The Moonball Blog

Sheed Returns?

2012-01-13T10:14:00.011-05:00

Not sure it'll really happen, but the story got me excited. And inspired me
to post some classic Sheed faces. Enjoy.

Just for old time's sake

2012-01-09T14:30:00.004-05:00

(P.S. I posted this before the rumors of Sheed's return even started.)

Not Walt Frazier

2011-12-15T02:11:00.002-05:00

I know only a few of you are on Twitter, so I thought I would point out my new favorite, @notWaltFrazier. Today's favorite:

I'm taking this #CP3 news with hesitation until I see him in #Clippers nation. Too much anonymous sourcin' and trade divorcin'!

Funny stuff all around, definitely worth a look.

A League of Our Own

2011-11-16T00:24:00.003-05:00

Hello Fellows!

Let's not let the greedy owners spoil our fun any longer: Pending the unlikely end of the NBA lockout, on the weekend of December 17, A League of Our Own will host a draft for a Fantasy season the likes of which has never been seen!

Here is how the League works:

Each team has ten players, 5 of which are designated as starters.
Team plays in a head-to-head format once weekly (on Friday)
The season lasts long enough that each team plays one another, followed by a 8 team single elimination playoff
Daily substitutions
Following in the grand tradition of the NBA Card Game, games will be decided by argument and majority vote
Teams will have from Monday to Friday to post an argument on why it would win against the slated opponent.
League members vote on the winner of games Saturday and Sunday.
No team can vote for the outcome of the game in which it is participating.
The draft follows the usual snake format
There are no injuries, surprise benchings or other bull crap because this is make believe

Who is in?

Thanks Lockout Professionals!

2011-11-02T21:29:00.003-04:00

What is your local tv station showing instead of NBA basketball?

Here in Chicago we are getting 15 classics from the Jordan era...big feature tonight - Michael scores a then-franchise record 58 points against the Nets in 1987.

Everyone is invited to the house for the December 20 7PM show:

- May 31, 1993: Eastern Conference Finals, Game 4 - New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls

I'm pretty sure we were at Mike and Jon's that afternoon...

Thanks Lockout Professionals!

2011-10-09T15:51:00.011-04:00

The Minnesota Lynx swept the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA championship, providing some of the best basketball I've seen in Minnesota in a long, long time.

They took what the defense gave them, and usually ended up finding the best available shot -- and if the defense closed in -- find another open player for an easy layup. And they played great defense too, shutting down and outrebounding the opposition if things ever got too interesting.

NBA lockout or no, it was nice to see some true professional play on display at the Target Center.

Thanks Lockout Professionals!

2011-07-14T18:49:00.006-04:00

Off Season Dining - Evil Dave's Grill

2011-07-10T13:24:00.002-04:00

I saw this restaurant sign in Jasper, Alberta. I woulda eaten there, but didn't want to give Evil Dave any more of my money. Enjoy the off-season, and make sure to get back to the commish about your preferences for moonball settings next season. All hail!

Pip

2011-06-01T11:46:00.003-04:00

Three funny things...

1. Heard on sports radio - "the other morning I woke up to Scottie Pippen saying LBJ was the best ever. I knew someone was delirious. It might have been me. I also might have been Scottie Pippen."

2. Kareem's letter to Scottie on the matter. You know you are in trouble when the letter starts: "I have nothing but respect for you my friend..." There really is no better way to say "f- you."

That said, I really do love Pippen. He was a great addition to the local broadcast team for the early rounds of the playoffs.

Your Chance for a Championship Ring

2011-05-31T11:13:00.006-04:00

To kick of the NBA championship week, I thought you might like to know about a chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals -- and your own championship ring and belt. Just like Chauncey, Rip and Sheed.

Wolves center Darko Milicic and his wife are holding a raffle for his 2004 NBA championship ring -- and NBA finals game trip -- to raise money for the Zorana & Darko Milicic fund for Children With Life Threatening Diseases.

That raffle was originally scheduled to end a few days ago. But the deadline has been extended to June 3...I'm assuming this means they're hoping to raise some more funds, and that raffle chances may be raffley-decent.

I'm not usually in favor of NBA stars selling off their hardware. But in Darko's case, he might as well...he didn't really contribute, and getting rid of the thing might help him to purge some of his NBA demons. Just like a 7 foot Frodo...only by getting rid of the ring will Darko save Midwest Earth. Equally intriguing is the wrestling-style championship belt...and going to the Finals would be a blast! (I really miss being at games that mean something.)

Here is where you can go to get a raffle ticket, which costs $2. Prices are better the more you get....so get a handful!

http://www.celebritiesforcharity.org/raffle/Darkos-2004-Detroit-Pistons-NBA-Championship-Ring-Raffle

Learning

2011-05-19T12:25:00.003-04:00

They say its not a series until someone loses at home. I guess we've got a series.

Thibodeau (did his ancestors steal a vowel or two from the Hyry's?) is so good at figuring out other teams. Throughout the season, the Bulls would struggle in the first half of a game, go to the locker room where Thibs would make some adjustments for the second half win. So far, this took a few games with both Indy and Atlanta but once figured out, the series were over

The Bulls struggled to score last night - and the defense faltered when Omer was bloodied. LBJ took over and that was that. I've been a big Udonis Haslam fan going back to his days with Shaq but he is not going to be the Heat's solution. Maybe Miami will throw a twist by getting Big-Z out of his street clothes.

It's going to take a few games and there will be a heartbreak or two more. That said, I want/hope/believe Thibodeau can out smart Spoelstra and get the Bulls to the Finals.

My Fill of Phil

2011-05-09T13:53:00.006-04:00

He brought us Championships in Chicago and we have lots of love for Phil Jackson.

Thanks for everything, glad to no longer associate you with LA.

Dallas Shots Keep Falling - Lakers Gone Fishin'

2011-05-09T09:52:00.004-04:00

I was listening to a Laker game two nights before the end of the regular season, and something about Mychal Thompson's tone, and what he was seeing and describing made me think - "these guys aren't gonna make it this year. The thrill is gone."

Then New Orleans steps in and beats them a couple games, and I started dreading how the Lake Show might warm up, dig deep, and pass through the tests that were being thrown at them. Stop me if you've seen this before. Yuck.

Meanwhile in Portland, watching the Blazers fight the Mavs and watching Terry, Kidd and Peja step up and make huge threes in the first two games, I thought, "eventually those shots will stop falling, then the Blazers will win." But the shots never stopped falling. Between Tyson's presence in the middle and the Blazers' failure to post up, quarter after quarter, Dallas ended up being the better shooting team.

Fast forward to the Lakers. Not only did the shots continue to fall (including Dirk's unguardable circus fadeways), but the little guys clowned the aging Fisher and scrawny Blake, the triangle fell apart...and Chandler was roving the paint ready for blocks and oops.

And then a funny thing happened. When the Lakers' backs were against the wall, the shots didn't stop falling -- instead, the Mavs suddenly locked in and hit them all. In one magical, humiliating night, probably the end of the Phil Jackson era...suddenly all the yellow-bellies could do was watch or get ejected one by one...until time ran out, and the storybook ending never came to pass in La La Land.

So now Kobe's gone fishin', and Phil will likely be fishin' for good. I know when it's raining, the fish often bite better. Wonder if that holds true when it's raining threes.

Z-Bo

2011-04-27T10:28:00.002-04:00

I will confess, I was never really a Zach fan. I hate to admit this, but I think I bought into the hate - he seemed like a numbers guy and kind of an idiot - the strip club stuff, the guns, whatever. When he was on the Knicks and the Clippers he just looked horrible defensively and not a particularly good teammate offensively. When Chris Wallace traded for him I just thought it was another idiot Chris Wallace move.

Flash-forward to now. For a bunch of reasons (no league pass, the fairly weird realization that English soccer is my favorite sport at the moment, the Wolves marching steadily backwards, the regular season not mattering to the C's) I barely watched any games this year (and finished in the top half in moonball for the first time since season 2, I think...) Absence makes the heart fonder, I guess, and I've been eating these playoffs up. For me the absolute revelation is how freaking awesome Z-bo is. Watching Timmy and the Spurs get beat is always enjoyable (unless it's the Lakers doing the beating) but watching the Griz do it has been awesome. There are all kinds of goodness on this Griz team - big Marc with the jump hooks, Cincinnati kid OJ Mayo with the threes and the throw downs, Darryl "Chester A" Arthur giving big minutes, Tony Allen with the D and the crazy - but Zach is clearly what makes them work. He's boarding, he's guarding and his passing has been a delight.

The Spurs aren't going to go down easy, but I just hope I get to keep watching the Griz for a few more weeks at least.

Sorry for my previous hate, Zach, but keep it going.

Whence comes this truthiness?

2011-04-23T01:35:00.003-04:00

Chris Dudley has done wonderful work on behalf of diabetes related charities for years. Not a surprise that he would be included in the commercial running during the playoffs. What is a surprise is that when Dudley's face is on the screen, the text reads:

Chris Dudley
NBA Legend

Moonball Victory - Nothing But Nets!

2011-04-14T09:18:00.008-04:00

"Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers."
-Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction

I think you've had a taste of that, friends, as you have seen me in action, victorious in Moonball in 2011. Thanks for the great season!

There is no prize anymore for "being in the money" -- but I wonder if you would consider buying a mosquito net for $10 to help me fight malaria and celebrate moonball positivity.

Instead of climbing a ladder to cut down the nets for victory, please help me send a few more nets through this global effort to prevent the spread of malaria. The more nets, the more lives saved. Here is a link to my contribution page.

Thanks again. Let me know if you'd like to find out more about malaria, or hear more about how I won it all. And listen to a member of my previous Moonball championship team, Dikembe Mutombo:

Kings to Orange County Equals Less Travel for the Lakers

2011-04-14T01:27:00.003-04:00

Sure, there are other reasons not to like the all-but-final decision for the Maloof Bros to move Sacramento's dearly beloved Kings south to the O.C.. But what I think is totally ridiculous is that the Lakers have in effect 4 less games for which they need not board a plane than every other team in the League--L.A. already gains the 2 extra home games via 'sharing' the Staples Center with the woeful Clippers, and now possibly a team bus ride to the O.C. to play a newly located team in historical hotbed of Laker fandom. Wonder what the atmosphere of those games will be like?

