Mad Buckets!

NBAOffseason.com

2010-04-13T15:09:00.001-07:00

I've tumbled over to NBAoffseason.com

These dudes have been entertaining me since they were NBAplayoffs2009.tumblr.com so im kinda excited to be posting with them from here on out.

I'll try to keep this blog up to date... who am I kidding, i barely keep it up to date now!

Twitter: @suga_shane
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NBAoffseason.com

Tanked: How to fix the NBA

2010-04-02T12:20:00.001-07:00

Tanked

What if the NBA went to the English Premier League setup?

Let’s cut the BS here, the bottom half of the NBA sucks balls. Not just any balls; some hairy, sweaty, elephantiasis type balls. Not only are some of these teams a mess in terms of talent, their front offices are wacked out beyond repair. These teams aren’t sure if they want to try and sneak into the playoffs just to earn 4 or 5 games worth of revenue or if they want to tank it from the get go and land a top five pick. Shakespeare style irony, comedy, and tragedy surround half the NBA teams and it’s rather frustrating to watch, as an NBA fan. Right now it seems like there are three types of teams;

1) The We-Suck-And-We-Don’t-Care Teams
2) The We-Are-Really-Trying Teams
3) The Nuclear-Meltdown Teams

We-Suck-And-We-Don’t-Care Teams:

New Jersey, Detroit, Philadelphia, Sacramento, & Minnesota.

If you pay money to watch any of these teams play, you should be considered a patron saint of the NBA.

The rest of you don’t know how bad these teams are because they aren’t on TV and sans the homeless people just looking for a place to sleep, no one attends their games. So for those of you who aren't feeling charitable enough to throw $50 at one of these teams, let me just clarify, these teams are horrendous. Even Dr. House couldn’t figure out what’s wrong with these guys.

Side note: I’m kind of sad that The Nets won 10 games. This team is really atrocious and truly deserved to live in infamy for the rest of their days. Call me evil, but I’m sure Kentucky would have won at least 10 games this year if they played in the NBA.

The We-Are-Really-Trying Teams:

Chicago, Indiana, Memphis & Houston.

These are the teams I really feel bad for. They actually spend some money, have decent front offices (okay, not really), and they try to make good basketball moves on the free agent and trade markets. Yet, like the Bermuda triangle, no one can explain why things are crashing over there.

The truth is all three of these teams have some borderline all-star talent; the teams are near .500 and were oh-so close to making the playoffs this year. Their reward for trying? A terrible middle round pick in both the first and second rounds. That doesn’t even make sense and I totally understand why most of these teams have mysterious “injuries” pop up in the last 10 games of the year. Playoffs are no longer possible so why still play to win, right? Tank now and try to get the 12th pick in the draft ass opposed to the 14th… Shouldn’t they be rewarded for making a playoff push, spending money, and trying to put a good product out there? I think this is where the NBA lottery system fails.

The Nuclear-Meltdown Teams:

Golden State & Washington ( I should probably put Detroit and Philly here also)

Let’s look at one prime example: The Golden State Warriors. They start one rookie, two to three D-Leaguers, and Monta Ellis, who is probably the least mature one on the team. The owner has fired everyone except the root of all his problems, Don Nelson and has finally put the team up for sale all while battling his own tax issues. The Ws are trying to win games, trust me, although their 21-53 record might not show it. Don Nelson is two measly wins away from becoming the all time leader in wins amongst coach in NBA history. Ironically, he might never get there. The whole situation is a giant practical joke, I’m not sure whose playing it and who its being played on but im sitting here laughing hysterically.

Washington, well they sort of shot themselves in the foot, didn’t they. If you were to run a franchises study these teams carefully and do the polar opposite.

Where the hell do these go?

There are two teams that somewhat qualify for all of these labels, The Knicks and The Clippers. Both these teams have talent, but they suck. They are trying, but not really, and their front offices are either melting down or still emitting radiation from the last fallout. Both of their futures are hinged on how they come out of the free agent market this summer. I’ll give both teams a pass until the 2010-11 season.

How to fix this problem?

The NBA needs to reward the crappy teams that are trying to uncrapify themselves. I’ve read and heard a few ideas on how to prevent tanking and reward effort, like a playoff play-in, however I don’t think that would work.

What the NBA needs to do is split the league into two, just like the EPL (English Premier League). There are two different ways this can be done. Each has its pros and its cons.

Two different leagues:

Groupings: Have the playoff contenders and the non-playoff contenders. The bottom two teams in the Top Group drop in the following year and the top two teams of the Bottom Group come up. Split the teams so 18 teams are in the top bracket and 12 teams in the bottom bracket. 16 teams still make the playoffs. This will also eliminate the obsolete Division designations.

Same League, Different Playoffs:

We can keep the same exact league, divisions, and all that mumbo-jumbo and just have the bottom half of the teams play in their own playoff series for the #1 pick.

Drafting:

What changes is how the teams draft. The draft should also be split into four rounds and the playoff teams no longer draft in the first or second round. This will keep the number of total draft selections the same as the past years. The first round is reserved for the bottom bracket and the two teams that didn’t make the playoffs. The bottom two teams should get the last picks of round one and the first picks of round two.

The Top Group will get to draft in the third and fourth rounds. All of these picks are reserved for these teams. The #1 pick in these rounds will be decided just like it is decided now, the worst playoff team gets the better pick and the best team gets the worst pick. Pretty simple, right?

The complicated part is how the Bottom Group will draft. Too many teams tank seasons just for the coveted #1 pick and I think its garbage. It’s time to do something about it. The bottom 12 teams will have their own playoffs. Not as main stream as the Top Group, but the two teams that make the finals will get to move up to the Top Group in the following year and the eventual Loser’s Champion will get the #1 overall draft pick. Just like the Top Group, the rest of the draft order will be decided on where you finished in these playoffs and the tie breaker will be your overall record. The Second round will go in reverse order. That means the worst team in the NBA will be awarded the 12th and 13th overall picks.

Now you are probably thinking “What if a team is really bad and never drafts well or wins the Bottom Group, they will never get picks and get better!”. Too bad! This is America and we live by the mantra “No Free Lunch”. Im so sick and tired of these teams that are run like shit, have terrible coaches, talent that doesn’t care, fans that are more disgruntled than post office employees, and they still won’t make an effort to get better through trades or free agency. If you’re team doesn’t try to get better, you ultimately deserve to lose fans, lose money, and be booted from the league.

I’m pretty sure right about now you are either marveling at my genius or deleting me from twitter, either way, I hope the NBA makes some kind of effort in the up coming CBA meetings to fix this issue. Im tired of seeing these teams suck just for the purpose of sucking.

Lebron James: The Numbers Game

2010-03-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

Lebron James made comments a few months ago about changing his jersey number. He said it was to honor Jordan, the greatest player, ever. It was a pretty emotional moment right after a hard fought game in Miami. Jordan had just been inducted into the hall of fame and he was sitting courtside to watch his newest business venture (Dwyane Wade) battle Lebron and the Lebron-aliers. At the time, no one really thought James would go through with the idea. Change his number? For what? To honor Jordan? Sounds noble and all but he also urged the rest of the NBA to do the same. I’m sure Marcus Camby and the like were all sitting around saying, “okay, but you first.”

Well, Lebron has followed through. He just filed paperwork with the NBA that will allow him to switch numbers next year. I thought this was a great move but most have taken every possible jab at this; calling Lebron a “marketing whore” or a “sham to make more money”. I’m not sure this has anything to do with either of those.

It’s not all about the Benjamins:

Jersey Money is shared between all players, whether they are Lebron, Kobe, or Kwame, they get the same check. So, let’s throw away the money-grab idea. Read more on this from Darren Rovell

Global Icon:

Lebron has long maintained that he wants to become a billionaire and a global icon when its all said and done. Last year he over came the human obstacle named Kobe and was named the MVP of the NBA. This year, he is well on his way to another MVP trophy, but there are two other top honors Lebron has yet to snatch from the Mamba’s fangs: A Championship and the #1 jersey. The championship can’t be had with a letter submission to the league (sit down NBA conspiracy theorists) so Lebron is going to have to work at that one a little more. But Lebron has pretty much sealed the fact that his jersey will outsell Kobe’s come next fall. As far as being a global icon, it doesn’t really get any bigger than Lebron as far as basketball is concerned, so im throwing this theory away also.

The G.O.A.T.:

Why can’t it really be about the greatest? How great was Russell? All-Time. How amazing with Dr. J? Poetry in motion. How many other “greats” have come and gone? If this was about honoring the great ones, we should at least retire 32 and 33 also. We should get mad the next time anyone wears any number. So many good players have donned so many different numbers; it would take advanced mapping skills just to keep up. Who’s the greatest to wear 33? Bird or Kareem? Which 32 is greater, Shaq or Magic? The best 6 will be… Russell, Dr. J or Lebron? Hell, Dr. J has sported both #6 and #32. Who’s the greatest #23? Ron Artest? Jor Bryant? Well that answer is easy; Jordan. 191 players have worn #23. 19 players still wear that number, whether it’s to honor MJ or to somehow say they are as good as MJ (someone wake those guys up from their dream state). In fact three of those current players are sponsored by Jordan. Yet none of them even come close. Jordan is Jordan: Unparalleled, unmatched, and forever synonyms with #23.

See, it’s simple; Lebron isn’t trying to disrespect some of the greats that played before him. This isn’t about who was good, who was better and who might be an icon. This isn’t about honoring the many great ones. This is about honoring the Greatest one; Michael Jordan.

Pot, Kettle, "Sham"

2010-02-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

February 1, 2008 felt more like April 1st when we all found out that Pau Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for close to nothing. Chris Wallace was playing a practical joke on the entire NBA, right? Pau was being traded for, what one media member called, a happy meal.

