Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tuesday Breakdown

To all the loyal readers, sorry for the lack of posts. We'll try to pick it back up to normal after the New Year.

A few links while I'm here:

The Jordan 2009's are coming out. Pretty sweet...

Awesome read on Chris Paul and his nastiness.

Steve Nash is the most over rated player...EVER! Bill Simmons joins me in my frustration, and states the case that Nothing has altered the NBA more than Mike D'Antoni. Unfortunately, it's because Steve Nash is the biggest joke of a back-to-back MVP and the most over rated player, EVER! (Did I mention that?)

In case you forgot, the Consecutive MVP Club looks like this: Kareem, Bird, Magic, Moses, Jordan, Russell, Duncan, Wilt … and Nash. Gulp.

That is ridiculous. Check out Nash's numbers this year compared to his last season in Dallas:

Nash, 2003-04: 78 games, 14.5 PPG, 8.8 APG, 47% FG, 41% 3FG, 92% FT.
Nash, 2008-09: 24 games, 15.5 PPG, 8.5 APG, 48% FG, 42% 3FG, 94% FT.

Nuff said...

Speaking of Mike D'Antoni, Ken Berger breaks down Mike D's very under-rated defense.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Friday Breakdown

Sundays have not been kind to teams in Detroit...

Always good to see people with big ego's self-depreciate a bit. Amare Stoudamire has a favor to ask...

I'm officially sick of the "NBA. Where Amazing Happens" commercials. Finally, something new.

Chris Paul, "I don't have any tattoos. My mom and dad would kill me."

For LeBron's 24th Birthday, 24-Hours of LeBron on NBAtv.

DeShawn Stevenson is a D-Bag
.

Experience is a tough teacher, it gives the test first and the lesson afterwards. Also from E-Muss, establishing a culture of work. Great reads.

So I guess it was true...? Bonzi really is playing in China, and posted 48 points, 11 boards and 7 steals in his debut. He must love them yellow chicks...why the hell else would he be in China playing for 40K?

Imagine the Wizards were so bad, they stop taking basketball seriously and do a reality show. Well...you don't have to imagine it....Thanks for bringing this to my attention Jim. I can NOT believe this years Wiz are worse than last years Knicks.

New York rocks, Boston sucks....

One more thing on the Celtics. I'm from New York, and if the Knicks had just set a record for the best start in NBA history and longest winning streak in franchise history, there would be a solid six pages of hysterical coverage in the New York papers. The Boston Herald offered two -- game story, column, notebook, just like any other game. The Celtics are the best team in basketball ... and the Yankees signed Teixeira! - Ken Berger, CBS Sports.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Monday Wake n Break

*Rotoworld, Breakin down the Fantasy Week Ahead.

*A wise man learns from the mistakes of others (Boozer)...That's what LeBron James did this weekend when he said publicly that the Cavs are moving in the right direction, and its possible he signs a contract extension this offseason, contrary to recent thoughts that he'd move to New York. Ken Berger catches up with Wade and Bosh about the topic.

*Chris Paul watches so much ball, he can see the future.

*Marc Stein gives out his trimester awards in ESPN's Weekend Dime. Also in the Dime is a Q&A with Al Harrington.

*A Free Darko, Sunday rant.

*It's possible this season, we see NBA records broken for best and worst teams. ESPN officially starts the 72-game watch, and also keeps an eye on the Thunder and their horrible start.

*SLAM goes one-on-one with Charlie Villinueva. Come on Charlie V...how could you be a New Yorker and a Reggie Miller fan??

*Upside and Motor gives us the NBA Archetype Hierarchy. Great read from last week.

Can Charles Barkley Dodge A Shoe Like Dubya?

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Thursday Breakdown

David Thorpe's new Rookie report is out, on ESPN.com, and guess who's finally made it to the top? OJ Mayo! I've been on record all year saying the minutes and green light make well for a Rookie of the Year candidate, and with Derrick Rose's recent struggles (mostly on defense), OJ's taken the lead.

Shaq, sounding like Big, BIG, Baby, crying about not getting enough touches. I'm surprised he's still singing that tune, considering he's got Amare, Nash and J Rich on his team. Sharing is caring big fella.

LeBron + Ice Cube = This TV Show

Yesterday, Ball Don't Lie interviewed The Jet. Today, we get Ernie, the brains behind the TNT Emmy-Award winning studio show.

STAT's got a blog! So how long before he publicly demands a trade on it?

Be careful Raptor fans....don't boo your superstar, soon-to-be, free agent.

HoopsWorld says Flip Saunders has an open invite to be the next coach in Philly. Makes sense, they could really use some more offensive options.

Speaking of...EB is out for a month, from a dislocated shoulder he suffered last night. Another blow to the Sixers, although this might be a good thing considering they played a lot better last year without Brand.

Lil Wayne's blogging again. Don't do it Weezy...don't pick Kobe over MJ.

It's nice to see some players with enough confidence and balls to allow their teammates to yell at them. With all the success CP3 and the Hornets have had, their ego's still haven't inflated to the point of not taking criticism.

Knickerblogger breakin' down the Knicks roster spots.

Wednesday Breakdown


LeBron + The Batman = These Kicks

Chris Paul, making history, getting a steal in his 106th straight game.

Kenny "The [Real] Jet" Smith interview on Ball Don't Lie.

A must-see Bucks game? On December 20th, the Bucks will attempt to break 6 different Guinness World Records.

You really have to read this post from ex-NBA player Gabe Muoneke on HoopsHype. Now playing in China, he was jumped by the locker room, in front of his family, by the entire opposing team. Must-read, great story and hilarious stuff.

Congrats to Terry Porter, getting his number retired in Portland.

Kevin McHale is not a fan of bloggers. Feeling's mutual.

Dime asks, Who are the Top NBA Villians? Bruce Bowen is my pick...dirty bastid. Some missing names....Kendrick Perkins, Amare Stoudamire...anyone else?

Shane Battier, answering questions from fans.

From the Knicks Blog, we're reminded that Trevor Ariza was Isiah Thomas' first-ever draft pick as Knicks president, getting him in the second round at pick #43! Compare that to Danilo Gallinari, at #6, and....FI-RE DON-NIE! No no no, I joke.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tuesday Breakdown

Mo Cheeks says its his fault, the under achievement in Philly. Lotta job openings out there. Smooth move Mo.

ESPN has their new, crazy technology, super fancy, mock 2009 draft.

Ken Berger, CBS Sports, with a great breakdown of a recent Sports Business Journal, most influential people in sports article. Also from BergerSphere, thanks for the shout-out to yesterday's Breakdown!

Ball Don't Lie interview with OJ Mayo.

The Knicks Fix, saying the trade for Bell/Diaw was a trade for D'Antoni in the long run. I find this VERY hard to believe, considering I can't think of one good reason why Larry Brown would ever want to coach Eddy Curry again. This looks like someone's silly idea, went public, and i haven't found any backing yet.

SLAM, reporting that Pacer's Coach, Jim O'Brien, thought his team would suck this year. Well, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure it's good to have a leader with some confidence in his team...? Coach D'Antoni said last week, the players are only as good as the coach thinks they are. Deep thought.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Monday Breakdown

Power Rankings, both NBA.com and ESPN.com. Anything surprise you? Leave it below.

TrueHoop tells us to get ready for NBA teams in Europe.

SLAM tells us why Mo Cheeks was fired, and what they should do now.

Frank Isola, saying Nash is going to be in NY with LeBron, Bosh and [maybe] Wade??

There was a day when Eddy Curry was the "Next Shaq." Oh man, yea, not close. See what Shaq has to say about that now.