When no one was looking

2011-04-13T23:56:00.001-04:00

Michael Redd returned to the NBA

Kobe is Hate

2011-04-09T15:22:00.004-04:00

Had a wonderful time watching Portland deliver L.A.’s fourth straight loss, this one much more a thumping than the final score would indicate. The Blazers were great. On the second night of a back to back, with no Marcus Camby to help LaMarcus battle L.A.’s League-best frontline, Portland pulled a surprise shift and strategy, running at every opportunity. The Blazers had 20 fast break points in the first half. Usually, that is a week’s total for Nate McMillan’s squad. Andre Miller was brilliant, racking up assists with an array of half court bounce passes and alley-oops.

Crazy thing is, had the Kobster not played like such a shit head throughout the game, L.A. probably could have won. Lakers came out of the gate all fire, hitting jumpers, grabbing the boards, and generally controlling the first 5 minutes of the game. They were giving each other Duke hugs and generally acting like Champions. The Lakers had established Gasol (who was being guarded by 6’9 Nicolas Batum) as automatic in the paint, and Bynum was pushing everyone around. Then Portland caught a spark and went on a 17-2 run, consisting almost entirely of fast break finishes and up-tempo play. Phil Jackson called two times out before the first quarter was done.

Having lost three straight, trailing by double digits, the pressure was on. And for the Kobster, that means time to chuck it up. The Kobster nailed 4 consecutive threes to close out the first half and pull L.A to 6. But instead of re-establishing Pau and Bynum inside in the second half, the Kobster kept chucking. In fact, midway through the 3^rd quarter, he had the nerve to yell at a posting Gasol for not clearing out so that he could drive. At that time he was 8-22 from the floor and his team was trailing by 24.

There is no doubt that the Kobster is one of the most accomplished, talented players the Game has ever seen. But what a selfish jerk! Lakers will likely win a third consecutive Championship this year. The combination of the Kobster, Gasol, Bynum and Odom is really hard to best. But if L.A. does not repeat, none of us will be surprised that Kobe’s selfish play was at the core of problem.

p.s. fun note for all you current and former Portland residents. As Portland clinched the game, announcer Mike Rice (who hates L.A. with the passion appropriate to a homer announcer) gleefully said, “The game over. The L.A. band wagon fans are leaving the arena.” Mike Barrett (who also hates L.A. but is much more professional) says “Well, in fairness, there are some L.A. transplants living up here. Rice says “Yeah, well I can see their yellow leaving. And I am talking about their yellow jerseys not their yellow teeth.”

1ST PLACE BULLS!

2011-04-07T14:10:00.003-04:00

Bulls host the Celtics tonight with a 3 game lead in the Eastern Conference race to the Playoffs.

At the Allstar Break I dared to dream we might come into this game in a tie with Boston and be able to step ahead. The first two rounds of the playoffs still need to be won but the prospect of a path to the Finals that includes only one series against Miami/Boston is delicious. Hopefully knowing that a loss leaves Chicago two games up with just four games to go (including two of the worst teams in the League), the Bulls will play loose, agressive and well.

It is hard to say that a team that has won 16 of its last 18 is not dominating but the last few games have been tough. I was at the UC when Philly stomped Chicago (third game in four nights, whatever...everybody has been playing since October) and have watched the Bulls really struggle to put away the Grizzlies, Bucks, Pistons, Raptors and Suns.

Boozer and Noah continue to have injuries (though one of the things I love about this team is that each time Boozer goes down, it feels like we get better. OMER!). Hopefully Thibs will have the team's act together tonight, Carlos will play defence & Joakim can get his rebounds.

GO BULLS!

Kevin is Love

2011-03-10T21:51:00.008-05:00

This week I'll be at three Wolves games - Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Two in a week is usually a lot, and by halftime of the second one, I'm usually ready to go home. Misery loves company, so I thought I'd take you along for the ride! And despite the ugliness of Wednesday Wolves vs. Pacers, it was fun and I'm ready for one more tonight.

There was a little more buzz than usual because of Kevin Love tying...then breaking.... Moses Malone's modern NBA double-double record. It's been hyped a lot in Minny because, frankly, there's not a whole lot else to talk about except missed opportunities and a Target Center refurbishment. So the marketing staff is using it every chance they get. And although it'd be nice to focus on a good game instead, they're right....Love is better than nothin'. Love is something. And in Minnesota, in winter, that means something. I have seen some things like the 31-31 game and other games over 20 rebounds, and the efforts are remarkable, but not unusual. He's ready to go for the board on every play...and that's why they seem to roll his way and add up. He's great at holding guys off with one arm, and corralling a rebound with the other. And tip-ins are another specialty, which is why he gets so many points. Other players may be taller and more athletic, but KLove gets the boards.

For example Kevin Love just got 21 rebounds Wednesday, and that was in 27 minutes on a bad leg, not bending his knee. Who else gets 21 rebounds? People said he got the record because he's on a bad team. Maybe, but there have been a lot of bad teams since that record was set. But no Kevin Love.

I'm not in love with Love. Not hardly. I admire the tenacity to rebound (and to be there for it every play). I love that Minnesota and Target Center cheer out loud now for every rebound. But most of all, it's a stepping stone, in a river that is further across than most people realized when we liquidated Kevin Garnett, and scattered his remnants across the plains (...well, I guess we still have Bassy). It's all about what's left, and making a better day.

Kevin Love made a better day. Yesterday. Every day.

Monday, Dallas was in town and Love had 23-17-5. On the other side, Dirk's shot looked so sweet. But he was in foul trouble, which gave the Wolves a fighting chance the whole game. It was fun to see Corey Brewer on another squad dogging the Wolves. He got huge cheers. I heard Mark Cuban is really high on Brewer, while we couldn't wait for him to be gone. His shot stinks, and he's a specialized player...and when surrounded with other talent, they think he can be a greater contributor. The former Wolf that burned us though was Brian Cardinal, who shot 4-8 from 3 point land and was a general terror. When Brian Cardinal's hot, look out...it's all gravy! Dallas wins.

Wednesday, the Pacers were in town. I don't know how they win games, man. Outside of Tyler Hansbrough who shot the ball pretty well, nobody could buy a bucket, which led to a team shooting percentage under 30%. Granger was 2-19 (as commentator Jim Peterson put it, "Danny Granger needs a hug!")

It was strange to go through the game and watch the Wolves maintain a commanding lead, up 20 for most of the 2nd half. I've seen them blow several of those this year. But despite the usual infuriating mistakes there was some decent ball movement. With Darko and Pekovic in foul trouble, Rambis went with Anthony Randolph for some extended Garbage Time. I have not been impressed with him so far. Although he seems to have a surprisingly good jump shot, and made some good passes, he is very raw and seems lost in the paint and trying to score near the hole. Hansbrough was hilarious, his bug eyed hustle cracked me up. Paul George had a decent game too, and had some good rebounds. Hibbert was an interesting physical specimin, but seemed sloth-like...it will be interesting to see if his game continues to develop. In addition to the KLove record hoopla, the Wolves surpassed last year's win total with their 16th of the year.

UPDATE: Wolves killed the Jazz Friday, putting them on a 2-game winning streak. Granted Utah is missing Okur and Millsap, plus no Deron Williams anymore...but I have to say the Wolves have been moving the ball really well recently....lots of extra passes for easy buckets. Something seems to be clicking? I don't know if it's the competition that's making it easier, or if there's actually something there. Rotations are more consistent also, which helps. As for the Jazz, didn't see much game from Devin Harris except either a pass to the wing, or a pass to Big Al in the post...not exactly running an offense. Plus he blew by a few people for a few buckets. The big surprise was Jeremy Evans, who started in place of Millsap. Dude could sky HIGH and made some amazing dunks. Head way above the rim. He made a few good passes too -- may have a nice future! Many gasps from the crowd when he dunked. We'll see if the Wolves continue to run a decent offense on their upcoming road trip.

Smoldering heap

2011-03-05T02:48:00.002-05:00

Maybe part of why Miami is struggling is because neither the stars nor the coaching staff has done much to build the confidence of the supporting cast. Tis a team game after all.

Among other things

2011-03-05T01:27:00.002-05:00

the trade deadline could prove to be a referendum on whether Devin Harris has what it takes to run a winning team. Sure, he had big success in Big D, but the Mavs are clearly better with the diminishing yet dominant Jason Kidd. Harris sucked in New Jersey in a way that has nothing and everything to do with stats. Now in Utah, with a more than adequate supporting caste, Harris has a chance to make his mark. We shall see.

Losing a family member

2011-02-26T02:54:00.003-05:00

KG's words for Perk's departure. Rondo was speechless. Basketball is about people. Perk was people for the team in green. Now he is gone.

There is the distinct possibility that Boston will miss Perk if Shaq is hurt during the playoffs. But if Shaq is on the court, Boston is running this thing. I basically trust Danny, and he cleared those rosters spots for a reason. I expect to Leon Powe and Troy Murphy rounding out a front line anchored by KG, Baby, Daddy. Throw in Krstic for emergencies, and possibly Jermaine if fortune allows. Not bad. Boston had a serious hole at small forward, and Jeff Green is a serious answer.

But chemistry is the key, and losing people hurts. Boston looked a bit dazed against Denver. With home court advantage in the balance, I hope folks settle in as soon as possible.

p.s. Perk is a Celt for life cause that is how the Green roll. Believe that.

p.p.s. I was almost more shocked by the Erden-Harangody trade. Again, I trust Danny. Many of the players he has traded away have not played as well as I thought they would in new surroundings. That said, I think Erden can play, and Harangody ain't half bad.

Bout to Get Melo in NYC

2011-02-22T01:19:00.004-05:00

I really like this trade for the Knicks. NBA is a star's League. Sure, Melo's game has it flaws. But he is a winner. Stone-cold. In the ultra tough West, he made Denver a perennial playoff team the day he donned a uniform. How many players do that? Though he only got out of the first round once, him, Amare, an aging Billups and the bad-ass rookie Fields tell me NYC is back on the NBA map.

