This one right here is probably THE best. Courtesy of THE best dunker of all time. There’s really no disagreeing. He continuously posterizes every big man in the game.

Amazing. Hit the jump to see tons more from Vince, Lebron, Wade, Byant and more. All are ridiculous. Yaaa…I’m on my basketball kick today.

Corey Brewer on Derek Fisher (the look on Fisher’s face is priceless)

Lebron James on Tim Duncan

Vince Carter on Dikembe Mutumbo

Lebron James on Kevin Garnett

Dwayne Wade on Varajao

Shaq on Rasheed Wallace

Kobe Bryant on Denver Nuggets

Baron Davis on Andrei Kirilenko

VC On Alonzo Mourning

Lebron James on Damon Jones (w/ commentary from Shaq)

Chris Paul on Dwight Howard

Kobe Bryant on Dwight Howard

Kobe Bryant On Steve Nash

Ty Lawson on DJ Mbenga

Hit the comments with your favourites. Thanks to Hoop Doctors and Dime Mag for the help.

The Raptors hang on for a win against a Hornets squad that featured a limping Chris Paul. The win marks two in a row now for the Raps, with three more games to go in a key stretch for the team. All at home, all against teams who the Raptors can compete against.

Let’s shoot the three

Zan for three

You know, these kids are ok.

The kids in the lineup; Johnson, Weems, and DeRozan looked great on Sunday. They provided energy and athleticism and reminded me of a young Atlanta team that plays above the rim.

Banks is the new Paul

Let’s hear it for Banks. He contained Paul, okay an injured Paul, for most of the game. Sure Jack did his part as well but Banks was a complete surprise. I’m not saying he’s worth his 5 million contract but he’s certainly is talented and useful player.

Punjabi for three

Best part of the game? Hearing Devlin call Punjabi instead of Peja when Stojakovic hoisted a three. Couldn’t stop laughing.  It’s going to catch on.

Zan of the Night

Banks!

Is anyone else surprised how fast he is? Maybe one of the fastest players we have on this team

Not Zan of Night

Matt Devlin

How awkward it was. A good 3 or 4 seconds of dead air after he called Punjabi. And then they tried to cover it up. A classic.

Everyone loves the All-Star push videos and promotions that teams do for their players, or players do for themselves.

One player that shouldn’t have to do any of that is Utah’s Deron Williams.

The last three seasons the guard has averaged over 10 assists per game, not to mention at least 18 points per night as well (that includes this season). The Jazz are always in the thick of the playoffs too. In his five seasons as a pro, Williams has career averages of 17 points and nine assists per game. His numbers are ridiculous.

Unfortunately, Williams has yet to make an All-Star Team, watching teammates like Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur get spots.

In the past, it’s been understandable, there is a logjam at the position out West, but now is Williams’ time. Averaging 20 points, 10 assists and four rebounds per game this year should be more than enough for D-Will to get his first All-Star nod — especially since he’s healthy this year, unlike the start of last season.

In an effort to get voters to realize he’s right there with Chris Paul and Steve Nash as the league’s top point guard, Williams’ crew put together a little video. Unfortunately, Tracy McGrady — whose been injured all season and made his debut yesterday — would currently be a starter for the West based on first ballot returns.

Williams is currently 10th in voting for guards. All-Star fan voting is awesome.

If Williams doesn’t make the All-Star Team, expect all hell to break loose.

Props, @themuhmeshow

The preliminary numbers for NBA All-Star balloting were released this week and NBA fans, once again, made themselves look like idiots.  There were, of course, some minor, yet forgivable, sins, such as Kevin Garnett starting at forward over Chris Bosh.  However, the real incompetence of the fans came when voting for guards in the Western Conference, as Tracy McGrady, who has yet to play a game all year, is set to start alongside Kobe Bryant.  What makes this choice so egregious is the number of quality guards that play in the West: Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Brandon Roy, Tony Parker, Tyreke Evans.  I could go on all day.  Furthermore, when locking in his All-Star selections, a fan is given the option to click an “info” button next to the player’s name, to sneak a quick peek at the stats of the player.  For once, I just wish fans would put in the effort to vote intelligently.  Having said that, here are my All-Star selections, up to this point of the season.  There is a good chance these rosters will change, and I will keep you updated as I change the list.  Let’s start with the East.

The Voting : Currently, Vince Carter is ahead of Joe Johnson, and Garnett leads Bosh in the voting totals, but since they both belong on the squad, there’s no harm done.  Where the ideal situation can, potentially, be destroyed is if Ray Allen or Gilbert Arenas sneak ahead of Carter on the ballot.  That would most likely knock either Rondo or Lopez off the team (assuming Garnett wins a starting spot, Bosh would most likely slide in as a backup center).

My Outlook: For me, the East was pretty simple.  The starting five all belong on the team, without any question, and the current voting situation isn’t terribly offensive.  Wade and LeBron are having a MVP-type seasons, and Johnson has suddenly turned Atlanta into a contender.  Howard continues to be the premier center in the NBA, and Bosh puts up ridiculous numbers on a mediocre Toronto team.  The Celtics get three reserve spots, and while none of them have impressive scoring totals, the team is winning and playing a very solid brand of team basketball, led by assist-leader, Rajon Rondo.  Brandon Jennings is having a shockingly successful rookie campaign and seems impossible to leave off the team and Josh Smith is the most underrated player in the game.

Players in Jeopardy: As I mentioned before, Lopez and Rondo may be the most likely to be squeezed off the team.  If Garnett continues beat out Bosh in the fan voting, Lopez will be shoved out of the way, as it’s difficult to include a player from the NBA’s worst team.  However, he has been the second best center in the East this year, so his spot is warranted.  Rondo may suffer from lack of fan recognition and low point totals, but he leads the conference in assists, and continues to evenly distribute the ball amongst the Celt’s many stars.

Hardest Players to Exclude: Danny Granger would unquestionably be on the team, if not for his recent injury.  Granger will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks, and it’s difficult to include a player who will have missed that much time.  Luol Deng is having a very good year in Chicago, and, while I don’t see him bypassing Smith for the second forward spot, he could make a run at one of the wild card slots.  Gilbert Arenas has made a nice comeback to the league, and his scoring numbers warrant inclusion, but he turns the ball over 3.6 times per game, to only 6.6 assists.  Rondo, on the other hand, averages 9.3 assists to only 2.3 turnovers.  One can also make a case for the Pistons’ Ben Gordon, but he’s a bit too one dimensional in my book.

