Sports Talk with MC

by MC

It’s been eons since my last post. Blame it on the many trappings of a hectic day job. Look no further than that. And, well, perhaps a rough n’ tumble romantic life and…well, you get the picture.

The NBA landscape has been reshaped since my last post. The Celtics are back on top of the heap after 22 years in the doldrums. Baron Davis looks like he’s on his way to becoming a Clipper, and, teamed with Elton Brand (who is presumed to be on his way to re-signing with the Clips for a slightly smaller amount than his previous salary, or franchise player-level extension, would have provided him), he looks to bring dignity back to the red, white and blue (dignity that brought the team to the postseason once this decade…short but sweet, yes). The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns have gone from being perennial Western Conference powers to, well, crumbling teams with mismatched talents and bloated payrolls (they aren’t the Knicks, but then, all the spring cleaning has actually brought on more dirt). Speaking of the Knicks, they actually have some hope of becoming something other than trash with the arrival of Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh. What’s more, Stephon Marbury’s contract expires at the end of this year. Can you feel the hope, Manhattan?

Silence means, “no” in NYC. Okay, they haven’t done anything yet. Okay, they still have D’Antoni antitheses players in Randolph and Curry. Okay, they still have Jarred Jeffries. Okay, they still have (gasp) Jerome James’ idle sneakers, shorts, and jersey. Much still needs to be done in the “Greatest City in the World”, but hey, having D’Antoni and Walsh on board, drafting Danilo Gallinari (he’s better than a lot of people give him credit for), and firing Isiah Thomas, is a start.

Derrick Rose is now with the Chicago Bulls, and here’s to hoping he doesn’t become the next on-court Jay Williams. Michael Beasley, as one sportswriter put it, is “Charles Barkley without the Krispy Kremes”, but how well will he mesh with D-Wade? How well will Eric Spoelestra be able to put it together in season 1- post-Riley (I may be taking those words back at some point, but hey, for the sake of this article, let me use them). Will the Heat regret not taking OJ Mayo? I think not. Mayo has the makings of a star, but so does Beasley. With Wade by his side, MB should do fine, and, barring anything close to a relapse of last year’s Miami Heat healthcare record, the South Floridians in black and red should do okay. I don’t know about winning a ring, but I think they’ll do better than last year, at the very least.

‘Melo to the Pistons? Josh Howard doing weed? Terry Porter and Vinny Del Negro the new coaches of the Suns and Bulls respectively? The Sonics- to move or not to move? What has the NBA world come to?

If you asked me, the David Stern’s lucky streak continues despite Shaq doing his obscene little rap on Kobe Bryant, ex-ref Donaghy saying refs have fixed everything but the kitchen sink in recent years, and the Sonics moving to Oklahoma city fiasco. The Celtics-Lakers “nostalgia series” helped start the spiffying up of the NBA’s image on the short term, along with Baron Davis purportedly going to the Clips (the idea of the Lakers and Clippers playing one another in the postseason for some real bacon has intrigued many in recent years), and the Knicks beginning to rise up from basketball hell (with Isiah gone, there’s less hate in NYC, and because it’s such a big basketball market, the papers being filled with sale-worthy bylines is something that doesn’t look to be on the way out anytime soon, or ever). Perhaps after all that, we’ll see George W. Bush buy an NBA team once he’s out of office. That should put a damper on Lebron James possibly coming over to the Big Apple or the Swamp in 2 years time. We wouldn’t be back at square one, but it would sure put a damper on the NBA’s campaign for “ethical and intelligent ownership”. Go figure.

And finally…

Gilbert Arenas has agreed to re-sign with the Washington Wizards for $111 Million USD. Agent Zero insisted that he re-signed with the Wiz for $16 Million USD less than the initially reported max contract offer priced at $127 Million USD due to a sense of “generosity”. The 3 time all-star told the Washington Post, “What can I do for my family with $127 million that I can’t do with $111 million?”

Yes, what can you do with 127 that you can’t do with 111? Personally, I think that Gil’s intentions here are good. The Wiz become less financially hamstrung by their biggest star being signed to a max deal, plus he gets to be paired with two other big time players in Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, the former of the two having just been signed to a $65 Million USD contract over 4 years. Other sports journalists have seemed to have made a huge deal out of Arenas being one of those spoiled, rich, athletes who treat money in the millions like spare change we have in our cars’ glove compartments as we approach toll gates. I personally believe that the criticism is quite unfair, in that Arenas’ move, after all, does give the Wizards room to sign other free agents (including guard Roger Mason Jr.), while still staying under the dreaded luxury tax. It isn’t Gil’s fault that he’s paid a lot of money. He has averaged 22.2 points and 5.5 dimes over a 7 year NBA career tattooed with big shot after big shot. Him wanting max cash, then, doesn’t exactly spell out SIN in capital letters. Rather, it spells a longer word- RESPONSIBLE.

Arenas said it best in a bit of correspondence with the Washington Times.

“It’s a relief. It was a burden at the same time. Your whole city is depending on you, wondering if you’re going to make the right decision. I’m a franchise player and sometimes franchise players need to make franchise decisions.”

A great American diplomat once said that we should not ask what our country can do for us. Rather, we should ask what we can do for our country. Apparently, Gilbert’s a Kennedy fan.

Agent Zero, you have made a smart decision for the greater good of your team. Kudos to you.  

And so goes another day in the NBA.

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By MC

The Mavericks are 10-9 since the Jason Kidd deal that required them to send budding star Devin Harris, among others, to the Swamp.

Hey, 10-9 isn’t that bad. If your in the Eastern Conference that is. Sadly, the Mavs are in the wicked West, and a stretch of winning 10 of 19 games, in a season wherein a 50 win team may miss the postseason, just won’t cut it.

