S.O.S. (as in, “Save Our Sixers”)

(Alternate title of this post: “How to trade Dalembert and his cap-killing contract”)

All right, a couple of quick trade ideas:

IDEA #1:
T-Mac
for
Dalembert and Iggy

Word on the street is Houston wants McGrady gone. They have a great young scrappy/hustle team, which has earned itself an 18-13 record in the super-competitive West. And that’s without Yao Ming.

This trade gives Houston a much-needed center to protect the rim, and a go-to guy in Iggy (who does a little of everything, and can score in the clutch). The team improves enough with this trade to go deep in the playoffs. Plus, they would get another year after this with Sammy, which provides insurance for Yao — who’s about as durable as an egg (an expiring contract they could trade next year if Sammy turns out to be superfluous.)

IDEA #2:
Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, Juwan Howard (all expiring)
for
Dalembert, Speights, and $5M cash

Portland has a seriously good team that could make a real run. But both of their centers are done for the season. Basically, we’d be giving them Dalembert and cash for the expiring contracts of expendable players. But...

They’ll be stuck with Sammy and his $12M pay check NEXT YEAR when Oden and Przybilla are back. That’s why we’d need to give up Speights. It makes the trade worth doing for them.



Yeah, all things being equal, I’d rather keep Iggy (despite his too-big contract). And I’d absolutely hate to give up Speights (young stud who we have on the super-cheap). But either of these trades would put us far enough under the cap that a small additional trade or two would put us in the LeBron/Wade sweepstakes. So you have to do it if you can.

You feeling me, Ed?

Coolest. Man. Who. Ever. Lived.

1983 is starting to feel like a loooong time ago. Great to have A.I. back, but I can't even imagine a Sixers team that might someday threaten a "Fo, fo, fo" again in the playoffs/finals.

Anyway, this is from the All-Star Game that year -- the late, great Marvin. I'm not big on hyperbole, but...f**k it, I'm saying this: Marvin's National Anthem will never be topped.

Outstanding

From ESPN.com:

CLEVELAND -- NBA commissioner David Stern said in an interview with Sports Illustrated he believes a woman could be playing in the league at some point in the next decade.

Cavaliers forward LeBron James isn't so sure. The reigning NBA MVP was asked about Stern's comments prior to the Bulls-Cavaliers game on Friday night.

"Ten years?" James asked. "That's, like, right around the corner. [In] 10 years, I'll be 34. I'll still be in the NBA. I think 10 years is pushing it, honestly."



Translation: "You think some ho gonna be able to beat ME?! Heeeeells no."

The diplomacy of LBJ is borderline-hilarious, since what he really wants to say is always right on his face. But when he gets questions like this...it's just downright hysterical.

He is, indeed, the King.

P.S. Holy sh!t, LeBron James is only 24-years-old. ?!?!?!?!

Tearful Iverson happy to be back with 76ers

Loud mouths in glass houses...

No, no, Dana — the “prak-tiss” thing is tired as shit.

I’ll tell you what never gets old. This...


“F**k Notre Dame! F**k Touchdown Jesus! F**k Jesus!”

Before we start blaming AI...

Iverson is likely to return to the court — in his old Sixers uni (!) — next Monday against the Nugz. Which means we have until about next Friday to start hearing how much Iverson is ruining this team.

So let me say this now (not that it’s any revelation):
This team is already in ruins.

Kevin Durant is awesome, yes. And Jeff Green, Russell Westbook, James Harden, etc., comprise a nice, talented young squad. But this Sixers team, as constructed, should not be dropping games to the Zombie Sonics by an eleven-point margin. That’s not just a loss; that’s an indication of some fundamental problem(s).

Let me name two: our defense blows, and we don’t rebound for shit.


No, Elton, please -- don’t leave your feet.


From last night’s box score...

Total rebounds --
PHL: 29
OKC: 43

You can’t win like that. And it’s not like they were trying to fend off huge guys in the paint. Christ, even I can box out Nick Collison — and I’m five-f**king-nine!

The Erz also gave them waaaay too many wide-open looks. The Zombies shot 50% from deep (12/24). And 16 Sixer turnovers (which isn’t horrible) turned into 23 points (which is), thanks to the aforementioned crap-ass defense. (You do NOT allow a team to convert on 72% of your TOs. You just don’t.)

(shaking my head)

Get back on D. Stay glued to your man. Learn how to switch on the rotations. Put a hand in the shooter’s face. Make good fouls when needed. Clean the glass.

These are basic basketball fundamentals. A 10-year-old in hoops summer camp learns this. So why does a professional squad making a combined $63M/year not get it?

No matter. It’ll all be AI’s fault soon enough. (Like, within a week.)

-G

Easy answer for The Answer

From J.A. Adande’s piece, published in early November:

"He does have to show some sort of growth," the Eastern Conference exec said. "Even if it's just cosmetic. That's what he needs to show."

There'll never been another player like Iverson. Except now he has to follow a pattern that's been set before him. The older veteran yielding, acknowledging he can no longer dominate, helping out where he can.

For example …

"Gary Payton with the Heat," the Eastern Conference executive said. "You're going to tell me AI couldn't do that?"

Uh, what? You want Iverson -- Allen Iverson -- to do this?



Marc Stein expressed a similar sentiment yesterday on ESPN.com.

What I don’t get is, WHY DON’T THESE GUYS GET IT?

Growth? Acceptance? Seriously? Come on. We know who Iverson is. He’s been the same player* with the same mentality, more or less, since Georgetown. It comes down to two main things with him:

1. He wants to start
2. He wants his teams to play hard and try their damndest to win

That’s it. If you’re willing to accept that, AI will be good for your team. He will. Why is this so hard to understand?

Per Marc Stein:

Iverson missed almost all of training camp with a slightly torn hamstring, played 18 minutes in his Grizzlies debut after missing the first three regular-season games, then complained immediately and loudly about coming off the bench and playing a reduced role.

The Answer's unforgettable prac-tiss routine made more sense.**

No player on Earth goes from an injury that severe straight into heavy minutes … especially not after missing all of camp with his new team. You'll note that even the most desperate team on Earth -- New Jersey -- has been bringing Devin Harris off the bench since the Nets' lone All-Star returned this weekend from his groin troubles.

“Heavy minutes” and “starting” are not one in the same. You can start Iverson and play him only 10-15 a night until he gets his legs back. He will accept this. He will. What he won’t accept is coming off the bench. Yes, that’s unconventional. Yes, Devin Harris is willing to do that. But AI isn’t. So?

Is this a little ridiculous? Maybe. But this is who the man is.

I’m not defending it, nor am I judging it.*** I’m just saying that it is what it is. It’s what’s on the table, and it’s what’s been on the table, for almost 15 years. So how are so many coaches, GMs, sports writers, etc., not seeing it?

You know how I feel about seeing Iverson in a Sixers uni again. I know it won’t mean much in terms of wins and losses, and I know we’ll be starting over again next year -- pretty much from scratch -- without him. F it. The thought of The Answer playing for us again gives me a warm feeling I haven’t had about Sixers basketball in a long, long time.

Let’s hope Snider and Jordan don’t eff it up. Just let him start, gentlemen. Just let him start.

-G

* All right, not quite the same. That explosive first step is gone, for one thing.

