Monday, March 31, 2008

O'Neal says he will play Monday night

O'Neal says he will play Monday night
Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal says he will return to the court Monday night after sitting out more than two months with a bone bruise on his left knee. O'Neal is among the league's best interior defenders, and the Pacers could use him for the stretch run. They enter Monday's game against the Miami Heat three games behind Atlanta for the eighth and final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference with nine games left.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 2: Pistons' Zoo Crew vs. 'NBA super fan' Drew

Second round action of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. Today we'll unveil the first eight match-ups of the second round. Voting will remain open until late Tuesday night.

Up next in the Kobe Region ... not Kobe. Instead it's No. 8 seed Pistons' Zoo Crew vs. No. 16 seed 'NBA super fan' Drew. In the first round, the Zoo Crew made easy work of Agent Zero's blog, while Drew Cieszynski did the impossible, knocking off No. 1 seed Kobe Bryant. Yes, folks, we have our Cinderella! A second look at the nominees:

No. 8 Pistons' Zoo Crew: The stereotype of the Pistons as aging and slow couldn't be farther from the truth. Jason Maxiell (25-years-old) eats babies; Amir Johnson (20) makes t-shirts; and Jarvis Hayes (26), Rodney Stuckey (21) and Arron Afflalo (22) regularly change the game on both ends of the floor. The Zoo Crew is the future ... and the future is eyeing the Sweet Sixteen.

No. 16 NBA super fan: Drew Cieszynski, a regular dude from Milwaukee, is trying to visit all 30 NBA arenas while blogging about it. He's getting close. For more on Drew's incredible journey, check out his BDL interview.

So, who makes it through to the Sweet Sixteen? Zoo or Drew? Vote away.



Click here (and scroll down) to see and vote on all of the BDL Bedlam second round match-ups.

Young Blazers are learning on the job
They are young and erratic. The Blazers also have lots of talent. Mike Kahn says their up-and-down week belies a bright future.

Behind the boxscore, where Kobe is doing what he's s'posed to
Los Angeles Lakers 126, Washington 120 (OT)

We'll have more on the Lakers later this week, but let's get this out now: don't listen to them.

Don't listen to anyone who tells you that Kobe Bryant is shooting too much. Don't believe them when they tell you that this is the reason the Lakers are either losing, or struggling to win (at home) against a team like Washington.

Kobe Bryant is working on a team that cannot guard the perimeter even with a broomstick and Ming the Merciless' ring, and is missing its second and third-best players. If Tim Duncan put up a ton of shots in a game without Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, nobody would think twice. Don't think twice about Kobe's play without Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. It's alright.

It's pretty remarkable that these two teams put up 246 points in 53 minutes, and combined to turn it over only 15 times. Bryant managed 13 assists and just one cough-up, while Wizard Caron Butler notched a triple-double (17 points, 12 boards, 12 assists) and turned it over just three times.�

San Antonio 109, Houston 88

This one sounds about right. Years after his prime, Michael Finley is going to be the sort of turning point that San Antonio's season falls short on the basis of or rides on about, and the same could be said for Bruce Bowen and Ime Udoka. Tim, Manu, and Tony are going to show up, and you know that Michael, Bruce, and Ime are going to show up - but will they provide enough spacing? On Sunday, they did. Hence the win.

After Sunday? Who knows.

Tracy McGrady needed 22 shots to score 13 points. Yikes. Makin' his cousin proud.

Minnesota 110, Utah 103

Do the Jazz have some sort of block? Can they not win on the road? Is this worth paying attention to?

Stop it. It matters not where they play. What does count is the team's defense, which stunk for the first half of this season, got better, and stunk on Sunday. There's nothing in that that cannot be learned from, because a lot of things stunk on Sunday. Father O'Callaghan? I'm looking at you. Let's get it together.

Ryan Gomes (17 points in 34 minutes, four turnovers, four rebounds) is just a little ball of energy.

Atlanta 114, New York 109

If Marvin Williams (27 and 11) could play the Knicks once a week, he'd end up in the Hall of Fame. I'm not saying what Hall of Fame, but he'd end up in it. At the very least, should Isiah stick around, and when the team clears some cap space in 2019, Thomas will probably end up giving him $18 million a year.

Anyway, the Knicks aren't good at defense. That's what we're getting at.

New Orleans 118, Toronto 111

Here's the disconnect: a Western powerhouse waltzes into the office of an Eastern powerhouse, and is up by 22 points entering the third quarter. Nobody bats an eye. It just makes sense. The Hornets are brilliant. The offense has been getting better, all year, game by game. The defense has been strong from the beginning.

The "rhymes with stick" update? Sure. Let's do it. Starter T.J. Ford: 10 points on 10 shots, six assists, four turnovers, -18 overall. Jose Calderon? 10 points on eight shots, 11 assists, one turnover, +14 overall. Thanks for ruining the Raptors, Teej.

Cleveland 91, Philadelphia 88

We know that Cleveland coach Mike Brown hates offense, and appears to enjoy ruining the youth of the NBA's biggest and most prominent talent, but he's been recently afforded a favor that (we're guessing) Brown was unaware of:

Ben Wallace went back on the shelf with some back spasm-y issues. Yay. Cleveland only had to play 4-on-5 offense (with Andy Varejao) as opposed to the 3-on-5 we saw on Saturday night against Detroit.

Those Sixers, they try! Reggie Evans is in shape and Dre Miller has the right attitude and Andre Iguodala can jump real high. Nearly enough to beat Cleveland, I reckon. Nearly.

Boston 88, Miami 62

I understand that no Boston starter played more than 25 minutes, but couldn't the C's win by more than 26? It's the Heat, after all.