This was not a Hershel Walker, fleece the franchise deal. Knicks gave up only one pick. As exciting as Gallo, Chandler, Felton trio was, those guys were fitting to get crushed in the first round. Billups is better than Felton, even if just for another year, and Ray was never the long term solution. Mosgov may be a regrettable loss, but that is an unknown. Nothing is unknown about Melo. Now either Chicago or Orlando is going to have a hella fight on their hands in that 4-slot.

p.s. With Balkman in this deal, all though Isiah rumors must be true

Wolves Announcer Box

2011-01-25T12:23:00.004-05:00

This is too good to pass up, and kind of sums up the Wolves season, with a little context.

If any of you were ever on college radio, you might remember the announcing buttons. This is a picture of the box sideline announcers use when they are calling a game. One of the buttons is marked "Cough" so that they can hit it briefly to turn off their mic.

The Wolves TV announcers do a great job at filling out the bad games, keeping things exciting, and pointing out constructively what the Wolves could do better. I admire their work...and now their sense of humor. This is a picture of the box they were using (presumably in last night's loss to Houston), with the "Cough" button taped over.

Celtics in ascendence

2011-01-06T03:53:00.002-05:00

Huge win by the Celtics over the Spurs tonight. Rondo was ridiculous. As was Ray. And Baby. And Paul. Some serious basketball is being played in Boston right now. Everyone playing together. Ray's shot was stupid tonight. Same with Baby. Glen made this one play where he picked up Tony Parker on a switch at the top of the key, contested Parker as he tried to get into the lane, and then slid off Parker to seal the baseline, and draw a charge on Richard Jefferson. F the Heat, Lakers and all these fake contenders!

On a lighter note, the night before last I had a blast watchin the Grizzlies play the Thunder. . .which feels crazy just typing it. But the Griz are playing very well. Zebo is a friggin beast. Rudy Gay is freak of nature. Marc Gasol can hold it down in the pivot. Conley has settled in at point. Old friend Tony Allen is kicking ass since he has been inserted in as a starter. Look out.

Crazier still I haven't metioned Durant and Westbrook yet, right? Those brother went nut, no doubt. But with Ibaka struggling and Jeff Green undersized at power forward, OKC is weak up front. Memphis killed em inside.

On the darkest night of the year

2010-12-21T04:12:00.003-05:00

I watched a lot of damn games. Good fun.

Dallas is looking very good. LeBron had a bad game, and the Heat have many serious holes, but the Mavs pretty much controlled the game, despite some Heat flurries. Dirk was schooling Bosh so badly in the 1st quarter. Chandler is big and aggressive. Kidd, Terry, Butler and Barea form a potent perimeter. They have great depth. Serious stuff.

Miami, on the other hand, has major problems when the trot out Carlos Arroyo for anything but garbage time. That guy is doing nothing. Bosh's defensive presence (or lack thereof) is another major issue. Big Z has actually been serviceable in the middle, and the return of Mike Miller will help, but Miami still has work to do. But check this: During the Miami broadcast, they were hawking tocket packages to upcoming games. The Heat have available tickets. Who knew?

I really like the Hawks switchign Al Horford to power forward. He is going to go off. What this means for Josh Smith remains to be seen. He is sorta in that Kirilenko-Marion family of effective undersized fours who struggle at the three.

Does Gilbert's arrival mean the end of the Jameer Nelson era? I am not a Nelson fan, but I am not sure Gil should be running the show. Arenas is better than Nelson in every aspect of the game. But considering that Orlando brought back Turkoglu to presumbaly recreate the magic that lead to the Magic's magic moment of losing the in the Finals, my guess is that they will want the ball in Hedo's hands for a good portion of the game. Then factor is the mega-addition of Jason Richardson and his ability to score, and then the main game plan of getting it to Dwight, having a run-the-offense type liken Nelson may make sense for the Magic. Will that make sense to Gilbert? Losing the dead weight of Rashard Lewis was a great move for Orlando, but Arenas in Orlando is not necessarily smooth sailing.

LaMarcus Aldridge is going off. The last one standing of the Blazers three pillars of future glory, LaMarcus is emerging as a true force on both sides of the ball. Tough times in Blazerville, but there is still some fight in P-Town. Wes Matthews is a gem. Rumors are some teams are inquiring about Roy. Crazy as this sounds, if Roy cannot CARRY the franchise, the Blazers should move him as soon as possible. Look how Milwaukee is still holding the bag for Michael Redd. Breaks my heart to even tender these thoughts, but the NBA is unforgiven, and one hallmark of greatness is health.

By the by, with Yao out and likely done, who is the NBA's tallest player?

Warriors Wolves Worthwhile

2010-12-15T03:38:00.002-05:00

Good game in Oaktown featuring the streaky Warriors and the promising Wolves. By record, neither team has much to be proud about. But this game had great action and energy. Plus the subplots: Heat reunion with Dorell Wright squaring up with Michael Beasley, Monte Ellis 48 minute offensive masterpiece, Darko’s career high 25 points, the lithe David Lee battling the burly Kevin Love, the return of Johnny Flynn and Martell Webster and the reawakening of Andris Biedrins. Good stuff. Ellis was silly, with all sorts of acrobatic drives and dagger jumpers. What a dynamo! Darko was something is his own right. Great presence in the post, hard cuts in the lane and a hook shot that looked damn good. Sort of poetic justice that he is on Ironwood’s juggernaut.

I caught a good bit of the Houston-Sacramento game, and all I can say is that the Kings look like they are almost ready to pack it in for the season. I mean, they quit playing. The Rockets were on a roll, no doubt. But, jeez, it was sad. Especially in contrast to the battling Warriors and Wolves. Paul Westphal looks 100 years old.

I am looking forward to the Celtics-Knicks game. Great to see a little excitement back in MSG.

First quarter already

2010-12-07T02:30:00.003-05:00

KG is going on a rampage right now. Several young bigs had their way with Kevin last season, and they made it known. Now with his knee feeling better, KG has come to collect some tolls.

Historically speaking, it should be no surprise that the Clippers suck so bad so early despite having several exciting young players. Yet I am surprised. The other L.A. has some serious juice. The just always lose. The absence starters Baron Davis and Chris Kaman to early season injuries explains a lot. What is not so clear why Davis is coming off the bench behind Eric Bledsoe. Davis is a flawed player in that he is aging and not in top shape. But starting Bledsoe is a joke.

Miami is beginning to settle in.

I cannot tell if Orlando should be taken seriously. Ever since Rashard Lewis stopped taking whatever enhancements he got popped for, he has been miserable. Vince is old. Jameer is to today's young pgs what Juwan Howard was to the generation of power forwards that came into the League from 95-97.

I like Chicago quite a bit. Joakim Noah is among my favorites to watch. And that D Rose. Whew. Help me. The Boozehound will help a lot in the regular season. Guard long bigs in the post season is where the money's at.

L.A.. Uptight. City in the smog. They are good, though.

I am surprised that Memphis has stumbled so much early. O.J. not playing much. Anyone know the low down? I have yet to watch them play. Houston is a team I have watched several times, and likewise, I am surprised they have not won more.

San Antonio is playing brilliantly. High level execution by veterans, with Timmy picking his spots on his offense in order to hold down the Spurs D. Tony Parker is rolling. Pop has got a team. As does Rick Carlisle. Tyson Chandler has found a good home in the middle of Dallas's high octane attack. Dirk is a wonder.

A little praise for Danny Ainge. Two huge sidenote swipes in the acquisition of the KG and Ray Allen: Giving up the Celtics' best young player in Al Jefferson while holding onto to Rajon Rondo, and trading the rights of #5 pick Jeff Green for #35 pick Glen Davis. Davis is friggin dope.

TWolves Continuing to Explore New Markets and Create Excitement

2010-12-03T14:02:00.005-05:00

From SBNation:

On December 8, the Minnesota Timberwolves will play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Target Center. The team has also chosen that night to celebrate Jewish Heritage Night. In conjunction with this, the team is going to attempt to set the Guinness World Record for the most people spinning dreidels at the same time.
In addition to the attempt at the dreidel-spinning record, there will be a Hannukah fun zone, kosher food, Jewish games and sing-alongs, and a menorah lighting.

So, Happy Hannukah everyone, from the T-Wolves!

In honor of this exciting evening, here are the Maccabeats! (I'm checking to see if a clip of this can be played on the Jumbotron next Wednesday).

I really want those shoes!

2010-11-30T22:41:00.002-05:00

Join me in welcoming Dwight Howard to Team Rose.

Winter is coming and Chicago has got crazy-eye without a mayor, 8-3 bears and BOOZER! right around the corner. In these times, I hope your city is faring as well.

If you haven't recently turned the dial , tune into the newly tricked out Molasses Radio Network.

Of Blazers, broken bodies and boo-hoos

2010-11-20T15:59:00.004-05:00

I cannot recount the number of post game conversations these past four season, huddled in the winter nights of dear Portlandia, that Simistar and myself have visioned the days of a healthy Oden and Roy dominating the League and playing for history. Oden is basically done before he started. Roy seems likely to have chronic knee issues.

What is awesome is that Portland still has an great squad. Aldridge is playing outstanding basketball. He got much stronger during the off-season, and he is playing with very high energy. Nic Batum seems to have taken that next step. And then the veterans Andre Miller and Marcus Camby have been exceptional. Free agent Wes Matthews is playing out of his mind. When Przybilla returns, the Blazers will boast one of the longest and skilled frontlines in the League. Roy isn't done, even if he is different.

The Championship dreams are fading like away like glowing faery dust caught in the tug of a gentle summer's breeze in that darkest hour before dawn. But that doesn't mean that Portland isn't gonna clown some suckers during the regular season.

The Onion Strikes Again

2010-11-17T14:25:00.002-05:00

You'll laugh, you'll cry...

Although Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan has repeatedly warned his team about using the basketball around "valuable" and "really fragile" center Greg Oden, several players accidentally knocked the seven-footer to the floor with a carelessly thrown ball Thursday and shattered him into a thousand pieces.

Brilliant.

KG, the truth, and reality

2010-11-06T03:12:00.003-04:00

First post in a while.

The credulity that the media (ESPN, Clown Van Gundy especially) lent to Villanueva's tweet is silly. KG' s explanation seems right on to me: Charlie Villanueva is a cancer to his team and the league. Any moonball owners care to disagree.

