Courtside View: Previewing the 2013-14 Season
The 2013-14 season is just hours away and the reigning champs are looking to start the season. off with a victory against a newly equipped rivalry, in the Chicago Bulls. Following that game on TNT, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers are showcased. I will tell you who is the most dominant team between these two. In the past, I've always said the western conference is the better conference, but with teams like the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks, all upgrading their odds to win a championship to overthrow the defending champs. The west still have dominant teams, but not like the East. This is probably one of the biggest seasons I've been most excited about in awhile. I'll also tell you why the bottom-feeder teams are going to be looking to make their ways up to the top.
Former number one overall pick, Greg Oden, either has ended up broke, or just couldn't walk away from the game without proving himself. One of the biggest busts in NBA history, Oden has returned to the NBA, ready to make an impact with the Miami Heat. The problem with Oden is that he couldn't never stay healthy. He was always hurt. In fact he signed his big contract with the Portland Trailblazers and then said he was hurt. I can just imagine his thoughts..."I can't play now, but I definitely can cash the checks." As if the Heat needed Help, the core of the team is still in tact. With LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. The Heat will be there at the end, when it is all said and done. If Wade can stay healthy, this team will be more than a handful. Add Ray Allen to the pot and you now have a complete full course dish. However, the Bulls are looking to throw leftovers in that pot. You can't forget about the Bulls...The same team that derailed the Heats 27 game winning streak, and they did it without their prized possession Derrick Rose. Add him to the mix now and this team has a roster, who can outplay anyone in the league. Did I mention they went 8-0 in the pre-season. I know it doesn't count, but it is worth noting.
The Lakers and Clippers play in the same arena. The Staples center has always been home to the five time NBA champ...Kobe Bryant. Things maybe starting to change in favor or the Clippers. This is a team I'm looking forward to seeing. The Clippers are deep and now have a coach who is defensive minded in Doc Rivers. Chris Paul is a great point guard in this league, but Rivers has called out Paul. Letting him know he hasn't done anything in this league. That's one way to push a player to play harder. I can tell you, Rivers has already won that locker room over. If he gets Blake Griffin to commit to playing better defense, no opposing team will be able to score in the low-post. DeAndre Jordan has defense, he just doesn't have offense. He makes nasty looking dunks, he just can't make free throws. Rivers will have to change that, hire a guru or something, but Jordan and Griffin have to be able to make free throws. Who is playing opening night for the Lakers, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol, are the only big names. Kobe Bryant, may be in the building, but he won't be on the court. The 15x all-star is sidelined due to an torn Achilles tendon late last season. It is not known, when he will return. The scale is starting to tilt towards the Clippers side. The team is younger and more talented, while the Lakers are playing, hoping, not to establish injuries along the way.
The eastern conference has gotten better as a whole. The Indiana Pacers are going to welcome their star before their star back in...Danny Granger. Granger missed the majority of the 2012-13 season, due to an patellar injury. Limited to five games last season, Granger is going to miss the first three weeks of this season, due to a calf injury. While he was out, it gave rising star, Paul George, the keys to the team. George is an all-around outstanding player. The former Fresno State product, became an all-star, became the most improved player, and was on the second all-defensive team, thanks to Granger being side-lined. This team isn't worried about missing him. With Roy Hibbert, George Hill, David West and Paul George healthy, this team will be balling-out. They replace Tyler Hannsbrough, with Luis Scola. A more well-rounded player. Scola can score and rebound. That is a great replacement. Other teams such as the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks, have been talking trash all off-season, about being the better team. Who is exactly is better? The Nets acquired aging stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. With a team who already had Deron William, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez. This team already had offensive, but now jus became defensive. If Healthy this team can go a long way. The Knicks added Andrea Bargnani, Metta World Peace, and re-signed J.R. Smith. They drafted Tim Hardaway Jr., to a team who already had Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Iman Shumphert. No one is expecting much from this team, but I beg to differ. They broke the record for most three pointers made last season and I expect that to continue this year. That's what happens when you double team Carmelo Anthony.
Bottom-feeder teams, such as the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Milwaukee Bucks, are making the league more interesting. The Raptors, Cavaliers and Bucks have some big name people. I've seen them in the pre-season and teams won't be able to beat them, just by showing up. These teams are going to be tough to beat. They are more hungrier, than established teams, because they have more to prove. If they can hang with the tough teams in the regular season, they can make a playoff leap. The Raptors in the playoffs, yes. Same can be said about the others. You think the Washing ton Wizards are going to be easy, with John Wall, Bradley Beal, Trevor Ariza, Nene, Marcin Gortat. That is a good team. Notice most of these teams are from the eastern conference, the better conference. The western conference are good, but not great. The Oklahoma Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets will be in the playoffs, but with injuries, aging and first year acquisitions, I'm not sure how far these teams will go. With the Clippers they are established, throw in a coach, who can make the right moves and you now have a contender. Who will throw the Heat off ?. The eastern conference is up for grabs. Everybody got better, but the Heat really didn't. The Bulls, Pacers, Nets, and Knicks all will be throwing blows at them. The question is, will anyone of them be haymakers! This season is going to be exciting!
Showing posts with label Spurs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spurs. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
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.
More NBA content is available here.
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.
More NBA content is available here.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
COURTSIDE VIEW: Straight Sixes
Johnny J
Dice have six sides to it--six faces--with one one shot on landing on six for every time its rolled. The odds of rolling a six are 5:1. You can fail five times while only being successful one time. Now moving to a bigger scale. The Miami Heat were favored to beat the San Antonio Spurs, 5:12. That means if someone was betting on the game, they would have received $5 profit for every $12 wagered. But for a team that was favored to win it, the odds are not that high. Now with the Spurs leading three games to two, the outcome of the series can either end in game six or seven. The Heat have to win two games and the odds of them winning are 3:1 in seven games. The odds of the Spurs ending it in game six is 6:1 or 13:2 in seven. The odds are higher because they're not favored. Now for LeBron James to win Finals MVP is 4:9, while Tony Parker's odds are 9:2. But for a role player such as Danny Green on winning are a whopping 30:1. Right now he is the MVP. "Straight Sixes" is the discussion of the Heat's big three vs the Spurs' old three. A look at game six and LeBron James changing his number to six.
The Miami Heat are on the verge of being defeated in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. James recorded a triple-double in a loss in game one and has been showing flashes of what an MVP should look like by simply looking more for his shots. Triple-doubles are astonishing in an NBA Finals, but it don't mean squat in a loss. Chris Bosh is more of a role player than a star. He puts mediocre stats up, but the biggest surprise to me is Dwyane Wade finding, looking, and driving to find his stats. Wade is doing what he has to do in order to take the pressure off of the King. In game five, he had 25 points and 10 assists. I just now remembered his name is "Flash." Thanks for finally reminding me, D-Wade. While Wade did what he had to, Parker did what he needed to, scoring 26 points. He is the leader of the team. He knew the Spurs can't be down in the series going back to South Beach. He made Mario Chalmers look like a little kid who couldn't defend. Tim Duncan is amazing at his age. Still a very dangerous low-post threat, posting a double-double in Game Five and has been throughout the series. Manu Ginobili finally found his game in the starting lineup. Welcome to the party; better late than never! It was a great move by Gregg Popovich. It's what needed to be done to get his game going.
