The Rio Grande Valley Vipers beat the Tulsa 66ers today, 106-91. Tulsa is Dallas' NBDL affiliate. Brooks and Novak started and both played 40+ minutes, and were the 2nd and 3rd leading scorers, respectively (Gabe Muoneke led the team with 30). Brooks: 24 pts, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 5 turnovers, 5 fouls on 9-19 FG, (3-6 from 3) Novak: 20 pts, 9 rebounds, 5 fouls, 6-11 FG, (3-4 from 3). This was Brooks' first game; Novak is now averaging 18-7 through 7 games. http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20071209/TULRGV/boxscore.html
Bring them both up and sit down some people. Anyone. I really don't care. Shake this team up somehow.
is d league 3 same distance out as NBA 3? should be right? are the rules exactly the same in d league as NBA ?
I will be at the game this Saturday when they play Colorado in Hidalgo. I can't wait to see AB. I have seen one game already and Novak did alright. I don't know what the Rockets are up to but I am sure Morey has something in the works.
Its been more fun following Novak and Brooks in the D-League this than the major league ball club... But for how long? Will 1 of 2, or both, not be Rockets before the trade deadline?
Wow. I didn't expect that from Novak. He's rebounding? Even if its only in the d-league. This surprised me.
article link Fresh Venom: Brooks starts strong with Vipers Todd Mavreles December 10, 2007 - 12:57AM The Monitor HIDALGO — Aaron Brooks rated his performance Sunday as “6.325” on a scale of 10. That’s bad news for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers’ upcoming NBA Development League foes. Brooks, the Houston Rockets’ No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft who was assigned to the Vipers last week, scored 25 points to help Rio Grande Valley to a 106-99 victory over Tulsa on Sunday at Dodge Arena. Gabe Muoneke led the Vipers with 31 points, while Steve Novak, who like Brooks is an assignment player from Houston, added 21 in a game the Vipers (6-1) never trailed and led by as much as 23. “It felt good. I hadn’t played for a long time, and I got to utilize some of the stuff that I’d been doing in my 1-on-1 workouts (in Houston),” Brooks said. “It was good to get out there and play. We had a great win, and everybody played well. It was fun to play.” Brooks joined the Vipers after playing four minutes in two games for the Rockets this season. Despite his somewhat average self-grade, Brooks didn’t show too much rust, shooting 9-of-19 from the field and 3-of-6 on 3-pointers. Brooks’ acquisition came at a good time as C.J. Watson was limited to four points in nine first-half minutes due to food poisoning. As such, Brooks played 43 minutes and helped the Vipers hold off the 66ers (2-4) down the stretch. The play that perhaps saved the Vipers from blowing a 23-point second-half lead came with 4:21 remaining. With RGV leading 96-86 and Tulsa threatening to steal the game, the 6-foot, 161-pound Brooks absorbed a charge from Tulsa’s Jeremy Kelly. Vipers coach Bob Hoffman responded animatedly with a fist pump and an “Attaboy!” “When you’ve got guys making those kind of plays that have already made it, so to speak, those are the kind of plays that win ballgames,” Hoffman said. Muoneke then dropped a jumper and then drove past Nick Fazekas for a layup to put the Vipers up 102-88. Ramon Sessions (18 points) pulled Tulsa to within 102-97 with 46.9 seconds remaining on a pair of free throws, but the Vipers converted enough free throws to finish their sixth win in seven games. “They’re a much better perimeter shooting team than we are right now,” Tulsa coach Joey Meyer said. “They shoot the ball well, and they spread you out on the court. They’re hard to guard that way.” IN THE BONUS: Watson watched the second half from the Vipers’ bench. He was averaging 25.7 points per game. … When Watson and Brooks were in the game together, Brooks was the point guard while Watson played off the ball. … Tulsa had 16 offensive rebounds and 24 second-chance points. … The Vipers return to action Tuesday when they play host to Austin (4-1). RGV defeated Austin 104-97 in their season opener Nov. 24. Todd Mavreles covers the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4451.
Im glad that both of them are getting playing time so that if we have to bring them back up they will not be rusty or have soft legs. Brooks will definitely be back to play with us the way Mike James is playing. Novak's possibilities just depends on how he plays D in the D-league.
Too bad the Rockets can't send the divas McGrady and Yao to the Vipers to humble their spoiled butts.