Chris Bosh is the weak musketeer.

Blazers, Bulls and OKC all look awesome, records aside.

What Rondo is doing makes doves cry.

Is anyone else scared to post getty owned photos?

Funny with all the shine the young guys have been getting, Chris Paul seems to have slipped back into MVP mode.

Blake Griffin's game gives me pause. But the Clips seem sick as usual.

Is Golden State for real?

Vote

2010-11-02T15:19:00.003-04:00

As usual, Shoals says it better than most.

Blazers Mini-Preview from TBJ

2010-10-28T11:03:00.005-04:00

I liked this mini-preview on the Blazers by The Basketball Jones. Sums up what happened last year, and what to look forward to this year. So far so good. Don't sleep on the Blazers!

Kevin Love Will Tear Us Apart

2010-10-26T16:15:00.005-04:00

Kevin Love - GQ's NBA Guest Blogger 2010-2011

My favorite quote:

"A message for my man over at ESPN, Bill Simmons. I heard that on his podcast, he was going through all the Vegas over-unders for every NBA team's 2010-11 season win totals. Apparently, according to Vegas, the over-under for our team is the lowest in the league, just 23.5 wins. Well, first of all, fuck them. No, I'm just kidding! But then I heard Bill took the under on our team—he said he thinks we're gonna win LESS than 23.5 games. Well, OK, Bill. You're my guy. You're a good friend. But you take it out on the Timberwolves a little too much. You need to give us a little more respect! And don't worry, that respect will be earned. We will GLADLY show you. Mark my words: we're going over 30 wins this year."

Anyone else want to offer an over-under for the Wolves?
Let's get it started!

Fall 1995

2010-10-22T13:30:00.004-04:00

Lots of talk about Wade's Miami team making a run at the Bulls 1995-1996 72-10 record.

As NBA season started, there was lots of speculation if the Bulls could rebound from the 47-35 campaign in 1994-1995. Jordan was back for his first full year after the gambling suspension. No one knew if Rodman's tatoos would send the team and league into chaos.

Here's a roster with salaries as of opening day:

1 Michael Jordan $3,850,000
2 Toni Kukoc $3,560,000
3 Ron Harper $3,120,000
4 Scottie Pippen $2,925,000
5 Dennis Rodman $2,500,000
6 Luc Longley $2,300,000
7 Bill Wennington $1,000,000
8 Randy Brown $900,000
9 Dickey Simpkins $845,000
10 Steve Kerr $800,000
11 Jason Caffey $627,000
12 Jud Buechler $300,000
13 Jack Haley $225,000
14 James Edwards $225,000

History lessons

2010-09-20T11:14:00.004-04:00

I think it might be time to get a gameplayer for our household.

Oldsters

2010-09-10T19:32:00.002-04:00

Monkeyshoes might just build his team the same way his good buddy Ainge did.

Pick 1

2010-08-20T01:57:00.002-04:00

Pick 2

2010-08-20T01:56:00.002-04:00

Pick 3

2010-08-18T08:14:00.001-04:00

Pick 4

2010-08-16T23:17:00.002-04:00

Pick 5

2010-08-11T20:10:00.002-04:00

Shaq as a Celtic

2010-08-10T02:28:00.002-04:00

I have loved Shaq for years.

Which is crazy because I have hated Shaq for years.

I have also been on record as saying in his oldness, he makes his team worse.

But given length of Perk's recuperation (All-start break), and the addition of old friend Jermaine O'Neal, I think Shaq might be able to help out Boston with limited stints. His team defense sucks, and that will be an issue. But he and Jermaine give Boston an ample combo to pair with KG and Big Baby for the regular season. He is essentially filling Shelden Williams role. Plus, if the Chief likes it, so do I.

Pick 6

2010-08-08T16:57:00.003-04:00

Tolliver Whist?

2010-08-07T02:09:00.005-04:00

As much as I hated "The Decision", I love this!

Pick 7

2010-08-06T22:17:00.006-04:00

Pick 8

2010-08-06T00:18:00.001-04:00

Pick 9

2010-08-05T00:29:00.002-04:00

Pick 10

2010-08-03T22:41:00.002-04:00

Pick 11

2010-08-02T23:37:00.000-04:00

Pick 12

2010-08-01T16:18:00.001-04:00

Pick 13 (&14)

2010-07-30T11:03:00.001-04:00

Commish speaks and we jump!

2010-07-30T10:42:00.005-04:00

(or we jump and commish speaks...!)

It's been a little deserted here at the moonball blog recently, outside of the tumbleweeds drifting through the comments section -- but the media has been providing enough pseudoLeBronDrama (LeBrama?) without us needing to chime in. It will be interesting to see what happens - so let it happen. Meanwhile, the Wolves have a brand new team of medium sized contracts. Will Darko ever be free? We shall see. But I'm not quite ready to talk about all that yet either.

So let's switch to Moonball. HP and I traveled to Oregon last weekend, and had a great time seeing old friends for a long weekend. But amidst the good times, there was some serious business. Last year's commish is still living the dream, and from his power comes a draft order. Let it be so!

Jedi mind trick

2010-07-29T19:53:00.003-04:00

The commish from Ironwood used an old Jedi trick to get Moonballers who were hanging out to do the draft order for the 2010-2011 season. I arranged it so that they likely thought it was their own idea, not knowing the full extent of my powers.

I hereby decree that the draft order shall be posted to this blog, from pick 13 to 1, in the coming days.

That is all.

Downside Aversion

2010-07-05T12:36:00.003-04:00

Chicago is in full blown hives over the prospect of a free-agent signing this week. So many possibilities, so many potential championships.

The owners have to be congratulating themselves on winning the latest collective bargaining contest and imposing the current salary structure - just imagine where we would be be if there was no limit on what teams could offer.

Still, there will be real losers in this round of free agency, especially teams that actually get players to sign. Surely one or more of these guys will have health or wealth problems. Just think of Agent Zero's 6-year $111 million contract. Funny that this was originally considered a deal for the Wiz with Gil leaving money on the table.

Downside aversion is a real motivator to inaction. I am sure we will come up with a new look Bulls but it is hard to know what to hope for.

Wolves got better? Do Tell

2010-06-30T00:57:00.004-04:00

I was on the road for the draft, and was unable to tune in for the first time in years. Probably for the best, my heart still stinging from the Finals.

But some significant sh*t went down, right? Bulls and Miami are now all in for the free agent race. The stupid strategy of the two miserable NY franchises may totally back fire . I want LeBron to stay in Cleveland, but the Cavs almost need to rebuild their entire squad to bring in some real running mates for the King. I can't see LeBron wanting sit around during a rebuilding process. Assuming that his plan is to win multiple championships, I suspect he will go to either Chicago or Miami. I also suspect at least one other big name is going to follow suit. Dwyane Wade and Riley are also going to pull in at least one other big name for Miami. Craziness.

Speaking of craziness, Portland fired GM Kevin Pritchard. Having disliked Pritchard from his Jayhawk days, I have begrudgingly appreciated his rather nice run in charge in Portland. Apparently the fan favorite Pritchard was quick to take public credit for ideas and moves that we not his own. Portland also cleared up some off the log jam on the bench by trading Martell Webster to Minnesota. Good move for both teams. Portland needs to settle into 8-9 man rotation. Time to get serious. Nic Batum, baby.

For Minny, Webster is just coming into his prime. He has developed into a tenacious defender and solid rebounder. Most importantly, he is a relentless worker, both in terms of his game and in terms of his conditioning. Drafted out of high school and playing on a team with a load of wing talent, he has never gotten then consistent green light to exploit his offensive game.

As for my free agency predictions, here goes nothing:

Chicago signs LeBron James
New Jersey signs Carlos Boozer
Miami signs Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade
NY signs Joe Johnson and Amare

They tried to do their best (but they could not)

2010-06-18T13:59:00.003-04:00

Ten years later, losing a double digit lead in LA to lose Game 7 to the Lakers sucks just as much.

Thanks to KG, Ray, and Pauly. It was always more than the big three, but it would not have been anything without the power trio. Thanks Sheed for battling strong til the end. Thanks Rondo, Perk, Baby, Tony and surprise guest Nate Rob for the youthful energy and amazing play.

Great run. Dismal end. No rebounding, no rings.

F Kobster til eternity.

The Need for Sheed

2010-06-17T10:50:00.003-04:00

I think we should all pitch in and buy Mike a ticket to the Denver airport to watch the game. The absence of Kendrick Perkins is huge, especially after the rebounding disparity we saw in Game 6. Sheed is going to have to come through with all the fire he has (short of 2 techs). If Bynum is limited, that changes things too. Let's hope the C's come through with a better game than game 6 and hit some frickin' shots. Overtime! Overtime!

3 going on 18

2010-06-15T16:23:00.004-04:00

Another outstanding team effort by Boston in Game 5. Big guns KG, Pauly P, Rondo and Ray all scored the ball while shooting a good percentage. Everybody play great D and hit the boards. The Celtics made huge plays when they needed to, punctuated by the KG to Pierce to Rondo in bounds play and Rondo's put back offensive rebound over Lamar and the Kobster.

Among the many things that I liked about the Lakers play, the fact that the Kobster was yelling at his teammates was my highlight. That and the fact that during the Kobster's amazing run of 23 consecutive Laker points, the Celtic lead increased from 1 point to 13 points.

I would love to celebrate 18 tonight. But even if somehow L.A. wins Game 6, Boston is winning the series. That has been known since KG slapped the floor half-way through Game 4.

5 Alive

2010-06-13T01:37:00.004-04:00

Two very good games so far in Boston. Both Boston and L.A. are playing super defense. The effort and execution have been outstanding. Some of the blocks have been absolutely spectacular, on both sides. Best Finals in a while.

I was not particularly surprised that the Celtics dropped Game 3, in that they have been so up and down at home all season. Ray obviously could not hit the side of the barn. But Paul, Rondo, Baby and Tony Allen also missed several gimmes. Throw in the missed free throws and rushed 3s, and you have the 2010 recipe for a Celtics’ loss. But even in the Game 3 loss, Boston started establishing themselves on the boards and in the paint. KG was awesome. Rasheed and Baby are playing wonderfully together. The length and range of Wallace and the heft and deft of Davis presents problems for L.A., especially with an increasingly hobbled Bynum.

