After 30 team previews, it's time for the whole enchilada, just in time for the season's opening tip. Full standings, award, and playoff predictions follow the jump...
Continue reading "2008 Frog NBA Preview - League Overview" »
The good news from last season:
The team was resilient, winning 43 games in spite of suffering a couple of major injuries, including one that sidelined All-Star Gilbert Arenas for most of the season. The Wizards marked their fourth consecutive playoff appearance by earning the fifth seed in the playoffs, but once again were bounced in the first round by Cleveland. In spite of Arenas' absence, the team finished 11th in three-pointers made. They also valued the ball, turning the ball over the seventh-fewest times in the league. Brendan Haywood had his best season, taking advantage of being the unquestioned starter for the first time.
The bad news from last season:
Arenas played in only 13 games, coming off the bench in five of them, while Etan Thomas missed the entire season. Throw in Caron Butler missing 24 games and the Wizards' struggles were understandable. The team finished last in three-point baskets allowed and 29th in three-point percentage allowed, but were mostly near the league average in most statistics. After getting a six-year contract extension, Arenas had another surgery over the summer, which is expected to hold him out until late December.
The revolving door:
IN: G Juan Dixon, C JaVale McGee
OUT: G Roger Mason
The good news from last season:
The Jazz continued their trend of improving on their previous year's record for the third straight season, winning 54 games and the Northwest Division crown. Utah also disposed of the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season, this time in six games. Unfortunately, they did not make it back to the Western Conference Finals, as the Lakers turned them aside in six. The Jazz were brutally efficient, finishing second in the NBA in field goal shooting at 49.7 percent, which helped them finish fifth in the league in scoring. The team values the ball, finishing third in rebounding differential and seventh in turnover differential. A lot of that comes from their two stars, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, manning the power forward and point guard spots. Durability is also a key as five players started at least 72 games last season.
The bad news from last season:
The team still has deficiencies from the perimeter, even with the addition of Kyle Korver. The team ranked 26th in the league on three-pointers even though the sharpshooter was brought in during the season. The team also fouls a lot, leading the league with 24 infractions per game, but at least they seem to be smart about it, as their foes shot the ninth-fewest charity shots in the game. The defense is average, finishing 13th in points allowed and 14th in field goal percentage.
The revolving door:
IN: G Brevin Knight, C Kosta Koufos
OUT: G Dee Brown, G Jason Hart
The good news from last season:
The team made the playoffs for the second consecutive year, keyed by a smooth-shooting offense that finished seventh in field goal percentage, second in three-point percentage, and second in free throw percentage. The team was also quite efficient, compiling the fifth-highest assist total and second-lowest turnover mark. Chris Bosh was an All-Star and Jose Calderon earned some All-Star rumblings for his work after replacing the injured T.J. Ford last season. Jamario Moon came out of nowhere to earn not only a roster spot, but also a spot in the starting lineup. The team also made a blockbuster trade, sending out Ford, their first round pick, and some additional parts to Indiana in order to bring back six-time All-Star Jermaine O'Neal.
The bad news from last season:
The Raptors' playoff appearance was primarily due to the weak Eastern Conference, as their 41-41 record earned them the fifth seed, where they were beaten in five games by Orlando. The team was soft on the glass, finishing 22nd in rebounding differential, and despite a fairly nice ranking in points allowed (tenth), they were below average on defense, ranking 15th in defensive field goal percentage, 21st on three-point percentage allowed, and 29th in three-point baskets allowed. Injuries had a significant effect, as Bosh was one of only three Raptors to start at least 57 games, and he still missed a month. Former first-round pick Andrea Bargnani also did not improve in his second year.
The revolving door:
IN: F/C Jermaine O'Neal
OUT: C Primoz Brezec, G Carlos Delfino, G T.J. Ford, C Roy Hibbert, C Rasho Nesterovic
The good news from last season:
The Spurs won 56 games last year, which would be cause for celebration for almost every other franchise in the league. The team continued to roll behind their three All-Star caliber players in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili and was mostly healthy, as five players started at least 61 games. As expected, it was the same old story for San Antonio, as they were propelled by their work on the defensive end. They finished third in points allowed, fifth in field goal percentage allowed, third in three-point field goal percentage allowed and third in three-point baskets allowed.
The bad news from last season:
The bar is so high for this successful organization, being eliminated in five games in the Western Conference Finals by the Lakers made last season a disappointment as a whole. The team is not elite on the offensive end, as shown by their 14th place ranking in field goal percentage. They finished 27th in scoring but, using their low scoring mark is nit-picking, as the Spurs ranked 28th in field goal attempts and were still eighth in point differential. Beyond that, they have a very old roster, but that is not a legitimate complaint with the quality of their team and what they have accomplished.
The revolving door:
IN: G George Hill, G Roger Mason
OUT: G Brent Barry
The good news from last season:
The Kings reversed their trend of winning fewer games than the previous year, bumping their win total up to 38 from 33 the previous season. Led by Kevin Martin and Ron Artest, who combined for over 44 points per game, the team was solid on offense, finishing eighth in the NBA in points and ninth in field goal percentage. Beno Udrih proved himself to be a decent option at point guard and Mikki Moore was a dependable power forward.
The bad news from last season:
Artest missed 25 games during the season and was sent to Houston in the offseason as the Kings retool around Martin and a cast of youth. Mike Bibby was also sent out before the trade deadline to begin the roster turnover. Even with Artest around, the team was poor defensively, finishing 24th in points allowed, 22nd in field goal percentage defense, and 25th in three-point field goals made. The team also was not physically tough, getting beat on the boards on a regular basis (they finished 23rd in rebounding differential), or mentally tough, finishing 21st in turnover differential. Mounting injuries were also a problem, as only four players who played regular heavy minutes appeared in 70 or more games. Even as he developed into a star, Martin missed 21 contests.
The revolving door:
IN: F Donte Greene, G Bobby Jackson, F Jason Thompson
OUT: G Anthony Johnson
The good news from last season:
Portland won the lottery and was able to select Greg Oden with the top pick. The Blazers rebounded as a team, winning 41 games for the first time in four seasons... without the services of Oden, who was lost for the season with a knee injury. After a slow start, the team rattled off 13 wins in a row in December. Brandon Roy became an All-Star with his all-around game. LaMarcus Aldridge took a large step forward in his development. The squad was solid on defense, finishing eighth in the NBA in points allowed and field goal percentage.
The bad news from last season:
Oden missed his entire rookie season. Although they were good on defense, the team could have used the big man, having finished 20th in rebounding differential. The team also had issues scoring, finishing 28th in scoring, but the low output was due in part to the team's slower pace, ranking 23rd in field goal attempts. Neither Jarrett Jack nor Steve Blake was able to give the team quality point guard play over the long term. Jack ended up being shipped to Indiana over the offseason.
The revolving door:
IN: F Nicolas Batum, G Jerryd Bayless, F Ike Diogu, G Rudy Fernandez
OUT: G Jarrett Jack, F James Jones, G Brandon Rush
The good news from last season:
Despite retooling on the fly with their midseason acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal, the Suns posted 55 wins on the season. The team, despite relying on some older players, stayed healthy compared to most NBA squads, starting only seven different players over the course of the year. The Suns also kept up their proficient and efficient offense, relying on the league's highest field goal percentage and assist total in order to tally the third-most points on the campaign. The team also led the league in three-point percentage and finished fourth in treys made and free throw percentage.
The bad news from last season:
As a consequence of their uptempo style and lots of possessions, the Suns finished 25th in points allowed, but still finished seventh in point differential. Following the trade for O'Neal, the Suns were 21-13, including 17-11 with the big man in their lineup, but their 34-14 mark prior to the trade was significantly better. Despite having Amare Stoudemire and either O'Neal or Shawn Marion on the squad, the team finished 25th in rebounding differential on the season. The franchise also parted ways with Mike D'Antoni after the season in spite of averaging 58 wins in each of the last four seasons. The primary reason was the team's failure to advance in the postseason, including last season's first-round ouster by the Spurs.
The revolving door:
IN: F Matt Barnes, C Robin Lopez
OUT: F-C Brian Skinner
The good news from last season:
The Sixers exceeded expectations, winning 40 games and making the playoffs as the #6 seed. The team was excellent on the defensive end of the floor, finishing 7th in points allowed and 6th in turnovers forced. Philadelphia was not offensively proficient, but effective nonetheless, complementing their 11th-place finish in field goal shooting by tracking down more offensive rebounds than all but one team. Andre Miller was excellent, posting personal bests in points per game and field goal percentage. His backcourt mate Andre Iguodala took another step forward in his development and was rewarded in the offseason with a contract extension. The Iguodala signing came on the heels of an even bigger offseason move, though, as Elton Brand inked a five-year deal to play in Philly.
The bad news from last season:
Three-point shooting was once again a huge deficiency for the Sixers, as the team finished at the bottom of the NBA in three-point baskets and three-point shooting percentage. To compound the lack of outside shooting, the team traded away Kyle Korver for Gordan Giricek, who they let go during last season. The Sixers added very little in shooting range in the offseason. The team jumped out to a 2-1 lead on the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs, but dropped the next three as they were escorted out of the postseason. Andre Miller's production slid significantly, as he mustered 3.3 asissts per game in the series. Andre Iguodala's offense was locked up, as well, as he plummeted from 19.9 points per game in the regular season to 13.2 in the postseason.
The revolving door:
IN: F Elton Brand, G Royal Ivey, G Kareem Rush, C Marreese Speights
OUT: C Calvin Booth, F Rodney Carney
The good news from last season:
The Magic won 52 games and captured their first division title in nine years, then handled the Raptors in five games in the first round of the playoffs before getting knocked off by Detroit. Dwight Howard continued his growth, becoming an All-NBA First Team selection in only his fourth season as a pro. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu formed one of the most skilled forward tandems in the league, helping power the team to the sixth-highest scoring output in the league on the fifth-fewest field goal attempts. Behind this efficient offense and a defense that was seventh in field goal percentage allowed, the team finished fifth in point differential. Once the season got underway, the team was rather healthy, as well, starting only eight players on the season.
The bad news from last season:
Tony Battie, who had been expected to start at power forward last season next to Howard, tore his rotator cuff and was lost for the season. The point guard play was still lacking. Jameer Nelson, who signed a five-year, $33 million and change extension just before the season started, never truly grabbed the starting spot. The two-guard slot was deficient, as well, having been split between one-dimensional players Maurice Evans and Keith Bogans. The bench was lacking, as well, requiring the team to lean on its frontcourt starters for 37 minutes per night each.
The revolving door:
IN: G Anthony Johnson, G-F Courtney Lee, G-F Mickael Pietrus
OUT: G Carlos Arroyo, G Keyon Dooling, G-F Maurice Evans
First, my apologies to the denizens of Seattle.
The good news from last season:
Kevin Durant showed all sorts of promise as a rookie, scoring 20.3 points per game and winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Earl Watson was a functional point guard and Nick Collison averaged a double-double with half of his appearances coming in a reserve appearance. The team did put forth a concentrated effort to hit the glass, grabbing the third-most rebounds in the league, but that was at least partially a function of the sheer number of field goal attempts both they and their opponents put up.
The bad news from last season:
The team won only 20 games in a campaign marred by the overwhelming specter of the team moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle. The Thunder showed a lot of what would be expected from a young, rebuilding team - poor shooting (23rd in the league), poor shooting on threes as the young players adjust to the pro game and extended line (28th in three-point percentage, 29th in three-pointers made), poor decisions (29th in turnovers), and poor defense (27th in points allowed).
The revolving door:
IN: G-F Desmond Mason, G Russell Westbrook, F D.J. White
OUT: F-C Francisco Elson, F Adrian Griffin, G Luke Ridnour
The good news from last season:
There's not much to be had here. Jamal Crawford averaged 20 points per game. Zach Randolph averaged a double-double and David Lee was in the neighboorhod of doing the same while primarily coming off the bench. Nate Robinson developed as a bench scorer. Perhaps the most important thing happened not only off the court, but after the season when Isiah Thomas was dismissed from the team. Donnie Walsh was brought in as president of basketball operations and he hired Mike D'Antoni as his coach. The two have a long way to go to rebuild the Knicks and will get plenty of rope to do so.
The bad news from last season:
The Knicks won 23 games last season, tying their franchise low since the NBA season expanded to 82 games, and extended their streak of seasons without a postseason appearance to four. As you would expect from a team that performed so poorly in the win column, they were also very poor statistically - 27th in field goal percentage and 28th in field goal percentage allowed (last in field goal percentage differential), 22nd in points allowed, 25th in point differential, 22nd in three-pointers allowed, 27th in turnovers forced and turnover differential, and you get the picture. Stephon Marbury was difficult, then got injured.
The revolving door:
IN: G Chris Duhon, F Danilo Gallinari
OUT: F Renaldo Balkman, C Randolph Morris
The good news from last season:
The Hornets celebrated its 20th season by winning a franchise-high 56 games and returned to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, winning one round before bowing out. The team was proficient on both ends of the floor, finishing ninth in scoring and fifth in points allowed, which helped them finish sixth in point differential. One of the primary reasons for such an excellent performance was the team's health, as the team's five starters each made a minimum of 76 starts. Chris Paul was the shining star of the team, finishing second in MYP voting and being named to the All-NBA First Team after leading the league in assists and steals, the first player to achieve the feat in league history. David West also made the All-Star team as just about everything went the Hornets' way.
The bad news from last season:
There's not really a whole lot to realistically put here unless you want to cite the lack of quality depth on the team.
The revolving door:
IN: G-F Devin Brown, G-F James Posey
OUT: F-C Chris Andersen
The good news from last season:
Vince Carter became more of a complete player last year, taking a hit in his scoring while tying a personal best in rebounds (6.0 per game) and achieving a career high in assists (5.1 per game). Devin Harris came over in the trade that sent Jason Kidd to Dallas and averaged 14.9 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game as a starter with the Nets. The Kidd trade did one thing in particular to help, clearing a lot of salary for the 2010 offseason, when LeBron James will be a free agent and the team hopes to be in Brooklyn and use minority owner Jay-Z to bring in the marquee player of the NBA. Josh Boone also took a step forward in his development in his second year.
The bad news from last season:
The team slid to 34 wins and missed the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. The trades of Jason Kidd during the season and Richard Jefferson following the season shift the focus of the team to the future, building around Carter. Kidd was sent packing during the All-Star break and the team closed by dropping 18 of their final 29. Breaking up the team, however, was not necessarily the worst thing, as the team was 25th in scoring and 28th in turnover differential.
The revolving door:
IN: F Ryan Anderson, G Keyon Dooling, G Chris Douglas-Roberts, F Jarvis Hayes, F Yi Jianlian, C Brook Lopez, F Eduardo Najera, F Bobby Simmons
OUT: C DeSagana Diop, F Richard Jefferson, C Nenad Krstic, F Bostjan Nachbar, G Marcus Williams
The good news from last season:
Al Jefferson, the primary piece who came over from Boston in the Kevin Garnett trade, developed nicely as the focal point of the Timberwolves' offense. Ryan Gomes proved himself a useful commodity (again) and Sebastian Telfair showed ability as a playmaker, posting an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.20-to-1. Other than that, the best things that happened came from the post-draft trade that brought Mike Miller and rookie Kevin Love to the Twin Cities.
The bad news from last season:
Minnesota finished 22-60 last season, their worst record in 13 years and the exact same record as the team's inaugural year. Of course, a record that poor is what tends to happen when you finish 26th in point differential, 25th in field goal percentage differential, 22nd in turnover differential, 25th in three-point field goals made, 26th in assists, and 29th in blocked shots. In short, the team is deficient in pretty much all areas - poor shooting, poor defense, bad point guard play, and so on. Corey Brewer did not offer much help as a rookie and Randy Foye missed over half of his second campaign.
The revolving door:
IN: C Calvin Booth, F Brian Cardinal, F Rodney Carney, F-C Jason Collins, C Kevin Love, G-F Mike Miller
OUT: G Marko Jaric, G O.J. Mayo, F Antoine Walker
The good news from last season:
It is more difficult to figure out this part for some teams than others. Milwaukee is one of those teams. Beyond Andrew Bogut's continued growth and development toward being a franchise center, there were not a whole lot of high points for the Bucks. Bogut shouldered more of the load on offense, increasing his field goal attempts per 40 minutes from 11.1 to 13.4, not to mention he was more aggressive in getting to the line, increasing his free throw per minute rate by 38 percent. Of course, this may be tempered by the fact that Bogut was eligible for a contract extension... and got five years tacked on to his deal worth a total of $60.5 million. But, that's crazy talk. No one in the NBA perks up their game when they are eligible for a huge payoff.
The bad news from last season:
The team mustered 26 wins as a dozen different players started games, with eight different men starting at least 20 times. The team finished 23rd in points allowed and 30th in field goal percentage defense, so it should not come as any surprise that they were 27th in point differential. Their inability to keep the ball also hurt the squad, as they finished 23rd in differential turnover, as well. Michael Redd's shooting percentage slid in all three categories. To cap things, the team parted company with Mo Williams in an offseason trade, preferring to essentially start things over.
The revolving door:
IN: F Joe Alexander, F Malik Allen, G-F Adrian Griffin, F Richard Jefferson, G Tyronn Lue, G Luke Ridnour
OUT: G Royal Ivey, F Yi Jianlian, F Bobby Simmons, G Mo Williams
The good news from last season:
The team was able to get out from under Shaquille O'Neal and his contract by trading the declining big man to Phoenix and received Shawn Marion in exchange. Beyond that, there was not much worth writing home about.
The bad news from last season:
The team tied its franchise record for worst win-loss record of 15-67, which was originally set in the franchise's first season. This was driven in part by Dwyane Wade's injury that cost him 31 games. The team still carded a 10-41 (.196) record with Wade in the lineup, so there were significant issues beyond his injury, including Udoonis Haslem missing 33 games. The team finished last in the NBA in scoring at 91.4 points per game and, as a consequence, were 29th in scoring differential. They were 25th in field goal percentage and last in rebounding differential.
The revolving door:
IN: F Michael Beasley, G Mario Chalmers, G-F Yakhouba Diawara, F James Jones, G Shaun Livingston
OUT: G-F Ricky Davis, G Jason Williams
The good news from last season:
Rudy Gay took a giant step forward in his development, averaging just over 20 points a game and increasing his stats across the board in every category save for three-point percentage. Beyond that... They made a post-draft trade to acquire O.J. Mayo, who they hope will become the superstar their franchise has lacked in its history.
The bad news from last season:
They first parted ways with then-franchise centerpiece Pau Gasol last season, getting loose pieces and project players in return. Darko Milicic, who was inked to a three-year deal for $24 million prior to the season, put up decent numbers, but continued to run in place in regards to his overall development. Mike Conley's development was stunted by missed playing time due to injuries. The rookie point guard missed 29 games over the course of the season. The trade to acquire Mayo also cost them Mike Miller, the best all-around player on the team, and brought them Marko Jaric's contract and Antoine Walker in return. Juan Carlos Navarro, who signed a contract to play with his best friend Gasol and hit 156 treys last season, signed a contract to go back to Spain.
The revolving door:
IN: F Darrell Arthur, G Marko Jaric, G O.J. Mayo, F Antoine Walker
OUT: C Kwame Brown, F Brian Cardinal, F-C Jason Collins, F Kevin Love, G-F Mike Miller, G Juan Carlos Navarro
Given the state of the US economy, and the continued weakness of the dollar, that $20 million deal makes even more sense. It doesn't hurt that the contract is further enhanced by
his housing, Volvo, chef, telephone and Greek taxes paid for by the team, Childress estimated he would take home about $6 million this season, about twice as much as he would have had he played in the N.B.A.
No. brainer. For those without a brain, Childress clarifies:
"I get paid double, my role increases, I have no expenses and I move to a nice city?" Childress said. "How many guys wouldn't do that, regardless if you're a lawyer or a doctor? In a business sense, if I were to tell people that I passed on that deal, I would be stupid. That would be the next headline: Josh Childress Shouldn't Have Gone to Stanford. He's an Idiot."
That's about it.
Not a half bad idea, actually.
Coach Buddha is toying around with it, as the NBA exhibition season grinds on. Coach Buddha on the subject after Odom got run primarily with the bench guys at a recent practice:
"We're having Lamar come in and play off the bench so that he can start thinking about how he can help the team and what he can do when he does that," Coach Phil Jackson said. "But I don't know if I'll experiment with it in a game yet."
Nothing will likely be official until Jackson finishes his search for the rare out-of-print book "I Am Putting You On the Bench Because I Don't Like You But It Would Be Nice if You Would Still Play Hard Anyway" for Odom to peruse.
The good news from last season:
The team returned to the top of the Western Conference, winning 57 games, good for the conference's top seed, and advancing to the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant won his first MVP award after averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game while making 150 threes and getting 151 steals, one of the better all-around statistical seasons in recent history. The front office engineered a great trade for Pau Gasol, rescuing the Spaniard from Memphis and propelling the team to a 22-5 closing kick with him in the lineup. Andrew Bynum showed potential of being the next great big man for the franchise, averaging 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game on the season and 14.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game as a starter. Sasha Vujacic developed into a serious three-point threat, making 118 during the season at a 43.7 percent clip.
The bad news from last season:
Unfortunately, Bynum's season ended in mid-January, as a knee injury sent him to the sidelines and surgery. That's really the only complaint about a team that performed so well and has legitimate title aspirations, both this year and in the future.
The revolving door:
IN: no one of consequence
OUT: F-C Ronny Turiaf
Continue reading "2008 Frog NBA Preview - Los Angeles Lakers" »
The good news from last season:
Chris Kaman took a huge step forward, tallying 15.7 points, 12.7 rebounds (which would have been good for third in the league if he had played in enough games), and 2.8 blocks per game (third in the NBA - no reason why he qualified in one statistic and not another). Rookie Al Thornton showed that he could score in the NBA, averaging 12.7 points per game overall and 16.5 points per game over his final 31 games. Baron Davis signed shortly after free agency opened, and the team traded for Marcus Camby for next to nothing.
The bad news from last season:
Of course, the acquisition of Camby was an easier decision once Elton Brand signed with Philadelphia right after Davis inked a deal to come to his hometown. This came on the heels of Brand missing all but eight games of last season with an Achilles' injury. Even though Kaman put up such great numbers, he still missed 26 games. Injuries riddled the roster, as the team eventually started 15 different players. As a whole, the team was woeful from outside, finishing 28th and 29th in the NBA in three-pointers made and three-point field goal percentage, respectively. The team was also indifferent on defense, finishing 24th in field goal percentage allowed. Throw in that the team was 28th in rebounding differential and it does not take any leaps to understand why the Clips limped to a 23-win season.
