Friday, February 29, 2008

Waived?

...so everyone is being waived now?...this has to be one of the only seasons that I remember where everyone is seriously loading up for the playoffs..when else could there be a commotion over where Brent Barry goes?....or PJ Brown?...Theo Ratliff?...come on..and I honestly think that there are only a few of these signings that will actually pay off in the playoffs.

I think that Sam Cassell to Boston could pay dividends for the Celtics,but could hurt Rondo's confidence..to me he wasnt that bad

11 pts,5 asts,4 rebs,shooting 50% from the field...

thats good!..I mean the free throw percentage isnt very good (60%) but I can live with that..its only marginally different for Sam's

13pts,5 asts,3 rebs 45% from the field...

and I get the chemistry he had with KG was good,but dont you think that it was as equally as bad with Ray Allen?(in Milwaukee)

Be careful.you can be waived next..

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Odds&Ends

-I fully expect Larry Hughes to not suck out loud in Chicago...I've watched him pre-cleveland...there isnt a non-old guy who just drops off the face of the earth in terms of talent..well...injuries help..and he certainly has his share...but the coach for Chicago may hold him back.Looking at the boxscores from the last few days..he's trying to do the playing 9-10 guys.College you may be able to get away with that,but not in the NBA..he has a logjam at the 2,3 and 4..and somehow Noah gets under 25 mins?...its a mess to put it lightly

Players Who I Thought Were Scrubs Until Given PT
-Beno Udrih,Sacramento
-Mickael Gelabale,Seattle
-Brandon Bass,Dallas
-Matt Barnes,Golden State
-Carl Landry,Houston
-Jamario Moon,Toronto
-Roger Mason Jr,Washington

-I really thought Tennessee could last atleast a week at #1...I mean Vandy had everything for them(mainly home court and being a good team lol) but I thought it would be one of those pressure,but not pass things..watch Duke or UNC on the road for examples of that..but well..they arent ready for the big time pressure of being the biggest target in college basketball...they still are a good team..of course when Lofton is actually getting the ball and doing something productive with it...

-I'm putting the Rockets out to sea again...they started slow...ship them off..came back around...Yao gets knocked off for the year...well..not in this conference you can lose your best player and make the playoffs..yeah yeah they did hammer Washington last night,but really..no Gilbert and no Butler equals less talent...Houston has talent..just not enough to compete with full strength teams...

-Okay..I have to speak on this because people that I know have been asking me....whats up with Oregon's jerseys!?....if you do or dont know..they've been experimental(as usual) with their attire...case in points





From the black jerseys with the black lettering of the names and yellow numbers...to the yellow jerseys with the front lettering and blended in names on the back to the green with the same thing...I dont have a problem with them at all..innovation is fun..but it would completely suck to be in attendance and cant read the names knowing its there...or being a ref and cant look at names...one thing is for sure...its getting weird in Eugene...and it will get weirder...fron the new jerseys they've put out the last few weeks...believe me...they have a few more coming out later this year to make non-fans cover their eyes...

College Games to See
-UCLA @ Arizona St(Thurs,10:30pm)
-Washington St at Cal(Thurs,11pm)..Cal won up at Pullman earlier this year..and Wazzu still hasnt solved their problem of generating offense..
-Kansas St at Kansas(Sat,9pm)..Kansas wants this game back..they fell once to them...and Beasley said they would win both games..think so?
-Washington State at Stanford(Sat,4pm)..This could be a clash of funny Pac-10 teams..both have what the conference hasnt been known for..big men and defense...should be interesting
-St Marys at Gonzaga(Sat,8pm) The class of the West Coast Conference clash again...this time at the Kennel..

NBA Games to See
-Dallas at San Antonio(8pm,Thurs)..this is what you wanted Kidd for right?...Parker is back so no excuses really either way
-Utah at New Orleans(8pm Fri)..Deron Willams, vs Chris Paul..if you dont like this matchup..you are going to have a miserable 10 years ahead of you
-Dallas at LA Lakers(Sun 3:30pm)..the testing continues for Dallas...if you cant beat any of these top teams with Kidd...troubles are clearly ahead.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Trade Deadline

Can sum this up fairly easy....

Cleveland got better...but not that much better...at the end of the day can you look and say Gooden and Hughes isnt the same as Wally and Ben Wallace?....

