Give and Go

The NBA didn’t do the Cleveland Cavaliers any favors in regards to this.

Now we all know the schedules come out months before the season starts, but this is the time of year teams begin making their stretch run for playoff positioning.

With the Cavaliers (47-12) gunning to push past the Los Angeles Lakers (49-12) for the league’s best record, which would give them home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, they can’t afford many slip-ups.

In looking at this upcoming stretch of games, it’s going to hard for them not to do so.

">

There are times he turns the ball over too much.

He struggles defending bigger opponents and at times, fails to score in the paint against smaller foes.

However, when Erik Daniels is on top of his game, the Erie BayHawks are a magical team.

Seeing the 6-foot 8-inch forward out of Kentucky put up his first career triple-double Thursday morning in Erie's 108-92 win against Tulsa is something a basketball fan can respect and appreciate.

">

Sioux Falls Skyforce (20-17) at Erie BayHawks (20-17).

Today, 7 p.m., Tullio Arena

▀ On the air: WJET-AM/1400, www.nba.com/dleague (live streaming)

▀ Fast facts: Erie — The BayHawks avenged an earlier 94-85 loss to Tulsa by beating the 66ers, 108-92, Thursday morning at Tullio Arena ... Starting shooting guard Oliver Lafayette remains out with a broken left hand ... Forward Ivan Harris is averaging 23.6 points in his last five games ... Today’s game is in conjunction with Cavaliers affiliate night as the BayHawks will wear the same jerseys worn by one of their NBA affiliates, the Cleveland Cavaliers ... Sioux Falls — In the same division as the BayHawks, Sioux Falls is 3-2 against them. The Skyforce lost their last game against Erie, 98-96, at home last month ... Forward Bobby Jones has had three 20-point games against Erie. In a Dec. 5 win against the BayHawks, Jones had 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field and 15 rebounds ... Sioux Falls will play Erie for the final time Sunday at 7 p.m., at Tullio Arena.

">

Sioux Falls Skyforce (20-18) at Erie BayHawks (21-17)

Today, 7 p.m., Tullio Arena

▀ On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.nba.com/dleague (live streaming)
▀ Fast facts: Erie — The BayHawks have won 10 of their last 11 games after scoring a season-high 122 points in a nine-point win against Skyforce on Friday night at Tullio Arena ... Erie is tied for second place in the Central Division with Dakota and only two games behind division leader Iowa ... Tony Bethel scored a career-high 32 points Friday night ... This is the fifth of six consecutive home games for Erie. Sioux Falls — The Skyforce are 3-3 against the BayHawks this season. This will be their last regular-season game against each other ... Frank Williams scored a team-high 23 points in Sioux Falls’ loss to the BayHawks on Friday night ... The Skyforce have lost four of their last seven games ... Sioux Falls have given up at least 100 points in its last five games.
▀ BayHawks up next: vs. Dakota (Friday, 7 p.m.), at Iowa (Sunday, March 15, 5 p.m.)

">

Pittsburgh. North Carolina. Oklahoma. Memphis

We know these teams.

Radford. Arizona State. Texas A&M. Auburn.

Better get to know these teams, too, because they could do some damage in the NCAA Tournament.

">

Radford ready for March Madness.

There have been three NBA call ups this month already.

March 3 - The Houston Rockets called up Anaheim Arsenal high riser, James White. White has yet to play a game for the Rockets.

March 6 - The Toronto Raptors called up Austin Toros big man, Pops Mensah-Bonsu. He had four points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes in his Toronto debut Friday against Miami.

March 6 - The New York Knicks called up Iowa Energy forward Demetris Nichols. Nichols played two games with the Chicago Bulls earlier this season.

">

Pops challenging D-Wade.

43 points.

That's right.

Stephen Curry is back.

He had been hobbled with an ankle injury, but exploded for 43 points in leading the Wildcats to an 84-68 win against Appalachian State on Saturday night.

The boy is bad.

">

Sioux Falls starting back court of Frank Williams and David Bailey shot a combined 3-of-22 from the field, but those two were hot under the collar Sunday night.

Both of them were ejected during the Skyforce's loss at Erie.

Just watching it was weird. Kind of like seeing a car accident. You saw it, you know happened, but you're still stunned that it did happen.

Williams got tossed first. It went down like this.

">

Williams was heated Sunday night.

The D-League named Erik Daniels and Maureece Rice co-performers of the week today after leading the Erie BayHawks to a 3-0 record last week.

This is the second time a BayHawk player has received the honor. Daniels was named player of the week Dec. 8.

When they had lost eight games in a row, I didn't envision what has happened since.

The Erie BayHawks have made the come up.

Eight teams make the D-League playoffs and heading into Monday's games, the BayHawks (22-17) are seventh in the playoff chase. This is based on winning percentage.

