Cory Elfrink's Blog
Posted Thursday, June 26, 2008
In one fell swoop, two of my five desired trades were taken out of play when Jermaine O’Neal was sent to Toronto for T.J. Ford. The pieces were right but the matches were wrong. I did mention the deal (Draft Day Trades article), but felt JO was a bad fit with Bosh, at first. I’m warming up to the Ford/ O’Neal deal for 3…2…1…what the hell are the Raptors going to do for a bench?! After they re-sign Jose Calderon, they will be well over the cap with only nine players on the roster. Aside from the starters, they have Andrea Bargnani, Carlos Delfino, Jason Kapono, and Joey Graham. I cook steaks tougher than this bench. Of course I did at one time ask the same question of the Celtics. If O’Neal sticks to the post and focuses on rebounding, this could work out nicely for the Raps. Look for 12 assists per game from Calderon…Congrats to Indiana, who managed to move the most expensive player in the league for the next two seasons, who has averaged just 47 starts over the past four seasons, and land a badly-needed point guard…If nothing else, this draft is intriguing. Every team with a lottery pick has been a rumored in a trade and it is impossible to predict how it will play out…This draft may not be exceedingly talent heavy, but it’s certainly got a lot of size and potential. We will see 20-25 players 6-foot-10 or taller get drafted. No wonder there are questions about some of the lottery picks’ size. This league is getting bigger all the time. However, I firmly believe that size is overrated. Just look at the Finals. The Lakers had an extremely tall frontcourt but were out-hustled and destroyed by the Celtics…There appear to be very few sure things in this draft. I think Michael Beasley will be a phenomenal pro player (despite never winning a championship) and his size doesn’t scare me. Charles Barkley measured just under 6-foot-5 before the 1984 Draft. However, I would not be the least bit surprised if Beasley becomes totally complacent in every season that’s not a contract year. He’s been playing selfish ball for six years for the right to be the first overall selection in this draft. He rarely seems to care whether or not his team wins or loses…Ditto for O.J. Mayo who seems every bit Stephon Marbury. Both were early-super-hyped scorers, under-sized for their positions (by NBA sandards), but handle the ball well-enough to make people think they are point guards, played for smaller college programs (because they were likely paid to), with sketchy families, care little about winning and very much about themselves. And they both have enough charisma and intelligence to destroy entire teams. I got a sneaking suspicion that he’ll wind up with the Clippers either tonight or later on in his career…In Chad Ford and Bill Simmons’ Mock Draft on ESPN.com Jerryd Bayless fell all the way to the Pacers at no.11 and Mario Chalmers went no. 12 to the Kings. There’s no doubt the Kings would love to snag Bayless (who I believe has all-star potential) if he fell and could use Ron Artest, Brad Miller, or John Salmons to trade up, but I cannot see Chalmers going in the lottery. He was not even Kansas’ primary ball-handler…Let’s hope Kevin Love is more Kurt Thomas than Raef LaFrentz…Joe Alexander seems to be the hottest name in the draft right now. I’ve never been big on workout wonders. The NBA is a long, drawn-out season and I have my doubts that an above-average college player can keep his workout level of intensity for the entire season…Aside from Beasley and Bayless, I do really like Derrick Rose, Brandon Rush, Brook Lopez (but not in the top five), D.J. Augustin, Mareese Speights, Roy Hibbert, Nathan Jawai, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Mike Taylor, Joey Dorsey and James Gist…I have to believe that the reason this draft is so impossible to figure out is that we could see up to 12 19 year-olds go in the first round. It’s very hard to know what you’re getting when the body of work you have to study is so small. Potential is not a measureable…Chalmers, Russell Westbrook, DeAndre Jordan, Robin Lopez, and Anthony Randolph all look like they will be drafted too soon…In previous blogs, I was not very high on Eric Gordon, but I think the second-half of the lottery is a perfect spot for him. He really needs to work on his three-point shot, but his mid-range game and ability to finish on his penetration should translate well to the pro game…Onto NBA notes…If Carmelo Anthony could not even come close to winning with arguably the best defensive center in the game and the best offensive guard in the game, can we ever expect him to win? Sam Cassell has already expressed interest in coming to Denver but they would have to move some pieces. I feel like the Nuggets are very close to dismantling this roster. The question is, who wants any of these pieces…Many decisions are on Don Nelson and Chris Mullin’s plate this offseason. Mickael Pietrus, Matt Barnes, and Austin Croshere are free agents and Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins are restricted free agents. Memphis will likely make a run at Ellis, but Mullin has said that he is prepared