The West

The Voting: The voting in the West is pretty much right on, with the exception of T-Mac, who needs to play at least a few games to make his votes justifiable.  The good news is that Nash and Chris Paul are right on his heels, and will likely overtake him once voters realize their mistakes.  Other than that, everything is as it should be in the West.

My Outlook: All the starters were an open and shut case for me, with the exception of the point guard position, as Nash, Williams, and Paul all made convincing cases for the starting spot.  In the end, when all things are equal, I’ll take the veteran on the better team over the young guns.  Kobe, Melo, Dirk, and Amar’e are all no-brainers in their respective positions, as their stats are superior to most of the competition.  The bench was also relatively simple.  Tim Duncan started slowly, but has regained his form lately.  Williams and Paul are putting up amazing numbers in both scoring and assists, and can’t be ignored for their overall contributions to their respective teams.  Roy and Durant are blossoming into the players everyone expected them to be, and Boozer has done a good job of shutting up all the people that were calling for more Paul Millsap.  Andrew Bynum is looking to finally have season without a serious injury and is putting up the type of numbers everyone expected a few years back.

Players in Jeopardy: The only player on this list I see being in real trouble is Bynum, as he is injury prone and could go down at any minute.  Furthermore, the return of teammate Pau Gasol will limit Bynum’s potency in the offense, and lead to a decline in numbers for the youngster.  If that happens, Marcus Camby or Chris Kaman can take over that spot.  However, it seems more likely that Duncan might slide into the backup center role, and allow one of any number of players to steal a spot on the team.

Hardest Players to Exclude: Camby and Kaman are both having great years for the Clippers, and could easily sneak onto the roster.  For me, Camby is the toughest to leave off, as he’s probably the best player, since the invention of the All-Star Game, to not make an appearance at the event.  Tony Parker, Rudy Gay, and Trevor Ariza are all also playing exceptional basketball and could make a late run for roster spots.  King’s guard Tyreke Evans is having a phenomenal rookie year, and it would be great to see Evans and Jennings square off in the game, but, as far as I’m concerned, Evans will need to earn his stripes before leapfrogging the more experienced stars in the West.  Overall, though I think most of the players I named above are relatively safe, with the exception of Bynum.

As I said earlier, I’ll keep this updated as the season progresses, leading up to the selection of the NBA All-Stars.

New Year’s Eve prediction #1: In 2010, hip-hop in Seattle will be ruled by two entities — rap veterans The Physics and the (relatively) new-school Cloud Nice collective. (Thig, Monk, and Justo just need to get that sophomore full-length out pronto to claim their spot!)

Tay Sean and company have already done an excellent job of keeping it moving with a series of free leak, mixtape, and EP drops, with no real prominent LP release. That will change in early 2010, with Helladope’s already highly-lauded Return to Planet Rock. There’s gotta be something in the air up on Beacon that’s causing all of this dopeness. (Come to think of it, the cause of the dopeness might actually be dope — but whatever.)

Cloud Nice is positioned to take over hip-hop in The Six with their brand of futuristic, highly-danceable northwest-coast g-funk. Tay Sean’s production is simple enough to appeal to the young kids, yet advanced and clever enough (musically that is) for older heads to appreciate. If TS were an NBA player, he’d be Chris Paul: playground flashiness combined with a heavy dose of old-school fundamentals.

Here’s the latest from CN’s Beacon Hill lookout, a brief six-track EP from Mister Mikey Nice called Chillin’ In the Future. Click on the album cover below for the DL link.

(A quick note on my download posts: one of my few rules for linking to these downloads is that I absolutely must listen to the material, preferably a minimum of two times, before I comment or post on it. I hold to this philosophy because the whole point of 206up.com is to provide thoughtful commentary and criticism on the music. And how can I do that if I haven’t actually heard the ish? Anyway, my point is, I’m trying not to get caught up with being the fastest blogger [I don't have time for that anyway] or the most exclusive — though I do appreciate being included on artists’ email lists with the more venerable local bloggers. Anyway, that’s all. Just wanted to share.)

The quest for immortality is a profoundly difficult endeavor, what with Hayflick limits, and your various viruses and bacteria, and of course, the constant bombardment by free radicals. And while digitizing ourselves seems to be the most practical and popular way forward, it holds certain risks as well… namely, computer viruses and spyware/adware (could you imagine if they could be secretly downloaded into you? You’d suddenly encounter erectile dysfuntion in that wet dream, or worse, that wet dream would involve the guy with the lady-hair from the UPS spots), vulnerability to electromagnetic pulses, or, worse, the loss of our humanity. Voluntarily transforming ourselves into robots… is that really what we want?

Which of course makes the Honcho Awards, currently, the only way to ensure your immortality. This isn’t up for debate. Alas, with my persnickety standards and rigorous yet mysterious grading system, it’s only slightly less difficult to achieve than the aformentioned theoretical perpetuities and three times as awesome. And yet, until Pfizer or Novartis or Bayer releases that miracle pill (Foreverol? Eternol? Perpetuol?), my exacting criterions are all you got. I’m your only hope. This power that I hold… the ability to decide who does or doesn’t go into the everlasting… it’s not for the meek. Heavy is the weight I carry. My miraculously broad shoulders come in handy.

So who enters the world without time this week? Well, how about…

- Ndamukang Suh, for his ridiculous obliteration of Texas’ offensive line. He finished the Big 12 Championship game with 4.5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 12 tackles and 2 QB pressures. The best big-game performance by a defensive lineman this particularly choosy awards allocator can remember. He might have solidified himself as the #1 overall pick in next year’s NFL draft. He definitely cast himself into the ether of timelessness. And now, NFL scouts can see how he fares when matched up one on one with Thor, or Hercules. We imagine they’ll think he’s “sudden”.

- Bruce Gradkowski, for his stirring 4th quarter performance on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sure, it was the Steelers minus Troy Polamalu (henceforth referred to as S-TP), but it was the Oakland Raiders. Maybe I didn’t address that with the appropriate stress… let’s try some different formatting… it was the “¿Oakland Raiders?!” That’s better. Gradkowski threw more touchdowns against S-TP in the last 10 minutes of the game than the Raiders had thrown all season. Honcho-worthy? All signs point to yes.

