The NBA Thread

[DavidSeven]

This is definitely not a knock on you, but ain't it funny how we always compare athletes to other athletes of the same skin color? You hardly ever hear of a white guy being compared to a black guy or vice versa. Again, just a general observation, we are all guilty of it.

It definitely happens. I compare the two because they're both excellent shooting/passing point guards who manage an offense in similar ways. Steve Nash is also the gold standard among today's point guards, so it's natural to say an upcoming point guard could follow in his shoes - just like we say this Shooting Guard could be the next Jordan and this Center could be the next Shaq.

However, I do know where you're coming from. You just know any black mobile Quarterback is going to be compared to Michael Vick or Vince Young. But if you're white and mobile, you're the next Brett Favre (see: Tony Romo). Also, why else would people compare Dirk to Bird besides their race? Sure, they're both big white guys who can shoot the ball, but beyond that, their games are totally different. If you hear anyone say Dirk Nowitzky is the next Larry Bird, please slap them.

[chrisnu]

This is cute. :D

Devean George: The untold story

By DJ Gallo
Page 2

Dallas, Texas.

Wednesday afternoon.

Dallas Mavericks team offices.

A knock on general manager Donn Nelson's office door.

Donn Nelson: Come in.

[Devean George enters.]

Nelson: Hi, Devean. So are you ready to be a Net? We sure do appreciate the time you've spent here in Dallas.

George: Yeah, about that. I hate to mess things up for you, but I'm not going to New Jersey. I'm invoking my no-trade clause.

Nelson: Ha! Good one. A no-trade clause given to Devean George. Very funny. Like no-trade clauses are given to average, run-of-the-mill players. Good one, Devean. We're going to miss your sense of humor around here. I don't think Jason Kidd is a cut-up like you.

George: No, really. I have a no-trade clause. Check my contract.

[Tosses contract onto Nelson's desk.]

Nelson: Sweet mercy! You do have a no-trade clause! How did this happen?

George: I think it was a typo. Probably something left in the contract template from an offer you made to a good player. But it doesn't matter. It's there. And I'm killing the trade.

Nelson: But why?! Why would you do that to us? You can get your 12 minutes off the bench anywhere. We were getting Jason Kidd! We were finally going to win a championship!

George: You can win a championship with me. I can do everything Jason Kidd does.

Nelson: Oh, really? Jason Kidd is a surefire Hall of Famer. You are a spot starter.

George: I can rebound.

Nelson: Jason Kidd can rebound better.

George: I am unselfish.

Nelson: Jason Kidd is one of the most unselfish players ever.

George: I can shoot 3s.

Nelson: Jason Kidd can … look, we have enough players who can shoot 3s. Come on, this is ridiculous. What is the real reason you are sabotaging us? Why won't you go to New Jersey?

George: I don't want to uproot my family. We set down roots here in Dallas.

Nelson: Well, that is a fair concern. I can understand that. Wait … you aren't married. You don't have any kids.

George: Crap. I thought you would buy that one.

[Another knock at the door.]

Nelson: Come in.

[Mark Cuban comes into the room dancing the cha-cha, a lively dance of excitement.]

Mark Cuban: Hey, dudes! Whaaaazzzzz-up!

[Cuban gives awkward high-fives to George and Nelson while continuing to cha-cha around the room.]

Cuban: Is this trade going to be awesome or what, dawgs? Jason Kidd, baby!

Nelson: Yeah, about that. Devean is invoking his no-trade clause. The deal is dead.

Cuban: WHAT?!

[Cuban stops dancing for a moment. And then suddenly begins dancing the paso doble -- an angry, aggressive dance.]

George: Yeah. Sorry, Mr. Cuban. But I want to stay here.

Cuban: How dare you cross me! Do you know what I do to people who cross me?! Do you know what I did to Donald Trump?

George: What? What did you do to Donald Trump?

Cuban: Well … I, um … well, I wrote a very cutting blog post about him, that's what. And I'm going to do the same to you.

[Cuban paso dobles over to Nelson's computer, sits down, and begins typing a blog entry about George.]

Nelson: Oh, man. This is getting bad. We need something to lighten the mood. Where's Avery?

[Another knock on the door.]

Nelson: Come in. Avery! I was just talking about you. I was hoping you could lighten the mood in here a bit. Talk to me.

Avery Johnson: Talk to you about what? I don't feel like lightening the mood. I have a splitting headache and I just found out that my great aunt Sally is in the hospital with the gout.

Nelson: Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Stop! Stop it! You're killing me! The sound of your voice gets me every time, Avery. Thank you. You're the best. I needed that.

OK. Now, Devean. Let's get back on track. What is the real reason you are killing this trade?

Cuban: And that's that! All done, Devean George. You have totally been dissed on my blog. I hope you are happy with yourself. And you're out of luck if you ever hope to be interviewed or profiled on HDNet. Sucks to be you. R-O-T-F-L-M-A-O!

George: Did you just say "R-O-T-F-L-M-A-O"?

Cuban: Yes. L-O-L.

George: Jeez, you are such a dork.

[Cuban creepily stares George down. He then turns and quicksteps out of the room, taking Avery Johnson as his partner.]

[Another knock at the door.]

Nelson: Yes. Come in.

Dirk Nowitzki: Hallo.

Nelson: Hello, Dirk.

George: Hi, Dirk.

Nowitzki: Devean, I am happy that Jason Kidd is coming to Dallas. But I am sorry to see you go. I have made you a mix tape of David Hasselhoff love ballads. They express what I feel toward you. I hope you enjoy it. Here you go.

[Nowitzki hands mix tape to George.]

Nelson: Dirk, bad news. Devean here has nixed the trade. He has a no-trade clause.

Nowitzki: [Loud cursing in German.] No! This can't be! Jason Kidd and I were going to be playoff magic. He would draw the double-team and then feed me the ball for wide-open, fall-away jumpers at the top of the key. [More loud cursing in German.]

Devean! Give me back my Hasselhoff mix tape! You don't deserve it!

[Nowitzki rips the Hasselhoff tape away from George and clutches it to his heart.]

Nelson: Dirk, just calm down a minute. Are you angry at Devean right now?

Nowitzki: Yes.

Nelson: Do you hate him even?

Nowitzki: Yes.

Nelson: Then give him the Hasselhoff tape. He definitely deserves it.

[Nowitzki gives the tape back to George and leaves the room, muttering, "Auf Wiedersehen."]

Nelson: OK, Devean. We are finally alone again. Now tell me the real reason you are killing this Jason Kidd trade.

[A cell phone rings.]

George: Excuse me. I have to take this.

[George whispers into the phone: "Yeah, I'm here with him now. Just a minute." And then hands the cell phone to Nelson.]

Here, it's for you anyway.

Nelson: Umm … hello? Who is this?

Mitch Kupchak: It's Mitch Kupchak. Sorry to hear your Jason Kidd trade fell through.

Nelson: Wait … how did you know about that already?

Kupchak: Oh, I knew before you did, Donn. Remember who you signed Devean away from two years ago?

Nelson: Yeah, you guys -- the Lakers.

Kupchak: Exactly. He signed with you, but he is still working as an operative for us. Enjoy watching us destroy you in the playoffs with Kobe and Gasol while Jason Kidd rots away in New Jersey! Bwaah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Bwaah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Nelson: Noooooooo! Kupchaaaaaaaaaak!

[DavidSeven]

I'm not sure if George should be considered public enemy #1 in Dallas or their savior. Sure, they'll be better this season with Kidd, but the Mavericks would be giving up an awful lot for one shot at a ring.

[EyesWideOpen]

That was awesome!

[chrisnu]

Kobe tore a ligament in his right pinkie finger, but he'll be trying to play through the rest of the Lakers season AND the Olympics before opting for the required surgery, which will have a recovery time of approximately six weeks. Yikes.

[Derek]

Kobe tore a ligament in his right pinkie finger, but he'll be trying to play through the rest of the Lakers season AND the Olympics before opting for the required surgery, which will have a recovery time of approximately six weeks. Yikes.

Don't worry though, because multiple callers on ESPN radio tonight said the team would be fine without Kobe, including one who said, and I fffffucking quote, "You're gonna tell me Jordan Farmar isn't a hell of a ballplayer?" Seriously, Lakers fans are among the most clueless on the planet. :frustrated:

[DavidSeven]

Now it looks like Jerry Stackhouse and his big mouth could kill Kidd/Mavericks deal:


Although there has been no public comment from the NBA on the matter, sources say that league officials are not pleased with Jerry Stackhouse's brazen announcement that he would soon return for a Mavericks playoff run if traded to New Jersey.

"I get 30 days to rest, then I'll be right back,'' Stackhouse told The Associated Press on Wednesday in response to the proposed trade. "I ain't going nowhere."

Stackhouse is referring to the widely reported assumption that New Jersey would immediately buy him out of his contract, which would allow him to re-sign with another team. Stackhouse's preference is to return to Dallas, but according to league rules he'd have to wait at least 30 days.

The 30-day rule was added to the league's collective bargaining agreement as a response to a trade between Boston and Atlanta in 2005. In that deal, Boston sent Gary Payton to Atlanta to reacquire Antoine Walker with the understanding that the Hawks would immediately waive Payton, who then re-signed with Boston three days later.

The league frowned on this move, and instituted the 30-day rule. By flouting the rule so publicly, Stackhouse may have given the league no choice but to eliminate him from the deal or prevent the Mavericks from re-signing him.

"If Stackhouse had kept quiet, the league wouldn't have been able to prove anything,'' one Western Conference executive said. "Now, it's obvious that he talked to Mark Cuban about coming back to the Mavericks.''

One executive said the league is looking into the matter and could very well block Stackhouse from being involved in the trade. That could be a deal-breaker, because Cuban definitely wants Stackhouse back.

[Benny Profane]

So why was Stackhouse involved in the deal at all? Was it to make the salaries line up?

Good lord the NBA is fkng backwards when it comes to trades.

[DavidSeven]

So why was Stackhouse involved in the deal at all? Was it to make the salaries line up?

Yep.

[MadMan]

This is cute. :D

Devean George: The untold story

By DJ Gallo
Page 2

Dallas, Texas.

Wednesday afternoon.

Dallas Mavericks team offices.

A knock on general manager Donn Nelson's office door.

Donn Nelson: Come in.

[Devean George enters.]

Nelson: Hi, Devean. So are you ready to be a Net? We sure do appreciate the time you've spent here in Dallas.

George: Yeah, about that. I hate to mess things up for you, but I'm not going to New Jersey. I'm invoking my no-trade clause.

Nelson: Ha! Good one. A no-trade clause given to Devean George. Very funny. Like no-trade clauses are given to average, run-of-the-mill players. Good one, Devean. We're going to miss your sense of humor around here. I don't think Jason Kidd is a cut-up like you.

George: No, really. I have a no-trade clause. Check my contract.

[Tosses contract onto Nelson's desk.]

Nelson: Sweet mercy! You do have a no-trade clause! How did this happen?

George: I think it was a typo. Probably something left in the contract template from an offer you made to a good player. But it doesn't matter. It's there. And I'm killing the trade.

Nelson: But why?! Why would you do that to us? You can get your 12 minutes off the bench anywhere. We were getting Jason Kidd! We were finally going to win a championship!

George: You can win a championship with me. I can do everything Jason Kidd does.

Nelson: Oh, really? Jason Kidd is a surefire Hall of Famer. You are a spot starter.

George: I can rebound.

Nelson: Jason Kidd can rebound better.

George: I am unselfish.

Nelson: Jason Kidd is one of the most unselfish players ever.

George: I can shoot 3s.

Nelson: Jason Kidd can … look, we have enough players who can shoot 3s. Come on, this is ridiculous. What is the real reason you are sabotaging us? Why won't you go to New Jersey?

George: I don't want to uproot my family. We set down roots here in Dallas.

Nelson: Well, that is a fair concern. I can understand that. Wait … you aren't married. You don't have any kids.

George: Crap. I thought you would buy that one.

[Another knock at the door.]

Nelson: Come in.

[Mark Cuban comes into the room dancing the cha-cha, a lively dance of excitement.]

Mark Cuban: Hey, dudes! Whaaaazzzzz-up!

[Cuban gives awkward high-fives to George and Nelson while continuing to cha-cha around the room.]

Cuban: Is this trade going to be awesome or what, dawgs? Jason Kidd, baby!

Nelson: Yeah, about that. Devean is invoking his no-trade clause. The deal is dead.

Cuban: WHAT?!

[Cuban stops dancing for a moment. And then suddenly begins dancing the paso doble -- an angry, aggressive dance.]

George: Yeah. Sorry, Mr. Cuban. But I want to stay here.

Cuban: How dare you cross me! Do you know what I do to people who cross me?! Do you know what I did to Donald Trump?

George: What? What did you do to Donald Trump?

Cuban: Well … I, um … well, I wrote a very cutting blog post about him, that's what. And I'm going to do the same to you.

[Cuban paso dobles over to Nelson's computer, sits down, and begins typing a blog entry about George.]

Nelson: Oh, man. This is getting bad. We need something to lighten the mood. Where's Avery?

[Another knock on the door.]

Nelson: Come in. Avery! I was just talking about you. I was hoping you could lighten the mood in here a bit. Talk to me.

Avery Johnson: Talk to you about what? I don't feel like lightening the mood. I have a splitting headache and I just found out that my great aunt Sally is in the hospital with the gout.

Nelson: Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Stop! Stop it! You're killing me! The sound of your voice gets me every time, Avery. Thank you. You're the best. I needed that.

OK. Now, Devean. Let's get back on track. What is the real reason you are killing this trade?

Cuban: And that's that! All done, Devean George. You have totally been dissed on my blog. I hope you are happy with yourself. And you're out of luck if you ever hope to be interviewed or profiled on HDNet. Sucks to be you. R-O-T-F-L-M-A-O!

George: Did you just say "R-O-T-F-L-M-A-O"?

Cuban: Yes. L-O-L.

George: Jeez, you are such a dork.

[Cuban creepily stares George down. He then turns and quicksteps out of the room, taking Avery Johnson as his partner.]

[Another knock at the door.]

Nelson: Yes. Come in.

Dirk Nowitzki: Hallo.

Nelson: Hello, Dirk.

George: Hi, Dirk.

Nowitzki: Devean, I am happy that Jason Kidd is coming to Dallas. But I am sorry to see you go. I have made you a mix tape of David Hasselhoff love ballads. They express what I feel toward you. I hope you enjoy it. Here you go.

[Nowitzki hands mix tape to George.]

Nelson: Dirk, bad news. Devean here has nixed the trade. He has a no-trade clause.

