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Showing posts with label Rajon Rondo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rajon Rondo. Show all posts

Monday, June 24, 2013

COURTSIDE VIEW: What Would you do for a Klondike Bar?

Johnny J

With the Miami Heat winning back-to-back NBA titles, it is official; I just lost another bet. In fact, I lost three bets that came out to a grand total of $60. I usually don't make bets unless I absolutely feel the team I pick will win. That didn't happen.  My luck was so bad, that one team I gambled on was actually swept in these playoffs, which made it worse. So the next day, when I saw the person who won the wagers, I quickly went up to him and paid off my debt. I don't like being in debt so I try and pay off my debtors as soon as possible. There's no chasing me down or confronting me because I would go looking for that person I owe money to first. There's no waiting until the next time I get paid because I would have the money on me already just in case I do lose. When that happens, I earn the reputation of me being an honest person. People don't mind making wages with me because I end up chasing them down to get rid of my debt. Chris Bosh, I hope you are taking notes because I feel you owe Pat Riley and your teammates your salary, which is just as bad as Ray Allen jumping on the bandwagon with the enemy.

Game 7, on Wednesday night, had to be one of the worst games, if not the worst for a so-called superstar in NBA history. Bosh didn't even score a single point. He played 28 minutes in one of the most anticipated games in an  NBA Finals. How did he come out on the floor like a person who just couldn't get the job done?  A superstar should do his job and show up to big games. He had zero points and seven rebounds. When Pat Riley signed him to a six-year, $109 million dollar contract, he pictured a dominant max contract player who was a productive, franchise-type player with the Toronto Raptors.  The same player who became the all-time leading scorer for the Raptors. A double-double average a night guy. Instead, he got a newborn baby who was brought in by a stork. A newborn who was looking to get nurtured by the real superstars of the team. In others words, Bosh is softer than ______(insert your favorite brand name fabric softener--Ed). He's someone who is riding backseat of a championship team. Riding the talents of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

So be a man, chase Pat Riley down, and give him your whole earnings of your check. The whole $17 million and some change check for this past season because you're in debt, my friend. A grand total of seven rebounds...seven and one block. ITS AN NBA FINALS, GAME 7! Third String center Joel Anthony could have produced more stats in that time (and for one-fifth of the cost--Ed).  So between Bosh and Wade, I would have to say Bosh is the one who is gone next season (despite qualifying for Early Termination Option, highly doubt that Bosh will walk away from $19 million+ for next season--Ed). I can't see the Heat paying a salary that is just going to increase. Riley is probably trying to work out a deal/trade right now. Maybe a second round pick in return would suffice. Bosh must be best friends with Brooklyn Nets' player, Joe Johnson. I heard he steals from the front office as well. What would you do for a Klondike Bar, Bosh? For a ring, for a chance to glorify and get paid off of your teammates' talents? I would feel better sleeping if I knew Heat veteran, Shane Battier received that salary instead.

Mr. "He Got Game" himself, Ray Allen. Leaving your friendships with the Boston Celtics to jump on the back of LeBron James. Taking less money to join the enemy of your Celtics' team. One of the best shooters in NBA history, desperate for another ring, I see.  He had a few highlights in Game Six to help the Heat prevail, but overall  I see why Kevin Garnett doesn't talk to him any more. Where is your self-respect? I just threw out my, "He Got Game" movie. Allen may have eased his way to another ring, but I'm sure he is still upset about San Antonio Spurs' role-player, Danny Green breaking his record for most threes made in a NBA Finals.  I couldn't reside with the enemy, especially for less money. That's just something I couldn't do. Obviously he must have thought the Celtics were a step slower in reaching the Finals again (Doc Rivers definitely thinks so--Ed). If he continued to play for the Celtics and if Rajon Rondo was healthy, I believe  the Celtics could have reached the finals. What would you do for a Klondike Bar, Ray? Kiss the rival, lose your friend. It must be ice cream in the middle, because dishonor is something that carries weight. Enjoy the 2% fat Klondike bar.


Bosh is a fraud--a fraud I tell you (Kevin Durant would say he's a "fake tough guy."--Ed). Anywhere he goes, he is going to be stealing. Just seven rebounds in an NBA Finals is worse than terrible. He stole minutes as well.  He robbed somebody who was worthy of those 28 minutes. Riley knows what has to be done. Give him the boot and make him earn that $109 million salary somewhere else. As far as Ray goes, going AWOL on his former championship team; the things people will do to be in the spotlight. I didn't see him in any highlights on the Heat's 27 game win streak, so enjoy it while you can, you aren't getting any younger.

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

BRAGGIN' RIGHTS: 2013 Fantasy Basketball Update

Felipe M

My credentials....
(photo courtesy of Felipe M)
I haven't talked too much about my fantasy basketball team, the basketball Baraka Obama, all year long.  This is a travesty because we're having a really good season, so far.  We've lead the BRYANT DIVISION for most of the season, but team Eyebrows the Net have finally caught up and we're deadlocked at 13-5, with only 3 games (including this week) left to this season.  I believe they win the tie-breaker to win the division, but I still control my own destiny in the Wild Card meaning a possible match-up in the playoffs with arch-rival, long-time nemesis, the EJ-led Young Blood (former editor of this blog). 

