2013-14 RGV Vipers Season Blog

Source: The Monitor, McAllen, TexasJan.倉 24--1.24.14 Vipers in the big leaguesI was going to do an introspective, lengthy blog on the emergence of the Vipers' reserves, but instead I decided to write an online exclusive story of it. You can read it here. I highly recommend it, but I may be biased.So for now, we'll update with a look at how current Vipers are doing in the NBA. That would be Robert Covington with the Houston Rockets, James Johnson with the Memphis Grizzlies and Chris Johnson with the Boston Celtics.ROBERT COVINGTON, HOUSTON ROCKETS: Covington was recalled by the Rockets last season and hasn't seen much time with Houston.He made his NBA debut on the same day he was recalled, seeing a minute's worth of action. He saw the same amount of PT two nights later, but did grab a rebound, before getting some marks in his third NBA game Wednesday versus Sacramento. In 11 minutes, he scored five points on 2-for-5 shooting (1-for-4 from 3) with a steal.In three games, Covington has totaled 13 minutes for five points, a rebound and a steal. He has one foul. Covington has been able to be in a situation where injuries to Greg Smith, Terrence Jones and Francisco Garcia have opened up minutes, but it's hard to see him sticking around once one or two of those get right.JAMES JOHNSON, MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: The Rockets may or may not be kicking themselves for letting Johnson slip from under their grasp, but he has thrived with Memphis. The 6-foot-9 forward has been a stat-sheet stuffer, averaging 7.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.76 blocks and 1.29 steals in 22.6 minutes in 17 games.Johnson is an energy guy off the bench, versatile defensively with a knack for making good cuts and knowing where to get his shots. His 13 games with the Vipers allowed him to work on his long-range shooting, which had been a knock of his, and he's responded with a career-best 30 percent from downtown. Not great, but much better than where he was at. He's at least now a threat there, particularly from the corners, with 12 3s in 17 games.It's probably safe to say Johnson will be up with Memphis for awhile, or at least the rest of the season.CHRIS JOHNSON, BOSTON CELTICS: The Celtics have had a plethora of injuries occur to key guards lately, and that has opened up time for Johnson.Johnson, whose 10-day contract should be expiring Sunday, has played in two games but is averaging 27.5 minutes and compiling 10 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. He adds much-needed outside shooting for the Celtics, doesn't turn the ball over, knows his role and is shooting 43 percent from the field. This isn't his first rodeo -- he played eight games during a span of two 10-day contracts last season with Memphis -- but for a young, raw team, his veteran leadership is significant.Eventually Avery Bradley and Jerryd Bayless will get healthy for Boston, so it is not sure what Boston may do. But Johnson should be a good lock to earn another 10-day contract with the C's before the team must decide whether to cut him loose or sign him for the remainder of the season. Either way, he is putting together a sound auditioning tape.1.20.14 Canaan back with VipersAfter spending almost a month with the Houston Rockets, rookie guard Isaiah Canaan was reassigned to the Vipers this morning.Canaan comes at just the right time. The Vipers' roster was down to 10 active players, and they had lost a significant amount of offensive punch with the NBA call-ups of Chris Johnson and Robert Covington last week.Canaan said he returns a new, more confident player since the Rockets recalled him Dec. 23. Prior to that, he averaged 21.7 points, 9.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1 steal in 12 games for RGV. He shot 43.9 percent from the field, including 38.3 percent from 3."I first came down looking to get in the flow of things, had the opportunity to play and get back in my rhythm and getting back to the player I was," Canaan said. "I went back to Houston and I saw that. I saw improvements in every part of my game."I made an impression on my coaches and teammates, and I'm just going to do whatever I'm asked to do and continue to develop."Vipers coach Nevada Smith would not say during this morning's shootaround how Canaan's return affects his starting lineup. On Friday, Smith started Tim Ohlbrecht at center, Robert Covington at power forward, Kevin Parrom at small forward, Akeem Ellis at shooting guard and Gary Talton at point. Covington is currently up with the Rockets. An intriguing lineup would be a super-small alignment of Ohlbrecht/Parrom/Ellis/Canaan/Talton.Who knows. But the Vipers will benefit from a Canaan who says his decision-making has seen the biggest improvement and is intent on leading by example."Win. I want to win," Canaan said. "I want to be the lead guard. I want to get teammates involved. As a point guard, you just want to be an extension of the coach and that's what I'm going to focus on doing."The Vipers aren't likely to make any more roster moves soon. A team source said the NBA D-League talent pool is thin and there is "nothing exciting" in regard to potential signees.1.18.14 Covington recalled by RocketsUndrafted rookie forward Robert Covington is 10th in the NBA D-League in scoring at 21 points per game and second in steals per game at 2.48. He scored 33 points, had 10 rebounds and four steals, in Friday's 115-109 win for the Vipers over Texas.His reward is a recall by the Houston Rockets, which happened early Saturday morning. There is no timetable for how long Covington will be up with the parent club, but for now the Vipers' roster stands at 10.Let's take a look at the depth chart:PG: Gary Talton, BJ Young, Dwayne LathanSG: Akeem Ellis, Troy DanielsSF: Kevin ParromPF: Dario Hunt, Tony Bishop Jr.C: Tim