Nowitzki: [Loud cursing in German.] No! This can't be! Jason Kidd and I were going to be playoff magic. He would draw the double-team and then feed me the ball for wide-open, fall-away jumpers at the top of the key. [More loud cursing in German.]

Devean! Give me back my Hasselhoff mix tape! You don't deserve it!

[Nowitzki rips the Hasselhoff tape away from George and clutches it to his heart.]

Nelson: Dirk, just calm down a minute. Are you angry at Devean right now?

Nowitzki: Yes.

Nelson: Do you hate him even?

Nowitzki: Yes.

Nelson: Then give him the Hasselhoff tape. He definitely deserves it.

[Nowitzki gives the tape back to George and leaves the room, muttering, "Auf Wiedersehen."]

Nelson: OK, Devean. We are finally alone again. Now tell me the real reason you are killing this Jason Kidd trade.

[A cell phone rings.]

George: Excuse me. I have to take this.

[George whispers into the phone: "Yeah, I'm here with him now. Just a minute." And then hands the cell phone to Nelson.]

Here, it's for you anyway.

Nelson: Umm … hello? Who is this?

Mitch Kupchak: It's Mitch Kupchak. Sorry to hear your Jason Kidd trade fell through.

Nelson: Wait … how did you know about that already?

Kupchak: Oh, I knew before you did, Donn. Remember who you signed Devean away from two years ago?

Nelson: Yeah, you guys -- the Lakers.

Kupchak: Exactly. He signed with you, but he is still working as an operative for us. Enjoy watching us destroy you in the playoffs with Kobe and Gasol while Jason Kidd rots away in New Jersey! Bwaah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Bwaah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Nelson: Noooooooo! Kupchaaaaaaaaaak!Hilarious. Page 2 really has some great stuff. And of course I don't want the Mavs to get Jason Kidd. I'm already dealing with the fact that the Lakers have freakin' Gasol.

[Dukefrukem]

Page 2 is worth going to for Bill Simmons alone

[chrisnu]

Kobe's out of the 3-Point Shootout. Dirk Nowitzki will be taking his place. The Lakers (and Kobe) are trying to appeal to have Kobe out of the All-Star game to rest his finger injury, but the league may not grant the appeal. They may want him to start the game.

Zach Randolph may be traded to the Nuggets. The New York Post is reported a possible deal would include Linas Kleiza, Eduardo Najera, Steven Hunter and J.R. Smith for Randolph and another Knick. I guess this means the Nuggets aren't too confident in Kenyon Martin and Nene. They'd be locking up even more money at that position for years and years. This seems like a bad deal to me. They're sacrificing a lot of depth for someone who has an even bigger contract than Martin, and may not necessarily make their team better.

The Mavericks hold the rights to Keith Van Horn, who last played in 2005/06, but hasn't filed retirement papers. He could be signed to a three-year contract, with only the first year guaranteed, and used as salary ballast in a trade. Mark Cuban says he'll only do that if Van Horn is interested in playing.

[DavidSeven]

What? How can you make an injured player play in an All-Star game? That makes no sense.

[chrisnu]

What? How can you make an injured player play in an All-Star game? That makes no sense.
I think the reasoning may be that he hasn't missed any games. If he were to request and be granted to sit out of the All-Star Game, and not miss any subsequent games due to the injury, it's possible that Kobe could be suspended or fined. I know it sounds silly, but the league wants to prevent their star players from sitting out of the All-Star Game simply because they want to.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I think the reasoning may be that he hasn't missed any games. If he were to request and be granted to sit out of the All-Star Game, and not miss any subsequent games due to the injury, it's possible that Kobe could be suspended or fined. I know it sounds silly, but the league wants to prevent their star players from sitting out of the All-Star Game simply because they want to.

I actually like the NBA's stance on playing in the All-Star Game. Without something like that in place, you get the NFL Pro Bowl, where half of the players elected don't show up, either for minor injuries (which is excusable), or because they just don't feel like going. Or in some cases because they lost their first game of the season in the Super Bowl and need to hide from the attention they so desperately wanted for 17 weeks prior.

Still, it helps make the All-Star Game worth watching. Strike that, no All-Star game aside from the MLB All-Star game is worth watching. But this at least comes close.

[Benny Profane]

Still, it helps make the All-Star Game worth watching. Strike that, no All-Star game aside from the MLB All-Star game is worth watching. But this at least comes close.

Good save.

[Ezee E]

I don't mind the NBA All-Star game because there are some ridiculous alley-oops you get to see, and it's always fun seeing a game where there is 250 points.

[DavidSeven]

Looks like the NBA has officially put the kibosh on Stackhouse's involvement in the Kidd deal:



Now, according to a league source, the league will not allow the Mavericks to bring back Jerry Stackhouse if he is traded and subsequently waived by the New Jersey Nets.

According to one league source, the NBA has already made one of the teams aware of its position.

"The league has taken Stackhouse out of the deal," the source said. "They said, 'He can be in the trade, but he can't go back to Dallas after that.' "

I say put a fork in Dallas for this season if they don't get Kidd. There's no way their locker room recovers from this.

[MadMan]

I agree with KF. The MLB All-Star Game is the only one worth watching really (and happens to be the only one I actually try to never miss). However usually the NBA All-Star Game is entertaining so I may try to watch this year. I don't care if I miss the Pro-Bowl although I strangely wanted to watch it this season, and I do regret seeing All Day Peterson help take the AFC down a peg.

[EyesWideOpen]

I'm DVR'ing pretty much everything associated with the NBA all star game this year. I like watching all of it, even stuff like the rookie/sophmore challenge. I was actually mad when I found out the D-League all star game on saturday is only going to be on NBATV.

[chrisnu]

I'm DVR'ing pretty much everything associated with the NBA all star game this year. I like watching all of it, even stuff like the rookie/sophmore challenge. I was actually mad when I found out the D-League all star game on saturday is only going to be on NBATV.
Well, I hope you're not taping the celebrity game. :P

I too will watch everything, except the celebrity game.

Found this on Icine:

Shaq Terrified Of Phoenix Suns After Reading About Supernovas (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/shaq_terrified_of_phoenix_suns )

[EyesWideOpen]

Well, I hope you're not taping the celebrity game. :P

I too will watch everything, except the celebrity game.

Found this on Icine:

Shaq Terrified Of Phoenix Suns After Reading About Supernovas (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/shaq_terrified_of_phoenix_suns )

Of course not!

I am watching it right now though, and yes it's awful. Even the worst players that play at the parks/leagues I play at are better then these guys.

[chrisnu]

Daniel Gibson tied the record for most threes in a Rookie/Sophomore game (7) in one half. Wow.

[dreamdead]

I heart Daniel Gibson. If only Cleveland hadn't mortaged themselves to Larry Hughes' ass-long contract, they could compete with the best with 'Bron's inside game and Gibson's outside game. But alas, the max contract to a non-max player will doom them for another year or two...

[MadMan]

Daniel Gibson tied the record for most threes in a Rookie/Sophomore game (7) in one half. Wow.He has really developed into a skilled offensive player. That's amazing.

[chrisnu]

I heart Daniel Gibson. If only Cleveland hadn't mortaged themselves to Larry Hughes' ass-long contract, they could compete with the best with 'Bron's inside game and Gibson's outside game. But alas, the max contract to a non-max player will doom them for another year or two...
I was thinking about this when Barkley said "he should've learned how to play point guard by now". I think he can; the problem is trying to find some use for Larry Hughes.

[EyesWideOpen]

I just finished the rookie/sophmore game and I'm actually pretty dissapointed they gave Gibson the MVP award. He jacked up 20 three pointers and made half of them and did absolutely nothing else. After he made the first two that was the only thing he did when ever he touched the ball. I think Roy and Farmar were far more "valuable" to the Sophmore team then Gibson was.

[chrisnu]

The Kings and Hawks have agreed to a trade which will send Mike Bibby to Atlanta, in exchange for Anthony Johnson, Tyronn Lue, Lorenzen Wright, and Shelden Williams. It's not a pure salary dump by Sacramento. They may keep Williams around, because they are in need of defensive bigs. It helps the Hawk cement a playoff spot; they have a pretty talented starting lineup, and did not sacrifice much of their depth, other than exchanging starting point guards. Perhaps this will ease the load placed on Joe Johnson, whose performance has suffered this year.

Interesting fact: Anthony Johnson was a rookie with the Kings 10 years ago, the year before they made the trade for Chris Webber, setting themselves up as legitimate contenders.

[chrisnu]

Dahntay Jones and Justin Williams have been cut by the Kings, to make room for the new players. It's possible that they could be signed by other teams; I think Jones in particular could be an energy player off the bench. Phoenix needs another player on their roster; they could use a real slasher like Jones.

[Benny Profane]

Great short-term trade for the Hawks, but with Bibby making 14 mil, and Joe Johnson making 14 mil, what will 22 year old restricted free agent Josh Smith command? And will Atlanta be able to afford him?

[chrisnu]

Even with Bibby, they can give J-Smoove his 10-12 million per. They'll have the room.

[DavidSeven]

First round of the Slam Dunk Contest was amazing.

Dwight Howard = :eek:

Gerald Green = :lol:

[Justin]

My roommate and I were watching and Darrell Dawkins' name was mentioned, and all we could think about was that Man of the Millennium bit from SNL, man I would love to see that again right now.

[Justin]

Technically not a dunk, but it still was pretty awesome.

[DavidSeven]

I never thought someone would put on a show in the Dunk Contest like Vince Carter did in 2000, but Dwight Howard came pretty damn close. Amazing.

[Milky Joe]

That Superman dunk was one of the coolest things, basically ever.

[chrisnu]

My favorite dunk was when he jumped, tapped it against the backboard, caught the ball with the other hand, and dunked it. That's like fried chocolate-covered gold.

[Fezzik]

You know, I thought we were years away from having a viable genetically engineered freak in Professional Sports.

Nobody told me Dwight Howard was that freak. :eek:

That was sick as hell. The superman dunk was ridiculous. He had to throw the ball in the hoop because he was too far up to reach it? Ha! That IS the coolest thing ever.

[chrisnu]

http://www.nba.com/media/allstar2008/dhoward_627_080215.jpg

[Justin]

Wow, that is a pretty accurate Superman pose.

[MadMan]

That Dwight Howard dunk is just utterly insane. I actually rewatched footage of Vince Carter's utterly amazingly sick dunks from 2000 and I think Howard's almost stack up to his.

[Ezee E]

Youtube footage? Rep for whoever gets it.

[Russ]

Youtube footage? Rep for whoever gets it.

Superman dunk. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp__vGs3fa8)

[Benny Profane]

Uh, he didn't even dunk it. But he put on a cape, so that's pretty awesome. Meh.

[Russ]

Uh, he didn't even dunk it. But he put on a cape, so that's pretty awesome. Meh.
Of course it's a dunk. Why do you say it's not?

[DSNT]

Here is the dunk contest highlight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgKwxvkOaJQ).

Dwight Howard was a beast, pure and simple. I enjoyed his first dunk the most because of how close his head came from hitting the backboard, but all were impressive. I also liked Green's candle blowing, but I think the judges missed that aspect of it (like Dwight Howard's sticker last year). Agreed that this was the best contest since Vince.

[Benny Profane]

Of course it's a dunk. Why do you say it's not?

Just because his fingers never touch the rim. He aims it through the hoop rather than dunking it. A technicality, I suppose.

[Fezzik]

Just because his fingers never touch the rim. He aims it through the hoop rather than dunking it. A technicality, I suppose.

A similar argument erupted on ESPN.COM. In truth, a "Dunk" is a shot that is propelled downward toward the hoop rather than shot upwards at it, so technically, it was a dunk :)

[Milky Joe]

http://www.nba.com/media/allstar2008/dhoward3_627_080216.jpg

[Kurosawa Fan]

Yeah, I wasn't that impressed by the Superman dunk (it wasn't a dunk, definition be damned), but I still think Howard won it going away. His first dunk was brilliant. This contest restored some faith in future dunk contests. This was the first one I've watched live in at least 5 years, and I'm glad I did.

[Justin]

It was a lot more enjoyable because we didn't have to deal with a dunker missing his first ten attempts. I don't think one contestant missed more than twice.

[Russ]

Yeah, I wasn't that impressed by the Superman dunk (it wasn't a dunk, definition be damned)
I've never heard of any definition of a dunk say that a person's hands (or fingers) must touch the rim. The only two requirements appear to be:

1. As the ball is released, the hand(s) must be above the rim.
2. The ball must be forcefully thrust through the hoop.

It's possible to do one without the other: You can rise above the rim and "drop" the ball into the net. I don't think that would constitute a dunk. But how is Howard's not a dunk?

[Kurosawa Fan]

I've never heard of any definition of a dunk say that a person's hands (or fingers) must touch the rim. The only two requirements appear to be:

1. As the ball is released, the hand(s) must be above the rim.
2. The ball must be forcefully thrust through the hoop.

It's possible to do one without the other: You can rise above the rim and "drop" the ball into the net. I don't think that would constitute a dunk. But how is Howard's not a dunk?

I couldn't give a shit less about other people's definitions. If his hand doesn't touch the rim, it isn't a dunk as far as I'm concerned. By your definition, I could stand on a ladder 5 feet from the rim and throw the ball through and then tell all my friends I can dunk. Not a chance. The essence of a dunk is the hitting/grabbing/slapping/etc. of the rim as you throw the ball through, bit it as hard as you possibly can or soft and with a bit of finesse. Either way, if you don't touch the rim, you didn't dunk.

[Russ]

a ladder
Well I thought a dunker's (unaided) ability to jump went without saying. Apparently not.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Well I thought a dunker's (unaided) ability to jump went without saying. Apparently not.

I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek there, but my point is that without the hands actually coming down on the rim, the "dunk" loses what makes it so fun to watch in the first place. There's a reason it's also called a "slam", and it isn't because the ball goes through the hoop really fast.

[chrisnu]

It's getting really ugly in Seattle...

Seattle rejected $26M offer to let Sonics go (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004186901_offer17.html)

By Percy Allen

Seattle Times staff reporter

The city of Seattle last week rejected a $26.5 million offer from the Sonics' ownership group to buy out the last two years of the KeyArena lease, continuing the ongoing battle over the NBA franchise.

NBA Commissioner David Stern, who revealed the offer Saturday during his annual address at the All-Star Game in New Orleans, said he supports Sonics Chairman Clay Bennett's attempt to move the team to Oklahoma City and expects Seattle's first major professional team to leave town either this year or in 2010.

"I accept that inevitability at this point," he said. "There is no miracle here."

