Another48Minutes

This Is It?

2009-10-02T22:07:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted much in the last couple of months, and there's a reason for that. Along with a friend of mine we thought about setting up a dutch NBA website, and since a week or two that site is up.

This of course means that I will no longer post here anymore. I've done this with great pleasure, even though hardly anyone read these blogs anyway, judging by the reactions (well, except the one about power forwards last year, that was dope).

I will focus now on my dutch blog, but to all of you writing blogs yourself and took the time to drop by this one: I will keep an eye on yours too, and will post a comment every now and then.

Now let's get ready for the new season!

For dutch people who happened to stumble upon this blog, go to:

www.another48minutes.com

Good night and good luck, and I'll see you all on YOUR blogs, keep it going!

Decade after Decade

2009-08-19T17:41:00.009-04:00

Early in the morning of August 15, 1979, my parents had their third son born, and named him Gerard (Himself). I have to face the facts: I’m no longer part of the cool kids anymore. And one might wonder if I ever was, being the NBA nerd that I am. I sometimes still feel like I’m 18, and in many ways I still am. I’m messy, more often than not I don’t eat right, I’m not really good at saving money, and still laugh a bit too hard when one my brothers farts. I’m a big kid, but my passport tells me otherwise.

When I reminisce, I often find myself thinking in NBA seasons rather than actual years, and that’s when the question arose to me: since we’re nearing the end of the first decennium of the new millennium, how many players are there left who joined the League in the nineties? My love for the game started at the beginning of that decade, and a lot of players I idolized have been long gone. That’s how it goes, but who are left? Who are the last men standing on the court, sitting on the bench, or being angry at their creaky knees, bum ankles and aching backs; begging their team physicians in the trainer room to find a way to get them back on the floor?

Atlanta Hawks: Mike Bibby, Joe Smith

Boston Celtics: Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace

Charlotte Bobcats: Nazr Mohammed

Chicago Bulls: Lindsey Hunter, Jerome James, Brad Miller

Cleveland Cavaliers: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shaquille O’Neal, Anthony Parker

Dallas Mavericks: Greg Bucker, Erick Dampier, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Tim Thomas

Denver Nuggets: Chauncey Billups

Detroit Pistons: Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace

Golden State Warriors: Devean George, Corey Maggette

Houston Rockets: Brent Barry, Tracy McGrady

Indiana Pacers: Jeff Foster

Los Angeles Clippers: Marcus Camby, Baron Davis, Ricky Davis

Los Angeles Lakers: Ron Artest, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom

Memphis Grizzlies: None

Miami Heat: Jermaine O’Neal

Milwaukee Bucks: Kurt Thomas

Minnesota Timberwolves: Chucky Atkins

New Jersey Nets: Rafer Alston, Tony Battie

New Orleans Hornets: Antonio Daniels, James Posey, Peja Stojakovic

New York Knicks: Al Harrington, Larry Hughes

Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Ollie

Orlando Magic: Vince Carter, Anthony Johnson, Rashard Lewis

Philadelphia 76’ers: Elton Brand

Phoenix Suns: Grant Hill, Steve Nash

Portland Trail Blazers: Andre Miller

Sacramento Kings: Kenny Thomas

San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, Michael Finley, Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff

Toronto Raptors: Rasho Nesterovic

Utah Jazz: Matt Harpring

Washington Wizards: Antawn Jamison

There’s something wrong with this list. And no, it’s not because Damon Jones or Bruce Bowen aren’t on it. I remember watching the 2001 All-Star Game, with Allen Iverson winning the MVP that Sunday, and Stephon Marbury showed that he truly belonged to be in the game, even though the Nets were losing a lot that season. Now, 8 ½ years later neither of them are on a roster.

Marbury can do whatever he wants. The man is 32, and doing things in front of a webcam that I don’t understand. All I know is that he won’t get back into the NBA because of his recent behaviour. I’m not judging; if he wants to smoke weed, fine by me. I’m Dutch, I don’t agree on America’s strict rules on this anyway, even though I have never smoked myself. But when you’re an NBA player (even one without a contract), it might not be a smart thing to talk so openly about this online. Then again, it’s obvious that he made a clear choice to put his basketball career to rest by being so brutally honest and I truly hope he’s happy. I’m not sure though.

With Iverson it’s not because he has lost his talent, but it’s that specific talent that has brought him this far, now has become a burden because not a single team can see him fit in. An undersized guard who is a true scorer, but regarded by some as too old, or a disruptive force by others. Being mocked by ABC during the Playoffs because Chauncey Billups played great for the Nuggets, while AI wasn’t playing at all, was a misplaced joke. Apparently many thought it was hilarious, but I thought ABC should’ve been ashamed by this. With a new season on the horizon, the fan in me hopes to see Iverson wearing an NBA jersey, and hopefully playing for a title. The realist in me says those chances are very slim. He might not ever win the title, yet I’m positive he still has some good years in him. The question is: will he have the opportunity to do what he has done throughout his career; to prove everybody wrong?

Barnes to Orlando

2009-07-21T15:13:00.001-04:00

On Sunday I posted a blog mentioning that Matt Barnes might sign with the Magic. Today we have learned that both parties agreed “in principle” that Barnes will be going to Orlando for two years.

Assuming Pietrus will start, the bench now consists of Gortat, Johnson, Bass, Redick and Barnes. Any NBA fan around the League has to agree that Orlando is clearly doing everything they can to get that Championship next season. While many NBA teams are reluctant to spend money, Rich DeVos is reaching deep into his pockets to make Dwight Howard’s supporting cast better and better, and we might see sooner than later that C.J. Watson will join Barnes in the trip to the Sunshine State. I tip my hat to the Orlando Magic organization. In fact, even though I’m a Nets fan, I think I have a Magic hat somewhere that I bought in the nineties that I can tip. Then again, that might be weird.

Anyway, this might sound I’m jumping on the bandwagon, but that’s not the case; I’m just impressed by what some teams are doing this off-season, in these tough economic times and still finding ways to improve is something we should admire. It will keep the fans interested in the NBA that will be very competitive in the ’09-’10 season. And when it comes to the Magic, will be a lot of fun to watch.

They’re Spending This Summer in Orlando

2009-07-19T18:25:00.001-04:00

When I take a look at the NBA as of right now, I think there are five legitimate contenders for the NBA Championship: in the East there’s Boston, Cleveland and Orlando, and in the West you have the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio. And to me the most interesting part of the off-season is that four of these teams all have significantly improved during the summer with the jury is still being out on the Lakers (Odom needs to stay). Who of these teams did the best so far? My opinion? So far it’s the Magic. But that all could change in a few days…

It was only a few weeks ago when they traded for Vince Carter, and losing three players because of it in Courtney Lee, Tony Battie, and Rafer Alston. This also meant that Hedo Turkoglo would leave, and it was widely assumed that Marcin Gortat would end up with the Dallas Mavericks. Magic GM Otis Smith insisted in the Carter deal that promising young big Ryan Anderson was included, and his play in the Summer League made Smith look like a genius. They also pried Brandon Bass away from Dallas, and did (to me) the unexpected: they matched Dallas’ offer for Gortat, paying him 34 million in the next five years. Owner Rich DeVos’ team got richer by spending a lot of money. I read that Orlando is close to signing free agent point guard C.J. Watson, a gunner and a good back-up for Jameer Nelson. Last week there was also a rumor that Matt Barnes might go to Orlando. Whether or not if it that will actually happen, the reigning Eastern Conference Champion is still the team to beat.

Grant Hill Puts his Dukes Up for Another Two Seasons

2009-07-10T22:59:00.003-04:00

I lost some basketball stuff during the years. My favorite item is my black Scottie Pippen jersey, where did that one go? Anyway, I also used to have some VHS tapes of Michael Jordan, some random highlight videos, and Grant Hill’s video of his first few years in the League. I have no idea where they are. Maybe I can still find them in some boxes somewhere sheltered in my parents’ house; I’m not sure. Maybe I should go and look for it the next time I visit them, although videotapes are hard to stuff into a DVD player, so that could cause some problems. I loved that Grant Hill video. I remember that one of his first plays as a rookie in one Detroit’s first games of the ’94-’95 season (or was it an exhibition game?) he had this ridiculous alley-oop, immediately putting his stamp on what we though would be the next superstar in the NBA. And for a while, it did look that way. Grant was great off the court as he was on the court. He reminded me of Clyde Drexler in that way: a gentleman without a basketball, a do-everything player whenever he was on the floor. He averaged 21,6 ppg, 7,8 rpg and 6,2 apg through his first six seasons as a Piston. We all know what happened after that.

I was in Orlando for a week in 2001, and saw Hill playing against the Houston Rockets in an exhibition game. To be honest, I don’t remember much of that game, but I do remember him making a quick spin along the baseline, and it looked all so simple, effortless, reminding me how much I suck at basketball. When I try to mimic anything NBA related in the gym it looks…embarrassing. Anyway, Hill was about to start his second season with the Magic, after his first was a fiasco since he only played four games because of his bum ankle. He looked great as far the untrained eye could see, but eventually only played fourteen games in the ‘01/’02 season.

Fast forward to present time. Shaquille O’Neal praised the team doctors when he played for Phoenix, and the same thing could be said for Grant Hill (who will be 37 by the time the season starts): he played in 70 games in ‘07/’08, and 82 games last season, for just the first time in his career. He will try to do it again since he signed a new contract to stay with the team for another two seasons, while he also could’ve gone to Celtics where he would have a bigger chance to win that elusive Championship than staying in the desert.

It all depends on what Steve Kerr will do from here. Along with Hill the Suns also signed Channing Frye, and as of now they still have Jason Richardson, Amar’e Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, a good young fella in Jared Dudley, and possibly Steve Nash (stated as the main reason why Hill decided to stay). They also did well in the Draft picking up Earl Clark, who can really blossom in Alvin Gentry’s system. If these players will still all be here after the summer, there’s still a chance the Suns will miss out on the Playoffs for a second consecutive season if they don’t get some help soon under the boards. I liked the idea of Tyson Chandler playing in Phoenix, but that might be too expensive for this franchise. We’ll just have to wait and see, because they’re far from the team that was so much fun to watch during the ’04-’05 season. But as long as Grant Hill is here, and he again and again finds ways to make some moves that still look effortless, things could turn around for Phoenix, and Grant’s season could be even longer than last season’s 82 games.

No Breaks Allowed, Part 10

2009-07-06T18:31:00.002-04:00

The “No Breaks Allowed” posts are my way to write about all the stuff that happens around the League which finds a place in my peanut-sized gray mass (also known as my brain), and sometimes it has to come out. Why are these posts numbered? I don’t know, but might as well keep it going.

-What is Joe Dumars’ plan with Richard Hamilton now that Ben Gordon is a Piston? Will he really deal him to Utah for Carlos Boozer? It would be a great trade for the Jazz, but Detroit has a power forward that probably will be gone next summer. This will make them a major player on the free agent market next summer, but would they have enough to woo one of the big names too join them?

-Another thing I don’t understand: why oh why is Portland so desperate to sign David Lee? He will be too expensive to come off the bench, and they also have Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla and LaMarcus Aldridge. How does Lee fit into that?

-Rasheed Wallace will sign with the Celtics. Imagine him and Kevin Garnett on the court yelling and bitching at everybody not wearing green. Annoying for opponents, a dream for teammates and a nightmare for referees.

-Did Turkoglu pull a Boozer? Or isn’t that a fair assumption to make? Turkoglu is a talented player, but I think now that Portland missed out on him, it’s the best thing that could happen to them, instead of spending 55 million for 5 years on a guy who won’t be the player he is now in a few seasons.

-Good luck Trevor Ariza, you chose the wrong team at the wrong time. Ariza is a great player, I love small forwards who can do it all, but he’s a supporting player, a great fit next to guys like Kobe and Gasol. In Houston there’s…well, probably nobody next to him.

-My guess is Mitch Kupchak signed Ron Artest as a persuasion for Phil Jackson to come back. You have to keep it at least moderately interesting for Phil X. As long as Artest keeps passing the ball instead of chucking up shots after dribbling for 23 seconds, the Lakers will be fine.

-Orlando Magic, incoming players: Vince Carter, Ryan Anderson. Outgoing players: Hedo Turkoglu, Marcin Gortat, Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie. That leaves the current roster with only eight players, and if Michael Pietrus would be a starter, the bench would be made up out of Anderson, Anthony Johnson and J.J. Redick. Their needs? A third point guard as insurance, a veteran big man who can defend and rebound, and a swingman like Anthony Parker maybe? Can they even afford him?

-And finally, I’ve watched parts of the second half of the Summer League game between the Nets-Sixers against the Pacers in Orlando. Of course was the commentary done by Dante & Galante, which is basically the only reason to watch a Summer League game at all. Some excerpts of their on-air banter:

-“Roy Hibbert takes a ten foot jump shot, which is about eight feet out of his range.” (And Hibbert clanked it)
-After asking to come up with a nickname for Hibbert, one viewer e-mailed “Hungry Hungry Hibbert”, which they used for the rest of the game.
-Since the game actually went to overtime, the two gentlemen were exhilarated: “Aaaand the game goes to overtime…unfortunately.” “I have the rules here concerning overtime in Summer League Games.” “What is it, sudden death?” “It’s actually three minutes” “I wish it was just three seconds.”
-“Eddie Jordan has his head in his hands and thinking ‘just shoot me’.”
-Since they couldn’t use a certain word on air, they read a viewer’s e-mail like this: “The Summer League; where ‘blank’ happens.” They agreed with the viewer though. So did I.
-E-mail from viewer: “Dionte Christmas should ask Santa to get him some game.”
-“Hey you know what I just realized? We have a Holiday and a Christmas in the same game.” (Jrue and Dionte).

July: Anything is Possible

2009-06-30T19:46:00.007-04:00

Now with the Finals behind us, and an interesting Draft to say the least, the end of June is here. Tomorrow, July 1st, might be the day that some players will say their goodbyes to their old teams, and move on to the next city for an insane amount of money. But for some players, their free agent period might be one huge deception, because some team owners aren’t willing to spend millions this summer due to the financial problems that their respective franchises are suffering from, or are holding out ‘til the summer of 2010 (speaking of deceptions, it’s entirely possible that some of the big name free agents of ’10 will sign an extension this summer for financial stability, so it could be that next summer won’t be as interesting as many people would like to think).

George Karl had this to say about franchises that are willing to endure a mediocre season, waiting on those superstars to be available: "The free-agent list (of 2010) turns you on a little more, but as a coach, I don't understand that philosophy," he said. "How do you lose to win? How does that work? (A front-office executive) says, 'We're going to lose a year or two and then . . .' But as I coach, I say, 'You're not losing, I'm losing!' I'm sure there will be some teams who have manoeuvred to try to rebuild by going through the bottom, building salary cap space and assets, though I'm not sure I believe that philosophy. I think it's a philosophy that gets coaches fired and general managers extensions." Even though he’s right, obviously moves will be made in the next couple of days / weeks / months. Thirty teams are working the phone tomorrow, maybe as soon as one minute past midnight, when the free agent market opens. A brief look at the teams as they are right now:

Atlanta Hawks: Two names: Jamal Crawford and Jeff Teague. With those two (point) guards coming in, this will mean Mike Bibby will need to find a new home. I like Crawford, but don’t expect the Hawks to be any better next season because of him. As long this team is unwilling to play together, they will always be what they are right now. A Playoff round or two, and that’s it. And almost on a daily basis you can read where Josh Smith might be going, but SLAM writer and passionate Hawks fan Lang Whitaker will explain to you why that won’t happen here.

Boston Celtics: If they are really willing to part with Rajon Rondo, they must be out of their minds. Rondo almost averaged a triple-double against the Chicago Bulls in this year’s Playoffs, and played like a legitimate star for this team. He might be stubborn, he might not be well-liked by some of his teammates or even Doc Rivers, but he’s 23, he’s not too old to learn, and I hope the Celtics can see that he is the future of this aging franchise. Pierce, Allen and KG won’t be around forever, but they should give it another shot next season. With all of them healthy, they’re still a top 3 team in the East. But what will they do with Glen Davis? Take a risk and offer him big bucks, hoping he can be a part of this squad for years to come? How high is his ceiling? Will he even be better, improve his D and rebounding, or will he be the next Mike Sweetney in a couple of years?

Charlotte Bobcats: Raymond Felton will probably stay with this team, and he played better and better as the season progressed. If Michael Jordan buys the Bobcats from Bob Johnson, they don’t have to worry about their finances for a while. They made a good pick with Gerald Henderson, so the Bobcats will be fun to watch next season. Like every other team in the NBA, it wouldn’t hurt to add another big body to the roster.

Chicago Bulls: Where will Ben Gordon go? He provided quite a few highlights against the Celtics in the first round, but I can’t see him playing for any of the other teams that can afford him (Detroit, OKC, Memphis).

Cleveland Cavaliers: They got Shaq. Who’s next? Charlie Villanueva would make sense, or Rasheed Wallace, but both could be too expensive for the Cavs. They also need to improve their bench, and search for a long, athletic swingman to help out on D. The addition of O’Neal still wouldn’t help them all that much defending the Magic’s wing players. As long as they don’t spend all their money on Anderson Varejao. You gotta love the guy’s energy, but you have to wonder if Andy would be better off as a sixth man.

Dallas Mavericks: Jason Kidd could go, so they need to search for a point guard. J.J. Barea will not make you a contender. The Mavericks might have a big problem this off-season as a lot of teams in the West have been improving the last couple of seasons, while Dallas’ window of opportunity is rapidly declining.

Denver Nuggets: They don’t have to do much, besides re-signing Chris Anderson and Dahntay Jones. Smart move of acquiring Ty Lawson last Thursday. Being mentored by Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets don’t have to worry about the point guard position for years to come.

Detroit Pistons: Probably the most active team this summer, since they have some money to spend now that AI, Sheed and McDyess are off the books. But I’m very surprised that Ben Gordon’s name keeps getting linked to the Pistons, because that wouldn’t make any sense at all. Why? Richard Hamilton, that’s why. Gordon is an undersized shooting guard and not a great defender, and is not an upgrade when you already have Hamilton on your roster. With Michael Curry gone, and probably some new guys coming in, the Pistons will have an entirely new product on the floor after the summer.

Golden State Warriors: As long as they’re not willing to give up Stephen Curry, they won’t get Amar’e Stoudemire. I’m still not sure whether I was amazed or not by the fact that Golden State didn’t draft Jordan Hill. It would give them a starting line-up of Ellis, Jackson, Maggette, Hill and Biedrins. For the first time in years a starting five not solely consisting of Biedrins and a bunch of guards and small forwards. But yeah, that didn’t happen.

Houston Rockets: I feel so bad for Yao Ming. Who knows when he will return from his troubling foot injury. Wait, make that if he ever comes back at all. Houston should start over, and face the dreaded “R” word: rebuild.

Indiana Pacers: They decided not to pick up the option on Marquis Daniels, seeing Brandon Rush as their projected starting shooting guard. Larry Bird picked Tyler Hansbrough in the Draft, and is being mocked for it. Bird might have the last laugh though, since Hansbrough has impressed everyone who has seen him working out before the Draft. Oh, and free Tinsley! It has gone on long enough.

Los Angeles Clippers: With Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon and hopefully a healthy Baron Davis, it can only get better, right? Right?! Now they have to figure out who will take Zach Randolph, Chris Kamen and / or Marcus Camby off their hands.

Los Angeles Lakers: Odom and Ariza, Ariza and Odom. Who will return? Hopefully both of them, because the Lakers’ bench just isn’t that good. Even NBA Championship teams have some work to do in the off-season. There are also rumors about adding Jason Kidd to the roster, but not sure if that will work financially.

Memphis Grizzlies: Hopefully, Hasheem Thabeet will be that defensive force they are hoping for. Let’s not forget, the NBA isn’t a big man’s game anymore. With Conley, Mayo, Gay, Gasol and Thabeet they certainly look good on paper, giving the few Grizzlies fans out there something to be excited about.

Miami Heat: What to do, what to do? Like any other team, the Heat has talent, just not enough. Dwyane Wade is an MVP calibre player, what he did last season was unbelievable. The rest? Not so much. Mario Chalmers is good running mate to have, and I have always been enamoured by Udonis Haslem, but the Heat has plenty work left to regain the status of being amongst the NBA elite. Will Beasley be a starter this year?

Milwaukee Bucks: RJ is gone, Charlie V. is gone, so who will score for the Bucks? Michael Redd must first show how healthy he is, Andrew Bogut is a good center, but no star, and it’s not even sure that Ramon Sessions will be there after the summer (although that is the plan). At least they brought some excitement to Milwaukee in drafting Brandon Jennings.

Minnesota Timberwolves: You can say a lot about David Kahn, but not that he isn’t active. While NY fans are probably singing “Let my Ricky go”, Rubio will either play in Europe or in Minneapolis when the new basketball season starts, and let’s not forget about Flynn, Big Al and Kevin Love. It looks like the Timberwolves are finally are building something that resembles a basketball team. Next up: a coach.

New Jersey Nets: The Nets franchise is exactly what George Karl meant: the Nets dealt Vince Carter and according Rod Thorn this gives them the flexibility to get two “max” players next summer. The Nets do have a lot young talent in Harris, Lopez, CDR, Courtney Lee and Terrence Williams. What they don’t have are people who can score (besides Harris and maybe Lopez), and sadly enough Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe are counting on Yi to get it done. As a Nets fan, I’m not so sure.

New Orleans Hornets: Not that long ago the Hornets were one of the better teams in the West, but looking at their roster now, they have to figure out how to remain competitive. Stojakovic’s play is declining, there’s no bench, and Tyson Chandler might not be with the team anymore when the new season starts as management is exploring options to trade him (again).

New York Knicks: Rubio won’t be in New York, so now the Knicks are talking with Jason Kidd, who also has an off-season home in the area. He’s a fan of Mike D’Antoni, and could make a young team better. If Kidd signs with the Knicks, you can be sure of it he will end his career without a Championship, so the Lakers would make more sense.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Ben Gordon has also been linked to the Thunder, but they already have enough fire power in Durant, Green, Westbrook, and rookie James Harden. They also traded for center B.J. Mullens on Draft Night, but they could improve their bench.

Orlando Magic: The Magic made a great move trading for Vince Carter, but you can be sure of it that Hedo Turkoglu will be gone. It’s been reported that Orlando offered him around 35 million for four years right after the Finals, but he declined. This prompted them to trade for VC, which is almost the same as saying: “See ya!” to Hedo. Now they need to re-sign Marcin Gortat, and shore up their bench a little, and they’re good to go.

Philadelphia 76’ers: The first thing the Sixers did is sign coach Eddie Jordan. What’s next? Andre Miller might be gone giving Lou Williams a chance to start, with rookie Jrue Holiday backing him up. Will they try to make it work with Elton Brand this season?

Phoenix Suns: That’s the end of the Shaqxperiment. Now if they do trade Amar’e Stoudemire, I hope they get a big man in return, because there aren’t many left in Phoenix. Another big question is: what will Steve Nash do?

Portland Trail Blazers: They might try to add Kirk Hinrich, who would be a great fit next to Brandon Roy. Other than that: don’t change a thing.

Sacramento Kings: The Kings had a solid Draft, getting Tyreke Evans, but also Omri Casspi, who might be the sleeper of the Draft.

San Antonio Spurs: And the rich get richer. Acquiring Richard Jefferson is such a smart move, and assures them of being able to contend for the Championship next season. And who do the Spurs pick up in the second round of the Draft? DeJuan Blair. Like I said: the rich get richer.

Toronto Raptors: Trouble in Toronto. You don’t know what Chris Bosh will do in 2010, Shawn Marion will be gone, and it doesn’t seem likely that there will be any big names entering Canada in the near future. Rookie DeMar DeRozan will be an exciting player, so stay positive Raptor fans!

Utah Jazz: The Jazz have a problem. Why the hell would Carlos Boozer opt out, since nobody will pay him more than what he can make next season anyway? This doesn’t make it easier for Utah, who should by all means keep Paul Millsap. Boozer will be gone next summer, and Millsap should be their power forward for years to come. With Boozer staying, it will also make it difficult to re-sign Mehmet Okur.

Washington Wizards: Will this finally be the year that everyone stays healthy? How good will Arenas be? Did they make the right move in trading away their Draft pick for Mike Miller and Randy Foye? What can Flip Saunders do that Eddie Jordan couldn’t? The Wizards have more questions than answers, but who doesn’t want to see what these guys can do?

MJ & MJ

2009-06-29T07:50:00.005-04:00

One can't dance, the other can't ball.

Carter Goes Home

2009-06-25T19:30:00.003-04:00

In my years as a Nets fan, it hasn’t always been easy. I’ve been with them since 1997, and I’ve seen Jayson Williams go from a rebounding madman, to a…. well, a madman. I’ve seen Stephon Marbury as a Net, paired with then Sixer Allen Iverson, winning one of the best All-Star games in recent history in 2001. I’ve seen Jason Kidd joining the Nets, leading them to the Finals twice, and getting triple-doubles like it was nothing. Kenyon Martin, our last power forward: from rim-rocking dunks in The Meadowlands, to going all the way to the Western Conference Finals with the Nuggets only a few weeks ago. And of course Richard Jefferson. When Kidd left, I understood. It’s a business, and both player and team were ready to move on. And we got Devin Harris in return, so I couldn’t complain anyway. But trading a 20 ppg player like Jefferson for two forwards who didn’t average 20 ppg together, broke my heart. A lot of people dislike RJ, but I’m not one of them. Is he overpaid? Could be. Should he always be a sidekick to some star? I don’t know. All I know is that he’s been traded to the Spurs this week, so I’m happy he doesn’t spend the prime of his career in basketball purgatory. One final thing I want to mention about Jefferson: he really was bummed when he was traded by the Nets after spending his first seven years there. He wanted stay in New Jersey for the rest of his career, and that doesn’t happen very often when a player says that about a team like the Nets (before RJ, I think the last one to do so was Buck Williams).

After RJ was gone, luckily we still had Vince Carter, and it was time for him to show if he’s able to lead a young team, to see if he could go through a season of what some people would call “a rebuilding year”. And VC just did that without complaining, teaching the young guys, playing at least three positions throughout the season, and oh yeah, averaging 20, 5 and 5 along the way. Sure, he wanted to win a championship, but he emphasized that he was content with his current situation, and enjoyed the process of building a team, making the rookies better; doing whatever that was needed to be done to help the organization during this tough process of being perceived as mediocre.

They called him Wince Carter, but in his last four full seasons, he only missed 11 games. He’s not getting any younger, he has a huge contract, but he is also capable of making huge baskets, or making the right pass when needed, as we could state that VC is one of the best passing shooting guards in the League, and maybe one of the most unselfish players in the NBA. Sure, Vince is a great actor, limping, grimacing, staying down for a while, the man has a flair for the dramatic, just ask Toronto when he killed them by scoring a reverse alley-oop in the buzzer with 18.000 people booing him. About the incoming players: I like Courtney Lee, I don’t know how Rafer Alston will fit in coming off the bench, and Tony Battie is a nice veteran addition (however, the contracts of those two are coming off the books in 2010, so that’s why they're now with the Nets). But I really don’t know how the Nets are planning to score 85 points in a game next season.

Rod Thorn will probably draft Terrance Williams or Gerald Henderson tonight, and might do some additional dealing this summer (speaking of that: Ryan Anderson is joining VC to Orlando, which gives the Nets the Magic’s trade exception). But Vince Carter’s scoring, passing, and leadership will be missed by us Nets fans. Vince Carter will finish his career in the state he was born in, and where he also starred as a high school phenomenon. He might be a nice guy, but in Orlando he will show that nice guys don’t always finish last.

The Hangover

2009-06-21T13:06:00.001-04:00

It’s been (almost) a week since I’ve watched the Lakers win their fifteenth championship, and their fourth in the Phil Jackson / Kobe Bryant era. This means that L.A. along with San Antonio now has won eight of the last eleven championships. Only Detroit, Miami and Boston had something to say during this period. And it’s not ludicrous to think that it would be any other way in 2010 if other contenders don’t improve (Cleveland, Orlando) or get healthy (Boston).
Why haven’t I written something on “the day after”, on Monday? They had the championship parade on Wednesday, and I still hadn’t made a post on this blog. The reason is simple: like every June after the season has finished, I’m dealing with an NBA hangover. Almost eight months of checking box scores on a daily basis, watching games, reading SLAMonline, Hoopshype, refreshing pages I don’t know how many times a day, it’s all over. Sure, I still check those websites, but no more game recaps, no more checking stats, no more getting up in the middle in the night to watch a live game on TV, none of that.
At this time of year I realize how big of an influence the NBA is on my life. For instance: I would never plan a vacation during the Playoffs or Finals. Even when I’m away during the regular season, I still feel the urge to check some NBA news or scores whenever I have the opportunity. Sad? For others, maybe. I just call it a passion.

If I think back to the NBA Playoffs 2009, I think of these moments:

-Boston vs. Chicago: The best series of this year’s Playoffs. I almost ordered a Ben Gordon jersey but I realized just in time that he might be playing for another team next season. I hope Chicago’s nucleus can stay in tact, what a joy to watch, what a masterful trade in acquiring Brad Miller and John Salmons, Derrick Rose as a young star, Kirk Hinrich playing great coming off the bench, I really enjoyed it. On the other side you had Ray Allen’s amazing51 points, Glen Davis showing off that he can score, Kendrick Perkins playing tough D, and Rajon Rondo almost averaging a triple-double; this was one for the ages.

-Cleveland’s first two rounds: They just demolished Detroit and Atlanta, it was almost embarrassing.

-The Denver Nuggets: Such a fun team to watch. Shooting 3’s all over the place, athletic players blocking, dunking, running all over the place, playing with a sense of urgency behind leader Chauncey Billups all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

-Inside the NBA: How nice it was to watch Ernie, Kenny and Chuck almost daily on NBA.com. Still one of my favorite shows, and again, I wish that TNT had the NBA Finals, but that won’t happen anytime soon.

-Los Angeles vs. Houston: One might wonder what would’ve happened if Yao was able to play after Game 4. Houston plays great D, they didn’t miss T-Mac at all, but to go all the way without Yao might be a bit too much. Sure, they made it to a Game 7, which is an amazing feat by itself. But they just came up short in the final game. Although “short” and missing Yao might be a weird combo. To be honest, even with Yao, I think the Lakers would’ve beaten them.

-Cleveland vs. Orlando: Cleveland steamrolled all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, but their shortcomings were exposed by Orlando, which denied LeBron a second trip to the NBA Finals. I wonder what the Cavs will do this summer to strengthen their team. Will Sideshow Andy be back? Will they bring in a bigger guard? LeBron needs help.

-The two huge 3’s by Derek Fisher in Game 4: The only player who was there along with Kobe and Phil to win the first three championships, now steps up in a huge way to make a trey late in the fourth quarter, and again in OT. Now Fisher must remain a Laker ‘til the end of his playing days. And after that make him as assistant coach to start a new career with the organization.

-Seeing Kobe getting his fourth: People hate him, people love him, and it all doesn’t matter. He’s the last one standing. He’s been playing basketball non-stop for two years and still coming up huge in the Finals.

-Pau Gasol: Pau has won a lot on an international level, but in the NBA couldn’t shed the tag of being soft. He had a great Playoffs and Finals, and now he can add an NBA Championship to his résumé.

-Phil Jackson: Winning that 10th Larry O’Brien Trophy.

No Breaks Allowed, Part 9

2009-06-04T20:07:00.006-04:00

Cleveland Cavaliers: (Orlan)D’oh!

2009-06-03T11:14:00.003-04:00

Almost before the cameras could find him on Saturday night, LeBron was already in the tunnel towards the locker room, his head down, disappointed beyond all believe. His stats against the Magic? A ridiculous MVP-worthy 38,5 ppg, 8,3 rpg, 8,2 assists. But the most important stat he’ll remember is this one: 4-2. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not now, not this season, it was theirs to take, right? The MVP on the team with the most wins during the regular season, sweeping Detroit and Atlanta in the first two rounds, only to fall in the Eastern Conference Finals against a Magic team who exploited Cleveland’s shortcomings in an obvious manner.

It’s funny; when a team wins 66 games, you don’t hear too many people criticizing LeBron’s lack of help. Winning eight straight games in the Playoffs in a dominating fashion made a lot of basketball junkies salivating over a Kobe-LeBron match-up. But in reality, as basketball fans we all knew the Cavaliers are flawed. Let’s take a look at the core of the team (anybody not named James but appeared in most of their games):

Daniel Gibson: Gibson played great in the Playoffs…. in the previous two years. You must wonder what his role on this team can be, since he’s under contract ‘til 2013 for over 4 million a year. A shooter who only hit 39% of his shots during the regular season, shouldn’t be considered as a building block.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas: Big Z makes 11 million in the final season of his contract (he recently has stated he won’t opt out which makes sense), and turns 34 later this week. Still a good player to have around, but only played in 65 games this season, and aside from him being 7’3, he’s not an imposing defensive player nor is he a great rebounder. But as an offensive weapon he’s still valuable.

Sasha Pavlovic: Once a starter, now a benchwarmer with some DNP’s after this name. He will be in the final year of his contract for the 2009/2010 season.

Anderson Varejao: Sideshow Andy might opt out, which for the Cavs could actually be a good thing. The consensus of a basketball messageboard I sometimes check is to pay Varejao about 8 million a season, but to me, that would be a bit pricey for a player that shouldn’t be a starter in the first place. I’m not saying Varejao is a bad player, but he’s not essential in what the Cavs have been trying to do this past season. His 8 points and 7 boards can be replaced by someone who can come in a little cheaper.

