The Laker Hater

Good Riddance, Los Angeles

2013-04-30T19:04:00.001-07:00

Let me just start by saying that out of all of my Laker-hating posts, this one is by far the most bitter and resentful post yet. But I'm tired of hearing about the Lakers this season, and all the excuses that they and their fans have made for the fact that the team was just plain horrible. So without further ado, let us begin....

It’s all done and over with now. The Lakers season is no more. With a roster that boasted 3 MVP awards, 4 Defensive Player of the Year awards, 37 All-Star selections and a plethora of other honors in their trophy case, the team couldn’t even muster up a single victory in the postseason. Note that it is not even a series victory that they couldn’t attain; this team’s biggest accomplishment in the playoffs was losing game 2 by only 11 points. All this after they were ranked number 2 in ESPN’s preseason rankings. All this after people called for a guaranteed championship. All this after Ron Artest said that the team would challenge the 72-10 record set by the Chicago Bulls in 1996. Since I am The Laker Hater, let’s take a look back at this absolute disgrace that was the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2012-13 season.

The first sign of trouble came when the Lakers finished the preseason with a record of 0-8. Yes, it’s just the preseason. But for a team with a history like L.A. that features at least 3 future Hall of Famers, you would imagine at least 1 single, measly win would be in order. That was most certainly not the case for this team.

The regular season started just as poorly, with the team getting off to a 1-4 start. Unfortunately for head coach Mike Brown, his team’s lack of compatibility and huge egos led to his firing after just 5 games. After heavy speculation of a Phil Jackson return, and a very respectable 4-1 run by interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff, Mike D’Antoni was hired to take over as the new scapegoat for the team’s failures.

Laker fans stayed vocal throughout the season, praising the performance of Kobe Bryant at the age of 34. Kobe praised his own performance as well, as he stayed atop the league’s scorers, despite being well under .500 and out of playoff contention for most of the season. Bryant’s scoring slowed in the season though, and he finished 3^rd in the league in points per game. In hindsight, he should have kept trying to score since another scoring title would have been the only thing he had a shot at accomplishing this year.

As the season went on, the Laker community continued blaming their losses on coaching, as well as the absence of Steve Nash due to injury. Upon Nash’s return, the Lakers managed to get in only seven games with their four star players (Bryant, Gasol, Nash and Howard). Those seven games saw the team post a not-quite-respectable 3-4 record. Regardless of this though, the team still used injuries as an excuse for their losing.

By the end of the season, things started to look up a bit for the Lakers, as the team started actually drawing in on a playoff spot. They ended up clinching a 7^th seed, but lost Kobe to a torn achilles heel along the way. Again, the Laker community saw yet another excuse for their losing ways. The truth is though, the team’s record against other Western Conference playoff teams was 7-17 with Kobe in the lineup. The thought that they would’ve suddenly gained the talent to actually make an impact in the playoffs is beyond ridiculous.

The postseason came, and the Lakers were set to play the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Lakers ended the playoffs with the most pitiful performance of the postseason, losing the series 4-0. The Spurs finished the series with an average win margin of 18.8 points, even higher than that of the Miami Heat in their series against the sub-.500 Milwaukee Bucks.

Game 4 of the series saw the Lakers in their typical losing fashion. Just like when the Dallas Mavericks completed the sweep against L.A. in 2011, the final loss saw the Lakers losing by a large margin, practically quitting before the second half even started. And once again, Dwight Howard got ejected and showed us that the Lakers are the biggest bunch of sore-losers that this league has ever seen. For those who forgot, that ’11 series ended with a 36-point loss that saw 2 Lakers getting ejected for flagrant fouls.

The team failed in every way possible. They accomplished nothing. And I could not be happier to see this overrated bunch of egotistical crybabies end their season in such an embarrassing manner.

The season is over for the Lakers now though. It’s time for me to move my attention towards teams that actually mattered this season. With a 3 seed on the verge of elimination and a number 1 seed missing their number 2 player, we may be in for a big shakeup in the West. Keep watching, basketball fans. And to any Lakers fans that may be reading, have fun with the rebuilding process. Happy trails, Dwight Howard!

Apologies

2013-04-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

As much as I enjoy it, blogging about the NBA is not my job. Right now, finishing my college education while working at the organization I'm currently employed at our my jobs. Since those two jobs have been busier than ever over the past few months, that means the blogging has to take a backseat on the priorities list.

I apologize if you read this blog and have been disappointed by the lack of content lately. I'll bring some more articles around for the playoffs and the draft. For now though, continue to keep up with me on Twitter (@TheLakerHater1).

And for you fellow Pistons fans out there - Lawrence Frank was fired today! Rejoice! Hooray! The rebuilding process is now underway in Auburn Hills. With one of the best young centers today, some promising talent to put around him, an upcoming lottery pick and over $20 million worth of cap-space, we have a lot to look forward to next season. Let's hope Joe D can make something of it all.

Send Ron Shipping

2013-02-05T22:16:00.001-08:00

It was disturbing, absolutely nerve wrecking for a true Pistons fan to hear. Public address announcer, Mason, delivered the starting lineups for an afternoon matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Super Bowl Sunday. He introduced Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant and the man who calls himself Metta World Peace. That’s when I heard it. Cheers. Cheers for Ron Artest. Cheers for him at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Cheers for the guy who nearly a decade ago ran into the stands at that very arena, attacking the fans that now applauded and screamed for him.

Don’t get me wrong on this one. I understand that when a team isn’t performing well, as the Pistons have been doing for 3 or 4 years now, the high-market teams are going to have plenty of fans present at road games. But to see the man responsible for Malice at the Palace come back to Detroit and not be met with a flood of jeers is just plain shameful.

Eventually, the Pistons did their entrance and the crowd became quiet, then the game got underway. Halftime neared and Ron Artest did what Ron Artest does best. A scuffle occurred, whistles blew, referees reviewed the play and Artest was eventually assessed with a flagrant 1 foul.

After the game, Brandon Knight began making claims that Artest punched him in the face during the tangle-up. Upon watching a replay, one would see that after tugging Knight at the waist and wrapping an arm around his neck, Artest did in fact strike Knight in the jaw. To call it a full blown punch is an exaggeration; his fist was not closed and he hit him more with his wrist than anything else. Regardless of that, he still grabbed his opponent by the neck and landed a blow on his face.

Today, the NBA announced that after looking at the play, Artest would serve a 1 game suspension. For any other player, I would say this punishment was appropriate. The problem though is that this is not any other player, it’s Ron Artest. You’d be hard-pressed to find an athlete who has started as many fights as this guy. Besides the infamous Palace brawl, here are a few more worth noting:

· Elbow to the head of James Harden
· Head lock on LeBron James
· Pulling down Paul Pierce’s shorts
· Striking Richard Hamilton (wearing a protective mask) in the face
· Locking arms with Paul Pierce
· Pushing Paul Pierce prior to tip-off
· Striking JJ Barea in the face
· Shoving Thabo Seflosha
· Striking Amar’e Stoudemire in the face
· Intimidating Kobe Bryant
· Flagrant foul on Pau Gasol

Now the last foul above can be forgiven. It was a bit excessive, but he was making a play towards the ball. He gave some extra force to ensure that the bucket wouldn’t go down. Sometimes a flagrant or technical is handed out, but it’s the NBA and sometimes that will happen. It’s the same thing that Bill Laimbeer used to do during his playing days.

As for the rest of the incidents above, they’re ridiculous. They don’t have any effect on the game, it’s just a player trying to rough up his opponents. This is the NBA. If you want to grapple, throw elbows, start a phony rap career and come up with silly little nicknames for yourself, go sign a contract with Vince McMahon.

The videos above aren’t the end of his craziness, either. Check out this video to see Ron tackling Glenn Robinson, throwing a water bottle into the stands (Pistons fans didn’t start the drink throwing trend), fighting Raja Bell, destroying TV cameras and committing other senseless acts that are so unsportsmanlike, they make Kenny Powers look like Joe Dumars. He also has admitted to drinking during halftime of games throughout his time with the Chicago Bulls. Let’s not forget his various domestic dispute matters dating back to 2002, as well as having his dogs held in a pound for 77 days as a result of not taking proper care of them.

The sad part of all this is the fact that I could still point out several more flagrant and technical fouls throughout his career. Quite simply, I don’t have time to list out every single offense he’s committed.

By no means am I against giving a person a second chance. The problem I have with Ron Artest is that at this point, he’s on his fifty-second chance. How many times do you give a person a warning? How many times do you have to put disciplinary actions in place before you see results? Ron Artest has had his chances, and it’s safe to say that he’s never going to learn his lesson.

The NBA needs to reconsider their disciplinary action towards Ron Artest. Sure, this latest incident with Brandon Knight was just a minor one. Artest has made it clear to us all though that he has no self-control, no respect for the rules and not a single care in the world when it comes to the safety of fellow NBA players. Maybe it’s time for the league to crack down and stop letting the bad guy get his way.

Who Found the Fountain of Youth?

2013-01-26T13:29:00.000-08:00

Fans have been going nuts over Kobe Bryant this season. He’s one of the league’s top scorers at 28.9 points per game, and he’s scored at least 40 points on four separate occasions. With all this at the age 34, many are saying Kobe looks closer to 24. Yes, he’s playing pretty well right now. The fact of the matter though, is that I still find him to be just plain overrated.

What many Kobe fans fail to recognize is that Bryant has taken more shots than anybody else in the NBA. In fact, he’s taken over 100 more shots this season than the number two field goal shooter, Russell Westbrook (who has played 1 more game than Kobe this season). On top of that, Kobe is only sixth in the NBA in scoring when looking at games won. Speaking of games won, that number is pretty low for the Lakers, especially considering the amount of talent that team has in stock. Enough of Kobe and the second best team in Los Angeles, though. There’s another player who’s aging even better than Kobe is and that is Tim Duncan.

This really troubles me to have to admit it, as the Spurs have always been one of my least favorite teams. The trio of Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are all respectable, talented athletes. They’re just so boring though, and I hated watching them win one year after another. Quite frankly, I am coming around to them a bit this year.

Right now, San Antonio’s record is at 35-11, almost even with the Western Conference-leading Thunder. Throughout this season, The Big Fundamental is averaging 17.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. He’s 36 years of age now, and it’s looking like a sure thing that he will lead his team into the playoffs for the 16^th straight season of his career. That’s right, the Spurs have made it into the postseason every year that Duncan has been on the team.

I remember being upset when Duncan was picked as an All-Star reserve in 2011. He was averaging only 13 points per game at the time, while Kevin Love was averaging 21 points and 15 rebounds and LaMarcus Aldridge was scoring more than either of them (Love was later picked for the game as a replacement to the injured Yao Ming). His numbers have improved since then, and Duncan is deserving of his 14th All-Star spot this season.

