By Lauren Brill
The Global Top 10 is your weekly guide to NBA global news. In this week's edition find out who is relieved the First Round is behind them, who received the Most Improved Player of the Year Award and who got a 'hawk.
Video:
Hedo: Most Improved Player Award
Photo: Hedo accepts honor
Video:
Hedo: Most Improved Player Award
Photo: Hedo accepts honor
Starting Game 4 the way he played Game 3, Dalembert rejected Chauncey Billups early in the night and received the Block of the Night honor for the play. However in Game 4, the Pistons came back after trailing at halftime to grab a 93-84 victory.
Photo: Parker registers career-high.
Photo: Horford plays like an experienced rookie
"Home sweet home" had to be the thought that crossed Dallas' mind after they won Game 3 97-87 at the American Airlines Center. After losing two games in the Big Easy, Dirk Nowitzki registered his second postseason double-double with 32 points and 19 rebounds to give the Mavs their first 2008 playoff victory. The game brought the Mavs within one of the Hornets, as New Orleans owned a 2-1 series lead after Dallas' Game 3 victory. Giving credit where credit was due, the Hornets coach Byron Scott told the Dallas Morning News, "Dirk played great. That's why he's an All-Star, a former MVP. He was big tonight on both ends. ... You could tell from the start he was really into it." Photo: Dirk leads Dallas
Photo: Duncan pressures Suns
Video:
Ginobili: Assist of the Night
The Global Top 10 is your weekly guide to NBA global news. In this week's edition find out who is relieved the First Round is behind them, who received the Most Improved Player of the Year Award and who got a 'hawk.
- 1. UNO
Turkoglu: Most Improved Player - 2. TWO
Dalembert's Howard-Like Game - 3. TROIS
Parker Registers a Career-High - 4. SI
Diaw and Bell Shine in Phoenix - 5. CINCO
Horford Uses Past Experiences - 6. SIX
Dirk Leads Dallas in Home Win - 7. SETTE
Duncan Relieved the Sun Set - 8. ACHT
Scola Not Ready to Relax - 9. JIU
Dalembert: "Hair I Am" - 10. TEN
Ginobili: Assist of the Night
Turkoglu: Most Improved Player
Reaching your potential is not an easy feat. It takes hard work, good timing and the right situation. This year marks Hedo Turkoglu's eighth season in the league and it is his best yet. Averaging 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 dimes, the Turkish-born athlete reached career-highs in all three categories this season. For his progress, he received the Kia Motors Most Improved Player Award. He received 61 first place votes, however Orlando's GM Otis Smith explained to HOOPSWORLD, "I don't think he became a better basketball player. We got smarter and started putting him in better situations." Video:
Hedo: Most Improved Player Award Photo: Hedo accepts honor
1. Turkoglu: Most Improved Player
Reaching your potential is not an easy feat. It takes hard work, good timing and the right situation. This year marks Hedo Turkoglu's eighth season in the league and it is his best yet. Averaging 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 dimes, the Turkish-born athlete reached career-highs in all three categories this season. For his progress, he received the Kia Motors Most Improved Player Award. He received 61 first place votes, however Orlando's GM Otis Smith explained to HOOPSWORLD, "I don't think he became a better basketball player. We got smarter and started putting him in better situations." Video:
Hedo: Most Improved Player Award Photo: Hedo accepts honor
2. Dalembert's Howard-Like Game
They weren't "supposed" to make it to the playoffs. They weren't "supposed" to be tough competition for the Pistons. And according the Chauncey Billups after a Game 3 loss to the Sixers, "They're not supposed to be where they're at," referring to the Sixers' 2-1 lead in the series at the time, to the AP . Guess what, things don’t always work out the way they are "supposed" to. Whether you watched Game 3 from your couch, from the stands or just watched the highlights, you probably found yourself wiping your eyes to make sure you saw correctly. The young squad gave the seasoned vets a ride they'd rather not remember, ending with a 95-75 Sixers win. Samuel Dalembert led the young squad and had what announcers referred to as a Dwight Howardish performance, with 22 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. Using his opponents venom to catalyze his team's poisonous play, the Haitian Sensation explained to ESPN, "We attacked them just like they attacked us in Game 2."Starting Game 4 the way he played Game 3, Dalembert rejected Chauncey Billups early in the night and received the Block of the Night honor for the play. However in Game 4, the Pistons came back after trailing at halftime to grab a 93-84 victory.