The revolving door:
IN: F-C Marcus Camby, G Baron Davis, G Ricky Davis, G Eric Gordon, G Jason Hart, F-C Brian Skinner
OUT: F Elton Brand, G Brevin Knight, F Corey Maggette
Continue reading "2008 Frog NBA Preview - Los Angeles Clippers" »
The good news from last season:
The team hung in until late in the season for a playoff spot, winning 36 games last year. The win total was an improvement of one game over the previous season, which was a nice feat considering the team was in the process of being handed over to a new, younger core under a new coach. The top two players on the squad, Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy, both had career years under Jim O'Brien. The team parted ways with Jermaine O'Neal in the offseason as they continued to overhaul the roster and build around Granger. Sadly, that is about it.
The bad news from last season:
When O'Neal was still around, he was hurt, which caused him to miss 40 games and play below his normal lofty standards when he was available, averaging 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds, making his season his worst since his first as a Pacer. Jamaal Tinsley missed half of the season, as well, and Travis Diener was not ready to steer the ship. (Some would say that Tinsley's injury would be a good thing.) Injuries did more than their part to ruin the season. All in all, 13 different players started games for Indiana, a staggering number when Granger made 80 starts and Dunleavy 82.
The revolving door:
IN: G T.J. Ford, C Roy Hibbert, G Jarrett Jack, C Rasho Nesterovic, G Brandon Rush
OUT: F Ike Diogu, F-C Jermaine O'Neal, G Kareem Rush
The good news from last season:
Rick Adelman's presence as coach proved to be a positive one, as the Rockets won 55 games, the most in a dozen years, including a 22-game win streak from the end of January through mid-March. The team, which earned the fifth-seed in the Western Conference, played very well in light of the injuries that swept through the team. Even though Adleman's presence was supposed to result in a more proficient offense, defense remained Houston's calling card as they finished second in field goal defense and fourth in points allowed. The Rockets also worked the glass very well, finishing second in the league in rebounding differential. When healthy, Yao Ming was a dominant player, carding 33 double-doubles in the 55 games he appeared in.
The bad news from last season:
Those 27 games Yao Ming missed came at the end of the season, prematurely derailing the Rockets' hope for a postseason run. Utah knocked out the Rockets in the first round for the second consecutive season. Tracy McGrady ended up missing 16 games and had to get surgery after the season. McGrady also shot a miserable 29.2 percent from deep.
The revolving door:
IN: F Ron Artest, G Brent Barry, F Joey Dorsey
OUT: F Steve Novak
The good news from last season:
The Warriors won 48 games last year, the most wins they amassed since the 1993-1994 season. Their uptempo style led to Golden State leading the league in points scored at 111.0 per game. How uptempo were the Warriors last year? Well, they also led the league in field goal attempts and three-point field goal attempts while finishing atop the league in turnover differential and second in steals, both resulting from their desire to get the ball back as soon as possible. The Warriors also boasted three players who scored more than 20 points per game in Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, and Stephen Jackson.
The bad news from last season:
Unfortunately, the Warriors' defense was not nearly as proficient as their offense, finishing last in points allowed, but more importantly 26th in field goal percentage allowed. As a result, the Warriors fell a couple games shy of the playoffs, setting an NBA record for the best record while playing golf in mid-April. The Chris Webber acquisition did next-to-nothing for them, as well.
The revolving door:
IN: F Corey Maggette, F Anthony Randolph, F-C Ronny Turiaf, G Marcus Williams
OUT: F Matt Barnes, G Baron Davis, C Patrick O'Bryant, F Mickael Pietrus
The good news from last season:
After winning 59 games, the Pistons went to their sixth consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. On the way, they dispatched Orlando in five games in spite of Chauncey Billups missing a pair of contests. The team even stole a game in Boston to seize home court advantage from the Celtics before losing in seven games. Its core remained solid while getting greater contributions from its young players, including Jason Maxiell and rookie Rodney Stuckey. On a side note, eight Pistons were healthy enough to appear in at least 72 games.
The bad news from last season:
The team appeared stagnant and disinterested at times (as has been the case in recent years), dropping a couple games to Philadelphia in the first round before righting the ship and advancing in six games. Joe Dumars was dissatisfied with the result and fired Flip Saunders in spite of him steering the team to 176 regular season wins in three years. Michael Curry, a former teammate of many of the veteran Pistons, takes over the reins in his first head coaching job. It is unknown if the players will respect Curry, a longtime role player, now that he is in the head spot.
The revolving door:
IN: F-C Kwame Brown
OUT: F Jarvis Hayes
The good news from last season:
The Nuggets won 50 games, the most in 20 years. Of course, due to the minefield that is the Western Conference, the Nuggets just scraped into the postseason, nabbing the final playoff berth in the final days of the season. Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony were a dynamic duo on the offensive end, scoring just over 52 points per game. They were driving force behind the Nuggets finishing with the second-most points and sixth-highest field goal percentage in the NBA. Save for Nene, the team's prominent players were healthy for the majority of the season, as the top eight scorers on the squad all played a minimum of 70 games.
The bad news from last season:
Due to their uptempo style, the Nuggets finished next-to-last in points allowed. The defense actually was not that bad, as they were 14th in field goal percentage allowed. Anthony had a rough postseason, dropping from 49.2 percent shooting to 36.4 percent from the field. Of course, that postseason was very brief as the team was swept in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers. Perhaps even worse was the offseason trade that sent Marcus Camby to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a trade exception worth $10 million and the right to trade second round draft picks in 2010. Camby cleaned up a lot of messes both on defense and the glass and it is hard to imagine how the team will defend without him as its last line.
The revolving door:
IN: F-C Chris Andersen, F Renaldo Balkman, G-F Dahntay Jones
OUT: C Marcus Camby, F Yakhouba Diawara, F Eduardo Najera
The good news from last season:
The team won 51 games in an ultra-competitive Western Conference. Dirk Nowitzki's scoring went down in the regular season, but that may be due to the talented cast around him, including Josh Howard, who took another small step forward and finished a hair under 20 points per game. Nowitzki stepped up his game in the postseason, averaging 26.8 points and 12 rebounds per contest. Jason Kidd got a burst following the trade that brought him to Big D. Brandon Bass showed some potential as a banger down low.
The bad news from last season:
Those 51 wins were only good enough for the seventh seed in the West and the Mavericks were escorted into the offseason by the Hornets in the first round, the second consecutive season that ended that early, seemingly closing the Mavericks' window of opportunity in spite of the trade for Kidd. The Kidd trade also cost Dallas a major part of their young talent, as Devin Harris went to the Nets as the key component of the swap. Chris Paul also shredded the future first ballot Hall-of-Famer in that playoff series, posting 24.6 points, 12.0 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game and closing out the series with a 24-point, 15-assist, 11-rebound triple-double. Kidd was not the only Maverick who had a tough postseason, as Josh Howard also shriveled up, scoring 12.6 points per game on 29.2 percent shooting.
The revolving door:
IN: C DeSagana Diop, G Gerald Green
OUT: F Malik Allen, G Tyronn Lue
The good news from last season:
LeBron James, LeBron James, LeBron James. The superstar averaged 30.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. The Cavaliers slid back to only 45 wins after notching 50 in each of the two previous campaigns, but forced the Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Zydrunas Ilgauskas gave Cleveland another solid season, tallying 14.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per night. Delonte West came over in a monstrous trade that overhauled the roster right before the trade deadline and gave the team a hard-nosed backcourt player to help ease the load on James. Joe Smith also came over in that swap and was a solid bench contributor as part of a four-man frontcourt rotation down the stretch.
The bad news from last season:
The team acquired Ben Wallace in that major trade and now is stuck under the $28.5 million he is owed over the next two seasons (he's the highest-paid Cavalier this season, earning about 90K more than LeBron). Wallace gave the Cavs very little last year, particularly in the postseason, as did Wally Szczerbiak, who also came over at the same time. Szczerbiak shot under 36 percent as a Cav in the regular season and under 38 percent in the postseason. Anderson Varejao missed almost half the season and Daniel Gibson missed almost a third of it.
The revolving door:
IN: F J.J. Hickson, F Darnell Jackson, G Mo Wiliams
OUT: G Damon Jones, F Joe Smith
The good news from last season:
To be completely honest, there was not a lot that went really well for Chicago last season, as they were a chic pick to at least represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals before last season got underway and came nowhere near those lofty predictions. A late-season trade enabled them to get out from under Ben Wallace's contract. In the same trade, they acquired Drew Gooden, who picked up his play after coming over from the Cavaliers. Joakim Noah looks like a promising prospect in his late season insertion into the lineup. Most importantly, they won the NBA Draft lottery and snapped up Derrick Rose.
The bad news from last season:
Thing started poorly enough that Scott Skiles was canned just before Christmas and the team ended up missing the playoffs, falling from 49 wins to 33. Injuries took their toll on the squad, as well, with only Andres Nocioni appearing in all 82 contests. Kirk Hinrich had a serious regression in his shooting from the field, dropping from 44.8 percent from the floor to 41.4 percent, including plummeting from 41.5 percent from downtown to a personal worst 35.0 percent. Luol Deng missed 19 games and also took a significant step back in his performance, sliding from 51.7 percent shooting to 47.9 percent from the field. In fact, these two were just a small piece of the Bulls' offensive problems, as the squad finished dead last in field goal percentage. Tyrus Thomas failed to take a step forward in his development and Larry Hughes brought his giant contract back from Cleveland in the Wallace trade.
The revolving door:
IN: G Derrick Rose
OUT: G Shannon Brown, G Chris Duhon
The good news from last season:
The acquisition of Jason Richardson paid off well, giving the Bobcats a legitimate scoring threat for the first time in franchise history. Gerald Wallace complimented Richardson to provide a second scoring threat, when healthy. Emeka Okafor was a solid producer, averaging a double-double an apparently shaking off the injury bug, by playing in every game of the campaign.
The bad news from last season:
Raymond Felton played well in stretches instead of taking another step forward to being a legitimate point guard. They were still undersized up front. Adam Morrison blew out his knee and disappeared, opting to spend the year working on rehab and growing more disturbing facial hair.
The revolving door:
IN: G D.J. Augustin, G Shannon Brown
OUT: no one of consequence
The good news from last season:
They won the NBA championship.
The bad news from last season:
See above.
The revolving door:
IN: G J.R. Giddens, F Darius Miles, C Patrick O'Bryant, G/F Bill Walker
OUT: F James Posey
Team overview:
Just about everything went right for the Celtics last year. The team engineered two separate trades to acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Garnett's arrival shifted the focus of the team to a concentrated effort on defense, which paid off as the team was tops in field goal percentage allowed, second in points allowed, and fourth in turnovers created. The result was a team that rolled to 66 wins, the top seed in the East, and an NBA championship in six games over the Lakers.
Team-by-team previews for every squad in the NBA start today. They should appear at the pace of one or two a day to get them all in before the league fires up on October 28, with perhaps the occasional day off mixed in. The last post in the series will be a league overview with overall predictions. Without further ado...
The good news from last season:
Not only did the team's record improve for the fourth straight season, they made the playoffs and took the eventual champion Celtics to seven games. Joe Johnson made his first All-Star Game and finished 14th in the league in scoring. Al Horford established himself as a serious low-post player as a rookie, averaging a shade under a double-double on the season and actually notching 25 of them. No one else wanted Josh Smith as a restricted free agent, or at least no one else had enough money to offer him a deal that the Hawks would match, so the Hawks were able to bring him back.
The bad news from last season:
37-45 is nothing to write home about, obviously, even with the postseason drought being snapped. Acie Law IV was not the answer at point guard as a rookie, but he does get another season to learn the ropes behind Mike Bibby, who came over in a trade right before the All-Star break. While the acquisition of Bibby may looks like it helped the Hawks get into the postseason, the team was only 15-18 (.455) after the swap after carding a 22-27 record (.449) prior to the move. Josh Childress made a financially smart move and left for Europe.
The NBA filed for trademarks on six nicknames for Oklahoma City's new franchise, The Oklahoman reported on Friday.
Citing the United States Trademark and Patent Office, the newspaper said that the league filed for a trademark on Barons, Bison, Energy, Marshalls, Thunder and Wind.
I would also suggest they find a large dust bowl as a mascot.
The front page of CNNSI.com today is touting Shawn Kemp Jr. as a potential pro prospect.
But is it really that newsworthy that a former NBA star who has 47 kids with 43 different women* has one that is good at basketball? Wouldn't it be more surprising if his kids ended up as jockeys or something?
Still, this story bears watching as inevitably the Kemp "family" becomes to the NBA what the Staals are to the NHL.
* - SportsFrog estimate
Usually when an agent comes to the forefront of a sport, it's Drew Rosenhaus with one of his prima donna wide receiver clients of the NFL or Scott Boras asking an MLB franchise for the world for a high school player. In the NBA, one of the pre-eminent agents may have thrust himself back into the league spotlight with the move of Elton Brand spurning the Los Angeles Clippers to take a five-year, $82 million contract offer from the Sixers.
What looked last week like a deal where Brand was a gentleman, opting out to free cap space for the Clippers to shore up their point guard spot with Baron Davis, then re-sign with the team for a smaller amount than he could have made elsewhere, now looks like the power forward is a charlatan the likes of which may make Carlos Boozer blush. Who's behind the deal? Agent David Falk.
Let's start looking at the whole mess in the words of Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski:
Once Mike Dunleavy pushed past David Falk and reached out to Elton Brand, appealed to his star's sensibilities and sentimentality for his Clippers' home, the belief was that the most cunning and cutthroat agent of them all decided to treat this end-around as an act of treason.Negotiations had stalled, management had grown uneasy, fearful of Falk's influence and the Clips coach brought the franchise's case directly to Brand. After all these years, the most famous agent of all was back in the game, back on the big stage, back with basketball waiting on his next move.
"From that point on," one NBA GM said, "Falk was going to do everything he could to screw the Clippers."
Off to Oklahoma, where the wind sweeps and all that, fucking over yet another city that had committed to caring about the games grown men play. Art Thiel and Jim Moore in the Seattle PI feel for the fans. As is always the case when this happens, we all do.
As near as I can tell, David Stern played a massive part in bending Seattle over a table and helping Clay Bennett have his way with it. Which led to a question in the Swamp asking why that isn't a bigger national story.
I reprint here verbatim a spot on answer to that question from Swamp denizen JoeK715:
"Because ESPN basically controls the sports news agenda right now. And there's probably a clause in their TV contract for NBA games that doesn't allow them to cover this story. Honestly, there is no way to present the facts about the Sonics leaving Seattle without making David Stern look like a large, seeping bag of shit."
Makes really good sense. Not much else to say.
You could always renounce the rights to your small forward, let him become a free agent, and sign an All-Star caliber point guard who gets to play in his hometown. Okay, it's just a verbal agreement to bring Baron Davis back to LA for five years and $55 million, but it means Corey Maggette walks away. That is fine.
However, Elton Brand has also opted out. I don't think that's a problem, however, as the Clippers (or at least head coach Mike Dunleavy) have suspected that both Maggette and Brand would opt out, then return. In this scenario, Maggette was more likely to leave (speculation has him returning to Orlando, where he started his career), but it was also thought that he would come back to the Clippers simply because they could offer him more money. Brand is a solid citizen and still expected to come back.
Wouldn't you want to come back if this would be your top eight in the rotation?
PG - Davis/Brevin Knight
SG - Cuttino Mobley/first-round pick Eric Gordon
SF - Al Thornton/Tim Thomas
PF - Brand
C - Chris Kaman
That is some serious talent, even in the Western Conference. The Clippers have issued qualifying offers to two rookies from last year, Nick Fazekas and Marcus Williams, so they are likely to be back. It seems as if an additional big body (preferably a defensive role player) is all they really need to be a very interesting team out west.
It still remains to be seen if Brand (who has an LA-based film production company) remains in LA, as well.
ETA: Baron's deal is actually for $65 million over the four years and League sources are saying Brand will soon be inking a five-year deal of his own worth about $67.5 million.
The next two years will be lllloooooooonnnnnnngggg ones for Cleveland Cavaliers fans as they suffer through daily reminders that Lebron James is eventually going to be in New York. Today's reminder? James' comments yesterday in New York, there with the 2008 Olympic team:
"Knicks president Donnie Walsh's every move is designed to make sure they are enough under the cap to go after James as a free agent. The hiring of the popular D'Antoni was done partly to entice King James.
The Nets are in better position for now after dealing Richard Jefferson Thursday and with minority owner Jay-Z one of James' best friends. "They have a right to dream about it," James said yesterday after visiting Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty and Harlem. "I can't take that away from them. "My friendship was way before Jay-Z was part owner of the Nets.
I loved the Garden way before I got in the NBA." Last March at the Garden, James scored 50 points with 8 rebounds and 10 assists, falling two short of a triple-double. "For some reason when I get to the Garden, I always play well," James said yesterday. "So they want me to do it for 41 games instead of two games a year."D'Antoni admitted he's in an advantageous position coaching James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Chris Paul, all free agents in 2010. "It doesn't hurt any," D'Antoni said. "I'm not going to be real hard on them, that's for sure. They're going to like me before this is over with."
Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip.
Marty Burns has a nice overview, including:
Three best restricted free agents1. Josh Smith: The athletic Smith had a big year (17.2 points, 8.2 boards, 1.5 steals, 2.8 blocks) for a Hawks team on the rise. At age 22, he might just be scratching the surface. He could fetch a deal starting at $12-13 million per year, forcing the Hawks to decide whether they want to match.
2. Emeka Okafor: The '05 Rookie of the Year turned down a reported $60 million extension last year in hopes of cashing in this summer. Good big men are hard to find, and he's coming off a season in which he averaged 13.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.
3. Andre Iguodala: The 6-8 small forward is coming off a strong season in which he helped lead Philly back to the playoffs. He passed on a reported $57 million extension last year. It is possible he'll get an offer in that range again, but the Sixers will probably match.
Best of the rest: Jose Calderon, Ellis, Deng, Gordon, Childress, J.R. Smith, Nenad Krstic, Biedrins, Sebastian Telfair
Some nice names on that list. At least there should be plenty of sign and trade rumors as free agency unfolds. I don't suppose since Charlotte has an under-sized guard fetish they would want to collect Kyle Lowry too? As part of a deal for Okafor? No? Damn.
A quick spin around newspapers of cities sifting through the aftermath of Thursday's NBA draft:
---The Cavs made a run at Vince Carter, but Wally world was not enough.
---With Derrick Rose in hand, the Bulls will turn their attention to locking up Ben Gordon and Luol Deng.
---As if you needed further confirmation that the Bobcats have an under-sized point guard fetish, know that they apparently made a serious run at acquiring TJ Ford and used Gerald Wallace as bait.
---All that Net wheeling and dealing? As near as Peter Vecsey can tell, clearing plenty of cap space to try and get Lebron James to Brooklyn in 2010.
...of Minnesota's having traded away OJ Mayo a few hours after drafting him. Good read from Powers in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. A taste:
"Assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg went down to the draft party and talked up Mayo. He talked him up as if he still were going to be with the Wolves when the sun came up this morning. Hoiberg told the crowd that Southern California coach Tim Floyd told him that Mayo was "the most competitive player he's ever seen in his life." The fans cheered. Everyone seemed thrilled. Yeah, the Wolves did the right thing.
For a few hours. As midnight approached, it was announced that Wolves vice president Kevin McHale still was working on "a deal" and wouldn't be able to make an appearance in the pressroom for some time. We all groaned. His deals usually suck. No one put it past him to trade Mayo in the middle of the night.
As it turned out, we were right. His deal sucked. He traded Mayo in the middle of the night. There is no hope for this franchise. I'm also going to have to say that Hoiberg is out of the loop, too. Granted, his comments about keeping Mayo came on a crowded elevator. Asked if they were keeping him, he nodded and said: "We're keeping him."This reminds me of the time former coach Dwane Casey called a team meeting to tell the players to quit looking over their shoulders because there weren't going to be any trades. Fewer than 24 hours later, a blockbuster trade with Boston was announced.
Anyway, so much for being on the right track. The rights to Mayo now belong to the Memphis Grizzlies. You can argue about whether Mayo would fit the Wolves' needs. I think he does. Many of the other 47 guards they employ aren't so good. But that's irrelevant. Mayo was the absolute best player available when Minnesota made its selection. Then they blew it."
Guess the locals are not down with the general ESPN-led slamming of the Grizzlies for this trade. Maybe because they have been burned by Kevin McHale before.
At any rate, this trade will be worth checking back in on over the years. Still, from Memphis, we are pretty much in pure joy. A proactive move to bring a potential franchise changing player to Memphis? Yes please. And long overdue.
Another NBA draft has come and gone and, if you follow the league, it seems like a lot of things that happened last night (and early this morning) are confusing. Some unusual picks, sure, but what is more perplexing are some of the deals that go down, or at least the reasons behind some of the trades.
The first one of the night that baffled me was the Indiana-Portland trade with #11 Jerryd Bayless and Ike Diogu going to Portland for #13 Brandon Rush and Jarrett Jack. I understand that Bayless was sliding and Sacramento, who had the #12 pick, could easily have gone for Bayless if he was on the board. Indiana took Bayless for Portland (Chad Ford at espn.com says it was a pre-arranged trade). However, if the Pacers really wanted Rush, why get rid of an asset they had never really given a shot (Diogu) in order to get a point guard when they just traded for one (TJ Ford) and have another disgruntled one (Jamaal Tinsley) whose contract of about $21 million for the next three years, generally sour disposition, and inability to stay healthy make him next to impossible to move? In that Ford trade, they gave away a low-post scoring forward (Jermaine O'Neal), so why not hang onto Diogu and see what he can do? Why not just take Rush at #11 and be done with it?
Memphis and Minnesota made another perplexing one after most on the East Coast went to sleep and I was out at the drugstore. Memphis sent #5 pick Kevin Love north along with Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins. The Timberwolves sent back #3 overall pick OJ Mayo, Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric, and Greg Buckner. The Grizzlies are trying to clear cap space, but at what cost? Collins has one year left on his deal and Miller and Cardinal each have two (the total tab is $21.5 million this season and $16.5 million next season). In Walker, Jaric, and Buckner, they took back about $19.7 million this year, $11.1 million the following year, and another $11.9 million the year after that (the Grizz will decline Walker's option after this season, but Jaric has three years and Buckner has two plus a player option he'll activate because he won't get almost $4.3 million from someone else). So, let me make sure I understand this. The Grizzlies, in a cost-cutting maneuver, took on almost $12 million in salary for the 2010-2011 season to save a couple million this year and about $5.5 million the year after? And they gave up their best veteran player in Mike Miller? And they added someone else to their already crowded backcourt instead of filling in a deficient frontcourt (Kwame Brown and Darko Milicic look like serious contributors at the four and five next season) with a guy whose draft rights they held? OJ Mayo is going to need to be a superstar and stay in Memphis long-term to make this deal anywhere near good.
