"Why are you so mean, KG?"

I usually love watching the Celtics play, but that mood changes considerably when they’re facing the Raptors. Fresh off a 116-81 pounding at the hands of the Bobcats, Toronto will look to bounce back tonight against Jose Calderon’s best friend (Mr. KG, in case you forget) in Boston. As always, check in at Raptors Republic for the best preview in the business.

As easily as the Celtics have handled us in Toronto the past couple years, the Raps have actually put up some decent battles on the parquet floor in Boston. Calderon took over a game in January ‘08 (the Celts’ championship year) before his famous encounter with Garnett early last season, and Andrea Bargnani forced overtime with a late three in an eventual 115-109 loss in the second meeting. The Celtics come into this one looking a little susceptible too, following a tight win over a Sixers team they usually pound and a near-disastrous loss to the Knicks over the weekend. Still, at 11-4 and with the Fantastic Four still in tact, they’re as good a bet as any to win the East this season.

Toronto comes in desperately in need of a bounce-back following Wednesday’s embarrassment in Charlotte. I called out Chris Bosh yesterday and stand by it — now’s the time to step up, big man. This is as tough a game as you’ll play all year, so let’s go make a statement.

The Raptors and Celtics get going from TD Banknorth Garden at 7:30.

The AP is reporting that the legendary professional Basketball player Allen Iverson is set to announce his retirement from the N.B.A. Iverson , a former Most Valuable Player for the N.B.A. has been in the league since the 1996 season, in which he was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Iverson

He played with the Sixers for 10 years. During his tenure he was Rookie of the Year, League MVP, 2x All-Star MVP, and led the league in scoring for four years. After his rookie season, during which he led the 76ers in points, assists and minutes, Iverson was named the 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year and was a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

The 10-time All-Star played three games this season with Memphis before taking a leave of absence to attend to personal matters. He was waived after the two sides agreed to part ways.

The New York Knicks considered signing Iverson last week after he cleared waivers, before deciding he would take too much playing time away from younger players they are trying to develop.

With no apparent interest from any other NBA teams, Allen Iverson is set to retire.

Iverson will always be credited for popularizing the streetball style move called the cross-over, and for his exciting tricky aggressive driving style of play.

He was never the tallest on the floor, just the most dangerous player that always wanted the ball.

Allen Iverson is a sho-in for the Hall of Fame, and I suspect that he can still run with the best of them, given a team that can design their plays to allow Iverson to shoot at will.

I personally enjoyed the years I got to watch him compete in the NBA, and I look forward to seeing what he does in the future.

Thanks for the 100 percent effort Allen Iverson…you were worth watching and you will be missed.

Read the full story here…

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPZfEWbAiIKgjsNDLhC1jiVSsJZAD9C78M580

15 Spiele haben die Fans der N.Y. Knicks hinter sich. Nur noch 67 Partien und die Horrorsaison ist zu Ende. Doch was dann? Zunächst einmal der Reihe nach. Bislang konnte man drei gute Spiele des Teams aus dem Big Apple beobachten, alle anderen Begegnungen zeigten uns unerbittlich alle negativen Aspekte auf, die das Team von Mike D’Antoni aufzubieten hat. Die back-to-back Siege gegen die Indiana Pacers und New Jersey Nets ließen ein gewisses Quäntchen Hoffnung aufkeimen und die Niederlage gegen die Boston Celtics vermochte die Aufbruchsstimmung nicht zu dämpfen. Denn trotz des Ärgers über eine unnötige Niederlage, konnte man Freude daran finden, wie sich die Knickerbockers präsentierten. Um ein Haar hätte man drei Siege in Folge einfahren können. Ein schlechter Switch von David Lee, zu zögerliches Herauslaufen von Al Harrington und der Jumpshot von Kevin Garnett zum Ablauf der Spielzeit in der Overtime ließ diesen Traum jedoch zu Sand werden, der viel zu schnell zwischen unseren Fingern entrinn und auf ewig verloren zu sein scheint. Was folgte war die Niederlage gegen die Los Angeles Lakers und jene knochenberstende Pleite gegen die Sacramento Kings, die sich in Form einer traurigen Komödie abspielte.

Gegen den amtierenden Meister zu verlieren ist keine Schande. Dazu noch hinter den feindlichen Linien, wobei angezweifelt werden kann, ob das Spiel im heimischen Madison Square Garden einen anderen Verlauf genommen hätte. Wahrscheinlich nicht. Gegen jene apathischen Knickerbockers war es für Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol und Andrew Bynum ein Leichtes das „W“ in den Spielplan einzutragen und den Knicks ein weiteres „L“ hinzuzufügen. Locker schenkte Kobe der Verteidigung 34 Punkte ein, wobei er keine Schwierigkeiten hatte 14 seiner 20 Korbversuche im Netz der Knicks unterzubringen. Am Ende war der 100-90 Sieg der Lakers keine Sensation, denn mal ehrlich, kein Anhänger New Yorks hat damit gerechnet, dass man einen Sieg aus dem STAPLES Center stehlen könnte. Abgehakt.
Das Trauerspiel entfaltete seine volle Wirkung erst gegen die Sacramento Kings und ich erhebe hiermit Anspruch darauf, dass mit die Organisation und jeder einzelne Spieler sowie der Trainerstab Entschädigung dafür zahlt, dass ich mir diese Partie ansehen musste.
Mit der Ausnahme von David Lee, wie so oft, gelang es allen Spielern des Kaders zukünftige Free Agents davon zu überzeugen, dass sie nicht einmal mit dem Gedanken spielen sollten in New York einen Vertrag zu unterzeichnen. Solange die Hoffnung der Franchise auch nur zu einem kleinen Prozentsatz auf den Schultern von Wilson Chandler liegt, starre ich unendlicher Dunkelheit entgegen, einem Meer von unbeschreiblicher Größe voller Dunkelheit. Chandler ist nicht die Erklärung für die Misere der Knicks, aber seine Leistung ist exemplarisch und dient als Indikator für das, was mit den Knicks nicht stimmt. Wahrscheinlich ist Wilson Chandler allergisch dagegen Defense zu spielen und sein Antihistaminikum ist es, so viele schlechte Schüsse auf des Gegners Korb abzufeuern, wie nur möglich. Das gilt übrigens auch für den Rest des Rosters. Bei seiner Schussauswahl kann man sich jedoch nicht darüber wundern, dass lediglich sechs seiner 26 Würfe über die letzte zwei Spiele gesehen, ihr Ziel fanden. Nehmt euch an dieser Stelle einen Taschenrechner und seht selbst welch magische Zahl die Trefferquote des Forwards repräsentiert. Gegen die Kings traf das Team kollektiv nur 38,5 % seiner Würfe und ließ 39 (!!) Würfe von jenseits der Dreipunktelinie los.
Die Leistung der Sacramento Kings soll nicht dadurch geschmälert werden, dass hier nur von der Unfähigkeit der Knicks die Rede ist, aber faktisch schlägt sich New York bisweilen selbst, der Gegner hilft bei der Demontage lediglich mit. Dennoch war die Leistung von Donte Greene beachtenswert, auch wenn es ihm seine Gegenspieler nicht allzu schwer machten. Greene erzielte 24 Punkte, verteilte fünf Vorlagen, holte sich vier Boards und blockte sechs Würfe. Auch Rookie Point Guard Tyreke Evans nutze die Gelegenheit, um sein Talent zu zeigen. Am Ende verzeichnete er 17 Punkte, elf Rebounds und sieben Assists. 50 Rebounds und eine Trefferquote von 48,3 % aus dem Feld stellten den ungefährdeten Sieg der Kings sicher, der mit 111-97 nicht zu Unrecht so hoch ausfiel.
Folgende Schlüsse lassen sich an dieser Stelle ziehen: die Spieler im Kader der Knicks sind schlecht, das dürfte geklärt sein. Auch wenn sie vermeintlich einiges an Talent besitzen, so können sie es momentan nicht zeigen. Jeder spielt für sich selbst, keiner für den anderen und die Aufgaben, die alle erfüllen sollten, auch wenn sie vielleicht kein Spaß machen, vernachlässigen die Knicks nur allzu gerne. Beim Rebound wird weder ausgeblockt, noch richtig hochgesprungen. Überhaupt stehen die Spieler die meiste Zeit bloß herum, um zuzusehen, wie sich die Gegner den orangenen Ball mit dem Spalding-Schriftzug krallen. Nach Ballverlusten und Defensivrebounds der gegnerischen Mannschaft zurückzulaufen, das schaffen die Knickerbockers auf solch lustlose und lethargische Weise, wie kein anderes Team der NBA. Man bewahre mich davor noch mehr über das Defensivverhalten zu schreiben. Doch erschreckend schlecht ist auch die Offense. Die Wurfauswahl ist so schlecht, dass ich auch darauf nicht weiter eingehen möchte, was unteranderem daran liegt, dass es sich die Mannschaft spart, den offenen Mann zu suchen und der Spieler, der das Spielgerät in der nächstbesten Position in die Hände bekommt drückt einfach ab. So simpel ist das Spielsystem von Mike D’Antoni.
Es sei mir verziehen, dass ich nach wie vor an der Qualität des Trainers zweifle. Sicher, die Spieler stehen auf dem Court und spielen Basketball, nicht der Coach. An ihm ist es jedoch aus einem Haufen Individuen ein T-E-A-M zu formen.
Mit dieser Saison kann man wohl oder über abschließen, der perfekte Zeitpunkt also, um nur noch jene Spieler plus David Lee einzusetzen, die nächste Saison auch noch einen Kontrakt besitzen. Unerklärlich ist mir deshalb, warum Toney Douglas, der zu den positiven Erscheinungen der aktuellen Spielzeit zu zählen ist, so wenig auf dem Feld steht. Gleiches gilt für Jordan Hill. Auch in diesem Punkt steht D’Antoni in der Kritik, denn er vergibt Einsatzzeit an die, die man über 2009-10 hinaus ohnehin nicht in New York sehen möchte.
Kehren wir nochmal zur Frage zurück, was nach den verbleibenden 67 Saisonspielen passieren wird oder überhaupt kann. Zum einen haben die New York Knicks keinen Draftpick, was bedeutet, dass man kein neues Talent nach New York holen wird. Die Utah Jazz können sich also über jede Niederlage der Knicks freuen, denn der Lottery Pick gehört so gut wie ihnen. Mit besonderem Dank richten wir uns an dieser Stelle an Isiah Thomas. Desweiteren kann man sich momentan nicht vorstellen, dass überhaupt irgendein hochkarätiger Free Agent es jemals in Erwägung ziehen könnte für die Knickerbockers zu spielen. Ich würde LeBron James, Chris Bosh und wie sie nicht alle heißen persönlich davon abraten in den Big Apple zu kommen, wenn ihnen etwas an ihrer Karriere liegt. Sollte es Donnie Walsh doch irgendwie gelingen, entgegen meiner Erwartung versteht sich, die Knicks so zu sanieren, dass man in absehbarer Zeit wieder eine Chance auf die Playoffs hat, kaufe ich mir einen Hut, um diesen im Anschluss an das vollbrachte Wunder zu ziehen.