** I hate that this story won’t die. Especially since no one remembers the whole story. Let’s consider the context of the infamous “prac-tiss” interview: Spring 2002, first round of the playoffs against the C’s. After dropping the first two games, AI put the team on his back and scored a combined 71 points over the next two games to even it up. He said after Game Four: “Win. It’s the only thing we can think about. We fought hard to get back in the series...the only thing I care about is finishing out.” But come Game Five, AI was the only Sixer who showed up; the rest of the team was sleepwalking. They got bounced. HARD. In the post-game press conference, a frustrated Larry Brown inexplicably saw fit to talk about Allen’s absence from practices during the season. (Now, was Iverson guilty of this? Undoubtedly. But there’s a time and a place for criticism. And this was not it, LB.) So when it was Iverson’s turn at the mic, they went after him. Iverson answered (upset): “Franchise players don’t go through this. Franchise players’ daughters don’t have to go to school and hear, ‘Is your daddy coming back? What’s going on with your daddy and Coach Brown?’ And yadda yadda. She’s 7 years old and that’s what she has to deal with. It hurts because...I do all I can for this city, this team, this franchise and my teammates. I don’t think nobody in the world plays harder than me. I’m tired, you know. Everybody in Philadelphia knows that I want to be a Sixer for the rest of my career. But I’m tired and hurt, too.” Then a reporter fired back with this: “Allen, could you be clear about your practicing habits since we can’t see you practice?” THAT’S when Iverson went off. And you know what? I would’ve gone off, too.

*** Okay, I’m defending it a little. AI has always been a team leader, and being a starter is important to him. It’s a psychological thing. As his coach, I’d be more than proud and happy to start Allen. You can’t run a successful team if the players aren’t 100% dedicated to the cause. Why piss off one of your key guys over something so small and insignificant? Seriously? Why, why, why? Can you tell I want to pull my own hair out?!

A Good Week in General

Iggy with the cup jams. I like the new style.

This don't need no title

Current Prospects

So what are we looking at?

A team that's talented enough to beat bad teams yet not talented or disciplined enough to even compete with the league's elite. We are inescapably middling; cemented in mediocrity for the next five years. It's not all bad news, but the long-term potential with our current squad is no higher than second tier. Elton is not going to get any taller, more athletic or healthier. Sammy's not going to get any smarter (basketball IQ-wise). Most importantly, Igoudala is not the second coming Scottie Pippen. This team has a lot of nice complimentary parts, but no star.

So who can we get, and how? And most importantly, who can we let go in the transaction?

To me, there are two guys who should not be touched. That's not to say they are "untouchable". It's saying, ideally I'd like to see them still on the team when the dust settles. Mareese Speights, Thaddeus Young... please step forward.

The rest of y'all can go.

I haven't hit the Trade Machine yet, but I think Igoudala, Lou Williams and change should fetch a rising star or veteran star in the right situation.

Our ideal trade partner in this scenario? A borderline contender that needs some young legs in the form of a solid, third banana, wing defender, transition finisher and a 6th man, change of pace, explosive scorer. We have basically a more well-rounded Ariza and a mini JET for sale. I think that should fetch us a shooting guard who can actually get his own shot.

Next year, we dump Sammy's contract for another piece. Just to be clear, these moves alone will not make us contenders now. Thaddeus and Speights represent the 2 and 3 options on a contender 2-3 years from now.

The other option is to make a full court press on (don't laugh), LeBron. That's right! LeBron. From a basketball perspective, we're a much more attractive option than either NYK, Cleveland or the Clippers. Plus, NYC is 90 minutes up the turnpike. If you could move Igoudala and Brand in salary dumps at the deadline, you can free up the necessary coin. From there the argument becomes the multiple-championship potential of a LeBron, Thaddeus, Speights core. Add the role players we already have, the veterans who will flock to fill the gaps and this team is a contender for as long as LeBron wants to stay. A real contender. Not a contender-only-cus-LeBron's-there contender like the aforementioned competition. That team has the 2-3-4 on lock. You'd still have Lou theoretically in this scenario at starting PG. Either way, with that foundation you can easily figure out the rest.

I know it sounds impossible. The biggest contributor to that, is our lack of belief that it is. I know you've been talking D-Wade for the same reasons for at least a season now. I just don't believe in making a long-term investment in Flash. He smells like this generation's T-MAC. More heart and fire, but just can't stay healthy consistently enough to reach his potential.

If you do the Iggy-Brand fire sale, and you don't get LeBron. Well, at least you've freed up space for a real Number 1. We're going to be mediocre anyway if we don't get a star. We tried to right that by signing Iggy and Brand last season. Didn't work. In the meantime, we've drafted extremely well. Get rid of the low ceiling guys, and make space to do something special.

Classic

Flashback. Iverson, and then LB, arguing a call with Salvatore. Iverson is fantastic here. "The what...what? Crowd down?"



Nice how BS baited Larry into saying just one more thing, then called the "T" on him. Love that this got caught on tape. (BTW, was BS the one who threw Duncan out of the game for laughing? How does this shit happen?)

-G

When did the Beast show up?

The preseason has kind of gotten away from me, but...is Elton looking like a beast?



Elbowing Pu$$y Jeffries in the eye, cleaning glass, sparking the fast break, etc. I almost forgot how excited I was when we signed Brand last summer. But even then, I didn't know he had The Beast in him.

Between that and what Thad is flashing, I'm starting to get happy. If this team starts to gel with EB, and Thad makes a leap, and Iggy gets calm and consistent (finally) -- then we're one sale away (i.e. Sammy's contract) from having one bright effing future.

-G

P.S. Nada on the tix. I'm too poor. But we should definitely get together for the opener. Big screen HD is fine by me.

Brett Favre ladies and gentlemen

Flashback

Hey, remember when we legitimately thought that AI and C-Webb were going to lead us to the promised land? Funny when you think back on it.



-G

P.S. Allen is about to ink a contract with Memphis, btw. That's where he'll end his career: in frickin' Memphis.

Holy Vick !!

Count me in the "this is a great move" camp. Even if it doesn't work, it's worth the shot. Vick's paid his due to society. However horrible what he did was, he's done more time than most do for this kind of crime. So, I don't really care what animal rights activists have to say. If he got off like say Donte Stallworth, then their beef would be legit.

In terms of football, this is the kind of move that we desperately needed. West, who I think should have his jersey retired when it's said and done, is turning 30 this year. We should know that we'd be lucky if he's got even one year left as an elite running back. And, he's coming off yet another injury. Even if we've got his replacement lined up, it doesn't account for the game changing ability being lost by West becoming a mere mortal. There's no one that makes us dangerous if he's not in top form. Donovan isn't that dude anymore. So now we've got a guy who changes all that. In theory, anyway.

The O-line still has to get healthy for us to have a shot. And the defense doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence right now. The pass rush looks weak, and losing Stewart Bradley was BIG. All that being said, getting Vick is a step towards being hellified at least on one side of the ball. And, if the unthinkable were to happen and Donovan got hurt, we've got a legit starter ready to take his place.

Obviously, Vick needs some time to get his game back, but time is something he's got in this current situation. If Donovan starts to feel heat on his neck, then he's gonna have to step up or step aside. At this point, Vick's either gonna make us better, or he's gonna make us realize we ain't there yet.

I got it...

All right, here’s the deal (assuming I have my numbers right*):

Oklahoma City. They have expiring contracts, and nothing good to buy with them. There is NO CHANCE LeBron or Wade are going to Oklahoma. None. Zero. And they know it.

Meanwhile, they have a nice young core with a potential superstar and a half (Durant and Westbrook). But they have some gaping holes, particularly in their front court.

So here’s my Stephanski trade:

Sammy and Speights
for
Etan Thomas and Earl Watson

In terms of money, it’s about the same (roughly $14M per package), but the Thomas/Watson package comes off the books in Summer 2010. ‘Dre walked and took $10M in salary with him. We were projected to be about $3M over the cap next summer if we’d kept ‘Dre. But subtract this $24M total (‘Dre, Thomas, Watson) from that, and we’ll be sitting at $21M under the cap next summer. And you know what that means.