Watching Derek Fisher close out Game 3 was awful. What a clutch son of a gun/scrub ass sucker. But I know Laker fans were feeling ill after Glenn Davis and Nate Robinson controlled the 4th quarter of Game 4. Along with Tony Allen, Baby and Nate gave Boston a powerful burst of youth, energy and athleticism that L.A. could not counter. Through out the Playoffs, these guys have found a rhythm that undeniable. They can lock down their opponents and they attack the rim. Especially when big bad Andrew Bynum is on the sidelines.

Game 5 is gonna be damn fun. Hard to say who has the upper hand. So far, both teams have won the game they needed. Now both teams need to win. Of course, Bynum’s health will be a huge factor. Boston has gained the advantage on the boards after getting pounded early in the series. The team that rebounds wins this series. Another huge factor will be shooting percentage. Boston has missed a TON of good looks on jump shots the last two games--an unfortunate trend at home games all season. One of these next two games, Paul is going to catch fire and drop 30. Lord knows Ray Allen could hit a few more. If Boston wins Game 5, they are winning it all, even if it means winning in 7. Boston plays better on the road. And unlike Game 1& 2, Paul usually goes nuts in his hometown. Plus, you all saw KG pound the floor.

Mark Burhle

2010-06-11T01:25:00.002-04:00

Jesus hit 8 threes and the world stood still. After four, actually, three perfect games, Burhle still sucks! Wow - Ray Allen is terrible the last two games. Loving the finals and sending summer wishes to all.

Even up, advantage C's

2010-06-08T11:15:00.006-04:00

Lakers got 13 blocks, 20 plus points from Bynum, Gasol and the Kobster, and had the lead with under four minutes to go. Nice set up for a fantastic finish by the green squad.

What a night for Ray. And what scrappy play to win in L.A.

Sheed has his best game yet.

And Pauly P was huge on D.

Back to Boston.

Youch!

2010-06-05T02:11:00.003-04:00

Well, that sucked. I thought the sequence in the 3rd where Gasol blocked three straight shots sealed the game. #24 was phenomenal. Ron Ron bombed home 3 from downtown.

The Celtics defense did little to stop Laker penetration, resulting in a free for all on the boards for the Laker bigs. Pretty ugly stuff. KG was bad, Rondo's ball pressure was weak and Ray Allen was saddled with foul problems from the jump.

The good news is that I doubt Boston plays worse, and I sure hope Ron Ron is not going 3-5 from deep every game. Win 1 of 2 in L.A. and return home.

Mile High, Awaiting Banner 18

2010-06-03T12:44:00.007-04:00

Another layover in Denver, and the Celtics are rollling on a quest for 18.

When I was last here, I was hoping/worrying about Sheed's ability to step up to the Playoff challenge. But just like Eminem once cited the Hip Hop community for forgetting about Dre, I cite myself for forgetting about Ubuntu.

Boston wins because they are a team. The Celtics have not had the same lead scorer in consecutive games in the Playoffs. Four different bench players have scored 12 plus points. Ya, we need Sheed. But Boston depends on NO one, two, Big Three or Big Four. Ubuntu baby!

I think Boston is gonna run L.A. just like they ran the King and the Clown Prince Howard. The Lakers are certainly the most formidable offensive team the Celtics have seen so far because of the Kobster-Gasol combo. Gasol is the most accomplished scoring big man in the game, and the Kobster is streaking at an all time high. That said, both Cleveland (102.1) and Orlando (102.8) put up more points per game over the regular season than the Lake Show (101.7), and Boston KILLED their offensive flow. The Celtics play a brand of team defense that is a deadly as it is beautiful. Lakers better hope they can win games decided in the high 80's and low 90's, because the days of 110 and gone with the setting Suns.

Now consider that the Lakers' defense has little or no hope is slowing down Boston. Though L.A. was vastly improved on the defensive end, they are not in the class of either the Cavs or the Magic. They got carved up by both the Suns and greatly depleted Jazz. Though Boston does not sacrifice defensive balance to score like the Suns and Jazz, the Celtic's offense in the playoffs has been outstanding. The half-court execution has been methodical and efficient. In the open court, Rondo, Ray and Tony Allen have been flying down the court and attacking the rim. . . and that has been with LeBron and DHoward erasing at least a fast break basket a game. L.A. cannot guard the rim like that in the open court. The result will be multiple easy Boston baskets.

This will be a series of great match-ups: KG vs Gasol, Pauly P vs Ron Ron, Rondo and Ray vs the Kobster and Fisher, Perk vs Bynum, Davis and Sheed vs. Lamar, Tony Allen vs. Shannon Brown and Big Ears. But match-ups are more Hollywood than hardwood when it comes to the Celtics' formula. Team play will rule the day. Always been that way. Ubuntu.

Couple closing thoughts on the Celtics-Orlando series:

Vince needs to hang it up. His acrobatic avoidance of contact during most of the series was shameful. I have never been a big Vince hater. He is a great performer and a weak competitor. Join the Globetrotters, VC.
Until Nate-dog exploded for 13 in the Orlando clincher, he was running neck and neck with Ray Allen's mother for the mascot spot vacated by Eddie House's son Jaelen. The cameras seem to love the unexpected, energetic but cute cheer leader, and both Nate and Mrs. Allen fit the bill in the first three rounds. Another on court outburst in the Finals, and Nate's nobody's mascot.
I was of course happy to see Dukie Redick put back in his place by reality, but he had some good moments for Orlando filling in for Vince. Guess I should have included this in the Vince bullet, huh?
In a 'could we possibly be this stupid' moment to remember, the announcer duo of Jeff Van Gundy and Marc Jackson distinguished themselves in a Game 6 talking about Bill Russell. Van Gundy brings up that Bill Russell won 5 MVP's, while being selected three times First team All-NBA. Van Gundy and Jackson explode with dismay about how stupid the selection process was for not putting the MVP. on the First Team. Dumb Breen says (accurately) "Well, that is because of Wilt." Van Gundy and Jackson jump on Breen like it was his decision, and precious minutes of live basketball go on without mention. What is so stupid for me is that the explanation of Russell's 5 MVPs vs 3 First Team All NBA selections is very simple: When Russ played, the players voted for MVP, not the media. All NBA Teams have always been selected by sports journalists. Such ignorance from high profile announcers is weak.

Some serious series

2010-05-27T02:24:00.003-04:00

Not a week ago, crowds in LA and Boston were chanting for a rematch. Now the respective fan bases need a win. The fun has begun.

I will admit that I am nervous for Boston. Despite the 3-2 advantage, the potential suspension of Kendrick Perkins and the concussion of Glen Davis make Game 6 a tough road to hoe. Rondo does not look right, and Sheed came up hobbling with a bad back in the 4th quarter. Tony Allen’s surgically repaired ankle has flare up. When Boston was cranking, folks were healthy. Now? Gut check time for the Big 3.

I hope the NBA rescinds at least one of the two Perkins’ techs. Perk has earned MANY technicals this year, but the two in Game 5 were total bullshit. Frankly, his ejection assured the Celtics loss given the unforeseen knock out of Davis. If somehow the Celtics lose Perk for Game 6, the NBA should start marketing its refs, cause clearly they are the stars.

What I love about the playoffs is that what happens in one game has so little relevance to what happens in the next. Sure, match ups and sets carry over game to game, but with adjustments and the random bounce of the ball, the outcome is determined by the action on the floor. Boston has been sketchy at home all season. Reserves like Michael Finley, Nate Robinson and Sheldon Williams may be called on to deliver. But if Paul, Ray and KG all show big, the Celtics return to the promised land.

As for LA and Phoenix, I can’t imagine the Lakers losing this series. Los Suns bench is phenomenal, and the zone defense certainly confounds the triangle. But even if Phoenix wins Game 5, the Kobe-Gasol combo seems beyond Los Suns control.

musings during the pregnant pause

2010-05-22T03:47:00.004-04:00

This has got to be the longest t.v. time out in League history.

Couple of thoughts while I was passing the time:

Not that it isn’t being said everywhere, but Rondo has taken his game to an extraordinary level. He was an absolute surgeon in Game 2, scoring every big bucket during Orlando’s desperate attempt to reclaim their season. Having watched him play some 250 games these past three years (no lie, I got league pass and dvr), his vocabulary for dominance seems to grow every game.

Did yall catch Dwight Howard’s little Marcel Marceau routine prior to Game 2? As he was slapping five with various team officials in a dramatic pre-game ritual, he stopped in front of two dudes, who on cue fake poured pretend powder on his out-stretched hands, which he then fake threw up in the air ala LeBron ala KG. That’s the kind of creative energy I want my super star exhibiting before the big game.

Is it weird that both Stan Van Gundy and Alvin Gentry have admitted that their team cannot guard its opponent? In other coaching news, thank god we don’t have to listen to Doug ‘I Love You Kobe’ Collins next year. Let’s hope Philly plays well enough that he doesn’t get fired until at least 2012.

Further proof that Phil Jackson gets up in the morning and sucks all day

2010-05-17T21:20:00.003-04:00

Immigration is an admittedly complicated issue about which good people can disagree. But Phil Jackson's take in an interview with J.A. Adande shows the gutless, front-running nature of the fakiest zen master this side of Master Splinter.

Says Jackson: "I don't think teams should get involved in the political stuff. And I think this one's still kind of coming out to balance as to how it's going to be favorably looked upon by our public. If I heard it right the American people are really for stronger immigration laws, if I'm not mistaken. Where we stand as basketball teams, we should let that kind of play out and let the political end of that go where it's going to go."

So we should wait to see if something is popular before we decide whether it is moral or even logistically possible or economically wise? Sounds like the key word for the carefully spoken Jackson was in his third sentence: If I heard RIGHT. . .

I think Phil is not just sitting on the sidelines. Another comment to Adande: "Am I crazy, or am I the only one that heard [the legislature] say 'we just took the United States immigration law and adapted it to our state.'"

Knowing that Phil is a master of spin, there is zero chance he is so dumb to take Gov Jan Brewer's words on face value.

F Phil Jackson.