Every Wednesday, from today until the end of time, my close friend and bitter foe Mad Adam is going to stop by and attempt to clarify his delusions of grandeur, dominance, and defeatism. He’s very complex. And, as you’ll soon find out, most of what he has to say comes out of his ass, but man, is he angry! And I’m not talking the kind of angry that can be aptly expressed with all caps and exclamation marks, or even simple declarations of anger… you’ll have to use your imagination a little. Picture the bright red face. Picture the popping veins. Picture the holes in the wall, the shattered remotes, the hospitalized “friends”. Now, multiply it by 386. That gets you halfway there. But here, we’ll let him explain it…

Hello everyone.  Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Mad Adam.  That’s right, not Mad Hatter (Les Miles), Mad Max (Mel Gibson) or Mad Men (those booze swilling cats at Sterling Cooper).  No, just Mad Adam.

Why Mad Adam?  First, I have an anger control problem. This is particularly true when it comes to my sports teams.  I get mad when they let me down.  I get mad when they get screwed over.  I sometimes get mad even when things are going well. What can I say….I’m Mad Adam.  As a bonus, my name is a palindrome.  Don’t know that is? Look it up loser.  And while you are at it, send some hate mail to your language teachers who obviously let you down.

Now that I have revealed that much of my anger is centered on my favorite teams, I better let you in on who those teams are.  Warning, I grew up as a military brat, so I never stayed in a place long enough to pick a team based on geography.  So, I have a pretty disparate set of favorite teams (with the exception of my college team which is clearly a result of the totally awesome education I received at the undergraduate and law schools of the institution listed below).  So, in no particular order, here are the teams that matter most to me: New York Jets (last Super Bowl….1969, the roots of my anger begin to surface); Los Angeles Dodgers; Los Angeles Lakers; Manchester City Citizens (EPL soccer you morons); and of course, my beloved OU Sooners.  Looking for a hockey team?  Go (ice) fish.  Not a fun game to watch on TV.

My proclivity for temper tantrums does not end with my favorite teams.  I also get mad about betting on sports (i.e. placing bad bets, not the act of betting on sports which I am very much in favor of), bad calls, terrible commentators, incomprehensible TV twists, bad uniforms, those who don’t appreciate good music, politics, stupid fans, silly traditions, inane rules….you get the idea.  I am Mad Adam.

The gracious, yet logic deficient Ed Honcho, has asked that I occasionally drop by this site and let all of you know what I am currently mad about.  I appreciate the forum and the opportunity to vent.  I would be remiss if I did not kick things off with a mailbag devoted to my legions of fans and their questions.  So, without further ado, away we go…..

Q: Did you see the Patriots throw a deep pass with only 30 seconds to go this past weekend when they were up 31 – 14 on the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets? How did that make you feel? Cuz, I will tell you how it made me feel.  It made me feel like punching Tom Brady in his pretty face and defecating on Bill Belichik’s car.

- Francis Anastasio, Elizabeth, New Jersey

A: Francis, or can I call you Frank? No? OK. Francis, you could not be more right (except the part about shitting on his car, which is a tad bit weird). Not since Michael Bay decided to have “ghetto” robots in the newest Transformers movie have I seen such a brash and uncalled for decision.

What is he hoping to accomplish?  By kicking the Jets when they are down, does he hope to draw attention away from the most colossal coaching mistake in his career from the week prior against the Colts? By allowing a long pass to Randy Moss did he hope to show that Moss does in fact own Darrelle Revis? (if so, too bad, because Moss turned in a pedestrian 5 catches for 34 yards against my boy Revis).

Or is this just one more bully move by a guy that thinks he is God, but is in fact still the same a-hole that could not turn around the Browns and WHO WALKED OUT ON THE JETS IN 1999 A DAY AFTER TAKING THE HEAD COACHING JOB? What a loser. I HATE that guy. And, I really hate those spy-gate cheating, pretty boy Pats(ies).

Q: How are you feeling about the Lakers so far?

- Bonita Benson, Culver City, California

A: In a word….AWESOME.  So far, Khlomar has not been a distraction.  The return of Gasol has transformed the team.  Ron Artest is playing within the system and has not punched Nicholson in the face on his way down the court yet. And Kobe? Well, he is busy doing work.

Since the Lakers’ Western Conference coronation is all but assured, let’s turn to the more important issue.  Will those turd burgers from Boston make an appearance and get the whupping they deserved two years ago? As of this writing they are 10-4, and look pretty good (for a team in puke green adorned with a picture of a leprechaun sporting a vest, hat and bow-tie covered in freaking shamrocks).  I don’t want another beat-down on Orlando.  I want Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and “look at me I am yelling a lot, I must be really intense” Kevin Garnett to face the music like they did in 1985 and 1987 when Magic and crew beat Bird and his brigade of losers (like Kevin “the Armpits” McHale and Robert “Reefer” Parrish). SCREW THE CELTICS!

Q: When are you going to talk about the Sooners? Texas Tech destroyed Stoops and company and the crowd turned the House of Pain “Jump Around” into an anti-Sooner anthem.  And, don’t forget Capel’s b-ball team that got rocked by the VCU Rams, his former team.  Seriously, did you jump off a cliff this weekend?

- Rusty Jackson, Texhoma, Texas

A: I am typing out this response from the rather large ravine that I did indeed toss myself into after the collective DUMP THAT OU TOOK ON ME THIS WEEKEND.  This is the kind of showing that makes you want to give up sports.