Is Boston slipping?

Sacramento 120, Seattle 107

This is important. This is why certain players win games. This is the difference between Dirk Nowitzki, and Ricky Davis. Ready?

Kevin Martin had 31 points on 19 shots, very good, and only turned the ball over once in almost 41 minutes of play. One time. That sort of stat is overlooked so much by your usual NBA scribes, and it's a bit scary. And it's not (completely) about the opposing defense. Just because Seattle can't guard anyone, it doesn't mean Martin can't throw the ball away or throw in a few charges.

Seattle rookie Kevin Durant had just two rebounds in 38 minutes, which is a little depressing, but he also scored 25 points on 18 shots and turned the ball over just one time. Still, I don't want to live in a world where it's OK for Kevin Durant to only pull in one double-double a year. Carmelo Anthony is not a role model. Sure, he got LaLa, and those things are nice, but ...

Well, I'm not sure what my point is, here. Just rebound a little more, please.

Golden State 114, Dallas 104

I love Golden State boxscores.

Usually, with most teams, when a bench player logs over 44 minutes, you can tell exactly who he'll take the minutes from. One of the starters will only play 11 minutes.

On Sunday, Kelenna Azubuike played 44:29, but no Warrior starter played less than 26 minutes. In fact, three of them played over 37 minutes. That means Azubuike took a turn at center, forward, and guard. Don Nelson is awesome. He's a nutter, and he thought that Chris Webber would help, but he's also awesome.

Dallas tried, which is a credit to Avery Johnson. Still, you're replacing Dirk Nowitzki with a guy (Malik Allen) who gave you four rebounds in almost 37 minutes. Nobody's going to win with that.

Monta Ellis makes me shudder. Such touch.


Friday, March 28, 2008

NBA TV: Weighing in on Hornets

NBA TV: Weighing in on Hornets
NBA TV's Rick Kamla and Peter Vecsey analyze the Hornets and why they are currently the No. 1 team in the Western Conference.

Melo, A.I. lead Denver past Dirk-less Mavericks


Nene returns from cancer surgery, plays vs. Mavs
Nuggets forward Nene is planning to returning to action Thursday, more than two months after having surgery for testicular cancer.

Mavs facing a short road out of playoffs
They can't beat winning teams. They can't win on the road. Mike Kahn says these last two weeks look bad for Jason Kidd's Mavs.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Behind the boxscore, where Drew Gooden happens, slowly

Behind the boxscore, where Drew Gooden happens, slowly
Chicago 103, Atlanta 94

The most intriguing game of a rather uninspiring Tuesday night lot, and it still wasn't enough to convince me (the pie-eyed red and black optimist) that Chicago has an outside chance at the playoffs.

Chicago did play well, and though his shots weren't falling in the fourth quarter, Kirk Hinrich finally grabbed his team by the blankety-blanks when it counted the most. That's a significant improvement for a player who has moped the year away and likely cost Chicago a playoff berth more than any other rotation player.

Newish Bull Drew Gooden had a 20 and 10 game by halftime, finishing with 31 and 16 (Al Horford worked hard against the Chicago veteran, but Gooden was on and the Hawk rookie didn't have a chance). He was brilliant, and active, and had the sort of game that sort of unfolds slowly before you. I'm not sloughing off his energy level, which was through the roof, but everything came very slowly and easily for Gooden on Tuesday.

Luol Deng was all over the place in the second half, Joakim Noah was a fixture both in the paint and on the perimeter watching Josh Smith, and Ben Gordon was solid off the bench with 16 points on eight shots.

The Bulls are two games behind the eighth place Hawks, but ... eh, I'm not feeling it.

San Antonio 107, Orlando 97

Orlando plays this sort of game against any other squad outside of the Lakers, and they win by 15 - even with Jameer Nelson (bruised jaw) and Hedo Turkoglu (sprained wrist) leaving the game for good in the first half.

The Magic worked its tail off, but San Antonio's ball movement was too good, Manu Ginobili was too potent offensively (he had the Magic scrambling all night), Tim Duncan was a game-changer defensively, and Michael Finley (24 points, most from the perimeter) had a game he's not likely to duplicate.

New Orleans 114, Indiana 106

Just as it was down in Orlando, the Indiana Pacers deserve credit for staying with an obviously superior Western team until the final buzzer, incessantly trying to make more than a close game of things.

The issue is, the Hornets are too good. Chris Paul (31 points and 14 assists with one turnover, geesh) and David West (35 and 16 rebounds) had an answer for every Pacer run, and Indiana couldn't make up for the fact that the Hornets (who don't usually get to the line much) nailed 30-39 free throws.

Utah 128, Charlotte 106

Call me a party pooper, but I do not like the fact that Utah - given new life with a Dirk Nowitzki ankle injury that could keep him out for the rest of the year (I don't care what Marc Stein says, this is a high ankle sprain, not a normal sprain) - allowed a crummy Bobcats team to make half its shots and score 106 points in spite of 19 turnovers on Tuesday night.

Offensively, the Jazz were brilliant: 53.6 percent shooting, 31 assists on 45 field goals, free balloons for the kids. It's that other end that continues to bug me. Also, in my day, those damned kids had to work for their damn balloons.

Portland 102, Washington 82

The Wizards, playing a million miles from home, getting out-rebounded by 19, and taking in a combined 9-33 shooting night from Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, were lucky not to lose by 47 in this one.

Martell Webster - 23 points on 14 shots - had the sort of game he's going to have for twice a month for the rest of his career.