- Lisandro Lopez, for his hat trick against Lille. Alas, if I were to introduce some sort of anti-Honcho award (maybe a Mad Adam Trophy… hmmm…) for ineptitude, Lyon’s defense and goalkeeper would surely qualify, for allowing Lille to score four and win the game. Thrilling game though, and were it not for Lopez’ acumen, Lyon would have been on the ass-end of a 4-0 scoreline. At least he made it respectable.

- Dwyane Wade, for his double-double against Sacramento. Specifically, 34 points and 10 assists. The only other players this season to score at least 30 points and get 10 assists? Lebron James and Chris Paul. And truly, with the game becoming more of a me-first affair, anytime anyone reaches double-digit assists, I’m going to notice. 30 points and 10 rebounds? Meh, good game, but certainly not worth a Honcho. But what Wade did? Welcome to the gates of Valhalla, young phenom. The password is “self-breema“.

- Chris Gayle, for his test hundred (an unbeaten 155, to be exact) against Australia. Gayle, struck with a case of atypical patience, shrewdly picked his spots and led the West Indies back into a test match that, for all intents and purposes, they were out of 10 days ago. Whether it leads to a win or a well-deserved draw, Gayle has united the squad when it seemed, by every right, they were falling apart. Give that man a Honcho.

- Marc Savard, for his hat trick during the Bruins 7-2 pasting of the Toronto Maple Leafs. OK, so they still win by 3 goals without his contributions, do we hold that against him? Of course not. Instead, we give the man a Honcho, and put the name Marc Savard into the pantheon, next to Albert Einstein, and Nostradamus, and Jim Varney.

- Robert Meachem, for his game-changing plays against the Redskins. First, there’s the 53 yard touchdown he caught to send the game into overtime… that was nice and all, but nothing compared to the other one. I’m sure you’ve all seen it by now, so I won’t bore you with the details… except to say that Saints QB Drew Brees dropped back to pass late in the first half, was pressured, and threw an ill-advised pass into coverage. It was intercepted by Kareem Moore, who, after picking himself up off the ground, began to return it towards the Saints end zone. Meachem, a wide receiver for the Saints not involved with the play, knifed between two would-be blockers (as in, they would be blockers if they knew how to block) and wrapped Moore up. As he was slinging him to the ground, he began to pull at the ball, jarring it free just before Moore went to the ground. The ball popped fortuitiously into Meachem’s arms, and he ran unscathed, into the Redskins end zone. The fact that Meachem even went for the strip is either great coaching, or just a savvy, veteran play from a relatively young player, as Meachem is an offensive player, and thus wouldn’t really need the skills or the mindset to try and strip the ball. So he went above and beyond (unlike the Redskins defenders, who could have blocked Meachem as Moore returned the ball, but showed their incompetence in this regard), and, in this world, above and beyond = Honcho Award.

- Fabio Quagliarella, for breaking his slump in style, with two goals and an assist in leading Napoli to a come-from-behind victory against Bari. That’s the kind of all-around performance we look for out of Honcho winners, and the fact that the Partenopei needed every bit of his contribution to usurp the Galletti makes it all the more laudable. So please accept our lauds, Fabio, and continue with the knowledge that yours is a name that will live on in famy.

- Mardy Gilyard, for his starring role in that crazy Cincinnati-Pittsburgh game. Did you see that game? That was what they like to refer to in elitist linguistic circles as a “doozy”. Pittsburgh jumped all over Cincinnati in the early going, leading by as much as 31-10. That’s when Gilyard went to work. First, his teammates (and coach!) were approaching him, begging him for a big play. Rare is the man that delivers a big play when he’s asked to (it’s really a more organic sort of thing… it happens when it happens), but here, we have one of those men. Just before halftime, and immediately after Pitt had taken their 31-10 lead, Gilyard returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD. Hello momentum swing. Then he caught a 68 yard TD in the 3rd quarter. After Pitt scored again to restore their 2 TD lead, Gilyard returned the next kickoff 49 yards to set up Cincy’s next TD. In total, Gilyard caught 5 passes for 118 yards and racked up 256 return yards. Yes, that’s 256, the most all-season in FBS (Division 1-A). Pull up a chair, Mr. Gilyard.

- Ed Hochuli, for threats to my well-being for rocking those new ref unis like I’m rocking the webosphere; powerfully, palpably, and suggestively. A man after my own award. And OK, maybe there’s just the slightest hint of selling out here… just a smidge. A dash. A sprinkling. But “sell out” is such a harsh phrase. Am I a sell out for kowtowing and pandering to the suggestions of my readers? I am, you say. It’s the the very definition of a sell out, you go on to say. OK… well… fine. I’m a sell out, so sue me. Just don’t expect to be joining me and other Ed here in the halls of greatness. Your loss.

So there you have it. To this week’s Honcho winners; you’ll be joining us in the Great White Tower of Infinites on the morrow. There will be a continental breakfast and bed service, but you’ll need to bring your own toothbrush. There were complimentary ones, but Ra has appropriated them all for some sort of toothbrush-castle he’s building. We have to distract him with mundane little projects or he gets bored and threatens to destroy the world, that sort of thing. And as lame as it sounds, it’s actually pretty cool. You’ll have to check it out when you get here. But yeah, bring your own toothbrush.

Yup. He's good.

So, turns out that Kevin Love is pretty good.

In my preview post of his return, I wrote about how having him back in the line-up would make a significant difference in the team’s watchability. I raved about his unique skill set, and his potential as a high-end role-player. As someone who owns a Kevin Love jersey, I expected big things. But even I did not expect the difference he made in his first two games on the court.

First, let’s roll out the stat-lines, which don’t begin to do justice to Love’s impact.

• 11 points on 3-7 shooting (2-3 from three-point range), 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a +5 in 24 minutes of a 89-98 loss to New Orleans.
• 18 points on 6-9 shooting (again, 2-3 from three), 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, a block, and a +7 in 26 minutes of a 108-101 victory over Utah.

He is a hyper-efficient, hyper-productive player. Those statlines are impressive, especially considering he only needed 25 minutes to put up a double-double both nights.