Chicago sidestepped...overloading at the position you didnt need huh?..meanwhile adding a forward who does......rebound...wait didnt...you just...get rid of....

Seattle took a step back...I can never get behind "blowing up" a team..

Houston took a baby step forward....adding more shoot 1st-point guard-sized players..adding Green is interesting though..when he learns how to do anything but score...issues..

New Orleans took a step forward....I dont like Bonzi,but it was an issue for NO..and really didnt give up anything for him

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Doesnt Add Up

-The Kidd trade finally went through....keeping Stackhouse helps for the Mavs..but giving up Harris and Diop is tough...part for now..which is post defense in Diop..also Harris is the only guy in the league who can counter Tony Parker..but Harris was rounding into an interesting combo guard..I dont know if he'll be a great guard..but he was showing flashes.But in Kidd you get a top point guard in the league right now..leadership...and a above average rebounding guard..depending on the matchups...they can do something..but not much.

-The Spurs traded Francisco Elson and Brent Barry to Seattle for Kurt Thomas....doesnt move you?....it should...heres why..
-There was only one player in the West last year who could "slow" Tim Duncan...Kurt Thomas...everyone was looking for someone to counter Duncan who is the best post player I've ever seen...and the best defender against him is on the bench...see?..remember that the Spurs are the standard in the west no matter the record...the Suns and Lakers are making the biggest splashes..but just remember what they are making them for...and not for each other...

-OJ Mayo recently(last sunday) put up one of the worst stat-lines for a good college player i've seen in a long time...this is what it is
4pts,9rebs,3asts,10tos..

gross..but not all his fault..he played the entire game...you cant do that against a really good UCLA team...

-I'm tired of all this talk about Memphis needs to lose a game...we do this every year...with whatever team...you can be undefeated...there isnt anything wrong with that...but they must be challenged in some games..if you blow everyone out..you wont know what to do when you get behind in the tournament...be challenged..just win..theres a difference

-Another thing I take issue with is players who are 6-4,6-7 and6-9..these players arent undersized...one inch doesnt matter in height for basketball....I wont be convinced otherwise

NBA Games to watch
Boston at Phoenix(Fri,10:30)-This should only really make it must watch if KG plays more than 10 minutes..but even if not..still could be good
New Orleans at San Antonio(Sat 8:30)...The Hornets killed the Spurs last time in SA..think it could happen again?

College Games
Oregon at USC(Thurs,11)-Bubble watch for Oregon...time is running out
UConn at Villanova(Sat,12)-Sneaky team in Villanova...could upset
Drake at Butler(Sat,5)-......I have nothing here...

Monday, February 18, 2008

All Star Recap

Heres what I noticed during the 2008 NBA All Star Weekend

-BJ Armstrong still looks like a 13 year old boy....its scary
-Andrea Bargnani came out in the Rookie game surprisingly aggressive....too bad his game isnt exactly tailored for an All Star game...a rookie/soph game at that..and he still only finished with
-In a basketball game...how many shots does one player have to hit before he gets some extra attention?...for me...3 max...apparently that rule never came into play when Daniel Gibson hit 11 three-pointers...11!..it was amazing and sad at the very same time
-Hm....the WNBA Chicago Skye...why arent their colors(light or sky blue) like the Bulls(Red/Black)...the rest of the WNBA syncs the colors....hmm
-Dwayne Wade officially had the worst Skills Challenge outing ever....he never sprinted once...and lost the ball into the crowd(!) on the dribbling part...missed multiple jumpers...never seemed into it...
-Speaking of Wade...when they interviewed him during the Rookie game he was talking about the safety/emergency kits that he was giving out to people in the community....after the interview Charles said "Is there a center and a power forward in that kit for him?..."....cold Chuck....
-Deron Williams is huge...like...push Baron Davis out of the way huge...my Mom was shocked him and Chris Paul play the same position
-Rip Hamilton is a better 3-point shooter than I gave him credit for...and I gave him credit prior to the contest lol
-Jason Kapono was put on earth to shoot 3's...51% from 3 without a Shaq type downlow...but yet...only gets 20 minutes a game..go figure
-Gerald Green blowing out the candle on the cupcake was the one of the best things I've ever seen...in anything...
-Dwight Howard is....tall lol...his throwing the ball up against the backboard...slapping it with his left hand and catching it,then dunking it was the most amazing things i've ever seen...in anything...scratch that 1st thing I said...
-People will never realize how hard dunking in socks is...now imagine putting the ball between your legs with no socks and dunking...another dunk that will never be talked about
-Yes Dwight Howard jumped really high with a cape on....but...he didnt dunk the ball..more of throwing it in...
-I hate the rule of having a teammate...Jamario Moon's 2nd dunk with Kapono did him in
-I need less Kenny and Magic talking when neither of them were known for dunking...ever...they were overly critical for even good dunks...it was annoying
-Magic's trademark line"The Slam Dunk Contest is Back!"....okay we got it...there was only one year when it went away...remember that..so it didnt go anywhere for very long
-I was sooo mixed up with the jerseys in the game...spliting jerseys with a silver and white doesnt really work....
-Remember when Lebron couldnt shoot?....
-Ray Allen should have been MVP...his points were very needed down the stretch...and I still stand by that my favorite player shouldnt have been there.....
-But I cant front like Lebron's 27,9 and 8 wasnt good enough to win it either...and he didnt have to do that to Dirk...
-Weirdest thing I saw was Steve Nash out on the break on the wing...it looked so awkward...
-Allen Iverson:7pts,6asts,6tos....ew
-Could you tell Rasheed didnt want to be there?....shooting 3-pointers left handed?
-Brandon Roy's quiet 18pts,9rebs and 5 asts....he's sneaky athletic too...like Ray Allen