That raises the issue.  Is it possible to really give up on your favorite team?  I say no.  The first time I ever tried to do it was when I was 8 years old and the Dodgers were on a serious losing streak. I declared that I was no longer a fan of Dodger blue and tried to become a Cincinnati Reds fan.  However, each morning when I would look through the box scores in the local paper I found my gaze straying from the Reds to find out what the Dodgers had done the night before. The reason?  If you are a true fan, you can NEVER give up on your team.  Even when they TEAR OUT YOUR HEART, LIKE OU DID TO ME THIS WEEKEND.

Did I kinda avoid answering your questions Rusty? You bet. Stay tuned, though, because if those goat loving, tobacco chewing troglodytes from Stillwater win Bedlam this weekend, then I may have to dedicate an entire column to how FREAKING BAD THIS OU FOOTBALL SEASON HAS REALLY BEEN.

Q: So, how about Les Miles and his clock management skills?

- Earl Papadeaux, Natchez, Louisiana

A: Oh, how I detest Les Miles.  What an overrated, egotistical, arrogant insipid little man crowned with an ill-fitting hat. How many times must he do something like this before Tiger Nation rises up and says enough is enough.  The LSU school newspaper, “The Daily Reveille” is calling for the firing of offensive coordinator Gary Crowton over this debacle.

First, “The Daily Reveille,” really? I had to look up “reveille” to even know what the students there are referencing.  It is a bugle call associated with the military.  So, the newspaper is a daily bugle call.   Whatever.

Second, firing the offensive coordinator is completely missing the point.  Did anyone see Les Miles’ patented “deer in headlights” look as the precious seconds ticked away in the game against Ole Miss? He was befuddled, bamboozled and flummoxed all at the same time. This man could not coach his way out of a paper bag when decisions that are tougher than what to eat after the game are on the line.  Speaking of food…

Q: Don’t you think that Mark Mangino is just mean, mean, mean!

- Dolores Bitterbottom, Mulberry, Kansas

A: Look, I have had my share of crude talking insensitive coaches.  Heck, it is really part of the job description as far as I can tell.  Reminds me of a funny story.  Ed Honcho and I used to have a baseball coach that referred to him as “Colonel Sanders” because he was too “chicken” to get down on the ball when fielding grounders in practice.  That was funny. What Mangino (allegedly) has been doing?  Not cool.

When a college student confides in a coach about his alcoholic father, that should remain between him and the coach. Same thing with a player that tells coach about his brother getting shot in the neighborhood he grew up in .  To use that information against the players is the sign of a man that has lost touch with reality.  He is not breaking players down and then building them up.  He is just breaking them.

While we are on the subject, I am wondering if any Jayhawk ever gave it back to the coach? In case they have not, and current Jayhawks are looking for some ideas, here is my humble proposal for a dialogue with Mangino:

Mangino – “Hey, stop loafing WR!  You keep that up and you will wind up on welfare and turning tricks in an alley for crack cocaine like that story about your mom you shared with me in a closed door meeting the other day.”

WR – “Hey Coach.  Here’s a thought.  Maybe you should drop your daily caloric intake by, I don’t know, maybe 40,000 calories.  Seriously, do you really need that entire rack of ribs to go with your 22 ounce steak, double cheese-burger and fried okra covered in brown gravy?  I’m just looking out for you.  Well, I am also looking out for the players that keep getting hit by one of your 17 chins when you move suddenly on the sideline.”

Q: How about Jimmy Clausen getting cold-cocked by an angry Irish fan at local bar?

- Gaye Barr, Elkhart, Indiana

A: This had to be the first time anything associated with the Irish was on target this whole season.  My only question is why not track down and punch Charlie Weis?  The guy is pushing 3 bills and his knees are shot.  There is no way he could get away quickly enough to avoid a total pummeling. (please note that Mad Adam, while prone to fits of anger, does not condone nor promote violence against athletes and/or coaches….you know, unless they really deserve it).

Q: As an unabashed fan of front-running, big money teams like the Lakers and Sooners, is it any surprise that you’ve recently declared yourself a Manchester City fan? And even though you’ll do your best to spin the answer, it’s mostly rhetorical, as the indisputable answer is “no.”

- Ed Honcho, Sunbathing on the French Riviera

A: Nice try Ed.  You are clearly trying to bait me into a fit of rage.  However, unlike Tila Tequila, I am not that easy.  You see, what you are failing to tell our readers is that it is “undisputable” that I became a fan of the Blues prior to September 2008 when Man City was purchased by the Abu Dhabi United Group, making it the wealthiest club in the world.

Which means that I became a fan of Man City, a team that has not won silverware since 1976, before this fortuitous twist transformed them into the Champions League chasing team they are today.  So, SUCK IT ED.  Seriously.

Q: Is it true that you’ve been in the same fantasy football league for almost 20 years and never won?

- Bjorn Bjornssen, Hammerfest, Norway

A: Bjorn, now I am starting to get pissed.  Your “source” is mistaken.  Allow me to provide you a history lesson. Yes, I have been in the same fantasy football league since 1988.  In fact, Ed Honcho, myself and friends may have indeed invented fantasy football.

No, it is NOT true that I have failed to ever be crowned champion.  My team has a long and storied history.  I consistently make the playoffs, and I have been in not one, not two, but THREE championship games.  Several years ago Ed Honcho and I squared off in the championship game.  The game ended in a tie according to an on-line fantasy sports site that will not be named.  Incredibly, after nearly two decades of fantasy sports our collective group had never devised a tie-breaker scenario.  So, we declared a tie and the championship was split between Mad Adam and Ed Honcho.

Now things get interesting.  Approximately 6 months later, one of our friends and fellow fantasy owner, we will call him “ass-wipe,” decided to peruse the web-site because he had nothing better to do.  He was surprised to see that the CRAPPY, STUPID AND PROFESSIONALLY NEGLIGENT web-site that shall not be named had changed the score for Jeff Garcia (my starting QB at the time) by one measly STUPID point.  Ass-wipe decides to share this information with the league.  The result? Years of bickering and a COMPLETELY FALSE AND WHOLLY UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIM of an undisputed and sole championship by Ed.

Many of you may ask, and rightly so, how in the world can you change the score of a fantasy sports championship MONTHS after the fact?  Isn’t that like tuning in for the Super Bowl and watching the Pats lose to the Giants, only to find out the following summer that the NFL had changed its mind and declared that the David Tyree “helmet catch” was an incompletion and the Pats actually won?  Good point.  And Bjorn, you no fantasy knowledge having dude from Hammerfest, did you stop to ask what would have happened if we applied the tie-breaking rules we have today?  No? Well, let me tell you what would have happened. I WOULD HAVE WON.  And, what would have happened if we played the next week (since we tabulated the points just to see)?….wait for it….that’s right….. I WOULD HAVE WON.

Dammit.  Now my blood pressure is though the roof.  Bjorn, I am sure you can see from the foregoing synopsis that in fact I DID WIN A FREAKING CHAMPIONSHIP.  And, if you don’t agree with me then you CAN JUST ENJOY YOUR CITY WHICH REEKS OF REINDEER MANURE.  That’s right, I said it.

Q: Why so angry? Childhood trauma? Life stacked against you? What?

- Adolfo Ocampo, Ushuaia, Argentina

A: As I am sure you can see from the questions posed by some ingrates above, as well as the other stupid topics that got me riled up, there are plenty of reasons I am angry.  SO, STICK YOUR POP PSYCHOLOGY UP YOUR ASS ADOLFO.  I will be sure to call if I ever need your attention.  Don’t hold your breath in the meantime.

Thank you loyal readers.  Until next time, keep watching sports and DON’T PISS ME OFF!!!

Larry Bird conquistó en tres ocasiones (1983/84-1984/85-1985/86) el premio al mejor jugador del año. El jugador de los Boston Celtics maravilló durante años con su baloncesto y con sus enfrentamientos con Magic Johnson, que obtuvo el mismo galardón también por tres veces.