to match any offer for those two players. Multiple sources have mentioned Baron Davis for Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince. I would keep my captain if I were Nellie and Mullin…Supposedly, Philadelphia will be making an offer to Josh Smith, another restricted free agent, as well as their own Andre Iguodala. Those two with Andre Miller in Maurice Cheeks’ offense should get any NBA fan’s heart pounding. It’s hard to imagine the Hawks letting him get away, though…I love the idea of J.R. Smith on the Spurs. They have courted the restricted free agent, and Denver is already well over the cap and will have too many concerns to match the offer. He gives them a lethal perimeter threat to replace Robert Horry and perhaps Michael Finley. More importantly, he is a much needed boost of athleticism…I was surprised that Charlotte and Portland picked up extra first-rounders from Denver and New Orleans, respectively. Larry Brown has never been too found of rookies, so it is difficult to imagine them keeping all three of their picks. Portland already has a stacked roster and now they will look to add five more picks this season. Neither of these teams figure to be done dealing.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2008
The conclusion to the 2008 NBA season was very satisfying. The Celtics roster was more deserving of the trophy than the Lakers and showed a lot more heart in their quest for it. Unfortunately, I fear that the L.A. will be remembered as unworthy competitors due to the whuppin they absorbed in Game 6 and the historic collapse of Game 4. But they did win two games, made a remarkable rally themselves (down 24 in the 4th quarter of Game 2 they pulled within two points with 38 seconds left), and looked unstoppable in a 35-14 1st quarter of Game 4 – a game they would eventually lose. Nobody should be so shocked. This is what we are told a young team will do under pressure – implode. Boston had substantial veteran experience and the one factor that has determined four of the last five champions: the best defense in the league…Shame on you if you ever doubted Ray Allen. Shooting strokes as sweet as his (2nd all-time in three-pointers made) never go away…There have been over 10 draft day trades in each of the past two drafts. Given the trigger-happy trade deadline, expect this year to be no different…There are a lot of legit NBA starters’ names being thrown around in trade rumors. Layers who could have new addresses next season include Richard Jefferson, Lamar Odom, Leandro Barbosa, Rasheed Wallace, T.J. Ford, Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, Anderson Varejao, Zach Randolph, Mo Williams, and Chris Wilcox. Look for an active “Trade That Should Happen” segment throughout the offseason…Juan Carlos Navarro recently signed a 4-year, $24 million contract to play with FC Barcelona. This may become a trend seeing how little cap room the NBA has left…Will someone tell me why Chris Douglas-Roberts is projected to go so late? This guy looked like a sure-fire NBA player when I watched him. Sure he missed some terrible free throws that cost his team the NCAA title, but don’t you think that has fueled his desire to succeed? Yes, he’s unorthodox, but I think that is exactly what makes him successful. He is one of the best defenders in the draft and can score from anywhere on the court. At best, I see a Caron Butler here...Back to the season that was and some of its better stories: Chris Paul and Dwight Howard were birthed a legitimate stars. The trade deadline was incredible and maybe the most exciting of all time with multiple Hall-of-Famers changing zip codes. The Rockets put a 22 game win-streak together on hustle and grit. The Trail Blazers were very respectable without their top overall pick, Greg Oden, and even put together 17 wins in 19 games. The dunk contest was mind-blowing. The Utah Jazz established themselves as one of the best young cores in the game. Kobe Bryant finally won his 1st MVP. And, alas, Isaih Thomas was fired…Does anyone else think David Stern is losing a lot of sleep over the long-list of perceived back-alley deals he’s made in his career? The current roster of referees needs refreshed in the worst way…Denver needs to clean house while they still can. Many of their players are losing their trade values rapidly…I just want to re-state (from my “Election Year” article) that Gilbert Arenas will end up with the Clippers. The fact that they did not make Shaun Livingston an offer to stay means that they are only waiting for Corey Maggette to opt out of the final year of his deal, which should happen next week…One more note on the Finals. I’m tired of people claiming that the Lakers were not the best team out of the West. They swept Denver, an offensive juggernaut. They handedly defeated the defending champs in five. The one bump in the road came against the Utah Jazz who they defeated in six. The Lakers had extremely favorable officiating at home. Regardless, they suffered just three losses while moving through George Karl, Jerry Sloan and Gregg Popovich.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Posted on March 20, 2008
