**Nick Collison** (Oklahoma City Thunder) put on a [“dunk exhibition”][1] on Sunday night, in the words of San Antonio Spurs beat writer Jeff McDonald. Collison notched a season-high 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Thunder beat the Spurs, 108-96. He also added two assists in 21 minutes ([full stats here][2]).
And those dunks? [From the Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry][3]:
>Collison recorded his first double-double of the season tonight, and he can thank Matt Bonner. Collison absolutely abused Bonner on the offensive end, torching him for eight of his 10 points in a 2 minute, 14 second span early in the second quarter. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich couldn’t yank Bonner quick enough.
Mayberry then goes on to say:
> Remember that game against San Antonio last year where Bonner killed the Thunder from 3? The Thunder just learned that its best defense for Bonner is Collison’s offense.
Nick Collison: even his offense plays defense.
Columnist Berry Tramel (also of the Oklahoman) [wrote a nice piece on Collison][4] and how the vet has been able to play more aggressively this season. If you have a few minutes, give it a read.
And, last but not least, the highlights (at :30 and :45):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDIImUKqWEU
—
Sunday stats
——–
– **Markieff Morris** (Phoenix Suns) registered his first double-double of his NBA career on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Markieff tallied 13 points (5 of 10, 3 of 4 threes) and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes as the Suns beat the Bucks, 109-93. Markieff set a new high for assists (three) and had two blocked shots, a steal and no turnovers ([full stats here][5]). Even more encouraging was Markieff’s foul total — one. He had at least two in every game this season and at least three in every game where he played 16 minutes or more.
Markieff’s three triples puts his long-range shooting at 12 for 21 (57 percent!) on the season. Coming into Sunday’s games, his 53 percent was ninth best in the entire league. (Side note: right behind Markieff, in 10th? **Brandon Rush** of the Golden State Warriors, who has shot 11 for 21, or 52.4 percent.)
Markieff’s highlights from Sunday (at :36 and 1:08):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnM6dHVlx0
– **Cole Aldrich** (Oklahoma City Thunder) saw some playing time for the fifth time in the Thunder’s 10 games this season. He subbed in for fellow Jayhawk Nick Collison with 6:56 left in the fourth quarter and, after losing the ball, rattled off six points, a rebound, a block and an assist ([full stats here][6]). Aldrich’s six points — a putback dunk, a layup and a hook shot — made him Oklahoma City’s leading scorer in the quarter.
Before the game, Thunder coach Scott Brooks spoke a bit about how he plans to use Aldrich and the rest of the OKC reserves this season. You can read his quotes [on the official Thunder website][7].
– **Drew Gooden** (Milwaukee Bucks) again started at center for the Bucks on Sunday, but he played just 18 minutes against the Phoenix Suns and scored eight points on 3 for 12 shooting ([including a nice fake and dunk in the first quarter][8]). Gooden, who had at least 18 points and nine rebounds in the previous three games, added six rebounds, three assists and a steal ([full stats here][9]). The Bucks lost, 109-93, to the Suns, who raced out to a big lead in the third quarter. Gooden did not play in the fourth.
Milwaukee starting center Andrew Bogut, who missed his fourth game in a row on Sunday, is expected back soon, [according to his manager][10]. The Bucks play the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
– **Josh Selby** (Memphis Grizzlies) picked up another “did not play — coach’s decision” on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Lakers ([game stats here][11]). Selby has played in just four of the Grizzlies’ eight games this season.
—
Other notes
——-
– **Greg Ostertag** (NBA D-League – Texas Legends) played three minutes but did not record any statistics on Sunday ([game stats here][12]). Ostertag’s minutes have declined since the Dallas Mavericks assigned center Sean Williams (35 minutes) and forward Yi Jianlian (37 minutes) to the Legends.
– **Brady Morningstar** (NBA D-League – Tulsa 66ers) scored 14 points with a team-high five assists on Sunday. Morningstar added a rebound, a steal and a three to his 6 of 9 shooting in 37 minutes ([full stats here][13]).
– **Sherron Collins** (Turkish Basketball League – Hacettepe University – Turkey) scored just two points (1 of 6 shooting) but added five assists, a steal and a rebound in 26 minutes on Sunday ([full stats here][14]). Collins will play again on Jan. 14.
