Thursday, January 31, 2008

Agent: Spurs to ink Stoudamire

Agent: Spurs to ink Stoudamire
Damon Stoudamire informed the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday that he will be signing with them later this week, according to his agent.

Shaq's All-Star streak comes to an end
Someone told Shaquille O'Neal a few days ago that he wasn't selected for the All-Star Game, an erroneous statement at the time only because the coaches' votes still hadn't been counted. Those votes are now in. And O'Neal is indeed out. Ending his record-tying streak of 14 straight All-Star selections, the Miami Heat center was not on the list of Eastern Conference reserves released Thursday for the Feb. 17 game in New Orleans.

Magic's late run puts away Heat
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

LIVE: Celtics trying to beat Mavs


Rookie Watch: Clips' Thornton climbs into top 10
Scouts Inc.'s David Thorpe evaluates the progress of the rookie class and updates his top 50.

Korver has given Jazz a helping hand
Is the addition of Kyle Korver the reason for Utah's success, or is it the subtraction of Gordan Giricek? Maybe both, Mike Kahn says.

Celts host Mavs
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Paul, West earn first All-Star selections
Chris Paul and David West were picked for their first All-Star game Thursday night, giving the hometown Hornets a pair of players for the event New Orleans will host next month. Detroit, Phoenix and Washington also had multiple players chosen as reserves for the Feb. 17 game. Boston will only send two of its Big Three to the Big Easy. Paul Pierce was voted in by Eastern Conference head coaches to join starter Kevin Garnett, but Ray Allen fell short.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Mullin gambles, again

Mullin gambles, again
Chris Mullin's gamble in signing Chris Webber may not pan out for Golden State, but Mike Kahn says it'll be fun to watch.

Spurs either sandbagging or in big trouble
As proven in Monday's loss to the Jazz, the Spurs are totally off form. Charley Rosen examines what's wrong with the champs.

Bobcats knock off Clippers to win fourth on road

Bobcats knock off Clippers to win fourth on road
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Paul nearly triples up in big victory
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Webber says returning to Warriors a 'done deal'
Chris Webber has agreed to return to the Golden State Warriors.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.



Monday, January 28, 2008

Team Reports: Warriors want Webber

Team Reports: Warriors want Webber
Don Nelson isn't just considering Chris Webber ... he's practically begging for him. Sports XChange wonders if that's a good idea.

Power Rankings: What's the buzz? Hornets are No. 1
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Nellie wants Webber back on Warriors
Coach Don Nelson wants to bring free agent forward Chris Webber back to Golden State, nearly 14 years after a feud ended their first stint together. "I hope that it happens to be quite honest with you," Nelson said Sunday before the Warriors hosted the New York Knicks. "I think our team needs it." Webber was acquired by the Warriors in a draft day trade with Orlando in 1993 after becoming just the second sophomore ever to be the top pick in the NBA draft.

Harris out multiple weeks with bone bruise
Mavericks guard Devin Harris will miss at least 2-3 weeks with a bone bruise on his left ankle. Harris was injured when he landed awkwardly on a hard drive to the basket early in the fourth quarter of a 90-85 victory against Denver on Sunday. He didn't travel for Dallas' game Monday at Memphis. An MRI performed Monday showed no additional damage to the ankle. In his first year as the full-time starter at point guard, Harris is averaging career highs of 14.4 points and 5.3 assists per game.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.


Sunday, January 27, 2008

Nellie wants Webber back on Warriors

Nellie wants Webber back on Warriors
Coach Don Nelson wants to bring free agent forward Chris Webber back to Golden State, nearly 14 years after a feud ended their first stint together. "I hope that it happens to be quite honest with you," Nelson said Sunday before the Warriors hosted the New York Knicks. "I think our team needs it." Webber was acquired by the Warriors in a draft day trade with Orlando in 1993 after becoming just the second sophomore ever to be the top pick in the NBA draft.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam runs down the top 5 fantasy rookies at the midpoint of the season.

NBA TV Daily: Jan. 26
Watch highlights from the four NBA games on Saturday including Dwyane Wade and the Heat snapping a 15-game losing streak.

LIVE: Celtics, Magic tangle in big East battle

LIVE: Celtics, Magic tangle in big East battle


ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.



Saturday, January 26, 2008

Assist of the Night: Allen Iverson

Assist of the Night: Allen Iverson
Ho-hum. Check out A.I. flipping a dime to Kenyon Martin on the alley-oop like he's tossing him an empty wrapper from Carl Jr.'s.

Steal of the Night: Kevin Garnett
Only someone called the "Big Ticket" could turn a steal into a dramatic star turn. Check it out!

Rockets 89, Blazers 79 (F)
The Houston Rockets stopped the Portland Trail Blazers' home winning streak with an 89-79 win Friday night.

NBA TV Top 10: Jan. 25
Check out Friday's Top 10 plays, including a game-clinching steal by Kevin Garnett and a sweet jam from Kenyon Martin.

Luis Scola: The Northward Passage
Once considered the best hoopster not in the NBA, Luis Scola is now tearing through the league with the Rockets.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Jan. 25
NBA TV's Rick Kamla takes you through all the fantasy action from Friday night.

Hamilton Rips Magic for 32
Check out Richard Hamilton stroking his shot for 32 points Friday night in the Pistons' win over the Magic.

Sixers-Bobcats Halftime
Check out highlights from the first half action in Charlotte.

Movin' On Up: Alando Tucker
The rookie out of Wisconsin moved from the D-League to the Suns this week, and he's feeling the shine of an empathetic 'mate.

Block of the Night: Ronny Turiaf
Check this out: Bynum and Brown can't do it, so Ronny Turiaf steps up and shoots down Dirk Nowitzki on Friday.

Assist of the Night: Allen Iverson

Assist of the Night: Allen Iverson
Ho-hum. Check out A.I. flipping a dime to Kenyon Martin on the alley-oop like he's tossing him an empty wrapper from Carl Jr.'s.

