[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 78, Washington Wizards at New York Knicks; contributors: Sean Fagan, Adam McGinnis and John Converse Townsend via television sets.]

Melo Watching [Original photo via Jason Szenes for The New York Times]   Yep, that Carmelo super-quick hesitation move vs Chris Singleton gets Vine’d. #Wizards-#Knicks vine.co/v/btOrgXOVvDu — Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) April 10, 2013

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Here to provide the DC Council Opening Statements for Washington’s 48th game of the season at home against the New York Knicks are TAI’s Rashad Mobley (@rashad20) and guest Jim Cavan  (@JPCavan) who writes about the Knicks for Knickerblogger, the ESPN TrueHoop blog.

Wizards Starters (12-35):

John Wall, Garrett Temple, Martell Webster, Nene, Emeka Okafor
(Bradley Beal is a game-time decision)

Knicks Starters (31-15):

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 14, Washington Wizards at New York Knicks; contributors: Kyle Weidie, Rashad Mobley and Adam McGinnis from behind the T.V.]

Discuss amongst yourselves. [via the Comcast SportsNet television feed, John Wall was giving Nene an earful, likely giving his overall assessment of the situation, toward the end of the blowout]

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BRADLEY BEAL IS NOT HAVING A GOOD ROOKIE YEAR, so far.

ESPN.com’s David Thorpe recently listed Beal amongst his rookie disappointments (ESPN Insider), but concluded:

If John Wall, who is out with a knee injury, were playing next to Beal in the backcourt, things would surely get easier for Beal. It’s a great thing to look forward to. Just as the game slows down for Beal, Wall should return, and that combination suggests Beal will have a big second half of the season.

Also, Beal is just 19 years old. Much room for improvement. But how much? Let’s peel back some numbers.

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 ShareBullets: links, shares, stories, and irreverence…

The San Antonio Spurs recently released some new, alternate jerseys, which you can find modelled above by Kawhi Leonard. Here is what the Internet thinks of them:

Rick Pych, president of business operations, Spurs Sports & Entertainment:

The new design simply features our iconic ‘spur’ logo and it is positioned over the heart as it has such enormously deep roots with our team, fans and the entire community. It’s the first-ever NBA jersey logo without any writing or peripheral design on the front of the jersey…

Kelly Dwyer, Ball Don’t Lie: Read more »

[Editor's Note: Rashad Mobley has reported on the Wizards with media credentials since the 2008-09 season for Hoops Addict. He occasionally contributes to Truth About It.net, providing excellent analysis and a different perspective from his up-close coverage of the team.]

Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith ended the third quarter, by missing consecutive 24-foot jumpers, and his numbers going into the fourth were anything but impressive. He had made one of his six shots, and he only had four points, as his team held a slim lead over the Washington Wizards.

Things certainly did not get any better when the fourth quarter initially started, because Smith picked up an offensive foul trying to run through Nick Young, and then a technical foul for a delay of game violation. Still, Nuggets coach George Karl never removed him from the game, and despite some momentary frustration, Smith stayed composed.

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On this night of Cinco de Mayo, the Denver Nuggets square off against the Dallas Mavericks, playing in the second game of their first 2nd round series since ’93-94.

In 1994, Denver became the first #8 seed to beat a #1 seed in the NBA playoffs (they only played a five game series back then). Pivotal game four of that series was played on May 5th. Dikembe Mutombo led the Nugs with eight blocks, to go along with 10 points and 16 boards.

But it was the play of LaPhonso Ellis in game four which allowed Denver a chance to return to Seattle and win game five. Ellis dropped 27 points and 17 rebounds on the squad formerly known as the Sonics. Both those numbers remain playoff highs for Ellis. Of course, he only played in 16 career playoff games, 12 coming that year with Denver, and four coming in ’00-01 with Minnesota.

You want more? Well, that night, and today, Cinco de Mayo, happens to be LaPhonso Ellis’ birthday.

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