Ohlbrecht, Jordan HenriquezHenriquez, Young and Lathan have yet to earn coach Nevada Smith's trust enough to earn consistent rotation minutes. Keep in mind, this is even with a thin roster. So the Vipers essentially have a seven-man rotation at the moment. They are desperately lacking at point guard, shooting guard and, now with Covington's departure, power forward. And with the promotions of Covington and Chris Johnson this week, they really also need 3-point shooting. Badly. It's the identity of the team, and right now they are struggling for shooters outside of Daniels.The Vipers have the first pick in the NBA D-League waiver pool. My guess is there just isn't a player available that they feel is worth using that on. I've also been told they're really reluctant to affect the chemistry of this team, which is why Smith has been so gung-ho on making sure he milks as much as he can from this current group before looking elsewhere. I would be really surprised if the Vipers go into Monday night's game against Austin with this exact roster, but then again I was also surprised they went with an 11-man roster into Friday night's game.Who knows.1.17.14 Vipers to stay as are for nowVipers president Bert Garcia said early Friday afternoon that the team has no immediate plans to sign anyone. The roster currently stands at 11.Garcia said the team will activate guard Dwayne Lathan. There could be roster movement in upcoming days, but for now the Vipers will stand still.1.17.14 Vipers looking thin after Johnson departureVipers coach Nevada Smith was generally pleased with his team's play over the course of its 12-day, eight-game road trip. The Vipers won five of the eight games, found their shooting touch a bit, and have continued to see the emergence of such young players like rookies Gary Talton and Kevin Parrom.But the roster is looking awfully thin after veteran guard Chris Johnson signs his 10-day contract to play with the Boston Celtics today. That gives the Vipers 11 players on their roster, all active, as they enter a stretch where they play three games in the next six days. As it was, Smith voiced a concern Wednesday after practice that he felt his starters were already burning too many minutes, which got his team fatigued during the latter part of the trip. That won't be aided by another player leaving for the NBA.So far the Vipers have been reluctant to add anyone to the roster despite the departures of James Johnson and Isaiah Canaan to the NBA. It could be that they don't see anyone worth acquiring from the talent pool. But Smith has emphasized that he likes this group and is willing to give everybody a chance to contribute. That notion will be tested now that Johnson is gone.The Vipers are looking really thin at the wing spots, and that could mean more minutes for the likes of little-used Akeem Ellis and more responsibility for Tony Bishop Jr., who is a scrappy player who can shoot but may not be quite ready for heavy minutes.RGV is going to miss Johnson's 19 points and 3-point shooting, and for a team that prides itself on its fast, hot-shooting offense, that's not ideal. I'm not sure where the 3-point shooting will come from. The only true scorer the Vipers have right now is Troy Daniels, and defenses can now gang up on him even more now that Johnson's gone. Defenses will make Talton, Parrom and anyone else try to beat them.The Vipers' hope that there are still a few diamonds in the rough left within the current roster may be a bit risky. Or all of this could be for naught and there could be a new Viper by the time tip-off comes Friday. Either way, the Vipers are as intriguing now as they have been at any point this season.1.17.14 Vipers respond to ShowcaseI was able to talk to the Vipers at practice Wednesday over their thoughts about their experiences at the NBA D-League Showcase in Reno. Games were broadcast on NBA TV, a plethora of NBA scouts, general managers and executives littered the stands, and the league put on its best face for its much-anticipated event.The Vipers got to Reno a couple of days earlier in the week, which coach Nevada Smith credited for his team acclimating itself to the environment. The Vipers went 1-1 at the Showcase, beating Maine before losing to loaded Santa Cruz the following day.It paid off in some way for Rio Grande Valley. On Thursday, guard Chris Johnson worked out with the Boston Celtics and earned himself a 10-day contract that he will sign Friday. Other Vipers could be on the way.Here's a look at what some of them had to say about the Showcase:Smith: "It was really good to get there early, to have the guys see it and get them prepared for what was coming. A lot of these guys had no idea what to expect, myself included. It was important to get a feel for the atmosphere and level of play."Guard Gary Talton: "It was a great experience, just a little nerve-wracking. Playing in front of a lot of scouts, playing top players, that was all a little different for me. But I enjoyed it."Guard Troy Daniels: "It was fun. I was actually more excited than anything. There was pressure on the court because I was seeing a lot of different defensive schemes, so it was tough in that aspect. But it was fun."1.9.14 Vipers show off at ShowcaseApologies for the lack of blogging lately. Been busy with high school basketball and soccer coverage here in the Valley, which you can see at RGVSports.com. But let's get to some Vipers talk, shall we?The Vipers completed their stay in Reno today, finishing the 10th NBA D-League Showcase with a 1-1 record, beating Maine 126-106 Wednesday before falling to Santa Cruz 127-115 today. It was RGV's fourth loss this season, as it is now 14-4.In front of dozens of NBA executives and scouts, the Vipers probably showed off what they wanted to. Their high-powered offense was again on display, as they went 18-for-43 from 3 against Maine (41.9 percent) before hitting 17-for-52 (32 percent) against Santa Cruz. All the usual suspects played well: Troy Daniels, the D-League's top Vipers prospect, averaged 25 points in the two games and shot 40.6 percent (13-for-32). As advertised, he only took five 2-pointers in the entire Showcase. Rockets assignee Robert Covington (19.5 ppg, 5 rpg, 9-for-18 3-point shooting) played well, but left the Santa Cruz game during the third quarter with an apparent shoulder injury.Chris Johnson, who parlayed his stellar Showcase performance last season into a pair of 10-day contracts with Memphis, also did his thing, averaging 19.5 points, 6 rebounds and 4.5 assists, showing that he's far more than just the designated shooter he was last season.An emerging star for the Vipers is rookie forward Kevin Parrom, out of Arizona. He played exceptionally well off the bench, averaging 17 points on 50 percent shooting. It's probably safe to say he opened a lot of eyes as well.All in all, it was a good Showcase for RGV. It's this man's hunch that Daniels is not long for the D-League world. It was also a good showing for Vipers coach Nevada Smith. With all the talk about his unique, 3-point heavy offense taking national attention, he passed with flying colors. Now, a large part of it is the Vipers regained their sharp shooting touch at the most important of times, but it worked. What also worked were the extracurriculars that make such an offense work: free-throw attempts (30 per game) and offensive rebounding (15.5 per game). More than anything, Smith likely wanted to disprove any notion that the offense is a gimmick. It also relies on attacking the paint and glass, two things the Vipers do particularly well.And now the NBA world knows.For full Showcase coverage, I recommend the work of the good peeps at NBA D-League.com. The Vipers, obviously, were a hot point of discussion.1.1.14 Behind the scenes of the Troy Daniels featureI spent some time earlier this week working on a feature story on Vipers rookie Troy Daniels, the D-League's fifth-leading scorer and someone who's shooting has taken the NBA world by storm. You can read it here.Daniels is a shooter's shooter. He averages 5.7 3-point makes per game on 13.1 attempts per game, easily the league's top marks in each category. What's more, he hits at a more-than-respectable clip of 43.7 percent, good for ninth overall. The Vipers have received a lot of coverage, national and local, for their unique 3-point heavy offense, and Daniels is its engine. He can shoot in transition, spot-up, off the dribble and off screens, and his range knows no limits. I imagine him to be as a more athletic Dell Curry type at the next level.The feature story ran 1,200+ words long, so of course there was a lot that got left on the cutting room floor. Here are some bits:- NBA scouts are looking at three things with Daniels: defense, ballhandling and passing. Defensively, he needs to get physically stronger. Daniels is smart on defense, and quick enough to stay in front of his man, but he can get bodied around easily when going against driving/slashing types. I actually think his ballhandling is fine. He's shown the ability to dribble-drive past defenders when they close out hard on him, and he's developing a nice floater to capitalize when they do so. He needs to get better as a ballhandler as the pick-and-roll ballhandler. It's tough for him because usually he'll have enough space coming off a screen to fire away, and I've yet to see teams really trap him on pick-and-rolls.- Daniels personally thinks he needs to improve defensively and coming off screens sharper.- Daniels on what he thought of when signing on with the Vipers: "I came in and I heard they like to shoot 3s. I was like, 'Well, OK, what team doesn't like to shoot 3s?' But at the same time, I got here to Rio Grande Valley, I'm told we're going to shoot 3s, they prefer 3s to 2s ... that's what we do. That's what I do. Because of that, I wouldn't be surprised if I get called up to Houston. It'd be a great feeling."- Daniels on his relationship with Vipers coach Nevada Smith: "We clicked, right away. It's almost like I'm in college again. I'm a student of the game. I respect coaches to the upmost because it's hard, especially handling egos and these guys at this level. Everybody here has something to prove. Everybody feels they should be up there in the NBA." Daniels likened his relationship to Smith to his relationship he had with VCU coach Shaka Smart.- Vipers associate head coach Paul Mokeski brought up an interesting point when he said Daniels can look at fellow Viper Chris Johnson as the path to follow. Johnson, too, was noted as a shooter last season, but has developed his game to where he's comfortable going to the rim and curling off screens and attacking. Mokeski said Johnson has been a huge help for the younger guys, and the similarity between Johnson and Daniels is striking. Daniels has a good role model there.12.27.13 Postgame analysis: Vipers 125, Erie 119The Vipers wasted little time putting that blah loss at home to Reno last week behind them. They beat Erie 125-119 on Friday night, outscoring the Bayhawks 18-4 over the last 5:54 to pull out the win and improve to 11-2 this season.Some notes and observations:--Gary Talton did a fine job starting in replacement of Isaiah Canaan. Talton had 15 points, 11 assists and three steals, and was one of two Vipers in double figures. He shot 6-for-15 from the field, 1-for-6 from 3. I expect those numbers to improve, but I'm sure coach Nevada Smith was more than pleased with the usually shot-reluctant Talton taking 15 shots. He's going to need to do more of that, not less. "He won't take some of the shots that Isaiah would take, that's just not Gary, but I think we'll still push at the same pace," Smith told me earlier this week. "He's not going to be able to pick up 22 (points) and nine (assists); that's just not going to happen."