Dunk of the Night: Josh Smith
Check out Josh Smith take the alley-oop assist in for the two-handed flush Friday against the Sonics.

Hamilton Rips Magic for 32
Check out Richard Hamilton stroking his shot for 32 points Friday night in the Pistons' win over the Magic.

Rockets 89, Blazers 79 (F)
The Houston Rockets stopped the Portland Trail Blazers' home winning streak with an 89-79 win Friday night.

NBA TV Top 10: Jan. 25
Check out Friday's Top 10 plays, including a game-clinching steal by Kevin Garnett and a sweet jam from Kenyon Martin.

Steal of the Night: Kevin Garnett
Only someone called the "Big Ticket" could turn a steal into a dramatic star turn. Check it out!

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.



Boozer's 33 power Jazz past defenseless Kings
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Williams scores career-best 33 to lead Hawks
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Howard's 'D' on Kobe keeps Lakers at bay
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Hornets ride 14 3-pointers to victory vs. Clippers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Sonics tie franchise mark, lose 13th straight


Okafor, Wallace power Bobcats past beat-up Bulls
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

KG's steal seals Celts' comeback vs. Wolves
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Blazers go cold in 2nd half to end home win streak
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Okafor, Wallace power Bobcats past beat-up Bulls

Okafor, Wallace power Bobcats past beat-up Bulls
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Blazers go cold in 2nd half to end home win streak
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Boozer's 33 power Jazz past defenseless Kings
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

ESPN.com has launched many new basketball widgets that offer scores, stats, and news

Visit the ESPN Widget Center.



Williams scores career-best 33 to lead Hawks
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Hornets ride 14 3-pointers to victory vs. Clippers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

KG's steal seals Celts' comeback vs. Wolves
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Howard's 'D' on Kobe keeps Lakers at bay
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Dunleavy, Sterling talk over Clips' issues on phone

Dunleavy, Sterling talk over Clips' issues on phone
After griping about each other through the media earlier this week, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy and owner Donald Sterling spoke on the telephone Wednesday and apparently patched things up.

Injured Shaq denies early retirement rumors
Shaquille O'Neal on Thursday denied speculation that he planned to walk away from the Heat after 2008.

Suns plan outdoor preseason game at Indian Wells
The Phoenix Suns are planning to play the NBA's first outdoor game during next year's preseason at the Indian Wells (Calif.) Tennis Garden.

Ellis, Davis come up big in Warriors' wild win
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Adande: Age nothing but a number for Blazers
The Blazers may actually be young, but you can't tell by how they play the game, writes J.A. Adande.

Spurs hand bumbling Heat 15th straight loss
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

YouTube of the Day: Steve Nash is looking for Robert Horry

YouTube of the Day: Steve Nash is looking for Robert Horry

We ran into this first clip a few days ago, hilarious in its brevity, poignancy, and absurdity (why was Steve Nash wandering around the set of the Tim and Eric Show in basketball shorts and hockey gear?).

Yesterday, after seeing the finished product, the first clip makes a little more sense. A little.

Related clips:

*Steve has milk.
*Steve has game.



The 10-man rotation, starring Vlade, who likes to party
A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: Ball in Europe. Summing up European basketball, in just one word. Is "fancypants" one word or two?
PF: Hardwood Paroxysm. Saying something nice about Vince Carter after saying some horrible things about Vince Carter first. Works for me.
SF: Los Angeles Times. Tex Winter's annual rant about the offense he created, and how these punk kids are screwing it up. Via Forum Blue and Gold.
SG: Memphis Commercial Appeal. Damon Stoudamire (or, more specifically, "Damon Stoudamire's agent") doesn't want to give money back to the Grizzlies, which is why he's still a Memphis Grizzliean.
PG: New York Sun. John Hollinger on the Nets who are exactly who he thought they were. Dig?
6th: Sactown Royalty. Tom Ziller on the Sacramento Kings' first half. Includes some pretty choice and poignant moments, including the preseason that saw Brad Miller assuming that braids were a good idea.
7th: The Atlantic. Matthew Yglesias on the Ben Wallace vs. Joakim Noah conundrum. Did I just write "conundrum?" It's not a conundrum. There is no confusion. Noah is better, already. Play him. Via Thank You Isiah.
8th: Knickblogger.net. The New York Knicks are -155 combined in first quarters this season, and -2 in fourth quarters. Wow. Give it up for Isiah: he knows to put his best players on the floor in the fourth. Give it up for Isiah: he's a horrible GM and coach who signs and trades for crummy players and gives them the starting job.�
9th: Beyond the Arc. The midseason report for my favorite team that is really, really terrible right now (your Memphis Grizzlies).
10th: Salt Lake Tribune. The Jazz at crossroads. My take? Stop standing in the middle of an intersection and start playing some bloody defense.



Announcer says what? Reggie Miller takes the mic
All cobbled from last night's Warrior win.�

On Lawrence Frank:

"The first player to go is usually the coach."

After Mike Fratello took issue with a long-winded Miller contention that is too ludicrous to repeat here, Miller replied with:

"We're not here for lollipop and kisses."

On Josh Boone's touch from the free throw line:

"What's funny, looking at his free throw stroke, [and] being a shooter myself, it looks really good.� His mechanics are good, his follow-through is good.� Now I'm just wondering if it's a matter of mechanics."

Or the follow-through, even.

Then there's this back and forth between Marv Albert and Reggie, after Albert brought up Kiki Vandeweghe's tutelage of Boone:�

Marv: "Kiki was a terrific FT shooter in his career."

Reg: "Yes, he was. Terrific scorer, shooter, everything."

Eh, let's just stick with "terrific scorer, shooter." Anything beyond that left a little to be desired.

Finally, after Monta Ellis made a driving layup:�

"Without the pity-pack and the dribbling, he's exactly like Dwyane Wade."

What the hell is a "pity-pack," and where can I get one?