I love Pau’s game but being a life long Sonics fan and a now converted Celtics fan (this is what happens when your team gets stolen), I naturally hate the Lakers. When this trade happened, I let it slide. Stupid trades happen by dumb GMs all the time, its not only common, it is a way of life in the NBA (ask any New York Knicks fan). I figured the Grizzlies wanted to start over and they were probably going to lose Pau to free agency anyway. This was a surefire way to gain some assets and sell a young All-Star at his peak.

I didn’t take the Gregg Popovich path and call the FBI. I didn’t take the Mitch Kupchak path and buy a lotto ticket figuring that it MUST be my day. I simply didn’t care. I knew the Celtics were going to win and my boy Ray Allen was finally going to get his ring. Even when Lakers fans were trying to slaughter the legitimacy of the Cs chip with poorly supported arguments in regards to how we built that championship roster, I looked the other way. Trust me; it’s very hard to hear Lakers fans arguing about how the Celtics “cheated” to get KG and Jesus. We traded a roster full of potential All-Stars, draft picks, and the foreseeable future to earn that ring. The Lakers didn’t even come close to giving anything of value up.

So why am I angry today? I just saw a post over at AOL’s NBA Fanhouse about Phil Jackson calling the Cleveland trade for Jamison a “sham”. Even if it is a sham, The Lakers and any member of that organization has ZERO right to comment on one sided trades. They are forever linked to one of the most out-of-balance trades of all time. Pau Gasol for nothing.

What did the Lakers give up? Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Marc Gasol, Aaron Mckie, and two first round picks.

Kwame Brown, long since regarded as the WORST #1 pick of all time. The fans hated him, the players hated him. The announcers even hated him. We all know how much Kobe hated him. This guy, by the way, was considered the major asset in the trade.

Javaris Crittenton; where do I even begin with this one. This guy was heralded as a major loss by Laker apologists who were quickly trying to justify the trade. “He’s going to be great one day” is all we heard. Yup, he’s so good that he will never play in this league again. In fact the only number he will be wearing after this season is over will be his state assigned inmate number.

Aaron Mckie was signed on and traded by the Lakers within 24 hours, all just to make the salary numbers workout. Lucky for him and the Lakers, his retirement papers were never sent in. He got paid and the Lakers got Pau. Mckie and Keith Van Horn have the best sports agents on earth.

Two first round picks is also a laugher. With the acquisition of Pau, the Lakers were almost guaranteed, if nothing else, one of the top records in the NBA. Memphis should have just asked for fool’s gold. Even if some how all of Los Angeles broke off into the Pacific Ocean and the Lakers never played another game and Memphis did some how secure a top lottery pick, they wouldn’t know what to do with it. Chris Wallace is the worst GM alive. He makes Isaiah look like Jerry West.

So, what did they really get? Marc Gasol. Marc is great. Good fundamentals, efficient scoring, good rebounding and decent shot blocking. Still, he is not Pau Gasol. Pau is a World Player of the Year, NBA All-Team member, All-Star, Olympic Medalist, and now a world champion. Marc was almost an all-star this year. So, yea, enough about that.

Phil Jackson is probably the douchiest man in all of basketball. The “zen” persona he portrays. The mind games he plays. The little smirks he throws out during in-game interviews. The asshole comments that don’t really sound like asshole comments until you walk away for 10 minutes and you suddenly realize that you heard the most asshole-ish comment of the year. But this one tops them all.

So the next time Phil wants to point a finger and call out a trade as a “sham” all he has to do is realize that his own fingers are now one ring richer because of a “sham” trade of his own.

Watch out Now: Who to Watch in the NBA

2010-02-19T16:17:00.001-08:00

Watch out Now: Who to Watch in the NBA

Last night I was witness to two of the best rivalries in the game of basketball. There are a lot of great battles, but none more storied than the Lakers and Celtics. Last nights clash was a defensive war. Teams were hitting, jawing, and diving all over. Ever possession in the last 5 minutes seemed crucial and every missed or made shot felt like a game winner. LA isn’t known for its crowd, but last night you could feel the hype, even through the television. But this isn’t what im here to talk about.

The other game that was on last night? Oh, you know just an average overtime game on TNT that featured two of the NBA’s best. 43,13,15,2,4. No, those aren’t the winning lotto numbers from last night, they are Lebron’s stat line. It was like watching a video game. Lebron definitely had a gameshark plugged in. Melo? While he wasn’t a demigod, he was impressive as well. Melo dropped a cool 40, including the game winner in overtime. I’ll save you the “behind the box score”. I didn’t even care who won this game, I was enjoying the moment. The battle was epic; shots were being fired from both sides from all spots on the court and connecting like it was their destiny.

This got me thinking, everyone is always ranking the “top 5” or “top 10” or “all time greatest” players in the game and they always do it based on some myopic mix of rings, points, MVPs, and favorite ice cream flavor. We aren’t here to talk about who comes in a distant second to Michael Jordan. I want to make a list of the top 10 players to watch. Those players that get you riled up. They make you want to jump up and down on your sofa. You would cancel a date with Megan Fox to stay home and watch one of these guys play then you would be inspired to go to the gym and hoist up a few jumpers. I’m not talking about the Tim Duncan’s or the Pau Gasol’s of the world. Those guys are like dating your neighbor’s daughter. I’m talking about fucking your sexy secretary, on the desk in your boss’s office.

10. Baron Davis – Boom Dizzle at #11? Yup! Baron is the type of player that goes out there and has fun. He is built like a tank but he can move like a fighter jet. On any given night he can explode for 29 points on 8 FGAs or go 1 for 13. But between the peaks and the valleys we always remember the Boom Dizzle that threw it down on AK47. And every time he hits a game winner we see that smile shine through that trademark beard and we fall in love with his game all over again.

BONUS: Monta Ellis – I’m still not sure what to think of Monta’s game. On any given night he can have a triple double of 35 points, 10 assists, and 10 turnovers. But the way he gets those points is amazing.

9. J.R. Smith – I don’t even know where to begin with this character. He will never be a Hall of Famer. He’s never been on any All-NBA list. He isn’t an All-Star. He isn’t even a starter. But something about J.R. is electric. The guy has the body and tools to be a superstar, but he is limited by his on maturity. And that is what makes him so fun to watch. Love him or hate him, you can’t stop staring at him. Weather he is dunking on your whole team or doing the chicken dance after he nails a game winner; it’s all eyes on Earl.

8. Deron Williams – I’ve heard a rumor that opposing team’s players have to come in 45 minutes earlier than usual just to get their ankles more securely when they play D-Will. His crossover is a certified weapon of mass-ankle destruction. Just ask Jason Terry. He is built like a strong shooting guard, yet he is employed as an All-World point. Anytime he is on the court, a highlight is sure to breakout.

7. Brandon Roy – As my boy Arty always says, “He is so fun to watch, it makes me want to play basketball.” Brandon Roy is that good. He does things that make you forget that porno exists. If the game is on the line and he is my only option, I feel safe. His numbers would rival Kobe’s and Wade’s, but alas, he plays for one of the slowest teams (according to Pace stats) in the L. Sometimes I wish Nate would take of the strangle hold on the offense and let Roy run free. Until then, we can only dream.

6. Steve Nash – We only have a few short years left with this guy. It’s a damn shame we didn’t get to enjoy more years of the “7 seconds or less” offense. Not only is he one of the best shooters of all time, the guy is a maestro with the ball. Zig one way, zag the other, dribble threw the paint and lob it to a high flying anyone. Some say he didn’t deserve the MVPs that he won. I personally think he’s been the MVP for a long time. (Most Viewable Player)

5. Chris Paul – He is listed at 6-0, but in reality, he is about 5-10, with shoes on. It is amazing to see a guy so small play such a big role on the court. He is the Hornet’s best shooter, scorer, passer, defender, and leader. That first step is devastating and those floaters are unstoppable. Some how this shrimp of the bayou pulls down close to 5 rebounds a game. I’m anxiously waiting for the day that CP3 has a stat line of 30 points. 15 assists, 10 rebounds, and 10 steals. It’s going to happen, just you wait and see.

4. Carmelo Anthony – Offensively, there isn’t a single thing Melo can’t do. Personally, I think he has more weapons than anyone in the game. For most of the game, Melo is dropping points from all over while he gracefully dons a smile on his face. But come clutch time that smile is gone and he puts on the mask of a killer. Case in point – The game Melo dropped 33 in one quarter. ONE QUARTER!

3. Kobe Bryant – I think everything Kobe has ever done on the court has been with the sheer intention of making a highlight play. It is the reason he takes triple-teamed 30 footers. It is the reason he plays with broken digits. It is the reason he doesn’t pass as much as fans would like. And it’s the reason I’ve never been a fan of his. But I’m not crazy, either. Even I get impressed by some of the H.O.R.S.E. shots he hits in games.

2. Lebron James – The Human Videogame. His stat lines look like physics calculations on the speed of light. He is one of the fastest guys in the NBA. He is also one of the strongest and highest leaping players. Here is a guy that scored 16 points in 2 minutes. The dunks, the chase-down blocks, the court vision, he has it all. Only thing that kept him out the #1 spot is the fact that he stalls sometimes. You witness him yo-yoing for 20 seconds then casting of a low percentage three. That’s no fun to watch, like a guy cheesing in a videogame.

1. Dwyane Wade – Ask Anderson Varejão. Better yet, ask the entire Dallas Mavericks organization. Ask ESPN and TNT. Ask his best friend, Charles Barkley. D-Wade is the most explosive man in the NBA. He doesn’t have the same stats as Lebron, but he is right there. The thing that separates Dwyane from the rest of the field is the fact that he is willing to sacrifice his body. While Lebron has total disregard for human life, Wade has total disregard for his own. Coupled with his stats, and his dunks, he’s the best player to watch in the NBA. Too bad no one in Miami cares to attend his games…

Those that almost made this list: Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings, Dwight Howard, Gilbert Arenas and Josh Smith.