The bottom line is that Duncan has been dominant this season, just as he has in the past. And his dominance has rippled over to the rest of the team; they’ve won 12 games by 20 or more points this season. Once again, they’re going to be title contenders at the end of the season. The team has Duncan to thank for that.

Duncan’s play this year has really made me reconsider one thing in particular though. I never ranked him as high as others may have when looking at the best players since 2000. For me, he was typically right alongside Kobe and Kevin Garnett, sitting behind guys like Shaq, LeBron and Dirk. After seeing his play this year, still continuing to boss around players who are nearly half his age in the post, I really do have to give him more credit. He’s certainly outplayed Kobe, KG and Dirk. Plus, age doesn’t seem to be hitting him the way it did Shaq, who put up pretty good numbers in his last few years, but struggled to contribute to his team’s success. As for LeBron, he’s a little too young to compare to the rest just yet.

Duncan has sat three of the Spurs’ last four games and surprisingly, I’m looking forward to his return. His return will surely see him continuing to put up great numbers and contributing to his legacy. As an NBA fan, you can’t do much but sit back and enjoy the ride.

A New Era of Reign

2013-01-13T09:17:00.003-08:00

The rumors have been running wild in the NBA this week. Yes, we’re nearing closer to the trade deadline, but those aren’t the rumors I’m talking about. The biggest rumor this week has been the potential sale of the Sacramento Kings. It’s looking like this one is going to happen, which also means that fans will be treated to the return of the Seattle SuperSonics.

The Sonics were somewhat of a fan-favorite team in their last 15 seasons before they moved to Oklahoma City. Players like Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp earned the team a finals appearance in 1996. Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis wowed the crowds in the mid-‘00s, even winning a division title. On top of that the team also had the unique choice of green and yellow as their team colors, as well as the greatest mascot in sports history, Squatch.

You could definitely say that I’m happy to see this team coming back. What I’m not so happy about is the team that will be inheriting their name.

If you’ve read any of my past writings, you’ll know that I’m very critical of the Kings, specifically DeMarcus Cousins. Even though he’s very talented, he’s also one of the biggest knuckleheads in the NBA today. I’m equally turned off by the disappointments that Tyreke Evans and Isaiah Thomas have been this season, so this is far from my first pick for the team to take back Seattle. With a Cousins trade looming though, we may very well see this team picking up a new franchise player before they come back to the Emerald City next season. With several trade talks and soon-to-be free agents looming at the moment, one can only ponder who might be the best choice to take over the star role for the next generation of the Sonics. Let’s look at some of the top candidates:

JR Smith

This one is more of a "just for the fun of it," type of pick. It’s not that JR Smith would be a bad fit for the team. The problem is he’s not likely going to ever be a number one option for a team. With his athletic play and dazzling dunks, he is somebody that would get the crowd on their feet in Seattle. For this team, he could act like a more skilled version of Desmond Mason. He’ll just need somebody around to help him get some wins.

Also, I only list him here because he has a player option to become a free agent this offseason. The chances of him leaving New York during that time seem pretty slim.

Eric Gordon

Any chatter of Gordon being shipped out of New Orleans has been minimal, though still existent. He’s had no problem proving that he can be a team’s main scoring threat, even in his short time in the NBA. Scoring isn’t the issue though; the problem he has is in team success. If the current Kings did pick him up, they may need to wait a few years for playoff hopes to kick in.

Al Jefferson

Out of all the players I’m listing here, Jefferson is probably the most likely candidate to actually end up playing in Seattle next year. A highly underrated center, he would be great trade bait for DeMarcus Cousins. Plus, the team will need a strong post-presence to compete with current division opponents such as DeAndre Jordan, Marcin Gortat and Dwight Howard (assuming he’s still around in 2014).

Josh Smith

Now here’s a guy that fans would love in Seattle. J-Smoove is a highlight reel dunker, competitive scorer, tough rebounder and he does some serious work in the blocking and stealing department as well. He would make a great centerpiece for the SuperSonics.

Trade talks for Smith have been floating around for several years now. The odds of him actually being traded seem to fade from one season to the next. But hey, it has to happen eventually, right?

Rudy Gay

This is a player who has the athletic build and the talent to become an absolute phenom in the NBA. Right now, I see him as being a lesser version of LeBron. If he can polish his game correctly, expect to see an All-NBA team or two out of this guy in the near future.

Being on the (soon to be “formerly-known-as”) Kings would let him be the clear focal point of a team. With talks of Memphis getting rid of Rudy only increasing, there’s no team I’d rather see him end up on than the SuperSonics.

Seattle deserves a great star to cheer on for the return of their team as well. Gay can throw down some serious power-dunks, just like Shawn Kemp used to do for the Sonics years ago. For those of you whose memories are a bit fuzzy, check out this little refresher.

Regardless of who ends up being the team's star, let's just be happy that we will finally get to see professional basketball return to Seattle. And with Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum bringing excitement back to Portland, we need to see a revival of the I-5 Rivalry as well.

Rookie Regards: Draymond Green

2013-01-02T17:31:00.001-08:00

Prior to 2012, only two players in college basketball history had recorded 2 triple-doubles in the NCAA tournament. The first to do so was Oscar Robertson of Cincinnati in the '50s. Following the Big O in this accomplishment was Michigan State’s Magic Johnson. During the opening round of the 2012 tournament, another Spartan joined the two Hall of Famers in executing such a tremendous stat line more than once. That Spartan was Draymond Green.

Green was not an immediate college star in the way that guys like John Wall or Anthony Davis were. His college hoops journey involved working his way up in the team’s rotation from one game to the next, eventually becoming the focal point of Tom Izzo's team by his senior year.

Draymond finished his career at MSU as the program’s all-time leading rebounder, also leading the team to a no. 1 seed in the tournament in his final season. Despite his efforts, the Spartans failed to have much of an impact in the postseason, losing to no. 4 seeded Louisville in the Sweet 16.

Upon the end of his college career, many were skeptical of where Draymond’s career would go. Would he get drafted? Would he get cut before the season started? Would he ever get playing time? How long will it be before he heads to the D-League or overseas? Although I was a fan of his, I joined those who were doubtful of what he could do in the NBA. So far, I would say he’s done a pretty solid job of proving us doubters wrong.

Green was drafted 35^th overall by the Golden State Warriors in this summer's draft. Draymond would be joining fellow rookies Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli, both of whom were first round picks by the Warriors.

The summer league eventually came around and it quickly became apparent that Draymond would have a tough time scoring the same way he did in college. Also apparent though, was the fact that he didn’t need to score to help his team. Green showed smarts on the court, playing tough defense and grabbing quality rebounds. It's clear that as a player, he's aware of his abilities, strengths and weaknesses. He may not be as athletic as his fellow rookies, but he plays with more smarts than many veterans of the league today.

With the regular season well under way, Draymond is (just like in college) working his way up in the rotation and proving his worth to his team. His numbers have been lackluster, averaging only 3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He is operating on only 14.7 minutes per contest though, and anybody who’s been watching the Warriors could tell you that he has used those limited minutes to great effect.

In clutch situations, head coach Mark Jackson has kept Draymond in the game and in some cases, even made him a go-to option for the team. While playing a career-high 30 minutes against the Miami Heat, Green stayed in the game down to the last second. He ended the game by sinking a buzzer-beating lay-up off a pass from Jarrett Jack to break the tie and upset the defending champions. Six games after his last-second heroics, he was chosen to defend Kobe Bryant during the fourth quarter and overtime of a game that the Warriors eventually lost.

With their record now at 21-10, the Warriors are having their finest season since the days of their Run-T.M.C. trio (Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin, for those that aren’t familiar) in the early ‘90s. They have a great chance of getting into the playoffs for only the second time in 18 seasons, and it’s looking like Green will see his fair share of time on the court during that run. I enjoy watching him for a couple reasons. One is that he and I are both Michiganders. The other main reason is that he’s a great example of what hard work and court smarts can do for a player.

Green is by no means one of the more athletic players in the current rookie class. He’s proved though that it doesn’t matter. It’s not often that rookies can say they get to take the last shot against the reigning champs or guard Kobe in overtime. It really is a testament to his leadership mindset, continuing to shine brightly after the end of his days as a Spartan.

2012 - A Year in Review

2012-12-31T18:00:00.001-08:00

As we enter 2013, I think it’s only right to do the cliché thing and reflect on some of my favorite NBA stories from 2012. No need for any further introduction, here we go.

The Lockout is Over

It’s probably not the best idea to begin a look back at 2012 with something that actually happened in 2011. The reason I do put it on the list though is because most teams only played about two or three games at the end of 2011. Last season was surely one to remember, and it almost didn’t happen. In the end though, negotiations between the players and owners were worked out just in time for us to get some NBA basketball for 2012.

Linsanity

Jeremy Lin had come-and-gone a couple times in the NBA. The Harvard grad played for the Warriors, as well as being moved in and out of the D-League, before being picked up by the Knicks. He didn't truly shine though until a slew of injuries and losses made coach Mike D’Antoni decided to give Lin some quality court time. Immediately, he showed everybody that he belonged in the NBA. He led New York to seven straight wins in his first games starting, averaging 24.4 points, 9 assists, 4 rebounds and 1.5 steals during that streak.

Linsanity had arrived, and it was impossible for anybody in the sports world to avoid. The point guard was the main story on every sports program for about a month and a half. He was a very likeable athlete and a cool underdog story, in addition to being the first Chinese-American in the NBA. The excitement quickly died off when Lin was injured toward the end of March. He missed the final seventeen games of the season, as well as the Knicks first round loss in the playoffs.

The Rockets, a team that had a strong following with the Chinese community for their years with Yao Ming, became the team to sign Lin during the offseason. Although he has achieved moderate success this year, it doesn’t look like Linsanity will be making a return anytime soon.

The King Gets a Ring

LeBron got a championship. There you go. All the Kobe lovers and Cavs fans had to shut their mouth and stop dogging the guy with their “no ring,” jokes. Let’s be honest, we all knew it had to happen eventually. I'm just glad all of his haters have been silenced.

London Calling

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games took place in London. After a return to gold medal status in 2008, the USA men’s basketball team returned to full-out Dream Team status in 2012. With an unbelievable roster that included LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony (playing better than ever), Chris Paul and Kevin Love, the United States proved that nobody had a shot at keeping up with them this summer.

A highlight of the games came when USA broke several Olympic records en route to an 83-point victory over Nigeria. Debates sparked over if this team could be better than the ’92 Dream Team, but that’s an argument that we will never be able to bring to a close. And yes, I did cheer for Kobe during the Olympic games. Don’t expect it to happen again.

The Soap Opera in Orlando

In 2012, Dwight Howard made it known that he was the best center since Shaq. He also made it known that he was the biggest drama queen since, well, who-knows when. After several complaints and demands made to the front office, Dwight made matters worse by agreeing to stay with Orlando through 2013.