Ben Wallace: As of right now, Wallace isn’t sure whether he’s coming back for the final season of his contact, which pays him 14 million, or if he will retire. If he does, he might seek a buyout, but that’s still better than the Cavs having to pay him 14 mil.

Delonte West: A skilled but also affordable player who is under contract for another two seasons, but is he the answer at the starting shooting guard position? It might be better if West would come off the bench backing up both guard positions.

Mo Williams: A lot of people are not very fond of Mo Williams right now, because of his “guarantees” and his somewhat disappointing play, but he did play great during the regular season. He’s not going anywhere in the next couple of years.

I didn’t list Wally Szczerbiak and Joe Smith because their contracts are up, and I doubt that either of them will be back. We saw less and less of Smith as the Playoffs continued, and I was surprised he didn’t have a bigger impact on this team. It might just so happen that he will return to the Thunder, since he built up a great relationship with his former teammates there. If not, Joe Smith is a player who will always find a job in the NBA. Wally’s days of receiving huge paychecks are over; I wonder what he will do now (not really).

The Cavs need a starting power forward who can score inside and grab some boards; a Carlos Boozer kind of type (not that he would return to the Cavs anyway, and the fanbase wouldn’t want to see him back in Cleveland either). Since the Cavs absolutely have no inside game besides LeBron driving to the basket, it also explains why their offense can be rather stagnant sometimes. What especially annoyed me during the regular season is that in close games LeBron is forcing up shots, and four other guys are watching him. Mike Brown must find a way to make the offense more diverse, so that the opponent doesn’t always know what’s coming at them. Sure, they won 66 games, but they aren’t there in Game 1 of the NBA Finals this Thursday. They also need to upgrade their bench, and a taller shooting guard who can help out on D. GM Danny Ferry doesn’t have to revamp the roster as a whole, but he’s got plenty of work to do in the next couple of months, with a tight budget and no trade material. Danny needs a fairy to make this all happen.

NBA Finals Preview: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Orlando Magic

2009-05-31T01:18:00.001-04:00

Point guard: Derek Fisher vs. Rafer Alston
I must admit that Skip surprised me in the Eastern Conference Finals. He can be somewhat flaky, but stepped up when needed; if Lewis or Turk weren’t hitting shots, Alston either hit a 3 or went to the basket. I really enjoyed watching him play most of the time. He has to go up against a savvy PG in Fisher, but he can’t guard Alston for 35-40 minutes a game. Advantage: Magic.

Shooting guard: Kobe Bryant vs. Courtney Lee
So here we have a shooting guard with a mask and a headband, good midrange game, hits a floater every now and then, he kind of reminds of a certain Piston. When you’re Courtney Lee and you played like you played in the Playoffs, even having surgery (on his face!) and coming back from that and still contribute and being one of the better defenders of the team? We can clearly state that Lee is not a rookie anymore. And Kobe will remind him he’s not a veteran either. Advantage: Lakers.

Small forward: Trevor Ariza vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Both of these players played great in their respective Conference Finals series. While Ariza has to do a little bit of everything, Turkoglu is mostly known for his offense. Turk often brings the ball up, and not only creates for himself, but also creating for his teammates, as evidenced by the 6,6 assists per game he averaged against Cleveland. Advantage: Magic.

Power forward: Pau Gasol vs. Rashard Lewis
Lewis continues to be a mismatch because of his three-point shooting. It will be interesting to see what the Lakers will do with Lewis; will they keep a body on him at all times, maybe switching Ariza or Odom on him? Will Gasol let Lewis shoot and provide help defense on Dwight Howard? But who of the Orlando Magic is going to guard Gasol? Since we’re living in a time where a Dwight Howard continues to foul out, which not always is entirely his fault, it wouldn’t make sense to put him on Pau. But Rashard Lewis can’t guard him either. Advantage: Lakers.

Center: Andrew Bynum vs. Dwight Howard
Speaking of fouls, Bynum can’t do anything right at the moment. No offense Mountain Drew. Side note: Howard shot 71,6% (48-67) from the free throw line against Cleveland. Not bad for a guy who 59,4% during the regular season. A beast: shot clocks beware. Advantage: Magic.

Bench:
Michael Pietrus, who has been rather inconsistent in previous rounds, gave Orlando exactly what it needed during the Eastern Conference Finals: a scoring punch off the bench. He played very opportunistic basketball, either slashing to the rim but also hitting huge treys in the heat of the moment. Pietrus also saw a lot of minutes guarding LeBron, which is tough for any player in the League to do, but at least he made James work for some of his shots. Marcin Gortat got some extended minutes at center due to foul trouble to Howard. Anthony Johnson, as always, does his job as a solid back-up point guard. The Lakers on the other end got some great games out of Lamar Odom, filling in for Bynum as Gasol moved to the center spot, and Odom being the power forward. When he gets his rebounds and a couple of buckets on some nifty drives, the Magic won’t have an answer for that. Shannon Brown can be used as an energizer, and Luke Walton can be counted on to hit the open shot or hand out the assist. What the Lakers can get out of Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, varies with every game. Advantage: Lakers.

Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. Stan Van Gundy
The last two games against Denver was great Lakers basketball. Kobe was used as a decoy, being more of a facilitator while waiting to pick his spots on the offensive end. Van Gundy must remind his three-point gunning team that Dwight has to get some shots, feed him the ball, and let him get into it early. You witnessed what happened in Game 6 against the Cavs: he got a couple of quick dunks early in the first quarter, and ended with 40 points. But Phil Jackson is on a mission. He must get his tenth championship, making him the most successful coach in NBA history. Advantage: Lakers.

What I’d say:
Lakers in six. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Lakers will need a game or two to adjust to Orlando’s transition 3’s, and of course, Dwight Howard. What the Lakers absolutely need to do is get Pau Gasol involved. He can shoot but also score down low, and I can’t see it happening that Howard will be on him all the time, so L.A. needs to take advantage of that. A big game by Gasol during the Finals, guarantees a win. I think Orlando will steal a game in L.A., and are difficult to beat at home. They’ve come a long way, but it looks like the Lakers finally understand what they are playing for, and will show that starting Thursday.

NBA Playoffs, Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic

2009-05-20T20:52:00.005-04:00

Point guard: Mo Williams vs. Rafer Alston
Williams and Alston have one thing in common: they’re inconsistent. Orlando will be Cleveland’s most difficult matchup so far, and it’s important for those teams that both players step up their game, and just make their shots. I know it sounds a bit simplistic, but this is what their respective teams need from them right now. Since the Cavs need slightly more offense from him than the Magic need from Alston, I’m saying: Advantage: Cavaliers.

Shooting guard: Delonte West vs. Courtney Lee
This is easy. I think it’s time to put Courtney Lee back into the starting line-up. But for now: West plays D, passes, rebounds, scores, does everything. A great player in the Cavs’ system. Advantage: Cavaliers.

Small forward: LeBron James vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Turk played great in game 7, but he’s going up against the MVP now. Let’s keep this one short, shall we? Advantage: Cavaliers

Power forward: Anderson Varejao vs. Rashard Lewis
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Lewis play against the Celtics. A true scorer, and seems to be the number one offensive option for the Magic. Varejao is a scrappy defender and a great actor, but he can’t stop Lewis. Advantage: Magic.

Center: Zydrunas Ilgauskas vs. Dwight Howard
Two completely different players. One, a crafty veteran with a deft shooting touch, the other a brute force with unmatched athleticism. Z can lure Howard out of the paint, creating space inside for LeBron to drive, but on the other end, how the hell will Z stop Howard? Advantage: Magic.

Bench:
Except for Ben Wallace and Joe Smith, I have never been impressed by Cleveland’s bench, but Orlando on the other end has Michael Pietrus, Anthony Johnson, J.J, Redick and Marcin Gortat to give the starters a breather (and sometimes Tony Battie is thrown in there, too). Pietrus can score in bunches, and even finished some of the games against the Celtics. Advantage: Magic.

Coaching: Mike Brown vs. Stan Van Gundy
I’m not a big fan of either, but while watching Orlando battling Boston, I can understand Dwight Howard’s frustrations more and more. There are some decisions when the game is on the line that I simply don’t understand. And while I’m at it: Dwight Howard still doesn’t get enough touches. He only had two 20-point games against the Celtics, and the most shots he got were 16 (Game 6). Advantage: Cavaliers.

What I’d say:
Cavaliers in six. Like I said earlier: I do believe the Magic will cause some trouble, especially with the match-up problems because of Turk, Lewis and Howard, and let’s not forget a decent bench, but the Cavs have been playing at such a high level, Orlando needs more than magic to beat them in a seven-game series. Man, what a lame last sentence. Sorry ‘bout that.

NBA Playoffs, Western Conference Finals Preview: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets

2009-05-19T09:56:00.005-04:00

Point guard: Derek Fisher vs. Chauncey Billups
We all noticed how Fisher had trouble in the previous round trying to keep up with Aaron Brooks, and Phil Jackson even put Jordan Farmar in early and often, who matches up with Brooks in terms of speed. So if Fisher had trouble trying to contain Brooks, how will he perform against Billups? Now Billups might not be as quick, but other than that, Denver’s hometown hero is one of the best players of the Playoffs so far. Advantage: Nuggets.

Shooting guard: Kobe Bryant vs. Dahntay Jones
Jones will have the task to stay on Kobe and trying to prevent that he gets hot early. But Jones isn’t the reason Bryant should be worried; guys like Nene, Kenyon Martin and the Birdman are. When Kobe starts driving to the basket, he will meet these guys around the rim. But when it comes to guards, Kobe will have his way. Advantage: Lakers.

Small forward: Trevor Ariza vs. Carmelo Anthony
Charles Barkley has said numerous times on Inside the NBA this past week that Carmelo Anthony is one the best scorers in the NBA. But also during the show they showed that Melo hasn’t played all that well against the Lakers this season. I’m a big fan of Trevor Ariza, who can do a little bit of everything, and doing it at both ends of the court. He’ll keep a hand in the face of Anthony at all time, but I think that the talented Nuggets forward is on such a roll (averaging 30ppg against Dallas, shooting 51% from the field and almost 55% from 3), and won’t be the same Melo that the Lakers saw during the regular season. Advantage: Nuggets.

Power forward: Pau Gasol vs. Kenyon Martin
Gasol has a height advantage, but like Martin says about himself: he won’t back down from nobody. I think without Martin, the Nuggets would have looked like a completely different team on the defensive end. Because not only is he a guy who is good in coming over from the weak side to block shots, he is also an annoying (and “annoying” is a good thing obviously) one-on-one defender. Gasol however, has proven to be the most consistent player for the Lakers so far. Advantage: Lakers.

Center: Andrew Bynum vs. Nene
Bynum didn’t play all that much against the Rockets, but when he did get some minutes you always notice that there’s a lot this kid can do. A little baby hook, and offensive rebound there; I think he’ll be needed against the Nuggets, who have a physical player of their own in Nene. As I stated many times (well, at least two times), when Nene has a good game, the Nuggets have a good game. Advantage: Nuggets.

Bench:
Except for Lamar Odom, L.A.’s bench is as thin as my hairline. I must say that Jordan Farmar has been playing with more confidence, but the inconsistency of Farmar, or Sasha Vujacic, doesn’t help this Lakers team. I like Shannon Brown, but it’s unfair to count on him in clutch situations. The Nuggets of course are famous because of the guy who fires quicker than Viggo Mortensen in “Appaloosa”: J.R. Smith, and fan favorite Chris Andersen. Anthony Carter gets his 15-20 minutes off the bench, a reliable veteran point guard which pretty much completes the eight-man rotation George Karl is using. Advantage: Nuggets.

Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. George Karl
So far, when it comes to coaching, I always give the Lakers the advantage. You can’t argue with Jackson’s legendary status, but it must be said that his team still isn’t always playing with intensity, something that I do see watching Denver or Cleveland for that matter. I also wonder how much you can blame Jackson for this. It’s the players who have to perform on the court, and to execute the game plan. George Karl acknowledges his team got far, and it’s good to hear him say that neither he nor his team think it’s over. They aren’t getting complacent just because they got the WCF. They want to go all the way, they stay hungry, and they stay motivated. It won’t be the coaches who make the difference in this series. It’s not about X’s and O’s this round. Advantage: none.

What I’d say:
Lakers in seven. Could’ve been a coin toss really. Yes, I think the Nuggets are that good. This series has nothing to do with star power. The Lakers can’t simply rely on their talent and hope they’ll get by. It’s plain and simple: the team that wants it the most, will win it.

NBA Playoffs, Semifinals Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks

2009-05-05T10:19:00.001-04:00

Point guard: Mo Williams vs. Mike Bibby
It might be a bit simplistic to say that the roles of these players in their respective teams, is just to shoot 3’s. But that’s what it all comes down to. Mo Williams isn’t the main facilitator of Cleveland’s offense, where Mike Bibby might have more of a leadership role on a relatively young team. Advantage: none.

Shooting guard: Delonte West vs. Joe Johnson
I always liked Joe Johnson, back when he was still a member of the fun Phoenix Suns. It’s good for him to finally have some success again these last two seasons with the Hawks. In Game 7 against the Heat Johnson was superb, shooting 3’s like he was only a few feet away from the basket. Delonte West needs to stay close to Johnson at all times, maybe they even put LeBron on him. Give Johnson an inch and he’ll score on you, Wade can tell you that. I expect him to have a better series than he had against Miami. Advantage: Hawks.

Small forward: LeBron James vs. Maurice Evans
Evans will start, but Mike Woodson already stated that Marvin Williams, as one of the team’s premier defenders, will also see a lot of minutes against James. Something tells me the freshly crowned MVP won’t have too much trouble with this. Advantage: Cavaliers.

Power forward: Anderson Varejao vs. Josh Smith
Varejao is a scrappy power forward, your typical blue collar guy. Josh Smith is built like a tank, and his athleticism is something that will get him past, or over his defenders. What Smith has to remember is that the offense shouldn’t stop with him. Pass to the open man if he has a better shot. Smith also needs to continue attacking the basket, and not settle for jumpers. Advantage: Hawks.

Center: Zydrynas Ilgauskas vs. Al Horford
How much effect will Horford’s ankle injury have on him? Z is so tall and a good shooter, which enforces Horford to use his quickness to bother him as much as possible. It wouldn’t surprise me if Zaza Pachulia comes off the bench early and often, to make this a better match-up. Advantage: Cavaliers.

Bench:
Flip Murray played a lot of minutes against the Heat, but hasn’t shot as well as he did in the regular season. Still, he’s a valuable back-up who you can insert at both guard spots. Zaza Pachulia is a strong big guy, not afraid to make the hard foul, and a good rebounder. Speaking of rebounders, the Cavs have Ben Wallace on their bench, and if he’s healthy it’s an extra big body to bring in. Joe Smith is a veteran who will score a little, and always works hard. Wally Szczerbiak and Daniel Gibson were too inconsistent in the first round to be considered as a factor in this series. Advantage: Hawks.

Coaching: Mike Brown vs. Mike Woodson
What annoys me watching the Hawks play is that they sometimes forget to pass. One guy tries to create something for himself, oblivious if any of his teammates are open. You hardly see any movement out there, and that’s the reason why they needed seven games to get rid off Miami. In Game 7 we finally saw how good the Hawks can be: there were moments that the ball was going through four players and all of a sudden Johnson was wide open in the corner for a 3. That’s how they should do it, and Woodson should remind his players of that in every single time-out. The Cavs don’t have that problem. James, Williams and West are all good passers, and not reluctant to do it either. But besides offense, they’re also a strong defensive team that works together instead of counting on the individual. Brown has been to the Finals, has learned a lot in the last couple of seasons, and has his team working well together. From James to Tarence Kinsey. Advantage: Hawks.

What I’d say:
Cavaliers in five. The Hawks showed me too many times that they aren’t willing to change. Team oriented basketball is optional, not a must. This will give the Cavs a huge advantage, because if the ball isn’t moving in the Hawks’ offense, it’s not that hard to stop them. And that leaves us with LeBron James. He might endure some trouble with the athletic Hawks, but I don’t see anyone really having an effect in stopping him.

NBA Playoffs, Semifinals Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic

2009-05-04T19:05:00.004-04:00

Point guard: Rajon Rondo vs. Rafer Alston
It must suck sometimes to be Rajon Rondo. First you get all bruised up playing those pesky Bulls for seven excruciating games, going up against Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose, who might equal the quickness you have. And only two days later the Magic is waiting for you. Going in the paint will be a daring task, with the Defensive Player of the Year waiting there to eat you alive. Guess there will be more bruises then. Alston is nowhere near the player Rose is, but Alston can score, run the floor, dish the ball, and is a great replacement for the injured Jameer Nelson. But Alston also probably wished Courtney Lee was healthy, because now he has to guard one of the better players of the playoffs in Rondo. Advantage: Celtics.

Shooting guard: Ray Allen vs. J.J. Redick
In the year 2021 J.J. will write a book about his playing career, from the slow start in his early years, to the moment which changed it all and made him realize what to do to be a good player in this League: the semifinals of the 2009 NBA Playoffs, where he had to guard one of the best shooters in the NBA. It will be called “The Chronicles of Redick”, and one chapter will entirely be dedicated to Ray Allen. Advantage: Celtics.

Small forward: Paul Pierce vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Turk shot about 36% from the field in the first round; he’s not himself right now. Stat-wise it looked like Pierce wasn’t the best Celtic against the Bulls, but few have made more clutch shots than him. His jumper from the right elbow is his bread and butter, no matter how closely he was guard by John Salmons. Turkoglu is taller than Pierce, but health is keeping him from playing up to his usual standards. Advantage: Celtics.

Power forward: Glen Davis vs. Rashard Lewis
I didn’t expect to see Big Baby average 18 points in the first round, but he did. He has a good shooting touch, and is surprisingly agile for such a big man. Rashard Lewis really came through in Game 6 and 7 against the Sixers, scoring 24 and 29 points respectively. A great shooter from every distance imaginable, but also fast enough to drive to the basket. Davis and Lewis are two completely different players, but the Magic forward must be closely guarded at all times. Advantage: Magic.

Center: Kendrick Perkins vs. Dwight Howard
Like Davis, Perkins had a great series against the Bulls, being a strong defensive presence the Celtics needed after the loss of KG, and getting some buckets too (at 62%). The problem for Perkins will be that he doesn’t have any help defending Flight Howard, since Orlando has more shooters than there were in “3:10 to Yuma”. Mikki “The Snake” Moore and Brian Scalabrine won’t be very helpful in this department. Advantage: Magic.

Bench:
Boston’s bench is thinner than Lindsay Lohan. They haven’t provided much against Chicago, with Starbury shooting about 25%, and Tony Allen being a non-factor on both ends of the floor. Only Eddie House made some huge shots, and Moore and Scal played decent in Game 7. Orlando’s bench was slightly better, but not much. They simply couldn’t shoot. Michael Pietrus was horrible, No-Neck Johnson is a great veteran and a smart player, but also shot below 40%, Tony Battie brought some D being subbed in for Howard, and we even saw the Polish Hammer, Marcin Gortat, who had exactly one memorable moment. Ask Andre Miller and Samuel Dalembert more about this. For the sake of argument let’s expect Pietrus to play better, therefore I will say: Advantage: Magic.

Coaching: Doc Rivers vs. Stan Van Gundy
I don’t know what to think of SVG. He’s quite a character, colorful and I like his honesty, especially in dealing with media. But watching him on the sidelines even makes me a little nervous. Doc Rivers came a long way with his Boston team. From hardly winning any games only a couple of seasons ago, to winning it all. He lost Garnett, he lost Leon Powe, his bench is crap, but he still gets the most out of every player. They’re scrappy, they have that sense of urgency, and they are lead by one of the NBA’s finest young coaches (if I may still call him that). Advantage: Celtics.

What I’d say:
Magic in six. Boston almost played eight games in the first round (seven OT’s!). They had two days of rest, while Orlando finished up their first round series on Thursday (and Howard hasn’t played since last Tuesday). The Celtics are battle-tested, but do they have enough gas left in the tank to go up against Howard and his 3-point shooting crew? Some say that you forget about being tired in the playoffs, but again, the Celtics have played so many minutes, it must have had an impact or some sort of lingering effect on them. They’re tough as nails and as a collective unit still better defensively than the Magic, despite the shot blocking prowess of Dwight Howard. But can they stop him? If Howard dominates from the start, and Rashard Lewis doesn’t wait for four games to finally be the effective scorer that he is, Boston’s season will end here.

NBA Playoffs, Semifinals Preview: Denver Nuggets vs. Dallas Mavericks

2009-05-03T16:21:00.002-04:00

Point guard: Chauncey Billups vs. Jason Kidd
Not that long ago these two were playing against each other in the East, a couple of years younger, still considered to be amongst the NBA elite. Kidd is still leading his team on the break, and Billups has rescued the Nuggets for being a playoff afterthought, to a possible contender. Kidd will have long nights in trying to contain him. Advantage: Nuggets.

Shooting guard: Dahntay Jones vs. J.J. Barea
Antoine Wright was the starter for Dallas during the regular season, but the Rick Carlisle changed that. Carlisle believed that starting Barea brought an extra scoring punch to the starting line-up, a gamble you can take when you have Jason Terry on your bench. Jones is brought for his D, so he has to run around chasing Barea or the Jet all night long. Advantage: Mavericks.

Small forward: Carmelo Anthony vs. Josh Howard
If it wasn’t for Josh Howard, would the Mavericks be in the playoffs right now? Howard may not be completely healthy, but he certainly didn’t show any signs of slowing down against the Spurs. Melo is so well-rounded offensively, that it’s difficult to stop him, and also averaged 5 assists per game against San Antonio, while still getting his points. Tough call, because they are equally important to their respective teams. Advantage: Nuggets.

Power forward: Kenyon Martin vs. Dirk Nowitzki
Nowitzki clearly has a height advantage over Martin, but the latter is a very aggressive defender, something Dirk doesn’t always cope well with. Nowitzki has unlimited range, so he can stretch the Nuggets’ D by opening up the lane for guys like Terry and Barea. I’m impressed with Martin’s play and always have a soft spot for him since I’m a Nets fan, but he’ll have his hands full with Nowitzki. Advantage: Mavericks.

Center: Nene vs. Erick Dampier.
Damp is huge, a good rebounder and will block a couple of shots every game. Nene played decent against the Spurs, but it would be very welcome if he stays on the court a bit longer, avoiding foul trouble. Advantage: Nuggets.

Bench:
On one bench you have the Sixth Man of the Year in Jason Terry, along with Antoine Wright, and the highly entertaining Ryan Hollins. On the other bench you have two players named J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen. I’m a fan of these guys, so I’ll keep it short and simple: Advantage: Nuggets.

Coaching: George Karl vs. Rick Carlisle
Carlisle maybe hasn’t been around as long as Karl has, but his coaching career has been quite successful so far. Karl’s team has the chance to go a long way, but to choose between either of them in this series is pointless. Advantage: none.

What I’d Say:
Nuggets in seven. Both the Nuggets and Mavericks play a team-oriented style of basketball, but Denver is better defensively. Also, both teams had a relatively “easy” first round, so the wear and tear of the playoffs shouldn’t bother them too much. The Nuggets are playing at such a high level right now, which makes me wonder if the Mavericks can find ways to stop all those guys who can easily put up 20 points if needed: Melo, Billups, Nene, Smith, and even Martin can all score. Good luck with that.

NBA Playoffs, Semifinals Preview: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets

2009-05-02T12:36:00.002-04:00

Point guard: Derek Fisher vs. Aaron Brooks
So on one side you have a veteran who has seen it all, on the other side you have a youngster who has been pushed into the starting line-up and is playing with great confidence. I do think that Brooks can be bit trigger-happy sometimes, not always taking the advantage of the opportunities that present themselves when playing with a giant like Yao Ming. He might be a lot faster than Fisher, but I’m going with veteran leadership when it comes to winning playoff rounds. Advantage: Lakers.

Shooting guard: Kobe Bryant vs. Ron Artest
Artest doesn’t really have a position, since he’s bulky enough to play power forward in the right situation, crafty enough to play small forward, but often he fills the shooting guard role for the Rockets. This can be a good and a bad thing. He has a questionable shot selection, but if there’s one thing you can always count on, it’s his defense. He is so strong, but we must realize he’s playing against Kobe Bryant here. Although Kobe hasn’t had a great series against the Jazz, I think a premium defender like Artest will bring out the best of Kobe. Advantage: Lakers.

Small forward: Trevor Ariza vs. Shane Battier
Who did play great against the Jazz was Trevor Ariza. It’s nice to have someone like the HighRiza who is known for his defense, but also throws down a nasty reverse like it’s nothing and is dangerous from the 3-point line. Battier’s role on the Rockets is all about defense. He can shoot with range, but will also be a factor in containing Bryant. Ariza however is a player you should keep your eye on; they can’t leave him unguarded. Advantage: Lakers.

Power forward: Pau Gasol vs. Luis Scola
Beards. Long hair. Both are also star players outside of the NBA. Gasol is a finesse player, Scola more of a banger with a soft shooting touch. But like I said in the preview of the Lakers-Jazz series; Gasol’s height is a problem on both ends of the floor. Scola is a skilled defender, who might try to push Gasol away from the basket, but then what? Gasol can shoot, and is so long it will be hard for Scola to keep Gasol from getting his points. Advantage: Lakers.

Center: Andrew Bynum vs. Yao Ming
You never know what Phil Jackson will do, but it seems like a smart move to put a big body on the NBA’s biggest body and best center: Yao Ming. That means Lamar Odom goes back to the bench, and Mountain Drew Bynum gets his wish: playing Yao Ming in the playoffs. Yao will have a difficult time playing against two 7-footers, but same thing goes the other way around: the Lakers will a hard time containing Yao. Advantage: Rockets.

Bench:
This will be a problem for the Rockets. Except for Von Wafer, they don’t have anyone on their bench who can add some firepower, something that is desperately needed against the Lakers, who basically won against the Jazz by simply outscoring them, instead of playing great D. The Lakers have Lamar Odom on their bench, which almost isn’t fair to any opponent. He had a great first round scoring nearly 18 ppg and grabbing 11 boards per game too. All that while shooting 62% from the field. Advantage: Lakers.

Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. Rick Adelman
Adelman is one of the best coaches in the game; Jackson is the best coach in the NBA. Jackson needs to get his team play better defense, because in the playoffs they can’t keep on coasting through every game. But if the Lakers regain their focus and truly commit in stopping their opponents, they will win it all. Advantage: Lakers.

What I’d say:
Lakers in six. It’s a great match-up; offense vs. defense. If you would look at the regular season, you would see that all four games were won by L.A. with an average margin of 13 points. The Rockets can’t put enough points on the board to keep up with the Lakers, and like I said before: if the Lakers improve their D, they shouldn’t give the Rockets a chance to stretch it to seven games.

Where Amazing Happens: The Detroit Pistons Have Lost Their Relevance

2009-04-27T12:20:00.003-04:00

How many eyes
Have seen their dream
How many arms
Have felt their dream
How many hearts, oh darlin'
Have felt their world stand still

“If I Should Die Tonight” – Marvin Gaye

We’re talking Motown here, and the Pistons’ season is officially over; they died Sunday Afternoon on their own home floor. Everybody in The Palace knew from the beginning they wouldn’t survive Game 4 when King James finished a breakaway windmill jam in the first quarter. In fact, Pistons fans already lost their pride and joy and gave up on the season before Game 4, since a lot of tickets for the home game were actually being sold to Cleveland season ticket holders. I’ve been following the League for almost two decades now, but I’ve never heard of anything like that before. I’m not going to write a recap of the game, if you saw the game, you know that Joe Dumars will have a lot of work to do in the next couple months.

The contracts of Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, and Walter Hermann are all coming off the books this summer. Antonio McDyess made it clear that he wasn’t sure what to do next, because he wants to play for a contender. So unless something drastic happens, the Pistons aren’t amongst the elite next season. McDyess or Wallace would be a great fit in either Cleveland (assuming Sideshow Varejao will be a goner), or San Antonio. The latter might not happen, since it would make the Spurs a really old group of guys. You have to wonder what Sheed wants at this point of his career. He has always made big bucks, but will he accept a Joe Smith kind of role for the veteran minimum in order to win a championship? Will he still demand a long-term contract paying a large amount of money? Would he be willing to help out a young team desperately searching for a power forward (Nets)? We’ll have to wait and see what this stubborn kind of fellow will do next.

Joe Dumars has to build a team around Rodney Stuckey, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince. I like Arron Afflalo, Will Bynum and Jason Maxiell, and if they are able to keep them all; it would set a nice basis to work with. Next is trying to acquire a big man via trades or fee agency, and the first player that comes to mind is Chris Bosh. If it doesn’t happen in 2009, they should try to get him in 2010. The question is: do Hamilton and Prince have the patience to play through a season of mediocrity? The Pistons have a lot of questions coming for them that need to be answered, and one thing is for sure: a different line-up will enter the floor at the beginning of next season. Many eyes have seen their dream in the past five years, now it’s time for Joe Dumars to get back to reality, because his team is in trouble man.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)

2009-04-18T21:06:00.002-04:00

Point guard: Steve Blake vs. Aaron Brooks
Both play well within their systems, but neither are accounted on being the X-factor for their teams. Advantage: none.

Shooting guard: Brandon Roy vs. Ron Artest
It could also be Roy vs., Battier, but for the sake of argument we’ll keep it at Roy vs. Artest. We all know that Roy is a star, and if he continues to play like this, he will be one of the best players in Blazer history. A great ball-handler and he can score against anyone. But can Roy also do it against Artest? And if Artest takes a break, Houston will switch Battier on to him. Tiring. Besides being a great defender, Artest is now the main scoring option next to Yao Ming. Artest will still have some bad shooting nights, but is one of the few stars in this League playing at a high level on both ends of the court. However, I’m a big fan of Roy, and I believe that this match-up will bring out the best of him. Advantage: Blazers.

Small forward: Nicolas Batum vs. Shane Battier
Batum doesn’t play a whole lot of minutes before either Fernandez or Outlaw being subbed in, but the young guy can learn some tricks from the veteran. Advantage: Rockets.

Power forward: LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Luis Scola
Aldridge keeps getting better and better, and will have to bring it all out against Scola, a talented and physical player who just won’t give up. Aldridge has some inches over Scola, and is well-rounded offensively so I believe he’s able to deal with the constant pressure. Advantage: Blazers.

Center: Joel Przybilla vs. Yao Ming
There are only a handful of legitimate seven-foot centers in the NBA nowadays, and there are three of them in this series. Obviously Yao is by far the better player here, but at least Przybilla can make it Yao a little bit more difficult, being the long defensive player that he is. Advantage: Rockets.

Bench:
Travis Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez often play starter minutes, and when Przybilla comes out, Greg Oden comes in. As a back-up point guard you can insert Sergio Rodriguez. Not much of a defender, but a superb passer. I hope to see Jerryd Bayless getting some playing time too. And if all of that doesn’t work, they even have Channing Frye at the end of the bench. There aren’t many teams who are this deep. Von Wafer won’t make Houston feel safer. Advantage: Blazers.

Coaching: Nate McMillan vs. Rick Adelman
Adelman has done a splendid job with the Rockets this season, but I’m even more impressed with what McMillan has done with the Blazers. They’re a loose bunch in the locker room, but these young guys are all business on the floor. They are confident and play at both ends of the floor, while sharing the ball on offense instead of padding up their own numbers. A joy to watch. Advantage: Blazers.

What I’d say:
Blazers in seven. The Rockets are strong defensively, but don’t have a ten-man roster like the Blazers do. I think Houston is one player away from being a serious contender, but it’s not that one player who’s injured right now.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: San Antonio Spurs (3) vs. Dallas Mavericks (6)

2009-04-18T20:12:00.002-04:00

Point guard: Tony Parker vs. Jason Kidd
As a Nets fan I always enjoy watching Kidd on the court. But I also know that Kidd isn’t a kid anymore, and lost some of his quickness on D. And “quickness” is exactly what Parker does have. A lot. A whole lot. Advantage: Spurs

Shooting guard: Roger Mason jr. vs. Antoine Wright
When Wright was with the Nets, I didn’t envision him being a starting shooting guard for a playoff team, but that shows you what I know. He’s a good defender and will have to stay close to Roger Mason jr.. With Ginobili out, Mason jr. is expected to score more, and being the deadly 3-point shooter that he is, he has to take the burden off Parker and Duncan’s shoulders and become that efficient third scorer which he showed during the regular season he can be. Advantage: Spurs

Small forward: Michael Finley vs. Josh Howard
Finley turned 35 last month, played in 81 games this season, and started 77 of ‘em. He hit some buzzer-beaters too, so you couldn’t ask anything more of him. And now he has to go up against Josh Howard, who showed his importance when he came back from injury at the end of the season. Howard’s versatility gave Dallas the boost it so desperately needed. Advantage: Mavericks.

Power forward: Tim Duncan vs. Dirk Nowitzki
You have to wonder how much trouble Duncan’s knees are causing him. San Antonio needs him to be able to play at his usual high level, especially dealing with such a great scorer like Nowitzki. Duncan is one of the best power forwards the League has ever seen, but Dirk will always get his points, even though he’s shooting less 3’s this season. Interesting match-up. Advantage: Spurs.