Those that im not sure if they are very exciting or very boring: Carlos Boozer, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Durant.

Those that came no where near making this list: Pau Gasol, Kendrick Perkins, David Lee, Brad Miller, Both Mike Dunleavys, a rock, and Tim Duncan.

How to fix the All Star game: Make it a Pickup Game

2010-02-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

How to fix the All Star game

There has been a lot of talk lately about All-Stars. People are questioning who is really worthy, who stole a starting spot, who got snubbed, etc. These are all really good questions, but we should be asking who is picking. The fans are complaining that David Lee didn’t make the cut, yet it’s our own fault.

It’s our own fault that we are still madly in love with a certain 76er. It’s our own fault that we give China the power to make Shane Battier an All-Star. Or worse, his team mate that has only logged 10 minutes in the season. It’s our own fault that we voted in a one-legged Celtic over a two legged leaper from the Hawks. Then we complained about it. That’s like the NBA owners handing out $100 million contracts like Halloween candy, and then crying to the daddy Stern to renegotiate the CBA so they can’t make those foolish mistakes again.

I admit there is an economic reason to the whole fan vote. David Stern wants ratings. Ratings come from viewers. Viewers come when you put out a product they want to see. Is there a better way to put that product out there than letting the viewer decide what they will view? It’s like basketball on demand. You no longer have to watch the ultra-boring Bobcats to see Gerald Wallace play. You don’t have to torturer your basketball I.Q. with one of Mike Brown’s offensive sets just to see Lebron hammer home a few dunks. I don’t have to plan Vinny Del Negro’s execution just to see Rose break off someone’s ankles. But for this same reason we cannot get mad when a majority of the public wants to see Iverson in the All-Star Game. That’s like getting mad at someone because they like a certain song to be played on the jukebox. The song might be a classic #1 hit, we all know the words and used to get excited when it would come on. But some of us are over it, we’ve moved on to the next song, the next artist,, maybe even a totally different genre.

People will always have their own preference. It’s the reason Deron Williams made the All-NBA second team and won an Olympic Gold Medal before he was selected to an All-Star team. It’s the reason his teammate, Carlos Boozer, is averaging near 20 and 10, again, selected to the Olympic team, again, and still not an All-Star. Has he been there before? Sure has, two in a row, in fact (2007 & 2008). But we had three or four chances to select him (fan voting, coach voting, and replacements) and he was still overlooked. Boozer is putting up ungodly stats in the midst of a 9 game winning streak; nevertheless, he was passed over for a declining Chris Kaman, whose team is in the middle of a losing streak that got their coach fired. As for David Lee, here is a quick fun fact: David Lee (20.0 pts and 11.4 trb) is one of only three players averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds this year. (Randolph and Bosh)

Some have pointed out that losing records are keeping David Lee and Monta Ellis of the All-Star teams. Others think it’s the casual fan that doesn’t even realize A.I. retired and unretired in the middle of the season. Some blame the influx of foreign internet votes. Personally I think it’s a rift in mentality. Some want to see a fun game; others want to see the most deserving out there. Ask yourself this: Who would be more fun to watch, Shaq throw it between Dwight Howard’s legs and then dunk it or David Lee pulling down another rebound with his workhorse type play. Exactly! I know Shaq doesn’t belong in the game, his numbers are eroded and his abilities couldn’t even hold a candle to his MVP days. None the less, no one would mind seeing Shaq dance with some people, talk some shit, and stare at his left hand when he dunks on the RuPaul of basketball. It makes the game fun.

The best solution is to have two games for the two factions; An All-Star pickup game and an All-NBA game.

The All-NBA Game:

I’ll make this short and sweet, take the three All-NBA teams and the All-Defensive team, separate them into East and West teams and let them play. It will satisfy all the stat nerds and defense lovers. I really don’t care how this game goes. I’ll leave it for the brains at NBA headquarters to figure out the details. I’m more interested in the next game.

The All-Star Pickup Game:

For a few years now, the NBA has been letting some All Stars and Hall of Famers coach the Rookie/Sophomore game. It’s a cool idea and I think we can translate that over to the All-Star game. This game is supposed to be the fun one, intended to entertain and reward the NBA fan. I propose we give the fans the power to vote for everyone, not just the starters. The fans should get to vote for four team captains. Then we let the fans vote for an additional pool of 16 players for a total of 20 players. It can be anyone from any of the conferences. No more classical East vs. West, which will be for the All-NBA game. Also, please no gimmicks like NHL’s USA vs. the world or anything like that. Once the fans have picked four captains, the fan’s job is done. Now the captains will have to pick their own 5-man squad and face off in a series of pickup games. No coaches, no plays, all fun.

This year’s top 4 vote getters were: 1.) Lebron James. 2.) Kobe Bryant. 3.) Dwight Howard. 4.) Dwyane Wade. First vote can either go in reverse order, or we can have them shoot for it, like any typical pickup game. Imagine the possibilities. Lebron can select an all-dunk line up. Kobe can pick those most willing to pass to him. Dwight can pick Chris Paul and just dunk lob pass after lob pass. Imagine the possibilities.

Last two teams that picked, play first. First team to score 21 stays on. We will keep the traditional 2 and 3 point system but no free throws. I don’t think we even need refs in this game. I’d love to hear Kobe and Lebron argue over who fouled who then have one of them shoot for it and yell out “BALL DON’T LIE!” when they sink it.

This could be the only pickup game on Earth that being the last guy to get picked isn’t an insult.

Hold on... you want to trade who? Ray Allen?

2010-02-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

Watching the last few games the Celtics have played (or should I say dropped?), I'm starting to get the same feeling everyone else is. I know the question in my mind is the same that has spread like wild fire across Bean Town. I'm not asking IF we make a move or WHO we move. I'm wondering who we trade Ray Allen for.

Don't lie, you thought about it too. Probably not in those exact words, but the concept was the same.

It pains me to even think that thought. Ray Allen has been my basketball savior. Better than Jesus. Jesus' disciples followed him from city to city, just like I followed Ray from Seattle to Boston. But The original Jesus never had a jumper this wet. So why do I find myself hoping the Celtics make a move? Why do find myself edging closer to being Judas instead of Peter with every game I watch?

Before we go Roman and crucify anyone, lets take a step back. Last nights loss to the Lakers was a tiny sample size. Although Kobe hit a game winner in Allen's eye, Ray and the Celtics D kept him to 19 points on 8 of 20 shooting. Kobe's been struggling, but it takes an extraordinary effort to keep him under 45% shooting, under 20 points and ONLY 4 free throws. The 'four free throws' part is the big stand out to me. But we aren't here to discuss the Celtics defense, or even their offense. This is a discussion strictly related to Mr. Shuttlesworth.

Does Ray still have game?

If you are asking about last night, the answer is 'Not really'. If you asked me against the Magic, I would have said 'No'. But against the Hawks, he was brilliant. Against most of the league, he has been great. This is where most Boston fans want to halt me in my tracks, but it's true. Let's look at the facts:

A.) Ray is scoring 15.7 ppg on 45% shooting. 33.9% from three, 88.8% from the charity stripe. He has a eFG% of 51.6%.

B.) The Celtics play at a pace of 91.6, which ranks 22nd out of 30. (that is very slow). So his stats are a bit deflated compared to others.

C.) Between Pierce’s play, the emergence of Rondo, the trigger happy Wallace, and the nightly over achiever, Ray Allen is never more than a 3rd option, and usually the 4th option on every offensive set. Those are some great numbers for a 4th option on a very good team.

By the numbers.

There are a lot of metrics we can measure Allen by, first lets look at ‘+/-‘ stats from www.basketballvalue.com. Right now Ray Allen ranks 31st in the NBA in ‘+/-‘ in 1-year overall, 9th in 2-year adjusted, and 17th in 1-year offensive ratings. If we only look at shoot guards, Allen’s ranks are as follows: 4th in 2-year adjusted, 4th in 1-year overall, and 6th in 1-year offensive ratings. This includes the fact that I’m counting Kevin Durant and Joe Johnson as SGs.

According to win share data on www.basketball-reference.com, Ray Allen ranks 45th overall with 4.0 WS. He is tied for 4th best on the Celtics and 14th best amongst all NBA guards (point and shooting). His PER numbers seem to be struggling (13.7), but overall, Allen is having a very solid year.

When you are trading to get better, you need to trade for a better player, a collective group of players that make you better or for a comparable player and future picks.

Currently Ray, and his stat line, is among small elite group of players. His current play might not reflect such a statement but if we just take Allen’s raw numbers of 15.7ppg, 45%FG, 33.9% 3PT, and 51.6% eFG%, we find that only 8 other guards in the NBA qualify; Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Deron Williams, Mo Williams, Jamal Crawford, Brandon Roy, Eric Gordon and O.J. Mayo. This is not bad company. How all of these guys are pretty much untradeable. There is no way their respective teams are willing to let these guys go for an older player making more money (Ray Allen makes more than every player on this list).

The other option the Celtics have is to get a comparable player and a throw in. The only two worth while candidates I can think of are Monta Ellis and Kirk Hinrich. Kirk is having a terrible year shooting. Compared to Kirk, Ray Allen looks like the MVP. In my mind Kirk would be an incredible pick up if we were to let other players go, but for Ray Allen, you would lose one of your best all around shooters for a less capable shooter. Now Monta is an interesting case. He was close to being an All-Star this year, but was left of by the coaches for what I think is the same reason the Celtics should stay away; immaturity. He is a bratty little kid playing in a horrible system. His turnovers are high, his shooting percentage is low and his shot selection is poor. What makes it worse is the fact that he seems to not care. He is content with getting his, even when his team is a laughing stock.