Después del dominio de Michael Jordan, donde se intercalaron jugadores como Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson o Karl Malone, vino una nueva generación en la que brillaron Shaquille O´Neil, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan y Kevin Garnett. Y, de repente, otro blanco apareció en escena. Steve Nash, un canadiense de 1,91 de altura y una figura que nada tenía que ver con los hombres nombrados anteriormente, se adueñaba del baloncesto americano. Sus pases imposibles, su modo de dirigir el juego, sus valientes entradas a canasta, sus tiros certeros, su desparpajo y, sobre todo, el hecho de hacer mejores a sus compañeros, le valieron ser nombrado dos veces seguidas mejor jugador de la temporada (2004/05 y 2005/06).

El cetro no iba a ser abandonado por los blancos a las primeras de cambio, y Dirk Nowitzki se convirtió al año siguiente en el primer europeo en recibir el MVP. El alemán, con un estilo algo tosco, muy lejos de la estética del vuelo sin motor inventada por Air Jordan, asombró a la NBA con una muñeca y una agilidad impropias de un jugador de 213 centímetros de altura.

Pero la hegemonía blanca tenía sus días contados. Kobe Bryant, que para entonces ya tenía tres anillos, reclamó el trono que antes se le había negado, y volvió a poner en lo más alto el estilo de juego inventado por Michael Jordan.

El último rey es King James. Desde luego, se parece más a MJ que Dirk Nowitzki, pero son jugadores muy distintos. Lebron James ha inventado un nueva forma de jugar al baloncesto, y ésta se basa en ser el más fuerte sobre la cancha. Nadie puede parar a King James, al menos no cuando está en carrera y menos cuando ha iniciado el vuelo.

No cuestiono la elección de estos hombres como los mejores de los últimos 25 años, eran los mejores. Pero me gustaría destacar la dificultad que entraña ser elegido MVP cuando se es blanco. Larry Bird, Steve Nash y Dirk Nowitzki no son precisamente un ejemplo de fortaleza física. Ninguno de ellos machacaba el aro como lo hace un jugador de color, ninguno alcanzaba la velocidad de los afroamericanos, pero supieron imponer sus propias reglas, basadas en el cálculo, la reflexión, la oportunidad.

Has anyone been watching the Celtics lately?  If you have then you are probably like me and a little concerned with the way things have been going.  Even the games they have been winning have not been very impressive.  Kevin Garnett does not look right – the fact that he still seems to have a limp and there has never been anything official on what he actually hurt last year is concerning.  Rajon Rondo does not look like the same player – could it be a post-contract hangover?  Contracts are guaranteed in the NBA so I sure hope not.  Ray Allen and Rasheed Wallace have not found their stroke from the outside lately.  Thankfully Paul Pierce continues to be the dependable scorer for this team, especially towards the end of the game.

Ultimately I think this team will turn it around but the trend is concerning.  For a team that was talking about 72 wins at the start of the year, they better hope that it turns around quickly.

The Captain gets the game ball: solid D, great offensive punch, final play call.

Let’s face the facts: the Celtics are playing mediocre ball and have been for the last week and a half. Despite their 10-4 record, it’s mediocre ball at best. This most recent game against New York raised more questions than answers.

I’m a teacher. I teach world history and economics. I ask a lot of questions. My students ask a lot of questions. We all ask a lot of questions. It can more often than not show a deeper understanding of a topic. Other times, it’s just the perfect thing to do when we are absolutely bewildered by a topic.

I’m bewildered.
I’m going to stop diagnosing.

Hey ¡RONDO! why aren't we seeing more of this?

Here are 34 questions for the Celtics because I just don’t know what else to say. Why 34 questions? Because #34 is Paul Pierce. Paul Pierce is the Truth. So by the power of transitive property, 34 = The Truth. I am hoping these 34 questions lead to some level of enlightenment and higher understanding.

1. Why is overall energy level so inconsistent and why aren’t we
2. Why is our offense settling for so many low percentage jumpers with the shot clock expiring?
3. Why are we not attacking the hoop more?
4. Why is Rondo playing like a $3 million PG on some nights and an $11 million PG on other nights?
5. Why is our help defense scheme look so slow?
6. Why is Ray Allen getting so many more minutes than he needs?
7. Why isn’t Quisy getting more playing time?
8. Why is Sheed shooting 3s like I shoot 3s?
9. What’s going to happen in a few weeks when Glen Davis returns (remember: no more Big Baby)?
10. When will KG finally be in game shape?
11. Actually: will KG ever be back to being in good game shape (even if he can’t jump)?
12. When will everyone realize how unbelievably good Pierce is playing right now?
13. Will Danny many any trades before the new year?
14. If Danny were to make trades, what do we really need right now?
15. Is our PG by committee / PG by convenience working?
16. Will the Real Eddie House please stand up? Please stand up?
17. Has Doc ripped into his team yet about what the heck is wrong with them?
18. Is this the kind of play we can expect for the rest of the season?
19. Is it a good sign that Rondo can’t hit his FTs because it means he is finally changing his shooting style   for the firs time in his career?
20. Will Doc force Sheed down on the block more?
21. Why isn’t Perk closing out quarters more often?
22. Aren’t we a defense-minded team?
23. So why aren’t we a) playing defense better and b) letting one of our team’s best defenders (Perk) get more minutes on the floor?
24. Why haven’t we seen more dynamic lineups on the floor (like Rondo, Pierce, KG, Perk, Sheed; or Ray, Pierce, Quisy, KG, Sheed; or Rondo, Piece, Quisy, Perk, Sheed)?
25. Will TA’s first game in the 2010 season be in Celtic green?
26. Will Scal continue to be 100% efficient on the floor for as little minutes as he is getting?
27. Should we trade Scal (with TA) and if so should we get him more minutes?
28. Is JR Giddens the epitome of practice hero and game zero?
29. Will Shelden William’s interior game improve with more touches?
30. Why can’t our team get offensive rebounds (is it not built into our defensive scheme?)?
31. Why have we started so slow offensively in almost every game this season (what happened to those 30+ points from 2008-2009?)?
32. Why are we giving up so many points in the first half?
33. Why are we turning into a team that either wins/loses a game in the 3rd quarter?
34. Is the whole “sleep experts” advice of bypassing pre-game shoot arounds in favor of naps really working?

I want to see an absolute spanking tomorrow night against the 76ers on Wednesday night. I want Philly to waddle off the court.

Cool, then we done.

Next question?
Cool, then we done.

Articles of the day from my 3 favorite Celtics sites: It’s not time to trade Ray Allen (yet) at CelticsBlog, Myth or Fact: The Celtics are shooting too many 3s at RedsArmy, Do you believe Doc at CelticsHub.

Here we are at the 1 month point in the NBA regular season. This week has been a great one. One thing I have noticed to this point, the good teams are winning, the bad teams are losing. There is a pretty big disparity in the top teams and the bottom teams. I understand trying to get free agents in the off-season coming up and some teams have dumped players in hope of picking up these great players, but do you think they are going to want to go to a team that finishes 20-62? I wouldn’t. I know damn well LeBron doesn’t want to go to the Knicks with the team that they have now.

Performance of the Month

This time, I am looking the best performance of the month. A lot to choose from but its got to go to the YungBuck3 (his Twitter name) Brandon Jennings. He dropped 55 against the Golden State Warriors, which takes away from the performance a little bit because they are not good plain and simple, but still, 55 points is 55 points. Here is a clip of that night when he served the Warriors the speed limit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFBg1LLYC_k

Play of the Week

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pawMSgU-E-k&feature=player_embedded

The one bad thing about this weeks play of the week, it didn’t count. Kevin Garnett made a shot from the other team’s foul line after time expired in the 2nd qurter against the Golden State Warriors. This is something we all do every time we go into a basketball gym, chuck up a full court shot and see if we can make it. Most of the time, we don’t. That one lucky time we do make it however, it’s always “OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT!?!?!?!” It’s something very hard to do, and that’s why we get so excited when we make the shot. Garnett made the shot even harder then it usually is. He did a spin move into the shot, and then chucked it one-handed. Most of us shoot it like we would pass a chest-pass, but we just chuck it up. The one-hander is a lot harder than the chest-pass shot. Unfortunately, it was after time had expired. Get’em next time KG.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Let’s start in the eastern Conference and the Orlando Magic. They are on a 5-game winning streak. Two of the wins were quality while the other three were over “cupcake” teams. They took down the Celtics in a 83-78 victory, which was very impressive. Now, the Magic know they not only can contend with the C’s, but can also beat them. They also beat the Raptors which is not a team to sleep on. What I like about this streak is that the Magic are getting it done from every position on the court, not only Dwight Howard. Jameer Nelson dropped 16 one game, Rashard Lewis tracks a double-double the next, Vince Carter leads them with 26 against the Celtics, and sharp-shooter JJ Redick lights it up for 19 the next. If the role players can take some of the pressure off of Superman, there chances of getting back to the title round rises tremendously.