What’s more, Dallas has not beaten a squad with a winning record since getting Kidd from the Nets.  Where, then, lies the problem here?

Is the perenial all-star to blame? Is Dirk to blame? Is Avery Johnson to blame? Is Cuban to blame (he never thinks he’s guilty)? Are the other players to blame?

The answer to this question is- Avery Johnson and Mark Cuban.

First of all, I’d like to say that I am a fan of Cuban’s approach to player management. He’s a vocal owner who is more like a big brother to his cagers rather than a laid back guy in a suit. The guy, though, can be a bit too eccentric for his own good sometimes. He tends to gamble on the fact that his constant yearning to be in the limelight, and his constant desire to be outspoken, will rub off on his players and give them a swagger that will go along with their already in-place talent. Make no mistake about it- the Mavs have a nice collection of players. Dirk is a new age big man and a bona fide star. Josh Howard is a Scottie Pippen-type who can do it all. Kidd is, well, one of the best point guards of his generation. Dampier, for all the criticism about his work ethic, can be solid. Stackhouse and Terry can score in bunches and hit big shots when needed. Juwan Howard, though aging, is still the consummate pro and a good locker roon presence. I think Cuban’s definition of swagger, though,  doesn’t match everyone else’s credo- efficient, low profile work, is better than being likened to pyro that is cool to see at the outset, but fades away not much later. The players want to have a team identity like that which the Spurs of the Duncan-era have had for years now. The ownership, meanwhile, wants something a little closer to Hollywood or Manhattan. On this side of Texas, with this case of characters in uniform, I don’t think the latter belief system will work. It puts too much pressure on the guys to “be” something they’re not. How Cuban talked too much in the 2006 postseason should serve as enough evidence to prove that he can disrupt his squad’s chemistry and focus all by his lonesome. He seems to like to do it, also, when the stakes are highest.

That’s a bad combination, in any situation.

Coach Johnson’s style has been problematic, too. He’s emphasized defensive intensity in the post-Nellie era in the Big D, but then, offensively, he’s reverted to using isolation plays instead of working with a motion offense, which, honestly, might suit a Kidd-led Mavericks team. Kidd has made a reputation for himself by being a master of improvisation on the break. When today’s incarnation of the Mavericks run, Kidd runs, Dirk runs, Howard runs, but then, the other two players, presumably Stackhouse/Terry and Dampier, lag behind. In my view, Avery Johnson should let loose and allow his team to run more, even if they around the Nuggets or the Suns, because of the fact that half court sets, while good for the Mavs, don’t touch on Kidd’s talent for getting his team easy hoops, and Lord knows that is critical when your shooting is off (the Mavericks go on shooting slumps occasionally which lead to disaster due to their penchant for half court isolation sets), or when your opponent is a big, grind it out team like, say, the Spurs or the Jazz. Moreover, Avery likes to dictate what goes on on the floor from the sidelines, short of putting on sneaks and a throwback jersey. Former Maverick Devin Harris, in a recent interview, said that he has enjoyed playing in New Jersey because he had more freedom of movement there in terms of making plays on both ends of the court. Now Vince Carter is not Dirk Nowitzki, but then, well, you get the picture.

Kidd’s feeling the same pressure the Harris once did, the despite their recent woes, the Lil General doesn’t seem to want to waver. Jason’s horrendous shooting percentage (41.5% for the season) hasn’t helped either. With defenses playing off him, you’d hope that maybe, he could make the opposition pay with a few trifecta’s here and there. The former Net’s seemingly been thinking too much with Avery breathing down his neck all the time, and such has worked towards discombobulating the Mavs’ overall chemistry. Nowitzki is averaging more points with Kidd in the lineup, but then, his teammates have constantly seemed confused on the court once sets go into the halfcourt. Does Jerry cut to the rim or park himself on the far wings? Does Jason Terry attack the key or wait for a kickout pass for an open three? Will Dampier get a pass in the post? Does Kidd have enough confidence and Erick getting a deuce in a postup situation?

So many questions, so little time to get answers. Getting acclimated to J-Kidd’s style off the bat wasn’t going to just happen, but then, I think right now, it’s taking too long, and the lowest points are happening at the worst possible time. Maybe Johnson isn’t getting through to his guys enough anymore. Maybe this is something psychological that began way back in the 2006 NBA Finals. Maybe the time has come to make wholesale changes in Dallas. Maybe some tweaking, at least, is in order. Maybe Kidd and Dirk aren’t the stars we thought they were. Maybe the chemistry just isn’t right.

Or perhaps, this is all about Erick Dampier and the ridiculous money Mark Cuban pays him for a meager 6.1 points and 7.6 rebounds a game.

Dampier? Kidd? Nowitzki? Who are we kidding. The people to blame here are “the man” and the General. Seriously. The effects of bad choices start from top to bottom.

It’s only a matter of time, then, before we find out how low the painful effects of learning go. Survival of the fittest? This seems to be the best example of such in the NBA world. The Western Conference (and the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Indiana Pacers battling for the 8th spot in the East, that is).

By MC

Hey sports fans! I know it’s been awhile since I’ve written anything here. Blame it on personal circumstances and a whole lot of work, but what’s important is that I’m back on this beautiful Easter Sunday morning to give you my thoughts on the various goings-on in the NBA today.