Then he complained some more, demanded a trade to Brooklyn, GM Otis Smith was fired, head coach Stan Van Gundy (one of the best head coaches of recent years) was fired and Dwight still wasn’t happy. The Magic ended the fiasco by shipping Dwight to Los Angeles, and he’s been struggling ever since.

The Best Team in Los Angeles

This season’s not over yet, but 2012 is. With a roster full of young stars, old vets and one of the deepest rosters the league has ever seen, the Clippers are proving to be the better of the two teams that call the Staples Center home. They end this year on a 17 game win streak, going a perfect 16-0 for the month of December. The team shows no signs of slowing up and is still awaiting the return of Grant Hill and Chauncey Billups. If they can keep this up, consider 2012 to be just the tip of the iceberg for a new age of "the other team," in Los Angeles.

The Return(s)

So far, this has been my favorite part of the current NBA season. Brandon Roy, Andrei Kirilenko and Jeff Green all made their return to the NBA this year.

Roy has spent years suffering knee injuries, which caused him to call it quits on basketball in 2011. This year, he decided he wasn’t quite ready to give up the game yet. He signed with Minnesota, the team that traded him on draft day in 2006. More injuries have limited Roy to only 5 games this year, as well as more talks of retirement. The former Trail Blazer said that he is seeking further treatment though, keeping hope alive that his basketball career isn't over.

Kirilenko left the NBA in 2011 to return to his native Russia. He went on to become the Euroleague MVP for 2012. He had a great summer, leading the way for Russia to help the team earn bronze at the Olympics. He then signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in July and has been a key part of the team's rotation ever since.

The end of 2011 brought disappointing news for Jeff Green. He found out that he would need season-ending surgery related to a complication with his heart. During that time away from basketball, Green returned to school at Georgetown and earned his degree in English. The start of the 2012-13 season saw Green healthy again, and he returned to play with the Boston Celtics. Although each player has varied in success, I'm very happy each of them is back in the NBA.

So there you have it, folks; my favorite moments in basketball from 2012. Hopefully 2013 will bring us all more great NBA memories, more Lakers losses and the return of a healthy Greg Oden. Happy New Year to you and yours!

Punk of the Night: Dwyane Wade

2012-12-26T20:45:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately my Pistons could not pull off a third consecutive win tonight and lost in double overtime to the Atlanta Hawks. What’s also unfortunate is the amount of good basketball I missed tonight, including a close finish between the Rockets and Timberwolves, the NBA comeback of one of my favorite rookies from last season, Shelvin “Return of the” Mack, in a tight Wizards-Cavs game and the Heat dropping the Bobcats to their 16^th straight loss. There was one moment I caught from the Heat-Bobcats game though, and that moment is why Dwyane Wade is getting my Punk of the Night award.

About mid-way through the final quarter of the Heat’s victory over Charlotte, Ramon Sessions wrapped Wade up with what looked like a frustration foul. Wade reacted by shoving his knee into Sessions’ groin. Check out the video of the play here.

Notice LeBron James’ immediate reaction to the incident. He calmly removes his mouth guard and just looks at Wade, not knowing what to say. He later tries to keep the situation from escalating, but he never really sticks up for his teammate. It’s apparent that he knew who was in the wrong in this situation.

What upset me most about this video are the circumstances of the incident. Wade is in the midst of what is easily his worst season since he was a rookie. This was arguably his best game of the season, and it was against a team that is absolutely pathetic right now. That little swing of the leg from him was uncalled for in every way possible. Wade has been around for so long now, and has spent most of that time being ranked among the NBA’s elite. He should know better by now then to be so childish.

For those who didn’t notice, Wade didn't receive any sort of call from the officials during this incident. Hopefully the league will take another look at this play and reconsider their actions. There’s no way they can let Wade slide on this one, and that’s why he’s getting my Punk of the Night award tonight.

Rookie Regards: Alexey Shved

2012-12-26T17:48:00.001-08:00

We are really beginning to see an increase in talent among the incoming rookie classes. It’s something that none of us can quite put our finger on, but it seems like athletes are becoming ready for the NBA at a younger and younger age every year. With the restriction of having to be at least 1 year removed from high school in place, many of these guys are already at a very highly competitive level of play in their first year. Some of them though, have already competed at the professional level, like Alexey Shved.

Shved joined the Minnesota Timberwolves’ after having played professionally in Russia since 2006 (if you want more info on that, I'd suggest reading my post from November titled "From Russia, With Love"). Even though he has so many years of pro ball playing under his belt, there is no league in the world that is as talented as the NBA, and he is just as fresh to that as any other rookie.

With injuries to Ricky Rubio and Brandon Roy, Minnesota threw Shved right into their regular rotation. He’s averaging 27.5 minutes per game throughout his first 25, starting in 6 of those games. His style of play is already drawing him comparisons to Rubio, but at 6’6” Shved is much taller for the position he plays. With that height, Shved also has some serious dunking ability that has only been shown off a couple times since he arrived in the NBA.

The most important thing about Alexey Shved though, is that it looks like the time for his breakthrough is right now. He’s really stepped his game up ever since Rubio returned from his injury. He played a key part in Minnesota’s game against the Thunder, scoring 12 points while adding career highs in assists and rebounds (12 and 7, respectively) on the way to his first double-double and a victory over a team that had won 12 in a row. Having Rubio around is helping Shved’s performance, and as Rubio’s recovery permits him to play more, don’t be surprised if Shved’s numbers go up as well.

These two really do have the potential to be a great frontcourt duo. Both are very light on their feet and have years of experience developing their Euro-style of play overseas. Rubio’s smooth dribbling and slick passing could help Shved’s slasher scoring emerge to it's peak potential. Don’t expect everything to be working every single night though. Shved is still new to the NBA, and mistakes are going to be plentiful.

During Sunday night’s loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Shved air-balled a three-pointer that would have given his team the lead with under a minute remaining. He made up for it later, ripping the ball from JR Smith and getting open for another three-pointer that cut New York’s lead to 1 point. In the end, Shved attempted to send the game into overtime with another shot from long distance, air-balling for a second time in the final minute.

As with any rookie though, Shved has some serious developing to do and plenty of time to do it. Eventually, he’ll learn to hit those big shots more consistently. If not, at least he’ll be able to figure out when it’s the right time to give the ball up to a teammate.

The NBA on Christmas Day

2012-12-24T21:17:00.001-08:00

Every year when Christmas rolls around, the TV schedule gets filled with plenty of fun and childish Christmas movies and specials. The programming usually changes from one year to the next, but there are always two definite viewings that I can expect for each holiday season. One is 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS. The other is an all-day line-up of great NBA basketball.

While the NFL always gets it’s run of games on Thanksgiving and the NHL has the Winter Classic for New Year’s, Christmas Day games have belonged to the NBA since the mid-'40s. The league always schedules great matchups, too. Some of the most memorable moments of recent years in the NBA have come during Christmas day games. Here are a few of my favorite games that have taken place on December 25.

2002 – Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons

This was the season in which Tracy McGrady’s game was at it’s absolute peak, and this game was one of his finest performances that year. T-Mac finished the game with 46 points and 3 steals. Grant Hill also got the best of his old team, racking up 10 points while pulling down 15 boards against one of the toughest rebounders of the decade, Ben Wallace.

Sure, I was upset to see my beloved Pistons lose on Christmas. Detroit eventually got their revenge on Orlando though, coming back from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Magic during the first round of the playoffs that same season.

What I remember most about that game though was one of the fans in attendance. It was a teenage boy who had survived the Washington, D.C. sniper attacks of 2002. McGrady invited the young man to site courtside for that game, and it was really a great showing of kindness by an outstanding NBA athlete.

2002 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings

Typically, the headlining game on Christmas is the first rematch of the previous seasons’ NBA Finals. Instead, this particular year’s main event was a showdown between the previous season’s Western Conference Finals contenders, which was quite possibly the best playoff series I’ve ever witnessed.

The Lakers, donning white jerseys for the first time in over 30 years, came up short against their in-state rival, losing 105-99. Chris Webber went off for 25 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists. For LA, Shaq had an outstanding game, recording 27 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks, while Kobe Bryant added in 27 points, 15 boards and 6 assists. Kobe had 6 turnovers as well, and only shot 7-24 from the field. Regardless, this was another epic battle in one of the greatest NBA rivalries of the new millennium.

2004 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat

Lakers win the tip, Kobe takes the ball outside the arc, drives past Eddie Jones on a screen, takes it inside and Shaq throws the shot to the ground.

I will never forget celebrating that opening play in the first match-up between the former partners that had carried Los Angeles to three consecutive championships. The whole game didn’t go this way though, as Kobe finished with 42. Bryant’s next highest stat was his 9 turnovers, and the Heat proved to be too much for him to handle. Miami went on to win the game 104-102.

2011 – Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat

Many fans despised the Big 3 coming together in the summer of 2010, and watching them lose to the Mavericks in the 2011 Finals couldn’t have been more enjoyable to those individuals. What was equally entertaining for them was the fact that the Mavericks were presented their championship rings on Christmas day while their defeated opponents were forced to look on. For the Heat, it served as a disappointing reminder that they had come up short when it mattered most.

In the end, Miami came out on top for this one. LeBron James loaded up his stat sheet, scoring 37 points while also posting 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. This was just the start of what has so far been the best season of his career.

The most important part about this game though, was the fact that it almost didn’t happen. After a lockout delayed the 2011-12 NBA season for many months, the owners and players of the league eventually came to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement just in time for us fans to still get our annual dose of NBA basketball on Christmas.

This year we get 5 games for the holiday, including the first meeting between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat since last season’s finals and what is sure to be a showdown between the New York Knicks and the Lakers, with Bryant playing in his NBA record 15^th Christmas game. As usual, my Christmas wish will be a Lakers loss. More importantly though, I hope to see a great day of NBA basketball and for a Merry Christmas to be had by all. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Punk of the Night: DeMarcus Cousins, Again

2012-12-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

Once again, I find myself discussing DeMarcus Cousins’ knuckleheaded ways. If you haven’t heard yet, the Kings suspended Cousins this weekend for conduct detrimental to the team. After an exchange of words with head coach Keith Smart, the former Kentucky Wildcat was asked to stay in the locker room for the second half of Sacramento’s 97-85 loss to the Clippers on Friday.

For those of you keeping count, this is the third time Cousins has been suspended just 26 games into the season. The first suspension was for a confrontation with San Antonio Spurs commentator Sean Elliott, for which he had to sit two games. The next suspension, for one game, came after he struck OJ Mayo in the groin. The most recent suspension is for an indefinite length of time.