Anyway, let's get the draft winners and losers (in no particular order) after the bump...
No, seriously. No, seriously. Yeah. Seriously.
Go to bed last night, glad the Grizzlies did the obvious thing and took Kevin Love. Was wondering about why they took a wing in Syracuse's Donte Green (a pick apparently made for Houston, as it turns out).
But still, was wondering (as ever) what it would be like to be the fan of an NBA franchise that was proactive and not eternally a double for the Gimp.
And, then, I wake up to the news that O.J. Mayo is a Grizzly. Huh.
The details are that Kevin Love and Mike Miller and two bad contracts (Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins) are in Minnesota.
And O.J. Mayo and three bad contracts (Antoine Walker, Marco Jaric and Greg Buckner) are in Memphis.
Huh. And, fuck yeah.
1. Love's a good player, and I was glad the Grizzlies drafted him, but pretty much every NBA observer is of the opinion that he has a ceiling short of All-star, while Mayo's ceiling is potentially far higher. I would rather the Grizzlies take a chance on the star.
2. Antoine Walker will be bought out, I think, so no worries about him being the "veteran" presence in what is now a locker-room of NBA toddlers.
3. Jaric has a hot significant other (now engaged), so, that will be nice to be on the lookout for at the FedEx Forum this year. Helllooooo Adriana Lima. Say. Nice pics there. Thanks Sports Crunch. They have more. Some borderline NSFW.
4. And, while we're here, through another series of deals late in the night, the Grizzlies ended up with green room stooge Darrell Arthur, who apparently plummeted because of some confusion over a kidney test. Turns out he's fine, and Memphis has a 6'9" power forward that draws comparisons to Antonio McDyess.
Memphis' core is now:
Mike Conley
O.J. Mayo
Rudy Gay
Darrell Arthur
Darko Milicic/Marc Gasol
That is not going to the playoffs next year, but it IS moving in the right direction. They also retained their cap room, making them potential players in this years or next years free agent market.
As for the rest of the draft and national thoughs, well, head to:
---Simmons' draft diary on espn.com
--Mike Kahn with grades on foxsports.com. Note, I could not disagree with him more on Memphis' grade. And he apparently is unaware the Grizzlies picked up Darrell Arthur. So, fuck him.
For my part, the Grizzlies get an A on draft night for the first time since the Battier/Gasol draft. The franchise desperately needed to try and find a star. They made their play for one, and the price paid was not egregious. No complaints.
Well done. And some redemption for Chris Wallace.
Tonight is the night when the NBA talent pool is replenished. This year's version should be dominated by college talent with possibly just three foreign players being drafted in the first round (Danilo Gallinari, Nicolas Batum, and Alexis Ajinca). As a result, the names are mostly familiar to basketball fans in the States and dreams will be made for several young men.
The interest, to me, is in which second-round picks will become established NBA players. Houston traded for Carl Landry, the first player taken in the second round last year, who turned into a valuable cog as a rookie. Glen "Big Baby" Davis was a role player for the NBA champion Celtics. Who will it be this year? Will Virginia's Sean Singletary find a home with an NBA franchise after a stellar career in the ACC? Is Indiana's talented big man DJ White going to get a chance to hang double-doubles in the NBA? How about the long and extremely athletic Richard Hendrix of Alabama? Will small-school talents like Courtney Lee of Western Kentucky, George Hill of IUPUI, or Jaycee Carroll of Utah State hear their names called? It's a deep draft and things will start to unfold in five hours.
With that, here are some of the more interesting blurbs from RealGM, HoopsHype, and DraftExpress on draft day...
Prospects and Picks
Eric Gordon is now rumored to be going to either Seattle at #4 or Memphis at #5.
Danilo Gallinari stated that he will remain in the NBA after being drafted and not return to Italy.
New Jersey is allegedly looking hard at Memphis big man Joey Dorsey with the #40 pick.
Wheels and Deals
The Toronto-Indiana trade in its entirety will be Jermaine O'Neal and pick #41 go to Toronto while the Pacers get TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston, and the #17 pick. With O'Neal and Ford involved, the taking of physicals could undermine everything. Even if all physicals are passed, the deal cannot be official until Ford's "base year compensation" status ends.
In a rumored deal that has no picks, the Pistons are denying that they talked to Golden State about a Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace for Baron Davis and Al Harrington deal.
The Knicks and Blazers were trade partners last year, and this year, there is another rumored swap between the two franchises. This one has the Knicks sending #6, David Lee, and another player to the northwest for #13, #27 (fresh from Charlotte), and one half of the Jarrett Jack-Steve Blake combo platter.
That's not the only Blazers-New York metropolitan area trade rumor. Another one has the Blazers sending #13 and #33 long with Jarrett Jack to the Nets for #10 and Trenton Hassell. The Blazers would then select Texas point guard DJ Augustine. Another version of the deal has #13 and Jack going to Jersey for #10 and Marcus Williams.
Once again, a sampling of what's listed at HoopsHype and RealGM to keep you up on the NBA Draft rumors...
Prospects and Picks
The Knicks are rumored to be looking into ways to trade up in order to select OJ Mayo. Another source has them looking hard at DJ Augustine of Texas if they remain at #6. Yet another source has them disinterested in Arizona's Jerryd Bayless, but hot for UCLA's Russell Westbrook.
The Sonics may trade down to grab Westbrook, as well, feeling that selecting him at #4 is too high.
The Grizzlies appear to be locked in on Kevin Love at #5. If Love is gone by then, the Grizzlies are expected to deal their pick with David Lee of the Knicks as a possible return, provided OJ Mayo is available for New York.
Wheels and Deals
New Orleans has reportedly traded their first-round pick (#27 overall) to Portland for cash considerations. I would say odds are high the Blazers have a foreign prospect whose rights they want to secure in mind and save a little money under the cap at the same time.
Miami offered Memphis the #2 pick and Daequan Cook for the #5 pick, Mike Miller, and Mike Conley. The Grizzlies declined and offered Miller, Lowry and the #28 pick. It seems the Grizz have a high opinion of Conley.
The Heat reportedly have a lot of options in front of them:
Dwyane Wade from Miami for the #1 overall pick, Tyrus Thomas, and Larry Hughes.
Drafting Michel Beasley at #2 and packaging him with Mark Blount to Seattle for Chris Wilcox and the #4.
A variation of the above deal with Memphis with Cook and #5 going out and Miller and either Lowry or Conley coming back.
Shawn Marion and Mark Blount to the Knicks for Stephon Marbury and the #6 overall pick.
The Blazers offered #13, #33, and either noted author Steve Blake or Jarrett Jack for the Nets selection at #10.
The Lakers are reportedly close to prying a second-round pick from Seattle, which they will use to get guard George Hill of IUPUI. It should be mentioned that IUPUI uses the triangle offense, which would increase Hill's value to the Lakers.
A special note here to close this out - Henry Abbott of TrueHoop has asked for his readers to send their thoughts to Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon-Journal and ESPN.com, who has been hospitalized with an illness. I have enjoyed Windhorst's work and send my best wishes for a total recovery to him.
Until the NBA Draft. Here are some more tidbits culled this morning from the usual suspects (HoopsHype, RealGM, ESPN.com, SI.com). Be vigilant, smoke screens abound...
Prospects and Picks
It appears the Bulls are leaning toward taking Derrick Rose with the first overall pick (surprise).
Frenchman Nicolas Batum, who had concerns raised last week during a stress echo test (a treadmill test that measures heart health), was given a clean bill of health from the Cleveland Clinic Heart and Vascular Institute. He is working out in San Antonio today.
The Milwaukee Bucks met with West Virginia forward (and Gunpowder Jones lookalike) Joe Alexander for a second time. One interesting note regarding Alexander and his relationship with the Bucks is that Alexander was raised in Taiwan and China for almost all of his formative years and is fluent in Mandarin. The Bucks selected Yi Jianlian from China with their first round selection last year.
Minnesota is said to be deciding between OJ Mayo and Kevin Love at #3. Memphis will allegedly take the one that is left at #5, should one be left for them.
Russell Westbrook is reportedly the preference for Portland. If the UCLA guard is gone, Robin Lopez of Stanford may be the choice.
Golden State is very high on Jason Thompson, forward from Rider, and may snap him up at #14.
Arizona combo guard Jerryd Bayless is apparently sliding down draft boards and may be around the late portions of the lottery.
Wheels and Deals
With Rose likely off the board, Miami is calling around to see what the #2 overall pick can bring them in return. Speculation is that a deal with Memphis would be Mike Conley and the #5 pick for Daequan Cook and the #2 pick. Pat Riley has long been interested in Elton Brand, so it should come as no surprise that another rumored deal is Brand and the #7 pick go to Miami and the Heat send Shawn Marion and the #2 pick to the Los Angeles Clippers.
That #7 pick of the Clippers, however, may be sent to a different destination. Should Corey Maggette not opt out of his deal (Clips' coach Mike Dunleavy has previously stated he is expected to, then re-sign with LA), the Clippers may send #7 and Maggette to Phoenix for Leandro Barbosa and the #15 overall pick. Should Maggette opt out, this deal goes by the boards, as he would not be able to ink a "sign-and-trade" deal until July 15. Portland and New Jersey are rumored to have interest in the "Brazilian Blur," as well.
The Jermaine O'Neal for TJ Ford and Rasho Nesterovic deal mentioned in my last entry has apparently gone by the boards. Nesterovic may still end up with a new home, as the Suns are reportedly interested in bringing him in to back up Shaquille O'Neal. Ford may, as well, with the Suns being rumored to be sending Boris Diaw to Toronto for the diminutive point guard. Perhaps a "two-for-two and loose change" deal is in the works?
Here's a brief look at some of the rumors swirling as the NBA draft approaches (hat-tips to HoopsHype, RealGM, and DraftExpress)....
Picks and Prospects:
Bill Walker's knee injury, which was originally reported to be a torn meniscus, is now being reported by those close to the Kansas State player as a minor ligament strain.
Donte' Greene of Syracuse is sliding in mock drafts from the mid-first to the late first.
Some reports list that Anthony Randolph of LSU may fall out of the lottery, as well. However, there are others that say the Bucks will take him at #8 overall. Smoke screen, anyone?
DeAndre Jordan of Texas A&M may fall out of the first round altogether.
Wheels and deals:
Toronto and Indiana are allegedly talking about a deal that centers around Jermaine O'Neal going north of the border in exchange for TJ Ford and Rasho Nesterovic. The trade would include the Raptors sending another player for contract reasons and possibly the #17 pick. There are also allegedly three other teams with interest in bringing in Ford via trade. Toronto is also interested in acquiring Boris Diaw of the Suns. Speculation is that Ford could go here, as well, and be reunited with his former coach, Terry Porter.
The Heat are expecting Shawn Marion to not opt out of his contract for $17.8 million for next season. The Heat are also rumored to be sending the #2 pick and Mark Blount to Seattle for the #4 pick and Chris Wilcox.
Josh Smith from Atlanta is expected to ask for a contract starting at $11 million. If the Hawks balk at that request, Detroit and Philadelphia are expected to be big players for the high-flyer in a sign-and-trade.
Minnesota's #3 pick may get sent somewhere. The Clippers may package #7 and their 2009 pick plus a future Minnesota pick for it. Charlotte may send #9 and Adam Morrison to the Great North for it. However, Morrison not only tore his knee up last year, but he won't even be ready for summer league play. Charlotte is also allegedly interested in getting a second first-rounder to snap up Georgetown big man Roy HIbbert.
The ludicrous:
Malik Rose and David Lee from the Knicks to the Grizzlies for Brian Cardinal and the #5 pick. I'm as big a fan of Lee as the next non-Knicks fan, but he doesn't bring enough to the table to merit the #5 overall pick.
A collection of reading material:
---Mock draft 3.0 from si.com---has Russell Westbrook going to Seattle at number 4 overall. That's ah, hmmm. Interesting. Unrealistic?
--Ian Thomson at si.com with his dark horses to watch on draft night (he has ROBIN Lopez on the list---take that, Brook)
---Fox Sports' mock is courtesy of nbadraft.net and has the top 5 picks as Rose/Beasley/Mayo/Bayless/Love. That strikes me as most likely. And I am strangely fine with the notion of Kevin Love coming to Memphis. God knows the Grizzlies could use the basketball IQ he would bring with him.
---Jeff Reynolds at sportsline thinks that when the dust has settled, OJ Mayo will be the best of this draft class. He still mocks him third overall though, to Minnesota.
--Swamp all-everything TF points the way to an honest-to-deity accessible espn.com article of some utility, John Hollinger's breakdown of the draft's big men. A quick review of the article yields this thought: Pray your favorite team doesn't go the Anthony Randolph route. Hollinger rates him lower than Longar Longar. That's bad bad.
Some draft chatter starting to bubble here in the Swamp (mostly me, but, then, given that I am a Bengals and Grizzlies fan, draft season tends to be my Super Bowl. Sigh). Stop by with a thought or two.
Because one fling with a Gasol was not enough.
Pau Gasol's younger brother, Marc, was a throw-in (on the surface) in the great older brother giveaway the Grizzlies engaged in last spring. The last memory of Marc Gasol that most Memphians have is of a chubby seven footer huffing and puffing around the Lausanne Collegiate School gym playing against tiny school competition. Adequately.
He has since gone to Spain and supposedly had something of a breakthrough season there. Lost some weight. Worked on some skills. Been described as occasionally "overpowering his defender" on the way to the bucket. Huh. Doesn't SOUND like a Gasol. Pau has never over-powered anyone.
At any rate, according to local sources in Memphis this morning Spanish newspapers are reporting that Marc Gasol is coming to the Grizzlies for three years and nine million total.
Tell you what, the first time he takes contact and does NOT flop to the floor, he will instantly be more loved locally than his older brother ever was. If he actually ever overpowers anyone on his way to the basket? We'd probably all throw a parade in his honor.
I have no idea what help he might actually be to the team - although it seems a safe bet he will be of more use than Jason Collins - but if the team likes him enough to bring him over at this time I would guess it means Memphis is not in the Brook Lopez business at the draft.
And that's a good thing.
By the way, he's definitely a Gasol. Nice beard.
The two regular-season meetings between the Lakers and Celtics can be disregarded when looking at their matchup in the Finals. Rondo missed one contest and they both came before the Lakers made the trade for Pau Gasol. The Lakers picked up their game considerably after the trade for the former All-Star who has averaged 18.8 points and 8.6 rebounds in his career. Saying that Gasol's addition is anything other than a huge difference is simply a mistake. The Lakers have piled up an impressive record since the Spaniard came west, going 22-5 in the regular season and 12-3 in the postseason. 34-8 when Gasol suits up is pretty impressive, so it's certain Gasol would have had a major effect on either of those games had he been in "Forum blue" and gold.
Anyway, the big issue for Gasol is his production slipping in the San Antonio series. The Spurs put forth the biggest defensive challenge of the postseason for Gasol and held him to 13.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game (propped up by 19 points in the series opener and 19 boards and four blocks in the clincher). Against Denver, Gasol averaged 22.3 points, nine rebounds, and 2.8 blocks while posting 18.5 points 8.3 rebounds, and three blocks per contest against Utah. Kendrick Perkins is going to have some serious defensive responsibility on his hands.
The premiere franchise in the history of the Western Conference makes its return to the conference finals and faces the team that is the current torchbearer for the conference. The Los Angeles Lakers make their first appearance in the conference finals since 2004 when they knocked out current opponent, the San Antonio Spurs, in a six-game semifinal series. The Spurs, however, are looking to advance past the Lakers and get a crack at their fourth title in six years and fifth in a decade.
The two teams held serve on their home floor, splitting their four games over the course of the season. Manu Ginobili missed one of the losses in LA while Tim Duncan and Tony Parker both missed the other, while one of the Lakers' losses was when they had neither Pau Gasol nor Andrew Bynum at their disposal (the other was very early in the season before Bynum began asserting himself). One thing the Lakers were able to do against the Spurs was pound them on the glass, outrebounding them by 10.5 boards per game. Ball security has been a problem for the Lakers, as they averaged 20.5 giveaways in the two losses, and just 10.5 giveaways in their victories. In fact, that is the primary contributing factor in the Lakers' losses, considering that they have consistently won the battle of the boards and the two squads were very close in their field goal shooting (Los Angeles - 45.6 percent, San Antonio - 43.5 percent).
The Lakers enter this series on a roll, having won eight of their ten postseason games. It's no surprise that Kobe Bryant has been a dominant scorer, averaging 33.3 points in the postseason on 49.5 percent shooting. It will be a significant challenge to remain so efficient with the uptick in defensive quality he will see from Bruce Bowen and Ime Udoka, especially since Bryant shot 44 percent from the field in hanging 24.3 points per game on the Spurs. The presence of Pau Gasol has made Lamar Odom significantly better, but not much can be gleaned from the one Lakers-Spurs game after the Gasol trade, which was a 21-point victory that Ginobili sat out with an injury. In that blowout, Gasol and Odom combined for 31 points and 25 rebounds. They'll have to provide a similar level of work on the glass in this series, as the Lakers have been outrebounded by almost seven boards per game in the postseason with almost all of the difference coming in offensive rebounds allowed.
The Spurs got their most consistent scoring from Tony Parker in his three games against the Lakers. The Frenchman averaged 20.7 points against Los Angeles, shooting 56.5 percent from the floor. Tim Duncan was very up-and-down in his three outings, but averaged 16.3 points and 11.3 rebounds. He did have one monster night, going for 28 points and 17 caroms, but offset that with a five-point, five-board showing, including making only a pair of his 13 attempts from the floor. Manu Ginobili struggled mightily against the Lakers, to put in bluntly. Ginobili made only 14-of-45 shots in three games (31.1 percent) en route to averaging 14.3 points per game. His weakest facet was his three-point shooting, connecting on a mere 5-of-18 from deep. The Spurs' offense was triggered by their proficiency from deep, as they made 48 percent of their treys (24-of-50) in their wins and only 34.6 percent (18-of-52) in their losses. Bowen, in particular, has been effective from deep, hitting six triples in one game and five in another.
The Lakers had a pair of comfortable series prior to this (sweeping the Nuggets and having three of the four victories against the Jazz by seven points or more). While the Spurs were extended to seven games in their series against New Orleans, they had three days off before Game Seven and the first six games were all blowouts. They should be reasonably well-rested for the conference finals. Ime Udoka's strong play late in the series against the Hornets should result in some more minutes in this series, meaning both he and Bowen will provide different looks and relatively fresh legs when guarding Kobe Bryant. Again, the Spurs' championship pedigree will play a determining factor in their postseason run. Their ability to get clutch shots, snare rebounds, and play tight defense should pay off in the decisive game.
PREDICTION: Spurs in seven.
The Detroit Pistons, who have been the dominant franchise of the Eastern Conference for the last six years with conference final appearances in each of those seasons, take on the new (this time) face of the East Boston Celtics with a trip back to the NBA Finals on the line. In fact, the last time the Pistons failed to reach the conference finals was at the end of the 2001-2002 season when the Celtics derailed them in the semifinals, dispatching them in five games. That marked the last conference finals appearance for the C's until this season. Paul Pierce is the only player still in Boston while the Pistons have no one from that squad still around. Where have you gone, Corliss Williamson?
Boston claimed two of the three games between the two this season, both of them after Detroit won the opening contest. Each team also won once on the other squad's floor with the Celtics claiming the third game on their home floor. As should be expected, all three games were low-scoring affairs, as each team broke the 90-point barrier in one game. The Celtics accomplished an impressive feat in each game by bettering the Pistons in both field goal percentage and rebounding. Boston outshot Detroit in the season series, 45.7 percent to 38.6 percent, and beat them on the boards by an average of almost ten rebounds per game (they finished +3 in the Detroit win). Bench play has had an effect on the outcome of all three match-ups this season, as the team with more bench scoring has won each game. Detroit finished +9 in bench scoring in their lone win while Boston carded +16 and +10 marks in their two victories.
Kevin Garnett has been the driving force for the Celtics' offense against Detroir, averaging 24 points per game on 54.2 percent accuracy from the floor. Paul Pierce is his only teammate to get into double figures in each contest against the Pistons, averaging 15 points, but on 36.6 percent shooting. In his biggest game in the series (19 points), Pierce got to the line for eight attempts, while in the other two games, he attempted a total of five free throws, so getting to the line is essential for him. After Ray Allen went off for 24 points in the first game, Detroit figured out how to defend him, limiting him to 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting in the two Boston wins. Rajon Rondo scored 16 and Glen "Big Baby" Davis came off the bench for 20 to provide the third option in separate wins.
As should be expected, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, and Rasheed Wallace keyed Detroit's offense in each game. The three combined for 56.7 points per game against Boston in the season series. The team's top scorer in both the regular season and in the first two playoff series, Hamilton dropped in 18 points per contest, ripping the twine on 51.2 percent of his attempts. Billups was also in double figures in all three games, shredding the C's for 22.7 points per game and getting a lot of his damage in at the line, connecting on 30-of-35 charity shots. Wallace averaged 16 points against Boston, but required a lot of shots to get there, hitting only 40 percent of his hoists from the field (20-of-50).
The big dogs should be in for a long series resembling a slugfest at times. Both teams grind their opponents down on defense and are unblemished on their home floor in the postseason thus far. The problem for Boston is that Ray Allen has hit a shooting slump at an inopportune time. Allen's shooting slipped to 32.8 percent from the field in the semifinals against Cleveland (on the heels of a 3-for-12 effort in Game Seven in the first round against Atlanta). Hamilton should not have a lot of difficulty outscoring Allen in the series. Tayshaun Prince should, at the very least, make Pierce work very hard for his scoring. In addition to Hamilton's offense, Billups should be able to keep things going, as none of Boston's point guards will be able to consistently stop him. Detroit has played three fewer playoff games and has had six days off, which should enable their championship-tested bunch to hold off the Big Three Bridesmaids from getting to heights of the Finals.
PREDICTION: Pistons in six.
The New Orleans-San Antonio match-up is similar to the Boston-Cleveland in that it features a veteran-laden team expected to win the NBA title in the pre-season and a team that dominated by a superstar on the rise, as well as the home team holding serve in the throughout the series. In fact, the home teams have been so dominant in this series that not only has every game has been decided by double digits, only one game has had a margin of victory of under 18 points.