Quick background on this league:

  • It is a keeper league that was established on CBSsportsline, back in 2004, but most of us have been playing fantasy basketball since 2002.
  • It's a fantasy point, head-2-head league.
    • 1 point for every point scored
    • 2 points for Assists
    • -1 for turnovers
    • 3 points for steals and blocks
  • Nightly, individual scores are averaged, so number of games in a week are not important.  It's all about EFFICIENT PRODUCTION.
  • Teams must start 4 guards, 4 forwards, 2 centers and can have up to 4 bench players, plus an IR slot for long-term, injured players
  • All teams participate in post-season play, but only the top 4 teams play for the Championship.
  • The middle 4 teams play for the #5 pick in next year's draft in a consolation bracket.
  • The bottom 4 teams play to increase their chances in the lottery sweepstakes, for the #1 pick in next year's draft, in their own, separate bracket.
  • Trades are not limited to only 2 teams as 3-way, and I believe even 4-way trades, have been completed before in this league's history.

We've just went through our trade deadline this past week and after a year full of questionable, quirky, and quizzical transactions between two teams (no 3-way deals this year), the trade deadline has thankfully come and gone, but not before its most controversial deal occurred at the last minute.  More on that later.

So far, team Baraka Obama ranks in the following categories... 

....(again, quick review on the evolution of my team name: Formerly team Kingdom Conker: named after the video games Kingdom Hearts and Conker's Bad Fur Day. After almost a decade of losing, changed the name of the team after having Kevin Durant for a 2nd full season to Baraka Obama: named after the character from Mortal Kombat and, of course, the current president of the U.S.A.  Its also the name of my current football team, but thinking of changing the name next season)...

  • 3rd in Points For
  • 2nd in FG%
  • 2nd in FT%
  • 3rd in Rebounds, Assists, and Turnovers per game
  • 6th in Steals
  • 2nd in Blocks per game
  • Dead last in 3-point shooting (but, thankfully, this isn't a roto-style league)
We've mentioned Young Blood leading his RODMAN DIVISION, while our very own, disgruntled Sacramento Kings' fan, Josh Chiaratti has wrapped up his dominance of the lowly BARKLEY DIVISION.  Which proves once again that if you contribute to any of my blogs, you will be very successful in fantasy sports (except for Reggie's team, Van Excellence.  He's sitting pretty at 6-12 and on his way to one of the consolation brackets.  To be fair, however, he technically never wrote a sports' article for us so that would explain that).

Clearly, at 13-5, I took my own advice leading up to our annual fantasy basketball draft.  Here's how my team looked for week 1 of play:

GREEN = KEEPER PLAYER
YELLOW =  DRAFTED PLAYER
PURPLE = ACQUIRED VIA TRADE
RED = ACQUIRED VIA FREE AGENCY/WAIVERS

GUARDS
  • RAJON RONDO
  • JEREMY LIN
  • RODNEY STUCKEY
  • BRADLEY BEAL
FORWARDS
  • KEVIN DURANT
  • PAU GASOL*
  • TIM DUNCAN
  • ANDREI KIRILENKO
CENTERS
  • ANDREW BOGUT
  • KEVIN GARNETT
BENCH
  • J.R. SMITH
  • TONY ALLEN
  • THOMAS ROBINSON
  • HARRISON BARNES
INJURED
  • AMAR'E STOUDEMIRE (selected in the 1st round (virtually the 4th round, after keepers) of the draft.  Yep, bad move!)
*Pau Gasol acquired via trade in the offseason for Brook Lopez and swapped draft slots

I got off to an amazing start, but injuries soon caught up to me and my "Greatest Paper Team Ever Drafted" looked very vulnerable and on its way to collapse.  Nevertheless, the resiliency of the squad, led by Durant, kept me in games and maintained my pace towards the playoffs.  However, with a veteran team like this, and with Rondo's imminent exit looming after the season (after this season, I could only keep Durant or Rondo, but not both.  Who would you pick?), I had to ditch my "patient" approach to fantasy sports and get aggressive in the trade market.  At first, these trades looked awful as I was forced to trade producing veterans and depth, for more explosive players and more help (quantity over quality) in the middle.  The trades did, eventually, begin to payoff as I have not suffered a losing streak of more than 2 games all season long.  Nonetheless, I was mostly "winning ugly," while the other elite teams seemed to be crushing the competition on a weekly basis.  

As the trade deadline approached, I needed to make one more move for the final push for the playoffs.  I needed help everywhere it seemed like, but had to go after a guard.  After going through countless trade scenarios, I was approached with a deal that would sacrifice the little frontcourt depth that I had, for that elusive guard. Here's what my team looks like after the trade deadline:

GUARDS
  • DWYANE WADE***
  • MONTA ELLIS****
  • JEREMY LIN
  • DEMAR DEROZAN**
FORWARDS
  • KEVIN DURANT
  • DAVID LEE*
  • TIM DUNCAN
  • TOBIAS HARRIS
CENTERS
  • OMER ASIK**
  • MARCIN GORTAT***
BENCH
  • AMAR'E STOUDEMIRE
  • SPENCER HAWES
  • KIRK HINRICH
  • TIAGO SPLITTER
*David Lee was acquired in a deal proposed by Van Excellence for Kevin Garnett and Ron Artest
**DeMar DeRozan and Omer Asik were acquired in a deal proposed by Van Excellence for Harrison Barnes, Bradley Beal, and Andrei Kirilenko
***Traded Rajon Rondo and J.R. Smith for Dwyane Wade and Marcin Gortat to Ming Dynasty. A week or so after the trade, Rondo would end up lost for the season due to knee injury.
****Monta Ellis was acquired in a deal proposed by South Beach Talents for Pau Gasol

I hate making trades and work really hard to make sure that I have an excellent draft to avoid making trades and not have to depend on anybody else to improve my team.  As you can see, only 4 players remain from my original team in Week 1.  Making trades was definitely an evil necessity this season.  I don't think I've ever made this many trades in this league before.  