Stern's comments drew a strong response from Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis.

"If Mr. Stern had any kind of integrity, he wouldn't be trying to hijack this team out of Seattle," Ceis said. "David Stern hasn't lifted one finger since Clay Bennett bought this team to do anything to try and keep it in Seattle. It's been an ongoing conspiracy between the league and Clay Bennett to hijack this franchise out of Seattle."

Since purchasing the team from Howard Schultz on Oct. 31, 2006, Bennett unsuccessfully tried to gain support from city and state lawmakers on a $500 million arena in Renton before filing relocation papers with the NBA. The city filed suit June 16 to block the move.

Stern sounded extremely pessimistic about the Sonics staying in Seattle.

"It's apparent to all who are watching that the Sonics are heading out of Seattle," the commissioner said. "There's not going to be a new arena. There's not going to be a public contribution.... "

The Seattle Times obtained a document dated Thursday in which a law firm representing the Professional Basketball Club, which owns the Sonics, sent a letter to Seattle City Attorney Tom Carr offering to settle the lawsuit against the team.

In the document, attorney Bradley Keller states that if the city wins its case, it can expect no more than $4.1 million in revenue-sharing and rental payments and admission taxes during the 2008-09 season and $3.8 million the next, which would leave $26.5 million on the city's outstanding debt to KeyArena from the $73.4 million bond used for renovation.

The Sonics offered to pay off the debt and gave the city a 5 p.m. Friday deadline to respond.

Carr declined the offer.

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"I sent them a letter saying it was low and they miscalculated the debt amount, if that was their goal, and that we couldn't accept it at this point," Carr said. "The city's intent is to hold them to the lease.

"I don't know what Mr. Stern is trying to do. I will say it's a sad fact that he's treating a 40-year NBA city like this. I suspect what they are trying to do is put pressure on the decision makers. But when an NBA team signs a lease to play for 15 years, they should play for 15 years and not play games like this."

According to city officials, the Sonics' offer doesn't account for $10 million in lease payments.

"Bond holders are entitled to that," Carr said.

In preparation for its lawsuit to block Bennett's move to Oklahoma City, the city of Seattle has subpoenaed the NBA for records concerning the sale of the Sonics to Bennett's group.

Ceis said the Oklahoma City-based ownership group has refused to provide information requested in discovery.

"That is in front of the federal magistrate to decide what to do," he said.

Bennett's spokesman Dan Mahoney declined to comment and said the commissioner "said everything we need to say."

Stern said he urged Bennett's group to make the offer to buy out the lease and pay off the debt from the 1995 renovation of KeyArena.

"All I can tell you is that in response to that request by me, the offer was made, and it was rejected," Stern said. "I think it's bad public policy."

The NBA commissioner also said he believed the city's rejection had nothing to do with Bennett.

"They're equal-opportunities deniers of aid," Stern said. "Howard Schultz, who was a resident of Seattle, who owned the team previously, who invested time and energy leading lobbying efforts at the city council, at the county level and at the state level, was unsuccessful. Clay Bennett actually spent more money, developed more plans, made more visits, and the answer was no, no, a thousand times no."

[DavidSeven]

The fact that Howard threw the ball in there made it even more impressive than if he had actually touched the rim. Regardless, it was a dunk.

[EyesWideOpen]

The fact that Howard threw the ball in there made it even more impressive than if he had actually touched the rim. Regardless, it was a dunk.

Definitely.

I still think one of the best dunks of the night was the Birthday Cake dunk by Green and it's kind of sad it got overlooked.

[chrisnu]

My personal favorite dunk of Green's was the shoeless between-the-legs windmill. That was extremely difficult, and I think was almost entirely overlooked because of Howard's last dunk.

It looks like Kidd may still be going to Dallas. Marc Stein has reported that instead of Stackhouse and Devean George, Trenton Hassell and a signed-and-traded Keith Van Horn will be going to New Jersey, along with Devin Harris, DeSegana Diop, and Maurice Ager. Kidd and Malik Allen will be going to Dallas.

I was wondered whether the Nets would be willing to take back a long-term contract like Hassell's, but it looks like they've given the OK. Van Horn has also agreed to participate, and Mark Cuban said he would only involve Keith with his consent.

[EyesWideOpen]

My personal favorite dunk of Green's was the shoeless between-the-legs windmill. That was extremely difficult, and I think was almost entirely overlooked because of Howard's last dunk.
.

It was more overlooked because he did the same between the legs dunk right before. I agree though it was quite impressive (he should have just done a different dunk barefoot) and more difficult then the crowd could imagine.

[chrisnu]

Ray Allen is money; he's always been money. I think he deserved the MVP tonight. He was the shot in the arm the East needed to pull it out.

[EyesWideOpen]

Ray Allen is money; he's always been money. I think he deserved the MVP tonight. He was the shot in the arm the East needed to pull it out.

Yes, I thought he was a lock and can't believe it went to James. I think the West would have won if they would have kept going to Amare late in the fourth quarter and stopped trying to force it to Duncan and Nowitzki. Stoudamire's dunk on Howard brought a smile to my face.

I forgot if I mentioned it yet or not but they have Gasol Lakers jerseys available now on the nba store.

[rocus]

http://www.nba.com/media/allstar2008/dhoward3_627_080216.jpg
Not as impressive as:

http://www.coachlikeapro.com/Images/players/mj.jpg

But, yeah, the night was Howard's. He just brought so much fun and energy that had been missing from the contest for a long while.

The best thing of all was the New Orleans pulled it off without a single incident. No strip club shootings or brawls in the French Quater. I'm happy for my home town.

[chrisnu]

The Nuggets are reportedly going after Ron Artest. A proposed trade has been Artest for Linas Kleiza and Eduardo Najera. The Nuggets would either have to play small-ball with Artest at power forward and Kenyon Martin coming off the bench, or play Artest or Carmelo Anthony at shooting guard, with Iverson moving to the point. It still makes them scary. The Kings don't really need another SF, with Artest, John Salmons, and Francisco Garcia all playing the same position, but they're likely scrambling for something before they lose Artest to free agency.

The Nuggets are also reportedly pursuing Kyle Lowry from the Grizzlies. Memphis must be high on Javaris Crittenton, because I would think for sure they would deal Juan Carlos Navarro first. Perhaps they're trying to develop Crittenton as a point guard primarily.

[Ezee E]

PG- Iverson
SG- Artest
SF- Anthony
PF- Martin/Nene
C- Camby

Hell yeah.

[chrisnu]

The Pacers are discussing acquiring Mike Miller from the Grizzlies for Ike Diogu and Marquis Daniels. WTF? This doesn't provide any immediate financial relief for Memphis (they'll only be shedding the final year of Miller's contract), and swingmen already occupy half of Indiana's roster. I'm not kidding.

Why'd you do that, Club Ced?

Former Sun Ceballos arrested on warrant (http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/109305)


Former Phoenix Suns forward current in-arena emcee Cedric Ceballos and was arrested on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant in Blythe, Calif. on Sunday.

Ceballos, 38, was released after posting a bond of $26,000.

According to Blythe police spokeswoman Pam Bush, Ceballos attracted the attention of authorities when attempting to use an invalid credit card at a gas station located off Interstate 10.

A clerk at the Chevron, 321 S. Lovekin Blvd., called police. Soon after their arrival, they discovered the Los Angeles County warrant for driving on a suspended license, and Ceballos was booked into a Riverside County jail.

Ceballos retired from the NBA after the 2000-01 season. An All-Star in 1995, he averaged 14 points in 609 career games.

He currently serves as the Suns’ master of ceremonies during home games.

[rocus]

Must be nice to be Keith Van Horn. He'll make $4.3 million to come out of "retirement" and play for the Nets for about a month.

[chrisnu]

The Nets are also the team with which Van Horn began his NBA career. Fitting.

Gilbert Arenas and Etan Thomas have been cleared to practice with the Wizards. It's light, no-contact drills for now, but it's progress. Elton Brand has also been cleared for no-contact drills with the Clippers.

The Los Angeles Clippers are trying to pry Mike Miller out of Memphis with an offer of expiring contracts that includes a package of Sam Cassell and Aaron Williams. The Grizzlies want the Clippers first-round pick in 2008, and so far, the Clippers are balking. I guess they're not counting on Corey Maggette coming back.

The Denver Nuggets are talking with the Grizzlies about acquiring guard Kyle Lowry for Von Wafer and a first-round draft pick. It doesn't make a lot of sense for Memphis to try and develop three young point guards. I didn't realize they were that high on Javaris Crittenton.

The Cavaliers also have had talks regarding Mike Miller and two other point guards: Lowry and Portland’s Jarrett Jack. Either Lowry or Jack should be available.

[chrisnu]

Andrew Bynum is still on track; it will be at least three works before his return. However, Trevor Ariza is still going to be out at least another eight weeks. :sad:

[MadMan]

My personal favorite dunk of Green's was the shoeless between-the-legs windmill. That was extremely difficult, and I think was almost entirely overlooked because of Howard's last dunk.I can't find that dunk on YouTube. I'm really pissed that I missed the dunk contest this year because judging from the highlights I've seen there was some really awesome stuff.

chrisnu if the Lakers get completely healthy they will be on the fast track for the Conference Finals if not the NBA Finals. Although I'm still feeling the Hornets a good deal they don't have a lot of depth.

[chrisnu]

Antoine Wright did end up getting sent to Dallas. That means that Devean George is likely going to have ZERO playing time. Wright may even start in Eddie Jones' place. He's a big guard, which Avery Johnson seems to like in the starting lineup.

Watch New Jersey play better basketball now that Kidd is gone. My bet is the same thing is going to happen like when Philadelphia moved Allen Iverson and cut Chris Webber loose.

[Milky Joe]

I was thinking, and I realized that Howard's throwing the ball through the basket instead of actually dunking it makes much more sense when you realize that he was supposed to be Superman. Superman is so powerful that if he were to truly dunk the ball, he would probably completely obliterate it and the backboard. Superman makes a habit of never using his full strength to do anything unless he absolutely has to. And I'm sure Dwight Howard was totally aware of all of this!

[chrisnu]

There's a three-team trade rumor going around that would send Vince Carter to New York, Eddy Curry to Miami, and Jason Williams and Ricky Davis to New Jersey. That trade doesn't work, but it does work if Fred Jones also gets sent to Miami. I have no idea why Miami would do this. They already have a certain who can score, does not rebound or defend well, and is making lots of money for the next two years after this one (Mark Blount). Perhaps Riley's offense needs a low-post center, which Blount is not? I don't think it's worth giving up your two most tradeable assets.The Nets make out like gangbusters in that deal.

lol, Zach Randolph.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nCJaOfyg5lk

[DavidSeven]

There's a three-team trade rumor going around that would send Vince Carter to New York, Eddy Curry to Miami, and Jason Williams and Ricky Davis to New Jersey. That trade doesn't work, but it does work if Fred Jones also gets sent to Miami. I have no idea why Miami would do this. They already have a certain who can score, does not rebound or defend well, and is making lots of money for the next two years after this one (Mark Blount).

Just what the Knicks need: another selfish player with an awful contract. Seriously, does Isiah just have a nose for these guys? At least they'd dump the totally useless Eddy Curry. That'd definitely be a case of addition by subtraction.

[chrisnu]

Pat Riley has sad the reported Carter deal is "blog b.s."

More unconfirmed rumors! :eek:

A Sacramento Bee reporter is saying that the Spurs may be looking to acquire Ron Artest. NOOOOOO!!! San Antonio is reportedly offering the expiring contracts of Brent Barry and Francisco Elson. It wouldn't be much of a salary dump on Sacramento's part, unless Artest were to pick up his player option for next season, which he has said you can bet your house on him NOT doing. That makes San Antonio even scarier, without sacrificing much of their depth.

[EyesWideOpen]

I was starting to get excited about the Spurs being on a downward slide considering they've been a pain in the ass for the Lakers and Suns the last few years so I hope this doesn't work out. Elson is a non-entity and Barry plays what 5 minutes a game so them getting Artest who could help them big time would be a big hurt for us.

[DavidSeven]

Ron Artest going to San Antonio could be a Randy Moss/New England type situation: bad apple with talent goes to a team with a system and hard-nosed coach and proceeds to destroy the rest of the league. I don't know if San Antonio really needs him. Finley and Bowen give them plenty of perimeter defense, and Ginobili and Parker give them enough perimeter scoring. Their only weakness, if they have one, is at center. Still, Artest playing within the Spurs system could be real scary.

[Milky Joe]

Shit, I just saw on SportsCenter that the Spurs are in talks with the Sonics to acquire Kurt Thomas. That's better than Ron Artest, I guess, but still. Fuck the Spurs!

[chrisnu]

Yep, looks like the deal with Seattle went through. Kurt Thomas for Brent Barry, Francisco Elson, and a 2009 1st-round draft choice. Interesting that Barry is going back to where he had his best years, at least statistically.

[EyesWideOpen]

It's good to see Kurt Thomas back to a good team. I was sad to see him leave Phoenix.

[DavidSeven]

Wow. I had no idea this was even in the works, but it goes back to what I was saying about San Antonio needing a center more than anything else. This actually makes them pretty dangerous. Kurt Thomas has been very solid this year. Anyway, glad to see Bones Berry come back to Seattle, but he can't be happy about going from a championship contender to a cellar dweller.

[chrisnu]

Kurt Thomas will fit great next to Duncan.

This also is an illustration of the brilliance of Sam Presti. He acquired 3 first-round picks by being willing to take on Kurt Thomas for half a season. Phoenix sent two first-round picks their way along with Thomas, a move made so they wouldn't have to pay luxury tax.

[DavidSeven]

This also is an illustration of the brilliance of Sam Presti. He acquired 3 first-round picks by being willing to take on Kurt Thomas for half a season. Phoenix sent two first-round picks their way along with Thomas, a move made so they wouldn't have to pay luxury tax.

This is what Seattle gave up for three first round picks: ONE conditional second round pick (sent to Phoenix in the off-season).

That's pretty freakin' amazing. Too bad the fans in Seattle will only get to see those draft picks play for a season or two. Huzzah for Oklahoma City, I guess. :|

[chrisnu]

Blech, as if the Hornets needed to get any stronger:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5557975.html


The Rockets reached agreement on a deal that will send Bonzi Wells and Mike James to New Orleans to get guard Bobby Jackson, individuals with knowledge of the talks said.

The deal, which has grown to include minor involvement of the Memphis Grizzlies, is pending league approval, with a conference call is scheduled for today for the NBA to review the trade.