Center: Matt Bonner vs. Erick Dampier
Who could’ve guessed that The Red Rocket would be starting center of the Spurs this season? Bonner can shoot, Damp can rebound. Advantage: none.

Bench:
No Manu, but certainly enough big men on the bench of San Antonio, with Kurt Thomas, Drew Gooden and Fabricio Oberto all capable of putting up some quality minutes. It also opened up some playing time for Bruce Bowen, who’s probably in his fifties by now, but still wouldn’t complain if he has to run after Josh Howard all night. Expect to see Ime Udoka getting some minutes too. The Mavs have some firepower in J.J. Barea and even more important, Jason Terry. James Singleton and Brandon Bass both bring some extra energy off the bench, whether it’s by a dunk or by a hustle play. Advantage: Mavericks.

Coaching: Gregg Popovich vs. Rick Carlisle
Pop has won four championships, and still makes sure his team stays competitive. He’s been doing that for the last dozen years, so expect no difference in that. Carlisle had a pretty decent season with Dallas, and throughout his career he always got the most out of teams who you might not expect to go really far. But this time he has to do it against the Spurs. Advantage: Spurs.

What I’d say:
Spurs in seven. The loss of Ginobili is a big one, and like I already wrote: how is Duncan feeling? But you can never count the Spurs out. This will be a long series, with the San Antonio winning it in the deciding game.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Denver Nuggets (2) vs. New Orleans Hornets (7)

2009-04-18T18:43:00.003-04:00

Point guard: Chauncey Billups vs. Chris Paul
Now this is a match-up I’d like to see. The arrival of Chauncey Billups is the primary reason that the Nuggets finished second in the West. And now they’re meeting a Hornets team with a season behind them that was kind of a letdown. Now a lot can be said about Billups, but Chris Paul has had a season which could land him a top 3 spot in the MVP race. Even with all the injuries happening to the Hornets this season, CP3 carried them from beginning to end. Advantage: Hornets.

Shooting guard: Dahntay Jones vs. Rasual Butler
Jones is athletic, a pretty good defensive player, but plays less than 20 mpg. Rasual Butler is a 3-point shooter who accidentally took the starting spot by surprise, and had a great season appearing in all 82 games. A perfect complimentary player next to Paul. Advantage: Hornets.

Small forward: Carmelo Anthony vs. Peja Stojakovic
Stojakovic has had a difficult season, and isn’t the shooter he once was. Anthony on the other hand might not have had his best season statistically, but from his team’s point of view, he performed better than ever. Melo remains one of the most dangerous small forwards in the L, and since Peja isn’t the best defender out there, the Hornets will have a difficult time containing him. Advantage: Nuggets.

Power forward: Kenyon Martin vs. David West
West has been playing through nagging injuries, and Martin had his usual fair share of pains and aches too. Now going into the playoffs, Martin will have his hands full with West. David West is a power forward who can score from the inside, but also takes the jumpshot if his man gives him that room. Advantage: Hornets.

Center: Nene vs. Tyson Chandler
Two totally different players. Nene is a banger, who has dunked on more grills than George Foreman could ever sell. Chandler is a shot blocker, rebounder and scores about 99% of his points as the receiving end when Paul throws him a lob. Nene had a strong season, and I don’t believe he will stop now. Advantage: Nuggets.

Bench:
J.R. Smith, Birdman Anderson. That sums it up. Advantage: Nuggets.

Coaching: George Karl vs. Byron Scott
Both did a fine job this year. Karl’s team finally defends but that also has a lot to do with the arrival of hometown hero Chauncey Billups. Scott kept his team in the running all season long despite all the injuries and a weak bench. Advantage: none.

What I’d say:
Nuggets in six. The Hornets have a great starting five, but that’s not enough.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (1) vs. Utah Jazz (8)

2009-04-18T11:46:00.004-04:00

Point guard: Derek Fisher vs. Deron Williams
The mentor vs. the student. They’ve played together during Fisher’s brief time in Utah, but since then Williams has become one of the top point guards in the nation. There’s not much Williams can’t do offensively. He’s strong, can shoot from range, but going to the rim will be somewhat more of an adventure with Gasol and Bynum waiting for him. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Kobe or Trevor Ariza are asked to defend Williams on some plays. Williams must find a way to get it done, because he’s the Miles Davis of this Jazz ensemble. Advantage: Jazz.

Shooting guard: Kobe Bryant vs. Ronnie Brewer
Good luck, Ronnie. Advantage: Lakers.

Small forward: Trevor Ariza vs. C.J. Miles
Actually, Miles is listed day-to-day because of a dislocated finger. Miles doesn’t give the Jazz all that much on either end of the floor, while Ariza is mostly known for his defensive prowess. Ariza can shoot the 3-pointer if he’s open and is a strong finisher around the rim. Advantage: Lakers.

Power forward: Pau Gasol vs. Carlos Boozer
Boozer isn’t entirely back. He’s not 100% healthy and Pau Gasol is. Both are very skilled players, but Gasol’s height could cause some problems for Boozer on both ends of the floor. Advantage: Lakers.

Center: Andrew Bynum vs. Mehmet Okur
Bynum is back, still huge and already has put up some impressive numbers during the final games of the regular season. Phil Jackson still is critical of Bynum’s defense, but his presence alone changes a lot. Okur’s shooting touch will lure Bynum out of the paint, widening up the lane for Utah’s guards or wings to penetrate. It’s a tough choice. Advantage: Lakers.

Bench:
The Jazz have in Paul Millsap a power forward on the bench who proved that he could start on most teams, probably as early as next season for his current team. Then you have Kyle Korver, a 3-point gunner, and the do-everything Andrei Kirilenko, who could see a lot of minutes against Kobe. The Lakers can bring in Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, and recently Shannon Brown got some more minutes over Jordan Farmar. And let’s not forget about The Machine, Sasha Vujacic. Aside from Brown, these guys were all here last season, so they know what it takes to win. Advantage: Lakers.

Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. Jerry Sloan
This seems unfair to Sloan, but if I have to choose between coaches and one of them has won nine championships, who do you think I would choose? That’s right. Advantage: Lakers.

What I’d Say:
Lakers is five. Utah will give them a brief scare, but the Lakers won’t flinch. The Jazz aren’t adept defensively to contain all of L.A.’s fire power.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Atlanta Hawks (4) vs. Miami Heat (5)

2009-04-18T11:05:00.008-04:00

Point guard: Mike Bibby vs. Mario Chalmers
The Heat finally solved their point guard problem by drafting Mario Chalmers, the perfect running mate alongside Dwyane Wade. Mike Bibby is a seasoned veteran with a lot of playoff experience during his days as a King. He loves the 3-pointer, but isn’t only a trigger-happy point guard. With a player like Josh Smith on the break, be sure Bibby gets his assists too. Bibby does have to work on defense though. Chalmers might have quickness, but Bibby is far from done. Advantage: Hawks.

Shooting guard: Joe Johnson vs. Dwyane Wade
You have one of the leading candidates for the MVP award against another top five shooting guard, because Johnson certainly is no slouch either. But despite his height advantage, his deft 3-point shooting and more than decent ball-handling skills, Johnson won’t be able to keep Wade from getting what he wants. It will be interesting to see how the Hawks will stop him. Advantage: Heat.

Small forward: Maurice Evans vs. Jamario Moon
Marvin Williams is back, but from what I know he’s coming off the bench, so it’s Moon against Evans I suppose. Evans is known as a strong guard / forward and will be asked to help out on Wade. Moon is a somewhat skinny über-athletic forward which gives the Heat another player to run with on the break. But still: Advantage: Hawks.

Power forward: Josh Smith vs. Udonis Haslem
Haslem returns from his thumb injury and is the ideal power forward for the Heat. He can shoot, he can rebound and is a good defender, which sorely is needed against the talented Josh Smith. My problem with Smith is that he thinks he’s a shooter sometimes, something that must drive coach Mike Woodson crazy. Smith actually took a step back since last season, but for this series: Advantage: Hawks.

Center: Al Horford vs. Jermaine O’Neal
Some time ago I said about Horford that as he goes, the Hawks go. A good rebounder who also can score, to me has the edge over Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal has showed some flashes of his former self this past season, but his health remains a concern. I’m going with the young buck. Advantage: Hawks.

Bench:
Flip Murray has played a lot this season, and earned it too. Marvin Williams is finally back from injury, so when it comes to scoring the Hawks don’t really have letdown by putting them in. When it comes to big men on this roster, all you have is Al Horford, because I don’t expect Zaza Pachulia to have a huge impact coming in (stating the obvious here). The Heat’s Daequan Cook is a shooter but doing that under 40%. Luckily they also have James Jones who can hit the trey, and Jamaal Magloire to make the hard foul. But the key player here is of course Michael Beasley. The rookie is having a fine season, and the Heat made a great decision bringing him off the bench. The Hawks don’t have answer for that. Advantage: Heat.

Coaching: Mike Woodson vs. Eric Spoelstra
For a rookie coach, Spoelstra got the most out of his team this season. The Heat kept playing well despite a young roster, injuries and mid-season trades. That’s not to take away credit from Woodson, but I’m going with the rook here: Advantage: Heat

What I’d Say:
Heat in seven. The Hawks are a good team, and they will push the Heat to the brink of elimination, like they did with the Celtics last season. But with Wade’s flair for the dramatic, I expect some huge games of him in the first round.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Orlando Magic (3) vs. Philadelphia 76’ers (6)

2009-04-18T10:23:00.004-04:00

Point guard: Rafer Alston vs. Andre Miller
Alston has done well in Orlando since he was brought over from Houston, replacing the injured Jameer Nelson in the starting line-up. But Andre Miller is just one of the better point guards in the League. He and Andre Iguodala are Philly’s most important players. His ability to score, but most of all his crisp passing to his relatively young teammates, really benefits players like Thaddeus Young or Marreese Speights. Advantage: Sixers.

Shooting guard: Courtney Lee vs. Willie Green
With these two I think they’re starters by default. If you would look at their numbers, there’s nothing that stands out and will blow you away. Lee is primarily used as a defender, while Green…. I just don’t know. He isn’t a great shooter, so that explains why he only plays 22 mpg. Both will not be the difference maker anyway. Advantage: Magic.

Small forward: Hedo Turkoglu vs. Andre Iguodala
They have a different playing style, but Turk and Iguodala can do it all. Turkoglu might the better shooter, and Iguodala is a better finisher on the break and far more athletic. They can defend, can make the pass, but there’s one huge difference: for Philly to have a chance, Andre must be the best player on the court. Advantage: Sixers

Power forward: Rashard Lewis vs. Thaddeus Young
Both aren’t power forwards, who are we kidding here? But both work well in the current make-up of their respective teams. Young is a slasher, and you could say the same for Lewis, but he’s even more of a true scorer. Lewis is one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, and let’s not forget he almost shoots at a 40% clip from 3-point territory. Advantage: Magic.

Center: Dwight Howard vs. Samuel Dalembert
Dalembert has seems to have lost the trust of his coach, and isn’t seeing too much playing time at the moment. It will get increasingly more difficult to stay on the floor trying to stop Flight Howard. Howard is so athletic and such a ferocious rebounder, the Sixers just won’t have an answer for him. Howard will dominate this series from the start, on both ends of the floor. Advantage: Magic.

Bench:
This won’t matter in the first round, but whoever advances to the second round (Orlando), this will be a problem. Both of them have a bench that lacks depth. The Magic have Michael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat, No-Neck Johnson, Tony Battie and J.J. Redick who all get some minutes most of the time. But aside from Pietrus, there isn’t much of a difference maker in that group. This also applies to the Sixers. They have Lou Williams who one day could shine in this League, but other than that? The athletic Marreese Speights had a decent rookie season, but is not always reliable. Reggie Evans is Reggie Evans. He gets you some rebounds, and has a nasty-looking beard. That’s it. So who else has to defend Howard when Dalembert is out? Theo Ratliff? This isn’t 2001 anymore. Advantage: Magic.

Coaching: Stan Van Gundy vs. Tony DiLeo
SVG is one of the frontrunners for the Coach-of-the-Year award, and made it a magical (lame, can’t help myself) season with a team that performed better on defense than it should (much credit to Howard), but we also we also saw progress in Jameer Nelson as a true floor leader. Van Gundy keeps them levelled and if health allows it (since Turk and Lewis both missed some games at the end of the season), it will be interesting to see how far they can come. Advantage: Magic.

What I’d Say:
Magic in five. I like the Sixers, but again, what can they do against Howard? Turkoglu and Lewis are back, so you have three legitimate 20-point scorers out there. Good lucking stopping that.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Boston Celtics (2) vs. Chicago Bulls (7)

2009-04-17T20:54:00.004-04:00

Point guard: Rajon Rondo vs. Derrick Rose
Two young, very exciting point guards are going at it. Rondo might be better defensively, Rose better offensively, but the one thing they have in common is blazing’ speed. This will be an interesting match-up, and especially great for Rose to experience the playoffs as a rookie against the reigning champions. But which team has the advantage at this position? Rondo has seen it all last year, but Rose is so damn talented. You tell me, because I’m going with: Advantage: none.

Shooting guard: Ray Allen vs. Ben Gordon
If we know one thing for sure it will be that we’ll have no short in 3-pointers made / attempted. Allen and Gordon aren’t the best defenders either, so expect big numbers from the both of them. But you can’t hate on me for picking the veteran. Allen is such a smart and experienced player, with Gordon on him as an undersized shooting guard, you see where I’m getting at: Advantage: Celtics.

Small forward: Paul Pierce vs. John Salmons
Throughout his career, I always kept my eye on John Salmons. A talented but to me, sometimes unhappy player (not uncommon in Sacramento these days). Now that he’s in the Windy City, we really see what he can do. Besides the obvious fact that this guy can shoot from every range, he’s also a capable defender. I must admit that Paul Pierce on the other hand has stepped up his defense since the arrival of Kevin Garnett last season, so I can’t wait to see them go at each other. And like I said with Ray Allen, experience weighs in on this too. I don’t think a confident player like Pierce will lose any sleep because of Salmons. Advantage: Celtics.

Power forward: Leon Powe vs. Tyrus Thomas
No KG. Sigh. As a fan of the game you hate to see injuries to any player, especially such a vital piece of the Celtics, an anchor on defense, a leader and a man who screams himself to victory. But I’m also a fan of Leon Powe, who is by no means comparable to Garnett, but sure knows how to put the ball in the basket. But if Tyrus Thomas keeps on playing without too many errors in this series, altering shots, rebounding and just catching Rose’s oops, then I can only say: Advantage: Bulls.

Center: Kendrick Perkins vs. Joakim Noah
It’s a crapshoot really. Both can be clumsy on offense, but at least they rebound and defend; just don’t expect too many buckets from either of them. Perk takes up so much space though, and without KG he really has to hold the fort down in paint. And since he’s built like a fort too, let’s just say: Advantage: Celtics.

Bench:
Kirk Hinrich, Tim Thomas, and a player who will see a lot of court action: Brad Miller. I like Eddie House, Mikki Moore, Starbury, Big Baby and Tony Allen (who isn’t 100% yet), and you could argue that the Celtics have more depth than the Bulls. However, Hinrich and Miller are starter material who could both have a great impact on this series. Luol Deng is out for the season, but still: Advantage: Bulls

Coaching: Doc Rivers vs. Vinny Del Negro
I’ve stated it often on this blog: I’m not a fan of Vinny Del Negro, but apparently he’s doing something right because the Bulls a back in the playoffs, Noah is more active than he ever was, and Tyrus Thomas finally matured this season into a full-time starting power forward. Doc Rivers was in the Finals last season, and came back to coach his team to 62 wins, 25 of them without Kevin Garnett. Advantage: Celtics.

What I’d Say:
Celtics in six. The Celtics still played great after Garnett was out, but I think they will really miss him against Chicago. I can’t imagine it being a sweep, five is possible, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Bulls pull out a second win somehow along the way. But that’s about it; they won’t be last year’s Hawks pushing the Celtics to seven games.

NBA Playoffs, First Round Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (1) vs. Detroit Pistons (8)

2009-04-17T19:17:00.004-04:00

Point guard: Mo Williams vs. Rodney Stuckey
If would’ve asked me to choose between these two during the first half of the season, Stuckey would be my pick. I’m not sure what happened, but he didn’t finish the season strong, while Mo Williams has been quite consistent throughout the year. Williams will often be used as a spot-up shooter feeding off LeBron’s creativity. Stuckey will be asked to push the ball up front, either creating for his teammates, or creating for himself. If the Pistons want to have any chance against the Cavs, Stuckey must play his best basketball of the season. But to choose between these two, I’ll take the easy route: Advantage: none.

Shooting guard: Delonte West vs. Richard Hamilton
West is a perfect fit in Cleveland’s system, but he will have a tough time defending Hamilton. West can do it all: shoot, pass, bring up the ball, but his focus in this series shouldn’t be on offense, but trying to contain to the always moving Rip Hamilton. Whether the masked man has the ball or not, he’s dangerous every second that he’s on the court and a master of the mid-range game. Advantage: Pistons.

Small forward: LeBron James vs. Tayshaun Prince
Prince with his long limbs is a great defender, but we’re talking about LeBron here. James is unstoppable, but if LeBron decides to pull up for the J every now and then, Prince could make it a bit more difficult for him because of his Doc Ock arms. Other than that, there isn’t much more you can do. Advantage: Cavaliers.

Power Forward: Antonio McDyess vs. Anderson Varejao
One player that has really impressed me this season was Antonio McDyess. The man has been in the League for quite a while now, but is still scoring and especially rebounding with the best of them (had a career-high 22 boards last month). “Chosen 2” Andy has put up a decent season, showing that he is more than just an energy guy, by providing points and always being active on the boards and on defense. But skill-wise, I think the old man could still beat the young guy. Dice still knows his ways around the basket, and can also shoot the rock if the opportunity presents itself. Advantage: Pistons.

Center: Zydrunas Ilgauskas vs. Rasheed Wallace
Big Z vs. Mr. T. Wallace can’t have games with 9 points and 6 rebounds during the playoffs. Ilgauskas is a skilled big man, not very fast, but knows how to score with baby hooks and his little jumper. He also has a height advantage over Wallace, yet Sheed is the better defender, so he could still cause some problems for Ilgauskas. Another important thing for Detroit is that Wallace stays as long on the court as possible. He must find a way to stay out of foul trouble, and you know that’s a difficult thing when you’re a big man and LeBron is on the other team. Advantage: Cavaliers (but a very, very slight advantage).

Bench:
No Allen Iverson for the Pistons, and I’m wondering which player off Detroit’s bench can give them some buckets. Will Bynum? In fact, when you look at the roster, he’s one of the few guys who actually did that in the last couple of weeks. The Cavs have former Piston Ben Wallace, but as far as I know it’s not sure yet whether he’s playing or not, but it would be nice to have him around. Daniel Gibson can be streaky sometimes, but when he’s open to shoot the three, you know the Pistons will collectively hold their breath. But the x-factor for the Cavs is Joe Smith. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a lot of minutes in the fourth quarter, and that makes it easy for me: Advantage: Cavaliers.

Coaching: Mike Brown vs. Michael Curry
Brown has playoff and finals experience, and Curry is having tough first season as a head coach. Advantage: Cavaliers.

What I’d say:
Cavs in five. This just isn’t Detroit’s season, and the Cavs won 66 games with something the Pistons used to excel in: defense. And their offense isn’t too shabby either. Just eleven months ago the Pistons were battling the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the run is over, which was obvious when Billups boarded a plane with Denver as his destination.

Rating the Nets, 2009 Edition

2009-04-16T22:01:00.006-04:00

The first couple of months of the season made me into a believer, gave me hope for the future, and to be honest: it’s still there. I’m still moderately happy about the future of my team, but something’s gotta give. Rod Thorn was right when he said that the team needs a “moose”. A rugged power forward that brings defense and rebounding to the team. Someone like Udonis Haslem or Luis Scola. Not that they are available, but they need players like them. Anyway, the final post about the Nets this season:

Lawrence Frank: C

If you’re players are not giving the effort, do not have that sense of urgency, can you blame it all on Lawrence Frank? Is it that the players have tuned him out, can’t he motivate them anymore, or is this an easy cop-out and should we blame the guys on the court? The Nets decide whenever they choose to come out and play, and if this means Frank gets axed, that’s the business side of it. Maybe it is his fault, I don’t know. I do know that he’s under contract for another year for 4,5 million, so if there would be a new coach hopefully named Eddie Jordan, this could cripple the franchise even more. Frank did well in developing Brook Lopez and Devin Harris, and you could make an argument that the material he had to work with can’t bring you to the playoffs. And it’s true, but the lackluster play against teams like the Timberwolves or Bucks when your season in on the line, is something to worry about. In the past couple of days Bruce Ratner openly backed Frank, and as far as we can tell, Rod Thorn does too. But if the defense doesn’t improve by the end of this year, it wouldn’t surprise me if Frank doesn’t make 2010 as a Nets head coach.

Maurice Ager / Eduardo Najera:

Can’t rate these guys, they hardly played this season.

Ryan Anderson: B-

It’s hard to rate a guy who’s been in and out of the line-up so much this season. He’s a hard worker with a long career ahead of him, and his numbers will be more consistent if his playing time would be more consistent. But when Yi went out injured, the rookie came in from DNP’s to being the starting power forward, and maybe should’ve gotten the nod way earlier.

Josh Boone: D

Last season Boone averaged about 8 and 7 as the designated starting center of the Nets, and through the first five games of this season, his numbers were the same. But he hurt his ankle in the sixth game, prompting rookie Brook Lopez to start for the Nets. Boone came back, but his confidence was shattered. Boone can be a serviceable player for the Nets, but has to get stronger mentally.

Vince Carter: B+

Almost 21 ppg, 5 boards and 4,5 assists per game. Great numbers, but he’ll never be a great defender, and those fade-away 3’s are still so frustrating to watch, I’m starting to believe that VC’s the reason that I’m balding while I’m not even 30 yet. But he only has missed two games this season, is well-respected around the team, and does everything that has been asked from him To (most recently) switch over to the small forward spot, or being the primary ball-handler when Devin Harris was out, Carter will do it all without ever complaining about it. He’s a pro’s pro, and you couldn’t ask for a better leader on a team filled with young guys.

Keyon Dooling: A+

What more can you ask from him? A ball hawking point guard, shooting the 3 at a high percentage while playing a great deal of minutes behind Harris, or even with Harris. It doesn’t matter: put Dooling in and something will happen. Great off-season acquisition.
Chris Douglas-Roberts: B. The emergence, if we may call it that, of CDR came recently when Harris was injured for a couple of games. The guy is a scorer, and is no way a finished product. But like Anderson, I wish he got some minutes way earlier into the season. He showed that he can play, so it’s a safe bet we will see plenty more of him next year.

Devin Harris: B+

I’m afraid what’s happening to Devin Harris is what we could call the “RJ-effect”. Being a primary offensive weapon on this team made defense merely optional for the face of the franchise. When he came in from Dallas last season he was known as a feisty on-ball defender, but like the rest of the Nets, the effort isn’t always there. He was a great player the first half of the season, but slightly more inconsistent in the second half. He started settling for jumpshots instead of using his brilliant speed to get to the rim, which gives him easily 20 to 25 points on a nightly basis, half of them coming from the free throw line. Tony Parker has been using that speed for years to get easy buckets, and is having a career year by doing so. Devin Harris should watch some tape of Spurs guard this summer and learn from it. If he does, who knows how good Harris can be.

Trenton Hassell: C

He doesn’t give you much offense, but when he does play, he’s one of the few Nets who always will play some D. Can shoot the 3 too if necessary.

Jarvis Hayes: B+

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Hayes when the Nets signed him, but he proved to be a great addition to this team playing extended minutes. And when his jumper is falling, he proves to be a valuable weapon being out there with the starters more often than not. We shouldn’t forget that he’s been playing with basically one hand since he torn the ligaments in his left thumb in mid-February. The guy can’t even lace his own shoes at the moment, yet he kept on playing, even when the Nets were mathematically out of the playoff contention.

Yi Jianlian: F

When something is not there, you can keep on looking but you will never find it. The problem is that Yi plays twelve months a year because of his demanding home country, which might be one of the reasons why his young NBA career has been nothing less of a disappointment. He had exactly one stretch this season where he had three good games in a row, showing flashes of brilliance of what the promising player he can be. He got injured, and when he returned he had just three games where he scored in double figures. Maybe it’s not entirely his fault. Again, he’s young, he’s not very strong physically as well as mentally, but for a guy heralded as a good shooting big man, 39% is not enough. Lawrence Frank should’ve brought Yi off the bench throughout the season, let him play about 20 minutes a game, and work from there. Yi wasn’t starter material from the beginning, he one day might be, but not now. It took the Nets brass more than 70 games to find that out. Well done.

Brook Lopez: A

Sure, like any first-year player he makes those typical rookie mistakes. Yes, he doesn’t always finish strong. When the “Dwyane Wade Highlights DVD ’08-‘09” comes out, they will include the game in early January where Flash blocked Lopez twice, both dunk attempts, both were deciding for the outcome of the game. But next to the point guard position, the center position is the hardest one to master for a rookie, and we can say without any doubts that Brook Lopez has embraced the task at hand, and is it’s not more than fair that his name is being mentioned among the Rookie of the Year candidates. True old-school NBA centers are dying breed in the L, but the Nets have one for years to come. If the kid keeps playing like this, keeps improving, he’s an All-Star within two years.

Bobby Simmons: D

The Nets hoped to have the Bobby Simmons of ’04-’05, yet they got the regular Bobby Simmons: a small forward who rebound a little, defend a little, knows how to shoot the ball with great range, but in not a starter by any means. If you would combine his and Yi’s numbers, which would make 17 and 9, I would be impressed. But no, that kind of production is coming from two starting forwards (for a great part of the season), which unlikely brings fear into any opponent.

Sean Williams: F

I wish I could give this guy a better grade. When he came back from the D-League, he seemed to be a changed man. He did what he knows how to do best: block shots and rebound. A player who seems to be so calm during interviews, loses his cool which ended up in throwing a computer monitor in a cell phone store. You just don’t know what’s going on in his head. Being a distraction to a team during a time when they need you the most just can’t happen. A likeable guy, who, to me, deserves one more chance. Hopefully with the Nets.

No Breaks Allowed, Part 8

2009-04-08T20:29:00.002-04:00

-Biggest news? Manu not coming back until next season. But I still believe that with a healthy Tim Duncan (let’s hope his knees will hold up) the Spurs are still able to make the Western Conference Finals. If you don’t believe it, Pop will make you do push-ups ‘til you do.

-I wish I saw more of the Blazers this season. What a fun team. I’m impressed by how this group of players is really working well together; everybody knows their role, everybody is happy to be there. I really hope that their season will go on for a while. They’re probably playing the Rockets in the first round, who are obviously a tough match-up. But who knows, maybe the Blazers can impress me even more.

-What’s the deal with the Nets? My team’s season is almost over, and what happens? Two good games: beating the Pistons and demolishing the Sixers. By the way, I don’t know why, but the Nets are 4-0 against Philadelphia this season, including the incredible half-court heave by Harris, and Sunday’s 29-point bashing. But they also lost against the Bulls between those two wins, yet I try to remain optimistic.

-The channel that’s airing NBA games in The Netherlands has three NBA broadcasts a week. As far as I know, they’ll bring it back to two during the playoffs, and trust me, I’m pissed. Now I have to find low-quality streams, and even if they’re alright, my laptop doesn’t like it when I watch streaming videos on the internet very much, so that means a lot of lagging. Horrible.

-Shaq to the Mavs? If that happens, and Jason Kidd stays, these are two players who could bring Dallas its first NBA title ever. If it was 2002.

-Speaking of Shaq: I might be one of the few people in the world who doesn’t give a damn about twittering. I don’t twitter, I don’t follow any, and am not planning to. I’m the Jerry Sloan of twitter. Players claim it to be a wonderful thing, communicating with the fans in a direct way, saying things you want to say instead of using a reporter to do that. Isn’t that why they invented blogs a couple of years ago? What’s even worse is that people like me and you are on twitter. Who the hell wants to read that? “Doing groceries” “Got a haircut!” etc. So what?

-I miss Leon Powe. And KG of course, but Powe really is my kind of player. Hope they’re both healthy in a week or so.

-The Kings gave up 120 ppg in the last eight games (winning only one of them). That’s a sad thing if you’re a Kings fan, because I doubt there will be huge changes this summer. Unless they have the first pick in the Draft.

-I gave it a lot of thought, but I can’t see a single team being a good fit for AI at this point in his career. I love Iverson for everything he has done, especially when he was a Sixer, but what should he do now? Post comments below if you’ve got a great idea.

One Month Left! Western Conference Standings

2009-03-19T00:06:00.004-04:00

Records and standings are through March 17

1. Los Angeles Lakers (53-14): Watching the Lakers play is a joy for the basketball-loving eye. Besides the loss against the Sixers the other night, they are playing so well right now, I wonder what will happen when Mountain Drew Bynum comes back. At least it’s nice to have him in there during the Finals this time (coughbarringinjurycough)

2. San Antonio Spurs (45-22): I read that Tim Duncan is still bothered by his achy right knee, which should concern some. Manu Ginobili will probably be back in two weeks, but if the Spurs are healthy come playoff time, I think they can make life for the other contenders very, very difficult.

3. Houston Rockets (44-25): Losing Tracy McGrady for the season might have been the best thing that happened to the Rockets these last couple of months. It seems like everybody’s role is more defined, and Ron Artest is probably not coincidentally shooting at a better percentage. Von Wafer has been one of the most surprising players this season. But if they would have to play the Hornets in the first round, will it be another early exit?

4. Denver Nuggets (43-25): Renaldo Balkman!

5. Portland Trail Blazers (42-25): Let’s just hope Greg Oden can return and have a strong finish to end his otherwise disappointing season. But man, wish I saw more Blazers games this season, what a fun team.

6. New Orleans Hornets (41-25): They wouldn’t be in sixth place if Tyson Chandler was playing in OKC, but I still have the feeling that this team can play better than they have shown so far. What’s wrong with the Hornets this season?

7. Utah Jazz (42-26): I think they are one of the teams you don’t want to meet in the first round. They might be in seventh place, but are more than a decent team with one of the best point guards in the League in Deron Williams.

8. Dallas Mavericks (41-27): They have a solid lead over the Suns right now, so the Mavericks have nothing to fear. Except for a first-round playoff exit next month.

9. Phoenix Suns (36-31): I root for the Suns to make the playoffs, but my mind tells me otherwise. I just don’t think they can put a nice string of wins together, which means for the first time in his career, Shaq will miss the playoffs.

10. Golden State Warriors (24-43): I wrote a piece about Don Nelson last month, and I still stand by that. There’s nothing more I can say about it.

11. Minnesota Timberwolves (20-47): Sure, they will lose over 50 games this season, but a healthy Al Jefferson combined with Kevin Love covers the rebound department next season. It’s a start.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (19-48): Playoffs 2010?

13. Memphis Grizzlies (17-49): Great young nucleus in Mayo, the other brother Gasol, Gay, Warrick and Conley. It’s interesting to see how Mike Conley will develop if he still is in Memphis next season.

14. Los Angeles Clippers (16-51): Something needs to happen in Clipperland. The coach, the owner, several players, it just is one big mess. There are too many guys who need shots to be successful. They shouldn’t overhaul the roster just for the sake of it, but define roles for the players who are on that roster. A different coach would help too. And a different owner maybe?

15. Sacramento Kings (14-53): Are the Kings still in Sacramento within the next couple of years?

One Month Left! Eastern Conference Standings

2009-03-18T11:17:00.005-04:00

Records and standings are through March 17

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (54-13): Besides Ben Wallace, everyone is healthy, LeBron is still playing at such a high level you might wonder what can stop this team. As cliché as it might be, the Cavs can only stop themselves, especially in the fourth quarter when LeBron is sometimes is forcing shots while three-point gunners Delonte West and Mo Williams are wide open.

2. Boston Celtics (50-18): Still in second place, but they have to watch out for the Magic. Leon Powe has played really well in KG’s absence, who could return as early as Friday, when the Celtics play the Spurs. That might be a good idea, since Powe is now out for two weeks with a sprained right knee.

3. Orlando Magic (49-18): “I want a championship for Patrick Ewing” – Dwight Howard, in a Q & A with Cleveland.com. You gotta love this guy.

4. Atlanta Hawks (40-28): I expected a little bit more from Al Horford this season, because it often seems like that when he is playing well, the Hawks are playing well. He had four double-doubles in the last six straight wins for the Hawks, and all they need from him is a little consistency.

5. Miami Heat (36-30): The Jermaine O’Neal experiment seems to be working out quite nicely, but stay healthy big man. Let’s hope that Dwyane Wade has enough energy left come playoff time.

6. Philadelphia 76’ers (34-31): Andre Iguodala made a huge game-winning three at the buzzer against the Lakers last night, which gave the Sixers a four-game winning streak. They need to keep on rising in the standings to avoid the Cavs, Celtics and Magic in the first round.

7. Detroit Pistons (33-33): With injuries to Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace and more recently Richard Hamilton, the Pistons now face their toughest task of the season: maintaining that seventh spot and not fall into the frenzy that we call the eighth spot, competing with three or four teams to get into the playoffs.

8. Chicago Bulls (31-37): John Paxson made a great trade, because John Salmons (38 points in a win against the Celtics last night) and Brad Miller (21 and 14) are proving to be very valuable assets for the Bulls. If I had to pick who will be in the playoffs next month, and my options are the Bulls, Bucks, Bobcats, Knicks or Nets, I’d say Chicago.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (31-38): I’m impressed with how this team has performed in the last couple of weeks, especially Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva. Losing two starters in Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut could’ve easily broken them down to the bottom the Eastern Conference, yet they’re still there, not giving up on their season.