*Houston, we don’t have that big a problem: After a racking up 22 straight wins, and then, 2 consecutive losses, the TMac-led Houston Rockets beat the Golden State Warriors today, 109-106, to hold on to the number 3 spot in the ridiculously competitive Western Conference. Tracy McGrady scored 26 points for the Rockets, while Baron Davis led all scorers for the adrenaline-charged Warriors with 27 markers. Is Houston the best team in the Western Conference? Not by a long shot. If it isn’t Houston, then who is it? If I HAD to choose one team right now, I’d pick the Lakers, just because they’ve managed to keep themselves above water without Bynum and Gasol. Bring those two back, along with Chris Mihm and Trevor Ariza, and come playoff time, teams like the Spurs, Celtics, Hornets, and Pistons will REALLY have reason to sweat. The Rockets’ skill, in my view, has simply been inflated due to their history-making winning streak. The Suns could beat them in a seven game series (the Suns have won 6 straight to date, look out), and so could a team like Utah. Luis Scola is good, but he isn’t going to contain a Carlos Boozer, a Gasol, or a Tim Duncan in the postseason. I feel for McGrady, though. A guy with his talent ought to get past the first round somehow. What’s more, his maturity as a leader has grown by leaps and bounds this year too. Props to Rafer Alston also for FINALLY playing under control.

*Trouble in the Big D: Okay, so the Mavericks are 0-7 since the Kidd deal against teams with winning records. What’s the deal here?

I think that the Mavericks have two major issues they need to address. One, Avery Johnson seems to be too controlling a coach. And two, the Kidd trade has made the Mavs more efficient doing fastbreaks, but then, when Kidd has run, not everyone has run with him. To make a long story short, Dallas seems to favor isolations a little too much to revert to Kidd’s free flowing style.

Avery Johnson likes to play-call from the sidelines. This is something he cannot do with J-Kidd and expect fantastic results with. Kidd is a maestro of improvisation, and when you have Avery breathing down your neck everytime down court, then where’s the fun in that? Coaching change after this season? I personally wouldn’t be opposed to it.

Dallas is still a team that can run, despite the absence of the older Nelson, but then, how athletic are they, really? For me, the only freak athlete they have out on the floor is Josh Howard. Apart from that, Dampier is a stiff, Stack and Jason Terry are jumpshooters who occasionally will cut around and Dirk, who is a ballet dancer for a man his size, is still, well, a man his size (a “big”). So, when Kidd decides to fire up the Mavs offensive break, he does not have an Amare Stoudemire to flick up alley-oop passes to, neither does he have a Richard Jefferson or Vince Carter type (Josh Howard still isn’t as freak-ish as VC or RJ) to sprint on the wings with. And yes, Kenyon Martin still runs, but he does so in the Mile High City. So, Kidd seems to be a cheetah amidst rhinos. Steve Nash had a similar problem, in my view. When Stevie was in Dallas, Michael Finley still had hops, but was on the downswing and was more of a jumpshooter to begin with, Dirk was more of a finesse iso player and jumpshooter, Nick Van Exel was a slasher and a ballhog, Raef Lafrentz was a jumpshooter and Shawn Bradley was, well, a very large shadow with deadly elbows. Ouch. You get the picture.

I think this was a bad deal for the Mavericks not neccessarily because they lost ground defensively. Rather, I think that the team’s on-court chemistry, in general, has become scrambled. While Devin Harris may have not been Kidd in terms of experience, court vision, and physical strength, he was, though, on the upswing of his career, somewhat ala-Tony Parker. I don’t like the fact that the Mavs mortgaged their future on an aging point guard who can’t shoot jumpers. Harris is a better slasher, a quicker defender, and was, to Johnson’s liking, an isolation type player. Kidd is not.

My fearless forecast? Look for Dallas to get killed by the Lakers, Rockets, Spurs, or Hornets in round one of the playoffs should they not get this thing together soon. It doesn’t help either that for this year, they’re only 15-19 on the road (as opposed to 29-6 at home; their home record is the third best in the NBA this season).

* Who Will Surprise?: Every year, when I watch the playoffs, I like to predict who amongst the lower seeds is most likely to catch one of the higher-ups laying an egg. This year, even the lower seeds in the Western Conference look like gold, so, for now, let me go Eastward for this bit of my sports article.                                                                                                                                                                      

Assuming the postseason began today, the Atlanta Hawks (rah rah for Mike Woodson!) would hold the 8th spot in the lowly East, and would be paired off against the Boston Celtics in the first round.

If you think for one minute that the Hawks stand even a puncher’s chance in this matchup, you must be:

1) A REALLY die hard Hawks fan.

2) Delirious.

3) TWolves owner Glen Taylor (KG’s not going to “tank” this time, Mr. Taylor).

In the 2 and 7 matchup, the 2nd seeded Detroit Pistons would be paired off against the red hot Philadelphia 76ers. I love Andre Miller, I really do, flat looking J and all. The 32 year old is having a career year, averaging 17.0 ppg and 6.7 apg. He is the motor that runs the Sixers’ offensive charge. Andre Iguodala, meanwhile, is the all-around threat that finishes the job. 19.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and 4.6 apg are decent numbers for a guy who seems to be the perfect compliment for Miller’s unselfish style. Mix those two in with defensive stalwart Sam Dalembert, rebounding machine Reggie Evans, and up and comers Willie Green and Louis Williams, and what you get is a scrappy young crew capable of upsetting anyone.

While that is true, I think the Pistons just possess too much talent to be upended at this point by a team that may have spunk, but not enough true moxy to get past a team that treats the early part of the playoffs (at times) like a dress rehearsal. The Pistons, although lackadaisical at times, are loaded from top to bottom with the ever reliable Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, and inside-outside threat Rasheed Wallace. Tayshaun Prince ought to be able to take care of Andre Iguodala on defense, while Rip should take Louis Williams to school. Sheed will give Dalembert a run for his money one-on-one, and him making long J’s should open up the floor for his smaller teammates to get high percentage shots close to the hoop (i.e. Hamilton). I say Pistons in 5-6 for this series.

The two matchups that intrigue me are those between the Magic and the Raptors, and the Cavs and Wizards.