The Rockets will make the move to add Jackson as a veteran point guard to play behind Rafer Alston, sending Wells to the first-place Hornets while getting New Orleans to take on the two seasons and $12.7 million remaining on James' contract after this season.

Jackson is signed for $6.1 million through next season, potentially offering the Rockets the roster flexibility they did not have this season.

The Rockets will also receive rookie guard Adam Haluska and either their own or New Orleans' second-round pick, whichever is greater. They had previously been sending next season's second-round pick to Seattle to complete the trade for the pick they used to draft Carl Landry in the 2007 Draft.

Memphis will receive forward Marcus Vinicius.

The Hornets have a new starting SG in Wells, with Mo Pete as the sixth man. I have no idea why Houston traded for yet another PG. Maybe they hate Mike James that much? BoJax's contract is also one year less than James'.

This is also the second instance I can think of where the same players have been traded for each other twice (Wells and Jackson), the other being Keith Van Horn and Tim Thomas.

[Benny Profane]

Sixers blew out the Knicks by 40 points last night (the game was over after the first quarter) prompting me to AGAIN question how Isiah Thomas still has a job. At this point I don't know if there's anything he can do to get fired. If Isiah pulled down his pants and dropped a turd on the free throw line I think he'd still be the coach of Knicks the next day. He could rape one of K-Fan's birdbaths and still....eh you get the idea.

[Kurosawa Fan]

He could rape one of K-Fan's birdbaths and still....eh you get the idea.

That might actually get him a raise and an extension.

So I watched the Suns game last night. I gotta say, Shaq looked better than I thought he would once he slowed down and worked out the jitters. He'll get more comfortable with the Suns style, and they'll continue to improve. Still, it's not enough to put them over the top. The Lakers were without Bynum. They look fantastic. When he comes back, this team is going to be an absolute beast. It's the Lakers coming out of the West. The other contenders are second-class citizens.

[DavidSeven]

Blech, as if the Hornets needed to get any stronger:

This is probably the most ridiculous season of trades in the history of the NBA. I've never seen so many legit contenders make key moves to get better at one time. One through eight in the Western Conference is insane right now. The eventual Champions might just come out of the East because the Western Conference winner will likely be destroyed by the time they make it to the finals.

[Benny Profane]

Big three-way trade (if it stands), since the deadline is @4:

Cavs get Ben Wallace, Wally Szcerbiak, Joe Smith, and Delonte West

Bulls get Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons

Sonics get Chris Duhon, Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall and their expiring contracts.

[DavidSeven]

I don't like the ramifications this trade is going to have on Big Z' and my fantasy team.

[chrisnu]

Three-team deal sends Wallace to Cavs (http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotri bune.com/fullcourtpress/2008/02/times-up-on-big.html)


A little more than one and a half seasons after Bulls general manager John Paxson and then-coach Scott Skiles made a splash by signing Wallace away from the Detroit Pistons for $60 million over four years, the Bulls have agreed in principle to ship the center, along with Joe Smith and a future second-round pick, to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal that included Seattle.

According to an ESPN.com report, the Cavs also received Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West from the SuperSonics. Chicago also sent Adrian Griffin to Seattle, which also acquired Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall from Cleveland.

The Bulls will receive Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Cedric Simmons and Shannon Brown from Cleveland.

The trade awaits league approval but is expected to go through.

I feel your pain, DavidSeven. I have Big Z on fantasy teams as well :lol:

I'm not sure how the Wallace trade helps Cleveland. They expect to play Big Ben at power forward? He's too slow. I wonder if Daniel Gibson is still going to be on the bench behind Delonte. Szczerbiak provides some help for the short-term, and he has a huge expiring contract next year. Does Chicago expect to start Joakim Noah at center?

[DavidSeven]

It helps Cleveland's "toughness," I guess, but they were already a solid defensive squad. Gooden is the kind of skilled four that opens up the game for Lebron. Those lanes are going to close up with Wallace in the game since he's an atrocious shooter. Szczerbiak is a nice piece, but from watching his games with Seattle this year, I can tell you that you won't find a more selfish offensive player. Maybe that'll change now that he's on a decent squad.

[chrisnu]

A few more deals:

Toronto traded Juan Dixon to Detroit for Primoz Brezec. The Raptors needed another big man (the only true center they had was Rasho Nesterovic); I don't see Dixon getting a lot of playing time in Detroit.

Minnesota traded Gerald Green to Houston for Kirk Snyder. I have no idea why Green wasn't given a chance with the Timberwolves, when it was clear they were going nowhere before the season started. Green will probably split playing time at shooting guard and small forward, behind Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier. He fills in Bonzi Wells' spot, although he probably won't help in the playoffs like Bonzi would. Snyder is just an expiring contract to Minny.

Denver traded Von Wafer to Portland for Taurean Green. The Nuggets needed help at the point, and it's a low-risk move. Green wasn't getting any playing time behind Steve Blake and Jarrett Jack. Wafer may get some playing time behind Brandon Roy, as long as James Jones is out.

Trading for Larry Hughes makes me wonder if the Bulls are interested in re-signing Ben Gordon. Larry must be relieved he'll be playing at his natural position of shooting guard.

[chrisnu]

That was quick; Seattle waived just-acquired Brent Barry to create roster room for the 3-team trade yesterday. The Rockets, Suns, and Spurs are expected to pursue him. The Rockets are also signing Bobby Jones to a 10-day contract, and have waived just-acquired Adam Haluska to do it.

Daniel Gibson is going to be out 4-6 weeks with an ankle sprain. That means Delonte West is starting right away. Nene is having a chemotherapy session, and is still out indefinitely. Andris Biedrins had an appendectomy (ouch!), and will be out at least a week. Robert Swift has a sprained knee, the same knee that his kept him on the sidelines for almost two years.

[MadMan]

Honestly I think the Cavs got rid of some crappy players for one crappy player (Wallace) and some decent-mediocre ones. I really don't think the trade did them all that much good. If the Cavs reach the playoffs it will be because of Lebron's talent level and the fact that they're playing in the Eastern Conference.

[Benny Profane]

If the Cavs reach the playoffs it will be because of Lebron's talent level and the fact that they're playing in the Eastern Conference.

It's pretty safe to say the Cavs will reach the playoffs.

[dreamdead]

The Cavs will be an interesting option once Varajao and Pavlovic come back from injury, as they were the key to the Cavs' run last year. Of course, their respective holdouts kept them from being consistent scoring options this year, and their injuries have tempered their effectiveness as well. That said, they give the Cavs some possibilities to work with if they're healthy.

[DavidSeven]

As horribly overpaid and inconsistent as Larry Hughes is, he's a pretty versatile offensive threat and a very good perimeter defender. Who are they going to put on guys like Ray Allen, Chauncey, and Rip now? Gibson is liability; Szcerbiak can't spell "defense," and West might be an OK option, but he's not going to be lock down a bigger two. Also, who's going to create shots with James out of the lineup? Their whole team is made up of spot shooters and big men with limited mobility now. The fact that their stuck with this squad for at least two years makes it even worse. Thinking about it now, I don't like the deal at all.

[chrisnu]

Jamaal Magloire has been waived by the Nets. The Lakers need to pick him up NOW.

Flip Murray has also been waived by Detroit, who appear to be signing Dale Davis. Murray would be a solid addition to a bench which needs scoring. The Pistons' rookies were good enough to keep him out of the rotation, though.

[Milky Joe]

It's incredible how the addition of Shaq has suddenly turned the Suns' weakness into a strength. They outrebounded the Celtics more than 2 to 1 in the first half. What universe is this??

[EyesWideOpen]

Stoudmire and Garnett are going at it. It's starting to look like a wrestling match.

[chrisnu]

That Boston/Phoenix game was only of the strangest I've seen in a while. Everything that was supposed to be each team's strength ended up being a weakness. My favorite Garnett play was when he got pissed off at Stoudemire's showboating, and forced a turnover on an inbounds pass.


A couple serious injuries: Gerald Wallace experienced a grade-3 concussion after a collision with Mikki Moore last night. He's out of the hospital, but he's not playing tonight, and it's unknown when he'll be back. Also, Robert Swift tore the right meniscus in his right knee, the same knee on which he had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He may be out for the rest of the season. Over the past two seasons, he's only been able to play in 8 games.

This is frightening:

Former NBA player helps police nab suspect (http://www.kcby.com/sports/local/15875682.html)


PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The families of former NFL defensive back Anthony Newman and former NBA guard Terrell Brandon were the victims of an extortion attempt, the Portland Police Bureau said.

Bobby Hayes, 41, was charged with theft by extortion and attempted theft by extortion. Police suspect he wrote threatening letters demanding $10,000 from the families of Newman and Brandon, according to court papers.

One of the letters arrived early last week at the home of Newman's 65-year-old mother. It was addressed to "NFL Mom."

"U don't know me, but I know U," it read. "I want 10K in cash in a black bag set next to your garage door Friday night. If you tell the police and try to be a hero you will be responsible for the murder of your whole family."

Brandon, meanwhile, took matters into his own hands. He and a friend, Timothy Upshaw, followed the instructions in a similar letter and a placed a black bag outside last Friday night.

Upshaw told police he saw a man arrive alone by car and grab the bag out of the bushes. When the stranger opened the bag and saw a $1 bill on top of a stack of plain paper, Upshaw told police he overheard him say, "What the (expletive) is this?"

Police say Upshaw confronted the man, who ran. A northeast Portland resident later called 911, saying he heard some men on the street "talking about killing" someone.

When officers arrived, Upshaw and Brandon were with Hayes. Officers handcuffed everyone before learning about the alleged extortion, Portland police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz said.

Hayes was taken into custody, but later released after posting 10 percent of his $25,000 bail. The court ordered him to have no contact with the Newman and Brandon families.

Brandon, 37, retired from the NBA in 2004 and operates a barbershop in northeast Portland. Newman, 42, played 12 seasons in the NFL and now operates Anthony Newman Extreme Sports Camps for youth.

"It was terrible for my mother, and my wife and kids," Newman told The Oregonian on Thursday. "Everyday I had to look over my shoulder and worry if someone is going to do something. It's been a tough week for my family."

[chrisnu]

Some great thoughts from Tyson Chandler in his latest blog, about his team's latest trade:

The Other Side of a Trade (http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=300025597 )

[DavidSeven]

Some great thoughts from Tyson Chandler in his latest blog, about his team's latest trade:

The Other Side of a Trade (http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=300025597 )

Wow. That was a great read from start to finish. I have quite a bit of respect for the guy now. Very impressive.

[chrisnu]

Bobcats' Wallace to miss at least 2 weeks (http://www.charlotte.com/bobcats/story/507173.html)

Arenas Practices, But Backs Off His Target Return (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/23/AR2008022302687.html[/url)

Crappy crappy crap crap.

Once forward/center Chris Andersen gets reinstated by the NBA, the Hornets are expected to re-sign him, according to an NBA source. Birdman!

Griz waive recently acquired Marcus Vinicius (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/feb/23/griz-waive-recently-acquired-player/)

That's gotta be rough. To go from playing for a playoff-bound team, to being sent to Memphis, to being out of the NBA in a few days.

Primoz Brezec seems like a colorful character:

Grange: Raptors' new big man has gift of the gab (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080223.WBwbbasketball2 0080223115950/WBStory/WBwbbasketball/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080223.WBwbbasketba ll20080223115950)

I'm guessing his "gangsta slang" is the abundance of the word "man".

(Regarding Detroit)
The first to the 15th guys make you feel like family. But no playing time, man. No playing time. I was just looking for a chance, and I didn’t get it. In a month-and-a-half, two months, all I got was garbage time. That’s not me man. I’ve been a starter in this league, I know I can play, so I’m not going to sit on the bench. I guarantee you that. I am not going to sit on the bench."

(about wanting to get to Toronto)
"I want to be with the team. I don’t want to be in a hotel, waiting. I want to be here. Hopefully I can play tonight. I don’t have a chance to get used to the system, but I’m ready. I’m ready, whatever. I’m ready for a fight man."

I read an article which suggested that the playoff system should be revamped to include the top 16 team, regardless of conference. That may benefit the teams in the West with winning records which would not make the playoffs, but it also negates a lot of the divisional rivalry the league likes to play up. You can end up with two Western Conference teams in the Finals. Not sure if the league would like that.

[DavidSeven]

Arenas Practices, But Backs Off His Target Return (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/23/AR2008022302687.html[/url)

:|

I just traded Jose Calderon off my fantasy team in anticipation of Gilbert Arenas' return (still have Chris Paul). Damn.

[chrisnu]

:|

I just traded Jose Calderon off my fantasy team in anticipation of Gilbert Arenas' return (still have Chris Paul). Damn.
I had a glut of centers (still have Jefferson, Gasol, Ilgauskas, and Brad Miller), and in need of more steals, assists, threes, and FT%, I traded Dwight Howard and Kirk Hinrich for Gerald Wallace and Arenas. Yeah. :frustrated:

[DavidSeven]

I traded Dwight Howard and Kirk Hinrich for Gerald Wallace and Arenas. Yeah. :frustrated:

Ouch. I got Stephen Jackson in return for Calderon, and I'm already leading my league in assists by about 200, so the situation isn't dire for me. I'll just have to rely entirely on Chris Paul for my PG stats (not a terrible spot to be in as long as he's healthy).

[chrisnu]

lol, Phoenix.

Down by 34 to Detroit. They look absolutely terrible. They're being booed by their home crowd. Congratulations, you get two more years of this.

[chrisnu]

This is choice. :lol:

Phil on Kobe's ejection tonight


Here's how Phil Jackson saw the ejection of Kobe by referee Brian Forte, the son of long-time NBA official Joe Forte, courtesy of beat writer Elliott Teaford:

“You don’t know what the action was down there, but there were a couple of situations where we got caught in the position where guys were coming over the back, and we were complaining about it at halftime, about rebound situations that were not called. Seattle is an aggressive team. They’re going to go get those balls if they’re free.

“I told (Bryant) he shouldn’t jump on Junior. His dad might carry a grudge against him. That’s nepotism in our league. That’s Joe Forte’s son. He’s got a little bit of the red-ass as we say.”

[chrisnu]

Antoine Walker and Sam Cassell are trying to get their contracts bought out. Cassell would be more likely. Minny would like to make 'Toine go away, but he doesn't want to give up any money. Uh, that's typically how contract buyouts work.

Gerald Wallace is seeing a neurologist this week, after which time there will be a timetable for his return. So, he's still out indefinitely.

Also, leave Kwame alone. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF4xOJTCxDo&NR=1)

[MadMan]

lol, Phoenix.

