The 2010 NBA All-Farce Game November 19, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: NBA, NBA All Star Game
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by thebigfundamental
I love the feeling of democracy on your face as you metaphorically walk to the virtual polling booth for the 2010 NBA All-star game. Yep nothing like a bit of recognition for a tough 10 games played so far in the season irrespective of what is going to happen in the next 72. Completely democratic so nothing about this could be wrong – right? Right?????
That was until I metaphorically opened the voting form (went to NBA.com and clicked the link) and saw what was on offer… West Forwards: Al Thornton, Ron Artest, Jeff Green, Blake Griffin, Grant Hill, Richard Jefferson, Anthony Randolph….*gulp* Which one to choose… Such a tough choice… So many big names…. Ok I’ll just skip to the East Forwards: Hakim Warrick, Udonis Haslem, Tayshaun Prince, Anderson Varajao, Elton Brand, Michael Beasley…. *sigh* this isn’t any easier… What do I do????
I’ll lose the sarcasm now and tell you what I do – wonder how the hell Anderson Varajao gets nominated for an all-star game over Joakim Noah. Or how Blake Griffin is the only rookie on the form even though he’s not playing at present, and Jennings/Evans/Flynn are 3 of the better PG’s in the league but get snubbed for Chris Duhon and Raymond Felton… Heck why not chuck Luke Ridnour on there? Actually even better, AI could come back and play us a song (see picture inset), or why not chuck Jerry Stackhouse on there because potentially come all-start time he might be in the NBA again and we all love “the Stack” right? ? Wrong….
It’s bad enough that the all-star weekend is dying a slow and painful death but to make the balloting process an embarrassment shows where the game is it – pure corporate greed. It’s bad enough that “rules” have been modified to make the game “more exciting” [N.B. if I ever see another "spin move" by a guard that's 3/4 steps long and hear a commentator go "how do they do it?"....] and that refs rig the outcome of games (we all know it’s happening) but do we really need to bump the sales of Anderson Varajao jerseys by making him an All-star or was there an oversight in processing and now they’re trying to “pass the savings onto us?”
From the players available I’ve decided I’d share my vote casting with you. I made several teams such was the quality of players on offer:
The All-Absent Teams: These teams comprise some of the NBA’s most amazing talent, that is if they actually make it to the game.
East:
Guards: Devin Harris & Jameer Nelson: Harris may not return for a long time, especially when NJ are not looking like contending at all. Nelson is out AGAIN so we shouldn’t hold our breath come All-star time.
Forwards: Tayshaun Prince & Troy Murphy: One is out for the season whilst the other has been “due to return” any day now for well… The season? Given Prince was injured before the ballot went out why is he even here? Not to mention… Why would he even be there anyway?
Centre: Shaq: We love Shaq. Shaq loves the odd night off too, and by odd I don’t mean every now and then, I mean games numbered 1, 3, 5 etc etc etc….
West:
Guards: Josh Howard & Kevin Martin: These two are done for the season pretty much and have a rich history of injury, absence, and wearing suits to games.
Forwards: Blake Griffin & Kevin Love. They played a combined 2 games this season and one can only speculate what amazing, all-star worthy seasons they’re going to have. Special mention to Kenyon Martin as well.
Centre: Al Jefferson: If he was healthy he’s the best C in the West. But we’ve been saying that for 2 seasons now. No reason not to put him on the ballot though!!!
The All-Aged Teams: These teams comprise some of the NBA’s most amazing talent, from Sprite commercials in the 90′s. No seriously – these guys are merely here for sentimental reasons. Basically we can’t let go and neither can their ego’s.
East:
Guards: Mike Bibby & Michael Redd: Everyone see Bradon Jennings drop 55 the other night??? These guys didn’t because they’d already been drugged up, and put to sleep in their respective nursing homes.
Forwards: Elton Brand & Kevin Garnett: Two fo the best low-block players ever… At their primes!!! Right now KG is meandering on in an efficient manner but Brand is completely in limbo. I’d allow KG to be a bench player but straight out all-star – well as we’re only 10 games into the season he’s falling well below Bosh/Smith et al.
Centre: Rasheed Wallace : Sheed’s another who won’t recognize that the writing is on the wall. Putting him in here only further extends that illusion.
West:
Guards: Tracy McGrady & Jason Terry: T-Mac almost made the above team but I had to put him in here. In 1.5 years he’s hardly touched a ball and when he does his back goes out. JT is a nice sub, but nowhere near an all-star yet “the jet” would have to admit the writing is on the wall if he were not to be nominated.
Forwards: Grant Hill & Kenyon Martin. K-Mart is like T-Mac but had to go in here. He was an all-star in his early days but has been far off that type of form since. Remember Grant Hill back in the Sprite commercial days? You don’t? Probably because you weren’t born….