As a result of his big mouth and third suspension, Cousins gets my Punk of the Night award again. This means that not only was he the inaugural winner, he’s also the first back-to-back winner. Don’t worry too much, Kings fans. His career is still young, and there’s plenty of time for him to clean up his act. Look at Rasheed Wallace. After setting the record for technical fouls in a season, he went on to play a vital role in the Pistons’ 2004 championship run. Until there’s a change in his behavior though, I’m going to keep handing him my Punk of the Night awards.

It's Reigning in Southern California

2012-12-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

This past week I saw my count of both blog views and Twitter followers increase (although still low), as well as getting a reply tweet from Ryan Hollins and getting my first legitimate has-a-history-in-the-NBA follower, Mateen Cleaves. Since I feel like things are picking up a little, I’m going to keep the articles coming more often. And since they’re currently riding on the longest win streak in franchise history, what better time to write about the Los Angeles Clippers.

I was in attendance as the Clippers played the Pistons on Monday night. It’s been apparent since last year that LA was an exciting team whose explosive offense created problems for even the toughest of defenses. What I didn’t discover until Monday was that they are one of the toughest of defenses, even leading the NBA in steals per game.

Many times throughout the game, the Clippers forced several Pistons into lockdown double-teams that resulted in turnovers. The players do a great job of staying in front of their opponents, and the team’s cohesiveness results in switches and help defense getting picked up with ease. The team also has some of the best defenders the league has available for a few positions. DeAndre Jordan is a great shot-blocker, Matt Barnes is a tough-to-get-by forward and Chris Paul has quicker hands than any other player, making him the league leader in steals. Not to mention Chauncey Billups’ permanent return to the court is still pending.

Chauncey’s absence on Monday couldn’t have been more of a let down for me. Not only is he one of the most well respected Pistons in recent history, earning several cheers throughout the game just for being back at the Palace, but he and CP3 form such a unique frontcourt duo as well. Defensively, Paul takes advantage of his agility, taking the ball away from other players and forcing turnovers. Chauncey, on the other hand, chooses to stay in front of the guy with the ball and completely shut them down. He’s not going to make an attempt at a steal, as that could often end in him getting caught reaching and giving up an easy bucket. Instead, he leaves his opponents stuck making a pass, never quite getting a chance at an open lane to drive.

Things go the same way for them on offense. Paul acts as the quick, young point guard who can draw double teams, create shots for himself and run the fast break. Billups, despite playing the same position, plays the game in an entirely different manner. He’s much more reserved in his athleticism, choosing instead to hang around the perimeter and act as a director of sorts to his teammates. When he does put the ball up, he’s typically just going to catch and shoot.

So how about the rest of that offense? Well, there’s Blake Griffin for that. Griffin is the team’s leading scorer with 18 points per game. His playing style reminds me a bit of Dominique Wilkins. He obviously doesn’t have the same ball handling skills that ‘Nique did, but both have a solid build and an outstanding ability to pull off thunderous dunks in any scenario. Neither of them was ever afraid to pull off a spectacular jam, even late in close game situations. It’s working for him, to great effect. He really has turned into the Human Highlight Film of this era.

After Griffin, the team has former 6^th Man of the Year Jamal Crawford coming off the bench. Crawford is one of the best shooters in the NBA, possibly bested only by Stephen Curry this season. Even though he’s coming off the bench, he still ranks among the best in the league at the two-guard spot. I’d even go as far as to say he’s number three at that position at the moment. Kobe’s an obvious first (I’m a hater, but I’m not a liar) and James Harden is second. In all honesty, Crawford is having a better season fitting into his current role than Dwyane Wade.

The team has another big edge on other teams though, besides their offense and defense. It can be summed up in one word: bench. This team has amazing depth. This offseason, they assembled what is debatably the deepest roster of talent the NBA has ever seen. Although he’s not a bench player, with Crawford being the 6^th man, Willie Green plays more of a back-up role for the team. Eric Bledsoe is the best point guard coming off the bench in the league. I still haven’t mentioned Caron Butler and Lamar Odom either, two athletes who have played key roles on recent championship teams. At the very end of the Clip’s bench we have Ronny Turiaf and Ryan Hollins. They’re not the best players around, but as options number 11 and 12, they are fantastic to have on a team.

The only thing many teams like this may end up lacking is veteran leadership. This team has plenty of that in store though. Crawford already has 12 seasons in his repertoire, and Billups, Odom and Turiaf all have experience playing in the finals. On top of that, LA is also awaiting the return of Grant Hill, who at age 40 may be taking his last shot at a championship this season.

Teams with so many of the right pieces for a championship don’t come around too often. They’ve picked up several fans since the addition of Chris Paul and Griffin. With the new distinction of being the best team in Los Angeles, they may pick up a few more come playoff time. They can do big things this year, and in exciting ways, too. Paul and Griffin are still young though, and both have many championship-contending seasons ahead of them. What better season for them to start making those championship runs than now.

Rookie Regards: Damian Lillard

2012-12-19T18:25:00.000-08:00

For the second installment of my rookie regards, I’m going with a pretty easy pick. I wanted to hold off for a while on doing a write-up on Damian Lillard. For one, he’s a pretty obvious selection for Rookie of the Year, and I was hoping to focus on some of the first year players who haven’t been getting noticed as much. On top of that, there’s also the fact that I’ve spent quite a bit of time lauding him in previous posts. Then on Sunday night, I watched as Lillard knocked down a game winning 3-pointer over Ryan Anderson to seal a Portland victory over New Orleans and rival rook Anthony Davis. Sorry, I just can’t wait on this one any longer.

It’s not often that I keep up with college basketball, outside of March Madness. Last season though, I did follow Oakland University, the school I am currently attending, as they had the nation’s leading scorer in Reggie Hamilton. I would sporadically follow a guard who was second to Hamilton in points per game, but was blowing him out of the water in the draft prospects. That guard was Lillard, a redshirt junior from Weber State University.

Lillard was taken 6^th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 NBA draft after finishing his college career as the second leading scorer in Weber State history, even without a senior year. Portland has been cursed with talented draft picks that never stayed healthy for nearly 40 years, including Bill Walton, Sam Bowie, Greg Oden and Brandon Roy. Anybody who was a fan of them wanted to see them get a quality pick to work out for them. LaMarcus Aldridge needed some decent back up as well.

We first saw Lillard light things up in the NBA during the 2012 summer league. He averaged 26.5 points, 4 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, earning him co-MVP honors with Josh Selby. The regular season rolled around and Damian didn’t disappoint.

Making his NBA debut against a star-studded Lakers team, Lillard went off for 23 points and 11 assists. This debut game put him in a class with Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas, as players with at least 20 points and 10 assists in their first game. Lillard hasn’t let up much since then, averaging 18.8 points and missing double figures in only 2 of Portland’s 23 games.

Scoring is not the best quality that Lillard has over his fellow rookies though. That edge would be his trustworthiness with the ball in his hands. When this guy’s running the point, he’s going to know exactly what to do with the ball. One key moment that proved that to me came on Sunday night at the end of the Blazers game against New Orleans.

During Portland’s first chance to break the tie, the Hornets took advantage of their foul to give and intentionally fouled Lillard with under five seconds remaining. Damian read the play and began to move into shooting position, putting up a shot that did not earn him a trip to the line. Officials determined that he wasn’t in proper shooting motion, but rather just throwing the ball in the air in hopes of heading to the charity stripe. Obviously he didn’t execute the play perfectly, but that’s not to say Lillard wasn’t making a heads-up play. On the next inbound, he got in good position to receive a pass and hit the game winning 3-pointer, leaving only 0.3 seconds left on the clock.

Down the road, he may become comparable to Derrick Rose. Both are score first point guards with similar skill-sets and size. Both players also know how to work with their teammates. Lillard has gotten help from Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, and the trio has led Portland to a record of 11-12 so far this season. Sure there’s plenty of room for improvement. For a team that had such low expectations though, staying in the playoff hunt is pretty impressive.

I’m definitely looking forward to watching this guy finish his first season. He has a bright future ahead of him, and it’s going to be very exciting to watch the player that he grows into. Maybe he can finally be the one to get the Trail Blazers back into title contention. Portland deserves a player who can do just that.

The Baddest Man Alive

2012-12-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

Seven years ago, things were not looking great for Tyson Chandler’s NBA career. After 5 years with the Chicago Bulls, it would appear as though he was going to head down the same path as Darius Miles and many others who came into the NBA too soon, never quite reaching their full potential because of it. Once he reached the low point of his playing career, Chicago traded him to New Orleans and everything has been looking up for him ever since.

With the Hornets, Chandler became a right-hand man of sorts to Chris Paul. He averaged career highs in both blocks and rebounds in his first season with the team in addition to ranking among the top three in the league in rebounds for his first two years there.

Injuries held back his playing time in his last season with New Orleans and after three years with the team he was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats. Once again, injuries kept him sidelined for more than 30 games. Led by Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson, the Bobcats made their first playoff appearance. Chandler was still able to compete in the playoffs, and despite his work on the defensive end, holding Dwight Howard below 10 points and 10 rebounds per game, the Bobcats were swept by the Orlando Magic.

After the quick playoff exit, the Bobcats sent Chandler to the Mavericks. In Dallas, we began seeing Chandler reaching his full potential. He was the top rebounder and shot-blocker for a team that was packed with seasoned vets, including Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion, just to name a few. The Mavericks breezed through the Western Conference in the post season. Along the way, they swept the defending champion Lakers, beating them by nearly 40 points in Phil Jackson’s final game (for now). In the finals, the Mavericks won 4-2 over the heavily favored and widely hated Miami Heat, giving Tyson his first NBA championship.

During the off-season, Chandler was given a four-year contract worth an estimated $58 million by the New York Knicks. He showed that he was worth the money, taking home the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award while also posting the highest field goal percentage since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976.

This season, Chandler is playing better than he ever has before. The Knicks are sitting on top of the Eastern Conference with the first quarter of the season in the books. Chandler leads the league in field goal percentage, shooting .721 for the year. That number is second all time, bested only by Wilt Chamberlain in 1973. He’s also averaging a career high in points per game while still putting up 9.6 rebounds per contest.

Aside from the numbers, Chandler knows how to make big plays that don't show up in the box score. In the Knick's last 2 wins, Thursday against the Lakers and Saturday against the Cavs, Chandler managed to tip the ball away to his teammates, leading to offensive rebounds and extending the team's time of possession in close games. With his strong pick-and-roll play, keen eye for alley-oops and tough play on both ends of the court, reminiscent of many big men from the ‘90s, Chandler is proving himself to be an elite, all-star talent in the NBA. He's definitely the most no-nonsense guy in the NBA today.

So far this year, I think it’s safe to say that he is playing better basketball than any other center in the league. Dwight Howard is putting up his lowest numbers of the past five years in both points and rebounds, while Anderson Varejao has strong stats that are outweighed by sloppy play and a low win count for his team. In my opinion, the strongest competitor to Chandler right now is Joakim Noah, who is averaging career bests in points, assists, steal and blocks at the moment. He’s been fantastic in keeping the Bulls above .500 throughout Derrick Rose’s long-term absence.