Why would the Thunder do it? Because they’d get an athletic shot-blocking center to play alongside Nenad Krstic, plus a young near-stud at the 4 to play behind Jeff Green. And they give up next to nothing for it. The 2009 Thunder would look like this (backups in parens):

1 – Russell Westbrook (Shaun Livingston)
2 – James Harden (Kyle Weaver)
3 – Kevin Durant (T. Sefolosha)
4 – Jeff Green (Speights)
5 – Dalembert (Krstic)

With the right coach, that team looks a little scary, no?

Anyway, this is what’s up, Ed. Call me. I’ll walk you through the deets.

-G

*I have only a minimal handle on the cap rules, so take this with a grain of salt.

Why not?

If you’re Ed Stephanski, and you flat out know that ‘Dre isn’t coming back, is there any reason you wouldn’t extend a one-year offer to Iverson? (Assuming AI would want such a thing, of course.)



All he wants is the veteran’s minimum and to be a starter. FOR ONE YEAR. Which would give us the flexibility to join the Dwayne Wade sweepstakes next summer (provided Sammy is moved for an expiring contract and they don’t use up the ‘Dre money).

Can you imagine seeing AI back in an Erz uni? How badly would you want to be there when #3 walks out of the tunnel and returns to his home floor for the first time? I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

We ain’t winning anything any time soon anyway. So again, I ask: WHY NOT?

Pride? Time to swallow.

Aaaaaand now they’re giving it back:



I don’t know, man. I’d like to think that this was just one huge PR misstep on Nike’s part. Someone panicked, took the tape...all hell broke loose. I really hate to think of LeBron having anything to do with it directly. But, hey, we’ll never know.

The Pride and the Glory

What's Nike so afraid of? "The King" plays a competitive sport. Getting beaten on a play happens to every player, every game. Getting posterized has happened to every great player in the game at least once. Even Mike (with Scottie by his side) got baptized by John Starks.

Do you think that Bron told the Nike boys to go get that video? The report said that he huddled with Nike officials before the confiscation happened. That could have been his reps pushing it. In my heart of hearts though, I gotta say, I think he was relieved to have them make the recommendation. That is, if he didn't give the order himself. Did the game stop immediately after the play? Did the ref just blow the whistle and guys in suits just walk onto the court? When did this huddling happen? During a timeout? The baptism happened early in the game and they kept playing. Did security roll up on the perpetrators as the game continued? How exactly did they know exactly who had video? The crowd had to have at least a hundred people. I would kill to have been a fly on the wall.

This is like the entire world knowing that the Zepruder film exists, but no one other than Zepruder himself having ever seen it.

To me, Bron comes off like a bigger punk for suppressing freedom of the press than he would have for having a youtube clip of him getting yammed on. What's he so afraid of? Devin Harris had his best year ever after his similar embarrassment last summer. If you don't want guys bouncing the ball off your dome with two handed stuffs while their bent knees are wrapped under your armpits and they yell with their eyes closed, then don't play professional basketball. At the very least, don't underestimate your opponent and jump late.

Kobe: Top Ten?

Now that Kobe has won one without Shaq, the big question hangs out there: Does Kobe crack the list of the top-ten all-time greatest pro hoopers? Well...

No.

Granted, this is one man’s judgement. And that one man based that judgement on the following variables:

> Stats
> All-around game (i.e., both ends of the floor)
> Impact on his team
> Level of dominance within his era
> Ultimate success (i.e., NBA/ABA rings, NCAA championships, Olympic medals, etc.)

By those measures — granted, not the most quantifiably sound, but still — I came up with eleven names before I got to Jellybean’s son. Behold:

1. MJ
2. Wilt
3. Russell
4. Kareem
5. Bird
6. Big O
7. Magic
8. Shaq
9. Duncan
10. Doc
11. Dream
12. Kobe

All right, Umi. Tell me why I’m wrong.

-G

P.S. Let me say pre-emptively that while Dream has two against Kobe’s four, Kobe wasn’t integral to his team’s success until 2000-01. From Game 2 on, Kobe was a monster in that series (it still pains me to remember). The first two rings he more or less earned on Shaq’s back (and remember, he was a downright CHOKE as a young pro). Also, Dream’s Rockets played during the Jordan era, and were only able to grab their rings during MJ’s temporary retirement. You think Kobe’s sitting with four rings if he came into the L in 1984? No way.

Flashback

Funny non-hoops memory of the 10th greatest player who ever was...

By the way...

While we were busy watching basketball that's actually good, the Erz hired Eddie Jordan as head coach and traded Reggie Evans to Toronto for Jason Kapono.

So to recap: The same team that couldn't get out of the first round now has a no-defense head coach, a three-point shooter who doesn't play D and can't get his own shot, and the #17 pick in a weak-ass draft.

Are YOU excited? I don't know, man. I just don't know.

-G

I’m not hatin’ on Kobe, but...

I’m really not. But I just read a little aside from Bill Simmons — related to Kobe’s supposed super-clutchness — that almost made me yell “Thank you!” out loud. Christ, how I get tired of hearing fans, coaches, analysts, etc., matter-of-factly tell you: “Hey, if you’re running a team that has to make a shot with two seconds left on the clock, you want the ball in Kobe’s hands.” You do? Don’t get me wrong: Kobe is good in the clutch. No doubt. But of ALL the players in the league, Kobe is your go-to?

Simmons:

Important note: Kobe's reputation as a "killer" at the end of games remains overblown. The site www.82games.com just posted a study of game-winning shots from the last five-plus seasons (regular seasons and playoffs since the 2003-04 season) that revealed Kobe was shooting 14-for-56 (25 percent) with one assist and five turnovers, and made 12 of 15 free throws. So let's say that was 70 possessions total, including Sunday night. ... He only had one assist in nearly six years??? That's why Orlando quadruple-teamed him in that spot. Kobe is a phenomenal streak shooter, and he has a real talent for catching fire with a lead and closing games out ... but you can stop him in one-shot situations simply because he's his own worst enemy. He wants to be a hero, he's shooting it, and that's that.

Thank you.

When it comes to the clutch discussion (or lack thereof), Kobe benefits from great branding — but reality just doesn’t back it up. You want clutch? Look at LBJ’s stats in crunchtime. Look at Melo’s. Shit, look at D-Ho’s (.661 from the field — a.k.a. two feet from the basket)!



All that said, I’m really curious to see what goes down tonight. Brilliant as Kobe has been, Orlando should be up 2-1 right now (and that’s with Pietrus disappearing, and SVG playing Jameer and Redick waaaay too much). If the Magic get their business done tonight, we officially have a series on our hands.

-G

Finals Predictions

Since I went 0-2 in my Conference Finals predictions, this posting is tantamount to a joke. But here it goes anyway...

First off, I don’t feel foolish in any way for how I saw those series playing out. Should I have known that Kobe was finally going to become the player we’ve all wished he would become — not just an alpha dog, but a true leader? Should I have known that the supporting cast of a 66-win Cavs team would completely disappear when it mattered? (And I mean, dis-a-f**king-pear. Vanish. Shit, that was almost a magic show.) Should I have known that “Coach of the Year” Mike Brown would consistently throw a double team at D-Ho, despite the fact that it resulted in kick-out passes to Rashard for open threes again and again and again? No, no, and no.

I will take my hat off to Kobe and D-Ho, though — two guys I took a dump on before those series started, who proved me all kinds of wrong. They both came up HUGE for their teams, particularly when it mattered most. (Especially D-Ho, who absolutely took over and ripped Cleveland’s heart out — team and city. And you know what? That’s exactly what Jesus would’ve done.) So, you know, mea culpa and all that shit.

Now, the Finals.