Dirk Nowitzki with the play-by-play call

For years, I've told anyone who would listen -- mom, grandpa, the guy at the concierge desk -- that Dirk Nowitzki is, by far, the funniest player in the NBA. (Sorry, Shaq.) The video of Dirk squashing a bug at the '06 Finals is still comedy gold, as is the footage of him dancing to the Stones. You can just tell he's a naturally funny dude. The latest proof: Nowitzki, mic'd up with a faulty ear-piece, on the FSN play-by-play call:

Yes, he yelled "short bus" after Corey Maggette's missed jumper. Yes he did.

(via Odenized)



BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: the Eddy Curry line vs. Zach Randolph, PG

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Up next in West Region: No. 7 seed the Eddy Curry line vs. No. 10 seed Zach Randolph, point guard. Is it possible to win a poll with negative votes? Let's find out! A closer look at the nominees:

No. 7 Eddy Curry line: Yahoo! Sports' own Matt Buser established the 'Eddy Curry line' a few years back to shine a big fat spotlight on how truly anemic Curry's overall fantasy line is. The standard: a player must average more turnovers than assists, steals, and blocks combined and have appeared in at least half of his team's games and averaged 25 minutes of burn. Two of this year's leaders: Zach Randolph (ha!) and -- surprise, surprise -- Eddy Curry.

No. 10 Zach Randolph, point guard: Worst. Basketball possession. Ever.

So, who/what makes it through to the second round? Yes, you have to pick one of them. Vote or eat.



Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting is open till Sunday.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Hubie Brown vs. Craig Sager

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Our final battle in the difficult West Region: No. 2 seed Hubie Brown vs. No. 15 seed Craig Sager. Gimme me a mic check and take a closer look at the nominees:

No. 2 Hubie Brown: This is too easy, but ... You're Hubie Brown. You look scary in HD, but you're trying to win the Ball Don't Lie Bedlam tournament. You did some great coaching in the league, not to mention winning two Coach of the Year awards over 25 years apart. Now you've got the chance, thanks to your excellent work in the broadcast booth, to win this entire tournament. You know you're going to crush Sager because you've got nothing but upside.

No. 15 Craig Sager: In case you don't know, Sager works as a sideline reporter during TNT's Thursday night action. He wears hideous suits -- it's his shtick, you see! -- and is 6'4". (Seriously.) He also lays claim to fame for re-naming Yager-bomb shooters Sager-bombs.

So, who/what makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote or die.



Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.

Roy goes down but Blazers have enough vs. Wiz
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Adande: Webber's career full of promise and pain
How will Chris Webber be remembered? For his failures more than anything else, J.A. Adande writes.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Chris Bosh on YouTube vs. Ron Artest

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Our next West Region match-up: No. 6 seed used-car salesman Chris Bosh vs. No. 11 seed Ron Artest. Tip some cows, swallow your crazy pills and take a closer look at the nominees:

No. 6 Chris Bosh on YouTube: Chris Bosh has range. From a Texas used-car dealer trying to win your All-Star votes to Blane Harrington, an Oxford-educated scholar, "lonelyBosh15" has truly taken the YouTubes by storm this season. Remember, a vote for Bosh is a vote for Bubba.

No. 11 Ron Artest: OK, so maybe Ron-Ron's not as crazy as he used to be. (Or maybe we all just got crazier? Hmm. Think about it.) But at least he's still good for a quote or ten. Artest, via the Sac Bee, immediately after the trade deadline: "[The Kings] were trying to bargain shop," he said. "They were trying to get government cheese, and I'm Kraft." Brilliant.

So, who makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote or die.



Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.

The 10-man rotation, starring the All-Ugly-Shot team

The 10-man rotation, starring the All-Ugly-Shot team

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: T. Jose Caldeford. Marcus Camby, Shawn Marion, Kevin Martin ... that's a pretty good All-Ugly-Shot team.
PF: YAYsports. Breaking news: LeBron James retires to become a lawyer.
SF: McSweeney's. Underwhelmingly titled hypothetical pro-sports video games from the early 1990s.
SG: SLAMonline. Memories of Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III. (The Jones reminisce too.)
PG: Garbage Time All-Stars. The Knicks, in comic form, always makes me giggle.
6th: Free Darko. Video of Chris Paul on the piano with some old cat from the Preservation Hall Band.
7th: Arizona Republic. Shaq is all set to become a volunteer with the Tempe Police Department.
8th: The Big Lead. Magic Johnson has never looked better.
9th: Epic Carnival. Kobe Bryant is more important than he is valuable.
10th: TalkHoops. Zach Harper: "If you don't shed a tear thinking about the love and joy that will pour out of Kevin Garnett's heart when he finally wins an NBA championship and hope that someday he gets that wish granted by the basketball gods, then maybe you don't deserve to celebrate this game."

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Mark Cuban vs. Phil Jackson's throne

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Our next West Region match-up: No. 3 seed Mark Cuban vs. No. 14 seed Phil Jackson's throne. A closer look at the nominees:

No. 3 Mark Cuban: I do worry about how I'll get Cuban his BDL Bedlam trophy if he wins this thing, but we'll just cross that bridge when we get there.

No. 14 Phil Jackson's throne: Ever wondered about that throne-like chair Phil Jackson sits on during games? Well, it's a LaunchPad -- the world's first pneumatic, height adjustable, folding chair. Jackson claims it's ergonomic design helps with his long legs, but he really just likes to tower over his players on the bench. It makes him feel like Gandalf. ("I am not a conjurer of cheap tricks, Sasha Vujacic!")

So, who/what makes it through to the second round? What do you love more? Vote now.



Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups. Voting remains open until Sunday.