10. Charlotte Bobcats (29-38): I am not a Larry Brown fan, but I didn’t expect to see the Bobcats making a late run for the playoffs. When Gerald Wallace doesn’t have a concussion, he’s such a joy to watch. Raymond Felton has been playing very well since the All-Star break, and Raja Bell and Boris Diaw are proving much-needed veteran leadership to this team. Not bad, not bad at all.

11. New York Knicks (28-38): If David Lee and Nate Robinson aren’t back next season, how can Donnie Walsh justify that to the Knicks’ fanbase? Everybody is talking about 2010, but the Knicks have a pretty decent team right now, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they could reach the playoffs next year with the same roster. Next month? I doubt it.

12. New Jersey Nets (28-39): Losses against the Warriors and Clippers certainly didn’t improve New Jersey’s playoff chances. Losing Devin Harris to injury doesn’t help at all. And if disaster week wasn’t over yet, Sean Williams might be suspended.

13. Indiana Pacers (24-44): You’ve got to give them at least this: they’re scrappy. Every time when someone goes down, another player steps up. Whether it was Stephen Graham earlier this season, or Marquis Daniels more recently, the Pacers aren’t tanking it and fight for every game.

14. Toronto Raptors (24-44): Without a doubt the most disappointing team of the ’08-’09 season. Wow.

15. Washington Wizards (16-52): Even the President cheers for the visiting team.

If Knowledge is the Key….

2009-03-16T20:48:00.003-04:00

….Then just show me the lock.

I went to see Q-Tip performing live with his band for the first time in sixteen years in my country, and had a great night. His set list contained every song of his brilliant album The Renaissance, but also classics from the Tribe we all used to love (and still do, who am I kidding?). “Scenario”, “Find a Way” and “Check the Rhyme” were all included, just to name a few. But don’t forget about “Award Tour”, which made it clear to me who should win the individual awards this NBA season. Yeah, we’ve still got about five weeks to go, and not every pick was as easy as others. But like Tip, I’m on point.

Most Valuable Player: Dwyane Wade. He’s eighteenth in blocks per game. The next guard on that list? Rasual Butler at number 54. He’s second in steals, and also leads the League in scoring. Oh, and he adds 7,6 assists per game too. Some say the Heat’s record isn’t good enough for him to win it, but if you look where they were last year and where they are now, that’s one hell of an improvement. Sure, he has a better supporting cast than last season, but a healthy Wade is leading them back to the playoffs, no matter on what end of the court he is. I have to give props to him and fellow superstar LeBron James for finally playing some D. For all the Kobe haters: at least he did that his whole career. But yeah, Wade is my pick this year.

Sixth Man of the Year: If the Mavs go to the playoffs and the Knicks don’t, it’s Jason Terry. If the Knicks go the playoffs and the Mavericks don’t, Nate Robinson has been making a case for himself with his play since the All-Star break (I know they’re not in the same conference, I’m not an idiot. Well, I am actually, but let’s try to stay on topic, which means handing out awards).

Most Improved Player: I have to go with Devin Harris. Fine, call me biased, I don’t care. I can understand that people don’t think he should win it for the simple fact that he is a product of the system (I use that term a lot nowadays) coach Lawrence Frank is running. Harris is a free man like Morgan, within an offense that maximizes his abilities to penetrate and create off the dribble. So it’s not surprising he’s a better player now than he was when he played in Dallas. But as a Maverick he was basically nothing more than a role player; as a Net he’s the face of the franchise.

Rookie of the Year: Speaking of the Nets…. nah, I know Brook Lopez won’t get it, because Derrick Rose is singlehandedly making the Bulls interesting again. I’m not a fan of his coach, Vinny Del Negro, but I like where the Bulls are heading, and with Rose Chicago has its first true star in years.

Executive of the Year: Maybe not the most interesting award for some fans, but it had to be named, since one man is very deserving. And that man is the general manager of the San Antonio Spurs: R.C. Buford. Drafting George Hill with the 26th pick should be considered as one of the steals of the Draft, and signing Roger Mason jr., and more recently Drew Gooden is clearly a case of the rich getting richer. A perfect example that small market teams in the NBA can survive when upper management is interested in winning while keeping the organization healthy and balanced at the same time. The Spurs don’t play panic ball on the court, but neither play panic ball off the court. They stick to what they know and it has served them well in the past ten years.

Coach of the Year: Gregg Popovich, but if Phil Jackson wins it, I’m fine with that too. Pop played without Manu Ginobili in the beginning of the season, and lost Tony Parker too. But newly acquired Roger Mason jr. showed why the Wizards could have used him this season now more than ever, and has been the starting shooting guard for the larger part of the season. Popovich handed the point guard duties to rookie George Hill while Parker was out, and made Matt Bonner the starting center of this contending team, getting away with it too. 37-year old Bruce Bowen (still a willing and capable defender) is coming off the bench his season, while former NBA iron man Michael Finley is the starting small forward at 36 years old. So many people wrote the Spurs off, yet they’re the second-best team in the West, so that really says something.

Defensive Player of the Year: You make the call. It’s the only award I’m indecisive about.

No Breaks Allowed, Part 7

2009-02-21T23:53:00.004-05:00

All-Star thoughts

-I will never, ever forget about Shaq’s entrance with him and those jibba jabba dudes.

-What I am trying to forget though is the rest of the All-Star Weekend. Almost every event was somewhat disappointing. I checked the highlights of the D-League All-Star events the other day, and at least those guys have the balls (?) to actually try something creative while playing H-O-R-S-E, instead of changing it into a three-point shootout. Oh, and the D-League has James White. Can’t the Warriors sign this guy next season? I’m actually pondering if the “D” in D-League stands for “Don” instead of Development. We need him in the Dunk Contest in Dallas next year. Now if only some rich guy can arrange this. Mental note: e-mail Mark Cuban.

-The Finals MVP award will now be named after Bill Russell. Best idea the NBA had since…. Hm…. Well, the last good idea the League had was switching back to the good ol’ Spalding basketballs instead of using those toy store balls. If there were any other good ideas I left out in recent years, let me know in the comment section.

-The game itself on Sunday Night wasn’t all that bad. But like KG said to Craig Sager in an interview, it was weird to see the West play a zone defense a couple of times. At least let guys get into the paint for the first three quarters. I also saw the East grab Shaq by the arm twice in the third quarter when he had a wide open lane to go in for the dunk. That was a lame move by the defense.

-Speaking of Shaq: if he is still playing in 2012, averaging 3,6 point and 2,1 boards in about 10 minutes per game, I will still try to do my best to get him in the All-Star Game, maybe as a write-in vote or something. TNT should sign this guy already, even though he’s still playing, just to have his rights before he actually retires. You know, ABA style like they did back in the days with someone like Moses Malone. Get him before someone else can.

-Enough about Shaq, let’s give Kobe some attention. Funny that he said before the game that he wouldn’t play too many minutes, giving the young guys a chance. Noble statement, but in the end Kobe had 27 points, 4 boards, 4 assists and 4 steals in 27 minutes. You could see it in the opening minutes that he was completely focused, there was no doubt in his mind he would win the game, and the MVP award. You could just see it. And four quarters later, it happened. Maybe this doesn’t even surprise me anymore.

-If Kevin Durant made one point (or 46) during the All-Star Weekend it was that we can’t deny him anymore. Next year he must play on Sunday.

-One final note: the Dutch commentary during the All-Star Weekend was horrible as usual. Ronald van Dam, who was in the booth most of the weekend, saw Shaq sitting with a lady next to him. Van Dam: “Shaq with…. Is that Halle Berry? I didn’t know they were a couple?” Uhm, yeah, Ronald: did it ever occur to you that it might just be Shaq’s wife? Van Dam also wants to change the rules: if the East wins, they will have home court advantage in the Finals, if the West wins, then they will have it. His –air colleagues didn’t agree, but Van Dam didn’t give in. It almost makes those 82 games we like to call “regular season” a waste. Sigh. Another idea: he would like it if the fans could just vote who they want to see in the Dunk Contest every year. If the fans want to see Kobe in it, Kobe should just do it. They want LeBron? James has nothing to say about it, he should lace them up and dunk. According to Ronald: if you’re in the NBA, that’s part of the job. So then what? Vince Carter at age 32 still has to show up every year because fans have fond memories of 2000? Yao and Yi would be in it because, you know, China is big? Sigh. Way to ruin 58 years of All-Star history, you idiot. To all the people in U.S. complaining about Reggie Miller: you ain’t heard nothing yet.

Trade thoughts

-Vince Carter is still a Net. As a fan of the team, I’m really happy about that. I still have faith in Rod and Kiki. Post the obligatory “Vince will be gone this summer” below; I don’t care, because I’m happy with my team.

-Alvin Gentry is now the head coach of the Suns, and Phoenix had three straight victories scoring at least 140 points in each game. But happiness can’t last forever, because Amar’e Stoudemire will be out for the next two months. Should’ve kept those goggles, man. Let’s keep an eye on this team, because they’re down to three bigs now: Shaq, and Louis “Rock the Pony” Admunson. And Robin “The Other Brother” Lopez if he can get some minutes.

-About the Bulls-Kings trade: Does this means John Salmons will come off the bench? You know Salmons won’t be happy about that, and isn’t one to shy away about those things. It seems that it is always an upstream battle for Salmons. If I were Del Negro I would two things: 1) Get a haircut. 2) Start Salmons instead of Ben Gordon. Salmons is bigger, and definitely an upgrade defensively compared to Gordon. I know Brad Miller shed a tear or two talking about leaving Sacramento, which just shows that for some people, the NBA is not all about business. I hope he does well in Chicago, and regains some of his old form. When Miller was with the Bulls earlier in his career, I only remember him for one thing: he got lucky because the haymaker Shaq (as a Laker) once threw at him barely missed the back of his head. Nocioni could be a fan favorite in Sacramento, and a healthy Drew Gooden can certainly provide some scoring and rebounds, but this trade doesn’t make the Kings better. They needed to do something though, and there’s no other team in the NBA is more in need of a high draft pick than the Kings.

-About the Magic-Rockets trade: And the rich get richer. The Magic lost their starting point guard for the season, and what is their reaction? They trade for another starting point guard. You could argue that Rafer Alston isn’t exactly All-Star material; he’s certainly no slouch either. Smart move by Otis Smith, keeping his team competitive and didn’t have to give up too much for it. And although I had some doubts why Houston traded Alston, Aaron Brooks showed me Friday night against the Mavericks that he is running the show now (19 points, 6 boards, 8 assists and 2 steals).

-Larry Hughes wants minutes, but he’s now a member of the Knicks who have plenty of guards as it is. Wilson Chandler is actually starting at shooting guard, and you also have Q-Rich and Nate playing behind (or with) Chandler and Duhon. So where does that leave Hughes? I really don’t get it.

-Oh, and I like the Chris Wilcox trade. In his previous three seasons as a Sonic he averaged about 13,5 ppg and 7,5 rpg, and he could be effective in Mike D’Antoni’s system.

One final note:

-R.I.P. mr. Larry Miller. 64 is way too young….

Half Nelson

2009-02-04T23:00:00.005-05:00

I pride myself in being an NBA fan, not just a Nets fan. That’s why basketball message boards are sometimes even scarier than Madonna’s upper arms. It’s full of people typing so-called statements in capital letters, such as: “trade VC for Wally!” or “omgz the Raptors will win it all this year!1!1!!” Whatever they need to convince themselves, I suppose. I digress (as usual). My point is that I enjoy watching the up-tempo style of the Knicks as much as I like watching the complete basketball game played by the Spurs. Sometimes there’s an exciting game on and suddenly you remember why you’re a fan in the first place. For all those dreadful games where both teams shoot a combined 40% from the field, for all those 48-minute games that last 2,5 hours because the refs blow their whistle on every damn play, there’s a moment in the season which makes you stand up and cheer out loud in front of your television at 4 in the morning (remember, I’m Dutch, games which are aired at 10 pm ET in the U.S. – add six hours and you know at what time I’m watching it).

May 2007 made me feel what I just described. And I think over 90% of all basketball fans felt the same. The remaining 10% either lived in Texas or Germany. The Warriors were an overachieving crew from a state that’s untouchable like Elliot Ness, and it hit the Dallas Mavericks like slug to your chest. Rumors are that Avery Johnson still has trouble sleeping for more than fours hours a night, and while Dirk is still Dirk, the best shooting big man in the League, he will always be linked with the ultimate collapse during that playoff series, with Captain Jack giving him fits. The head coach of Golden State was the likeable and immensely successful coach Don Nelson. A man living by his own rules, whether they’re right or wrong, and never one to shy away from an interesting quote to amuse whoever is willing to hear it. But his status as the Oakland’s cuddly (intoxicated) teddy bear has worn off this season. To me, it almost looks like he doesn’t have the passion or the energy to do what he has to do seven months a year. The media always bashes on players when it looks like they aren’t caring anymore. You’ve got to play with a lot of heart and effort to win in the NBA, but the same rule applies for coaches. You can’t motivate your team when you have problems motivating yourself. You can’t do that job half-assed. Players expect their coaches to lead, to get a T when necessary to instigate some sort of fire, to come up with solutions in troubled times. That doesn’t mean I want to see coaches to stand along the sideline for the whole game, wild gesturing when someone messed up, screaming at everything that moves (I’m looking at you Vinny Del Negro), but at least don’t start off the season by saying that you don’t expect to make the playoffs. True, Monta Ellis was out, and Baron Davis has moved onto the Clippers, but it’s not like the Warriors had such a bad team and would be unable to steal some games during the season. Their roster has a lot of flaws, but also some tools to work with. How you handle those tools as a coach, that’s the main challenge, that’s why you make five million to figure it out.

Early in the season Don Nelson said he identified “one of my weaknesses”, meaning implementing some sort of defensive scheme into the Warriors plans, and let his assistant coaches Keith Smart and Sidney Moncrief handle that assignment during the course of the season. All great coaches in this League have (or had) great assistants who help them out when it comes to defense (Tom Thibodeau with Doc Rivers) or offense (Tex Winter advised Phil Jackson for years), that’s the way it works. “I’m not as tough anymore” was cited as reason of Nelson’s defensive liabilities as a coach, because he was “getting soft” as he got older. If that is his actual reason, could it actually be that that Nelson has lost some of his desire to lead this young Warriors bunch through a long 82-game schedule? Is it me or do we see Nellie walking less and less along the sidelines, hands on his hips, beer belly angrily aimed at a referee who just happened to make a call that the Don didn’t like? Why is it that Al Harrington was unhappy and not playing well with the run-and-gun style Warriors, but after being traded he has scored thirty or more points for the run-and-gun style New York Knicks multiple times? Why is it that Mike Dunleavy jr. turned out to be a very effective small forward after he was traded to the Pacers? We can blame it on a team’s system, but what that really the case? Why is it that early in the season when Brendan Wright was starting, and it was obvious to the world that they needed this guy’s length and athleticism next to Andris Biedrins, was reduced to a limited role for no apparent reason? Why is Anthony Randolph unhappy? The rookie from Louisiana State was supposed to be one of the most talented players in the Draft, but apparently he’s on a short leash, because rumors are that Nelson wanted Jason Thompson, but Chris Mullin still picked Randolph. We still can’t decide whether that’s right or wrong, because the guy hardly plays. Does the kid really have attitude or adjustment problems? Or is Nellie being childish in managing this situation? It’s not the first time that for a first-year player it’s Nelson’s way or the highway (remember Chris Webber?).

I’m still indifferent whether Don Nelson has lacked the skills to develop young players, or whether he’s better at it than I give him credit for? After all, there a lot of D-League guys who flourish in his system, and let’s not forget about rebounding machine Andris Biedrins. But realistically speaking: Biedrins is also a product of the system. That’s not a knock against his talent, but more often than not he plays with four shooting guards who are trigger-happy from every range imaginable. And since he’s the only dude in a Warriors jersey on the court over 6’7 most of the time, of course he’s going to get some boards.

The Warriors might regret signing Maggette to a 50 million dollar contract, they might regret not having their bearded point guard with more handles than your underground subway, but it’s not about making more deals. While too many coaches have been fired early into the season, for the Warriors’ sake the best thing that can happen to the team is that Don Nelson resigns this summer and leaves the organization. In a time where all we talk about is “change”, I wonder what Eddie Jordan can do with this team. But it’s not up to me, it’s Nellie’s world; he decides, he makes the rules.

I Voted

2009-01-21T18:54:00.006-05:00

You know what annoys me? A lot of things. Rude people, that curling is an Olympic "sport", going out with friends but then there's always one friend who just left five minutes ago when it was his turn to buy drinks, Nickelback, VC-for-Wally trade rumors (because that just won't happen, folks!), the Eurovision Song Festival, Don Nelson, and I could go on and on. But what really annoys me is that a few weeks into the new NBA season, I can already vote for the All-Star Game which doesn't happen until three months later. So there's always one rule when it comes to voting for the All-Stars: I’m going to wait 'til January. Then I'll decide. I also vote for the guys who I think deserve it. I try to be objective, but I must admit that two of my picks are more subjective than objective.

East:

Guards:

Dwyane Wade: We all know him for what he does on the offensive side, but let's not forget he's the only guard in the top 25 amongst league leaders in blocks per game. I was watching him during the Olympics, where he looked like the healthy Wade who led the Heat to the Finals in '06. And this season is his best in the NBA so far, because he is more committed to defense.

Vince Carter: As I said earlier, I had two players who I just had to vote for, regardless if there are better players at their positions. One of them is VC. If I didn't vote for Carter, Joe Johnson would've had my vote, but since I am a Nets fan, and since Carter is truly leading this team to a record which is better than everybody imagined, while taking young players under his wing (Lopez), and giving Harris enough space to shine, there's no doubt in my mind that Vince should be in Phoenix next month.

Forwards:

LeBron James: With him it's the same thing as with Wade. He got way better defensively, and while he’s so young and there is still room left for improvement, but he’s dominating the League, scoring at will and filling the NBA.com Daily Top Ten with his tomahawk jams and come-from-behind blocks. Dude is made for the All-Star Game.

Danny Granger: What? I should've voted for Kevin Garnett? KG always puts up great numbers, but Granger…. Man…. That's just ridiculous what he's doing to opponents this season. He's such a prolific scorer and a good rebounder too. He is the prototype of a small forward (along with Caron Butler). The Pacers don’t have a winning record, and like Barkley always said: "you should reward players who are winning". That's true, but you just can't ignore what Granger is doing this season. At least I can’t.

Center:

Dwight Howard: Who else?

West:

Guards:

Chris Paul: The Hornets aren't the team I expected them to be this season, at least not yet, but you can't blame it on Chris Paul. Still putting up the numbers: first in assists per game, first in steals per game, second in assist-to-turnover ratio, third in double-doubles (behind Dwight Howard and David Lee, and the only guard in the top ten); all of this means that's he's once again the best point guard in the NBA, and a warranted starter for the West. We all know that, but T-Mac will start in place of him. That’s how it goes.

Kobe Bryant: Maybe not scoring in a dominate way as we've seen so many times in recent years, but there are few superstars in this League blessed with so many talented teammates. There's no one in the NBA who plays as good as Kobe at both ends of the floor. And the eerie thing is: I think Kobe enjoys physical pain. What does it take for this guy to not play? I’m going to do a first in the blogosphere: is Kobe the new Mailman?

Forwards:

Tim Duncan: In the beginning of the season I read some negative articles about the Spurs. The usual: too old, the glory years are behind them, etc. But good ol' Timmy wasn't having any of that, and led his Spurs to the second-best record in the West.

Dirk Nowitzki: His Mavericks are 24-17, tied for the eight spot in the West along with Utah. But if it wasn't for Dirk, the Mavs would be a below .500 team, and even that might be an understatement.

Center:

Shaquille O'Neal: Along with Vince Carter, this is my second player who just needed to vote for. I understand Yao Ming has better numbers, and without a doubt Yao is the starter for the Western All-Stars, but Shaq seems rejuvenated this season, a legend who has entertained us for so many seasons and now showing that when his body finally agrees with his mind again, he's one of the best centers of the NBA. One who turns 37 three weeks after the All-Star Game.

Write-in vote:

David Lee: I did this without giving it much thought, but I do know this: if the Knicks trade him, they are still morons. They should build around him, Duhon and Chandler (and maybe Harrington), and that’s it.

Dunk participant:

Joe Alexander: The sad thing is, Alexander hardly played this season, but when I saw his nose against the rim during a promo video on NBA.com, I was convinced. Russell Westbrook has showed us he has hops, but I still think Alexander could be better. Rudy Fernandez had some nice alley-oops, but does that make him a creative dunker? I think it will be embarrassing to watch, but I hope I'm wrong. The fans wanted him in, and they got their wish.

Role call:

To all the players that went through my mind but didn’t vote for: Devin Harris, Chauncey Billups, Joe Johnson, Al Jefferson, Rashard Lewis, KG, Pierce, Ray Allen, Tony Parker, Yao, CB4, Marcus Camby, Deron Williams, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison , and last but certainly not least: Brandon Roy. I could name more for the sake of naming names, but all these guys actually went through my head at a certain point.

The First Day of 2009 – Reflections on the Western Conference

2009-01-01T21:03:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year everybody. May all your hopes and dreams come true. Now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about something more significant, at least on this blog: basketball. With the season already into the new year, time goes by faster than a Chris Paul bullet pass on the break. So without further ado, take a look at the Western Conference and see who’s doing great, and who’s doing…. Not so great.

Records and standings are through December 31.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (25-5): The scary thing is that this team isn’t even playing at its best right now. Their defense could be better, Odom and Bynum aren’t performing up-to-par, and Derek Fisher doesn’t have a real back-up anymore with Jordan Farmar out, yet the Lakers still lead the West. Trevor Ariza is quietly emerging as one of the best sixth men in the NBA.

2. New Orleans Hornets (19-9): Just like the Lakers, the Hornets also could be slightly better than they are right now. Peja Stojakovic is shooting at only 40%, and both he and Tyson Chandler have missed some games due to injury. The Hornets have now the fifth best record in the League, while I was expecting them to be in the top three.

3. San Antonio Spurs (20-11): Like always, so-called journalists are so quick to write somebody off, so when in November the Spurs were struggling to stay around the .500 mark, people wrote that this was finally the year that the Spurs were getting too old. Remember, this was without Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. And now? They are third in the West, and by the way: getting Roger Mason might be one of the best off-season signings last summer.

4. Denver Nuggets (21-12): Speaking of writing teams off, I really thought the Nuggets had no chance of being a top team in the West, especially after the Camby “trade”. But since the arrival of Chauncey Billups the whole team went through a transformation into something I haven’t seen in years in Denver: they play defense. In a League where Steve Nash won the MVP two years in a row, Billups should at least be considered at the end of the season.

5. Houston Rockets (21-12): Why is it that I still don’t believe this team? Why is it that I still think that they, once again, won’t do a whole lot in the playoffs, although it’s still very far away? Maybe it’s because T-Mac will never be 100% healthy this season. Maybe it’s because Ron Artest is shooting only at 37%. Maybe it’s because their 7’6 center isn’t rebounding in double figures. Only time will tell if I’m right or wrong.

6. Portland Trail Blazers (20-12): It must be fun to be a fan of this team. Rudy Fernandez is a true player, Brandon Roy is someone we must see next month in Phoenix, and Greg Oden shouldn’t worry so much. There are rumors that they might trade Travis Outlaw to Memphis in exchange for Mike Conley. That would be fun for Oden, but guys like Outlaw are great to have on your bench, since he can do a little bit of everything. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t change a thing and see how far they can go with this roster.

7. Dallas Mavericks (19-12): A team without a starting shooting guard, that’s the first thing I notice when I look at the Mavs’ roster. Josh Howard is manning that position right now, but only by default. Jason Terry should already receive the Sixth Man of the Year award, but Dallas has to watch out. Utah, currently ninth in the West, will only get better, and it’s weird to think that either the Mavs, Jazz or Suns might miss the playoffs this year (unless the Blazers or Rockets totally collapse in the next couple of months),

8. Phoenix Suns (18-12): In two months, Shaq will turn 36. I am in disgust by the many websites, even the ones I hold in high regard, who are so overly negative of O’Neal, a living legend and still a top five center in today’s NBA. Shooting at 60%, scoring 17 points and grabbing nine boards along the way in less than 30 minutes per game in the winter of his career is something that hopefully will bring him back into the All-Star Game when February comes around.

9. Utah Jazz (19-14): How good could this team be if Carlos Boozer was healthy? Paul Millsap is playing great in his absence, and recently Deron Williams said that he was finally playing pain-free for the first time this season. Expect the Jazz to climb up in the standings.

10. Memphis Grizzlies (10-22): A huge leap from the ninth, to the tenth team in the West. When Memphis traded Pau Gasol to the Lakers last season, everybody thought it was a joke, a case of bad management, not knowing his “little” brother Marc Gasol would turn out to be such a fine player. He, Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo will find some ways to win some more games this season.

11. Golden State Warriors (10-24): Don Nelson shouldn’t be in this League anymore. Embarrassing to see what he puts his team through this season.

12. Los Angeles Clippers (8-23): I hope that Baron Davis is right when he says this is a transition year, and I also hope that management acknowledges that. I still believe with this roster the Clippers are way better then what their record shows, despite the fact that they have no bench. Never expected Zach Randolph to fit in so well before he got injured.

13. Sacramento Kings (8-24): At least Reggie Miller 2.0 is finally back, but other than Kevin Martin and the rookies Thompson and Hawes, damn near everybody is on the trading block for Sacramento.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-25): Kevin McHale shouldn’t be in this League anymore. Without Al Jefferson the Wolves wouldn’t have won a single game this season.

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-29): There are some bright spots with this team that make me wonder why they are this bad. The roster isn’t that awful (Durant and Green are playing great), and if newly acquired center Nenad Krstic is somewhat healthy, they finally get some scoring from a big guy other than the erratic Chris Wilcox. Expect some trades within now and six weeks involving either Wilcox, Nick Collison, Joe Smith or Earl Watson.

The Final Day of 2008 – Reflections on the Eastern Conference

2008-12-31T10:56:00.004-05:00

Ah yes. The last day of the year. A moment of reflection for some, a day for many to make plans for the year ahead of us. Lose weight, exercise more, stop smoking, stop making Heineken / Budweiser / Miller / whoever so rich, blablabla, all that crap to make our lives more miserable. I’ll go with “reflection” this time, no plans for 2009 so far. Well, not really anyway, but that’s something for another time. Over one-third of the season has been played, so let’s take a brief look where all the 30 teams stand so far.

Records and standings are through December 30.

1. Boston Celtics (28-5): Who doesn’t love the holidays? Apparently, the Celtics don’t. They lost three of their last four games since Christmas, losing to the Lakers, Warriors and a Roy-less Blazers team. Their next three games will be against New York, Washington and Charlotte, anything is possible.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers (28-5): My thoughts? I think the Cavs are one Joe Smith away from taking the number one spot in the East.

3. Orlando Magic (24-7): Is Jameer Nelson overachieving, or finally showing what he’s worth? Flight Howard is so much of a beast, it’s a beauty to watch him play, and Rashard Lewis is quietly putting up the numbers once again. Fun team to watch, and watch out if Hedo finally breaks out of his season-long shooting slump.

4. Atlanta Hawks (21-10): The young Hawks have one thing one their mind: 50 wins. Since pushing the Celtics to seven games last spring, they believe they can beat anybody. And they might be right. Wait, they’ve got another thing on their mind: Joe Johnson is an all-star. Coaches, do your work.

5. Detroit Pistons (18-11): The Pistons have now won four in a row, which was needed to prove to their loyal fanbase that the AI can help this team, but for how long? Coach Curry even admits that playing with two, instead of three guards, works out better for them defensively. Their best line-up might be Stuckey, Hamilton, Prince, Johnson / Maxiell / McDyess, and Rasheed Wallace. I know, call me mr. Obvious, but AI coming off the bench? Can’t see it happening.

6. Miami Heat (17-13): Who is Miami’s most important player besides Dwyane Wade this season? If you’re answer isn’t Udonis Haslem, you’re wrong. Of course Wade is the biggest reason that they are now sixth in the East, but without Haslem, they wouldn’t even be in the top eight.

7. New Jersey (15-16): I know, I don’t believe it either. If the Nets played 82 games on the road, they would be amongst the East elite. I might be reaching here, but take a look at these numbers: they are 10-4 on the road, but only 5-12 at home. And if you haven’t already read this somewhere: this is a record.The Nets are the only team in the history of the NBA to be 5 games over .500 on the road, and 5 games under .500 at home. Certainly won’t help attendance, which was already dreadful.

8. Milwaukee Bucks (15-17): On paper, the Bucks have a very good roster, but their record doesn’t show for it (yet). But if this will be a playoff season, their record doesn’t matter anymore, and they could be a tough team to face in the first round.

9. Chicago Bulls (14-17): An implosion waiting to happen. Derrick Rose is playing at such a high level, it’s almost unavoidable for a rookie to go through some rough times too. The question is: who will carry this once proud franchise when that happens? Luol Deng? Maybe when he’s healthy. Ben Gordon? Dude’s still waiting for that big contract, and it might not be in Chicago. Tyrus Thomas is inconsistent, Noah is not doing enough, Larry Hughes is (surprise!) unhappy with his role coming off the bench, and not a single big man on this roster can post up and score if his name isn’t Drew Gooden, so they need to do something before the trading deadline. Rumors of bringing Brad Miller back might not be a bad idea.

10. Philadelphia 76’ers (12-18): Already one of the most disappointing teams of this season, just behind the Raptors and Clippers, and then the Sixers lost Elton Brand. Since they played really well without Brand last season, let’s see what they can do. Firing Maurice Cheeks really helped, didn’t it?

11. New York Knicks (12-18): Hey, they could be worse. They’re actually fun to watch, so that’s at least one thing Mike D’Antoni has accomplished. Nate Robison is still making a lot of boneheaded plays, no matter how many points he puts up, and he’s not alone. They can’t defend anyone, but The only player who really impressed me so far is Chris Duhon. He’s carrying that team so far, doing so without a back-up.

12. Toronto Raptors (12-19): There’s hardly any help from the bench, Jermaine O’Neal can play great in one game, completely disappear in the other, the same thing goes for Bargs, and it still feels like Chris Bosh is still all alone in Canada whenever I see the Raptors play. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are some roster moves being made come February.

13. Charlotte Bobcats (11-21): I really don’t know what to think of this team. Haven’t seen them play yet, but at least Boris Diaw is performing very well. Same goes for Gerald Wallace, when healthy. Will the both of them still be here in two months?

14. Indiana Pacers (10-21): No one expected the Pacers to win much this season, as they try to assemble a decent team around young star Danny Granger. By the way: will Jamaal Tinsley ever get traded? Place your bets now!

15. Washington Wizards (6-21): Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler are once again carrying the load, with both of them putting up All-Star numbers. Will Arenas ever get back? And when will Eddie Jordan be back into the League? Dude got screwed.

(Tomorrow we'll take a look at the the Western Conference)

The Renaissance

2008-12-09T21:51:00.003-05:00

A year ago Jason Kidd was one unhappy man, and when talking about his own team he “didn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel”. When the Nets had a game against the Knicks in December ’08, Kidd didn’t play because he suffered from a migraine. This was remarkable, because in the seven years that I’ve been following him more closely than any other player in the League, he hasn’t missed a single game because of that. So when your team captain and franchise saviour is trying to send a message to the organization by sitting out a game, it was time for a change. Now in no way will I be hateful towards Jason Kidd, and I’m certainly not writing him off. I have too much respect for what he has done: finally the team was no longer the laughingstock in the NBA when he arrived; finally the Knicks had to pay attention to what was happening at the other side of the Hudson River. He brought my team to the Finals, not once, but twice, racking up triple-doubles so often that legendary nicknames like “Magic” and “The Big O” were mentioned whenever someone talked about Kidd. I hope he’s happy in his current situation, and I will keep rooting for him. But after his departure I was left without a favorite player. Now what?

There are several players that I enjoy watching more than others, so in that way I’m no different than the average fan. Seeing a Dwight Howard block, a Dwyane Wade traffic jam, a Chris Paul no-look dime or a LeBron James alley-oop gets me out of my seat too. But to me your favorite player, the one whose jersey you would rock with pride if you would go to a game, should be on your favorite team. Back when I was still rooting for the Bulls, obviously MJ was the man; he was the first pro ballplayer I heard of. But Scottie Pippen was my guy. He could do it all: a great defender, ball handler, could go up for a graceful scoop or a forceful dunk. Pippen made it look easy. I even had a black Pippen jersey (I actually liked those black jerseys they had for while – not with the red pinstripes though. I still wonder where it is. I think it got lost since I moved around a couple of times in the last 12 years).

When the Bulls’ president Jerry Reinsdorf and then GM Jerry Krause decided to dismantle the championship team back in ’98, and Pippen left to play for Houston, what could I do? Luckily I started following the Nets around that time, and they had the pale white rider: Keith Van Horn. Van Horn could really play, but for some reason it never really panned out for him in his career (then again, he’s still getting paid for doing nothing, which you could also call my dream job). I also was checking out what the Knicks were doing those years, with Latrell Sprewell being the man back then. However, when you were a Bulls fan at first, became a Nets fan after that, there’s no way you can switch to the Knicks (looking back I’m glad I let the Knicks go).