Ultimately, I see it coming down to two things: 1) Kobe absolutely taking over — the right way (i.e., being a leader, getting the best out of his team for 44 minutes, then assuming the reigns in the clutch) — because he knows this is his last realistic shot at getting a ring sans Shaq, and 2) Orlando straight-up getting out-coached. No offense to Stan Van Gundy here, who completely destroyed Mike Brown, but Phil Jackson isn’t going to let him get away with that shit. PJax will throw fouls at D-Ho like an Allied commander threw soldiers at German machine guns at Normandy (DJ Mbenga and Josh Powell can give him 12; maybe goofy Adam Morrison can throw in another 6). Jesus Fan #1 has never been on this kind of stage before, and he’s shaky at the line anyway...so good luck there. Beyond that, Dwight is highly prone to dumb fouls; I see him sitting on the bench a lot this series (with SVG fuming at his side, hilariously). Kobe and Ariza are going to be all over Rashard and Hedo, so forget those guys shooting 57% from beyond (or whatever insane percentage they made in the last series).

Ultimately, how big a factor will D-Ho be? He has a penchant for showing up only every-other-game. But in these playoffs, he’s always come through when it really mattered. I’ll say it again: he absolutely crushed Cleveland in Game 6. I mean, Jesus Christ on a white horse (no irony intended), it was breathtaking to watch. So who knows? If he can muster that up and steal a game in L.A., then I can see...

No, stop. As an Erz fan, the future of the East looks downright scary with Orlando in it. (Never thought I’d be saying that.) But right now? This is Kobe’s time. (Never thought I’d be saying that either. But here I am, saying it.)

This is Kobe’s time. This is Kobe’s time. This is Kobe’s time. Damn.

Lakers in 6.

Like I Said

Lakers in 6.

The more intriguing question is: what's going to happen in the East. I'm a say this. Orlando can not (repeat, can not!), afford to lose tonight. At this very moment I think it's even odds that a) Orlando wraps up this series tonight b) they lose both games and join Dallas in the lineup of all-time, infamous playoff choke jobs. I really don't see an in-between. If they lose tonight, then the series resets to one game, winner-take-all in Cleveland. LeBron will win that game. Van Gundy will panic. All the pressure will be back on Orlando. And the whole choking under pressure thing is already out there. I don't see Orlando (who relies on 3's) going back to Cleveland and taking one, even if they are the better team. For them, everything is about tonight.

A Lakers-Orlando series could be interesting, but a LA-Cavs Finals after the drama of Cleveland coming back from 1-3 would be generational. I think I'd tape every game. I think I'd make Demetrius sit on my lap just so he could say he saw it.

Just When YouThought You Understood the World...

If Dwight Howard is an ignorant, softhearted devout religious person, and the King is a far superior person and teammate than Kobe and this is the official unveiling of the LeBron James era, why is Cleveland down 3-1 in this series?

How is this seemingly limited, questionably coached Orlando team derailing LeBron's MVP season and the narrative of inevitability that has permeated our collective consciousness? I mean, this team is on the ropes. It's gonna take a Herculean effort to win 3 straight games. LeBron's already been putting up 40 points a night and hitting every clutch shot he can muster.

My answer is the same reason why I keep protesting when you kill Kobe. This is a team sport. Your superstar matters. But so do his teammates. So does the coaching. So do the match ups. LeBron is doing absolutely everything you could ask him to do individually. General consensus has him as the best player in the league today, even though I disagree. But no one wins championships alone. Mike didn't. And neither will LeBron. The Cavs could possibly come out of this. It's not impossible, but I think this is a good thing for LeBron and the league. The last game was a chin check. He needs to face some adversity in his quest. When the Cavs got to the Finals against San Antonio it was a fluke and a lopsided series. This time they will have truly earned it if it happens. And if nothing else, no matter who they face, this shows it won't be no cakewalk. Everybody's ready to hand this dude the keys, but he's still got some more mountain to climb. That Cavs team was humming during the regular season. So much so you can forget how untalented they are player for player. It's a superstar, Mo Williams (who nobody has ever considered even close to an elite player), a couple of good role players (Sideshow and Delonte) and bunch of mediocre role players. This team would not even be sniffing the playoffs were it not for the awesome powers of King James. So, more work is to be done. I think even if LeBron can make a miracle happen, the Nuggets would have their way with this Cavs team, Gimp style. And I think Kobe and Co. might even prove too much for them having seen the chink in the armor. However, I would give them better odds against LA. Crazy thing is, we're much more likely to be talking about your boy D-Ho in the Finals. Was putting up 10 points in overtime killer enough for you?

Playoff Predictions, Conf. Finals

CAVS v. MAGIC
I was thinking about Dwight Howard earlier today. He’s a pretty smart kid. But he’s also a devout Christian who opted to skip college to enter the draft — which means he’s waaay undereducated, even by NBA standards. It’s dangerous to be intelligent but bury your head in religious sands. Least he could’ve done is gone to a secular college and given himself access to a great teacher or two who might’ve opened his eyes to different ways of looking at the world. Instead, he’s the franchise player of a major team, stepping into the cruel spotlight with a toothy smile that seems emblematic of his clueless worldview.

Even if we step away from all that for a moment and focus only on D-Ho’s court performance, I find myself vexed. Does he have the necessary grit to lay a straight beat down on his opponent? ‘Cause that’s what champions do. And not just once, but night after night, destroying another team’s front court like a rabid dog. Nice guys who love Jesus don’t know how to kill, and that’s a problem for a professional athlete. (MJ might smile while the Hanes cameras are rolling, but he was a cold-blooded beast on the court.) According to D., God granted Orlando its victory over the Cs. How’s D. gonna feel when he learns that God shined His light on Cleveland this time around? This kid has a serious existential crisis in his future.

(Cleveland in 6.)



LAKERS v. NUGGETS
As I was intially writing that last paragraph, I began to type that Dwight Howard might be the most intriguing figure in the modern NBA. But then I remembered Kobe. First of all, I love that he’s now forced to play three games in this series — the toughest one of these playoffs, btw — in the city of “the alleged incident.” But more importantly, I couldn’t be more excited because this is the series that will define Kobe’s career. As Alec Baldwin said in Glengarry Glen Ross, “It’s f**k or walk”; this is, in all likelihood, Kobe’s last chance to win it all sans Shaq. And in the end, he will fail. Spike Lee’s “documentary” is going to be flat-out laughable after this.

A champion has two basic qualities: 1) killer instinct (which Kobe has), and 2) a warmth of character the draws people to you, earns their trust, and brings a squad together. Magic, Bird, MJ, Dream, Duncan, even LeBron — they all have this latter quality. Kobe doesn’t. We’ve all hoped he would eventually mature and emerge from this dark disposition; he hasn’t, and he won’t. His story is, in a sense, already written; this series will be a highly entertaining formality. Consider this: The Lakers are LOADED. If they’re playing D and executing the triangle effectively, they should be virtually unstoppable. But they let a depleted Rockets’ squad take them to 7 games? Seriously?

(Denver in 7.)



P.S. Because this is Kobe’s Last Stand, there is a very strong chance that at least one game in this series will become ESPN Classic-worthy. Which means that when I’m watching that game 20 years from now, “Birdman” Andersen will still have that haircut. And that’s the kind of comedy that ages like a bottle of super tuscan.

Spike and Skip Bayless

I'm not sure if this is the video you wanted me to see, but watching Skip Bayless trying (and failing) to do his schtick is priceless.