BDL Bedlam, Rd. 1: Heat dance team vs. Kings' dance team

Day three of our completely pointless, albeit oddly entertaining, BDL Bedlam Tournament. Thanks to your help, we've compiled a list of 64 things that you may or may not love about the NBA and seeded them into four regions. We're unveiling all 32 first round match-ups over the course of this week, and voting will remain open until Sunday.

Let's get this hump day started off right. Up next in the West Region: No. 8 seed Miami Heat dancers vs. No. 9 seed naughty Sacramento Kings' dancers. Something tells me this could be a popular poll. A closer look at the sexy nominees:

No. 8 Miami Heat dancers: It's not like you're reading any of these words, but I'm told that the Miami Heat dancers are currently defending their back-to-back championship (garter) belts in this year's NBA.com Dance Team Bracket. Back-to-back titles? Wow. They must be really good dancers!

No. 9 Sacramento Kings' dancers: Can you imagine the type of party the Kings' dance team will throw if they win this BDL Bedlam tournament? Because I can, and it's amazing.

So, what lovely ladies make it through to the second round? Who do you -- ahem -- love more? Vote away.



Click here (and scroll down) to vote on all of the BDL Bedlam first round match-ups.

Behind the boxscore, where Drew Gooden happens, slowly
Chicago 103, Atlanta 94

The most intriguing game of a rather uninspiring Tuesday night lot, and it still wasn't enough to convince me (the pie-eyed red and black optimist) that Chicago has an outside chance at the playoffs.

Chicago did play well, and though his shots weren't falling in the fourth quarter, Kirk Hinrich finally grabbed his team by the blankety-blanks when it counted the most. That's a significant improvement for a player who has moped the year away and likely cost Chicago a playoff berth more than any other rotation player.

Newish Bull Drew Gooden had a 20 and 10 game by halftime, finishing with 31 and 16 (Al Horford worked hard against the Chicago veteran, but Gooden was on and the Hawk rookie didn't have a chance). He was brilliant, and active, and had the sort of game that sort of unfolds slowly before you. I'm not sloughing off his energy level, which was through the roof, but everything came very slowly and easily for Gooden on Tuesday.

Luol Deng was all over the place in the second half, Joakim Noah was a fixture both in the paint and on the perimeter watching Josh Smith, and Ben Gordon was solid off the bench with 16 points on eight shots.

The Bulls are two games behind the eighth place Hawks, but ... eh, I'm not feeling it.

San Antonio 107, Orlando 97

Orlando plays this sort of game against any other squad outside of the Lakers, and they win by 15 - even with Jameer Nelson (bruised jaw) and Hedo Turkoglu (sprained wrist) leaving the game for good in the first half.

The Magic worked its tail off, but San Antonio's ball movement was too good, Manu Ginobili was too potent offensively (he had the Magic scrambling all night), Tim Duncan was a game-changer defensively, and Michael Finley (24 points, most from the perimeter) had a game he's not likely to duplicate.

New Orleans 114, Indiana 106

Just as it was down in Orlando, the Indiana Pacers deserve credit for staying with an obviously superior Western team until the final buzzer, incessantly trying to make more than a close game of things.

The issue is, the Hornets are too good. Chris Paul (31 points and 14 assists with one turnover, geesh) and David West (35 and 16 rebounds) had an answer for every Pacer run, and Indiana couldn't make up for the fact that the Hornets (who don't usually get to the line much) nailed 30-39 free throws.

Utah 128, Charlotte 106

Call me a party pooper, but I do not like the fact that Utah - given new life with a Dirk Nowitzki ankle injury that could keep him out for the rest of the year (I don't care what Marc Stein says, this is a high ankle sprain, not a normal sprain) - allowed a crummy Bobcats team to make half its shots and score 106 points in spite of 19 turnovers on Tuesday night.

Offensively, the Jazz were brilliant: 53.6 percent shooting, 31 assists on 45 field goals, free balloons for the kids. It's that other end that continues to bug me. Also, in my day, those damned kids had to work for their damn balloons.

Portland 102, Washington 82

The Wizards, playing a million miles from home, getting out-rebounded by 19, and taking in a combined 9-33 shooting night from Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, were lucky not to lose by 47 in this one.

Martell Webster - 23 points on 14 shots - had the sort of game he's going to have for twice a month for the rest of his career.


Tuesday, March 25, 2008

NBA Power Rankings

NBA Power Rankings
If you don't like John Galinsky's power rankings, don't worry. They'll change. For now, the Hornets are on top of a league in flux.

Walsh leaving Pacers; team denies Knicks report
Donnie Walsh answered one question: Yes, he's leaving the Indiana Pacers at the end of the season. Next question: Are the New York Knicks in his future? Walsh, the Pacers' CEO and president since 1988, said Monday he would step aside after this season, his 24th year, giving operation of the troubled franchise a single voice under Hall of Famer Larry Bird. Even before the announcement, however, there were media reports that he already has been talking with the Knicks. Late Monday night, ESPN.

Report: Sonics would leave name in Seattle
You can take the Sonics out of Seattle, but if you do, they won't be the Sonics anymore.

Walsh would be right at home in NY
It's clear to Mike Kahn that a New York homecoming is perfect for Donnie Walsh. Larry Bird's future, however, isn't nearly as clear.

Oklahoma Council approves potential lease for Sonics
Oklahoma City officials will try to convince NBA commissioner David Stern and representatives of four teams that the city is ready to permanently host a franchise. On Tuesday, City Council members unanimously approved a preliminary lease agreement with the Seattle SuperSonics, contingent on the team's proposed relocation.

Rockets 108, Kings 100 (F)

Rockets 108, Kings 100 (F)
Rafer Alston scored 28 points as the Rockets beat the Kings 108-100, giving coach Rick Adelman his 800th career victory.

