Tracy McGrady’s first game as a New York Knick exceeded expectations for both minute allotment and overall performance. T Mac played a staggering 32 minutes dropping in 26 points on a variety of jumpers, slashing moves to the lane, also adding 5 assists and 4 boards while shooting 58.8% from the field.

However, McGrady had to sit the majority of the overtime period due to (He admitted post-game) being exhausted.

Considering the duration of time missed over the past two years and how he was underutilized in Houston this season, it is unimaginable to have foreseen this type of breakout performance in his first outing for the Knicks.

McGrady is looking to make New York fans believers.

McGrady’s 32 minutes are the first true starter-caliber minutes he’s played since February 9th, 2009.

McGrady’s shocking and inspirational game combined with David Lee to form a competitive dynamic duo, producing one of the Knicks’ most memorable games. Unfortunately, they lost in overtime. They are still the Knicks.

Had McGrady not run out of gas, and played more during overtime, a different outcome might have halted OKC’s current 9-game winning streak. But hey, the guy missed a lot of time and is coming back from microfracture surgery, so 32 minutes in a close overtime loss is good enough for his first game.

The Knicks showed up and competed against OKC and are a better team with McGrady starting. The 1-2 punch of T Mac and Lee has the potential to make attending a game at the Garden a worthwhile experience again for Knicks fans.

What I wonder now, especially since T Mac opened all of our eyes wide open on Saturday, will be how well will he performs in Madison Square Garden tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks.

How well will he bounce back after logging heavy minutes against an extremely athletic Thunder team? Will muscle fatigue and soreness in his knee render the second game back a dud, cause a reduction in minutes, or can he “will” himself to a solid performance?

The Knicks match up against a competitive Milwaukee Bucks team currently hovering around .500 (26-28), who, like New York, completed a trade prior to the trade deadline, acquiring John Salmons from the Chicago Bulls.

Like McGrady, Salmons has paid dividends for the Bucks, averaging 19 points in his first 2 games for the Bucks, both wins.

If he continues to play pain free, and conditioning improves, McGrady will continue to regain the skills he possessed prior to his derailment from the knee injury. If so, look for T Mac to have consistent and solid performances over the final stretch run.

Brandon Jennings was fined $7,500 for tweeting  a message after the Milwaukee Bucks 108-101 win over Portland. The NBA is levying the fine because he posted the message during the prohibited post game time.

$7,500 for twitting to congratulate teamates: priceless! (Credit: ESPN)

The NBA has a rule against using social media during the duration of all games as well as 45 minutes prior and post game.

What did Jennings tweet? Nothing by any means controversial:

“Back to 500. Yess!!! “500″ means where doing good. Way to Play Hard Guys.”

Jennings plans to delete his account as a result of the $7,500 penalty for his twitter fine.

His tweet was a positive message of comradeship in celebrating a team achievement.  It is unfortunate that the NBA does not use better discretion in assessing these fines.

Just imagine if he tweeted a negative message about the officiating of the overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Naturally the fine would be larger and possible suspension could ensue.

Perhaps the league places Jennings under the microscope because he has a history of not playing by NBA rules. Is David Stern stocking up ammunition against Jennings?

Probably not, but Stern must be happy the league can issue a fine or two in Jennings direction. Especially after Jennings put Stern on the spot on draft day.

Brandon Jennings stepped in late on behalf the 14th pick Earl Clark (Credit: ESPN)

It is clear the NBA administration has their eyes set on making an example out of Jennings, one way or another, after he trail blazed a way for young layers to skip college.

Somewhere in an office in New York you will find David Stern pacing around, contemplating what to do about this kid Brandon Jennings.

Jennings has already made a mockery of the NBA age statute, showed up late to the NBA draft and walked on stage in unprecedented fashion. He then dispelled the hype surrounding Ricky Rubio, calling him overrated.

Funny thing is, we are all paying attention to these things now that he is a borderline NBA star.

Brandon Jennings stepped in late on behalf the 14th pick Earl Clark (Credit: ESPN)

The kicker? Brandon Jennings tearing the league up leading the Milwaukee Bucks into prominent mainstream media for the first time in a long time.

Latavious Williams was one of the first players following in Jennings’ footsteps, deciding to play professionally in China rather than attending college. Jeremy Tyler then made his headlines by skipping of his senior year of high school.

Brandon Jennings circumventing NBA protocol and by receiving this much attention from his unbelievable start to his NBA career will surely blaze a trail for America’s youth to follow.

With the NBA on the verge of raising its age restrictions again, the Jennings phenomenon will likely become a viable option to high school players with NBA talent. Why go to college when you can get paid to play in a cultural Mecca like Europe?