Moving on to stock down, the New Jersey Nets. Need I say more? Like really, 0-13. They are horrible. It’s pathetic that the metropolitan area has a combined 3 wins total. That area is the mecca of basketball in the entire world and yet, they have 3 wins. They really don’t even deserve my time. A few years ago, they were winning rings with JKidd, VC3, and RJ. Now, they are 0-13. You guys don’t even get pictures.

I’ll stop bashing on the NJ Nets and move on to stock up in the west. The Mavs get this weeks stock up. They are on a 5-game winning streak where they beat the Spurs in a 99-94 thriller. Dirk Nowitzki is playing at a MVP lever. When he is on, no one can stop him. There is no one in the league that can match up with a 7-foot shooter. He is the best big man shooter in the history of the league…EVER. If you think there is a better shooter 7-feet and over, please name him. Jason Terry is a great compliment to Dirk. When they get the pick-n-roll working with those two, they are very hard to beat. Shawn Marion was a great pick up for them even though he was injured in the Spurs game and did not play. In the latter-end of the season, this squad will be one to reckon with.

The Timberwolves take stock down in the western conference for the second straight week. I wasn’t sure if it was possible for a team to get this award 2 weeks in a row, but the T-Wolves managed to pull it off. Any team on a 12-game losing streak deserves it. After trading away Garnett, the Wolves have been on a drastic decline. Liek the Nets, the really don’t deserve my time to look for pictures for them. Congrats Timberwolves for the 2nd straight week.

Eastern Conference

The way I see the East taking shape, right now, I only think two teams can contend for the Eastern Conference Championship. The Magic and Celtics are clearly the 2 best teams. However, the Atlanta Hawks are playing great ball right now and you can never count out LeBron. I still can’t put these two teams on the first tier with the Magic and C’s, but we will see how the rest of the season continues to progress. It should be a tight one in the east.

Here are the standings after a month of action:

1. Boston Celtics (10-4) (previously 1st in the East)
2. Orlando Magic (11-3) (previously 2nd in the East)
3. Atlanta Hawks (11-3) (previously in 4th the East)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4) (previously 3rd in the East)
5. Miami Heat (8-5) (previously 5th in the East)
6. Milwaukee Bucks (8-3) (previously 7th in the East)
7. Chicago Bulls (6-6) (previously 6th in the East)
8. Toronto Raptors (6-8) (previously 8th in the East)
9. Indiana Pacers (5-6) (previously 9th in the East)
10. Philadelphia 76ers (5-8) (previously 10th in the East)
11. Detroit Pistons (5-9) (previously 11th in the East)
12. Charlotte Bobcats (4-9) (previously 12th in the East)
13. Washington Wizards (3-9) (previously 13th in the East)
14. New York Knicks (3-10) (previously 14th in the East)
15. New Jersey Nets (0-13) (previously 15th in the East)

Western Conference

In the West, one thing has stood out to me after this week. No one can beat the Lakers. Did you see how easy everything has been for them with Pau Gasol back in the lineup? This is one of the best front lines of all time. Adding Ron Artest into the lineup gave them something Trevor Ariza did not, another big man. Ron can play both a guard position and a forward position if needed. The Lakers have 5 players that can play in the post, causing so many match-up problems. Pau, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Ron Arter, and Kobe can all score from the post. Most teams only have 2 or 3 post players at most. I really don’t think anyone can stand in the Lakers way of a repeat besides injuries.

Standings after 4 weeks of play:

1. Los Angeles Lakers (10-3) (previously 1st in the West)
2. Dallas Mavericks (10-3) (previously 5th in the West)
3. Phoenix Suns (11-3) (previously 2nd in the West)
4. Portland Trailblazers (10-5) (previously 3rd in the West)
5. Denver Nuggets (9-4) (previously 4th in the West)
6. San Antonio Spurs (5-6) (previously 7th in the West)
7. Houston Rockets (8-6) (previously 6th in the West)
8. Utah Jazz (7-6) (previously 8th in the West)
9. New Orleans Hornets (6-9) (previously 12th in the West)
10. Oklahoma City (7-7) (previously 9th in the West)
11. Los Angeles Clippers (5-9) (previously 11th in the West)
12. Sacramento Kings (5-7) (previously 10th in the West)
13. Memphis Grizzlies (4-9) (previously 14th in the West)
14. Golden State Warriors (4-8) (previously 13th in the West)
15. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-12) (previously 15th in the West)

Special thanks to Yahoo! Sports for all of their great photos. Keep an eye out for next week’s updates as well. Thanks for the read and feel free to leave any comments you have.

]]> http://dunkonu.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/jason-maxiell-top-5-blocks/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:09:30 +0000 dunkonu http://dunkonu.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/jason-maxiell-top-5-blocks/

I think the time is right to share (what we think are) the Top 5 Jason Maxiell Blocks with you after what Jason did to Shannon Brown a few days ago. Was that block ridiculous or what? Ouch…had to hurt. Brown can dunk on pretty much everybody, but Maxiell…what a block…wow…

#5 – Jermaine O’Neal – denied

#4 – Reggie Who?

#3 – Ain’t gonna work, Mr. Garnett, but you keep trying…

We could do a Top 5 of Jason Maxiell blocking Kevin Garnett alone by the way – you don’t believe me? Ask you local YouTube Video Dealer. Go. www.youtube.com – I dare you.

#2 – Meet me at the top, Shannon Brown – you’ll never be the same again

#1 – Jason Maxiell destroys Tyson Chandler’s dignity

Is Jason Maxiell the best “meet-me-at-the-rim” shot blocker playing right now? If you don’t say yes, let me know who you think is better. Wait, I’ll help you with that one: Nobody.

KG hit this ridiculous shot at the end of the first half last night. Unfortunately the shot did not count—as it was released after time ran out—but it did hype the crowd and his teammates. Check the video…

In the waning seconds of the first half in Wednesday’s Celtics/Warriors game Kevin Garnett grabbed a rebound and, after a nifty spin move, launched up a 75-footer. The ball was definitely still in his hands when time expired and the refs rightly waved off the basket, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t totally cool. Because it was. Watch.

Does this remind anyone else of the shot that Woody Harrelson has to make to prove himself in White Men Can’t Jump? Great movie, and the clip only gets me more excited about going to the C’s game tomorrow night with SMC and CutFromLittleLeague. Especially since they ended the slide where all four of our teams had lost their last game.

Now if the Sox would just do something.

Go Celtics, Go Sox.

87 Days.

Done.

N.M. Cabangbang

The 2009-2010 NBA season is going to start soon. I have already been reading a lot of predictions of who is going to win it, and a lot of analysts say it is going to be Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers again. I just hope not.

I do not care what the world says, I have never been a fan of Kobe Bryant. I am just tired of the fact that a lot people hype him up or compare him to Michael Jordan. I am so tired of that, there will never be a next Michael Jordan and Kobe will never be like Mike.

Kobe won his first three champions with the help of Shaquille O’neal. Then he won his new championship because the Orlando Magic was too young and nervous during the NBA finals. The guy is really not that great. The only thing great about him is the hype. He is a great player alright but when people start comparing him to Jordan, that is another thing. People should just get over it. He will never be Michael, he can only be Kobe.

Another thing I dislike about Kobe is that, he is right now the NBA’s symbol of a superstar. And when that happens, a lot of young kids think that superstars can win basketball games on their own. Basketball, like a lot of sports is about teamwork, not about superstars. And if Kobe Bryant continues to win, a lot of young kids will continue to believe that you do not need teamwork to win, you only need to be a superstar. So this NBA culture about NBA superstars is a bad influence to young kids.