76ers 95, Celtics 90 (F)
Andre Iguodala scored 28 points as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 95-90.

Nets 106, Knicks 91 (F)
The Nets moved within one game of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 106-91 victory over the Knicks on Monday night.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Warriors 115, Lakers 111 (F)

Warriors 115, Lakers 111 (F)
Stephen Jackson made two treys in final 40 seconds to send the Warriors to a 115-111 victory over the Lakers on Sunday.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam gives you tips on some players who can help you in the short term.

Steal of the Night: Kenyon Martin
K-Mart closed the store on Chris Bosh on Sunday, swiping this ball and limiting the Raps star to zero points in the fourth quarter.

Behind the boxscore, where flat feet happen

Behind the boxscore, where flat feet happen
Golden State 115, Los Angeles Lakers 111

We've gone over this before: one of Stephen Jackson's most redeeming qualities is the fact that the Warrior wing is a flat-footed jump shooter.

So this means that, as tired as his legs might be toward the end of a game, his shot is going to be as accurate in a contest's final minutes as it was in the first quarter, because he doesn't rely on a spring in his step in his pull-up.

Of course, Jack (37 percent on the year) isn't really providing Jason Kapono-like accuracy, but he is good enough, and he is streaky enough to make things happen.

Against the Lakers on Sunday night, Jackson made things happen with 6-11 shooting from long range, keeping Los Angeles at bay while the other Warriors struggled to put points on the board. Relatively speaking.

Kobe Bryant was brilliant with 36 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists; and the Lakers did well to dominate Golden State on the glass (60-43), but sometimes these games are just going to happen.

San Antonio 88, Dallas 81

The Mavericks got a pretty good look at a not-so-pretty future when Dirk Nowitzki went down with a left leg injury during the third quarter of this one. The Spurs, who were at one time down 12 points in that quarter, rallied to pull out the seven-point win despite making just a third of its shots from the floor.

To paraphrase Nowitzki, well, obviously the bigger issue is the 2007 MVP's leg. Dallas owner Mark Cuban surreptitiously flashed a signal indicating "two weeks" following the game, but this was done pre-MRI, and it's hard to see this injury as just an ankle sprain. Then again, high ankle sprains aren't usually as - for lack of a better word - twisty as this one, so we might come out OK on this.

That said, this is the Western Conference and it is the spring of 2008, so the Mavs might be in the doo-doo even if Josh Howard and Jason Kidd really step up the production. Over the next two weeks alone the Mavs play the Warriors twice (Golden State is just a half-game in back of the Mavericks, in the eighth spot), the Lakers, the Clippers twice, and the Nuggets.

Between San Antonio's early-season injury plague, Kobe's pinkie, Bynum's knee, Shaq's everything, Yao's foot, and now Dirk's knee, it's been a pretty frightening time for those of dying for a Western Conference playoffs for the ages.

Denver 109, Toronto 100

Nuggets coach George Karl praised Kenyon Martin's defense on Chris Bosh in this one, which is fine, but he thankfully stopped short of praising his team's overall defense.

Fans tend to think of the Toronto Raptors as a run-and-gun team, and the Raps do gun, but they do it in a slow-down set. There were only 86 possessions in this one, and the Nuggets gave up 116.3 pro-rated points per 100 possessions. Pretty lousy.

Denver's offense was superb, the Nugs only turned the ball over seven times, and Allen Iverson scored 36 points on 16 shots.

Washington 95, Detroit 83

Detroit never really put the hammer down in Washington on Sunday night, the Wizards didn't really ease into the 12-point win, but it's safe to say the Pistons lost this one just as much as the Wizards (who, again, played hard and played well) won it.

Washington shot ridiculously well from the floor (52.8 percent), and Detroit was telling reporters after the game that they were trying out new and different offensive schemes. Great.



Sunday, March 23, 2008

West's 37 help host Hornets overcome Celts

West's 37 help host Hornets overcome Celts
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Nowitzki leaves with leg injury, Spurs top Mavs


Stoudemire, Suns hitting stride with 7th in row


Iguodala scores 19 in 2nd half to fuel 76ers
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Bucks top Cavs, end six-game skid
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Stoudemire's touch carries Suns by Rockets
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Nuggets ride strong finish to top Raptors

Amare Dominates With Style

Amare Dominates With Style
Amare Stoudemire posted 38 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Suns past the Rockets on Saturday.

Hornets 113, Celtics 106 (F)
David West scored 37 points and the Hornets overcame an early 15-point deficit to defeat the Celtics 113-106 on Saturday.

Assist of the Night: Earl Watson
Earl Watson delivers a dandy to Kevin Durant by dropping one off to the rookie between the legs.

Ernie Asks Charles Some Important Questions
Ernie Johnson poses some very intriguing questions to Charles Barkley about some very key players.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Lakers 130, Sonics 105 (F)

Lakers 130, Sonics 105 (F)
Kobe Bryant scored 23 points, seven of his teammates also scored in double digits, and the Lakers beat the SuperSonics 130-105 on Friday night, sending the SuperSonics to their 10th straight loss.

Dunk of the Night: LeBron James
Watch LeBron James throw down the hammer slam to tie Brad Daugherty for No. 1 on the Cavs' all-time scoring list.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: March 21
NBA TV's Mike Yam takes you through all the fantasy action from Wednesday's games.

Who Made You?: Shane Battier
Houston forward Shane Battier discusses his childhood and the roots of his basketball career.