Jennings came back more mature after 1 year of immersing himself in Italy. I heard the Italian food is pretty good over there as well.

Jennings has a shoe deal with Under Armor. He has exploded onto the scene. All the critics and the doubters who questioned his meager statistics while playing in Italy are backpedaling, and hopping on the bandwagon.

Jennings skipped out on college and secure himself a shoe deal. Take that David Stern! (Credit: brandonjennings.net)

What does all this mean?

It means that Brandon Jennings is the one man wrecking ball of anti NBA rules and establishment. He does not play by the rules, and if he keeps playing like he is, he will keep striking fear into the heart of David Stern. He is proving he is too good for anyone to second guess his moves.

The NBA is on the brink of expanding its ownership globally.

With Russian billionare Mikhail Prokhorov making his bid and charging his way into NBA Ownership, it raises many questions that excite me to the core as a basketball fan.

The Salary Cap Cold War is near. (Credit: picapp.com)

Is Andrei Kirlenko on his way to the Nets?

This is more minor a detail comparatively to our larger questions, but it is worth mentioning.

Who wouldn’t take advantage of the chance to play for a team owned by your native land?

I see many marketing opportunities exploding for Kirilenko as a member of the Russian-owned Nets resulting in his heightened desire to leave Utah.

Look for the Medvedev Nets Jersey soon! (Credit: picapp.com)

David Stern: is this a blessing or is this catastrophic to your vision of NBA globalization?

Sure David Stern has been ardent in expanding the league via NBA Europe and NBA China, but those ventures have been with his hands behind the controls. What happens when someone who does not care about Sterns rules decides to challenge the rules by flexing financial power?

What does this mean for the future of the NBA salary cap?

One thing is certain: As foreign ownership expands, the NBA salary cap is going either going to be dissolved or at the minimum dramatically restructured in the immediate future.

Based on the current example of world wide ownership in the world’s most popular sport, soccer, there are more players making Kobe money than you would imagine.

To make matters worse for the NBA, these franchises in world soccer also loan players, pay agent fees, and absorb all of the player’s income taxes.

With like-minded international ownership already conducting business under this model, how long can the NBA hold out while Prokhorov shrugs off luxury tax, and pays players ridiculous money to assemble handpicked teams win rings?

Will this result in teams eventually experiencing relegation?

Speaking of relegation….

Wouldn’t it be a good thing if a team like the Milwaukee Bucks was owned by an ambitious owner paying damn near anything to make the team a contender?

Some might argue that these potential events are unfair, but this is America, and capitalism rules. Pure and simple.

The answer to these questions could lead to radical changes to the financial structure of the game.

As a basketball fan, I want all teams competing towards the top of the tier.

If bringing in money from overseas results in people wanting to play for Milwaukee, than I am all for it.

Every NBA season sees a few guys break out. Players that finally got the chance to get the necessary minutes to put up legit stats and took advantage of the opportunity. Jeff Green of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kelenna Azubuike of the Golden State Warriors were these type of players from this past season. Green went from 28 to nearly 37 minutes a game upping his average from 10.5 to 16.5 ppg. Azubuike’s minute total went from 21 to 32 and he took advantage upping his points per game average from 8.5 to 14.4. We at Protect the Paint will now give you Part 1 of the Top 10 Under-the-Radar Breakout Players of 2009-10.

Can Amir win Skiles over and earn playing time? (Credit: picapp.com)

10. Amir Johnson F/C Milwaukee Bucks: Only 22, but has been in the league since 2005 buried on the Pistons bench with some time in the D-League. Seldom had the chance to incur the growing pains a young player needs in order to develop—he never got the necessary minutes. Johnson should see plenty of time in Milwaukee under coach Scott Skiles who will appreciate his defensive effort. Look for Amir to round out his game and see an upward swing in production in the first quarter of the season. That is, if Skiles lets him play through his mistakes.

Dj White will prove the pundits wrong this season. (Credit: picapp.com)

9. D.J. White F Oklahoma City Thunder: The former Big 10 Player of the Year came into the league last season, but his rookie year was delayed five months after undergoing surgery on his jaw to remove a benign growth. Played six games in the D-League before debuting for the Thunder in April. Played in only seven games but immediately proved he could play against NBA talent scoring 8.9 points with 4.6 rebounds in just over 18 minutes per game. Should fit right into the Thunder rotation for 2009-10 as one of the first players off Scott Brooks’ bench.