Looking ahead to Game Six, I expect the Miami Heat to win. The series has gone win, lose, win, lose for both teams. Home court advantage doesn't seem to matter. I know the NBA is happy as they're getting the most out of this NBA Finals (So is the TV Networks that pony up large sums of money into these Finals--Ed). If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ginobili will be in the starting lineup again. Put him, Parker, and Duncan around shooters like Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. That is a dangerous inside and out combination. Green went 6 for 10 behind the arc in Game Five. I felt like everything he threw at the rim was going in. This kid from the University of North Carolina, (Yeah Tar Heels!) has really made a name for himself. No more dancing in the Cleveland Cavaliers circles to entertain James. On the other side, I look for James to be more aggressive in the open-court. It's win or go home! I don't expect him to do much passing. I also expect Wade to also be aggressive. He looked good the last two games. I can finally stop saying, "There was a D-Wade sighting on the floor." Besides it's kind of late to make changes in a do or die game. The Spurs experimented with Ginobili and it payed off.
I bet when James and company were dancing on stage in their introduction to the Heat fans a couple of years ago, they probably thought that getting a ring wouldn't be this hard. Now on the verge of dancing back to the couch, I look at the man who changed his jersey number to build his own legacy. James gave up the number 23, for his Olympic jersey number six. He has accomplished a lot, including winning a gold medal. He has only one ring though, which doesn't scream "better than Michael Jordan." So with him changing his number, he showed to Jordan what he thinks about him and all the talk had died down on the comparison. Currently, James does have a lot of individual trophies, but he lacks the most important ones--Championships. Changing your number is fine (Kobe Bryant has went from wearing 8 to 24, but he has five rings!). So it's safe to say he had built his legacy around being a champion and LeBron has built his around being the best player in the game. Jordan changed his number from 23 to 45. Oh wait, he has six rings! How many rings does James have? One. Kobe and Jordan earned the right to change their number. Just like Jordan said, "I'll take Kobe Bryant over Lebron James with the first pick."
Landing on six: Gambling always has the number six involved. The lottery consists of six numbers for at least three of the big games. Straight Sixes: the old big three versus the Heat's big three. It's looking forward to Game Six and the legacy James has built wearing number six. I'm looking forward to see how James is going to come out. Is he going to look to get the Finals MVP with another triple-double, or going to consider winning it all is more important and that he has to take over? The Heat are better with the floor being spread out, meaning Mike Miller and Ray Allen in at the same time. The Spurs are going to continue to put up points with their "we can't miss mentality." The Spurs are thinking of winning their 5th championship in Game 6 and cementing their own legacy as well. Game 6 can't arrive fast enough!
More NBA content is available here.
Dice have six sides to it--six faces--with one one shot on landing on six for every time its rolled. The odds of rolling a six are 5:1. You can fail five times while only being successful one time. Now moving to a bigger scale. The Miami Heat were favored to beat the San Antonio Spurs, 5:12. That means if someone was betting on the game, they would have received $5 profit for every $12 wagered. But for a team that was favored to win it, the odds are not that high. Now with the Spurs leading three games to two, the outcome of the series can either end in game six or seven. The Heat have to win two games and the odds of them winning are 3:1 in seven games. The odds of the Spurs ending it in game six is 6:1 or 13:2 in seven. The odds are higher because they're not favored. Now for LeBron James to win Finals MVP is 4:9, while Tony Parker's odds are 9:2. But for a role player such as Danny Green on winning are a whopping 30:1. Right now he is the MVP. "Straight Sixes" is the discussion of the Heat's big three vs the Spurs' old three. A look at game six and LeBron James changing his number to six.
The Miami Heat are on the verge of being defeated in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. James recorded a triple-double in a loss in game one and has been showing flashes of what an MVP should look like by simply looking more for his shots. Triple-doubles are astonishing in an NBA Finals, but it don't mean squat in a loss. Chris Bosh is more of a role player than a star. He puts mediocre stats up, but the biggest surprise to me is Dwyane Wade finding, looking, and driving to find his stats. Wade is doing what he has to do in order to take the pressure off of the King. In game five, he had 25 points and 10 assists. I just now remembered his name is "Flash." Thanks for finally reminding me, D-Wade. While Wade did what he had to, Parker did what he needed to, scoring 26 points. He is the leader of the team. He knew the Spurs can't be down in the series going back to South Beach. He made Mario Chalmers look like a little kid who couldn't defend. Tim Duncan is amazing at his age. Still a very dangerous low-post threat, posting a double-double in Game Five and has been throughout the series. Manu Ginobili finally found his game in the starting lineup. Welcome to the party; better late than never! It was a great move by Gregg Popovich. It's what needed to be done to get his game going.
Looking ahead to Game Six, I expect the Miami Heat to win. The series has gone win, lose, win, lose for both teams. Home court advantage doesn't seem to matter. I know the NBA is happy as they're getting the most out of this NBA Finals (So is the TV Networks that pony up large sums of money into these Finals--Ed). If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ginobili will be in the starting lineup again. Put him, Parker, and Duncan around shooters like Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. That is a dangerous inside and out combination. Green went 6 for 10 behind the arc in Game Five. I felt like everything he threw at the rim was going in. This kid from the University of North Carolina, (Yeah Tar Heels!) has really made a name for himself. No more dancing in the Cleveland Cavaliers circles to entertain James. On the other side, I look for James to be more aggressive in the open-court. It's win or go home! I don't expect him to do much passing. I also expect Wade to also be aggressive. He looked good the last two games. I can finally stop saying, "There was a D-Wade sighting on the floor." Besides it's kind of late to make changes in a do or die game. The Spurs experimented with Ginobili and it payed off.
I bet when James and company were dancing on stage in their introduction to the Heat fans a couple of years ago, they probably thought that getting a ring wouldn't be this hard. Now on the verge of dancing back to the couch, I look at the man who changed his jersey number to build his own legacy. James gave up the number 23, for his Olympic jersey number six. He has accomplished a lot, including winning a gold medal. He has only one ring though, which doesn't scream "better than Michael Jordan." So with him changing his number, he showed to Jordan what he thinks about him and all the talk had died down on the comparison. Currently, James does have a lot of individual trophies, but he lacks the most important ones--Championships. Changing your number is fine (Kobe Bryant has went from wearing 8 to 24, but he has five rings!). So it's safe to say he had built his legacy around being a champion and LeBron has built his around being the best player in the game. Jordan changed his number from 23 to 45. Oh wait, he has six rings! How many rings does James have? One. Kobe and Jordan earned the right to change their number. Just like Jordan said, "I'll take Kobe Bryant over Lebron James with the first pick."