The Knicks Fix, on Harrington's playoff hopes, the Mobley trade exception, and more.

K-Mart, Video interview on his wack wack wack tattoo on his neck (the Lips).

Pau Gasol and Mike Miller romantically engaged?? What a shot...Thanks to BDL for the best laugh I had all day.

Tell me this isn't true....Bonzi Wells signed for 40K to play in China???? No way, right?

Who's the worst player in the NBA? Dime asks and answers...Who do YOU think it is?? Jared Jeffries, Malik Rose, Anthony Roberson and x-Knick Mardy Collins should all be on this list. Isiah Thomas...the gift that never stops giving.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Friday Breakdown

Awesome new Knicks blog I saw today, called Seven Seconds or Mess. Check it out.

Come Monday, Mike D'Antoni will be back in Phoenix, coaching against his former team. Peter Vescey caught up with Coach D, and D'Antoni didn't hold anything back.

Okay, a little too much fondling the Celtics over at ESPN.com. First, going gaga over Rajon Rondo. Then kudos to Paul Pierce and his mean, lean body. Top it off with discussing Kevin Garnett's mouth. Yup, true story.

Pistons players and management, talking about their wack start.

Breakin down the Cavs Offense a little more, via X's and O's of Basketball.

HoopsHype exclusive video interview with Kevin Love.

InsideHoops has Juwan Howard joining the Cats. Meanwhile, SLAM says Raymond Felton is next to get traded.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Thursday Breakdown

D Wade, a one-man offense says Basketball-Reference.com

Melo last night? 33 points in the third quarter??? That's unbelievable, tying The Iceman, George Gervin's record from 1978 for points in a quarter. Must see highlights of how it went down.

Hardwood Paroxysm has some very funny pics of Michael Redd, and then a rant on Yi Jianlian getting votes for the All-Star Game. That'd be a shame and obviously not well-deserved.

Cuttino Mobley is officially retired. Did you ever notice how much his looks like Chazz Palminteri ????? Awesome.

Charles Barkley, interviewed by Ball Don't Lie, puts on the Commissioner's cap.

Did anyone think that 20+ games into the season, the Knicks and Nets would have better records than the Raptors and Sixers? No way. Eric Mussleman breaks down both Chris Duhon and Devin Harris' efficiency so far this season.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Wednesday Breakdown

Breakin' News! Jason Richardson is now joining Amare, Nash, and Shaq in Phoenix (!!). Ken Berger at CBS Sports breaks down the trade. The Suns gave up defensive specialist Raja Bell, and Boris "I got a big contract then fat and slow" Diaw. Interesting move for Steve Kerr, considering he wanted to focus on defense, and J Rich is definitely more O than D.

More about LeBron and Bosh already deciding to rendezvous at the Garden in 2010.

Awesome video of Darko Milicic ripping off his jersey Superman style two nights ago.

NBA; Where the Cavs Only Need 3 Quarters happens. Awesome read from Ballerblogger.com, about the Cavs recent domination.

Another, much less exciting trade. The Wizards trade for Javaris Crittenton and Mike James, both I'd assume will get some run right away. See if they can spark the struggling Wiz, and fill in while Gilbert Arenas recovers. Antonio Daniels went to New Orleans, where I'd also assume he will get backup point guard duties, since there is no one right now, and CP3 could use the help.

Concerning article for Minnesota fans. Players from the Wolves talking about Kevin McHale's lack of coaching ability, on the X's and O's side.

Dime asks us...If you can pick one player, for one defensive stop, who's your man? I think I'm going Kevin Garnett on this one...you?

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Tuesday Breakdown

Breakin' Down The Game got some good pub today over at CBS Sports. Check out Ken Berger's blog, linking his readers to last night's Breakdown.

TrueHoop reminds us of a great [for the fans, horrible for Darko] rant last year. O man, so good:
He's already something of an internet legend for an absolutely insane x-rated 2007 tirade against international referees.

Every time a coach gets fired, Jerry Sloan manages to come into the conversation. Well deserved. Jerry's coached more games than Red Auerbach did with the Celtics (!). 222 coaches have been replaced since he started (!). JA Adande, ESPN, with a tribute to Coach Sloan. Founding member of FreeDarko.com, Bethlehem Shoals, shares his thoughts on Sloan.

My MAIN man, Ahmad Rashad, interviewed at Ball Don't Lie, talkin MJ and more. Yea, you wanna check that out.

SLAM, Appreciating LeBron James' new defensive skills. If Bosh, Wade and LeBron did make a pact in China, it was probably that they're all going to challenge each other on getting defensive recognition. Wade is averaging just about two blocks and two steals per game. Sick.

REDUNKULOUS!!! DWAYNE WADE LAST NIGHT ON OKAFOR

Tuesday Breakdown

Breakin' Down The Game got some good pub today over at CBS Sports! Check out BergerSphere linking CBS readers to last night's Breakdown.

TrueHoop reminds us of a great [for the fans] Darko Milicic rant last year. O man, so good:
"He's already something of an internet legend for an absolutely insane x-rated 2007 tirade against international referees."

Every time a coach gets fired, Jerry Sloan manages to come into the conversation. Well deserved. Jerry's coached more games than Red Auerbach did with the Celtics (!). 222 coaches have been replaced since he started (!). JA Adande, ESPN, with a tribute to Coach Sloan. Founding member of FreeDarko.com, Bethlehem Shoals, shares his thoughts on Sloan.

My MAIN man, Ahmad Rashad, interviewed at Ball Don't Lie, talkin MJ and more. Yea, you wanna check that out.

SLAM, Appreciating LeBron James' new defensive skills. If Bosh, Wade and LeBron did make a pact in China, it was probably that they're all going to challenge each other on getting defensive recognition. Wade is averaging just about two blocks and two steals per game. Sick.

REDUNKULOUS!!!
D Wade on Okafor Last Night

Monday, December 8, 2008

Monday Breakdown

"Jesus Christ himself could come out here and coach us, but if we don't go out there and play hard and play together, it won't mean nothing." - Al Jefferson, via Ball Don't Lie

Randy Wittman lost his job today, and being replaced by his boss, Kevin McHale. Apparently Kevin McHale needed a job, since he lost his at the same time, as GM. I imagine the only reason it went down like that, is because when he fails again, they won't make the comparison to Isiah Thomas nonstop. However, i think it's safe to say there's no way those comparisons won't be made, with the horrendous job both GMs did for their franchises. Good luck!

ESPN is placing odds on which coach is next to go. More importantly, which coach is going to come back? I think Eddie Jordan has to get scooped up sooner than later. Maybe OKC takes him? I wonder if he'd take that job, or would wait for a more lucrative one.

Ballerblogger.com with, yet another, Kobe vs. MJ comparison. Good article, with some great links. Love MJ...

Q&A with Kenyon Martin at Dime Mag, weighing in on Pac vs. BIG debate. Come on KMart...you're better than that. BIG all the way.

Another Q&A, this time with Chris Webber at Ball Don't Lie, talking business, his new off the court teammate Gary Payton, and more.

Josh Smith Video Interview from HoopsHype, claiming the Hawks are at the top of the east, with Boston, Cleveland and Orlando. I'll give him Orlando, because I don't think they're that good, but not a shot comparing the Hawks to Boston and Cleveland. Hope they prove me wrong...