A bigger stronger Brewer could explode this season. (Credit: dimemag.com)

8. Corey Brewer G/F Minnesota Timberwolves: Bulked up about 15 pounds while rehabbing his surgically repaired ACL which was a necessity considering he was listed last year at just 185 lbs. which wasn’t much for a player standing 6’9”. Has been working on what his game lacks most, shooting. If Brewer can raise his offensive game to match his defensive tenacity, he will be well on his way to becoming the player Minnesota thought he was when they selected him with the 7th pick of the 2007 Draft. We will get the first glimpse of Brewer’s new frame and skills starting today when the Las Vegas portion of the NBA Summer League begins.

Will Rudy get the minutes to break out this year? (Credit: picapp.com)

7. Rudy Fernandez G Portland Trailblazers: The decorated European star had an excellent first season in the NBA last year in the Pacific Northwest setting the rookie record for most three-pointers made (159), but has just scratched the surface of realizing his potential. If he gets more than the 25 minutes per game he averaged last season, the Spaniard could explode into one of the top players in the league. Recent rumors of his unhappiness after Portland’s failed attempt to sign Hedo Turkoglu could result in Fernandez being included in any potential deal in the making.

Regardless of where Thomas ends up, will he live up to his hype? (Credit: picapp.com)

6. Tyrus Thomas F Chicago Bulls: Overdue for his breakout year—showed flashes of his superstar potential. If Thomas can stop his love affair with the jump shot and continuously attack the rim, his point per game total will dramatically increase. He is a solid free throw shooter (78% last year) and by getting to the rim he could up his scoring average to 18-20 points. If he can stay on the court for 35 minutes a game Thomas should produce All-Star caliber numbers. Anything less would be a real let down. Rumored to be part of a deal that would send him to Utah with Carlos Boozer coming to Chicago.

Check back tomorrow to find the top 5 in our NBA Top 10 Under-The-Radar Breakout Players of 2009-10: Part 2

This Wednesday, Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva came to Detroit and became the first NBA free agent “signees” of the summer. New Piston Gordon will make $55 million over 5 years, while Villanueva will net $40 million over the same span.

We mentioned/predicted in our story earlier this week, 2009 NBA Free Agents: Cap Space Talks Or The Free Agents Walk that Gordon would be a great fit if he were to land in Detroit. Protect the Paint will now take a deeper look into the pros and cons of what these signings will do for the Pistons.

PROS:

Signing Gordon and Villanueva delivers two potent scorers to the Detroit roster. We stated in our previous free agency story that Rodney Stuckey and Gordon  are a great 1-2 punch. Gordon has a career 21.3 ppg average, and Stuckey’s game is improving. With Iverson departed, Stuckey should return to the player he was prior to AI’s arrival.

Ben Gordon needs to improve his shot selection in Detroit (Credit: smackenergybar.com)

Ben Gordon is 26 and in his prime.  He gives the Pistons more offense, but is it that different than what they had with Allen Iverson? We assume he will start, but if he doesn’t, he comes off the bench spelling either Rip Hamilton or Stuckey. Gordan has a knack for scoring points in bunches. His defense is a different story.

Villanueva averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds last season but those numbers are actually quite deceiving. Villanueva’s true scoring average when starting was 17.7 ppg, with 7.3 rpg, 2 apg, adding nearly a steal and a block per contest. If he learns to suppress his lust for the three-pointer, he will become a far more effective offensive player. He can increase his point and rebound totals as a result of positioning himself closer to the basket.

Villanueva, 24, is on the cusp of entering his prime. He should immediately start for the Pistons and will pose trouble for the opposition as the 3rd or 4th scoring option.

The two players are both solid free throw shooters, and have little flaws in their offensive talents, other than shot selection.

CONS

Charlie Villanueva needs to attack the rim more for Detroit (Credit: blair.edu)

Villanueva is amongst the worst defenders in the NBA at the power forward position. During a recent chat with NBA statistics guru Haralabos Voulgaris, he stated,

“He (Villanueva) is the worst PF defender in the league by a longshot”.

Villanueva’s adjusted plus minus confirms Haralabos’ statement.

After much belaboring in Milwaukee by Scott Skiles, Villanueva did slightly improve his defense during some stretches. Time will only tell if this trend continues. The Bucks were extremely short on players because of injuries, so it’s fair to wonder if Skiles–often disgusted by his defensive efforts–would have given him so many minutes if the Bucks’ injury situation had been different.

We witnessed Gordon’s major flaw in the playoffs versus the Boston Celtics last season. Gordon has a habit of trying to force the offense, resulting in quick, low percentage shots. This hurt Gordon’s Bulls against the Celtics during the Eastern Conference 1st round game 7.