Congratulations to the Houston Rockets who put together the longest NBA winning streak many of us will ever see. The key to the streak? Ball movement. Nearly every half-court possession featured four-plus passes, reminiscent of another highly successful Rick Adelman team – the 2000-2005 Sacramento Kings. The Rockets have also been doing it with tenacity. During the streak, they dominated with second chance points, turnovers, and knowing when to drive that final nail into the coffin. A number of analysts have discredited the streak stating that they faced a weak schedule. The Rockets played a Hornets team without David West, beat the Mavs without Dirk Nowitzki, and stomped the Lakers sans Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. But let’s not forget they lost Yao Ming. I do not see them making the Western Conference finals for a number of reasons. Their home court advantage is not that strong. They are just 5-7 at home against Western Conference teams currently in the top eight. Furthermore, the lack of Yao will be most evident against many potential match-ups including the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz and the Phoenix Suns. The only teams they could beat in a seven game series are the Mavericks and the Warriors…After their recent surge, Rockets rookie Luis Scola is starting to gain more and more attention as a legitimate rookie of the year contender with Kevin Durant. Not so fast. Durant has had his best month as a pro this March. In nine games he has averaged 21.3 ppg while shooting 52%. He has dramatically cut down on his three point attempts from 4.4 attempts per game in November to 0.7 in March… Can someone explain to me why Donnie Walsh is being sought after by the Bucks and Knicks? The Pacers are currently 26-41 and have not been relevant since 2004…The NCAA tournament is here and its hard to pick against any of the top seeds. Texas gets a huge advantage by playing in Houston. On a more neutral court, I really like Stanford. Here’s hoping they get a third match-up against UCLA in the final four, but they will need exceptional execution against Texas and Memphis to get there…Duke’s in trouble. Arizona and West Virginia are both capable of knocking off the Blue Devils in the round of 32…Devin Harris, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson combined for 98 points on Wednesday to tie for eighth place in the East. I'm not certain, but I doubt the "big three" ever put up such production in all the years that Jason Kidd was in New Jersey...Zydrunas Ilgauskus and Sasha Pavlovic have returned to the Cavaliers lineup leaving only Daniel Gibson on the injured reserve list. However, it was not enough to overcome the Orlando Magic (45-25) this past Monday. The Magic shot 14-32 from three and reminded everyone who the third best team in the East really is. Unfortunately for Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons rank first and third respectively in opponents’ three-point field goal percentage. The Magic are 3-3 against the top two teams in the East this season, but will be hard pressed to take either team to seven games…The Magic didn't look as good the next night against the Wizards who managed a one-point victory in Orlando. How dangerous is this team when Gilbert Arenas returns?...If you are still ignoring the Jazz in the West, its time to wake up because they will be a top four team in that conference for a long time. Their top seven players – Deron Williams (23), Ronnie Brewer (22), Andrei Kirilenko (27), Carlos Boozer (26), Mehmet Okur (28), Kyle Korver (27), Paul Millsap (23) – average just over 25 years-old. That’s among the youngest cores in the entire league and they are currently 45-24…Darius Miles is to have his knee examined this week. If the doctor determines it is not strong enough to play again, the Blazers will stand to save $18 million against the salary cap for the next two seasons…Speaking of high school busts, Gerald Green was cut by the Rockets on March 8th. Someone will likely sign him this summer. In my book he is still worth a three year $9 million contract…Who’s the MVP? Over Chris Paul’s last fifteen games he has averaged 25 points, 12.5 assists, 3.1 steals, with just 2.1 turnovers. Oh yeah, he’s also shooting 55%. Then again, in LeBron James’ last 16 games he has put up 32.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists…The Warriors will be the team to watch down the stretch. Their remaining schedule features two big games against the ninth place Nuggets and one game against every other Western Conference playoff team except the Jazz…Many mock drafts show foreign players Danilo Gallinari and Nicolas Batum in the lottery. Danilo, 19, played in the easiest group of the Euroleague and his team managed just three victories. He’s not an elite shooter or rebounder. Batum’s team went just 2-12 and scouts have thrown up several red flags regarding his inconsistency and lack of passion. Both players are small forwards, this draft's weakest position, but should not be drafted as anything more than Euroleague projects that will not be able to contribute in the NBA for at least a couple more years…So who is the best wing player in this draft? Give me Chris Douglas-Roberts. He plays both ends of the court well, but needs to improve his passing and ball-handling. Still at 6’7” 200, I think his combination of size, defense and potential make him a better pro prospect than Eric Gordon and Chase Budinger…What is the deepest position in the draft? Power forward or shoot-first point guard…Roy Hibbert is in danger of falling out of the top 20...Shaquille O'Neal and the Suns have won six straight by an average of 13 points. Just as many have proposed, this team should only get better with time...Shawn Marion has sat out three games with the Heat due to a sore back. Marion has not misssed more than three games in any other season for his entire career. It appears Pat Riley is in full tank mode.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Posted on February 22, 2008
Brent Barry was waived as soon as he landed in Seattle after the Kurt Thomas trade. Although it has yet to be said, I have a feeling this arrangement was much the same as Jerry Stackhouse’s was in the first Jason Kidd deal. If you recall, Stack was to be traded to New Jersey, waived, and then re-sign with the Mavericks 30 days later. The league called that arrangement illegal. Barry and the Spurs can still get away with this, they just cannot acknowledge that it was in the works prior to the trade…Assuming, they get Barry back, the addition of Kurt Thomas may be the best move made by any team. Thomas is a perfect complement to Duncan. He is an excellent rebounder, sound jump shooter, and strong defender. In fact, he is probably better than current starter, Fabricio Oberto. Regardless, San Antonio has added a key veteran with a thirst for a championship. Come playoff time, Thomas and Duncan will be an intimidating low-post force for any team… Speaking of the Spurs, Tony Parker is back, Manu Ginobili is playing out of his mind and Coach Greg Popovich is subsequently beginning his best-team-after-the-All-Star-break run…People have knocked the Eastern Conference throughout this trade season, claiming they have not been improving like the teams out West. However, the Heat got the better player in Shawn Marion for Shaquille O’Neal. The Nets scored a pair of starters in 25 year-old Devin Harris and 26 year-old DeSagana Diop for a 35 year-old who rakes in $20 million per season. The Nets will be far better off for it. And finally, the Atlanta Hawks pulled in a desperately needed veteran point guard with the acquisition of Mike Bibby for a bunch of players that had fallen out of their rotation…I am looking forward to the new-look Cavs. Without question, they have a deeper and better nucleus than they had with Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden. Will Joe Smith, Anderson Varjao or Ben Wallace start at power forward? Can Varejao and Wallace play simultaneously, or are they too inept on offense? Can Wally Szczerbiak play shooting guard or will he come off the bench once Sasha Pavlovic comes back from injury? Will they be better off with Delonte West at point, or should coach Mike Brown run LeBron James at the point? Has there ever been a bigger starting five than James-Pavlovic Szczerbiak-Wallace-Ilgauskus?…Where will P.J. Brown land if anywhere? The Hornets are aggressively pursuing him, but I have a feeling he wants to play with a proven veteran team in the less challenging Eastern Conference. If he comes back at all, I say he’ll land in Detroit with Orlando being a long shot. Both teams can sign Brown without crossing over the luxury tax…Granted it was his first game with his new team, but Dallas fans better get used to the Jason Kidd they saw on Wednesday against New Orleans. His opposition, Chris Paul, had one of his best games in a long line of them. Kidd? 37 minutes, 6 turnovers, and 8 points. The hall-of-fame point guard is simply not cut out for the Western Conference. They are currently the 6th best team out west and this year Golden State may find a new way to demoralize the Mavericks; keeping them out of the playoffs. Currently Golden State is two games behind the Mavericks. The two teams meet twice in their final ten games. In fact, Dallas has 14 of their last 25 games versus teams that currently have winning percentages above .600…The Warriors have won 13 of their last 18 including a big win with over the Celtics this week. Baron Davis again proved his All-Star ability once again by hitting a buzzer-beater from 20 feet out to cap off his 29-point night…Milwaukee GM Larry Harris was involved in loads of talks throughout this trade season, but owner Herb Kohl apparently nixed all deals offered. Its apparent to most that Harris is in his last season and Kohl will allow the next GM to try and make something of this roster. One potential move? The Miami Heat were desperately seeking Mo Williams last summer and they would likely be able to fetch him and perhaps Charlie Villanueva for a top 5 draft pick…The Hornets are still being overlooked despite a tremendous season. They did well by bringing in Mike James and Bonzi Wells from Houston. If they had one weak spot, it was Morris Peterson’s play at shooting guard. Wells and James will give them multiple looks from that spot…On the flipside of that trade, Rockets coach Rick Adelman got back one of his all-time favorite players – Bobby Jackson. I expect Jackson to play a key role off the bench for the red-hot Rockets who have won ten in a row. After an inconsistent first-half, Adelman has his team playing its best ball. And that is the reason Tracy McGrady called the day of the trade a “sad day.” Apparently he saw the roster shake up as a collective loss for his team (the Rockets also landed Gerald Green from Minnesota for Kirk Snyder). T-Mac should know what it takes to construct a playoff winning team. Everyone he’s ever played against has defeated him. Still, I have to think this is the year McGrady gets out of the first round. Yao Ming is showing a real understanding of how to win games and how to stay out of foul trouble. There’s a good chance they may be taking on their trade partners, the Hornets, in that first round…Chris Bosh has come on strong in 2008 to show us why he is one of the top young players in the NBA and former number one overall pick Andrea Bargnani is benefiting. In February, Bargnani has more than doubled his season’s scoring average up to 15.7. It’s no coincidence his three-point shooting percentage is over 40% for the month. Bosh’s production has demanded double-teams from other coaches…Vince Carter was apparently close to going to the Knicks, which should not surprise anybody. They have a long history of taking on ludicrous long-term contracts. The Nets were apparently willing to take back Stephon Marbury, who has a larger contract that is only half as long. I hope V.C. can work his way across the Hudson. He is an MSG quality entertainer and would bring his best to the hard court every night; something he does not do in New Jersey. Of course, this was the same thinking that landed Marbury and Steve Francis in New York…Gilbert Arenas looks to be on his way back. Washington becomes a huge factor if they can remain healthy the rest of the way. They are well equipped to take on the Boston Celtics…Why is this Kelvin Sampson story getting so much coverage? I’m sick of it. Leave already…With Shaq in Phoenix, I expect no less than 30 points per game from Amare Stoudamire for the remainder of the season. His shooting has been incredible in 2008…Finally, the Utah Jazz continue to roll strong and their upcoming schedule does not present much difficulty. However, their last six games are against Western Conference playoff teams, including two versus San Antonio…My projected playoff match-ups: 1. Boston vs. 8. Chicago, 2. Detroit vs. 7. Atlanta, 3. Cleveland vs. 6. Washington, 4. Orlando vs. 5. Toronto. In the West: 1. Los Angeles vs. 8. Denver, 2. San Antonio vs. 7. Golden State, 3. New Orleans vs. 6. Houston, 4. Utah vs. 5. Phoenix.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Posted on February 14, 2008
Looking ahead, the 2008 draft appears incredibly deep. Prospects such as Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), Brandon Rush (Kansas), Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut), Darren Collison (UCLA) and Bill Walker (Kansas State) are projected to land in the 20s by many early mock drafts. While they may never see an NBA All-Star game, I could see all five making major contributions on contending teams. At their best, Thabeet and Hansbrough look like lottery picks. These same scouts also see as many as ten 19 year-olds going in the first 20 picks. That’s too bad. Although they are certainly great prospects, very few of these kids have an understanding of the game and more importantly, how to be a part of the team…Michael Beasley is undoubtedly the best player coming out, but I am more and more impressed with the 7-footer Brook Lopez out of Stanford. He is averaging over 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks while leading the Cardinal to a 20-3 record, 9-2 in the very competitive Pac-10. There are a lot of lottery teams in need of size, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lopez go in the top 5…The Lakers better hope that the Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant tandem is a successful one because they won’t be able to add much to it. Both players are signed thru 2011 (Bryant can opt out after next season) when they will combine to make $41 million. It will be interesting to monitor Pau’s grasp of the triangle. So far, he has fit in perfectly… I can’t knock Memphis for the Pau Gasol trade like so many other analysts. He is due over $60 million on his contract and despite being healthy, the Griz were just 13-35. This off-season they will have enough money to offer a max contract because of what they got from the Lakers. Don’t be surprised if they are in the Shawn Marion sweepstakes…Speaking of Marion, it looks like his ego is being appeased in Miami. He has played brilliantly and proven that he is much more than “a product of Steve Nash.” I look for Marion to produce at a level that will make him the highest paid of the upcoming free agents. Perhaps even more-so than Gilbert Arenas…The Gasol trade probably bodes best for Memphis forward Hakim Warrick who made his name while Pau was injured during the first half of last season. Warrick fits well in an up-tempo offense and can be a brilliant defender… It’s debatable who the better basketball team is in Memphis. The Grizzlies or the Tigers?