Game 1: Advantage Boston

2010-05-17T03:17:00.004-04:00

Boston declared their intentions in earnest on pursing championship 18 with a not-nearly-as-close-as-the-score 92-88 Game 1 win in Orlando. Things looked good for the C's from the get. Returned is the defense that won them the Championship in 2008. Boston's bigs swarmed the paint, while perimeter guys denied and jammed passing lanes. Boston's decision to live with Howard and single coverage put huge pressure on Orlando to get open shots from 3 point land.

On the other end of the court, from the opening moments Pierce was on fire and Ray Allen was in attack mode. Ray went to the rack 4 times in the first quarter, scoring a buckets and earning a four of free throws, including a foul on Dwight Howard. Seemed like both Paul and Ray had fresh memories of many of these same Magic whuppin up on them in 2009. Different year, different result. By the time Rondo started to attack in the second quarter, Orlando's defense was officially in shambles. Boston's bench player of Allen, Davis and Wallace all found ways to score.

Boston's third quarter barrage ended the game. Whether the series is still a contest is a question Orlando has to answer.

WBKYA

2010-05-17T02:12:00.005-04:00

Aw schucks. Looks like the men in Green have caught a little lighting in a jar, don't cha know.

I could not have imagined this from the Celtics a month ago when the Playoffs began. Garnett is playing brilliantly. For that matter, so are Pierce and Allen. World knows how Rondo is rolling. Throw in Perk, Davis, Sheed and Allen, and you get a juggernaut.

Despite Orlando valiant comeback, Boston essentially crushed them. The Magic have given to the Celtics pretty good this year. In the regular season, as much as Boston has defended Orlando's perimeter attack, the Celtics seemingly had no answer for the inside beef of the Magic. Post season, Boston seems almost a whole new team.

In Game 1, a healthy KG, beastmaster Perkins, Glenn Davis and fired up Sheed ruled the paint. More importantly in what shall certainly be a defensive series, on the offensive end Boston has established serious match up advantages at three positions (Paul-Vince, Ray-Barnes, Rajon-Jameer).

Got a letter from Orlando. . .

2010-05-17T01:47:00.004-04:00

. . . the other day.
Open it and read it,
Said they were suckers

One of the things that pissed me off the most last year when Orlando shocked Cleveland to advance to the Finals last season was that I knew it guaranteed a Laker victory. Orlando has several suspect performers in their rotation, and their leader Dwight Howard has huge holes in his game. Left to their own devices in the Eastern Conference, Orlando could go on a Jim Kelly/Buffalo Bills run.

Vince Carter and Grant Hill in the Conference Finals

2010-05-17T01:34:00.006-04:00

Been a long hard road for both of these NBA luminaries. Now, well removed from the spotlight they once commanded, each has a chance as a support player to get their team to the Finals. Both have to play out of their mind. I do not think Vince is up to the challenge. Defense matters, and Vince never got that.

Grant Hill, on the other hand, has channeled all his savvy and skill towards the D. humanshoe hit me with this sweet image the other day: Grant friggin Duke'n to his Dukiest level and messing up Kobe with cheap charges and all that other crap Dukie do.

Hoping for a fortunate turn of the carousel

2010-05-17T01:12:00.006-04:00

Here's hoping for the periodic rotation of NBA announcers to the bench and visa versa leads to some good things for the fans. For starters, someone please hire JVG and Mark Jackson. Listening to those two bozos and Breen-meister is so painful. What a self-referential trio. Collins is another guy I would love to see back haunting sideline huddles. That Kobe-loving, uninformed front runner says almost nothing constantly.

McHale, on the other hand, seems a natural for this work. Kevin has always been a great talker. He has some really funny phrases, and is much less prone to the hyberbole that so permeates NBA commentary. If some of those clowns get the call to coach, maybe McHale will call more games.

Wonder if Mike Brown is any good on the mic?

I don't believe in magic

2010-05-14T22:05:00.005-04:00

I do believe in KG.

Things were a little bit different last time Boston tangled with the Magic. A bedraggled front line of Perk, Glen Davis, Mikki Moore and Brian Scalabrine played better than anyone might have imagined, taking the soon to be exposed Magic to an improbable 7 games. Boston actually had several chances to win the series, including late game free throw misses by Allen and Pierce. But the Magic were the better team, and they advanced.

The Magic are likely better than last year. Jameer Nelson is a huge upgrade on their side. Vince is going off right now. They have won 13 in a row, including two sweeps in the first two round.

Thing is, with KG on the Celts, I am not sure I like Orlando's chances.

Uh-Oh, what you gawn do now?

2010-05-12T20:53:00.004-04:00

Man oh man, what a huge game for the Celts last night. LeBron is hurt, and as such, the rest of the Cavs are exposed as the suckers they are. Boston has match up advantages all over the floor. Sweet old KG is looking spry, and Jamison can only relent in his presence. Mo Williams on Ray Allen? Funny as it sounds. Rondo vs. Anthony Parker? Funnier still. Tony Allen is the fastest guy on the floor not named LeBrondo. Though Shaq has scored on Perk, the Celt's big man is holding down the single coverage. Davis has matched Varejo's energy. Sheed has battled Shaq, Z, Andy, Antwan and Hickson sufficiently. Basically, unless LeBron goes nuts, this series is over Thursday.

Now, of course, Bron could well go nuts. But as Khujo says, even Tyson can get laid down.

Oh Shmoe-Bee

2010-05-11T10:38:00.007-04:00

There's so much to love about the Suns I barely need to spend much effort this year hating on the Lakers. But Kobe is in a category all his own. Luckily, he's set himself up for ridicule with the stupid photo shoot he did recently. Deadspin has a nice selection of Photoshopped mashups, and there are others out there. But the original images are clownerific enough as it is. Come on Pilgrim!

P.S. Celtics/Lakers rematch?

Me, Sheed and the Denver Airport

2010-05-05T12:42:00.007-04:00

The extreme Sheed lover that I am, you can imagine how disappointing it has been to see his weak-ass play while sporting the Green. His defense, the core of his ability to dominate, has diminished to the point where he is a severe liability. Especially during the the C's last 50 games, anytime Sheed was on the floor and the shot clock was winding down, opposing guards simply drove at him the paint. The result? Either Sheed gave them the matador and allowed an easy lay up, or he gave it a half-assed reach and gave away free throws. Sometimes both. Infuriating, to say the least.

To me, the true litmus test of whether a player you like still has it is during the playoffs. If you feel anxious every time they are on the court, the race is run and the player is done. But however far Sheed has fallen off, there still seems to be some special magic for me as a Sheed fan. That magic happens in the Denver Airport.

See, I was on a flight back from somewhere last summer and had an hour plus to kill in the Mile High city. Using Denver's painfully slow wi-fi, I uploaded the story of Sheed signing with the C's. The exhiliration I felt carried me home to Portland on a cloud of happiness. Rasheed a Celtic. I knew he was on the back end of his career, but how much did he need to do to make Boston better? 20 minutes of D and 3's sounded like a very achievable reality. Then the season began, and Sheed's decline was clear as day. Ughh. It was not even playoffs, and yet I had "Get him off the floor' mantra running by mid January.

At times he seemed dis-enchanted, other times lost..Doc dropped him below Glen Davis in Miami, which gave me relief. But even his 12 minute stints seemed to much. When Rivers mentioned after Game 1 vs the Cavs that he was thinking of elevating Dukie Shelden Williams, both Dave and I agreed it was likely for the best.

But then I returned to the Denver airport. I had a 60 minutes lay-over on my way to Little Rock, enough time to catch most all of the first half, and 13 point scoring outburst Mr. Wallace. While he still had suspect moments on D, his signature fire had returned, at least for a half. I landed in Arkansas a few hours later and logged on to see the Celtics had won in a romp. Sheed had for a game fulfilled the fantasies that were birthed in Denver some 9 months prior.

I am in Denver as I blog this, now returning home. My next trip through this airport in on June 1. Just in time for the Finals.

Richardson and Suns too much

2010-04-30T03:06:00.004-04:00

Well, dang, Portland's ride is over. Josh Simison, myself and another Mike where at the Rose Garden as the final chapter of the Blazers season was writ. The crowd was great. Sad to see the tema lose, but fully appreciative of the way this year's squad battled through injuries.

Phoenix played a great series. Richardson was unguardable. The Suns bench is an attack unit, on both ends. I cannot say enough about Jared Dudley. What a gritty player. Suns will push San Antonio hard.

Trouble Catching the Playoffs? - There's an App for That - Duh

2010-04-29T12:14:00.007-04:00

Last year I bought cable for NBA playoffs, and then it took me 6 months of watching commercials and mind garbage before getting fed up and canceling -- so I chose not to go there this year. But I wanted to follow the playoffs somehow. So when the first round started, I downloaded the NBA Gametime App for iPhone for $2.99. I love it.

On the free lite version, you can get realtime schedules and scores, which is nice. But with the full version, you get internet-style play-by-play and radio broadcasts from both markets. I love listening to games on the radio -- it hearkens back to when I was a kid listening to the St. Louis Blues hockey on the radio under my bed (I'd always fall asleep during the 2nd Zamboni).

Nowadays I can listen to NBA at night if there's a good game, and the phone will recharge by my bed from now until June. Late games aren't such a drag for midwesterners this way either. This playoffs I have enjoyed the radio stylings of Portland, Utah, Denver, Dallas, San Antone, Chicago, Boston, Miami, Milwaukee and ATL sprinkled in when I have a few minutes cooking dinner or whatever. If you don't like the announcer, you can switch to the other feed.

Last night's Milwaukee ATL tilt was fun because Milwaukee's announcer was practically out of his seat with excitement, then I'd lose the feed for a minute and switch over to ATL, where the announcer was relaying the events in a tone reserved for reading instruction-manuals, with the cold inevitability of a Titanic closing on an iceberg. As the final minutes unfolded last night, he knew the ship was going down.

JLev has pointed out that I probably spent my cable savings on beer, catching a few must-watch games at the bar. That may be true, but the iPhone app radio connection has been a fun new way to take it all in. There are also video recaps in the morning for the bus ride to work. So far, the data plan doesn't spoil me as much as a cable plan, I guess. For anyone else that has trouble catching the playoffs, I'd recommend it. (Tonight though, I plan to seek out a Black Butte Porter and some TNT for those Game 6s!)