Gordon's judgment and shooting skills vanished in game 7 (Credit: ESPN)

Gordon’s poor shot selection during the 4th quarter allowed the Celtics more  possessions late in that deciding game (not to mention other key moments of the series). The Celtics then capitalized by converting multiple free throws to seal the win.

Moral of the story: Ben Gordon is not a clutch player and you could make the case the Bulls will be a much better team without him. The power struggle for the basketball between Gordon and Derrick Rose hurt the Bulls all year.

Additionally, Gordon (who you could call one-dimensional) has a long way to go defensively. His lack of height at the two-guard position will cause him problems defending the larger shooting guards in the league. The firing of defensive-minded Michael Curry indicates a new style of play in Detroit will be integrated for the upcoming season.

SYNOPSIS:

Ultimately, Gordon and Villanueva are talented, young offensive-minded players who will add to a lineup with their athleticism and ability to score.

Stuckey, Gordon, Hamilton, Tayshuan Prince, Villanueva, and Jason Maxiell comprise a solid core moving forward. If players like Maxiell, Rip and Prince can compensate for Gordon and Villanueva’s defensive inadequacies, making a low-seed playoff push is realistic. Of course, this will be dependant upon who Dumars hires as head coach.

Anyone escaping the doldrums of Milwaukee must feel as if they have a new lease on life. But that does not indicate that it will be a new lease on new defensive desires. Hopefully Detroit’s core can help Villanueva accelerate this development. If not, it could mean a trip back to the lottery.

We here at Protect the Paint must ask: What is Joe Dumars’  vision for the future direction of the Pistons?

Dumars succeeded early in his tenure as GM, but last year he traded away Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson and  it failed miserably. Having Kwame Brown on the roster additionally tarnishes his track record. The 2003 drafting of Darko Milcic immediately indicates a trend that for every good move he’s made, Dumars also has the capacity to blow it.

Milicic is the symbol of Joe Dumars' bad management decisions (Credit: ESPN)

Will anyone ever forget the Darko selection?

Iverson could replace Darko as the symbol of Dumars' mistakes (Credit: mlive.com)

Can Gordon and Villanueva  eventually make Detroit fans forget about the Iverson trade?

Will Villanueva and Gordon learn to defend and use better shot selection?

There are too many unknowns to have a positive reflection on the outcome of these signings. We will have to see who coaches this team and what demands (most specifically on defense) he makes on the newest employees of the Motor City.

The 2009 NBA Draft is in the books begging the question: What teams added the piece that will help them out of the lottery and into the playoffs next year? The Bulls, Heat, and Blazers—lottery teams from 2008—made the playoffs, replaced this year by Phoenix, Toronto, and Washington (who traded their pick to Minnesota). Below is Protect the Paint’s grades for what this year’s lottery teams did with their lottery pick and a prediction of their lottery-status for next season.

Blake Griffin should start immediately (Credit: ESPN)

#1     Los Angeles Clippers        Blake Griffin            Grade: A

No surprise here. Look for the Clippers to make some roster moves to insure Griffin a starting spot and get rid of some locker room headaches. NEXT YEAR: they’ll be better, but the Western Conference is stacked, so back to the lottery.

Can Thabeet develop an offensive game? (Credit: ESPN)

#2     Memphis Grizzlies        Hasheem Thabeet        Grade: B

The next Dikembe Mutombo? Thabeet should be an immediate impact player on the defensive end. Luckily for him, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo will be taking most of the shots. Lookout if he develops an offensive game. He should be in the league for his D alone for years to come. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

James Harden might be the best player of the draft class (Credit: ESPN)

#3    Oklahoma City Thunder    James Harden            Grade: B

The Thunder eliminated their biggest weakness and gave Russell Westbrook a running mate in the backcourt. The combination of Westbrook, Harden, Jeff Green, and Kevin Durant is downright frightening for what the future has in store for the Thunder. Look for this team to dramatically improve their win total (23) from last year. NEXT YEAR: much improved, but back to the lottery.