The Celtics are a team built around being the concept of sharing the ball. They emphasizes passing to the open guy, playing hard nose defense, and not pointing fingers when things break down; all the things which Monta is not, never has been and probably never will be. To top it off, the general game plan for Boston is to let Paul Pierce and/or Rondo dominate the ball set up the (slow) offense and get smart shots. I'm not sure if Monta has the ability to make these adjustments and sacrifices the same way the wiser and older Big 3 made a few years ago.

While I sit here and daydream of getting an upgrade for Ray’s huge expiring contract, I realize one thing; I’m dreaming. There is no upgrade available, only a sea of struggling shooting guards. Hopefully Danny and the Celtics wise up and not listen to the irrational outcries. Boston fans have grown doubtful this season as banner 18 seems to be slipping from our grasps. I must warn everyone, moving Allen will only seal our faith.

2009-10 NBA Rankings: The Drive for Five

2009-10-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

Five seems to be a good number for this season. Shaq, Kobe, and Duncan (and D.Fish) are all tied up at 4 rings a piece. If one of them were to find themselves in the most fortunate position of winning it all this year, its going to equal more than bragging rights. These guys have it all, money, cars, egos. While all three of them are undoubtedly going to be hall-of-famers, a fifth ring gives them something they have all strived for from day one, Legendary Status.

On to the rankings: While the entire NBA seems to have finally pulled itself out of the wretched 1999-2004 era, only 5 of the 30 teams seem to be contenders this year. Some might find that as an insult, I find it as a compliment to this season. Sure 5 seems like a low number, but when have we had this many legit contenders before?

Sure we all have teams we root for, and we all aspire for them to wear the crown. Sometimes we get a bit over zealous and oversell ourselves on the true strength of each team. We all do it, and that’s fine. But deep down inside, we all know there are only one or two real contenders. However this year is different. 5 different teams can legitimately claim that they are part of the NBA elite. All are a little bit different from last year, all a bit stronger, and most certainly all the hungrier. Each team’s make up is of a different consistency.

Their specialties are all different. Their downfalls and upswings will relay on different factors. Yet they are all striving for the same goal. Each team seems to represent a different non-basketball objects and I’ll try to illustrate that in my list. Here are my top 5 teams for the 2009-10 seasons:

1. Lakers – Atomic Bomb

Some serious hardware. Scientific precision. One of mankind’s greatest inventions. But if it goes awry just the slightest bit, catastrophic!

This Lakers squad might be the greatest roster ever assembled. Sure some of it was pure luck; some of it was crafty engineering. But most all of it has been hard work and dedication by one, Kobe Bryant. Call him the Robert Oppenheimer of the Los Angeles Project. He’s been the GM, the Coach, the player, the whole f**king franchise. He has even dabbled in some mad scientist.

Call him what you will, just give him his dues. I am no Kobe fan, by any stretch, but this team is down right scary. Not just because they seem to have the personnel to shatter the 72-10 Bulls record. But they also seem to have the personnel explode with the chaotic uncertainty of an atomic bomb taking down both their title shot and a chance at history. (I’m looking at you Lamar Kardashian!)

2. Boston Celtics – The Porter House

You like it wouldn’t mind it a little raw. In fact some of us prefer it that way. A delicious meal that is only further enhanced with the perfect side portions. Yet can fulfill any appetite by itself. A work of art in the culinary world, even in it’s barest of forms.

The main ingredients to this dish consist of veteran savvy and relentless defense. This team knows how to win and, better then that, they know how to defend. We all know that defense wins championships. They don’t try to be anything they aren’t. It is all there for you to see in plain sight. If they pull it off this season, we can truly herald them as a great team. While many things can go wrong in a season, the make up of the Celtics is simple; Play defense, get to the free throw line, win games.

So why do I compare them to a steak? While many are out looking for the next best thing, the Celtics do it with what is proven to work time and time again, Defense. They also compare to a steak because of their age. If the flesh of Garnett or his older teammates doesn't hold up through the rigors of the season, their chances at a ring are ruined, much like a rotten piece of steak can ruin a delicious meal.

3. Orlando Magic – The Phoenix

What was looking like a masterful season last year ended in tragedy. Orlando only had to sign one free agent to return their full starting five, yet they chose to shed their skin in the fiery death they suffered in the finals. The Magic are reborn a creature of a different feather this year hoping to lay claim to the skies above the rest of the NBA’s elite.

Orlando was right there last year. Soaring so high before sent to their death by the resilient Lakers. But Otis Smith and SVG saw something most casual spectators would overlook. Turkoglu was regressing and what they had now wouldn’t hold a candle to the Cavs or Celtics (Let alone the Lakers) of 2009-10. So, like the mythical Phoenix, they changed their look and spent the money needed to try and better their efforts of last season.

4. San Antonio Spurs – Old Faithful

With the accuracy and reliance of a good watch old Faithful erupts every hour to 2 hours. Not even the migration of the rumbling of our tectonic plates or liquefaction of the polar ice caps happens with such persistence and measurable accuracy. Sure we know “The Big” one is bound to happen, but when? Maybe Never? The Earth is heating up and the caps are melting, but when will they be gone? Will they ever return? Old Faithful doesn’t miss a beat. Erupts with magnificent beauty. Then reaches back deep into mother natures soil to build the arsenal required to deliver once again.

The Spurs aren’t so different. They have become more of a trend then back-to-back champions. We measure their success in terms of their regression and their inevitable explosion back onto the championship scene. Every year we think was their last hurrah, R.C. Buford and Coach Pop find treasure where other GMs only see trash. They reach deep down into what is left for them and pull out a gem of a signing. This year is no different. The Spurs are locked and loaded to deliver Duncan his 5th career ring.

5. Cleveland Cavilers – The Salad Bowl

They are a salad not a fine meal. A fine meal is made up of many parts, but all cooked and spiced to complement each other. Planned out carefully and perfected over generations. A salad is just tossed together as a quick fix to hold over a hunger that is obviously much larger than the salad can fully satisfy. The Cavs are a salad; mixed greens and a few veggies. Topped with some special Lebron sauce.

Sure, a salad is good for you and sure it can make a decent meal, but its no porter house with a side of baked potato. The vivid colors might fool some, but there is no true satisfaction at the end of a salad. Shaq, Parker, Powe? Great ingredients to a championship meal, but one must be wise not to let their hand slip.

The Cavs are going to face a lot of issues this year many of which are a carry over from last year. How do you defense Rashard? Will all these “spices” mesh together well? Is Lebron staying or going? And how crazy is Delontdo West? Some have the Cavs as the sure fire champions, some have them as the top dog in the East. Im not even sure they make the Eastern Conference Finals this year. Hence their #5 ranking.

A Billi, A Billi, A Billi

2009-09-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Lebron, I'm really happy for you and I'm gonna let you make more money but Tiger Woods has the most sports earnings of all time! OF ALL TIME!!!

Lebron really, really wants to become a billion dollar athlete so him and Jay-Z can have extravagantly large bar tabs (egos?) together. That's a good goal and all but Tiger just beat him to it.

I'm sure Lebron will eventually hit the coveted mark however two other athletes are coming up fast on the "billionaire" label. Michael Jordan and Michael Schumacher are poised to be the next two billionaire-athletes. Must be nice.

BTW, for everyone who thinks the rich get richer, not so fast! "Last year there were 1,125 billionaires. This year there are just 793"

Where's Delonte West?

2009-09-30T19:08:00.001-07:00

Everyone's been looking for Delonte West but no one can find him.

It's okay guys, I know where he is. Really, I do. He is busy writing, illistrating, AND starring in his lastest children's book:

Shall we call him Delontdo or Waldonte?

Greatest Defense of All-Time

2009-09-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

So I was doing some of my typical NBA Blog/News browsing and one thing lead to another and soon before I even knew it, I had crash landed on the www.Celticshub.com blog. I love the Celtics and this is a pretty good blogspot for a Celtics fan (also check out Celtic's 17)

Anyway, the article that caught my eye was the one on the C's of 2008 being the G.O.A.T. in terms of Defense. (Click Click)

Defense has always been both in a state of duality. Both subjective and objective. While some nerds are in some sweatshop somewhere working on some mad scientist formulas, there isn't a stat for most defensive factors such as defensive presence, off-ball deny or lock down defense. So I can't fault the Hub for declaring the Celtics one of the greatest of all time. I agree, they were phenomenal. It isn't the Ends that we disagree on, it is the means through which they arrived at such a conclusion.

As one of the readers pointed out, you can't just use some arbitrary fact to adjust stats by. (in this case, CelticsHub tossed the years 1997-2004 because of the hand check rule). I, myself, am a stats guru and I believe that, given enough time, formulas and stats can be created for all things in basketball. However we have to be careful, numbers can't just be manipulated and mutilated just so we arrive at the conclusions we want.

I'm not sure where I read this quote, but I think it applies perfectly here:
Contrary to popular belief, statistics do not lie. At worst, the numbers are merely unwilling accomplices forced into an arena to which they don't belong. The true masters of deception are the people who, consciously or otherwise, flaunt their misleading stats to continue perpetuating half-truths and outright lies

I contacted the CelticsHub, and Zach was MORE than willing to listen. What i'd like to do is not throw away the Dead-Ball Era stats (1998-2004) but i'd like to adjust the way we rank the figures.