Landing on six: Gambling always has the number six involved. The lottery consists of six numbers for at least three of the big games. Straight Sixes: the old big three versus the Heat's big three. It's looking forward to Game Six and the legacy James has built wearing number six. I'm looking forward to see how James is going to come out. Is he going to look to get the Finals MVP with another triple-double, or going to consider winning it all is more important and that he has to take over? The Heat are better with the floor being spread out, meaning Mike Miller and Ray Allen in at the same time. The Spurs are going to continue to put up points with their "we can't miss mentality." The Spurs are thinking of winning their 5th championship in Game 6 and cementing their own legacy as well. Game 6 can't arrive fast enough!
More NBA content is available here.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
COURTSIDE VIEW: Breaded Rolls and Flat Pop
Johnny J
The pick and roll and the pick in pop, has been around since I can remember. They are one of the most uncomplicated types of offenses to run and one the most difficult to defend. But for a team that has been titled old and rugged, running this type of offense has made the San Antonio Spurs playing great team basketball. Each and every year under Gregg Popovich, the Spurs have been one of the top teams in the Western Conference. He has four championships since 1999 using the same techniques and he has found players to fill the void, to go with his offense. The pick and roll and pick and pop are ran to perfection by the Spurs because they have good players who run it in Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. When you have players who have been repeating the same songs over and over for a decade, the song must be a hit. Not to mention DJ Pop on the turntables. This song just turned from a hit to a classic.
When Duncan sets a screen or pick for Parker, the 14x All-Star can quickly roll to the hoop, anticipating a pass from Parker for an easy dunk or lay-up. That's called "pick and roll." If the roll is guarded, Duncan can shoot the rock after getting the ball from Parker off the screen. That's called a "pick and pop." The same goes for Parker. If the screen setter is guarded, he can roll to the basket or come off the screen and shoot it. It's the customer's choice; you can either take the bread roll or a flat pop. It's flat because they do it so much that it's getting old. But it works! If a second defender has to help and guard against it, then that person leaves a wide-open shooter, because the floor is always spread out when ran. If you look at Spurs' guard Danny Green in game 2 against the Heat. He was 6-6 from the field, a ridiculous 5-5 from behind the arc (you dare to leave a player from North Carolina open, Miami?). You just get torched from a player that was just standing around.
Think of a young Steve Nash and a much younger Amar'e Stoudemire, who also ran the pick and rolls when the Phoenix Suns were a playoff team. Teams have to have a good point guard to run it and a good center or power forward, who can shoot and finish. The Spurs have that, but Tony Parker isn't just a good point guard, he is a great point guard! So I call guards like him "Generals." The floor Generals are the ones who give orders. They can have the chef serve the dish down your throat or if you your food is rare, they can do it themselves. They have great fundamentals and basketball skills. Good awareness that helps guide the rock to its unnatural home. Its simple, the rock isn't suppose to know who's hands its going to land on, but the General does. He gave the order. Now who would you rather serve you: the chef or the waiter?
Every once in awhile, people call off work. When this happens, the restaurant is short-handed or in total disarray. In Game 2 of the Finals, this is what happened. Everybody who was on the schedule, had a bad night. Serving the same food, the Spurs committed 17 turnovers. It wasn't just the waiter, but everyone on staff. Parker had a bad shooting and serving night. It actually looked like the Spurs played better when he was not on the floor. Duncan had a bad night, too and so did forward Kawhi Leonard. It looked like they both wanted to call in sick. Although Leonard did go in to pick up his check by playing great defense on LeBron James. James was 7-17 from the field. After Leonard picked up his check, he returned an hour later not wanting to do the work for the check. You have to play both sides of the ball. If Parker and Duncan have a bad night, someone has to pick up their customers' orders.
I already knew this was going to be a long series. As much as I wanted a sweep and my wallet wanted it to be a sweep, I knew it wasn't going to be one. In the end, I still have the Spurs coming out on top. You think just because the Heat did a good job defending the pick and roll in one night, that the Spurs are going to stop from moving forward? Not at all! It's just going to make them work harder at smoothing it out. The next three games are at the Alamo. For a team that has only lost one game at home in the playoffs and six in the regular season, it's going to be tough for any opposing team to disrupt the Spurs' flow at home. The concession stands are going to be packed. I heard all their going to be serving is breaded rolls and flat pop. Enjoy!
More NBA content is available.
The pick and roll and the pick in pop, has been around since I can remember. They are one of the most uncomplicated types of offenses to run and one the most difficult to defend. But for a team that has been titled old and rugged, running this type of offense has made the San Antonio Spurs playing great team basketball. Each and every year under Gregg Popovich, the Spurs have been one of the top teams in the Western Conference. He has four championships since 1999 using the same techniques and he has found players to fill the void, to go with his offense. The pick and roll and pick and pop are ran to perfection by the Spurs because they have good players who run it in Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. When you have players who have been repeating the same songs over and over for a decade, the song must be a hit. Not to mention DJ Pop on the turntables. This song just turned from a hit to a classic.
When Duncan sets a screen or pick for Parker, the 14x All-Star can quickly roll to the hoop, anticipating a pass from Parker for an easy dunk or lay-up. That's called "pick and roll." If the roll is guarded, Duncan can shoot the rock after getting the ball from Parker off the screen. That's called a "pick and pop." The same goes for Parker. If the screen setter is guarded, he can roll to the basket or come off the screen and shoot it. It's the customer's choice; you can either take the bread roll or a flat pop. It's flat because they do it so much that it's getting old. But it works! If a second defender has to help and guard against it, then that person leaves a wide-open shooter, because the floor is always spread out when ran. If you look at Spurs' guard Danny Green in game 2 against the Heat. He was 6-6 from the field, a ridiculous 5-5 from behind the arc (you dare to leave a player from North Carolina open, Miami?). You just get torched from a player that was just standing around.
Think of a young Steve Nash and a much younger Amar'e Stoudemire, who also ran the pick and rolls when the Phoenix Suns were a playoff team. Teams have to have a good point guard to run it and a good center or power forward, who can shoot and finish. The Spurs have that, but Tony Parker isn't just a good point guard, he is a great point guard! So I call guards like him "Generals." The floor Generals are the ones who give orders. They can have the chef serve the dish down your throat or if you your food is rare, they can do it themselves. They have great fundamentals and basketball skills. Good awareness that helps guide the rock to its unnatural home. Its simple, the rock isn't suppose to know who's hands its going to land on, but the General does. He gave the order. Now who would you rather serve you: the chef or the waiter?
Every once in awhile, people call off work. When this happens, the restaurant is short-handed or in total disarray. In Game 2 of the Finals, this is what happened. Everybody who was on the schedule, had a bad night. Serving the same food, the Spurs committed 17 turnovers. It wasn't just the waiter, but everyone on staff. Parker had a bad shooting and serving night. It actually looked like the Spurs played better when he was not on the floor. Duncan had a bad night, too and so did forward Kawhi Leonard. It looked like they both wanted to call in sick. Although Leonard did go in to pick up his check by playing great defense on LeBron James. James was 7-17 from the field. After Leonard picked up his check, he returned an hour later not wanting to do the work for the check. You have to play both sides of the ball. If Parker and Duncan have a bad night, someone has to pick up their customers' orders.