The young superstar Chris Paul has led the way for the Hornets, topping the team in points (24.7) and assists (10.2) per game in the series. His numbers have been impressive in the victories, notching 23 points and 13 assists per game while compiling an assist-to-turnover ratio of 9.75-to-1, but the disparity in assists underlines the importance of David West and Peja Stojakovic to the Hornets' attack. West has averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds in the wins while Stojakovic has hit for 18.7 points on 55.6 percent shooting from the field (20-of-36) and 8-of-13 from downtown. In the losses, West has barely gotten halfway to his scoring mark (14.3 points per game) while Stojakovic has tallied only nine points per game while knocking down 38.5 percent of his shots (10-of-26) and 2-of-5 treys in all three games combined. Long distance shooting has been an unspoken key for New Orleans, as they are burying a mere 25.7 percent from deep in their losses (9-of-35), but a sizzling 52.4 percent (22-of-42) in their wins. In fact, in their loss in Game Three, the Hornets narrowly outshot the Spurs from the floor, but their anemic three-point shooting (2-for-11) cost them (the Spurs hit 11-of-25 to make up nine of the 11-point margin).
The Spurs seemed to have figured out a way to stop New Orleans' offense, holding them under 45 percent shooting in each of the last three games and 42.0 percent overall in that time. Rebounding has also been the key, as the Spurs' victories have all featured San Antonio winning the battle of the boards (they trailed in this statistic in each of the losses). Tim Duncan has led the way here, averaging 14.3 boards in San Antonio's wins and 11.3 in their losses (this number is skewed by him grabbing 23 caroms in their Game Five loss). Duncan's shooting has ailed the team, too, as he has made only 12-of-38 shots (31.6 percent) in their losses. As poor as he's been in their losses is as good as he's been in their victories, connecting on 57.5 percent from the floor (23-of-40) in their wins. Manu Ginobili's promotion to the starting lineup has paid off, as he has averaged 24.3 points per game in the last four. Its not just the total points, either. Ginobili's points per 40 minutes is up to 27.2 in the last four as compared to 25.4 points per game off the bench in the opening games.
For New Orleans to win:
1. Get West and Stojakovic rolling early. Chris Paul hasn't had problems scoring in this series (or doing whatever he wants, basically), so getting the next two big threats going should set the tone.
2. Kill the bunnies. By that, I mean make the easy shots. In the three wins, the Hornets have tallied assists on 69 of their 113 field goals (61.1 percent). In the losses, it is a mere 40 of 107 (37.4 percent).
3. Slow down the Spurs not named Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The two guards have shot an excellent 51.5 percent in victories, and a fair 44 percent in the team's losses (the two shot 47.8 percent on the year). The rest of the squad has shot 48.2 percent in the team's victories, but only 38.0 percent in the losses.
For San Antonio to win:
1. Start the third quarter with intensity. The Spurs have held halftime leads in five of the six games, including all three of the losses. The team winning the third (and exiting the period with the lead) has won every game.
2. While it will be difficult due to sagging and doubling Chris Paul on forays into the lane, run the Hornets off the three-point line. This includes having Bruce Bowen guard Stojakovic whenever the two are on the floor at the same time. Bowen should be able to get under Stojakovic's skin, which could be a huge factor in the deciding game.
3. Help out Duncan on the glass. Duncan is averaging 11.3 boards per game. Kurt Thomas is second on the squad at 5.8 rebounds. Someone needs to step up and help keep West and Tyson Chandler (18 rebounds per game in the series) off the glass.
The pick is still the original: Spurs in seven. The cliché says that defense is the one facet of a team's game that always shows up. The Spurs bring it, plus the other cliché, "championship experience." I don't like picking based on these tired maxims, but I just believe in the Spurs' abilities when it counts.
The seventh game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals is upon us. How exciting. I think I can get away with some snark about my excitement because the two teams have failed to crack 80 points six times thus far. Let's look at some things that have happened to this point and see if there is anything Cleveland can do to break through in Boston or if the Celtics will just continue to roll at home.
Ray Allen has been a disappointment in this series, averaging just over 10 points per game on 34.5 percent shooting. The one facet where he has been consistent is in his work at the line, making 19 of 20 free throws in the series. Kevin Garnett has been huge at home, tallying 22.3 points and 12 rebounds per game on 60 percent shooting from the field (30-for-50). The Celtics' team defense has been masterful in Boston, holding the Cavaliers to 36.6 percent from the field in their victories (they've allowed Cleveland to make 43.8 percent of their shots in the three losses). In addition, Boston has allowed Cleveland to make 48 assists while forcing 44 turnovers in the home victories while allowing 63 assists and forcing 31 turnovers in their road losses.
While LeBron James has posted 22.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per contest in Beantown, he's also had some serious problems, shooting a hair under 30 percent from the field and turning it over 21 times in those three games. Zydrunas Ilgauskas has probably been the most successful Cavalier in Boston. He has averaged 15.7 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor (19-of-35). Someone, anyone on the Cleveland bench has to make a positive contribution. In the three losses at Boston, the Cavalier bench had mustered 15.7 points per game while the C's have gotten 21.7 points per game from their reserves.
For Boston to win:
1. Ray Allen needs to be assertive with the ball and drive on Wally Szczerbiak. Allen's touch from the line is consistently excellent and cheap points will be supremely valuable in what is likely to be a low-scoring game.
2. Forget about Sam Cassell. In spite of being an up-and-down player in the series, Rajon Rondo has played well enough to merit the big minutes, especially since his on-the-ball defense is superior to either of the reserves (Cassell and Eddie House).
3. Just feed off the crowd and play your normal level of team defense.
For Cleveland to win:
1. Get the ball to Zydrunas Ilgauskas early and often, both on the block and in face-up situations, with him instructed to be decisive with his offensive moves, reacting before the double-team can arrive. If Big Z can get going early and force the Celtics into some defensive adjustments, including doubling him, things will open up for the other offensive players.
2. Do not stick with Ben Wallace if he is not playing well and bring in Anderson Varejao. Varejao's combination of size and athleticism makes him Garnett's toughest match-up and, as has been illustrated in the past, Garnett can become deterred and look to pass in the waning minutes.
3. Encourage Delonte West to drive occasionally early in possessions, especially when Ilgauskas is out of the game. West scored 21 points in Game Five in Boston after tallying seven points in the first two contests in Boston. Burying 10-of-13 free throws was the key to that success.
The pick is still the original: Cavaliers in seven. LeBron James simply should be able to get to the rim and score big buckets, just like he did last year in ripping out Detroit's heart to get to the Finals. Besides, has anyone seen Steve Javie lately?
The last installment of the second round previews follows for your amusement.
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Boston vs. Cleveland
A hearty "thank you" goes out to the Celtics for choosing to join the NBA's second round of the postseason. Should we be excited about them now that they face a legitimate challenge from last season's Eastern Conference champs or should we be less than impressed by the way they allowed the Hawks to hang around by dropping all three games in Atlanta?
Boston led the NBA in point differential during the regular season, outscoring their foes by a whopping 10.3 points per game. Even though they were taken to the limit by the Hawks, they still outscored them by an average of a dozen points per contest. I'm confused as to whether that means anything other than the Hawks pulled out narrow victories while the C's are very comfortable at home, where they will play a potential deciding Game Seven. Home has been good to the Celtics against Cleveland, as well, as they won both contests there while dropping the two at the Q. Just as they exhibited in the first round, Boston's defense against the Cavs is significantly better at home than on the road. In the two home wins, the Celtics held the Cavs to 35.6 percent shooting while hitting 44.5 percent of their shots. In the two road losses, the C's gave up 49.4 percent shooting while achieving the same level of marksmanship.
In the Cavs' two regular season victories over the Celtics, Lebron James led the way with 35.5 points per game. No surprise there. He also tallied 12.5 assists per game. It will be interesting to see how Boston responds defensively - stop Lebron as much as they can or stop the other players around him. Cleveland was the top rebounding team in the NBA, grabbing 4.2 more boards a game than their foes, but Boston finished in a tie for third at +3.1 boards per night. When the two teams went head-to-head, the Cavs outrebounded Boston by an average of five per game. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, in particular, is a pain in the neck for the C's frontcourt, clearing 12.5 boards per game in the season series. His offense is what is key for the Cavs, as he averaged 18 points in the two wins on 50 percent from the field. Z only averaged 10 points on 33.3 percent shooting in the two losses. His worst performance came in the game Lebron missed back in December, as he clanked 9-of-12 that night.
Unlike the Hawks, the Cavs aren't going to play timidly on Boston's floor. They have Lebron James, who can handle any defender they throw at him and set up teammates as need be. Had the Celtics rolled through the Hawks like expected given the discrepancy between the two teams' regular season resumes, I would expect them to take it. After being forced to go to seven to beat a lesser team, I don't see it.
PREDICTION: Cavaliers in 7.
There will be a part three coming soon, as I'm not going to bother writing something in advance based on the previous post-season accomplishments of the Celtics' roster.
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Los Angeles vs. Utah
This series provides an interesting quirk with each team possessing a significant advantage over the other at a pair of positions. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, who are head and shoulders above their counterparts from Utah, Ronnie Brewer/CJ Miles and Mehmet Okur. While the distance between Gasol and Okur isn't that far, Gasol's all-around play (22.3 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and 2,8 blocks per game against Denver) and functionality in the triangle offense put him squarely ahead in this matchup of non-traditional centers. In fact, like in last year's playoffs, Okur struggled in Utah's first-round series against the Rockets. While his rebounding has picked up to 12.6 caroms per contest, Okur connected on only 36.8 percent of his field goals, well off his 44.5 percent mark for the season. In fact, Okur's postseason offensive numbers don't stack up well to his post-All Star numbers, when Okur posted marks of 17.0 points a night and 48.0 percent shooting.
Going for the Jazz, though, is their lethal combination of Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, who are superior to Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom, respectively. Williams' size enabled him to have very successful results at the Lakers' expense this season, averaging 23.3 points and shooting 53.7 percent from the floor. Williams had a six-point stinker in one game, too, underscoring his ability to generally get shots he wants on a regular basis in this match-up. Boozer has had the occasional rough spots against the Lakers (a 6-for-15 game back in December) and his relatively poor offensive showing against Houston in the first round (16 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting) throw a tiny bit of doubt over his ability to score against the Lakers' length and size in the frontcourt.
Los Angeles and Utah ranked third and fourth in point differential over the course of the season with less than half a point per game separating the two squads. One statistic on a team-wide level that doesn't bode well for Utah is that the Jazz commit the most fouls in the league at 24 per game, leading to their opponents taking 30.1 free throws per game. Kobe Bryant will be shooting a lot of them. The Lakers took home victories in three of the four contests, including the only battle after the Gasol trade, which came in Salt Lake City, which bodes well for them.
PREDICTION: Los Angeles in 6.
I'm glad I checked the NBA scoreboard today because I didn't realize the second round was starting. That's on me, though, as I should have figured that it wouldn't be the NBA Playoffs if some teams didn't have the chance to get a second round game in prior to two teams not deciding their first round. I would ask, "Who runs this league," but we all know the answer (Ernie Johnson at TNT). Thus, the San Antonio-New Orleans write-up is hurriedly done, but that shouldn't stop it from having the same low-quality analysis I generate at the office. See, some of us have jobs, Anti-Blog Nation! (In full disclosure, I am writing this while on the couch, but it is in my home, not my mother's basement. Also in full disclosure, I wrote the to-be-released Los Angeles-Utah preview (at work) before Game 6 of the Utah-Houston series even though New Orleans-San Antonio was set. Pretty bright, huh?)
In any case, I guess you truly cannot win them all, or in the case of the Phoenix Suns, they cannot win against the Spurs at all. Hitting six out of seven is nothing to look down on, though, and if Boston (the 66-win Boston Celtics!) can pull out Game Seven at home (against an under-.500 team!), it'll be seven of eight.
In any case, I'm back to offer predictions for the conference semi-finals. I can tell you're excited.
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS
Continue reading "NBA Frog Preview: Postseason Second Round, Part 1" »
...I have lost all faith in athletes. I mean, I'm sure that she's a nice lady (no I'm not; I know nothing about her) but Dwyane has got to be pulling something better than that.
"Barkley broke through the commotion to say, "I like Star. She's a cougar."
"What's a cougar?" Smith asked, not so innocently, a perfect lob to Barkley.
Sir Charles promptly slammed the ball home: "Preying on a young Dwyane Wade."
That's pretty funny at least, if inaccurate vis a vis cougar-dom. Now Chuck and Dwyane have something to talk about in their next commercial.
He's back...... With more sequals than Freddy Krueger, the coach you can't kill, Larry Brown, is giving it another chance. Of course this excites both Larry and Tony Kornheiser (Larry was his camp counselor) and perhaps even the people of Charlotte.
Well-traveled Larry Brown has reached an agreement to return to the NBA as coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Monday.
The 67-year-old Hall of Famer will be taking over his ninth NBA team, and it will be his first coaching job since a messy exit from the New York Knicks in 2006. Brown will replace Sam Vincent, fired on Saturday after going 32-50 in his one season.
Back with more NBA predictions, this time playoff-style. My preseason ones weren't that bad, save for the catastrophe known as the Chicago Bulls' 2007-2008 season. Of course, with Skiles having already been shown the door and interim replacement Jim Boylan getting the opportunity to polish his resume, at least someone other than me is getting punished for them screwing up my predictions. Even with the abomination of the Bulls, I still hit six of eight playoff teams from the East (Philly and Atlanta in, Chicago and New Jersey out) and all eight in the West from the October picks.
Let's try it again with the first round of the postseason.
Eastern Conference
Boston vs. Atlanta
Continue reading "NBA Frog Preview: Postseason First Round" »
It's all good. The jockeying for position at the top. The scrambling to avoid being 50-win or near 50-win team left out of the playoffs, which is something that will be unprecedented. John Hollinger has a fine look at the nine teams in the middle of the scrum for the eight playoff spots and what the outlook is for each here on espn.com. He likes New Orleans for the #1 seed, with Golden State the unluckiest 51-win team in NBA history.
Oh, and while we are here, please do remember that Chris Paul is the NBA MVP. Thanks.
On Isiah Thomas.
He's probably right. Then again, when has it not been open season on Thomas in the last five years?
A crush at work kept me from commenting on the latest twists and turns in the Knick soap opera with regard to the hiring of Donnie Walsh and the surely imminent dismissal of Thomas from his position as coach (to twin with his de facto removal as ruiner of all things Knick from the front office), but I would be remiss if I did not highlight Marbury's words late this week:
"Marbury said Thomas, who will coach tonight in New Orleans, wasn't straight with the fans. Marbury believes his Knicks stint was hurt because Thomas, a Chicago native, didn't get the Big Apple, complaining too much about the Garden booing. "The fans have a right to feel how they feel," Marbury said of their distaste for Thomas. "Our fans aren't ignorant. They're smart. You can't tell them one thing and do another thing. Be truthful to them. You can't lie to our fans. If you play bad, don't blame it on someone else."
It should be hella fun when Thomas finally does get axed and Marbury can go ahead and completely empty himself of his ire. As it stands, the previews have already been fun.
Knicks mulling hanging on to Isiah.
It's pretty clear by now that just being on a team that won titles in the 80's and 90's does not make you uniquely qualified to run/coach a basketball team. So why not shake it up a little? Everything Isiah touches turns to shit. It's not even up for debate anymore. He cannot function in this role successfully. Running a team from the point guard position is a lot different than standing on the sideline wearing a suit.
But not necessarily the polite route. Quoth the Shaq about the end of his experience in Miami:
"We have professionals who know what to do," O'Neal said of playing for the Suns. "No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again."
And, "ouch".
Returns the Riley:
"It's sad that he says those things," Riley said before the 103-96 overtime loss. "We shared so much here, together, for three years, good and bad, three and a half years. I just think it's sad that he's got to do that."
That's it? That's all you've got? I think Pat Riley's mind is already on his upcoming Sweet Sixteen/Elite Eight vacation.
How about you, Ricky Davis?
"It shows his true colors."
Good lord. I am absolutely disappointed. No wonder O'Neal called you all out. Fireless. Gutless. Sand in the face wimps.
Chris Quinn? How about you? Go:
"To be honest with you, I don't have too much to say about it," he said. "I don't know. But it didn't hurt me."
That's a tiny step in the right direction, a little sticks-and-stones-but-names-will-never-hurt-me sentiment.
Fine. Wusses. Back to O'Neal:
"I guess when you have a lot of power, you can do what you want," O'Neal told the Globe of Riley's personnel moves. "Me? If I ever came into that kind of power, I think I'd be willing to admit it if I messed up."
Another haymaker! Riley?
"I've taken blame, basically, for this," Riley said. "The buck stops at the top. I wish him nothing but the best. I don't have anything but good feeling for Shaq. I mean it. I don't care what he's saying right now. He wanted to go to a contender. And we sent him there. We sent him to Utopia and we're here left with the carnage. And I don't know why he's not happy."
Damn. How long has the corpse of Pat Riley been wandering around Miami?
By whatever measure you want to use, it ought to be him. The funny part is listening to folks who don't follow the NBA all that closely slowly come to that realization. Like, say, Mike Golic, who stumbled this morning as I watched Mike & Mike around the concept that Paul is just that good. He launched into the awkward it-depends-what-your-definition-of-MVP-is thing, you know, most outstanding player overall or most valuable player on a team. He then said that if it is outstanding player overall it would have to Kobe. And he said it like it was completely factual, no further discussion needed. A sun comes up in the east sorta statement.
But, here's the thing. Newsflash to Golic, Chris Paul is absolutely right there with Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James, and whoever else you want to argue into that group, as the best player in the league. In fact, for my money, he's the best player in the league. Yes. Chris Paul is the best player in the NBA. Right now.
New Orleans won 39 games last year. They currently are just ahead of the vicious pack in the Western Conference for best record. That is largely because Chris Paul has put that team on his back and carried them there.
He is almost unguardable at this point. He scores at will - when he wants to. He involves teammates constantly. He controls games. He is simply the best point guard I have seen in terms of impact in a game (with a slight apology to Steve Nash) since Isiah Thomas in his heyday. Paul will someday soon lead his team to an NBA title. Watch and see. Probably not this year, in the stacked Western Conference, but the Hornets have as good a shot as any team there. And it is because of Chris Paul.
Last night, in a 100-99 win over Lebron's Cavs in Cleveland, Paul put up this line:
15 points 20 assists 1 turnover
Good lord. A 20:1 assist to turnover ratio is pretty, um, "good".
It was New Orleans' 5th win a row, and 10th in their last 12. For the year Paul is averaging:
21.6 ppg 11.4 apg 2.71 spg .494 fg% and only 2.51 turnovers a game
MVP.
Again, as I have done throughout this year, if you have not had a chance to do so already, I implore you to linger on a Hornets game if you run across them while channel surfing. And, come playoff time, try and catch a game or two of theirs. He is THAT good.
ETA: Swamp all-star govtchedda is quite right to point out that stumbling across a Hornets game is awfully hard with as little love as they have gotten from the nat'l telecasts this year. True. So, definitely take an opportunity to watch him come playoff time. And hope that the nat'l networks rectify the situation for next season.
Can't say I blame him. Given the choice between watching the Heat pile up losses and stare down his bench trying to find a player not dreckful to put in and going to the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, the tournament wins 10 times out of 10. For a GM. For a coach? He needs to be on the bench. And, given that Miami's current rather dire situation is on Riley's shoulders entirely, perhaps he needs to go ahead and give up one of his roles.
At any rate, in the meantime, Sweet 16 games!
"The games are getting bigger," he said. "The ones that I like are starting to play against each other, which is good. If that happens, then that's the matchup you want to see."
That could mean more lost time on the bench for Riley, who holds the dual role of team president. He already has missed three games while scouting, including two over the weekend, and could miss Thursday's game at Detroit and Sunday's game at Boston that are scheduled head-to-head against the tournament.
"If I have to miss 'em, I'll miss 'em," he said. "I don't want to. I will try to get back. I will try to squeeze everything in Friday and Saturday if I can."
Yeah. Don't knock yourself out there, coach.
Sorry if this is oldish or recycled news, but I am still catching up on the sports world after two weeks of family and work emergencies. But, the headline Knicks want to puruse Lebron is about as surprising as finding out that men find Kate Beckinsale (and her apparently perfect box) attractive. Course, to make that happen, they would have to be begin shedding salary like a snake sheds skin, and soon. Any takes for the atrocious Zach Randolph contract? Hello? Is this thing? Anyone?
Got to say, if there is any chance of making that happen, the Knicks would be well advised to look away from Jerry West's alleged interest in coming to New York as GM. The man responsible for the flaming ruins of the NBA in Memphis and the Brian Cardinal free agent contract probably is not the best choice for dealing with the flaming ruins that is the Knicks franchise at the moment.
In this case, the three words (I count a set of initials as one word in this case) have nothing to do with George Carlin, except that these may be more of a joke than anything the esteemed comedian ever said. You tell me.
And what great crime did Garnett commit? He took himself out of the lineup for the final five games of the 2006-07 season with an injured quad.
The speaker? Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves. You know, the team that shipped Garnett out over the summer to finish destroying their franchise in a rarely-seen "scorched earth" policy. I guess when someone asks about your team's recent warm streak (four wins in the last six) and its contrast with their closing kick last year, essentially accusing your franchise of tanking last year to try to maintain a protected first-round pick, you do what you have to do to defend your franchise's honor... even when it is an outright lie.
18 in a row (the last nine of which have been by double digits).
4 in a row since losing Yao.
And doing it now against the other giants in the West. At the fourth longest win streak (tied) in NBA history, we have long since passed fluke stage and are perhaps seeing (finally) what it would be like if Tracy McGrady carried a team. Turns out it is pretty damn good.
Third spot in the Western Conference good (at the moment). The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice with a very good read on McGrady this morning:
"He did things that take your breath away, and he made them look easy. Tracy McGrady isn't the only reason the Rockets had another magical night. He's just the biggest. If this wasn't a perfect game, it was close. McGrady was on the floor for all 48 minutes, scored 41 points, handed out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds. Years from now when someone asks you why McGrady was special, tell him to watch this game. Whenever New Orleans seemed about to get back in it, McGrady delivered. "We also had Tracy McGrady, and it didn't matter what they did," Rafer Alston said. When it was over, when the Rockets had beaten the Hornets 106-96 to become just the seventh NBA team to win 18 games in a row, they acted like a bunch of high school kids."
Yeah, winning 18 in a row will probably do that. I guess. If everything breaks right, the Grizzlies might put together an 18 game losing streak to close the year. They are the bizarro Rockets.
Their trade for Shaq looks particularly ill-advised? Check.
They are in danger of maybe not making the playoffs? They are still in the western conference, so, check.
Well, at least if they miss the playoffs, maybe the lottery will bring them some help? Um, NO. Not check.
The Sonics have the completely unprotected Suns first round pick this year.
Oops.
Hey Steve Kerr? These are massive mistakes you are making (and have made). Just sayin'. And, as a Grizzlies fan, I know from massive mistakes.
1. Emperil Yao Ming's chances of playing for the Chinese National team in the Olympics with a foot injury? Done.
2. Add Yi Jianlian to the potential injury list?
Maybe. Persistent pain in the wrist.