Whaddayouthink: testing NBA players for marijuana use
We're not going to get into a debate regarding whether marijuana should either be legalized, or remain verboten. That's for another time, another space, and for the ears of another government who doesn't want to listen to the debate anyway. Maaaan.

What is worth discussing is the NBA's role in policing the lives of its employees, namely, subjecting its players to random tests for recreational drugs like marijuana, a narcotic that hardly offers any benefits for its users in terms of athletic performance.

David Harrison, a sometimes-motivated backup center for the Indiana Pacers (cruel to point out in light of this, but it is the truth) was suspended for testing positive for smoking marijuana two weeks ago. It was his third offense, which leads to an automatic five-game suspension. Upon returning to the team yesterday, Harrison had this to say to Indianapolis Star NBA scribe, Mark Montieth:

"I don't understand how they have a right to look into our lives on any level besides performance-enhancing drugs. It's not a rule made by government and it's not a rule made by God; it's made by an organization (the NBA). I guess they feel it will benefit that organization."

Well, as Tom Ziller pointed out yesterday, "it" (toking up) is a "rule made by government," whether you believe it unfair or not. What Harrison takes offense to is the NBA's testing for drugs that - for all intents and purposes - has little bearing on what actually happens in the basketball court.

And, to be fair, he's right: lesser of many evils here, but I'm sure NBA teams would much prefer their players to soothe aching joints while trying to come down after an NBA game at night with a spliff and a spirited bout of Madden '07; as opposed to chugging away at their local, or partaking in other powdery things.

But it's still illegal. And for a league that has no legal right to search into whether or not their players are engaging in huge gobs of illegal betting, pitting canines against each other, or bootlegging Doobie Brother CDs into China, it's the least they can do. And they'll do it: especially after the players union that Harrison is a part of collectively bargains drug testing into its labor agreement with the league.

Harrison's not done talking, though. Indy Cornrows came across a radio interview David participated in yesterday on 1070 AM. Here's a link to the mp3 of the back-and-forth.

Two things to take from it: David is very intelligent, quite lucid, and quite articulate; and not just by NBA standards. To pull this sort of conversation out of his noggin, early in the morning and in a Milwaukee hotel room ... very impressive. Take it from someone who has failed miserably to articulate much simpler topics over radio interviews, after the benefits of half a quart of iced tea.

Secondly, David's a little ticked. He's obviously gone over the subject in his head hundreds of times, whether he's creating strawmen to make himself feel better about partaking in what is still an illegal activity, to questioning the inherent hypocrisy in limiting certain forms of un-taxable recreations while pharmaceutical companies, breweries, distilleries, and tobacco companies rake in trillions.

But it's still illegal. And it isn't David's right to play NBA basketball and smoke weed occasionally.

By now you've accurately guessed that I don't think smoking the drug occasionally (or, let's face it, more often than that) is anywhere close to what I would term "a bad thing."

That said, there are dozens of pro basketball leagues both here and abroad that would allow David to ply his trade for a living while passing over the idea of testing for pot. And just because he disagrees with his current union on the drug testing format they bargained around and signed off on, it doesn't mean he's allowed to be the exception to the rule. Stinks, I submit, but it is how things work (or, "don't work") sometimes. �

So listen to the interview. Give Indy Cornrows' site a read, and go over Tom's take on the issue. And let us know how you feel.



Behind the boxscore: where Kidd doesn't want to play
Golden State 121, New Jersey 119

A strange, compelling game. Both teams seemed to save their best for when the other team was slumping, so this was a game of runs that ended with the Warriors dropping a 39-point fourth quarter after a 22-0 burst.

In the third quarter of the contest, Warriors coach Don Nelson decided to sic overmatched rookie Marco Belinelli on New Jersey's Josh Boone, who was shooting a miserable 34 percent from the line entering Thursday night. Belinelli fouled Boone four times in just over a minute's play, but Boone (7-15 from the line) didn't fall apart, and the Nets made a little mini-run during the Hack-a-Boone stratagem. ��

It makes sense to give this strategy a try, even if a poor free throw shooter improves his mark by hitting something like 6-14 from the line, that's still six points on seven possessions, and that's pretty lousy.

That said, it never worked against Shaq, it didn't work against Dennis Rodman, it didn't work a few years ago for the Clippers when they hacked Ben Wallace, and it didn't work tonight in spite of the Golden State win. I don't think Belinelli is long for the NBA, he's not a good enough shooter and it was a reach to select him with a first round pick, but what are you doing to a kid's confidence when his only notable role of the season is to act like Bubba Wells?�

Even worse, in spite of all the Boone misses, the strategy destroyed Golden State's transition game. Even long free throw misses do next-to nothing to aid easy transition buckets, and that's where the Warriors thrive.

I don't mind the strategy, it is Boone's fault for entering the game with a 34 percent mark from the line, and I don't blame Nellie. I just never like the results.�

Beyond that, we got the best (attacking the rim and using his length and touch to roll in tough hoops) and worst (passing on a dunk in a 2-on-1 break, not even looking at Jason Kidd during one back-door play that would have resulted in an easy alley-oop off a Kidd dime) of Vince Carter, Baron Davis (25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, five steals, just two turnovers) and Richard Jefferson (34 points, nine assists) were fantastic, and the game was a lot more entertaining that we anticipated.

*San Francisco Chronicle: "It was a great game," fourth-quarter hero Al Harrington said. "I was telling Baron in the back, I know TNT and ESPN are saying we got to get the Warriors on TV more. We've got to be the most entertaining team to watch."
*Nets Blast. "We don't know any other way to put this, so we'll just come right out with it: Kidd doesn't look like he wants to play."

San Antonio 90, Miami 89

What if you flipped a coin 15 times, and it came up tails every time? To me, the Miami Heat feel like a team that comes up on the wrong end of a coin flip every time out, to the tune of 15 straight losses.�

I'm not going to say that the Heat should be a .500 team, or that they should be winning half of the games in this losing streak. The team's point differential is in the negative double-figures in these losses, and even taking away blowout losses to the Hornets and Bulls, Miami is still getting beaten by an average of 8.2 points per game during the streak.