Halftime Highlights: Knicks-T-Wolves
Halftime highlights from Minnesota

Halftime Highlights: Heat-Bobcats
Halftime highlights from Charlotte

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Mike Yam gives you his top five former UCLA Bruins who could help your team down the stretch.

Who Made You?: Michael Redd
The Milwaukee Bucks' Michael Redd discusses the influences that helped him become a star.

Who Made You?: Carlos Boozer
Carlos Boozer discusses the influences that helped him go from Alaska to the NBA.

NBA TV Top 10: March 21
Check out the top plays from Friday's 10 games, including a sweet steal by Caron Butler and a miracle shot by Allen Iverson.

College basketball? I couldn't care less

College basketball? I couldn't care less
Not everyone gets caught up in the madness of March. NBA analyst Charley Rosen explains why he doesn't watch college hoops.

Rockets get back on track, win in Golden State


Friday, March 21, 2008

TMRB: An interview with new Heat guard Blake Ahearn

TMRB: An interview with new Heat guard Blake Ahearn

Today the very teammate I wrote about Wednesday, Blake Ahearn, was called up to the Miami Heat. He and I decided that the call-up was obviously a direct result of my blog which posted his stats. We also decided that Miami, having only scored 54 points the night before, might have just really needed a scorer.�

I decided to interview Blake quickly before he left for the sunshine state. Our topics included much of what I wrote about on Wednesday:

I wish him the best of luck.�

I also wanted to thank people for the Pistol Pete responses. Some of my favorites included "Pistol Pete could run a 3-man weave by himself," and "Pistol Pete ate white chocolate and pooped out Jason Williams." Those were pretty fantastic. I'm gonna have to get all these down and have a site that rivals Chuck Norris' fan site. �

That being said, I am a big time Pistol Pete fan. I think that some people thought that I thought that Pete was not legendary or deserving of a top 5 all-time college hoops rating. He definitely deserves all the credit he has been given. The true question I was asking, and I hope to get some more good responses, is do you think if he were playing today that he would average 44 points per game, and regardless, do you think he would be ranked in the top five of all-time after playing today’s game?�

Before you answer, consider these facts (yes, I know there was no three-point line when he played):�

Pete averaged 38 field goal attempts and 14 free throw attempts per game in college. It's safe to say that he shot over 40 shots per game if you say that two free throws is equal to another field goal attempt. In today’s game, where would a player, no matter how good, get up 40 shots per game? Am I saying it would make him any less great? No. But, it would be hard to imagine Coach K, heck, even Coach Steve Fischer, letting one guy take 80% of his teams shots today.��

If you look at the college scoring-average record holders, 7 of the top 10 played between 1964 and 1973 and none of the 10 played after 1973. Did players just decline in ability after 1973? I doubt it. I think it's a testament to the pace of play back then in general, thus leading to more points. If the pace is slower today, there will be less possessions, and thus less opportunity to score.�

Let's say he did play today, and because of the above factors, he averaged 31 points per game (which would be the highest total since 1973). He would undoubtedly be the best NCAA player, a top draft pick and have a legendary career, but I doubt that if they put out a "top college players of all-time" list next season, that he would be #5. Not because he doesn't deserve that ranking, but because I feel that those lists give bias to older players. Maybe it's because guys leave early for the NBA, who knows?��

I have to say some of you had some interesting points. I also must say that Blake pretty much laid all that out for me before I wrote my post. I'm not by any means saying that he wouldn't be every bit as great in today’s game, but greatness is different nowadays. After 1973, nobody has scored 31 points per game. Larry Bird certainly didn't and he is a legend too. White, black, it doesn't matter.��

I just think that eras are eras and guys can’t be put into a big list together. Pistol really is a top 5 player and maybe the #1 showman of all-time, not to mention a unbelievable shooter and ball-handling pioneer. Point is, I don't think you'd see 44 points out of him and his place on the list would be different if he played his freshman year at LSU in 2007-08.� Let me know what you think.

Rod Benson is a Cal grad who plays for the D-League's Dakota Wizards. He also blogs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on Ball Don't Lie. Read his archive, pay a visit to TooMuchRodBenson.com and always support the Boom Tho movement.



The 10-man rotation, starring the 'NYC for LeBron' campaign


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: NYC for LeBron, via Dime. The official website of New York’s campaign to bring LeBron James to the Knicks.
PF: Jones on the NBA. Nate Jones recommends that Gilbert Arenas hire an agent.
SF: CelticsBlog. It's true. What is there left to say about this year's Celtics' regular season?
SG: Hardwood Paroxysm. Lance Allred to Blake Ahearn on Facebook: "My team is better than yours." (Ha!)
PG: Empty The Bench. Six interesting ideas to make the NBA even better.
6th: Blazers Blog. Talks about watching Greg Oden run the hills of Tigard with Nate McMillan.
7th: Half Court Heave. A look at the NBA's all-time best facial hair. (Brian Winters. Wow.)
8th: 3 Shades of Blue. What does the NBA consider "verbal abuse"?
9th: Sports Media Watch. TNT's Tuesday Rockets-Celtics game scored some pretty good ratings.
10th: Frye Blog. Channing Frye on the movie Be Kind Rewind: "They bamboozled me. I went in there thinking I was getting ready to laugh my socks off, and what did I get? A mushy chick flick."

(Note: I've got a train to catch, so that's going to be it for me today. Rod Benson should have his Friday Boom up shortly. Happy Easter, enjoy the Madness (both college and NBA), and I'll see you Monday.)



Behind the boxscore, where 'you still gotta guard us' happens
Los Angeles Lakers 106, Utah 95

There are a lot of things to worry about when it comes to the Dallas Mavericks, but this loss is not an example of such. Simple as that. There's so much that is simple about this game, while we're at it.