"It's kind of an indescribable pain, and that's one of the reasons we wanted him to see so many physicians," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said before the Bucks met the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. "I think it's probably gotten worse; I don't think it's healed. We had some practices here recently where he couldn't shoot jump shots at the end of practice, because it was bothering his wrist."
Gee, I wasn't one of the three physicians who saw him (probably because I am a lawyer and not a doctor), but, hey, none of that sounds particularly promising.
...the Suns are better with Shaq than without.
All evidence to the contrary. D'Antoni's thesis:
"I don't think there's any doubt," D'Antoni said. "Not play-wise, but on paper and what we see. We can be a better team than we could ever be with the little guys running all over the place. We may not be as pretty, but we're going to be much more efficient."
It's not the lack of "pretty" that people are citing when panning this trade, coach. It's the, um, "losing".
Look ahead to the NBA draft!
Ian Thomsen on si.com likes these five for the potential top of a deep draft (one's a name that has been off my radar):
1. Michael Beasley---Kansas State
2. Derrick Rose---Memphis
3. Danilo Gallinari---Italy
4. Eric Gordon---Indiana
5. Anthony Randolph---LSU
Beasley, Gordon, and Rose I am well aware of. Add in Gallinari as the token Euro I would expect to not know about but who is always in such lists, and we are almost there. But, Randolph? I'd missed the boat on him. But Thomson says:
"Anthony Randolph (18 years old), 6-11 freshman PF, LSU. I admit he's a longshot to go this high, but who knows? It's shaping up to be a four-player draft, followed by several murkier picks based on long-term potential.
"Randolph has the most upside of anybody,'' an NBA scout said. "This guy, if you walked into his gym, you'd say, 'I'm looking at Chris Bosh [when he was a freshman at Georgia Tech]. He's from Dallas, he's skinny and left-handed, skilled and athletic -- all like Bosh. He doesn't shoot it quite as well as Bosh did, and we have a lot more to learn about him over the next two months. But he could become Chris Bosh.''
Well. I'm listening. That's even interesting, as our next meeting of Grizzlies fans (the four left) will involve power-point presentations of who the Grizzlies might take at #4 overall (since the lottery hates the team too).
Randolph:
...Tyron Lue's services are being fought for?
By three teams?
Legit NBA playoff teams at that?
How long have I been gone? Where am I? Who am I?
The world makes no sense.
ETA: Oops, forgot the extra "n". Tyronn Lue. Getting love. Catch the wave.
Yao Ming is the David Beckham of China. Stay with me here.
One of his country's best players in his given sport? Check. Yao is probably without question the best his country offers, Beckham, if match fit, would probably be welcome in the England squad even at his advancing age.
An international icon? Check. Yao plys his trade in the US and is marketable around the globe. Beckham, well, the exact same thing applies.
Somewhat hard to listen to when he is speaking English? Check. Yao because it's not his native language, Beckham because he's a little squirrelly.
Married to a star in his respective country? Check. Yao married a Chinese National Women's Team star, Becks married a Spice Girl.
Injured, leaving a nation to pin their hopes in an upcoming international competition on his recovery? Check. Yao hopes to play, Beckham never really recovered in time for the 2002 World Cup, though he played as well as any of his teammates in that event.
The fact remains that China, like England in 2002, probably fancies its chances a bit more than is realistic. Yao's injury won't help the team, but even a fully fit Yao wouldn't push China into gold medal contention alone. It would take something like playing in their home country, having fantastic fan support, and getting Home-court calls from referees for China to make a lot of noise in the summer Olympics.
Hey, wait just a minute...
Dateline New York (17 wins):
Eddy Curry mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. "The losing is killing me." Um, ok? For the record, Curry went for 12 points and 5 boards in New York's latest beatdown, on 4 of 11 shooting. Oh, and four of those points came in garbage time.
Dateline Memphis (14 wins):
Good news for the Cavs, the horrible Grizzlies were their Washington Generals-style opponent for their first game with Ben Wallace, Delonte West, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak. The Grizzlies quickly fell behind by 28 points. Solid work by the Grizzlies-Generals.
Dateline Miami (9 wins):
The organization held a Family Festival yesterday. So...um, that's something. The team has still lost 11 in a row, but at least families feel celebrated. By the way, I cannot imagine how unhappy Jason Williams must be in that locker-room at this point.
So, while everyone else is celebrating the insane race that is the top nine teams in the Western Conference, or wondering if the post-trade Cavs are now good enough to get by Boston and Detroit, don't forget to give the occasional shout out to organizational incompetence. It's all these clubs seem to want.
Potentially large. That's a pretty damn decent team full of athletic young players he's been dropped into.
Bibby as leader should not be underestimated:
"Bibby sat courtside until getting the go-ahead to join his new teammates. The minute he got on the floor, the tenor of the session changed dramatically.
The Hawks' pick-and-roll sets got sharper instantly. The little inside passes in transition that rarely found mark before were on the money now. Bibby waited all of 15 seconds to start leading, playfully chiding Josh Smith and Al Horford to "run with me, run with me" on a fast break during part of the full court scrimmage portion of practice. "We got to look every chance we get, even the little creases, he'll find you," Smith said. "He sees the opening even before it happens. I'm not used to that." Bibby said his teammates better get used to it, because they're going to see heavy doses of it every night.
"I told them I'm going get it to them," Bibby said after practice. "One of my strong assets is being a strong shooter, so I have to shoot it to be a threat. I'm going to shoot it sometimes. But I'm not going to shoot it every time. I've got a lot of young horses out here, so I'm going to get it to them."
Michael at Braves & Birds is appropriately excited.
"The swap will send Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Moe Ager and Keith Van Horn, who has not played since 2005-06, to the Nets for Mr. Kidd, Malik Allen and possibly Antoine Wright. The Mavericks also will lose first-round draft picks this summer and in 2010, along with the cash payment, the maximum allowed by the league. Mr. Cuban would not confirm the players in the deal. The Mavericks will have to waive a player - possibly veteran Juwan Howard or rookie Nick Fazakas - before they can re-sign Mr. Van Horn because they are at the league-maximum 15 players.
Mr. Van Horn's inclusion could be the only problem. He has never filed retirement papers with the league, and the Mavericks still own his rights, meaning they can sign him to any amount and include him in this sort of sign-and-trade scenario. It is believed Mr. Van Horn will get a $4 million salary for this season to help make the salary-cap figures match. For the trade to be approved, Mr. Van Horn must show he's serious about resuming his career, according to NBA commissioner David Stern."
Amazing.
To recap: Devean George has Larry Bird'd himself into staying in Dallas and playing for a championship. Jerry Stackhouse's loose lips have ensured him staying in Dallas and playing for a championship. And Keith Van Horn gets, apparently, $4 million dollars to attend some practices in Newark and fly around the country for two and a half months.
Jeebus. Good work if you can get it, Van Horn.
Yeah, I know it has been happening every year. But not like last night. Not even close.
Dwight Howard can fly. Pretty damn cool revelation.
"Suns trainer Aaron Nelson said Shaquille O'Neal's flexibility has "vastly improved" since his arrival in Phoenix. The 7-foot-1 O'Neal's progress evidently has surprised even the team's medical staff - and flies in the face of suggestions by Lakers coach Phil Jackson that O'Neal's "foundation" is shaky.
"There isn't any arthritis in his hip causing his problem," said Dr. Thomas Carter, the club's orthopedic surgeon. "He is in better structural condition than the vast majority of NBA centers. It was just soft tissue - flexibility and strength. And those guys (on the medical staff) have done a great job with him."...
"He's been able to jump a little higher and move a little quicker," he said. "He's worked hard. He's done everything we've asked him to do. He's working out twice a day and coming back from the All-Star Game early on Sunday so he can do the work."
In one week? One effin' week in the desert, and he's moving quicker and jumping higher? Well, shit. No wonder old people move to the desert in such high numbers. Maybe they are all moving quicker and jumping higher too. Huh.
Either that, or some faith healer of one type or another has gotten to him. Hmmm, it turns out you can see the healing aura lingering around O'Neal, now that you know what to look for:
So...what if this thing really doesn't go through? What if "Larry Bird rights" scuttle it? And, before this, how many of you had any idea what "Larry Bird rights" were? Or that they even existed? Or even know what they mean now?
Yeah. I don't either. And really don't care to know.
At any rate, Devean George continues to resist his exile to Newark, and Kidd remains a Net. Which prompts Chris Mannix at si.com to wonder what Dirk will have to do in order to help repair feelings in the Dallas locker room:
"He's looking out for himself a little bit," Nowitzki said. "In a way, we play a team sport but a lot of it is about individuals. It's Dirk versus Kobe, not L.A. versus Dallas. It's not promoted as much as a team sport as it is in Europe. Devean was looking out for himself; that's what you are used to over here."
Oooohh. I don't think that's going to help.
In case you were needing a Coach Flake rumor:
"An NBA source said yesterday that Sixers executive vice president Larry Brown has drawn interest as a candidate for the Chicago Bulls' head coaching job."
Yes. Please. I desperately miss Coach Flake. I need my annual cycle of Flake-quits-demands-remainder-of-gazillion-dollar-contract-anyway. C'mon Bulls. The cosmos needs you.
San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich comes correct:
"What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension," said Popovich. "There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I'd like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade."
Yes. Correct. Soooo correct. And this is amusing as well:
"When told that [GM Chris] Wallace had challenged executives to criticize the deal publicly, Popovich replied, "Well, there you go. I'm on the record."
Again, as I went into at length in the day after the trade, simply dealing Gasol for cap space was damn near unconscionable by the Grizzlies.
1. Free agents ain't flocking to Memphis, particularly big name free agents.
2. Gasol could have brought a few young pieces to help fit into Marc Ivaroni's systems ALONG with cap relief.
To go with just cap relief? A major "fuck you" from Grizz owner Mike Heisley to what's left of the Memphis fanbase. We three remaining Grizz fans get the message loud and clear.
Chad Ford does it. BSG does it. Why can't I?
All of these passed the smell test, er, RealGM's Trade Checker, so let's have some fun shaking up the NBA before the playoff run.
Orlando trades Carlos Arroyo, Pat Garrity, and JJ Redick to Philadelphia for Andre Miller.
Why Orlando should do it: Miller would be an established point guard to come in and distribute to Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu. His lack of shooting range doesn't matter much with Lewis and Turkoglu playing a ton of minutes.
Why Philadelphia should do it: Arroyo and Garrity's deals come off the books at the end of the year. It can't hurt to take a flyer on Redick, who would replace the already-shipped-out Kyle Korver as their three-point shooter (their roster currently is shooting 31% from deep). Miller's under contract for one more year at $10 million. Redick has two more years of team options at under $5 million combined. That's almost $8 million off the books for Ed Stefanski to play with next year. Louis Williams also gets to take the reins full-time.
Peals of laughter echo in response from the anyone associated as a fan or employee of the NBA.
"Isiah Thomas made an admission yesterday: the Knicks are in need of a point guard. Thomas essentially blamed this season's disaster on not having stability at the point. Though Thomas has handed the keys to Jamal Crawford, he knows Crawford is not the prototype for the position.
Thomas was not ripping Stephon Marbury, just saying the Knicks' season was ruined by their early riff, the death of Marbury's father, the confusingly long bereavement leave and, ultimately, Marbury's decision to have ankle surgery. "Most championship teams have to have the right point guard to orchestrate [things]," Thomas said. "That's been a problem for us this year. Injuries are part of the game."
Hysterical.
Um, Isiah? Even if Marbury had not had a season from hell (even by his standards), the point guard play was going to be not what the Knicks needed. Hysterical. Perhaps he could acquire another power forward to deal with the problem.
Classic case of one franchise bending over to allow another franchise to have its way. Awesome. As ususal, I am the fan of the franchise doing the bending.
Pau Gasol to the Lakers for cap relief. Swell. I'll buy tickets tomorrow. As Commercial Appeal columnist Geoff Calkins captures very well:
"Later this year, Dick Hackett -- or whatever poor sap accepts the job as the Grizzlies next president of business operations -- will have to approach FedExForum suite holders and ask them to renew their leases. It's hard to imagine how that will go.Poor Sap: "Renewing your lease will allow you to continue to watch the exciting Grizzlies."
Lease Holder: "Really. Why would I want to do that?"
Poor Sap: "We have lots of cap room."
Lease Holder: "I'm paying tens of thousands to watch cap room?"
Poor Sap: "We might spend it this summer."
Lease Holder: "Might?"
Yea, cap room!
So many thoughts, here's the best I can do in terms of organizing them:
1. Pau Gasol---He's remarkably flawed and miscast as franchise anchor. He's soft. He is not anywhere within range of the term "leader". He can be indecisive with the ball, disappers when the game is on the line, and gets m a y b e one tough rebound when the team needs one a month. But none of that will matter on the Lakers, where they have a franchise anchor (Bryant, obviously, and maybe Bynum in a year or three), plenty of toughness, teammates who won't let Gasol hold the ball and look confused, and grown-up NBA players to get rebounds. In short, Gasol will be able to bring to LA what he DOES do well, which is score in bunches and provide decent off the ball defense. He's a perfect fit for the Lakers, and should have no problems with being the second or even third option. It fits his personality perfectly.
As for getting him out of Memphis? Bonus. The fanbase here had grown to loathe him. Booed every time he touched the ball of late. Too many years of whiny pleading Euro-looks to officials when he didn't get a call. Too many years of flopping, too many years of, well, back to Calkins:
"That Gasol can't be the best player on a good team? That he's as soft as a throwed roll?"
Yeah, that. So, it's good that he's gone. Past due. But that brings me to the main problem I have with the Grizzlies franchise right now.
2. The Return for Gasol---As much as I hammered the Twins earlier this week for over-playing their hand and waiting too long to deal John Santana, it is ironic that one of the teams I root for trumped them so magnificently in franchise malpractice. One year ago, when Jerry West was running the show, they could have had a good haul from Chicago, but held out for Luol Deng, and ended up with nothing. (Side note here: both the Bulls and Grizzlies screwed up in not making that deal). This past off-season, new GM Chris Wallace came in and decided they were building around Pau Gasol, and failed to deal him when he still had value. Then after eight more months of dreck, he moved him for cap relief.
Unreal. This is where I get mad. Technically, the Grizzlies began to tear it down and rebuild when they dealt Shane Battier in 2006 to the Rockets for Rudy Gay. That was a deal I suported at the time, and still do. Battier was more accomplished, but Gay represented a chance to find your way to an All-Star at some point and was the kind of talent infusion you need if you are going to re-build. Then, the team stopped. Instead of finishing the tear down and rebuild by dealing Gasol, Mike Miller, and whatever else might be useful at that point, they tried to make it work. And, between Gasol's ankle injury and the team shutting down on Mike Fratello (hard to blame them, he was a dick), the season was lost.
Problem was, new GM Chris Wallace came in last summer and perpetuated the mistake. Instead of dealing Gasol, Miller, and whatever else had value for young pieces to fit new coach Marc Ivaroni's system, he decided to build around Gasol, calling him a superstar. Go, Geoff Calkins:
"When I came here, my first option was to give this thing a chance and see what everybody could do," Wallace said. And then what? You learned what any fan in the upper deck could have told you at the end of last year?...Wallace and Iavaroni are supposed to be savvy basketball professionals. Gasol has been in the league for seven years. So they needed all these months to decide that he's not a legitimate All-Star? While his stock continued to plunge? And then, having waited until Gasol's value has been obliterated, they're suddenly in a hurry to trade him away?"
Ridiculous mistake from Wallace. This was a particular path that this franchise could not afford to tread. Instead of building around Rudy Gay and Mike Conley with young pieces from, say, the Bulls (Nocioni, Thomas or Noah, picks and expiring contract) and taking their lumps this year, they are building around Rudy Gay and Mike Conley with, well, NO additional pieces. Crippling error.
So now they have to sell "cap relief". Good luck. I understand the concept. I also know that teams like Memphis (and in markets like Memphis) are not in the first 29 or so choices for your average NBA free agent. And if you want a superstar via free agency? Good luck finding one that hits the market in his prime, or that would choose Memphis. Whole thing blows.
3. State of the Grizzlies in Memphis---Huge trouble. The lease with the FedEx Forum makes them unlikely to move in the immediate future (say, the next 7-10 years) due to some punitive clauses, but the franchise is deeply wounded, and it may prove fatal. That has everything to do with the horrible ownership of Michael Heisley who has strip-mined the business operations side of the franchise for years, and is now doing the same to the basketball side. He's had the team on the block for three years, with no buyers, because he is asking a crazy price for the team and no sane person with that kind of money is willing to pay it. In the meantime, he's fielding a team based on we'll-be-good-someday in a poor town during a recession. You want to hold a private meeting where no one will see you? I would suggest the FedEx Forum in Memphis during a Grizzlies game this March.
4. What now---Since I am a fan, I guess I will try to find the good thing in the professional malpractice exhibited by ownership and management. It almost surely can't get worse. In the meantime, Rudy Gay, who has already taken a large leap this year (averaging right at 20 ppg) needs to take another leap. He needs to become the face of the franchise immediately (if he wasn't already). And he needs to be even more aggressive with the ball. 25+ ppg the rest of the season is what I would like to see from him. Conley also has to continue to develop. When he plays (which isn't as often as one would like, as he seems forever hurt) he has shown that he was worth the 4th pick in the draft. He makes great decisions with the ball in his hand, setting his shooters up in the right spots to succeed, and attacks the rim surprisingly well for a guy with his height. He's going to be very good. He, along with Gay, needs to seize this team by the throat. Even though those are the two youngest players on the team, there is no reason to be deferential to any of the veterans left. Mike Miller is a nice player, but he is likely gone soon for expiring contracts himself and even if not, has been even less of a leader on that team than Gasol was. Other than that? Not much else to watch for in Memphis with regard to pro basketball. Wait for the draft, I guess. Hope for a shot at Michael Beasley. Hope the team institutes a one-of-the-four-fans-at-the-game-gets-to-lace-it-up-and-play-the-4th-quarter promotion for the April home games.
Beyond that? Nothing much.
And Tiger basketball. Thank G-d for that.
And the very deserving New Orleans Hornets get two in the West. Chris Paul was expected. The happy surprise? David West made it too. As well he should have. The rundown here. And the obigatory snub list from Marty Burns. At the top of his players cruelly omitted? Baron Davis and Ray Allen. Then again, West and Joe Johnson got in ahead of them, and I have no problem with that.
Good work from the coaches in making these selections this time around.
He's riding the bench.
Orlando's winning.
The latter is apparently not enough to make up for the former, so the second year player is asking to be traded. "We want to see what's out there," Redick said. "I want to stay here, but it's been frustrating."
Um, to answer your question, JJ, crickets chirping? And if you want to stay there, why are you seeking a trade? And as for why he's not playing? How about this bit of cold water:
"He's not playing because the Magic need defense and rebounding at his shooting-guard spot. Van Gundy says that Evans and Bogans are simply better at those tasks than one of the most prolific shooters in college basketball history."
Ouch. Now Redick's list of teams must include ones that don't play defense. That narrows it quite a bit. I would guess he'd better put Memphis on there then...
The New Orleans Hornets announced their presence to the rest of the Southwest Division and the Western Conference as a whole with a 102-78 throttling of the San Antonio Spurs last night. The Hornets trailed by one at half but outscored the defending NBA champs 30-21 in the third quarter and 30-14 in the fourth in the Spurs' building.
While those figures are impressive on their own, when you note that the Spurs led 59-58 with 5:50 left in the third, you realize that Byron Scott's troops closed with a 43-20 kick. Two random numbers from the night:
When Tim Duncan was on the floor last night, the Spurs were outscored by 21 points.
New Orleans shot 54.3 percent from the field paced by David West, who went for 32 points on 15-of-19 shooting.
The key for the Hornets this season has simply been health. While they haven't had a single player participate in all 43 games thus far, their top eight scorers have all played in at least 38 contests, including five of the top six in at least 41 games. Not bad for essentially the same squad that couldn't reach .500 because their top three scorers combined to miss 117 games last season.
As Memphis Bengal alluded to earlier today, things are not so pleasant in Clipperland. It's not just sniping between cheap owner Donald Sterling (no way I'm putting up another picture of him) and embattled coach Mike Dunleavy. While I was not a fan of Dunleavy's work prior to getting signed on with the Clippers, I have become impressed with his work since then, in particular the playoff run from a couple years ago. And it seems like he's in a three-way battle for running the team with the Don and GM Elgin Baylor. Oddly, the Don claims he wants to win, Dunleavy certainly wants to win, and Baylor is napping, it seems.
If you didn't go to the Simers column where Dunleavy stands up to the real estate mogul, there is actually some interesting bits about Dunleavy seeming to be the only guy interested in winning games. Simers writes...
Dunleavy thought he had a deal with Dallas in the summer to trade Corey Maggette, eligible for free agency after this season, for guard Jason Terry. But Sterling, who has said he will not meddle in player personnel but who has always professed a desire to keep Maggette in a Clippers uniform, refused to approve the trade.Dunleavy also wanted to sign former San Antonio free-agent guard Beno Udrih, but the Clippers' bean counter, Andy Roeser, decided Udrih wasn't worth the money it would take to sign him.
Good to know the accountants have the final say on the roster.
GM Elgin Baylor seems like the odd man out here (after the jump).
Continue reading "The Battle of Los Angeles (Clips), Cont." »
The current "plan" in New York for Marbury?
Shop his expiring contract around the league this summer. Come on folks, step right up and get $22 million in potential salary cap relief!
$22 million! My G-d!
His agent must be a fuckin' genius.
Clips owner Donald Sterling on Tuesday courtesy of TJ Simers:
"I'm not happy," Sterling said. "The fans aren't happy, and can't be happy when they don't see a motivated performance. I want to make L.A. fans proud of this team, but if [ElginBaylor and Mike Dunleavy] can't make it happen, then I have no choice but to make changes."
Wow. Who woke Donald Sterling up? After 30 years of not caring, now we are supposed to believe he cares?
At any rate, Mike Dunleavy is not pleased about the rare event (also courtesy of Simers):
"It's his team and he can do whatever he likes . . . but look, you can find any coach you want, bring him in here and run the situation. But I don't think they are going to do as good a job as I do. And that's period. "You give me the budget," Dunleavy said, "and I'm going to be OK with it. I'm not asking anyone to go to the luxury tax. But if we gather information and put deals in place that I think benefit the team and somebody who is not in basketball operations disagrees with it, sorry, you've just taken it out of my hands."
Wow. Game on? Maybe if the Clips played with that kind of passion, the team wouldn't be at this juncture...
42 points from Dwayne Wade. Good. But not enough. 97-90 loss to the Cavs. Bad.
14 losses in a row now. Worse.
At least they have this: only five players have guaranteed contracts beyond this season. Course, Shaq's is guaranteed. For several Brinks trucks. So that cuts into the good news a bit. Somewhere to the north, Stan Van Gundy has to be laughing on a daily basis.