After bouncing around a couple of years, not knowing who would be “the” player for me, Jason Kidd was traded to the Nets, and my fandom was safe for the next seven years. Until February 13, 2008 when Kidd was traded to Dallas, along with Antoine Wright and Malik Allen in exchange for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop and Maurice Ager. Read: Kidd for Harris. When Devin Harris finally made his debut against the Milwaukee Bucks, there were plenty of reasons to still have some hope for this Nets team. Harris penetrated at will, showing off his speed, passing to his new teammates, and had a wonderful one-handed dunk over Andrew Bogut. The few people who actually showed up at the IZOD gave him a standing ovation, because already they were convinced that this trade was really for the better. But a point guard being traded in the middle of the season, adapting to 11 new guys isn’t something you can get used to in one game. And while Harris occasionally showed what he could do on the court, it wasn’t until this season that he was finally playing relaxed out there. And with “relaxed” I mean doing what he does best, going 100 mph, twisting and twirling like the Tasmanian Devil, which makes Harris New Jersey’s Devil. He’s daring opposing point guards to stop him while they are back pedalling hoping that if he blows by them, some big guy will swap Harris’ shot away. But those logs can only send him to the free throw line, where Harris is getting many of his 24 points per game every night. Devin is becoming “The Man” now in Jersey, or should we say “The Dude”? (I am so hip hop)

Whatever is going to happen in two years, wherever the Nets will play or which star might or might not (expect the latter) come over, the Nets got their own star. A franchise left for dead by many journalists in their season previews (even I had doubts, but I always had hope), Devin Harris has brought them back to life; a renaissance is going on in New Jersey, because Devin is Gettin’ Up.

No Breaks Allowed, Part 6

2008-11-21T10:45:00.003-05:00

The “No Breaks Allowed” posts are my way to write about all the stuff that happens around the League which finds a place in my peanut-sized gray mass (also known as my brain), and sometimes has to come out. And why are these posts numbered? I don’t know, but might as well keep it going.

-So now the Warriors are playing with two shooting guards, two small forwards and a center? This is not Rucker Park, Nellie! But gotta admit; the Warriors still have an entertaining team. If I may add one more thing: Brendan Wright must play.

-Speaking of the Warriors, wouldn’t it be cool if Anthony Morrow plays with no. 2 instead of 22? Get it? Yeah, I know, I’m just not that funny.

-Hi Kiki and Rod, here’s a word of advice. Please don’t trade for Adam Morrison. Or Matt Carroll. We need a guy who can score about 15 or 20 points every night next to VC and Devin Harris. Wait, Charlotte is also trying to move Gerald Wallace? Let’s talk.

-Baron Davis is back. Marcus Camby is back, but enough with the naming names here, and enough with all the losing. I understand that being a good team doesn’t happen overnight, and that you should be patient. But there’s no reason for the Clippers should to suck as much as they do now. I wish Baron was still a Warrior. In fact, Stephen Jackson said something like this last week too. And maybe Baron Davis secretly longs for those days too, but hey, at least he’s home right?

-Since Russia is also dealing with a financial crisis, a lot of teams over there stopped paying their players. Boki Nachbar, Carlos Delfino and Nenad Krstic are in a horrible situation right now, because they don’t get a single Ruble for their actions. Somewhere, David Stern is smiling.

-To Gilbert Arenas: You say a lot of stuff, and usually it’s quite amusing. However, what you said Thursday was embarrassing: “….if this is one of those years where we don’t make the playoffs or we finish in last place … that’s what happened to San Antonio and that’s how they got Tim Duncan and look at them now … and that’s for the better.” That’s not very fair to your teammates, is it? Hang in there Caron and Antawn, I’m sure Agent Zero didn’t mean it like that. At least Gil said he’ll be “good to go” by January 1st. Not that the Wizards play that day, neither does any other team in the League, but it’s something to look forward to.

-Hi Kiki and Rod, it’s me again. I’m about to lose my job within two or three months because the company I work for is going down like the Atlanta Hawks in the standings. My schedule is free for the next six months; maybe I can work as a Lawrence Frank stunt-double?

-Since the League is constantly fining or suspending every player who shows any kind of emotion or rubs the NBA the wrong way, I’m surprised that Rajon Rondo hasn’t been fined yet for always wearing his headband with the NBA logo upside down. Blasphemy! Don’t get me wrong, I like it, it’s Rondo’s thing. Just like his move where he fakes a behind-the-back pass to confuse his defender, and then finishes with a nifty lay-up. It always looks so cool when he does it. However, it surprises me that a lot times Rondo misses the lay-up. Am I the only one who notices this? Weird.

-It’s still early in the season, so can we move the Thunder back to Seattle, call them the Sonics and pretend it never happened? Just like we did with the microfiber ball two years ago?

Me, Myself and Iverson

2008-11-04T11:59:00.001-05:00

When Allen Iverson entered the League in 1996, I didn’t know too much about him. In The Netherlands it’s damn near impossible to see college ball (not that I mind), so I never saw him play at Georgetown. Since it was also not easy to find quality basketball magazines like SLAM, who gave AI ink before AI had any ink on his body, I could only judge AI by the stats he put up for those atrocious Sixers back then. The problem for me was that until 1999 I wasn’t able to watch live NBA games on television. So all those years before that, I only saw some game highlights on CNN, and sometimes NBA Action. I thought of him as a very talented yet egocentric basketball player, bad shot selection, and a ballhog with a very bad attitude. My opinion of Allen Iverson early in his career was based on stats and some highlight clips, nothing more. Looking back on it, the above could be summarized as “ignorance”.

Finally in 1999 I was watching live games, and two years later AI single-handedly carried the Sixers to the 2001 Finals. Watching all five games in those series, I finally understood the love Iverson received by so many of his peers, by SLAM, the people in Philly and many more. Before that I was like the others, the haters, who are oblivious to the talent displayed right before our eyes. Not knowing anything about him, his background, his passion, his fearless attitude on the court, I didn’t know shit. Those ’01 Finals opened my eyes and I went all Monkees because I was a believer from then on.

I always was excited when there were Sixers games on TV, no matter how mediocre the rest of his team was, they always had a chance to win because of that 6 foot lightweight warrior running all over the court. Always one of the leaders when it comes to scoring and minutes per game, AI sacrificed his body which made me wonder when I would see any decline in his game. It didn’t happen though, and after a rough period it was time for a change, and that change brought him to Denver in 2006. We all know what happened after that. Iverson still knew how to score, actually played better than I expected next to Carmelo Anthony, but this summer Denver tried to free up some cap space by trading away Camby for nothing, and not even attempting to re-sign Eduardo Najera. It’s contradictive, because if they wanted cap space, why did they trade Iverson to Detroit for hometown hero Chauncey Billups, who has a contract running ‘til 2011?

AI has played one game for Denver this season, and the rest of his season will be in Detroit. It’s a great situation for the Pistons, because they also signed Rip Hamilton for another three years, and have a lot of talent on the roster in the form of Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Rodney Stuckey and of course veteran Tayshaun Prince for the next couple of seasons. With the signing of Iverson, the Pistons have a plenty of cap space to pursue LeBron and/or Bosh in 2010 (LeBron and AI have the same agent in Leon Rose by the way). Will they really let Iverson walk after his contract expires in the summer of 2009? From a financial standpoint, I understand what Joe Dumars is doing, but it would be a bit weird for Iverson if he indeed manages to win it all with the Pistons, and within a month after celebrating the title, he’s without a team. But I’m getting ahead of myself, we have a full season to go, and by no means am I saying that the Pistons will win it now. But who doesn’t want to see them battling for that Finals spot against the Celtics in May? I know I do, I know you do, and AI does too. I never should’ve judged Iverson only by his shooting percentage when he came into the League, because it said nothing about the one essential thing of his hall-of-fame career: his heart.

Southwest Division Preview

2008-10-27T16:39:00.002-04:00

1. New Orleans Hornets: The obvious choice for first place I suppose, although it wouldn’t surprise me if people are really high on the Rockets right now. And yes, Houston is a lot better with Ron Artest there, but the Hornets are one of the top three teams in the League. With their core still intact and new addition James Posey, the Hornets are legitimate contenders for the title. Last year we truly saw how good they really were, and with Chris Paul was getting MVP consideration, defenses will try to smother him. But would that bother CP3? When he is double-teamed, there’s always a great shooter somewhere on the court, like Peja, Posey, Mo Pete, and power forward David West has a pretty good range too. If that doesn’t work, Tyson Chandler might be hovering around the rim waiting for that lob, or the promising Julian Wright will be cutting through the lanes to finish an easy two. This team is really something, so who will beat them? Will this be the third Finals trip in Byron Scott’s young career?

2. Houston Rockets: Honestly I think I might’ve placed them too high, but the Spurs are getting older, and the Rockets have all the material to at least win more regular season games than San Antonio. When you have two stars in Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, you throw Ron Artest into the mix, what do you get? I don’t know either. Will there be games that Artest is the only healthy player of all three? How tired is Yao already? Is there a part of T-Mac’s body that doesn’t hurt? But if you’re a Rockets fan you might not think too much about these things, and you just hope to go deep into the playoffs. Another bright spot is Luis Scola. He might not give you 30 points every night, grab 20 rebounds or block five shots, but he’s active, crafty and has a high basketball IQ. A perfect fit for this team, one where three players will probably carry the bulk of Houston’s offense, and Scola will be depended on to do the dirty work. But it’s too early to tell how far they will go with this “new” team, we’ll re-evaluate in month or so.

3. San Antonio Spurs: It’s the same old Spurs, although they made a smart move getting Roger Mason to come over. Mason really played well in stretches for the Washington Wizards last season, and now with Manu Ginobili probably out until December, Mason could see a lot of minutes early on. The others? We know them, and we know what they can do. Bruce Bowen is still a premier defensive player, and behind him is another Bowen in the making: Ime Udoka. So all things considered the Spurs are still good enough to compete for the title. The aforementioned Ginobili, with Tony Parker and superstar Tim Duncan will lead the NBA’s oldest team into the playoffs, but back to the Finals might be a bit too much.

4. Dallas Mavericks: Too bad the Mavs are in one of the most competitive divisions of the whole League, because is there anyone out there who thinks that they will finish above the Hornets, Rockets or Spurs? Sure, they still have a lot of talented players, but so does the rest. Jason Kidd is still a great passer, but defensively he has lost a step. Dirk, although still good, wasn’t in MVP form last season, and Josh Howard also needs to get back to his all-star level of play. New coach Rick Carlisle is a good choice to run things, but don’t expect them to be higher than the 6th spot in April.

5. Memphis Grizzlies: There’s a new Gasol in town. Same shaggy hair, same scruffy beard, different playing style. Marc Gasol has a wider body that his brother and former Grizzly Pau. Marc is more of a banger, a true power forward, or, in today’s NBA, he might end up playing center if Darko Milicic doesn’t get the start. The Grizzlies might not win many games, but they will certainly be exciting to watch with Mike Conley as their point guard, who has O.J. Mayo on one side, and the versatile Rudy Gay on the other side. Trading Mayo for Love (and Mike Miller) was a great deal, and although Mayo will have his share of difficulties by playing so much as a rookie, he’s the real thing. And since Rudy Gay already is a star, they could be one Ricky Rubio away from achieving a winning record again in Memphis.

Pacific Division Preview

2008-10-26T23:23:00.002-04:00

1. Los Angeles Lakers: Since Kobe hasn’t had a lot of rest during the summer, I’m wondering if Phil Jackson keeps something like that in account. The good thing is now that Andrew Bynum is back, the Lakers really have a complete team. I’m not too sure if Odom coming off the bench is a great idea, and I would like to see who will be the starting small forward on opening night. Will Phil start Radmanovic, or the athletic but injury-prone Trevor Ariza? Whoever it is, it might not matter too much, because Kobe, Pau, Mountain Drew and Fisher are back this season for one thing: winning the championship. Jackson’s tenth, doesn’t that sound nice?

2. Phoenix Suns: New coach, some new faces, same great passer. With Terry Porter on the sidelines you will see a new playing style in Phoenix. Oh yes, they might still run because Steve Nash is your point guard, but Porter also preaches defense, and Shaq is probably better suited in the half-court game anyway. Shaq however, is a pretty good passer himself, so it’s nice he can dish it to Goggles Stoudemire or back to Nash, who is still a dead-eye shooter. The Suns also had a very nice pick-up in Matt Barnes. When he actually was in the rotation at Golden State in his previous two seasons (and with Nellie you never know what to expect), Barnes showed that he could do a little bit of everything, whether it was getting some steals, shooting the 3 or slashing to the hole. It wouldn’t surprise me if he became the team’s full-time starter with Grant Hill coming off the bench. Another season, another roster full of good players, but Finals material? I wouldn’t mind seeing them getting there, because of Nash, Hill and Shaq, but it will be tough.

3. Los Angeles Clippers: I really like the Clippers’ depth. They’ll need it, because with new stars Baron Davis and Marcus Camby you never know how many games they might miss because of injuries. Then again, if they do manage to stay healthy, and with Kaman and Thornton as the other starters, I like their chances. They drafted shooting guard Eric Gordon, and also still have veteran combo guard Cuttino Mobley on the roster, and added Ricky ‘Buckets’ Davis, so there are plenty of shooters on the team. Health will determine if this Clipper team will get back to the playoffs, or back to an early vacation once again.

4. Golden State Warriors: When will Monta Ellis exactly come back? And when he does, at what state? And who will be the point guard during this period of at least 30 games? All we know is that Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggette have the green light to shoot, and to shoot a lot. But who will score from the inside? Biedrins is a great defender, but not known for his extensive collection of post moves, and Al Harrington can score, but rather does it from outside of the painted area. So on some night when the ball just doesn’t want to go in, good teams can rely on their defense. The Warriors? They just have to rely on the fact that none of their players will ride mopeds for the rest of their contracts.

5. Sacramento Kings: At least they have Kevin Martin.

Northwest Division Previw

2008-10-22T18:44:00.002-04:00

1. Utah Jazz: Deron Williams. The best point guard in the NBA not named Chris Paul. The Jazz will always be competitive with him and Carlos Boozer on the floor. I always liked Boozer’s game; a guy with a lot of offensive weapons, and he’s paired with Mehmet Okur, a center who’s more than capable of hitting shots from 20 feet and beyond. In the pre-season small forward Andrei Kirilenko came off the bench, so it’s interesting to see what Jerry Sloan will do when the regular season gets underway next week. Will he continue to start C.J. Miles and at small forward, with the athletic guard Ronnie Brewer rounding out Utah’s starting line-up? This team has some veterans, some young guys, but didn’t do a whole lot in the off-season. Sloan is a great coach, so there’s a pretty good chance the Jazz will win this division (the only true competition here is Portland), get back to the playoffs and get kicked out in the second round by either the Hornets or Lakers.

2. Portland Trail Blazers: As a fan of the game it’s no secret that this is a team to get excited about. Health remains a concern, with Martell Webster out for a while, and we have to see if Greg Oden’s knee can hold up during the grind of an 82-game season (with probably 10-15 extra games in the playoffs?). But the depth of the Blazers is exceptional: Roy, Aldridge, Blake, Outlaw, Aldridge, Batum, Przybilla, Bayless, Fernandez, Rodriguez, I mean, come on! This is ridiculous, this is an outrage, with so much talent on one team, Nate McMillan is one lucky coach. The Blazers are once again a proud franchise, will go back to the playoffs, and we all will enjoy the ride for hopefully many years to come.

3. Denver Nuggets: Every time I read something about the Nuggets, it’s George Karl saying that everybody is so positive, committed in playing defense, and are playing with a chip on their should because the media writes them off. I can imagine Melo and AI being frustrated since the trade of Marcus Camby, and being the players that they are, they will try hard to prove people wrong who are saying they can’t win. But who will man the middle? Nene had a lot of injuries throughout his career, and even battled cancer last season. I really hope he is now 100% healthy, and together with Kenyon Martin (speaking of injuries….) I hope they can provide what the Nuggets need now Camby is gone: boards and blocks. If the Nuggets make the playoffs this season, it will definitely surprise me.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves: This team could win one award this season if it actually existed: highest number of undersized shooting guards on one roster. They could’ve solved that problem if Kevin McHale didn’t trade their original draft pick O.J. Mayo to the Grizzlies. But he did, but now has power forward Kevin Love in return. So at least that’s two big guys under the basket for the Wolves, with him and Al Jefferson getting a lot of minutes at the power forward and center position. Ex-Grizzly Mike Miller came along in the Mayo trade, a great shooter but it’s not enough to keep up with the rest of the West. For the Timberwolves there’s only one rule: there’s always next year.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder: There’s enough talent on this team to win some games, especially when the team is lead by young star Kevin Durant. And let’s not forget Jeff Green, Nick Collisson and Chris Wilcox. Joe Smith is a proven veteran who will have a good influence on the younger players, but let’s be honest here: they won’t win right now, fans will lose interest quickly because they don’t have the patience to see what will happen in the next couple of seasons, and within five years this franchise will move to another city. Yes, I’m a pessimistic person.

Southeast Division Preview

2008-10-19T20:31:00.002-04:00

1. Orlando Magic: What is there not to like about this team? When you have Flight Howard on your roster, excitement is guaranteed, and some wins too. The Magic finished at the top of their division last season, but with the emergence of the Hawks you have to wonder if they’re able to do it again. They didn’t have any big off-season acquisitions, although Michael Pietrus is nice player to have on the wing. 2007/2008 proved to be the best season for Hedo Turkoglu so far, and add Rashard Lewis to this line-up; it’s safe to say the scoring department is pretty much covered. With these three stars Orlando will have a shot to be the division champs, but I’m not too impressed with the supporting cast. Jameer Nelson is a decent point guard, but it was nice to have Keyon Dooling backing him up, being a very good on-ball defender. Now that’s he’s gone, Orlando signed veteran Anthony Johnson as a back-up, but what about the rest of the bench? Will J.J. Redick ever see the court? Is Howard the only good big man they have? The Southeast Division will be a lot more competitive than last year, no doubt about it.

2. Atlanta Hawks: In the pre-season Acie Law has showed flashes of brilliance, so with him and Mike Bibby manning the point is a luxury to have. Makes me wonder though, if Law keeps up this level of play, will that make Bibby expendable? It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s dealt during the season for a center to play next to young big man Al Horford, who probably will be the starting center on opening night. The Hawks managed to keep stat-stuffer Josh Smith, and Joe Johnson is still there to lead all of these young guys. The pushed the Celtics to seven games back in May, so the quality is there. The question is: how much can they get better with pretty much the same roster as last season?

3. Washington Wizards: I don’t know what to say or think about the Washington Wizards anymore. I’m giving them the benefit of doubt by placing them in the third spot. The “Big Three”, Arenas, Butler and Jamison are good enough to compete with any “Big Three” in the League. Sadly enough, they can’t stay healthy at the same time. And this year it’s no different, with Gilbert out ‘til December. Last season, center Etan Thomas was out all year due to heart surgery, he’s back though, and that’s a good thing, because starting center Brendan Haywood will probably miss six months with a wrist injury. Let’s hope that by the end of 2008, we at least have a chance to see how good Gil, Jamison and Butler can be together. If they can remain healthy from then on, they will end up higher in this division.

4. Miami Heat: Did I rank them too low? Depends. If I was Eric Spoelstra (who is the first coach in the NBA that actually looks younger than me, which is frustrating) I would go with a small line-up. I’m not sure who their starting point guard will be, it might be Chris Quinn, but I really like what I’ve seen from Marcus Banks so far this pre-season. The other guard is of course Wade, then you have forwards Marion and Beasley, and at center Udonis Haslem. They will probably get annihilated by teams like the Spurs and Lakers, but the Heat doesn’t have a lot of options anyway. They drafted gifted point guard Mario Chalmers, who will see a lot of action in his first year (unless Shaun Livingston returns to pre-injury form), but when I look at the rest of the team, I’m wondering: who will provide that scoring punch off the bench?

5. Charlotte Bobcats: I really dislike the hiring of coach Larry Brown. If you look at his résumé, it’s safe to say that he will leave the Bobcats as soon as they have a winning record, or if some players frustrate him, he’ll leave anyway. Right? Right. Luckily, the relatively young roster of the Bobcats has some bright spots which should win them some games. For instance, a guy like Gerald Wallace fills more holes than Ron Jeremy. He can play multiple positions, scores, rebounds, blocks shots and gets some steals too. He has one problem: his health. Another shot blocker and rebounder is Emeka Okafor, but he still isn’t the franchise player everybody envisioned him to be. Raymond Felton is a good point guard with a questionable shot selection, so the lone star on this team is Jason Richardson, who probably still is wondering if he’ll ever get a taste of the playoffs again. During the summer Charlotte hasn’t made a lot of improvements, so one can only wonder: is another year experience combined with the knowledge of Larry Brown enough to get back at .500?

Central Division Preview

2008-10-12T19:36:00.003-04:00

1. Detroit Pistons: A lot of people probably expect Cleveland to finish first in the Central Division. But with a new coach in Michael Curry, and the ever improving young bench, the Pistons will have an edge over the Cavaliers, although it will be an interesting battle all year long. Curry, a former defensive specialist himself, will hold his players accountable, which former coach Flip Saunders allegedly did not. Curry said Amir Johnson will get the starting nod along with the usual suspects; Billups, Rip, Prince and Sheed at center. That means veteran forward Antonio McDyess will come off the bench, providing leadership to the über-athletic Jason Maxiell, Kwame Brown and the very talented guard Rodney Stuckey. The core of the team might be getting older, but with such a deep rotation they should be competitive throughout the season, and end up first in this division. I would like to see a rematch against the Celtics in the Conference Finals in 2009; who wouldn’t?

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Mo Williams mo’ problems. For opponents, that is. I know a lot of people think Mo Williams isn’t the solution to the Cavs’ problems, but he sure is part of that solution. Finally a guy who is a legitimate scorer, a pretty good point guard who can run with LeBron. But the thing with the Cavs is that every season their roster is always missing something. Adding Williams was a great move, and I liked how well Delonte West performed in last season’s playoffs. But what about the rest? Wally Szczerbiak should not be a starter. Nice to have him shooting 3’s as a sub, but since he doesn’t defend, he should come off the bench. Pavlovic is inconsistent, Daniel Gibson is a great shooter, but not really a point guard, and too small for playing the shooting guard position. Ben Wallace is getting older, and provides zero offense. Big Z, Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a more than decent center, but you can’t ask 40 minutes out of this guy anymore. So that leaves us with? Anderson Varejao? That’s not enough. Yes, a superstar like LeBron James will take you to the playoffs, or maybe even to the Finals, but a championship is out of reach.

3. Milwaukee Bucks: With this roster they deserve to be in third place (in this blog I mean), and if the Bucks somehow manage to miss the playoffs, we should all point a finger at new coach Scott Skiles. The Bucks are a great mix between veteran and young players. Acquiring Richard Jefferson from the New Jersey Nets will take the pressure off Michael Redd to be the main scorer every night. Andrew Bogut is quietly emerging in one of the best centers in the East, and can only get better. Wit Maurice Williams now gone, Ramon Sessions will probably start at the point guard position, and it will be interesting to see if he’s able to carry the team through a whole season. Charlie Bell is also a guard who can play, but he might be the forgotten man in the rotation, which is a shame. Rumors are Francisco Elson (one of two Dutchmen on this team!) will start, with Charlie Villanueva coming off the bench. Milwaukee also has promising rookie in Joe Alexander, so again: they have to make the playoffs, or else this season is a waste.

4. Chicago Bulls: I don’t know what to make of this team. Promising? Ready to implode? Playoff material? The latter should be the case, but last season was such a disappointment, I really wonder what new coach Vinny Del Negro will do to get them back on track. In Derrick Rose the Bulls have a great young point guard who will be asked to do a lot for this team. Where does this leave Kirk Hinrich? I’ve read that he might switch to the 2-spot, but will that work? And what about Larry Hughes? Since they also have Thabo Sefolosha on the roster, will Hughes get traded when February comes around? Then again, who would be willing to take on his contract anyway? Speaking of guards and trades, where will Ben Gordon be in February? A lot of questions surround this great franchise, but with Rose, Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Andres Nocioni and even Joakim Noah, they should still be able to win more games than they will lose. But playoffs are not a certainty in Chicago anymore.

5. Indiana Pacers: As of right now, Jamaal Tinsley is still a Pacer. But when he’s gone, a new era has started in Indiana. Artest, Jackson, O’Neal, all gone. You might want to call it rebuilding, but the foundation is already there. One of the better and maybe underrated small forwards of the NBA is Danny Granger, obviously the one player Larry Bird wants to build around in the near future. Getting T.J. Ford on board was a smart decision. Let’s just hope we never have to see Ford getting carried off the court again. My heart stops a split-second when I saw him lying motionless on the court in the past, absolutely horrible. But when he gets it going, it’s hard to stop him, he’s that quick. Mike Dunleavy jr. really blossomed since being brought over from Golden State to the Pacers, but other that, this will be a long season for Pacer fans. And with “season” I mean the regular season, because with all those improved teams in the East, it will be difficult for them to crack the top eight.

Atlantic Division Preview

2008-09-28T15:03:00.003-04:00

I am currently in Portugal, and the last days of my otherwise perfect vacation are rainy. Clouds that are keeping the sun from shining during the late days of September are actually getting me excited for the month that is coming up. And we all know what October will bring us: besides the trees that will lose their leaves and the fact that I will lose that tiny little bit of tan that I’ve been building up this week, the start of a new NBA season is finally in sight. That means I can write about something that inevitability will be totally wrong, that will leave people wondering if I have really lost all my remaining sanity after I typed what should be nothing more than one man’s thought about the NBA; we’re talking about the previews for the 2008/2009 season. Last year I thought the Nets could finish above the Celtics, had high hopes for the Bulls and the Nuggets (who didn’t?), and really expected nothing of the Lakers, so I hope I can make a little bit more sense this year. And let’s start off with the Atlantic Division.

1. Boston Celtics: Repeat? Quite possible. Even though they lost James Posey to New Orleans, I think it won’t hurt the Celtics too much. Not that I’m underestimating Posey’s value to the Celtics, but I believe the team has plenty of pieces to make it work to at least make the Finals again. Leon Powe will see a significant increase in his minutes on the court now that Posey is gone, giving them an extra boost off the bench. Garnett, Allen and Pierce now finally have that first championship, and being the players that they are, I can’t imagining them being satisfied with just one. What I really want to know is: how healthy is Bill Walker? If he can come back at 100%, the best team of the NBA might have one of the best guards of this year’s Draft.

2. Philadelphia 76’ers: How much more can Andre Iguodala improve? It would be nice if he became a better shooter, because with Elton Brand now manning the paint, it will create more open shots for him and Andre Miller. Defensively this team is pretty much set too; the guards can gamble every now and then on their man, because behind them is Samuel Dalembert waiting to block anything that might slip through. Couple this with young forward Thaddeus Young, and that’s a great starting five that can play with any other team in the League. Head coach Maurice Cheeks can also choose to go small, giving Louis Williams extended time on the floor. Starting this season, the Sixers have some really nice years ahead of them.

3. Toronto Raptors: I like the signing of Jermaine O’Neal and it will be fun to watch him and Chris Bosh playing off each other. José Calderon is now finally the starting point guard for the Raptors, and will probably share the backcourt with Anthony Parker, and Jamario Moon will be playing the small forward position. But if it’s time to make some substitutions, who will you send in? I’m not too fond of the bench, besides Hassan Adams (yes, Hassan Adams). If Bosh or, more realistically, O’Neal gets injured, which big would be the one replacing them? Andrea Bargnani is more of a small forward, and as a former number one pick, I doubt if he will ever be a star. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he can play, but he’s not a guy who you can build your whole team around. Not yet, anyway. Luckily they still have Bosh, who played quite well on Team U.S.A., and once again has to have a great season to lead the Raptors to the playoffs. But more than that can’t be expected from this team.

4. New Jersey Nets: I actually placed the Nets over the Knicks because of one reason: even though the Nets are obviously in a rebuilding situation, they are doing in a way which will keep them (hopefully) competitive. Not because it’s “my” team which could make me biased, but I actually believe with Devin Harris and the rookies Chris Douglas-Roberts, Ryan Anderson and Brook Lopez, the Nets have a good young nucleus to win some games these next few seasons. I left Yi out on purpose, because I can’t get over the Richard Jefferson trade. I understand Yi has a lot of upside, but he is a player who has yet to prove himself. The plan is to bring him along slowly, and not pressure him too much early on. Josh Boone is someone who averaged a double-double since he became a starter early in the season, so we now have an idea what to expect out of him. What I really hope is that Sean Williams finally “gets it”, and starts using his head more during games. He put up nice numbers when he was a starter for a short while, but on too many occasions he seems to be confused during the plays that they ran. Vince Carter? Well, I’m not the one to bash him. He can be frustrating to watch, but also still can make you go drooling like a toddler scoring when he wants, and showing that he’s a great passer. He needs to be a leader this season, and as a fan it will be interesting to see if he accepts that role. My plea to Lawrence Frank is once again to play the young guys. Lopez will definitely see a lot of minutes, but I really hope that CDR will get off the bench too. I hope he’ll the starting small forward sooner than later, but that might be a tad unrealistic. The Nets probably won’t make the playoffs this season, but there’s enough to get excited about.

5. New York Knicks: Of course Mike D’Antoni will improve their record from last season, and he might get more out of some players than his predecessor, Isiah Thomas. Jamal Crawford might have a great year now with D’Antoni as his coach, and David Lee is always fun to watch because of his work-ethic when it comes to rebounding. In fact, almost the whole team from last season is back for another year (plus Chris Duhon), and that’s the reason I placed them last in the Atlantic Division. Rookie Danilo Gallinari has back problems, so he can’t be counted on as a savior, and recently signed Allan Houston? He probably can still shoot 3’s, so let’s hope the best for him. It’s the “wait-and-see” approach if Eddy Curry, the still-Knick Zach Randolph and the rest can run-and gun in D’Antoni’s offense.

The Evolution of the Power Forward

2008-09-02T08:44:00.005-04:00

No, I’m not going all the way back in NBA history. However, I will go back in my own NBA history, my memory of the game I’ve been following since the early nineties, and I realize that no position has changed more than the 4-spot.

Some might argue that in the last decade the point guard position went in a different direction, but in reality, that’s not the case. The “classic” point guard was always the guy who had a pass-first mentality, setting up plays and sharing the rock with his teammates. In the mid-nineties you had guys like Stephon Marbury and Allen Iverson coming up; small players who were more scorers than the traditional guards. Like nowadays you have Gilbert Arenas at the 1-spot in Washington, but he’s more of a playmaker with the ability to score 40 at any given time. The point guard position has always been divided. In the Knicks’ glory days you had the amazing Walt Frazier who could drop 30 on your ass, but also give 10 assists along the process. Or what about Kevin Johnson, a diminutive but fierce guard who played for the Phoenix Suns who liked to dunk on whatever big log was manning the paint? Nowadays, I think Steve Nash is responsible for letting GM’s realize that you need a floorleader who can rack up dimes and making everyone around him better. I know I might be stating the obvious, but guys like Chris Paul, Andre Miller and Deron Williams are all like that, and it’s a joy to watch them play.

I’m really drifting off here, because I should be talking about the big men in this game, the tall forces who emphasize “power” in power forward. Elbows flying, floor-diving, reaching out there for the rebound, getting some points in the paint, being as wide as you are tall, pushing, shoving, boxing out, tough defense and what not. When I think of them, stuff like this pops into my head like a virus pop-up window when you’re browsing for “Paris Hilton + pics” (not that I know about this from any personal experiences). But today’s power forward seems to be a more versatile, finesse kind of player. Tall guys who can take their defenders off the dribble, some even shoot 3’s if needed, they’re more like taller small forwards. The power forward of the early to mid-nineties would be a center in the modern-day NBA.

The 4-spot in my mind is still occupied by players like Charles Barkley, Horace Grant, Charles Oakley, Buck Williams, Larry Johnson (well, his first 2 two seasons with the Hornets), Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Kevin McHale, Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Rick Mahorn, Jayson Williams, Otis Thorpe, Anthony Mason, P.J. Brown and even Dennis Rodman (build like a small forward, but could outrebound every damn power forward out there). The ultra-athletic Shawn Kemp might not fit in the mold of the other guys I named here, but if you play with as much force as Kemp, he belongs in this list too, no doubt.

In 1995 Kevin Garnett was drafted. Rail-thin, wiry yet strong enough to hammer it over plenty of other dudes his size. In the years that followed, KG showed that he could do just about everything. He was basically a 6’11 small forward, and when you check the power forwards we have on our current NBA rosters, there are plenty more of those ‘big-small forwards’: Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol, Tyrus Thomas, Al Harrington, Lamar Odom, Boris Diaw, and even Rashard Lewis played some power forward for the Orlando Magic (which is insane).

Why am I writing this? To sum it all up: out of frustration. I’m not saying there aren’t any good big men left in the NBA, because there are plenty: Flight Howard, Elton Brand, Tim Duncan, Tyson Chandler, Mountain Drew Bynum, Mehmet Okur, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Marcus Camby, David West, just to name a few. I even want to mention Udonis Haslem here, because he belongs in the classic power forward category, but the NBA is eliminating my definition of the big man. Sometimes a tall player can’t stay into the game because refs are so quick to blow the whistle; it’s almost painful to watch. When you’re a 7-footer, standing still with your hand up in the air and Dwyane Wade comes at you, you know you’re screwed. You could be like a statue and still you would get a foul. It’s always the same damn thing. Sure, I like high-scoring games too, but one of the most annoying things to me in the new millennium of the NBA is that you can’t play tough defense anymore. Maybe basketball in the nineties wasn’t always the most attractive ball you would see, but at least there was equality for every position.