…I like Coach Stan Van Gundy’s calling out of Dwight Howard. Howard is still just 22 and he is the type of person that responds well to coaching. Plus, Van Gundy’s absolutely right. After averaging more than 15 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in the first half of the season, the Transformer has averaged just 11 boards and less than a block per game in February…More than 33% of the NBA’s teams are averaging over 100 points per game. The last time this many teams scored over 100 was 1995-96…Who is the most important trade acquisition of the year? Well it may be Kyle Korver. The Jazz are 17-3 since adding the sharp shooter off the bench. They were 16-16 before his arrival... 19 of the top 30 paid players (roughly $13.5 million or more) in the NBA did not make the All-Star game… The biggest All-Star snubs? 1. Shawn Marion (his well-documented frustration with being overlooked probably peaked when he was left off of this year’s roster) 2. Baron Davis 3. Josh Smith 4. Marcus Camby 5. Gerald Wallace… I’m excited about All-Star weekend. Kobe and Nash’s presence in the shootout will make it worth watching. I have a feeling Kobe is automatic without a hand in his face. It’s too bad David Stern denied having the goal raised to 12-feet per Dwight Howard’s request. Rudy Gay said he would challenge it and Gerald Green claims he could do 13-feet. Finally, this may be the only year we ever see a Rookie team with an average age higher than that of the Sophomores. With 27 year-olds Jamario Moon, Juan Carlos Navarro and Luis Scola, the rookies are not only older, but also have more professional experience than the crop of Sophs…The Rockets appear to be far better without Tracy McGrady on the court than with him. If I were the GM in Houston I would quickly offer T-Mac for Jermaine O’Neal straight up. JO would be lethal next to Yao. Furthermore, he has a year less on his bloated contract…T-Wolves played this week in front of a near sold-out crowd to welcome Kevin Garnett back to Minneapolis. Unfortunately he continued to sit out with an abdominal strain. However, I was able to confirm that Antoine Walker likes to pass about as much as he likes to diet… The Boston Celtics may be 15-0 against the Western Conference but they are just 7-8 against Detroit, Orlando, Cleveland, Toronto and Washington…Larry Hughes seems to be coming back to form after a number of down seasons. He has averaged over 18 points and 4.5 rebounds in February… The Philadelphia 76ers are shelling out $26 million to Chris Webber and Aaron McKie this season…19 year-old Thaddeus Young has put together a strong February for the 76ers and he seems to have earned a permanent spot in the starting lineup… Interesting point from Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock: “So far in the pro game, (Kevin Durant) looks exactly as I predicted: the second coming of Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson, a shoot-first, pass-later, lose-now gunner. Durant is averaging 19 points, shooting 40 percent from the field, and his SuperSonics have lost 37 of 50 games.” I couldn’t agree more…Brad Miller is quietly putting together one of the best seasons of his career proving that last year’s production was an aberration...I can’t put my finger on it, but something’s just not right in Chicago. Without Luol Deng, Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich the Bulls went into Golden State and beat the Warriors in Chris Webber’s debut. The Bulls look their best when running the offense thru Joe Smith and when Joakim Noah or Tyrus Thomas are keeping Ben Wallace on the bench. It will be interesting to see how high the Bulls are willing to pay for restricted free-agents Deng and Gordon. I estimate they would pay Gordon in the area of $9 million and Deng $12 million per year. Both players will likely be offered more. Should the Bulls trade them to contenders? I think they should be given one last run at the playoffs and wait to see how it plays out this summer…Sam Cassell’s punch to Rajon Rondo’s head probably didn’t help his chances of landing on the Boston Celtics… Brent Barry has played in just five of the past twenty-four games for the Spurs because of a “left calf strain.” I have a feeling this is standard Greg Popovich playoff coaching and that he simply giving Barry a mid-season vacation. The 36 year-old is the Spurs best shooter and well undoubtedly be on top of his game come April.
You can email Cory Elfrink at celfrink@talkhoops.net.
Cory Elfrink's Profile
Cory is a 25 year old aspiring NBA writer and analyst. He is based in Honolulu, HI and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia. He currently works with the Hawaii Hurricanes, an ABA expansion franchise
He would like to thank Chad Ford, John Hollinger and the rest of ESPN.com’s NBA staff, 82games.com and basketball-reference.com for their help in verifying much of the information included in his articles.