Although it was a slightly strained right ankle that sidelined Chauncey Billups for most of the second half of Saturday’s 111-99 win at Milwaukee, the 6-foot-3 point guard also was bothered by a sore right elbow.

“It was killing me when I woke up (Saturday) morning,” Billups said. He is questionable for Tuesday’s game against San Antonio.

Dallas Mavericks
Jake Kerr: Mavs Moneyball

Houston Rockets
grungedave and UofTOrange: The Dream Shake

Memphis Grizzlies
Joshua Coleman: 3 Shades of Blue

New Orleans Hornets
Rohan: At the Hive
ticktock6 & mW: Hornets Hype
Ryan Schwan & Ron Hitley: Hornets247.com

San Antonio Spurs
Graydon Gordian: 48 Minutes of Hell

Previously: Atlantic Division

I get that FSN is showing the Wings tonight, but it’s a shame TV20 can no longer pick up the preseason scraps. Instead, TV20 is running with Hair Show:

A sassy Baltimore hairdresser (Mo’Nique) — on the run from the IRS — reunites with her estranged stylist sister in L.A. Innocuous comedy with Kellita Smith. Leslie Small directed; hoops star Magic Johnson served as executive producer.

Magic didn’t fake AIDS, but he still ruined my night. So instead, we’ll have to keep doing what we’ve been doing: refreshing online box scores and listening to the live feed (as suggested in the comments, sign up on NBA.com for free live feeds all season). And, of course, leaving our thoughts in the comments.

I just got back. DC is freaking awesome. I’ve been living in downtown for the last 5 months and I will be really sad to move home. I love that I can go to basketball game, eat at a 5 star restaurant, and walk home within 5-10 minutes. I’ll plug Rosa Mexicana, which is right across the street from the Verizon Center, tremendous food and good tequila.

All that said, this game was awful. It was like watching paint dry –or worse– a Presidential debate. The first half was a return to Carlisle style offense. It was not pretty. I think we’ll miss Flip a little bit offensively. I think we were 13/38 at the half. We went about 6 minutes without a bucket after the Kwame buzzer-beater to end the 1st quarter.

I thought our defense was terrific. We were active, we were in passing lanes, we did a terrific job at forcing turnovers. We did a poor job exploiting a +10 turnover margin in the first half.

Kwame Brown was excellent. Many of you will note that I was, and have continued to be, dead set against him. He was our best defender and really played well offensively. I really felt for the guy, the crowd was KILLING him. It got to the point where I felt the need to stand and cheer every time he did something marginally good. Color me cautiously optimistic and impressed.

Dee Brown’s defense gave us, Stuckey especially, fits all night long. Will Bynum is at least 2 inches shorter than Brown, which is to say he’s like 5′10 at best. Bynum was a pest, but clearly came out on the short end of his matchup with Dee Brown. I think he gives up too much size to contribute anything meaningful to us this season.

Stuckey was pretty bad all night. He struggled offensively, the Wizards did a nice job trapping him and trying to force the ball out of his hands. I was disappointed in his performance (not that anybody other than Kwame or Rasheed was “good”).

I didn’t see nearly enough Maxiell or Walter Sharpe. I thought Sharpe made a couple of nice plays defensively, but didn’t get enough burn to try to build any positive momentum.

Rasheed was pretty good all night. I think he only took 1 three, which he nailed. He was active in the paint and rebounded the ball well. Even if he wasn’t credited with a rebound in the stat sheet, he kept several balls alive for us. Amir did the same thing.

Speaking of Amir, he’s got to get thicker. He was pushed around by the much stronger Etan Thomas all night. It was not a good matchup for him. He was active defensively. I thought he did a good job despite giving up a very obvious strength advantage. I wish he’d have played more, but the Kwame-Rasheed matchup was working so well in our favor it’s hard to argue with the results.

That’s about all I got for now, I’ll expand more in the morning.

I don’t have much to add, except for reminding everyone not to get too upset about the offense. Michael Curry is trying to add a few new wrinkles to the mix, and he’s using the preseason to take his team out of their comfort zone so that they’ll be ready once the games actually start to matter. From Chris McCosky in Friday’s Detroit News:

Here’s the deal: All those familiar offensive sets that involve Billups and Wallace — the high pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop plays, the cross-screening plays — they are still part of the system.

Curry would rather use the early part of training camp to develop other facets of the offense.

“I know we can do those other things,” Curry said. “But can they do other things? When we are sitting in a (playoff) series and a team has locked in to you and taken away some of those things, can you go to something else?

“Plus, we have to be able to run some things when we don’t have all our talent on the court.”

Billups and Wallace — though admittedly struggling to adjust — are on board with Curry’s plan.

“Once we pick (the offensive sets) up and can run them consistently without thinking, just reacting, we’ll be fine,” Wallace said.