For weeks I was secretly harboring a wonder regarding exactly how the Lakers were going to guard the Utah Jazz. A suitable worry, actually, I just had the teams messed up: the Jazz didn't have a chance against Los Angeles' offense.

Not only was this score way the heck closer than the game actually was, it doesn't give credit enough to a Laker team that had no problem putting points on the board.

The ball moved, the team leaked out into transition if it meant a quick bucket, Kobe Bryant (27 points, eight rebounds, seven assists) was nearly unstoppable when it seemed like the Lakers were dying for a bucket, and it was a pretty devastating attack - even without considering the context of a missing Mssrs. Gasol and Bynum.

San Antonio 102, Chicago 80

The Bulls, as currently constructed (with no additions), can win a championship in 2010 or 2011. I belive that. If I'm wrong, slap me around in 2011.

On Thursday, they were horrible. Starting point man Kirk Hinrich was out, Ben Gordon decided to fill a whole batch of stereotypes (keep feelin' those small samples sizes, mugs), and the team was more or less outclassed.

Not sure if you've heard, but Tony Parker is quite good at hitting those damned glass-shots.

Boston 94, Dallas 90

There's so much to love about this game.

Boston and Dallas could have played for 42 quarters, branched out over two fortnights, and the resulting tally would have likely been a one or two-possession deficit.

It's the beauty of this game. Specifically, there's nothing to take from "this game," but "this game" was so much fun - each team worked like mad to stop the other from scoring in transition, it tried to cover shooters when possible, and no team involved in "this [sort of] game" should be frustrated by the final score.

Pundits can plead and pray for the Mavs to run with abandon and score in the open court; but Avery Johnson's Mavericks (and Avery, you know what's up: keep standing up to your boss, please) have never run, and they've never been more successful as a result.

Meanwhile, the Celtics (first in defensive efficiency) know a thing or two about stopping transition buckets. Boston was incredibly defensively. There's not a lot to point out beyond feet that moved, sound anticipation, and hard work; but that's enough.



Kobe Bryant is still poppin' his jersey

If you missed the first stop of the Kobe Bryant Poppin' tour, don't worry. "Kobe and the Lakers" had another gig in Salt Lake City last night, and our good friends at Odenized snuck a camera in to film the show.

Oof, there was a lot of hate in those pops. Kobe definitely remembered the Jazz fans booing Derek Fisher back in November.



Assist of the Night: Kobe Bryant

Assist of the Night: Kobe Bryant
Watch as Kobe Bryant makes the steal and finds Lamar Odom with the lob for the fast break and Thursday's Assist of the Night.

Riley to miss Heat game to scout NCAA
Pat Riley is back on the scouting trail. The Miami Heat coach was studying players in the NCAA tournament on Friday and wasn't expected to be with the team for its game with the Washington Wizards. Assistant coach Ron Rothstein filled in when Riley missed a game against Orlando last week while on another scouting trip. Rothstein was handling the game-day coaching responsibilities on Friday, and was expected to stay in that role Saturday when the Heat visit Charlotte.

Inside the NBA Replay: March 20
Charles and Ernie recaps Thursday night's action, including the Lakers' snapping of Utah's 19-game home winning streak.

Top 5 of Inside #2: Who's the MVP?
Charles makes his pick for MVP.

Dunk of the Night: Kobe Bryant
Watch as Kobe Bryant drives the lane and brings it to the hole for Thursday's Dunk of the Night.

Steal of the Night: Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher picks off the pass on the fast break and send the other way to start a break for the Lakers.

Kobe helps Lakers halt Jazz home streak at 19


Best of Wireless: Thursday
Check out all the behind-the-scenes sights and sounds at the Celtics-Mavericks and Lakers-Jazz games.

Lakers 106, Jazz 95 (F)
Kobe Bryant scored 27 points on Tuesday as the Lakers claimed a 106-95 road win over the Jazz.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Bell sprains ankle as Suns win 6th straight

Bell sprains ankle as Suns win 6th straight
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Wife of disgraced NBA ref seeks restraining order
The estranged wife of disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy has asked a Florida judge to issue a restraining order against her husband, who is facing prison time next month for wagering on games he worked.

Harris out after 4 years as Bucks general manager
Larry Harris is out as general manager of the Bucks.

Sonics' Gelabale out for season with torn ACL
The Seattle SuperSonics have lost reserve swingman Mickael Gelabale for the remainder of the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Hornets roll, send Rockets to 2nd straight loss
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Celts face Mavs, go for 6-game Texas sweep
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Bulls PG Hinrich (sprained ankle) sits vs. Spurs
Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich sat out Thursday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs with a sprained right ankle.

Warriors crush Clips, move closer to playoffs
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Carter keeps Nets in East's playoff picture
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

Haier Play of the Day: Carmelo Anthony

Haier Play of the Day: Carmelo Anthony
Watch as Carmelo Anthony cocks it back and throws it down on the break over Andre Miller.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
Mike Yam gives you the top five fantasy performers from Memphis, in honor of their No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Dunk of the Night: Shawne Williams
Watch as Shawne Williams takes the pass on the break and leaps over a stationary Jared Dudley.

Steal of the Night: Chris Paul
Watch as Chris Paul sneaks up on Tracy McGrady and takes it the other way for the dunk.

Timberwolves 98, Grizzlies 94 (F)
The Minnesota Timberwolves erased a 16-point second-quarter deficit in a 98-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

Warriors 116, Clippers 100 (F)
Stephen Jackson scored 29 points as the Golden State Warriors tightened their grip on a playoff berth with a 116-100 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

Iverson Returns to Philadelphia
Allen Iverson was warmly received in his first trip back to Philadelphia since being traded to Denver last season.