In terms of the LeBron era, count me among the unexcited. I guess I feel like when an era is about to occur, we're not supposed to know about it. There shouldn't be numerous articles detailing its nature before it occurs. It's usually never common knowledge. Predictions of how many titles the King will get before he's won one.... In 91, you knew Mike was a fantastic ball player, then he just took it to another level. You didn't know it was going to happen; that the GOAT was about to start separating himself from the others. How the f#ck would you know that?! I don't think historic moments work this way. When Obama won, part of the thing that made it so awe inspiring was that you weren't sure it was going to happen until it actually did. LeBron's a great player. He's still got a lot of work to do on his game. He's never faced a serious injury (not that I want him to), or even completely entered his prime yet. He hasn't dealt with free agency yet. There's so much here we don't know about what's going to happen. I think all the prophesying about the inevitability of his reign has less to do with his incredible potential than it does with sports people thinking they know something about what's going to happen before it happens. Whenever something with this many variables has an assumed narrative, one should beware. I'm not unexcited cus I don't like LeBron, I'm unexcited cus I'm not sure the storm that's coming is really the storm of the century. The other reason is: thecavs are a boring ass team. Watching them 18 out of the possible 25 Sundays on ABC next season makes me very unexcited.

It’s time.

We’re here. It happened. I was hoping like hell it would happen, and now it has. It’s time. It’s time to start drawing the comparisons. This is his 1991. The LeBron Era has officially begun. It is ON.

Guess we know what this means. Bye, ‘Dre.

From ESPN.com:

76ERS' MILLER, RATLIFF NO-SHOWS TO MEETING

PHILADELPHIA -- Andre Miller's ironman streak for the Philadelphia 76ers does not extend to team meetings.

The veteran point guard who has played an NBA-high 530 straight games didn't show for the Sixers' final team meeting on Friday, something his agent blamed on miscommunication between Miller and the team.

At the final roll call of the Sixers' season, center Theo Ratliff joined Miller on the unexpected absentee list.

Both veterans are unrestricted free agents and the no-shows at the team meeting further soured the mood of a franchise that was embarrassed a night earlier in a Game 6 season-ending playoff loss at home against the Orlando Magic.

Coach Tony DiLeo and team president Ed Stefanski stewed over the whereabouts of two leaders they expected to know better than to blow off a team meeting.

Stefanski considered the absences unexcused.

"I don't know if that's sending us a message or what," Stefanski said of Miller's truancy.

Miller's agent, Andy Miller, said he talked with Andre Miller and the guard was not taking a stance. Miller thought the meetings were optional.

“We suck,” etc.

Disgusted. Completely, utterly disgusted. By 25? On your home floor? Without D-Ho? And...(I can barely stand to type this)...to...(good God almighty)...J.J. REDDICK?!?

We suck. All right? We suck, dude. I don’t even want to talk about this team anymore. F the Sixers. (Give me a month and I’ll cool down. But for now, and for the immediate future, F the Sixers.)

All right, onto something else...

As my wand went a-wandering this morning, it started to piece together a little theory. Check it out:

What if “Billie Jean” was never intended to be a song about a girl who wronged a dude? What if Michael — having come off success found ridiculously early as the cute little frontman of the Jackson 5, followed by the huge breakout solo hit he had with Off the Wall — was starting to feel the pressure?

Joe knew how special his boy was. This one was no Tito, was no Marlon, Jackie or Jermaine. No. THIS KID was his meal ticket. So he and Young Michael’s producer began conspiring behind the scenes, figuring ways to leverage his charm and talent for their own purposes. They were going to make him a super-duper-star...even if Michael had no idea what that would mean, had no idea what kind of nuclear impact it would have on his life.

So now Michael is in the studio recording tracks for the would-be Thriller album. And between takes, in a private moment, he turns to his producer and begins to spill his guts; he speaks of his nervousness being at such a pivotal point in his career, and of his reluctance to have his star rise any higher. He’s already had his childhood virtually stolen from him, has already spent more than a decade with zero privacy. And now he’s just not sure if —

“Shh, shh,” Quincy tells him. “Everything’s gonna be all right, Michael. Listen —” And off he went, telling him just how it’s gonna be all right.

Michael wakes up that night in a cold sweat, a song in his head. He scrambles to find a paper and pencil, and scratches out these lyrics:

He told me his name was Quincy D,
As he caused a scene.
I said, “Don’t mind, but what do you mean,
‘I am the one’?”

(Gonna dance, on the floor, in the round)

He said I am the one.

(Gonna dance, on the floor, in the round)

And there it was. A story of a manipulated entertainer, forced to sing and dance despite his relunctance, despite his unexplored and unresolved existential crisis.

Who knows what happened after that. Who made the change. (Michael himself, before ever showing it to anyone? Or did he trust Quincy “Delight” Jones with the song, despite its content, only to have his hand forced later?) But maybe, just maybe, this song was Michael’s subconscious wish to free himself from his dubious producer — and by extension, from his father — and jump off of the path he’d been put on.

Ironically, this would become the very song that ignited the rocket-like launch of his soul-crushing super-duper-stardom.

Just a theory.

-G

Skip Bayless blows

From the NBA rulebook: “A flagrant foul-penalty (1) is unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.”

Such a vague rule. What comprises “unnecessary contact”?

The real question is one of player intent. D-Ho whistling an elbow into Dalembert’s head was intentional = flagrant.

Rondo, on the other hand, panicked while caught out of position, ran over and swiped at the ball, accidentally whacking Miller’s mouth. It was unintentional. Watch the replay again (start at the :40 mark). Rondo moves his hand toward the ball...and then it takes an unfortunate turn downward. The difference between his hit and Dwight Howard’s hit — in term of intent — is day and night.



The rule’s wording is just plain bad. So let’s ask instead: Why was it created? To stop players from intentionally abusing each other without repercussions. Basketball is a physical game. People get hurt. This rule is all about controlling behavior that has root in malicious intent. To git legal with it, this rule has its precedent in “mens rea.” Check this out, from Nolo.com (a legal reference website):

“MENS REA — The mental component of criminal liability. To be guilty of most crimes, a defendant must have committed the criminal act (the actus reus) in a certain mental state (the mens rea). The mens rea of robbery, for example, is the intent to permanently deprive the owner of his property.”

Whether or not there was blood on the floor has jack shit to do with it. Blow me, Skip Bayless. (See? That there was a flagrant insult.)

Let’s all just relax now

A thought apiece on each of these would-be flagrant fouls:

HOWARD: He should have been ejected, no question. And now, even if he is suspended for Game 6, that’s a home game for the Erz. Would’ve been a lot better to have D-Ho tossed out last night when he was home. That said, the Erz earned that loss all by themselves. First of all, they got eaten alive on the boards. (At one point, I saw ‘Dre, Lou, Green, AI2 and Thaddeus on the floor. Small ball? Really? Orlando has a wealth of big guys — Hedo, Rashard, Howard, etc. — guys who control the glass and post our guys up. And you’re NOT gonna throw big bodies at them? You’re gonna try to outspeed them? Well, we see how well that worked.) Second of all, they didn’t make any attempt to draw D-Ho into foul trouble. On the offensive end, you need to move the ball around the perimeter and look for slashers, and/or work the pick and roll. A man should be charging into the paint on every possession. Dwight ain’t that savvy; he’ll pick up fouls quickly; you can limit his time on the floor, and get him and SVG stressing over him fouling out — which is good for us all around. (Not that it even matters. Even when D-Ho was on the bench, we weren’t taking the lane; we were settling for little jumpers. You don’t win games that way.) Bottom line: they better get their strategy straight for the next game, or it’s time to break out the flip flops.

RONDO: First of all, what kind of pu$$y move was that on Brad Miller’s part? Is this what they teach big men at Purdue, to traipse into the paint with weak-ass finger rolls? Try going strong to the hoop, Brad, particularly when the game depends on it. Now, that said, Rondo did NOT give him a flagrant. Watch the replay, people. He reached for the ball and missed. Period. In slow-mo, you can even see Rondo retract his hand the very moment he made contact; his mind triggered an “oops,” and he pulled back. The fact that two B-Mill teeth came out in the process doesn’t make it flagrant. Sorry. And as a ref, you don’t make a questionable call like that and hand the game over to a team. Now here’s a tip for Vinny D: When one of your players gets two of his teeth knocked out and requires stitches on the sideline, it’s probably a good time to sub him out. Yeah, the alternative is having Doc Rivers pick your shooter and sending in a cold bench player during the biggest moment of the game. But did Brad Miller look like he had any chance of making those shots? Sometimes you just have to take the expression on a guy’s face at, err, face value.