So...Baron Davis is a getting paid 250K to endorse a weight-loss drink, and it required him to gain weight in the offseason. Come on, that can't be real, right? I'd imagine the new Collective Bargaining Agreement might have to take this into consideration, and not allow athletes to do ridiculous stuff like this. As for the Clippers, I'd be pretty ticked off that we just gave Baron $62.5 Million, and he went out and gained weight for an additional quarter of one million? Wow...no bueno Diddy. Slam Online has the story.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Live From The Garden: Knicks -v- Pistons

Knicks 104, Pistons 92

Wakey wakey, eggs and breaky. Early one this Sunday, with the Pistons suffering the classic curse of the NY-Noon game. It's hard for the players to resist partying the Saturday night before in the Big Apple. It showed with Allen Iverson and Pistons starting very slow, going down 10-0 before being forced to call a timeout and regroup. More of the same after the timeout, with a very poor showing from Allen Iverson who looked a bit slow and unlike himself. Coach Michael Curry sat Iverson a good chunk in the first quarter, putting in Rodney Stuckey to get the Pistons running some offensive plays, instead of Iverson's ineffectiveness. The first quarter ends, and the Knicks have a commanding lead, 29-12.

In the second quarter, the Pistons were able to get a lot of points, scoring 31 overall. However, there was no D on the Pistons end either, and the Knicks got 36 points, led mostly by timely buckets from Quentin Richardson, and Chris Duhon pushing the Pick n Roll with David Lee on almost every possession. David Lee only finished with 12 points, but his 19 rebounds and overall impact on both ends of the floor was outstanding. The Knicks wound up getting the lead to almost 30 points at one point. Towards the end of the first half, the Pistons went on a mini-run, looking to gain momentum at the break. Knicks fans are used to runs like these, which usually led to a horrible second half, repeating none of the success from the first two quarters. Would there be more of that tonight?

At the break, it was 65-43 Knicks. Looking at the box score, there was something very interesting that popped out. The Knicks were 20-40 from the field, while the Pistons were almost identical at 19-41...yet there was a 22 point lead! Breakin' it down further, you'll see the Knicks success came from the line (were they got 21 shot attempts to the Piston's 9), and from 3-point-land, where they hit 8 of 14. Add to that the great ball control of the Knicks (2 turnovers), and the Pistons looking sloppy (8 turnovers), and there's your lead.

In a game where the Knicks almost dominated from beginning to end, it was Jared Jeffries who was horrid and kept letting the Pistons get back in it. His decisions on offense, including fading, long jump shots (he's never hit one in his life), and repeated offenses charges, were really horrendous and his number should have gotten pulled much earlier. Jeffries was the only one on the team to log a negative +/- for the Knicks. Tempers flared a bit in the 3rd, with Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace both getting techs, but this time that didn't exactly ignite Sheed, and the Pistons were still down 18 at the start of the fourth.

Pretty bad game for the Pistons backcourt, with Iverson shooting 33% from the field, and Rip getting his second technical in the 4th quarter, resulting in his ejection just when the Pistons looked like they could make a run. I thought Michael Curry was supposed to have control over those tempers? Jared Jeffries continued his run of horrible ball in the fourth quarter. Combine that with the refs making even on their ejection of Rip, by giving the Pistons tons of calls in the fourth. Detroit managed to get the lead down to 5 (!), which I'm sure made half the (totally packed) arena think twice about calling this a win.

Tayshaun Prince really piled it on in the fourth quarter, and it seemed like almost every shot he hit was with the left hand, about 3 inches from the hoop (and one big dunk the same way). They probably should have went to that earlier in the game, since it was basically unstoppable. Tayshaun finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals on 11-19 shooting (!). But it wasn't enough for the Pistons, who gave up a huge 3-pointer from Al Harrington with 1:20 left, extending the lead to 9 points, sealing the win.

It was games like this, last year, that were the worst. A huge lead in the first half, leading to a complacent team, horrible second half and eventual loss. But tonight was different, and Coach Mike D'Antoni didn't let the team lose their energy and passion, and they pulled it out in the end in front of a packed Garden crowd. Great game for the Knicks, bouncing back from two tough losses, and they again showed that on any given night, they can compete on the basketball court.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Thursday Wake n Break

*Rajon Rondo was the man tonight in Boston, leading the Celtics to a victory fo the Pacers. Rajon picked apart the defense all game, finishing with a VERY impressive triple double: 16 points, 17 assists, 13 rebounds (add 3 steals to that). WOW. The Celtics also took advantage of Indiana's small lineup, by out rebounding them 54 to 31, and shooting 19 more free throw attempts. Had to figure this was going to happen, with the Pacers just coming off of beating the LA Lakers, and were victorious in their last game against the Celtics. The juices were flowing tonight for the C's. Celtics 114, Pacers 96

*
Speaking of the Lakers, Kobe and Co went into Philly tonight, to face the struggling Sixers. Lakers were just ridiculous. Huge dunks all night, not missing anything, shooting 58% from the field (!). Then with 2 minutes left...Kobe Kobe Kobe. Disgusting stuff. First a pair of free throws, then a spinning layup, then a 3-pointer, all within 1 minute. That was just mean. I've said it before and i'll say it again, if the Sixers don't get some outside shooters soon, they won't be int he playoffs. Moves need to be made. Lakers 114, Sixers 102

*Last week LeBron James came to the garden, and of course all the talk was about 2010. Not the same in Cleveland, where they stick mostly the basketball (and LeBron gushing). However, the outcome was the same; total Cavs domination from the get go. The Cavs lead after the first half 61-35. The Knicks are starting to lose steam, from playing so many minutes and so few players, made even worse by Quentin Richardson getting tossed with logging only 16 minutes. They'll need another guard soon (Cuttino Mobley??) if they want to compete. Lets get this guy on the court already. Cavs 118, Knicks 82

*
The Suns were without Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal, so it was smooth sailing for the Hornets at home, winning few bumps in the road. Lot of Chris Paul and Peja Stojakovic. CP3 finished with his usual 24 points, 15 assists and 3 steals and later said, “When he’s shooting like that, we’re almost unstoppable,” referring to Peja. Although I'd take out the 'almost,' because between Tyson Chandler alley-oops , David West spot up jumpers on the pick and roll, and of course CP3's disgusting offensive repertoire, there's no way you're going to win if Peja is training them like he did tonight. Hornets 104, Suns 91

*All Dwayne Wade in Utah tonight. I can't believe how good he is. You should probably go see the highlights for this. In fact, here ya go. D.Wade finished with 23 points, 5 boards and 5 assists, but most impressive is the 4 steals and 2 blocks. It's become every game at this point, with Wade averaging close to 2.5 steals and 2 blocks. The Jazz are really struggling without a healthy Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer out of the lineup with injury. Paul Millsap tried his best to cover for him, scoring 20 points and getting 13 boards, but too much D. Wade all game. Heat 93, Jazz 89

*The Wizards improved their loss column to 13, while the Blazers won their 6th straight. Antwan Jamison on Brandon Roy (sums up the whole game): “It wasn’t going well for him in the first half. He didn’t force it— continued to plug away. And the last four or five minutes of the game, who had the ball in their hands? Who made plays? Who won the game? It was him.” Gotta love the props from your peers/competition. Blazers 98, Wizards 92

*
Another horrible sooting night from Ron Artest, going 5-15, and 33% for the season. It didn't stop the Rockets from getting a win at home against the Clippers. Zach Randolph continued his strong play with the Clips (on the offensive end), going for 23 points and 11 boards, but Baron Davis launching brick after brick (5-15 from the field) didn't help their production. Even without Tracy McGrady, the Rockets still got enough scoring from Rafer Alston, and Yao Ming (especially at the free throw line, going 12-13). Alston flirted with a trouble double in this game, finishing with 21 points, 8 boards and 7 dimes. Rockets 103, Clippers 96