The bottom line though is that Tyson Chandler has proved that he was well worth the number two overall pick back in 2001. Hopefully an all-star pick is in his near future. Out of players who have yet to be selected for an all-star game, I can’t think of a single one who deserves the honor more.

Get to the Point, Pt. 2

2012-12-15T22:36:00.000-08:00

Well ladies and gentleman, here we have it. The second half of my list of the best of many great point guards in the NBA today.

15. Ty Lawson

The former North Carolina Tar Heel’s speed gives him an edge over every single one of his opponents. He puts up good numbers in just about every statistical category. The only thing that is really holding him back is the fact that he's shorter than so many others on this list.

14. Kyle Lowry

Once in a while, Kyle Lowry goes off for a series of games that makes me think he’s going to reach the top 5 of this list. Typically, it’s followed up with a series of games that makes him look more like number 25. That streakiness lands him somewhere in the middle. I just wish he were playing for a more likable team than Toronto.

13. Mo Williams

Even though he may not be scoring the most he ever has, Mo Williams is having the best season of his career. He looks more confident in his game than he ever has before, and he looks very comfortable being back on the Utah Jazz, the team that drafted him back in 2003.

12. Raymond Felton

At the start of the season, Deron Williams caused a bit of a stir when he said the Knicks upgraded by picking up Raymond Felton to replace Jeremy Lin at point. Felton has ended that debate with ease this year. He’s helping the Knicks in big ways during the best season they’ve had since Patrick Ewing left. With Carmelo having his first MVP-contending season, Felton will be a key component of what is probably the only team that has a chance of keeping the Heat out of the finals.

11. Michael Conley

Michael Conley makes up one-half of the best defensive frontcourt in the NBA, along with Tony Allen. He’s putting up career highs in several statistical categories this year, not to mention his team is very successful. It’s funny to think that 5 years ago it would be laughable to say that this guy would turn out to be a better draft pick than fellow Ohio State Buckeye Greg Oden.

10. Kyrie Irving

The only reason Kyrie places this low on the list is because of how little he's seen the court this year. If it weren’t for that barrier, I would probably have him at about number six. I must admit, I did not expect him to live up to the hype that he was receiving over the summer. Even though I still don’t think he’s the superstar that everybody else seems to think he is, Kyrie’s certainly playing much better than I thought he would in his second year.

To those who think he should be higher, just know that I almost didn't put him on here at all due to his high amount of DNPs this year. Surely he'll get higher once he stays healthy consistently. For now though, at least he's still top 10.

9. Jrue Holiday

Jrue Holiday already stood in the upper-half of starting point guards in the NBA last season, and he’s stepped up immensely since then. He’s third in the league in assists, averaging 8.9 per game. Not a bad match for his 18.4 points a night.

8. Damian Lillard

Yes, this rookie does deserve a spot in the top 10. I expected big things out of him from the start, but he’s even taking it a step further than I thought he’d be able to. Already, he’s shown that he’s a guy you want to keep on the floor in tough situations.

He still has quite a bit of maturing to do in this league though. Whenever that happens, we can expect top 5, no question.

7. Brandon Jennings

This is another one that I hate to admit since I’ve never been a fan of his. He’s always had a certain level of arrogance that rubs me the wrong way.

Regardless, Jennings is playing a better all-around game than many guys at his position do today. If he wasn’t playing a position that was so crowded with talent, he may have been looking at his first all-star game this year.

6. Stephen Curry

Many spectators, including myself, never thought Curry would end up playing as well in the NBA as he is right now. He was already a great shooter, but with Klay Thompson fitting in better as his sidekick than Monta Ellis ever did, ‘Spicy’ Curry is proving that he’s still the same leader that we saw at Davidson back in 2009. Who knows, maybe he’ll revive that Cinderella-story for the NBA playoffs.

5. Tony Parker

It hurts me to admit this, but Tony Parker really is still this good. As much as I want the success of the Spurs to go away they still sit atop all teams in the league right now. Aside from having the experience advantage over many point guards today, Parker can also keep up with them just as well as ever. It doesn’t look like the Spurs are going to fade out this season. Get your “old man,” jokes ready for the playoffs!

4. Deron Williams

D-Will is lasting longer in this league than I expected him to. He’s averaging just under 17 points and 9 assists per contest to lead a solid Brooklyn team. At 6’3” and 209 lbs., Williams has size over many guards that he knows how to use to his advantage. After missing out on the playoffs for the 2 years since he left Utah, it will be exciting to see him returning to the post season with a strong supporting cast.

3. Russell Westbrook

Definitely the most athletic on this list, Westbrook can take the top spot if he can learn to play smarter. It’s not that he’s a complete hazard on the court, but at times he can let frustration cause him to take bad shots, give up turnovers and ignore open teammates.

Regardless, the former UCLA Bruin is one of the most explosive players in the NBA. He and Kevin Durant sure do make an exciting duo, and I’m glad Ibaka is playing well in the third wheel spot after James Harden's departure.

2. Chris Paul

Many would give CP3 the top spot on this list. He does have quickness on his side, as well as good hands on defense and just pure skill for the game. Chris Paul certainly is one of the best in the league, and he's done a great job of leading Lob City. Overall though, I just feel that the top spot goes to someone else.

1. Rajon Rondo

I really have a tough time figuring out how an argument is made against Rondo being the best point in the league. Nobody else who runs the point can take over a game the way Rondo can. He’s one of the toughest, scrappiest players I’ve seen in many years. Just to prove his spot at number 1, let’s look at his numbers compared to other point guards:

#1 in assists

#1 in field goal percentage (among those with over 100 attempts)

#1 in double-doubles

#1 in efficiency rating

#2 in rebounds

#6 in steals

On top of that he’s also improved his jumper since last year, making him an even bigger threat on the court. No other point guard is more important to their team’s success, and no other point guard would be more of a pain to have to compete against. That’s why he gets my #1 spot.

Before I close out this list, here is (in no particular order) the best of the point guards who have been kept off the court due to injuries. I didn't include any of them since this list is based on play this season. Regardless, these guys deserve a shout out since every one of them has the potential to be in the top 10 when healthy.

Steve Nash

I'm still not happy with the fact that he joined those awful Lakers this year, but he's had quite the career. His smarts on the court and quality passing have helped him continue a high level of play throughout his aging. He may be getting scared to return to the court now though. He's been given the burden of completely turning around that horrible group of egotistic superstars.

Ricky Rubio

This injury brought me more disappointment than any other within the past year. His ball handling skills are phenomenal and I really can't think of many players who are more fun to watch. Unfortunately for Minnesota, they've been riddled with long-term injuries this year, including Rubio, Kevin Love, Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger. I cannot wait to see this team at full strength.

John Wall

He was expected to be the future of the Washington Wizards. The Wiz may have put a little too much hope in him as they are clearly crumbling without him. Although, many players on the team could be much better with John Wall around. Nene, Jordan Crawford and Bradley Beal could really work well around Wall.

Derrick Rose

Boy, was it a shame when he went down in the very first game of the playoffs last year. Rose is easily the best scorer for his position. When he was around, the Bulls stood as the Heat's only Eastern Conference threat. The league is going to get quite the shake-up when he comes back.

Get to the Point, Pt. 1

2012-12-15T16:26:00.003-08:00

I’ve mentioned before how little depth the NBA has at the power forward and center positions. What the league gets instead though is possibly the largest array of quality point guards we have ever seen. To demonstrate just how wide of a range we are truly seeing, here’s a list of the top thirty point guards in the NBA this season. Enjoy!

30. Kirk Hinrich

Captain Kirk is doing an okay job of running point for the Bulls while Derrick Rose is out, but he’s pretty low on Chicago’s list of options.

29. Jose Calderon

Jose had a couple strong performances during Kyle Lowry’s absence. On a nightly basis though he’s not very dependable, even for Toronto.

28. Mario Chalmers

The only starting point guard who is, actually, kind of a back-up point guard to LeBron and Wade. Super Mario is on probably the best team he will ever play for, but for his individual success he might be better suited as an actual back-up point for another team.

27. Jason Kidd

In his prime, Jason Kidd is probably number 1 on this list. At age 39, the Knicks now start him and Raymond Felton together. It’s a tactic similar to that of the Clippers, who start Chris Paul with Chauncey Billups, when he’s healthy. The combo of 1 young athletic point and 1 veteran, court-general type seems to be successful for both teams.

26. Andre Miller

The Iron Man of the NBA, Andre Miller is doing a solid job of coming off the bench for Denver. And here's an amazing statistic about him, Miller has been eligible for 1,202 games (regular and post-season) in his NBA career. He’s sat out for only 6 of them.

25. Jeremy Lin

Although it made a brief comeback when James Harden was out against the Spurs, Linsanity has not found it’s way into the 2012-13 season. Jeremy’s only putting up 11 points per game this year. His assist numbers aren’t bad though; he’s averaging 6 per game.

24. Darren Collison

Collison still hasn’t quite reached the potential he showed when he filled in for Chris Paul in 2010, but he hasn’t been bad. It’s just too bad for him that he’s being overshadowed by a breakout year from OJ Mayo.

23. Eric Bledsoe

The best point guard off the bench in the league today. Bledsoe is exciting and explosive for the Clippers, but I still don’t think he’s quite ready to be a starter in the NBA.

22. Jeff Teague

Teague has always played a reserved role in Atlanta, but he does a good job of it. He also managed to prove himself enough to keep his starting spot over Devin Harris, who’s seen a big drop in his game over the past couple years.

21. George Hill

Indiana made a smart decision in choosing to keep George Hill as their starting point instead of the previously mentioned Darren Collison. He’s young, but he has more athleticism than most points. This guy has a bright future ahead of him.

20. Greivis Vasquez

Greivis is racking up points and assists more than he ever has. At 6’6” he has the potential to create some serious mismatches for opponents. It will be interesting to see if he’ll ever be able to pull that off.

19. Jameer Nelson

It’s a shame that he missed so much of the season in 2008-09 due to injury. He was having the best year of his career, and I’m not sure he’ll be able to reach that level of play again. Orlando still has a good amount of rebuilding to do.

18. Goran Dragic

Goran City (Zelda reference if you didn’t know) has played much better in his return to Phoenix, doing a fine job of replacing Steve Nash. I for one never thought I’d see him averaging 15 points and 6.4 assists per game, even if it is for a team that's only 9-15.

17. Kemba Walker

Still not quite reaching the hype of his successful run at UConn, Kemba Walker sure is reaching to do just that. Expect him to reach that level by next season. Maybe the Bobcats will get past 7 wins by that point, since it seems to be a real struggle for them.