Assuming Gilbert Arenas returns for the playoffs, Caron Butler can stay healthy, and DeShawn Stevenson keeps doing Kobe Bryant impressions, then the Cavs should be in for a dogfight. Cleveland has the league’s best player now in Lebron James, and decent stormtroopers in Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Wally Szcerbiak, Delonte West, and Ben Wallace, but then, such does not make them unbeatable by any stretch of the imagination.

I would assume that the Wizards would put Caron Butler or maybe Nick Young against James, one on one, but then, it’s the Wizards’ zone that will determine just how much of a chance they’ll have against the King and his court. They can choose to seal of the interior with their bigs (Songaila, Haywood, Pecherov, Blatche, Thomas), and force the Lebron to drive and kick. Sealing off Ben Wallace shouldn’t be that much of a problem in this sense, due to the Wizards’ many big men (yes, they actually have quite a few buffalos on this squad), and because the Cavaliers don’t have pure shooter like a Jason Kapono or Derek Fisher on call, zoning out Lebron seems like the best option. On offense, Washington ought to strike hard and strike fast. Should Arenas be out with injury, they’d better not get lazy in terms of driving to the cup (Jamison and Butler can tend to settle for J’s, so can Stevenson), otherwise, long, missed jumpers, would most likely lead to rebounds for Big Ben and Z, and quick trigger fastbreaks led by guys like Lebron, West, and Boobie Gibson.

I think both teams being fully healthy for this one would make for an instant classic. If I were a betting man, I’d still put my money on the Cavaliers just because Lebron is so dangerous, but then, based on what I’ve elaborated on above, do not count out the Wizards so long as Lebron’s supporting cast is made up of lumbering bigs and spot up shooters, and so long as Washington’s big 3 (or 2) have their shooting eyes on target for a couple of games. My prediction for this one is Cavaliers in 7 grueling games.

In the 3 and 6 tiff, Orlando’s Dwight Howard should be able to give guys like Primoz Brezec, Rasho Nesterovic, Joey Graham, and (gasp) Andrea Bargnani hell on the offensive end. He’s just too big, strong, and athletic for any of the aforementioned stiffs to contain. Plus, the Raptors wouldn’t want to risk putting Chris Bosh on him (Bosh would get in foul trouble too quickly).  

If Hedo Turkoglu plays anything like the Hedo of the regular season, and if Rashard Lewis stays solid, then look for Orlando to get rid of the the Raptors like a meteor shower to a bunch of oversized lizards. If the Raps double off Howard, look for Lewis and Turk to have a chance at having field days. Heck, even Keith Bogans and Keyon Dooling could have cracks at it before it’s all said and done, because of the attention Howard demands inside.

Toronto could give the Magic a run for their money, though, iif:

1) Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo get outplayed by Jose Calderon and a healthy TJ Ford (possible).

2) Should the Raptors find their shooting touch (I’m talking to Jason Kapono, Anthony Parker, Andrea Bargnani, and Carlos Delfino here).

3) If the Raptors can play a lick of defense (Jamario Moon should be a good match for Rashard Lewis, ideally speaking; as a team, Toronto has a tendency to go soft on D, as evidenced by a game this season when they gave up 78 first half points to Denver en route to a 137-102 drubbing).

4) Chris Bosh can stay healthy, and roars back at Dwight Howard with stellar inside/outside play on offensive and solid help defense in a zone set (Bosh can shoot from the outside, and he should use that, so as to space out the floor for guys like Delfino and Parker; on D, he can use his length and athleticism to frustrate Howard if and when he manages to use his physical strength to barrel his way inside ala-Shaq of old).

5) The Raptors’ Andrea Bargnani can break out of his funk and be aggressive on offense (he can use his size to shoot over smaller Magic defenders, and can use his ability to put the ball on the floor to try and get closer to the rim for higher percentage shots; with this guy, I think it begins with attitude; if he commits himself to playing hard, then he’ll get his 15 points and 8 rebounds; otherwise, we can all really just begin calling him Greg Ostertag…or, not really…maybe Pat Garrity would do).

In Bizarro World, the Raptors would win in 7, in today’s world where Bush is still president of the US, Isiah Thomas is still with the Knicks in some shape or form, and Britney Spears is still continuously hounded by the Papparazzi, the Magic should win this series handily in 5.

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More NBA commentary to follow real soon! Until then, cheers!- MC

Greetings! MC here with today’s NBA roundup.

Tragedy- Houston GM Daryl Morey today announced that all-star center Yao Ming would be out for the rest of the NBA season due to a fracture in his foot. The Chinese superstar had been averaging a 20 and 10 and had been the anchor of the Rockets’ inside offense for the past season. The Rockets haven’t been lucky with injuries this year, with Tracy McGrady being in and out of the lineup due to a myriad of ailments, former all-star Steve Francis being out for the year due his share of hiccups, and now, Yao, who is arguably the best center in the NBA right now, having to sit due to a sad foot.

Could Yao’s injury signal the demise of Houston’s chances of making it to the postseason? McGrady is an all-star, youngsters like Landry and Scola have been solid, and Bobby Jackson can help provide some veteran leadership, but with the way the Western Conference is these days (stocked with size and star power), I doubt whether the Rockets will be able to overcome the odds, that is, unless McGrady starts playing like Michael Jordan (which I don’t see happening). Look for Denver to overtake them in the standings over Golden State.

Victory: The Lakers have lost one game since acquiring Pau Gasol. One. Andrew Bynum isn’t even back yet. Vujacic is playing like Drazen Petrovic. Lamar Odom is finally becoming the inside-outside threat the Lakers envisioned him to be years ago. Kobe is still Kobe.

And with that, the purple and gold has invaded the number one spot in the Western Conference.