-G

P.S. Toggling back and forth between the two games last night, it struck me the enormous difference between the levels of talent at play. It wasn’t even close. Bet: Whoever comes out of the Sixers/Magic series will absolutely get crushed — CRUSHED — by whoever comes out of the Celtics/Bulls series.

The Lie We Live

Think Orlando would have won last night without D-Ho's 24 and 24 (including 10 offensive boards)?

Think if we beat them last night there's better than a 30% chance of them making it out of this series?

Think any of this matters anymore?

Even if they suspend Howard for the next game, they get him back for Game 7 at home. That's a lot better look than if he got tossed last night and they happened to lose. And that's not just because of our increased chances of winning last night. It's the psychological weight he would have to carry that he effed up, cost his team a game in the playoffs and put their backs against the wall in this series. That's what he should have been scared of as he watched from the locker room last night. Instead, he got to play it out. If he gets suspended next game, his organization can make him believe that it's unfair. He will feel persecuted instead of regretful and embarassed. Either way, they won last night (in large part because of his dominance on the boards) and now have to be favored to win the series. Even though, look out tomorrow night. The Sixers should be on effin' fire!

I like DiLeo's speaking up not only about the elbow, but the 3 second violations. I'm sure it wasn't totally calculated, and that he was speaking from frustration, but it breathes oxygen into this story. Van Gundy's testy response is actually what ensures that DiLeo's post game comments won't go ignored. Not only does Da' Ho not get tossed after giving someone a nice, connecting elbow, but he also gets to play by a different set of rules on each and every play. He gets to sit in the lane. Then, he gets to bully people cus he's Superman. Same way Shaq could bust Dikembe's lip in the Finals with a swinging elbow, and not get called for it. DiLeo the little guy, standing up for the little guys (his team), and all the other little guys out there. I like it.

I mean, David, if the NBA is just a star machine at the end of the day, and has ceased to be a fairly, judged competitve sport when marketing dollars are on the line, then why not just hand LeBron the title right now so we can all stop pretending? Asshole.

Broadway

“Mark Sanchez is a kwaa-li-tee, claaa-sy quarterback...he has a touch on the football...he’s not a thrower, he’s a passer...his mind iss a-head of what the defense is and...I want to kiss you.”

"We suck"

I was listening to C-Webb commentate on a Sixers game during the studio wrap up on T&T a couple months ago and he said it seems like Thaddeus Young is the leader of this team; that he's really the guy who wants it. I was thinking about that as Thaddeus talked in this post game interview. "Everybody knows what happens when I go left". There's a palpable confidence there. He doesn't woof or yap at dudes, but I think he thinks he can have his way when he wants it.

As Iggy was talking he mentioned that "he's not there yet" and "still figuring things out".

One could interpret that combination of comments in a couple of different ways. 1) Iggy's not a leader. He'll never be the Man, but Thaddeus could or 2) Iggy's a talented yet humble dude who's still on the rise, and so is Thaddeus.

Care to offer any other interpretations?

Here's what I'll say: the most you can ask of any player, or any professional for that matter, is to continuously try to get better at what they do. We may disagree about Iggy's ceiling, but there should be little to no dispute that this is the type of player you want on your team. I think he is displaying winning qualities: passion, effort, pushing his perceived limits. Maybe he's overpaid by $20M, but that is more the norm than an anamoly in today's NBA. If you consider how many guys take their foot off the gas once they get their payday, you gotta admit it's nice to see a guy trying to play up to his contract and fill the shoes of being the Man. I also really like what I see in terms of confidence, and game, from Thaddeus Young. This kid can ball! With these two as the base of your future squad, we're not as bad off as you keep telling me we are. I'm pretty sure "we suck" were your words. Here's my argument as to why we don't suck. If you replaced Willie Green with Joe Johnson in our starting lineup, this team is a contender for the Eastern Conference Finals. We still wouldn't be as good as the Cavs or Lakers or a healthy Celtics squad (maybe), but we'd certainly be closer than further away. If it would only take one move to get us to that level, how can we suck?

Do you agree that we're in the top third team (with a healthy Brand) in the League right now? If so, and we're only a legit SG away from jumping a level, then how can we suck. Winning last night doesn't mean the Sixers are great, but it does show that we have a chance of beating one the so-called elite Eastern teams; a team that won 59 games. And we're doing it without the guy who's supposed to be our main weapon in the playoffs. And we're doing it with Tony DiLeo as our coach. And we're doing it with Willie Green absolutely stinkin' up the joint. Imagine a real coach, a healthy Brand for the playoff run and the sweet shooting guard we're going to get in the offseason. Shit ain't all bad, G. Stop bein' a typical Philly sports fan who expects their team to be perfect and win it all, yet is unwilling to offer the least bit of faith or encouragement even when the team clearly deserves it. If you were your own fan, you would quit or commit suicide.

The Other 80 Million Dollar Man

A couple of things here.

1) One of the premier perimeter players in the game (think Kobe, Flash) would have taken the shot when they got the separation after the cross over. Igoudala, instead, hesitates for another second a half before his release and shoots a super-fadeaway with Turkolu's hand all in his face. Why does he do this, you ask? He still has not learned how to play under control. He's bursting at the seams with jumping ability and all around athleticism, but he needed that extra step and second to gather himself, collect his handle and get off a shot he felt comfortable with. He hit it. But he made a 9.5 degree of difficulty shot instead of the 7 that Kobe or Flash would have taken. His mechanics and balance were all off. His lack of control and discipline in these areas will not allow him to be consistent. While I say that...

2) Iggy has hit quite a few game-winners, and buzzer beaters for the Sixers. While looking for the clip above I saw a whole page worth of Igoudala game winners. He really has been their guy (for better or worse) for two solid seasons now. And he hasn't been doing a terrible job given his limited offensive skill set. He has no post up game, no reliable mid range jumper and no reliable long ball. Yet, he put up 20-8-8 last night. And he's prone to do that. That line's not the least bit unusual for him. So, he's a triple double threat any night. He's relatively clutch. He's a good team guy and willing leader. Yet, we keep killing this guy. Yes, he's got untapped potential (the worst of all NBA sins). Yes, we're disappointed he hasn't turned into Scottie Pippen yet. Yes, he stank it up last year in his first trip to the playoffs as the featured guy. But he also ran up against the 2nd or 3rd best defense in the league at the time. He also ran into Tayshaun Prince, one of the three best lock down perimeter guys in the League. And since then, he's gotten better. Maybe, we should lay off just a little bit. When he missed the two free throws near the end of the fourth last night I said to my brother, "he choked, he'll get a chance to redeem himself". Then, he actually redeemed himself.

3) Did you see the pistol shooting after the shot when they showed the replay? I know you saw the mean mug? It's not Kobe's cocky "I got this..settle down" look, or Josh Smith's "did you see what I just did?" look, or even Flash's "that's right, y'all musta forgot I'm still the Man" look. I would say it's a "y'all still don't believe in me. Why r u surprised?" look. It's this mix of pride and anger. I like it. He's like 'I'm sticking my chest out, but I ain't gettin' hyped. Y'all get excited'. He doesn't have supreme confidence it's going in every time, but he's not shocked when it does either. Meanwhile, everybody else always is.

Collapse

If you wrote it as fiction, no one would believe it.