16. Brandon Knight

Yes he got off to a slow start, I know. Knight has started to find his groove though. Over the past 13 contests, he’s posting 19.1 points per game. He’s also improved his 3-point percentage from .380 last year to .450 right now.

Punk of the Night: formerly Amir Johnson, now DeMarcus Cousins

2012-12-10T22:41:00.000-08:00

While recently tweeting about more NBA happenings of the night, I came to the realization that the hash-tag I use most commonly is probably #punk. It gave me the novel idea that I need to start giving out a “Punk of the Night,” award. The league is full of punks, and they deserve recognition for their behavior.

If this idea had struck me at the start of the season then the first award would have surely gone to Thomas Robinson for his vicious elbow on Jonas Jerebko, and for having the nerve to say that JJ flopped after the hit. Since I missed out on that one, the inaugural Punk of the Night award goes to the Toronto Raptor’s Amir Johnson.

During the third quarter of Monday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazer’s, Amir appeared to try to take the ball away from referee David Jones while debating a foul call after JJ Hickson sunk his first free throw. Jones subsequently threw Johnson from the game for his actions. Instead of walking off the court, Johnson continued to walk towards Jones while being held back by his teammates. Before finally exiting the court, Johnson made sure to add a touch of class to the incident by throwing his mouth guard at Jones. The full scene can be watched here.

Johnson came into the league straight out of high school (the last player to ever do so) in 2005. Based on the little show he put on in Portland it doesn't seem like his maturity level has developed much since then. I already considered most guys in the NBA with mohawks to be punks (case and point), and Amir Johnson making a fool of himself kind of proved that point a little further for me.

Having watched Amir back in his days with the Pistons, this doesn't seem very typical of him. We all do have our blow-up moments, he just let this one go way too far.

I’ll continue keeping track of the punks throughout the league this season though. At the end of the year, I’m going to give out the first ever “Ron Artest Award,” to the biggest punk of the 2012-13 NBA season. And don’t worry, Thomas Robinson; your name still gets to go on the ballot.

EDIT: I'm taking back the inaugural Punk of the Night Award from Amir Johnson. Instead it goes to DeMarcus Cousins for throwing a blow below the belt at O.J. Mayo in the Kings' loss to the Mavericks. Cousins has the potential to be one of the best big men in the league, but with his current maturity level (he already served a suspension this season for arguing with a commentator) he likely will not be seeing much success in the NBA. Somebody really needs to teach these Sacramento Kings some anger management.

Rookie Regards: Kyle Singler

2012-12-04T20:54:00.001-08:00

Since I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life the Pistons are always going to be my number 1 team to watch, regardless of how well they’re performing. Despite what others may think, I’ve been pretty happy with the play of this young, inexperienced team so far this year. All of that being said, they are definitely going to be the team that I write about the most, even if I do focus on the the entire NBA in this blog.

Another thing that I really like in the NBA are the rookies. There’s just something very enjoyable about watching players on the come-up developing into the next generation of All-Stars and MVPs. I want to take time to write about different rookies throughout the season. Since I'm such a big Pistons fan, I’m going with Kyle Singler for my first Rookie Regards.

Singler was a smart 2^nd round draft pick for the Pistons in 2011. He was the 2010 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player for the national champion Duke Blue Devils. Due to the lockout last season, he spent all year playing in Spain. That 1 year of pro basketball experience seems to have done him well.

The thing with Kyle Singler is that he’s far from the most athletic guy on the court. Yet he still has managed to work his way into Detroit’s starting lineup after less than 10 games. The reason for this is because Singler is a hard working player who has some serious basketball smarts. Whether it’s knowing when the proper time to shoot is or being able to move into position to defend his opponent so quickly, Kyle Singler simply knows how to read the court.

Singler is currently averaging 10 points and nearly 4 rebounds per game. He ranks fifth in efficiency ratings among rookies, one spot ahead of fellow Piston newcomer Andre Drummond. Aside from just numbers though, Singler is one of the best rookies for another reason, and that’s the effect that he’s having on this Pistons team.

After a rough 0-8 start through a tough schedule, the Pistons have gone 6-5 since throwing Kyle Singler into his starting role. He’s proven himself to be an important part of the rotation due to the way he fits in with the rest of the team. The Pistons have had something missing from their lineup for a while now; a role player who could fill in for any role that was needed, somebody who hustles for tough rebounds and help defense. Singler is doing a great job of filling these roles, and both he and the team are benefitting from it.

Now Singler will probably never turn into a superstar on the level of LeBron or Kevin Durant. When I try to think of an athlete that Singler could become comparable to though, one former NBA’er comes directly to mind for me: Dan Majerle.

“Thunder Dan” was a fan favorite who earned three All-Star selections throughout his 14-year career. Although he was initially known for his powerful dunks, Majerle later became well recognized as an offensive threat from outside, in addition to receiving NBA All-Defensive second team honors on two occasions. Basically, there were very few roles that he couldn’t fit into, and the fans loved him for that.

Currently, Singler is scoring more than Majerle did as a rookie, and he’s already stared more than Majerle did in his first year. He definitely has the potential to reach Majerle's level of play, if not higher. He may never be the centerpiece of a title contender, but he will likely go on to play a very key role for one.

If you haven’t watched Kyle Singler play yet this season, I’d suggest that next time you get the chance to watch Detroit you do so. The team is much better than people give them credit for and Singler is an outstanding player to watch, and a very fun player to be cheering for on top of that.

Truthfully Speaking

2012-11-20T21:32:00.001-08:00

There’s been a few different Big 3s in the NBA over the years. From Kareem, Magic and Worthy in the ‘80s, to Jordan, Pippen and Rodman in the ‘90s and now with the Heat trio of today. But before LeBron & Co. came together in Miami the Eastern Conference already had another Big 3 running the show, and that trifecta played for the Boston Celtics.

When this Celtics regiment began forming in the summer of 2007, the first pick-up they made was Ray Allen in a trade with the rebuilding Seattle SuperSonics. Allen was a seven-time NBA All Star who struggled to have much of an impact in the playoffs other than a conference finals push with Milwaukee in 2001. He brought athleticism to the guard position that Boston hadn’t seen in many years. Plus he was Jesus Shuttlesworth and if you don’t like He Got Game, then you just don’t appreciate the game of basketball.

One month after acquiring Allen, the Celtics continued their remodeling by trading for ‘04 MVP Kevin Garnett. Like Allen, KG never had much of a supporting cast to help him out. He got to team up with Latrell Spreewell and Sam Cassell during his MVP season, but the team came up short in the conference finals losing in six games to a Lakers team that featured four future Hall of Famers.

Paul Pierce was the only member of this core that wasn’t new to the team. He had stuck with Boston through their up’s (an ’02 Conference Finals appearance) and downs (a 31-win season in ’07). The only constant that the C’s had over all these years was Pierce.

A former Kansas Jayhawk, Pierce joined the league during the lockout-shortened ’99 season. His scoring was outstanding, but he really could shine in any aspect of the game. For a team that hadn’t seen any consistency since Larry Bird’s retirement in ’92, Pierce was a true sigh of relief. He averaged over 20 points per game in seven of his first nine seasons prior to the formation of the Big 3. With solid rebounding and assist numbers to match, Pierce didn’t show any signs of disappointment.

Although his scoring went down upon the arrival of Garnett and Allen, the team was performing very well. They went on to win 66 games and the NBA championship against the franchise’s storied rival, the Lakers. Pierce ended the playoffs as the Finals MVP. That summer, he stated during an interview that he was the best basketball player in the world. There were some strong disagreements against Pierce’s claim, mostly by Laker fans, but Pierce kind of had a point. It’s not like Kobe’s team won a championship.

The following season the Celtics reached the conference finals, despite playing without Kevin Garnett, before returning to the finals again in 2010. In the rematch with L.A., the C’s pushed the series to the limit before falling short in the last couple minutes of an exciting game 7.

Boston has had a tough time getting back to the finals ever since the Heat’s Big 3 came together. Year after year though, no matter how many more jokes fans make about their age, Pierce and his team continue to finish the season strong and make a solid push into the playoffs. Pierce’s numbers always stay consistent, too.

Stars continue to come and go in the NBA, but Paul Pierce has remained one of the most reliable offensive options around for years. He’s skilled, confident and he continues to play with determination all throughout the season. Hopefully, we’ll see more of the same out of Pierce as he reaches the end of his career. He’s already proven himself to be a standout player in a franchise that has a richer history than most teams in pro sports. He’s proudly carried the torch for the Celtics for over a decade now and I hope we get to see a couple more deep playoff pushes before he hands that torch over to Rajon Rondo.

Fire Frank

2012-11-17T11:08:00.001-08:00

After blowing another double-digit lead in the fourth quarter last night, the Pistons dropped another game to give them nine losses in their first ten games. To those who don’t watch the Pistons regularly, you’d probably just think that the team doesn’t have any talent. The truth is the team has plenty of talent; actually they’re quite good. The problem is the team also has Lawrence Frank, who is solidifying his spot as one of the worst head coaches the NBA has ever seen.

Detroit is the second city in which Frank has head coached. The first was New Jersey when he took over the Nets in 2004. When Frank arrived midseason the team was slightly above .500 in winning percentage. The team thought they could do better considering they were coming off of 2 consecutive Eastern Conference championships. They fired coach Byron Scott and brought in Frank, then an assistant for the team, to replace him.

Frank finished strong, going 25-15 to end the season. The team went on to lose in the 2^nd round of the playoffs to the eventual-champion Pistons. That was as far as Frank would ever get this team in the playoffs. When Frank was fired from the team in ’09 he had gotten the team off to a 0-16 start, 1 game shy of the worst start in NBA history (the Nets went to 0-18 after Frank was fired).

Last season, Frank took over the struggling Pistons team and got them off to a 4-20 record to begin the year. A slow start was expected since the team was still in a state of rebuilding. Detroit ended the year by going 21-21 to finish with a 25-41 record. What I was thinking we’d see this year in Detroit was a team that could play at a .500 level, only with the an improved Greg Monroe as well as Andre Drummond and Kyle Singler coming on board. What I’ve been forced to watch instead is a clueless coach who doesn’t know how to properly manage a basketball game.

Many times in these first ten games, we’ve seen the Pistons take strong leads late in the game. They were up by as much as 13 both last night against the Magic and in the home opener against the Houston Rockets. They also held an 11-point lead to start the fourth quarter against the reigning Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder earlier this week. After taking these leads, Lawrence Frank likes to change his lineup and watch the other team take the game over and regain the lead.

Most coaches do something to stop a big lead from being blown away. Against the Denver Nuggets this week, the Miami Heat saw a 13-point lead quickly dropped to 6 in the fourth quarter. They called a timeout, changed the lineup and took control of the game right back. Scoring spurts happen in basketball, but it’s up to the coach to properly manage the game and bring such runs to a halt. Frank won’t do this when his team sees the lead getting shortened, he’ll wait until it’s completely gone. Every game the lineup that is playing better for the Pistons gets a good lead throughout the game and then is sat out to start the final quarter. Frank then gives them less than 6 minutes to play catch-up, and that’s tough for a young, inexperienced team like Detroit.