No Breaks Allowed, Part Five

2008-08-05T20:10:00.009-04:00

To start with a Barkley: “First of all”, I am definitely aware of everything that is happening around the League. But it’s summertime, and although I read a lot of stuff regarding to the NBA, I just haven’t written about it. Until today, because I felt the need to discuss some stuff that has been brewing in this bobblehead of mine (seriously, I you would look at my head, it’s huge. Even Yao and Shaq’s domes are smaller than mine, but I digress).

-Guys like Boki, Arroyo, Childress, Krstic, just to name a few, have all left the U.S. to get mo’ money, and you can’t blame them. Am I worried about the state of the NBA? No. There are only like seven of eight teams overseas who can spend cash like this, and like player agent Keith Glass already said: “who’s going to buy a ticket to see Josh Childress anyway?” He’s not a big fish, so until that happens, people should stop worrying about it. Oh, and about Keith Glass: every basketball fan should read his book “Taking Shots” sometimes, it’s hilarious. More on this in another blog. However, the problem is with the restricted free agents. They are basically prisoners of their own contract, so that’s something the NBA has to look into.

-How about those Clippers? To be honest, I’m impressed. A couple of weeks ago when Brand left, I had little hope for L.A.’s “other team”. It’s always the same thing; I thought they really weren’t interested in winning at all. They had Davis, but Brand went to the Sixers, so they would have to start all over again. I mean, how are you going to replace the nightly 20 and 10? Well, they got their 20 points because of the presence of his royal beardness, but those 10 rebounds, that defense, how are you going to replace that? Mmmm…. Tough call. It’s not like a former defensive player of the year is walking through that door, right? It’s not like one of the leading shotblockers and a top rebounder could be acquired for let’s say…. Nothing? And that’s exactly what happened, the Clippers got Marcus Camby. A trade which we should call a “scamby”, because it’s even worse than the Gasol trade last February. They also improved their depth by signing Ricky Davis, Jason Hart, and Brian Skinner, so the Clippers have a 10-man rotation set. It might be too early too tell, but I believe they can compete with any team in the League. Nothing less than a playoff spot is acceptable. Even with all the talent that the Western Conference possesses, especially with Portland on the rise, the Clippers still should get in there like swimwear (boom tho!).

-I will miss all the Olympic action ‘til Monday August 18 because I’m going to France for a couple of days, and when I return I will head off to a fest here in The Netherlands. Hopefully I’ll catch the U.S.A. battling Germany that Monday, and if they get past the first round, maybe I can see some more. But if the games are around 9 am ET in the U.S., that means it’s 3 pm here. And since watching basketball at work probably won’t help my career (if you could call it a career) I might be lucky if I even see one game at all, which sucks. Then again, France and especially the festival I’m going to every year will be awesome. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for Kidd, Kobe, LeBron and the rest while I’m watching The Roots, N*E*R*D or Jamie Lidell.

-To close this blog for today with a Nets note: Dear Kiki and Rod: you know I love the Nets, and the team at its current state might be able to play some defense. But if you don’t sign another player who can help Carter and Harris in the scoring department, can you at least promise me that Frank will give Chris Douglas-Roberts some playing time this season? I don’t know much about the guy, but for some reason I have a feeling he will be something special in this League, when given the chance. Thank you.

Brand New Day

2008-07-10T20:22:00.002-04:00

Dr. J, Moses Malone, Barkley, AI and now Elton Brand. Am I giving number 42 too much credit? I don’t know, but although I like the two Andres (Miller, Iggy), Elton Brand is a different calibre in my opinion. When healthy, he is one of the best power forwards in the League, I think nobody can argue with that. But since I mentioned the word “healthy” already, Ed Stefanski is taking a huge gamble here by bringing in someone like Brand. But if he’s 100%, the East is screwed. The Sixers have played some really good games later in the ’08 season, and have a bright future ahead of them. Brand can make them a legitimate threat in the East. Maybe not yet good enough to call them contenders, but definitely good enough to go deep into the playoffs.

In the nineties everybody was a Bulls fan, at least the people I got in touch with after I picked up the rock in the early nineties. I became a fan too, and Scottie Pippen was my favorite player back then. But after all the internal power struggles that were going on throughout the dynasty years, the two Jerrys (Reinsdorf, Krause) dismantled the team. By the start of the ‘98/’99 season you knew the Jerrys made a huge mistake. Their egos were more important than the likes of Jordan, Pippen or Phil Jackson, so basically they made a choice to lose games. They probably named it “rebuilding”. Bad teams sometimes are very lucky in the Draft, so in the summer of 1999 the Bulls drafted Elton Brand, who played collegiate at Duke for two years. The rest of his team was atrocious (Artest not included, but Dickey Simpkins, Chris Carr, dinosaur Will Perdue, to name a few…. Damn), but Brand was Co-rookie of the Year, sharing the award with Steve Francis. From his first season on, Brand was a 20 and 10 guy, and continued to put the weight of the franchise on his broad shoulders in his second season. So what the Jerrys do? They traded their young and promising franchise player away to the Los Angeles Clippers. We all know what happened after that in Chicago, once again making a very dumb mistake, but let’s stay focused on Elton Brand’s career.

With him being a Clipper, he was traded from one doomed franchise to another. It must have been a burden to keep on playing for bad organizations, which don’t seem to be interested in winning a whole lot of games. Brand however, with his workhorse attitude, continued to do what he always did. His scoring dipped to 18.2 ppg, but he swatted away two shots every game, and continued to excel at both ends of the courts. And his rebounding numbers? They only went up. But still, even after his scoring improved, the Clippers did not. “Winning” hasn’t been high on the to-do list of owner Donald Sterling. At least that’s what I thought; until last week it came out of nowhere (to me) that Baron Davis would leave the Warriors to become a member of L.A.’s “other team”. Davis and Brand…. Could it really be true? I was looking forward to Clippers-Lakers games, because they finally would be relevant again. Clippers should’ve been proud and could start dreaming about the playoffs maybe? But on the night Davis signed his contract with the Clippers, Brand was moving to Philly.

When Brand opted out of his contract this summer, it would make you wonder why he did that. Maybe to see what the organization would do? Would they finally get him some help, or just be content with mediocrity? Then Brand sold some of his L.A. property, so what was that about? Moving? Or just doing business? A day after that it was reported by ESPN that the Sixers were still very much in the race for Brand’s services, but I figured he would just re-sign with the Clippers. Apparently I was wrong, and many others with me. And like The Killers said; for reasons unknown he left and signed with Philly, breaking hearts of some and being embraced by others. I read that Brand just wanted to go back East, some say his agent David Falk was behind all of this and screwed the Clippers. I don’t know why he left, but I would sure like to know it. I can’t picture Elton Brand as a bad guy, I just can’t. In all those years I never heard anything bad about him, or from him. So I ask you: what happened?

All I know is that one of the sweetest days of Baron Davis’ career turned sour fast.

No Breaks Allowed, Part Four

2008-07-07T19:12:00.004-04:00

After July 1st I’ve been waiting a couple of days before I would write a new blog. I wanted to see what would happen (Baron Davis moving), and in some cases, what would not happen (Arenas moving). So in this version of No Breaks Allowed, let’s talk about this past week, and what might come up. And since I’m going to see Common this Wednesday for the first time ever (who knew that he would already bring out another album this September? Whoo-hoo!), let’s start off with the Chi:

-Paxson for 3! I’m sorry, having flashbacks, and I understand this is not Game 6 of the 1993 Finals. However, Paxson’s summer can be successful in only 3 steps: 1. Have a good draft. 2. Re-sign Deng. 3. Get bigger. Okay, so you could say that 1 and 3 could’ve been achieved by drafting Beasley. However, I do believe they might the right choice in drafting Derrick Rose. A good point guard almost guarantees you to some wins, and although he’s a rookie, in the long run the Bulls can stay competitive if they can keep Luol Deng, and find a big man who can score a little under the basket. And yes, I do believe Deng is a key player for this team. The ’08 season might not be his finest, but he can be an all-star soon if he keeps improving.

-Message to Mitch Kupchak: do not pay Andrew Bynum 80 mill. It’s okay if Mountain Drew believes that he should get that, or maybe his agent just whispered that sum in his ear, but it’s too much for a 13 and 10 guy. Sure, he might give you 20 and 14 in the future, but that’s what the Knicks thought too when they signed Jerome James to a 5-year, 30 million dollar contract in 2005. Just because a guy plays well for a couple of months, it doesn’t make him a superstar. Hell, my beloved Nets have power forward Josh Boone, and since he became a starter for them he averaged a double-double too. What’s next, he’s gonna ask for 80 million now? Let Mountain Drew come back next season, see in what shape he is, and find out what he’s really worth. It’s a gamble, but less of a gamble than paying the dude 80 million dollars.

-Wait, I was talking about Chicago right? The Bulls are looking to make some (cost-cutting, therefore being able to re-sign Deng) moves, so they are open to trade Andres Nocioni. One of the teams who are very interested in him are the Nets. For the love of basketball, do it! He’s a perfect fit for New Jersey, being a tough defender, good rebounder and a guy who knows how to score. He even can hit the 3, so after the horrendous trade of Richard Jefferson, Nocioni could be inserted into the starting line-up at the small forward spot immediately.

-His royal beardness is home again. Baron Davis is back in L.A., which is a huge surprise because I didn’t expect him to leave the Warriors. If Elton Brand decides to stay (which we will know sooner than later) they actually have a pretty competitive team out there. A healthy Kaman, Al Thornton who hopefully will be a little bit less trigger happy in his second season, along with draft pick Eric Gordon, and Clipper fans have an exciting team to cheer about.

-Leaves us with Agent Zero. He just did what he said he would do. He waited what Antawn Jamison would decide, he waited to see what the Wizards would offer him, and…. He remains in Washington. And not only that, he pulled a Duncan, leaving 16 million on the table so the organization can get him some more help. They offered him 127 million, he took 111, and now you have people saying: “Couldn’t he take 90 million?” I know it’s a whole lot of money, but that’s how the market works. For some people Arenas can’t do anything right. To me, he did a good thing. A lot of players want to get a max deal if they can get it, which leaves their organization battling against the cap year after year. If you’re complaining afterwards your GM didn’t get you enough help, it’s partly your own fault (I’m not talking about anyone specific, if you’re guessing). So Duncan took less and his Spurs are contenders every season. The Wizards aren’t contenders yet, but this is a step in the right direction, a step taken by Gilbert Arenas.

Jefferson's Airplane

2008-06-30T21:59:00.007-04:00

Sometimes it’s hard rooting for one team. Of course it’s more fun to jump on the bandwagon, because for instance the Celtics are winning right now, which is way more fun than going through a rebuilding process. Or who knows what the Bulls will do this season with a young Derrick Rose, or how exciting Miami will be with a healthy (let’s hope that’s true) Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and Michael Beasley. And what about the Lakers? Back to the Finals in ‘09? One team who will definitely not go the Finals just so happen to be my favorite team: the New Jersey Nets.

They got there in 2002, Jason Kidd’s first season with the Nets after being traded from Phoenix to New Jersey. It was Richard Jefferson’s rookie season, a young and athletic small forward, backing up The Pale Rider, aka Keith Van Horn. They got swept by the Lakers, one year later they would try their luck again, this time playing the Spurs. Jefferson was a full-time starter by now, with Van Horn being traded to Philly, and although he and his team lost to San Antonio 4-2, the future looked promising. A frontline with RJ along with Kenyon Martin and having the best point guard running the show throwing lobs and finding you wherever you are on the court is a great situation for any player to be in. A return to the Finals would be imminent. Well, that’s what I thought. Insert the new-look Detroit Pistons, who acquired Rasheed Wallace late in the season, and defeated the Nets in the second round of the playoffs in ’04 (4-3) and became champions for the first time since 1990.

And now it’s 2008, and I think Jefferson understands he won’t be back into the Finals anytime soon. In fact, within now and a few months he’s on a plane to join his new team, the Milwaukee Bucks. I’m not saying the Bucks are that bad, but it’s obvious they are in no way contenders for the title anytime soon. The same can be said about the Nets. Even if they kept Jefferson, it wouldn’t get much better. But call me naïve; I really would’ve liked to see a full season of RJ, Vince Carter and lighting bolt Devin Harris and the rest of the now very young crew. Instead, “we” now have Yi and Bobby Simmons. Sure, Yi can be a great player someday, or a total bust. Simmons hasn’t been healthy for a couple of seasons now, so you don’t know what you’re going to get from him. I don’t like this trade. I don’t like it at all. Maybe for sentimental reasons, but also from a basketball standpoint.

In the summer of ’04, when Kittles and Martin were traded for basically nothing in return, it frustrated the hell out of me. Kittles was something I could understand, because injuries really took a toll on his career. It’s a shame, but sometimes it happens. After he was traded to the Clippers he went down and it was all over. When Nets owner Bruce Ratner refused to lay down big bucks (no pun intended) to keep Kenyon Martin, it angered Kidd, the rest of the team and every Nets fan out there. Back then no one knew Martin would almost miss two seasons because of microfracture surgery to both knees. We got Vince Carter later that year, but every season the Nets have been stuck in mediocrity, unable to return to the elite of the NBA. President Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe decided enough was enough and decided something had to be done; hence trading Jefferson to the Bucks for Yi and Simmons.

I don’t understand the hate RJ is getting from basketball fans around the world. He speaks his mind, he’s brutally honest when giving his opinion, is that a problem? And although some might say he wanted to be “the man” too much, to me it didn’t seem damaging to an already weak Nets team. Jefferson was a top five scorer in the first couple of months of the season (and ended ninth), which took some toll on his otherwise above average defense. Then again, somebody had to put some points on the board for New Jersey, because Carter sometimes seems reluctant to be the main go-to guy, so why not RJ? I saw plenty of Nets games this season to notice that Jefferson became outstanding in creating his own shot. He improved his jumper, and because of his strong body he was able to slash to the basket at will, creating contact and going to the free throw line. He even shot 36% from threepoint range, so you could say he’s offensively well-rounded.

In the days since the trade I read several things, people writing that RJ shouldn’t be the top player in your team, but maybe the second or third guy, I read that Rod Thorn said that even if Jefferson wouldn’t be traded, the Nets weren’t going to any better next season. You make a trade to improve your team, but that’s not the case in this situation. We all know what the real reason behind the trade is: money. I understand it’s that way, it’s a business and I’m a sucker that I love my one team and the players on it. Especially the ones who were on that team for a long time, from being in the Finals to missing the playoffs. I understand it would be great to bring a huge star to the Nets in 2010 (he who shall not be named in this post), but as a fan I’m always in a win-now mode. With RJ we won’t win the Trophy in ’09, but we won’t win it with Yi either.

The perception of him by a lot of people these days is that he’s the most overrated player in the League today, with the “numbers” to prove it. Maybe I’m biased, maybe I’m blinded by my affection for the Nets, but I’ve seen plenty of games this past season to realize he was one of the few bright spots my team had. Now after the trade, we have two forwards who took turns sitting on the bench in Milwaukee, and the possibility to get a really good small forward in 2010, but you never know if that’s really going to happen. I always focus on the here and now, so with RJ leaving, it truly marks the end of an era. There’s no one left of those Finals teams of ’02 and ’03. I can only wish my favorite forward of the past seven years all the best, and hopefully he’ll return to the Big Dance someday.

108 Games

2008-06-19T20:13:00.006-04:00

Let’s start off with some Guru, Jazzmatazz vol. 3, Streetsoul, track 5: “Certified”.

This right here has been certified for years
He’s got soul up in his blueprint and he’s ready to vocalize….

And he did. Watching Kevin Garnett crying and howling in that post-game interview with Michelle Tafoya was a thing of beauty and to me represents everything that is good about the NBA. It was 6 in the morning when the game ended over here, and watching him yelling ‘Anything is possible!’ claiming he was now certified, hugging Bill Russell, man, I had tears in my eyes. I’m 28 and I might be soft, but that was amazing and heartfelt to see. I needed to get some extra hours of sleep after the game, but I just couldn’t go to bed. Like KG, I was too hyped. It took me almost two hours before I could finally get some shuteye.

Understand what I’m trying to say here. I’m a Nets fan, but even more so I’m a fan of the NBA. Watching every team, enjoying good basketball when I see it. That’s why I enjoyed Game 6 so much, especially the final moments of it. And anyone who didn’t like it must walk that yellow brick road and search for a heart. Doc Rivers probably still smells like Gatorade, and Paul Pierce might still wear his jersey. Life is good in Boston, where after 22 years they’ve finally won it again. It took them 108 games to do it, but every single game the purpose was the same as the last one: they had to win it all. Call it destiny, call it whatever you want, but it had to happen.

In L.A. they hoped to have their first championship since ’02, but watching the Lakers play on their home floor, it looked like both the players and the fans weren’t that desperate for it. Although the Celtics played great defense, the Lakers were really disappointing. Kobe had a lot of trouble in getting to the basket, so he definitely needed someone to step up, whether it was Odom, Gasol, whoever. Yet nobody embraced that role, but again: that wasn’t the biggest problem. They just didn’t want it badly enough and that’s what it’s all about. It’s weird; the Lakers played great throughout the playoffs, but had a lot of problems during the Finals. The Celtics however, struggled in the first two rounds, found some rhythm against the Pistons, and really played well against the Lakers. More importantly, Ray Allen overcame his shooting woes from previous rounds to show that he still is one of the finest shooters in the League. He emphasized that in Game 6 by hitting seven three-pointers out of only nine attempts.

So that was the 2007-2008 NBA season, the team won that had to win, KG delivered to world some footage that the NBA can use in every promo for the next ten years (or longer), and Paul Pierce became the Finals MVP, which should secure his legacy after his career is over. And Doc Rivers? I think he’s done with Gatorade for a while, and hopefully traded it for some champagne. The Celtics won, and rightfully so.

To Live and Die in L.A.

2008-06-03T21:38:00.007-04:00

Everybody got their own thang, currency chasin’,
Worldwide through the hard times, warrior faces

A man can dream can he? A man can have dreams about being a rockstar, getting a lapdance by Shakira or watching the NBA Finals with two of the best teams in the League battling it out in an epic 7-game series. Better yet, Lakers vs. Celtics. I made a mistake. Everytime I’m thinking, talking or in this case, writing about the Finals, it’s Lakers vs. Celtics. And that’s where I’m wrong. I should say: Celtics vs. Lakers, for the simple fact that the team with the better record gets mentioned first. I do that in every preview, so I must do it in this one too. Why do I usually say Lakers vs. Celtics? Because in the very, very early nineties I played a game on the PC called “Lakers vs. Celtics”. Hours and hours I played with either the Bulls or the Lakers, in this crappy, awful looking videogame. I even kept my own stats (well, only points) because that was a thing the game didn’t do. And if you guys are wondering: yes, I did have friends in those days. Imaginary ones, but still, friends they were. Anyway, the final preview of the season.

Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Point guard: Rajon Rondo vs. Derek Fisher. I think Rondo played more controlled against the Pistons than he did in the previous rounds. What’s not to like about this guy? He’s so quick and so active on both ends of the floor, that you always have to keep an eye on him. He’s not a reliable shooter, but with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce next to him, that doesn’t really matter. The young man creates, and that’s what a point guard is supposed to do. A not so young man but a proven veteran is Derek Fisher. He has been having outstanding playoffs so far, and let’s not forget that this guy already has won three championship rings with the Lakers. A great shooter and a more than capable defender will keep Rondo occupied throughout the series. Advantage: Lakers.

Shooting guard: Ray Allen vs. Kobe Bryant. Finally, Ray Allen lives! He woke up in Detroit, and let’s hope he’s still awake on Thursday night, when the two teams square off in Boston for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. One of the best pure shooters in the last ten years, he has never endured such a slump like the one he had in the past couple of weeks. But now he’s hitting 3’s at last, scoring some points with that beautiful jumper of his, but he’s still not a good defender. And that, my friends, doesn’t help when your opponent is Kobe Bryant, the NBA’s second leading scorer, and the leading scorer in the playoffs. Kobe however, will probably contest every shot that Allen will attempt, and the Celtics definitely need Ray’s shooting to win it all. Advantage: Lakers.

Small forward: Paul Pierce vs. Vladimir Radmanovic. Hmm…. Who should I pick? Tough choice. No disrespect to Radmanovic, because the guy sure can score when he has one of this good days. But a role player is something different than a star player. A bad match-up. What more can I say? Advantage: Celtics.

Power forward / center: Kevin Garnett vs. Pau Gasol. We’re gonna mix it up a little, because I understand that KG and Pau start off against each other, and not Garnett against Odom. It makes sense. Both players are long and capable of doing a lot of damage when it comes to offense. It’s important for Gasol to stay aggressive, and not settle for “weenie shots”, as Phil Jackson called them. Gasol finally needs to understand that although he’s more of a finesse player, his game would greatly benefit from a bit more power. No cute little layups, he should dunk it when he’s able to. Both he and KG have a reliable jumper, which stretches the defense and making it easier for a guy like Kobe or Pierce to operate. Needless to say, but Garnett is a great defender, being the most intense player in the NBA finally being on the grand podium after all those frustrating and dreadful years in Minnesota. Now that he’s there and has to win the four most important games of his career, I hope he and his team understand this is not Atlanta, Cleveland or even Detroit that they’re playing. The best of the West is out there waiting for him, but he’ll have the upper hand playing against Gasol, that’s for sure. Advantage: Celtics.

Center / power forward: Kendrick Perkins vs. Lamar Odom. Yes, I know Perk had a monster game against the Pistons (18 points, 16 boards), but he’s nothing more than a role player on this Celtics team. It’s nice to have him around though, he can grab some boards, act like a tough guy, and maybe he frightens someone with that act (kids, puppies, goslings), but he doesn’t possess the skill set Odom has. Then again, hardly any NBA player does. Yes, I think that high of Odom. As I’ve said many times before, it’s important to get Odom involved early, get him some buckets. Like Gasol he must stay aggressive, create by going to the basket for either himself, or for his teammates. Advantage: Lakers.

Coaching: Doc Rivers vs. Phil Jackson: We know these guys, we know their stories. It was good to see Pierce hugging Doc after they beat Detroit in Game 6. Those two lost so many games before this season, dating back to 2004 when Rivers became the coach of the Celtics, and now they’re in the Finals together. Gotta give credit to Rivers for keeping his played focused from game 1 to 82. The playoffs were something different, they just had so much trouble in beating the Hawks and the Cavs, and I still wonder what (almost) went wrong. It’s Doc’s first Finals as a coach, and Jackson’s eleventh. Yes, really. He won nine, lost one in ’04, and now he’s back to accomplish something no coach has ever done: win ten championships. Advantage: Lakers.

Bench: This is actually the toughest one. The Celtics have two proven veterans in P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell, and the former impressed me a lot, but the latter has let me down a bit. I like Sam, who doesn’t? But he should know better than complaining about playing time right now. He should be happy where he is at this stage of his career. Unless he performs, or whether Eddie House is more of a thread in a game than him, good ol’ Sam should just do like the Beatles, and Let It Be, because it’s all about the team right now. Leon Powe didn’t get too much playing time against the Pistons, and that has surprised me a bit. He’s a high energy guy but I didn’t see him as much as I’ve liked to. Glen Davis doesn’t impress me much, but that also has to do with his nickname “Big Baby”. Whoever gave him that name should be shot in the face. The most important guy off the bench is James Posey. With his stiffling defense he will see a lot of minutes against Kobe (good luck with that), and he is also able to hit the 3. The aforementioned Eddie House is always fun to watch, especially if he starts gunning and actually hitting some shots. Another gunner is the Lakers’ Sasha Vujacic, but I think he could play better than he has showed so far. Ronny Turiaf can give you some valuable minutes on the court, but also on the bench he’s a joy to watch. That man is hyped up from his toes to his dreads. Jordan Farmer did pretty well against the Spurs, at least better than against the Jazz, that’s for sure. And Luke Walton might see a bit more time substituting for Radmanovic early in the game. I believe Walton is better suited to defend Pierce. Trevor Ariza however is also still there, and somewhat healthy, so he might get a turn on defending Pierce too. This leaves us with DJ Mbenga. A strong big dude who also can defend a little, so which bench would you pick? Advantage: none.

What I’d Say: It’s tough, because I can live with either of them winning it all. It’s simple: may the best team win. I hope it goes to seven games, and with the Celtics having home court, that last game will be amazing. But to make an actual statement and referring to the title of this particular blog: Lakers in six.

No Breaks Allowed, Part Three

2008-05-26T11:44:00.003-04:00

It’s time for another N.B.A. edition, better known as No Breaks Allowed. The playoffs are dominating my life at the moment, and with only a few more weeks to go in the season, I’m already a bit nervous for the huge hole that will be left in my life after the Finals are over. Rehab is for pussies, so to keep up with my addiction for the NBA, I’ll keep on blogging throughout the summer, anticipating the new season. Hold on, I’m getting way ahead of myself here, because what is really on my mind? Read on, reader.

-Finally! Ray Allen had a good game, which had to happen at one point. The result? The Celtics lost. Luckily for Boston, the Pistons have some troubles of their own too, with Billups struggling. Is his hammy still bothering him? Pistons and Ham, makes me wonder: what is Darvin Ham doing these days? He couldn’t do much, but if he actually did get some burn, we all could enjoy a ham sandwich every once in a while. That guy could dunk.

-Finally! The Celtics won one on the road, which had to happen at one point. The result? The Celtics are now leading 2-1. Expect a statement game by the Pistons on Monday night, if they fail, their season is virtually over.

-I’ve watched all three games between the Lakers and the Spurs, and it’s an interesting series so far. To sum it up: close game, blowout, blowout. After Game 1 I expected the Spurs to have their revenge and win Game 2 in LA. The Lakers however dominated the whole game, with Odom and Fisher doing a lot of damage, Gasol being everywhere, and Kobe being Kobe. Game 3 was the same thing, but now with Spurs doing all the dominating. Some people call Tim Duncan the robot (SLAM), because he’s not showing his emotion, yet doing everything so well it seems like he’s programmed to do it. Optimus Duncan had 22 points and 21 boards, and yes, even showing some passion out there. And since we’re talking about passion, Manu Ginobili had the hearts of the Spurs crowd pumping in the second quarter. He played perfectly, hitting back-to-back 3’s, driving to the basket at will, getting and-ones and whatnot. He had an amazing game, but this was only one game. The Spurs need this again Tuesday night. I’m anxious to see how the Lakers will respond in Game 4.

-The Bulls need to pick hometown hero Derrick Rose. Yeah I know they need a guy like Beasley more, but John Paxson has some players he can deal to get a big man anyway. Hopefully this Rose will be a better fit with the Bulls than the last one (Jalen).

-Speaking of the Bulls: Joakim Noah was arrested the other night. He had a drink in his hand, and since you’re not allowed to drink ‘out in the open’, the cops took him away. And what did they find in his pocket? A cannabis cigarette. Why do I care? Because Noah really seems to be a likeable player. Reading his rookie diary in SLAM Magazine, watching him play, I think he’s a good kid. And the locker room stuff earlier this season might’ve been blown out of proportion. He’s an emotional young guy who still has to learn a lot of stuff, so give him some leeway. But then this shit happens, which does a lot of damage to a young man’s credibility. He must stay out of trouble, because it would be sad to see a player like him tarnished because of this incident, labelled as a headcase which could give him a lot of problems in the near future.

-Did anybody sign Paul Silas yet?

-I have the utmost respect for Charles Barkley. His talk with Ernie Johnson about his gambling problems on TNT last week was as honest as you can be, and how he responded to it was the only right way to deal with this aspect of his life. That’s why I love Inside the NBA: it’s real, the opinions of the guys, the jokes, the criticism, the love, the “Ginobiliiiiiiii!!!!!” I wish TNT also had the NBA Finals.

The Four Top Teams

2008-05-20T12:15:00.006-04:00

Now there are only four teams left, two of them will advance to the NBA Finals, but which two? Your pick is as good as mine, because there isn’t a clear-cut winner. San Antonio, LA and Detroit won eight championships in the last nine years, and Boston finally has a chance of winning their first title since ’86. I understand I’m not telling anything new here, so let’s take a close look at these teams, and especially the positional match-ups.

Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons

Point guard: Billups vs. Rondo. Rondo is fast, athletic, got some nice tricks in his bag, but Billups has been the leader of the Pistons for quite a while now. He’s seen it all, and is basically responsible for every game-clinching shot in the last five years for Detroit. Advantage: Pistons.

Shooting guard: Allen vs. Hamilton. Both great shooters, but one huge difference: Rip averages over 21 ppg in the playoffs, while Ray struggles to score even 13 (on 38%). Allen will have a huge problem defending Hamilton too, because we all know that the masked man keeps running and running until he’s open to receive the pass and taking the shot. As a basketball fan you have to love Ray’s J, but he’s not the best defender out there. And if he’s not scoring, you’ve got a problem. Advantage: Pistons.

Small forward: Pierce vs. Prince. Now this will be a very interesting match-up, because they’re both good at their position, yet extremely different from one another. Prince is a great defender, but nowhere near the scorer that Pierce is. And with Pierce it’s the other way around. Coming off the best game of his life, the Celtics need his points desperately, especially if Ray Allen’s shooting woes continue. Pierce also had some rough games against the Cavs, but he can’t have any letdowns against the Pistons. Tough choice, but here we go. Advantage: Celtics.

Power forward / center: Garnett vs. Wallace: I know, Sheed plays center for the Pistons, and KG is the power forward for Boston, but I think these two will face each other throughout the series. Sheed can shoot 3’s, which is something KG won’t do, but otherwise these two big men have a great range, especially for someone at their position. They match up pretty well, but KG’s 20-25 points are needed, where Wallace will focus only on defense, and let his teammates create scoring opportunities. Advantage: Celtics.

Center / power forward: Perkins vs. McDyess. Assuming McDyess will start, he’s a guy who can play on both sides. Perk is a limited player, but still effective on the defensive end, and makes a bucket or two on an offensive rebound. Advantage: Pistons.

Bench: Detroit’s bench is great. They played a lot during the end of the regular season, which shows Flip Saunders and his starting five that they can relax while being on the bench. Rodney Stuckey did a great job against Orlando filling in for an injured Billups, and with Jason Maxiell you can always count on a couple of rebounds, blocks, and some posterizing jams. The Celtics have proven veterans on their bench in Posey, Brown, Cassell and House. And let’s not forget about the surprising youngster Leon Powe, the do-everything forward who could be a starter on some teams in this League. Advantage: Celtics.

Coaching: Doc Rivers vs. Flip Saunders. Some might say I should go with Flip Saunders, simply because he has more playoff coaching experience than Rivers. I like Flip, but the Pistons are also a team which can implode at any given time (see last years against Cavs). Therefore I think experience might be a bit overrated when it comes to these two coaches, therefore I’ll be a wuss and say: Advantage: none.

What I’d say: I think Detroit will win this, although the Celtics are better matched to the Pistons when it comes to playing style than they were against the Hawks of Cavs. This will be another grind-it-out, low-scoring and hardnosed defense kind of series. But the thing is: the Celtics needed 14 games to beat Atlanta and Cleveland, and haven’t won a single game on the road. It makes you wonder how they will fare in The Palace of Auburn Hills. Luckily for the Celtics they start out in Boston, and Ray Allen can’t keep on shooting like he’s Ray Charles. If he ever finds his shot back, the time is now. Result? Pistons in seven. Unless Boston really shows why they won 66 games, I doubt they can beat Detroit. This would be very disappointing, because when you saw Boston during the regular season, they looked damn-near unbeatable. And who doesn’t want to see a Lakers-Celtics finale? But we might have to settle for a 2004 Finals rematch.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs

Point guard: Fisher vs. Parker. Derek Fisher might be more important to the Lakers than you might think. It was important to have him on the court against Deron Williams in the second round, because of his shots, leadership and also playmaking ability. Fisher always stays cool, and it will be interesting to see if the can somehow contain Tony Parker a little bit. The thing with both of these point guards is that they shoot a high percentage from the floor. Fisher won’t score 25 a game like Parker, but you can’t gamble and leave him open. Defensively, Parker won’t do much for you, but he’s so dangerous with the ball in his hands. Advantage: Spurs.

Shooting guard: Bryant vs. Ginobili. It would make more sense to talk about Bryant-Bowen, but for the sake of argument let’s keep it like this. Manu is a star in his own right, but a bit streakier than Kobe. Ginobili might not be a great one-on-one defender, but he is a damn smart one, because he’s one of the greatest actors in the game. Offensively, there isn’t much he can’t do. If his 3’s are falling too, it will be a long night for the Lakers. Then again, LA has the MVP of the League, an all-defensive first team selection, dangerous on both ends of the floor. And that’s an understatement. Kobe Bryant is hands down the best player in the NBA right now, and had a couple of days to relax his aching body after beating the Jazz in six. Will he get the Lakers back to the Finals? Advantage: Lakers.

