In the third quarter, Tyreke Evans lost the handle, and La Pistola swooped in on the errant ball to lead the fast break for the ‘Wolves. And then, the pass. While in motion, between the legs to another BallinEurope NBA favorite, Nikola Pekovic, for the slam as Evans can only watch.

Ah, Ricky Rubio, you’ve done it yet again…

But hey, don’t stop at the brief text description. See below the break for a compilation of all 10 swats, and repeat after BiE: “Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-block-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Kyle Singler landed at Real Madrid after the departure of Rudy Fernandez, who had played the first 10 league games with Los Blancos, back to the NBA after the player lockout ended. The Real brain trust then decided to spring for the Real Madrid forward who until then had played the start of the 2011-12 season with Lucentum Alicante, contributing great performances and helping Alicante to stand firm in the top positions in the Liga Endesa.

As an athletic wing player with good physical abilities and great individual technique, Singler met the necessary criteria to substitute for Fernandez. Head coach Pablo Laso bet big on him, and Singler is gradually achieving a greater role in winning the team game. Madrid has a large staff, and it’s not easy for a newcomer to break into the team, but with hard work and commitment, Singler is improving his contribution within the team – something all his teammates are beginning to notice.

Singler debuted for Madrid in week 11 of the ACB season against Asefa Estudiantes, scoring his first five points for the Whites in 12 minutes. From that moment, he began to see more playing time, gradually seeing his minutes increase to about 20 per game; his work has proportionally grown in scoring, though with Madrid, Singler has not quite reached the numbers he achieved with Alicante. His 10 points last Sunday at Fuenlabrada was his high with Real Madrid in Spain, although in Euroleague games against Anadolu Efes and Unicaja Malaga, the new Madridista went for 12 and 13 points, respectively. His averages with Los Blancos include 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.75 assists in 17.5 minutes per game.

Beyond numbers, Singler’s real contributions to Real Madrid translates are in the intangibles of trust. Laso trusts him, and in recent games Singler has been a fixture on the floor late. The rotation allows Singler to team with Carlos Suárez, thus giving Los Blancos two tall and strong bodies able to shoot from outside while also cleaning up off the glass.

Singler is doing well in team play, providing safety and strength on D. His physical condition allows him to defend smaller players as well as bigs, with his ability to work his height and intensity against 2s and 3s. He makes few mental and physical errors, for which his team is grateful. Moreover, his technical proficiency makes him a great option on the fast break, the main feature of the Madrid game in 2011-12. In short, Singler is growing in importance within the team, and his numbers are slowly improving as he makes his presence more obvious.

What can Real expect of Singler for the remainder of the season? For now, Laso’s player has managed to adapt to his role within the template, i.e. in the starting forward role in rotation with Suarez. The team must expect an increase in scoring from Singler, as his confidence increases and he more completely adapts within the team. Singler must offer a greater number of shots, especially from outside, and to support Jaycee Carroll’s contribution from the perimeter. Singler is able to score threes, and should be exploited much more in this area. Most importantly, Madrid must keep working with Singler to keep him on his current path of success.

Scene from 2008

Nevertheless, just as certain is the fact that entering the American media environment is the communication equivalent of diving into a tub of alligators. A common fear is of speaking in public? Imagine doing it in another language. Spontaneously. Scrutinized, analyzed and tittered about by tens of millions of rabid fans milliseconds after a tough loss. And all of it done under the glare of those tens of millions’ high expectations – which, essentially, every European basketballer in the NBA faces.

(Yes, BallinEurope knows that some readers must do this kinda stuff all the time – particularly those first two bits. But still. It does boggle this expatriate American’s mind, even after 15 years on The Continent.)

So guess what: The Human YouTube Highlight Clip has produced another moment for the virtual archives, showing good game in the intensely difficult off-court field of trash-talking – against no less an opponent than Kobe Bryant, a pretty fair verbal wrangler himself.

While Kobe has peppered swipes regarding a Team USA-Team Spain showdown in the 2012 Olympic Games to his teammate Pau Gasol, he was recently able to conversate with Rubio briefly when the two teams met last Sunday. Things went down as follows.

The transcript (warning: R-rated language included) runs thusly.