I already knew this was going to be a long series. As much as I wanted a sweep and my wallet wanted it to be a sweep, I knew it wasn't going to be one. In the end, I still have the Spurs coming out on top. You think just because the Heat did a good job defending the pick and roll in one night, that the Spurs are going to stop from moving forward? Not at all! It's just going to make them work harder at smoothing it out. The next three games are at the Alamo. For a team that has only lost one game at home in the playoffs and six in the regular season, it's going to be tough for any opposing team to disrupt the Spurs' flow at home. The concession stands are going to be packed. I heard all their going to be serving is breaded rolls and flat pop. Enjoy!
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Wednesday, June 5, 2013
COURTSIDE VIEW: "Revenge is the Sweetest Joy"
Johnny J
2Pac once said, "Revenge is the sweetest Joy" (90% of our readers should know the rest of that line--Ed). To LeBron James, the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers were suppose to win it all. Instead, those dreams were swept in a dust pan and thrown away by the San Antonio Spurs. Six years later, with a stacked resume, LeBron looks to have the last laugh. Since that defeat, LeBron has won an NBA championship, won Finals MVP, has reached the Finals, three consecutive years, won an NBA scoring title and has two gold medals in the Olympics. Oh, did I mention that he is considered the best player on the planet right now?
This year's best scorer in the NBA, Carmelo Anthony, still hasn't learned that it takes more than one player to win a championship. Now at 28, a mature and focused James is up to the challenge of facing the same team who crushed his chance of winning his first ring.
James also has two other All-Stars on his team in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Yes, Bosh is soft, but he still was an All-Star. LeBron needed help from other superstars to eventually win a ring last year against the Oklahoma City Thunder. An Avengers team was created and the Miami Heat have been too hot to extinguish. When the Heat lose, everyone panics--everyone but the Heat. They continue to play their game. My first thought on Game 7 between the Heat and the underdog Indiana Pacers was that LeBron is going to take over. I mean he has to because his team is not showing up. Instead in the first quarter, he passed on a few shots. He had 6 points at the end of the first quarter (on pace for 24 points--that's not too shabby!--Ed) and they were only down by two. He let the game come to him. At halftime he had 18 points (36 points' pace?--Ed) and he finished with 32 points. He scored when he needed to. There was even a Dwyane Wade sighting as he scored 21 points to help LeBron and company advance to the Finals.
But if their is a team, who I believe can put the flames out, it is the Spurs. Over the first three rounds, they showed me that old men can play (besides Uncle Drew that is). They swept the Los Angeles Lakers, beat the young and talented backcourt of the Golden State Warriors, and swept the Memphis Grizzlies with the same broom they used on the Lakers. That's what opened my eyes, and then I closed them because dirt got in my eyes from the sweep. Oh wait, that was just the thought of me losing $40 bucks for thinking old men can't jump. The Spurs are not a physical team, but they can get up and down the court with the best of them. Even though they have three aging stars, they would have a total of nine days of rest before Thursday's Game 1 match-up.
(Not to be confused with the Louisville Cardinals' Second Wind. Click here, if you want to read my entry on the Cardinals' march to the NCAA Championship).
During the regular season, the Heat and Spurs played chess with each other. Both teams sent messages to one another by not playing their "Big Three" on the road during their regular season match-ups. The Spurs were fined a quarter of a million dollars for resting their big players against the Heat. Even though they lost, they only lost by five in Miami. That told me that they would still be a great team even without their stars. The Heat countered the Spurs by resting James and Wade in the Alamo (Bosh played so they wouldn't get fined, in my opinion). Amazingly, the Heat won by two on a Bosh three-pointer. I don't know if they knew they would see each other in the Finals, but they didn't want to give away any scripts. Now is the time to see if that fine was worth it. No scripts given out here!
(Unless you believe in NBA conspiracies--Ed).
I believe this is the last year for the big three in Miami. Between Bosh being soft and Wade's bum knee, they're getting weaker. Plus, with the Cavaliers getting yet another #1 overall pick, going back to Cleveland looks more appetizing for LeBron (irony much?--Ed). Is Pat Riley going to have to choke a player to get them to do what he wants them to do? The Spurs have been through this for over a decade. They know what's at stake. A dynasty is getting ready to take the floor. I'll put my dustpan away for this series. It's definitely going to be long. James is going to be looking at making his list of accomplishments even longer and all that work he has put into making a name for himself. This is the time to use the talents that took him to South Beach. This is the time to silence all of the critics and haters. This is the time for James to once again feel the sweet joy of revenge.
More NBA content is available.
2Pac once said, "Revenge is the sweetest Joy" (90% of our readers should know the rest of that line--Ed). To LeBron James, the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers were suppose to win it all. Instead, those dreams were swept in a dust pan and thrown away by the San Antonio Spurs. Six years later, with a stacked resume, LeBron looks to have the last laugh. Since that defeat, LeBron has won an NBA championship, won Finals MVP, has reached the Finals, three consecutive years, won an NBA scoring title and has two gold medals in the Olympics. Oh, did I mention that he is considered the best player on the planet right now?
This year's best scorer in the NBA, Carmelo Anthony, still hasn't learned that it takes more than one player to win a championship. Now at 28, a mature and focused James is up to the challenge of facing the same team who crushed his chance of winning his first ring.
James also has two other All-Stars on his team in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Yes, Bosh is soft, but he still was an All-Star. LeBron needed help from other superstars to eventually win a ring last year against the Oklahoma City Thunder. An Avengers team was created and the Miami Heat have been too hot to extinguish. When the Heat lose, everyone panics--everyone but the Heat. They continue to play their game. My first thought on Game 7 between the Heat and the underdog Indiana Pacers was that LeBron is going to take over. I mean he has to because his team is not showing up. Instead in the first quarter, he passed on a few shots. He had 6 points at the end of the first quarter (on pace for 24 points--that's not too shabby!--Ed) and they were only down by two. He let the game come to him. At halftime he had 18 points (36 points' pace?--Ed) and he finished with 32 points. He scored when he needed to. There was even a Dwyane Wade sighting as he scored 21 points to help LeBron and company advance to the Finals.
But if their is a team, who I believe can put the flames out, it is the Spurs. Over the first three rounds, they showed me that old men can play (besides Uncle Drew that is). They swept the Los Angeles Lakers, beat the young and talented backcourt of the Golden State Warriors, and swept the Memphis Grizzlies with the same broom they used on the Lakers. That's what opened my eyes, and then I closed them because dirt got in my eyes from the sweep. Oh wait, that was just the thought of me losing $40 bucks for thinking old men can't jump. The Spurs are not a physical team, but they can get up and down the court with the best of them. Even though they have three aging stars, they would have a total of nine days of rest before Thursday's Game 1 match-up.
