the entire playoffs, too. 

Rafer to the Hawks? AJC columnist prefers Alston to Bibby
UPDATE 2:

Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz is calling for the Hawks to forgo any attempt to re-sign free-agent point guard Mike Bibby and instead make a deal for the Magic's Rafer Alston. How about Marvin Williams in return?

It seems like Alston is a goner in Orlando one way or another. What do you guys think? Would it bother you to trade him away inside the division?