Regardless, there are still holes on my team, mainly the two centers that are currently starting.  Asik has 26 points so far this week, but divisional foe, team Eyebrows, has at least two centers that can score 35+ each on any given week.  No use fretting about it as we continue to march toward the playoffs and will have to continue to keep an eye on the waiver wire.  

But it's worth noting the key players that have helped this team so far.  Tim Duncan is definitely one of them.  After getting mocked at the draft for selecting him and people criticizing his age and diminished skills and body, he still has managed to play at an elite level and has been the most pleasant surprise on my team.  Duncan has always been one of my favorite players and I'm happy to have him on my squad this year.  

I cannot mention Duncan without mentioning Splitter.  He got off to a very slow start, but I've always liked his game and kept tabs on him.  As soon as he had one big game and saw that he was available on waivers, I immediately snatched him up in early December and have not let go since, providing much needed insurance in case Duncan goes down for a long period of time.  

After bashing Lin last season, I took a deeper look at his game and his projections for this season and decided that he would make a great pick in the draft.  Did I want to select him with my 2nd round pick?  Absolutely not, but that is what happened.  He got off to a very slow start as his 3-point shooting was lagging and James Harden was taking over as the primary EVERYTHING on the Houston Rockets (ball-handler, scorer, shooter, perimeter threat, distributor, dribble-driver, etc.).  Eventually, Lin did find his role on the Rockets and has played a lot better of late. 

It was very sad to trade away Rondo, but he was struggling and not producing like in years past.  Even when he would get triple-doubles, he was still not playing to the elite-level status he had been playing in the last 2-3 seasons.  I tried trading him to the Talents for Steph Curry, but it was of no use.  So I'd settled on my 2nd option, D-Wade.  Threw in a hot-streaking J.R. Smith into the deal and even with Gortat not playing as well as I had thought, D-Wade has been playing like its 2006 all over again and combined with Durant, has been one of the best dynamic duos in our league.  Even though Rondo was no longer on my team, it was still sad to see him lost for the year.

Looking back at the David Lee deal, Lee's game has suffered since he was acquired.  From being a player that can explode for +45 points/week, Lee struggled to obtain 35+/week, even scoring a low of 28 on my team (week 15).  He has turned it back on the last 3 weeks, however, and if I can find one more, legit forward, I can always move Lee to center.  

DeMar DeRozan has had a nice year so far, but can be inconsistent sometimes.  But I like his athleticism (he can really fly!), versatility (qualifies at guard/forward), and his tenacity (he really believes that he can turn around the Toronto Raptors' franchise) make him a a must-have player, especially on this team.  

The key here is Stoudemire.  If he can co-exist with Carmelo Anthony and not just flourish whenever Anthony is out with injuries, that will easily put me over the top and solidify my frontcourt and I can even slide him at center.  Currently, he's playing well with Anthony missing, but has averaged 17 points/week in the last 3 weeks with Anthony in the lineup.

And finally, a quick shout-out to Kevin Durant.  It is amazing to see how much he has developed from his rookie year, to now.  I believe I acquired him during his rookie season and he was only averaging 25 points/week in our league.  My team was undergoing yet another hard, tough, losing season and I had to start thinking young and ditch my veterans.  That deal caused an uproar in the league because of all the players I gave up to get Durant, but I didn't care.  I liked this kid since I read about him in a magazine article and how he's constantly working hard and refining his game every day and his mom keeps him in check so he can focus on his game and not get trapped in the NBA lifestyle. To see him become one of the best scoring options in the league, under my team, just makes me beam with pride.  

Is this a sad lifestyle to have to vicariously live through the accomplishments of others?  Perhaps.  But at this point, it's all about BRAGGIN' RIGHTS!



Feel free to share your fantasy basketball season with us.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

NBA LESSONS: v2.2



Dan P

When does pleasure outweigh business in sports?

Immediately after I wrote a piece detailing a “Kevin Garnett to the L.A. Clippers deal, I was made to look foolish by the recent twist in Danny Ainge's thought process as now it looks like KG is staying put with Paul Pierce for the remainder of their NBA tenure.  

I thought it was impossible to conceive how a team would pass up trade value on a soon to be 37 year-old (in May) with 3 years left on a deal that will pay him close to $35 million.  That the fact that KG had helped the Boston Celtics to a title in 2008 was already in the rear-view mirror.  And not to mention even the Suns dealt Steve Nash to their long-time nemesis, L.A. Lakers, simply because they couldn't pass up three, first rounds picks.  Seriously, owner Robert Sarver LOVED Steve Nash and HATES the Lakers.  