Small forward: Radmanovic vs. Bowen. Well, they both can shoot 3’s. And one of them will be chasing Kobe Bryant all day and night, so it’s tough to say who will have the “advantage”, so to speak. When the Radman gets hot, he’s a valuable asset for the Lakers, but the dude is also know for some boneheaded plays. We could call him Vladimir Gump, because you never know what you’re gonna get. Phil Jackson did reward him with a starting role, and I must admit that Radmanovic is a bit more consistent than he used to be, so that’s a good thing. But as far as an impact on the game goes, Bowen is more dangerous. Why? Because he has the knack to make you, the Lakers and the city of Los Angeles hate him. And he embraces that role. Advantage: Spurs.

Power forward: Odom vs. Duncan. The thing I’ve noticed with Lamar Odom is that you have to get him going early on. When he gets a couple of easy buckets in the first few minutes of the game, he stays focused. He’s a tremendously talented player, but sometimes you just don’t see him out there. I’m interested who will get the defensive assignment on Tim Duncan. People can and will tell you how boring he is, be he is so fundamentally sound, he won four rings, and his team is competing for the championship every year, so my bet is that a lot of players want to be boring like good ol’ Timmy. He’s still one of the best, if not the best power forward out there. Advantage: Spurs.

Center: Gasol vs. Oberto. This also could’ve been Gasol vs. Thomas, but who cares? Oberto is very active on the court, does a little bit of everything and is a pretty good passer. Kurt Thomas was acquired in a trade late February, the first thing I thought: “One of the smartest trades this season”. If you saw Game 7 against the Hornets you know why. He had 6 rebounds in only 7 minutes. Sure, doesn’t seem much, does it? But 5 of them were offensive. That’s why you have a Kurt Thomas on your team. Pau will have some trouble playing against them, but what I like about Pau since he’s been on the Lakers, is that he always seems to be in the right place to get the easy basket. He’s very skilled offensively, so you definitely need to put a body on him at all times. Advantage: Lakers.

Bench: Let’s say Thomas comes off the bench for the Spurs, putting him in the game with (Next-Gen Bowen?) Ime Udoka and you’ve got the defensive end covered. And let’s not forget that Udoka is a legitimate threat from the 3-point arc. When Parker goes to the bench, Manu is the point guard with either Finley or Udoka playing alongside him, so with that eight-man rotation you can come a long way. The Lakers bench goes to four, with Vujacic, Farmar, Turiaf and Walton. Cool Hand Luke often replaces Radmanovic, which brings them another playmaker. Walton is not a guy who will give you great stats, but (warning: cliché ahead) he brings all the little things to the game that you can’t measure. A great passer and he can shoot a little. Jordan Farmar had some difficulties against Deron Williams in the second round, and it won’t get any easier for him against Parker or Ginobili. Ronny Turiaf is great. Very enthusiastic, whether he’s in the game or not. And if he is on the floor, he’ll dive after every ball, jumps for every board, and dunks as hard as he can if he gets the chance (on a final note: Trevor Ariza might be back too). But in this case, you have to go with experience and defense. Advantage: Spurs.

Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. Gregg Popovich. If Phil Jackson is one of the best coaches ever, Pop is right up there. Sure, Jackson has won more titles, but Popovich has some experience himself too, right? I’ll choose the easy way out. Advantage: none.

What I’d say: The Spurs sometimes looked lost against the Hornets, but showed who the reigning champs in Game 7 were. They play good D, and have the ability to score with Parker and Manu running out there, and Duncan manning the block. The starting five of the Lakers can all score, so that makes it hard to defend them. I can see them beating the Spurs in seven, but I’m wondering if I’m really objective in making such a statement.

If you actually finished reading this blog, it might be June already, thanks!

No Breaks Allowed, Part Two

2008-05-11T22:48:00.002-04:00

As I explained in Part One, the No Breaks Allowed blogs are a way to let out my random basketball thoughts that I need to share with somebody. Anybody. I should get a dog. Then again, that itself would be a problem, because I strongly dislike dogs. I could go on and talk about dogs for a while, but these aren’t the dog days of the season, we’re in the middle of the playoffs, and a lot of stuff is happening on and off the court. So let’s do this.

-Game 4 between the Spurs-Hornets was memorable. Why? Robert Horry tied one of the greatest players of all time (Kareem) in playoff games played. 237 postseason games, going from Houston to LA to San Antonio. And winning seven championships along the way. He never missed the playoffs throughout his career, which is amazing in itself. Now that’s what you call a great career. 237 playoff games. Wow. That’s almost 3 full seasons of playoff basketball, if that makes sense. And on Tuesday night, Horry will have the new record. Interesting note from Game 4 was that the crowd gave a huge ovation when Big Shot Rob came in; they all love him over there. He immediately got the ball, shot, and it went in. Big Shot indeed.

-If there was a possibility to have a 2-on-2 competition with international NBA players, Turkey-The Netherlands would be embarrassing to watch. Turkoglu-Okur vs. Elson-Gadzuric. Go figure (a friend of mine spoke with Elson weeks before he was traded to Seattle, and all that guy wants to do is get some playing time. It’s not about the money or on which team he plays, he just wants to get some minutes). A lot of Turkish people live in The Netherlands, and I wonder if they even know Hedo and Memo.

-Kobe is the MVP and rightfully so. Not because he was due, but simply because he was the best out there this season. After receiving it he played very well in the Game 2. But I just saw Game 4 and I there was a version of Kobe playing I’m not used to seeing anymore. Forcing it too much, forgetting about his teammates, making wrong decisions late in the game, etc. He definitely made an offensive foul on Kirilenko in OT, yet they called it on AK-47. They men in grey made some very odd calls on both ends of the floor.

-Parker vs. Paul is the most entertaining and spectacular match-up of the playoffs. Lightning speed and impossible layup after impossible layup. A joy to watch.

-Is Boston playing really good defense, is LeBron in a slump, or is Mike Brown simply not a good coach? James is shooting 22% during those first three games, and we have to some credit to the Celtics’ D. However, the 1-on-5 approach usually doesn’t really work well in basketball, but it seems that it’s the only play Brown is running. My opinion on the Cavs is that they have two problems: the team just isn’t good enough to win a championship, and although they went to the Finals with Mike Brown, they will never win that trophy with him.

-Speaking of kings, Peja is playing like he did in Sacramento. He must show more against the Spurs, because he wasn’t a factor in Game 4. But there were times I thought he really would be hampered by injuries for the rest of his career. Nice to see he can still compete at a high level.

-Stop spreading the news. He’s leaving today. He wants to be a part of it: New York, New York. How about Mike D’Antoni? Who expected that? I thought Mark Jackson would be the next coach in NY, with D’Antoni either staying in Phoenix, or heading off to join Kanye, Common and the rest of the Chi. A huge mistake by Reinsdorf and Paxson for letting the Knicks get him.

-David West is only a 6’8 power forward and almost every big man has trouble defending him. If you haven’t seen him play, you wouldn’t believe it. Is there any spot on the floor other than the 3-point line he can’t score from? He will be a star for a long time in this League. It’s nice to be on the Hornets right now. It’s a franchise which can be successful for many years to come with Paul, West, Chandler, Peja, while being coached by Byron Scott.

-There are some readers of this blog who will agree with me on the following: get Paul Silas a coaching job! I know I say it every few blogs or so, but I’m going to keep doing it until a GM wakes up and decides we, the people, are right. Since MJ himself decided to choose Larry Brown over Paul Silas (who openly said he wanted the Charlotte job), rumors are he’s now in the running for the Suns coaching vacancy. I also read names of former Suns players (Eddie Johnson, Vinny Del Negro, amongst others), but to me it would make more sense to have an imposing guy like Silas. You have to deal with the enormous ego of Shaq, and star players like Stoudemire and Nash. Silas, a once ferocious rebounding mad man in his playing days, would be the perfect guy for the job. I hope Kerr thinks the same way.

-One final note: The Warriors are lowballing Baron Davis? They must understand that if he walks, this is the end of a very short era. They finally had some success the last two to three years, and now this? The rest of the West is only getting better, and if they don’t sign Baron to a new contract, it means to me the Warriors organization isn’t committed to winning after all. If they are willing to overpay Don Nelson (yeah I said it), they should at least reach out to their franchise player. After letting Richardson walk (which proved to be a very dumb move), they can’t let Davis go too. I’m watching this very, very closely.

Summertime

2008-05-04T19:27:00.005-04:00

Now that the Hawks have been in humiliated by the Celtics in Game 7 which led to the end of two weird weeks for Atlanta, from the sixteen teams which started the playoffs, only eight are remaining. I wrote a first-round preview, but couldn’t do that for the second round. Why? Because the second round already started on Saturday night, while the Celtics still had to get rid off those pesky Hawks. So instead of writing a preview, let’s take quick look to those eight teams who are gone, but not forgotten.

East

Atlanta Hawks: They are so inconsistent. Gave the Celtics all they could handle, so that must mean this team is capable of way more than they have shown so far. If young guys start to use their heads slightly more than rely on their athleticism, they will be in the playoffs again next year, and might even win a round. I’m really impressed by Al Horford, and one of the keys to a better season than they had now is Mike Bibby. Because although the Joshes, Marvin and whoever need to think a little bit more, Bibby and backcourt partner Joe Johnson have to lead them in the right direction.

Philadelphia 76’ers: Gave the Pistons some trouble, even when Iggy wasn’t playing well. Dr. Dre Miller is the perfect leader for this team, and still a very, very good point guard. Thaddeus might be Young, and so is Louis Williams but in a couple of years these two might be the stars of the Sixers. Dalembert might be overpaid, but had a good season for them (he and Evans on the boards are a nice combo to have), which leaves us to Iguodala. I have a feeling that this is his Gillette moment. The best a man can get. He’s good, but can he get better, or has he reached the ceiling? The Sixers are a team without true starts, until Iguodala becomes one.

Toronto Raptors: It didn’t surprise me that the Magic won. The Raptors haven’t been playing well for months. The trade rumors are already starting, mentioning New Jersey Net Richard Jefferson going there to provide some help. I think talent isn’t the issue with the Raptors, but as I said many times before, it’s mentality. Maybe Sam Mitchell’s coaching ways aren’t working anymore, or maybe it’s just all between the players’ ears. But they have some great players, who provided some magic of their own against Orlando. They just disappeared.

Washington Wizards: When Arenas is saying that the Wizards might be a better team without him, can be considered a trade request? Last season and this one the Wizards weren’t healthy for the playoffs. I would like to see them make one more run. That’s all I can say about that. I heard some stuff a while ago that Antawn Jamison might not be there next season, but I certainly hope that isn’t the case. He and Caron Butler are just as important as a healthy Arenas. One more run to see what these guys can really do. Mason and Blatche can only get better, and the only thing the Wizards might benefit from is a quality rebounder. And for Deshawn Stevenson to shut up.

West

Denver Nuggets: This is the only team I don’t know what to say about. Rumors say that Marcus Camby will be traded. Why? Because he was the Defensive Player of the Year one season ago? Who are they trading him for? Good shotblockers are hard to find, so good luck with that. I’m happy for George Karl that he will be back next season, he seems like a good guy. But I wonder how far he can take them. If they do make a change, I hope they take a look at Paul Silas. Other than that, I have no idea what should happen in Denver, besides the fact that they should play some defense. Simple as that.

Dallas Mavericks: Mark Cuban’s got more problems than R. Kelly. What they have in common? They created those problems themselves and can’t keep it on the down low. It’s out in the open, because the trade for Jason Kidd has yet to prove to be a good one. I still believe Kidd can lead the Mavericks to another good regular season, but his quest for a championship will end on a sour note. There is no way in hell Dallas will win a championship with their current roster, and the West will even be better next season. Besides Josh Howard and Brandon Bass, who are the other players on the team who have some improvement left? Besides those two, it’s a team without a future, and part of their future is ballin’ in Jersey.

Phoenix Suns: Same problem as the Mavs, somewhat. They want to win now, but now doesn’t seem to happen, and getting older is. Now what? The window of winning titles is faster than Barbosa can sprint down the court. I believe Nash still has enough in the tank to be a top point guard, but he still can’t defend. Shaq is old, wise, but still old. He’s an asset because the star of the team, Amare Stoudemire, is playing his natural position again, and is more dangerous than ever. But let’s be honest here: there are too many teams who can beat the Suns in the playoffs right now, and they are not only named “Spurs”. Can you imagine the Suns beating the Hornets or Lakers right now? The Jazz? I’m not sure, and what’s also not sure if coach Mike D’Antoni will be back next season. I wonder how this team will respond to another coach.

Houston Rockets: Good team, good players, but a very difficult year lies ahead with teams like the Blazers on the come-up. You can always ask “what if?”, because what if Yao Ming was healthy? I think the Jazz would still have beaten them. Luis Scola should start 82 games next season, they have a decent bench and a great starting five. But will they get past the first round next year? Is it, or isn’t it T-Mac’s fault? Is Adelman the one to blame? And the most important question of this summer will be: how old is Dikembe Mutombo really anyway?

A Game on the Line: the Free Throw Line

2008-05-03T09:51:00.001-04:00

So last night, Friday, the TV channel I which airs NBA games in my country is not good with scheduling. At least not this weekend. Their official programming listed a Lakers-Nuggets game on Friday, which is impossible since the underachieving squad from Denver is already on vacation, and Kobe is getting ready for to receive his first MVP award. As I said many times earlier, due to the time difference the games over here are in the middle of the night. Whatever time is schedules on NBA.com as Eastern Time, add six hours to it and now you know at what times I watch games. Anyway, I didn’t know which one of the three possible games they would show. Cavs-Wizards would start at 1 a.m., Celtics-Hawks at 2, and Jazz-Rockets at 3:30. Around midnight I was watching two new episodes of The Simpsons, and I think I feel asleep around 1. About an hour later I woke up hearing chants by the Atlanta (not so) faithful. DE-FENSE! DE-FENSE! I checked out at what my finest moment was in ’07 (buying a wonderful LCD screen. I know, I lead a boring life), and there it was: Hawks-Celtics, and I only missed the first two minutes. I’d like to thank the largest crowd ever assembled in the Philips Arena for waking me up, because I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this one.

The Celtics however, did miss this one. Now they have to go on play Game 7 on Sunday, with little chance to rest before they meet LeBron and the rest of the Cavs. Where did it go wrong in this series? Everybody expected this to be over with in 4 or 5. Maybe not everybody (‘Nique, I’m looking at you), but a lot of us fans did. Yet the Hawks are looking like a desperate and overachieving team, who, at least in Game 6, wanted it more than the Celtics. Al Horford is playing so well, the two Joshes, capable of doing so much good, but also so much wrong at the same time, are shining like never before. Joe Johnson is doing what he’s supposed to do in Atlanta: be the leader and star of the team. He sets the tone, and the young guys react on him like a lot of noses during the hay fever season: they are running. And that’s not all: they play like they’re not afraid, and why should they? The Hawks haven’t done shit the last couple of years, and haven’t been in the playoffs since ’99.

Much can be said about Atlanta’s performance last night, but you can’t deny that the Celtics couldn’t hit a shot, at least not from the 3-point range: 4 out of 19 from the arc, with Ray Allen hitting only 1 of 8. The big difference in not only this game, but the whole series is the Hawks’ ability in going to the free throw line. Atlanta went to the charity stripe a blistering 47 times (36 makes), with Boston only getting 25 (hitting 20). Boston also had 10 more fouls than Atlanta, because those young guns keep on driving to the rim. Every Hawks starter had at least 6 free throw attempts. With Boston it was only KG and Powe. The Celtics need to find a way to let them hit outside shots. Bibby is still not hitting much, so the only legitimate outside threat is Joe Johnson.

Game 7 could be a total snooze fest if the Celtics come out and play, and there is no doubt in my mind that this won’t happen. The Celtics won Game 1, 2 and 5 (all at home obviously) with an average of 22.3 points, so with the final game of the season for one of these teams being played in Boston, who do you think would win? Who am I rooting for? Come on now, I need an epic 7-game Lakers-Celtics Finals, what did you expect?

No Breaks Allowed, Part One

2008-04-26T17:46:00.002-04:00

Normally, I try to think of one topic, and write about that, but sometimes it’s nice to let it all out. So many things came to mind during this first week of playoff games, I need to talk about it. I can’t comprehend it into one fine post, no, so that why I called this Part One. Until June, there will be more blogs like this, because these are the most exciting times for a basketball fan. Unless you’re a Suns fan. Damn. Anyway, let’s get it on like Marvin:

-One week ago I think Lakers fans got to see they shouldn’t worry too much about Bynum coming back. Pau Gasol had one hell of a game. In fact, that whole Lakers team is playing so well together, sharing the ball so well it must make Tex Winter proud. I like how Bynum has improved this season, but it’s like what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said in his blog: they should be cautious. I can imagine it’s frustrating to watch your own team play like that and not be part of the success they have been enjoying so far, but I hope Mountain Drew also understands he needs to think long-term. His career lying ahead of him is more important than the next couple of weeks. You don’t want to jeopardize a 15-year career for a couple of playoff games, do you? One final thing about the Lakers: when did Kobe decide that dressing like Craig Sager is cool?

-Talking about Sager, the guys at Inside the NBA are once again doing a marvellous job. It’s hilarious, but interesting at the same time. Kenny impersonating Kobe in a remake of Bryant’s commercial where he jumps “over” a car, was so funny. What Kenny didn’t know was that the Inside-crew didn’t want to let him jump over it, but the car ran over him. That why it was even more funny, because The Jet saw that for the first time while being on air. Barkley must be glad it finally wasn’t him being the bud of the joke. Great chemistry between those three is what makes this show work so well. The insightfulness but also not taking everything too seriously is what makes me watch it as much as possible (when it’s on NBA.com. Lately, not every new episode is online, very frustrating!). David Stern, if you’re reading this (insert laughter at Mr. G. Himself here): I really hope that TNT can get its hands on the NBA Finals someday.

-I’m glad I’m not Steve Kerr. That must really suck. Facing the Spurs they only have one guard on their roster who can actually defend a bit in Raja Bell, but the Spurs have two offensive juggernauts in Manu and Parker. Pick your poison. Yeah, that’s right, 0-3.

-There’s no doubt in my mind the Magic won’t win the series against the Raptors. I only saw the most part of Game 1, but the Raptors looked so lost they should be on ABC every week. Yes, I know the Raptors won Game 3, and played pretty good in Game 4 before losing it in the fourth quarter (the game just finished as I am posting this), but it’s not enough. The team is lacking an identity, and could use some toughness. The Magic however, for all the good players that they have on their roster, do have one problem: consistent play from the point guard position. Jameer Nelson has games where he looks like he could be a very good floor leader, most notably in Games 1 and 2, which were won by the Magic. Nelson played bad in Game 3, and the Magic lost. Of course that doesn’t all have to do with him, but he has to be another thread out there for Orlando. Nelson had a good fourth quarter in Game 4, and the Magic won again. I’m seeing a pattern here.

-Message to Caron Butler: stay healthy man. I don’t know if Gilbert Arenas can log anymore minutes, and although Butler isn’t 100% himself, the Wizards need him. And some sense too.

-Message to Rasheed Wallace: play better. Much better. In fact, the rest of his teammates should do a lot better too. To Flip Saunders: how is it possible your team is getting killed by the well-overpaid center Samuel Dalembert? He scored 22 points on the Pistons? What?

-Since we’re on the topic, besides the fact that the Pistons aren’t playing well, I am impressed by the Sixers, and who isn’t? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Mo Cheeks deserves consideration for Coach of the Year. And although Iguodala isn’t playing well, the other Andre is proving to be the MVP of the Sixers, and outplaying Chauncey Billups at the moment. Hey, who knows, the Pistons might win the next 3. But if Philly wins this round, it will be an historic upset equivalent to last year with the Warriors over the Mavs. But I’m getting ahead of myself. It won’t happen that the Pistons will lose in an embarrassing fashion two years in a row, will it?

That’s about it for today. I’m back to watching some more games, and some more words on this blog might appear sooner than later. Your thoughts of the first week would surely be appreciated, so post ‘em in the comments section. If not, that’s fine too, but tune into the games, keep checking boxscores, highlights, whatever. Because before you know it’s summer, those long months after the Finals, and then what? Go outside? Getting a tan? Go to the beach? Nah. Until that time, it’s the NBA baby. No Breaks Allowed.

First Round Preview

2008-04-18T21:05:00.001-04:00

It’s Friday night. Some people go out with their friends. I’m a bit tired, so the only thing I’m going to do is think about the playoffs. Sure, I can act all Nellie and have a few drinks, wondering where the hell it all went wrong, but nope, I’m just sitting on my couch, knowing beforehand that my bed won’t see me all that much until mid-June. But before that, 14 teams will be on vacation, because one team in the East, and one in West will decide who will be the next NBA Champion. And to all of you fools who want to change the playoff-format: you can all suck my little Dutch windmill. It’s East vs West, it’s NBA history, do not challenge this, please. And yes, everybody writes previews, so why would I write ‘em? Because I don’t know what else I should do on a Friday night. My passion for the NBA is controlling my life, and that won’t change for the next two months.

EAST

Boston Celtics (1) vs Atlanta Hawks (8)

The Celtics against the Hawks? If somebody would’ve made that prediction one year ago, that person must have been a genius. Or just one lucky fellow. And when it comes to being lucky, I think Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge may consider themselves lucky for having the team that they have. I’m not disrespecting them, but the Celtics were awful for the last couple of years. And now? Now they are one of the few legitimate contenders of the East. And so they have to battle the Atlanta Hawks, who have made the playoffs for the first time this millennium. Sure, it’s good to be confident, you’re in the NBA, you should be confident. But I have to laugh when I read that Dominique Wilkins thinks there might be an upset. He’s the Human Highlight Film, but in this case, leave out the Human, Light and Film.

Detroit Pistons (2) vs Philadelphia 76’ers (7)

Mo Cheeks should be at least be second or third when it comes to getting votes for Coach of the Year. The organization hasn’t managed to add some quality players to the formidable backcourt, the tale of the two Andres. Is it a reach that I think Miller is the best point guard in the East right now? Yes, I am serious. And no, I’m not forgetting about Chauncey Billups, which will form an interesting match-up, other than that the Sixers are no match for the Pistons, who come into these series well-rested, and deeper than ever.

Orlando Magic (3) vs Toronto Raptors (6)

What a wonderful timing these Raptors have: they’re struggling! I hope Sam Mitchell can turn these guys around, because the Magic are not an easy opponent. Although they lack a quality point guard (and another big guy next to play next to Howard), Turk can do basically a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor, and you can always expect 20 points and a couple of 3’s by Rashard Lewis to compliment Dwight Howard, when he decides it’s Hammer Time. The Raptors have enough assets to make this a seven game series, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if it doesn’t last that long, and the Magic will go onto the next round.

Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs Washington Wizards (5)

The most interesting series of the East. Third year in a row these two teams meet in the playoffs, with Cleveland winning the last two years. But something has changed. As a basketball fan, we must understand that the Cavs without LeBron wouldn’t win 25 games. The Wizards however, had to deal with injuries to their most important player(s) throughout the season. Arenas went down late November, only returning just in time to get some rhythm back, and one of the team bearers alongside Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler also missed some games. Arenas and Butler missed the first round last year and the Wizards got swept. Although Deshawn Stevenson is a moron for dissing LeBron, and the Wizards being a bit too excited to play the Cavs, I think they’ll edge them in seven. Yeah I said it. Sorry Bron.

WEST

Los Angeles Lakers (1) vs Denver Nuggets (8)

Kobe-AI, is this June 2001? Nope, first round baby, and I like this one. If Bynum would be healthy right now, the Lakers would be the frontrunners to win the Championship. But even without Mountain Drew, they are still going to beat the Nuggets. I must state that the Nuggets have been playing exceptionally well during the last couple of weeks, with even JR Smith making the right plays at the right moment. Okay, so Melo had a drink and got caught, shit happens. I’m not gonna focus on all that crap anymore, I’m just anxious to see him go up against Kool (Kobe) & The Gang.

New Orleans Hornets (2) vs Dallas Mavericks (7)

Wait, the Hornets are one of the best teams in the West? Damn right they are, with Chris Paul leading them. David West, Stojakovic, Chandler; is it enough to beat Dirk and co.? Kidd just got his 100th (!) triple-double, and seems to understand his role within the team a little bit better. Nowitzki’s leg might still be bothering him, but he still had some very good games since the injury. If the Mavs will beat the Hornets, besides Kidd and Dirk they need Jason Terry and Josh Howard to perform at a high level. The Hornets, inexperienced maybe, are capable of beating the Mavs, so it’s hard to predict this one. Every time when I think New Orleans has reached the top, they go even higher. Byron Scott elevates this team to a new level, but it would be too embarrassing for Dallas to lose again in the first round, so I think they will win in seven.

San Antonio Spurs (3) vs Phoenix Suns (6)

Is this really only the first round? Wow. And who doesn’t remember the famous Horry bump from last year? The Spurs seemed to play a bit sloppy the last few weeks, so they have to pick it up. Duncan has to either guard Shaq, or Amare Stoudemire. Oberto / Thomas will deal with the other. The other way around will also be interesting, because who can stop Parker and Ginobili? Raja Bell can only haunt one of these guys for 48 minutes, so pick your poison. With the Suns having two big men under the basket will give the Spurs some serious problems, but I think one thing will remain the same: the Spurs will beat them in seven.

Utah Jazz (4) vs Houston Rockets (5)

For me personally, the least interesting series in the West. I know the Rockets won 22 in a row, which is amazing. But for some reason I don’t believe in these guys. I have no doubt T-Mac will once again not advance to the second round. Although they have been playing very well without Yao Ming, I think the Jazz have more to win this round. The Rockets also miss Rafer Alston (hope he returns soon), and will find some difficulties in guarding Deron Williams who can score from every position, and of course Carlos Boozer. Who will they put on him? His old buddy Shane Battier? Luis Scola? I don’t this that’s enough, and I expect some huge games from Boozer.

To quote Lonnie Lynn jr.: “Now let’s start the show show”, because the search for finding forever starts Saturday night.

Another48Minutes Award Show

2008-04-06T18:47:00.007-04:00

“It’s time for this godforsaken season to be over with” – Pat Riley.
One of the most exciting seasons is nearing its end, the awards are discussed about by everyone and their momma’s. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and the one I am pondering about the most is the MVP. Two months ago, it would be either Kobe, LeBron, or maybe KG. Now it’s Kobe or Chris Paul, no doubt about it. But of course there are many more awards to hand out, and many of them are causing some serious headaches. Bring out the aspirin, because if I had to say anything about it, these guys would’ve been my picks:

Most Valuable Player: I have to vote for Kobe. I just have to. I can’t give a logical, reasonable explanation so that some of you would agree with me by picking him over Chris Paul. I am fully aware of what CP3 has done with the Hornets. If you would ask me in the beginning of the season to list the top three point guards, I would’ve ranked them as Nash, Kidd, and Paul as the third-best. Paul is now the number one in my opinion, and leaves Nash and Kidd behind him. Yes, I am a Nets fan, and no, I’m not bitter about the Kidd trade. That is not the reason why I think Paul is the best. I’m just being honest, and a huge fan of his game. However, some can say that Kobe has more talent around him, that Bynum really improved a lot this year, Derek Fisher came back to help out at the point guard position, Pau Gasol brought his 20ppg to Los Angeles, may I also remind you about the following: Kobe is playing better D than ever, Bynum improved a lot, but got injured, Pau arrived and got injured, and while all of that happened Kobe is still putting up his usual numbers. He carries the offensively when he needs to by making the important shot or making the perfect pass. He has become a far better leader than he ever was, and he won’t stop doing all that he does until the final game of the season, whenever that may be. Sure, you can say a lot of these things about Paul too, but as of right now Kobe has a slight edge over the young point guard. If Paul would win it, I won’t lose any sleep over it either. They deserve it both, but there can only be one winner.

Coach of the Year: Byron Scott. Call me nuts, because a lot of people would like to see Doc Rivers win it, but Scott absolutely gets the most out of this roster, more than anyone could. They are not a whole lot different than they were last year. Only now they are one of the top teams out West, and given the day, they are in first place. I read about him that he understands that it is a players’ League. He lets Chris Paul lead on the floor, and Paul, along with West and Chandler, all have their best seasons so far. Pardon the cliché, but the sky is the limit for this team. I disagree with Charles Barkley, who said last Thursday that the Denver Nuggets would beat New Orleans if the two would meet in the first round of the playoffs. The Hornets finally have some productivity coming off the bench, with Pargo, Wells and rookie Julian Wright all producing. And let’s not forget about Peja Stojakovic, who seems healthy with the playoffs around the corner, and his deadly 3-point shooting gives this team another asset which opponents must deal with. The Hornets play on both ends off the court, and although Scott seems always calm on the sidelines, he is the mastermind that has this team performing at a top-level. I also would like to mention Mo Cheeks and Eddie Jordan. What they are doing is unbelievable. Much respect.

Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby. Yes, Camby again. What? Did I forget about Bruce Bowen? No he’s great. Shane Battier? Hey, good player too. But you can’t deny the fact that no single player is more important on the defensive end than Marcus Camby. First of all, I’m happy to see him healthy this season (knock on wood), and he probably is too, because he got a huge bonus because of that. Aside from that, he grabs 13.3 rebounds per game, blocks 3.7 shots, and grabs a steal every game. If any player was snubbed during All-Star Weekend, it was Camby. His shot-blocking presence is one of the reasons the Nuggets are contending for that playoff spot. He’s fast, still quite athletic and and makes life for Melo and AI a lot more easy.

Most Improved Player: Hedo Turkoglu of course. When a man averages a career high in about everything that is possible, when he is one of the most important players of his team, when he can do everything on the court, from D to O, shooting from every range, he must win this award. Dwight Howard wouldn’t have the season he is having if it wasn’t for Turk. Even with Rashard Lewis next to him, Turkoglu still finds ways to score, and forms a dangerous inside-out combination with Howard. He can also handle rock very well, and his team , although overlooked, is in third place in the East. Honorable mention goes out to LaMarcus Aldridge, just want to name him here.

Sixth Man: Manu Ginobili. Easiest choice. Second most important player on the Spurs, one of the most dangerous players in the League. A joy to watch and to me a superstar in this League. Few agree.

All-NBA First Team:

PG: Chris Paul
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: LeBron James
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Dwight Howard

I’m only naming the First Team because there are too many possibilities to name for Second and Third. The two positions you might want to debate are the 4 and the 5. Amare Stoudemire is probably offensively the most gifted big man in the NBA. The things he does around the basket are mind-blowing. And he can shoot a jumper too. But KG is a better defender, and a true leader for the Celtics. I chose Howard over Yao because to me, Dwight is more impressive, more dominating than Yao is. But it’s a toss-up between the two of them, really.

Rookie of the Year: Al Horford. Yes, Kevin Durant scores a lot. But his team sucks, there are hardly any scorers on the Sonics anyway, and his shot selection isn’t always smart, which is completely understandable. Horford will be one of the most important Hawks within two years. A career filled with double-doubles lies ahead of him.

Additional Awards:

Best nickname: The Big Cactus, Shaquille O’Neal.

Feel-good story of the season: Mmmmm…. The Blazers early streak? The Celtics in general? The Rockets historic run? Grant Hill having a good season? Or Nene returning after battling cancer? I’m going with Nene. He returned sooner than I expected, and to have something like that happen to you as a young man, is more scary than I could ever imagine. You’re young, you don’t expect this to happen to you. But it did, and he didn’t have to return this season, everybody would understood his decision if he didn’t. But he did, and who knows, the Nuggets may have plenty of season left to get him some more minutes.

Trade of the Year: Pau Gasol to the Lakers. I understood that if Bynum hadn’t got injured, the Lakers might not have done this trade. Weird to think about that one, huh? The Grizzlies absolutely got nothing in return, but hey, who cares? The Lakers are competitive again. In all honesty, if we are talking about the most important trade of the season, it’s of course the Celtics adding KG and Ray Allen.

Most Disappointing Team: Quite a long list. Bulls, Nets, Bucks, of course the Knicks (certainly most embarrassing), but no team has been more disappointing than the Heat. Sure, injuries are a bitch, but there are so many things wrong with them right now, I don’t know where to start. So I won’t. yes, I find them more disappointing than the Knicks, for the simple fact I never believed in the Knicks to win anything this season to begin with. The Heat? I already thought they would be bad, because they didn’t do anything to make the team better, and they clearly needed help. This will be a long summer for Riley to think about all that went wrong. And he has to think about himself in that category too.

Scariest Moment of the Season: Dirk! He landed so awkwardly on that leg of his, I thought he would pull a Wyclef Jean: gone ‘til November. Yet he came back quick, trying to help the Mavs avoiding an early summer vacation.

Dumbass Marketing Campaign: Adding “Los” to team names is a joke. Sure, the NBA also has a latino fanbase, but this looked so stupid. Los Spurs? Come on. Next season the Raptors will play a game as “Le Raptors”, because of the French-speaking Canadians!

Coolest Cat in the League: Baron Davis! Who else? The dude is still rocking the beard with pride, and dares to make fun of himself too. Check out his roller-skating video on Youtube if you haven’t seen it already.

Funniest Moment: The Shaq-Dive. Actually, he made two dives, both with the Suns. First, he jumped over two rows of fans, the next game, when he went after another ball, he ran towards his own teammates and the entire bench cleared because of that. Hilarious, but I can only agree with the Suns by moving out of the way.

In-Game Dunker: Every day when I check the “Top 10 Plays” on NBA.com, LeBron is always in them, and rightfully so. A joy to watch, what can I say more?

Best TV show on Earth: Inside the NBA (had to mention Ernie, Chuck and Kenny!)