(Not to be confused with the Louisville Cardinals' Second Wind. Click here, if you want to read my entry on the Cardinals' march to the NCAA Championship).
During the regular season, the Heat and Spurs played chess with each other. Both teams sent messages to one another by not playing their "Big Three" on the road during their regular season match-ups. The Spurs were fined a quarter of a million dollars for resting their big players against the Heat. Even though they lost, they only lost by five in Miami. That told me that they would still be a great team even without their stars. The Heat countered the Spurs by resting James and Wade in the Alamo (Bosh played so they wouldn't get fined, in my opinion). Amazingly, the Heat won by two on a Bosh three-pointer. I don't know if they knew they would see each other in the Finals, but they didn't want to give away any scripts. Now is the time to see if that fine was worth it. No scripts given out here!
(Unless you believe in NBA conspiracies--Ed).
I believe this is the last year for the big three in Miami. Between Bosh being soft and Wade's bum knee, they're getting weaker. Plus, with the Cavaliers getting yet another #1 overall pick, going back to Cleveland looks more appetizing for LeBron (irony much?--Ed). Is Pat Riley going to have to choke a player to get them to do what he wants them to do? The Spurs have been through this for over a decade. They know what's at stake. A dynasty is getting ready to take the floor. I'll put my dustpan away for this series. It's definitely going to be long. James is going to be looking at making his list of accomplishments even longer and all that work he has put into making a name for himself. This is the time to use the talents that took him to South Beach. This is the time to silence all of the critics and haters. This is the time for James to once again feel the sweet joy of revenge.
More NBA content is available.
Friday, May 31, 2013
COURTSIDE VIEW: Shiny Spurs on Old Dusty Boots
Johnny J
The San Antonio Spurs have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007. The Spurs did something I didn't think they could accomplish: they swept the Memphis Grizzlies (So much for that pick--Ed) to reach their fifth championship game in 15 years. I mean they picked up the broom and beat the heck out of them until they turned around and ran.
Side note, I'm out $40 for betting against the Spurs. I guess, I shouldn't bet against Father Time because this is the best I've seen Tony Parker and the aging Tim Duncan. If Chronos, (Greek God of Time) is right, then the Spurs should win the whole thing. The last four times the Spurs have reached the Finals, they've won it. It seems like the more people talk about the aging of the Spurs and what they're not going to do in the playoffs, they prove everyone wrong.
The core of the Spurs consist of four people, yes four. Tim Duncan, (37 years) Manu Ginobili,(35 years) Tony Parker, (31 years) and the coach Gregg Popovich. I have to give Coach Pop credit, he is one of the best coaches in the NBA winning four championships in his era. He is like what DJ Jazzy Jeff was to the Fresh Prince, "He is the DJ, I'm the rapper." They all work together. When the big four came together in 1997, it was the beginning of a dynasty. They have won 70 percent of their games with Duncan in the line-up and have won 50 games or better with him since they drafted him. Now at the end of their careers, they still playing at a high level.
"Shiny Spurs on Old Dusty Boots."
Duncan, averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds against Memphis. He looked unstoppable at time dominating inside and outside. Duncan just divorced his wife and he doesn't even seem phased by it. The man with no emotions is still playing like nothing happened. Ginobili averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The former Sixth Man of the Year recipient (2008) hasn't lost his first step as he continues to drive, get foul and produce. An older version of James Harden (both left-handed too!). Apparently "Southpaws" can play. The relentless Parker averaged 24 points and 9 assists in the series. He had 37 points in game four. Alliyah, said it best, "Age ain't nothing but a number." The Spurs are definitely not playing like they belong in a senior citizens' home.
So with an aging core, what does Pop do to help balance the team? He puts playmakers all over the sandy floor for cheap. Kawhi Leonard, a good wing player, can shoot the three and defend the perimeter. Salary is $1.8 million. Danny Green, (Yeah, North Carolina!) a good role player, helps spread the floor, with good three-point shooting. Salary is $3.5 million. Matt Bonner, a big man, who can also spread the floor with his ridiculous 46 percent three-point shooting. Salary is $3.6 million. Tiago Splitter, is a descent big man, who plays very well around the rim, good-shooter and rebounder (and as we explained before, Splitter and Duncan give the Spurs their best defensive alignment--Ed), and can give solid minutes on the floor to give a breather to Tim Duncan. He made $3.9 million this season. Unbelievable, economically sound role players. They fill holes with minimum costs!
The Spurs are looking to add another championship banner in their arena. Thanks to their play on both ends of the court, they are silencing their critics and my $40 bucks are long gone as the aging core is still performing. They freakin' swept the Grizzlies! "The Big Bad Bears of the South" were made to look like little kids. Their looking to go 5 for 5 in the NBA Finals since 1999. Chronos says they will. As long as Parker keeps playing like he drank from the fountain of youth, the Spurs are going to be hard to beat. Ginobili is going to do his thing and Duncan is going to continue to not have any emotions. "My wife left me. Oh well, game on! DJ Pop please repeat the last song while I do my two-step. Role players, play your game and show you're worth more than your current wage."
These shiny Spurs on these old dusty boots were made for walking and they're ready to walk all over the Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers.
More NBA content is available.
The San Antonio Spurs have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007. The Spurs did something I didn't think they could accomplish: they swept the Memphis Grizzlies (So much for that pick--Ed) to reach their fifth championship game in 15 years. I mean they picked up the broom and beat the heck out of them until they turned around and ran.
Side note, I'm out $40 for betting against the Spurs. I guess, I shouldn't bet against Father Time because this is the best I've seen Tony Parker and the aging Tim Duncan. If Chronos, (Greek God of Time) is right, then the Spurs should win the whole thing. The last four times the Spurs have reached the Finals, they've won it. It seems like the more people talk about the aging of the Spurs and what they're not going to do in the playoffs, they prove everyone wrong.
The core of the Spurs consist of four people, yes four. Tim Duncan, (37 years) Manu Ginobili,(35 years) Tony Parker, (31 years) and the coach Gregg Popovich. I have to give Coach Pop credit, he is one of the best coaches in the NBA winning four championships in his era. He is like what DJ Jazzy Jeff was to the Fresh Prince, "He is the DJ, I'm the rapper." They all work together. When the big four came together in 1997, it was the beginning of a dynasty. They have won 70 percent of their games with Duncan in the line-up and have won 50 games or better with him since they drafted him. Now at the end of their careers, they still playing at a high level.
"Shiny Spurs on Old Dusty Boots."
Duncan, averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds against Memphis. He looked unstoppable at time dominating inside and outside. Duncan just divorced his wife and he doesn't even seem phased by it. The man with no emotions is still playing like nothing happened. Ginobili averaged 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The former Sixth Man of the Year recipient (2008) hasn't lost his first step as he continues to drive, get foul and produce. An older version of James Harden (both left-handed too!). Apparently "Southpaws" can play. The relentless Parker averaged 24 points and 9 assists in the series. He had 37 points in game four. Alliyah, said it best, "Age ain't nothing but a number." The Spurs are definitely not playing like they belong in a senior citizens' home.