I actually meant to post that quote on Friday morning but never had a chance. Ironically enough, it’s that much more relevant today. The silver lining to last night’s game? Well, we won, just in case that preseason record ever starts to count for anything. Plus, Amir Johnson played 17 minutes without a single foul. He also went 1-5 from the field and had just two boards, but it’s not like anyone else did much better — the Pistons shot 40% from the field; the Wizards, 32.4%.

Instead, we’ll have to follow this game like our forefathers did, by hitting up ye olde online box score and tuning in to the live stream. If that’s how you’re spending your Friday evening, don’t forget to do your thing in the comments.

Last year’s edition of the most overrated list resulted in quite a tussle, as legions of fans mounted a furious defense of (snicker) Jason Kidd. I can guarantee you those same fans are now on message boards talking about how the Mavericks won’t even make the playoffs this year.

Actually, the guy who most obviously belonged on the list (Richard Jefferson) was the one who showed me up. Well, him and Monta Ellis (ouch, Kevin). Deron Williams played fine, but Chris Paul proved me right to the degree that Williams isn’t overrated anymore. In fact, the only returning member of the overrated team is Marcus Camby.

With a number of stars fading into the background this year, there are actually far more underrated players than overrated players. Nonetheless, here’s your list. Visit the comments section to get your rage on.

FIRST TEAM

James Posey – F

This year’s winner of the Robert Horry memorial over-hyped role player award. James Posey has all the characteristics. He’s a solid defender, hits threes, and is kinda funny looking. He has rings. Oh, and he meets the most important qualification. He isn’t very good. Have fun paying this guy until he can draw Social Security, New Orleans.

Josh Smith – F

How do you jump from my underrated list to my overrated list in one year? Here’s how. Smith’s popularity skyrocketed this year while his production remained the same. The Hawks improbable playoff run didn’t help matters any. He has shown glimpses of greatness, but has also shown more glimpses of not having his head on straight. With the Hawks piddling away Josh Childress in the offseason… well, there’s nothing like a 30 win season to cool your jets.

Marcus Camby – C

Welcome back, Marcus. Of course, being traded to the Clippers is a surefire way to ensure that you are not on this list next year. Camby’s not a bad player, but his reputation (as well as his undeserved DPOY award) are based upon inflated rebounding and blocking numbers. When not playing for the league’s fastest team, as well as its only rebounding and shot-blocking presence, expect his number to more accurately reflect his talents.

Brandon Roy – G

There are folks who think that Portland will compete for a championship this year. That’s how overvalued Roy has become. He had a very solid campaign, and will be a borderline all-star for years to come, but a 13-game win streak last season elevated his reputation to a level unmatched by his output. Portland could be good, or even great, but that has more to do with the big guy who missed all of last season than Roy.

Tracy McGrady – G

Lost in the shuffle of the Rockets’ weird win streak and miracle playoff birth was the utter banality of Tracy McGrady’s season. Writers attributed his reduced scoring average to his team play (you know you are overrated when sportswriters cite your negatives as positives) but it had more to do with his missing lots of shots. McGrady hit a putrid 29% from three-point range last year, with high volume.

SECOND TEAM

Carmelo Anthony – F

Well, he’s certainly better than Darko. That said, after five straight years of good but not great play, it’s time to re-adjust the ceiling. As Denver learned the hard way, Melo simply isn’t the centerpiece of a championship ball-club. Let me put it this way, could you imagine what LeBron would do with that supporting cast? Win rings, that’s what.

Hedo Turkoglu – F

Last season was an absolute fluke from the guy who looks like the extra from every Eastern European mob scene. Actually, the first 55 games or so of the season were a fluke, and the rest of the season (including the playoffs) had Turkoglu returning to his career norms. He’s a decent player, and his long-range output makes him a nice compliment to Dwight Howard’s post play. But anyone expecting Orlando to make the leap had better hope Mickael Pietrus is the truth.

Dasagana Diop – C

To be fair, he might only be overrated in Mark Cuban’s eyes. On the championship contending Mavs, Diop was a nice piece. The Shaqs, Duncans and Garnetts of the world needed someone who could foul six times without giving up a three-point play. For the new look (non-contending) Mavs, he’ll be a liability. The Mavericks needed to new blood on offense, and instead threw the MLE at the guy who was a throw-in for the disastrous Kidd trade last year. What’s weird is that it probably took that just to secure his services. Ah, to be seven feet tall.

Derrick Rose – G

No love for the first pick. I think Chicago biffed this draft, passing on a nearly sure-fire big man when they have a competent backcourt already. In college, Rose averaged just under 15, 5 and 5, and shot 33% from three-point range. Top competition or no, does that scream first overall pick to you? As a combo-guard, he’ll need to either rebound or hit the long ball to be very effective. I’m not optimistic.