Jermaime O'Neal to the Pacers: Dunno, I may need to miss the rest of the year.
Pacers to O'Neal: The hell you will.
My bet: If O'Neal gets that trade he seems to want, his bruised knee will all of a sudden feel a lot better.
A rock solid read from Ian Thomsen at si.com on the leap being made by Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge, including a list of reasons why which has this eye-popper in it:
He's the second coming of Rasheed Wallace
He means skill level, not dickhead level.
Portland has done a fantastic job re-tooling, and when they get Oden in place, assuming he is able to be the defensive presence everyone thinks he can be, it's not too soon to include them among the NBA elite in the Western Conference for next season. Hell, they are not that far off that designation this year without Oden.
And what do Knicks fans have to do in order to get rid of all the Isiahs? I have no idea. The latest from New York's professional basketball scourge.
He's considering quitting as coach. That's good, right?
He would doing so in order to concentrate on the team presidency again. Oh. Bad with good.
And life, of a sort, goes on for a formerly great franchise.
I have no idea. I didn't know he WAS unhappy. But he skipped a Suns team practice yesterday. And he has been lashing out in a few post-game interviews since Christmas. While he apparently had an excuse (was he watching football?) for missing practice, the Suns are not happy about it or necessarily accepting it. The reasons to keep an eye on this? This quote from Steve Nash:
"After Sunday's workout, guard Steve Nash said he didn't know the reason for Stoudemire's absence or what to say about it. But on the generic subject of team chemistry, Nash said that inner squabbles can take down a team.
"I don't know if guys are pointing fingers, maybe sometimes I'm oblivious to that to some of that stuff to a fault," he said. "But if that stuff is going on it needs to be stopped or else we can kiss it goodbye. You can't win at this level if you don't have great chemistry and you don't pull for each other and if you're worried about your shots or worried about yourself or making excuses or pointing fingers at other players. That's for losers. We've been a winning ballclub here and if we want to take that next step that has to be a big part of our character."
Interesting. And worth watching.
From the Chicago Tribune's NBA gadfly:
"So why not Scottie Pippen as the next coach of the Bulls? "What's my disadvantage?" Pippen asked. "No NBA coaching experience? [Scott] Skiles' record with the Bulls wasn't that great. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do what you've done your whole life. I've played basketball, run teams and won. They didn't put me at point guard because I could dribble good. They put me there because I could run a team. I wasn't the best dribbler, the best shooter. I wasn't a point guard. But I knew how to run a team."
And quit, on occasion, when it mattered. Yeah, the quitting thing stands out.
I'd say people's memories of the quitting are a disadvantage.
But, you knew that.
Still, for those of us hoping in Memphis for a year with 30+ wins in a step back toward respectability, it has been pretty suck-tastic in reality. From the seven or so people still paying attention in Memphis, here's the good report:
Mike Conley probably will be (if he could ever get over his shoulder issue).
Darko Milicic can probably anchor the 5 for awhile competently.
And, the bad report:
Pau Gasol is hopelessly lost in Marc Iavaroni's system and is re-defining listless when it comes to effort. As has been the case for about two years now (follow that link for a great blog by several of the team's remaing seven fans).
Mike Miller still couldn't defend your grandmother.
Stro Swift remains Stro Swift.
No one has any idea how to use Hakim Warrick.
And Kyle Lowry is regressing. And possess's quite possibly the least respected jump shot of any point guard in the history of the NBA.
They have, at best, no identity, no passion, no leader, and no clue. Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
So, what next? What's next is everyone on that team outside of Gay, Conley, and Milicic should be available in a deal. And should be actively shopped. Chris Wallace is claiming to be in no rush to work a deal, and that's the right note to sound, but he damn sure best be looking. Because the Grizzlies are NOT simply a player or two away from respectability, they are a whole series of new players away from same. And the best way to get those players is to deal pieces with value. Gasol, Miller, Stoudamire (expiring contract), and Warrick all have value of varying degree. Time to start cashing that value in.
As an aside, another reason to do so would be to generate something approaching interest from the seven remaining fans. They are impossible to watch right now, and people have long since tuned out yet another mail-in job from this team. If something doesn't happen good for that franchise, and soon, it will be in another city just as soon as the lease on the Forum runs out five or so years from now.
At least the local college basketball team is pretty damn good...
Scott Skiles took the initial fall, axed, as you know by now, on Christmas Eve. But Steve Aschburner at si.com comes correct with the thesis that the deeper issues lie in the front office. Writes Aschburner:
"Skiles isn't the one who made contract extension offers to Luol Deng and Ben Gordon that were just low enough for the players to turn down, yet just good enough for Deng and Gordon to be universally second-guessed, even by themselves. It was Paxson, not the head coach, who signed a limited and declining Ben Wallace to that $60 million contract, while failing to address the team's more pressing need for an offensive presence in the low post.
Drafting LaMarcus Aldridge, only to trade him on draft night 2006 for Tyrus Thomas? Too clever by half, as it turns out. Dumping Skiles picks the scab off the Tyson Chandler move, too, since the latter didn't like playing for the former but has done just fine for the Hornets. Don't think the head coach did anything to fan the Kobe Bryant trade rumors that purportedly funkified the Bulls' locker room for a spell, either."
Correct. That would be incompetent GM Jim Paxson doing those things. After two years of flirting with relevance, the Bulls still have no low-post scoring threat and are woefully dependent on outside shooting. That flaw revealed itself quickly in the playoffs the last few years, and is revealing itself in the regular season this time around. And, apparently, Paxson's request that other teams (like, say, the Grizzlies) help him out by dealing answers to that problem for the pennies on the dollar is as insane to NBA GMs as it is to fans.
Somewhere, Kevin McHale approves.
Durant good.
Yi improving.
Corey Brewer trying to stay on the floor with his defense. Although, given how bad the T-Wolves are, shouldn't he be on the floor regardless? Or is getting Mark Madsen run at the top of their list of things to do in Minny...
A quick rundown of who's hot amongst the NBA newbies from Drew Packham at si.com here.
Brandon Roy. Second year guard for Portland who is helping the once hapless franchise into strong respectability. The Portland Tribune's Dwight (Fear My Toupee!) Jaynes has the take:
"Is the NBA ready for a player who can dominate a game the old-fashioned way, with fundamentals, guile and deceptive physical skills?
We're going to find out, because that's what Brandon Roy seems intent on doing this season.
The Trail Blazers' second-year guard is old-school crafty and a little more explosive than he looks. And, in the last month, he's brought his game up to an elite level, making 25-point, nine-assist, eight-rebound nights look routine."
A nice group of players that compliment each other well playing before a SRO crowd on Christmas day? Strange days indeed.
Well, not BAD bad, but definitely not good. At least, not right now. And beating the hapless Heat right now (that's right, the Heat have no hap) doesn't fix things.
A better view of how things stand in Cleveland? This line from the Mansfield NewsJournal on Christmas Eve sums it up nicely:
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team in disarray.
Wow. You have the best player in the world (probably several worlds) and you have assembled a team capable of owning the above assessment?
You have done a BAAAAAAAAADDDDDD job, Danny Ferry. Bad.
Well, a lot actually. As I am sure everyone happily knows.
But among the things that one can do online that you may not have thought of is this:
Publish an online book.
Why would one do that? Perhaps because legit publishing houses want nothing to do with the trash being peddled? Which might explain why a guy who claims he used to be Kobe Bryant's bodyguard and claims further that he was asked by Bryant to kill the woman accusing Bryant of rape would use that venue for his libel. The quick details from the Baltimore Sun:
"Patrick Graber was charged in September 2003 with soliciting the murder of the woman who accused Bryant of rape in Colorado the same year. That charge was later dropped in exchange for a no-contest plea to grand theft, for which Graber, of El Segundo, Calif., was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $191,000 in restitution.
Nonetheless, Graber recently released an online book, Dead Women Tell No Tales, in which he accuses Bryant of, among other things, asking him to kill the woman who accused Bryant of rape. Bryant, who might consider legal action against Graber, declined to comment on the book beyond saying that he doesn't even know who Graber is and that the man never worked for him. Bryant's spokeswoman, Catherine Sebring, said, "We have no comment."
Tough spot for Bryant. Pursuit of a libel lawsuit in this instance brings unwanted publicity. And the accusation is so outlandish on the surface, that it might make sense to let it be. At the least, we know from the title of the on-line missive that the guy is a Pirates of the Carribbean fan...
Sorry for a local post, but enough is happening in the city I call home that it cannot be avoided.
The good:
Memphis Tigers basektball.
I was fortunate to score a ticket (and a free one at that) to the Memphis/Georgetown game yesterday. It was easily the most electric college baseketball crowd I have ever been a part of, and the noise was deafening at critical times. The Tigers have a genuine home court advantage at this point, supporting a very good basketball team. The game itself? Played at a very high level by both teams before Memphis' defense wore down and overwhelmed Georgetown. When Chris Douglas-Roberts is on his game along with Derrick Rose, Memphis will be tough to beat.
Hard not to be a part of that crowd and again despair at Memphis' being marooned in Conference USA. A parade of teams like Georgetown, Connecticut, Louisville, and the rest of the Big East through Memphis would be most welcome. Instead, scenes like yesterday are fleeting, as the realities of a parade of East Carolina, SMU, and Tulsa conference games will suck the life out of the proceedings.
The bad:
Memphis Tigers football. It is beyond me my Conference USA has six bowl tie-ins. Absolutely indefensible that a conference that plays as bad a football as C-USA does will be able to send legitimately bad teams to play one more game. And the Tigers were a legitimately bad team this year. Their reward? Yet another game against a Sunbelt Conference team having already lost in the regular season to Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee State. The outcome Friday night? Preordained as far as I was concerned. When you can't stop anyone, then for certain, you will lose. Apparently if the Tigers were adrift in the Sunbelt they would never win. If I were calling shots for Memphis, Tommy West would not have a job this morning. I'm not, so he does.
The awful/hopeful:
The Memphis Grizzlies in close games are awful. Actually, they are pretty damn awful in not-so-close games too. Another buzzer-beating loss last night, this time to the Sixers, adds to a series of gut-punch losses this year. It has reached laughable proportions. Then again, if they were not busy choking away 11-point 4th period leads, it might not come down to last second shots.
The hopeful part of the wasteland that it is NBA basketball in Memphis is Rudy Gay as he continues to make a definite leap. He's averaging 20 points a game with 6 boards and showing increased desire to be the man at the end of games. In fact, there is little question locally that the leader of the team is now Gay, as opposed to Pau Gasol. That, at the least, is something positive for a bad team to build on as it waits for its latest top five overall draft pick.
Really? Two MORE weeks? You can fix in two weeks what you have not fixed in two years?
If so, this is going to be a legendarily awesome two weeks in New York...
"That's a better question in a couple of weeks," Thomas said. "Not today, but in a couple weeks, that would be a fair question. We'll see if we can come out of this. If we can't come out of this, then those are fair questions. There's still a lot of basketball left in the season. There is time to turn it around."
Hee.
Perhaps the writers on the Sacramento Kings beat need to make him a daily stop. At least, they do, if he is going to keep coming up with quotes like this:
""It's nice to get the win, but I expected more from our coaching staff," Moore said. "You can write that, because I told them that on the bench. I said, 'It was nice to get the "W", but I just expected too much of y'all.'"
Wow. And that's AFTER four whole points and five whole boards in 32 minutes in the Kings' win over the Nets.
The ol' it's-your-fault-I-suck thesis. That's gotta be a popular one among coaches...
With the NBA season well underway, the Bobcats can take some initial stock of their off-season acquisitions of Jason Richardson and recent acquisition of Nazr Mohammed. The verdict? Blech.
Rick Bonnell in the Charlotte Observer with this summation on the Richardson experience so far:
"They're paying more than $12 million a season to a guy who is averaging 16 points while shooting 40 percent from the field and 60 percent from the foul line. He has not performed like the offensive difference-maker he was billed to be. His salary approaches that of Atlanta's Joe Johnson, and he's not Joe Johnson."
No, he's not. And, as someone who owns him on a fantasy league team, he shoots like he's blind these days. That acquisition always was sketchy, particularly at the money it required. If Charlotte was going to finally dip into its horde of cash, one might have thought they would do so in a manner that made some sense. To date, spending it on Jason Richardson has been a mistake. Toss in that they gave away talent to acquire a 10-year journeyman like Mohammed at $6.5 million per for three years and Charlotte was pretty much setting fire to bundles of cash last off-season and continues to do so.
And, as far as motivation goes, I am not sure this is going to have the desired effect. Not unless old guys talking about how it used to be is more motivational in Charlotte than it is in the rest of the world.
...when they are one and the same. Just sayin'. Isiah the coach had this to say about his players on the Knicks after yet another beatdown:
"There are a lot of things that can be said about me and teams that I've coached and the way I played, but I've never been accused of not having heart or competing," Thomas said. "Tonight was very discouraging to me because we didn't collectively play with heart and compete like I know I did. . . .The one thing we prided ourselves on last year was, you know, we didn't always play well, but I thought as a team we had heart and we had courage and we competed," Thomas said. "I'm not getting that out of this group right now."
So, where to begin? Is it a coach problem? "I'm not getting that out of this group right now? Is it a GM problem? The GM who accumulated players who allowed their coach to say "we didn't collectively play with heart and compete like I know I did"? What is ownership to do to address this issue? Fire the coach? Or fire the GM? If only there were a simple way to kill two birds with one stone...
Joe Gergen in Newsday with a decent read this morning on reasons to go MSG to watch the trainwreck, among the reasons, this:
"A defensive effort that transformed Dunleavy into another Indiana legend, Larry Bird, without so much as the wave of a wand. In the third period alone, the lanky former Duke star with a career scoring average slightly better than 11 points per game was credited with 22.
Operating mostly against Renaldo Balkman, Dunleavy took control of the game after it was tied at 64, scoring the next nine points for a 73-64 Indiana lead. After his run was interrupted momentarily by Tyler Crawford's two free throws, Dunleavy drained a long trey over Stephon Marbury. In all, he would score all but four of the Pacers' last 20 points in the period."
Wasn't Balkman supposed to be a defensive specialist? Wasn't that how Isiah the GM sold that particular reach? And if he has regressed or not developed under Isiah the coach, how in the world does either of them still have a job? Mind-boggling.
Despite back-to-back losses against the woeful Sixers, New York Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas was reportedly told by owner James Dolan that his job is not in jeopardy.
There can be no other reasonable explaination other than Isiah has pictures of Dolan fucking a goat for him to keep his job. Isiah has single handedly destroyed an entire basketball league (CBA), played an expensive game of grab ass in the office and now is making the Knicks look like the Washington Generals.
After Saturday night's 105-77 loss at Madison Square Garden where fans were chanting "Fire Isiah", Dolan continued to support his embattled coach, a high-ranking team official told multiple New York media outlets.
So if you had the Knicks + 29 last night you can cash your tickets. How far the mighty have fallen.
On a non-Isiah related note this information is truly dumbfounding. The New York Knicks' struggles on and off the court didn't keep the team from remaining the NBA's most valuable franchise for the third straight year, according to a list compiled by Forbes.
The Knicks were valued at $604 million, up 3 percent from the previous year despite a spate of losing, an embarrassing defeat in a sexual harassment lawsuit, and continuing questions about the future of coach Isiah Thomas.
The Knicks made a run at Anderson Varejeo before the Bobcars signed him and Cleveland matched? Really? Because New York needed another power forward?
Nets players are angry with Jason Kidd for his work slowdown? I would assume that Vince Carter is NOT among that number...
Greg Oden hid his knee injury originally over the summer because he didn't want people to think he was soft? Sounds like a manly way of ruining a career before it begins.
Shaq is old? Yes (and crotchety to boot).
That man being si.com's Ian Thomson with this piece on five players busting out along with other news and notes. His five stepping it up?
1. Ronnie Brewer with the Jazz
2. LaMarcus Aldridge with the Blazers
3. Beno Udrih
4. Rudy Gay with the Grizzlies
5. Antoine Wright with the Nets
Nice list. I can back him up on Gay. That deal (Battier for Gay, in essence) is looking better and better for Memphis. Gay has a real chance to develop into an all-star and the kind of go-to crunch time star that franchises desperately need. I can back him up on Aldridge, who clearly is going to be a special player in the league from what I have seen, and an anchor on a Portland team that will be a real factor for years to come once Greg Oden joins them next year. The third guy on the list? That was my "Who?" moment. Shows how little I know. At any rate, good for you, Beno Udrih.
There's plenty more good NBA chatter in the article beyond the reasons for those five players. Solid read about the Association.
So saith the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (and probably other sources, but I have stumbled across that one first). The particulars:
"Last week, before the Heat began this six-game western swing that included Thursday's late game against the Trail Blazers, Riley got into a spat with O'Neal and attempted to banish the center from practice."
Attempted to banish him from practice? Attempted? Is that along the lines of he just wouldn't leave?
Riley: "Get out."
Shaq: "No"
Riley: (attempts to push Shaq physically out of practice)
Shaq: (laughs at him)
I wonder how long before Riley notices how well it is going for Stan Van Gundy up the road in Orlando? Or whether he has hatched a plan to steal that job from Van Gundy too?
Jason Kidd, Derek Bell salutes you.
Consider the source here, but according to the New York Post several Nets sources claimed Kidd - who didn't even show up for the Nets loss to the Knicks last night (read that last part again) after complaining of a migraine - is in reality "on strike" in the hopes of a contract extension or a trade.
Someone get Jigga on the phone. He needs to take care of business ... man.
No matter how hard you try to drive down the price that Chicago would have to pay to acquire Pau Gasol, it's not going to work. I hope. My quick response to this thought of yours:
"Now with a new general manager, a new coach in Marc Iavaroni and a new style, it's clear that Gasol is lost and likely expendable. At least that's the belief around the NBA, and teams expect a shot at Gasol by the trading deadline. The question is how much you really can give up for a seventh-year player who never has been a good rebounder or defender and hasn't been on the winning side in a playoff game.
How about Tyrus Thomas and Andres Nocioni? That's a deal that makes some sense for both sides in that it doesn't alter the Bulls' perimeter core of Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Deng. And it gives Memphis an athletic runner in Thomas, who fits Iavaroni's fast-paced style."
Hey, how about you go fuck yourself?
Thomas, Nocioni and Gordon for Gasol. Done. Maybe if the Bulls would stop low-balling teams they would have gotten their difference making player before now. As it stands, they remain a soft perimiter oriented team that will get rolled in the Eastern Conference playoffs again (assuming they get there). Maybe if John Paxson were not such a scared nancy-boy GM the Bulls would have improved their team before now and not let the obvious flaw in their construction get so pronounced.
Or at least that's what Frank Isola of the New York Daily News is predicting for today or tomorrow. Of course, that four-letter word will be directed at Isiah Thomas, about whom speculation regarding his job status is as common as a sale on cheap crap at your local retailer today.
And who will replace Zeke?
If Dolan decides it is time for a coaching change, naming Thomas' successor will be the single greatest decision Dolan has had to make as boss. There is a theory that Dolan doesn't know where to turn, which would suggest that he may retain long-time Thomas associate Glen Grunwald to run the front office and promote assistant coach Herb Williams on an interim basis.Assuming Grunwald stays, the other option for Dolan is to reach out to experienced coaches who are available - Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Carlisle, Doug Collins and Mike Fratello. All four currently hold broadcasting jobs with either ESPN or TNT. Or Dolan could roll the dice on a first-timer such as former Knick Mark Jackson, who many NBA executives believe is destined to become a solid head coach.
Van Gundy, of course, is the most intriguing candidate because he is the last Knicks coach to own a winning record and win a playoff game. He would bring discipline, defense and accountability to the organization. He understands the New York landscape as well as anyone and is a master at dealing with the media.
"Discipline, defense and accountability" from a roster featuring Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, Eddy Curry, Nate Robinson, and Jerome James? Please. My sides are hurting from laughter.
Look, those four retreads are not going to get in done with this roster. That's not an insult to the coaching abilities of those four, either. Hank Iba, Red Auerbach, Dean Smith, Bobby Knight, and John Wooden couldn't get those guys to play.
Mark Jackson is an interesting choice, but would these guys listen to a guy who has never coached before?
Lost. Cause.
Three teams that were popularly picked as playoff teams in the East are stinking up the joint with a combined record of 4-17. Washington (who helped that record with a win last night), Chicago, and Miami had been utter disappointments thus far for their fanbases.
Some people had a pretty good read on why the Heat (ahem) were going to be bad, and adding Ricky Davis and Mark Blount to the mix did not help. Davis is a selfish gunner and Blount is the fourth big man in the Miami mix behind O'Neal, Mourning, and Haslem. Now that he's back, Dwyane Wade has a chance to show that he really is an elite player.
What about those other two teams?
Washington wasn't a universal playoff choice (Hollinger at ESPN didn't like them this year and Simmons is backtracking due to a couple slow weeks). The Bulls, however, were the chic choice to represent the East in the Finals (guilty as charged) and there is debate over if it is just another slow start for the Bulls or if something is really wrong with this team (the Kobe trade talk, the unsigned extensions by Luol Deng and Ben Gordon, Ben Wallace's slow start, their big guns' inability to hit the broad side of a barn). The two squads, however, are showing a lot of similar signs for being teams with two different philosophies. The Wizards rely on the offensive skill of their stars while the Bulls grind down their foes with defense and getting enough offense to win, but some of their stats look the same.
A few things cluttering what passes for a brain for me nowadays from the NBA:
---Nice win for the Grizzlies over Houston last night, and a step forward on Marc Ivaroni's attempt to rebuild them from what was to what will be. What was? Soft and doughy. What will be? A team with an honest to goodness toughness to them. How's that? Darko Milicic. Seriously. Last night was the culmination of what has been a nice first six games for him, as he actually stood with Yao Ming and matched him all night, both offensively and defensively. It's the first time since Memphis stole the Grizzlies from Vancouver that they have had a legit center and inside presence.
The line?
Ming: 22 points 7 boards 1 block
Milicic: 20 points 6 boards 2 blocks
Add in Gasol's 26 points and Memphis, as God is my witness, actually was the more dominant team in the paint last night. Some around Memphis are dubbing Milicic and Gasol the Ivory Towers. I'm not wild about it, but the thought that they have enough of an inside presence to have people looking for nicknames I am pleased about.
---Zip touched in it in nighty cap, but the Celtics have run their opening season streak to six in a row. And are doing it pretty effortlessly at this point. While they have yet to be tested by one of the other elite NBA teams, there is little question at this point that collecting Garnett and Allen to go with Pierce has moved Boston to the group of elite NBA teams. What would a 6-0 start be in Boston, without a quote from Larry Bird on the 20-year anniversary of another 6-0 start? Quoth the Bird:
""Obviously, their chemistry is very good," said Bird, now the Pacers' president of basketball operations. "You don't come out and win five or six in a row if your chemistry is not good. It's good to see, because I always thought that chemistry is a major part of winning basketball games. I know that they have chemistry because I read a lot about them. A lot of teams should take notice. Ball movement, playing together, and having great chemistry will get you a long way in this league."
