Elfrid Payton recorded his second triple-double in as many games and the rookie is starting to help the Magic win games, writes Kyle Hightower of The Associated Press. Antoine Walker is the last player to have two straight triple-doubles as a rookie. He accomplished this feat back in 1997 for the Celtics.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Trading the player they select with their first round pick would be a colossal mistake for the Knicks, opines Jason Concepcion of Grantland.com. Mortgaging the future in order to put above average talent on the court has long been a problem for the franchise. Concepcion looks at the Lakers’ decision not to trade Andrew Bynum for veteran Jason Kidd in 2007 and hopes Phil Jackson can learn from the team’s patience. Just a few years later, Bynum played a huge role in hanging two more championship banners in the Staples Center.
- Alexey Shved has impressed since arriving in New York and the guard is glad he is no longer playing for the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I don’t know why it happened,” Shved said about his lack of playing time in Philadelphia. “I’m just working every day and playing like always. So it’s not a question for me. It’s a question for the [Sixers] coaches. It doesn’t matter, because the time is gone. Now, I play here and don’t what to think about what happened [with the Sixers].” The 26-year-old is averaging 18.1 points, 5.0 assists and 1.4 steals over his last seven games.
- Allen Iverson has interest in a front office role with the Sixers, writes Michael Kaskey-Blomain of Philly.com. “I would like to be even in that war room,” Iverson said. “Even if they don’t go with my decision or whatever, just to have an opinion and putting out what I think and trusting the organization to do what’s right.”