The other Brandon is the real ROY

2010-04-29T01:49:00.003-04:00

WTF! Milwaukee in a stunner. Brandon Jennings continues to amaze, as does the the very clutch John Salmons. Both Jennings and Salmons played exceptional defense. Mbah-Moute was battling and Kurt Thomas was laying serious wood. I am gald Boston did not draw Milwaukee. If they had Bogut, there would be some serious talk of an Eastern Conference run. I am glad the C's drew Miami.

Then again, the Hawks played a big role in their own demise. Joe Johnson fouled out with several minutes to play in the most important game thus far this season, and then Josh Smith took a 3. As has been discussed on this blog and almost everywhere else, one sign of Smith's huge improvement this season was he had stopped taking stupid threes. Oh well.

The picture is getting clearer

2010-04-28T21:06:00.003-04:00

Boston, Cleveland, Utah, LA and Phoenix took their game 5 and are now done or knocking on the door to done. Even though OKC and Portland have two wins, the road ahead is steep.

We shall learn something about Atlanta handles the pressure of an up and coming opponent playing with nothing to lose. Not as fun as it seemed in 2008, hey Hawks?

Dallas and San Antonio is a crazyville series. I have no idea what will happen, but my gut says Spurs hold on, even if the have to go back to Dallas to win in 7.

Great weekend with some big time Game 5's looming

2010-04-26T20:50:00.005-04:00

Thought I would get a quick post up before tonight's main event get's underway. Despite some lopsided scores, Sunday had some great ball.

LeBron. Sorry HP. At least you know what being on the winning end is like from the Jordan era. King James is in search and destroy mode. Even with the sensational play of Noah and the force that is Derrick Rose, the Bulls provide no contest.

DWade exploded in what could be his last home game as a HEAT. After listening to the press going on for several days that he was slowing down in 4th quarters, Wade did what superstars do. Remarkable. Funny thing is that with better FT shooting and less turnovers, C's would have won anyways. Done in 5. Miami better get Wade some help.

You know I love him, so this is truer than true: Sheed has played like crap this year. He can redeem himself with a big moment or three in a playoff run, but his matador defense is earning him much pine. Luckily Glenn Davis is performing big. Same with wild man Tony Allen. Who knew. He and Finley give Boston all the depth they need if Ray, Rondo and Paul stay healthy.

One of the most exciting moments in the Game today is when Deron Williams starts using that high dribble as he accelerates up court. That dude is amazing. The whole Utah squad is playing outstanding team basketball, but maestro Williams is the cat guiding the injury riddled Jazz past Denver. Carmelo has been awesome, but Nene and JR Smith have played miserably.

Dallas and San Antonio looked a bit like NY and Miami in the mid 90's.

Final note on OKC and the Lakers: Any of you see how PISSED Magic Johnson was describing the Lakers' woes at halftime of the Boston-Miami game. HI-larious! He through Artest under the bus while waxing on about Ariza. Love it! Go Thunder!

Go Blazers!

Go Celts!

Where's the most intense playoff action right now?

2010-04-26T20:30:00.003-04:00

You don't see this in an NBA game...

Lower Seeds Sneakin' Up

2010-04-26T10:24:00.003-04:00

The East is going as scripted, so far. But the West -- nothing is given, especially after this weekend. The lower seeds are up 10-6 so far. Who else wants to see an all-upset first round?

My Royfriend’s Back and your gonna be on trouble

2010-04-25T03:31:00.005-04:00

Brandon Roy’s miraculous return to the court today completely changed the composition of the series. No more clamping down on Miller and Aldridge when BRoy is on the floor. LaMarcus had a huge game in his own right, but Brandon impacts the game by just be in uniform. Phoenix is a really good team, but aside from six quarters in Game 2 and 3, Portland has been able to dictate pace against the high flying Suns all season long. Roy’s return opens up Portland’s offense in ways the Suns cannot resolve. Nic Batum, who is coming on like a hurricane, seems to have recovered fro his strained shoulder. I think Portland is taking this one.

And how bout Durantula and the OKC kids beating up on the suddenly vulnerable Lakers? The Kobster is old and injured! I love it! Lakers may still pull this out, but the reign of the spoiled rotten prince seems to be drawing to a close. Meanwhile, in walks Kevin Durant. . .

Orlando is rolling. Right now they seem to be the team to beat. Atlanta would do well to snap out of whatever fog lead to the Game 3 let down. Giving this resilient Bucks team life is a dangerous prospect for an Atlanta team still more associated with potential than success.

3-0 and clear seas ahead

2010-04-24T16:52:00.003-04:00

Watch out now. Boston seems to have found a grove. Pauly P and Ray-Ray are filling it up, and the defense looks tight. Glenn Davis and Tony Allen are bringing tremendous energy off the bench. The KG era Celts have never had a 3-0 playoff series. Guys are healthy.

Let's go Bulls!

LOVE Stacey King!

2010-04-23T17:47:00.002-04:00

Unbelievable move by Deng. We'll see how Sunday goes but its not a series until someone loses at home.

How Did Korver and Co. Take it to Denver?

2010-04-21T09:56:00.008-04:00

Some good first round action so far -- The Jazz took a lesson from the Blazers victory Sunday, and scrubs ruled - and showed that team basketball isn't about big names -- except Deron Williams, Deron Williams, Deron Williams, who scored huge points, and most importantly got everyone else involved, dishing for swishes from Korver, and hooking up dunks for Fasenko - the Ukraine Train!

Lots of whistles and Denver's bad decisions and occasional indifference cost them the game. Things broke just right for Utah in their game two victory, however....and it was still close. If Utah wants to stay in it, they had better make the most of their homecourt advantage these next two games. But I think we'll see the Nugs bounce back now that Utah's got their attention. I'm not sure either of these teams can beat the Lakers, who appear likely to come out of their 1-8 unscathed. The Lake show should have adequate time to flip the switch in these first two rounds. A healthy Bynum is helping a lot, and their size will be too tough for OKC to overcome, even though OKC's center by committee is doing better than expected, and Durant's length is helping.

I would love to see BRoy come back to test the Lakers. Unfortunately, Portland came back to Earth last night against the fast-paced Suns. What really struck me was watching the Suns' scrambling defense. The Suns did well on the perimeter and Amundson's a hustler. J-Rich came up big with some threes.

I'm excited to see the game go back to PDX, but Batum's shoulder injury is a big concern. The Blazers are deep, but without the magical ability to grow new appendages or players, they might find themselves a little too thin. Outside of my Blazer allegiance, I'm thrilled the Suns are still where they are after being at risk of irrelevancy after the previous few years' playoff losses.

Kelly Dwyer had an interesting article about KG calling him a lion in winter-- maybe he's reading into things. But it's interesting to consider the man with the spinning baseline fadeaway fading away. By accident, I happened on Youtube highlights of Wolves vs. Kings game 7 the other night, and it was an interesting reminder of what an amazing player he has been. Speaking of flipping the switch, I'm hoping the regular season has been a restful prelude, and the Celts with Sheed and KG will finish warmups against the Heat in Round 1 and make for a great series in Round 2, Celts vs. the Bulls all over again, right?...or do y'all think LeBron and Co. will advance?

Mavs Spurs 2 tonight!

Playoff Time

2010-04-17T04:01:00.009-04:00

After months of radio silence resulting in most part from being so befuddled by the poor play of the Celtics, I am moved to post by the great drama that is about to unfold. The first 82 is fun for highlights, big nights and Moonball stats. Now the games all count.

Lakers vs OKC: The Lake Show stumbled across the finish due in large part to an injured Kobster. Though by all right they are favorites, the Thunder are a tough draw for several reasons. L.A.s greatest weakness is at the point, where Fisher is some five years removed from being able to stay in front quick point guards; Russell Westbrook is as quick as they come. Jeff Green is going to mess with Lamar Odom. The Thunder have many ways to score in the half court. Zen master Phil overplayed his hand when he started talking about Durant. In an NBA playoff series where the teams are relatively equal, the team with the best player wins. Kobster is still hurt, and Durant is now angry.

Dallas vs San Antonio: Looks like wrong place at the wrong time for a surging Dallas team. The Spurs are no longer a contender in my mind, but something tells me in the quest for one more shot at the gusto, Timmy’s team will beat Dirk’s. Dallas has no one to check Ginobili. I am sure that Dirk and Kidd will go nuts. Popavich’s team always seems to take away looks from the Jason Terry’s and Caron Butler’s of the world, and Duncan will clown the otherwise formidable duo of Haywood and Dampier. Truth is, I would be happy to see both these teams lose.

Phoenix vs Portland: Nice match-up. The Suns have been playing as well as anyone. The back to back blowouts road wins over Denver and Utah were scary. Amare! The Suns bench is hitting on all cylinders, and those suckers D. Then there is P-Town. Of course, I am very sad that super hero Brandon Roy will be watching from the sidelines. But Portland don’t quit. Old friend Marcus Camby and LaMarcus Aldridge is an ill front line. Andre Miller will pick up Roy’s scoring, and with Batum, Webster, and Fernandez, Portland has the perimeter covered I Roy’s absence. I see Phoenix advancing in a highly contested, highlight extravaganza.

Denver vs Utah: If Boozer is not 100%, Denver in a walk. Maybe it was the hot Suns, but Utah’s showing in a home game that would have given them the 3 seed, but Utah looked listless against the Phoenix attack. Utah is great at home, and mediocre on the road. That was a must win they lost. As good as Deron Williams is, Utah is a soft defensive team that will lose without the Booze-hound’s offensive punch. Bad formula vs the high scoring Nugs. Denver has stumbled since KMart’s injury and coach Karl’s absence. Martin is back, and when he leads the defensive charge, Denver is tough to beat. Melo is going to go crazy. So is Billups, Nene and the mercurial JR Smith. Over in 5.