Am I surprised? Not really. The only thing that surprises me at the this point would be the fact that the Nuggets didn’t pull the trigger on a supposed Ron Artest deal that was THIS CLOSE to happening. Yes, Artest has baggage, but then, could you imagine what sort of damage a Kenyon Martin, Artest, Camby, Iverson, and Anthony starting five could do in the playoffs against a Dallas, Phoenix, or New Orleans? Martin and Artest would be monsters in the interior on the defensive end, and so would Marcus Camby. Iverson and Anthony would be able to do their roaming, with Artest and KMart giving them screens that would knock a Grizzly Bear to the ground. Trading for Ron Ron would’ve necessitated giving up a talented shooter in Kleiza, and a hard-nosed workhorse type in Eddie Najera, but who cares? Kleiza can score, but can’t defend a 1000 pound mammoth driving to the hoop, and Najera is tough, but is one dimensional. I would’ve wanted this trade to have happened, also, for the showbiz value of it. KMart and the Tru Warrior together, along with ‘Melo and Iverson, who consequently, aren’t exactly angels either? You can’t get any more “gangsta” than that. Put Denver in a series with Phoenix and you may see Steve Nash tackled not once, but many times over.

The trade deadline has passed, Artest is still property of the Maloofs, of Sacramento, and part of the a world where he is the master of the universe.

Shucks. No dice.

Stupidity: If James Dolan thinks that Isiah Thomas is still the answer to the Big Apple’s troubles, then he should go jump in the Hudson. Thomas was an amazing ballplayer, but is horrible as a GM and coach. His players have seemed to have been antagonized by him, and his squabbles with Stephon Marbury, along with his sexual harrassment ordeal, haven’t helped get him brownie points with Knick fans who, all of a sudden, miss Charles Smith, C-Oak, John Starks, and yes, even Charlie Ward and Chris Dudley.

Heck, I’m not from NYC, but I miss Chris Dudley too. The fact that he was such a poor foul shooter made watching him all the more fun.

Seriously, though, I think that Jimmy Dolan should make changes in the offseason, beginning with firing of Isiah and the hiring of a Jerry West-type to run the team as its General Manager, and a legit coach like Jeff Van Gundy or Paul Silas (at least) to run the team from the bench. Next, Dolan should shop any and all players with bad attitudes or bad contracts. Buyouts MUST be an option too. I’m talking to you, Jerome James.

I was never a Knick fan back in the 1990s, but I feel sorry for Spike Lee and his boys. I really do. I never knew the Knicks would ever stink this much, but sadly, Isiah’s softy approach has netted them losing season after losing season, with a growing sense of discontentment from any all New Yorkers- from the fans, the players, to most likely, deep inside, even Thomas himself. This has all got to end at some point, somehow.

Maybe Stephon Marbury should end his career in Europe after all. That way, he’d be able to fool more people into thinking that he is a point guard worth mentioning amongst the greatest of all time. That way, he’d be able to do his fooling, while being just a liiiiittttllle farther away from the scrutiny of guys like Stephen A. Smith. Madrid is not Manhattan, after all.

A Final Quip: In the last few days, we’ve heard of veterans Antoine Walker and Sam Cassell request for buyouts from their respective teams. I sympathize with ‘Toine’s situation more than I do Sam-I-Am’s, though, as even if Walker won a title with Miami in 2006, his career’s been on a steady downslope over the last couple of years. He’s fallen on “hard times” since being at odds with Riles in Miami over his conditioning, and being banished to a Garnett-less T-Wolves team for his trouble. Add him to a playoff bound team now and he’s bound to be rejuvenated, but realistically, ineffective. The man still shoots too many J’s for his own good and the truth is, he can’t play defense. Put Cassell on a playoff bound team and he gives you leadership, swagger, and yes, midrange offense. He may not be able to guard the Monta Ellises and Tony Parkers of the world at age 38, but then, the team who gets him, from the outset, won’t expect such of him. Walker, being a man who has shown flashes of brilliance despite being disgruntled, slightly overweight, and complacent offensively, would merit even a sliver of expectation to defend, an expectation that, sadly, I don’t think he can live up to at this stage.

So yes, ‘Toine may hop onto a Spurs, Suns, or Mavericks joyride sometime soon, and heck, he may even win his second ring, but then, he won’t be gaining even more respect as as baller as a result. Cassell, on the other hand, might be able to further solidify his reputation as being a leader on the hardwood, someone who, despite being rather ornery, or slightly ball-hoggish, as I’ve read, can and will contribute well beyond a stat sheet can suggest.

Option 2- forget this entire segment and just sign Chris “Birdman” Andersen to a contract. He’s got funky hair. He’s got mad hops. He’s 6,11″. He’s a white Larry Nance. What could be more fun than watching Birdman dunk over Tim Duncan in the second round of the playoffs?

Uhmm…remembering that Andersen isn’t going to do that anytime soon and that we have to rely on video games to make such things occur?

Yes, video games are good.

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It’s been a while since I’ve updated here, but well, better late than never (again).

Speaking of better late than never, that’s part of what we saw over the most recent NBA trade deadline. The Cleveland Cavaliers nabbed Ben Wallace, Delonte West, and Wally Szcerbiak, in an effort to appease Lebron James. Good deal for the Cavs? You bet. They managed to get rid of some scrubs, plus the overpaid Larry Hughes, to get some better defense, and perimeter shooting. The loss of Drew Gooden should be offset by Ilgauskas, plus Big Ben’s offensive rebounding prowess. Does this making Cleveland better than Boston? I’m not sure about that one, but then, Scot Pollard definitely won’t be scoring 30 on the Ohio boys anytime soon.