So if I am not rooting for the Lakers, whom am I rooting for? Right now, I really like the Orlando Magic to win because I want Vince Carter and coach Van Gundy to finally win a championship. I just want this team to win because Vince Carter and Van Gundy have never won it. It would also be great for the city of Orlando. But a lot of analysts say that the Orlando Magic has no chance this coming season. So for the fear of Kobe winning again, I also have to root for the Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs for insurance. (In fact, I would even welcome any team to win just as long it is not the Lakers.) Both the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs play good defense and teamwork, these two teams are good examples to kids. That is why I hope they win.

Yeah, I know winning championships is not about being a good example or about sympathy votes, it is not about the good teams nor the good players. It is about the great teams and the great players. And that has always been true along the way but it has never stopped me from hoping that maybe unselfish players such as Steve Nash, Yao Ming, and Grant Hill will someday hoist the Larry O’ Brien trophy. That is why when the Chicago Bulls played against the Utah Jazz, I wanted Karl Malone and John Stockton to win. That is why when Los Angeles Lakers was up against the Indiana Pacers, I wanted Reggie Miller and company to win. That is why when Alonzo Mourning (Miami Heat)and Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics) finally won an NBA championship, it lifted my spirits up.

I always have been rooting for the underdog to win. I want everybody to win because a lot of people are happy when they win. Winning is such a great feeling. Maybe watching too much Rocky films has made me into this. Maybe being a Filipino in a country such as ours made me into this. Maybe it’s because a lot of us are underdogs. We all love those “rags to riches” or FPJ movie storylines. We all want to see those inspiring movies come to life. And sometimes these stories do come true. It happened when The Detroit Pistons won against the Los Angeles Lakers with no superstars, just role players. It happened with teamwork and defense of the Celtics’ in 2008.

So I hope it happens this NBA season, we all need the inspiration. Go Orlando! Go Spurs! Go Boston!

12% of the season finished, 88% left. Plenty. Of. Time.

I want to stress very early on in this post that I am not freaking out. You are not freaking out. Well, you might be freaking out, but there is no need for you to be freaking out. It’s far too early to be freaking out. We are just a tad over 1/8 of the way through the season. A measly 12% through. Calm down, folks.

Yes we have dropped 2 games, but it really isn’t a big deal. Our loss column is filled with the number 3, but there is also the number 8 in the wins column. Only 1 team in the entire NBA has played more games than us (Portland), while some teams like Milwaukee and Indiana have played 8 and 7 games, respectively. We still have the 3rd best win % in the East.

Let’s also face this fact: out of the 3 teams that are responsible for handing the Celtics a loss, Atlanta is the only one that could push us in a 7 game series. Neither Phoenix nor Indiana could take us in 7 games: both teams were on fire and couldn’t miss– you can’t repeat those shooting nights over and over again. There is a difference between taking a team down during any given game and taking a team down 4 times out of a possible 7 chances. 7 game series are designed to allow the better team to prevail. The Celtics are better than the Suns and the Pacers. Case closed.

Why you should feel good:

• Boston is the only team with a double-digit positive point differential in the entire league at +10.2.
• The Celtics are 2nd in points allowed by opposing teams with 88.3 per game.
• On BasketballReference.com, the Celtics are ranked 1st in Pythagorean W-L (Pythagorean Wins; the formula is G * (Tm PTS14 / (Tm PTS14 + Opp PTS14))); ranked 2nd in SRS with a score of 7.95 (read the explanation here: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=37); and ranked 1st in BR’s team defense rating with a score of 97.8 (Defensive Rating (available since the 1977-78 season in the NBA; for players and teams it is points allowed per 100 possessions.)

We are a good team. We are designed to win a series, not every game. We are designed to win a series, not every game.
We have smart players and great coaches that have high basketball IQs: whatever is going wrong in a series, as long as we are healthy, we will rectify and fix.

But… of course, we did just drop 2 games to younger, more athletic teams.
Let’s see these 5 things as we move forward against the next 5 games: Golden State (Wed), Orlando (Fri), New York (Sun), Philly (Wed), and Tor (Fri) in the following week and a half.

Perk is a beast. The beast needs to close out the 4th.

• Keep rebounding. It’s pretty simple: the more boards a team gets, the less the opposing team gets. More rebounds = more possessions and more chances to score while at the same time taking away chances for the opposing team to score. We need to box out. We need to send 2 guys into crash the boards while sending the other 3 into transition.
• More Quisy. More Shelden. I want to see these 2 get a few more minutes: with Pierce banged up, I’m hoping we see more Quisy. His title, thus far in the young season, should be Mr. Efficiency. Everything he does is efficient, modest, controlled, and important. Quisy matters to this team as much as Posey mattered to the 2008 team. Quisy is the swingman we need to go deep in the spring. As for Shelden, he’s been Mr. Pleasant Surprise (self-explanatory).
• Perk closing the game. Perk is a Beast. Right? Right. Sheed is in a bit of a funk and I’d like to see him get a few more minutes in the middle of the game instead of the end; I want to see Perk close out the 4th. I’m choosing defense over offensive possibility. I’ll always choose defense over offensive possibility. If you have Perk in, he is guaranteed to play solid interior defense on every defensive possession. Not to say Sheed is a slouch on defense, because he has been great, but Perk can still jump. Perk can still box out stronger guys and do the dirty work underneath that he is genetically and athletically designed to do. Let him close out the quarter because it makes sense.
• Rondo needs to take 12 shots a game. While it was great to see him pushing to create for his teammates against Atlanta this past Friday, but we need to see him aggressively taking it to the hoop. We need floaters. We need lay ups. But more importantly, we need the opposing team’s defense to collapse on Rondo when he enters the paint. If he is going to get players better, clearer looks, the defense needs to bite on the possibility of him shooting/scoring so the other guys are free/open. Rondo will usually be pass-first, so it’s not like we are changing his game. We just need to see him take some more shots.
• Mix up the line-ups. I will have to stop saying this eventually, but for now, I’m still begging for it. I want some dynamic diversity in our line-ups: a speedy lineup, a big lineup, a mix of starters and reserves. Doc has a deep bench that can cause opposing teams major headaches if he is able to mix-in different lineups together. The Celtics are in the position to set the tone with lineups and make other teams match-up against us, as opposed to us having to match up against other teams like we had to do for much of last year.

So if there are 4 blue jerseys around Rondo... Hmm...

My hands are steady. There are 71 more games to play.
Settle in for the ride.

Article of the day: NBA Mate’s “David Andersen can shoot”

Skullcandy have just released another Six headphones onto their NBA Player Series. They originally launched the Deron Williams and Andre Iguodala signature series , now adding Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James to their roster. SC will be adding more player’s to the bill real soon so stay tuned until then check the pic’s after the jump.

Genius at work.

Before I get into the story, let me first share with you that Daryl Morey (HOU), Sam Presti (OKC), an Danny are my 3 favorite GMs. They’re crafty in their own ways, but all three have an UNCANNY ability to recognize talent in different ways. Morey has been known to find players that are fighters, play with an abnormally large chip on their shoulders, grit out every possession, and understand how to play in a system. Presti just finds the right complimentary players. In time, if he can hold onto his core young guys of Harden, Westbrook, Green, and especially K-Durant, my gosh they are going to be a force. Presti has found some great defensive-minded players and as they mature, they will be great in the middle of the pack team in the West. We know about Danny’s track record with draft picks and trades.

So on Thursday, November 12th, I get an update from Twitter about a new follower. I have trouble trusting my young eyes: Daryl Morey? Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

I immediately investigate, and as it turns out, the freakin’ GM of the Houston Rockets is indeed a new follower. Aside from the fact that he would be my most famous follower, Morey only followed 84 other people at that point. I was part of an elite group.

Yup. For real.

I immediately send Morey a direct message asking if a measly blogger like myself can attend the statistical conference later on next year, and he writes back immediately:

Yup. This is also for real.

Of course, I flatter him a bunch and tell him that he wins the award for being Loscy’s most famous follower. I didn’t ask him how he found me, and I wish I had… because 9 hours later he un-followed me. I was irked by the whole ordeal.

Daryl: what did I do to make you leave?!?!

Then… I started to read my tweets the same day. First, there were probably 65+ tweets in that small window of flattery to depression. Hmmm. Maybe Morey was getting sick of the sheer volume of tweets? Probably not. The dude can remember the NYC skyline and draw it from memory after 1 fly-over in a helicopter (seriously: he did it). His ability to push out the crap and keep the goods kind of dismisses that theory. Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen I started reading my tweets a little bit closer and realized that I sounded like a child. Some foul language. Some bad jokes.

