Don’t Get Me Wrong, Kobe Bryant’s Still a Boob: Thoughts on the NBA

In recent weeks we’ve all read articles ad nauseam by basketball analysts, pundits, bloggers, personalities (all self-proclaimed “experts”) on the resurgence of the NBA, due in large part to the unpredictably of the Western Conference playoff push. Sports writers have latched onto the punny potential of the western theme with stories titled “The Wild Wild West” and “How the West Was Won.” Casual fans have jumped on the bandwagon, donning replica jerseys and foam figures as their home teams battle for a spot amongst the elite. And, I must admit, after going through several years of finding the prospect of watching a televised, regular season game completely unpalatable, I have been drawn into the excitement. That’s right, I’m once again a fan of the NBA.

It’s unfortunate that this is the first season in my NBA memory in which star players are giving their top efforts on a daily basis, but I’m thankful for the show. The offseason trades by the Celtics for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, which essentially restructured the league by establishing a legitimate powerhouse in the East, has spurred a veritable arms race by competitive teams to acquire top-flight talent.

In the East this has resulted in a magnificent class separation between the haves (Celtics, Pistons) and the have nots (pretty much everyone else). The top two teams are also the top teams in the entire NBA (the Celtics and Pistons currently have the best records), while at least two teams below .500 will make the playoffs. The lowly Hawks, hopeless underachievers and perennial losers, have earned themselves the noble task of being manhandled by KG and the Irish in the first round. The Pacers are 11 games below being OK, and consider the season a success. To summarize, the good teams are very good, and the bad teams are just gross.

But in the West we have ourselves a dogfight (don’t tell Michael Vick). The migration of superstars (Pao Gasol, Shaq, Jason Kidd*, Kyle Korver…fine, not a superstar, but look at the numbers and you’ll see he pushed the Jazz from good to great), coupled with the maturation of up-and-comers (Chris Paul, Deron Williams, David West) has created an atmosphere of super-competitive superstars.

Every playoff team is a likely 50 game winner. The Warriors, last year’s Cinderellas, won’t even make the big show despite a record that would put them ahead of King James and the Cavs for the fourth seed in the East. Every game is war. One win or one loss completely redefines the playoff picture.

Pay attention, because never again will you see a rejuvenated Shaq diving into the stands for a loose ball. Never again will you hear both Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony talk about the game in terms of “we” instead of the preferred “I.” And take advantage now, because never again will you see Tracy McGrady play defense.

This is a season ripe with bewilderments. How did the ragtag Rockets win 22 straight games AFTER losing superstar Yao Ming to a season ending injury? How did the Hornets jump from an obscurity with literally no fan base to the force that will save New Orleans? How are the Heat so bad? (OK, so this one’s easy: they’re purposely tanking to secure the number one draft pick. A middle lineup of Wade at shooting guard, Marion at small forward, and Michael Beasley at power forward will be fierce, and B-Eazy will look good in black and red.)

Or perhaps the greatest mystery of all: How did Kobe Bryant morph from disgruntled child demanding a trade to messiah demanding MVP consideration? It fills me with an indescribable sadness that he’s my favorite player to watch, for both his athletic skill and his competitive nature, and yet he’s such a jackass. It’s a dichotomy: the Lakers have a real shot at becoming NBA champions, and Kobe has led them there. This makes him the MVP. On the other hand: he nearly destroyed the team in the offseason, ridiculed his teammates on a national stage, and put his heart into the game only after the Lakers started winning. Not behavior you’d expect, or would want, out of an MVP.

This year four players have a legit claim to the award. Chris Paul is a floor general solely responsible for the success of the Hornets (and is indisputably the best PG in the league). Lebron James has an improbable stat line (impossible for mere mortals) and will once again carry a team of bottom-feeders into the playoffs. Kevin Garnett (though this is not his best year statistically) has managed to convince Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and the rest of the Celts that defense IS important. Whatever the results, the battle has been a pleasure to watch.

On a side note, I’ve also enjoyed watching the sinking of the SS Timberwolves. They’ve finally escaped the clutches of mediocrity and find themselves in a hard fought contest for the toilet bowl. It’s refreshing.

* A disclaimer about Jason Kidd: I hated everything about this trade. It was a huge downgrade for the Mavs, who gave up a young playmaker that could create for himself and score in the lane (a rare skill in Dallas) in exchange for an egomaniac that shoots 30% from the field, averages about four turnovers a game, and is expecting his first social security check in the mail any day. On the other hand, it fills me with great joy when I look at the Dallas boxscore and see this stat line: 7 points on 2-11 shooting, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 turnovers. Ha.

Thanks for reading.

PS I’m sure many of you were expecting a reaction to the Barack Obama “bitter” explosion. To be perfectly honest, I’m not yet certain what to say. Give me some time to percolate, and I’m sure I’ll devise a perfectly reasonable deconstruction of Obama’s comments. He’s come too far to commit political suicide just as a Hillary comeback seemed impossible. Gulp…

PPS A “reaction” post has gone from likely to pending to imminent, and it may (or may not) be a doozy. Just call me the spin doctor and sign me up for a think tank.

Oh The Madness!

Listen closely, ladies and gents, and one can already hear the cries of victory and defeat, celebration and heartbreak, heroes and inevitable zeroes. This is the season of competitions settled in waning seconds, legends made in defining moments, upsets, cinderellas, sleepers, programs built or destroyed, myths made reality, dreams shattered.

This is March Madness

I dedicate this post to the spirit of the greatest sporting event of the year. Let’s talk about who we love, who we hate. Which team will make a surprise run into the elite eight? Which team is primed to be picked off in the early rounds? And keep in mind that this is largely speculation, which is the beauty of March Madness. Any one of these teams can hit a hot streak and ride it all the way to the Final Four in San Antonio. Likewise, a powerhouse by conventional wisdom could find themselves with an injured star, or unable to deal with an unanticipated full court press, or unable to cope with a hostile crowd, and turn out to be the flop of the tourney. Nobody knows. I’m as much a March Madness authority as those talking heads on ESPN. We all are. Eat it, Dick Vitale.

East Regional

Zot’s Favorites: The East is North Carolina’s to win or lose. They stay in their home state until the final four, where they will be enthusiastically supported by most of the North Carolina student body. It’s tough to root against consensus Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough. Not only is he significantly stronger and smarter than any defender he faces (not to mention surprisingly athletic. Did anyone else see him dunk on 7-foot-7 Kenny George of UNC-Asheville?), he has the biggest heart of any player in recent memory. Note that when star PG Ty Lawson injured his ankle and sat out seven games, Hansbrough played out of his mind and willed the Tar Heels to a 6-1 record (despite lacking a feasible PG option).

Other Goodies: Overall, the East Regional seems designed to clear the way for North Carolina to mosey into the Final Four (which is precisely why they’ll probably lose). The problem here is consistency. There are some teams that can be very good. Tennessee, if they’re hot, will dominate. But if they’re cold, they’ll have trouble winning (more on this later). For a good chunk of the season Indiana was a great team, but they’ve shown a tendency to choke on the big stage (and they lost to the Gophers in the Big 10 tourney). I like Notre Dame to get into the Sweet Sixteen. They can put up big numbers and I’ve seen some impressive wins from them this season, but they would need an otherworldly effort from Luke Harangody (a lot to ask considering he’ll most likely be covered by Hansbrough) to get past UNC.

Houston, We Have a Problem: Watch out for Tennessee. If they’re on, they could make a bracket or two. They can score like madmen, are surprisingly resourceful and scrappy (and have shown themselves to be capable of rising to the occasion when they beat then #1 Memphis), and if they’re shooting well…yikes (their offense is designed to shoot in the first seven seconds of the shot clock). On the other hand, they live and die with the 3-ball. Come tournament time, I hate teams that need to be shooting well from distance to win. Three of their starters are 6-2, and the tallest guy in their 7 or 8-man rotation is 6-9. What happens if they’re shooting poorly?

Sleeper: South Alabama gets to play their first two games close to home (Birmingham), have a couple of solid guards, and thrive in an up-tempo setting (which should help them against Tennessee in the second round). But will they be able to keep up with Tennessee’s star power?

Midwest regional

Zot’s Favorites: The Wisconsin Badgers play fundamental basketball, solid defense, and completely lack star power. I love them for it. They have the experience and scrappiness to keep any game close, will squeak past Georgetown when Hibbert inevitably finds himself in foul trouble, and do the same to Kansas when they inevitably self-destruct. They don’t rely on any one player to have a huge game to win, making them greater than the sum of their parts. They will have trouble if any of their opponents are able get out and run on them, as this lack of stardom means they may have trouble keeping up in a score-fest.

Other Goodies: Clemson looked strong in two games against the Tar Heels (one I watched in its entirety, the other I saw highlights) losing both in overtime. Buyer beware: their free throw shooting is a major liability.

Houston, We Have a Problem: I’ll grant that this isn’t really fare considering they aren’t necessarily a top seed, but USC has been getting a lot of hype in recent days, and I’d like to be the first to dispel any rumors that they might get past the second round. Big man Taj Gibson is their cornerstone and sole inside presence, but seems to find himself watching many games from the bench after early foul trouble. Freshman phenom OJ Mayo is almost as over-hyped as Indiana star Eric Gordon. Folks, when you shoot 5 for 23 from the field and 10 for 17 from the charity stripe, it wasn’t a good game. I don’t really care that you scored 20 points. It was a bad game.

Sleeper: I like Davidson. Sophomore guard Stephen Curry (son of former NBA player Dell Curry) is a bonafide star who can score at will. If he’s hot there’s no reason he can’t put up 50. Plus, they’ve won 22 straight games. That’s not easy.

South Regional

Zot’s Favorites: Memphis lost one game in the regular season to a very good Tennessee team that played very well. Joey Dorsey was in foul trouble early. Dozier had his head up his ass till late in the second half. Douglas-Roberts had an off game. Now everyone’s talking about Memphis like they’re a weak one seed. Bullspit. I’ll take the Memphis starting 5 over any other starting 5 in the game. Dorsey is a strong, mean and dominant enforcer on the inside, one capable of locking down any big man in the game (I’m looking at you, Kevin Love). Rose is an explosive and powerful PG that will either out-run or out-muscle the opposition. Douglas-Roberts is a pure scorer and underrated defender. Look at what this team did in the regular season. They didn’t just win a lot of games. They destroyed and embarrassed the competition. I’d be hard pressed to pick any other team to win the whole thing.

Other Goodies: I’ll never understand why Memphis and North Carolina, easily the top two teams during the season, have to deal with Texas and Tennessee as their number twos while Kansas gets an over-hyped, offensively incompetent Georgetown and UCLA (who must be in bed with the bracketologists) gets to face the prep school masquerading as Duke (more on them to come). Texas is a giant killer, having beaten both Kansas and UCLA, and Tennessee got screwed out of a one seed. Texas’ DJ Augustin is one of the top guards in the country and if they do face Memphis it will be in Houston. On the other hand, I believe Rose will absolutely lock Augustin down, and Texas loves the 3. We all know how I feel about that.

Houston, We Have a Problem: This is a great region for teams that have found their way into my doghouse. Oregon refuses to play defense and shouldn’t be in the tourney at all, let alone have a nine seed. I always bet against Pittsburgh, though I can’t explain why. I just don’t like them. Same rule applies for Michigan State, and this year’s squad is particularly schizophrenic. I watched a game where they scored 36 points. That’s bad.

Sleeper: I like both 13 seed Oral Roberts and 12 seed Temple. It helps that they’re matched up against my problem teams in the in the first round and could realistically pull off an upset, depending on which Pitt and Michigan St. teams show up to play. Temple has won seven straight, and Oral Roberts is an athletic bunch.

West Regional

Zot’s Favorites: As I’ve mentioned, UCLA must have the selection committee in its front pocket, because on paper their road to the Final Four couldn’t get much easier. Could it be that three out of four number one seeds make it to San Antonio?

Other Goodies: Xavier is an extremely well balanced team that loves shootouts. They match up favorably with most of the opposition, and their first real test won’t come until they face UCLA in the Elite Eight.

Houston, We Have a Problem: I hate hate hate this Duke team. They have no inside presence whatsoever, relying solely on the 3. I hope it’s clear by now how I feel about that. These are the types of people who would pull up outside the arc when they have a 3 on 1 fast break, a la Troy Hudson. Yes, they did beat North Carolina, but Lawson was out at the time and his replacement, Thomas, was still new to the job. They followed it up with a series of uninspiring losses to unranked teams. The fact that Duke is perpetually over ranked is the most blatant representation of committee bias.

Sleeper: Watch out for BYU and Purdue. BYU is athletic and can shoot. If they’re hot they’re dangerous. Purdue is young and inexperienced, but has beaten some big time schools (swept Wisconsin, beat Louiseville).


Several of the people reading this blog are participating in a pool on Yahoo sports. If you look closely, you’ll notice that my picks here don’t always line up with the picks I actually made in my bracket.

Explanation: This is a guessing game. Some knowledge of college basketball may be helpful, but more often than not the winner of a pool will be a computer programmer who spends his free time playing World of Warcraft. I’m in a couple of different pools, and in case I’m completely off base, I’ve gone to great lengths to make my brackets as varied as possible.

Let the games begin.

Thanks for reading.

Greg Oden: Done

I’m sure you’ve all heard by now that Greg Oden will be undergoing microfracture knee surgery, meaning he will be out for his entire rookie season. If you’ll refer back to this post: http://erikgruber.blogspot.com/2007/06/nba-draft-thursday-june-28-7-pm-et.html, you’ll see that I was a Durant guy all along.

I felt from the outset that Durant had more, as Hubie Brown likes to call it, “Tremendous Upside Potential (or TUP for short).” After watching Durant’s success (and Oden’s ineptitude) in the summer league and, perhaps more tellingly, watching him light up proven stars in the Olympic tryouts, I think I’ve been justified. I’ve become self-satisfied in my keen scouting abilites. I could even be called smug.

But I never hoped, or imagined, that Oden would be subjected to microfracture knee surgery before the true battle for supremacy even began. Without Oden having an opportunity to compete, Durant’s successes are going to be in many ways diminished. Durant can’t prove himself to be the best basketball player ever (that’s on the record, remember it 20 years down the road) when the career of the other best player from his era is marred by injury.

“Microfracture knee surgery” have got to be the scariest words an athlete, team or fan can hear. It becomes necessary when there is a loss of cartilage in the knee, exposing bone and causing pain. The surgery consists of poking small holes into the bone. As a blood clot forms from the holes, new cartilage is created.

The problem lies in rehab. It takes time for the new cartilage to form, and when it does the new cartilage is weaker. Because this is a relatively new procedure, no one really knows what to do with rehab. For a few players (Amare Stoudemire, Jason Kidd) the procedure seems to have worked. For many others (Kenyon Martin, Chris Webber, Jamal Mashburn), the injury plagued them for the rest of their careers. Once the surgery is performed, an athlete becomes damaged goods. They may play again, but that injured knee will never be at full strength.

It’s a sad story for everyone involved. The Portland Trail Blazers are already known as the team that selected Sam Bowie over Micheal Jordan in 1984. Is it possible that they’ve done it again? Many are now saying (hindsight is 20-20) that they should have known Oden would be susceptible to injury. One of his legs is a full inch shorter than the other, he has a bulging disc in his back, and ESPN’s Bill Simmons claims he walks like a 50-year-old.

Oden would have been good for the NBA as well. He has a gregarious, gentle personality, always seems to be smiling, and seems to have a good head on his shoulders. At 19 he exhibits more maturity than most NBA players will ever attain. It’s a shame his status as superstar now hangs in the balance, resting on the success of a relatively mysterious medical procedure.

Let’s just hope he makes a full recovery. We all want to see Oden and Durant battling it out for years to come.

Thanks for reading.

Goodbye, KG

To this day I remember the 1995 NBA Draft. Minnesota had the 5th pick of the night, and when their turn rolled around there were a number of good players on the board. Dominant Oklahoma State big man Bryant Reeves was there, as was star Arizona point guard Damon Stoudamire. At the time drafting a player straight out of high school was unheard of, so when David Stern took the microphone and announced that McHale and friends had selected Kevin Garnett of Farragut Academy High School, I was shocked, I was speechless.

As the 7 foot, rail thin man-child strolled to the stage, his long gait, long arms and gaunt face looking underdeveloped, almost frail, I remember thinking to myself “the NBA’s gonna eat this kid alive.” McHale’s tenure with the team had just begun, and already he had assured his own demise. Or so I thought.

What we all know now that I didn’t know then is that Kevin Garnett was a godsend. In the years since, McHale has proven himself truly incompetent, incapable of running a basketball team. But this adolescent, known then only as Da Kid, was the luckiest thing that ever happened to him.

As KG matured into The Big Ticket and eventually The Franchise, he became the face of Minnesota sports. He became our bragging rights. He evolved into a new breed of player, able to do it all: shoot, pass, rebound, defend. He established himself as one of the top 25 players of all time. He was a leader on and off the court. He demanded the respect of players, coaches and fans alike. He was, and still is, one of few saving graces for the NBA.

But that’s not why I’m sad to see him go. I’ll miss Kevin Garnett because in a sports world plagued by dishonesty, immaturity and selfishness, KG was a class act. He was a man of integrity, honor, commitment. He was a warrior that battled night in and night out to win. Even when upper management failed, time and again, to provide him with supporting players, Kevin Garnett held his head high and did everything a man can be expected to do when asked to carry the hopes of millions on his shoulders.

Kevin Garnett never brought us shame. He never embarrassed us. He was never arrested for drug possession or assault. He stood up for his teammates when they needed support, but he never instigated a bench clearing brawl. He was never accused of cheating, never accused of betting on games, never accused of rape. When even Kirby Puckett let us down, Kevin Garnett became our hero.

And he was loyal to a fault. He loved Minnesota, he loved the Twin Cities and he loved the fans, even when we failed to show him the love in return. I wish Kevin Garnett nothing but the best. I hope he gets his ring in Boston. I hope they become a dynasty. I hope he shows Glen Taylor and Kevin McHale what could have been. He has every right to be angry at an organization that was dishonest and disloyal, but I hope he realizes that he will be missed.

Thanks for reading.

Is This the End?

By now everyone is fully aware of the scandal involving NBA referee Tim Donaghy. A quick refresher for those who aren’t: Donaghy has been accused of betting on games which he officiated, influencing games based on the spread, and having mafia ties.

I was listening to the KQ Morning Show today, and they brought up an interesting question: is this the death knell for the NBA?

As a fan of the game (though I prefer college to professional) I have put up with a fair amount of garbage over the years. We all have. We put so much faith in the next great hope Kobe Bryant as the heir apparent to the Jordan throne, only to stand aghast as this image crumbled under allegations of rape, or, at the very least, infidelity. Jordan’s “successor” then revealed himself as the sniveling, self-centered, undignified egomaniac that he truly is.

We all watched in disgust when a brawl between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers escalated into a mini-riot as players leapt into the stands and began attacking fans, leaving behind a trail of carnage including pummeled innocent bystanders, multi-game suspensions, and one particularly memorable old woman trampled under foot

We’ve collectively held our breath as our respective team’s superstar entered contract negotiations, praying that he’d be reasonable as players demand skyrocketing salaries to play a game. We’ve watched our favorite players turn out one lackluster performance after another, lackadaisically biding their time until the playoffs, or a contract year.

We’ve put up with it because there’s always the hope that one day our team will be great, that one day our superstar will do something spectacular. And if nothing else, we can hope that in a world of injustice, relativism, and uncertainty at least in sports there are rules. At least in sports there is a winner and a loser, decided in a battle of skill, strength and will. At least sports are fair…

It remains to be seen how deep this Donaghy scandal will go. It may implicate a number of league officials, it may be an isolated incident. Either way, the fact that any games at all (Donaghy’s point shaving is believed to have affected 55 games) were subjected to outside influence cuts to the very integrity of sports.

NBA Commissioner David Stern knows this. If anyone saw clips of his press conference after the scandal was revealed, you could see it in his eyes, hear it on his voice. As a fan of the game himself, I’m sure this incident hurts him as much as anyone, and he knows better than anyone that it will be nearly impossible for the NBA to recover its integrity or its dignity.

Thanks for reading.

One More Basketball Blog (Sorry Christopher)

I want it to be known that I’m a blogger dedicated to the readers and I will do my best to cater to the needs and requests of the loyal Zizzle-Zot-ians. So while it was my intention to set basketball aside for some time, I’m more than happy to resurrect the Timberwolves conversation as suggested by P Corcs.

You raise some interesting questions: How will Brewer fit in? What will happen with Garnett now that draft day has come and gone, and no significant moves were made? Will McHale need the Jaws of Life to remove his head from his own ass, where it became firmly lodged sometime after the Garnett draft and before the Joe Smith debacle? Okay, so you didn’t ask that last one, but I imagine you were thinking it (just as all T-wolves fans undoubtedly are).

I stand firm as a Brewer backer. He is a defensive stopper on a team that is alarmingly lackadaisical when it comes to guarding the basket (thank you very much, Ricky Davis). He is the kind of player that is capable of guarding the opponent’s top scorer night after night. He has incredible reach and is a top notch athlete, possessing the quickness and leaping ability to harass both shooters and slashers. His offensive game has shown vast improvement as well. He’s a good shooter and can attack the rim with the best of them. His ability to use screens has drawn comparisons to Rip Hamilton.

What I’ve really been impressed with about this guy is his character. Insiders say that he works hard every day, and scouts have been impressed by his dedication to putting on some much needed muscle. As much as I don’t like Joakim Noah, the two of them train together and are arguably the hardest workers in the draft (Oden should probably be added to this list as well). Brewer’s a proven winner, a team player (and we all know the T-Wolves need that) and a clutch performer.

The question remains, however, about where exactly he will fit. The Wolves have a surplus of players at the shooting guard/small forward position, most of them making more money than they’re worth. Of them, Rashad McCants and maybe Bracey Wright (as a bench option) are the only ones I care to keep around. Marko Jaric looks and plays like he’s hung over for most games. Ricky Davis plays like he’s still drunk. Trenton Hassel was touted as the defensive stopper that Brewer is, but now we see the reality that he only plays D in contract seasons. Turns out he is actually a lazy offensive-threat wannabe in disguise. Hudson, though he is labeled as a point guard, is an aspiring shooting guard in a point guard’s body. And he’s worthless.

What the Wolves need to do is trade, trade, trade. Take whatever we can still get for these bums. Trade them all for a Happy Meal if necessary. They’re consuming precious salary cap space and eating up the entire taco buffet on the team airplane. Get rid of them all and start Foye (who still needs to learn the point guard position, but he’s coming along), McCants, and Brewer.

Now for the Garnett issue. The way I see it, we have a major problem. By openly shopping him the front office has shown their cards; Garnett does have a price tag. The bond of loyalty has been irreparably severed. By not getting the draft-day deal done they have put themselves in an awkward position; kind of like breaking up with a girl only to find out she’s your new assistant. Now that the T-wolves brass have shown their true colors, why in his right mind would Garnett continue to be loyal to them? Next year he can opt out of his contract and go to A) a team that has a shot at a championship or B) a team that will pay him a hell of a lot of money. Either way, why stay in a cold state with a dwindling fan base to play with a bunch of proven losers?

The Wolves need to get a deal done before Garnett’s contract is up. If not, they will lose him to free agency and have nothing to show for it. The problem is that, in my humble opinion, McHale is incapable of getting a blockbuster deal done. He is the doormat of NBA GM’s, and any Garnett trade he does manage to put together will inevitably leave us holding the short end of the stick (Garnett for Ron Artest? Deal.)

Thanks for reading.


No post tomorrow in honor of Independence Day. Look for the unveiling of the next Zizzle-Zot Reader of the Month on Thursday.

NBA Draft: Afterthoughts

Apologies for the no-post yesterday. I didn’t realize the chaos it would cause. But good news: I’m back.

For the most part this year’s NBA Draft proceeded in expected form. Oden was picked first by the Portland Trail Blazers, Durant second by the Seattle Supersonics, and Al Horford third by the Atlanta Hawkes. Nobody was surprised by the top ten, with the possible exception of Jeff Green going fifth (wasted pick by the Boston Celtics. He wasn’t the best player available at the five spot).

Past the top ten, I was a little surprised to see some players get drafted higher than they were projected (some deservedly so, some not). Both Acie Law of Texas A&M and Thaddeus Young of Georgia Tech were chosen before Julian Wright of Kansas or Al Thornton of Florida State. Law is a hard working, defensive minded point guard, but his shot his weak, he lacks the athleticism necessary to guard NBA PG’s, and many question his ability to run an offense. Young is a project. A lot of potential there, but he needs some work. Wright and Thornton are both sure things; proven athletes and scorers. I was also a little surprised to see Sean Williams, a center out of Boston College, go 17th. He’s a tremendous athlete that can score and defend the basket, but he’s a head case. He got kicked off the team midway through last season after some legal problems. It’s a big risk to take when there are many other good players on the board.

It was also shocking to see Javaris Crittenton drop to 19. The Lakers got a steal. I’d say he has the most potential of any PG in the draft (with the possible exception of Conley). He’s big and athletic, and can score. His understanding of the game needs to develop, but he’s still young.

The luck of the night goes to Philadelphia, who ended up with Derrick Byars (Portland picked him 42nd and traded him for practically nothing). He’s an all around scorer who was projected to go in the first round by many mock drafts. I predict he’ll be the Michael Redd of 2007.

The Golden State Warriors also made out like bandits in their trade for Brandon Wright, the 8th overall pick, to the Charlotte Bobcats for Jason Richardson, a solid but overpaid shooting guard, and the rights to Jermareo Davidson (who?). Wright has a good future ahead of him, assuming he strengthens his work ethic, while Richardson is in the twilight of a less than illustrious career. Wright will fit in perfectly with the Warriors fast-paced, offensive minded style, and will provide some big man scoring punch to compliment guard Baron Davis.

I was a little bummed that the rumored three way trade between the T-wolves, Suns, and Hawks didn’t go through (Garnett was to go to Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire to Atlanta, and the 3rd and 11th picks to Minnesota). I would have liked to see Garnett play with Nash and on a winning team. With the 3rd, 7th, and 11th picks the Timberwolves could have begun the rebuilding process, focusing on young players. With Horford, Brewer (old Florida teammates) and possibly a Julian Wright added to the Foye-McCants duo, MN would have been on the way to a solid starting line. I just hope for McHale’s sake that he wasn’t the one to screw it up.

Alright, I’m done with basketball for at least a little while (sorry Drew).

I like the way you think with Crassel and his women, P Corcs. That could make for a funny post. Maybe next week…

Thanks for reading.

The NBA Draft (Thursday, June 28 7 PM ET)

I can’t really explain why, but the NBA Draft is one of my favorite events of the year, especially the lottery (the first 13 picks). Watching a bunch of soon to be overpaid athletes wearing suits and shaking hands with David Stern shouldn’t be exciting, but it is. I think it’s probably a combination of factors: the extensive highlight reels, the last minute blockbuster trades, Bills Simmons jumping around talking about TUP (Tremendous Upside Potential).

This year’s draft is stacked, too. The NBA’s new rule that players must be one year out of high school to enter the draft stocked the college pool, and as a result the annual event this Thursday night will feature several players that many believe will be the future of the game.

So now for my contribution to draft frenzy. Using my extensive basketball knowledge and scouting talents (Note to Kevin McHale: I want a job), I offer my assessment of the top ten players in the draft (according to the common consensus of who the top ten are).

1) Greg Oden (Ohio State) Position: C, Height: 7-0, Weight: 245:

After Oden’s pre-draft workouts scouts started describing him as a freak. I’d say that’s accurate. His body is NBA ready, he’s more athletic than any man his size ought to be, and he’s a workhorse. Truly, he’s poised to become the next dominant big man in the mold of David Robinson and Patrick Ewing. His offense is still shaky, and breaking his wrist at the beginning of his freshman season didn’t help, but he is a defensive presence and will be an instant impact player. And watch out when the guy decides he’s gonna dunk. The real question is, will he be Hakeem Olajuwon (or worse, Sam Bowie) to Kevin Durant’s Michael Jordan? Only time will tell.

2) Kevin Durant (Texas) P: SF, H: 6-10, W: 190:

Could this kid be the next Jordan? Or even scarier, could he be better? He’s got height, plus a 7’5” wing span, and can score at will. He has a competitive edge that winners such as Jordan possess and Oden may lack. Offensively his arsenal is limitless as he can slash to the lane and dunk on a big or pull up to hit the 30 footer. His length makes him a good rebounder and promising defender. A lot was made of the fact that he couldn’t bench 185 even once at the combines, but I wouldn’t worry too much. He’s only 19 years old, and insiders say he is still growing. Plus, those are some long arms for the bench press. The craziest part is that Durant hasn’t even reached his potential. Here’s the fact of the matter: Oden WILL be great, Durant COULD be the best. My favorite player in the draft.

3) Al Horford (Florida) P: PF, H: 6-9, W: 235

Horford is NBA ready in the mold of Horace Grant or Carlos Boozer. He’s probably the strongest player in the draft and plays with his nose to the grindstone, making him a tenacious rebounder and defender. His offensive skills are good, but not great. He has good touch for a guy his size, but could work on his post moves.

4) Mike Conley (Ohio State) P: PG, H: 6-0, W: 170

I became a Conley believer during Ohio State’s Final Four run last season. Slashing to the lane with lightning quickness, dishing to teammates, and demonstrating his ability to run the point as it ought to be run, Conley led the Buckeyes while Oden was rendered virtually useless due to foul trouble. Oden may be the top pick in this draft, but Conley was responsible for Ohio State’s success. He could work on his shot, but his understanding of the game and the point guard position is uncanny for a player his age.


5) Yi Jianlian (China) P: PF, H: 7-0, W: 246

Yi is a little bit of a wildcard. He has been impressive in his pre-draft workouts, but they have been so closely guarded that it has been tough for scouts to get a read on his potential. He hasn’t played against any of the other players in this draft, so no one really knows where to place him. Clearly he can score, and he is big and athletic in the model of Dirk Nowitzki. The complaint, based on film of his team in China, is that he is too passive and tends to defer to teammates in crunch time. His birth certificate says he is 19, but it is widely believed that Chinese officials have altered the document and he is actually older. A lot of potential here, but also several big question marks.

6) Jeff Green (Georgetown) P: SF, H: 6-9, W: 225

I spent most of the college season thinking Green was overrated. I still think so. He’s a good athlete, but he has no particularly impressive offensive skills. He traveled when he hit that game winning shot to give the Hoyas a last second victory in the later rounds of the tournament. His shot is weak and he lacks killer instinct. He could become a good defender in the vein of Scottie Pippen, but I’d say he lacks the reach and lateral quickness. Could be a solid role player down the line, but not as elite as many seem to think.

7) Joakim Noah (Florida) P: PF, H: 6-11, W: 230

Same with this guy. Overrated. He’s a scrapper, and a hustler. He can D up. But Noah lacks anything resembling offense. His shot is a mess. He’s a very opportunistic scorer. Could be a solid role player on a good team (think Anderson Varejao of the Cavs), but will prove incapable of leading any team. With a draft this full of potential franchise players, I predict Noah will be a wasted pick.

8) Corey Brewer (Florida) P: SG, H: 6-8, W: 185

Florida teammate Corey Brewer, on the other hand, has tremendous potential as a shut-down defender. He’s got the length, quickness, and mental toughness to guard any position and to match up with top scorers. In that regard he’s a lot like Teyshaun Prince. He’s also got a good shot and a nose for getting to the basket. He needs to bulk up without losing any of his speed, but that shouldn’t be a huge problem (he’s got a lot of room to grow).

9) Spencer Hawes (Washington) P: C, H: 7-0, W: 230

Best case scenario: Hawes is the next Brad Miller. Worst case: he’s the next Michael Doleac. He’s a highly skilled big man, offensively speaking, but he lacks the athleticism necessary to become an imposing force.

10) Brandon Wright (North Carolina) P: PF, H: 6-10, W: 210

This is another kid with TUP. He’s one of the elite athletes in the draft, he’s long, and he can score. He could stand to get stronger, but he can jump out of the gym and has a decent shot for a guy his size. The biggest complaint is that he often appears lackadaisical, especially on defense, but his former coaches assure scouts that he is a hard worker and is very coachable. And the KG comparisons pique my interest.

There they are. The top ten in one of the best draft pools ever. Truth be told, it would be tough to screw up a top ten pick this year (but not impossible, McHale). Tomorrow will be a wild ride.

No post tomorrow (giving myself the day off), but come back on Friday for a post-draft assessment.

Thanks for reading.

The Minnesota Timberwolves: A Glimmer of Hope?

Late last week the Timberwolves traded point guard Mike James to the Houston Rockets for power forward Juwan Howard. Considering how fervently they pursued James last off season, and the ridiculous contract they gave him, they will undoubtedly come out once again looking like uninformed rubes. Nevertheless, I’m in full support of this trade.

James had an unproductive season in which he failed to mesh with any of his teammates or carve out his niche playing alongside Kevin Garnett. He has been dead weight on the court, never providing the burst of offensive energy he promised, and has proven himself incapable of running an offense.

Howard, on the other hand, is a past his prime yet competent forward. He still has some offensive juice left in his tank, he’ll grab a few rebounds in the paint, and he’ll provide some much needed height to an undersized roster. If nothing else, Howard has only two years remaining on his contract, while James has three.

Seeing some actual movement in the Timberwolves’ front office has me thinking about potential trades. Admittedly, some of these are highly improbable, some are downright impossible, but some are just crazy enough to work.

1) We trade the #7 pick and Ricky Davis to the Los Angeles Clippers for their #14 pick. I know on the surface it seems illogical, but hear me out. McHale can’t be trusted with a pick as high as # 7. He’ll inevitably screw it up anyway (especially considering Joakim Noah will still be on the board. If we pick that guy I’m moving). Ricky Davis is a poison to any team he plays on, and the Clippers are one of the few teams dumb enough to take him. Plus, with the #14 pick we will probably be able to get Georgia Tech’s Javaris Crittenton, whom I would argue is one of the top five players in the draft in terms of potential.

2) We trade Troy Hudson…wait, nobody wants him. We trade him ASAP for whatever we can get, even if that means paying extra cash incentives for the last pick in the draft (who knows, LSU’s Glen Davis aka “Baby Shaq” might still be available). If we can’t trade him, we buy him out. McHale should be willing to give his big toe to be rid of that contract and to redeem that egregious miscalculation.

3) We package Mark Blount in the James/Howard deal in exchange for Dikembe Mutombo. Yes, Dikembe is old…very old. But he can still D up, which is all we really need from a big man, and more than we can ask from Blount. Contrary to popular belief, Blount is a waste of space. Yes, he can hit the open jumper, but what’s the point of a big man who refuses to spend any time in the paint? Also, Blount has a ginormous contract, and Mutombo will be retiring soon. More money to rebuild is a good thing.

4) This is a long shot, but then again Portland isn’t very smart. We trade Garnett (yes, I’d be more than willing to give him up. The Wolves will not win a championship while he is in Minnesota), Ricky Davis, Marko Jaric, and the #7 pick to Portland for the #1 pick and Brandon Roy. The #1 pick will give us Greg Oden, a freak of nature and a legitimate big man to build a franchise around. Roy was rookie of the year last season, and should have been ours (love ya Foye, but Roy is better). Imagine Foye playing the point, McCants at the 2, Roy on the wing, and Oden in the middle, with whomever at power forward (I like Craig Smith). That’s a championship team, and they’re all young. Boo ya.

5) This may be a little more realistic, but still won’t happen. Marko Jaric, Ricky Davis, and the #7 pick for Roy and Zach Randolph. Portland has been looking for a way to unload Randolph, who has proven nearly as cancerous as Ricky Davis. This will give them another lottery pick in a stacked draft. The only question is: will they be willing to part with Roy? (I wouldn’t).

6) How about Ricky Davis (I just really don’t like him) and Jaric to the Knicks for Stephon Marbury. Marbury is older now and injury prone, but maybe reuniting him with Garnett is exactly what they both need to reenergize. They are good friends, and the excitement was palpable back in the glory days when they were playing together. Besides, any deal that liberates us of Davis is worthwhile in my book.

7) Garnett and Davis to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard and Pat Garrity. In my opinion Howard is the future of the league. He’s only 21 years old and is a force to be reckoned with. He’s huge, he’s one of the strongest players in the league, he can rebound, score, play D, and if you watched the slam dunk contest you know he can touch the top of the backboard. That’s ridiculous. Garnett is quickly approaching his twilight years, and it would be in the Wolves best interest to deal him while he’s still marketable. Again, we get the bonus of being rid of Davis. Garrity was a throw in. He’s a PF that can shoot the J. Works for me.

Are any of these trades realistic? That remains to be seen. The more important question is: are McHale and theTimberwolves brain trust smart enough to make any of them happen? The answer to that, I fear, is no.

Thanks for reading.

The NBA Finals: Why I Won't be Watching

The San Antonio Spurs have won three championship rings in the last eight years. They have arguably the NBA’s most consistently dominant big man in Tim Duncan. They have one of the most feared defensive stoppers in the league in Bruce Bowen. They have a quick, penetrating point guard in Tony Parker and an electric, international spark plug in Manu Ginoblii. Over the last decade they have been the model for consistency and success.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have the future of the game. King James is hands down the most athletically gifted player currently playing in the NBA, and arguably of all time. They have an exciting backcourt tandem of Larry Hughes and Daniel Gibson. They have a shot blocking presence in Zydrunas Ilgauskas. They have successfully built a team around their superstar, and have made it to the finals for the first time in their 37 year history.

The story lines are all there. One of the NBA’s premier scorers matching up against one of the premier defenders. The Cavs’ staunch, ever-improving help and recover rotating defense verses Parker’s attacks to the basket. The league’s best finesse big men trying to outwit each other in the paint. Should be a tremendous series.

But I won’t be watching.

On paper this is an intriguing match-up. In reality it’ll be extraordinarily, intolerably tedious. Both of these teams are overly cautious, monotonous, and quite frankly boring. They run set offenses and never deviate from the game plan. San Antonio has little hope of changing this fact. They are not an athletic team. But there is no reason Cleveland doesn’t run and gun.

I’ve been reading articles in various sports sources (ESPN.com, the Star Trib) that have tried to hype this series as the Old School versus the New School; traditional San Antonio with their efficient, effective offense against the future of the game. On paper this may be true, but whoever is writing these stories clearly doesn’t watch any basketball. If they did they would know that Cleveland plays the exact same game as San Antonio, just not as well (even Cleveland coach Mike Brown has confessed he idolizes Greg Popovich and has lifted much of his strategy from the Spurs). They emphasize defense, they run set, half court offenses. It’s a game of precision and accuracy. Yes, Cleveland has the future superstar of the NBA, but this doesn’t make them fun to watch.

Oh, there are intriguing story lines in this series: which Lebron will show up to play? The 20 point-scoring, 20% field goal shooting deadbeat posing as King James in games 1-4 and then again in 6 of the Conference Finals or the unstoppable force from game 5? Will Ginoblii be a catalyst to energize a comatose Spurs team or a reckless fool dribbling the ball off his feet and watching it bounce out of bounds? How will Bowen slow Lebron/ how many bruises will Lebron have on his forearms from Bowen’s hacking? Will the refs ever get sick of Duncan’s incessant, passive-aggressive whining? But these story lines are all more of an annoyance than a reason to watch.

So in the upcoming weeks as the NBA Finals are raging on I will stick to America’s Got Talent and Deal or No Deal: entertainment television at its finest.