And yet, a bunch of these games could have gone either way in the fourth quarter, and usually (historically, even for the worst teams) this means an even split in the close ones.�

It's not happening for the Heat. Pat Riley looked all the part of a choked-up lion in winter last night, spitting into the wind with a roster that can't seem to put it all together for 48 minutes. The Spurs didn't play their best game, but they hung around and made the stops when it had to - the Heat only managed 17 fourth quarter points.

*Miami Sun-Sentinel. "Sign of the times: Dorell Wright and Haslem battle for a first-quarter defensive rebound and tip it into the basket. Spurs forward Fabricio Oberto was credit for the basket actually tipped in by Wright, for being the Spur closest to the play." Ouch. An own-goal in a one-point game.
*San Antonio Express-News. "I thought it showed a lot of character to come in here under the circumstances and play like we did," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I thought we might be out of gas, but we weren't."

Milwaukee 104, Indiana 92

I was blacked out of this one.

*Indianapolis Star. "O'Brien pointed to his bench as a possible reason for his team's inferior shooting. With Marquis Daniels, Troy Murphy, Shawne Williams and Andre Owens combining to hit just 4-of-21 shots, O'Brien felt obligated to go longer with his starters despite the fact they were playing the second game of a back-to-back set."
*Brew Hoop. "It's pretty rare that the Bucks rack up 30 assists in one night, but to complement it with only nine turnovers makes it extra impressive. Overall the Bucks showed great unselfishness in the first half, driving, kicking and consistently making the extra pass for great looks from the perimeter. They didn't always go in, but everyone was involved and the tone was set. In the second half we even saw a rare alley oop pass from from Mo Williams, with Bogut on the receiving end."
*Indy Cornrows. "I had to laugh toward the end of the broadcast tonight when Chris Denari and Clark Kellogg were trying to grasp for a positive spin to put on things, and Denari referred to the Pacers as "Slump Busters" based on the huge games they brought out of the struggling Bulls and Bucks. He was trying to make it sound like the Pacers were simply unlucky to run into these struggling teams on a night when they put it all together. I'd say luck was less a factor than friendly defensive pressure by the Pacers."



Assist of the Night: Stephen Jackson

Assist of the Night: Stephen Jackson
Check out this sweet dish from Stephen Jackson as he finds Monta Ellis for the easy two on Thursday.

Steal of the Night: Dwyane Wade
Take a look as Dwyane Wade rips the ball out of Tim Duncan's hands and proves that greater size does not necessarily mean greater strength.

NBA TV Top 10: Jan. 24
Check out Thursday's Top 10 plays, including a pair of fantastic reverse layups from Vince Carter and Dorell Wright.

Top 5 of Inside #5: What's Next for the Clippers?
TNT's Magic Johnson discusses what's next for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Top 5 of Inside #1: Vince Carter's Decline
Watch as TNT's Magic Johnson backs up his claim that Vince Carter is in his decline.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Jefferson Scores Career-High 39

Jefferson Scores Career-High 39
Al Jefferson scored a career-high 39 points to help Minnesota upset the West's best, Phoenix, 117-107.

Clippers 111, Kings 85 (F)
Chris Kaman added another benchmark to his breakout season with 21 rebounds and 20 points, and rookie Al Thornton scored 23 to help the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Sacramento Kings 111-85 Wednesday night.

Inside the Mind of Tim Duncan
Spurs forward Tim Duncan says basketball is his entire life.

Magic nail team-record 18 3s in blowout

Magic nail team-record 18 3s in blowout
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Dunleavy, Sterling discuss issues
After griping about each other through the media earlier this week, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy and owner Donald Sterling spoke on the telephone Wednesday and apparently patched things up.

Mayo's trip to NBA game may have violated rule
Southern California freshman standout O.J. Mayo might have violated an NCAA rule by accepting free tickets to Monday night's NBA game between Denver and the Los Angeles Lakers from Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony.

Spurs storm past Lakers with big third quarter

Spurs storm past Lakers with big third quarter


Steal of the Night: Brent Barry
Watch as Brent Barry steals the inbounds pass and hits a three to beat the third-quarter buzzer.

Wednesday's Best Wireless
Check out the best wireless sounds from the Lakers-Spurs.

NBA TV Top 10: Jan. 23
Check out the Top 10 plays from Wednesday, including an emphatic dunk from Nick Young over LeBron James.

NBA TV Fantasy: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam gives you his surprise fantasy All-Stars to this point in the season.

Haier Play of the Day: Manu Ginobili
Watch as Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker execute a pretty through-the-legs, then behind-the-back give-and-go.

Dunk of the Night: David West
Watch as David West throws it down with the left hand over Joel Przybilla.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Midterm exam: Questions facing every NBA team

Midterm exam: Questions facing every NBA team
When even Boston has questions at the midway point, you know Charley Rosen's queries for the rest of the NBA are going to be fun.

At full strength, Kings clobber slumping Nets


Cavaliers clobber Wizards for fifth straight win

Suns 'Nash' on Bucks

Suns 'Nash' on Bucks
Steve Nash scored a season-high 37 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, in the Suns' 114-105 win over the Bucks.

Healthy trio powers Kings to 34-point rout of Nets
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Assist of the Night: Steve Nash
Hocus pocus! Check out Steve Nash as he comes up with another variation on his long list of great assists.

At full strength, Kings clobber slumping Nets

At full strength, Kings clobber slumping Nets


Midterm exam: Questions facing every NBA team
When even Boston has questions at the midway point, you know Charley Rosen's queries for the rest of the NBA are going to be fun.

Healthy trio powers Kings to 34-point rout of Nets
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Nash drops season-high 37 in win
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Rookie Watch: Noah climbs back into Top 10
Scouts Inc.'s David Thorpe evaluates the progress of the rookie class and updates his top 50.