Ugh.

Daryl: did you leave me (ie, unfollow me on Twitter) because of the content of my tweets, volume of tweets, or both? Most of them were re-tweets. It wasn’t even my material! I was re-gifting!

AGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I was consoled by my wife: “It’s better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all”.
She was so right. So right.

But it still hurts.

Daryl: I promise to be a better Twitter member if you come back.
Now I’m begging.

How pathetic is this?

Would I be this way if the Celtics had won the last 2 nights?

What’s become of me?!?!?!?!?!?!?

DARYL!!!!!!

–

Torched by Granger.

We didn’t play sloucher teams. We played a young team that we’ve had many close games with and that was simply hungrier than us. On Friday night, Atlanta out-hustled, out-rebounded, out-swaggered, and flatly out-played us. We got killed on second chance points (20-4) and b*tch-slapped off the glass. The very next night, a young team that is playing pretty well torched us in the second half when our defense fell asleep, everything they threw up found its way to the bottom of the net, and our shots were getting stuck between the rim and backboard.

The common denominator in both losses? Young… teams. We have looked slow, old, and a bit out of rhythm. We forced passes. We weren’t playing good transition defense. We had a tough, tough schedule early on (8 in 12) and our current skid, no doubt, is a byproduct of the early going. It is a funk. It will pass.

What about some radical lineups to start the game in Indy? Why not rest Pierce if he was a game-time decision? Why not start Rondo, Ray, Quisy, Shelden, and Perk? Eh.

It is a funk. It will pass.

I’m not going to hinge the entire season on the last two nights. There is plenty to learn from the games, and the coaching staff will figure it out with the players. But at the same time, should we be worried… at least a little bit? We’ve gone from looking invincible to very vulnerable (sort of like last year after the Lakers game on X-Mas day?)

Celtics: go figure it out, please.

Article of the day: Advanced States in Pacers Game at CelticsHub.com

You’ve gotta feel for those poor Minnesota Timberwolves fans.  Well, actually you don’t, but it is amazing what a steep fall it has been since the 2003-04 season when the troika of Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell, and all-time Timberwolf great Kevin Garnett led the team into the Western Conference Finals.

In fact, since former GM Kevin McHale gifted, er traded, Garnett to his former teammate Danny Ainge in Boston, this team has been downright putrid.  Nary a soul is left from the team’s glory days that seem so long gone at this point.

Coming off seasons with records of 22-60 and 24-58, McHale was mercifully let go from his duties as GM and sometimes coach.  But even with McHale gone, this franchise may have not yet seen the bottom. 

In fact, tonight’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies makes it 10 straight for the Timberwolves since a season-opening victory against the still-winless New Jersey Nets, the only team to not yet experience a victory during this first month of the season.

With all due respect to the team that defined NBA mediocrity, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Timberwolves have the potential to create their own brand of basketball stink. 

To make matters worse, the Timberwolves still owe a future first round pick to those same Clippers due to the “shrewd” decision of McHale to pick up the immortal Marko Jaric in a sign-and-trade and throw in a draft choice to sweeten the pot.  Ugh.

Things are so bad that new team President David Kahn penned a letter to the team’s fans between last night’s loss and tonight’s loss.  If there are any fans left. 

Remember, this is the guy who started a new era by drafting two point guards in the first round of this year’s NBA draft, one of whom (Ricky Rubio) is a good bet to never suit up in a Wolves uniform.

At least Kahn’s resume would indicate that he should be a good writer.  Maybe he’ll keep writing until the team keeps winning.

Minnesota Timberwolves team President David Kahn's sportswriting skills might come in handy for his inevitable next job

As for new coach Kurt Rambis, let’s just say that his history as a player and coach has prepared him poorly for this moment.  Meaning, his odds of escaping with sanity intact are getting exponentially worse by the day after being a part of so much success in his basketball lifetime.

Kahn wants the fans to know this: “At times like these, I am motivated to work harder. I want to scout more, watch more film, crunch more numbers, ask more questions. I know Kurt and the coaching staff feel the same. The coaches are the strength of our ballclub right now – I am proud to be working with them. We all recognized when we signed up for this mission that it takes a Herculean effort, from all corners, to turn around a franchise and make it championship-caliber.”

OK, then.  The turnaround is bound to come sooner or later.  But will anyone be left who cares when it does? 

Wolves fans – get ready for another long, cold winter.  With a few more to follow.

Yup. It took some serious wheelin & dealin, but we were able to sign on Kevin Garnett to multi-year deal to sport some official LOSCY.com gear. Some of the details of the negotiation are still pending…

KG in the first official Loscy.com gear.

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Article of the day: “Nobody’s Perfect” on CelticsBlog.com.

What a game. The Raptors, down by 22 in the first quarter, scratch, claw, and fight their way back to win the game by 15 in what ties the teams biggest comeback in franchise history. And how weird it was. Even though the Raps were down for the majority of the game you kind of had the feeling they were going to win; and it’s a good thing too. With three tough games coming up on the road they needed a W more than ever.

Zan for three (plus the foul)

Baron Davis Sucks…

How happy are you that Baron Davis doesn’t play for your team? There’s just something about him. Maybe it’s the beard. Maybe it’s the undeserved swagger. Maybe it’s the fact that he doesn’t play hard. But he just has that special something that makes you want to kick him right square in the nuts.

Jose Calderon Does Not…

After the first couple games I was ready to burn Jose at the stake, but over the last few games he’s had the fire of a Kevin Garnett and the tenacity of a Steve Nash. He’s the type of guy you want on your team. He’s a fighter. He’s a scrapper. He is relentless. Jose reminds me of the type of player Toronto sports fans love to watch. Something’s got him fired up recently. Here’s hoping it’s permanent.

Camaraderie is King

Is it just me or does this team really like each other? Bryan Colaneglo has built a team of likeable, hard working players. From Anotinie Wright to Marco Belinelli to Amir Johnson. This team is finding itself.  Players are beginning to discover their roles and the depth that Colangelo has built for Triano is making it easier to win games. It’s the type of chemistry that was missing last year. It’s the type of chemistry you need on a team if you want to win games.

To Pops or not to Pops?

Let’s make this our new poll. Raps waive Douby, Rockets waive Pops. If  You’re Bryan Colangelo, do you bring Pops back in? Tick tock. Tick tock. Thinking about it now. I make the move. It’s a no-brainer.  He’s a fan favorite. He works hard. And he gives us energy off the bench until Reggie is ready to play.  The move makes a lot of sense.

(I wouldn’t hold your breath though)

Zan of the Night

Jose Calderon

He’s the heart and soul of this team; the pace car. When he plays hard the rest of the team can’t help but follow suit.  18pts, 9 assists and over 50% shooting: that’s a good night.

Not Zan of the Night

Barron Davis

I didn’t even look at his stat line. I just don’t like his beard.

For those of you who don’t know, I live in Seattle. Now, that being said I have a fondness for the Boston Celtics and have for some time. I’m not sure why, beings that they are about as far from Seattle as you can get, but I have just loved watching them play and how their team is run. Another reason may be that former Seattle Sonic Ray Allen plays for them, so naturally I am a fan, and also one of my favorite players of all time Kevin Garnett is also on the squad. My brother can vouch; when we were little I collected KG basketball cards, no lie. So, after all that why write an article about Rajon Rondo? Well, Rondo is going to be the next elite point guard in the NBA right up there with Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, and Jason Kidd. With his ungodly speed, moves that leave more broken ankles than a well placed AI crossover, and a command of the court almost unrivaled in the NBA, Rajon is well on his way to being one of the best. So, how am I so sure that Rondo deserves to be in the top tier of point guards in the NBA? Funny you should ask…

Rondo’s rise to the top started in high school in Louisville Kentucky where he played for famed coach Doug Bibby at Easter High School. During his junior year there, Rondo averaged a balmy 27.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per contest (looks eerily similar to what he did in the playoffs last year, hmmm). Once he was done there, he transferred to the well know NBA star factory Oak Hill Academy. Here are some of his numbers his senior year:

21.0 points per game

12.0 assists per game

Single season record 303 assists

Two 27 assist games and on 31 assist game (single game Oak Hill record)

One 55 point game (second all-time at Oak Hill)

Oh and just for all you visual learners out there…

High School Highlights

Once Rondo was done dominating in the high school ranks, he moved on the University of Kentucky where he had two solid years. Though his per game averages weren’t spectacular (10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) it was his command of the floor and the way he ran his team that garnered him attention from NBA scouts. But, for all his on court skills and crazy potential, there has been one consistent knock on Rondo: attitude. At Kentucky he was slapped with a reputation of being hard to coach, cocky, and sometimes just downright mean. We will get to more on why this is somewhat true, but blown out of proportion later.