So why the change of heart by Ainge?  Why the nostalgia for a player that wasn't drafted by the team and has still spent more years playing for the Minnesota T’Wolves (12) than the Celtics (6).  Much ink was spilled before the start of the season about how Rajon Rondo wanted to make the Celtics his team; that it was time to grab the reins and ease the burden of its aging stars.  But Ainge's refusal to deal Garnett for youth, undercuts that notion and brings back something else nostalgic: pride for greatness and love of the game.  Perhaps it has something to do with the fact Ainge played in the NBA or maybe the spirit and energy of KG is too special to let leave the locker room for good.  

Either way, it helped remind this hack writer that sometimes making a deal for the sake of dealing isn't always the best.  I remember feeling the same way about Michael Jordan, and even now I would love to see if MJ, at age 50, could come back just to prove he still has it (He’s at least good enough to beat Michael Kidd-Gilchrist—Ed). It's irrational for the Celtics to pass up any opportunity and yet it never felt more right.

Re-Occurring DwightMare

I'm really sick of Dwight Howard (I second that motion. Head coach, Gregg Popovich would be counted as the third vote.—Ed).  I'm tired of his clean-cut, “smile first” persona that, by now, real NBA fans know is a load of $#*&.  

First let me get something off my chest: I do believe Howard about the health of his back and that he is nowhere close to 100% (He looks “smaller” than he did last year with Orlando. Then again, it could be the hideous purple and yellow that the Lakers wear that make him seem “smaller,” less dominant, this season—Ed).  

Secondly, I do believe playing with Kobe Bryant takes a certain kind of mental toughness and that at times, Kobe has raked Dwight over the coals unfairly (You can read a bit about that, here—Ed).  Finally, I do believe Dwight is salvageable and is the future of the Lakers and they would be wise to keep him, no matter what.  

That being said, he is a bonehead of the highest caliber and is really ruining his best years with his lackadaisical behavior and refusal to understand how he fits into another team's system.  For as much as he and Stan Van Gundy didn't like each other, Stan built a system solely around Dwight. One center down low and four perimeter shooters to take 3's on kick-outs from the post (Shaq 2.0?—Ed).  Dwight flourished under this system and became the league's best center, yet other than one NBA Finals appearance (2009), always came up short.  He got what he wanted in a trade to LA (Although, according to most “experts,” Howard has wanted to really play for the Brooklyn Nets all along—Ed) and despite his animosity towards SVG, he still wants to play like his days in Orlando.  

NEWS FLASH, Dwight!  That isn't going to happen in the Kobe/Mike D'Antoni tenure so get used to it!  

(Dan P actually believes that Pau Gasol is the better first, “big-man” option over Howard.  Read his analysis, here—Ed)

The Lakers are the Lakers so they will weasel themselves out of this mess, but with the oldest backcourt in the NBA (Nash/Kobe) and a ton of money to cut from payroll in fear of the looming luxury tax increase, it looks bleak for the Lakers to really add the pieces Dwight thinks he covets.  

The Return(?) of Derrick Rose

I know I write too much about the Chicago Bulls (You can never write too much about the Bulls—Ed), but this is the league's all-time, youngest MVP and genuine NBA superstar, so it deserves another look.  

The hot topic surrounding Derrick Rose is not if, but when will he come back to playing NBA games.  He made it clear to reporters last week that he will not come back until he feels completely healthy and is 110%.  To this day, I still don't know what that cliche actually means regarding athletic prowess but hey, it always looks good in print.  

Should Derrick Rose miss the whole season?  Unfortunately, there is no right answer, but I am inclined to have a theory.  I've written previously that the Bulls will do anything (short of transforming themselves into the Sacramento Kings—Ed) to avoid this year's luxury tax, which currently they would have to pay if they stood pat.  This, of course, is the horrible idea of trading Carlos Boozer for Andrea Bargnani, which doesn't even make sense financially, let alone in basketball terms.  

What if Derrick Rose returning this season would embolden management to scrap this idea of selling?  I could only think of Rose's ACL this whole time and what it would mean if he came back too soon: a fear I still have.  I know there will be rust in limited minutes, but if he came back looking like his old self, it would rev Chicago into overdrive (Think Ricky Rubio, Dirk Nowitzki and John Wall, but with a better team—Ed) and perhaps be enough to convince management to stay aggressive.  This team has looked much better than I thought was possible without Rose and the East is still a wasteland (sans the Miami Heat) of mediocre rosters (And even the Heat are full of mediocrity outside their “Big 3”—Ed).  

I would love to see the Bulls trim some fat off their salary cap, but I wish it would be anybody but Bargnani.  I would have liked to see them acquire J.J. Redick: A knockdown, three-point shooter.  In 31 minutes per game Redick is posting 45/39/89 shooting percentages for a really bad Orlando team.  At 28 years old and on the final year of his deal that pays him $6.1 million, he may be affordable.  Unfortunately, a Bulls’ division rival has beaten them to the punch:

Rats!  I'm looking foolish, once again! 

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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

NBA LESSONS: v2.1



Dan P


Adidas, Nike: let's call it even?
(photo courtesy of Ed Mancia)
Random NBA thoughts by Dan P. 

1.) Somehow, the Boston Celtics are 7-1 without star point guard, Rajon Rondo

It's perplexing how the Celtics have been winning since the Rondo injury.  They’ve ranked near the bottom third of the league (18th overall) averaging a mere 96.3 points per game while averaging a tremendous 23.5 assists per game (4th overall).  How the Celtics will continue to keep the high assists numbers is highly questionable.