So with an aging core, what does Pop do to help balance the team? He puts playmakers all over the sandy floor for cheap. Kawhi Leonard, a good wing player, can shoot the three and defend the perimeter. Salary is $1.8 million. Danny Green, (Yeah, North Carolina!) a good role player, helps spread the floor, with good three-point shooting. Salary is $3.5 million. Matt Bonner, a big man, who can also spread the floor with his ridiculous 46 percent three-point shooting. Salary is $3.6 million. Tiago Splitter, is a descent big man, who plays very well around the rim, good-shooter and rebounder (and as we explained before, Splitter and Duncan give the Spurs their best defensive alignment--Ed), and can give solid minutes on the floor to give a breather to Tim Duncan. He made $3.9 million this season. Unbelievable, economically sound role players. They fill holes with minimum costs!
The Spurs are looking to add another championship banner in their arena. Thanks to their play on both ends of the court, they are silencing their critics and my $40 bucks are long gone as the aging core is still performing. They freakin' swept the Grizzlies! "The Big Bad Bears of the South" were made to look like little kids. Their looking to go 5 for 5 in the NBA Finals since 1999. Chronos says they will. As long as Parker keeps playing like he drank from the fountain of youth, the Spurs are going to be hard to beat. Ginobili is going to do his thing and Duncan is going to continue to not have any emotions. "My wife left me. Oh well, game on! DJ Pop please repeat the last song while I do my two-step. Role players, play your game and show you're worth more than your current wage."
These shiny Spurs on these old dusty boots were made for walking and they're ready to walk all over the Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers.
More NBA content is available.
Monday, April 22, 2013
THE WESTERN CONFERENCE: Enough Said!
Johnny J
The Western Conference dominance over the Eastern Conference, has been around for some time now. Its not that the west plays a different type of basketball, but its more of a team effort. Compared to the East, teams like the New York Knicks and Miami Heat focus on a superstar. If you took away the superstar from each team, would they still be Conference title contenders, let alone NBA Title contenders? Out west, teams like Memphis, Golden State and Denver would still find away to win games minus their leading sorer. Truth be told, the West may have more superstars than the East as the latter has won the last three All-Star games. They also won five out of the last eight NBA Finals. That's what I call Conference dominance!
The East is full of depleted stars this season, due to injuries: Derrick Rose, Danny Granger, Rajon Rondo and Amar'e Stoudemire have all missed a significant amount of games this year because of injury. Who has the best chance of reaching the finals? Obviously its easier to win in the East because of teams missing their stars. So for a team like the Knicks, now is the time to turn that frown upside-down. This could be their year. The only team in their way--the Miami Heat. The Knicks have beaten them three times this season; once without Carmelo Anthony. Now just make it stick in the playoffs. I see only two teams being able to make the Finals in the East: New York and Miami.
If you look at the eight teams in the playoffs for the West, I would say six of them can make the finals. The only two who I believe won't are the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors.
Matter of fact, if you take the eight seed Rockets and put them in the East, they would be a five seed. If you take the fifth seed Grizzlies and put the in the east, they would be a two seed. So is the West harder than the East? Yes! It's because they don't rely on one person; they rely on the team. Six of the the top teams who lead the league in assists are out West. Carmelo Anthony's team ranked 30th in assists. Big difference between ball sharing and ball hogging. It just seems to work for the Knicks. The West also plays at a faster tempo. Its more of a full-court, fast-break style of play. It's all about possession efficiency and pace. Matter of fact, there is a formula that measures team pace: Team Possessions + Opponent Possessions / 2 X [Team Minutes Played / 5]
Basically, the more possessions you have, the more points a team can put up. The Rockets lead the league with 98.6, followed by the Nuggets with 97.8. Then you have the Warriors, Lakers, and Spurs in the order of four, five, and six. That's how the West dominates. Its simple mathematics. The West plays at a faster pace, while the East is mostly half-court play. Whoever comes out the East will still have to worry about slowing down their Western opponent. It's that simple! Easier said than done.
More NBA content is available here.
The Western Conference dominance over the Eastern Conference, has been around for some time now. Its not that the west plays a different type of basketball, but its more of a team effort. Compared to the East, teams like the New York Knicks and Miami Heat focus on a superstar. If you took away the superstar from each team, would they still be Conference title contenders, let alone NBA Title contenders? Out west, teams like Memphis, Golden State and Denver would still find away to win games minus their leading sorer. Truth be told, the West may have more superstars than the East as the latter has won the last three All-Star games. They also won five out of the last eight NBA Finals. That's what I call Conference dominance!
The East is full of depleted stars this season, due to injuries: Derrick Rose, Danny Granger, Rajon Rondo and Amar'e Stoudemire have all missed a significant amount of games this year because of injury. Who has the best chance of reaching the finals? Obviously its easier to win in the East because of teams missing their stars. So for a team like the Knicks, now is the time to turn that frown upside-down. This could be their year. The only team in their way--the Miami Heat. The Knicks have beaten them three times this season; once without Carmelo Anthony. Now just make it stick in the playoffs. I see only two teams being able to make the Finals in the East: New York and Miami.
If you look at the eight teams in the playoffs for the West, I would say six of them can make the finals. The only two who I believe won't are the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors.
- Houston, we have a problem: James Harden has to go back to OKC and show them why he should have gotten paid. Who's worth more to a team: Harden or Russell Westbrook? (Russell Westbrook--Ed). My answer is Harden. He led the league in free throw attempts with 792. Kevin Durant attempted 750. Imagine having them on the same team. Oh wait , that happened! Now Harden has to take his one man band into Chesapeake Arena, where the Thunder have only lost seven games all year.
- "Warriors come out and play": This isn't the 1979 classic, but more of the 21st century video game. All I can say is this is going to be a series that doesn't believe in defense. These teams can definitely put up points. Denver lead the league with 106.1 PPG and Golden State came in seventh with 101.2 PPG. Stephen Curry vs Ty Lawson: a 2013 classic!
Matter of fact, if you take the eight seed Rockets and put them in the East, they would be a five seed. If you take the fifth seed Grizzlies and put the in the east, they would be a two seed. So is the West harder than the East? Yes! It's because they don't rely on one person; they rely on the team. Six of the the top teams who lead the league in assists are out West. Carmelo Anthony's team ranked 30th in assists. Big difference between ball sharing and ball hogging. It just seems to work for the Knicks. The West also plays at a faster tempo. Its more of a full-court, fast-break style of play. It's all about possession efficiency and pace. Matter of fact, there is a formula that measures team pace: Team Possessions + Opponent Possessions / 2 X [Team Minutes Played / 5]
Basically, the more possessions you have, the more points a team can put up. The Rockets lead the league with 98.6, followed by the Nuggets with 97.8. Then you have the Warriors, Lakers, and Spurs in the order of four, five, and six. That's how the West dominates. Its simple mathematics. The West plays at a faster pace, while the East is mostly half-court play. Whoever comes out the East will still have to worry about slowing down their Western opponent. It's that simple! Easier said than done.
