Tyshawn Taylor, a hit in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Nets point guard Tyshawn Taylor (10) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers center Robert Sacre (50) as point guard Jordan Farmar (1) looks on in the first half of an NBA basketball game at the Barclays Center, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, in New York. The Lakers defeated the Nets 99-94. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Eight seconds left, down by two points, no timeouts and Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd needed someone to execute a clutch play.

Enter former KU guard Tyshawn Taylor.

The Nets have had to rely on Taylor in recent weeks with starting point guard Deron Williams sidelined by an ankle injury. Taylor’s response has been equal parts highlight and lowlight with nearly a turnover for every assist.

But he sure came through in crunch time on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Look at that form! The split-second decision-making! Taylor has a reputation for forcing turnovers — his and others’ — and he lived up to that billing when his coach called his number.

The extra timeout didn’t go quite as well. For starters, fellow Jayhawk Xavier Henry was one of two Lakers to infiltrate the Nets’ huddle. (“we needed to know what play they was gon run lol,” Henry tweeted afterward)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVuHC1lJZos

And then another KU alum, Brooklyn’s Paul Pierce, missed the shot that would have forced overtime.

But back to Taylor. After the game, Tyshawn continued his All-Star performance, this time at the mic:

Taylor also denied that the spill was intentional. “Naw, I wasn’t paying attention,” Taylor said after the game. “I didn’t even know he was holding nothing. Like, coach is drinking soda on the sidelines! I’m like ‘What? What you doing?'”

Taylor acknowledged the benefit of the “accidental” spill. “It might ice a free throw shooter and be a time-out when you don’t have one, but that wasn’t the thought process. I was just coming out and he was in my way.”

He then laughed. “‘Coach, get out my way, bro.'”

The NBA will fine Kidd $50,000 for the soda stunt, according to Yahoo Sports. We say give the money to Taylor for a job well done.

Better ‘safe’ than …

Denver Nuggets' Darrell Arthur (00) knocks the ball away from Houston Rockets' Terrence Jones in the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, in Houston. The Rockets won 122-111. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Darrell Arthur hasn’t been spectacular in his first season with the Denver Nuggets, but since Denver starting center JaVale McGee went down with an injury, he’s been solid. “Safe,” even.

Nuggets coach Brian Shaw, via the Denver Post:

“He’s a safety net for us,” Shaw said. “With him, he might be kind of, without a better way of saying it, he was the sacrificial lamb early on. But I know what I’m going to get out of him.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20r5fcLmKKs

In the last 10 games, Arthur’s averaged 6.3 points, 2.3 rebounds in 19 minutes. Again, not spectacular, but during those 19 minutes when Arthur’s on the floor, the Nuggets have outscored their opponents by an average of 7.2 points.

A couple of factors in that, from Denver Post writer Christopher Dempsey:

He’s shown himself to be arguably the Nuggets’ best big man in the pick-and-roll defense. And he’s a reliable shooter.

For more on Arthur’s contributions for the Nuggets, read “The Hidden Impact of Darrell Arthur,” by RoundballMiningCompany.com.

Twintuition

Phoenix Suns' Markieff Morris, left, shakes hands with his twin brother Marcus, as they walk off the court after the Suns 107-104 loss to the Sacramento King in a NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Those Morris twins have shared some success this season as key reserves for the Phoenix Suns. They’ve also shared more than a few baskets:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSK6U5FfYJE

Paul Coro of AZcentral.com described a couple more Morris-to-Morris connections from Wednesday’s game against Portland:

In the third quarter, Markieff grabbed his own rebound and Marcus was the first to instinctively come back to the play. Markieff wrapped a pass around a defender to Marcus for a layup. In the second quarter, Markieff split two Trail Blazers to get to an offensive rebound that he could only tap out but he knew where Marcus was on the court and slapped it to him for a leaner.

A quick perusal of Suns’ box scores tell the story best, though.

Markieff has tallied 25 assists this season. Of those, 10 have gone to Marcus.

Meanwhile, Marcus has only 15 assists, but eight of those are on baskets by Markieff.

Do you think they like playing together?

Fun with stats

Miami Heat's Mario Chalmers (15) drives around Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013.(AP Photo/John Raoux)

Miami’s Mario Chalmers, the guy who made a name for himself at the top of the arc, is the NBA’s best shooter on corner threes this season. He’s hit 10 of 13 attempts (77 percent), including perfect 6-for-6 marksmanship from the left corner. (hat tip to Comcast SportsNet’s A. Sherrod Blakely)

Quoteables

On Brandon Rush, from Utah Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin, via the Deseret News:

“(He’s) just trying to get his confidence back and feeling comfortable with the guys, reassure himself that his leg’s ready to go,” Corbin said. “I hope this is the top of the hill so we can get him on the floor. He’s been looking very (good) in practice. We’re looking for him to be ready to go.”

Tyshawn Taylor on playing fourth-quarter minutes, from the New York Daily News:

“Getting out there and kind of getting your feet wet, kind of getting used to the system and playing with the guys in game-like settings is great for the confidence. It’s huge for me.”

Markieff Morris, earning a technical foul after a call by NBA ref/fellow Philadelphia native Joey Crawford, via OrlandoMagic.com’s John Denton:

“You can’t come back to Philly after that.”

On the Morrii, from South Florida SunSentinel’s Ira Winderman:

Markieff Morris dunks, brother Marcus, awaiting at scorers’ table, goes, “Woo!”

Don’t forget to keep tabs on all your favorite ‘Hawks in the NBA with KUsports.com’s daily stat recaps.