Centre: Antonio McDyess: No idea why this is – he’s hardly played for his new team and even then is playing the PF spot. Go figure. Anyways Antonio was in the draft directly after Grant Hill – nuf sed!!!
The All-”You gotta be kidding”Teams: These teams comprise some of the NBA’s most unamazing talent – pure and simple. How they got on the form can only be attributed to syntax error… Repeatedly…
East:
Guards: Chris Duhon & Raymond Felton: Both playing terribly. One just got benched behind a rookie who can’t pass, but can shoot which is somehow an upside given Duhon can’t pass or shoot. Felton is just insane for not taking that extension – if this is “playing for a contract” he’s in big trouble come next FA period.
Forwards: Udonis Haslem & Anderson Varajao: How do two role players of the bench for 20 mins a night get nominated? Whacky hair? Beats me but they’re on the form…
Centre: Samuel Dalambert/Tyson Chandler/Brad Miller: All playing woefully and all getting picked ahead of Noah and Hibbert. Go figure.
West:
Guards: Leandro Barbosa, Ramon Sessions & Andre Miller: Sessions and Miller haven’t gelled with their new teams and would be on the street if not for their hefty contracts. Barbosa is clearly just a marketing ploy. Why not put Yao Ming on then even though he is out for the season?
Forwards: Al Thornton& Anthony Randolph: Thornton has been relegated to the bench for the Clippers while Randolph seems to have made the team based on his pre-season game where he scored 40 points. Pre-season game I said….
Centre: Andris Beidrins: I may as well have put Allen Iverson here as at this point, even though he’s not even in the NBA now, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him nominated for a gig. Biedrins has hardly played and is all-star caliber if fit but that’s the thing isn’t it?
A lot of this can simply be put down to the marketing scheme of the NBA – get ballots out early to try and get as many people there as possible. I mean, they are holding it in a football stadium this year to try and squeeze as many in as possible!!! But 10 games in players like Biedrins are still unknown. McGrady may never come back. Jennings/Evans/Noah aren’t even there!!!! The All-star game has become a farce in the face of excessive marketing and over-commercialisation but hey, all the yanks experiencing the GFC will have the money to fill a football stadium right??? No??? Beter get advertising then….
Who exactly are we honoring LBJ? November 13, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: Jerry West, Jordan, LeBron, LeBron James, NBA
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by Outstrung in his first piece here *applause*
edited by TBF
Boy, LeBron sure is trying hard to make me hate him. In a plan to honor Michael Jordan, LeBron is planning to switch to #6 for the coming season and beyond. The thing is, he believes the change should be echoed league wide.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4650907
So many reasons spring to mind as to why LeBron is acting like a tool. In one foul swoop and an attempt to impress His Airness (maybe jealous he didn’t get to wear the 25th Anniversary shoes?), LBJ has insulted many more of the leagues greats and shown how self-centered he really is.
Apparently LeBrons reasoning for the retiring of the number is out of respect for Jerry West, since Jordan couldn’t be the logo of the league. This is absolutely ridiculous as Jerry West has said long ago that he’d give it up for MJ. And besides, MJ already has a logo of his own that is pretty well-known to anyone conscious and breathing (and a fair stake in the company to boot!).
If LBJ ever gets to hold up 6 fingers, will he also then call for the name The Greatest to be associated with him alone?
This also stems from further inside LeBrons “bubble” of a reality, as Jordan was hardly the first pioneer in the league. According to LeBron, “without Jordan, there is no LeBron, Kobe or Wade”. This may or may not be true, but without Magic and Bird, there is no MJ. And furthermore, without guys like Wilt, Russell and Baylor, there is no Magic or Bird. You could list a heap of other guys like that in a never ending circular argument until we get back to George Mikan and the games inception. Do you retire all of those jerseys as well LeBron, or are you only thinking from your own perspective?
The switch to 6 is pretty hypocritical too given LeBrons “respect for Jordan” stance. If he wants 23 out because he wants to honour the contribution of MJ to the game, isn’t him wearing 6 just insulting the contribution of Bill Russell and Dr. J? Is their contribution not good enough for you, LeBron?
Seriously, how much does Jordan need to be recognised anyway? Firstly, hardly any players get recognition from the league. West has the logo, Russell has the Finals MVP award….that’s about it. Jordan is widely recognised as the icon of the sport, he’s received countless accolades, and no-one will ever forget what he achieved. I think that’s enough but then again life for the seldom content Jordan IS a competition so maybe he won’t be satisfied until he gets the NBA logo and then invites Jerry West to the ceremony to rub it in his face (e.g. that guy who got picked ahead of him in high school)? Or maybe LeBron is infected with a similar cancerous mentality and is trying to suck up to his idol before he too breaks all his records, wins everything he did, and demands HE be named His Airness? That’s a gross exaggeration but one wonders what we achieve in giving another award to the man who cannot get enough of them.