If we just looked at the RAW figures, the 2003-04 Spurs are the Top Defense of all time. The rest of the top 10 looks like this:
Rk Season Tm W L W-L% Pace ORtg DRtg
1 2003-04 SAS 57 25 0.695 89.2 102.2 94.1
2 1998-99 SAS 37 13 0.74 88.6 104 95
3 2003-04 DET 54 28 0.659 87.9 102 95.4
4 1998-99 ATL 31 19 0.62 85.3 100.5 97.1
5 2003-04 IND 61 21 0.744 87.5 103.8 97.2
6 1998-99 ORL 33 17 0.66 88.8 100.3 97.4
7 1998-99 NYK 27 23 0.54 86.9 98.6 97.5
8 1998-99 PHI 28 22 0.56 88.6 99.9 97.6
9 1998-99 POR 35 15 0.7 89.2 104.8 97.7
10 2003-04 NJN 47 35 0.573 89.4 100.8 98

Since each season has a different pace and the NBA went through a horrible slump (1997-2004) and has slowly been recovering to a very high efficiency, it isn't fare to say that the offenses each defense faced is the same through the years. What we need to look at is how good each defense was compared to all the overall offensive efficiency of their season.

First we need to look at what the whole NBA was averaging each season and also what the NBA has averaged overall since the 1979-80 season:
CHART

So the overall NBA Defensive Efficiency has been 106.34. And the rest of the individual season averages are in that chart. So each season stats need to be adjusted so the overall average and the team average are comparable to the 106.34 average.

When we do this, most of the 2003-04 teams disappear. While their numbers seemed great compared to the historical averages, they were nothing more than an average defense in a very sub par era of basketball efficiency. What we do find, however, is that the 2003-04 Spurs are still at the top:
Rk Season Tm DRtg NBAEff VarianceOff/Def +/- Championship
1 2003-04 SAS 97.2 106.3 9.1 8.4
2 2007-08 BOS 97.8 106.3 8.5 11.2 YES
3 1992-93 NYK 98.2 106.3 8.2 6.3
4 1993-94 NYK 98.2 106.3 8.1 7.5 Lost in Finals
5 2003-04 DET 98.6 106.3 7.8 6.8 YES
6 1998-99 SAS 98.8 106.3 7.5 9.4 YES
7 2004-05 SAS 99 106.3 7.3 8.7 YES
8 2006-07 CHI 99.5 106.3 6.9 5.3
9 2005-06 SAS 99.7 106.3 6.6 7.7
10 2006-07 SAS 99.7 106.3 6.6 9.3 YES

The Celitcs of 2008 jump up there to the #2 spot with some of the all-time greats. However, unlike the other top 4, the Celtics actually won a title. To top it off, they boasted a +/- Def/Off Efficiency rating of 11.2. That's incredible. Not only were they shutting teams down, they were also crushing them on the offensive end. Imagine if they solely focused their energy on the defensive end, what kind of results could they have produced?

Are they the greatest Defensive team of all-time? Maybe. I do somewhat favor the Knicks of the 90's. Then again, it's all subjective.

Oh NBA, Where Art Thou?

2009-09-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

You think this is fair? You think you can give me two of the best years you have EVER given me, and then just up and leave like this? Is this what you did to the others before me? I know you promised to be back by the end of fall, but COME ON! This isn't fair. In fact, this is BULLSHIT!

Whatever mistress you are with right now, I hope she knows that come October you'll leave her, too. Fuck You! You're an asshole! ...But I need you! ...But I'm stronger than this! ...I don't need you! ...Please, please hurry back! I don't know what to do with my evenings anymore. I miss you dearly. So much so that my psychiatrist recommended I try art to keep my mind off you...

...it didn't work.

Greatest Cheap Kicks of All Time

2009-08-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

I was having a twitter convo with @RussBengtson about shoes and he brought about some interesting points. Why are people afraid to buy shoes for $70 below their original price just because they are a few months old?

The shoes Russ mentioned were these:

Nike Air Huarache 08's

First off, these are nice shoes and they once retailed for $100+ at all major retailers. But now the price has dropped to as low as $30 all because the shoes were released 8 months ago as opposed to 8 days ago. I never knew shoes depreciated faster than a Ford Explorer.

Personally, I'm a shoe whore. I have an inclination towards the signature lines sold by the major brands. My last five pair of shoes have been the CP3 II's, Lebron Solider III's, Lebron Zoom VI, KB Zoom 4, and the Air Jordan 10 Retros . Every single one of them have been comfortable on the court. The only thing that hurts from the purchase of these are my pockets. (And my eyes, but the discussion over the abomination that Nike calls 'style' these days is for another post)

This got me thinking, what are the five greatest cheap shoes to ever be released? We have to set some criteria before we go forward with this.

The shoes, first and foremost have to be good for basketball. No one wants to play in running shoes or flip flops. The last thing I want to hear is Kobe Bryant riding up on a horse to tell me I should have bought ankle insurance just as some old man named 'The Mole' crosses me up.

Second, they have to retail for under $80 from the first day they were released. All shoe prices will eventually fall back into this stratosphere, no matter how big the ego of the superstar they were designed for.

Last, they have to be from a major brand name (i.e. Nike, Reebok, Adidas, etc.). It is bad painful enough to hear how terrible your jumper is, no kid ever, EVER wants to hear how his LA Gears automatically qualify him for food stamps.

Drum roll, please...

5. Converse Chuck Taylors

Okay, so I couldn't think of a fifth pair of shoes to stick here, but everyone rocked these in the NBA back in the day. I still rock a pair today. Even though I'd never play in them, I have before (and learned a valuable lesson the hard way). I have no idea how Bill Russell grabbed all those rebounds and won all those championships in these things. But if Tupac wore these (not Ballys, that's right!!!) and the Greatest Winner of all time wore these, I have to put them up here. Plus you can pick these up from any shoe warehouse for under $20. Go ahead and buy 73 different colors for under a C-note.

4. Converse Weapons

Im an 80's baby, and I love 80's NBA. When I think of the legends that played back then the first thing that comes to mind are the Weapons. These were the bee's knees in 1986. Would I rock these? HELL YES! Who would want to wear shoes that were worn by Zeke, McHale, Bird, AND Magic? I don't even remember how cheap they sold for but I do remember my mom bought me a pair, and she used to refuse to buy me Nike. Her excuse was always the same; "your father will kill you if he found out what those cost"

3.Air Force 1's

You can't even argue against these. Not only were these cool, they were more famous than any single NBA star that wore them (Sorry Rasheed!) Everyone from P.E. teachers to Nelly and the St. Lunatics rocked these. They even had their own theme song. Now that I think of it, these might be the first pair of shoes ever to have the retail prices raise over time. "Give me two pur, give me two pur!"

2. And 1 Starburys

Dropping their first pair in 1997, Starbury and And1 changed the game. You no longer had to pay $100+ for a superstar's signature shoe line. These retailed for $79. Stephan Marbury put these guys on the map. Him and KG helped this unknown brand become one of the hottest shoe brands in the 90's. These aren't exactly the prettiest shoes, they aren't even the best And1's. These got picked simply because they were a revolution in basketball. More than just shoes, this sponsorship changed the culture of basketball worldwide. Street ball, trash talk, The Mix Tape and The Tour that came with it; all of it flooded over from the streets of the hood to the mainstream. No matter how you view street culture and its impact on the youth you have to give Steph some respect for going against the grain, turning down every major shoe sponsor and changing the game forever.

1. Adidas ProModels

The greatest Adidas basketball shoes since the Kobe's. Released in 2002 they retailed for about $70 dollars. Even LeBron James was rocking these at one point while ballin' in high school. This shoe had everything; comfort, price point, and style. Come on PATENT LEATHER! All ballers love patent leather. Although these don't live up to the Patent Leather Kings, just call them the Harold Minors of basketball shoes.

I'm sure I missed something, please feel free to tell me what shoes you used to sport in the ghetto.

Starbury: The Revolution Will Be Televised

2009-07-24T22:44:00.001-07:00

Starbury: The revolution will be televised, it will be UStream-ed.

If you haven't tuned in yet, DO IT NOW:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/have-at-it

Stephon Marbury got himself a UStream account, and oh boy is he using it to its fullest. 24/7 to be exact. Calling this genius is an understatement. My twitter feed has been NOTHING but Starbury related posts. Even guys like Baron Davis tuned in asking for a shout out. I've been watching this for most of and I can't tune away.

Tune in and be amazed at how real Steph is or how much of a damn he doesn't give. Maybe you think he is a little bit crazy, that's cool, tune in for a laugh. It's awesome no matter what you think about him. I personally like the guy and I see this giving him a little more slack in the public's eye.

No matter what this is doing for his public image, I'm glad he is doing it. This is the ultimate artistic/expressive freedom for the man that they "tried to put in a box".

This is going to spread like wildfire. Word is that J.R. Smith was the first to UStream. In fact he was in Eddy Curry's car getting pulled over. Kevin Durant's been hitting the UStream lately after team USA mini-camp. I'm sure more people, especially celebs, will jump on this. Who do I want to see on this? Shaq, Ron Artest and Mark Cuban.

Enjoy the show and remember, "Love is Love"

Getting Centered

2009-06-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

Where have all the true centers gone?

There is a growing problem in the NBA. Maybe it's a "shrinking" problem. The NBA is getting smaller and faster, as mentioned in ESPN's TrueHoop. The NBA Draft came and went and only three centers were selected. I looked it up, and it's the lowest number of big men taken in the draft in the last decade. It might be an all time low but I'm too lazy to dig that deep.

The draft isn't the only place where size is diminishing; Current NBA rosters rarely boast a dominant big man anymore. Gone are the days of Ewing, Olajuwon, Shaq, Robinson, Mourning. Today's most dominant big is Dwight Howard, who is hardly a polished offensive player. The next step down is Yao and Shaq. Shaq has one foot out the door while Yao is, sadly and literally, on one foot. Yao isn't the only injury prone center, Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum, both considered the NBA's future 'Bigs', have both missed significant playing time due to injuries and there are big questions about there drive to live up to the hype.