--BJ Young returned from a knee injury and practiced for the first time Wednesday after a two-week layoff. He played 6 minutes Friday, tallying five points on 2-for-5 shooting with two rebounds. He's someone who could definitely add scoring punch lost with Canaan's recall to the Rockets, but initially it looks like he'll be slowly worked in. Right now, Smith has more confidence (and more is an understatement) in Talton and forward Kevin Parrom as ballhandlers/playmakers than the 6-foot-4, 20-year-old Young.--Troy Daniels has been regarded as a dynamic 3-point specialist, but has thrived in other areas since being placed in the starting lineup after James Johnson was called up to Memphis. Daniels had nine rebounds and two steals, and went 7-for-9 at the free-throw line against Erie.--Not a good outing for Vipers starting center Dario Hunt, who missed all eight of his field goals and had six of those blocked. He did have six rebounds and two blocks in 23 minutes.--Another poor shooting game for Rockets assignee Robert Covington. Covington missed 12 of his 20 field goal attempts, but made eight of nine free throws (including three HUGE ones late) and impacted in other ways, such as the seven rebounds and three steals. He's trying a bit too hard to show his offensive versatility instead of just letting the game come to him.--The Vipers had 20 offensive rebounds and had nine more field-goal attempts than Erie. Those are big helps when you shoot 40.8 percent from the field and miss 2/3 of your 42 3-point attempts.--Smith thought this might be the chance for his bigs to play more prominent roles with Canaan gone. That wasn't the case Friday. We already noted Hunt's evening, and Tim Ohlbrecht, who has struggled to fit in from day one, only played 15 minutes and had five points, six rebounds and four fouls. Aside from Hunt, the Vipers do not have a big that is a comfortable fit in Smith's system, and that's because Hunt is offensively limited. He's versatile and quick enough to run the floor and defend the pick and roll however.--The Vipers have a reputation of playing better defensively in the second halves of games than the first. That was what happened Friday. Erie scored 68 points on 52 percent shooting in the first half and then was clamped down and held to 51 points on 37 percent shooting in the second.12.24.13 Canaan's recall leaves Vipers short on depth, talentAs we found out in the worst kept secret over the weekend, the Houston Rockets recalled Vipers guard Isaiah Canaan late Saturday night. The organizations officially announced the transaction Monday, and for the second time in the last week the Vipers had a player taken by the NBA. With starting point guard Patrick Beverley out 4-6 weeks with a fractured hand injury he suffered Saturday at Detroit, and backup point guard Jeremy Lin having health issues of his own this season, it was only inevitable that the Rockets would be calling upon their rookie second-round draft pick.While James Johnson's call-up by Memphis last week hurt the team defensively, Canaan will hurt offensively. Big time. He was the engine behind coach Nevada Smith's go-go offense. He could handle the ball, he could shoot, he could get into the lane, he could create ... he was a natural scorer, as attested by his 21.7 points per game. He was in the Valley to work on his playmaking, and boy did he. He averaged 9.2 assists per game, good for third in the league, and assisted on 33.4 percent of his teammates' field goals, good for second in the league.And that's where we get into where Canaan's departure hurts most, creating for others as well as himself. The Vipers don't have another point guard on the roster who can do that. Backup Gary Talton is a pass-first playmaker who can shoot 3s at a nice clip but doesn't do much in regard to dribble penetration. Dwayne Lathan is a little-used third stringer, and mercurial guard BJ Young is on the inactive list with a knee injury. He is a gifted scorer, but breaks down defensively and in decision-making far too often to be handed consistent minutes.Canaan accounted for almost 20 percent of the Vipers' trademark 3-point production, but there's nothing to worry about there. They shoot 3s at an ungodly rate, so they'll continue to make them. Where Canaan will most be felt is his ability as a lead guard to get into the paint and make plays. He is the second-best guard in the league at getting shots at less than five feet, and he was the Vipers' leader in free throw makes and attempted. Considering they don't have posts who can draw that contact with their backs to the basket and have to rely on guards to do that, that's HUGE.So far, the Vipers have not been clear what direction they will go. Their next game is at Erie on Friday; their next practice is Wednesday. Sources close to the team say they are not impressed with the talent available in the NBA D-League pool. But there are now two roster spots open, and the point guard depth chart is thin. Only Talton has seen any sort of consistent rotation minutes this season, and while Smith may like forward Kevin Parrom (1.8 assist/turnover ratio) as a ballhandler and playmaker, he's going to need another point guard -- either someone on the roster or from elsewhere -- to step up.12.21.13 Vipers head into break frustrated after bad lossThe Vipers' second loss of the season Friday, a 123-121 setback to Reno, left them soul-searching and frustrated, with coaches harping on players after the game, questioning their professionalism and accountability. Not a good way to go into a six-day holiday break until the next game at Erie next Friday.This had been building up for quite awhile. In rolling to a 10-1 start to the season, praised by national and l24小時迷你倉cal media as some sort of innovative basketball genius with