So how about those Mavericks, eh? The Mavericks embarked on quite a journey to acquire super point guard Jason Kidd, and while they mortgaged a lot of their future (and interior defense) for an aging all-star and future Hall of Famer, Cuban’s boys want (and need) to win now, so, this was an okay move for me. While the move has cost the Mavericks an extra $11m, at least they managed to retain veterans Devean George (who did a touch-me-not here), and supersub Jerry Stackhouse (who talked a little too much leading up to the completion of this trade), whose losses would’ve severely depleted Dallas’ bench. Devin Harris is a burgeoning star, but like I’ve already said, the Texans want to win now, so, waiting to seriously contend when Harris morphs into Tony Parker and when Dirk is 33 or 34 just isn’t going to cut it. The loss of DeSagana Diop might be the most significant point here. Erick Dampier and Brandon Bass won’t cut it in the postseason against the Duncans, Garnetts, and Gasols of the world, so, I think that the Mavs need to sign another big man (with a post game) to shore up their frontline. Jamaal Magloire, anyone? He was just recently waived by New Jersey. He’d be good fit. Malik Allen and Antoine Wright are nice additions for Dallas too. Wright can provide some slashing and outside shooting, while Allen can provide 6 fouls, and some rebounding and scrappy play when push comes to shove. I must admit, though- the Mavs look very much like the Suns of the mid nineties. Jason Kidd is Jason Kidd. Dirk is the Suns’ Manning (with more skill, but then, you get the picture). Josh Howard is to Rex Chapman. Dampier is to Wayman Tisdale or John Williams. In a weird way, it’ll be nice to see the Mavericks run again, as in, run. Nellie would be proud.

My first reaction to Shaquille O’Neal going to Phoenix was,

“Whoa. No way??”

I’m sure a lot of other people reacted this way to the O’Neal deal, at least, initially. How could a 36 year old lumbering Tyrannosaurus Rex with a bad hip and lower back survive in the Suns’ run and gun system? Shaq’s acquisition does have its merits on offense (the Suns finally have a low post threat), but then, the deal hurts them on defense, especially if they have to go up against an uptempo squad like Denver or Golden State. Then again, the Suns could do small ball with Amare and Diaw should they have to match up. John Hollinger of ESPN.com said it best when he mentioned that they key to winning out West today would be to be versatile enough to go run and gun, and half court, depending on the situation. I think that’s precisely what Steve Kerr and Mike D’Antoni had in mind here. If Shaquille can stay healthy and motivated, then the Suns will be tough to stop in a seven game series.

The biggest winner this year, though, have been the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers acquired Pau Gasol from the Grizzlies for basically, uh, nothing. I’d have to go Stephen A. Smith on this one: the deal is excellent, more so because Hollywood has finally rid itself of Kwame Brown. The man was a financial and on the court liability. Good riddance to him. More quality minutes for people like Turiaf and Mihm? Absolutely. Gasol brings an all-star level low post threat to Tinseltown, and when you volt him in with the skill sets of Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum, what you get is Jack Nicholson buying champagne for a possible victory parade come June. Think Twin Towers plus Pippen (Odom) and Jordan (Bryant). Nice going, Kupchak. You’ve stunned the world on this one.

And finally…

There were some teams who let the trade deadline pass without batting an eyelash. I think that the Celtics could have made a go for a veteran point guard like Sam Cassell or maybe even a Luke Ridnour, who had purportedly been shopped around extensively by Seattle. The also could have tried to sign another big man, because Scot Pollard isn’t Bill Walton, or even Billy Paultz, for that matter. The Nuggets were in the headlines a lot leading up to the deadline alongside the prospect of acquire Ron Artest. Apparently, the deal didn’t go down because the Nugs were iffy about parting ways with Linas Kleiza. I know the Tru Warrier is a combustible element, but then, if he and Kenyon Martin can keep their heads on straight (this goes for ‘Melo, AI, Jr Smith, and Coach Karl also, actually), then Denver could have had possibly the most imposing starting 5 in the Northwest division. George Karl apparently didn’t sign off on the trade, and in a way, understandably so. Why compromise your team chemistry for someone who is skilled, and yet, a bigger risk than jumping into Jell-o, hoping your white slacks don’t get stained? Artest is a bona fide defender, and an underrated offensive player, but then, there is such a thing as overstuffing your satchel. Artest going to Denver would have been just that, financially and in terms of meshing with teammates. So good move, Coach K(arl).

The Knicks could have benefitted from dealing away Isiah Thomas, but then again, it’ll take killing Jimmy Dolan before that happens. Teehee.

 =)

Garnett, Allen, and Pierce. And Eddie House.

Can the Celtics win it all with this cast of characters? Ever?

My guess is that the East, entering the postseason, will look like this:

1) Boston

2) Detroit

3) Orlando

4) Toronto
5) New Jersey
6) Chicago

7) Cleveland

Atlanta (Yeah!)

My guess is that the West, going into the postseason, will look as such:

1) San Antonio

2) Dallas

3) Houston

4) Phoenix

5) Utah

6) Denver

7) L.A. Lakers (If Kobe stays; if not, replace this with the Clips)

New Orleans

How does Boston stack up against the competition? I think that if the above mentioned brackets were to be followed to hilt, the Celtics should have no trouble dispensing of the young Hawks (although the Hawks’ depth should give them a scare or two for a while; the Hawks’ young should prove to be their Achilles’ heel), and should manage to get past either Toronto or New Jersey in 6 or 7. Going up against, potentially, the Detroit Pistons or Orlando Magic, however, should prove difficult. Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis should give the aged and shallow Celts fits in transition, while an experienced Pistons team should have enough savvy, and enough of a bench, to get past the green and white. Should Boston manage to make the NBA Finals, I still don’t think they have enough of a bench and enough fresh legs who can perform in the clutch to beat a Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio, or Houston. Dirk Nowitzki would outmaneuver Paul Pierce in a seven game series, and Dallas’ bench would prove to be a fatal blow. Yao Ming would overpower an aging Garnett, and TMac would still prove to be quicker than Paul Pierce. The Rockets, also, have a deep bench this year. If Bonzi Wells plays anything like he did in the Sacramento-San Antonio series from years back, then the Rockets will be difficult to suppress. The Spurs have Tim Duncan, who, against Kevin Garnett, will emerge as the better player because of his ability to make plays when the game is on the line. Tony Parker will kill Rajon Rondo, and Manu Ginobili will spearhead a Spurs second unit that should destroy Scot Pollard, Glen Davis, and Brian “Bozo the Clown” Scalabrine.