In the wake of all this news, I was in the middle of a chat about centers with my friend Raz when I began to wonder, "Do the Clippers have the best centers in the Western Conference?" Well let's look:

Last year's Western Conference All Star Centers were Yao and Shaq. The Big Shaqtus is back in the East and Yao is probably done for the season, if not his career. So who does that leave us with in the West? A few young stars, a few diminishing talents, and a handful of out-of-position power forwards. I'm going to rank the best teams in the West according to 'Bigs' based on numbers, true center skills, and potential.

1. Los Angeles Clippers:

Starter: Chris Kaman - Nearly an All Star 2 years ago, Kaman had a short year due to injury. I'm still very much sold on him. BTW, he averaged 15.7 ppg, 12.7 rpg, and 2.8 bpg in 2007-08.

Back-ups: Marcus Camby - He is still one of the best shot blockers/rebounders in the NBA. Why the Clippers would ever consider moving him before they dumped Z-Bo is a mystery to me.

DeAndre Jordan - This kid can flat out play. I call him a kid because he is still very young. A 1-and-done talent in college, he still has room to learn and grow his game.

Clippers have a very talented roster, especially at the 5-spot. Now only if they got a coach that made it all work...

2. Denver Nuggets:

Starter: Nene - Nene was a beast this year. He finished second in the NBA only to Shaq in FG%. Great numbers for a guy considering he just fought off cancer.

Back-up: Chris Anderson - He just came off a phenomenal come-back season. But he did most of the damage playing off the bench, can he handle more minutes? I'm pretty sure he can't produce any offensive numbers unless they are on clean-up plays.

Denver has a pretty good 1-2 combo at center, one of the reasons why they finally made it out of the first round.

3. Los Angeles Lakers:

Starter: Andrew Bynum - I don't know what is worse for the NBA, the fact that Bynum has been so terrible since his last freak injury or that he is considered one of the best true centers left in the west. Either way, he has show flashes of potential and is learning from the GOAT himself, Kareem.

Back-ups: DJ Mbenga - DJ is cheered anytime he enters the game, he is not cheered that much.

The west is weak enough that an injured Bynum is good enough to rank the Lakers this high.

4. Portland Trailblazers

Starter: Joel Przybilla - A very serviceable big man. Plays decent defense and has an average offensive game.

Back-ups: Greg Oden - "Foul prone", "injury riddled", "unpolished game", "needs to improve". These aren't great catch phrases for the #1 overall pick two years ago. Everyone say it with me, "Kevin Durant, Kevin Durant, Kevin Durant"

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Starter: Al Jefferson - Al is a 20 and 10 guy. I really hope he recovers well from his blown knee. I'd also rank the T-Wolves higher is it wasn't for this injury.

Back-ups: Kevin Love - He is a little small, but he is a great passer and an even better rebounder. Both Love and Jefferson lack a little in size and experience, that's what is keeping them at #5 overall.

6. San Antonio Spurs

Starter: Matt Bonner - Not the best defender, but he can really knock down some jumpers. He looks realllllly awkward when running around out there but whatever works, right?

Back-ups: Tim Duncan - If Tim would just fess up and admit he is a center, the Spurs would top this list, but he insists that he is a PF and I'll insist that he is a bold-faced liar. We all know when push comes to shove and its a close 4th quarter in an important game, Duncan will step it up and take over the overall Post position, no matter if it is from the 4 or the 5 spot.

7. Memphis Grizzlies

Starters: Marc Gasol - Had a great rookie year averaging 11.9 and 7.4. Doesn't look like Memphis is sold on him yet, which is a shame, the guy can play.

Back-ups: Hasheem Thabeet - Memphis might move Gasol to PF and make Hasheem the starting center. Not a bad option but Thabeet needs to drastically improve his scoring. Both these guys look to have bright futures but they are also both a unproven talents.

8. Golden State Warriors

Starter: Andris Biedrins - He is pretty good. He isn't great and he doesn't suck. In Don Nelson's super-paced offense Biedrins brings in a respectable 11.9 ppg and 11.2 rpg.

Back-ups: Ronny Turiaf - Ronny is a little undersized, but he makes up for it in quickness, leaping ability, and energy. I love his game and if I was an NBA GM, I'd be very happy to have a player of his caliber on my bench.

9. Utah Jazz

Starter: Mehmet Okur - Mehmet Okur is a great... jump shooter. He plays as a center but doesn't really play as a center. One of the major reasons why the Jazz can't beat the Lakers. Memo is really good, but he plays more like a Rashard Lewis than a Dwight Howard.

Back-ups: Jarron Collins - As if having a pseudo-Center wasn't bad enough, his back up is one of the Collins Brothers.

10. Sacramento Kings

Starter: Spencer Hawes - He has a lot of upside, and his numbers are already better than everyone below him.

Back-ups: Jason Thompson - Jason is more of a PF, but at 6-11 he can serve as a Center when needed.

11. New Orleans Hornets

Starter: Tyson Chandler - From nearly an all-star to nearly traded, Tyson's stock has been dropping faster than his injury list is filling up. Regression is not your friend.

Back-ups: Melvin Ely - Chris Paul is sending out an S.O.S. as we speak.

12. Dallas Mavericks

Starter: Erick Dampier - He is a very big body in the middle, he is good enough to start on any team that doesn't have a good center or hates to get low-post production. That should tell you enough.

Back-ups: Ryan Hollins - He is most known for being the back-up center who was talking trash to one Kobe Bryant. Still wondering why i ranked Dallas at 12?

13. Oklahoma City Thunder

Starter: Nenad Krstic - Nenad is a very skilled player, he was developing into a fine NBA center before an injury limited him to 26 games.

Back-ups: Nick Collison - He was a project center, looks like the Zombie Sonics might be calling it quits on the Collison years.

14. Phoenix Suns

Starter: Robin Lopez - Not only is Shaq gone, Amar'e is on the trading block. This leaves the Suns with Robin Lopez as the potential starting center. News Flash: He isn't even the best center in his family...

Back-ups: They don't exist.

15. Houston Rockets

Starters: Chuck Hayes - Chuck is a really good defender... off the bench. He is very undersized and lacks any kind of scoring potential. Any bucket by him in the playoffs was deemed "found money" by announcers. Not a good sign for your starting center.

Back-ups: Luis Scola - Yao Ming's injury and Deke's retirement opens up a giant can of worms. Houston really likes Scola at the PF spot, however moving him to the starting center position might happen out of pure necessity. Houston ranks dead last because they don't have a single real center on their roster.

You know the Center situation is bad in the West when two of the top five centers might come from the Los Angeles Clippers this year. I'm not even going to bother with the East, they have a decent number of bigmen out there.

I Wish It Was Friday Yesterday

2009-06-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

Random Thoughts:

- A lot of trades went down yesterday, some of them might have huge playoff implications for the 2009-10 season. This trade wasn't one of those. Memphis sent notorious draft bust Darko Milicic to the New York Knicks for Quieten Richardson and straight cash, homie. This is some what exciting, because if the Grizz bring back Darius Miles (oh god, please!!!) for another year, The Youngest Guns will be reunited. Get your Noggin' Knocks ready!

- Only 3 centers were drafted last night. Three!!! I don't know why, but that is mind boggling. That is the least amount of centers for a single draft in the past decade. It might be an all time low but I'm too lazy to look it up.

- Ricky Rubio is quickly becoming my favorite cartoon character, even if he doesn't play in the 2009 NBA season.

- Michael Jackson is dead. Wow. (they won't let me embed this clip...)

- Most NBA GMs deserves to be fired. Read more

- It is almost 5 o'clock on a Friday. (Thanks, Jebus!)

- Brandon "Young Money" Jennings is both awesome and a fool, please observe:
1.

2. He showed up late to the NBA Draft, like an hour late.

3. He was pretty excited about how late he was: @BJennings3: I think the way I came out was tight last night, lmao

You got to love it. The NBA, I love this game! Happy Friday ya'll.

NBA Draft Guide: How To Mess It All Up...

2009-06-26T01:24:00.000-07:00

A Guide to the 2009 NBA Draft and how almost no one got it right.

The draft was to long and too retarded for me to even try to figure out what everyone was thinking so I'm going to do the top ten and nit-pick the rest. Ready? Go.

1. LA Clippers: Blake Griffin
What they needed: Help! Like US Military sized help.
What they got: Best player in the draft.

Mission Accomplished. I don't think the Clippers came close to messing this one up, right? This was a no-brainer, which is perfect because the Clippers are a brainless organization.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet
What they needed: A PG and a PF
What they got: A Center.

Umm, this should have been a sign of thing to come. For team that can use a PG in a PG loaded draft, a Center was the only logical choice.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden
What they needed: A SG or a Center
What they got: A talented SG.

I wishhhhhh they got Curry so i can forgive them for stealing my team, but they failed me. I still think Harden is a decent pick for them.

4. Sactown Kings: Tyreke Evans
What they needed: PG
What they got: A Fake PG

Evans is not a real PG, and he is a ball hog. Kevin Martin is the most efficient perimeter player in the NBA, last thing you need is a selfish SG to pretend he is a PG and take away shots from Martin.

5. & 6. Minnesota T-Wolves: #5: Ricky Rubio #6 Jonny Flynn
What they needed: PG, SG, C, Coach, New GM, New Team Name
What they got: PGx2*

So, the wolves capped off the week by dumping their 2 best shooters for the #5 pick and more F/C players. *They started out the night needing more guards. Their first pick was excellent, what followed was disastrous, almost comedic. I love Flynn's game, but come on Minny, reallllllly? back to back PGs?

7. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
What they needed: Fire Nelly
What they got: 12 million pissed of New Yorkers

Steph Curry is my favorite player in the draft. He is the little engine that could. Everyone wanted to see what the best scorer in college basketball could do in a system run by the best offensive coach in the NBA. Tragic ending. Oh well, I will still cheer for you, Steph!

8. New York Knicks: Jordan Hill
What they needed: Lebron James
What they got: Heartbreak Hotel

And to think, they all laughed at the Renaldo Balkman. This wasn't even funny, it was almost sad. We all saw the Knicks just give up, right before our eyes. Reminds me of this clip from The Simpsons.

9. Toronto Raps: DeMar DeRozan
What they needed: Versatile SG
What they got: Versatile SG

Oh Snap, a team actually getting what they needed? There are three good GM's in the NBA, Bryan Colangelo is one of them. True Story. Some people don't like this pick, I love it. Demar is for real.

10. Milwakee Brewe...Bucks: Brandon Jennings
What they needed: SG, SF
What they got: PG

Another head scratcher. The Bucks already have two PGs, they just traded away their best SG/SF, you would think they would fill the void. At this point I am convinced the most GMs don't think. Also, Brandon Jennings is the biggest jackass in this draft. The BIGGEST, I hope you save some of this lottery pick money, you will need it for your plane ticket back to Europe.

13. Indiana Pace-makers: Tyler Hansbrough
What they needed: A cigarette and a bail-out
What they got: Another token white guy.

Dear Tyler, grow a mustache and buy a truck. Welcome to the Indiana Pacers, you are lucky to go in the first round, 'bro'.

19. Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Teague
What they needed: PG
What they got: PG

If you weren't impressed by the Crawford pickup, this was exactly what they needed. All in all, they made me forget they got swept out the second round.

20. Utah Jazz: Eric Maynor
What they needed: Bitch Slap Boozer, Front court help
What they got: No real help.

Eric Maynor is really really good. I don't know how ATL passed on him. But Utah has the 2nd best PG in the NBA, they really didn't need a PG.

21. NO Hornets: Darren Collison
What they needed: shooters for CP3
What they got: The most useless pick they could have thought of.

I thought Utah fucked up, man-o-man. You already have the best PG in the NBA. CP3 plays 39 minutes a game. You just used your first round pick on a guy who will play 9 minutes a game, this is why this team is going broke...

36. Memphis: Sam Young

Congrats, in a draft that you could have gotten a really good PG with the 2nd pick and a PF STEAL in Blair with the 36th pick, you managed to draft a Center and 2 SF's. Did they forget that they still have Rudy Gay?

37. Spurs: DeJuan Blair

And this is why they have been one of the top two front offices in the NBA for over a decade now. TP, Manu, RJ, Blair, and Duncan. Yea, that looks like a championship line up to me.

55. Portland: Patrick Mills

This is your other top two front office. Kobe Bryant thinks this kid can play, stating to Mills, Look, believe in yourself. You showed it against us in the summer' after playing against him. This might actually prove Kobe doesn't run LA, since the Lakers passed on Mills with the 42nd pick.

That's the highlights right there. I kind of stopped paying attention half way through the draft. I started working on my resume after I realized a lot of teams really need new GMs.

It is late, and this draft has left me confused, goodnight.

NBA Off Season: Top 5 Things Thus Far

2009-06-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

5. The 76ers FINALLLLY went back to the old logo.(link) I just hope they don't keep the stupid cutoff jersey. Oh, please bring these back. Thanks in advance:

4. Totally non-basketball related but did Team USA just beat #1 ranked Spain? In an international game that counts? To go to the FINALS? WOW.

3. The Clippers have not yet traded the #1 for a bucket of chicken fingers. What can they do to possibly F this up and not get Griffin? I know it's coming, I just want to be the first to guess it.

2. Mike Miller, the awesomest white guy in the NBA (second ONLY to Scalabrine), will be playing along side a few All-Stars in Washington. This is a great trade for both teams. Washington gets a lot of help and the Wolves get to draft a few more busts. Speaking of Washington, please change your stupid logo AND name.

1. This should be filed under the "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, God!" section. The Clippers dumped all their coaches except two. But it seems like they might be getting ready to dump Done-leavy (see what I did there?)Click.

It's not even draft night and all these trades and rumors have me excited again. And to think I almost slit my own throat when the Lakers won then 'chip...

Paging Nick Anderson

2009-06-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with the entire Orlando Magic fan base. They said that you are officially off the hook, also tell Courtney Lee they forgive him too. They only have two words after last nights loss: DAAAA WIGHT!!!!

Somewhere, in a parallel universe with a slightly alternate reality, the Orlando Magic are up three games to one. We don't even need a butterfly effect, it has been that close for three of the four games, just wish the series was just as close.

For the Orlando Magic fans, I don't know what I would be more upset about; The missed free throws by D12 and Turkey Glue or the missed defense to end the game. Whether you believe in fouling at the end or not (you really should believe in it, more on this later) there is no excuse for giving Fisher such an open look at a three. I wonder what it feels like to know that they are one layup and one free throw away from being up 3-1 in the NBA Finals. Disheartening is all I can think of.

SVG, can we hang out? You say some pretty incredible things. I used to think JVG was the cooler brother, but nah, I have seen the light.

Stan made two huge points in his post game interview that stood out. Both points go way beyond this game, this series, even this season. One was on the question of experience and the other on fouling to prevent the 3-point shot.

Experience:
I tend to agree with SVG. These guys have played basketball for most all of their young lives. For some, it is all they know. They have mastered the game, that is why they are here. Sure, they are not all Kobe or Jordan, but we are still talking about the 24 guys who have what it takes to beat out the other 300 guys who are head and shoulders above the rest of the world in terms of basketball skills.

Players at this level of the game have gotten here by winning their whole lives, they know what it takes. Last year the Boston Celtics crushed the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals. Boston had 2 guys with championship experience and 10 guys who had never played in June. That didn't stop them. Jordan and the Bulls won the first time they got there, rinse and repeat 5 more times. Magic won as a ROOKIE and was the best player on the court. Experience is overrated, it is on the players themselves to gather their nerves, wipe their brows, and just execute.

Fouling to prevent the three:
I'd make the point but Charles, Kenny, and Ernie did it for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTXgRu7u4MQ

I can't find the other clip, but Charles and Kenny mention how if you allow for the three, the other team just has to make one great shot. If you foul, they have to make three or four incredible plays to tie or win the game. i.e. Make one free throw, miss one free throw, tip the ball, catch the ball, and hit a shot.

SVG has done an incredible job all year, but in the last minute of the game, DFish shot their hearts out. Everyone knew going into OT, Orlando had already lost. Im not even sure they can win game 5 anymore. Oh and Rafer's face is being put up on light posts and telephone polls all over Orlando. Have you seen that man?

LA, be safe at the parade...

Game 4, The Wall, and My Lil' Pennies

2009-06-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

So, Kobe says he didn't hit a wall. Clearly the man has played more basketball than anyone over the past 3 years. Here is a quick rundown:

Summer 2006: start the dream team training
Fall 2006: Off season training and season starts
Winter 2006: Season
Spring: Season and playoffs
Summer 2007: Fiba world games
Fall: 2007: Off Season training & season
Winter 2007: Season
Spring 2008: Season, Playoffs
Summer 2008: Finals and Olympics
Fall 2008: Training and Season
Winter 2008: Season
Spring 2009: Season & Playoffs
Summer 2009: Finals

The Mamba hasn't even had time to shed it's skin.

Personally, I don't think Kobe hit a wall. He wasn't air balling shots and failing to get back on defense. He just had an off game at the line and an off day on the field in the second half. The Magic, especially Pietrus, played great defense on Kobe forcing the ball out of his hands or forcing kobe off the 3-point line and into uncomfortable shots. If Kobe came back and had a marvelous 4th game, i wouldn't be the least bit surprised. If Kobe came out and stunk it up and really showed signs of being tired, again I say, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

If fatigue is the case, it might not be such a bad thing for the Lakers. Kobe isn't the most efficient player in the game. He isn't even the most efficient player on his team. The more shots he takes, the less shots are left for Pau and Odom and Ariza (who are all shooting a much higher FG% than Kobe). According to @Statcenter the Lakers top five FGAs go as so:

Kobe 81, Gasol 37, Ariza 30, Odom 26, Fisher 24, Bynum 19. Kobe has a .456 FG% in the finals, Gasol has a .676 FG%.

There is a very good balance going for Orlando:

Lewis 45, Hedo 40, Alston 29, Pietrus 27, Howard 22, Lee 17

Clearly Gasol's shooting is deadlier than the other. In fact both teams have done a terrible job at getting their most efficient scorer the ball. Everyone wants to see Kobe make a spin-move-fade-away-37-footer with 4 guys in his face. And everyone wants to see the Magic shoot 97% from the 3, but that isn't the formula to win the ring, for either team.

Picture Imperfect Finals?

2009-06-03T14:33:00.000-07:00

Here we go, tomorrow is the start of the NBA Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Orlando Magi....errr? The Magic? No Cavs? No Lebron? No more puppets?

No, no more puppets. The finals are here and unlike last year, we have the imperfect match-up. No one was expecting a Kobe-Howard showdown. EVERYONE wanted to see Kobe and Lebron go head-to-head to see who is REALLY the best player on the planet. Heck some of us would have even settled for a Carmelo vs. Lebron Finals, but here we are and here they are.

This isn't last years epic battle of the two greatest franchises ever, there isn't much history between the two unless you want to get into how this is a nightmare for Shaq (either Kobe or Stan Van Gundy will walk away with a ring and the last laugh...). I'm going to stick to my original pre-playoffs selection and go with the Magic in 6 (yes, I had actually picked the Magic or make the rest of the Eastern Conference disappear.) No matter what, I think we are all in for a really pleasing series.