For all the hype surrounding this win streak, I chalk it up to the Celtics’ veterans who were tired of hearing they couldn't win without Rondo.  Poke an old elephant with a stick and it's still sure to charge.  Ultimately the age of the team and the rigors of the playoffs will doom them; it’s no mystery.  

That's not to say the Celtics can't make some noise come playoff time.  The East is wide open and no team has yet to solidify itself as the true No. 2 seed in the Conference.  

With all that being said, I just can’t picture them going too far without Rondo.

2.) The Brooklyn Nets are pursuing a trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Josh Smith.  

The Hawks are looking for a young center so a third team is likely in the mix.  Look for the following young centers/rebounders on the block: 
  • Marcin Gortat-- 11.4 Points Per Game; 8.7 Rebounds Per Game
  • JaVale McGee--  10PPG, 5RPG
  • DeAndre Jordan-- 9PPG, 7.3RPG
  • J.J. Hickson-- 12.9PPG, 10.6RPG
  • Nikola Pekovic--  15.8PPG, 8.8RPG
  • Kris Humphries-- 5.8PPG, 6.2RPG
3.) The Golden State Warriors will be displaying a new jersey this season with sleeves.

I'm on the fence with these new Golden State jerseys from Adidas, but I'll get to that in a bit. The fabled golden sleeves make their debut February 22nd against the San Antonio Spurs and the team is very excited at the opportunity to start a new trend in the NBA.  The jersey itself is golden yellow with less outlining and stripes than their regular home/road jerseys.  It has a two color "V" style neck design that is reminiscent of the official's jerseys and the sleeves themselves are really only quarter cut length or short t-shirt length.  

When we see changes like this, our initial thought is to run, run far away and cry foul.  However, it only takes a few valid stars like a LeBron James or Kevin Durant (both currently employed by Nike--Ed)  to vouch for them and have their teams also produce these alternatives and then the jersey becomes part of the NBA.  

Everyone thought the Oregon Ducks (also Nike--Ed) were crazy for essentially playing in a different jersey every game but that's what sells and that's what the players want to wear.  Everything is a brand and brands are meant to be recognized.  And if any sport can make it work, its the NBA where fashion is just as important as the tradition.  


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

STILL A RIVALRY: How Melo, KG, and LaLa Renewed An East Coast Rivalry




Johnny J

Madison Square Garden has been known to host big fights, such as Joe Frazier v. Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Robinson v. Jake Lamotta. Usually when a fight is over, the loser is usually too tired or too beaten up to try and carry it over in the tunnel or locker room. That wasn't the case for Monday night's match-up between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics.

After the Celtics defeated the Knicks 102-96 in a game that included confrontations and blood being spilled.  Anthony can be angrily seen walking by the Knicks bench toward the Celtics tunnel by-passing any handshakes and brotherly love. Carmelo Anthony waited for Kevin Garnett by the Celtics locker room. When he couldn't reach him there, he waited by the Celtics' bus hoping to finish what was started on the court.

Anthony, who can be identified in the video wearing a red hat, can be seen waiting for Garnett with a handful of MSG security personnel who I believe are trying to talk him out of it. If you look all the way to the left Rajon Rondo can be seen, probably trying to play peacemaker from afar (irony is a cruel beast--Ed). It's as much action as he's seen all night after being suspended for bumping an official.

Apparently Garnett had made some comments about Anthony's wife LaLa and Anthony just wanted to clear the air:

"I wanted to talk to KG, I think it was something that we both needed to get off our chest and see what really was the problem. It wasn't no altercations, it was just some words and a conversation that we needed to have," said Anthony.

Anthony who is the second leading scorer in the NBA averaging 29.0 PPG had an off night against the Celtics swarming defense. Anthony was held to 20 points on 6-26 shooting from the field. Anthony and KG both received technical fouls for the shoving and trash-talking on the floor. Anthony, who is tied with Matt Barnes of the Clippers with a league-leading 9 technical fouls, is very close to a suspension. Once a player reaches 16, they're suspended for one game and can continue for every other tech they receive afterwards.

J.R. Smth received 11 stitches above his right eye after bumping heads with Avery Bradley, who was trying to pick pocket Smith. After a timeout was called to give more time to stop the bleeding, Smith came back out with Vaseline and a headband over his cut (J.R. the prizefighter--Ed)

While KG was getting into Anthony's head; Paul Pierce took over the game, scoring 23 points and dishing 6 assists. Pierce hit a step back jumper with the shot clock winding down with Tyson Chandler all over him. As he was going back down the floor he starting blowing kisses to the crowd as if saying, "I had a great performance; thanks for coming, but it's over now!"

As a Knicks' fan, I was irritated at what I was seeing.  I know this is a hated, long-time rival, but we're sitting at the top of the division for a reason. There wasn't any ball movement; just isolations for the majority of the game. Melo gets the ball and tries to go to work, but he shot the ball for 23%! If its not working, you have to adjust as a TEAM! You have other stars on the TEAM! They shouldn't be watching one guy every possession. The Celtics are six games behind the Knicks and they can't play down to their level. KG is known for his trash-talking; Back in 2010 Charlie Villanueva accused KG of calling him "A cancer patient." Villanueva suffers from a medical condition called alopecia universalis that results in hair loss (Apparently, KG told Anthony that his wife "tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios". Another incident that is not widely known is the fact that KG, back on Mothers' Day of 1999, went up to Duncan to tell him, "Happy Mothers' Day, mother------!" Duncan's mother died when he was only 14-Ed). 