That’s about it. I understand you might not agree with some of my picks, but that’s okay. I want to hear from you, let me now in the comments section who you would vote as MVP, Coolest Cat, or anything else. I can’t believe the season is almost over, time goes by fast, although you might think differently about that if you actually read this whole blog. I you did, I applaud you, and if I had any to hand out, you would win an award for that.

There Will Be Blood

2008-03-27T22:43:00.005-04:00

Heading into April can only mean one thing: the end of the regular season is coming closer and closer. Sure, some people say it’s springtime, the sun will be shining and our lives will be filled with joy and beautiful girls in nice, short skirts and tanktops. I like women, I truly do, but in the month of April my mind is only thinking about one thing: the NBA playoffs.

And I’m not sure if I think this every year, but damn these last couple of weeks have been exciting, and the good thing is: it can only get better. In the east you are wondering who will get the final spots; the Nets and Hawks are battling to have fun against the Celtics in the first round, but they also have to deal with a pesky Pacers posse (got beat in New Jersey on Wednesday, may try again when the Nets visit on Friday) who still have dreams to make it. In the West you can’t even predict who will end up first to eighth place. Imagine being the Denver Nuggets, smelling blood especially now that Dirk Nowitzki is out for at least a couple of weeks for Dallas (they just beat the Mavs a couple of minutes ago, as I'm writing this). And will Golden State grab this opportunity to move up in the standings?

The 76’ers have been on a tear lately, climbing up in the standings, so even in the East it’s tough to predict what will happen. In the West the Hornets are playing so well, that if they do end up in first place, I’m pretty damn sure that every so-called analyst didn’t have that back in his prediction last fall. This team deserves a lot of credit, and while a lot of people are talking about Chris Paul as MVP, coach Byron Scott is a frontrunner for Coach of the Year. If the Hornets don’t take that first spot, the Lakers might, unless Kobe gets more T’s and start to miss games because of that. They don’t have Gasol (might return next week), they don’t have Bynum (who might return….?), so no Kobe at this time in the season would be disastrous. I can’t predict what will happen, except that I will check the standings daily, watching who will move up, or who will turn up on “Inside the NBA”, in the “Gone Fishin’” segment.

It’s changing on a daily basis, different teams finding themselves in different places, players with sweat on their faces, asking themselves: who is the greatest?

(forgive the lameness-factor of those last lines, but my guess is that if Kanye West would put that down as his lyrics, he would get away with it. Me? Not so much)

Shaq to the Future

2008-03-14T20:02:00.004-04:00

“Password”
“Don’t fake the funk on a nasty dunk.”
If someone doesn’t recognize these lines I can understand that. You either forgot about it, or might not be following the NBA since the early nineties. No problem, but go to Youtube, and check the Shaquille O’Neal Reebok commercial which always will be one of my favorites. Now that’s what I call an introduction for a new player, having your own sneaker commercial where Bill Walton, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar show up. Yeah, I remember that Larry Johnson one with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, but let’s be honest here: that was a bit corny, and LJ, with his crappy back, wasn’t exactly what you would call one of the most dominating players of our time. But Shaq? Now he’s a guy who made you believe the hype, not Public Enemy.

I feel connected with Shaquille O’Neal. Now how can a 5-foot-11 inch fellow with arms white and thin like spaghetti, feel connected with someone who calls himself the Diesel? I know, it’s weird, but I do. It’s because we “started” at the same time. I saw my first NBA minutes on television during a Bulls-Blazers Finals game back in ’92. During that summer, I watched some of the Dream Team which immediately learned me about the greats of the game, and in that same summer the Orlando Magic drafted the next great when they got O’Neal out of LSU. So basically, when started his career I started to follow the League. And so the story continues.
In 1999 I finally had access to watch live NBA games on television, which meant I saw my first Finals games (well, first live Finals games) in June 2000. And that meant I saw Shaq win his first title, absolutely dominating throughout the whole season. He had his best statistical season and with all the talk going on since 1998 who was going to be “the next Jordan?”, the question should’ve been: “who’s the next most dominating player?”, because the answer was simple. The man was unstoppable, so it hurts me to see what’s been happening in recent years.

Look, Shaq is in his sixteenth season. He has won four titles, seen it all, dealt with everything that has been happening while being hacked by lesser opponents, acknowledging that the only way to stop him was to foul him. Hard. As a team it was important to have a couple of stiffs on the bench who could go in and make 6 fouls on him and get back to the bench for the rest of the night. But the last couple of seasons Shaq is always hampered by foul trouble. You can’t tell me that a player of his calibre, with his experience, doesn’t know how to stay in the game. It’s a game of guards and small forwards; the rules have changed, and therefore the League is screwing every big man who actually can call himself a center (not those Al Harrington types who are forced to play center). Defense isn’t a priority anymore in the NBA, and the centers who try to alter some guards shot, easily gets a foul called against him. I don’t think Pat Riley used him well either, putting him often in the wrong position on defense, asking him to step in every time when someone attacks the basket, which nowadays is almost immediately a foul for the defensive player.

Now that he’s playing for the Suns, I was hoping times would get better for Shaq. And after seeing him playing against the Spurs last Sunday, I believe he’s feeling better. Active on both ends of the floor, still being able to run, and of course one of the highlights of the season: the dive. But the Suns aren’t winning enough (however, they did win three in a row as of this writing), so the media once again is scrutinizing O’Neal, saying it’s his fault while it’s easy to understand that it probably will take ‘til the end of the regular season for everyone to adjust. Give him time to let him show you some of his old self, because all he wants to is getting another ring in the very near future. That would make it his fifth, a handful. Which makes sense in a way, because he is still a handful too.

A New Jersey for Jason Kidd

2008-02-20T19:14:00.006-05:00

Orlando, October 2001. For years and years one of best friends and me wanted to go to the U.S. We’ve been following the NBA since we were in our early teens, playing basketball as much as we could, regardless of the weather circumstances. I remember we even played in the snow. When it was still snowing, this isn’t common anymore during the winter in this country. Man, I really miss snow. Sigh.

Anyway, we both were finished with school, got our diplomas and got a job in 2000. One year later, we finally were ready to go. And then 9/11 happened, one month before our departure. We were in our early twenties, and his parents were concerned with our travelling plans, for safety reasons and whatnot. I became a bit frustrated, because they didn’t want us to go, while I had that “screw it!” mentality. I thought the odds of it happening again, one month after the original attacks, were slim to nothing. So we went to Orlando, enjoying the weather, not doing anything, really, but still, finally achieving a childhood dream as two best friends. Corny isn’t it? Not even a huge road trip or anything, nope, we hardly did anything over there, and it was great. We went to see the Orlando Magic taking on the Houston Rockets in a preseason game, but sadly enough I can’t remember all that much from that night. I only remember seeing Grant Hill play, and not many people in Orlando had that opportunity. He already was injured for about a year, and when I saw him move on the court I remember thinking to myself: “Damn, he’s still pretty damn fast and moving fluidly, he’s back!” Too bad that it didn’t take too long before he was down again with all those freak injuries.

I also remember watching a preseason game in our apartment where Michael Jordan had his best game since coming out of retirement, scoring 41 points against my New Jersey Nets. I don’t think the good people in Washington ever were so excited for a preseason game. I just watched the highlights again, and in his most exciting shot of the evening, a young small forward named Richard Jefferson absolutely got screwed by the ref, but it sure was nice to see MJ doing his thing in that game. But it hurt to see him in a Wizards uniform. After ’98 Jordan never should’ve come back.

We went to a local sports shop, and I went straight to the NBA section. In The Netherlands, there aren’t many stores who sell anything related to the NBA, so I had to look for one special item. Because a few months before our trip, my beloved Nets traded for Jason Kidd. My new favorite player. During the reign of the Bulls, I was a Pippen fan, but since he left in 1998, and I was already following the Nets, I didn’t really have one favorite player. But with Kidd, I finally had one again. He, like Pippen, was a player who does a little bit of everything. Not quite a scorer (although he did average 18,7 ppg for the Nets in ’03), he was one hell of a rebounder for a guard, and makes a team better.

While standing in the store with my ‘new jersey’ in my hand, this lady who worked there approached me saying something in the line of “It’s been a long time since someone bought a Nets jersey”, and I probably said something lame like “Yeah, but Jason Kidd is there now, something is gonna change”. Something did change. Finals appearances in ’02 and ’03, playoffs every year, triple doubles, epic battles with the Celtics, Knicks, Pacers, and one of the best regular season games of all time, when they played a triple-overtime game against the Suns. So many memories, but in a few hours my favorite player will hopefully do a lot of good (and get that 100th triple-double) for the Dallas Mavericks. I’ll always remain a Nets fan, and I will talk about the trade itself another time, but I will also remain a Jason Kidd fan, the best Net ever since the Nets entered the NBA in 1976. All the best Jason. Thank you for all the joy you provided me as a Nets fan. And every now and then, I’ll put on that jersey when I’m out shooting some hoops. I finally have a vintage jersey, a Nets legend.

N.O. Sleep – East vs West!

2008-02-18T00:11:00.003-05:00

Third night in a row that I’m awake. Yes, of course I did catch some z’s during the past couple of days, mostly in the morning, and I fell asleep on the couch earlier this evening. If only for an hour, but now I’m fresh like Doug E. so can’t wait for the main event: the All-Star game. It’s 2 am over here, and I’m good to go, wanting to see my favorite player Jason Kidd to star for the East one final time, seeing AI actually play for the West for the first time (he was selected as a reserve last year, but was injured so he couldn’t play), and hopefully Rasheed Wallace will find a way to have some fun. By the way, I just saw the Chris Rock All-Star promo, and it doesn’t happen often when celebrities do these kind of things, but it sounded like he actually was excited to talk about the game. I know it’s all scripted, but still.

-Coverage starts, once again Dutch commentary, I have to deal with it. What’s more difficult to deal with is the absence of Shaquille O’Neal. He’s been an All-Star for 14 straight seasons, and a comedian all his life, or so it seems.

-Man, the Rebirth Brass Band sure sounds good.

-Caron Butler and Kevin Garnett both are looking sharp, too bad they aren’t playing.

-Ray Allen is the substitute for Butler, and when he was introduced on the Conan O’Brien show last week, the Max Weinberg 7 played the awesome “NBA on NBC” theme when he was introduced by Conan. Respect Max!

-The Eastern All-Star starters seem happy. Dancing a bit, all smiles, and on the reserves I noticed that even Sheed had rhythm.

-Byron Scott is relatively still a young coach, but it’s the second time he’s coaching in the All-Star game. Now the Western squad, and in 2002 he was coaching the East when was with the Nets. He never was an All-Star in all of his 14 years as a player., but he truly deserves to be here tonight.

-The U.S. anthem was nice. Although the Marvin Gaye version in 1983 will remain the best ever. Ever. Ever-ever.

-East starting five: Kidd, Wade, Bosh, James and Howard.

-West starting five: Bryant, Iverson, Anthony, Duncan and Ming.

-Some players define a team, like you immediately associate Kobe with the Lakers, Yao with the Rockets, Dirk with the Mavs, Wade with the Heat, and young Chris Paul defines the Hornets. I hope the team will find a way to stay in N.O., and Paul will carry the Hornets for a long time.

1ST HALF:

-Wade scores the first basket on a little dunk. With a lot of steps.

-LeBron to Dwight for the alley-oop.

-Bosh dunks, 6-0 East.

-I wonder how long Kobe will play. I can imagine his pink must hurt like hell. Anyone who played basketball had some kind of injury on one or multiple fingers. I, for one, can’t stretch my right pinkie entirely. So dislocating it like Kobe can’t be fun.

-The sound isn’t too good. The Dutch commentary is too loud, or the game sound is too soft, but it’s a bit annoying.

-Holy crap, nice alley-oop from Kidd to LeBron.

-Kidd seems to be involved in every play so far, offensively and defensively. He is happy, I wonder why….

-Crap, Kidd goes to the bench, and Kobe already has his hand wrapped in ice.

-Three Pistons on the court. I wonder if Ben Wallace is watching this game on TV thinking: “What have I done?”

-I’m not sure if the crowd is really silent, or it’s because of the problem I mentioned earlier. The commentators are at a normal volume, but the rest if way off.

-Too many whistles, it kills momentum. Then again, this has been going on for the last four years in every single NBA game, so I might be wrong.

-Amare Stoudemire is a big man, but around the basket he can do what some of the best guards in the League can do, flying under the basket and scoring on the other side, like a Kobe Bryant or T-Mac.

-Whoever thought is was fun to let old people dance during breaks never talked to me about this. They, along with dancing fat people, are not what I call a form of entertainment. NBA: where shaking skeletons happen.

-I really, really like this year’s All-Star logo (as can be seen in my first All-Star blog). And I think I saw a picture of Carmelo (not sure if it really was him) with an All-Star hoodie that also looked great. It must be really fun to be an All-Star, getting this free stuff. Although I can’t imagine that a player would ever wear it after this weekend.

END OF 1ST QUARTER, EAST 34, WEST 28.

-Yes, Kidd is back in the game (not being biased here, but like I said earlier, he’s very active tonight, and makes things happen. Even if he’s not a Net anymore between now and probably really soon, I’ll be following him for the rest of his career).

-Pretty cool that David West is there. You hardly hear anything about him during the regular season, until you see his statline, and you know the coaches made the right choice to select him.

-Boozer checks in. The guy is having an amazing season, especially if you keep in mind that he’s got important issues in his private life, regarding his kid who has a serious illness. Hope everything will turn out okay.

-Dancing Honeybees during the time-out. For you who don’t know what I’m talking about, they are the cheerleaders of the Hornets. A vast improvement over the elderly people.

-One of the Dutch announcers always makes the same joke when he sees a guy with tattoos. “He’s a frequent customer of the tattoo store!”. Come to think of it, it’s not even a joke, yet he thinks it’s funny. He does this almost every single game.

-Ooookay…. Subliminal message? Some mics here and there, and TNT decides to check on Jason Kidd, who says to Sheed that this might be his “last time” (in the East). I mention this, because just hours ago ESPN mentioned that the Nets-Mavs deal is almost completed. More on that another time.

-Oh shit, too many alley-oops in a short sequence to mention here. Three for the East, once for the West. Spectacular.

-Roy missed the alley-oop, but it makes me wonder: how many Blazers will be in the game next year. Roy will only get better, Aldridge can be really good, at what will happen when Oden finally steps onto the court this fall?

-The score in on pace with the average Suns-Warriors game. I really would’ve liked to see Baron Davis getting some minutes tonight. Then again, the Beard is playing a lot of minutes again this season, so this will give his body some rest.

-I saw Sheed shooting three 3’s so far, two left-handed, one right-handed. He hit a left-handed one. Weird.

-Howard and James lead the East with 12, Roy leads the West with 11. MVP so far? Gotta be Lebron. Along with his 12 points he also 6 rebounds and 7 assists.

END OF FIRST HALF, EAST 74, WEST 65.

-Harry Connick jr. plays the piano quite well, as far as I can judge on piano skills. Good for him.

-Dr. John sure has a “distinctive look”. Now that’s a dude you would recognize in a crowd. He’s like and old version of Captain Jack Sparrow. While Dr. John is playing, Connick really is enjoying himself out there, dancing, clapping, even though the cameras are not on him.

-To quote Wyclef Jean from his debut solo album: “Nevill Brothers in the house tonight”. Pretty good performance, raspy voices, piano solos, it works for me.

-Allen Toussaint is playing now, that’s a nice collection of musicians lined up right there.

2ND HALF:

-Also in this half Wade gets the first bucket on a midair back to the basket lay-up. We can basically call this his signature move.

-Yao tries a three, and misses. The world economy immediately takes a hit.

-The sound in the Dutch broadcast is still really fucked up. I thought it was better in the second quarter. Who knows, maybe those guys can’t do anything about it.

-Why the hell makes Howard a cheap foul on Yao? Let him play man.

-Yao misses another three. Airball.

-LeBron is getting hot, 19, 8 and 8.

-David West got fouled four times in one sequence. No whistle.

-Ray Allen makes basketball look so easy. Whether it’s a three or a reverse lay-up, it’s effortlessly. He Got Game. When I try to do it, it’s like those old people dancing: not pretty.

-Pierce dribbled the last 15 seconds of the third, but missed the three. He has 10 points so far can’t recall any of them.

END OF 3RD QUARTER, EAST 106, WEST 93.

-12 minutes to go, and the annual party is over.

-If LeBron gets a triple-double, he must be the MVP of the game. Two boards and two assists to go. I haven’t voted yet on NBA.com, for the simple reason that I won’t vote until I know which team has won the game. And the MVP must come from a winning team.

-Stoudemire gets up high and jams it in Howard’s face. This will not be the last time these two will face off in the All-Star game.

-Boozer dunks on an assist from Paul. When you watch the replay you see the beauty of the move Paul made leading up to the pass.

-Amare again with the tomahawk, Dwight moved out of his way this time.

-LeBron wants to do it himself, went for the three and hit nothing but air. Yikes.

-And now even Der Dirk shoots an airball.

-Kidd hands out another assist to LeBron. I don’t know if James should be happy about that or not. Once again he really feels on what he is missing out.

-Stoudemire blocks Wade, goes to the other side for the and-one. I don’t know if he made the ensuing free thow, I wasn’t paying attention. Whoops.

-Both team are matching each other point for point, but Ray Allen keeps hitting threes.

-The cheerleaders are wearing masks this time. And skimpy golden uniforms with some feathers on it. Oh the possibilities.

-If the West does win, Chris Paul should win the MVP.

-LeBron goes through traffic and jams it on Dirk. Actually, he places his forearm into Dirk’s face while up in the air, and then dunks it.

-Wade for the acrobatic and-one.

-And if the East wins, Ray Allen saved them in the fourth quarter. I don’t know who to vote for after the game. KG is so excited, you see that he wants to be out there with Allen. We all wish KG could be out there too.

-Very exciting game here. But ultimately the East keeps a small lead and wins it. The fourth quarter was the most exciting one, great game.

END OF GAME, EAST 134, WEST 128.

I voted for Allen, but LeBron’s (27, 8 and 9) the MVP, and there’s nothing wrong with that. So that’s it folks. I’ll probably write some sort of recap tomorrow, but All-Star Weekend 2008 is over. It was better than I expected, and the final 30 games of the season are about to be played, the road to the playoffs start now. Well, Tuesday.

N.O. Sleep – The Dunk Contest

2008-02-16T23:08:00.002-05:00

This will be an event that’s the hardest for me to write about. I’m not good at naming dunks, so I’m not sure how to do this. Maybe I’ll just sit back and enjoy the whole thing, and hopefully Jamario Moon, Dwight Howard, Rudy Gay and Gerald Green will show us some amazing stuff by doing an amazing stuff.

Moon’s first: okay, well, he got in one attempt, safe dunk. Got a 37.
Gay’s first: looked stylish, yet didn’t get me out of my seat. Score: 46.
Howard’s first: I thought he was going to crash the basket with his head. Reminded me of the Iguodala dunk of two years ago, only better. The first 50 of the night.
Green: the “birthday cake” dunk. Wow. Very creative, tough to do, yet only got a 46. I loved that dunk.

Gay’s second: teammate Kyle Lowry threw it up, and Gay was just floating in mid-air to catch and slam it. A 48 this time..
Moon’s second: looked better in replay, but I doubt this will get him into the final round. Score: 44.
Green’s second: you can say a whole lot about Green, but he’s innovative, that’s for sure. Then again, he had plenty of time to think about it since he’s on the T-Wolves. I liked it. The judges? 45. Hm.
Howard’s second: is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope. Dwight! Brilliant pass by Jameer Nelson by the way.

Final

Green’s first: McCants has some trouble in giving the pass, but when it finally does happen, Green pulled it off.
Howard’s first: the ball-slap dunk! He already did that on youtube, still impressive, better in replay.

Green’s second: took off his shoes, signed them, and did a between-the-legs dunk on his socks. Now that rocks.
Howard’s second: there’s a tiny little basket on the normal basket. A normal ball is placed on the little basket. First attempt failed, second attempt he jumped, took the ball off the little rim, and windmills it through. Wow.

Time to vote….

And Dwight won! A year too late, but maybe that was good thing. Because we saw some great dunks today, and to me, it might’ve been the best dunk contest since 2000. And now ladies and gentlemen, night two has ended for me. My bed is calling me.

N.O. Sleep - Three-Point Shootout

2008-02-16T21:57:00.003-05:00

Gibson, Rip, Peja, Kapono, Nash, and the Replacement Killer (for the injured Kobe Bryant): Dirk Nowitzki. It will rain 3’s tonight.

-Rip is the first one to have a go. He does okay, but not sure if it’s good enough.

-Wait, are my eyes fooling me? Is the Junkyard Dog Jerome Williams in the house? Whoa!

-And now my eyes hurt from seeing Damon Jones with that weird Mohawk-kind-of-haircut. Life is simple: if your first name isn’t “Mr”, your middle name isn’t “period” and your last name isn’t “T”, you can’t get away with a Mohawk.

-Rip had a foot over the line, they detract points.

-Gibson on repeat from the Rookie Game? Hmm…. I’m not impressed. Yet. Both he and Rip aren’t shooting th lights out, so to speak.

-Steve Nash, once again called a three-time MVP by the Dutch announcers. Unbelievable.

-Nash is shooting like his new teammate Shaq from three-point range. This will undeniably be an early exit for Steve. And he knows it.

-Spike Lee is in attendance too. If there is anybody who still hasn’t seen “When the Levees Broke”, you should be ashamed.

-The Replacement Killer only hit one ball from the first rack. Even shot an airball, but heats up after that. I’m still not quite impressed.

-Peja gives the New Orleans crowd not much to cheer about. He makes up for it on the final two racks, but damn, he missed a whole lot of shots.

-The defending champion and the best three-point shooter in the NBA closes out the final round. And Kapono leads the pack heading into the next and final round, where he will face Dirk and Gibson.

-Since Mr. T was named, did you see the chain on Amaré Stoudemire? Mr. T clearly wouldn’t pity this fool.

-Why is LeBron wearing a raincoat? He looks like a private detective. A 6-8, build like a tank private detective.

-Gibson does alright, but is it enough to beat Dirk and Kapono? Dirk is up.

-Dirk is shooting like he’s facing the Warriors. All the Kidd talk is making everyone nervous. This one is for Kapono to win.

-Holy Craig Hodges! Kapono ties the all-time record with 25 points, and is once again the champ. Pat Riley is rolling over in his grave for not having him on the Heat anymore. Even Dwyane Wade is happy for Kapono, and rightfully so.

N.O. Sleep - The Skills Challenge

2008-02-16T21:21:00.002-05:00

-Deron Williams starts this off, and he’s quick. Missed one pass, everything went well besides that pass.

-T.J. Kidd looks like he should be in a Coen Brothers film, but is well-liked by every player out there.

-Jason Kidd hits every pass, but he can’t make the shot from the top of the key.

-Chris Paul gets a nice applause. In all fairness, they should’ve called a travel (he really did travel, but just to make sure: no! I’m not serious). He’s the fastest so far. No mistakes.

-Dwyane Wade is up, but loses his dribble. And everything after that is like the Miami season. All went wrong. Paul and Williams procede.

-“Look out!”, “Get Down!” – Arnie is in the building.

-Just saw some D-League All-Star Game highlights, and all I can say is this: Rod Benson is funny, and probably a really good player and hopefully someday NBA material, but he should bulk up.

-Deron Williams sets a really good time, didn’t make a single mistake. The battle of the point guards continue. Two of the best in the game?

-Chris Paul misses a pass and a jumper, so Deron won. Damn he was quick.

-Cheryl Miller might be taller than Williams.

So what else can I say? I like the Skills Challenge, but I like even more what’s coming up next: the Three-Point Shootout.

N.O. Sleep – All-Star Saturday has arrived – Shooting Stars

2008-02-16T20:57:00.003-05:00

The Haier Shooting Stars, the Skills Challenge and the Dunk Contest. I was feeling a little bit tired a couple of hours ago, but I’m alive and kicking it right now. And yes, I know no one says “alive and kicking” anymore.

-Dwight is the MC tonight, introducing Marc Broussard who sings a song. On a side-note: I actually don’t hate the promo All-Star song this year.

-The guy singing the Canadian anthem needs to get some vocal lessons.

-The guy on the oddly-shaped trumpet for the U.S. anthem is awesome though.

-Next up: the Haier Shooting Stars.

-B.J. Armstrong still looks like he shooting 3’s for the early nineties Bulls.

-Eddie Johnson is on the Phoenix squad for the Shooting Stars. I’m not too fond of his columns on Hoopshype.com. To be more specific: his comments sometimes are childish when a reader gives him negative feedback. Mr. Johnson should remember that a person reacting to his columns could be 14. Take it easy Eddie.

-Swin Cash is the coolest name ever for a female basketball player.

-Chicago, Phoenix, San Antonio and Detroit are lacing them up.

-Like last night, Dutch commentary. This time, the usual moron is back. I really don’t understand why the channel I’m watching NBA games on, has to select these guys during the All-Star weekend. Normally with live games, there is English commentary. During the reruns it’s Dutch. Not this weekend though, they are doing it live, in the middle of the night.

-David Robinson can shoot 3’s. Who knew? He looks like he never quit playing. Still lean, and all smiles. And the Spurs are in the lead.

-Bill Laimbeer shot an airball from midcourt. I’m impressed. Pistons are out in the first round. So are the Suns, by the way.

-Second round: the Spurs can really, really shoot. It almost looks like during their first championship in ‘99, Duncan and Robinson would’ve formed a formidable backcourt together. Becky Hammon looks feisty, and also pretty cute. Sorry to say that, but she is. Spurs beat Bulls in the final round.

-The Dutch guys say Nash won the NBA MVP title three times. Yeah morons, minus one. Next up: the Skills Challenge.

N.O. Sleep - The Rookie-Sophomore Game

2008-02-15T23:05:00.006-05:00

Interesting. When I look at the rosters for this game, basically, there aren’t any centers on either team. Yes, Al Horford is listed as one, and yes, Andrea Bargnani is listed as one, but we all know they aren’t “real” centers. Then again, in the NBA as we know it now, there are very few “real” centers. But hey, who cares about positions, I’m about to watch NBA Jam, I mean, the Rookie Challenge, so as long as everybody is runnin’ like The Pharcyde, it’s all good. It’s 3 am, my fellow countrymen are all sleeping (all 16 million of them), and I just ate a banana and drank a can of Red Bull. I feel good, I feel awake, maybe I’ll open a second can, but other than that, I’m good to go. Hope the young guns feel the same (note: don’t use the term “young guns ever again”, I’m not a senior citizen yet). Right, enough about me, let’s go to N.O.

1ST HALF:

-Well, the only thing that could ruin the game for me, is that the commentary is Dutch. Damn it. Usually the commentary during live games (since it’s aired at night) is just whoever is broadcasting it.

-Al Horford is the MC of the Rookie squad, and seems to be enjoying it. Rudy Gay handles the mic for the Sophs, with both of them announcing their teammates.

-Kevin Durant looks like Tracy Morgan. I hope he’s funnier than Tracy, though.

-I’m 28, and I look like Bob Pettit. Wonder what I look like when I’m his age. Well, I’m getting bald already, so it couldn’t get much worse, could it?

-The Dutch announcing team could’ve been worse. At least one of the guys is the most respected coach in the Dutch sports world. And yes, he’s a basketball coach. Knowledgeable, talking in a very dry tone. His partner, the play-by-play is okay too. I’m glad the usual moron isn’t there.

-First record of the night? 18.000 people showing up for a game.

-Starters Sophs: Rondo, Gay, Roy Aldridge and Bargs.

-Starters Rookies: Scola, Green, Conley, Durant, Horford

-Bargs starts with a dunk, next possession it’s Rudy with the oop.

-I know I mentioned bananas earlier, and I think Durant is running on bananas, Man his shoes are ugly. And yellow. Watching the game with sunglasses here.

-Part of the crowd (mostly kids) is wearing pink. It does not look good. I’m thinking of cancelling my T-Mobile subscription.

-Bananas or not, Durant gets up! This kid is bananas (yet, even someone slipping on a banana peel would seem funnier than my lines here).

-Time-out! The game is tied at 15, Durant is leading the Rooks with 7, and Roy has 7 too. Early feeling? One of them will be the Player of the Game.

-Old news, but the logo on Rondo’s huge white headband is always upside-down. The rebel.

-Roy threw the ball a bit too high, yet Gay still managed to dunk it. Can’t wait for tomorrow.

-I don’t like the Hawks. Never did. But Al Horford will be a star for this team within a few years. He lets it be know he’s in this game for a reason, putback dunks, grabbing boards, everything.

-I felt the ground shake a little. Weird. Oh wait, Yi is in the game, China moved.

-Sean Williams and Jamario Moon alert. Blocks ‘n’ Jams will arrive soon.

-But Sean just hit a turnaround J to score his first basket. Pffff, thinks he’s KG already.

-Time-out! Sophomores lead by two, 28-26. Roy and Gay both have 11, so has Horford.

-Moon with the one-hander. My guess tomorrow will be better.

-Sean Williams with the dunk of the game so far. Threw it against the backboard, caught it in the air with his left hand, and dunked it with that same hand (he’s right-handed). Where did he learn to pass like that? Kidd maybe? Who knows, after all, Mr. Triple-double is as of today still a Net.

-Daniel Gibson proves once again he can really shoot 3’s. 15 points already, if he keeps shooting like this, Saturday night will be interesting in the Shootout competition.

-Williams scores again. 12 quick points (6 out of 6).

-I might sound like Dave Chappelle in Block Party, but you gotta respect a dude named Millsap.

-Yi gets fouled under the basket. Is it just me, or does the sound of the whistle actually sounds like his name?

-Jordan with the fade away jumper! Farmar, that is.

-It’s official: Gibson can’t miss (well, it seems like it). 6 out of 9 from threepoint territory.

-Gibson again! Seven 3’s!

-Message to Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and whoever handles the ball the most in Atlanta: Pass Horford the rock more often.

-Kevin Durant scored the final basket of the first half on an alley-oop

END OF 1ST HALF, Sophomores 66, Rookies 52.

-The man in purple we call Craig Sager is interviewing Gibson, who leads all scorers with 21 points, all on 3’s. LeBron jumps into him and tells Sags that this is only the beginning, pumping up the the guy for the 3-point contest tomorrow.

-The Dutch commentary is awfully bland. I swear I could do this better. Although that might sound childish, I know I could. These guys aren’t used to being up this late, give those guys some coffee, Red Bull, LSD, something.

-Jordin Sparks at halftime. As a non-American, I do not know this young woman. She won American Idol? Okay.

-I hate the Orlando Magic mascot. For some reason I feel the urge to punch that dragon, yet I’m not a violent person at all.

-To me, Jordin isn’t really providing any Sparks (pun intended). The girl can’t help it, she probably can sing really good, but this is the most boring song I’ve heard in quite a while.

-I’m craving for a snack of some kind, no luck. I don’t want another banana. I knew I should’ve bought some potato chips. Damn it.

2ND HALF:

-The Dutch announcers are wondering how Oden is doing, and if he’ll play next season, or if he’ll ever play again. They both don’t know, and one of them says “Not sure, have to look that up.” That angers me. They could’ve called me. If they knew who I was. And had my number.

-I was about to type that both teams actually are playing a little defense, before I realize that is not a very insightful comment, and a flat out lie.

-How is it possible that the Rebel Rondo fake-behind-the-back-pass works every single time? He seems to do it every game, and also in this one. It looks cool though. If it ain’t broke….

-It’s almost the rookies want Durant to win the game for them. Or maybe he’s just always at the right spot to receive the pass.

-Bargs has been playing quite well recently for the Raptors after a very slow start earlier this season. Haven’t seen him playing for a while, but he seems healthy, running and jumping, being very active.

-To all the doubters out there: quit hating on Rebel Rondo. Grabs a steal, crisp passes, he’s not afraid. The KG effect helps every player (KG is sitting behind the bench, by the way, rooting for the young point guard).

-Chris Bosh and girlfriend are watching too. Her forehead is so high, David Harrison wants to smoke it.

-Gibson keeps on shooting. Now 8 for 14, all on 3’s.

-Time-out! Sophomores lead 102-84. MVP so far? I say Rudy Gay, but if Gibson keeps on shooting like that, he could win it too. I don’t really care.

-Message to the Nets: Please don’t trade Sean Williams. Thank you.

-Another time-out. This time I realize that I can’t dance. Those dudes at midcourt can. And the girls too. *pops collar*…. *blows out knee while popping collar*

-Navarro really, really, really likes to shoot. Regardless if he hits anything or not. Guns of Navarro anyone? Too far-fetched?

-Karl Malone is in the building, talking to the man in purple. Scientific fact: the Mailman doesn’t age.

-Holy crap, Gibson hit another one. 11 3’s ladies and gentlemen. Probably his final one too.

-The Dutch announcers say that this is the first time they ever heard Malone talking. His voice, or dialect, doesn’t fit him, they conclude. Next up: I’m jumping from my balcony.

-So I climbed back up, just in time to see Moon with a vicious one-hander. Oh man.

-Moon passes to Yi, who misses the dunk. China sighed.

-Some more Moon dunks, and not long after that it’s all over.

END OF GAME, Sophomores 136, Rookies 109

MVP of the Game: obviously Daniel Gibson. 11 3’s in only 20 attempts, that’s some serious shooting right there. Well, it’s 5 am over here. I’m going to try and hopefully find a working stream of Inside the NBA, and if not, off to bed it is.