Friday, February 15, 2008

Picks

All Star Game Predictions

3 point-Jason Kapono

Dunk-Jamario Moon

Skills-Chris Paul

Sophs vs Rookies-Sophs,MVP-Rudy Gay

West vs East-West MVP-Carmelo Anthony

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Kidding Me

Nets get
-Devin Harris
-Jerry Stackhouse
-Devean George
-Maurice Ager
-DeSagna Diop
-$3 Million
-2008 1st rd pick
-2010 1st rd pick

Mavs get
-Jason Kidd
-Malik Allen
-Antoine Wright(for a 2nd rd pick)

Off the bat?...Mavs got fleeced...is there such a thing as a trade that helps both teams from a talent standpoint?..no?....oh okay...

I dont think this puts Dallas any closer to putting them over LA..or Phoenix(ideally)...and oh yeah..the Spurs either..and you get worse defensively without Diop or any kind of bench..Stackhouse will come back so that helps...but do you want to really want the bench of Stackhouse,Eddie Jones and Brandon Bass,Trenton Hassell,Juwan Howard and JJ Barea?..actually it isnt that bad...but the lack of toughness is still there..I heard someone say..."Adding Jason Kidd doesnt make Dirk any tougher"...

Nets actually are working with something...they clear cap room with Diop and George..get $3 million and get a young talent(Harris)...if they could somehow get Vince out of the way...

Around The League

A few things I've noticed around the league lately

-Kwame Brown got a shade over 2 minutes for Memphis last night....Jason Collins and Darko are somehow cutting into his playing time...go figure

-How come Spencer Hawes doesnt get more than 10 minutes a game?...I guess its the JR Smith rule(That a team is weak in a position and have a young talent who can help fill it..but yet doesnt play)

-I think Miami wont be getting blown out anymore...they will still lose...but not by like 30...watchable when they shove that team down our throats 9 more times this season(I counted,be ready)

-Joe Johnson cant be your best player....he's too passive...when you look at other lead shooting guards(Ray,Wade,Kobe) when your team is down or in a tight game..you know who is going to take that shot...everyone does...and if everyone is hanging on them...they make that pass..with Joe...eh...sometimes it does...he's more inclined to make the pass while being guarded one on one...but when he's going against top competition at his position..you can never pencil him in for the 20 that he averages...he went 3-13 on the Pistons last night against the supposed weaklinkj of that great Detroit defense(Richard Hamilton)....he would be a better 3rd scorer ideally..maybe 2nd depending who the 1st option is...but its just not him..your best player cant put up single digit games 5 times this year...just cant..oh and they lost all 5 of those games

-I need Mickael Pietrus to either play more...or get traded...this has got to stop...hes a decent player..can defend and score the ball effectively...but the rotation Nellie has for Golden State has any kind of consistency..I could see how it could be frustrating..but I think the management's open refusal to trade him is odd to me...you have a decent player on the last year of his deal..but you dont play him...or start him at center(he's 6-6 btw)...but have no intention of trading him...