The Kings of 3-Point Land

The Kings of 3-Point Land
Check out the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday as they drained 15 treys en route to a 128-94 rout of the Nets.

Buyouts are for quitters, apparently
Sadly, Chris McCosky is best known amongst bloggers as the guy who thinks bloggers post from basements whilst wearing pajamas. As for that assumption, well, I'm not going to waste time trying to discredit something that doesn't even deserve our attention to begin with.

On Sunday, Chris decided to whine a bit about NBA teams that want to buy their players out of contracts.

McCosky's words are bolded. Mine aren't. Save for the bit when he gets into percentages. I'm assuming you'll be able to tell the difference. If you have an issue, email me.

AUBURN HILLS -- It would not surprise me one bit if commissioner David Stern takes on the issue of buyouts this summer, or maybe at the next round of collective bargaining discussions.

It is getting out of hand, if you ask me. You want to give owners a way to extricate themselves from bad contracts, but recently, it's becoming a tool for unhappy players.

The team doesn't want the player around. The player doesn't want to be on the team. The player gives up a bit of money, the team forks over cash to the player and the union between employer and employee is dissolved. Everyone's happy. Except Chris McCosky.

It should also be noted that about two or three players a year, out of around 450 NBA denizens, are bought-out of their contracts. OUT OF HAND!

More and more players seem to be maneuvering themselves toward buyouts as a way to get out of a losing situation and onto the winning team of their choice.

It's a real shame players are giving up guaranteed money to go to teams that have a better chance of winning a championship. That line of thinking is abhorrent, and these players should have to play for the horrible GMs that signed them for way too much money to begin with. I am being sarcastic because I am not good at coping.

Chris Webber isn't the only player to do it, but his is the most recent example and most local. He was miserable in Philadelphia. He managed to work out a deal, giving back just a wee little bit of the money he was owed to buy his freedom.

The Pistons got a starting center for about a million dollars, without giving up a thing.

Except for "about a million dollars."

The Grizzlies, who last year bought out Eddie Jones (now thriving in Dallas), are contemplating doing the same with Damon Stoudamire. The Clippers could end up doing it with Sam Cassell, though they are more likely to trade him. The Knicks, the masters of the buyout, have long thought about buying out Stephon Marbury.

The Grizzlies shouldn't have traded for Eddie Jones, knowing that he was scheduled to make about 15 million dollars in 2006-07. They shouldn't have given a four-year contract to a 32-year old Damon Stoudamire back in 2005.

The Clippers shouldn't have given a second year to Sam Cassell in 2006, and the Knicks never should have traded for Stephon Marbury four years ago. These are the team's mistakes, and the players are willing to give up less money to get off these mistake-laden teams. Where's the problem?

It's quite conceivable that the balance of power in either conference could be greatly impacted if a couple of these players become available for the veteran's minimum.

Ah, now we see the problem. None of these players are going to the Pistons. Detroit is right on the cusp of paying the luxury tax, doesn't want to add Chris Webber and pay the tax, and certain Detroit-area writers don't want to see Sam Cassell and/or Damon Stoudamire end up on the Celtics for the veteran's minimum. I grok (that's basement-speak for "understand.").

"What I could see Stern doing is putting a stipulation on players who are bought out for non-health reasons -- make that player sit out the remainder of the season he was bought out in. Put those players in the free-agent pool for the following season.

Or, he could put some restrictions on the buyouts themselves to dissuade players from taking them. For example, the Grizzlies' original buyout offer to Stoudamire was 20 percent of the $5 million-plus that he's owed. In other words, Stoudamire would have to give back 80 percent of his money."

(It's a quote, from Chris. Trust me.)�

Obviously, he is going to make a counteroffer. But the league could write something similar into its rules, putting a percentage on how much a team can pay a healthy player to leave. Twenty percent is too low, obviously. But say it were 60 percent. Would that dissuade some players from taking a buyout? They would have to truly hate their current situation to leave 40 percent of their money on the table.

Yeah, screw those guys. Let's put restrictions on how adults can bargain their way out of deals that aren't to their liking.

No doubt the player's association will howl about all of that. They don't want any more restrictions on player movement. And there probably are other ramifications that I am unaware of.

Such as "happiness." The "ability to give up some cash for an enlightening personal reward." And, of course, "the chance to play for a team challenging Detroit for the Eastern Conference crown."

But teams such as Boston, Cleveland or Phoenix -- teams that most likely will be lining up if Stoudamire shakes free -- shouldn't be able to just pull in a quality ringer like that at the prorated minimum without giving up a player or a draft pick or something.

So bad teams that make bad decisions should be rewarded for signing past-their-prime players to bad contracts, and if the teams decide they don't want the player around any more (and the feeling is mutual on the player's end) teams should be further rewarded with a huge chunk of the player's contract back, plus "a player or a draft pick."

Oh, sorry, "or something."

How does that jive with Stern's efforts to maintain competitive balance throughout the league? Not so well, I would think.

Pretty damn well, I think. Stern's system gives each team a chance to do what it wants to with the collectively bargained piece of the pie. It's not Stern's fault that bad decisions are being made in Memphis, or Los Angeles, and that the Pistons decided to bid against themselves to sign Flip Murray while pushing themselves too close to the luxury tax threshold.

Let's recap.

Team doesn't want player around.

Player doesn't want to be on team.

Player gives some money back to team. Team happy.

Team releases player. Team and player happy.

Player joins different team for less money. Player happy.

Chris McCosky? Unhappy. So, the system must change.

This is how it works, cats and kittens. Maybe if you took off your footies once in a while and climbed up those basement stairs, you'd understand.



Assist of the Night: Steve Nash
Hocus pocus! Check out Steve Nash as he comes up with another variation on his long list of great assists.

Dunk of the Night: Dahntay Jones
Check out the smooth reverse dunk Dahntay Jones releases on the Nets on Tuesday.