Truthfully, the cynic in me thinks that this is a desperate move by LeBron to defer attention away from his impending free agency. And the cynic in me also sees this as a devious ploy to sell more of his jerseys. It’s been done in the NHL and in the MLB, but the way I see it, it’s not appropriate in the NBA nor is it even needed as in a round about way, it disrespects other greats who’ve been just as influential as Jordan in shaping the game over its long history.
2009/2010 Team Preview: Denver Nuggets October 1, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: 2009/2010 Preview, Denver Nuggets, NBA
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Of all the teams that have come 180 in a season, Denver of the 2008/2009 season were one of the best transformations I have ever seen. They went from being the “All-thugs” of the NBA with a list that was more famous for misdemeanors than basketball ability to the darlings of the playoffs, the team everyone wanted to win simply because they were the toad that turned into Prince Charming. The question hanging over Denvers head this season however is; was it a fluke? It’s a tough question and some may even go as far as to say, unfair, but we’ll keep this in the back of our minds as we go to the depth chart:
"Hmmm... Where too from here?" Hopefully the Finals for Denver fans.
PG: Chauncey Billups, Anthony Carter, Ty Lawson
SG: JR Smith, Aaron Afflalo
SF: Carmello Anthony, Renaldo Balkman, James White
PF: Kenyon Martin, Malik Allen
C: Nene Hilario, Chris Andersen, Johan Petro
That starting 5 is one of the best in the league with either Andersen or Smith coming off the bench to give defense or offense – take your pick. This is handy for coach Karl as it means he can choose what type of start he wants his team to have, then use the bench to counteract as needed. He also has energy players such as Balkman, Lawson and Afflalo if for some reason the 6th player doesn’t do what they’re supposed too. So given all that, why are people everywhere saying that last season was a fluke? Well, it’s a case of zebra’s and their stripes – here’s why I think the stripes have changed for good:
Reason #1: Chauncey Billups is still there and has had a full pre-season with the team. This can not be emphasized enough. Last season Billups’ impact was immediate WITHOUT really getting to know his team. Such was the contrast between he and Iverson, coupled with the respect he demands from those around him, Billups transformed the mindset of the entire team. This season he’ll be there in camp – passing on his knowledge, mentoring the young guys, and getting everyone to follow the system to the most minute detail. Expect this to improve the Nuggets half-court sets dramatically (especially given that before Billups, there really was no such thing as a half-court set in Denver!!!) and for them to have set options ready for all their opponents.
If Carmello can stay healthy, he can be the league leader in scoring this season
Reason #2: Carmello Anthony had an average season and they still made the West Finals. Even by Melo’s own admission his 2008/2009 season was average. His statistics fell across the board, but he improved dramatically in a particular area that had been lacking for his entire career – leadership. Melo finally showed that he had the ability to show up when it counted (I’ll never forget that shot against Dallas), and keep his team-mates heads in the game (rather than the complete opposite). Now he knows he’s capable, I’m sure this season he’ll be looking to mesh his two worlds – the old high powered, unstoppable scoring machine, with the more-aware, mature, floor leader. Add too that he’ll probably look to hit the boards harder this year and you have a pretty scary prospect for other SF’s in the league and even PF’s who attempt to go “out” to guard his now deadly jumper. My prediction is Melo to lead the NBA in scoring this season and in doing so, lead the Nuggets back to the West Finals.
If the team does have weaknesses, they’re defense and injuries. The defense is getting better no doubt, but the injuries have plagued this team constantly since Melo arrived. If they have a healthy season they’re too versatile, and deep a team to not be considered in the Wests top 4, or even Top 2. My prediction is for them to win the Northwest division, get second seed in the West, and sail on through to the finals where they’ll meet LA or San Antonio.
2009/2010 Team Preview: Golden State Warriors September 30, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: 2009/2010 Preview, Golden State Warriors, NBA
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Is this even worth doing??? I mean, we know they won’t make the playoffs, someone will have a sook and demand a trade, and a rookie won’t be treated properly and will leave to join another team and flourish there. Are we done? Actually no I should be fair and do this properly I guess. Here’s the depth chart for the Golden State Shooting Guards – I mean Warriors:
Liek Bobby and Whitney before them, you just know this is going to end in tears or fistycuffs... Or both.