Aside from his late game mishaps, there are several other problems in Lawrence Frank’s coaching tactics. Though it has picked up over the last few games, he still remains very reluctant to play Greg Monroe at a power forward alongside Drummond at center. What's even more disappointing is that the few times he has played the two together it works out great. Monroe is a good passer who has smart court vision. He can handle the ball at the top of the key, forcing defenders to step outside and put Drummond in a one-on-one situation with centers that he can handle with ease. When Jonas Jerebko is playing with Drummond, defenders aren’t as scared to leave him unguarded and would rather play tighter on Andre. Jerebko is a good basketball player, but Frank shouldn’t be using him at the power forward position. He’d benefit much for at small forward, where he can match the speed of his opponents and beat them with his length.

The lack of knowing what position players fit into isn't the end of Frank's coaching inefficiencies either, as he also cannot arrange a proper starting lineup. After the team got their first win with Singler playing in place of the ill Rodney Stuckey, coach Frank wanted to put Stuckey right back into his starting role. Stuckey told Frank this would be a bad move and that the starting lineup worked better with Singler at the two-guard. Basically Lawrence Frank needs his players to do the job of recognizing who plays well together and choosing a lineup based off that.

What upsets me the most about Lawrence Frank is his insistence that he’s not doing anything wrong. He refuses to switch up his style of coaching, saying that things will fall into place for this team eventually. He really doesn’t want to mess with that formula that led to a 1-9 record, he apparently thinks it’s working for them. In post game interviews Frank gives the impression that there’s nothing more he can do with the talent he’s been given. Personally, I think this is just one big slap in the face to every player on the roster.

Stuckey has been struggling every game, and Brandon Knight is having a tough time getting back into his groove as well. Besides those two, the Pistons have been getting good production out of everybody. What worries me is that the good players present on Detroit’s rebuilding roster may get discouraged from sticking around. Among centers in the east, Greg Monroe ranks third in scoring, rebounds and assists in addition to leading in steals. He will never get an All Star game selection playing on a team that can’t even get two wins in ten games. He still hasn’t hit his full potential either, and he never will until he gets to play power forward.

If you’ve read my previous posts, you know how I feel about the weakness of big men in the NBA today. Drummond and Monroe have the potential to be one of the strongest duos of any team around. I don’t think Drummond should start quite yet, mostly because Jason Maxiell has really worked hard and deserves to be in the starting rotation. He creates big plays that prove he belongs out on the court to get the team going. Still, Drummond and Monroe just need more time on the court together.

The bottom line is that the Pistons have a lot of potential on their team, more than most teams have to work with. They couldn’t be 10-0 right now by any means, but any other coach would have them with at least four wins through the first ten games. The Orlando game, as well as the home games against the Thunder and Rockets were played well by the team and lost by Frank down the stretch. What do we have to lose in firing Lawrence Frank? Being 29^th out of 30 teams is nothing to be happy about and it’s time for him to go. This team can hold their own and win games against just about anybody in the league. It’s time that they stop being held back by poor decision-making at key points of a game. Now is the time to fire Frank.

Party in the City Where the Heat is On

2012-11-16T23:59:00.000-08:00

Thursday night was the first glimpse that I got of LeBron James and the Miami Heat this season. A few things caught my attention during their match-up against the Nuggets. The first was the fact that Reggie Miller is the most awful commentator I’ve ever had to listen to in my entire life, but I’ve already known that for quite a few years. More importantly though, I saw the way that LeBron is continuing on with the same level of play that he was at last year.

What amazed me so much about this last game was the way that LBJ looked like he wasn’t even trying that hard. He was pretty laid back offensively, yet he was still in complete control of his teammates the whole time. I would compare it to the play of Chauncey Billups during his time with Detroit. He can see the floor clearly and knows how to work the offense to bring the most out of each player. The difference with LeBron is that he has phenomenal athleticism, which allows him to drive to the hoop for an uncontainable score or hit a jumper off the dribble. In all honesty, there’s not one area of his game that needs any improvement.

Supporting LeBron and the rest of the Big 3 this year, we have what is arguably the best group of 3-pointers this league has ever seen. Ray Allen is the best long-range shooter ever and Shane Battier knows how to get open at his hot spot in the corner. On top of those two, the team also has long-gunners Rashard Lewis, Mike Miller, Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers. This team becomes even better 3-point shooters with LeBron running the court. He alone collapses opposing defenses enough to leave his teammates unguarded at the perimeter. With Wade and Bosh around as well, the team puts on a clinic from deep.

Another player on the Heat that I enjoy watching is Udonis Haslem. Sure he’s not the best player out there, but Haslem knows what his role is on the court and he plays it well. Personally, I find him to be one of the most solid big men in the NBA among those coming off the bench. He’s also the only tough down low player that the Heat have. Bosh likes to play the midrange game more, and the team’s centers are an absolute joke. In fact, out of Joel Anthony, Dexter Pittman and Josh Harrelson, not one of them has ever scored 20 points in a game. Harrelson and Pittman are still young, but Anthony is in his sixth year now and has yet to top 13 points in a game. I really don’t see him as being talented enough to play on an NBA team. The team could really benefit from having a good shot-blocker in the frontcourt.

Among other role players on the team, Battier does more than just make 3-pointers. Though he's not quite the defender he used to be, the former Blue Devil still plays some of the best on-ball defense in the league against players of many positions. Aside from that, he stands alongside Nick Collison as one of the top charge-takers in the league. Little actions like that can really force the extra possessions that help the star players to take control in key moments.

Getting back to LeBron though, you can really start to see a ripple effect from him reaching out to other players in the league. Michael Jordan was followed by many players who came into the league acting as his clones. Kobe, Grant Hill, Vince Carter and Jerry Stackhouse all began their careers in the mid to late ‘90s. Each of them tried to mimic MJ’s intensity, but none of them could quite pull it off the same way. Now we’re seeing characteristics of King James in players like Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan. Of course, these players aren’t bad athletes; I just think it’s obvious that LeBron is already having an influence on his competition less than a decade after he was drafted.

Of course, LeBron still has a long way to go if he wants to surpass Jordan and reach his goal of becoming the greatest of all time. At only 27 years old, he may have more than another decade to do so. Assuming he doesn’t follow Jordan’s path into early retirement, he just might be able to truly earn the "King," title that he's been claiming for years.

P.S. - I'm now on Twitter, follow me @TheLakerHater1.

From Russia with Love

2012-11-11T14:52:00.000-08:00

After a big slump in 2004, USA men’s basketball restored it's reputation as the strongest basketball program on earth both in ’08 and this past summer. This year’s team really boasted that US dominance when they performed feats such as scoring 156 points against Nigeria, which had Al-Farouq Aminu of the Hornets and former lottery pick Ike Diogu on the team's roster. Even if the US is still blowing away the competition, I am glad to see that the international competition is continuing to increase.

France's team featured 6 current NBA players, as well 2 more who formerly played in the NBA. They were also missing a plethora of players such as Joakim Noah, Mickael Pietrus, Johan Petro, Ian Mahinmi and Rodrigue Beaubois, who were all either injured or chose not to play internationally this year. Spain has established themselves in basketball as 2^nd to the U.S., featuring 5 current NBA athletes on their roster. Juan Carlos Navarro, Felipe Reyes and Rudy Fernandez are most certainly skilled enough for the NBA as well, and the team took home the silver despite taking a hit in losing Ricky Rubio to injury. One country really took me by surprise more than any other this summer, and that was Russia.

At the time of the 2012 Summer Olympics, the team had only 3 current and 2 former NBA players on their roster. Despite that, team captain Andrei Kirilenko lead the way to a bronze medal this summer and many spectators were quite impressed. AK-47 seemed to return to his old form for the ’12 Olympic games, and he has really carried that play into the current NBA season.

After 6 games, Kirlenko is averaging 11.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2 blocks and 1.7 steals per game. None of those numbers are great, but each of them is solid and that really shows the all-around play that he has kept up for his entire career. As for fellow T’Wolve and bronze-medalist, guard Alexey Shved, he has been playing pretty well for a rookie. Both have been a big part of Minnesota’s 4-2 start without Rubio and Kevin Love. Timofey Mozgov, the other current player of Russia in the league, has been limited to 1 game for Denver due to a knee injury, but I want to talk more about the Timberwolves.

I’ve always respected Minnesota because of how it reminds me of my home state of Michigan. Both are located in the Midwestern U.S. and are known for their freezing cold winters that seem to last as long as 8 months at their worst. I was a fan of the Timberwolves during the team’s Garnett-era, and I’ve continued being a fan today. Kevin Love is my favorite player in the league and I believe that if his recovery permits him to play enough games this season, he will easily be a front-runner for MVP. In a way though, the team is not just representing Minnesota this year, but also Russia.

Just like Yao Ming helped the Rockets get just about every NBA fan in China on their side, I imagine that Kirilenko and Shved together will help Minnesota do the same for their home country. It doesn’t hurt that they also have Nikola Pekovic at center, a native of the distant Russian neighbor of Montenegro.

The T’Wolves have plenty of great, young and exciting talent on their team this year. Derrick Williams and Chase Budinger are skilled, explosive dunkers and I couldn’t be happier to see that Brandon Roy is returning after injuries led him to announce his retirement at only 27 years old. Hopefully we’ll get to see a quick and healthy recovery from both Rubio and Love because this team is going to be quite the spectacle at full strength.

The rise of the NBA overseas is pretty exciting though. They bring a different style of basketball to the U.S. and it also brings a wider range of talent to the league. I also like to see players of the same nationality like Kirilenko and Shved playing together. Like I mentioned with Minnesota and Michigan, Minnesota and Russia have some similarities in their geography and weather trends as well, both being known for their cold air. Now they share similarities in their basketball too, and hopefully that gives Russian basketball fans an NBA team that they can cheer on this season.

Now what would be a good nickname for a team with a couple Russians and a guy named Love? Hmm....

This Goes Out to You, and You, and You

2012-11-10T08:41:00.001-08:00

The Lakers are struggling and since I am The Laker Hater, I love seeing that happen. There are quite a few things about this year's team that already, I find myself just anxious to complain about. I was going to try to contain being a hater for a short while this season, but with Friday’s announcement that Mike Brown has been fired as the team’s coach, I’m starting it now.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of Mike Brown. At the same time, he’s not the worst coach in the world (that one goes to Lawrence Frank right now). He has a finals appearance, a coach of the year award and a win-loss percentage above .600 going for his career. The bottom line is that after only 71 games as the Lakers head coach, he did not deserve to be fired.