their 3-point-centric offense, the Vipers had grown a bit too content. They are currently the darlings of the NBA D-League, and at some point some of the players came to feel they are bigger than the game. That's what can happen to young players when you see the likes of ESPN and NBA.com writing articles about you.What was seen Friday was disgraceful. Players missed defensive assignments, badly. Viper players simply didn't know which Reno players could shoot and which couldn't, often making an effort to guard the non-shooters and leaving shooters wide open.There was constant bickering to the officials, enough to warrant three technical fouls and an ejection, and the Vipers played like a team that feels it can show up at any moment and just win the game. That's what a 10-1 start can do, make you feel invincible.But the fact is Rio Grande Valley has shown issues all along. The Vipers can't guard, and get beaten off the dribble way too often for a team of professionals. They constantly botch rotations. They can often seem annoyed at the prospect of playing defense, just waiting for another opportunity to get on offense. Their vast array of offensive talent is enough to hide warts, but the bottom line is that 10-1 start was fool's gold, in a sense. It also comes with their make-up: a team that lives and dies by its shooting can often fall into the trap of thinking it can simply turn on the switch and outshoot an opponent anytime it wants. It doesn't work like that, at least not at this level of the game.Associate head coach Paul Mokeski admitted to as much after the game, saying the Vipers were "lucky" to even have such a winning record, and the loss also left head coach Nevada Smith re-evaluating his own ways."It's probably my fault; I have to get more into them," Smith said after the game. "I may have been too lenient early. But these guys are professional basketball players and they have to start acting like it."The Vipers have been arriving late to the gym for practices. A player missed the bus to Friday's game. They're supposed to be on the court, going through warmups, an hour before tip-off. They have not been. Little stuff like that, attention to details, has manifested into a big problem.These are all bad habits that have been established early. It's why the loss can be seen as a blessing in disguise. To keep on winning would have done this team no good in the long run. It helps to have a veteran coach like Mokeski around to remind them of that. This is a young team, with a young head coach, and they need that veteran voice. Mokeski provided that after Friday's game, clearly bothered with what he had just seen and reminding guys that their careers are at stake, not just mere wins.You can only hope that when players say it's a "wake-up" call, that they mean it. As Mokeski reminded the players, there is a list of 200 players in the NBA D-League pool ready for their chance to get on a team. If guys on the current roster don't shapen up, he implied, their jobs could be on the line."We need to look at this as a wake-up call to get stronger," reserve guard Gary Talton said. "That's exactly what it is."Smith and Mokeski can only hope so.12.21.13 Vipers show off new unisWhile they were playing bad basketball on Friday, particularly defensively, at least the Vipers looked good doing so.RGV showed off new black uniforms, consisting of white lettering with red trim around the numbers. It looked sharp. I took some photos with my cell phone during the game and you can see a couple in the photo gallery at the top of this blog page to the left.But if the Vipers are any type of superstitious, they'll bury those jerseys. The performance Friday left a lot to be desired and it was not a good debut on the floor for the new look, as Reno spoiled the evening.12.20.13 NBA D-League UpdateHere's how the Vipers and Viper players rank amongst D-League leaders:- RGV leads NBADL in scoring (128.6 points per game). The next closest is Iowa (116.1 ppg).- The Vipers have a league-best true shooting percentage of 59.1%. True shooting percentage adjusts for the value of 3s and free throws for a team or player.- The Vipers lead the NBADL in rebounds per game (51.2) and offensive rebounds per game (16.1).- The Vipers are second in the NBADL in assists at 25.0, 0.3 behind first-place Los Angeles.- The Vipers are 10th of 16 teams in defensive rating (amount of points per game allowed per 100 possessions) at 103.8, but sixth in opponents field goal percentage (43.9%).- The Vipers have three players in the top 16 in the league in scoring: Troy Daniels (6th, 23.5 ppg), Isaiah Canaan (12th, 21.5 ppg) and Chris Johnson (14th, 19.3 ppg).- Rockets assignee Isaiah Canaan is third in the league in assists at 9.0 per game.- Rockets assignee Robert Covington is fourth in the league in steals at 2.0 per game.- Troy Daniels is second in the league in free-throw percentage. He's connected on 35 of 37 for 94.6 percent. He's behind Fort Wayne's Trey McKinney, who has hit all 22 of his freebies.