PG: Stephen Curry, CJ Watson, Acie Law, Speedy Claxton
SG: Montas Ellis, Anthony Morrow
SF: Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Kelenna Azabuike, Devean George
PF: Anthony Randolph, Brandan Wright, Mikki Moore
C: Andris Biedrins, Ronny Turiaf
Looking at that lineup one can immediately see that it’s chock full of young talent, and chock full of people 6’6 or below. For the record, the average height of the team is 6’6 without taking into account some generous “listed heights”. What’s also obvious is that Golden State isn’t short of shooters – apparently that’s what Nellie wants in his uptempo offense – or of depth at the 1/2/3 positions. What’s disturbing is the other positions – 4/5. If Beidrins goes down then the season is over – he is possibly the most important player on any team to hardly get the recognition he deserves. 10+ boards, 2+ blocks and solid percentages make Biedrins an antidote to Nelsons virus. Anthony Randolph is an intriguing prospect as well – we know he can get up and down well, but he can also jump out of a building so if he’s coached well he could transform into quite a handy shot-blocker. Possibly the most disturbing Golden State fact however, is the list of first round picks that have gone wandering elsewhere after their rookie contract or been traded ASAP. Marco Bellinelli, Patrick O’Bryant, Ike Diogu, Mikael Pietrus to name a few and Brandan Wright looks like he might be growing wings soon as well. Something about Don Nelsons Golden State makes it an awful place to develop young bigs… Who’d have thought?
If Golden State are to be taken seriously this year, and they have the players to do it, then they have to lose the attitude, the coach, and several toxic players. Basically I’m calling train-smash on Golden State and saying “start again”. Here’s why:
- Stephen Jackson is not and should never be considered, a team leader: “Wacko Jacko” is aptly named and is a terrible role model for up and coming players. He’s selfish, he has no tact on or off the court, and he brings organizations down (even though he’ll tell you it was him who took them to the playoffs in 2007). At present WJ is calling to be traded. If I’m Golden State – I trade him for draft picks or up and comers. Whatever it takes, get him out of there.
- Fire Don Nelson: I’m not comfortable calling Nellie a coach. He has no strategy, no play book, and no idea how to manage Gen Y players. I’d hire anyone ahead of this guy, though I’d be paying special attention to the Sam Mitchell’s floating about who are famous for getting young bigs to play to their potential.
- Move the big contracts: Lose Maggette, Montas Ellis and Speedy Claxton and get in some expiring contracts and draft picks. Even if Maggette et al. are given away ala Zach Randolph style it doesn’t matter – they’re no help to you on or off the court. Maggette is like WJ just more often injured. Montas is a little nutter developing some serious attitude and we all know his play was flukey thanks to B Diddy being around. Claxton has an expiring contract which is good and hopefully he can be a role model for the young guys coming through but if you can get a draft pick for his contract why not grab it?
- Kill the front office: Metaphorical or not a lot of the problems stem from here…
The Warriors should scrap their plans and build arounf their young core of Randolph, Curry and Biedrins.
The Warriors are going to have another up and down season. They’re like a good action movie – creating suspense, some action, then a soft finish EXCEPT this team won’t live happily ever after. They’ve got enough raw young talent in Curry, Randolph, Morrow and Azabuike to catch some teams off-guard when combined with the ever solid Biedrins but they’ll be lucky to finish better than 12th in the west.
2009/2010 Team Preview: Indiana Pacers September 28, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: 2009/2010 Preview, Indiana Pacers, NBA
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It’s no secret that I am a closet Indiana fan. Actually, maybe that’s better described as a MASSIVE Danny Granger fan?? Either way I definitely like that Larry Bird has placed his faith in Granger and decided to build around him. Would I have chosen the same building blocks? Is there a pattern associated with skin colour in a similar way as with the Utah Jazz? Who knows. What I “think” I know is that Indiana are a team on the up and up and have plenty of reasons to be excited about the 2009/2010 season. Here’s the depth chart:
Indiana's young up and comers (from left): Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough, and Brandon Rush
PG: TJ Ford, Earl Watson, Travid Deiner, AJ Price
SG: Dahntay Jones, Brandon Rush, Luther Head
SF: Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy
PF: Troy Murphy, Josh McRoberts, Tyler Hansbrough
C: Jeff Foster, Roy Hibbert, Solomon Jones
That’s not the type of lineup to make you go “WOW” but it’s the old adage here in Indiana, “A superstar team will beat a team of superstars,” and thats exactly what they have the makings of. Rebounding – check. Points – check. Range – check. Defense – getting better. Pressure play – they have Granger. Athleticism – … Youth – in abundance. It’s the last two points that really are they keys for Indiana in my opinion if they’re to have success in 2009/2010.
Area #1: Athleticism. White men cannot jump – I can say that because I’m white. Indiana have the most white people on their roster, other than Utah (der). Hansbrough, Murphy, Foster, McRoberts, Dunleavy, Deiner are all EXTREMELY hard workers and have adopted the Larry Bird philosophy that you don’t get nothing for nothing, but they’re still a step slower than most of their direct opponents at their given positions. This is slightly problematic in most situations, but Indiana are in the process of building, similar to San Antonio, a solid team defensive strategy that won’t simply rely on insane athleticism but rather sound structure, communication, and machine like rotation. If the team defense works, the athleticism is no longer an issue.