Coaches often come under fire when they’re leading these super-teams of today’s NBA. The same thing happened with Erik Spoelstra last year, but Pat Riley chose to keep him around and the results were great for them. Personally though, I still rank Spoelstra among the league’s worst head coaches right down there with Frank, but that’s a separate story. I knew Mike Brown would be on the hot seat quick, but firing him after just 5 games this season is low.

The Lakers current struggles aren’t due to Mike Brown’s coaching though. The Lakers are struggling because Dwight Howard isn't rebounding as well as he normally does. The Lakers are struggling because Steve Nash is injured. The Lakers are struggling because Kobe is turning the ball over more than he ever has. This is a big reason why I hate Kobe Bryant and the rest of this organization so much. It can’t be the players’ fault that the team is losing. The players are too good; they do no wrong. It’s all the coach’s fault, right?

Let me ask this to you Kobe fans out there: if he’s better than LeBron, how come he couldn’t get Mike Brown a trip to the finals? LeBron did, and he never had players even half as good as Pau, Nash, Bynum or Howard out there. He had Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes and some guy who calls himself Booby. Yet he carried that team to the Finals, past a Pistons team that finished with the best regular season record in franchise history. Sure the Cavs got swept in the finals, but that was expected against the Spurs, who were making their 4th finals appearance in under a decade.

Speaking of hating on Kobe, he needs to shut up and quit it with these so-called “injuries.” This has happened a good 5 or 6 times per season over the past few years and has happened twice already this season. The Lakers, along with Bryant himself, put out statements about how Kobe is going to play in the next game, despite an injury suffered just days before. Every time, Kobe gets out there looking like he’s at 100% strength. A sore ankle does not qualify as an injury. High levels of physical activity often result in soreness, and it’s no reason to sit out practice as he did this week.

What’s happening is that Kobe’s trying way too hard to build some sort of reputation for being some type of “iron man,” athlete out there. It’s not tough to play through a little post-game soreness. In fact, it’s quite pathetic to try to make a big deal out of every little ounce of pain as if it’s something that’s going to effect your playing. You're not injured, you're being a crybaby.

Kobe has been talking about how he wants Phil Jackson to return to coaching in Los Angeles and I really hope we don’t end up seeing that situation. Phil Jackson has already come out of retirement twice, and his indecisiveness in staying retired just irritates me. I’ve never really liked Phil Jackson and I was happy to see his career end the way it did.

In his last outing as a head coach, we saw the Lakers getting swept in a game that the Mavericks won by nearly 40 points. The Lakers took the defeat in a truly despicable fashion, with Lamar Odom getting ejected for body-checking Dirk Nowitzki's and Andrew Bynum getting the boot for a vicious elbow to the mid-section of JJ Barea, a guy who is a full 1 foot and 110 pounds smaller than him (Bynum's likes to use this dirty move, see here). Game 2 saw Ron Artest clotheslining Barea as well. I loved watching them fall apart and prove to everybody how disgraceful they were in losing.

Another thing I don’t like about Phil Jackson is his recognition as one of the greatest coaches ever. I get it; he does have 11 championships to his name. At the same time, he has never played a single season without some combination of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Shaq, Kobe or Pau Gasol on his team. The fact that he had seasons where guys like Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Glen Rice and Horace Grant were third and fourth options out on the court shows the immense amount of talent he had to work with. He also had great court leaders like Rick Fox and Derek Fisher, as well as solid role players like Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr and Robert Horry.

I’m not saying Phil Jackson is a bad coach. It’s just so clear that he was given the easiest of situations to work with for his entire career. If he does come back to the Lakers, it will just be more of the same thing.

All of my Laker-hating comes from being a fan though. I do acknowledge how great of a team they are, but I just can’t stand the arrogance and lack of sportsmanship that their players, coaches, “fans,” and the rest of the organization as a whole represent. Regardless of who takes over the coaching duties, I hope to see the team’s struggles continue. Let’s see how long their next coach can hang on for.

We've Only Just Begun

2012-11-04T16:32:00.001-08:00

We’re less than a week into the 2012-13 NBA season and it’s already looking like it will shape into one to remember. There’s been a lot of action going on, league-wide, and several great stories breaking out quickly. A few of these stories really stood out to me though and I want to talk about those today.

James Harden

Wow. If you’re a basketball fan and haven’t had the chance to watch James Harden play yet this season, I would recommend doing so ASAP. I was in attendance for Harden’s Rockets debut against the Pistons on Halloween night. Besides his beard looking burlier than ever, he also played more focused and in control than I’ve ever seen him. After receiving an $80 million contract just days before, it was clear that Harden knew he was there to be Houston’s new franchise player.

The reigning 6^th Man of the Year finished the season opener with 37 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals. This was an outstanding debut, yes. But at the same time, it could’ve been credited in part to the poor defense that was played by Rodney Stuckey, who appeared to be feeling quite intimidated that night. Harden gave another MVP-like performance in his next game though, dropping a career-high 45 points on the Atlanta Hawks. After 3 games, Harden is averaging 35 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game.

Do I expect him to keep these exact numbers up? No, but we could have a new MVP candidate on our hands by the season's end. The Thunder may not have just traded away one of the league’s best shooting guards, they may have also opened the door for someone to take away Kevin Durant’s 4^th straight scoring title.

The Lakers

Ron Artest said that he wanted to see his team achieve the best record in NBA history. With already 3 losses to their record and not a single win to show for it, I doubt we’ll be seeing that. Although the Clippers are a great team, the team also suffered 2 losses to a couple less-than-spectacular teams. The Trail Blazers have one of the shallowest rosters in the league and the Mavericks were playing without Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman.

With that being said, I don’t think it’s time for everybody to start panicking in Los Angeles. The team is going to take time to adjust to playing together. Although I’m not a fan of Mike Brown (or anybody involved with the Lakers for that matter), it was outrageous to see him being put on the chopping block after the team lost 1 game. Fans need to hang tight and give the team some time, they have a good shot at reaching the finals. They have a fairly easy schedule over the next few games and could very easily get up to .500 by next weekend.

Then again, I am The Laker Hater, and I couldn’t be happier to see this team (including the preseason) being 0-11. Plus they’re going to start Steve Blake for their next couple of games since Steve Nash is injured. Have fun with that La La Land!

Damian Lillard

Anthony Davis made a pretty good NBA debut against Tim Duncan and the Spurs. He suffered a minor setback this week when it was proven that his unibrow wasn’t protectant against elbows (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGcyBS74Fw0). As seen in the video, fellow rook Austin Rivers inadvertently elbowed Davis during his 2^nd game, giving him a mild concussion. His return should come quickly though.

The strongest rookie performance so far though has been from Damian Lillard. With 3 straight games going for 20-plus points and some solid assist numbers to match, Lillard is quickly making a great case for himself as the Rookie of the Year. He and LaMarcus Aldridge will both be putting up some good numbers this year. It’s just too bad for them that every other player on their team is far below average in their role.

The Knicks

Plain and simple, this team looks great right now. With two strong wins against the Heat and 76ers, they’re looking like a team that could easily snatch up the Atlantic Division. Carmelo is a player who’s a superstar, but one that needs some good leadership to keep him in check. Chauncey Billups did that in 2009 and the pair led the Nuggets to the Western Conference finals. Jason Kidd is another point guard who could do the same, and the other pieces of this team fit pretty well, also.

This team only has one worry standing in their way: Amar’e Stoudemire will eventually have to return. Stoudemire is a loner out on the court. He needs to be the center of attention, and he needs to be with players who will let him do so. He has the size, skill and athleticism of an MVP candidate, but he plays with the mind and effort of somebody who’s losing by 30 in a pick-up game and has quit caring. During last year’s run of Linsanity, commentators were bashing ‘Melo for being the problem in the Knicks roster. I’ve always stood by the fact that Stoudemire is more of a danger than a help to any team that he plays on.

I want to see this team do well though, and if the Knicks’ GM’s want the same, they should find a way to trade for somebody who’s a little more coachable to fill the power forward position. How about Glen Davis? Stoudemire would be a perfect fit for an Orlando team that needs to make themselves halfway watchable.

Then again, the season is still young. We’ve got many more twists and turns waiting, and plenty of excitement coming our way. Keep reading here for all of the latest NBA news and opinions from yours truly, The Laker Hater.

The Center of Attention

2012-11-01T20:38:00.002-07:00

The number of quality big men in the NBA seems to be diminishing every season lately. I know I recently posted about this issue with the power forward position, but with the league’s announcement that they will remove the center position from the All-Star game ballots in favor of an additional backcourt player I really want to go a little further on this topic, this time for centers.

It’s tough to point out exactly why centers aren’t as good as they used to be, but the fact is they’re just not. In all honesty, it’s a bit of a relief that voting for the All-Star game will now be based off of 2 guards and 3 backcourt players. The past couple of years have seen the likes of Josh Smith, Rudy Gay and Ryan Anderson miss out on the annual honor to players like Roy Hibbert and Marc Gasol. Not that Marc Gasol was playing bad, he probably was among the top centers in the league, but other forwards were just playing better last year. As for Hibbert, it’s pretty obvious that team success plays a large factor in all-star voting; though that’s not always a bad thing, I don’t think Hibbert earned his selection last year as much as he fell into it.

This drop in talent is disappointing though. Let’s look at some previous all-star teams. In both 1995 and ’96, the centers out East were Shaq, Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning while the West consisted of Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Dikembe Mutumbo. These guys would absolutely dominate the NBA centers of today. Even Dwight Howard, the current #1 center, would have a tough time playing against any one of them.

With those 6 being in the All-Star game, it meant that Vlade Divac, Rik Smits, Sam Perkins, Gheorghe Muresan and Arvydas Sabonis didn’t make the cut. Were any of them superstars? No, but in today’s NBA they probably could’ve made an all-star team during their better seasons. Smits only had 1 all-star appearance, and the only other pick out of the 5 players above was Vlade Divac, who was selected for the 2001 game. At the time, Divac was 33 and past his prime, but he was still good enough for a league that was getting weaker at the center position. Shoot, even Oliver Miller would’ve stood a better chance than many of the big men today.

Now, not all of this change in the ballot is a result of the centers playing poorly. There’s also an outstanding amount of talent at the small forward position today that needs some serious recognition. That position boasts LeBron, Carmelo, Durant, Paul Pierce, Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala and Luol Deng. By comparison to the previously mentioned teams of the mid-‘90s, Detlef Schrempf would’ve had a tough time getting that all-star selection.

Hopefully though, the league will get back to having more than 1 great big man. Take a look at all of the centers I mentioned before; when these teams met up, it was a big showdown in the post. We got to see two giants, urged to prove to one another that they were the biggest, baddest guy out on the court. I would love to watch that rather than seeing one particular Laker dominating everybody on a regular basis. Dwight's size, strength and athleticism combined are a rare find in a player though, and maybe the guy's just too far ahead of the pack.