*JJ Redick
got the start tonight in Orlando, which means their backcourt troubles are really, REALLY, bad. In JJ's 30 minutes of play, he was able to get only 5 points, while his backcourt teammate Anthony Johnson only scored 2. But I guess that doesn't matter, since te Magic's all-star players Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard, and Hedo Turkoglu were in the house. Dwight got his usual 23 points, 17 boards and 6 blocks (!), with Rashard and Hedo chipping in for 23 and 22 respectively. Kevin Love, total monster on the offensive boards, finishing with 8 for the game, but helping the Wolves get a big advantage on the field goal attempts 87-65. But their horrid shooting, they actually finished with one less field goal made overall (37-36). Magic 100, Wolves 89

*Josh Smith
's return tonight for the Hawks, and they face the Grizzlies in the ATL. All 5 Hawks starters got into double figures, and had fantastic efficiency from the floor (56%, and that includes Mo Evans going 0-7!). Hakim Warrick was big off the bench for the Grizz, getting 20 points on 8-12 shooting, but they've been spoiled by OJ Mayo's scoring spree, and is low total of 11 points wasn't enough to get the job done. Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 26 points on 10-15 shooting. Hawks 105, Grizzlies 95

*
In their previous game, the Thunder won for the first time since....i have no idea. So can they make it two in a row against Charlotte? Yea, right. Russell Westbrook is totally locked in as their starting point guard, logging 36+ minutes for the night. Too bad he didn't make enough out of it, going 2-9 from the field, with 10 points and 5 turnovers. That's a rookie starting point guard for ya. Larry Brown sticking to, basically, a 6.5 man rotation, and it worked well in this one with all of the Bobcats playing together well for the second time in two games. In OKC, it doesn't sound great, with Kevin Durant saying, “Tonight was better than most losses because we did some things well.” Damn, I'd hate to be in THAT boat. Bobcats 103, Thunder 97

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Wednesday mini-Breakdown

Not much going on today....I think everyone's getting ready for a big 10-game night tonight...but here's a few interested stories/links:

Breakin' News: The Raptors fire coach Sam Mitchell. Eddie Jordan's looking for a job. Avery coming back? Do any of the big names available even want to be in Toronto (in the winter?). Who do you think might be the replacement???

Ken Berger, CBS Sports, on two of the league's hottest rookies, Greg Oden and Derrick Rose.

Up close and personal with Zach Randolph, video interview.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Tuesday Breakdown

Have to run, but a few links for tonight's breakdown...

How Allen Iverson got his crossover.

More in depth look at the Triangle Offense

The actual conversation between Donnie Walsh and Stephon Marbury...!!

Thanks to Ballerblogger.com for findings these two gems: First a SLAM interview with Derrick Rose, and then a Charlie Rose interview with Magic Johnson discussing all things basketball and business.

Chatting hoops with well-known coach Mike Moreau at HoopsWorld.com

Lunch Break: Reader Rant

Breakin Down The Game reader, Willie, sends us his thoughts on the Marbury situation:

Just when you thought the knicks would be competitive in 2008/2009 with a new coach, a new gm, and a new " attitude" they go and pull an "isiah" (new slang word for a total cluster f-ck). They trade their 2 best players in lieu of a 2 year wait for Lebron or Bosh or Amare, or Wade. Key Words , "In lieu". The nba is about winning, and any player that is a free agent will look to go to win a ring before their careers are up.
ie. garnett, and allen last year. What's the lure here, for those superstars, a knick uniform, a starting spot on the NY knicks, a home called Madison square garden, all garbage if you cant get a ring. you need to surround yourself with winners, a supporting player staff and a great management team, none of which i see here in NY.
Now I have to sit through a "marbury" fiasco on top of all this? Dam, I want my money back, (season ticket holder). This is not what I bargained for. Take this marbury incident as the latest fiasco: sit him, sit him sit, berate ,berate, berate him, now go and ask him to play for you because you have no one else? Great , just great planning on walsh's and dantoni's behalf. you alienate the team against the guy when he refuses to play, you completely emasculate the guy ,and then you let him poison the locker room. What else can you do to screw this up?
I know, bring back isiah, at least we can expect this craziness from him, but not from these 2 hand-picked NBA "geniuses".
Dam, I'm frustrated, and embarrassed to be a knick fan today. I can only hope that in my life time i get to see this storied franchise come back to its glory past, a la, the 69 and 72 teams..
sincerely,
Willie

Tuesday Wake n Break

*Everything clicked for Charlotte tonight against Minnesota. Raymond Felton was distributing the ball well, finishing with 14 assists. Jason Richardson is back and healthy, going for 19 in the first half, finishing with 25 on some high percentage shooting (including 3-4 from downtown). On the Wolves side, Mike Miller had a big first half, but didn't get much of an offensive flow in the second half. Same with Al Jefferson, who had 6 blocks for the night, but only 8 points on 3-11 shooting. Emeka Okafor had a big night for the Bobcats, with 24 points, 10 boards and 5 blocks, making sure to impress the part-owner and basketball god sitting on the sidelines. I'm sure Michael was happy with their performance, but you can't be impressed until they do it against someone a little tougher than lowly Minnesota. Bobcats 100, Wolves 90

*You know it's going to be a tough night for Orlando, with Hedo Turkoglu running the point. The Magic need backcourt help quick, with all of the guys on their depth chart hurt, and to be honest, they suck when they're there anyway. The Jameer Nelson experiment has to end, he's not good enough to take the Magic to the promised land. In this game, Sam Cassell managed to play zero minutes, but still get two technicals and the resulting ejection. The Celtics started pulling away from the Magic in the third quarter, led by Paul Pierce who finished with 24 points, 17 of which were in the fourth. While he only finished with 11 points, Eddie House had the two biggest shots of the game, the first with 8:30 left bringing the lead to 16, and then again with 6:40, extended the lead to 17. From there it was just garbage time, since the C's defense wasn't going to let the Magic come back. With Hedo and Courtney Lee running the point in Orlando, they didn't have a chance, but hung in there the first half. Celtics 107, Magic 88

*It was Jamal Crawford's debut last night at home for the Warriors, and he really lit it up in the first half, going for 19, after some great moves inside and outside. Steven Jackson had an off shooting night, going 2-11, but really helped out especially in the fourth quarter with some great passes to Andres Biedrens in the lane, and finishing with 11 assists overall (but only 8 points). Jamal didn't stop with the hot hand, finishing with 40 points overall, on 11-22 shooting, 4 three pointers, 14-16 from the free throw line with only 1 turnover and 7 assists (wow). Jamal logged 50 minutes in this game, since it went into overtime following an offensive rebound and putback by Udonis Haslem in the final seconds. All that Jamal wasn't enough to stop Dwayne Wade, who finished 37 points and 13 dimes, continuing his MVP type season. The Warriors had a few mini collapses, the worst throwing away the inbounds pass at the end of overtime to Michael Beasley who got to the line to take the lead and eventually the win. Jamal had one more shot to be the hero, but it trickled out and the Warriors lost their 7th straight. Heat 130, Warriors 129

Monday, December 1, 2008

Monday Breakdown

* Week 5 of the Power Rankings, from both NBA.com and ESPN.com. The Nets are on everyone's radar at this point, playing fantastic with Devin Harris leading the show. Portland, Orlando and Denver are all moving up the rankings. It's funny to see both of these powerhouse sports websites still disagreeing on who's #1.

*Stephon Marbury has been banished from the Knicks, reports ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan. Ken Berger at CBSSports says, It's officially ridiculous.

*There was a time when MJ considered NY too, says Ballerblogger.com

*Derrick Rose breakin Andre Miller's ankles....ouch, via Ball Don't Lie. Staying with BDL, an exclusive interview with one of the best, hottest, young players in the NBA, Danny Granger.