Area #2: Youth. This is the reason I get excited about Indiana’s prospects, with or without Mike Dunleavy. Dunleavy hardly played last season giving young players like Rush a chance to see some serious minutes in the big show. This has served Rush in particular very well, and I expect him to break the shackles this season and start filling the void Marquis Daniels left (especially with Dunleavy an uncertain starter for opening night). The other guy that excites me is Roy Hibbert – another Georgetown monster from the people who brought us Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning. And my how he’s grown in the off-season. His summer league performances were ominous. His body looks balanced and filled out. He seems to have a handle on his foul problems (this will be what determines how effective he is this season) and if he can do all this, we should see the torch officially passed this season from Foster, who’s been carrying it for far too long.
Danny Granger: 2009 MIP, All-Star, All round good bloke. Can he lift the Pacers to new heights in 2010?
So all in all Indiana are looking goof for 2009/2010. They’ve made some excellent acquisitions to help their inside/outside game in Luther Head and Tyler Hansbrough, while Dahntay Jones has been brought in to be a “stopper” for the East’s never ending supply of shooting guards. And they have two players who have come off career season – Troy Murphy and Danny Granger. Murphy probably won’t repeat his efforts from last season but he’ll still be effective giving other PF’s a headache with his 3 point shooting capability coupled with his strong rebounding. Granger on the other hand is not a fully-fledged superstar, an All-star lock, and a franchise player. As long as he stays healthy, the Pacers should be around the 41 win mark come playoff time. Will this be good enough for the playoffs? Who knows but if Indiana can be more consistent in beating team they SHOULD beat, and still keep upsetting the big names (Lakers/Spurs were notable scalps last season) then 41 wins shouldn’t be a problem. My tip is 9th in the East, pipped at the post by Philly.
2009/2010 Team Review: Toronto Raptors September 28, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: 2009/2010 Reviews, NBA
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Normally I reserve these reviews for the forums on which I operate but this year I’ve decided to post all my reviews on here. If this is your first time I hope you enjoy reading this review and the others to come and appreciate any/all comments.
Chris Bosh should spend less time on his image, and more time getting the job done
I’m going to start with one of the few teams that’s actually filled it’s roster, the Toronto Raptors. More moves may yet come, but they’ll probably be insignificant given the financial stance of the Raptors at present. Let’s begin with the depth chart:
PG: Jose Calderon, Jarret Jack, Marcus Banks
SG: Marco Bellinelli, DeMar DeRozan, Quincy Doubt, Sonny Weems
SF: Hedo Turkgolu, Antoine Wright
PF: Chris Bosh, Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans
C: Andrea Bargnani, Rasho Nesterovic, Patrick O’Bryant
All in all that’s not too shabby a lineup – on first inspection anyways. Look a little closer and you’ll see that this team is lacking in several areas – several areas that will have them floating in obscurity for most of the year.
Area #1: Defense. A quick look at who is the best defender on the team and you should say DeMar DeRozan. That’s not good as he’s fresh out of college and still getting a handle on the big-time. Not since Magic Johnson have we been able to not worry about our best defender being a rookie. DeRozan shouldn’t have to carry this responsibility in his rookie year especially given the last guy to try it – Corey Brewer – showed perfectly what happens when the defensive load is placed firmly on a rookie.
Area #2: Rebounding. The Raptors are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league (effectively, not statistically) because all their bigs are jump-shooters. It’s definitely handy to have your 4 & 5 out on the perimeter CAPABLE of hitting the 3 ball, but it leaves you rather slim for second chance’s if they miss. DeRozan will help in that area as will Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson who were acquired for their energy, but whether it will be enough will depend largely on how well they shoot.
Area #3: Chris Bosh. Sorry CB4 but this season there are no more excuses. You’ve now got Hedo who can clear room for you, you’ve had a summer off (though reports of that hamstring strain ALREADY are a concern), and you got a decent draft choice in DeRozan to help you get second chance points. If CB4 has indeed been working on his game this off-season then he’s never had a better group of players around him for his particular style. Turkgolu, Bargnani, Bellinelli, Calderon, DeRozan, Jack can all shoot the 3 ball and give him room to operate down low. If he gets into a 1-on-1 with the leagues other PF’s then he should go for 22 and 10. If he goes soft, then the Raps go down with him as does his chances of getting a max contract at a decent team next summer.
Will Hedo drive the Raptors further than last season or will he, like Peja did, wither to a shadow of himself?
Overall I think the Raptors have improved but I still think they lack pressure players. Jack and Derozan will play well under pressure but Turkgolu, for me, is the next Stojakovic… In an Eastern conference which has only gotten stronger, I see them in the tussle for 8th spot with Indiana, Detroit, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Problem is, I see a lot more to like in those other rosters than I do in Toronto’s. My advice to Toronto is to trade CB4 mid-season, get in someone worth keeping or some awesome picks, and re-build because this season is only going to bring silver linings, not blue skies.