More NBA content is available here.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
NBA LESSONS: v2.3
ICYMI... TOGETHER is BIG! Check out our latest #BIG spot, starring @justryod3 & Monta Ellis of the @bucks! #Milwaukee youtu.be/_HaBya2k2vcDan P
— NBA (@NBA) February 24, 2013
- TWO’S A COMPANY, THREE’S A—WHOOPS, WRONG TV SHOW: What to do with Milwaukee’s now overcrowded backcourt.
The Milwaukee Bucks, to their credit were
the talk of the NBA trade deadline
and not only were they the closest to landing veteran
forward Josh Smith, but they did
pull off a trade for
coveted guard J.J. Redick.
Much to my chagrin, they accomplished this without giving up a draft pick and also
stole little-known center, Gustavo Ayon:
a player who has excelled in small minutes with the New Orleans Hornets and Orlando
Magic, previously. The addition of Redick will bring reliable 3-point
shooting and, surprisingly, some size at the guard position as the existing
backcourt of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings are both speedy,
yet smaller than Redick.
One cannot even begin to comprehend how much of an improvement Redick is at 3-point shooting than Monta Ellis. The aforementioned, speedy guard is shooting a capricious 22.7% (42 of 185) from downtown and, yes, that’s not a misprint. It doesn’t take a math genius to know that Ellis averages worse than 1 for 4 from 3-point land, in every game this season. No wonder Scott Skiles lost his marbles and wanted out of Milwaukee! Brandon Jennings, who also shoots a meager 40% from the field, like Ellis, at least connects from downtown at a clip of 37% which is slightly above league average. Don’t get me wrong, I find Monta Ellis intriguing but he strikes me as the guy that everyone wants on their team but isn’t sure how he fits into a system that isn’t built solely around him (Tyreke Evans fits that description too).
Here’s the last 5
years of Bucks’ regular season record:
Bucks
Regular Season Records
YEAR
|
W
|
L
|
PCT
|
2012-13
|
26
|
28
|
.481
|
*2011-12
|
31
|
35
|
.470
|
2010-11
|
35
|
47
|
.427
|
2009-10
|
46
|
36
|
.561
|
2008-09
|
34
|
48
|
.415
|
Other than the almost .500 finish
in a shortened-season last year, they have only topped 40 wins once in the last
five years and counting this year’s as well, if their record holds at the same
rate. Somehow, Coach Jim Boylan
will have to balance his three guards to maximize their potential, keep
Redick’s minutes up (he was averaging 30 in Orlando), and find out which two
guards the Bucks’ brass will have to keep for next year. Redick and
Jennings current contracts will end after this year and Monta has one more year
going into 2014. One strategy would be to ultimately decide that Jennings
and Redick are the future and make a more balanced combination than any of the
two with Ellis (Kind of like Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry?—Ed). I
tend to like this idea because there seems to be redundancy skill wise between
Ellis and Jennings and furthermore, Monta’s expiring contract in 2014 of $11
million is very attractive to any team who can afford it. Only time will
tell but I can hardly see a future where the Bucks keep all three.
- THE DISASTER OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ANDREW BYNUM
For as bad as Dwight
Howard has looked this year, the L.A.
Lakers still crushed that deal. Ok fine, he’s been “bad” Dwight
Howard compared to Dwight Howard “standards” (still averages
16.5pts/12reb/2.5blks). But at least we still have something to compare
against his more dominant years and we can still find reason to argue where he
will play next year. The operative word is where, not if or when.
Andrew Bynum, on the other hand, is a mystery as to when he
will play this year or if teams think he’s worth the trouble
anymore. His best, on-the-court skill these days is finding those
ridiculous suits for 7-foot centers and, of course, growing an immaculate
afro. Seriously, do a quick
search on this topic.
Let’s look at the raw
numbers: Andrew Bynum was a Laker for 7 years and played in 392 out of 554
possible games to a tune of just under 71%. Add in his 0/54 this season
with the Philadelphia 76ers and this
yields 392/608, or 64% of all possible games he could have participated.
That is some seriously scary stuff for a guy who doesn’t turn 26 until October
27th of this year. I just don't see Bynum playing
in that many games this year and if I were his agent, I would advise against
him playing. The worst thing Bynum could do is either come back too early
and re-injure his knees or come back and not be all that productive trying to re-
acclimate himself in a hostile, environment that is the Philadelphia,
sports scene. Might as well keep teams dreaming of what he can be
when he's healthy and move on from a tainted situation.
- AMAZING RECORD; ALOOF RECEPTION: The San Antonio Spurs
I was recently asked a
question that has come up repeatedly over the years: why do the San Antonio Spurs get so little
attention and why are they considered "boring"?
At first I resisted
the offer to resort to that question because every true basketball junkie knows
about this team and has become accustomed to. The Spurs are great, they
have been great for a long time, and they have one of the
most underrated coaches ever in Gregg
Popovich. They have won enough recent titles so I don't feel
obligated to feel sorry for them. So I put it to the side and left it
alone trying to concentrate on All-Star
weekend.
Upon resuming the
regular season I wanted to take a glance at the standings and see the general
landscape of how the playoff schedule might shake out. And that's when it
happened and I began to track the next week or so. The Spurs as of
February 26th are sitting at 45-13. How
is this possible? Even for Spurs’ standards, that’s quite an impressive
record for their aging “Big Three.” So it must be the defense, right? Well,
yes, they are the 9th stingiest defense in the league giving up 95.8 points per
game. However, they’re really doing it
on the offensive end as well, producing 104.3 points per game the (4th) best in
the league! The Spurs (+8.4) trail only the Thunder (+9.1) in point
differential and, yes, that means they are ahead of the vaunted Miami Heat (+7.1).
In month of February so far, Tony Parker leads @nba in pts in the paint/gm (14.0ppg). Very impressive stuff from the @spurs PGIt is simply incredible given Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker are 36, 35, and 30 years-old, respectively. There's one shining rank statistically that may shed some light: the Spurs rank #1 in assists in the NBA at 25 per game (Tony Parker is the engine and Pop knows it!-Ed).