Two double-doubles in two games back after missing six weeks is impressive enough. But the eyeball test suggests an even greater impact on team success. Keep in mind just how pathetic the Wolves looked for much of November without Love. They were a D-League team. They went at least two weeks without being reasonably competitive once. And granted, the two games before Love’s return were a victory in Denver and a skin-of-the-teeth loss to Memphis, so there were signs that the team was starting to get its act together even before his return. But the improvement seemed to jump significantly into another gear when he came back.

The Timberwolves were soundly outplaying New Orleans for most of the first half, before Chris Paul went all virtuoso on them. And as strange as it seems, they were clearly, tangibly, and undeniably the better team on Saturday night against Utah. And when Love checks in to the game off the bench (which he will stop doing very quickly), he just starts making things happen immediately. It’s really something. He checked in to the New Orleans game midway through the first, and after three minutes of court time he had four rebounds and a steal. The major takeaway from Love’s return weekend is simply that little time ever elapses before Love does something good for the team.

The floor spacing looks better, the rebounding is light years better, the defense is better, and the ball movement flows through Love very well. One one possession, he caught the ball on the right wing, and immediately whipped a pass through traffic to a wide-open Sasha Pavlovic on the baseline for a jumper. Against Utah, in the essential Kevin Love play, he jumped into the air and snatched a defensive rebound from Carlos Boozer’s hands. And while still in mid-air, turned his upper body 90 degrees, and fired a pass the length of the court to Damien Wilkins. On the money. Dunk. It was awesome.

The most exciting development, however, was the somewhat shocking revelation that Love can apparently really knock down the three-pointer now. If that’s not an aberration, then wowzers is he a perfect player to pair with Jefferson offensively.

Now, Love is limited in pure athleticism, meaning he will likely never be a guy who can be relied upon for a low-post basket whenever you need one, a la healthy Big Al. Which is why Love does not necessarily make Jefferson expendable by any means. Love’s scrappiness, opportunism, and all-around game make him an ideal complement to a low post scorer like Jefferson, which means Wolves fans should hope desperately that the pair can be adequate defensively. They seemed to do fine against Carlos Boozer and the Jazz, but it was distressing to see David West knocking down open jumper after open jumper in New Orleans. If lack of defensive abilities force these two apart, then Wolves fans may be missing out on a truly special offensive tandem. They could be exceptional together.

Now, despite the gushing over Love, let’s not get carried away. The Wolves aren’t going to push for the playoffs this year, I don’t expect them to approach .500, and after all, they’re still a 3-17 team. But anyone who follows the team sees a difference over the last four games, and especially the last two. There’s a chance they’ve left the “Expect a Blowout Every Night” phase, and are entering the “Will Be Competitive and Entertaining More Often Than Not” phase. They seemed to be making that transition in the two games before Love came back, and his return should only aid that transition along.

Some other thoughts:

• Ramon Sessions looked absolutely fabulous in New Orleans. He ran the break incredibly smoothly, and seemed to do the right thing with the ball every time he touched it. The Wolves may have won the game had he played more.
• The next night, in Utah, Jonny Flynn looked just as good. He’s clearly less polished, but he has a significant amount of moxie. He took it right at All-Star Deron Williams several times, including for a game-icing layup.
• Maybe the Wolves shouldn’t be in any kind of rush to choose between the two. It’s actually very nice to have at least one good point guard every night.
• The bulk of attention (rightfully so) goes to Love for the recent improvement. But it could also be a tribute to how much better this team will be when it has consistent production from its wing players. Ryan Gomes has been absolutely lights out lately, including shooting nine of ten for 23 points to go with five assists against Utah. And Wayne Ellington has officially gotten out of whatever kind of doghouse he was in earlier, and he is playing with an unbelievable amount of confidence and poise. The thing about Wayne is that the notion of him as a one-dimensional 3-point specialist seems completely off the mark. His outside shot isn’t as good as common thought seems to dictate, but he’s like Sessions in that he, to put it simply, knows how to play basketball. He’s a smooth handler, a good passer, a good defender, and is developing a nice pull-up jumper. Ellington is playing like he has a future with this team.
• I think the Wolves best line-up at this point is: Sessions-Ellington-Gomes-Love-Jefferson.

That will wrap things up for tonight. Toronto, New Orleans, Lakers, and Sacramento this week. Hopefully the team keeps playing like it did over this last week, and we’ll be in good shape going forward.

Thanks for reading, and Go Wolves.

Arguably the two best point guards in the game, there have been a lot of debate of which is better. As most of you know, I am a huge Chris Paul fan (favorite player) so I will be biased but at the same time I will tell the truth.

Steve Nash a 2-time MVP has passed his prime as some would say. But so far so good this season. he really looks like vintage Nash and if he continues, there is no doubt he will win MVP. Let’s check his last season’s numbers. In almost 34 minutes per game Steve Nash averages 15.7 points per game, 3 rebounds per game, 9.7 assists per game with 0.7 steals per game. I look at these stats and say damn… If you can pass the ball to a person that can make a basket (assist) and make a basket that many times in a game, you really have talent.

Chris Paul twice has been ripped off an MVP trophy. Ok, stay with me people…during the NBA all-star 2009 east vs. west game. Chris Paul had 14 points, 14 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. He didn’t win. The co-winners Shaq had 17 points, 3 assists, and 5 rebounds and Kobe had 27 points, 4 steals, assist and rebounds. WTF…you got to admit…he got ripped off. Then, the whole 2008 Race to MVP I think was fixed. CP3 was runner up to Kobe, which i believed was fixed, but who am i. Anywaaaays, Chris Paul’s last season 38.4 minutes per game averaged 22.8 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 11 assists and 2.8 steals per game. Now this is something nasty.

I dont want to compare career stats because Nash has been in the game a lil longer.

Off the court I really appreciate what these two have contributed to the community, from Steve Nash’s annual athlete soccer charity match to Chris Paul rebuilding communities such as New Orleans. It’s a beautiful thing. It is such a beautiful thing I would not compare them in this category.

what else can i possible compare. I can’t compare looks, because i am a straight guy, but i have heard through the grape vines, that Chris Paul is a good looking dude. But with these few things i have convinced you that one is better than the other..i just wouldnt say which

]]> http://theblogpoint.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/all-star-voting-for-grown-ups/ Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:13:49 +0000 theblogpoint http://theblogpoint.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/all-star-voting-for-grown-ups/

I’m assuming there’s a reason things are the way they are that I just don’t understand yet, but until it either changes or I figure it out, the NBA All-Star Game voting process is officially my new nemisis (you’re off the hook Gypsy That Cursed Paul Millsap).