- Reserve guard Gary Talton is third in the league in 3-point percentage, connecting on 10 of his 19 tries for 52.6 percent.12.20.13 Vipers' reserves step upWith the promotion of James Johnson to the NBA earlier this week, reserve sharpshooter Troy Daniels took his spot in the starting lineup. So no real loss there, particularly offensively, as Daniels is the sixth-best scorer in the D-League, even in a reserve role.But it's a domino effect, and now the Vipers are going to eventually need someone to help fulfill some of that 23 points per game that were coming off the bench. They got that in Thursday's win over Springfield, with three reserves in double figures. You can check out the box score here.Guard Gary Talton was big, bringing the shooting off the bench that Daniels took with him to the starting lineup. Entering the game, Talton had gone 5-for-10 from 3 in eight games. In 14 minutes Thursday, he went 5-for-9 from 3, almost equaling his season's output. He still showed some reluctance to pull the trigger -- my feeling is he's a playmaker first at heart -- but he will have to provide some of that shooting.Tony Bishop Jr. was also impressive. With Johnson gone, the Vipers are going to need rebounding, defense and physicality, and Bishop has shown that. He had 15 points, eight rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes, and he's likely earned himself even more time.He has at least one fan in coach Nevada Smith."He's a guy who's just been behind guys who have played a lot of minutes," Smith said. "But now that James is gone, he has a chance to play some more. He was pretty great tonight."And then there's Kevin Parrom. Johnson -- what didn't he do?!? -- also served as a primary ballhandler at times, able to create plays because of his vision and athleticism. Smith is confident Parrom can help fill that playmaking role, and he did that Thursday with eight rebounds and two assists to go with 13 points. For the second unit to truly thrive, the ball is going to have to be in Parrom's hands more.To the untrained eye, all this rash of sudden production from little-used players like Talton and Bishop may have come as a surprise, but not to Smith. Perhaps it's why he's content, at least for now, to stick with the current roster and see things through."You expect it," he said. "These guys just need the minutes to show what they can do."12.19.13 Vipers' defense having to start from scratchIt's never easy when a team loses their most athletic player, best defender and one of its top scorers. But that's the challenge the Vipers have been facing ever since James Johnson was called up to the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.The initial test on Thursday went fine. The Vipers overwhelmed a blah Springfield Armor team, winning 134-103 in easy fashion. But they did show some warts, particularly defensively, where Johnson will be missed most.Johnson was the team's second-best rebounder and best shotblocker, and his absence in those departments were glaring. Springfield got into the paint rather easily against the Vipers despite lacking any semblance of athletic talent. The Armor packed up the points in the paint, finishing with 44. Just imagine what a team that isn't 1-8 will do.The Vipers seem content to let the defense handle itself with the current roster. There are no plans to make moves to bring in more size or another strong, athletic versatile forward like Johnson."We have to replace it with what we did (Thursday), a couple of guys doing a couple things that he used to do," Vipers coach Nevada Smith said. "The biggest thing we miss is his vision and athleticism and that's not something you can replace. You just don't worry about it anymore and try and pick up the other stuff."Smith referred to Johnson as the team's "eraser" and praised his ability to cover up a lot of defensive miscues. Now it becomes a team effort."It's a lot of help, a lot of talking. A lot of moving our feet," forward Tony Bishop Jr. said. "We have to communicate. We have to make more of an effort just helping each other out."The Vipers were never stalwarts defensively, especially in one-on-one situations, but they had the athleticism to make up for that. It's why they are one of the NBA D-League's leaders in shotblocking. But Johnson accounted for 3.4 blocks per game, and it will be tough to make up that production. The Vipers are undersized as it is, and athletic, rangy forwards don't grow on trees.12.18.13 After layoff, Vipers look to get back on winning trackFor five days now, the Vipers have stewed over their first loss of the season, a 125-116 setback at Texas last Friday. It wasn't pretty.While doing so, they are also in the midst of a transition period after James Johnson was called up to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Johnson was the Vipers' most athletic talent, their second-leading rebounder and best shotblocker. He was a guy you could give the ball to on broken plays and know he could create something.Now there's a hole in the Vipers' lineup. Yes, reserve sharpshooter Troy Daniels, the league's sixth-best scorer at 23.1 points per game will move into the starting lineup. Daniels has thrived against other teams' backups. Now he'll be tested against quality starters. His biggest challenge will come defensively. He'll still be able to create room and get his open 3s, but facing against bigger, stronger competition, NBA teams will now get a chance to see how he fares as a pro defender.As if the Vipers could afford to get even smaller, they're doing just that. Out is the 6-foot-9, 245-pound Johnson. Into the starting lineup steps in the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Daniels. RGV will be going with a three-guard lineup, and its frontcourt has no one over 6-foot-9. I'm sure coach Nevada Smith is licking his chops at the prospects of an even faster, more shooting pace, but this figures to be a cause for concern, at least early.Here's more things to pay attention to as the Vipers host Springfield on Thursday and Reno on Friday before another lengthy break:- The Vipers are going to have to find a way to get their shooting groove back. The league's top scoring team and top 3-point shooting team is hitting 3s at just a 27 percent clip over the last three games. As we go deeper into the season, teams are going to eventually figure out more ways to chase RGV off that 3-point line. It's this man's opinion that the Vipers have to do a better job getting 3s from the corners and on the wings.