*Haven't quite figured out what they're trying to say in this video at Dime Mag. Basically another MJ vs Kobe video, but lets get serious, no way Kobe can reach Michael status now that he has TWO quality big men, right??? I don't care how many rings he gets at this point, it's not worthy to compare.

*Real GM reports that one of our favorite bloggers, X-Coach Eric Mussleman, wants back into the NBA.

*Amare Stoudamire is a lil jealous of D-Wade, LeBron and co, reports SLAM. Also from SLAM, Michael Beasley is okay with the sixth man role for the time being.

*The Mavs have quit on the Princeton offense, reports InsideHoops.com. Why do i feel like Dirk Nowitzki is always whining, complaining and sounding like a wuss? I just can't help feeling that way about him...sorry.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Thanksgiving Weekend Breakdown

Some links to get you past the Thanksgiving weekend....it's a long one, so feel free to come back to finish up.

In no particular order:

*Although premature, you still have to weigh your loss if you're Cleveland. If LeBron James is leaving town, you HAVE to get something in return....So what will that be? TrueHoop's Henry Abbott and ESPN's David Thorpe make a few possible trade scenario's for the king.

*Thanks to Hayden for bringing this to my attention...A very unique coaching tactic this past week, in the college ranks. They decided to double team Stephen Curry, even without the ball, not letting him touch it the whole game, going 4 on 3 against the rest of the squad. Well, that didn't work at all.

*Ken Berger at CBSSports.com, on LeBron's NYC visit, and a possible upcoming strike in the NBA.

*HoopsHype exclusive video interviews with OJ Mayo, and TJ Ford.

*Former NBA Coach Eric Mussleman; Comebacks Begin With Positive Energy. A great read, that really applies to everything in life. Stay positive, and good things happen. Also from Coach Mussleman, explaining that talent alone won't achieve greatness. If you're not as talented, you can still outwork your opponents.

*Two great LeBron commercials. The first from The Howeva Files; Lebron with this stupid hot chick, hilarious stuff. Second, from Ball Don't Lie, a more serious commercial from Nike.

*Some awful NBA stuff from the kings in that territory, Basketbawful. Ron Artest video blogging, and rapping? Just horrible...

*And, the number 1 pick of the 2009 NBA draft will be....Ricky Rubio of Spain?? If you didn't see this guy in the Olympics, you should really check him out. Just abnormally good and mature for his age, and should project very well in the NBA (if he can learn to play some defense and bulk up a bit).

*Saw this on Ballerblogger.com; Allen Iverson skipped Practice and is now out of the starting lineup and fined. Practice?? We talkin bout practice...

*SLAM gives us 50 things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving

*Anytime Worldwide Wes is in the conversation, I'll be sure to post it. If you don't know who Worldwide Wes is, you're not 'in the know,' and need to get on top of it. Well, Uncle Wes is saying the Knicks are the favorites in the running for his buddy LBJ.

*Steven A Smith talkin Amare Stoudamire, his future free agency, and the Phoenix Suns.

*Finish off with some frequent updates on the Stephon Marbury situation in New York. It's getting old already, and Ken Berger from CBSSports says it should come to a conclusion soon.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Live From The Garden: Knicks -v- LeBr....er, Cavs

I thought it'd be a high scoring game tonight for the Cavs, since D'Antoni's offense features a ton of possessions, the Knicks were having 3 new players join the team, and LeBron wanted to show off in NYC. I also thought LeBron would lead the way, scoring 50 or more. I was right about the first, and for one of the best offenses in the league (#1 actually, on Monday) they hit their highest total of the season. LeBron was held to only 30 minutes, and when I say held, I mean he was held back from going out and doing more damage to the Knicks.

One of the highlights of the night was during the national anthem when I heard a few fans change the ending, from "Home, of the, brave;" It was, "Home of LeBron, James." Brilliant, really. Loved it. When they announced LeBron, half the place got up. If only it wasn't such a boring game...

So the first quarter starts and it was the Cavs jumping out to the early lead, led by James' 11 points. The tension was rising fast, as the calls were a little one-sided for the hyped up Cavs. Pretty easy proof of this with a horrible non-call on a LeBron James block. Should have been a goal-tend. Nate Robinson tried to get a little flashy and pull the New York fans back to the Knicks side with a bigggg dunk attempt over James, but the ball slipped and he couldn't finish. The first quarter ended with a hefty lead, but nothing close to whats to come. 34-21 Cavs after one.

Cavs started the second quarter with LeBron on the bench and took a big lead immediately, making it 42-22 with more than 10 minutes left in the quarter. The Knicks were slowing working in Al Harrington and Tim Thomas, while the third newbie Cuttino Mobley was still undergoing physicals and didn't dress. Harrington had a couple of nice plays (5), but finished with a lot more bad ones (11). Tim Thomas looked horrible on some plays, but finished with 16 points, hitting 4 from downtown and a couple of late 3's that...whatever, it was over. Late in the second, Nate Robinson took a nasty fall, and left the game with a strained groin. Groin injuries are no bueno. Losing Nate for any amount of time would be a huge blow for the Knicks, since he's been their most consistent player this year.

It got worse and worse, with the lead going up to 34 points. It was 95-66 after 3, and we didn't get to see LeBron for the rest of the night. He finished with a sweasy (so-easy) 26 points. The crowd wasn't into the game at all, and with good reason, it was over so quickly. On top of that, LeBron never went off, except for one dunk, but it was too little too late. The crowd wanted something to go bananas about, but it just got too boring, and then LeBron didn't even see any PT in the fourth.

As usual, it was a star studded night at the Garden, featuring Jay-Z and Beyonce, Spike Lee of course, some Jets getting a huge applause, and then Plaxico Burress and crew came on the big screen, with Plax pointing to his ring finger, and flashing two fingers up, implying that he's about to get a second ring. Cant' wait for the media to get a hold of that one, and start accusing Plaxico of predicting back to back championships. That's just one more thing LeBron gets to look forward to when he moves here in 2010!

The night didn't exactly go as planned, but it was fun nonetheless. Seeing LeBron in person is always exciting, and the Cavs have quickly turned into one of the most dominate teams int he league, probably only being topped by the Lakers and Celtics and not even by much.

CAVS 119, KNICKS 101

Lunch Break Special: Knicks -v- Cavs Preview

Tonight marks the first time when LeBron James comes to Madison Square Garden, with the Knicks actually having enough cap space to sign him in 2010. As of right now, it's not just LeBron, but thanks to Jalen Rose of ESPN, rumors are spreading that also Chris Bosh might come to New York in the same offseason. This is a dream beginning to come true for Knicks fans, who never thought that we would get away from the mess Isiah Thomas made.

The last 4 games LeBron played at the Garden, he averaged almost 37 points per game, the last one, going for 50 points (after telling Spike Lee in the front row that he'd do so). This marks the third year in a row where LeBron gets special NYC kicks made for the occasion. Last year he wore the Yankees-themed LeBron V's, with the Le-Bron Ja-mes chant written on the tongue (that I strongly urge New Yorkers to chant with me tonight).

More news from around the web on this game:

*Shaun Powell from Newsday is doing the same, and urging New Yorkers to give LeBron the warmest welcome imaginable.

*Frank Isola on LeBron's kicks, which you can get a sneak peak of, here at Nicekicks.com.

*There's a chance that Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas don't suit up tonight (and even worse, that Zach Randolph gets shipped back to New York to put a temporary pause on our Coup de' James. Ken Berger, formally of Newsday, now at CBSsports has the story.

*Special thanks to my homey Hayden for bringing this Peter Vescey article to my attention. This is a great summary, breaking down the money situations for both Cleveland and New York, and how it relates to King James.