Feel free to tell me off should the Boston Celtics of 2007-2008 win the NBA crown. Until then, let’s call it even. You think yes, I think no. I believe what some people believe- that this year is somewhat of an “acid test” campaign for the Celts. Once the Celts lose in the playoffs with the unit they have, only then will Danny Ainge pull the trigger for any major deals. I don’t think that Ainge will make any big time swaps before the trade deadline, unless, of course, the deals come at a bargain he can’t refuse. The team is hamstrung as it is cap-wise. He doesn’t want to come off as yellow, but of course, he’d rather be called yellow than beet-red because of the shame he’d have to endure if he’d make a “shower Adonal Foyle with millions” kind of deal.

The Celts have yet to lose a game as of this piece’s writing. Ol’ Red must be smiling in the heavens. If we still see him grinning past April, then heaven would’ve come down on Earth, at least in the minds of Celtics fans and Beantown’s faithful starving for once commonplace glory.

~0~

We’ve entered week 2 in NBA 2007-2008. There exist some unbeaten teams, and some winless teams. Some players have stayed healthy, and some have been hit by the injury bug.

Now before you dismiss this as just another typical article about commonplace basketball, read on and revel at these milestones.

1) 9.0 points per game, 1.7 blocks per game, and 5.0 rebounds per game isn’t exactly all-star material, but they do represent a body of work that, after 3 games, fans/followers of Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian can be optimistic about. He scored 16 markers in his last game and showed the outside touch which has made him a much coveted player amongst his peers. He may not win the ROY award, but he looks poised to make an impact. The Bucks are a team of the rise in the weak East, and the Chinese phenom looks ready to pounce.

2) In his Celtic debut last Friday, Kevin Garnett got 20 points and 20 rebounds. Talk about making a statement. If I’m not mistaken, the last player to do a 20-20 while debuting for a new team was when Charles Barkley first suited up for the Houston Rockets back in 1996 (he got 20 points and 33 rebounds in that game).

3)  Kevin Durant is getting a lot of looks, and although his field goal percentage isn’t exactly sterling, he is scoring in bunches. Right now, he reminds me a lot of a more slender version of Alex English or Bernard King. This kid slithers through defenses like a snake in water. Once he becomes more selective with his shots, gets stronger, and once the Sonics get a more legit post presence and/or a better point guard, look out.

4) I like Al Horford right now. He may not be scoring ala Shaquille O’Neal in his youth, but he is rebounding with a vengeance. After 10 and 11 rebounding games, I think that it’s safe to say that he’s got one up over the injured Zaza Pachulia as the Hawks’ starting center. He has to cut down on his fouls, though.

5) The Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors will be playing each other for the first time since May this November 8th in Oakland. Look for this game to have a playoff like atmosphere. Dirk and co. will have revenge on their minds. The Warriors just, really, need to survive.

6) Who is beginning to get sick of all this Kobe Bryant trade talk? I know I am.

7) Did you see Greg Oden in crutches on the Blazers bench during a recent Portland game? Because of the number one pick’s absence, and because, also, of the team’s relative youth, the franchise that once featured hardwood greats Bill Walton and Clyde Drexler have yet to nab a win in the 2007-2008 season.

The New York Knicks charge $70.51 USD for tickets to watch the most dysfunctional team in basketball, not to mention, to breathe relatively the same air as the most unsuccessful and controversial coach and president of basketball operations in recent history (Isiah).

9) 60 games, say AI and ‘Melo? 55 says George Karl? More like 45-48, say I.

The Denver Nuggets have been pegged by experts, and well, those within the organization, as a team that is on its way to elite status. I’d beg to disagree, though, as the squad plays too little defense, relies too much on 1 on 1 plays and jumpers, has bigs that are either stiffs or injury prone (Nene and Marcus Camby), and have a lot of mismatched, talented, cagers (a bit like the Knicks). If Nene can suddenly become Patrick Ewing, and if Carmelo Anthony can become half as aggressive as Allen Iverson when it comes to attacking the rim, then maybe we can talk about the Nuggets past April. MAYBE.

10) And finally…

The Anderson Varejao stalemate has yet to finish. The tree-haired center is asking way to much than he’s worth. Even the one year offer gig isn’t working. Maybe Andy ought to go to Europe, with all due respect to Europe. The Cavaliers might as well sign Shawn Kemp to a deal. Now there’s a guy who, after all he’s been through, at least, knows what his market value is. Am I beginning to sound like Stephen A. Smith? I have high blood pressure. I don’t want to go the route of the neutoric sports pundit. My sincerest apologies to you all.

~0~ 

The 2007-2008 NBA season is in full swing, and everyone’s all giddy about the “what’s to come”s and “what’s happened already”s.

In the news…

As if the Lakers needed any more drama, owner Jerry Buss has been fined $25,000 and suspended two games by NBA commish David Stern for getting convicted for drunk driving.

To us observers, he isn’t the only one drunk in the Lakers organization. There are 3 other iniebriated gentlemen who currently don purple and gold.

1) Kwame Brown- He’s big, quick, got cornrows, and was the number 1 pick in the 2000 NBA draft. He’s also barely (if at all) lived up to the hype which surrounded him when he left high school. We can blame Michael Jordan for this one, and well, Mitch Kupchak too.