Stephen Jackson - GFC

What is his position? I’m not going to call him a center, Nellie Ball or no Nellie Ball. Jackson is overrated for a couple of reasons. First, he plays a lot of minutes on a team that plays at a very fast pace, which amplifies his scoring numbers. Second, there was a time when everyone though he’d be dead or in prison by age 30, so the bar was pretty low. But I about spit up on my keyboard when one sportswriter said he is now arguably the best player on the Warriors. He is 4th (behind Ellis, Bidrins and Maggette) at best.

(picture via Trap and Pyramid & MartinRock)

“We have the starting five (Rasheed Wallace, Amir Johnson, Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups), and then Max (Jason Maxiell), Dyess (Antonio McDyess) and Rodney Stuckey — those eight guys are going to play heavy minutes,” Curry said Thursday after putting the team through a rare light, no-contact practice. “I count anything over 15 minutes as heavy minutes, so those guys are going to play over that every night and I don’t see that changing.”

Curry said Arron Afflalo, Walter Herrmann and Kwame Brown would also work into the mix on a nightly basis.

“One or two of those guys will play big minutes, as well, depending on the matchups,” Curry said. “We are going to have 10 or 11 guys that will be playing regular minutes and we want to try and keep consistent with that all through the season.”

Johnson, a likely starter, had a fast-break dunk in the opening minutes but that was his only field goal. He committed two fouls in the span of 14 seconds midway through the first and wound up with as many turnovers as rebounds (two).“I thought he was a little nervous tonight and rightfully so,” Curry said. “He gets a chance to start for the first time at home, even though it’s the preseason. The kid has been battling for three years, and now this being his fourth year, trying to get on the court.

“Throw his stat line out the window,” Curry continued. “If you saw the intensity in which he plays, the speed and the athletic ability he brings to the starting unit, we’ve just got to work with the rest of the guys so they can pick up the pace a little bit more.”

Curry has been particularly impressed with Johnson’s defense. From A. Sherrod Blakely:

Curry has a grading system which focuses on every offensive and defensive possession. Following Thursday morning’s practice, Curry said the offensive grades had yet to be posted, but “defensive grades, he (Johnson) really scores well,” Curry said. “He usually follows the game plan. The problem that he has, is sometimes he gets caught up under the basket and doesn’t box and doesn’t get the guy out the paint.”

What’s this grading system Curry speaks of? He explained it to Blakely in a little more detail before last night’s game when talking about Rasheed Wallace’s notorious tendency to rack up techs:

Curry added, “We grade out. So a possession in which Rasheed gets a technical, he’ll get a minus on that possession. It’s no different than a possession when someone doesn’t close out and contest a shot. And so, with that being said, the guys are always trying to score the highest, or grade out at the highest possible grade they can. It also puts awareness to him that this is important, try to take care of it. But he is an emotional guy. Some of that comes with him, as well as some of the other guys. We want them to be able to control themselves, but also you’re going to have some emotional outbursts at times.”

Arron Afflalo turned in an outstanding performance last night, hitting 6-7 from the field, including 3-3 from long-distance. Just to put that in perspective, he hit 10 three-pointers all of last season. After the game, Curry had this to say:

“I thought Arron played really good,” coach Michael Curry said. “He’s actually struggled some throughout camp. He’s been getting after it defensively, but he has struggled to find any kind of rhythm offensively.

“What we’ve been telling him is let your defense keep you out on the court and eventually you will have offensive opportunities.”

Back during the summer league in Las Vegas, it was obvious that Afflalo was more comfortable with the ball in his hands. Instead of deferring, he seems more confident taking a shot anytime he’s open. As Afflalo told ASB, that’s not a coincidence:

Known for his defense at UCLA and now in the NBA, Afflalo admits he used to try his best to prove he was more than just a defender.

“It used to be (important), but I’m just going to let my game speak for itself,” Afflalo said. “That used to be something that was on my mind. But I’m going to go out there and defend my heart out, and try to take advantage of the things that I can do offensively.”

Walter Herrmann may or may not play due to a rib injury, but it’ll be interesting to see the rest of the Detroit’s young guns get plenty of burn against John Hammonds’ new-look Bucks (Scott Skiles! Richard Jefferson!). The ball tips in just a few minutes on FSN, so tune in (or listen to the audio stream) and leave your thoughts in the comments.

With the 2008-09 NBA season just weeks away, fantasy drafts are in full swing.  So what about the DetroitBadBoys Fantasy Basketball League?  Its about time we give that some thought here on DBB.  Here is the goal: to develop a robust league of active, interested DBB readers who wish to compete in a private league of fantasy NBA basketball.  To achieve that goal, DetroitBadBoys needs your thoughts, your opinions and your ideas on where we should take our fantasy NBA league for the 2008-09 season.  Continue reading after the break if you’re interested in taking part in the forthcoming fantasy basketball league for DBB readers only…

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