Where do we begin?

The last time a basketball team played a game with precisely two guards, two forwards and a center was long before any player on these ballots (Shaquille O’Neal, I assume) was considered a professional athlete. The end result is an often awkward formation of players setting foot on the court for the game’s first few minutes.

Granted the head coaches can, and naturally do mix the line-up around so that it actually looks like a real line-up (at least part of the time), but the process has evolved to the point where the recognition is hardly considered much of a recognition at all. With all of the limitations of the current format the third best player in a conference (most likely a forward) could lose out on a starting spot while a bum gets the nod at center (Antonio Davis, I don’t mean to single you out, but I’m singling you out).

Considering the fact that there’s little clear-cut alternative for eliminating positions altogether, it might make some sense to at least modify the position classifications. Recall the hit NES ice hockey title, aptly titled Ice Hockey. For those unfortunately out of the “know”, the game began when you assembled your anonymous team of anxious players of various shapes and sizes. In other words, you chose whether you wanted any combination of skinny players, medium-sized players or… “the beasts” (which is a slightly more intimidating euphemism for fat players that skated slow but hit with the force of a Mack truck).

Since the 2 Guard-2 Forward-1 Center format has grown out of fashion, might it not make more sense to go with a 1 Little Guard-2 Wing Man-2 Big Forward format? Something that could lump the Kobe Bryants and LeBron James(es) of the world together? So that Kevin Durant no longer has to worry about sitting on the bench because Tim Duncan or Pau Gasol had to bump him out of the way when Andrew Bynum took what should have been their spot at C?

With this 2LG-2WM-2BF format, each team would have a point guard (let’s say Chris Paul and Devin Harris), along with two players that would either fall into the shooting guard or small forward categories (let’s say Kobe Bryant/Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade/LeBron James). Then each team would get two big players to fill in at power forward and centre (might as well come up with an example here too… Tim Duncan/Dirk Nowtizki and Chris Bosh/Dwight Howard). Doesn’t that make a lot more sense then trying to go with what they have now?

The reason this format works more efficiently is because a shooting guard has a heck of a lot more in common with a small forward than with a point guard… and a center is virtually identical to a power forward save for a few inches.

The next part of the ASG process that ruins lives is the fact that idiots get to vote every single day. No longer are votes cast by the most knowledgeable, passionate fans, they’re cast by 13-year-olds homers and a fraction of the world’s cell phone carriers that can do it from their phones (T-Mobile, if you’re wondering. Thanks Mr. Stern).

What I propose is that we abandon this unlimited vote count and let fans cast one single ballot per year. It seems irrational, but believe it or not that used to be how voting worked in real life too. It might eliminate the preposterously high vote counts that NBA execs in the Social Media department felate each other over at the staff Christmas party, but at least the counts will be authentic. It’s like Major League Baseball minus the steroids. Sure the numbers aren’t as absurdly-record breaking, but at least they’re legitimate.

What if the most super elitest of hackers figured out a way to clear their cookies and vote more than once?, you say, thus jeopardizing the integrity of our whole operation? Then have fans print off their ballot and mail it in. Old school, I know, but printers are everywhere and I’m pretty sure stamps cost less than 60 cents. With the power of the internet the ballot can still be distributed at stupid lengths, the only difference is that the actual votes won’t fall into that same realm of vast stupidity.

The NBA has found itself on a path of convenience lately, but too much convenience can have unfortunate results, especially when the goal all along is to maintain integrity and control. With this new method, fans no longer have to worry about having zero impact and it avoids the inevitable scandal that will come when one community figures out a way to flood the severely flawed voting process (a similar thing happened with the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL All-Star Game a few years ago).

Oh well, it’s not like anybody watches it anyway. I’m still on strike until they bring 2Ball back.

]]> http://despojadocath.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/new-orleans-hornets-los-angeles-lakers/ Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:52:32 +0000 despojadocath http://despojadocath.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/new-orleans-hornets-los-angeles-lakers/

Fyi:

I love basketball. <3 My team is the Los Angeles and yes, my favorite player is Kobe Bryant.  Reason to why I love Kobe is because when I began playing basketball, that’s when he began playing basketball as well in the NBA, or should I say the Lakers.  All his miss shots and hard work throughout the year, I can relate to.  It’s like I grew up along with him basketball-wise.  So Goooooooooooooo LAKERS!!!!

Recap:

We finished with 99-110 even though we had a slightly rough start.  We were playing strong during the game, holding it up with a consistent 20 point lead.  Kobe Bryant finishing the game with 18 points, Artest with 16 points, Gasol with 14 points, Fisher with 7 points, and lastly lead scorer tonight, Bynum with 21 points.  Farmar played a pretty good game finishing with 10 points.  Phil Jackson is really liking the aggressiveness he contributes to the team. He said, “I like the aggressiveness.  There are obviously things that I want him to do a little bit better all the time, and that’s natural. … That aggressiveness he has with the basketball in the end of quarters is really important for us. We really need that.”  And yes, I think so too.  The bench players got to keep up with the starters.  We maintained our lead of 20 points throughout the game, but once the bench players are in, it starts to fall.  We got to get it together, play smarter and together.  We have great bench players: Lamar Odom-he needs to play with the great talent he got.  When he decides to play, it becomes the Odom Show.  He don’t have to be great, he is already a great player but please be consistent with it.  Shannon Brown, booooyyy he has maaaddd hops I must say.  He’s evolving to be a great contributer to the team as well.  He can put on a show too with the powerful dunks he had.  Even though he missed that alley-hoop pass by Kobe Bryant, he still great.  Damn that would have been beautiful if he made that.

New Orleans had lost four games straight.  They are playing currently without two of their top scorers; Chris Paul and Peja Stojakovic.  Paul has a sprained ankle and Stojakovic had personal reasons to attain to.

Overall, good game, clean up our offense and tighten up our defense. We got another “W” tonight. Right now we stand on a 13-3 record.  With the teams hard work, hype, and attitude, I think we’ll be fine.

See what I mean with Lamar. =]

Shannon’s Reverse lay-up of the night.

]]> http://noregardforhumanlife.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/john-wall-and-the-great-point-guard-bounty-of-2005-2010/ Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:40:10 +0000 noregardforhumanlife http://noregardforhumanlife.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/john-wall-and-the-great-point-guard-bounty-of-2005-2010/

John Wall lays it up against Sam Houston

Derek Rose, Brandon Jennings, and coming next year: John Wall.

