Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis 9/5/18

- Steve Nash: Tough Love From Don Nelson Influenced Him (from Marc Stein, NY Times):

Read it here:   https://static.nytimes.com/email-content/MSB_5302.html?nlid=82744824

From Tim McMahon, ESPN:  http://tv5.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24574980/what-basketball-hall-famer-steve-nash-had-flipped-pass-first-shoot-last-mindset-nba

- The Jazz Are Title Contenders (from Chris Herring, FiveThrtyEight):

Read it here:  https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-jazz-did-nothing-this-summer-and-are-title-contenders-now/

- Shabazz Napier: Brooklyn's Secret Weapon Off The Ball?  (from Anthony Puccio, Nets Daily):

Read it here:  https://www.netsdaily.com/2018/9/5/17815722/shabazz-napier-brooklyn-nets-free-agency-playing-off-the-ball-as-a-secret-weapon

- Julius Randle: Just Getting Started In New Orleans (from William Guillory, The Athletic):

Read it here:  https://theathletic.com/497756/2018/09/05/julius-randle-just-getting-started-in-new-orleans-after-hard-learned-lessons/

- How Can Giannis Improve This Year?  (from Theodore Konstantellos, Behind The Buck Pass):

Read it here:  https://behindthebuckpass.com/2018/09/05/milwaukee-bucks-how-can-giannis-antetokounmpo-improve-this-year/

- Bucks: Building Around Giannis (from Bryan Toporek, Clutch Points):

Read it here:  https://clutchpoints.com/giannis-antetokounmpo-with-lebron-james-gone-the-bucks-may-have-next-in-the-east/

- Grant Hill's Brilliance With The Pistons (from James Edwards III, The Athletic):

Read it here:  https://theathletic.com/498547/2018/09/05/grant-hills-brilliance-with-the-pistons-explained-by-those-who-were-part-of-it/https://theathletic.com/498547/2018/09/05/grant-hills-brilliance-with-the-pistons-explained-by-those-who-were-part-of-it/

- Q & A:  Ray Allen (from Shams Charania, The Athletic):

Read it here:  https://theathletic.com/501883/2018/09/04/one-on-one-with-ray-allen-reflecting-on-his-career-his-teammates-and-the-shot-as-he-enters-the-hall-of-fame/

- Q & A: Lonnie Walker (from nicekicks.com):

Read it here:  http://www.nicekicks.com/meet-the-19-year-old-rookie-whos-hooping-in-pharrells-giving-back-to-his-community/

- The Most Important Numbers For Each Spur In 2018-19  (from Bruno Passos, Pounding The Rock):

Read it here:  https://www.poundingtherock.com/2018/9/4/17662594/most-important-numbers-for-every-spur-2018-19-lamarcus-aldridge-demar-derozan

- Pacers: McMillan Knows The Coaching Longevity Formula  (from Mark Monteith, pacers.com):

Read it here:  https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/mcmillan-knows-formula-coaching-longevity

- Sixers' Muscala: Well-Positioned For A Successful Season (from Christopher Kline, The Sixer Sense):

Read it here: https://thesixersense.com/2018/09/04/philadelphia-76ers-mike-muscala-will-have-a-career-year-in-2018-19/

- Film Room: What James Ennis Brings To The Rockets (from Alykhan Bijani, The Athletic):

Read and watch it here:  https://theathletic.com/505781/2018/09/05/film-room-one-on-one-with-james-ennis-and-what-he-brings-to-houston/https://theathletic.com/505781/2018/09/05/film-room-one-on-one-with-james-ennis-and-what-he-brings-to-houston/

- Celtics Film School: Marcus Smart (from Andrew Doxy, Celtics Blog):

Read and watch it here:  https://www.celticsblog.com/2018/9/5/17817958/summer-film-school-why-we-pay-boston-celtics-marcus-smart-the-big-bucks

- Wolves' Player Profile: Derrick Rose  (from Dane Moore/Charlie Johnson, Zone Coverage):

Read and watch it here:  https://zonecoverage.com/2018/timberwolves/derrick-rose-player-profile/

- The Friendship That Sent Rick Welts To The HOF  (from Maggie Hendricks, For The Win):

Read it here:  https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/the-friendship-that-shaped-basketball-and-sent-the-warriors-president-to-the-hall-of-fame/ar-BBMU64M

- Clippers Retrospective: DeAndre Jordan (from Robert Flom, Clips Nation):

Read it here: https://www.clipsnation.com/2018/9/5/17821574/clippers-retrospective-deandre-jordan-great-career

- Q & A: Greg Kelser (from James Edwards III, The Athletic):

Read it here:  https://theathletic.com/495884/2018/09/03/greg-kelser-qa-life-with-magic-johnson-at-msu-the-time-isiah-thomas-cried-and-transitioning-into-broadcasting/

- Big3 Exit Interview: Ice Cube & The League's Top Brass (from Rohan Nadkarni, Sports Illustrated):

Read it here:  https://www.si.com/nba/2018/09/04/big3-ice-cube-nancy-lieberman-clyde-drexler-corey-maggette