Haier Play of the Day: Dahntay Jones
The Kings may have rained 3s on the Nets on Tuesday, but Dahntay Jones' reverse dunk was our Play of the Day.

Suns 'Nash' on Bucks
Steve Nash scored a season-high 37 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, in the Suns' 114-105 win over the Bucks.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Kwames of the world, come home

Kwames of the world, come home

The other day, after noticing Lakers coach Phil Jackson's curious habit of referring to Kwame Brown only as "Kwame," I asked if any of my readers had actually met a guy named "Kwame," excluding any forward/centers that dispassionately suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers.

It turns out that nobody has. This didn't stop the readers from sending in several examples of various Kwame, spaced over the years.

The most popular choice was late-80's/early-90s rapper "Kwame," who apparently was tutored by Lionel Hampton, obsessed with polka dots, and dissed by Biggie Smalls. Interesting life. Here's one of his hits, intro'd by the inimitable Ralph McDaniels:

Then there's Kwame Harris, Jamaican-born offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers. He doesn't have any videos.

Kwame Kilpatrick is the mayor of Detroit, and at 31, the youngest mayor in that city's history. He also apparently likes to party with Nick Lachey, and enjoys being interviewed by annoying weasels with stupid hats:

Bringing some class to the list is former Ghana President Kwame Nkrumah, who was voted Africa's Man of the Millennium in 2000 by the BBC and its listeners.

Rounding out the list is Kwame Brown. Er, make that, Kwame R. Brown. He's a politician.

IN WASHINGTON D.C.

How nutty is that? This is a man who could have very well dined in the same Chinese restaurant that Kwame "I loves the cake" Brown dined at while his Wizards were in the Verizon Center and fighting the Chicago Bulls in the 2005 playoffs.

So there you have it. Plenty of Kwames, for everyone. And, as always, these are the Daves I know.



Nets and Pacers, going nowhere, talking to each other
This is what happens when people don't listen, and decide that sustaining a run of mediocrity is the best possible way to keep their jobs.

Indiana Pacers boss Larry Bird, after watching his Pacers fall apart in 2004-05 and flame out in 2005-06, should have rebuilt the team in the summer of 2006.

He had Peja Stojakovic's hefty contract coming off his books, he had some assets (Jamaal Tinsley, pre-shootouts, Jermaine O'Neal, then-overrated) that could fetch expiring contracts and young talent, and he had the goodwill of the Pacer fandom, who wouldn't possibly blame him for the melee in Auburn Hills back in 2004, or the string of injuries that resulted.

This time last season, New Jersey Nets Rod Thorn should have looked at his aging Nets, stuck at .500 with little room to grow, and blown the thing up.

Should have dumped Jason Kidd on a desperate team looking to make one last push. Should have sent Vince Carter for a team looking for perimeter scoring and/or an expiring contract. Should have, if no suitors emerged for VC, passed on signing Carter last summer, or explored sign-and-trade options.

Now look at where the Nets are: 18-22, in the midst of a tough Western Conference road swing, and out of the playoffs today in spite of a 67 million dollar payroll. Vince is about to turn 31, Kidd's about to turn 35, and nobody expects much of them.

Now look at where the Pacers are: 19-23 with a 66 million dollar payroll that grows even larger next season, with little room to improve short of blowing everything up, which won't be easy to do now that the bloom is off the Jamaal.

So what do the Nets and Pacers decide to do? Talk about sustaining that near-.500 turn for even longer, making it look like they're working on improving, and potentially sending Jermaine O'Neal to the Nets for Carter, Jamaal Magliore, and Marcus Williams.

I don't know who leaked the deal, or which team (or agent, even) would stand to gain from this move hitting the press, because it confirms our worst fears about both teams: they really don't get it.

The Pacers would add Carter, who plays the same (wing) position as their only trio of talented youngsters (Danny Granger, Shawne Williams, Mike Dunleavy Jr.)?

The Nets still think Jermaine O'Neal, career 46 percent shooter, is the team's low-post scoring option of the future? The guy has averaged 55 games a season over the last three, he's played 33 games this year (15 points, seven rebounds, 2.5 blocks) while talking about sitting the rest of the season out ... and he's the answer?

I know it's hard to sell dwindling crowds on the idea of a rebuilding process, but these GMs need to give their fans a little credit.

There's a reason nobody is coming out to see the Pacers, or Nets. And it has little to do with Jamaal Tinsley's glock or Jason Kidd's happy hands: these fans know mediocrity. They know these have little chance of making a championship run, and have no easy chance at rebuilding with youngsters. And they don't want to witness the unraveling of two teams winning 45 percent of their games.

But Bird and Thorn don't want to hear it. Not when there's a Jamaal Magliore to sign. Mags in '08, straight to the top!



Behind the boxscore, where violence is (sometimes) the answer

Here is a picture of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, wearing a three-button polo shirt with a tie strung through it, slapping his son:

Beyond that, here are the four late games that we didn't cover in yesterday's liveblog.

Los Angeles Lakers 116, Denver 99

The Nuggets took the night off defensively, again, forcing Charles Barkley to comment about how the Nugs can't play defense to save their lives, while leaving others to wonder just why it is that I call Denver a good defensive team.

Pretty simple, really: they're usually awesome on defense, sometimes the Nugs are crap, and things even out.

The team is currently 8th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, giving up about 105 points per 100 possessions in a game. We normalize offensive and defensive stats to 100 possessions to account for pace, because teams like the Nuggets shouldn't be punished with per-game defensive stats merely because they take (and make) a lot of jumpers with 19 seconds left on the shot clock.

The answer here lies in the games that a lot of fans don't see, the contests that aren't on national TV, and they explain why the Nugs are even 8th in the NBA; down from second in defensive efficiency earlier in the season. The Celtics lead the NBA in giving up 97.2 points per 100 possessions, but Boston is a pretty freaky exception, so compare Denver's D to the more down-to-earth Rockets; who are second in allowing 103.5 points per 100.