Mmmm, yeah, um, "chemistry". That's why Boston is cruising. "Chemistry". That, and, say, having an elite collection of talent. If it's me, I am leaning more toward the elite collection of talent being the key at this point. That they get along and have "chemistry"? A bonus. Although winning tends to take care of that.
----So, if Boston is elite, who else is elite with them? For my part, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Dallas. Maybe Houston and Detroit. New Orleans and Utah just a little behind that group (I am not buying what Orlando is selling just yet). There's a lot of good ball being played right now and the league is as entertaining as it has been in some time.
Sonics owner Clay Bennett announced his intent to move the basketball team from Seattle to Oklahoma City as soon as possible (which in reality is next year or the year after). Seeing as how Seattle is one of the coolest cities in the country and Oklahoma City is one of the least interesting, the only real impact this has on me is that I doubt I will now ever see a Sonics home game.
But it does suck to see a franchise and city with some solid history fall apart. Of course, the local sportswriters are trying to say this isn't a done deal. But that smells more like a writer trying to convince himself and his editors that he won't have to start covering high school track once the pro basketball team leaves town.
If you've heard any recent interviews with David Stern, they always include a statement that he is saddened by the lack of movement on a new stadium in Seattle. At this point, it would be a huge upset to see the Sonics stay.
Now that I've bored you with nearly 30,000 words of NBA preview "action," here's the stuff you really wanted even though you chose to wade through all of that - divisional and conference overviews with playoff seeding predictions and naming the "Sports Frog 2007-2008 NBA Champion - Prediction Division." Yes, I made a plaque to go to the lucky franchise. Okay, I didn't actually make it. And it's still at the shop. But, I'm picking it up on Thursday. It's cool. It has a basketball and a frog on it. But I digress...
Eastern Conference
Once again, the Wizards return one of the most explosive teams in the NBA. Of course, their defensive indifference will hinder them again. Late-season injuries killed the Wizards in the postseason. No Gilbert Arenas and no Caron Butler made them an easy first-round victim, as Antawn Jamison couldn't carry the rest of the squad to a single playoff win with his 32 points per game average. While being the fourth-highest scoring team in the league last year, the team does not do much on the defensive end, giving up the 28th-most points in the league and matching that rank in field goal shooting allowed. Of course, they haven't had much reason to change under coach Eddie Jordan, an offensive specialist whose Princeton offense is designed to pile up points.
Last year was a very nice year for the Jazz. Deron Williams took a huge step forward in his second year, Carlos Boozer had the best season of his young career, and the team stayed mostly healthy with five players starting at least 61 games. They also parlayed Tracy McGrady's inability to get out of the first round and the Warriors' upset of the Mavericks into a Western Conference Finals cameo against the Spurs. That's when things came crashing down for this hard-nosed Jerry Sloan team. This year, essentially the same crew is back and the conference has a little more dead weight than last season, especially in the Northwest Division, so it should be another promising year for the Jazz.
He's still a Laker. But that doesn't mean he will be for long, as the rumors continue to swirl. The latest:
1. He won't be in Dallas, not if LA continues to insist on Dirk Nowitzki in return.
2. Reportedly, Bryant wants to be in Chicago, and is trying to help in making that happen. The angle: Bryant wants to be in Chicago but doesn't want their roster gutted to get him. Well shit, Kobe, why would LA deal you for anything less than a suitable ransom? From Jay Mariotti in the Sun Times:
"Because Bryant himself is the power broker behind the intensifying trade talks, a free agent without the free agency, privately demanding which players should be in the deal and which should not. That is to ensure the Bulls team he would inherit is championship-ready, which makes him more influential in orchestrating the blockbuster than general managers John Paxson and Mitch Kupchak and even the owners, Jerrys Reinsdorf and Buss. Have no fear that Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Ty Thomas and Joakim Noah all would be lost to the Lakers, since King Kobe would veto the deal via his no-trade clause before allowing such a loaded package.
What he wants is what Paxson wants: To be paired with Deng in a newfangled version of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, the shooter and the slasher, the egomaniac who needs the ball like air and water and the unselfish humanitarian who would complement him perfectly. Having won rings with Jordan and Pippen, Paxson knows that Bryant would need a Deng to win his championships. And with Kirk Hinrich, Ben Wallace, Andres Nocioni, Thabo Sefolosha, Chris Duhon and Joe Smith playing their roles, well, now hear this: The Bulls wouldn't be anything like the current mediocre Lakers, they of the lame supporting cast that led Bryant to make his trade demands."
If I am the Lakers, I don't pull a trigger on a deal that only includes Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, and Joakim Noah (plus fodder to make the money work) but, hey, maybe that's just me. I would think, though, the Lakers would not be cool with handing Bryant exactly what he wants here, given how much trouble he has caused them in the past few years. At any rate, the watch continues.
The Raptors are an interesting team in that they are built for an unusual playing style and, while they have another team that is a role model to follow on their path (the Phoenix Suns), the big difference is that the Raptors are building with the players that they hope will be stars as opposed to the Suns, who are structured around three elite players. While under fire and rumored to be on the way out at the onset of last season, Sam Mitchell remained in control of the team and guided them to 20 more wins over the previous year, an Atlantic Division title, and a return to the NBA postseason where they got bounced in the first round by the Nets. Mitchell was rewarded with a new contract and the team looks to defend their title as their young core matures under his stewardship.
Stomped by the new-look Celtics last night, in a game where each team played its starters plenty of minutes (triple double for KG), Cleveland finished up a 1-6 pre-season. What to take away from that meaningless record? That it is perhaps not so meaningless:
"It's the last game that doesn't count for the Cavs, but the completion of a 1-6 preseason in which the Cavs were outscored by an average of 17 points in their losses certainly makes them want to forget. In back-to-back games, with the team's starters playing very close to regular-season minutes, the Cavs got hammered twice with startlingly similar pockmarks. Just like Thursday, in a 33-point humbling in Toronto to the Raptors, the Cavs played loose and effort-challenged defense and sloppy offense. Which left LeBron James staring at a box score that was floating in the water as he iced his ankles after the game that showed 14 second-half turnovers and no less than, brace yourself, 62 points in the paint for the Celtics able to sum things up rather tightly. ''The season starts next Wednesday. We either get it together or get blown out some more,' James said. 'It's as simple as that.'
Oof. I guess they could use Anderson Varejao (still holding out). Or, say, a GM who didn't spend the off-season on what appeared to be an extended nap. Every indication is that the Cavs are doughy soft. That's not a real good look on a team that wants to believe it is in contention to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals next June.
I said my piece on this yesterday, but pause here to note a few good points from si.com's McCallum. Among them:
---Tim Donaghy's sentencing has been moved back from November to January. What does that mean? No one knows. Simple fed court scheduling issue (trust me, more than possible)? Or, is Donaghy still working at getting a reduced sentence by rolling over with real information on other refs? (also, perhaps, a possibility)
---If it is the latter, then Stern has given himself perhaps a fatal dose of poison egg-on-face in light of his rules-are-not-really-rules when it comes to refs take with regard to their various innocuous gambling activities.
Writes McCallum:
"By going public with the info, and revealing the seemingly minor nature of the violations, Stern was, in fact, defusing possible revelations that Donaghy might make about other refs. No ref copped to making a bet with a sports book or a bookie. Stern is trying to get out the message that the headline "Other Refs Broke Rules!" is far more sensational than the reality of "Some Of These Rules Are Silly."• However, if it turns out that any other ref made even one single bet on an NBA game, it will be a mortal blow for the commissioner's legacy and the credibility of the league. Stern has staked his considerable rep on Donaghy's being a "rogue criminal" and his felonious behavior (predicated, evidently, by a gambling jones) being an isolated incident. And to this point, no one -- no inquiring journalist, no source "close to the investigation," no one from the Donaghy legal side -- has indicated anything else."
Good point. Stern best hope he is right about the extent of the Donaghy shenanigans. And maybe Stern could try being a little less of an officious prick in the future before altering showcase playoff series behind a rule-is-a-rule-is-a-rule take when that is apparently NOT the case.
And now, the other winner of the lottery, or as some would say, the real winner of the lottery because they had the easier decision, just taking whichever one of the Dynamic Duo was left behind. Of course, Kevin Durant, or the "scraps," if you will, has a big hole to fill, as the departed Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis combined for a mere 48.8 points per game last year. With the team also in the midst of what will be a franchise move to Oklahoma City and a roster without a single established NBA scoring threat unless Wally Szczerbiak counts, which I suppose he should since he made an NBA All-Star Game as "token white guy" in 2002 (although he was joined by Nowitzki, Nash, and Stojakovic, all on the West squad), it figures to be a difficult season in the Pacific Northwest. Fans will be behind the team with portions of their hearts unless something happens to keep the team rooted in Seattle. However, that does not look so good.
David Stern, reacting to the news that pretty much every NBA ref broke league rules with regard to gambling:
"Our ban on gambling is absolute, and in my view it is too absolute, too harsh and was not particularly well-enforced over the years," Stern said. "We're going to come up with a new set of rules that make sense."
"It's too easy to issue rules that are on their faith violated by $5 Nassau, sitting at a poker table, buying a lottery ticket and then we can move along," Stern said. "And by the time I got through and I determined going into a casino isn't a capital offense ... I'm the CEO of the NBA and I'll take responsibility."
Well gee, David, I happen to agree that going into a casino isn't a capital offense. But, good lord man, it was the RULE. And, I believe I am remembering right, it was your smug ego-driven asshole self who just last April attempted to give some sort of lesson to America about how a rule is a rule is a rule is a rule.
Or am I mis-remembering your words and actions as you suspended Amare Stoudemire for a critical playoff game against San Antonio? Oh, wait, I'm not:
"Our players have to learn that they can't leave the bench and move 20 feet down the line, wherever it is, and be subject to all of the possible things that can happen," Stern said Wednesday. "That's why it's a red-letter rule."
Gosh, weren't the draconian rules with regard to gambling in place with respect to NBA refs to keep them from "all of the possible things that can happen"? Tim Donaghy say hi. Guess some rules are not "red-letter". David Stern. What a fuckin' tool.
Too bad, Phoenix fans, that Stern couldn't use the same common sense he was able to locate with respect to NBA refs and gambling when it came to figuring out an appropriate response to the Suns/Spurs shenanigans last spring.
Oh, wait, one more quote from Stern last spring:
"To listen to the palaver that Robert Horry changed the series is just silly," Stern said. "What changed the series is Amare and Boris ran out onto the court and they either forgot about it or they couldn't control themselves. I don't know which one. And there wasn't an assistant coach there, one of six, to restrain them. OK, so now either we have to have new rules, put up a fence, or hire more assistant coaches."
Wow. New rules? You can do that? Oh, wait, apparently you can. Really, an uber-tool.
Thomson, one of the better NBA writers, has a column at si.com that NBA-heads should peruse, as he explains the reasoning behind the SI mag's predictions that:
1. The Knicks get the 6th spot in the East
2. The Nuggets get past Utah to win the Midwest Division
3. The Nets and Lakers will miss the playoffs
4. The Pistons will win the Eastern Conference, and why
5. This will finally be the Mavs' year.
By the way, a few NBA observations from NBA Siberia here in Memphis:
1. Stromile Swift is weirdly energized, and going to be getting a lot of minutes in new coach Marc Ivaroni's up-tempo Phoenix-style system. No one in Memphis knows what this means, numbers-wise, or if he can remotely stay healthy, but it's interesting. He still retains freakish athleticism. He's never ever been interested in actually trying to be a good basketball player to match the talent. Maybe we will finally see him try. I doubt it, but it's at least worth watching.
2. Rudy Gay is poised for a significant break-out. His shot is better, he's absolutely perfect for Ivaroni's system, and has guards to run the break effectively and get him the ball in space where he is most dangerous. And, for around 10 minutes or so a game this year, it appears that Ivaroni will move Gay from the 3 to play a Phoenix-style 4 on a small-ball line-up with Gasol at center and shooters arrayed around Gay and Gasol. It has been fairly effective in the pre-season, and has a chance to really help Gay's numbers in his second year.
For what it's worth.
Frog co-founder and site rock garyclark has a great thread started here with his call on players ready to make the leap this year. Gay and Swift are on his list. Drop by to peruse and leave a thought or two.
In order to continue posting one a day, yet have the NBA champion prediction appear on Opening Day (next Tuesday), I have to sneak one more out there... even though that would be two in one day. Don't mind me. Just read.
Last year was just "another year, another title" for the Spurs. The league's most consistent franchise remained that way, but has a challenge in front of them that they have yet to overcome. While the Spurs have won three titles since Tim Duncan and Greg Popovich became the biggest parts of the franchise, they not only have not repeated as NBA champions, they have not even advanced to the Western Conference Finals in the year after seizing a title. With the power in the NBA clearly residing in the West again, that road is not any clearer now than it was for past champion Spurs teams.
It was all going so perfectly. The Blazers won the draft lottery and the right to choose between Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. They took Oden. They found a patsy willing to take Zach Randolph off their hands in Isiah Thomas and he was even willing enough to include a young player with a future in return. They made a trade where they acquired another first-round pick. Steve Francis, who came over in the Randolph swap, was willing to accept a buyout. Everyone was excited for the new season, with players working out together in the summer, getting to know each other and working to get better. Then it all came crashing down when a fairly simple arthroscopic surgery on Oden became microfracture surgery, shredding most of the good will for the team's upcoming season like so many tiny incisions to stimulate cartilage growth. The Blazers have lots of pieces left and will try to make the best of them.
Continue reading "NBA Frog Preview: Portland Trailblazers" »
Since I have jury duty tomorrow which would likely prevent me from posting this until the afternoon and some of you have to prepare for fantasy drafts against me, I figured I should get this up ahead of time to submarine myself.
It seems as though there is some great karmic reason the Suns will not win the NBA championship. From Joe Johnson skipping town in order to chase big bucks and being a name player in Atlanta (yes, he was traded, but it was a sign-and-trade so Johnson could maximize his contract) to Amare Stoudemire's microfracture surgery costing him a year to the penalties doled out to Stoudemire and Boris Diaw (who came to Phoenix in the Johnson trade) for leaving the bench to defend Steve Nash after Robert Horry popped him. Throw in some foolish draft day trades to "avoid cap issues" (trading a pick that could have been Rajon Rondo, who seems like a very good fit for their style, and instead signing Marcus Banks to a five-year deal that has created part of their cap issues, for example) and it seems like the Suns' failure to get to the Finals seems like a just dessert for some foolish decisions. Maybe it's not karma. It's stupidity hidden in the interest of "fiscal responsibility."
While it has nothing to do with the Sixers, it has come out that Bobcats' Adam Morrison has a torn knee ligament and may miss the entire season. I don't think it merits its own post because, even if he cried, we've all seen that before. But I digress...
Winning percentage of .218 with Allen Iverson on the roster, .508 after he was sent to Denver. Pencil the Sixers in for 42 wins this year, then, right? Well, no. It's a very young group, with only three of the 17 players on the roster born before 1980 and two of those three (Alan Henderson and Calvin Booth) filling the very important NBA role of "cap fodder." Nine of the 14 youngsters have two years of NBA experience or less and the five who were actually in the NBA last year totaled 2,461 minutes. Good thing Maurice Cheeks works well with young people, or at least he does when the national anthem is involved.
I know it's a Sunday and there's the football and all, but give me a shot here.
Is Rashard Lewis aware of how much pressure should really be on him as a new member of the Magic? The Magic gave the Sonics a second-round pick and a huge trade exception for the right to outbid everyone in the NBA and pay Lewis more than twice what was necessary. Please remember that they were the only real suitors due to the short list of teams that had adequate cap space to add a max contract to their payroll, the lack of state income tax in Florida, and Orlando's standing as a playoff team last year. He needs to average about 30 a game because he has successfully managed to handcuff the team for most of the rest of Dwight Howard's prime years. Does Stan Van Gundy have enough help on the roster to show Pat Riley who the better coach is?
Isiah Thomas has built himself a nice fantasy basketball team. However, NBA games require defense and permit only one basketball on the floor at a time. There's your problem.
No longer will the Hornets bounce between one hometown and another as this year; they will play all 41 games of their home schedule in New Orleans. Byron Scott looks for a return to the postseason after notching a pair of seasons that finished just under .500. The climb in the Southwest Division is steep, but getting a full season out of his starters would be a bonus. The three members of the opening night starting five who also happen to also be the team's top three scorers combined to miss 117 games on the season, submarining the Hornets' playoff plans by January.
What was left of the Hornets was a collection of players who finished 24th in the NBA in field goal shooting and did not do themselves any favors by also finishing 24th in the league in free throws attempted. If they have a similar rash of injuries, perhaps Scott can work out some sort of two-for-one deal on alcoholic beverages for visiting players with some of the local establishments.
Being a .500 team is not a bad accomplishment when you get nothing from your inside players. Okay, that wasn't fair to Mikki Moore, but since he parlayed 55 starts of 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game into a multi-year guaranteed contract with the Kings, he's too busy buying larger aquariums for his snakes to worry about it. Most importantly for the Nets, top scorer Vince Carter re-upped and second-leading scorer Nenad Krstic is back from his knee injury. It's true. Krstic averaged 16.4 points per game in 26 contests, nosing out the other oft-injured Net, Richard Jefferson for that honor. Jefferson has missed 80 games in the last three years and may end going down in history as a poor man's Grant Hill, or at least what Grant Hill was.
You have to give credit to the Nets, though. Lawrence Frank was able to steer a team with what would generously be described as a "journeyman" frontcourt into the second round of the playoffs. While the Nets stack up favorably to almost all teams in the NBA at the perimeter spots, the post spots were so undermanned last year that getting that far was a true accomplishment.
Good souls of the north Midwest, you may want to avert your eyes from the goings-on at the Target Center this winter, at least as far as it pertains to the gentlemen in tank tops. Without further ado...
Far and away the greatest player in the history of the Timberwolves' franchise, Kevin Garnett was shipped off to Boston, taking nine of the franchise's players' 12 All-Star appearances with him, not to mention over 19,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists, and 1,500 blocks. Save for one trip to the Western Conference Finals, this franchise has been muddled in being ho-hum. The Garnett trade sentences them back to the Stone Age, or at least back to the days of the first six years of the franchise (before Garnett was drafted) where the squad averaged 21 wins per season. By the way, that number is propped up by 29 victories in 1990-91. Fortunately for head coach Randy Wittman, he is used to coaching teams almost completely devoid of talent on the roster from his two seasons with Cleveland.
Continue reading "NBA Frog Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves" »
He didn't practice!
For a second straight day!
He said his legs hurt!
He isn't talking to the media!
But before he stopped talking, he said this:
""I don't have anything for you guys. Zip, zero."
Well. As you all were, then. Carry on.
This is where DSafetyGuy explains whether or not D-Wade ever made it home on that bike after giving away his Lincoln. Or something like that ...
Miami Heat
Talk about a disappointing title defense. Starting with a 39-point ass-pounding at the hands of the Bulls right after receiving their championship rings before the home opener, things did not go as expected for the Heat. Well, that's not entirely true. Dwyane Wade was electric when healthy, Shaquille O'Neal missed half the season, Antoine Walker shot exceptionally poorly, and Udonis Haslem gave the team what was expected. Beyond that, it was a season the Heat would prefer to forget, ranging from Wade missing 31 games to most of the team suddenly playing like the old men they were, to being escorted briskly out of the first round of the playoffs by that same Bulls team. Wade's injury has him likely missing some time at the onset of this season unless he recuperates like Wolverine. With most of their budget sunk into the contracts for O'Neal, Wade, Walker, Jason Williams, and Haslem, the team had almost no chance to get younger or more talented, even though they tried to wrangle a couple of moves. Late in the summer, after being rumored to being linked to him, the Heat opted not to pursue a trade for the Warrior's Mickael Pietrus. The Heat then extended a 5-year, $18.5 million offer sheet to the Bucks' Charlie Bell, but after the combo guard signed, the Bucks quickly matched it, bringing him back to Milwaukee.
Still alive, at least in Sam Smith's mind. Writes Smith in the Chicago Tribune today:
"Figure this is what it takes to get Kobe Bryant from the Lakers: Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, a first-round draft pick and either Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah. That would leave the Bulls with a starting lineup of something like Bryant, Ben Gordon, Andres Nocioni, Ben Wallace and Noah/Thomas/Joe Smith. Good enough to win a championship?"
Well, Sam. If that is the offer on the table for Bryant, it actually makes sense for both teams. The Lakers get an infusion of badly needed talent to goose along the rebuilding process, and the Bulls get what would, in my mind, be the favorite in the East.
Then again, since Sam Smith throws out his own ideas and passes them off as rumors like you and I breathe, hard to know what, if anything, is actually transpiring in terms of talks between the two clubs. Plus, in Sam's latest fantasy, I don't see, um, equivalent money headed back to LA to balance the deal in terms of the cap.
Still, given the murmuring from Jerry Buss in the last week, I guess Smith is not entirely crazy to be giving flight to his latest fancy. Other landing spots? Let the speculation begin.
Umm, why is Memphis in the Southwest Division? No wonder we're so bad at geography in this country. DSafteyGuy presents, the preview of the best basketball team in the state of Tennessee:
Memphis Grizzlies
So, no Greg Oden and no Kevin Durant make Homer something something? Wait. That was "no TV and no beer." My bad. Anyway, the #4 overall pick didn't translate into one of the "can't miss" guys available in the draft, but it did provide the Grizz with something they desperately needed. Memphis was able to bring in a true point guard in Mike Conley, Jr., who dazzled foes on his way to directing Ohio State to the national championship game. Along with new coach Marc Iavaroni, who came over from being Mike D'Antoni's right-hand man in Phoenix, it seems that the Grizzlies would be a run and gun squad, trying to crank up the offense and outscore the opposition. Iavaroni, actually, was D'Antoni's defensive guy, a film watcher who also worked with the big men on the Suns. If nothing else, Iavaroni should help Pau Gasol improve on his game and help push the Grizzlies back toward the playoffs as the leader of a roster comprised heavily of players who won a lot of big games in college (similar to the building process of the Chicago Bulls from a couple years ago).
DSafety Guy presents ...
Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. Is there anything else more tiring than listening to the whining of Kobe about his surrounding talent? How do the other players on the roster feel, knowing that Bryant is essentially saying, "you are not worthy of sharing the same locker room where I leave my dirty socks on the floor?" It's not like the roster is totally devoid of talent and having some patience would serve the best player in the league well.
DSafety Guy gives his take on Bill Simmons' second-favorite NBA squad.