-What happened to Dwight Howard?....all those 20 rebound games have simply just stopped(okay clearly 20 rebounds anywhere on earth is a monster stat...I'm just holding him to his own standard he set,not me)..since 2008 hit he's only had 1 20 rebound game(5 in December alone,7 total)...but hes in the offensive mindset(like the rest of his team) so the lapses in focus for rebounding and blocking shots will wander sometimes....but thats not what they need...they need him being a defensive presence...if you crash the offensive glass...you can put it back up...you dont need to call for the ball...no need...

-How bad is Kelvin Sampson(Indiana Univ coach)?....real bad?...yes

Games to Watch(College)
-Cal/Arizona(Thurs 8:30pm)
-Washington/Oregon(Thurs 8:30pm)
-#7 Stanford/Arizona State(Thurs 10:30pm)
-Michigan St/#12 Indiana(Sat 9pm)

Games to Watch(NBA)
-Uh....NBA All Star Weekend!!

Monday, February 11, 2008

Here and There

I watched the Pro Bowl....did you?...didnt think so...this is what I took out of it
-Offensive lineman Matt Light(Patriots) still cant stop Osi Umenyiora(Giants)...he rushed right around him and stripped the ball from Derek Anderson(Browns)
-Matt Hasselbeck(Seahawks) throws a nice play action pass in the redzone...too bad you need a running back for that kind of thing during the season
-The combo of Fred Taylor(Jaguars),Willis McGahee(Ravens),Joseph Addai(Colts),Lorenzo Neal's(Chargers) carries=8....Adrian Peterson's total carries..16...lets not get into total yardage
-There was one punt in the game
-I dont know anymore who's better TJ Houshmandzadeh or Chad Johnson(Bengals)...I say Chad...but I feel less sure
-Joshua Cribbs(Browns) is a big threat like Devin Hester(Bears)...and has a catchy punchline(Joshua to the Cribb...tell me you didnt like that a little?)
-Antonio Cromartie(Chargers) has that knack of being around the ball to get interceptions..you cant measure or plan for that...scary
-Do you think Jeff Garcia(Bucs) high-fived Terrell Owens(Cowboys) after he hit him for the touchdown?...I mean...no hard feelings about calling you gay right?

In other interesting news

-I called the Washington/UCLA game..but no one can verify it..but I did list it as a game to watch here..so that gets me like half a point right?
-Clemson cant beat UNC...ever...under any condition
-Good to see Dorrell Wright has a pulse again...too bad you couldnt do it when you were given the starting job...take a seat beside Ricky Davis
-Who told Wade he could block shots?...in the 2nd half he was just throwing his body into everyone Kobe and Walton took hard shots..not needed?
-Speaking of Kobe..there was a play when he was guarding Wade one on one and Wade did everything he could to shake Kobe...Crossovers...pumpfakes..and Kobe didnt bite once...he shaded him left and had his hands straight up when he pumpfaked..eventually he travelled..man...that is defense everybody...anything else...well....isnt
-I'm glad to see Leon Powe get some burn and doing something with it...I thought at Cal he was going to be something...but with NBA coaches you never know...now if I can get Ike Diogu going...
-There was a sequence in the Cavs/Nuggets game in which I got sick of TV...Eric Snow having a free layup from the left side and misses the layup by only hitting the backboard on the left side!....and watching Ira Newble shoot from the corner and hitting the side of the backboard...in these cases I couldnt get mad at all if Lebron just came down and shot every time...like...every every time...no issue

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Where Anything Can Happen

Well...you kinda have to start with the big story....Shaq to Phoenix for Marcus Banks and Shawn Marion...since I'm an objective observer 1st...I'll go through the pros and cons of this trade and then go from there..

Pros for Phx
-You get rid of a player who hasnt been happy in years and publicly asked for a trade...add that to the ongoing beef with him and Amare...someone had to go
-You get a real center which can slide Amare to his natural position,thinking he would play better there
-You get a shot blocker(Shaq hasnt blocked averaged 2 blocks in about 3 years but its more than what they had)
-You may have an answer for Bynum or Duncan...and by answer I say slowing,not stopping with a frontline of Shaq,Amare,Skinner and Diaw..you can slow someone
-The window is getting smaller and smaller,if it hasnt worked in the past....why not try something different?
-Grant Hill is back and Boris is playing well so that could ease the trade a little bit
-Marion might leave if he doesnt get the extension he wants anyway
-Marcus Banks' contract wasnt going well with the production...unless he's working for free
-Shaq doesnt slow them down...because you dont need all 5 guys running down before anyone else...and if you play LA or SA...and stay away from Golden State you arent running much anyways..