NY Media Urging Fans to Show LeBron The Love

Tuesday Wake n Break

*Orlando took an early lead over the Bucks with 10 points after the first quarter, expanding that on a big 4-point-play from JJ Redick (this guy is still in the league?). Some big 3-pointers from Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, gave the Magic a 58-47 lead at the half, despite foul trouble from Dwight Howard, who had to leave the first half with 7 minutes remaining and already accumulating 3 fouls. Both the Magic and the Bucks had possible injuries, with Jameer Nelson and Andrew Bogut leaving in the second half, and not returning. More on those injuries should develop throughout the day. Richard Jefferson led the Bucks with 25 points, but more importantly with some big plays and buckets at the end, bringing the lead down to 3. But it wasn’t enough and usually isn’t when you’re going up against Dwight Howard getting 24 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks (!). Superman Duex really acted Shaq in this one, going a horrible 10-20 from the free throw line. I thought Dwight would get up to around 65-70% FT shooting, but thus far his Superman Duex nickname is looking pretty dead on. Magic 108, Bucks 101

*The game of the night was in Miami, with Dwayne Wade and Michael Beasley hosting the Rockets for a superstar showdown. Lot of action from Beasley in the first half, getting up 13 shots, hitting 6, but was held to only one more FG for the rest of the game, and only 14 points. Also in the first half 8 guys from Houston were able to get on the board, showing great ball movement and shooting over 50% total. Yao Ming finished the game with 28 points, 12 boards, 4 assists, shooting 10-11 from the line, but with zero blocks or steals. A 7-footer playing 35 minutes should really get at least one block or steal. D. Wade’s awful shooting night (7 for 23) didn’t help Miami, and Houston cruised to a victory. Rockets 107, Heat 98

*Another awful shooting night from the Sixers, shooting under 40% for the night. The Sixers lost to the Bobcats last night, which is totally unacceptable based on the preseason talk of them competing for a championship. It was decently close after the first half, with Yahoo having the score at 41-39 and ESPN having the score at 41-41 (interesting..). The real men of the night were DJ Augustin and Raymond Felton who are no doubt fighting to kept heir starting spots when Jason Richardson comes back from injury (also interesting…). Both guards went 8-11 from the field, finishing with 25 (DJ) and 23 (Raymond). Bobcats 93, Sixers 84

*It started off close in Utah, with the Jazz and Bulls each at 26 after the first quarter. It was all Derrick Rose for most of the first half, tearing the Jazz apart with 7 for 10 shooting, 4 assists, and 0 turnovers. Quite impressive for a young guard to have such a good ball-control in the first half, against the tough-guy Jazz, on their own court. Joakim Noah got the start today, presumably to go out after Mehmet Okur at the 3-point line (since Carlos Boozer joined Deron Williams on the bench with a quad injury). Well, that didn’t work very well, with Memet going for 16 in the first half, finishing with 26 overall. Drew Gooden had a matching 16 at the half, but only getting 2 points afterwards. The Jazz’ ball movement really outshined Derrick Rose and Co, going 30-18 overall in assists. Ridiculous ending to this game, with the lead changing back and forth, and coming down to one shot at the end… a Derrick Rose juke to get open and clang off the rim with only 2 seconds remaining. Wait for it....But Larry Hughes got the offensive rebound, got up in the air, and drained a long two-pointer to win the game at the buzzer. Larry Hughes! Congrats; You get 2 more minutes per game for your winning shot, then a trade after Hinrich comes back. Yay! Bulls 101, Jazz 100

*The San Antonio Spurs visited the Memphis grizzlies last night, looking like a matchup between old and young, this generation vs the future. San Antonio had good control over this game, despite leading at halftime by only 5. Roger Mason was bringing the rain from downtown, hitting 5 three pointers, finishing with 18 points total. OJ Mayo was shooting well, again playing 43 minutes (!), shooting the rock 21 times, hitting 10 of those. OJ finished with 26 points, hitting all 5 of his free throws. The rest of the team didn’t have a good shooting night, with the team finishing at 39%, led by Rudy Gay’s awful night, going 6 for 19. Tonight was Manu Ginobili’s debut for the season, and Coach Pop brought him off the bench, where he might or might not continue to do so when Tony Parker comes back. Manu came in and produced right away, scoring 11 points in 12 minutes (!). I actually considered at some point that the Spurs might not make the playoffs this year, but with Manu back earlier than expected, looking this good (3-4 from the field and 5-6 from the line), they not only look like a playoff team, but with a healthy Tony Parker should be a contender for a championship. For Memphis, it was nice to see young star OJ Mayo after the game, discussing the loss with maturity and addressing Tim Duncan as “Mr. Duncan” showing great respect for his elders and the game. Spurs 94, Grizz 81

Monday, November 24, 2008

Monday Breakdown

*ESPN.com and NBA.com Power Rankings. Why do I get the feeling that the Celtics and Lakers will remain at the top two spots for the rest of the season?

*This guy's a Knick hater. Loves the moves. We're getting LeBron. These next two years don't matter. End of story.

*This awesome Flash Animation of D'Antoni's system. Pretty simple, it's either the pick n roll, or a backdoor cut. Just do it in 7 seconds or less, try hard, play (some) D, and have fun.

*I...am...super psyched (!) for tomorrow's Knicks game against the Cavs. I'm urging all the Knick fans to join me in a Le-Bron Ja-mes (clap, clap, clapclapclap) chant. If the whole place starts doing it, then I'm pretty confident that could give us at least a .0001% better chance of landing LeBron, and that means it's worth it! Chris Sheridan at ESPN gives us a little preview of tomorrow night, where King James steps into his future Castle. Sweeeeeet.

*Eddie Jordan lost his team, and then his job. Can't blame Eddie for this; he's one of the best coaches in the league without a doubt. I've been saying it repeatedly, that the Gilbert Arenas signing and then the third surgery, killed the mood of this team. When you give someone $111 Million, you get excited, the city gets excited and everything gets on a little bit of a high. But what goes up, most come down, and this hit the ground in D.C. hard. Saw it coming, especially after two fourth quarter meltdowns, and then a ridiculous loss against the Knicks summer league team (with only 7 players). Eddie will get another job sooner,than later, perhaps even take PJ Carlismo's ex-job in Oklahoma City.

*Gotta love the leadership in Cleveland. It starts from the top, and when I say the top, I mean it really starts with the Spurs. Both Danny Ferry and Mike Brown have roots in San Antonio, and the tradition and mentality they brought with them translated into instant success in Cleveland (well, LeBron James helps too). Mike Brown created a 4-player committee for his team, replacing the more traditional captain or co-captains. I think it's brilliant and it really helps get key information to the coach from the players, and visa versa.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Live From The Garden: Knicks -v- Wizards

I won't be too hard on the Wizards fans, especially since my buddy Marcus came from DC to come to the game, but facts are facts...the Wiz basically just lost to the Knicks summer league team. Since the physicals for the trades are tomorrow, the Knicks were without their new teammates, but they still were able to pull out a victory against the lifeless Wizards.

The Knicks started the game with Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson in the backcourt, David Lee at center, with Wilson Chandler and Quentin Richardson at the wings. All 4 starters were forced to play more than 40 minutes each, as there was only 2 available players off the bench, in Grandpa Malik Rose and youngin Anthony Roberson, who wasn't very helpful, going 0-5 from downtown and 2-10 overall.