Down by 34 to Detroit. They look absolutely terrible. They're being booed by their home crowd. Congratulations, you get two more years of this.Pretty much. Shaq is currently playing like a man who's happy to be on a better team, but not like a man who's going to take the Suns to the Conference Finals or the NBA Finals. Fuck.

Anyways I don't give a damn who plays in the Western Conference Finals as long as its not those cocksucking bastard Spurs. I hate them. I'll even settle for the Lakers going to the Finals as long as SA doesn't even get out of the second round. Honestly. Does a disgruntled fan of another Western Conference team have to break Tim Duncan's leg or something? They're having their annual peaking right now and it scares me.

[Ezee E]

Spurs/Lakers would be a hell of a Conference Final to watch.

[Milky Joe]

The Suns are going to be just fine.

[MadMan]

The Suns are going to be just fine."Fine" doesn't get you to the conference finals or the NBA finals. Hell it might not even get you to the playoffs.


Spurs/Lakers would be a hell of a Conference Final to watch.I would become a Lakers fan just, and only just for, that Conference Final. They do have Derek Fisher, who I've always liked, and the woefully underrated Lamar Odom on the squad, plus Phil Jackson coaches them and I've (of course) always thought highly of him. I think my Laker hate stems largely from the fact that I don't like Kobe.

[Ivan Drago]

I just added Antonio Daniels to the trading block if anyone wants him.

[DavidSeven]

Yao Ming Done for Season with Foot Fracture (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3265631)

[MadMan]

Yao Ming Done for Season with Foot Fracture (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3265631)I think the Rockets still have a shot at making the playoffs. But with Yao gone any championship hopes and dreams are completely gone, although granted last season the Rockets were mostly healthy and they went out in the first round.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I think the Rockets still have a shot at making the playoffs. But with Yao gone any championship hopes and dreams are completely gone, although granted last season the Rockets were mostly healthy and they went out in the first round.

They had no championship hopes to begin with, and never will during the Yao/McGrady era. They're both made of glass, and even with both healthy they're a second tier team. It's unfortunate, because I like McGrady.

[MadMan]

They had no championship hopes to begin with, and never will during the Yao/McGrady era. They're both made of glass, and even with both healthy they're a second tier team. It's unfortunate, because I like McGrady.I think with some better supporting players they could have a shot. But I agree with you that both are too injury prone. And I too like McGrady. I wish he hadn't left the Magic to be honest, and I think even with his injuries he'd be as big of an asset to that team as Dwight Howard is.

[DavidSeven]

Tracy McGrady will never be leading any team to an NBA Championship unless his "supporting" players are everyone on the Detroit Pistons or something like that.

[chrisnu]

The Rockets will not make the playoffs without Yao Ming. Who are they going to start at center? Dikembe Mutombo? 6'9" Luis Scola?

The Mavericks are signing Jamaal Magloire. I think the Nets and Mavs had some kind of under-the-table deal here.

The Clippers are buying out Sam Cassell's contract. Boston seems a likely destination. I'm glad that see-saw argument is over. There have been "will they or won't they?" articles for the past month.

Brent Barry hasn't decided on a destination yet. (i.e. he's creatively sitting on his hands until the Spurs can re-sign him.)

P.J. Brown is now considering joining an NBA team, rather than seeking retirement. After the Lakers signed D.J. Mbenga for the season.

[chrisnu]

Zach Randolph, Class Act (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lvYf08X6tc)

[Justin]

Zach Randolph, Class Act (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lvYf08X6tc)

ah hahahaha

[MadMan]

Zach Randolph, Class Act (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lvYf08X6tc)Wow. Just wow.

[DavidSeven]

They didn't call him "the black hole" in Portland for nothing.

[chrisnu]

P.J. Brown has decided to come out of retirement to sign with the Celtics :frustrated:

Chris Duhon has been benched in favor of Larry Hughes, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, and Thabo Sefolosha in the Bulls' guard rotation. He's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so this may signal the end of his time in Chicago. He's a nice guy, taking it gracefully. I think he could help out some teams.

Antoine Walker is openly talking about a contract buyout like it's a done deal, and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said "negotiations have not gotten to the point where he would get involved." Oops.

Pat Riley sent Daequan Cook and Joel Anthony to the D-League, where he says they'll spend at least five games. Apparently, they have some attitude problems. Why is that not a surprise...

Chris Kaman may be out for a week or more. To help out in the short term, the Clippers signed Nick Fazekas, who was waived by the Mavericks a week ago, to make room for the Jason Kidd trade. The amount of injuries the Clippers have suffered this season is unbelievable.

[chrisnu]

Caron Butler has a small labral tear of the left hip joint. He'll be out indefinitely. The Wizards are in a similar situation as last year, with respect to injuries. This time, rather than falling to the bottom of the playoff seeding, they may not make the playoffs at all.

Sam Cassell has been officially waived by the Clippers. I fully expect him to be signed by the Celtics. Curses!

Devin Harris will make his Nets debut tonight.

[DavidSeven]

Devin Harris scored 21 points in 20 minutes off the bench in his debut for New Jersey tonight. He led them to a lopsided victory over Milwaukee and had the hometown fans chanting his name.

In other news, Dallas still can't beat San Antonio.

[DavidSeven]

Bill Simmons makes his case to save the Seattle Sonics:


In six years of writing for ESPN.com, this is the longest piece I've ever sent to my editors -- nearly 15,000 words of anguished e-mails from Sonics fans around the country. I spent the past 24 hours sifting through them and whittling them down the best I could. Don't print this baby out. Read it, skim through it, do whatever you need to do. But definitely check it out.

Here's why the Seattle situation should matter to everyone who cares about sports: After being part of the city for 41 years, the Sonics are being stolen away for dubious reasons while every NBA owner and executive allows it to happen, including David Stern, the guy who's supposed to be policing this stuff. I think it's reprehensible to watch someone hijack a franchise away from the people who cared about the team and loved it and nurtured it through the years. It belittles not just the good people of Seattle, but everyone who loves sports and believes it provides a unique and valuable connection for a city, a community, family members and friends.

Nobody has ever summed up being a sports fan better than the New Yorker's Roger Angell in his piece "Agincourt and After," in this passage about Carlton Fisk's famous home run in the 1975 World Series:

"It is foolish and childish, on the face of it, to affiliate ourselves with anything so insignificant and patently contrived and commercially exploitive as a professional sports team, and the amused superiority and icy scorn that the non-fan directs at the sports nut (I know this look -- I know it by heart) is understandable and almost unanswerable. Almost. What is left out of this calculation, it seems to me, is the business of caring -- caring deeply and passionately, really caring -- which is a capacity or an emotion that has almost gone out of our lives. And so it seems possible that we have come to a time when it no longer matters so much what the caring is about, how frail or foolish is the object of that concern, as long as the feeling itself can be saved. Naivete -- the infantile and ignoble joy that sends a grown man or woman to dancing and shouting with joy in the middle of the night over the haphazardous flight of a distant ball -- seems a small price to pay for such a gift."

That's what this Seattle thing is about. It's about caring, and joy, and memories, and what a franchise can and should mean to a city and a fan base. It's about the infantile and ignoble joy that causes people to drown out the PA announcer before Game 3 of the '96 Finals. It's also about naivete, for better and worse, and it's about greed and ego above everything else. I'm an innocent bystander with this whole thing, but still, I can't shake one simple point: How could David Stern allow a team that won a championship while he was working for the league to move? How could he claim to care about the league and let that happen? How could he allow one of the 30 NBA fan bases to be extorted? How is this OK?

The Bennett supporters argue that this "mess" is really about Seattle refusing to pay for a new arena, which would be fine except taxpayers helped pay to rebuild KeyArena back in 1995 -- and besides, why should citizens spend tax money paying for a new arena just to make a billionaire wealthier than he already is? If the precedent is set here -- Pay for my new arena or I'm leaving -- then really, the same thing could eventually happen to your favorite NBA team.

After All-Star Weekend, I wrote that David Stern's conviction to New Orleans would go down as his single finest moment. Well, if he allows the 1979 NBA champs to get stolen from Seattle by a longtime friend, that would go down as his single worst moment. Hands down. As for the collateral damage for fans of the Seattle Expiring Contracts, it's there and it continues to fester and build. More than 3,000 of them wrote in within 24 hours of me asking for their thoughts. We separated their e-mails into categories so unbiased observers can fully understand the impact that a potential Sonics move would have on the city.

This isn't a case that you can say, "You know, I kind of understand both sides here." There is only one side. An NBA team is getting hijacked and there's no way of sugarcoating it, defending it or justifying it. Again, if it happens to the Sonics, it could happen to your team.

That's why you should care.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Yeah, I read that entire column this morning. The emails were depressing. Such a stain on the league if this goes through.

[MadMan]

That column is damn beautiful. I feel very depressed about it happening, and I'm hella pissed at that asshole Stern for letting it happen. Fuck him and fuck the other bastards who are stealing a team away from Seattle. Goddamn bunch of wankers.....


"It is foolish and childish, on the face of it, to affiliate ourselves with anything so insignificant and patently contrived and commercially exploitive as a professional sports team, and the amused superiority and icy scorn that the non-fan directs at the sports nut (I know this look -- I know it by heart) is understandable and almost unanswerable. Almost. What is left out of this calculation, it seems to me, is the business of caring -- caring deeply and passionately, really caring -- which is a capacity or an emotion that has almost gone out of our lives. And so it seems possible that we have come to a time when it no longer matters so much what the caring is about, how frail or foolish is the object of that concern, as long as the feeling itself can be saved. Naivete -- the infantile and ignoble joy that sends a grown man or woman to dancing and shouting with joy in the middle of the night over the haphazardous flight of a distant ball -- seems a small price to pay for such a gift."

That is one of the most deeply profound and moving things I've ever read. I feel like putting that on a sticky note to carry around and read to anyone who's not a sports fan when they ask me "Why do you care? Why are you so obssesed with sports?" Then I'd whip it out and read it to them and say "That's why."

[Benny Profane]

Sixers waived Gordan Giricek. My world is crumbling.

[Benny Profane]

Why are the Sonics moving out of Seattle anyway? Not enough fan interest? I haven't been following the story at all.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Why are the Sonics moving out of Seattle anyway? Not enough fan interest? I haven't been following the story at all.

Nope. The city wouldn't fork over $500 mil for a new stadium (there's was built in 1995) so the owner is moving them to Ok City. Stern is standing by watching it all happen. It's disgusting. Simmons brought up a great suggestion here (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080229&sportCat=nba) in point one, but it probably won't happen. If you want to know more about what's taking place, just skim Simmons last two columns, which are comprised largely of fan emails from Seattle.

[DavidSeven]

Why are the Sonics moving out of Seattle anyway? Not enough fan interest? I haven't been following the story at all.

What most people don't know is that David Stern and Clay Bennett (Sonics owner) are old friends. It's been Bennett's dream to move a team to OKC, and David Stern seems more than willing to do his friend a "solid" by getting the Sonics relocated there. Bennett bought the team a couple years ago, and promised the fans of Seattle that he wouldn't move the team. One of his co-owners revealed to the press that it was ownership's intention to move the team to OKC from the very beginning (the league subsequently fined him for making the comments). Right after the purchase, Bennett submitted a proposal for a $550 million arena 18 miles south of Downtown Seattle. This would make it the most expensive arena in the league. To put this in perspective, the Staples Center (the most state of the art arena I've seen in person) cost $350 million to build and was financed privately. As everyone expected, Seattle legislature scoffed at this proposal. Since then, Bennett and Stern have proclaimed there is no hope to keep an NBA team in Seattle. This is in spite of the fact that private land developers in Seattle have tried to approach Bennett with more affordable solutions.

During the last year and half, ownership has fired every single executive with the team that has ties to the city. They brought in a new GM and a coach with Southwestern background. They gave up Ray Allen for nothing and let Rashard Lewis walk, so that the team would perform as poorly as possible during the 2007-2008 season. Their hope was to create an illusion that there was apathy among the fan base in Seattle by putting a glorified NBDL team on the floor every night. Seattle has supported the team for 40+ years and is one of the largest media markets in the country. Moving the team out makes no sense whatsoever. Yet, David Stern proclaimed over the All-Star weekend that keeping a team in Seattle was hopeless.

This process has been one of the shadiest dealings I've ever seen in Professional Sports. I think this tops Robert Irsay and his moving trucks because this situation involves an owner and a commissioner systematically sabotaging a team for a year and half and continually lying to the public about it.

[Benny Profane]

D7, do you think this is the reason why OKC was chosen as a temporary home for the Hornets? As a sort of litmus test for his friend, to see if the local fans would embrace a pro team?

[DavidSeven]

D7, do you think this is the reason why OKC was chosen as a temporary home for the Hornets? As a sort of litmus test for his friend, to see if the local fans would embrace a pro team?

There's no doubt in my mind about that. Look him up on Wiki, and you'll see that he was the brains behind the campaign for OKC to be the temporary home of the Hornets. How else can you justify OKC when West Coast markets like San Diego, Vancouver, and San Fransisco are available?

Bennett even tried to buy a piece of the Hornets. He, along with Shinn (another despicable owner), would have undoubtedly moved the team to OKC. However, there would have been too much conflict here because of the bad press the NBA would have received for moving a team out of New Orleans after Katrina. Lucky for Bennett, the Starbucks guy decided he didn't want to be Mark Cuban anymore and put the Sonics up for sale. Bennett and Stern moved in like vultures.

[chrisnu]

Very moving article by Simmons. I've been against moving the Sonics out of Seattle from the very beginning. The clandestine in plain sight machinations of Bennett and Stern are disgusting.

The Suns have signed Gordan Giricek for the remainder of the season. Another shooter who plays no defense :)

The Kings will be buying out Tyronn Lue, whose contract would have expired at the end of this season, so he can sign with a contender. He can help out some teams in need of a veteran PG.

Now that Seattle moved their third point guard in Delonte West, their two remaining point guards (Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson) have gone down with injuries. They're going to be signing Mike Wilks again, who they also signed near the end of last year. That probably means either Ira Newble or Adrian Griffin (both with expiring contracts) will be waived. (EDIT: It was Ira Newble.)

Danny Granger was suspended for one game, for punching Andres Nocioni in the face. He can get under your skin.

The Timberwolves negotiated a buyout of the remainder of Theo Ratliff's $11.6M contract this season, and he's going to sign with the Pistons if he clears waivers, which is an absolute certainty. Ratliff and not Dale Davis will fill out the last roster spot. He looks healthy (for now), and can help them in the playoffs.