If Anthony plans on taking his team to the finals this season, he's going to have to put up with people trying to get in his head. He has already shown he's vulnerable and thin-skinned in that aspect.  And now he will pay for his lapse in judgement with a one-game suspension.

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Friday, December 28, 2012

2012 RANDOM NBA THOUGHTS: Vol, 3



Felipe M

Two games were played in the NBA on December 27, 2012.  But it was also a day filled with controversy as well.

Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder: The Mavs seemed to be on a mission to end a losing streak in OKC, while the Thunder just looked flat and blase through 3 quarters.  The Thunder turned on the intensity in the 4th quarter, however, and Russell Westbrook who played terribly throughout much of the game, took over in the Overtime period to finish off the Mavericks. 

However, the real story was not that the Thunder pulled off the victory from the jaws of defeat on an otherwise expected win at home.  No, the real story was just how well the Mavs played with Dirk Nowitzki on the court.  The numbers would suggest a different story (3-11 shooting, only one assist, and a plus/minus of -13), but this has to be filed under "intangible impact."  The Mavericks just simply played with a renewed gusto on offense throughout much of the game.  They played more confidently, more crisply, and even quicker than the suffocating Thunder Defense.  Even Nowitzki was pulling off his famous, one-legged jumpers.

Unfortunately, all of that didn't matter once the 4th quarter began, but we watched a glimpse of what it could be for the Mavericks in the near future with their best player coming back from knee surgery.  In the present, nonetheless, Nowitzki showed rust and lack of stamina.  TNT's Steve Kerr marveled at coach Rick Carlisle handling of Nowitzki's minutes, stating that the goal was to limit him to approximately 24 minutes.  Nowitzki played 25 minutes at the end of regulation.  In the overtime period, Carlisle sat out Nowitzki and one would think his night was over.  However, with a minute remaining in the OT, Carlisle, inexplicably, put him back on the court where he clearly did not want to have the ball on offense and in one play on defense, Westbrook put so many moves on Nowitzki that it looked like he would not only break his ankles, but also re-injure Nowitzki's surgically repaired knee.  

Nowitzki, after the game, admitted that his stamina was not up to par, but stated that he thinks he should be playing with very few limitations in about two weeks.  In the meantime, Mavs' fans everywhere, including the impatient Mark Cuban, will just have to patiently wait for Nowitzki to come around again.  

THE NETS FIRE AVERY JOHNSON: Not surprisingly, Johnson was finally relieved of his duties from the Brooklyn Nets, finishing his season at .500.  Not where management wanted their team to end the calendar year after an offseason full of gutsy moves and over-and-uber-hype (despite the hype, I predicted that the Nets were not as good as many people thought).  But aside from the mediocre December, anybody paying attention to this team could have seen the writing on the wall.  

The biggest bomb came when star player, Deron Williams admitted that he was not happy with Johnson's system and waxed nostalgically about his days in Utah--the same Jazz team he basically destroyed when legendary coach, Jerry Sloan resigned from his position after a heated conflict with the guard, and the club then decided to part ways with Williams by trading him to the Nets. But somehow, Williams would like to return to that offensive system.  Weird!

Along with a disgruntled Williams preferring a different offensive system (whether the motion or pick and roll, evidently), the players seemed to have tired of Johnson's act and his behind-the-scenes, ulterior motives (which is ironic because currently they have all of these cameras filming every move from every team member for THE ASSOCIATION).  Johnson was also making a big stink about a contract extension, while the team wanted to take a wait-and-see approach to decide if Johnson would be rewarded with said extension.  Most importantly of all, Johnson was not GM Billy King's guy.  Add to the fact that any NBA fan could see that Johnson was just the wrong man for the job when he was originally hired and it all results into his firing.  

Right away, I thought that Phil Jackson would be the front-runner, but David Aldridge has already squashed that rumor.  Would have been great to see a lot of angry and panic-stricken Lakers' fans.


DWIGHT HOWARD GETS FINED $35,000 FOR FLAGRANT FOUL: As Charles Barkley hilariously mentioned on TNT last night, "that's a lot of money, right there." Poor Dwight Howard--he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.  Earlier this month, Bobcats' forward, Gerald Henderson, put up a dunk on Howard that was so ferocious, that it had Antawn Jamison leaping from his seat on the Lakers' bench. Clearly, Howard was probably--for lack of a better term--warned to not let that happen again.
Everyday, we're finding out more and more that behind all of the goofiness and immaturity is a big kid in a man's body who has a fragile psyche.  As many young players can tell you, playing with Kobe Bryant doesn't really help unstable matters.  Ask Kwame Brown how his experience playing with Bryant went.  Or better yet, ask Andrew Bynum, whom Bryant has been treating like a personal whipping boy since Bynum was first drafted by L.A., urging the Lakers to trade him to another team so the Lakers can get more established talent around him.  That finally came to fruition this past offseason, but the Lakers have yet to reap the rewards of all the moves that brought them said talented, established stars such as Howard and Steve Nash

While Bynum admitted that playing with Bryant can do wonders for a player trying to develop his game in the NBA, Bryant can also obstruct a player's progress.  Not only that, but Bryant has a reputation for being impatient and very demanding of his teammates, which is admirable seeing how that approached worked with Michael Jordan while he was with the Chicago Bulls.  However, when he was playing with the Wizards--well, let's just say, ummmm, well, let's ask Kwame Brown what he thinks about playing with Jordan.  Basically, Bryant can be pain.