- With Johnson gone, I expect this will be a good chance to see more from Kevin Parrom. Keep an eye on the rookie out of Arizona. Johnson was often the Vipers' secondary ballhandler, and Smith has raved about Parrom's playmaking skills. Entering this season, Parrom was known as a "3 and D" guy, someone who can hit 3s and play strong defense. He's only hitting 3s at a 25.9% clip this season, so he's going to need to attack more, which he has been reluctant to do offensively. If he does that, it will open more opportunities for him to show off those playmaking skills.- The Vipers are going to lose some dribble-drive scoring punch with the loss of Johnson, so I wonder if this could open up more time for reserve guard BJ Young. Young started the season as the first point guard off the bench before losing that role to Gary Talton. Young is a score-first point guard who often seems more interested in his stats than anything else. But the Vipers may need that offensive aggressiveness, especially when it comes to attacking the basket and getting easy points. Young is averaging 4.8 points in 5.7 minutes per game (!!!!) and is shooting 12-for-22 from the field. He's a rarity on this team in that he doesn't settle for 3s and instead loves to attack the rim. If the Vipers are needing to find their way offensively, especially through this early stretch, it wouldn't surprise me to see Young get more minutes.12.16.13 Vipers' Johnson called up to GrizzliesAccording to the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery, Vipers forward James Johnson is expected to be called up to the Memphis Grizzlies.At around 11:30 a.m. Monday, Vipers president Bert Garcia said he had received a text message from James Johnson saying Johnson had just signed a contract with the Grizzlies and was getting ready for his first practice with the team.Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward and former first round draft pick out of Wake Forest, is a four-year NBA veteran who recently spent last season with the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings. In nine games with the Vipers, he is averaging 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and 4.8 assists. He was the fourth on the team in scoring and second in rebounding.He was drafted No. 2 by the Vipers in this year's NBADL Draft.The Vipers and NBA D-League have not announced anything official about Johnson's call-up. Once confirmed, he would be the first Viper to be called-up to the NBA this season.Johnson will be a big boost for a Grizzlies team that is 21st in the NBA in 3-point shooting and 26th in points per game.Garcia said the Vipers currently do not have plans to fill Johnson's roster spot. He said it was more likely an inactive player would be placed on the active roster.12.13.13 Shooting becoming an issue as Vipers suffer 1st loss of seasonThe Vipers finally lost a game on Friday night, falling pretty badly against Texas, 125-116.Those who had been watching the team could likely see this coming. RGV had played Russian roulette with its shooting the past two games, and it finally bit them against Texas. The Vipers shot just 39 percent from the field, including 28.3 percent from 3. You can see the numbers here.The misfiring resulted in the Vipers' first loss since last mark, a NBA D-League record streak that consisted of 19 straight regular season games, and 25 including playoffs. But the defeat exposed even more of a troubling trend.Over the past three games, the Vipers have shot 39.8 percent from the field. OK, whatever, right? But the real issue is the 3-point shooting. This is a team that has recently been praised and god-like amongst basketball analysts for its 3-point heavy system. But over those last three games, the Vipers are shooting just 27.5 percent from 3, on 42.3 attempts per game. That means a lot of missed opportunities, and less of a margin for error for opponents.Coach Nevada Smith has generally been OK with this. The team is getting quality looks; it's just not hitting. It's bound to happen with a team that is so dependent on long-range shooting.Where the Vipers may want to start looking at is the type of 3-point shots they're getting.Entering Friday's game, only 27.2 percent of their 3-point attempts were corner 3s, the most efficient 3-point shot. RGV has generally taken most its 3s around the wings. The Vipers are only shooting 37.6% on those wing 3s, whereas on corner 3s they're shooting 45.1 percent. It's not necessarily the amount of 3s that has hurt RGV lately; it's the shot selection of those 3s. See for yourself here.The Vipers will have a nice lengthy break before their next games. They host Springfield next Thursday and Reno the following night. It's a good opportunity to get some much-needed practice time and rest, and possibly to look over film and right some wrongs.12.13.13 Vipers set record, winning uglyApologies for the late blog item. Thursday was a busy day for me, and in some bit of unfortunate timing I could not pontificate on the Vipers winning game No. 19 in a row, setting the NBA D-League record for consecutive wins.The Vipers beat Austin 111-100 to set that mark, breaking 2007-2008 Idaho's mark of 18. For the second straight night, they won without shooting particularly well. RGV shot 38.5 percent from the field and 32.3 from 3. My guess is teams are learning to do a better job of taking away the 3. Two nights before, in a fantastic comeback win, the Vipers beat Reno 115-114 despite 41 percent shooting overall, including 24 from 3.RGV has kept their streak, which is now at 25 including playoffs, alive thanks to some aggressive offensive rebounding. The Vipers had 25 against Austin and 19 against Reno. For the season, they are averaging 16 offensive rebounds per game.I have yet to watch the Austin game, which you can do here if you missed it, but I imagine the Vipers, like against Reno, simply missed open looks. Coach Nevada Smith's depth chart goes nine deep, but there are a slew of players playing heavy minutes: Four of those nine average 31.9 minutes or