Cons for Phx
-Shaq makes $20 million this year...vs Marion's $16.4
-Marion was your best defender...he can guard 4 positions easy...and you are trading that for a guy who may NOT be able to guard anyone
-Shaq isnt exactly a "locker room" guy himself
-Shaq cant run very fast
-So when Nash is on the break...who is going to be out there with him?...Amare?...not all the time...Barbosa?...no...Hill?...eh...Diaw?...see where I'm going?
-Simple math...you trade away a guy who is 5 inches smaller than the guy you get...now...that smaller guy averages 1.6 more points...2.1 more rebounds, .7 more assists...1.9 less turnovers...1.4 more steals...23.1 better percent from the free throw line and 1.5 less fouls...than the bigger guy....you get the bigger guy...but you get smaller...

I think my fan card will go out the window and sit beside my Sonics card if this goes down

Shifting topics...

-I'm bashing Bob Knight...in college coaching is coaching to me...there isnt a super huge gap in "talent" of coaching...you cant just quit on kids like that...it was frown upon in the pros when it happened in Atlanta...those people were getting paid still...for athletes a huge reason they go to a certain school is because of the coach(Ask Bill Walker and Michael Beasley)...you step into these kids' house and talk to their parents on why they should come there...you are expected to lead and teach these men things that they can carry with them into the real world...what have you taught them?..when the tough gets going.....get gone?...get out while you still can?...its sad really that no one on ESPN even mentioned this..when it broke everyone was giving him the swan song treatment...but now that he's had the interview and said what he had to say....you still back that?....well I cant back you because of that...you dont quit on the team/school that reached out to you when you got FIRED from Indiana because you couldnt control yourself...I hope I dont see you again Bob Knight...you are in the book right beside Larry Brown to me...

-Speaking of college..lol

....seen this guy?...maybe yes...maybe not....I am getting behind California's sophmore Ryan Anderson as the Pac-10 player of the year...now...hear me out

This guy is averaging 22pts and 10 rebs at standing 6-10 and get this...he shoots almost 48% from 3....the hype now is Kevin Love..and the freshman is killing the Pac-10 with 17.8 and 11..but the big difference is the win/loss...where it isnt close...but it all depends on what you see as the player of the year....best player playing this year?...or best player on best team?...your call...all I know he's done this
33pts and 17rebs vs Washington
30pts and 7rebs vs Arizona
32pts and 15rebs vs ASU
36pts and 13 vs Nevada

College Games
UCLA vs Wazzu Thurs 10:30
Oregon/Cal Thurs 10pm
UCLA/Washington Sun 4:30

NBA
Portland vs Detroit Fri 8pm
SA vs Boston Sun 1pm
Denver vs Cleveland Sun 7pm

Friday, February 1, 2008

Big Moves

No way I couldnt touch on the Pau Gasol trade...well this is how I see it

For LA:
Well its easy really...getting rid of Kwame Brown's contract(9 mil this year) and well...Kwame Brown..and the project of Crittenton for Pau Gasol is easy...Gasol is one of the forgotten 2nd tier power forwards in the game..he's versatile(can step out and hit jumpers) and can rebound pretty well and of course pass..team that with Bynum and Kobe and well..the 1st round jinx(in theory) shouldnt be an issue.Its almost not fair.

For Memphis:
Taking the Minnesota route basically....well with alot less young talent..they are stacked at point guard...I feel that Conley,Crittenton or Lowry will be on the move again(I say Lowry)..but other than that..its not pretty..they have cleared around 20 million in cap space for this coming summer...but money is only good if someone takes it..but they are going about it in a semi right way...get the team around those young guards and Rudy Gay..get a high pick this year and an extra pick from LA...not bad...and you know what?..I think that Marc Gasol(Pau's younger brother) can be okay in the league one day...but for now...the fans will just have to adjust to the trio of Jason Collins,Kwame Brown and Darko Millicic....sorry