New York jumped out to an early lead, led mostly by Nate's speed and Duhon's ball control. From the beginning of the game, till the end, it was Antwan Jamison who was tearing apart the Knicks offense and scoring repeatedly in the paint. We'll get into that in more detail later. Quentin Richardson exploded early in the game, finishing with 18 points in the first quarter (!), giving the Knicks a 35-29 lead after one. We didn't see much of Andray Blatche in the first half, hopefully because he was benched for his awful play last night against Yao Ming in the final seconds of the game. It was Dominique Maguire who got extra minutes in the first half, really making the most out of them. The Wizards D really stepped up against Q, allowing him only 2 in the second quarter after exploding in the first. That kept the Wiz in the game, and went into the half only trailing by two, 60-58.

The third quarter started with Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson using speed and hitting big shots, extended the Knicks lead. Caron Butler wasn't impressive most of the game, lookign hesitant with the ball. Caron finished with 23 points, but wasn't very impressive from the floor, shooting 8 for 18. Something's wrong with Caron because he can dominate games like this with ease when his mind is right. It seemed as though every time Antwan Jamison got the ball, they were getting either points in the paint, or good ball movement out of the double team.

This is where we didn't understand what the Wizards were doing. The last two games the Wizards have played, it's fair to say they've given up towards the end, practically handing wins to opposing teams. Tonight it was more of the same, and for reasons we could not come close to figuring out, Antwan Jamison wasn't getting any touches down the stretch, still finishing with 29 points and 13 boards.

Between Quentin Richardson's best night of the season (maybe the last two seasons, finishing with 34 points (!), 7 from deep, and 12 rebounds), and the Wizards reluctance to get more touches to Antwan in the final quarter, the Wizards fell to a very embarrassing 1-9 against a Knicks team with only 7 players. It looks great for Knicks fans, who can see that D'Antoni's system and style of coaching is keeping the Knicks competitive almost every night.

KNICKS 122, WIZARDS 117

Weekend Breakdown

*It was an exciting day in New York, and that usually generates excitement throughout the league. ESPN's Weekend Dime has some speculation that the Knicks are not just putting themselves in position to sign ONE major free agent, but possible two or three (see Steven A Smith video below as well). The Weekend Dime also has an interview with Robert Horry, more on Antonio McDyess and a claim that someone owes Paul Pierce six bucks!

*Sticking with the Knicks for a second...I love the moves, but I very much disagree with D'Antoni asking Steph if he wants to play last night, and then, telling the media it's Steph's fault because he said no. D'Antoni said he 30-35 minutes for Steph last night, but no one asked the right questions, which are: Will it just be one and done? Was that just a one-game bone being thrown? I don't think I would play if I was Steph, that's for sure, would you??

*HoopsHype on the rebirth of Shaq, discussing with long-time Phil Jackson confidant Tex Winter. Most people counted Pheonix out this year because of Shaq declining, but he's been able to bring out sum of that reserve superman-ness, and so far, very good.

*Well-known, long-time coach PJ Carlisimo got the boot today from the Head Coaching position of the Oklahoma City Thunder. What the heck was he supposed to do with this team?? Their best player, Kevin Durant, is still a 10-year-old at heart.

A few videos well worth watching:

*The most exciting game of the season went down in Toronto, where Vince Carter went nutso, again, in the place he's hated most. Must see TV

Steven A Smith on the Knicks



Rasheed Wallace, via Ball Don't Lie, on his Teammates nicknames

Friday, November 21, 2008

BREAKIN' NEWS: FIRST JAMAL, NOW ZACH??

6pm, Final Update:

The Knicks just traded away their two best players and scorers, and I couldn't be any more excited.

It looks like the second deal will also go down today, clearing 27 Million off the books on the 2010 cap, paving the way to pick up one of the super free agents in 2010. While this team is surely not going to impress anyone in New York for probably two years, this gives us the best chance for a championship, since we weren't going to get one this year or next.

For more on the deal: TNT's David Aldridge. LA Times. Daily News.

Funny enough, my original Trade Machine post was the one that actually went down!

Have a great weekend, and, of course: LE-BRON JA-MES, CLAP, CLAP, CLAPCLAPCLAP

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5:15pm Update:

We have confirmation on the second trade, via LA Times. Cuttino doesn't sound happy about the trade, but that didn't stop me from picking him up on my Fantasy team right away!! There's a hole at the 2 and Cuttino, it's waiting for you!

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4:30pm Update:

Frank Isola, whom I'm sure you've seen on NBAtv and writes for the Daily news, reports that the Z-Bo for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas trade is done (!!).

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2pm Update:

It's a done deal. Crawford and Al Harrington are switching teams, a one for one trade. Here's how it looks in the Trade Machine. Here's ESPN's take on it.

However! There are Rumors that this is just the beginning of the trading for Donnie Walsh and the NY Knicks. We'll keep updating, so stay tuned!

I spoke with Ken Berger at Newsday, and he said it's a sad day for Jamal, who also had a blog at Newsday.com. He really enjoyed NY, his fans, and the challenges that came along with playing here. Jamal, we still love you man! Business is business.

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11am Update:

This is what the trade looks like so far in ESPN Trade Machine

What do you think??


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10:30am Update:

Now there's talk of a three-way deal!

Newsday's Alan Hahn: The Knicks, Warriors and Clippers are talking about a three-way deal that would involve Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins being sent in a cap-space clearing move that would bring in Tim Thomas, Cuttino Mobley and Al Harrington.

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WOW!

Thanks to Marcus for getting the early scoop on this.

The Knicks traded Jamal Crawford to the Warriors for Al Harrington. This gives the Knicks 10 Million less on the cap for the super free agent war of 2010.

I suppose the next move will be to use David Lee as trade bait to get rid of another 17 Million, Zach Randolph. Stick to the plan! We have LeBron, Amare, D.Wade, Dirk, and Bosh all free agents in 2010. Gotta score one of those....

Check out more from Alan Hahn at Newsday, or and leave comments here on what you think! The NY Post has Harrington coming for Malik Rose, but I don't think Donnie Nelson can do anything with Grandpa Malik.

WHAT DO YOU THINK??

Friday Wake n Break

*Two of the eastern contenders went up against each other last night, in the Celtics and Pistons. Pistons are coming off of back to back wins against two super hot teams (Lakers and Cavs). It was even after the first at 21, but the second quarter was a different story, led by a few Eddie House bombs, taking a halftime lead of 49-40. It was more of the same after the half, and Boston was up by 20 at the start of the 4th quarter. It’s become apparent that Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace have to play good games for the Pistons to beat the elite, and tonight they both got out played by their counterparts, Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett. Rondo especially, who finished with 18 points, 8 assists, 3 steals and only 2 turnovers. A win in this fashion against the Pistons is not something they’re used to. Rip Hamilton agrees, “Any time you lose to a team two times by over 20 points, that’s absolutely bananas because we don’t play like that.” Celtics 98, Pistons 80

*Shaq vs. Kobe, rematch number…nevermind. It’s more like Shaq vs Bynum at this point, considering Shaq and Kobe have nothing but love for each other (so it seems). The Lakers pulled a real Black Mamba move in the first three quarters, by slowing killing the Suns and going up 13 by the 4th, never trailing again. With the Lakers in a comfortable lead, and their outstanding bench play, they were able to limit Kobe’s minutes to 32, in a game where usually he plays around 40. The Lakers are rolling, and they’re so good you don’t know what kind of stats you’re going to get from the stars each night. Like tonight when Pau Gasol only got 4 points, but 9 assists (!). The real daggers throughout the night were Vlad Radmanovic’s 5-5 from downtown, always coming at the right moments to keep the Suns thinking they never had a chance. Shaq, how’s Kobe’s ass taste? Lakeshow 105, Suns 92

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Thursday Breakdown

*The Playoff Odds on ESPN are out. If you need an explanation of how they work, click here. In a nutshell, its some fancy shmancy formulas to tell us who's going to the playoffs. In the East, it looks dead on, except i think Indiana will drop out. You can say the same for the West side, where I think it will stay the same, although San Antonio will replace Portland.

