The only unfortunate thing about Tuesday's seven-game slate in the NBA is that the two best games overlapped.  How do we get the league to stagger all the games so we can see them all?  Doesn't that seem like a reasonable request?  Maybe not.  Anyway, the Pacers' third quarter was one of the most incredible extended sequences of streak shooting that I've ever seen and if you have League Pass Broadband access, I highly encourage you to watch that quarter. 

As for the Jazz-Heat, here is another case in which I just don't get the NBA's blackout policies.  The game was broadcast on NBA TV only because the fans voted for it as part of the network's weekly Fan Night.  Since the game was on a national outlet (one operated by the league, mind you), the live broadcast wasn't available on Broadband.  I get that, I guess.  I'm not sure why it's necessary to protect television networks from online options, particularly when it would be exactly the same broadcast that is being streamed, but whatever. 

This what I really don't understand: Why would the game not be available in the Broadband archive?  Why do you have to protect broadcast rights for a game that is not going to be re-aired (except in rare instances, like now since NBA TV is running the game back) by the national rights holder?  If you missed the Miami-Utah game live and then hear someone like me throwing around "game of the year" comments, you're out of luck.  Major League Baseball and the NFL both have full archives with their online options, including national telecasts.  I could jump over and watch the World Series right now if I wanted to.  I don't understand how the NBA could lag so far in this respect.  It's not just the archive, either.  The Broadband app is, frankly, sub par.  It doesn't generate particularly good quality video and even in full screen mode, the thing is cluttered up with crap.  And, worst of all, you have to perform all sorts of gymnastics to pull up a game without seeing the score. 

On a positive note, NBA TV personality / Slam columnist Lang Whitaker gave a nice shout-out to Basketball Prospectus on The Beat in a segment about NBA Web sites that will make you a smarter fan.  He mentioned us alongside several of our favorite sites, like Basketball-Reference, Hoop Data, Sham Sports and Basketball Value.  It's great to see these sites get some attention, and we appreciate Whitaker's recognition. 

LIVE AT BASKETBALL PROSPECTUS

1.  Kevin Pelton explains our move to a premium model, a la the one in place at Baseball Prospectus.  It's exciting for me because this move allows us to do more analysis and to take the evolution of the site to a higher level than I ever thought we'd reach.  More articles, more data, more everything.  And for less than $2 a month, why not? 

5.  There have been some terrific games already this season, but Utah's comeback against Miami might have been the game of the year--so far.  Kevin Pelton examines the game and has some pointed observations about the Miami offense. 

6.  I was really excited when I wrote this post on Indiana's 54-point outburst in the third quarter against the Nuggets on Tuesday. 

PACERS 144, NUGGETS 113 (box): I'm still a little giddy over this game even if in the grand scheme of things, it was just a fluke.  Two more factoids from the Pacers' epic third quarter: Indiana had 17 assists in the period.  That's two shy of the NBA record. ( The Bucks in 1978 and the Spurs in 1984 both had 19 assists in a quarter.)  Also, the Pacers Offensive Rating for the quarter was 207.9--more than two points per possession. 

CAVALIERS 93, NETS 91 (box): Cleveland had a 55-14 edge in bench points as Byron Scott continues to lean on the depth of his star-deficient roster.  Reserves Ramon Sessions, Antawn Jamison, Daniel Gibson and Jawad Williams were all +12 or better; all five starters were in the negative. 

JAZZ 116, HEAT 114 (box): Here is a question for which I am not at present going to suggest an answer: If Paul Millsap is going to prove capable to replace all of the production the Jazz lost from Carlos Boozer's departure AND Mehmet Okur returns in a few weeks and plays at a about the same level as he has in the past, would Utah have been better off using its trade exception to acquire a quality, perimeter-oriented two-guard instead of Al Jefferson? 

BUCKS 107, KNICKS 80 (box): This makes three straight solid defensive outings for Milwaukee, but this time the Bucks coupled that with a season-best showing on the offensive end.  For New York, you have to wonder at which point does Amar'e Stoudemire's performance becomes a real concern. 

LAKERS 99, TIMBERWOLVES 94 (box): When I mentioned yesterday that the Lakers appeared to be cruising at times, this was the kind of game I had in mind.  NBAPET saw a 36-point spread for this game and while that's a product of early-season extremes, it's not really a stretch to say that the T-Wolves have no business hanging this close to the Lakers on their home floor.  Yet, there was no point in the game when it felt like Minnesota could actually win. 

LEAGUE: "Atlanta Hawks veteran Maurice Evans said Tuesday NBA players aren't buying Commissioner David Stern's recent call for a one-third reduction in players' salaries.  Stern said last month the league wants player costs to drop $750-800 million. ' We definitely don't agree with those numbers,' Evans said. ' We feel like the game is really at a great place.'  Evans, a vice president on the NBA Players Association executive committee, said the two sides may not be able make any substantial progress in the NBA labor talks until the February All-Star break, when all players are available to return to the negotiations." ( Associated Press)At least in terms of the public rhetoric, little has changed in the CBA negotiations.  The players and the owners cannot even agree on what the real economic realities are in the league.  Color me worried. 