– The Chicago Tribune caught up with former Bulls guard **Kirk Hinrich** in Atlanta on Saturday. Hinrich talked about his injuries woes in 2011, including a cringe-inducing shoulder injury and a scary scar on his eye. [You can read the interview here][15]. *(hat tip to [wissoxfan83][16] for pointing it out in the comments of yesterday’s blog)*
– Fox Sports’ Randy Hill wrote a nice profile on **Markieff Morris** (Phoenix Suns) for Saturday.
A snippet:
>”He’s a real intelligent player,” (Phoenix coach Alvin) Gentry said of his rookie four man, “especially for a rookie … almost too intelligent sometimes.”
>That means Morris occasionally peaks around the bend in his learning curve before the coaching staff has time to install the training wheels.
[Read the whole thing here.][17]
– KUSports.com commenter [jhawkrulz][18] asked if **Markieff Morris** (Phoenix Suns) might be in the discussion for the 2012 Rookie of the Year award. While it’s certainly a possibility at this point (he’s only played eight of 66 games so far), [the early buzz has centered around point guards Ricky Rubio and Kyrie Irving][19]. BUT, Scouts Inc.’s David Thorpe ranked Markieff as the No. 3 rookie in his “Rookie Watch” on Friday. The next step for Markieff, according to Thorpe?
>Now he needs to focus on not being just a shooter in order to become an effective starting-level talent in this league. Morris is such a good shooter that it would be easy — and wrong — to look only for pick-and-pop 3s. He has to find a way to bang inside for a bucket or a foul. He’s a big, strong man who is a much better low-post scorer than many people realize. So he needs to take advantage of it.
You can read [the whole article at ESPN.com][20] (Insider subscription required).
—
Jayhawks in upcoming NBA games
——————–
**[Monday, Jan. 9][21]**
None! Enjoy [the BCS title game][22].
**[Tuesday, Jan. 10][23]**
– 7 p.m., **Drew Gooden** and the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the San Antonio Spurs
– 7 p.m., **Nick Collison** and **Cole Aldrich** and the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. **Josh Selby** and the Memphis Grizzlies
– 9:30 p.m., NBATV, **Markieff Morris** and the Phoenix Suns vs. the Los Angeles Lakers
– 9:30 p.m., **Mario Chalmers** and the Miami Heat vs. **Brandon Rush** and the Golden State Warriors
[1]: http://twitter.com/#!/JMcDonald_SAEN/status/156175836947558402
[2]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120108/SASOKC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100122#nbaGIboxscore
[3]: http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/2012/01/08/thunder-108-spurs-96/
[4]: http://newsok.com/thunder-benefits-when-nick-collison-jumps-into-the-action/article/3638735
[5]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120108/MILPHX/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100123#nbaGIboxscore
[6]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120108/SASOKC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100122#nbaGIboxscore
[7]: http://www.nba.com/thunder/news/thunder_120108.html
[8]: http://www.nba.com/video/games/suns/2012/01/08/0021100123_mil_phx_play1.nba
[9]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120108/MILPHX/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100123#nbaGIboxscore
[10]: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/article/Bogut-expecting-to-return-soon-2449806.php
[11]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120108/MEMLAL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100125#nbaGIboxscore
[12]: http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20120108/MNETEX/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp2021100132
[13]: http://www.nba.com/dleague/games/20120108/AUSTUL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp2021100131
[14]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Turkey/2012/0108_6766_14349.asp
[15]: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-spt-0108-bits-bulls-hawks-chicago-20120108%2C0%2C3201626.story
[16]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/hawks_nba/2012/jan/8/mario-chalmers-falls-back-to-earth-marcu/#c1910224
[17]: http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/01/07/12/Morris-developing-into-reliable-option-f/landing_suns.html?blockID=641568&feedID=3702
[18]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/hawks_nba/2012/jan/8/mario-chalmers-falls-back-to-earth-marcu/#c1910375
[19]: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-120106/nba-best-rookies-early-going
[20]: http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/RookieWatch-120106/nba-rookie-watch-how-improve
[21]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120109/
[22]: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/jan/09/look-big-boy-football-bcs-title-game/?sports-
[23]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120110/