Chandler for Okafor Swap: I Love Lamp July 28, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: NBA, NBA Trades
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I think it’s worthwhile mentioning “Lamp” here because just like the statement “I Love Lamp” made no sense to the situation Ron Burgundy was in, this trade makes no sense to the situation Charlotte are in at present. I’m not normally a stats man but here are some interesting stats to break down as I think they assist in the former presumptions:
The Breakdown: Okafor (left) vs. Chandler (right)
So I bet you’re thinking “What was the point of that breakdown?” Well that IS my point, there is no point. Basically there are two minor angles to look at it from – Charlotte are saving 2 years of a contract they made which makes then more flexible financially long-term OR New Orleans are upgrading their Center position and saving a small amount of money in the short term. That’s pretty much it. And if you look a bit further you’d say that New Orleans are now more competitive in the West when it was looking like they’d get left in the dust, and Charlotte have taken 7 steps backward getting the the often injured Chandler who causes more offensive woes for a team that already had serious offensive woes (Alanis Morissette would call this ironic – but it’s not Alanis, it’s bad management!).
Now they have a defensive Centre, do Iverson and Brown reunite?
So this is where I throw in the “Lamp” comment: Allen Iverson. Allen Iverson has just officially found himself not one, but two situations where he’d not only be wanted, but he’d ACTUALLY be a fit. Allen Iverson would no longer be a piece of scrap, but a piece of the puzzle that could fit into a team again.
The Charlotte situation is bleedingly obvious; Charlotte need offense and thats what AI does best. This goes well with the acquisition of Chandler who is more defensively minded than Okafor (if only slightly) and could have fun picking up the garbage left over from AI’s high number of shots taken. AI would complement the shooters by slashing and driving and they’d finally see some open shots. He’d also work well with G-Wall who is a good slasher himself and could get AI some open shots. A nice tandem could happen there. Finally, Larry Brown would now have 2 of the former Philly players back in his team and would now quickly call Dikembe Mutombo, Aaron McKie and Eric Snow to come out of retirement as they reform the team.
For New Orleans they now have a solid C, a solid PF, a solid PG, a solid SF (talking about Posey NOT Stojakovic) and could now add a solid SG – something they’ve never come close to doing in the history of the franchise (David Wesley is a PG IMHO). The best they ever did for SG’s was when Janerro Pargo went crazy a couple of years ago but thats it. Since then they’ve only added journeymen at best, or players who’d peaked and were clearly on the decline (Mo Pete?). Adding in AI could work really well when you have a creator like Paul running the Show and two low post demons like Okafor and West. Lets also remember AI can shoot the 3 so having him and Posey on the wings is a dangerous situation. Is it worth the luxury tax? You bet if it puts you in contention again. And lets not forget – AI + CP3 = marketers dream. NOH stadium would be full again which would offset some of the teams financial worries.
Personally I feel AI is best suited to NOH and could really help that team. The Charlotte scenario would work as well, but success would be intermittent and I can’t see AI getting the “happy ending” he’d be after. I guess if there is a conclusion to draw from this, it’s that this should only be the start of moves for both these two teams and both should now be seriously considering acquiring AI.
Summer League Awards #1: Point Guard July 22, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: NBA, Summer League
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Ok so I thought I’d give out some awards – these are like Emmy’s in that they’re worthless, self-congratulatory and an excuse to say something while no one cares.
As far as point guards go everyone’s aware that this years NBA draft was “top heavy” in point guards. This stemmed from the Olympics where several point guards were on show from overseas (Rubio, Mills, Beaubois), putting in key performances for their National teams. Then we had the class back in the US.
And what a class it was. It’s fair enough to say that many of the pupils from this class will stand above the previous class of point guards in the years to come. As for this coming season, well it’s hard to tell who will ACTUALLY get minutes. One player who I think will get minutes straight away was my #1 point guard. This will be a controversial pick I’m sure, but I like pass-first point guards and this guy’s year spent in Europe was clearly spent well.
Pass First. Defense. Jennings has the makings of a superstar point guard in the NBA.
- Brandon Jennings (MIL): Jennings led the Summer League with 8.2 assists per game and threw in some monster games with double doubles. He took a pretty weak squad (only really him, Meeks and Alexander) to a record of 4-1. He also showed that he can direct his players very well and get them to respond. This is a hrad thing to do for rookies but Jennings had little problem. He also chimed in with 3.6 steals per game and 14.6 points per game. As I said before he should get serious minutes in Milwaukee, and I can realistically see him averaging 10, 7, 2 which is decent production for a rookie. What’s more he made other “pass-first” point guards like Ty Lawson look very “shoot first” and this is a product of his year overseas in a true team system.