*There's been a lot of talk in the offseason about a "Train like a Pro" camp at the IMG Training Academy. 82games gives us the full story.

*Dime Magazine asks us, who's the ten fastest players in the NBA? I think Dwayne Wade and Devin Harris should be on this list. He is The Flash, right? Who do you think is the fastest in the NBA? I think I'm gonna go with AI, still!

*SLAM, breaks down the Cavs new offense. Le-Bron, Ja-mes, clap, clap, clap clap clap.

*Larry Hughes wants out of Chicago says the Chicago Tribune. Or he wants more minutes. This could be a good opportunity to get rid of the Zach Randolph contract. The Bulls clearly need an inside scoring presence, and with Drew Gooden's decent Defense, maybe he can pick up the slack for Z-Bo.

*Two really awesome articles on Magic Johnson. First, from ESPN, and then an exclusive interview over at FanHouse.

Thursday Wake n Break

*The Hawks started off hot, winning their first 6 games, but fell extra hard when they lost their next 4. Finally a win, against a Wizards team totally drowning in sorrow since their $111 Million investment went back in for surgery. Josh Smith is still out, and also Al Horford missed this game with a sprained ankle. So it was Marvin Williams who stepped it up tonight, with 21 points, none more important than a 3 pointer to take the lead with 26 seconds left. It wasn’t so much the Hawks taking this one (although a Joe Johnson 3 off an inbounds play really hurt the Wiz), but the Wiz breaking down at the end and giving the game away. Both Nick Young and Juan Dixon took very bad shots with time left on the shot clock and down by 2. As much as I don’t like DeShawn Stevenson, he did have the hot hand, hitting a ridiculous long 2-pointer falling backward. Caron Butler had a great night, scoring 32 points on 12 for 21 shooting (including four 3-pointers), but it wasn’t enough and Atlanta gets the win. Hawks 91, Wizards 87

*Spurs went real deep into the bench, with everyone on the roster scoring except Kurt Thomas. That doesn’t mean they shot well, finishing at 38% from the field for the game. JR Smith another very slow night, but the starters really held it down. Denver’s defensive improvement since Chauncey Billups arrived has been nothing short of outstanding. With the wins, and impressive defense, we’re starting to forget they gave away former Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Camby. The Nuggets are now 5-1 with Chauncey on the team, and it looks like they’re getting better (especially on the defensive end) every game. Nuggets 91, Spurs 81

*Dwayne Wade is an absolute monster. 40 points, 11 assists, 5 blocks (!) tonight for Flash, with poster-like dunks. But it wasn’t enough to get the win, as Jose Calderon was back from his brief time on the injured list. The key to the win for the Raptors was the wing players, in Andrea Bargnani and Anthony Parker. Between the two of them, they went 8 for 9….from downtown (!), finishing with 25 and 19 respectively. Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal also had big nights, with Bosh getting 15 points, 11 rebounds, and O’Neal besting him in both, with 16 points and 17 boards (!). Raptors 101, Heat 94

*The Cavs win streak ended at 8, and the Pistons won their second big game against another hot team (the first being the Lakers undefeated spoiler). LeBron James and Co had good control over the game in the first half, and then the Sixers really pulled ahead with a few big shots from Rasheed Wallace late in the fourth, outscoring the Cavs 30-29 in the final quarter. Allen Iverson led the Pistons with 23 points, 4 dimes and 4 steals and after a slow start, the AI-led Pistons are now 4-3. Pistons 96, Cavs 89

*Portland is really good, or maybe Chicago is really bad? Maybe both. This game was a textbook clinic. Portland dominated on both sides of the court, dictating the tempo on offense, and imposing their will on the defensive end of the court. At the end of the first half the score was 62-37 (!). I was hoping that at some point the Bulls would waive the white flag, or maybe one of the refs calls the fight. The lead in the 4th quarter went up to 41 points. The Bulls should be ashamed of their lack of effort, and this was awfully similar to some of the games we saw from the Knicks last year. Greg Oden played his first home game in the Rose Garden was warmly received, rewarding fans with not only a win but 11 and 10 in only 17 minutes. Blazers 116, Bulls 74

*Wait, the Kings beat the Hornets without their best scorer, and with Chris Paul getting 20 points, 15 dimes, and 4 steals? The Hornets had more rebounds, more blocks, more steals, same assists, and less turnovers, but still didn't win the game. The hot shooting of the Kings, let by John Salmons 29 points, got them their 5th win of the season, surprisingly matching the Hornets win total. This was supposedly to be an easy win for the Hornets, and this was a big surprise. Good win for the Kings, who really needed to make some noise before head coach Reggie Theus get the blame for this horribly put-together team. Kings 105, Hornets 96

*Same story with Randy Whitman, who will eventually take the blame for the Wolves putting together this ball club. Their backcourt is too small, their front court is too small, but when hot, they can shoot the lights out of the building like Mike Miller and Co. did tonight. Miller almost got a triple double with 10 points, 10 boards and 6 assists. Al Jefferson added 28 points and 8 boards, with Craig Smith stepping it up and adding 21 of his own. The Wolves haven’t won a game in 3 weeks, but with the Sixers coming into town, it was a good chance to get a win against a team still struggling to find an identity on the court. The Sixers just aren’t moving the ball well, and didn’t get into the passing lanes enough, letting Minnesota out-assist them 29 to 19. Elton Brand continues struggling from the floor, shooting 9 for 21, giving him his lowest FG% of his career at 43%, when his career average is over 50%. Wolves 102, Sixers 96

*It was looking good for the Thunder in the first half, but the second half, the Clippers came out and dominated, with Chris Kaman leading the way with 25 points, 14 boards, 6 assists (!) and 4 blocks (!). Cuttino Mobley was also on fire in the second half, hitting big shots to extend the lead, and getting a whopping 7 steals (!). This second half team was what Mike Dunleavy knew he could get out of his players eventually. If the Clippers can play like this night in and night out, they definitely should be contending for that 8 spot going into the playoffs. The Clips beat the Thunder 59-36 in the second half, giving OKC their 11th loss of the season (with only 1 win). Clippers 108, Thunder 88

*Dallas had control of their game the entire time, never giving up the lead after the first quarter. For Houston, Yao Ming sat the game out for precautionary reasons, after feeling slight pain in his surgically repaired foot. The big story/player of the night was definitely Jason Terry, going 13 for 21 from the floor, finishing with 31 points, with two points coming late in the fourth quarter, putting the final nail in the coffin. Much to most people’s surprise, T-Mac did make it to the game, after telling reporters a day earlier that he’s going to have to shut it down for a while. That was a pretty quick recovery. The Mavs improved their record to 5-7, but still haven’t been able to capture a win at home in front of their fans. Mavs 96, Rockets 86

*Utah continues to be a consistent and quiet winner. Has there been a more consistent competitive team over the past 15 to 20 years? No way. Richard Jefferson led the Bucks with 25 points, but CJ Miles matched that, and led his team to another win without Deron Williams. Congrats to former No 1 draft pick Andrew Bogut for pulling down 20 boards. If this guy could stay out of foul trouble who knows what his game could look like. But the defense of the Jazz really stepped it up, beating the Bucks on blocks 10-1 (!), 9 blocks coming off the bench by Andre Kirilenko and Paul Millsap. The smothering defense only allowed 18 points in the closing quarter. Carlos Boozer added 20 points and 11 boards, giving the Jazz their 8th win of the season, improving to 8-4. Jazz 105, Bucks 94