The Clippers are expected to sign Flip Murray to fill Sam Cassell's roster spot. He can fill it up, and will do just fine platooning the PG spot with Brevin Knight for the rest of the season. They are very different players.

Stephon Marbury has been instructed by Isiah Thomas not to attend Knicks home games. (http://www.nypost.com/seven/02292008/sports/knicks/keep_out__marbury__99750.htm) Wow.

Also, the Bobcats waived Jeff McInnis. PLEASE let this be the end of Sam Vincent's horrible small-ball lineups! Unless this gives him license to have a starting back court of 6' Raymond Felton and 5'5" Earl Boykins. :|

[Benny Profane]

There's no doubt in my mind about that.



Muy interesante. Never realized it was so. More fodder for my paranoid dreams of conspiracy. Thank you, sir.

[chrisnu]

It looks like the Hawks' GM, Billy Knight, wanted to fire head coach Mike Woodson, but the ownership wouldn't allow it. More signs of solidarity in their organization!

Flip Murray was going to board a plane for Los Angeles, when his agent called and said they had a deal with the Pacers. He's signing with Indiana, and he'll fit right in. They're a running team, and love scoring.

Phoenix is now 2-4 since the Shaq trade, and have fallen from first to sixth in the standings. :lol:

[MadMan]

I'm now starting to believe that the Suns will miss the playoffs. I think they still will but I'm no longer so sure. Right now I'm all for firing Steve Kerr and turning it over to someone who actually knows what the hell he is doing. We never should have let Kurt Thomas leave either. At least I still have the Jazz, although I believe that Jerry Sloan will end up going down in NBA history as one of the best coaches never to win a championship.

PS: Someone compared the Suns to the Kings on a FoxSports.com message board. I think that comparrison may be true. And we all know what ended up happening to the Kings. They could still become good again but right now they are a joke.

[Milky Joe]

:confused: Here's to making sweeping assessments based on a handful of poor team performances! If anyone needs to be fired it's D'iantoni, but I still would hate to see that happen.

[MadMan]

:confused: Here's to making sweeping assessments based on a handful of poor team performances! If anyone needs to be fired it's D'iantoni, but I still would hate to see that happen.Look man with the way the West is right now yes panicing now isn't a bad opition. Considering that the team was on top of the conference before the Shaq trade, I think yes its Kerr's fault. Firing D'iantoni would be one of the dumbest moves ever. While sure the Suns need some time to work Shaq into the offense and such time is a luxary the Suns don't have.

[Milky Joe]

The only reason they were on top of the conference was because they had spent the first half of the year beating up on the Eastern conference. They were barely over .500 against the West even with Marion. It's not Steve Kerr's fault that no one on the team is playing with any urgency on defense. It is, however, his fault that the team went from being one of the worst rebounding teams in the league to one of the best. And I agree firing D'antoni would be an extremely dumb move. But so would firing Steve Kerr. It's not Shaq's fault that the Suns are struggling, he's doing exactly what he is supposed to do. It's not about working Shaq into the offense. It's about playing team defense, imposing their will, STOPPING some people for once. You know, play the way a team plays when they, say, want to win a championship.

[Ezee E]

The only reason they were on top of the conference was because they had spent the first half of the year beating up on the Eastern conference. They were barely over .500 against the West even with Marion. It's not Steve Kerr's fault that no one on the team is playing with any urgency on defense. It is, however, his fault that the team went from being one of the worst rebounding teams in the league to one of the best. And I agree firing D'antoni would be an extremely dumb move. But so would firing Steve Kerr. It's not Shaq's fault that the Suns are struggling, he's doing exactly what he is supposed to do. It's not about working Shaq into the offense. It's about playing team defense, imposing their will, STOPPING some people for once. You know, play the way a team plays when they, say, want to win a championship.
Which leads to one word: Spurs.

[MadMan]

The only reason they were on top of the conference was because they had spent the first half of the year beating up on the Eastern conference. They were barely over .500 against the West even with Marion. It's not Steve Kerr's fault that no one on the team is playing with any urgency on defense. It is, however, his fault that the team went from being one of the worst rebounding teams in the league to one of the best. And I agree firing D'antoni would be an extremely dumb move. But so would firing Steve Kerr. It's not Shaq's fault that the Suns are struggling, he's doing exactly what he is supposed to do. It's not about working Shaq into the offense. It's about playing team defense, imposing their will, STOPPING some people for once. You know, play the way a team plays when they, say, want to win a championship.Well yeah of course half of the west is better than the east. But look what matters is how you do against the west and your own conference. I'm alarmed that the Lakers have taken the lead in the conference and that the Suns are sinking fast. Note I didn't say anything prior to the Shaq trade. I wasn't worried then, but that was also before LA started winning. The problem simply is that maybe the Suns were never a championship type of team to begin with, although I think I'm somewhat wrong in that regard. Here's the thing: okay sure they shouldn't fire Kerr now. But if the Suns miss the playoffs or fail to get past the second round this year I'll be hard pressed not to want to join the invitable crowd that wants his head on a platter.

[Kurosawa Fan]

No offense Madman, but I think you're being pretty ridiculous. The guy made a bold move. It hasn't paid off, and maybe it never will, but he understood that his team wasn't going to win a championship as it was so he needed to make a change. If it had/does work, we'll all be calling him a genius, but if it doesn't you want him fired? For taking a chance and trying to win now? That's absurd. And this is coming from a guy who hated the Shaq trade from the moment it was announced.

[chrisnu]

Kerr did make a bold move, and those can be good. The problem with this bold move is if it doesn't immediately work, the Suns are in salary cap hell for two more years, and can do nothing to improve their aging team other than use salary exceptions. If the Suns wanted to improve their defense and rebounding, I think going after someone like Emeka Okafor may have been a better idea. Okafor rejected a contract extension from the Bobcats in the off-season, and Phoenix would be able to pay him what he wanted. Having Okafor and Stoudemire next to each other would be frightening, and they're both young. Health has been an issue with Okafor in the past, but he hasn't missed a game this season. If Okafor was untouchable, trying to get another young defensive center like Samuel Dalembert could've been a goal.

[chrisnu]

Tyronn Lue signed with the Mavericks. That makes them stronger for the playoffs. They'll have Lue to primarily back up Jason Kidd instead of second-year player Jose Juan Barea.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be out for at least two weeks with back pain. Anderson Varejao fans will be happy, he's their starting center for now. The Cavaliers will continue to play Ben Wallace at power forward.

A photograph which illustrates the defensive prowess of Kyle Korver (#26):

http://www.nba.com/media/rmccants_400_080226.jpg

[DavidSeven]

My problem with what Kerr did is that he basically gave Seattle two first round picks to take Kurt Thomas' salary and then traded Marion and a young backup point guard for Shaq. They basically gave up Marion, two first round picks, and a backup point guard to upgrade from Thomas to Shaq. Sure, Thomas couldn't lock down Duncan, but does anyone think Shaq can at this point in his career? The difference between the two, at this point, is negligible, and they paid a hefty price for this "upgrade."

[MadMan]

No offense Madman, but I think you're being pretty ridiculous. The guy made a bold move. It hasn't paid off, and maybe it never will, but he understood that his team wasn't going to win a championship as it was so he needed to make a change. If it had/does work, we'll all be calling him a genius, but if it doesn't you want him fired? For taking a chance and trying to win now? That's absurd. And this is coming from a guy who hated the Shaq trade from the moment it was announced.Its not that he made the change. Its that he made the wrong change. chrisnu's post about the trade and who they could have got instead, plus David's post noting that the Suns sort of let themselves get shafted only articulate better how I really feel about the whole situation. Bad change is worse than no change at all (in a way the Cavs trade deals were canceled out because they got rid of some crappy players for an aging center past his prime in Wallace). I already said that if the Shaq trade horribly backfires I won't be the only one clambering for Kerr to be canned. Also I'm a big Shaq fan but I realistically think the guy should retire. I hope I'm wrong but this pessimist so far has had some of his fears confirmed.

[chrisnu]

The resumption of the Miami at Atlanta game from December 19, 2007 may include newly acquired players from both teams, according to the NBA.

All current roster players who were listed on each team's December 19 active list are required to be placed on each team's respective active list for the resumed game. Because of intervening player transactions, the number of such players does not equal 12 for either team. As a result, and in order to reach 12 active players for the resumed game, both teams are permitted to add players to their active lists from the December 19 inactive list and any new roster players acquired since the December 19, 2007, game.

This means that players like Shawn Marion and Mike Bibby may play for their new respective teams despite not being on the roster when the game began.

Uh, yeah.

Also, Isiah Thomas lifted Starbury's ban from MSG. Woo-hoo! :pritch:

[EyesWideOpen]

Anderson Varejao fans will be happy, he's their starting center for now.

A photograph which illustrates the defensive prowess of Kyle Korver (#26):

http://www.nba.com/media/rmccants_400_080226.jpg

Please tell me there is no such thing as Anderson Varejao fans.

And that Kyle Korver picture is priceless.

[chrisnu]

Dirk goes WWE on Andrei Kirilienko (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ce2xaOPdDA)
That deserves at least a two-game suspension. Nothing natural about that basketball act at all. Dirk went straight for the throat. Andrei has a bruised hip, and will likely miss some games.

[Our Aurora]

C's sign Cassell

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1077614&srvc=rss

[MadMan]

Dirk goes WWE on Andrei Kirilienko (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ce2xaOPdDA)
That deserves at least a two-game suspension. Nothing natural about that basketball act at all. Dirk went straight for the throat. Andrei has a bruised hip, and will likely miss some games.Another reason for me to hate on the German. I mean I don't love Andrei but us Jazz fans know we need him for a strong playoff push. I hope he's okay. I don't hate the Mavs, but I really, really don't like them. Which is funny because I think Mark Cuban is a great owner.

[Milky Joe]

Boy, look at those strugglin' Phoenix Suns, up by only 19 at the half against Portland.

[MadMan]

Boy, look at those strugglin' Phoenix Suns, up by only 19 at the half against Portland.Give me a goddamn break. Its Portland. PORTLAND. But hey let's just blindy praise whatever the Suns do. A true fan is willing to critize their team as much as praise it.

[Milky Joe]

Oh please. As if I'm not capable of "critizing" them. But yeah, let's not praise them for doing well or anything. Instead, let's blindly attack them because they lost a few games after making a huge trade that we've prefigured to be a stupid one, and just go ahead and ignore the fact that they played near-flawlessly on both ends of the floor for at least the first half of a game against a GOOD team (yes, Portland, who beat the almighty Lakers last week and had the longest win streak of the season earlier, is a good team who just might not make the playoffs because the West is so stacked).

[Ezee E]

Yeah, the Nuggets not making the playoffs seems bizarro to me.

[DavidSeven]

Give me a goddamn break. Its Portland. PORTLAND.

Portland is a plus .500 team, and 22-8 at home entering the Phoenix game. Beating them on their court is not an easy task (evidenced by their late game rally last night). They're a very good team.

[DavidSeven]

Yeah, the Nuggets not making the playoffs seems bizarro to me.

George Karl said he's never seen a conference like this in the decades that he's worked in this league. I don't know if you could find anything that compares to this in any pro league. At the All-Star break, all 8 Western Conference playoff teams were on pace to win 50+ games. That's absolutely ridiculous. The Nuggets are about 10 games ahead of where they were last year and still on the outside looking in.

I've convinced that if an Eastern Conference team wins the title this year, it will be because the Western Conference teams are just going to kill each other throughout the playoffs.

[Benny Profane]

I've convinced that if an Eastern Conference team wins the title this year, it will be because the Western Conference teams are just going to kill each other throughout the playoffs.

Anyone know the Vegas odds at this point?

[Kurosawa Fan]

Nowitzki Suspended for One Game (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3278549)

In other news, Chris Andersen has been reinstated. Fun times.

[chrisnu]

Birdman is back! :)

Steve Francis, who is out for the reason, will exercise his player option for next season with the Rockets. Dorell Wright, who recently had kneee surgery to end his season, is being pursued by Pat Riley to stay with the Heat.

Tyrus Thomas has been suspended for two games by team president John Paxson, for an unexcused absence from practice. Dirk Nowitzki has been suspended for one game, and had his flagrant-1 foul changed to a flagrant-2, for the smackdown on Andrei Kirilenko, who has a bruised hip, and is not playing tonight.

Kevin Johnson is running for mayor of Sacramento!

[DavidSeven]

Lebron contributed to 70 points of production tonight at The Garden (scored 50 points and dished 10 assists). Oh, and he added in 8 boards and 4 steals. Are you kidding me?

[MadMan]

Oh please. As if I'm not capable of "critizing" them. But yeah, let's not praise them for doing well or anything. Instead, let's blindly attack them because they lost a few games after making a huge trade that we've prefigured to be a stupid one, and just go ahead and ignore the fact that they played near-flawlessly on both ends of the floor for at least the first half of a game against a GOOD team (yes, Portland, who beat the almighty Lakers last week and had the longest win streak of the season earlier, is a good team who just might not make the playoffs because the West is so stacked).I have very valid reasons for attacking the trade. And I am not alone in this. And no I don't think Portland is a very good team. They have shown flashes of good play throughout the season, but their inexperience has caught up with them. The fact of the matter is in any other season the Suns could get away with struggling. But the West is stacked and thus there is no room for error. None. I want the Suns to make the playoffs. I have very good reasons for worrying about this.

Lebron's numbers were sick tonight. Sure it was against the Knicks but its still impressive.

Post #666! This thread is now evil! The power of Christ compels it! ;)

[DavidSeven]

Someone needs to tell the Rockets that they don't have enough talent to be on a 17 game winning streak.

[chrisnu]

Rockets win. Again.

Anyone who's ever watched a local Clippers broadcast is going to be brought out of their seat by play #3 in this countdown.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mf7Gpx-FpE4

I think that's the most animated I've ever heard Ralph Lawler during a game. WITH AUTHORITY!

San Antonio wore jerseys which said "Los Spurs" tonight. Yeah, that doesn't make any sense.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/8323/captcc2e76de3e524d65a23mm9.th. jpg (http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=captcc2e76de3e524 d65a23mm9.jpg)

[MadMan]

When will that aging Spurs team start finally sucking? Argh! I hate SA so much.

Despite the fact that their 17th win came against the Dirk-less Mavs I still think the Rockets' streak is mighty impressive. We'll see if they can stay hot into the post season or not though.

[Milky Joe]

oy. that's a bitter pill to swallow.

[shaun]

Anyone know the Vegas odds at this point?These are the futures on Bodog. Odds don't really reflect actual odds of them winning so much as how much action the sportsbook is getting on the bet.