What this does remind me of is how picture perfect the 1998 finals were. Similar to the Lakers/Magic series, the 1998 Finals featured a dominant post vs a dominant wing. It was Utah's second crack at the Bulls and this time they had home court. But no one wanted to see Mike go out a loser, especially Mike. Up three games to two, the Bulls were headed into Utah. Every detail doesn't really matter, its the final minute that sums it all up. There is no better way to sum up Jordan's career. He put the entire Bulls organization on his back and recorded his 43rd and 45th points of the game in that last minute. The drive to the rim was masterful and the final shot, well you all know that final shot; EPIC. But what always stands out in my mind is what everyone else forgets, he stole the ball on the other end to setup that final shot. That last minute Jordan was Jordan. 45 points or just 4 points, Jordan did what he needed to do to win. In that last minute he single-handedly (Sorry Byron Russell, no pun intended) capped off the greatest career ever with the greatest moment in basketball history. Writer's have pummeled through thesauruses and burned up every last creative cell in their brains to try and describe how awe-inspiring that minute was, but it is impossible. It is one of those moments that you just have to see for yourself.

While this might not the 1998 finals, it might be Kobe's last chance to outshine the sun on the biggest stage in basketball. Will Kobe go Jordan on us and will his team and himself to claim the title and secure his legacy?

All-NBA Beast Team

2009-05-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Now that all the NBA awards are out, I'd like to hand out my own awards. It is a combination of players who are scary good and scary... well, just scary. These guys fit Andrew Katz's definition of a motherf*cker to a T. Every single one of these guys is a beast. If you put them in a monster-flick, it would have to be an unrated film.

Most players get into game mode when they get to the arena, these guys never get out of game mode. From the moment the clock starts ticking, these guys leave it all out there, you can almost see the beads of colorful Gatorade sweat drip off them. Most national armies are afraid of their offensive fire power. They can score on you from anywhere with their eyes closed. And if you try to take it to them on the other end, they straight humiliate you. The defense these guys bring belittles the Great Wall of China.

They have "total disregard for human life". They don't give a sh*t. They probably had a mild form of rabies at some point in their lives. They live in the sewers because they want to. They use shattered glass as an after-dinner mint. They shave with shark's teeth that they collected by hand, from live sharks. And they WILL take Mike Tyson's lunch money and not even buy lunch with it. These guys live in their own world. And for 82+ games a year, we get a sneak peek into how bat-shit crazy that world really is.

This is my All-Beast team:

PG: Chris Paul: 22.8 PPG 11.0 APG 5.5 RPG 2.8 SPG.

The Baby-faced Killer. Chris Paul walks around pretending he is 6-0. We all know it's a lie, but it isn't CP3 who is telling it. Players in the NBA make that number up because they don't like to admit that a 5 foot 10 kid is punking everyone of them. CP3 is a cross between David Copperfield and a ninja. One second you have him in front of you, and then BAM, crossover and he is gone. Slicing through the key like lightning in the sky until he finds the perfect opening, commanding all his foot soldiers to the precise locations and calculating the perfect shot. WET.

Paul gets anywhere he wants anytime he wants. He can score from anywhere long bombs or physics defying crossovers with the manliest of finishes. He isn't afraid to take the contact, in fact, he is one of the best penetrators in the NBA. On the defensive end, he takes your cookies chews them up and spits them at your bench. Soon as they get him a decent squad, MVP and NBA Champion will be mentioned in the same sentence as CP3.

SG: Kobe Bryant: 26.8 PPG 5.2 RPG 4.9 APG

The Mamba. As ruthless as they come. You know why they call him the mamba? He likes to sit back, take in the atmosphere. He doesn't eat until the time is right. But if you provoke him, call Poison Control asap! With the quickest of reflexes he strikes. The Shot isn't wet. It is venom. Someone once said, it isn't that Kobe scores when he has too. Kobe scores THE SHOT he has to, when he has too. If the game is getting close, he sticks you with a dagger from 30 feet out. If the crowd is sleeping, he rocks the house with a thundering dunk. If he is stuck, it is merely an illusion. Kobe doesn't get stuck, he just likes the challenge of a difficult shot. He walks around for most of the game daring you to push him. Daring you to strike first. He is like a boxer. Waiting, thinking, concentrating. Doesn't take long for Kobe to figure you out, the only difference from game to game is WHEN he wants to kill you.

I don't really need to get into the numbers or the hardware. Kobe can't be stopped and he refuses to be beaten. Championships, gold medals, MVPs, he has them all, what he really wants is your soul.

F: Lebron James: 28.4 PPG 7.6 RPG 7.2 APG

King James. I don't like his nick name. King usually implies that he is the leader of some faction of humans. But Lebron isn't human... He is the first Cyborg to play in the NBA. The guy doesn't have an off switch. He doesn't have a conscience. And he doesn't have a ceiling on his future. Even if there was a ceiling, he would jump through it. I've seen this machine make posters out of more people than Slam Magazine. The chase down blocks have people's moms concerned. I warn you now, don't attempt fast break layups while the King is in the building. I herd the W.H.O. has declared Lebron James a devastating plague to all humans in the NBA. He isn't even 25 yet. In his first MVP season, he is really pushing the bar. Leading the NBA in wins and PER, he is blood thirsty for his first ever NBA crown.

F: Ron Artest: 17.1 PPG 5.2 RPG 1.5 SPG

A "Tru Worrier". A madman's madman. He is such a monster that we link the entire fiasco of the Malace at the Palace to him. This man flosses his teeth with baby intestines. The only guy crazy enough to continually talk shit to Kobe. He isn't a basketball player, he is basketball. He is everything we miss about the 80's and 90's. Our last link with history. Simply put, we wears #96, random to me and you. But in reality, it is how many people he has snapped in half playing basketball in Queens.

His stats won't overwhelm you, but his attitude will. When you start to go at it with Artest, you start to question your own sanity. Only the truly insane will tango with this man. He will bark at you and claw at you, and jaw at you, and go at you until you lay broken on the floor. He then gives you swine flu for good measure. Whatever you do, don't look him in the eyes!

F: Kevin Garnett: 15.8 PPG 8.5 RPG 1.2 BPG

First off, yes, I have three forwards and no centers. Why, you might ask? Because all the centers in the NBA are little girls. The closest thing to a monster is Dwight Howard, and he is always smiling, like a girl with a brand new Barbie set. Then there is Shaq or what is left of Shaq. The One time beast master is now an old and feeble stand up comedian. So I say blah to all the centers of the world. Most are nothing more than an angry Greg Ostertag, an ogre at best.

The Kid. One day we will all realize that he is the emperor of the Darkside. Sidelined by injury, his numbers are down, but the ferociousness is up. Way, way up. The only man in the league that has already begun converting into a beast. He showed glimpses of the process when he got down on all fours and began to bark at Raptors' PG, Jose Calderon. KG doesn't give a flying f*ck if you like his angry style. He will MAKE you like his angry style. One soul at a time. Some say he needs to chill, others say he needs to be controlled. Some even go as far as saying he needs to be stopped. Garnett doesn't care, he is the reigning champion. Front what i hear, they bottle his sweat and sell it as Monster Energy drinks.

Man-Ram Gets Busted

2009-05-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Annnnnnd, umm, yea. Manny Ramirez just got served a 50 game suspension for P.E.D.s (Performance Enhancing Drugs) Some people are a bit shocked, but why? Is it really that big of a surprise?

From what I have seen and known about all athletes is that they all have at some point in their lives taken extra steps to get better. When you see JuCo players take pills just to get to a D-II school, you wonder what D-I players might take just to get to the NBA. Now imagine those trying to get to the first round, All-Star Game, or even the Hall of Fame.

Now, I'm not trying to take anything away from collegiate athletes or professional athletes. These guys have skill sets and physical attributes that are head and shoulders above the average Joe, even before P.E.D.s. I'm not even trying to say that a majority of these people are even on P.E.D.s. All I am saying is that when we find out that someone is on the juice, let's not act so shocked. This isn't your rich grandmother robbing a kindergarten with an AK47. These are some poor kids taking every step possible to get out of the slums and get paid. These are the most competitive people on the planet trying to find an edge over the rest of the competition. These are athletes who want to see how far they can push the record books, their celebrity status, their bank accounts, and their bodies. Everyone is a little curious and everyone is a little greedy. These guys just take it to a new extreme. They make the very though choice between fame & fortune or saving face.

Besides, if you knew a needle and $1,000 vial was the difference between you playing recreational softball or hitting home runs in the MLB, would you really say no to P.E.D.s?

Kung Fu Fighting!

2009-04-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

Shannon Brown is not only the next Point Guard for the Lakers, he is also the next Karate Kid!

Brown-son and the Lakers, Kung Fu fighting their way to the finals...

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

2009-04-16T12:19:00.001-07:00

My Blackberry and Facebook have been blowing up all day with this KG news. WTF!!!

To all you people that think it is prudent to text me or artin with news on KG! are you guys kidding me? I have sportcenter playing 24/7 in my head! I AM the news!

BTW, i just got a BBM from Ray Allen:

RayRay: Yo Sha its Jesus

Sha: YOO! sup shuttlesworth?

RayRay: check it, KG just kidnapped Doc. he has him tied up in Kobe's closet. He said fuck all this noise im GOING to play!

Sha: Word? whose coaching?

RayRay: KG is coaching! He also killed Big Baby with a butter knife.. Looks like KG will also be playing our 6th man. GTG. Peace!

okay, yea i wish. KG being out is like taking a knee to the nuts from bruce bowen, it can really end your championship hopes!