This kid is a stud. Now this isn’t a Brandon Jennings-style out of nowhere surprise; absolutely everyone knew that Wall’s game was serious before his freshman season even started. Predictable or not, however, watching him tear up the college game has been an awful lot of fun.

Now, enthusiasm for John Wall’s skills has to be tempered by the fact that UK hasn’t faced any stiff competition yet. Really, it doesn’t matter though, the tools at John Wall’s disposal are just stunning. He gets blocks, he’s a monster in passing-lanes, he has an extra gear (or two), he’s got ludicrous hops and the most ridiculous cross over since young Baron Davis. He also has a pretty nice mid-range game, a sick variety of Euro scoop finishes, and can definitely make plays and run an offense. Oh, and he’s got a menacing ass swagger. He cackles when he makes big plays; he seems to not even blink at big shots; and you can just tell he’s a fierce competitor and a straight up showman…. Talk about NBA material.

On Monday night, despite playing only 26 minutes, he had 14 assists, 6 steals and 12 points with only 1 turnover. Granted the game was against yet another cupcake opponent, but any good basketball fan has to be thrilled by the prospect of John Wall adding to the explosive young point guard dog-fight that we’re sure to witness in the decade ahead.

Think about all these names: Wall, Rondo,  Jennings, Rose, Deron, Brooks, CP, Ty Lawson and, hopefully, Rubio at some point. Plus a lower tier of Stuckey, Chalmers, Flynn, Curry and Tyreke Evans (only in a lower tier because he’s obviously a two guard, so long as your head isn’t lodged up your ass). Wow, right?

The early evidence from the post-handcheck era strongly suggests that defenses have more issues stopping the pick and roll and one-on-one dribble penetration. These changes are hugely beneficial to small-guards. Add this to the mix with the current plethora of jaw-dropping young talent at point guard, and there’s no telling how dominant some of these names could become over the next decade. At the least, some really competitive and fun match-ups, and hopefully some CP3-Rondo style professional grudge-fests, should unfold at the 1 spot over the next 10-12 years.

Indeed, the prevalence of quality small guards could change the way a standard NBA starting five is conceived of. There is a trend emerging early in this NBA season of playing 2 small guards – even two pure point-guards – at the same time. This trend may represent more than a passing fad, at a minimum we should expect to see a lot more of these sorts of lineups in the months ahead. And if just one team that subscribes to this two point-guards/small-guards style can make some noise in the playoffs this year, this trend could become a transformation.

A quick, totally worthwhile digression; the dream scenario for a dominant two guard lineup is the Jazz getting the number one pick (by way of the 3-14 Knicks and coincidentally the prototypical small guard – Isaiah Thomas) and teaming Wall and Deron Williams in the same lightning quick backcourt…

Some John Wall highlights and more gushing about Kentucky after the jump…

This video is a couple of weeks old but it’s still worth watching. John Wall hits a game winning shot in his debut game with the University of Kentucky Wildcats:

Calipari’s rebuilt Kentucky outfit is looking pretty stellar so far this season. With Wall, fellow freak freshman DeMarcus Cousins and relative vet Patrick Patterson leading the way, this ridiculously athletic UK team has the makings of a serious threat come March. Yet another worthwhile digression: how great would a Bill Self(KU)-Calipari(UK) rematch be? If recent history is any indication it would be absolutely unreal, especially if Calipari’s side struggles to make their free-throws in crunch time again.

Here’s a solid 5 minute video of UK shit-kicking some pauvre cupcake… Predictably Wall, Patterson and Cousins only dominate the first part – after which they were taken off the court to make room for the scrubs.

John Wall highlights from another cupcake blowout, love the blocks in this one though, and his vast array of scoop finishes. Also from this video you really get an idea of Wall’s menacing jokester on court act.

As a Raptors fan I’m just praying that Wall goes to the Western Conference. After all the only thing that could stop me from gushing about John Wall would be watching him repeatedly torch Calderon… or seeing him beat KU in the tournament.

]]> http://lakersbr.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/cp3-e-scott-podem-parar-no-lakers/ Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:10:45 +0000 Cesar Bassi http://lakersbr.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/cp3-e-scott-podem-parar-no-lakers/

O New Orleans Hornets recentemente mandou embora o técnico Byron Scott. Isso pode ter sido algo que vai favorecer o Lakers no futuro. Como?

Chris Paul, 24 anos, é o jogador franquia de New Orleans e ele está entrando no primeiro ano de um contrato que lhe irá pagar 68 milhões de dólares, logo ele é intocável. Porém o Hornets cometeu um grande erro. Eles mandaram Scott, que sempre foi muito próximo a Paul, embora sem antes consultar o jogador. CP3 ficou muito irritado, a ponto de comentar com amigos que ele sairia da equipe quando seu contrato terminar, no final da temporada 2011-2012.

Se Chris Paul realmente quiser sair, o Hornets será forçado a fazer uma troca antes de o contrato expirar, para não sair em um prejuízo maior.

CP3 não tem como controlar para onde vai, mas na hipótese será 2012. Até lá já é muito tempo para Phil Jackson ter se aposentado e outro técnico entrar em seu lugar. Byron Scott.

Scott se considera um Laker por toda a vida, já que jogou pela equipe na época que era jogador. E ele continua sendo amigo de Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson e Jerry Buss.

Desde que foi mandado embora, o ex-técnico do Hornets já recebeu vários telefonemas de Kobe e outras pessoas ligadas ao Lakers, todos mostrando grande apoio a Scott.

E aonde você acha que Chris Paul vai querer jogar sabendo que Scott está treinando o Lakers? Mesmo que na troca ele não venha para Los Angeles, Scott ainda pode influenciar o armador a assinar com o time quando acabar seu contrato.

Tudo que foi dito aqui é apenas suposição e depende de muitos fatores, mas é possível. Talvez mais possível que o boato antes solto de que Lebron James poderia parar em Los Angeles.

Fonte: OC Register

]]> http://paintsinthepoint.com/2009/11/26/observations-on-the-orlandoatlanta-game/ Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:40:58 +0000 The Champ http://paintsinthepoint.com/2009/11/26/observations-on-the-orlandoatlanta-game/

Yeah, we’re back.