So, we all know what happened next, Rondo was selected 21^st overall by the Phoenix Suns and traded to the Celtics. He played backup his first season and began starting late in that season. Then, in his second season he was teamed up with “The Big Three” and the rest is history. When the Celtics first acquired Rondo, Doc Rivers knew what he had.

In a piece from ESPN, it was noted that “Rivers identified early on that Rondo had both the physical attributes (speed and rebounding ability) and intangibles (vision and confidence) to become a star at his position.” Rivers was also quoted as saying “Rondo will be [the franchise player] and it’ll be great.” He is speaking of the post-Big-Three era in Boston of course. So what are the things that Doc sees that are going to make Rondo an elite point guard in this league. I think they boil down to this: leadership, vision, work ethic, defense. With those things intact, the sky is the limit for Double R.

So when the league is playing catch up they know who he is

Being surrounded by arguably one of the greatest trios of all time, Rondo has been successful in leading his team. I mean trying to keep three future hall of famers happy is a tall order. Rondo’s ability to be a leader and move the team where it needs to be is his biggest asset. Paul Peirce knows the value of a strong leader, “He’s doing a great job facilitating the offense and being the quarterback. He understands that he doesn’t have to score. But what he’s been doing these four games into the season; his maturity has been tremendous to watch.”

It has always been a criticism on Rondo that he is too quiet, too in his own mind, not enough of a team player. Maybe those people saying that should ask the people that are closest to him on a daily basis. Kendrick Perkins, his teammate and Boston Celtics center, has said “If you didn’t know him, you’d think he’s just this quiet kid, But he can be the loudest guy in the locker room.” Perkins isn’t the only won recognizing Rondo’s skills and ability. Kevin Garnett sees Rondo as the future of the league.

“If Rondo is not the best point guard in three or four years, I’d be very, very surprised. He has all the tools to lead a team. His defense is unlike any other guard I’ve seen. He has the quickness of a Tony Parker. He has the eyes and the passing skills of a Jason Kidd. He has to establish that 15-foot jumper, make it stick and be consistent. But I’m very, very, very, very impressed with Rondo.”

The C’s recently played the New Orleans Hornets and before the game, head coach Byron Scott was asked about the matchup between Rondo and Chris Paul and has this to say, “Rajon Rondo should be considered among the top five or six point guards in the league.” High praise from someone who coaches Paul, who is widely considered the top point guard in the league. Speaking of Paul vs. Rondo, they were involved in a spat after that game. Now some people criticized Rondo for this. I say it shows he is not afraid, ready to stand up to anyone, even the great CP3

He ain’t affraid

Taking the comments of his future hall of fame teammates, I think Rajon’s leadership skills are not to be questioned. Though it is of high value, leadership is somewhat intangible. Things like presence, court awareness, and knowledge of what to do when are also things that are hard to measure. Rondo has all these things, as well as one of his greatest assets that is measureable, and that is vision. For me, vision translates into seeing the floor and subsequently abusing your opponent while placing the ball to your teammates in a position to do damage. For all intents and purposes, these are assists. But over and above that, vision is not just getting an assists, it is knowing when and where to push the ball, pull it out, take a jump shot, or drive to the basket. Please witness in this highlight reel.

Highlight Reel

After the Chicago game referenced above (you know you want to watch that video again) Doc Rivers called Rondo “the most dominate player on the floor.” This is on a night when his line was 2 points on 2 shots, 16 assists to only 2 turnover, and 8 rebounds. Dominate with his vision and leadership, not with scoring. Most guys could go out and get 20 points if the shot enough and played enough minutes, but very few people can get 16 assists and only turn the ball over twice in an entire game. Vision. ESPN Boston had a piece on Rondo and why he should be in the discussion of top point guards in the league. They said, “Rondo, only 23 years old and in his fourth NBA season, seems to have triple-double potential. That’s the type of output previously reserved for the likes of Jason Kidd…”

To go along with his vision, Rondo is one of the best off the ball defenders and one of the best steal guys in the league. So far this season he is averaging 3.0 steals per game, up from his 1.9 per game last season and 1.8 per game for his career. Defensive specialists are usually role player guys, a la a Bruce Bowen, who don’t contribute in other statistical categories. Rondo is not that type. Though his one on one defense isn’t spectacular, his unnatural wing span and frying-pan-sized hands give him the ability to get lots of deflections and thefts from off the ball.

Cookies!

Slam Magazine did their yearly ranking of the 50 best players in the NBA recently, and Rondo came in at number 27. Is it so crazy to think that there are only 26 guys that are more valuable to their teams and are better players than Rondo? In the playoffs last year, with Kevin Garnett out, Rondo bore the weight of carrying the Celtics through the playoffs on his broad shoulders, pushing his 171 pound frame to its limits. Wasn’t Rondo’s play the determining factor in the Celtics run last year? Slam had this to say,

“Think about that Celtics team minus Kevin Garnett. We saw how that worked out this past postseason. Now, picture that team also without Rajon Rondo. Or, substitute Garnett’s absence for Rondo’s. Is it so ludicrous to think that the impact would be just as large? Who would have stepped in to save them and fill Rondo’s shoes? Eddie House?”

Now that we have gone over the things that Rondo brings to the table, can we please talk about aesthetic presentation? I mean are there many more guys in the NBA that are more fun to watch than Rondo. I mean you watched the videos, and he does it all with a straight face. That crazy fake-around-the-back-cupping-the-ball-with-my-giant-mitt move that he does is crazy and I’ve never seen it before. Watching him slash through defense, find his teammates in impossible places, and throw in the occasional posterizing slam (see below) and what more entertainment could you want?

Get up little guy

The main argument I hear against putting Rondo in that top tier is that he is only good because he plays with great players. Well, it is true that he plays with great players, but playing with them doesn’t diminish his game, it just changes it. If say Rondo switched places with Chris Paul and played with the guys Paul does, do you think that Rondo wouldn’t be just as successful if not more? We have seen that Rondo can score when he needs to, even in the playoffs, but he doesn’t just because he doesn’t need to now. If he didn’t have legit scorers on his team, why could he average 20+ points a game?

Slam Magazine makes a good point in saying, “Asking whether his game benefits from the players around him is like asking whether Phil Jackson has helped Kobe Bryant’s career. The question isn’t open for debate. It also doesn’t really matter, because to quote any and every NBA player, it is what it is. And, it is what each has made out of it.” So each player’s position is what it is and really shouldn’t affect their value. If anything Rondo has thrived in an environment that most others would have failed. Think of the pressure and expectations of playing with The Big Three. I mean over and above trying to keep them happy, but the expectations of Sports Nation and the Celtics organization. He has taken it in stride and done what most other players probably couldn’t.

So where would you rank him? Top 10, top 5? Hoopsworld.com had a ranking system that seemed legit to me:

These are the players I would trade for, move the earth for, revamp my roster for, and change my philosophy for.  If I can get them in any way shape or form, I’m pulling the trigger.  If any of these players are running my team, we are immediately relevant and a perennial playoff contender. I want management to do whatever it takes to get a player in this group.

Chris Paul – simply the toughest competitor at the position
Tony Parker – totally un-guardable and offensively dominant in stretches
Deron Williams – takes over games when he’s rolling
Chauncey Billups – the best veteran QB in the league
Derrick Rose – he’s a 10-year All-Star
Rajon Rondo – can wreak havoc and dominate on both ends

For me, it goes Paul, Williams, Rondo, Nash, Kidd, and then everyone else. Those are the guys who make or break their teams and get the job done on both ends as well as on the glass. Rondo should be and will be among the top two or three point guards in the league this year and for many years to come, you heard it here first. Also, just to leave you with something to think about, check this shot…

Ridiculous

I could do better…