1. Colorado 23-10 (.697)
2. Austin 25-12 (.676)
3. Idaho 22-14 (.611)
4. Utah 20-13 (.606)
5. Iowa 21-14 (.600)
6. Dakota 21-16 (.568)
7. Erie 22-17 (.564)
8. Bakersfield 20-17 (.541)
9. Albuquerque 19-17 (.528)
10. Sioux Falls 20-19 (.513)

">

Erie coach John Treloar has the Erie BayHawks soaring.

This is definitely a D-League thing.

The D-League just released its playoff format and it's unlike anything I've ever seen or heard of before.

The three divisional winners and the remaining five teams with the best records make the playoffs. The divisional winners will pick the team they want to play in the playoffs in the first round.

WHAT?

The divisional winner with the best record gets to pick first, the divisional winner with the second best record gets to pick second and the remaining divisional winner picks third.

WHAT?

Then the remaining two teams meet in the remaining playoff game. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds are single elimination while the D-League championship will be a best-of-3 series.

Now I've never heard of something like this. Have you?

My oh my. The D-League just got a little more interesting.

This playoff format of allowing the divisional winners to pick their first-round opponent is crazy, but I like it. If the season ended today, these teams would make the playoffs.

The three divisional winners will be listed first. The list is based on winning percentage.

1. Colorado 23-10 (.697) - Southwest Division
2. Idaho 22-14 (.621) - West Division
3. Iowa 21-14 (.600) - Central Division
4. Austin 25-12 (.676)
5. Utah 20-14 (.588)
6. Dakota 21-16 (.568)
7. Erie 22-17 (.564)
8. Bakersfield (.541)

The divisional winners would play their first-round games at home even though they may face a team with a better record in the opening round.

Now that's a little foul, but let's do a little case scenario.

">

Idaho will look to defend its 2008 D-League championship in this year's playoffs.

Ridiculous Upside reported late Tuesday night that the Erie BayHawks have picked up former Sacramento Kings guard, Quincy Douby.

Douby was the 19th overall pick out of Rutgers in the 2006 NBA Draft. The Kings released the 6-foot 3-inch, 175-pound guard from Brooklyn last month. He averaged 4.2 points a game this season for the Kings.

From what I remember of him out of college, he was a very smooth player with serious scoring ability. He finished his college career the sixth all-time leading scorer at Rutgers.

If Douby is headed to Erie, it makes me think two things.

">

Quincy Douby is in Erie.

The former NBA shooting guard with the Sacramento Kings was at today's practice and the Erie BayHawks just officially released the news.

By adding Douby, the BayHawks released Oliver Lafayette due to medical reasons.

It's a great pick up for Erie, but unfortunate for Lafayette, but as you'll see in my earlier post, Erie may not have seen the last of Lafayette.

Stranger things have happened.

"I'm a hard worker."

That was Quincy Douby's first response when I asked him what he wanted the people of Erie to know about him.

In his first day with the Erie BayHawks on Wednesday, Douby showed it.

After a two-hour practice, the former Sacramento King shooting guard did some conditioning. With Erie assistant Ben McDonald instructing him, Douby ran the steps inside the Hammermill Center gym. Then ran from baseline to baseline a few times.

Then he did a few reps of running sideline to sideline. After reach rep, he took some jumps shots, rested for a few seconds and then ran again.

After all that, he made 10 free throws - in a row.

">

NBA TV provided a breakdown of the top D-League prospects for the NBA.

The Erie BayHawks will see three of them in their next three games.

1. On Friday, Dakota's Blake Ahearn comes to town to lead the Wizards (21-16) into a key Central Division game. A 2009 D-League All-Star and 2008 league rookie of the year, the 6-foot 2-inch guard is eighth in the league in scoring at 22.6 points a game.

2. On Sunday, Erie plays at Iowa and will see a familiar face in Othyus Jeffers. He hit the game winner to beat Erie earlier this year. A 2009 D-League All-Star, the 6-foot 5-inch forward is averaging 19.6 points for the Central Division leading Energy (22-14).

3. On Wednesday, Austin's Marcus Williams comes to town to lead one of the best teams in the D-League in Austin (25-14). The 6-foot 7-inch forward is seventh in the D-League in scoring at 22.7 points. Not shooting great from deep, but he can score.

">

Williams had 19 points on 5-of-16 shooting and 10 rebounds in Austin's loss against Erie last December. He was 9-of-10 from the free throw line.

Earlier this week, the D-League provided its top 10 stories of the 2008-09 season.

Pretty interesting story lines. Erie is part of the last item listed that talks about how the league has expanded.

I understand grouping the BayHawks with Reno and the league's latest addition - Portland, Maine - but how does a team that lost eight in a row only to win eight in a row and put itself in playoff position like Erie not have a separate item?

">
Maureece Rice and the BayHawks have won 11 of their last 12 games.