Bryant: (to Rubio) Good job, brother. You talking about London?
Gasol: Oh yeah.
Rubio: You’re gonna be there?
Bryant: Fuck yeah, I’m gonna be there.
Rubio: You know you’re getting the silver medal, right?
Bryant: Shiiiiiiit!
Rubio: You know that.
Bryant: I’m taking bets. I’m taking bets.
Rubio: I’ll bet what you want.
Bryant: If I win, I get the keys to Barcelona.
Rubio: I’ll bet what you want.
Bryant: I’ll take it! I’ll take it!

God, BiE loves how the table is being set for The Games already – and as of this writing, opening ceremonies are still 177½ days away … they can’t come soon enough, says BiE.

First and foremost, BallinEurope feels for Pau Gasol. While the Lakers’ game right now might best (and most charitably) be described as “disorganized,” particularly in the offensive sets where The Triangle is no more, it *feels* like Kobe is subtly, slowing freezing out Gasol.

Though Pau fed Kobe three times in the Indiana game, Gasol got rare touches from Bryant who apparently was instead looking to exploit a size advantage underneath and got three assists to Andrew Bynum. Against the Pacers, Kobe notched two assists to Pau, both within 90 seconds of one another in the third quarter.

But BiE digresses and is probably just paranoid.

Nevertheless.

Let’s talk trade.

A couple of other big-name disgruntled/outgoing players await, ostensibly on the trading block. There’s Dwight Howard, who reportedly will allow a trade to the Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets or Los Angeles Lakers. There’s Deron Williams “enjoying” another excellent season at the peak of his skills while mired with a disappointing New Jersey Nets time and probably considering requesting a trade to Beşiktaş.

In short, why wouldn’t this work?

Okay, so the Lakers aren’t addressing the paucity of the bench and Howard’d probably not appreciate going to a Nets side sans D-Will, believed to be a main motivation for Superman II to move to New Jersey. And Orlando Magic management would lose lots of face for bagging “only” Pau for the dominant Dwight; any theoretical trade involving Howard must factor in the desperation to get something for the departing star – and if in fact said star wants to, you know, leave at all.

Right, so BiE’ll be the bad guy in L.A. Gussy things up just a bit and imagine a draft choice or two also changing hands and you get this; hey, the ESPN Trade Machine likes it. No, BiE isn’t particularly enamored with Matt Barnes; why do you ask?

And can you feel the frustration and fear? Interesting time to be a Lakers fan.

Prospective Bull/Euroleague “Rising Star” Nikola Mirotic again came to the fore last night to prevent an upset of his Real Madrid at Unicaja Malaga. In Los Blancos’ 81-80 victory, Mirotic played 25 minutes to help matters with six rebounds, two blocks and 6-of-9 shooting for 12 points, none as important as his clutch shot in the final second.

Below the break, watch how Mirotic burns Jorge Garbarosa and Luka Zoric on the way to the hole to throw in a buzzer-beating runner off the glass with 0:00.5 or so remaining in the game – dagger!

Gasol’s FC Barcelona, which also included the just-about 20-year-old Juan Carlos Navarro, ultimately fell to Aleksandar Đorđević and Alberto Angulo’s Real Madrid in five games.

(Has it really been that long…?)

If you ask BiE, this track may be excellent ambient, but isn’t it far too Tangerine Dreamy for a high-energy mover and shaker such as Rubio? Just like Ricky himself, BiE keeps waiting for “Rubio” to bust out from the restraints of slow tempo to lead a fast break, perhaps infusing some trickery along the way. (Track runs below.)

Rubio demo by Oneohtrix Point Never

Until some enterprising, hoops-digging artist produces a more updated ballad for the Spanish playmaker, then, we’ll just have to stick to Chris Cates’ now-dated “Oh, Ricky Rubio…”

According to Il ‘Blog, the Raptors have advanced an offer of Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon to the Lakers for Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher. Supposedly, the San Antonio Spurs are also interested in making a deal for Gasol, which would be quite the bizarre transaction, indeed. (Who comes to L.A.? Tony Parker?)

The story quotes no less than John Hollinger of ESPN.com as having confirmed this rumor, but without linkage.

Update: BiE wishes a big “thank you” to Mr. Hollinger, who dropped us an email this morning (CET time) on this subject. Not surprisingly, Hollinger had nothing to do with the unsubstantiated rumor, explaining that “I have no connection at all to this Toronto-Pau stuff. There was a commenter fraudulently posting with my name and [another website] decided this made it valid. Please stop attributing this nonsense to me.”

Guess Pau ain’t going anywhere. For the time being.