2) Mitch Kupchak- Speaking of ol’ Mitch, he is number 2 on our “drunk Lakers” list. Not only is this man high on scotch- he’s also crazy. And hated in LA. After letting chances to possibly acquire players like Jason Kidd and Jermaine O’Neal to play alongside the 3rd member of our “high” triumvirate, it can be said that he pretty much deserves all of the flack he’s been getting from NBA pundits, the 3rd member of this distinguished panel himself, and, well, Jack Nicholson. One flew over the cuckoo’s nest indeed.

3) Kobe Bryant- After being caught on-cam dissing young teammate Andrew Bynum, and being at the center of a “trade me, trade me not” soap opera throughout the summer, I don’t think even the Zen Master (Phil Jackson) can use his powers to fish Bryant out of trouble. His highly publicized trade demands, and his reputation for being the not so great teammate and, evidently, the not so good “gentleman”, will finally catch up with him this year. Look for him to begrudgingly play for the Lakers this year, then, look for him to “play” elsewhere, basketball abilities and poisoning skill notwithstanding, next season.

My guess is that the Lakers won’t even make the playoffs this season. There are a handful of teams in the West that seem hungrier, and/or have improved their rosters significantly. Have the Los Angeles Lakers become the epitome of the NBA’s greatest drama and David Sterns biggest headache? Well, the former might apply, but the latter, I don’t know. Maybe if the Lake Show hired Tim Donahy to referee at Staples full time, and signed former Maverick Roy Tarpley to a 10 day contract, then Stern might concede to handing the once proud franchise the dubious distinction of being his favorite mistake.

~0~

Hello everyone. Day 1 in the NBA featured all the expected winners- Utah, San Antonio, and Houston, coming out on top.

After opening night, I’ve found the following queries swimming in my mind:

1) Is Portland really that bad? And did Joel Przybilla really outscore Brandon Roy in their inaugural ballgame?

2) Brent Barry was in double figures in the Spurs’ opener. Who knew the old dawg still had some gas left in the tank?

3) Kobe scored 45 in the Lakers’ opener, while Kwame Brown still sucked. Why oh why did Kupchak give up Caron Butler for this stiff again?

4) Mavs have gotten Juwan Howard. Finally, they have a legit offensive post presence. Can he compensate for the defensive void left by Erick Dampier?

5) Do you Mehmet Okur in your fantasy lineup? Well, his opening night performance didn’t show much promise- 15 minutes, 0-3 fg, 0 pts. Wonderful.

6) Could Gregg Popovich be any more humble?

7) Could Tim Duncan and Tony Parker’s lives be any sweeter?

Baron Davis = 25 pts, 10 assists in the Warriors’ first game against the Jazz. Can he live through 82 games? If he does, and if he plays this way the whole time, he could win MVP.

9) Dirk and the Mavs play the Cavaliers play in around 5 hours. Is there any other team more eager to FINALLY play basketball than Dallas? Maybe not.
10) Yi Jianlian will start at the 4 spot in the Bucks’ opener against the Magic. Can he handle the pressure? 10.5 ppg in 8 preseason contests? At this point, that could mean absolutely nothing.

11) The Rockets looked sharp in their opener against the drama-ridden Lakers. Battier swished in a game winner. Yao was dominant. TMac was powerful. Team ball prevailed over the Kobe Bryant on-court and off-court show. Does anyone still believe that the Rockets are floozies?

12) When will the Spurs be officiated by Joe Crawford again?

13) Are you as excited to see Penny and Shaq in Florida again? =)

14) Who thinks the Knicks will start winning say “I”? I thought so.

15) David Stern has finally stepped forward and spoken ill about the Knicks front office. If he could, he’d send Dolan and Thomas to the gallows. If he doesn’t do it, Manhattan’s elite could. Heck, even the deli guy wouldn’t throw J-Doe and Isiah a bone.

16) No points for Coby Karl against Houston? Oh the horror!

There’s a lot more “season” to be played, and watched. Don’t blink- you might miss a magical moment in the making.

~0~

I don’t know about you guys, but I really do think that Shawn Marion should stay put in Phoenix.

Firstly, the Suns wouldn’t want to see Marion walk for $17M, whether they get a Richard Jefferson or an Andrei Kirilenko back. Why so? Because the Net and the Jazz players mentioned in the last sentence don’t quite have the health card, and the understanding of Mike D’Antoni’s European setups like Marion does. Second, Marion does so much more than just score from inside-out and rebound. He is a terror on D, with his long arms and uncanny quickness. There’s a reason why the man has been a beast in NBA Fantasy Hoops over the last two seasons. To make a long story short, talentwise, I don’t think any team out there can supply Phoenix with a better fit, in accordance with the system they have in place, and the position Marion tends to play.

Marion is a superstar, but so are Nash, Barbosa, and Stoudemire. He’s obviously feeling the strain of being pushed into the background by the a former two time MVP, and current NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and, most likely, a future MVP winner. The thing is, can Marion actually become a squad’s go-to-guy, ala-Lebron, or Kobe? Or is he what Cedric Maxwell or Dennis Johnson was to Bird, Parish, and McHale? I think that Marion’s probably a better player that DJ or Maxwell, but then, I think that he’s truly more of an all-star “2″ rather than an all-star “1″. I believe that he’d be able to carve out a more well-rounded, impressive, resume as the “2″ as opposed to being forced into the role of a “1″.

Because basketball is a business, however, we’re just going to have to wait and see how the ball bounces on this one. Whatever happens, the loser here will probably be the Suns, who are set to lose a true “do-it-all” cager, in exchange for, potentially (or most likely), someone who is a little more one-dimensional.

C’mon, Matrix, stick around. For your own good and those in good ol’ Arizona.