more, led by Isaiah Canaan's 37.2. Since Sunday, the Vipers' schedule has been loaded with an excessive amount of travel time (plane and bus), so I would think tired legs are becoming an issue.The Vipers are in Dallas today to take on the Legends, who they've already beaten this season. I'll try and provide a more timely update of their game, but I'm sure RGV will be eager to get this one over with. After tonight, they don't play again until a home back-to-back next weekend.12.11.13 Some of Vipers' talent likely won't stick around longTwo NBA call-ups were made on Wednesday, with the Golden State Warriors bringing up center Hilton Armstrong from Santa Cruz and Charlotte calling up Texas' Chris Douglas-Roberts. That makes six call-ups from the D-League this season.The Vipers have yet to have anyone called up, but it only figures to be a matter of time. Rio Grande Valley has sharpshooter Troy Daniels (the league's fifth leading scorer at 25.1 ppg, 48.6 percent 3-point shooting), Rockets assignees Isaiah Canaan (21.4 ppg, 9.5 apg, 4.5 rpg) and Robert Covington (18 ppg, 9 rpg), and four-year NBA vet James Johnson (17.1 ppg, 8 rpg, 3.5 bpg), among others."It makes my job very hard," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "We've got NBA players up and down this roster. You've got Covington and Canaan, and then James Johnson ... unfortunately for Vipers fans, he's going to be in the NBA. He's an unbelievable talent."Troy looks like he can be one of the great shooters, and Chris Johnson's going to get another shot. The one thing about the Vipers is, not only do they win, they also launch the careers of a lot of guys."Houston seems content to let Canaan and Covington keep developing in the Valley for now. But James Johnson's time here appears limited, as it's clear his talents are far superior to those around him at this level. Daniels, who has unlimited range and is a sharpshooting specialist, is also sure to get a strong look from teams.12.11.13 Vipers persevere to set recordThe best chance any NBA D-League team has had so far this season to knock the Rio Grande Valley Vipers off the ladder came against Reno on Tuesday night.The Vipers, the NBADL's highest scoring team and best 3-point shooting team, were struggling offensively, and that would be putting it nicely. RGV missed 38 of its first 47 3-point attempts and finished the game shooting just 41 percent. Viper players were also clearly fatigued; less than 20 hours prior to tip-off they had finally arrived home from a frustrating road trip to Iowa that consisted of two flight delays back home and lengthy hours on a bus.If there was ever a game the Vipers were vulnerable, even against the 1-5 Bighorns, who led 109-94 with 4:32 left, Tuesday was it.It never happened. Vipers coaches say players were never aware that a chance at tying the NBADL record for consecutive wins (18) was on the line. Guard Troy Daniels admitted as much. But the closing four minutes would suggest otherwise; the Vipers started playing with a sense of urgency that had been nonexistent for most of the game.RGV outscored Reno 21-5 the rest of the way. Daniels had 10 of those points, including a clutch 4-point play from the right corner that cut the deficit to 1 and seemed to deflate the Bighorns with a little more than a minute left."I knew if my man bit from help from the screen I set for (Robert Covington), I knew I was going to be open," Daniels said.The Vipers won 115-114, their 18th win in a row, and 24th including playoffs (READ THE GAME STORY HERE). In front of Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and general manager Gianluca Pascucci, the Vipers put on a comeback to remember. It even left Morey impressed after the game."It's unbelievable the effort they put on in the second half ... it was, what, 15 (points) deficit?" Morey said. "That may be one of the biggest comebacks in basketball history. I've never seen that."RGV shot just 24 percent from 3-point range (12 for 50) after entering the game hitting a league-best 41 percent. The 24 percent, to coaches and players alike, is much ado about nothing. Those were good looks that simply didn't drop. Shots weren't forced nor did they come out of the flow of the offense. Most were solid opportunities that weren't finished."We know we can have a night like tonight. We had great looks and we just didn't make them," Vipers coach Nevada Smith said. "No excuses. We still got the win."The Vipers' biggest concern right now is defense. They tend to "flip the switch" in defensive intensity when it matters to them, and it's almost cost them some games.As a team, this is a pretty good defensive unit because they are long, athletic and seem pretty intent on helping each other. But in one-on-one situations, they are deplorable. They tend to get beaten off the dribble far too often, like in the first half against Reno when the Bighorns put up 61 points on 47 percent shooting. Once RGV tightened and committed to playing stronger individual defense, everything went smoother."We did a poor job defensively, but our guys made plays down the stretch and they did a great job," Smith said. "We did a better job of forcing turnovers and we just played harder."'The reward was a league record and a flawless 8-0 standing through the first three weeks of the season. While it may be lost upon the players for now, they certainly know they are capable of such gifts."Coach hadn't told us anything about any record. We were out there just playing," Daniels said. "When you shoot like we do, get stops and have a lot of guys that can score, you're gonna break records."(POSTGAME VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH TROY DANIELS)Copyright: ___ (c)2014 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) Visit The Monitor (McAllen, Texas) at .themonitor.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉旺角