Posted on January 22, 2008
I got the chance to watch some primetime college basketball last night on ESPN (which they force-feed sports fans five nights a week). This nationally televised match-up pitted the 5-13 University of San Francisco (whose mascot I don’t even know) versus the 15-4 Gonzaga Bulldogs. It went something like this: CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG. Gonzaga has lost to every team on their schedule that you have actually heard of with the exception of UConn. I don’t know about you, Coach Mark Few, but maybe USFran was not the premier tune-up opponent before traveling to play at Memphis this weekend. Thank goodness the ESPN programming experts could not land the Detroit at Orlando or the Dallas at Washington pro games on MLK Jr. Day…I was completely dumbfounded while watching the Nuggets playing the Lakers last night. George Karl failed to show-up. Time after time in the third quarter, Allen Iverson would take twelve seconds off the clock, dribbling in waves, inevitably hurling a fadeaway at the basket in the face of two or more defenders. Half of the Denver possessions I watched didn’t even involve a pass. Fantastic offense, George. Do you do A.I.’s laundry for him as well? Furthermore, why is Yakhouba Diawara matched up on Kobe Bryant in the third quarter when down just ten points? He drew six fouls in sixteen minutes. Perhaps he’s a bit overwhelmed, George. With Carmelo Anthony leaving the game early in the second quarter, how does J.R. Smith only get 16 minutes and one measly shot attempt. This kid averaged 16 ppg last year prior to Iverson’s arrival – at 21 years old. You mean to tell me that Diawara, Von Wafer, and Anthony Carter are eating his minutes? If I were J.R. Smith, I would have decked Coby Karl (George’s son) right in the throat just to remind coach I’m still a lethal force. It was sweet to watch Coby airball his lone field goal attempt and throw half of his passes (two) into the stands. Evidently, in order to sign George’s son to a contract, George agrees to completely throw games against Coby’s team just to get his son some garbage time minutes…How about the 30+-footer Chauncey Billups hit to tie the Magic on the road with three seconds remaining? The most amazing thing? Getting away with four steps while both hands are on the ball. Justice was served when Rashard Lewis hit the game-winner as time expired. As Rasheed Wallace would say, “The ball doesn’t lie”…In case you missed it in my All-Star Weekend article, Dwight Howard is the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to average at least twenty points, fifteen rebounds and two blocks in season. Abdul-Jabbar did it in his 1975-76 campaign – arguably his best year ever. Howard’s doing it at 22. Sooner or later, he has to join the MVP talks with Kobe, King James, KG and CP3…How is Cleveland not in the running for Damon Stoudamire? They desperately need a PG who can penetrate and dish, as well as hit the open three. Damon does both well…I’m not at all excited about seeing Stoudamire mess with the chemistry in Boston. With the way Ray Allen has played the point in recent games, I think Danny Ainge should maintain his current roster and suggest a change in the depth chart to Coach Doc Rivers. When Rajon Rondo cannot go and the game is within ten, shift Allen to point, Paul Pierce to shooting guard and bring James Posey in to play small forward. Whatever you do, never play Eddie House at point guard…Midway thru the season I will keep with my preseason selection of the Phoenix Suns as champions. However, I did have the Bulls finishing first in the East and making it to the Finals. They are only two games out in the Eastern Conference playoff picture and have a very impressive 3-0 record against Detroit, but even in the most optimistic of scenarios, they do not have an answer for a healthy Boston Celtics squad. I will also stick by my selections of Kevin Garnett (MVP), Kevin Durant (ROY), Marcus Camby (DPOY), and Leandro Barbosa (6th man). My picks for coach of the year (the now fired Scott Skiles) and most improved player (J.J. Redick, who has yet to hit 200 minutes) are laughable. Give me Nate McMillan and Rudy Gay…I’m excited to see Antonio Daniels back. When he starts, the Wizards are 16-7 (6-10 otherwise). I have long been a fan of Daniels and feel he is incredibly underrated. With him leading the team, I think they will overcome Orlando for the Southeast Division’s crown. If and when Gilbert Arenas comes back, I hope they use him as a two guard and take the pressure off of him and his knee. If Eddie Jordan can commit to that lineup and Arenas does not revert to being the “ballstopper” that he sometimes becomes, then Daniels will rack up 12+ assists per game. On Monday against the Mavericks, Daniels contributed 13 points and six assists on excellent shooting and just one turnover. More importantly, Jason Terry and Devin Harris combined for just 18 points on four turnovers…Its heartbreaking to see Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat. There is a stretch in seemingly every game where he seems to have divine assistance but inevitably he walks out of the arenas with another loss, another bruise. His best years were left somewhere on the operating table…I have flashbacks of last season when I notice the San Antonio Spurs are ranked number eight in Marc Stein’s “Power Rankings”. As if they are not just going thru the motions so that it all comes together perfectly come playoff time. I still stand by the fact that they absolutely mugged Phoenix from their rightful NBA Championship last season, but if their role players play like All-Stars in the playoffs (and they usually do) they will be incredibly difficult to handle in a seven game series…Two weeks ago, my blog ended: “Watch out for Denver. With the return of Nene the Nuggets have everyone healthy for the first time in a very, very long time. Is there a better 10-man rotation than Iverson, Anthony, Camby, K. Martin, Hilario, Kleiza, A. Carter, Atkins, Najera and J.R. Smith?” Since then? Well Nene only lasted just one day after that blog posted after being diagnosed with cancer. Kmart got a staph infection. Najera hyperextended his elbow. And last night Carmelo Anthony sprained his ankle during a dirty play by Kobe Bryant.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Posted January 7, 2008
It’s been four weeks and six days since TJ Ford has laced his sneakers up and he is now said to be considering retirement. Say it isn’t so TJ. Ford is perhaps the league’s fastest player, possesses a reliable jumper, superior handles and great court vision. Ford has always been a health risk because of a degenerative spinal cord condition. In 2005, then new-Raptors GM, Bryan Colangelo, traded his second year big man, Charlie Villanueva for the 6’1” Ford. Many questioned the move citing Ford’s health concerns and Villanueva’s rare combination of size and jump shot. However, since the trade, Ford has played 92 games compared to 69 games played by Villanueva. I have long been a fan of TJ’s but I know there is at least one other person hoping for his return; Al Horford, the rookie big man responsible for Ford’s latest fall. Regardless of Ford’s return, here’s hoping that Horford can overcome his responsibility for Ford’s condition and continue anchoring the Atlanta Hawks’ interior on his way to his All-Rookie team selection…There’s no doubt that Kevin Garnett is the most valuable player on the league’s best team (record-wise) but the second most important player may be second year point guard Rajon Rondo. The C’s back him up with Tony Allen, who handles the ball slightly better than Glen Davis, and Eddie House, who likes to pass about as much as Kevin McHale likes to win. On the other hand, losing Ray Allen or Paul Pierce would not be nearly as devastating. House and Allen are both better equipped to play the two-guard and James Posey is a very capable SF…The most valuable player on the Pistons? Perhaps it is the beast-off-the-bench, Jason Maxiell who is averaging 19.4 pts and 11.6 rebounds per 48 minutes. Sure, Chauncey Billups has had an All-Star season, but the Pistons are now deep at both guard positions. Maxiell brings game-changing tenacity off the bench and can play anywhere on the frontline due to his defensive IQ, long arms and explosive vertical. The Pistons seemingly improve when Maxiell replaces Antonio McDyess or Rasheed Wallace in the lineup…The New Orleans Hornets and Dallas Mavericks are tied for the third best record in the Western Conference… Greg Oden is reportedly weighing in at 290+ these days. That’s 40 pounds heavier than he was five months ago. I know he can’t work out, but I haven’t worked out in three years and have only put on 15…Between Larry Brown’s buyout ($40 million), hundreds of millions paid in luxury tax, lawsuit settlements, and leading the Knicks to the league’s worst record over the past three seasons it is conceivable that Isaiah Thomas alone will have cost the New York Knicks’ franchise a billion dollars before he is fired…Can anyone tell me what “BA” stands for in Yahoo’s new box scores?...Don’t sleep on the Nets. They have won five in a row including road victories over solid Orlando and Atlanta teams this past week. They are still awaiting Nenad Krstic’s return to form, yet remain one of the toughest teams in the East. The big three are healthy and role players like Sean Williams, Josh Boone, and Bostjan Nachbar have really elevated their games under Lawrence Frank. Still, as the league’s 6th leading scorer, Richard Jefferson’s trade-value has never been higher. With the younger Nachbar lingering on the bench and Carter signed long term, it only makes since to make a play for a player like Andrei Kirilenko…If the playoffs started today, the Cavaliers would be seeded to play a seven game series against the Boston Celtics in the first round. The Cavs may be the Celtics worst nightmare in a playoff series. The regular season series is 1-1 with LeBron James dominating the C’s in the lone contest he was healthy. Furthermore, Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao (who missed both contests) are as good a defense against Garnett as any Eastern Conference team can bring outside of Detroit and Orlando…NBA studio coverage between TNT and ESPN cannot be any worse. As much as I long for a show like NBA Coast-to-Coast, ESPN is asleep at the wheel with their hosts and co-hosts...The Atlanta Hawks have had stretches were they looked like a contender in the Southeast but continue to show their lack of leadership, consistency and experience. With so much talent and involvement in the playoff picture, it may be time to explore the trade market…One bright side to the Miami Heat’s abysmal season: the draft is loaded and Dwyane Wade is a sidekick away from becoming a playoff competitor once again. Furthermore, the Heat have $20 million dollars coming off the books this summer. Scenario: after drafting Derrick Rose out of Memphis, Pat Riley signs Luol Deng, Kurt Thomas, Carlos Arroyo, and Brent Barry (all free agents this summer) and the Riley/Stan Van Gundy rivalry hits pertinent levels…Watch out for Denver. With the return of Nene the Nuggets have everyone healthy for the first time in a very, very long time. Is there a better 10-man rotation than Iverson, Anthony, Camby, K. Martin, Hilario, Kleiza, A. Carter, Atkins, Najera and J.R. Smith?
The Chicago Bulls Minute
New scouting report on Ben Gordon since Scott Skiles’ departure: “Only shoots if the ball is in his hands”…Speaking of Skiles, how is the current mess his fault? Did he sign a 32 year-old Ben Wallace to a four-year deal? Did he trade LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas? Did he pull off the J.R. Smith for absolutely nothing trade? Or let Tyson Chandler walk out to become the next Marcus Camby? Did he fail to get a deal done with Gordon and Luol Deng this off season?...Ben Wallace, at $15 million per year and $44 million left on his deal, is making a strong case to overcome Stephon Marbury as the league’s most overpaid player. Marbury will make $20.1 million (second most in the league) this season and $42 million in these last 2 years of his deal. Sure Marbury is he league’s worst head case but at least he produces some results when he plays…Scottie Pippen’s comments referring to Kirk Hinrich as a midget are completely unwarranted. At 6’3”, only New Jersey, Detroit and Washington start a taller PG. To make matters worse, NBA “analyst” Charles Barkley completely agreed with him…With all the shortcomings of the Bulls, you may be surprised to hear that I still feel they are a very dangerous playoff squad. Sooner or later Ben Wallace will give good effort and Kirk Hinrich will rediscover his jump shot. Joe Smith, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah along with most of the Bulls are all producing better than they were under former coach Scott Skiles.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Posted December 20, 2007
How weak is the East? Stronger than usual. They are currently a respectable 69-74 against the West. And consider this: the Suns and Spurs are a combined 16-2 against the East…Its unfortunate the sportsmanship of PF/C Al Horford went unnoticed last week. After inadvertently slamming Raptors PG T.J. Ford to the ground, Horford left almost immediately after the game to be with his fragile victim at the hospital. Even after Ford got Horford’s apology, the rookie continued to wait until he could personally deliver it himself…The Celtics’ low-level off-season acquisitions lost the game to the Pistons last night. James Posey, Eddie House, Scot Pollard and Glen Davis combined for 5 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists…Overshadowed by the ESPN games was the Atlanta Hawks OT win over the Miami Heat. Anthony Johnson managed 21 points, 9 assists and just 2 turnovers against a dismal Heat team. At 7-18 the Heat are the worst team in the East…Here’s hoping Alonzo Mourning does not feel the need to fight back threw this latest knee injury. With the exception of his New Jersey and Toronto stops, his career has been Hall-of-Fame worthy. Furthermore, his off-the-court charity has equaled his on-court dominance…Free Sean Williams… Jose Calderon has an impressive 130 assists and 20 turnovers in his 13 starts. The Raptors are 8-5 with losses at Cleveland, at Washington, at Portland and against Boston and Phoenix…With big man Jorge Garbajosa opting for surgery, its only a matter of time before Ford or Calderon is traded. Anderson Varejao anyone?...If the Cavs don’t make a play for Ford, they should make a run for Sergio Rodriguez of Portland who is only getting 10 mpg…With their 9th win in a row, can he Portland Trailblazers be on the verge of a playoff run? Not likely. Darius Miles should return to health any day now and demolish team chemistry…Dwight Howard proved his worth against Yao last night. Most impressive is that he out-bodied Yao and held him to 7-18 shooting. The Magic are 13-4 on the road losing to San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix and, well, Milwaukee…What’s going on in Salt Lake City? The Jazz have lost 8 of their last 9 and it may not be long before AK47 is on the move…Golden State is 14-5 with Stephen Jackson in the lineup…For all the off-season additions (Milicic, Navarro, Conley, and effectively Lowry), the Grizzlies best rotation is the core from last year – Stoudamire, Miller, Gay, Swift and Gasol. The incumbents have a +/- of +37 when on the court together...Freshman PG Eric Gordon (24.4 ppg) of Indiana looks very Timmy Hardaway in the early going. His quickness and crossover will allow him to effect the college game similarly to Allen Iverson. However, don’t expect to see Indiana stick around the top 25 very long. They are incredibly thin on the bench and their starters are not quality for the Big 10, aside from Gordon and DJ White. Look for them to struggle once conference play begings on January 2nd…The Memphis Tigers will get 30 more wins this season…Finally, don’t sleep on Arizona State who have already met their win total from last season. Freshman James Harden has one sweet looking stroke.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Posted October 12, 2007
Andres Nocioni’s name has come up often in Kobe Bryant trade rumors but he can not be dealt anywhere until December 15th because of his recently signed contract. If GM John Paxson can wrestle Kobe Bryant away from Mitch Kupchak for Gordon, Nocioni, Thomas and Duhon then he should be elected mayor. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first, second or even third time that Kupchak has been fooled. Remember, he traded Shaq and got stuck with $45 million of Brian Grant who averaged less than 4 points and 4 boards in his one season in L.A. He also traded Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins for Kwame Brown. He also was the guy to pull Isaiah Rider and Dennis Rodman off the streets for millions. Can anyone tell me why this guy has a job? After being called out and promising changes, Kup brought in a 33 year-old Derek Fisher. That’s it….The Hawks will be very good this year because of Speedy Claxton….Let’s not nominate Durant for ROY just yet. A couple of EuroLeague vets with MVPs and gold medals will prove to be winners. They are Juan Carlos Navarro of the Grizzlies and Luis Scola of the Rockets….Speaking of rookies, this years class is light years better than the last batch….It will be a great year for Portland despite losing Greg Oden. Aldridge, Frye, Webster, and Jack should all have breakout years under Coach Nate McMillan. However, consistency will be their biggest rival.…Corey Maggette and Ricky Davis will be traded this season to make room for their teams’ younger players….With good health and responses to coaching, the Kings, Hornets, and Grizzlies could all be in the ultra-competitive Western Conference playoffs this season. In the East, the Heat, Raptors, and Cavaliers are all bad enough to miss out….The Bucks and Bobcats are loaded with perimeter shooters….Is anyone else concerned with the laundry list of dings that Rashard Lewis has come up with since training camp? What do you want to bet he’s built an IMAX and plays an advanced copy of Halo 4 all day in that bitch? He probably hires his Houston cronies to man the IMAX 24/7….Does anyone recall the day following the draft when I wrote that the Ray Allen acquisition would change Kevin Garnett’s outlook on the Celtics? Toot-tooot....Pat Riley reports that Antoine Walker came to camp at 262 pounds. He could be the biggest embarrassment in professional sports. Vick and PacMan Jones would be, but probation is no longer a professional sport. Sadly, Walker will have made over $100,000,000 by the time his team option is not picked up two years from now. Since leaving Boston in 2003, he has shot a despicable 55% from the charity stripe….The Rockets have all the talent to win 60 games but don’t expect a good start. Aside from a new coach (Rick Adelman) who is night and day from last season’s coach (Jeff Van Gundy), they have six new faces on the roster and some serious position battles taking place. It may be All-Star weekend before Adelman defines his 8-10 man rotation….Championship teams are often those that have had a consistent roster and coach over three or four years. The Bulls and the Suns could both take the leap into the Finals this season….Speaking of the Suns, Grant Hill and Marcus Banks are looking great so far….Nobody’s talking about the Nuggets, but they could win more games than anyone if they stay healthy. Did the entire world miss the fact that reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby had 23 rebounds in 25 minutes in the first preseason game?....Although they haven’t gotten much love, this could be the year for the Nets. If center Nenad Krstic gets back on his game coming back from knee surgery, they will contend with Boston for the Atlantic….Be sure to check out our season preview section for in depth takes on the upcoming season.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.