The Kings surprised everyone by selecting Evans over Rubio (Credit: ESPN)

#4    Sacramento Kings        Tyreke Evans            Grade: D

This was a shocker. It seemed every mock draft, rumor, or news report had Ricky Rubio coming to Sac-town. Evans has flaws in his overall game. He is raw, but there is an abundance of raw, young talent in Sacramento. In three years, one must question where Evans will be in comparison to Rubio. Low grade is for not selecting Rubio. The kid displayed abilities and poise years beyond his age in the Olympics against the redeem team. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Ricky Rubio will likely be dealt or play next season in Europe (Credit: ESPN)

#5    Minnesota Timberwolves    Ricky Rubio            Grade: B
The T-Wolves got their man with Rubio. Flynn (see 6th pick) is an athletic, charismatic type player whom will lift his teammates on and off the court. However, he is one of 5 guards selected by Minnesota. We here at Protect the Paint envision Rubio emerging as a superstar in this league. Look for multiple moves in the near future from Minnesota. A good question is if Rubio even plays in the NBA this year. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Jonny Flynn has the talent to star in Minnesota for years to come (Credit: ESPN)

#6    Minnesota Timberwolves    Johnny Flynn            Grade: B-
Guard #2 of 5 selected by Minnesota. It will be very interesting to see who is dealt and who is kept. With Minnesota’s luck, it is a safe bet the guy dealt experiences greater NBA prosperity. Right now, Rubio has far more trade value. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Stephen Curry: NBA Rookie of the Year? (Credit: ESPN)

#7    Golden State Warriors        Stephen Curry            Grade: A+
The Warriors high-octane offense just acquired a serious scoring threat. Scouting reports knocked his defense and decision-making. Sounds like a perfect fit for the Bay Area. The only disclaimer in Oakland: the brass told Monta Ellis they would not select a PG. If the two can get along, the Warriors could be quite dangerous when going small. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Hill is the Knicks consolation prize after Curry was taken at 7. (Credit: ESPN)

#8    New York Knicks        Jordan Hill            Grade: C+
The Knicks lost out big time by not being able to draft Stephen Curry but are satisfied with Hill. Hill provides immediate relief if David Lee leaves. Pundits believe he will thrive in Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun style of play. Will the Knicks ever be good again? NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Can DeRozen make Chris Bosh reconsider leaving Toronto? (Credit: ESPN)

#9    Toronto Raptors        DeMar DeRozan        Grade: A-
This is possibly the best pick the Raptors could have hoped for. DeRozen is freakishly athletic.  Will be a key piece in forcing Chris Bosh to consider staying, If Bosh leaves, Toronto has a solid component to build around for the future. NEXT YEAR: if they keep Chris Bosh, this should be a playoff team in 2010.

Brandon Jennings appears poised to excel for the Bucks (Credit: ESPN)

#10    Milwaukee Bucks        Brandon Jennings        Grade: B-
It will be interesting to listen, watch, and read about how coach Scott Skiles and his new point guard get along. It could be like dynamite and nitro glycerin. With Richard Jefferson gone, and rumors of Luke Ridnour being on the block, Jennings and Ramon Sessions will form the nucleus of a young Bucks backcourt. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Terrence Williams joins a crowded backcourt in New Jersey (Credit: ESPN)

#11    New Jersey Nets        Terrence Williams        Grade: B
Williams will fit into a young backcourt rotation of Devon Harris, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and Courtney Lee now that Vince Carter is headed to Orlando. If he learns to be consistent as a pro he will be fun to watch. It is a safe bet New Jersey might hold a higher pick in next years draft with their youth movement officially set in motion. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

Michael Jordan drafted archrival school Duke's Henderson (Credit: ESPN)

#12    Charlotte Bobcats        Gerald Henderson        Grade: C-
Wow, Michael Jordan drafted a Dukie. At least he didn’t draft fellow UNC alum Tyler Hansbrough (see next pick). Henderson is super-athletic a very good defensive player. Will need to develop more of an offensive game or he could become the next Bruce Bowen (minus the corner three). Weird pick with Earl Clark still on the board. NEXT YEAR: they’ll be a better team, but back to the lottery.

Indiana failed heinously selecting Tyler Hansbrough (Credit: ESPN)

#13    Indiana Pacers            Tyler Hansbrough        Grade: F*
Hansbrough might be a tough guy—a blue-collar worker whom Indiana fans will appreciate—but he appears to be a man without a position in the NBA. Lacks the foot speed and athleticism to succeed at this level. Indiana blew it. This organization already misses Donnie Walsh. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

*F grade due to who was selected at pick #14.

Brandon Jennings stepped in late on behalf the 14th pick Earl Clark (Credit: ESPN)

#14    Phoenix Suns            Earl Clarke            Grade:  A
The Suns are obviously in a rebuilding mode. Earl Clark is a shooting guard in a big man’s body and will give the team versatility. Good ball handler for his size (like a right-handed Lamar Odom). Needs to improve his range. If the rumors about his lack of work ethic prove unfounded, Phoenix could have the steal of the 2009 NBA Draft. NEXT YEAR: back to the lottery.

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