Boston 5/2
Los Angeles 5/2
San Antonio 11/2
Detroit 13/2
Phoenix 8/1
Dallas 10/1
Cleveland 12/1
New Orleans 16/1
Utah 16/1
Houston 18/1
Orlando 25/1
Denver 35/1
Golden State 40/1
Toronto 50/1

[chrisnu]

Houston waived Bobby Jones and Gerald Green to make room for Justin Williams (waived by the Kings before the Bibby trade)and Mike Harris. Houston needed another big man (Williams), and Harris played with the Rockets in the pre-season, so he may take less time to become acclimated with the team. I hope another team gives Gerald Green a chance.

Brent Barry and Ira Newble are likely headed back to San Antonio and Cleveland, respectively. What's interesting is that Barry was waived to make room for Newble in the big three-team trade, who has now been waived to make room for Mike Wilks. Lots and lots of buyouts this year.

[Milky Joe]

I sure hope Madman saw Phoenix end the Spurs' win streak today.

[Ezee E]

I sure hope Madman saw Phoenix end the Spurs' win streak today.
Too bad the Spurs win streak already ended before that.

[Milky Joe]

Oh, well, I still hope he saw it.

[chrisnu]

How about the Bobcats winning five straight with Gerald Wallace out? The Eastern Conference is so bad, they're only 2.5 games out of eight place. :)

[Benny Profane]

How 'bout The Sixers winning 12 of 15? THE SIXERS!!!

[MadMan]

How 'bout The Sixers winning 12 of 15? THE SIXERS!!!I'm guessing Andre Miller is helping fuel that.


I sure hope Madman saw Phoenix end the Spurs' win streak today.Come back to me when the Suns beat the Spurs in the playoffs.

That said, I'm glad. I hate the Spurs. Anyday the Suns beat the Spurs is a good deal. Emerging from my funk I think the Suns will make the playoffs. I'm not sure they'll get higher than a 4th seed although you never know.

[DSNT]

I'm guessing Andre Miller is helping fuel that.
Thaddeus Young is fitting in nicely too.

[MadMan]

Thaddeus Young is fitting in nicely too.Yeah they do have a solid cast of players. Plus them being in the Eastern Conference certainly helps.

[chrisnu]

Bleh, the Lakers played like they could just turn on a win switch in the first half, and that's why they lost. I wonder why Reggie Theus kept Ron Artest out of the fourth quarter. Good game for Beno Udrih fans (aka ME :)) Also, Spencer Hawes is going to be a gamer.

[chrisnu]

Curry to rest knee, decide on surgery to repair cartilage tear (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3285249)

Eddy Curry has a vertical tear in his knee; he can put off surgery for now, if his knee responds well to other treatment. The Knicks season is completely lost, however, and Stephon Marbury already decided to have season-ending surgery. Shutting Curry down would allow youngsters like Randolph Morris and Wilson Chandler to get more playing time for the rest of the season.

[shaun]

Shutting Curry down would allow youngsters like Randolph Morris and Wilson Chandler to get more playing time for the rest of the season.And more importantly, increase our odds of getting either Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose.

[Ivan Drago]

Who wants Antonio Daniels in fantasy basketball?

[chrisnu]

Roger Mason and Nick Young are continuing to cut into Daniels' playing time. It'd probably be worth dropping him and picking up someone else at this point. There's other players who have been recently moved who will give you more right now.

Having so many injured players on my fantasy team is forcing me to keep people benched. I hadn't learned yet that at least in a roto league, you don't need to fill the roster spots every single night. My team seems to be performing better now that I'm playing a little smarter.

Dwyane Wade Expected to Miss Rest of Season (http://www.nba.com/heat/news/wade_out_080310.html)

Wade is going to have shock wave therapy performed on his left knee, which will keep him away from basketball activity for the rest of the season. This was expected. Like the Knicks, they have nothing to play for other than ping pong balls. Shutting him down and getting him all the way back for next season should be top priority. It sucks for the paying fans, but I think they'll get a better product in the long run.

[chrisnu]

Gerald Wallace hopes to be back on Wednesday, but he won't be playing power forward anymore, after his latest concussion. I thought it was foolish to play him there in the first place! The Bobcats' most effective starting lineup was Felton/Richardson/Wallace/Okafor/Mohammed, and I have no idea why they strayed from it. Richardson can swing to small forward, but both Wallace and Okafor were being played out of position, in favor of starting Jeff McInnis. Now that McInnis is gone, Earl Boykins and Matt Carroll are probably going to receive the most minutes off the bench.

[DavidSeven]

Another blowout win for Houston in the works. Yeah, I don't get it.

[MadMan]

Another blowout win for Houston in the works. Yeah, I don't get it.I looked at their stat line. Apparently they have a pretty solid bench. Or something. I can't believe that they're winning at this crazy of a pace either. Although granted the team they played tonight was the Nets, but hell even the Kid-less Nets have talent.

[DavidSeven]

I looked at their stat line. Apparently they have a pretty solid bench.

Eh. Landry is a solid rookie, and Luther Head and Bobby Jackson give them decent minutes, but this team isn't very deep at all. There really isn't much individual talent on this squad (especially without Yao). This is probably the first 19 game winning streak based entirely on hustle alone. The fact that they're on a 10 game double digit wins streak is even more impressive.

If Houston somehow wins the West, Rick Adelman shouldn't just get Coach of the Year, he should get an automatic pass to the HOF.

[MadMan]

Eh. Landry is a solid rookie, and Luther Head and Bobby Jackson give them decent minutes, but this team isn't very deep at all. There really isn't much individual talent on this squad (especially without Yao). This is probably the first 19 game winning streak based entirely on hustle alone. The fact that they're on a 10 game double digit wins streak is even more impressive.

If Houston somehow wins the West, Rick Adelman shouldn't just get Coach of the Year, he should get an automatic pass to the HOF.That is true. I have to agree that hustle is the only explaination as to why they're winning so much and are so hot at the moment.

Right now I don't think any team in the West wants to face Houston in the playoffs. A hot team is a dangerous team. Adelman really has proven to be a much better coach than Jeff Van Gundy was, at least for the moment anyways. Although this doesn't mean that the Rockets will go to the Finals or even the conference finals. I think this will be the year that McGrady finally wins a playoff series though.

[DavidSeven]

So, a Seattle investment group made up of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Costco CEO Jim Sinegal, Seattle developer Matt Griffin, and wireless technology entrepreneur John Stanton have offered to buy the Sonics and contribute $150 million of their own money to refurbish Key Arena to keep the team here. There's been offers to buy the team before, but this one features the most impressive investor lineup.

However, it probably doesn't matter how much logical sense this purchase would make as this local article brutally points out:


Remember Clay Bennett? Remember how he and his investment partners bought the Sonics 20 months ago, with the idea of taking the team to Oklahoma City unless taxpayers in King County built them a 21st century version of the Taj Mahal?

Bennett’s arena demands were an insult to common sense, proposed by the most pompous gas bag to come out of Oklahoma since Chuck Fairbanks, but none of that can obscure the facts: This is Bennett’s team.

It is Bennett’s team no matter how much Ballmer’s idea gains traction in Olympia, and it will be Bennett’s team regardless of the outcome of the June court fight over the two seasons remaining on the KeyArena lease.

Steve Ballmer can make demands for action and Nickels can point fingers at foot-dragging lawmakers, but it’s all moot: Bennett’s got the ball, and you’ll take it away from him when you pry his cold, dead fingers off it.

And please, enough already with any mystery about the NBA Board of Governors approving the franchise relocation in April. Owners might privately suspect the notion of abandoning a thriving Pacific Rim market for Oklahoma is beyond dumb. But these are businessmen.

A vote for relocation is a vote that enables them to enjoy negotiating leverage should their franchises ever be put on the market.

[chrisnu]

The Clippers are interesting in signing Smush Parker for the remainder of the season. lol.

The Lakers are interested in signing Ira Newble. He's terrible on the offensive end, but he could provide some much-needed perimeter defense, at least until Trevor Ariza is back.

Houston needs to stop winning before the Lakers play them. They are frightening right now.

[chrisnu]

Oh my goodness, they actually did it.

Clippers Sign William "Smush" Parker (http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/parker_signed_080312.html)

April 10, the Lakers are facing the Clippers again. Hoo boy!

[DavidSeven]

20 straight for The Rockets. First time in 37 years it's been done and only the third time ever. Tracy McGrady and an assortment of scrubs joins the books with teams headed by Oscar Robertson/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West/Wilt Chamberlain. Yeah...

[Ezee E]

20 straight for The Rockets. First time in 37 years it's been done and only the third time ever. Tracy McGrady and an assortment of scrubs joins the books with teams headed by Oscar Robertson/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West/Wilt Chamberlain. Yeah...
DIKEMBE MUTOMBO MPLONDO MUKAMBA JEAN-JACQUE WAMUTOMBO!

[chrisnu]

Speaking of Mutombo...

Rockets Imitate Deke (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3MA9m9_FJQ)

:lol:

Battier and Bobby Jackson were the funniest, Aaron Brooks was the best.

[MadMan]

20 straight for The Rockets. First time in 37 years it's been done and only the third time ever. Tracy McGrady and an assortment of scrubs joins the books with teams headed by Oscar Robertson/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West/Wilt Chamberlain. Yeah...Its utterly insane. I honestly can't believe it happened. The explainations for it pretty much boggle my mind. All I can say is that I find the whole thing to be sort of awesome. Provided the Suns or the Jazz don't meet up with the Rockets in the playoffs or during the regular season anytime soon.

[DavidSeven]

"I am 45 years old... do not make me run wind sprints!"

:lol:

[chrisnu]

Bruce Bowen's streak of 500 consecutive games will end because he was suspended for one game after kicking Chris Paul while Paul was on the ground. Appropriate enough.

Eddy Curry is having knee surgery which will end his season. The Curry/Randolph experiment failed horribly, and the Knicks will have to hope they can move at least one of them in the off-season.

The Seattle SuperSonics and Oklahoma City reached a preliminary agreement on a lease at the Ford Center, pending NBA approval of the team’s move. :|

Pau Gasol turned his ankle. :sad: He's out indefinitely.

And the Rockets win 21 in a row.

[Milky Joe]

The Suns are absolutely raping the Kings right now. 79 points in the first half. 70% field goal percentage. Oh yes.

[chrisnu]

Pau's out for today's game, likely out for the other two games on the road trip. After that, it hasn't been decided yet.

Really sad story. I may watch the documentary on ESPN tonight.

The downfall of Cleo Hill (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/810EBD1D3439B0048625740D0015C8 47?OpenDocument)

[Benny Profane]

In the past two weeks the Sixers have beaten the Suns and Pistons on the road, and the Spurs at home.

Punk ass bitches need to rec'gnize.

[EyesWideOpen]

Pau's out for today's game, likely out for the other two games on the road trip. After that, it hasn't been decided yet.

Really sad story. I may watch the documentary on ESPN tonight.

The downfall of Cleo Hill (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/810EBD1D3439B0048625740D0015C8 47?OpenDocument)


I really hope it's not that bad, we really need him healthy. And what the hell is up with Bynum I remember reading he was looking to be back end of feburary and he's still out.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I really hope it's not that bad, we really need him healthy. And what the hell is up with Bynum I remember reading he was looking to be back end of feburary and he's still out.

Bill Simmons commented on this and said he thinks the Bynum injury is a lot more serious than the Lakers are letting on, and that he may not be the same player he was before.

[chrisnu]

Oh my goodness what a block!!!

Jason Maxiell Stonewalls Tyson Chandler At the Rim (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3__lnOGJAA)


http://www.nba.com/games/20080316/SEADEN/boxscore.html

Denver had the third-highest point total in regulation, ever. Seattle scored 116 points, and lost by 52.

Simmons is a Celtics fan. :twisted:

Bynum better be all right... :sad:

[EyesWideOpen]

As good as Houston is playing right now I guarantee they don't make it past the first round.

[DavidSeven]

Bynum was still running in a pool at this time last week and finally jumped on a treadmill about 5 days ago. At this rate, the best you can hope for is that he makes a few appearances before the playoffs. Thinking that you're going to get the pre-surgery Bynum back by the post season is probably unrealistic at this point.

[chrisnu]

A Bynum at less than 100% is better than D.J. Mbenga. He's a really nice guy, but he's not Andrew Bynum.

The Rockets are interested in signing... Dale Davis? If they need another backup center, why not re-sign Jackie Butler, who they let go at the start of the season? He played with them in the pre-season, and he was seriously being looked out before the Rockets decided to go with only two centers in Yao and Mutombo. I think it would make more sense to go with someone younger, who has some experience with your system, than someone who might have something left in the tank, and hasn't played all year.

The Rockets signed Mike Harris to a second 10-day contract. If Carl Landry isn't back before the second 10-day is up, I wonder if they'll decide to keep him for the rest of the season. At this point, it appears that Landry may return on Tuesday.

[chrisnu]

Blazers ask NBA to appoint doctor to evaluate Darius Miles (http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/sports-5/1205869466293210.xml&storylist=orlocal)

It's about time. He's be completely out of action for nearly two years. The organization wanted him away from their group of young impressionable guys as soon as possible, as "Miles has been excused from responsibilities with the team" indicates.

According to Sam Amico:

Source: L.A. clubs to pursue Arenas (http://www.probasketballnews.com/pbn_arenas031708.html)

Never going to happen. The Lakers can't afford him as a free agent, and they won't give up have anything the Wizards want. The Clippers could only afford him if Elton Brand left, and why would Arenas join the Generic Clippers when he could be paid more to re-join a playoff team?

Pretty ugly situation here:

Raptors suit against Spanish federation could top $14 million (http://www.thestar.com/Article/346987)

Jorge Garbajosa had a gruesome knee injury in a game against the Celtics last March, which caused him to miss the rest of the season and the playoffs. The Raptors wanted him to concentrate on rehab, Spain wanted him to participate in the Fiba Americas tournament. He did, and the Raptors found earlier this season that his knee fracture had not fully healed, and he developed a potentially career-ending injury. Oops.

[chrisnu]

Bynum likely to return during first round of playoffs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3300705)

:cry:

[Benny Profane]

Weird-ass stat of the night:

Iverson plays 41 minutes in a game in which his team scores 120 points and he only attempts 11 field goals. Unheard of.

Philly welcomes home The Kid tonight. I'm pretty fkn psyched for this game.

[MadMan]

In the past two weeks the Sixers have beaten the Suns and Pistons on the road, and the Spurs at home.

Punk ass bitches need to rec'gnize.I'm sure the front office is now glad that they didn't trade Andre Miller.