So all I'm wondering is, how much is Bryant messing with Howard's head, heretofore.  The flagrant foul that Howard committed on Kenneth Faried wasn't as bad as the one Bynum committed in the 2011 playoffs. However, Howard was out there to make a statement to the rest of the league in case they thought that they can get easy dunks and lay-ups on the supposed best center in the NBA.  While Bryant did not defend Howard after the game, one has to wonder how much did Bryant berate Howard to not let anymore easy baskets in the paint happen ever again.  Knowing how Bryant operates, Howard showed Bryant that he got the message.  

Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Clippers: What was supposed to be, in my view, a matchup of two great point guards, turned out to be an example of the visiting team's arrow going down and the home team's arrow going up--more like "lobbing up" and then being caught in mid-air and slammed down a 10-foot basket.  Neither Rajon Rondo or Chris Paul played an astonishing game in terms of statistics, but Paul got the last laugh notching 11 assists to only 3 turnovers and a +15. Rondo on the other hand posted only 6 assists, commited 4 turnovers and got tagged with a -24. 

As much as Barkley warned that the TNT audience last night that the Clippers would not be efficient when the game slowed down and their defense was still suspect, the Clippers held the Celtics to only 77 points, constricting the Celtics' offense with a rejuvenated defense (even Lamar Odom looked great with 13 rebounds and 4 blocked shots), and were able to score efficiently in transition or on half-court; with their starters or their bench players.  As much as people want to question the Clippers defense, they are ranked #3 in terms of points allowed per game and 2nd in opponents' FG%.  Something else that the Clippers struggled with last season was rebound differential.  Around this time last season, they were on the negative side.  This year, they're ranked 10th in the league in that category with a +1.7. So it's looking very good for Los Angeles--not the Lakers'--Clipper fans at the moment. 

Thursday, December 27, 2012

NBA PICKUP GAME 2012: Point Guards (you don't want on your team)





Felipe M

I conducted a small poll asking the simple question, "Which five NBA players would you not want to have on your pickup team?"  Needless to say, I ended up getting very different answers so I decided to split this into a 5 part series based on NBA positions.  What follows is the list of players followed by the reasoning behind the selection. 

  1. Rajon Rondo--Why Rondo gets so much hate among NBA fans is a perplexity to me.  Obviously, getting into a fight with Kris Humphries earlier this year, probably didn't endear himself to many fans.  In my opinion, Rondo would be great as playground point guard because all he would do is pass you the ball, non-stop!  However, Rondo shows up among many NBA fans' most disliked players all over the Internet. 
    • Why? He does come off pretty weird, as a guy who dances to the rhythm of his own beat--maybe a bit arrogant for many NBA fans. Also, many people think he's overrated because he looks to be too afraid to shoot and score and has yet to develop a long range shot.  I like him, but many fans don't.
  2. Ray Felton--Felton has been one of the more productive point guards since he entered the league with the Bobcats, but a reputation of selfishness and poor dieting has followed him throughout his career. His weight would be magnified as he arrived in Portland, unprepared for a shortened-NBA-lockout-induced-season and out-of-shape, flushing the Blazers' chances to make the playoffs and Felton and his weight were deemed the scapegoats.  
    • This season however, he's been playing like a man on a mission with the New York Knicks, playing admirably for the club and being the main scorer sometimes on a team full of injured players. However, as one pollster explained his reasoning in selecting Felton, "too many donuts in his system. I don't like subbing in the playground, but you know this spare tire would be out of air after only eight minutes of outdoor summer heat." Despite his valiant effort this season, Felton proves that a bad reputation is harder to shed than a few pounds.
  3. Jeremy Lin--The reason why Felton is playing so hard this season is because he's trying to make sure people know that he is a million times better than Lin. Lin is better paid and gets more publicity, but this season, Lin's inconsistent play is making NBA fans screaming out "FLUKE!" As one fan noted, "he took the money and ran...Can we please kill 'Linsanity' once and for all?"  Another fan stated that he's "one of the worst starting point guards in the NBA...the only thing this untalented PG does better is sell jerseys in Taiwan."
    • Both his FG% and 3-point% are down from last year, but he was never a deep-threat to begin with, though the Rockets are asking him to shoot more from beyond the arc. Because of his poor shooting (and playing alongside teammate James Harden) his scoring is down as well, but playing against a Knicks' Defense earlier this month, showed that he can flourish if he is asked to dribble penetrate more often during games.  The fact that his turnovers per game are down either shows smarter decisions by Lin or a decrease in handling the ball for the Rockets. Besides that, Lin provides a decent, all-around game for a player at his position, but in the playground game, if you're not scoring and hitting your shots, you're not getting the ball, period.
  4. Jameer Nelson--The reason I can't stand Nelson is because during the 2004 NBA draft, Nelson was the last player still in attendance who was yet to be picked and he looked devastated. Then Dick Vitale was interviewed during the draft's telecast and pleaded with all NBA teams to select the Senior out of St. Josephs's because he did things the right way and stayed in school and blah, blah, blah!  So by association, I've never really liked Nelson.  However, since Nelson has been the main scoring threat on the Magic this year, he has seen steady increases in production, although his 3-point% is down from last year (not so easy to hit those 3-point shots without teams double-teaming the post, huh?). However, Nelson can be inconsistent as well, scoring 28 points and dropping 10 dimes one night only to score 8 points and 5 assists in the next game. 
    • Nevertheless, I can picture myself being on Nelson's team and experiencing a guy who can dribble his way to the paint with ease, but then inexplicably dish the ball to someone and would give dirty looks each time he thought his teammates were not cutting the right way or not rotating properly. Basically, he would glare at you, as if to blame you for his shortcomings.
  5. Jerryd Bayless--Back when I covered the 2008 NBA Draft, I remember Bayless being described as an explosive guard who can one day give opposing teams trouble with his speed and raw scoring talent.  Unfortunately, Bayless has not met expectations and had one fan saying, "I spent a season watching him play and he consistently made stupid a$$ decisions."
    • Since being drafted in 2008, Bayless has already played for four different teams.  "NBA journeyman" was not part of the scouting report on him.
HONORABLE MENTIONS