Los Angeles Clippers
Contrary to popular belief, "Buy a Partial Season Ticket Package, Get a Free Arthroscopic Surgery" is not the Clippers' sales office slogan this year. Perhaps it should be, though, especially on the heels of a year where Shaun Livingston missed 28 games after suffering a grotesque knee injury, Sam Cassell missed 24 contests with a serious case of "old," and Elton Brand tore his Achilles in offseason workouts. With the Brand injury, it seems difficult for the Clippers to repeat last year's 40-42 mark where they barely missed the postseason. Throw in that Livingston is nowhere near ready to come back, Cassell is even older, and there is no accomplished inside presence until Brand comes back sometime around midseason, and Clipper fans may be longing for the heyday of Bill Walton openly mocking the team from his color analyst position.
Continue reading "Frog NBA Previews: Los Angeles Clippers" »
I'm posting these previews for DSafetyGuy while he sips fruity drinks with little umbrellas in them on a tropical beach. Up today are the professional Hoosiers.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers may be stuck in neutral for a long time. The trade that sent Stephen Jackson to Golden State and brought in Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy, and Ike Diogu was a deal based strictly on improving the team's image. Sure, Murphy and Dunleavy ended up in the starting lineup most nights and getting a guy who could be a dominant low-post force as a throw-in was a good move, but Murphy and Dunleavy will continue to be what they are now - guys who can start in the NBA, but aren't going to magically improve their games. Oh, and they have matching albatross contracts. With those three parts, the Pacers slid out of the playoff picture and look like they will remain on the outside looking in.
I'm posting these for DSafetyGuy, while the kid spends some QT with the new wife. This morning, it's time for the classic question of the ages: Who wants to sex Mutombo?
Houston Rockets
The micro-managing defensive guru Jeff Van Gundy is no longer working the Rockets' sideline, replaced by Rick Adelman in a typical "replace the coach/manager with one who has the opposite style" move. A couple offseason moves reworked the roster to create a more offensive-minded group and take the scoring weight off their two stars, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. Adelman has had a lot of success in the NBA, amassing a 752-481 regular season record (.610 winning percentage, highest among NBA coaches without a title) and a 70-68 postseason record, including steering the Blazers to a pair of NBA Finals appearances in Portland. The Rockets hired him with the hopes that he would be the man to lead them deep in the playoffs, a serious step for a franchise that has only heard rumors of the second round since 1997. The roster is pretty well stacked for him, but so is the conference.
Heart surgery is no joke. Whether he returns to play like Ronny Turiaf did or is forced to retire and pursue a career of revolutionary politics, here's hoping Etan Thomas has successful surgery today. Leaky aortic valves ... ugh.
Whether you agree or disagree with his politics, there's a shortage of pro athletes with a social conscience these days.
He's apparently been on the same conditioning program I have been. Then again, in my defense, I am not paid to be in shape. From the Miami Herald:
"That's when Riley made his most critical remarks yet about Walker, who continues to struggle to meet the team's rigid conditioning standards that led to his four-game suspension last season."Riley said Walker, 31, reported to camp weighing 262 pounds -- more than 20 above what was expected -- and might not meet his team-imposed body-fat percentage goal until January. Walker, Riley said, is now down to 256 pounds but has been slowed by an Achilles' injury. 'That's what happens. They come in and they're not in optimum camp condition and they get hurt,' Riley said."
Word, coach. Make sure you make fun of Walker for being out of breath walking up flights of stairs. That never gets old...
Got to give Isiah Thomas/James Dolan mad credit for this one. What else would have had quite the same impact on New Yorkers this morning? An impact that would erase the embarrassment of the sexual harrassment trial thingy? The wondering over Eddy Curry's shoulder? The general horror at another year of Knicks basketball?
Well, that's all gone for the moment, as Knicks fans instead get to revel in the return of the man who once set the standard for horrible NBA contracts.
"Houston is also remembered for the six-year, $100-million contract extension that Dolan gave him in 2001. The contract started the Knicks' salary-cap woes (it only came off the cap last season) and Houston's knee troubles only compounded the issue because he was able to play in only 70 games over his final two seasons before deciding to retire. Houston last season worked as a studio analyst for ESPN."
That's a fine crib note, right there.
While we're here, a random Isiah Thomas quote from the same article:
"Thomas said he isn't expecting any fan backlash as a result of his sexual harassment trial. "I think I'll get a warm reception," Thomas said of Thursday night's goodwill exhibition game against Maccabi Tel Aviv. "I don't think the things that have gone on will affect the way people feel about me."
"Yeah! You go Isiah! Women ARE bitches!" Is THAT what he's thinking he'll be getting from grateful fans?
I'm posting these for DSafetyGuy while he's on his honeymoon (what, there's no internet access in the Caribbean?) for the next week or so. Up this morning, how will Jessica Alba's favorite team fare?
Golden State Warriors
"Nellieball" came to the Bay Area and was met with tremendous fan support... once the team started winning games down the stretch. The Warriors closed with victories in nine of their last ten games to get the eight-seed and a matchup with Dallas, and we all know what happened then. Of course, the first-round victory was rewarded with a matchup with Utah, who played a disciplined style that pummeled the Warriors into submission in five games, shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and out-rebounding the Warriors by almost 20 boards per game.
In any case, Nellie has worked out a contract that will bring him back to Oaktown and off the beaches of Hawaii, only he will not have the services of Jason Richardson, who was sent to Charlotte in a draft-day trade. That trade, however, actually clears 30-plus minutes a night for a team that had a logjam at the swingmen spots, so it shouldn't hinder the Warriors that much as they aim to see what a year of comfort with their uptempo style can do.
Continue reading "Frog NBA Previews: Golden State Warriors" »
"Curry's shoulder tear doesn't worry Knicks"
Because everything always works out so well for the Knicks regardless, right? Eddy Curry has a labrum tear in his right shoulder. Isiah Thomas, women's outreach specialist and now apparently an M.D., had this to say:
""Unless we hear something different for the next couple of days, I don't see this as a long-term thing. I think we'll be OK."
Awesome. You are good to go, Knicks fans!
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons kept their stranglehold on the Central Division last year, but showed signs of weakening. The mid-season acquisition of Chris Webber showed that the team needed to alter its offense for the better and that they were willing to sacrifice some of their defense to get it. In his homecoming, Webber was an improvement over Nazr Mohammed, but he also made an older team older and hurt their trademark defense. With Carlos Delfino leaving town, the team lost a reasonably young player who already had a couple years in their system, but have some other youth in the pipeline that is close to making an impact. The current group has probably two more cracks at bringing another title to Motown before the window is completely closed. If they let some of the youngsters learn on the job, their chances of getting that shot at the title will likely increase.
Don't worry, some other admin will be back to posting these next week. Until then, here's a look at what Scott Van Pelt calls the "Rich and Creamies." Nougat, you perverts. Nougat, Nugget. Get it? Anyway...
Denver Nuggets
Allen Iverson is around from the jump this year, Carmelo Anthony is yet to be suspended for 15 games, and Kenyon Martin is "healthy." Sounds like things should improve for the Nuggets this year. The team had 13 different players start games last year, which speaks to the fragile nature of the roster (Iverson, Marcus Camby, Martin, Nene). Players forced into occasional starting duty last year include such future legends as Linas Kleiza, Yakhouba Diawara, and Jamal Sampson. Perhaps the uniforms should just feature a large red cross on the front.
With Iverson around for a full season, the Nuggets should be able to have an even more high-powered offense. The team finished third in the NBA in scoring with Iverson in uniform for only 50 games and his presence for a full season should help fuel their high-octane attack (fourth in the league in field goal attempts). Iverson clearly benefited from having another legit star sharing the floor with him, as he hit 45.4 percent of his field goals, the second-best mark in his career, and 34.7 percent of his treys, which is a career high.
Dallas Mavericks
Avery Johnson was probably a little sad on the first day of camp when he collected a stack of essays titled "What I Did With My Early Summer Vacation." Then again, when you suffer one of the more humiliating playoff defeats in the history of the NBA and use weak excuses of the "their coach knows our players' strengths and weaknesses because he used to coach them" variety, you deserve to get escorted into the summer a month early. The big question is how they bounce back to getting punched in the mouth by the Warriors last spring. Will they use more excuses or do they come out with a purpose, trying to show the world that they a legitimate title threat and not just a collection of talent that pounds on lesser teams when the games don't really matter?
Jason Terry and Devin Harris are back for another year of sharing the trigger of the Mavs' offense. While Harris has more "true" point guard skills, Terry's lack of size prevents him from playing strictly at the two.
The best part? The reactions.
Cutting through the crazed I-will-never-go-to-a-Cavs-game-again bullshit that some fans were quoted with, let's get down to the reality of the situation. Derek Yurtz of Medina, Ohio, I nominate you to bring the pure truth:
"He can do whatever he wants. When he was young, the Tribe was bad, so what are you going to do?' said Derek Yurtz, 33, of Medina. 'Whatever makes him happy. If rooting for the Yankees helps him shoot threes, he could vote for Satan.'"
Thank you Derek Yurtz, for keeping people focused on what matters. Oh, and for reminding people to live in this reality.
Thanks to Swamp legend DSafetyGuy, the Frog will be featuring a team-by-team NBA Preview from now until the beginning of the season. Up this morning, is Supa Bron Bron ready to win his first title this season?
Cleveland Cavaliers
No matter what any Cavalier fan tells you, last season exceeded their expectations. LeBron James carried them past the Pistons in the East with an epic 48-point playoff explosion. They, well, played the Spurs in the Finals. It all comes down to LeBron's health (there is a history of players who did not do well due to being worn down from a summer of international competition) more than the miscellaneous parts that surround him, not to mention that, based on Cleveland not coming to a contract agreement with either Sasha Pavolvic or Anderson Varejao at this point in time, they may have significantly fewer of those miscellaneous parts around him (there are vague threats about playing in Europe, but, seriously people, if you are a starter or a starting quality player in the NBA, do you really run to Europe to ball, even if you are from there (Pavlovic) or have played there (both), mostly because you haven't gotten a contract offer your agent finds acceptable because you are a restricted free agent?).
In LeBron's favor is that the USA team was not seriously challenged, allowing him to play short minutes in the compressed schedule of international play. However, he is coming off what is far and away the longest season of his career followed by a busy summer. Will the tired legs kick in before the All-Star Game? And about that surrounding cast, for which I will assume both Pavolvic and Varejao will sign one-year qualifying deals to get them to the magical happy land of "Unrestricted-erica" next year ...
Probably, like it is for most people who find G-d, he moved the couch to vacuum, and there G-d was. It's always a smack-yourself-on-the-forehead moment when you realize G-d has been behind the couch the whole time. At any rate, Marbury went the born-again route on June 29 of this year, and had this to say following all of the publicity about his behavior from three years ago as laid bare in the Thomas as harrasser trial:
"One, it happened three years ago,' Marbury said. 'It's my personal business. People shouldn't snoop around your porch when they need to snoop around theirs. Everybody has skeletons in their closet. No one sin is greater than the other. So nobody can judge me and I can't judge anybody else. I can't get mad at how you feel about me. That's how you feel. How can I get mad at that?' Marbury added, 'Nobody's perfect and I'm not the same person I was three years ago. I can't try to convince anyone of that when people are writing things about you and they don't even know you. I'm never going to control how someone feels. You have to continue to try to live a righteous life, try to be as positive as you can and not live in a negative state of mind.'"
Well. Some quick responses Stephon:
1. Snooping around other people's closets is more fun. I know what's in MY closet, and am bored with it.
2. Actually some "sins" or, if folks prefer, wrong-doing, ARE greater than others. Nice try equivocating.
3. No, you can't convince folks who you "really are" who write about you. But you can't blame them for having formed some opinions of who you "really are" over the past ten years. You have not exactly been a shrinking violet in terms of publicity and stupidity.
At any rate, best of luck with your newly found G-d relationship. Please do not use that experience as a pick-up line for more intern humping. That's just wrong.
Thanks to Swamp legend DSafetyGuy, the Frog will be featuring a team-by-team NBA Preview from now until the beginning of the season. Up this morning, MJ's old squad:
Chicago Bulls
Ben Wallace was supposed to be the final piece to propel the Bulls into the top of the East. Instead, they finished third in their division, one game behind the Cavaliers and four back of Detroit. There is still a looming need for the Bulls to find a low-post presence who can reliably score and open things up for their trio of established perimeter scorers Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, and Kirk Hinrich. Even after last year's trade deadline passed and P.J, Brown's contract came off the books (boy, that was money really well spent), rumors about putting together a package for Pau Gasol will not die, even though the Bulls have young talent to spare. Will another year under the belts of these youngsters push the Bulls to the top of the division?
Thank you, Isiah Thomas, for the refresher course in why it's not okay to call the women working for you "bitches". That was self-evident for much of the free working world, but, hey, it is always good to be reminded that the sun comes up in the east. 11.6 million? Just.
Oh, while we're here...David Stern apparently won't be handing out any further discipline. On the other hand, Roger Goodell will likely extend Odell Thurman's suspension to four years, just because. He'll also likely at the same time give the Pats back their missing draft pick with his deepest apologies. That's how Goodell rolls.
Oh, and Hoodrich? Mike Lupica says Alex Rodriguez better produce or else. So, see? Your silly thesis that he has already produced is left in tatters. You've been Lupica'd. What is being Lupica'd? Something like this:
Thanks to Swamp legend DSafetyGuy, the Frog will be featuring a team-by-team NBA Preview from now until the beginning of the season. Up this morning is MJ's squad:
Charlotte Bobcats
After an inaugural season of a mere 18 wins, the Bobcats have increased their win total to 26 and 33 wins in the last two years. The franchise operated with a plan of building with youth, getting high-caliber players from strong collegiate programs with an eye on long-term growth and success. Almost everyone in the playing rotation is young, as almost all of minutes will be given to players 28 and under. The team had a couple things on their wish list that they checked off in this offseason. The results are all that await. The man given the job of shepherding the team toward the .500 mark is new head coach Sam Vincent. Vincent is a first-time head man in the NBA, but coached the Fort Worth Flyers to the best record in the NBDL, as well as an appearance in the NBL title game.
Jason Richardson, who was acquired on a draft night swap, provides the established scorer this team has lacked through its brief history. Richardson scored 20 points per night in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons before getting derailed with an injury last season. If he can provide 23 per night for Charlotte, like he did two years ago in Oakland, he'll take a lot of pressure off the young bucks also in the lineup.
Thanks to Swamp legend DSafetyGuy, the Frog will be featuring a team-by-team NBA Preview from now until the beginning of the season.
Up this morning is the preview of the team that changed their entire worldview this offseason. They went out and got a huge facelift, some lypo, and implants. And now they remind me of Brandy's little brother's ex, in that they look amazing on the surface. But will their performance on the floor be as good as their appearance?
DSG, take it away:
Boston Celtics
After losing out in the draft lottery and having their hopes of adding Greg Oden or Kevin Durant dashed, the Celtics shifted gears and ended up with the marquee haul of the NBA off-season. The trades that brought in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett altered the franchise from one adrift in the sea of NBA mediocrity with a superstar, some overpaid veterans with not much going on, and a heaping pile of immature talent to one with a sense of urgency to win today not seen since Karl Malone and Gary Payton went out west with dreams of adding championship ring to their Hall of Fame resumes. Thus, the summer chronicled in the children's book "How Danny and Doc Saved Their Jobs" comes with the steepest expectations seen by the NBA's most storied franchise since Bird, McHale, and Parish walked through that door.
With 22 All-Star appearances to their credit, there is no doubt that Allen, Garnett, and Paul Pierce are all top-notch talents. However, these three have a much more important number on their resumes: 89,751 career minutes played.
Thanks to Swamp legend DSafetyGuy, the Frog will be featuring a team-by-team NBA Preview from now until the beginning of the season. Let me just say that DSG has forgotten more about the NBA than you'll ever know. Unless you are The Schwab. Then, maybe you know as much as he has forgotten.
We'll be doing the team previews alphabetically. But, lucky for you, the most interesting team in the league comes first ...
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta remains synonymous with the dregs of the NBA. Poor attendance, mismatched players, and an ownership situation that ties their hands when it comes to making free agent moves combine to make this the most stagnant franchise in the league. But, hey, new uniforms!
There may be no better way to sum up the Hawks than their point guard mess of recent years. If you can remember all of them, you likely need to check in somewhere for "relaxation." The Hawks, though, addressed that black hole in the draft by taking Acie Law IV with their second pick in the first round. Law is certainly the most talented point guard on the roster and should get the keys to the car for the start of the season, but the question is if he is the guy who sets up his teammates for three-and-a-half quarters, then buries his foes down the stretch or if he is the guy who lacks the athleticism and pure point skills to be a top player. Joining him in the backcourt is Joe Johnson, who missed one-third of the season. Johnson is simply the best player on the team, but is mired in obscurity due to the team's struggles. Did you have any idea he averaged 25 points per game last year?
If this is the season where Josh Smith finally breaks out and fulfills his potential, the NBA should welcome a new star.
Greg "Sam Bowie" Oden will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery this week because of pain in his right knee.
A timetable for Oden's return will be set following the surgery, which will take place Thursday in Vancouver, Wash. The Trail Blazers open training camp in three weeks and the regular season starts Oct. 30.
This is Oden's second health problem since the Trail Blazers drafted him in June. He had a tonsillectomy in July after struggling in two Las Vegas summer league games.
Ok so the tonsils won't happen again, but last year was the wrist and now the knee and of course the curse of Portland. So what next for the 36yo drafted 1st overall?
Yi Jianlian is going to play for the Milwaukee Bucks after all after signing a contract yesterday. Amongst provisions in his contract are undoubtedly that Yi will have a new Chinese girlfriend flown in for him every month and will never have to perform the chicken dance in public.
When you don't take it seriously, The New York Post is high entertainment. And when they get a juicy story, no one runs with it better than Rupert's boys. So when there is a tarnished NBA ref cheating on his wife with a buxom babe in the desert, and this lady is talking to the feds, well, you have just served up a fastball to the Post.
You want seedy details? You want rampant speculation? Well, Geraldo ain't got nothing on the Post. Here are some highlights:
- "The hard-bodied blonde is known to have dined with Donaghy and attended games he refereed in Phoenix - and sources said they got even cozier at times."
- "The foursome went to a strip club at least one night, a source said."
- "Donaghy slept in a Marriott room he had rented for Wolfe-Ruiz, despite the fact that the NBA had rented him another room in the hotel, the source said ... A source said this sleeping arrangement occurred during several of Donaghy's trips to Phoenix."
I wonder who this source is. For the record, her lawyer is denying that any sexual relationship took place between her and Donaghy. And what does this vixen look like?
"'I think it's tough,' Marbury said to Albany TV station Capital News 9. "'I think, you know, we don't say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals. You know, from what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors.'"
and
"I think it's tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down. I think he's one of the superb athletes, and he's a good human being. I just think that he fell into a bad situation."
No fuckin' doubt. He was just sitting there, minding his own business, and was forced to build kennels, start and oversee a dogfighting enterprise, and kill dogs. Happens every goddamn day around the world. People minding their own business, and next thing they know, indicted. Damn. Life's hard that way.
Never let it be said that Las Vegas does not do things bigger and better than other cities -- even pissing contests.
Harrah's Entertainment's announcement today that it plans on partnering with AEG to build an arena behind its Bally's and Paris properties on the Las Vegas Strip means that the town now has two huge competing arena projects, but still no NBA or NHL team to fill either of the two arenas.
The proposed Harrah's/AEG arena would be on 10 acres off Koval Lane, only one block from the center of the Las Vegas Strip. AEG, which also owns and operates the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Galaxy and several other sports properties, brings a lot of weight and makes the prospects for a proposed $9.5 billion arena project in downtown Las Vegas very suspect.
(Yes, that dollar figure is correct -- $9.5 BILLION.)
Speaking from personal experience, many Las Vegans were dubious about the prospects for the downtown arena materializing and this would certainly appear to be another nail in its coffin. The Harrah's/AEG arena would not need approval by the Las Vegas City Council as it sits outside of the city of Las Vegas in unincorporated Clark County (like all of the Las Vegas Strip).
Now the billion dollar question -- will the city actually be able to attract an NBA or NHL team and surmount the issues that either or both of those leagues may have with a team in Las Vegas? There are only so many fights, concerts and special events Harrah's and AEG could book to justify what will almost certainly be a project that will cost at least $500 million.
A man was shot in the leg early Monday morning at the Orlando home of Washington Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Stevenson was asleep inside the home at the time of the incident, according to a police report.
The report said former Cleveland Cavaliers forward Brandon Hunter and another Stevenson acquaintance, Ronnie Millsap, were involved in an altercation with a man who had followed them to Stevenson's home, which is located in a gated community in Windermere, Fla.
The headline would have read much better if they were still the Bullets. So how will this be handled? Stevenson was in bed asleep. Will David be stern with him?
Is 'lil Penny still cute at the age of 36?
We may find out as what started in Orlando over 10 years ago will be reunited in Miami this preseason.
The swamp has started a thread with links to 'lil Penny videos. Stop in and find or post your favorite. That was Tyra Banks, fool.
I'll say one thing about Andray Blatche, he sure makes the Wizards off-season more interesting. As we mentioned earlier, it was originally reported that Blatche - a reserve guard for the Wizards - was arrested for soliciting a prostitute. Then, in an update, we noted that Blatche had denied that he was arrested for solicitation, and it was his friend, "Gregory Palmer", who had been charged.
True Hoop picked up on our update, and put in a call to the US Attorney's office (I assume that, since he is devoted to the NBA, he has that number on speed dial): "I was reading the SportsFrog when I learned something shocking: that according to media in upstate New York Andray Blatche says he was not arrested for solitication of protitution, but instead his friend was (and Blatche was merely hauled in for that outstanding driving without a license thing). Although the Associated Press and Washington Post have covered this story like a blanket, and it seemed impossible such a major fact like that could have been confused, I put in a call and confirmed with the U.S. Attorney's office that Blatche is facing a hearing on August 31 for prostitution/sexual solicitation. Yet again we wonder, what was Andray Blatche thinking?"
So now the question to be asked is: Who is Gregory Palmer? Did Blatche really throw one of his friends under the bus in public, or is Gregory Palmer a fake name? Or ... follow me now ... is Andray Blatche a fake name? The intrigue continues.
One other thing to note, we used to be cool with Henry Abbott's True Hoop blog back when it was independent. I think we were one of his favorites or something, but we're no longer on that list. Don't know if that's because he thinks our quality has dropped, or if it's because now that he is with ESPN, we are banned. The mere thought that someone at ESPN even knows about us, let alone dislikes us because we don't like them might just make my week (As long as it's not their lawyers. I love me some ESPN lawyers. You guys are the greatest). A
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