- Tyreke Evans (SAC): Evans has every rite to feel he should have gotten the #1 spot on this list – but that’s ok, he’s going to spend a lot of this season proving people wrong. The first time I saw him play I wasn’t enthused. Then he exploded against Milwaukee for an almost triple-double. He then repeated that effort. He then went for a double-double. If Evans proved anything this Summer League it was that Sacramento was right to pick him over Rubio. He’ll start at the 1, and have defences genuinely worried about leaving him open and double-teaming Martin. I see a lot of Magic Johnson in Evans – the size, the post-up moves, and the all round game. It’s a big call, but being compared to Magic is complement enough.
Tyreke Evans is a headache for any defender at the 2 or 1 position.
- Johnny Flynn (MIN): Who’s the idiot now? Flynn was “the other” pass first guard at Vegas, with 7.4 assists, and boy did he control the team well. He was really only supported by Corey Brewer and Wayne Ellington so he did well to get his team to where he did. Like Jennings, Flynn had no trouble organizing his team mates, and controlled the tempo like a pro. He also shot near the .500 mark which shows his composure when selecting shots, and when to give them off to someone else. This makes Kahn’s move of picking Flynn seem like a master stroke, especially if Rubio doesn’t make it this year, over even at all?
- Ty Lawson (DEN): Lawson started woefully then finished with consistency. And while Denver fans can be excited that Billups passes the torch, Lawson will be able to take it and use it well, he still failed to show much true PG play. In fact, I saw more of a 2 guard when watching him, especially with his impressive rebounding stats for his height. That’s fine for now though, as he’ll learn under Billups and be a future starting PG in the league.
- Darren Collison (NOH): Didn’t UCLA have a depth of PG talent, first with Jrue Holiday and now with Collison!! Holiday played in Orlando and missed Vegas however; I still think Collison would have outshone him. Collsin was very impressive leading Brandan Wright and no one else. He did everything., he had too, and he handled it in his stride. Like Lawson he’s stuck behind one of the best PG’s in the NBA but he’ll get more minutes than Lawson, as Paul has indicated that 48 mins a game is a bit of an ask.
More positional rankings too come….
Seen enough and NO, this isn’t some premature thing… July 14, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in Uncategorized.add a comment
So if you read my last post you’ll know that any of the NBA Summer Leagues aren’t the worlds best measuring sticks for the “big show” in the NBA. But sometimes you just have to go “Yeah I’ve seen enough to know this is going to work.” Sometimes something stops you dead in your tracks and makes you say “If they don’t stuff this up, they’re onto something here.” Something that makes you go “Stuff free-agency, some seriously good drafting occurred here.”
I just watched some clips/live casts of Blake Griffins first game as an LA Clipper and let me tell you, you can’t win friends with salad. That’s code for, the kid doesn’t mess about. Add onto that, he worked VERY well with Eric Gordon passing out of the low block, and VERY VERY well with DeAndre Jordan who all of a sudden became super productive with only one guy on him and freedom to get within 2 feet of the rim.
This tells me that the LA Clippers have some serious building blocks here. Serious building blocks that fill key needs on “championship teams”. Of course they need a few seasons to grow and develop but at present they have a dominant low post player (Griffin), a sweet shooting 2 guard (Gordon), and a defensive minded centre who can finish near the rim (Jordan). Add to that, Al Thornton is an athletic small forward waiting in the wings who is capable of exploding offensively, but also averages 1.5+ blocks per game. So right there, the Clippers have 4 pieces of the puzzle. 4 pieces that promise to be very good in a few seasons.
What disturbs me however, and most other clinically sane people, is that the Clippers have also been linked to Allen Iverson according to recent reports. For those who believe a blog is a direct cut and paste from new sources here is a summary from ESPN’s report:
There's a reason Joe Dumars (background) looks uneasy whilst introducing Allen Iverson. Especially after trading away Chauncey Billups to get him.
This is a team that already has Baron Davis, Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman. Two of those 3 players (not Camby) do not do “sharing” all that well. Add Allen “practice” Iverson into the mix and all of a sudden your promising young core is stuck behind the most overpaid, unwanted starting 5 in the NBA. This is demonstrated by the Clippers recent dealing of Zack Randolph to Memphis for….. Quentin Richardson and tickets to Mama Mia. Whilst I would have done the deal just for the tickets, Richardson was required to balance the books. What this shows is that the Clippers “stars” are so worthless that the best offer they could get for a 20 ppg, 12 rpg starting PF was… Quentin Richardson. Baron Davis? Pffft – I’d rather have Johnny Flynn run my back court. Speaking of why don’t the Clippers offer to trade Davis to Minnesota for Flynn and any massive contracts that Minny have to make the deal work? Oh wait, I know why – because Davis is carcinogenic to any NBA organization.