Cleveland vs. Chicago: LeBron is not losing in the first round. That said, this might not be easy for the Cavs. Derrick Rose is a problem for everybody. Deng has tools to “guard” LeBron at least until he fouls out. Joakim Noah is an emerging force. Chicago has enough depth. Cleveland will certainly win the first two handily. Even with a nicked up Jamison and without Shaq, Cleveland has a tight squad built for a Finals run. LeBron is playing the game at its highest level with one goal in mind. His intensity alone could mean 4 and done. But if Chicago can win Game 3, we might have a dog fight. . . which, of course would be incredible because LeBron is not losing in the first round.

Orlando vs. Charlotte: The Magic are steam rolling right now, and the Bobcats are going to get flattened. I love what Stephen Jackson has brought to this team. Gerald Wallace is a freak of nature. Larry Brown has got his team over-achieving. Thing is that Dwight Howard is a titan, and the Bobcats are all mortals. Simply no contest. And I ain’t saying other Magic won’t go banan. I think this one is a blow out fest in Mickey’s House, and two grinders in North Carolina. End result: 4 and done.

Atlanta vs Milwaukee: This would have been a hell of a series with Bogut healthy. Of course, if Bogut had not gotten hurt, the Bucks would be upsetting Boston in the First Round. Without the big Aussie, Hotlanta’s brilliant front line will overwhelm the gritty crew from Foam Town. Al Horford, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams are as good as the League has to offer. Rebounders, defenders, shot blockers, all with the ability to score the basketball. Ill. Then we get to Joe Johnson and sixth man of the year Jamal Crawford, a duo that can post 50 on any given night. Brandon Jennings, John Salmons, Carlos Delfino and all of Skile’s crew are going to battle til the end, but that could be 4 or 5 games.

Boston vs Miami: I shudder to think what will transpire. The best player rule gives Miami the unquestioned edge. Boston’s shitty (I mean super shitty) home play could easily send the series back to Miami with the Heat in charge. Nothing that has happened in the past 3 months suggests that Boston is up for the down stroke. Luckily, Miami is not that good. Rondo will be able to run wild on the Heat, and despite Wade’s overall advantage, Ray Allen has bene playing great basketball since the All-Star break. The questions for Boston involve KG and Pauly P: Are they still game changers? Can they will a win? Can they will four wins?

Sports Fantasy versus Sci-Fi Fantasy

2010-04-01T17:47:00.006-04:00

Here's a proposal for the next one of us to be married, re-committed or whatever else ceremony.

I call Elton Brand, or maybe Phil Jackson.

How about you?

Fabulous

2010-03-23T16:07:00.002-04:00

My attempt to get Moonball Twitter off the ground went nowhere, but there are some things you all are missing out on over there. Take this guy Andy Gray, who I think works for SI and goes by the handle @si_vault, the online archive of every issue of Sports Illustrated. Every day he posts 3-4 photos from the SI Vault and they are great. Here's one he posted today. Timeless indeed.

Missing John Salmons

2010-03-15T16:00:00.003-04:00

Milwaukee has the league's second-best record since the All-Star break at 12-2. The Bulls are sinking like an anchor. Ugh.

GIVE ME THAT FISH!

Knicks Slick or Sick?

2010-03-06T20:01:00.003-05:00

I was listening to the fellows at FreeDarko's Disciples of Clyde podcast last week. They are the embodiment of Pete's "How Nerdy Do We Sound" hypothesis of NBA heads vs. Star Trek convention attendees. But it's disarming, and I listen to them every once in a while, for their take on things, their guests, and their occassional in-depth Knicks analysis.

I don't usually have much use for Knicks talk, especially of the variety of "Minnesota should take our crappy parts and give us Rubio because we're from New York, and we deserve it, and he can make a lot of ad money here." So I don't often seek it out from other sources. But the latest post-draft podcast was disarming in its fear, regret and honesty...sprinkled with a little hope.

No offense, E-Dave, but I've been secretly relishing the years of New York choking on its bloated contracts for some time now. And during this recent trade-deadline purge I was kind of sad to see it come to an end. I'd gotten used to the comforting feeling that as bad off as we are, New York was bad...and for YEARS. The fact that they got out from under that weight made me worry that we might be left behind as other teams raid the free-agent stores, and continue in our midwest mediocrity without peer.

But Ken and Dan, heartbroken fans, showed me the holes in this view...and how they may have just gotten out from all those salaries, but it cost them several years of draft picks to do it (recent and future), plus a laundry list of regrets about how they've missed people in the draft (Balkman over Rondo), and having a crummy GM at least recent memory. It reminded me of our dear Wolves. (I meant to post this link as a means to not talk about the Wolves and to talk Knicks for once, but here I am talking about them again.) Anyway, the Knicks are still wriggling on a skewer to some degree, and it will be interesting to see what they actually get (and how much they overpay all over again). It may be time to start forgiving them a little, and I think I'm doing that. Of course, that will all change if they get LeBron.

Your thoughts? Here's the p-cast:
FreeDarko Presents Disciples of Clyde: Post-Draft Analysis

Team Darko

2010-02-24T12:48:00.003-05:00

Two games in & Stop-N-Pop at Canis Hoopus has already declared that the good part of the Wolves (the group that can actually win games and somehow now includes Corey Brewer) shall be known as Team Darko. As will the CeeWolves next year (sorry TVDave - I just called Dibs).

I know he's going back to Europe next year but it would be so unbelievably awesome if Darko really did turn out to be part of that great mythical monster (aka The Next Good Twolves Team).

Darko is Light?

2010-02-22T10:03:00.007-05:00

Minnesotans love Darko.

When Darko took the floor yesterday for his first minutes as a Timberwolf, he received more applause than I've heard since LeBron was here. Cue and repeat for Darko's first rebound and Darko's first points. I was surprised to see that anyone was paying that much attention to this club.

Minnesotans need Darko.

In a season of artificially-inflated expectation, when people somehow believed that Kahn's moves to clear cap space and put his own stamp on the team would actually make the Wolves win 30-40 games, Darko instantly belongs here. We've been kicked when we're down enough times that we know one of our own. At worst, he's a novelty...one that's got to be more impactful than the bald man who was being paid $6.7 million to hustle and provide a veteran locker room presence. Instead of a backup to Sasha Pavlovic, we now have the big center we've always dreamed of, and a No. 2 pick to boot! Haven't seen such a high pick in Minnesota since trying to resurrect Olowokandi. And that is what we've bought -- not a bust, but a chance at resurrection.

So much has been made of how Darko is not Carmelo or DWade. That's ancient history. All Darko has to do is be better than Ryan Hollins, and he's got it made here. And in his debut, he did just that.

The Wolves need Darko.

Kevin Love and Big Al are really good, sure. But they've already been split into starter and bench player because neither is big enough or a good enough defender to make them tenable as a starting duo. So the Wolves have been going with Ryan Hollins, with Love first off the bench...and that's been working OK. Both Al and Love get starters minutes, but it allows the Wolves to distribute their size vulnerability. The best I've seen was how it allowed the Wolves to take advantage of the Knicks size in front. But at its worst, the shorthanded Bulls killed the Wolves in the paint Friday night on the shoulders of big, bad Brad Miller and newcomer Hakim Warrick. Ugh. The Wolves need a defensive presence at the 5 as well as offense, and Ryan Hollins has not been much of an answer.

I was hesitant to believe Darko could do much, just because of that Knicks game. I mean, David Lee could've used some help up front this year. If they weren't able to use him, why should we? But I guess that's not the D'Antoni way.

Last night, when Darko came off the bench to relieve Big Al, the crowd started cheering...and I thought it was a little much. But although he seemed briefly mixed up, and hesitant to shoot, Darko showed a propensity for rebounding, putbacks off the glass, and passing -- cross-court inbounds, and sly, controlled, big-man bounce passes that showed he could contribute. Perhaps the biggest shocker was Darko's team best +/- of +35 (compared to Big Al's -37). Of course that was mostly against OKC's bench big men Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison. Still, Rambis wasn't afraid to cave into the crowd and put Darko on the floor for clutch minutes. And Darko rewarded him.

For a rusty player, he played well. It's only been one game -- and I seem to recall that Mark Blount's first game as a Timberwolf was exceptional, and now we're paying him to stay away. But Darko showed enough promise, that it's conceivable that he has an NBA level game, maybe even above the bottom third of the league's players.

Does Darko need the Wolves?

It certainly must've felt good for Darko to get a little love from the Minnesota crowd. But is it too little, too late? Of course Darko has been through the ringer in Detroit and the national media. He's failed to establish himself as anything more than a blip on the radar, and will never live up to where he was picked. In a self-fulfilling cycle of disappointment, Darko hasn't gotten the playing time from some of his coaches, and has thus failed to improve. He's a bust. And now he says he just wants to finish out his NBA contract and go back to Europe to play. The grass must seem a whole lot greener there, where he would probably get big minutes and play in peace, leaving the disappointment over the ocean.

Is the NBA all-and-all, enough that a player (other than Rubio and Childress) would choose to stay under such conditions?

That's where the hope ends, Minnesota. Most likely, it will be a big tease. Darko would leave. I find it hard to believe that a) he's good enough, b) he views the NBA as a worthwhile place to play given the painful reception he's received, c) he'd be willing to accept whatever minimum salary the Wolves would pay him in order to salvage his NBA career after making over $7 million this year to do nothing, d) if he does stay in the NBA, that he'd choose to stay in Minnesota instead of taking another offer. However, the fans here cheering and accepting him shows we're willing to take him on whatever merits he brings. And if Darko wants love, he may have found it here in the frozen north.

For now, it's an entertaining side show when the main event is a big rebuilding project, so we'll try it. The Timberwolves are taking a play from the Obama campaign -- hope sells. The realization may be the tricky part. Hope is one of the only commodities that they've got. But hope, at this point, is much better than the alternative.

Situational Thinking at its Best

2010-02-19T09:44:00.002-05:00

"I have a problem with that," Rivers said before Thursday's Lakers-Celtics game at Staples Center. "I loved it three years ago when we did it with Gary Payton if you remember, but now I think it sucks. I think it's a terrible deal."

Referring to the catch-and-release trade in which Big-Z will be back to the Cavs in time for the playoffs.

I love Rivers' self-awareness.

Rent a Camby

2010-02-17T15:37:00.003-05:00

I know they are thin up front and Camby will help tremendously. But does this work for the Blazers? Are they competing for a championship this year -- and if not, why do this?