The Champ sits here in his home writing this in anticipation of tonight’s game. The Octagon is now here, good to see him. We’re still waiting on the arrival of The Franchise, and The Custodian is MIA.

The Octagon thinks Kyle Korver looks like Ashton Kutcher. Ok he has a point.

Now we see a Ashton Kutcher camera commercial, which really sucks.

We now ponder the past prospects of the Hawks drafting Chris Paul. ooooh.

That’s the Hawks uniforms: ATL? ha.

Tipoff: Still no Franchise.

The Octogan is moderately surprised when Vince Carter hits a three pointer.

Jason Williams puts up a very bad shot and misses.

Craig Sager and camo? Really? Fucking camoflague?

Josh Smith: big dunk.

The Octagon is suggesting the Magic employ a whitewash to get their hearts back into the game.

Josh Smith is talking about his maturation, not something else…

Howard’s picking up his game now.

Adam Morrison: Human Victory Cigar – the Octagon.

The Octagon points out that the longest losing streak is less games than the longest winning streak- so its easier to be really good than really bad?

Where is the Franchise? This will not go unsettled.

The Octagon thinks Anthony Johnson has breasts.

Jamal Crawford once put up 50? News to us.

Joe Johnson, the Octagon feels he's underrated.

BUCKS/THUNDER! yeah baby!

Zaza Pachulia, what a dumb foul.

Marcin Gortat should open a ski resort on his face – The Octagon

OK: If you could punch a basketball player in the face past or present who would it be?

The Champ – Tyronne Hill: to see if he could get any uglier.

The Octagon – Ben Wallace? Adam Morrison? Damon Jones?

The Franchise – Ron Artest 

Mike Bibby looks great in a chef’s hat.

Joe Johnson hits for three, we lament his leaving of the Suns.

The Franchise has finally arrived… with his sister.

Vince Carter and the Magic look to rebound in the second half.

The Octagon has been looking up basketball books on Amazon. (Hey Freelancer! put our Amazon link here)

But anyway Orlando has brought the score within four. Orlando 56 Atlanta 60

Hey Look! Dwight Howard has a type!

The Octagon is willing to take one for the blog come May.

REDDDDDICCCCCCKKKKK!!!!!

Anthony Joshnson should not be in the NBA.

Look it’s Anthony Johnson!

We hate the Fred Martin Car Guys.

So the Octagon was watching YouTube videos for the past half hour maybe?

Anywho, Orlando 80 Atlanta 71.

Where is the Hawks’ offense?

Anthony Johnson oh my lord.

OK the Magic win, the Freelancer is the best live blogger.

We really don’t have anything left to say other than: Go Herd.

Hey Look! Dwight Howard has a type!

]]> http://redordead.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/im-not-back-on-my-bike-for-them/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:42:42 +0000 kenshinobu http://redordead.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/im-not-back-on-my-bike-for-them/

I listen to these commercials every single day.

Then the work begins. Pushing myself like I’ve never done before. My whole life.

For the first time, I am the last to leave.

And when the day ends. I go home. Sleep.

Then I wake up. Do it all over again.

]]> http://allthingzsports.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/top-5-players-in-the-nba/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:37:05 +0000 ztrez56 http://allthingzsports.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/top-5-players-in-the-nba/

The start of another NBA season is upon us once again. This fresh start will undoubtedly  raise the converstaion which inevitably comes up every year…Who is the best player in the league? I’ll go through my top 5 and why.

1.) Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles Lakers.Shooting Guard.

Is there even any explanation needed? The man is a beast and not only is he one of the best players in the league, he’s one of the best players in the history of the game. This season he has come out on fire, averaging  30 points a game which will surely end the notion that his game is declining. Recently, the Black Mamba dropped 21 points against the Bulls which helped him pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the Laker’s all time scoring list. Best in the game? Without a doubt.

2.) Lebron James.Cleveland Cavaliers.Forward.

Although I agree that he is a dominant force in the game, he has to come in second in Kobe just because he hasnt learned how to make his teammates better when it matters most. Yes, all those pre-game rituals look good but it has helped him and his teammates out none in the playoffs. Some people like to mention Lebron in the ranks of Kobe and Jordan…but they both have rings.Multiple rings. Lebron has…none. So until he gets AT LEAST two rings, I dont believe he can be put on either of their levels. With that said, LBJ is still a monster on the court. The man is like a  center who can shoot the ball and run down the court faster than most point guards in the league. Averaging 28.3 points a game and 2 or 3 ridiculous highlights on ESPN every night, James is obviously going to be the one Kobe passes the torch to when his time is up.

3.)Dwayne Wade.Miami Heat. Guard.

This man is not only one of the best players in the game but he is also one of the most underrated. What would the Miami Heat be without D-Wade?Yeah, I dont know either. Its hard to even imagine.  If he had actually had a teammate worth mentioning, he could easily be in the MVP talks year in and year out.He’s averaging just below Lebron in points with 27.6 a game. If the Heat’s management doesnt do what it can to upgrade his supporting cast, look for him be wearing another team’s uniform next season.

4.) Chris Paul.New Orleans Hornets.Point Guard.

And You thought D-Wade didnt have a supporting cast? The New Orleans Hornets are a joke…WITH Chris Paul. I cant help but feel bad for this guy. You know if he played for an actual contender he’d have a ring by now. He’s doing all he can dropping almost 24 points in a game,  but his team still loses. Regardless of his team’s play, he is still one of the top PG’s and players in the league.Could you imagine if he was on a team who could use a solid point guard such as the Lakers or the Cavs?Scary.

5.) Dwight Howard.Orlando Magic.Center.

When a team(The Cavs) go and trade for a guy just to stop you…you’re a dog. While Howard is still a little raw offensively, he is a force in the post. The man is a walking double-double, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds a game. He took his team to the finals last year and competed with the champs. A few more bounces in the Magic’s favor and Howard would have a championship ring and a MVP title under his belt. With the addition of Vince Carter, look for Howard and the Magic to again compete for a title again this year.