As for Kaman and Camby – well trade Kaman for any young budding talent you can. Seriously, there are plenty of teams out there looking for budding centres and with Jordan playing behind Camby you’re better off trading Kaman while you can. Camby is going to bolt after this season once his contract runs out anyway BUT he is an excellent mentor for Jordan and a lot of Jordan’s rapid development can be attributed to Camby’s presence. An attempt to keep Camby could be resurrected if the ball-club showed real promise of turning it around long-term.
Sigh. The LA Clippers promise so much. I think it was folly of me to believe that this sanity of getting rid of Randolph and drafting Jordan/Gordon/Griffin/Thornton would become a trend in logic for the organization. Because if they do get Allen Iverson, they may as well forget the development of any of those other players whilst the “AI and Baron Circus” is in town. But if not, I’ve seen enough to know that the pieces that they do have there are the real deal.
A Mid-Summer Leagues Dream… July 8, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: NBA, NBA Draft, Summer League
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The NBA Summer League in Orlando, FL, is only 2 days old yet I find myself in a better position to note anything than I think I did during the entirety of last summer league(s). For those not familiar with my forum posts, I picked 4 “sure things” out of last years summer league play:
DeAndre Jordan may not have set Summer League on fire, but he was able to up his game once in the NBA
- Jerryd Bayless was the steal of the draft
- Russell Westbrook was over-hyped
- Mario Chalmers has a chip on his shoulder
- DeAndre Jordan was the best sleeper pick in the 2008 draft class
Ok so I really only got one of those correct (Jordan) because it was a bit of a no-brainer that Chalmers was running around with personal vendetta’s against any team that passed on him. As for the others – Westbrook turned out to be the steal of the draft, whilst Bayless showed he was one-dimensional at best and over-hyped. Go figure huh. I think if there’s any conclusions that should be drawn, it’s that Summer League can only indicate so much for the NBA season ahead.
This summer league is different though. I’ve watched a couple of the “stars” run around against dismal competition, with little/no defense, and heaps of plays run for and by one player (If I see a player put a finger in the air again and the defense NOT know what’s going on I’m going to cry… HE’S GOING TO GO SOLO YOU MORON!!!), but I’ve seen glimpes of “indicators” that certain players are ready for minutes in the big show. I’ll give a little breakdown now:
Hansbrough has looked good for Indiana so far
- Tyler Hansbrough: I have to admit, for no reason in particular, I disliked Hansbrough from the get go. Thankfully Larry Bird is much smarter than I am (I would have selected James Johnson or DeJuan Blair at 11) and saw the bargain that Hansbrough was. He’s not flashy, he’s not going to trash talk all 48 minutes, but he will give 100% effort ALL 48 minutes and follow a coaches orders to the letter. With the current stock of players firmly residing in “Generation Y” this type of attitude is golden. Furthermore, Hansbrough has consistently done well and his defense has gotten noticeably better from game 1 to game 2. When you resume is coachable, nice guy, 6’11, great work ethic, good jump shot for size, excellent free-throw shooter, solid rebounder, and high basketball IQ, you have a player ready to slot into the “big time.” Nice job Larry Bird.
- CDR: Chris Douglas-Roberts will get minutes this season and he’ll use them well. He’s bulked up, he’s stronger, he’s smarter for the time he spent watching VC and Harris the year beforehand, and he’s obviously honed his game as well. I also think his defense has picked up as he’s getting a couple of steals AND blocks. Sure its a lot easier to do that in Summer League, but it’s just nice to know that although he’s a gun scorer there are signs he’s working on the other side of play as well.
- DJ White: When this guy gets the ball down low you can’t really stop him other than foul him really hard!!!! Ok his stats aren’t alarming, but he’s been creating space for Westbrook and Harden to work with, setting great screens, and taking bodies flying with him everywhere. If the knees stay strong, White can be a starting PF if he keeps developing at the current rate. DJ White is my pick as the DeAndre Jordan of 2009 (if that makes any sense).
You probably noticed that I didn’t write about Ryan Anderson’s double-doubles, or James Harden/Russell Westbrook owning every back court they’ve faced thus far, or Mareese Speights almost going 30/20 on the undersized Boston outfit. Well all that is because those things didn’t really jump out at me. Speights was on average 5 inches taller than anyone. Harden and Westbrook are ready to start in the NBA, and Anderson plays in a similar manner to “dancing like no one is watching” except that when people are watching (regular season) he gets foot loose and goes to water. Anderson’s good, but I still have doubts how he’ll translate to the Orlando squad and how effective he’ll be with limited minutes.
But as I said earlier, this is VERY early in the off-season so I’m sure there’ll be more “Mid-Summer League Dreams” to come yet.