News leaks that KG, in all likelihood, will miss the playoffs (all of it?!) with his as-yet-unvetted knee injury...



...and within 24 hours, GM Danny Ainge is rushed to the hospital with a heart attack.



The Big Collapse. The NBA: Where Soap Opera Happens.

Shit, this is going to make the playoffs boring. Best-case scenario, San Antonio or Portland give L.A. a real run out West; 'cause the East is locked up now.

Still. LeBron v. Kobe in June? I'll be there.

-G

King James

This just killed me.



Are the stars alligning, Cleveland? Gotta be. This is the Year of LBJ.

-G

P.S. The Erz suck, Yo. Iggy played out of his mind last night. Thaddeus looked good coming back (if a little tentative). Lou and Speights both did some things. But most importantly, the C's looked terrible. Couldn't get sh!t going. Clearly frustrated as a group (four Ts?). No KG, no Jesus. And they faced an 11-point deficit going into the 4th. Dude, you gotta win a game like that -- especially knowing you are, in all likelihood, about to face this team in the 1st Round a few days from now. You gotta take that game. You gotta step on their throat and TAKE THAT GAME. But we just don't have that ability.

C's in 5. See you at the draft (where I'll laughably get myself way too excited about our #18 pick, Eric Maynor).

Michael Jeffrey Jordan

Elected into the 2009 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

This is the biggest no-brainer in NBA history. Still, as Bill Simmons might say, it got a little dusty when I heard the news.



Other notes:

> I love that Stockton and Sloan are entering the Hall in the same class. Just a sweet move.

> When MJ was asked, "Who's the one person that got you here?", his answer was, "Dean Smith." Wow. Not his dad. Not Phil Jackson. Dean Smith. Them Tar Heel roots run deep. (BTW, how pumped are you today if you're a UNC student, teacher, alumus, etc.?)

> Umi, Manu is now out for the season. Better rethink that Finals prediction.

> Speaking of, are you off your Prozac or something? Cleveland is going to crush the Lakers now. THAT is how the LeBron era will be ushered in -- just like MJ vanquished L.A. in '91. (That's serendipity trying his hand at poetry, Yo.) And yes, he's gonna make the fans of Cleveland happy and relieved...and then he's gonna roll. And he should. Not because the Cleveland fans aren't great ('cause they are; few cities in America have such die-hard fans), but because, as you alluded to, that organization is a joke. Mike Brown? Z? Anderson Varejao? These aren't people who belong in a future HOF player's bio. (Not long-term, anyway.) LeBron must seek greener pastures. And in doing so, he'll adds a wrinkle to his story that MJ never did: by rolling the dice with a new organization. What's more intriguing than that? Analysts are making it sound like LBJ is gonna sign with the Knicks and go on to win 5 more titles -- like it's a lock. What's the rationale? LeBron may, indeed, sign with NY and then go on a six-year title drought under Dolan's watch. But what if instead he goes to Brooklyn with Jay-Z's team? Or, or -- !!! -- what if he somehow gets to Chicago and plays the rest of his career in MJ's shadow? (Unlikely, of course, but how might that raise his level of competitiveness, as he guns for title of "GOAT"?)

Dude, whatever happens, I can hardly wait. I love this game!

The Next Great Thing

My Finals' pick is Cleveland over San Antonio in 6 games. With it, we will usher in the LeBron James era. Finally, at long last, the torch will be passed - passed to a player who draws comparisons to Oscar Robertson. The King shall soon take his thrown. So why am I not excited?

LeBron James is a once-a-generation athlete. He's a mature 24 year old who has learned how to give his best effort night in and night out. Unfortunately, everything else about this story is just plain dull. Other than Anderson Varejao there's not one other player on this team who's remotely interesting. Mike Brown is a non-story. Could 2 out of 10 people even point Cleveland out on a map?

Did you happen to see the game on ABC this past Sunday? It featured the Finals match up I predict. This is worse than Detroit - San Antonio was in 2005. Why am I ranting about this? The pending change highlights the fact that LeBron James is destined to change teams. He prefers to give Cleveland a trophy as a consolation prize, but there is no doubt he will leave when his contract is up. The star machine that is the NBA will not allow the greatest player of his generation to toil away his career in insignificant Cleveland (sorry Cleveland). This thing is bigger than LBJ. It's bigger than Cleveland. This is about carrying the baton. This is about becoming a global icon. LeBron has to be leveraged in a place that draws attention for other reasons so that his market expands exponentially. Will James Dolan still be the worst owner in the League when he's got it's future on his payroll?

No to Zo

I’m not hatin’ on the man. Not the day after he had his number retired. No I’m not. He deserves it, no question.

But since the occasion has caused NBA journalists to raise the big question — “Does Zo belong in the Hall of Fame?” — I’m chipping in my two cents: No.

Think of other bigs who played during the Zo era:

Hakeem: 21-11-3 (career avgs), 2 titles, 12-time All Star
Shaq: 26-12-2 (career avgs), 3 titles,* 14-time All Star
Robinson: 21-11-3 (career avgs), 2 titles, 10-time All Star
Ewing: 21-10-2 (career avgs), 0 titles,** 11-time All Star

Compared to...

Zo: 17-9-3 (career avgs), 0 titles,* 7-time All Star

Just a notch below, isn’t he? A very, very good player. A hard worker and a humanitarian. But not Hall of Fame.***

-G

*The one D-Wade won for him doesn’t count.
**No, Ewing never won a ring. But those Knicks teams always went deep in the playoffs. By contrast, with Zo at the helm, those Heat teams never did shit.
***If you see Zo as an on-the-fence HOF candidate, isn’t this where the annoying, barking, chest-pounding way he carried himself on the court should come into play? Tip him to the “no” side, please.

Could D-Wade end up being a better player than Lebron?

"Mr. Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr., if he's not legitimately considered for an MVP candidate, I don't know what he needs to do,"

-Heat coach Erik Spoelstra


"I don't know what the [MVP] voters want. But whatever they're looking for, I'm pretty sure D-Wade has it."

- King James


It's clear Wade is having his best season. It's clear he could end up having the best regular season of anyone in the league. Given his personality and the nature of his game, do you believe he could viewed as a better player than LeBron when it's all said and done?

I would argue that, right now, a healthy D-Wade is a better all around player than King James. He's also a guy that most guys in the league would want to play with. He's a superstar who's not a narcisist. He's already carried a team all the way to the mountaintop. Plus, he's got a chip on his shoulder from being in first Shaq's, now Bron-Bron's, shadow.

People keep talking about what LeBron can do once he learns how to do x and y. Simultaneously, D-Wade has the most polished offensive game of anyone in the league other than Kobe. If LeBron ever masters a mid-range game and tightens up his long-range shooting, he will only have caught up to D-Wade. Wade can finish in traffic; absorb contact and make shots. He can be counted on in the clutch. Wade is also more creative off the dribble. LeBron is Jim Brown. D-Wade is Walter Payton.

This is no dig at King James. I'm just saying, we may be severely underestimating Wade's potential to be the best player of his generation. It's this foregone conclusion that LeBron will win 5 rings and dominate the league. I'm not so sure. He could. But, if Miami got Boozer in the offseason (likely) and another couple pieces, they could easily become the team to beat in the East. Orlando's good, but Superman ain't got nothing on D-Wade. LeBron has more potential, but Wade is probably the better player right now. LeBron's still a work in development, while D-Wade's seems to be in his prime. And who's to say all LeBron's boundless potential ultimately gets fulfilled?

The All-Star Co-MVPs

Aww. It's nice to see Shaq and Kobe getting along again.



Some rumors even began circulating this weekend about a reunion -- a possible trade this week that would send Shaq back to L.A.