]]> http://complicatednature.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/weekly-infatuation-chris-paul/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:07:42 +0000 complicatednature http://complicatednature.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/weekly-infatuation-chris-paul/

Its NBA season so it’s only fair to show them some love. Check out New Orleans Hornet B-Ball player Chris Paul

]]> http://readjack.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/from-august-25-2008-back-to-the-basics/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:25:48 +0000 readjack http://readjack.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/from-august-25-2008-back-to-the-basics/ http://artesteddevelopment.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/the-unraveling-of-the-hornets/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:04:17 +0000 artesteddevelopment http://artesteddevelopment.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/the-unraveling-of-the-hornets/

When Chris Paul went down with his ankle injury it not only twisted and tore at the tendons and ligaments in his foot but also put in jeopardy the stability of the New Orleans franchise as a whole. It’s true that Paul has a history of endurance and coming back sooner than usual from injuries but that was when he had a lot more to fight for with a team he had a lot of faith in. Thats not to say that the hornets do not have the ability to be competitive but it is quite obvious that they have taken large steps back as a team in the last two years and have lost the confidence of their team leader.

Only three years ago this was a floundering team in a city that was rebuilding itself from a major catastrophe. There were questions of whether or not the city had the money to even keep the team and then all of a sudden they became the number one seed in arguably the deepest conference in american sport history. They rejuvenated a city and a fan base. Their impact culturally was much more significant as it gave a much-needed sense of hope to a battered city and an stimulated the economy. With that came Chris Paul who assumed the responsibility as the face of the organization and took the helm as the greatest point guard in the league in a now pg heavy association. With that CP3 became enormously active within the community and in the rebuilding efforts.

Unfortunately the organization did not show their appreciation. They let their best bench player in Jannero Pargo go away to Moscow last year and signed an aging 3 in James Posey (whose age and defencies were highlighted on a team that relied on less of a team concept like the Celtics and more on the creativity and playmaking of one individual). After an awful showing in the playoffs last year and a historic 58 point defeat they did nothing to solidify an already awful bench. On top of that the Hornets traded away Pauls best friend on the team in Tyson Chandler in hopes of getting a better back to the basket center in Okafor. Yet its obvious that Paul works better with more athletic bigs who can attack the basket or pop out for a mid range jumper. In admission of their mistake there is already talk of trading Okafor to the Kings for Kenny Thomas in hopes of making cap space. To compound things the organization then fires Byron Scott after a weak start as the team struggles to find chemistry despite the strong play of CP3. And the biggest blunder by the owners and GM… they did not confer with Chris Paul before firing his head coach. The only coach he has known in the league and another good friend of his.

Whats a shame more than anything is that New Orleans is a city that greatly needs this team. They need a sense of hope more than any other city in America. And for a moment they had it as the Hornets came out of nowhere and looked to be competitors for years to come for the NBA championship. Chris Paul is the consummate professional and there is no doubt that he wants to come back and fight for this city. Unfortunately it is also true that might have lost faith in the Hornets organization and as a result will take his time coming back as it’s quite obvious that unless they make a big move, they will be left behind as the rest of the west elite pull away.

Thank god for the Saints.

]]> http://theswamp51.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/deron-williams-nbas-best-point-guard/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:27:05 +0000 Andrew Macaluso http://theswamp51.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/deron-williams-nbas-best-point-guard/

Deron is not only the best point guard right now, he’s been the best point guard in the league for the past two seasons. The fact that he has yet to make an All-Star team doesn’t make any sense to me, and makes me wonder just exactly the coaches are looking at. He starred on the 2008 Olympic Team that brought home the gold medal last season.

He was a star at the University of Illinois where he led the Fighting Illini to the NCAA Championship where they eventually lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels. As soon as Deron stepped into the league he immediately became one of my favorite players, right behind Carmelo Anthony. Deron is the true definition of a Point Guard. When you watch the Jazz play, everyone is involved, and it starts with Williams leading the show. He has the freedom to call his own plays, yet everyone on offense touches the ball, which is very much taken for granted. There’s no doubt in my mind that he could play in a faster system, such as Phoenix, Denver, or even Dallas.

His handles are top notch, yet underrated. He’ll cross you up in a second, pull up on the drop of a dime for a jumper (he arguably has the best mid-ranger jumper of any point guard in the league), and every once in a while throw down a huge dunk. He can also score in just about any kind of way, sort of like Carmelo, and it starts with his ball handling. He doesn’t use to many flashy trick passes, but he’s deceptively quick, so you may never see it coming, until there are two or three more points on the board. He’s got such a big uppper body for a Point Guard that it makes him very difficult to guard. His size always plays a factor on the defensive side making it easier for him to body up against big opponents.

His vision on the basketball court is out of this year. Once again, it isn’t so much flashy as it is purely efficient. He sees the whole court as if everything was moving in slow motion except himself. He may have one the highest basketball IQ’s in the NBA. If it’s time to pass, he’ll do so, and he’ll get it to someone where they are in perfect position to do nothing else except score. It’s impossible for him not to make you a better player, because he’ll make the game that much easier for you. Watch the last two Jazz runs in the playoffs and see how no one player,  or scheme could slow him down. They lost to the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs last season but Deron put the team on his back and made a game winning shot to to win one game at home and to keep from getting swept. I can’t put it any simpler, Deron Williams is a grown man.

Like I said at the beginning, there is sure to be disagreement among the people who think Chris Paul is better, Nash is better, Tony Parker, and Chauncey Billups, and that’s perfectly fine. In my opinion though, the best point guard in the league resides in Salt Lake City.

]]> http://damnliesandstatistics.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/daily-lies-statistics-going-green/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:43:26 +0000 Greg Fox http://damnliesandstatistics.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/daily-lies-statistics-going-green/ http://thegiftedlife.com/2009/11/16/chris-paul-out-indefinitely/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:14 +0000 cody3k http://thegiftedlife.com/2009/11/16/chris-paul-out-indefinitely/

Via AP

NEW ORLEANS — Further tests on Chris Paul’s ankle show nothing beyond a sprain, but there is no timetable for the star point guard’s return to the New Orleans Hornets.

The team says an MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis. Paul twisted his left ankle in the Hornets’ loss Friday night to Portland. Team spokesman Dennis Rogers said Monday that Paul will be evaluated daily but remains out indefinitely.

In 10 games this season, Paul has averaged 23.8 points and 9.2 assists.

The Hornets are 3-8 and have lost three straight and five out of six. That span included the firing of coach Byron Scott and his replacement two games ago by general manager Jeff Bower.

]]> http://whitesocks.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/nba-news-15112009/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:22:11 +0000 dannygpl http://whitesocks.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/nba-news-15112009/