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) February 26, 2013
So let’s take a look
at the Spurs 5-man units and see what their best lineups are:
Top Five-Man Floor Units
#
|
Unit
|
Min
|
Off
|
Def
|
+/-
|
W
|
L
|
Win%
|
1
|
Parker-Green-Leonard-Splitter-Duncan
|
222.8
|
1.08
|
0.85
|
+104
|
15
|
2
|
88.2
|
2
|
Parker-Green-Leonard-Diaw-Duncan
|
139.8
|
1.10
|
0.98
|
+32
|
9
|
7
|
56.2
|
3
|
Parker-Green-Leonard-Diaw-Splitter
|
121.5
|
1.14
|
0.99
|
+32
|
6
|
5
|
54.5
|
4
|
Parker-Neal-Green-Blair-Duncan
|
105.0
|
1.01
|
1.07
|
-13
|
4
|
6
|
40.0
|
What we can see in the
top-three, 5-man units is the Spurs really have their main rotation rounded out
and that on paper, the types of players they put out on the floor seem to set
up a really nice amount of spacing. For the record, I stopped after four
units since these are the only four units that have play at least 100 minutes
together. Parker creates, Danny Green
hangs out at the wings, Kawhi Leonard roams
looking to set picks and rebound, Duncan has his butt on the blocks, and Tiago Splitter can play high and low
for screens and post ups. It's a really nice fit and even when they sit
either Duncan or Splitter, they have Boris
Diaw who has always been a big body who can pass and facilitate on offense.
One thing that seems impossible is that Manu Ginobli isn't on any of
these lists, but at 23 minutes per game, he seems to really be playing the
super 6th man so probably not surprising.
So are the Spurs
boring? Well that's just a matter of opinion, but to me it's just great basketball.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
PLOTSKY'S POSITION: The Josh Smith Chronicles
Dan P
Everything you ever wanted to know about Josh Smith and NBA economics.
Headache—1.
A pain located in the head; 2. An annoying or bothersome person…
Can you name the most
talked-about player in recent NBA
trade circles? If you said Atlanta Hawks forward, Josh Smith, you’d be correct! I
put a definition just above this portion that best sums up what I think of Josh
Smith--a headache. Now to be clear, not all headaches are bad. He
is such a unique player; he’s often a headache
for the opposition to figure out how to play against him.
Smith also has the
nasty habit of forgetting what makes him an unconventional commodity in the NBA
and, therefore, marketable. First, let’s get one thing straight. Unlike other North American sports’, the NBA
is solely dependent, financially on the quality of its stars. Win-Loss records
in the NBA sell tickets, but star
players buys fans for an owner (“Puts
asses in the seats,” yells out the typical UFC fan—Ed). A team’s
popularity can ebb and flow during eras of feast or famine and transcendent stars
like LeBron James really do only
happen every so often.
Once you peel back the
layers of the NBA hierarchy, it becomes very difficult to differentiate the
levels of talent amongst the league's 1A and 1B class of players. I find
this is where a high percentage of the league's bad, lucrative contracts are
inked. They aren't quite stars that can
lead a franchise, but definitely above “role player status.”
Under the new CBA (collective bargaining agreement),
a max-level player is eligible for a $100 million dollar contract over 5 years,
where the fifth year is only attainable if the player is re-signing with his
original team. Without going through the names, there are only about 12
players in the NBA, in most given years that are worthy of this max contract
for what they mean to a franchise’s success. So this means, in simple
math, that there are more teams in the NBA that would have the money for a “max
guy,” but there are too few players of this caliber to go around. Take
also into consideration the assemblies of “Big 3's” and that uber-talent
pool is being dispersed less. This often leads to over-payment of
dwindling returns and, for many teams, it’s a catch-22. In
order for small markets to bring players to their cities, they have to overpay
their worth without really achieving long-term success. Now it's ok to do this
occasionally, but when a team has to field rosters in this manor to be
relevant, then problems occur.
So what is a fair
value for someone like Josh Smith? If I’m applying for a GM position with a team and the owner
informed me that Smith is our best player on the roster and there was little
wiggle room to make significant changes over the next few years, I would find
the nearest window and fling myself from it. But if Smith was the third
best player on the team, even with cap constraints, I think we would be able to
work something out.
His pedigree of being
a tremendous athlete who plays both ends of the floor, combining speed and size,
is a huge asset. While not a great spot up shooter or shot creator, he
always manages to find clever ways to get easier baskets, despite only playing
with average point guards in his career such as Jeff Teague, Kirk Hinrich,
and NBA relic, Mike Bibby a few
years back. Finding a point guard who can run a true pick and roll with
Smith should boost his FG% to that of elite around 50% (Smith is a career
46%FG). Such destinations that have been rumored are the
San Antonio Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers
Brooklyn Nets
(And most recently,
the Philadelphia
76ers—Ed)
The first three teams
mentioned would be prime candidates as they possess point guards who excel in
pick and roll scenarios (Steve Nash/Deron Williams/Tony Parker). Even more coincidental is the fact
that all three of those teams are slightly older in age and all sport a very
solid center (Dwight Howard/Tim Duncan/Brook Lopez).
…Side Note: Yes, for
argument’s sake, Tim Duncan has
played center for the Spurs this year…
This is a really nice
setup for Smith who can be free to roam the weak side of the court and respond
to threats down low by blocking the shooter from behind or oblique angles. Not
to mention an infusion of youth to the Lakers or Spurs would be a very welcome
addition to those franchises allowing them to compete with the younger teams in
the playoffs (i.e. Oklahoma City Thunder).
But the cost for Smith
may be too high to take on long-term. He
currently makes over $13 million dollars in salary and at age 27, is just
starting to enter his physical prime. It would be hard to imagine any
team being able to convince him to stay after a trade from the Hawks for
anything less than $18 million per year, which is just so close to the max as
it is, that I would be hard-pressed not to say that more than one team will
offer him the max. It's just the nature of inflation in the NBA.
Perhaps $20 million for Josh Smith is fair, so let’s make this
hypothetical: what is LeBron James really worth to the league and the Miami Heat in salary per year?
Without being able to recall the source, I have heard LeBron, between
tickets, merchandise, and marketing, is probably worth between $35 million and $50
million in payroll dollars to a franchise per year simply because of the high
potential revenue streams that he provides. But under the CBA rules, LeBron
can only earn a max, $20 million per year (he actually makes less since he took
less money to join the Heat, a fact most people do not credit him with).
So by capping what the top players in the NBA can earn, naturally lesser
players will come within the max number by virtue of demand (NBA teams) being
higher than supply (true NBA stars).
Potential Spurs-Hawks Trade
Spurs receive: Josh
Smith and Anthony Morrow
Hawks Receive: Tiago Splitter/DeJuan Blair/Nando de Colo/Stephen Jackson plus a first round pick
and $3 million in cash.
It's not the sexy big
name trade that someone like a Josh Smith would bring back in return, but in
this deal the Hawks get two young bigs, a young, cheap point guard, and a large
expiring contract in Jackson at about $10 million dollars. Looking at the
roster, it’s easy to spot the number of players on the Hawks’ roster set to
expire. Take out Smith and Morrow for the trade and between Jackson (from
the Spurs), Devin Harris, Zaza Pachulia, Kyle Korver, Johan Petro,Ivan Johnson, and Anthony Tolliver you can see they would have roughly $36 million coming
off the books for 2014, while holding a starting core of Teague, Marvin Williams, Al Horford, and Splitter. Being in the Eastern Conference, where competition isn't the best, and the
amount of money to play with for the upcoming free agent classes, the Hawks can
set themselves up for a relatively, short rebuilding phase.
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