Goran Dragic, Steve Nash, and Ty Lawson were inserted by me because even though they are pretty good point guards, the fact of the matter is that I can see them push the ball and running up-and-down the court constantly. In the playground game, that running up-and-down the court and trying to constantly score on transition can be beneficial as the opposing team might not see it coming and lazy, transition defense is the norm in the street game.  But for a guy like me, I'm not very interested in running up-and-down the court for a whole game.  I'll take Rondo and his half-court game any day.  

Read more about the NBA, here.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

NBA 2012-13 Fantasy Preview: THE GOODS

Felipe M

(The following are just quick thoughts about the upcoming NBA season based on fantasy basketball projections.  That is not to say that this is a fantasy basketball preview as I like to discuss the subject matter interchangeably and effortlessly with what's "really" going on in the NBA.  Also worth noting, my opinions are based on fantasy point, head-to-head leagues.  Sorry Roto-fans).


  • Bedrock Players--If you want to have a successful season, the following players are prime players to build your squad around for this upcoming season (and if you're in a keeper league, for seasons to come):
    • The list gets pretty obvious with LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Kevin Love getting top billing, but one player does not make a team (real or fantasy). Rounding out the top 12 is as follows:
      • Josh Smith
      • Deron Williams
      • Rajon Rondo
      • John Wall
      • Russell Westbrook
      • Carmelo Anthony
      • Blake Griffin
    • As mentioned having great support for your superstar player is key in determining whether your team will contend or struggle for this season.  The following players are borderline "franchise" players/2nd bananas on any fantasy team:
      • Kobe Bryant--he's due for a dip in production, but Kobe is still Kobe and determination alone makes him a force to be reckoned with.
      • Pau Gasol--In most leagues, he qualifies at both forward (power) and center and that versatility makes him a coveted player.
      • Jeremy Lin--yes, Linsanity is alive and well in Houston.  You can't deny the great opportunity that has presented itself for the polarizing guard.
      • LaMarcus Aldridge--Same peripherals as Gasol. 
      • Kyrie Irving--If he keeps producing like he's projected to, he is a prime keeper for years to come and is ready to rack up the points this year as well. 
      • Al Jefferson--Despite not being good at any particular thing, he can rack up the stats and makes a great complement player for any fantasy team.
      • Dirk Nowitzki--The Godfather of the perimeter big men, he can still produce in Dallas.
    • Other top players come with questions and issues (both on and off the court):
      • Andrew Bynum--Arguably, the best offensive player at the center position, also comes with lots of baggage and injury concerns.  If he can overcome both issues, he can be a scoring machine. 
      • DeMarcus Cousins--Quickly becoming this generation's version of Rasheed Wallace, if he can control his anger and stop with the bad attitude, his NBA stock can absolutely sky-rocket into galactic proportions.  He's athletic, highly talented, and a machine in the middle. 
      • Dwyane Wade--From fantasy point superstar to descending into 2nd banana status, Wade is quickly aging.  He's a solid pick for this season, but in keeper leagues, you might want to trade him now and save yourself the headache for next season.
      • Stephen Curry and Eric Gordon--Great shooters and scorers, but seem to always be hurt and have reputations of being fragile.
      • Tony Parker and Tim Duncan--Highly talented players, but their team's priority is not for them to pad their stats, but to be ready for the playoffs and that hinders their production.
      • Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis--As former owner of both of these players, they certainly can leave you frustrated, but when they get on fire, they're almost unstoppable.
    • Other players worth mentioning:
      • Ty Lawson and Jeff Teague-- Both quick point guards who can explode around the basket, but higher upside goes to Lawson
      • Marc Gasol--Skill big man like his brother Pau, but not as explosive. 
      • David Lee--Some "experts" think he's due for a drop-off, but somebody needs to get rebounds and points in the paint for Golden State.
      • Rudy Gay--Memphis' best perimeter player.
      • Brook Lopez--According to Shaq O'neal, he's the best big, true center in the NBA... on some days.
      • Paul Millsap, Greg Monroe, and Joakim Noah--Solid big men who are very consistent safe to have on any roster: you know exactly what you're getting from all of these players.
      • Andre Iguodala--Not the franchise player that he was supposed to be, but is playing for the right team in Denver. 
      • Al Horford and Chris Bosh--Highly-skilled players who can leave many owners frustrated because they seem to always be playing out of position, but can rack up the points and rebounds. 
And that is a quick summary of my top 40 players coming into this NBA season.