3. Parker Registers a Career-High
The third game was a charm for the Spurs' Tony Parker. Already up 2-0 in the First Round series against the Suns heading into Game 3, Parker made sure San Antonio continued their winning ways, scoring a career-high 41 points along with 12 dimes. The Suns did a good job of preventing Parker from penetrating, forcing him to take the outside shot. Who knew Parker would respond shooting 17-of 26 from the floor and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe? Obviously Phoenix didn't anticipate Parker's power as the the Suns dropped Game 3 115-99. With no real rhyme or reason to why the point guard played so well, he tried to explain his potent play to the AFP, "They were backing off on the pick and rolls, so I took every shot. We played great basketball and sometimes that happens it just clicked." Photo: Parker registers career-high.
4. Diaw and Bell Shine in Phoenix
Skating on thin ice, Frenchman Boris Diaw and Virgin-Islands' Raja Bell made sure Phoenix glided into Game 5. Down 3-0 heading into Game 4 of the First Round series against the Spurs, Diaw, who replaced Grant Hill in the starting lineup, stepped up to defend Tony Parker and played well on the offensive end in the post. Diaw registered near a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight dimes. "I think they kind of relaxed being up 3-0 but we came out and played, too. We didn't come out like the series was over. We came out fired up," Diaw told the AP. Bell also came ready to play as he contributed a game-high 27 points to the Suns 105-86 victory.
5.Horford Uses Past Experiences
Former Florida Gator, Al Horford won two NCAA Championships and explained how the experience has carried into his NBA play as he told the Boston Herald, “I think it helped me to play in so many meaningful games. I know what it takes now. You know it’s a big game, and you know how to stay poised. Everything I do is the same as always." The lessons he learned in college have proved to be invaluable as the starting Hawks' rookie has helped his team succeed in the high-pressured NBA Playoffs. In Game 3 of the First Round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs against the Celtics, the center logged 17 points, a game-high 14 rebounds as well as six dimes, en route to the Hawks 102-93 victory. The triumph gave the Hawks' franchise their first playoff win since 1999. Photo: Horford plays like an experienced rookie
6. Dirk Leads Dallas in Home Win
"Home sweet home" had to be the thought that crossed Dallas' mind after they won Game 3 97-87 at the American Airlines Center. After losing two games in the Big Easy, Dirk Nowitzki registered his second postseason double-double with 32 points and 19 rebounds to give the Mavs their first 2008 playoff victory. The game brought the Mavs within one of the Hornets, as New Orleans owned a 2-1 series lead after Dallas' Game 3 victory. Giving credit where credit was due, the Hornets coach Byron Scott told the Dallas Morning News, "Dirk played great. That's why he's an All-Star, a former MVP. He was big tonight on both ends. ... You could tell from the start he was really into it."
Photo: Dirk leads Dallas
7. Duncan Relieved the Sun Set
After a long day of work, you get drenched in the pouring rain, hit two hours of traffic and run out of gas. When you finally make it home, you don't feel joy or pain, you simply feel relieved. The Spurs experienced that same emotion after defeating the Suns in Game 5 92-87, to take the series 4-1. Tim Duncan told the AP, "Just happy we're done with them." Duncan played a key role in the final matchup that took the Suns out of the playoff picture. Contributing 29 points and a game-high 17 rebounds en route to the Spurs' victory, the Virgin Islands native starred in the Suns' nightmare. And while The Big Fundamental sighed in relief after winning the First Round series, Phoenix awakened to the reality that their worst dream had come true. Photo: Duncan pressures Suns
8. Scola Not Ready to Relax
Bears hibernate for the winter and basketball players lie dormant in the summer. Luis Scola proved in Game 5, he wasn't ready for a rest. Down 3-1 heading in to Game 5, it was either the Rockets got it going or they'd be going home. Establishing himself as a strong inside presence, Scola registered a double-double with 18 points and 12 boards en route to their 95-69 home victory. Ahead by 11 at the half, the Jazz attempted to make a comeback but Scola wasn’t having any of it. He scored 11 points alone in third period, to help the Rockets to a 19-point lead as they entered the final period. While Houston played strong on the offensive end, the Argentinean credits the team's defensive play for their overall success. He explained to the Houston Chronicle, "It all works together. When you play good defense, it allows you to run. Also, when you play good defense, it raises your confidence and gives you a lot of things."9. Dalembert: "Hair I Am"
Photo: Here is his hair
10. Ginobili: Assist of the Night
It is always healthy and productive to find the good in bad circumstances. On Sunday night when the Suns hosted the Spurs for Game 4 of the First Round of the 2008 Playoffs, San Antonio dropped their first game of the 2008 NBA Playoffs, 105-86. The Spurs trailed the entire game and committed 15 turnovers. But the night did not go completely sour for the former champs. In the second quarter, super sub Manu Ginobili made a sweet play as he dished the ball to Tim Duncan who got a two-hand slam off the pass. Ginobili, who finished with 10 points and four rebounds on the night, received the Assist of the Night honor. Video:
Ginobili: Assist of the Night
NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad
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