CAVALIERS: "CSKA Moscow center Sasha Kaun, whose NBA rights are owned by the Cavs, had successful knee surgery performed by Dr. Richard Parker at the Cleveland Clinic last week and will be out for three months, Cavs General Manager Chris Grant confirmed on Tuesday.  Kaun, 25, has not played in the Euroleague this season, though he did take part in the team's Euroleague American tour, including a brief appearance at The Q. The former University of Kansas player will do his rehab in Kansas City." ( Cleveland Plain-Dealer)The former Kansas player is one of the more promising overseas prospects in the game right now, but this certainly won't help his cause. 

CLIPPERS: "Haven't the Clippers been through this injury thing before here in New Orleans in November?  Last year, it was reserve guard Kareem Rush watching his NBA career vanish when he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the first quarter against the Hornets.  On Tuesday, it was all-star center Chris Kaman spraining his left ankle in the first quarter against New Orleans.  Now, of course, Kaman's career is not in jeopardy.  Far from it.  But it is a huge blow to a foundering, injury-riddled Clipper team, which lost, 101-82, to the undefeated Hornets at New Orleans Arena.  Kaman's leaving on crutches and possibly out of action for a minimum of three weeks signals a season going south in fast-forward fashion." ( Los Angeles Times)Guess we'll see more of DeAndre Jordan over the next few weeks.  Perhaps Blake Griffin will also get some minutes in the pivot as well. 

ROCKETS: "Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has assigned forward Patrick Patterson to Houstonís single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley.  Patterson is expected to join the Vipers on Wednesday, Nov. 10.  Patterson (6-9, 235, Kentucky), who was selected by the Rockets in the first round (14th overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft, has been on the inactive list for Houstonís first six games." ( press release)This is what the D-League is for.  Patterson wasn't going to develop sitting behind the bench in a suit. 

ROCKETS: "Now that the Rockets got their win, they could soon get something they desired for even longer ó more Yao Ming.  The Rockets medical staff is exploring through a series of on-going meetings, changing the limits on Yaoís playing time because of the progress he has made in his comeback, a team representative said on Tuesday.  The discussions could lead to an increase in his playing time from the limit of 24 minutes per game, changes in the way his minutes are distributed throughout the game and clearance to play both games of back-to-backs.  Yao has played and practiced without any complications, but has seemed increasingly frustrated with the limits on his playing time and especially with having to miss games when the Rockets play two games in as many nights." ( Houston Chronicle)As Yao pointed out in the linked article, his sporadic availability makes it difficult for the team to be consistent.  While the Rockets have to continue to be smart about Yao, it's pretty clear that for Houston to get to where it wants to go, they'll need Yao to eventually be just a regular basketball player. 

WARRIORS: "NBA leading scorer Monta Ellis has rejoined the Golden State Warriors in New York after spending Monday night in Toronto to have his injured back examined.  Ellis was diagnosed Tuesday with a strained lower back.  He underwent X-rays and a CT scan after falling awkwardly to the floor with 1:22 remaining in the Warriors' 109-102 win over the Raptors, in which Ellis scored 28 points.  He remained down for several minutes before being helped up, then walked slowly to the locker room.  Ellis is averaging 27.9 points for Golden State (5-2), which plays at the Knicks on Wednesday.  He is listed as day to day." ( Associated Press)Good news. 

GLOSSARY+/- (Plus-Minus) Raw data is from official box scores from NBA.com. GR (Game Rating) Reflects a player's Points Created total, or the portion of his team's offense for which he gets credit based on his box score line.  This number is then adjusted for estimated defensive performance based on box score counterpart productivity.  GR is pace-adjusted so you can compare players from game to game. PCP (Points Created Per Possession Used) An estimate of each player's points created per possession used, a measure of offensive efficiency.  The stat accounts for a player's entire box score line, not just the scoring categories. PLY% (Play {ercentage) An estimate of the percentage of a team's possessions on which the player was on the court. USG An estimate of how many of those plays a player used by shooting, going to the line or committing a turnover, with a portion the team's offensive rebound total subtracted. TEAM STATS
PACE: Esimated possessions in the game. 
ORTG: A team's points per 100 possessions. 
eFG%: Team's shooting percentage with an extra half-point added for each made three-point field goal. 
oRB%: Percentage of a team's misses that they retrieved off the offensive glass. 
TO%: Percentage of at team's possessions resulting in a turnover. 
FTA%: Percentage of a team's possessions resulting in a trip to the foul line.