Look at these defensive gems from Denver:

*January 6th, giving up 97 per 100 against Philadelphia.
*January 3rd, 86.5 per 100 against San Antonio.
*November 4th, 94 per 100 against New Orleans.
*January 17th, 104 per 100 against Utah.
*December 2nd, 87.3 per 100 against Miami.
*December 30th, 101 per 100 against Golden State.
*November 20th, 88 per 100 against Chicago.
*November 9th, 92 per 100 against Washington.
*November 17th, 90 per 100 against New York.
*November 23rd, 84 points per 100 against Minnesota.
*December 20th, 97.4 points per 100 against Houston.
*October 31st, 94.5 points per 100 against Seattle.

That's a whole host of games that counter the times when they completely drop the ball, like when Denver allowed 118 points per 100 against the Lakers last night.

This is easily the most inconsistent defensive team in the NBA. It's not even close. They go from dominant, to downright sieve-like.

On the Laker end, it was a great night for this rascally batch of millionaires. Kobe Bryant was obviously having the time of his life last night, Derek Fisher was on (as usually happens when he puts arc on his shots), and the youngsters keep getting better and better.

One play, with five minutes left to go in the game, stood out for me. The Nuggets had put in Yakhouba Diawara to frustrate Kobe, get physical with him and chase Bryant off the post. And Kobe was a little unnerved with Diawara's D, complaining to the refs and staying away from the ball for a few possessions.

And yet, with five minutes to go, Bryant had Diawara caught, the Nugget defender was overplaying, and the stage was set for Kobe to swing both ways and stick a fadeaway jumper in his face.

Instead, Kobe picked up his dribble, and threw an entry pass into cutting Laker forward Ronny Turiaf. That's big. That's that "trust" word that Reggie Miller kept annoying you with last night. Turiaf missed, and Kobe didn't seem to care. The Lakers won't be sliding too much in Andrew Bynum's absence.

Cleveland 96, Miami 90

This was a surprisingly entertaining one, Miami's more or less toast at this point, but Dwyane Wade is playing some Dwyane Wade'ish basketball, and Heat center Mark Blount shocked NBA junkies by contributing eight points and six (!) rebounds in 20 minutes last night.

Wade was great, he was able to get to the rim whenever he wanted, and dropped 30 points in the second half alone. His Cavalier counterpart, LeBron James, wasn't as hot (11-26 shooting, five assists, five turnovers and only three rebounds), but he also missed a series of chippies in the lane that he usually finishes. Cleveland's rebounders did the trick in the fourth quarter, tipping in a batch of misses as the Cavs hung on.

We'll have more on Miami later today.

Orlando 102, Detroit 100

We only saw the fourth quarter of this, liveblogger's gotta eat, and Detroit hacked way too much in that final frame. Orlando hung in there by getting to the line in the quarter, overcoming 12 turnovers from its starters, before putting the Pistons away on a banked-in Rashard Lewis leaner at the buzzer.

Memphis 104, Chicago 90

I don't like taking credit away from the Grizzlies, they played a nice game, but Chicago wanted nothing to do with this one.

Flush with their defeat of the Pistons on Saturday, the Bulls matched insipid shot selection with a pathetic showing on defense (the Bulls are now 15th in defensive efficiency on the season, down from numero uno in 2006-07) to lose to a rebuilding team.



The Knicks are smarter than you, and they'd like you to leave
More nastiness from MSG, where some security goons (I'm sure they're nice guys initially, but they turn into "goons" when they decide to work for James Dolan) went all out during the Celtics/Knicks tilt on Monday in their approach to rid the Garden of anyone who dared heckle Jared Jeffries.

(Jared Jeffries, if you don't know, is the guy that Isiah Thomas gave his mid-level exception - five years, 30 million bucks -- to back in 2006. He's an average, if overrated, defender who averaged just nine points and seven rebounds in a pro-rated 36 minutes of action the year before coming to New York, while shooting 59 percent from the free throw line. His horrible stats this season are right in line with what he was doing in Washington before Isiah signed him. Not a great basketball player.)

Newsday's Ken Berger was among several sportswriters who were off the press table yesterday, waiting to interview several New York Giants players who deigned to watch the Knicks lose another one, when this went down:

"As we headed back toward the tunnel to continue watching the game, two other reporters and I noticed security guards arguing with a fan in a Yankees cap. The fan evidently was being ejected for unruly behavior and was quite vocal in proclaiming that all he said was, "Get Jeffries off the court."

A couple of ushers began escorting the man toward the exit, and we reporters followed, hoping to do what reporters do - interview a member of the public.

Several ushers began shouting at us to stop, telling us we weren't allowed back there. (Even though we were in an area where celebrity interviews are conducted all the time during Knicks games.) Ozzie Jones of Brooklyn - hardly a celebrity - was about 50 yards away but was able to shout his cell phone number to one of the writers despite the best efforts of the Garden gulag to shout over him."

Berger goes on to write what we all assume, that the security guards in question are just doing as instructed, and that it can't be easy to have to throw a code red-level security force at every guy from Brooklyn that doesn't like Isiah Thomas' rotation choices.

Meanwhile, James Dolan is a delusional, egomaniacal twit if he thinks that these heavy-handed tactics aren't going to leak out to the press, eventually.

Oh, wait. James Dolan is a delusional, egomaniacal twit. I forgot. My bad. �



The 10-man rotation, starring Yao Ming's rediscovered passing touch
A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: The X's and O's of Basketball. "The Year of the Yao" is on IFC right now, and I'm being reminded of just how nice a passer Yao Ming was before Jeff Van Gundy entered his life. Now, Ming's passing skills may have been overrated (Bill Simmons once called him "the next Bill Walton" to Amare Stoudemire's Moses Malone), but it is nice to see him passing a bit more (even if the assists don't follow) in 2007-08. The minds behind the X's and O's of Basketball have the breakdown, and it's worth your time. Hat-tip to Ben Couch at NBA.com.
PF: NBA.com. Sticking at the NBA's ever-growing official site, we present a sterling (if week-old) breakdown of just how the Portland Trail Blazers turned it all around.
SF: Hardwood Paroxysm. 20 players that need new homes, RFN.
SG: The Rake. Britt Robson returns with thoughts on the last three Timberwolves games, only two of which were losses! Henry Abbott already quoted my favorite passage, but it's worth another look: "During the telecast, Wolves color commentator Jim Petersen said that over the past six weeks [Ryan] Gomes has been Minnesota's second-best player. Okay, sure, but for the last month, since December 21, he's been the best player, period, on the team: Nearly as valuable as Al Jefferson in terms of offensive flow and synergy, and better on defense."
PG: Str8hoops: Dozens of nicknames for dozens of NBA players. Some of which, I'd never heard of before. It's because they were just created, for the sake of this list.
6th: LA Daily News. The Greatly Anticipated and Hopefully Impending Sam Cassell Trade Or Buyout seems more and more or less and less likely by the day, depending on who you ask. I'm still thinking buyout before trade, mainly because it will be hard to find a matching expiring contract to send Los Angeles' way.
7th: Newark Star-Ledger. Dave D'Alessandro is talking trades.
8th: Thank You Isiah. While one poster has had it with the Bulls, another has had it with the people covering the Bulls.
9th: From Deep. Michael Grange talks about Martin Luther King Jr. with Raptors coach Sam Mitchell.
10th: RealGM.com. The Official Draw Things On Ben Wallace Thread.



YouTube of the day: Kobe's bucket

Kobe Bryant enjoyed one of his most satisfying games of the season against the Nuggets on Monday night, and in describing his outlook on the Laker win to Cheryl Miller post-game, he used a curious phrase.

That's right. "Passion bucket."

Now, a quick Google search reveals that it was some odd phrase that UCLA college football coach Rick Neuheisel created while guesting on the Dan Patrick show, and where it goes from here is anyone's guess.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind the phrase dying a quick death, but that's mainly because my passion bucket isn't overflowing for passion buckets in general.�



YouTube of the day: and today's word is "fined"

I love this older Nike commercial, featuring David Robinson and Charles Barkley, and produced at a time when society as a whole tended to have a much better sense of humor about ... well, everything. After all, Wings was at its peak back then. �

I think any regular viewers of TNT's Inside the NBA would agree with Robinson's last statement. Burn.

Robinson's toy boats are the coolest. After all, he's "The Admiral," so he's got to spend his time sitting around a tin washtub playing with little aircraft carriers.



Dunk contest participants announced, we give it an "8"

The names have been announced, none of them were very surprising; and while we're stopping short of calling the list uninspiring, the best the NBA can say is that it didn't make any obvious mistakes.

Ladies and gentleman, your 2008 Slam Dunk Contest participants are,

Gerald Green,

Jamario Moon,

Dwight Howard,

and Rudy Gay.

There's no doubt that these guys can jump, they probably own the best one and two-foot hops in the game, but as it's been since the dunk contest's re-inception in February of 2000, we're worried about the creative element in play. That is to say, "all the good dunks have been used up, what are these kids going to bring?"

And, to be fair, the "creative element" hasn't really done much for dunk contest voters over the last few years. The most creative dunks of the last few years -- Amare Stoudemire's exploits with Steve Nash, Andre Iguodala's lob off the back of the backboard (the frontboard?), and Dwight Howard's sticker dunk from last year - have all come in losing efforts.

So put me down as someone who is willing to be surprised. I think Dwight Howard wants this thing, I think Jamario Moon may have been a little overrated, I think Gerald Green will mope when things don't go his way, and I think Rudy Gay is the best dunker in the game.

Now it's on you: who has the upper hand, going in? Who wins this thing?



Message board madness: Juwan Howard doesn't do pictures

Maybe this is too obscure, I know it's pretty lame, but it cracks me up.

Juwan Howard, journeyman power forward with the smooth turnaround jumper, doesn't want to smoothly turn around and let you take his picture.

(Somehow, I just made this even lamer.)

Anyway, head over to ClutchFans.net, a Houston Rockets site and message board, for this wonderful thread.

In it, you'll find some nice lighting, an undersized power forward, a happy man in a brown shirt with his hands in his pockets, the back of Erick Dampier's head, and a wide array of single malts.

Somewhere, and this is just a guess, Teddy Pendergrass was playing.

That's more of a hope than a guess; but girl, I hope that someday, we can all hope together.�

Dig.


Melo goes down, then Nuggets fall to Lakers

Melo goes down, then Nuggets fall to Lakers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Duncan helps Spurs break out of losing slump
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Shaq has MRI; Heat unsure of timetable for return
Shaquille O'Neal had diagnostic tests performed on his ailing left hip, and the Heat were bracing to have their center sidelined again for possibly an indefinite period.

Roundtable: Examining the first half of the season
Our NBA analysts answer five questions at the season's midway point.

Heat lose 14th straight
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Heat lose 14th straight

Heat lose 14th straight
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Duncan helps Spurs break out of losing slump
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Melo goes down, then Nuggets fall to Lakers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Pierce ejected, but Celtics rout Knicks anyway

Pierce ejected, but Celtics rout Knicks anyway


Wizards earn first sweep of Mavs since 1997


Duncan helps Spurs end losing skid at two


Howard, Green, Gay, Moon in dunk contest
Dwight Howard has another chance to impress the slam dunk contest voters - which this year includes fans watching at home. The Orlando Magic center was one of four players chosen Monday to compete in the dunk contest at All-Star weekend, which debuts a new format in the final round. Defending champion Gerald Green, Toronto's Jamario Moon and Rudy Gay of Memphis round out the field for the event, which will be held Feb. 16 during All-Star Saturday night in New Orleans.

It's time to tear down the Nets
While everyone was focused on the train wreck known as the Knicks, the Nets got mediocre. Peter Vecsey says it's time for a change.