Suns 110, Sonics 98 (F)
Steve Nash scored 23 points, Amare Stoudemire dominated inside with 26 points and the Phoenix Suns overcame a season-high 27 turnovers to beat the Seattle SuperSonics 110-98 on Wednesday night.

Raptors 96, Heat 54 (F)
Andrea Bargnani and Anthony Parker each scored 14 points and the Toronto Raptors held Miami to the third-lowest point total in the shot-clock era, beating the Heat 96-54 on Wednesday night.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Lakers 102, Mavericks 100 (F)

Lakers 102, Mavericks 100 (F)
Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and Vladimir Radmanovic scored 10 of his 21 in the final quarter, giving the Los Angeles Lakers just enough to hold off the Dallas Mavericks, 102-100, Tuesday night.

Suns down Blazers for fifth in a row

Suns down Blazers for fifth in a row


Celtics don't back down from Rockets' challenge
The Celtics ended the Rockets' 22-game win streak because they didn't back down from a challenge, Charley Rosen says.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Finally, former MVP Iverson comes back to Philadelphia

Finally, former MVP Iverson comes back to Philadelphia
The 76ers are talkin' about Allen Iverson once more. Here he comes, 15 months after he was kicked out of Philadelphia over irreconcilable differences, A.I., The Answer, the MVP, the hip-hop hoops icon - call him what you want - is back in the city he once owned like few others ever have in its deep, rich sports history.

On the Mark: I'm sorry, Mrs. Alston. I was wrong
Playground legends can't lead teams to historic heights, right? Rafer Alston is proving the doubters — and Mark Kriegel — wrong.

Power rankings: Best to worst, 1-30
The Mavs are soaring, the Lakers are worrying and the Nuggets are scoring, but are any of them atop the Power Rankings?

Monday, March 17, 2008

Celts extend Spurs' skid

Celts extend Spurs' skid
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

3-point shooting lifts Magic to 5th straight win
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.



Jazz drill Raptors, tie team's best home win streak
Visit ESPN.com for the complete story.

NBA TV News: Al Harrington Stresses Fitness

NBA TV News: Al Harrington Stresses Fitness
Warriors forward Al Harrington recently appeared at a Hoops and Health clinic as part of the team's Get Fit initiative.

Dunk of the Night: J.R. Smith
If any single play can be carved out of Denver's 168-point night, J.R. Smith's jam plus-one is a sweet one.

Top 10 Plays of Rockets' Win Streak
Check out the top 10 plays from the Houston Rockets' 22-game win streak, including dazzling assists and defensive stops.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
Headed into the playoffs and looking for waiver-wire bargains? Look no further than Mike Yam's top five picks.

NBA TV Top 10: March 16
Check out Sunday's top plays, including K-Mart's rimrocking dunk on the Sonics and a sweet dish by T.J. Ford.

NBA TV News: Turkoglu Steps Up for Magic
Forward Hedo Turkoglu has taken his game to new heights this year for the Orlando Magic. Learn more about the transformation.

Inside This Week For Thursday, March 20
EJ, Kenny and Charles look ahead to Thursday's double-header, which will feature a Mavericks-Celtics match-up and a Lakers-Jazz pairing.

Suns are peeking through the clouds again

Suns are peeking through the clouds again
Things were bleak in Phoenix after the Shaq trade, but then the Big Fella dove into the crowd and everything changed, says Mike Kahn.

Fight charges dropped for Pacers' Tinsley, Daniels
Indiana Pacers Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels avoided a trial Monday on charges stemming from a 2007 bar fight.

Prosecutors agreed to drop all charges if the players stay out of trouble for two years.

Power Rankings: Streaking Rockets stay on top
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.



Pacers Tinsley, Daniels avoid trial on charges
Indiana Pacers Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels avoided a trial Monday on charges stemming from a 2007 bar fight. Prosecutors agreed to drop all charges if the players stay out of trouble for two years. Tinsley faced a felony charge of intimidation, and misdemeanor counts of battery, disorderly conduct and intimidation in the fight at the 8 Seconds Saloon in February 2007. Daniels was charged with battery and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

Riley returns to Heat after college scouting trip
The Pat Riley scouting tour is over, for now.

Arenas has MRI on knee, vows to be 'assist man'
Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is increasing the intensity of his workouts in an attempt to return this season from knee surgery.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Five Star: Jason Maxiell

Five Star: Jason Maxiell
Check out the rejection Jason Maxiell puts on Tyson Chandler -- even Darryl Dawkins would give this a 10.

NBA TV Fantasy Hoops: Low Five
NBA TV's Rick Kamla takes a look at the top five storylines of the season.

Dunk of the Night: Amare Stoudemire
Steve Nash sets up Amare Stoudemire with a perfect alley oop and STAT finishes with a ferocious slam.

Gasol (sprained ankle) to miss at least 3 games

Gasol (sprained ankle) to miss at least 3 games
Even the Houston Rockets acknowledge they've had some good luck during their 21-game winning streak. They are getting more heading into their biggest regular-season game in years. Pau Gasol will sit out with a sprained left ankle when the Rockets play the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday for first place in the Western Conference. Gasol was injured in Friday's loss to New Orleans and left the arena on crutches.

Rockets' Upcoming Schedule
NBA TV takes a sneak peak at the upcoming schedule for the Rockets.

Warriors 110, Grizzlies 107 (F)
Baron Davis scored all of his 19 points in the second half Saturday night, including a key jumper in the final minutes that helped the Warriors slog their way to their eighth win in 10 games, a 110-107 victory over the hapless Grizzlies.