Its a bummer that the Rockets win streak came to an end. Oh well.

Last night my I watched my friends play NBA 2K 2008. One of them was playing as the Celtics, and he inserted Tony Allen as a joke. After the game we looked up Allen's stats and he had scored 50 points in only 12 minutes of playing time. That's just insane and sort of funny.

PS: Finally I wish I could watch the Suns play more often. That's the downside to living in the midwest.

[chrisnu]

Larry Harris out as Bucks GM (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3301968)

It's not a surprise. They've underperformed the last two years as a team that may look good on paper, but doesn't have any good defenders and is mostly comprised of scorers who need the ball a lot. He pissed off both of his PGs (Mo Williams and Charlie Bell) by stonewalling them in restricted free agency, allowing them to both sign offer sheets with Miami, and drag them back by matching both offers. Way to help team chemistry. Taking Andrew Bogut over Chris Paul is looking like more and more of a mistake, and Bobby Simmons has one of the ten worst contracts in the NBA. They have a mediocre team with no prospects outside of Yi, and very little cap flexibility.

[Benny Profane]

Very nice victory for the 6ers. Andre Miller is playing out of his lumpy head.

Can't beat this team!

[chrisnu]

Oh my goodness. The Heat scored 54 points tonight. The third-lowest point total in the shot-clock era. Denver has the second-lowest scoring total with 53 against Detroit in Nov. 2002. Chicago had a 49-point effort against the Heat in April 1999.

Next in a long line of Heat players out for the season: Udonis Haslem needs surgery to repair a bone spur in his left ankle.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Larry Harris out as Bucks GM (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3301968)


YES WE CAN!

[rocus]

YES WE CAN!
First thing I thought of, as well. They are obviously making room for Bill.:)

[Kurosawa Fan]

Very nice victory for the 6ers. Andre Miller is playing out of his lumpy head.

Can't beat this team!

I'm hoping you guys make the jump to the 5 seed so you can eliminate Cleveland. I sure don't want to see you in the first round.

[rocus]

Some juicy Chris Paul comments after last night's win about Rafer Alston (who had 2 nights ago had some negative comments about David West):


"Tracy McGrady is a great player. If I was Rafer Alston I'd probably ride his coattails too."

"I feel like you can make a statement with the way you play. But some guys like Rafer Alston like to run their mouth … that just added fuel to our fire tonight. D-West, that's my guy. For him to say he's not a star, I mean let's see what All-Star Game [Alston]'s played in."

"He had a tough time out there trying to stay in front of me, and that was the plan."

"When you got somebody like Rafer Alston who thinks they're a lot better than they really are, you gotta test them."
It's fun when players aren't afraid to give actual comments and not just the same old cliches.

[DavidSeven]

There are some things about Alston that rub me the wrong way. Late in the fourth quarter during the last Lakers/Rockets game, Alston started doing some "Skip 2 My Lou" dribbling at midcourt when they had the game in the bag. I believe it was Vujacic (guarding him at the time) who decided to walk up to him and foul him. Alston nearly blew up and acted as if no one should get upset about being shown up by street ball antics after being faced with a loss. I'd like to see him try that on a Jerry Sloan coached team. He'd be flattened in a second.

[EyesWideOpen]

There are some things about Alston that rub me the wrong way. Late in the fourth quarter during the last Lakers/Rockets game, Alston started doing some "Skip 2 My Lou" dribbling at midcourt when they had the game in the bag. I believe it was Vujacic (guarding him at the time) who decided to walk up to him and foul him. Alston nearly blew up and acted as if no one should get upset about being shown up by street ball antics after being faced with a loss. I'd like to see him try that on a Jerry Sloan coached team. He'd be flattened in a second.

Alston is one of the least professional player's in the game. In the Celtics game alone he shoved him forearm in Rondo's throat twice for absolutely no reason on the first drive of the game and then acted surprised when they called a technical and then after making a steal on Cassell for a easy layup he stopped and stared back at Cassell before making the layup.

[chrisnu]

Mickael Gelabale of the Sonics tore his ACL in practice. His rehabilitation will likely last 8-9 months, which means he'll miss all of training camp and part of next season. They decided to let Mike Wilks go after two 10-day contracts, and they'll likely go after a big man, given that Robert Swift is out for the season, and Francisco Elson, Chris Wilcox, and Nick Collison are currently injured. I wouldn't be surprised if they signed Justin Williams to a 10-day contract, who recently had a 10-day with the Rockets.

Ira Newble is joining the Lakers. They have enough scorers; hopefully, he can bring some defensive toughness. They have no great perimeter defenders other than Kobe.

[chrisnu]

After playing for his fourth team this season, Bobby Jones was released by the Miami Heat after his 10-day contract expired. He's tied the record for most teams played for in one season. I think he could break the record. There are teams that could use him, like Seattle or the Clippers.

To take up roster spots, Pat Riley signed Stephane Lasme, Kasib Powell, and Blake Ahearn to 10-day contracts. He just wants to lose as many games as possible, and doesn't care about putting a quality product on the court at this point. If I were a Heat fan, I'd start requesting ticket refunds.

[chrisnu]

Dirk Nowitzki went down in the third quarter of the Mavs/Spurs game today. It looked like a knee or ankle injury, or both. No other news available yet. I hope he's not done for the season, but it looked pretty ugly.

[EyesWideOpen]

Dirk Nowitzki went down in the third quarter of the Mavs/Spurs game today. It looked like a knee or ankle injury, or both. No other news available yet. I hope he's not done for the season, but it looked pretty ugly.

I guess all his flopping and whining caught up to him.

[MadMan]

Dirk Nowitzki went down in the third quarter of the Mavs/Spurs game today. It looked like a knee or ankle injury, or both. No other news available yet. I hope he's not done for the season, but it looked pretty ugly.ESPN News said he would be out for maybe 2 weeks. If that's the case then I think the Mavs might be screwed. I don't wish injury on anyone but I honestly don't care about the big whinny German (I remember when he kicked that exercise bike during the NBA Finals in 2005).


I guess all his flopping and whining caught up to him.I donno if he flops, but I do agree about the second part.

[dreamdead]

I don't wish injury on anyone but I honestly don't care about the big whinny German (I remember when he kicked that exercise bike during the NBA Finals in 2005).


You do remember the officiating in that series, right? I'd do more than kick an exercise bike if I was watching the phantom calls that Wade received. I'd have straightarmed a ho.

[/2Pac reference]

[Milky Joe]

Hoh ohhh... Stack Jack with the long-range DAGGER straight into Kobe's heart. Phil Jackson just looked befuddled.

[MadMan]

You do remember the officiating in that series, right? I'd do more than kick an exercise bike if I was watching the phantom calls that Wade received. I'd have straightarmed a ho.

[/2Pac reference]Honestly after watching that series (all bias aside since I don't like the Mavs) I really don't feel the refs ruled extremely in Wade or Miami's favor. Also kicking an exercise bike really isn't the proper response. If Avery Johnson had felt there was a bad call he should have taken it up with the refs then. At the very least Dirk should have tried to argue his case. Unless one or the other did and I forgot (it was two seasons ago). Bear in mind after he did that Dirk looked like a complete raging German idiot.

[chrisnu]

Hoh ohhh... Stack Jack with the long-range DAGGER straight into Kobe's heart. Phil Jackson just looked befuddled.
Captain Jack is money, I have no idea why they let him park out there and get a wide open shot. Worst decision of the game, other than having Turiaf sit at the end.

If Dirk is out for two weeks, the Mavericks are in the lottery, and thus begins their decline under Kidd. They made a trade to try and win now, which actually made them worse, and Kidd's not getting any better, or younger.

Dwayne Wade earned the nickname D-Whistle for a reason.

[chrisnu]

Brent Barry is a Spur again. Sam Presti does his former team another favor. He basically traded Kurt Thomas for Francisco Elson.

Dirk is out "indefinitely" with a high ankle sprain and a mild knee sprain. I think the Mavericks are done.

This is one of the best basketball plays I've ever seen, from last night's Lakers/Warriors game:

Kobe Bryant Wheels & Deals Through the Warriors Defense (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-2qKW--kPEM)

I also have to agree with this sentiment regarding last night's game:

Fisher wins the game for the Warriors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdVlD6-aq-E)

[DavidSeven]

Dirk is out "indefinitely" with a high ankle sprain and a mild knee sprain. I think the Mavericks are done.

The sad thing is that the Mavs would have a better shot at staying in the playoff hunt with Devin Harris, who can actually shoot, and with Diop filling in some of those vacant big man minutes. Without Dirk, they just don't have enough shooters for Kidd to be effective (it was borderline even with him). Unless Kidd plays out of his mind over the next month, this will be the worst move of a busy trade season.

[chrisnu]

Donnie Walsh is leaving as GM of the Pacers. Larry Bird is taking over his responsibilities for the time being. He'll be GM of the Knicks next year. There have been rumors that Walsh has been talking with MSG chairman James Dolan, and I doubt his resignation is coincidental.

[MadMan]

Brent Barry is a Spur again. Sam Presti does his former team another favor. He basically traded Kurt Thomas for Francisco Elson.

Dirk is out "indefinitely" with a high ankle sprain and a mild knee sprain. I think the Mavericks are done.

This is one of the best basketball plays I've ever seen, from last night's Lakers/Warriors game:

Kobe Bryant Wheels & Deals Through the Warriors Defense (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-2qKW--kPEM)

I also have to agree with this sentiment regarding last night's game:

Fisher wins the game for the Warriors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdVlD6-aq-E)God that Kobe play was utterly sick and amazing. I had to watch it more than once.

As for the Mavs, I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that the Kid trade wasn't a good idea even before Dirk went down. I'd say the next month will only help validate that theory.

[Milky Joe]

Worst. officiating. ever.

[DavidSeven]

Here's the footage of Alston showing up the Laker that I mentioned a few days back:

Rafer Alston going "Skip 2 My Lou" on Vujacic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk_7UwbmyOk&feature=related)

[Benny Profane]

Sixers went on a 19-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat the Celtics in Boston. They are now one game above water, and have won 18 of 23. This is getting pretty goddamn interesting.

[shaun]

Donnie Walsh is leaving as GM of the Pacers. Larry Bird is taking over his responsibilities for the time being. He'll be GM of the Knicks next year. There have been rumors that Walsh has been talking with MSG chairman James Dolan, and I doubt his resignation is coincidental.I'm tempering my optimism of this move with the reality that James Dolan is borderline retarded and will most likely keep Zeke (and himself) in active organizational roles.

[chrisnu]

Donnie Walsh will be named as Knicks president, and it's not likely that he'll retain Isiah Thomas as head coach. And Knicks fans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief....

WHAT!?!?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2004303895_sonifans250.html


Sonics chairman Clay Bennett is so eager to sever ties with Seattle that he's willing to leave the team's name, logo, colors and history behind to avoid a messy divorce.

So he's willing to give the city the team's name, logo, colors, and history, but not Kevin Durant and the current franchise. I'm sure that makes everything better! :frustrated:

Chris Webber is retiring (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3311954). I still have no idea why Chris Mullin though putting him on the Warriors was a good idea. It's looking like a better idea that Mitch Kupchak signed D.J. Mbenga instead of someone who can't play anymore. It's a little sad, but he really shouldn't have come back.

[MadMan]

I can't wait until the folks of Seattle are burning Clay in effegy. If they aren't already. He'll go down as one of the most hated owners in sports history.

As for C-Webb, I imagine he came back for the money. Too bad about his knee and all though.


With Chris Webber's career ending, it's time to view his career in perspective. Webber is among a short list of legends to average 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists a game. That is mighty impressive. I remember when he was a part of that great Kings team that battled the Lakers during the late 1990s.

[shaun]

http://static.flickr.com/27/93628583_d301537c0f_m.jpg

[Our Aurora]

http://static.flickr.com/27/93628583_d301537c0f_m.jpg

I seriously just laughed out loud.

[chrisnu]

Is that George Lynch? Wow. Hadn't thought of him in a while.

[shaun]

That thing I said about tempering my optimism because James Dolan is a troglodytic mouth breather? Yeah.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3314942

Report: Dolan still prefers to keep Isiah as coach of Knicks

'I would prefer to keep Isiah but you do what you have to do,'" the source close to Dolan told the Daily News. "If Isiah isn't the coach, Jim still wants him to stay in the organization in some capacity."

[MadMan]

That thing I said about tempering my optimism because James Dolan is a troglodytic mouth breather? Yeah.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3314942

Report: Dolan still prefers to keep Isiah as coach of KnicksHonestly the stupidity of that decision is mind boggling. Isiah should be run out of the organization on a rail.

Even though the Suns lost last night to the Celtics the Shaq trade is starting to pay off. Hopefully it continues to do so down the stretch.

[chrisnu]

The Raptors signed Linton Johnson and waived Darrick Martin, who will be joining the coaching staff. I guess they feel that since T.J Ford is healthy, for now, they can go without a third point guard.

The Grizzlies are targeting Larry Brown (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/2008/03/27/2008-03-27_memphis_could_be_larry_brow n_town.html) as a head coach, to replace first-year coach Marc Iavaroni. Maybe they're realizing they have to play defense from time to time. I wonder what appeal Brown would have in coaching that trainwreck of a team, other than simply being allowed to coach again.

Andrea Bargnani has been benched in favor of Rasho Nesterovic. He's shaping up to join Kwame Brown and Michael Olowokandi as the biggest #1 busts of the last decade.

The Rockets will sign forward Mike Harris for the rest of the season when his second 10-day contract expires Friday. The contract will be for the rest of this season and next season, but only this season will be guaranteed. I'm still surprised that no one has picked up Gerald Green, other than the fact that he can't be on a playoff roster, since he was waived after March 1.

Brandon Roy is going to miss at least the next two weeks, and possibly the rest of the season, with a sprained groin and hip. Pau Gasol is likely going to be out until next Wednesday. :( Nene will be coming back to the Nuggets soon, even if it's only small minutes for now. Daniel Gibson will be returning to the Cavaliers on Saturday. Chris Wilcox may be shut down for the rest of the season.

[chrisnu]

Pat Riley's Sexual Bribes Tempt David Stern To Allow Heat Into Playoffs (http://www.theonion.com/content/news/pat_rileys_sexual_bribes_tempt )

http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/TS-Pat-Riley-R.jpg

[shaun]

I wonder what appeal Brown would have in coaching that trainwreck of a team, other than simply being allowed to coach again.It's not like he'd stick around for more than 2 years anyways so probably just an end of career grab for money.

[chrisnu]

For the second game in a row, worst loss of the season. I hate Luke Walton.