Hmm. Now that would be something. And it wouldn't even be possible if not for the laudable maturation of these two veterans, these ambassadors of the game who have been able to set aside their differences for the betterment of--

Wait, wait, wait. Wasn't Shaq -- JUST 8 MONTHS AGO -- busting a rap in a jam-packed nightclub that went something like, "Kobe couldn't do it without me / Hey Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes"?



Yeah, I thought so.

Elton Who?

This kid is good. Maybe he becomes our Paul Millsap. Elton has to come back healthy in order for GM's to consider taking on his contract. The better Speights gets the easier Stephanski can sell the "we didn't know what we had" angle when trying to ship EB. Take EB off our roster right now and we look like the Hawks. Young, athletic, veteran PG coming into free agency. It's not a terrible place to be given that AI left only 2 years ago. Signing Elton hasn't been the step forward we thought it was. However, this team has a lot to work with. Ironically, all our major pieces, except EB and 'Dre Miller have come through the draft. At least we're doing something right.

Headline: “Brand Done For Season”

Uhh...that's not good.



Read more here.

Winning: a matter of chance?

“I’d rather take my chances [by not trading him and risking him walking at season’s end] and give this team a chance to make a jump this playoffs.”

I’m kicking this one off Umi, quoting you from your last reply on the last post (on whether or not the Erz should trade Andre Miller).

Where does this attitude come from, this “Anything can happen in the playoffs, so let’s just get there and see” attitude? Is it a Philly thing? Is it a notion rendered from years and years of disappointment and desperation? (The two seem far from mutually exclusive.) Whatever its roots, it’s an unhealthy worldview for a sports fan — one built on the subconscious belief that you aren’t inherently good enough, and that whatever good comes your way is due, at least in part, to mere chance/luck.

It’s a loser’s mentality. It may COME from losing, but nonetheless, the cycle repeats; we get so weary that we talk ourselves into foolish things, which then cause further losing, and on and on — like a depressed person who eats himself into an overweight state, then gets further depressed over said state, and responds by eating even more.

But you want to “take your chances,” eh man? Hey, I’m with you on a lot of points: ‘Dre IS the most seasoned and knowledgeable vet we have, who has the best handle, who’s unselfish and can set up the young guys to score, and who makes tough shots in the clutch. He’s a highly desirable PG, which is rare in this league.

But this team sucks. And before last season ended — even given a miraculous winning streak in the latter half, capped off by an unexpectedly promising first-round playoff appearance that scared the piss out of the much-better Pistons — ‘Dre said of his future with the team, “Hmm, we’ll see” (paraphrased). Translation? “I’m getting to the end of my career and I want to win the Big One. So while this team is looking good, it needs to make a huge jump forward — i.e., become a legit title contender — if I’m gonna sign another contract that will, in effect, tether me here till the end of my career.”

And I think we can agree that the Brand move, thus far, has proved to be less than a huge jump forward. So why should we believe he’ll stay?

THAT’s why I say he’s more valuable as a trade piece. He’s walking, Umi. Gone. Let’s face that now, accept it as fact. Forget “taking chances” and “hoping beyond hope.” Let’s instead, for once, as a city, think practically* and with a long view.

Personally, I’d rather have a nice piece or two plus a draft pick than merely let ‘Dre walk and be holding $9M worth of cap space. Unless, of course, you can also trade Sammy for an expiring contract. If that’s Stephanski’s aim — to set the Erz up to make pitches to the free agent class of LeBron/Wade/Melo/Bosh — then I’m all about it. That’s thinking big, and that’s exactly what winners do.

Otherwise, Stephanski should trade his ‘Dre stock while the price is high. You can’t be like all those people out there right now freaking, selling off their stocks and reducing their 401(k) contributions. Are you people crazy?! Since 1925, the NYSE — including all stock market crashes and corrections, INCLUDING the Great Depression — has averaged a 12% return. 12%!!! At 12%, your money will DOUBLE every 6.25 years! And now you can buy stock at bargain-basement prices! Unless you’re going to retire tomorrow, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t be buying all the stock you can right now. (Especially Apple. Steve Jobs gets sick, the stock drops 20%. Buy, dammit! You think people are gonna stop buying iPods and iPhones anytime soon? Buy, buy, BUY!!!)

Anyway, where was I?

-G

*And don’t even get me started with these fool Eagles fans who are already talking Super Bowl victory. Wasn’t McNabb riding pine 7 games ago? This team is weak. WEAK. Its QB and its coach are in a bad marriage that’s been going on far too long. And you never know which set of attitudes is gonna show up. Yeah, they might beat Arizona; but it’s equally likely that McNabb will throw 3 INTs, and Westbrook will get stopped on the wrong side of the end zone as many times. Can you really rely on defense and Aikers to do all your scoring? Maybe. And who knows, the offense might look like Isrealis in the Gaza. But my faith is low. And even if we do pull it off on Sunday, do you really like this labile team against the Steelers???

Seriously, if you had to bet your house on it RIGHT NOW, yes or no, one way or the other, to the question of whether the Eagles win the Super Bowl this year, would you bet YES? I wouldn’t.

New Year's Resolutions

Here's my takeaways from the last 2-3 weeks of Sixers basketball and my 3 New Year's resolutions for the Sixers.


1) Be a bully. This one is for Andre Igoudala. Fortunately, Iggy didn't lose all his game changing ability when he got his contract this past offseason. In fact, his best career move would be to get a little more Bron-ish with his game. His jumper is unreliable. He should keep working on it. In the meantime, he needs to focus on becoming as close to unstoppable as he can get when going to his dribble drive. He's almost always the most athletic player on the court. He's stronger, faster and a better finisher than just about any other wing player in the league. He needs to play like it, and translate his youtube-ready fast break game into consistently getting close shots or drawing contact when he goes to the hoop on isos. He doesn't have the handle or defensive IQ to be a young Scottie, but he can be a poor man's Bron Bron (or a King's nephew) with a nice all around game.

2) Do not trade 'Dre Miller (unless it's an absolute Godfather deal). Point guard play is crucial, especially in the playoffs. We have a top 10 guy right now. And when you're bad or mediocre at that position you have no shot of winning it all. If he were a wing player, I'd quickly send him to the highest bidder. But again, after center, PG is the hardest position in the league to fill with quality. He's more than a highly valued commodity. He's a guy, baring serious injury, who can anchor a contender for the next 2-3 seasons. If a a can't-say-no-trade doesn't happen, I'd try to extend him for something like 4 years at $28M. If things don't work out or we get desperate, he'll be almost as valuable next year in the trade market.

3) Sammy gots to go. Sammy and Willie are the two guys on the squad who most of the time give you nothing. Kareem Rush could be added to that list I suppose. Point is, as you have said for a long time G, "Sammy sucks". Also, it's been made abundantly clear that Iggy is better at the 3. So, we need a SG who can shoot and a big man who's not a liability on the court and in the payroll structure. I've said this before, but I'll repeat: Sammy and Willie for Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton is a doable trade. I really feel like LB would go for this. He doesn't like Wallace. He needs help in his front court. Sammy's a shot blocker and rebounder. If you're Stephanski and you can do this, wait no longer. Sammy's not the perfect compliment to Elton. He would be if he were reliable, but he is not. Start Speights at center for now. Let Theo, who's playing great, get 15-20 minutes off the bench. You're gonna need minutes for Speights once Elton comes back anyway. You've already got Thad as the first front court backup when EB returns, and both deserve to play. If you can't re-sign 'Dre, you've got Raymond Felton. Otherwise, he's a super solid backup. If Felton's a bust, his contract runs out at the end of next year. Few teams in the league have better than average centers. That trade would make us solid and deep 1-4.

'Dre (Felton, Ivey)
Wallace (Lou, Rush)
Iggy (Thaddeus, Donyell)
Elton (Evans)
Speights (Theo)

Think about it...