The month of December has not be a merry one for the Utah Jazz, and as a Jazz fan, it has been utterly frustrating watching them at times.  We all feel like the Jazz have the potential to be a really great team, but we are just seeing glimpses of it every other night.

Last night, the Jazz lost to the now 4-21 Minnesota Timberwolves.  That is bad in itself, but two of those four wins are against the Jazz, and last night’s loss was in Utah.  Last night’s game was one of the more frustrating games I have ever watched, with poor defense, lack of hustle at times, and of course letting the team with the worst record in the West, win.  And to top it all of, they gave up a career high 28 points to Jonny Flinn, a rookie.  Two of those points came with three seconds left to put the T-Wolves up for good.

I am always curious what Jazz team will show up to play.  Last Monday they beat the Spurs, then lost to the Lakers in Los Angeles.  In that Laker game, they only managed to score six points in the 4th quarter, not good.  The Jazz then come home and beat the Magic, and get revenge on the Lakers, both at home.  So what happens after that? They lose to the T-Wolves.  It doesn’t add up if you are a Jazz fan, and it is frustating as can be.

The Jazz play at New Jersey tomorrow, and I am honestly concerned about that game.  I have no confidence with their play right now.  Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer have been playing well, but the other guys needs to pick it up, and with Kyle Korver and C.J. Miles back from injury plus rookie Wes Matthews still playing well, it will be interesting to see what the rotation will be.  If they are a good team, they need to put the weaker opponents down, and I pray that they can do that against the Nets.

With the NBA season already started, Pickyrpoison has decided to make things a bit more interesting. Thus, we compiled a few NBA personalities and their celebrity counterparts. Let us know what you think!

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Robert Horry / Will Smith

Pharell Williams / Caron Butler

Steve Nash / James Blunt

Kyle Korver / Ashton Kutcher

Corey Magette / Xzibit

Stan van Gundy / Ron Jeremy

E.T. / Sam Cassell

Andrew Bynum / Tracy Morgan

Chris Brown / Shannon Brown (coincidence? hmm)

Finesse Mitchell / Derek Fisher

Phil Jackson / Colonel Sanders

Lately, it has been all smiles for the Utah Jazz.  After a slow start this season, Utah (9-7) is really starting to gel. They have won 5 of their last 6 games and  are showing signs of becoming a dominant presence in the Western Conference this year. Confidence is peaking and spirits are high! The Jazz are playing extremely well despite missing Kyle Korver, CJ Miles, Ronnie Price, and Matt Harpring to injuries. Boozer, who had another big game with 26 points, 12 rebounds,7 assists, 1 block and 1 steal, warned everyone after the game, “…when we get our full team back, watch out!”

The last two games, the Jazz have shot just over 60% from the floor.  Jazz announcer Ron Boone mentioned, ”It’s all because of great execution, making that extra pass, and finding the open teammates.” It’s exactly what the Jazz are doing out there. They are sharing the ball, finding the open man, and getting good high-percentage shots.

Assists have been key for the Jazz. Tonight’s blowout of the Blazers came with a season high 36 assists. Their previous season high (32) was during the annihilation of the Sixers back on November 13th.  The Jazz dominated in both of these games. In fact, the Jazz have not lost this season when they have dished out 26 assists or more in a game. During their nine wins this season, Utah has averaged just under 28 assists per game. On the contrary, when the Jazz lose, they average just under 22 assists.

After the game, Deron Williams said, “Hopefully, we can just realize that this is what we have to do to win, and keep doing it.”

When the Jazz play like they did last night against Portland, they can certainly contend with the top teams in the league. They will definitely have the chance to prove themselves as 5 of their next 12 games are against some of the NBA’s top teams: the Lakers, the Magic, and the Hawks.

How will the Jazz fair during the next 12 games? What is your prediction?

Next game: Monday, Nov. 30 vs. Memphis @ 7:00 PM MT. TV: FSN or NBA League Pass.  Radio: 1320 AM KFAN or 98.7 FM.

2010 All-Star Game Voting: Vote daily at NBA.com for Williams, Boozer, and your favorite Jazz players!

Click here to join the Boozer Mob! (Carlos Boozer fan club)

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!

So, if I haven’t expressed that I love photography… a lot… then I haven’t been doing my job with this blog.  So IF I haven’t made it clear then here… I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY.

One of the reasons I love photography and this business, is because I get to do some amazing things for some amazing people and organizations.

I received a call a few weeks ago from a friend of mine that I know from K2 the church.  He was asking about my photography business and if I would be wiling to do some work for a foundation that he works for and I was thrilled.  The reason I was thrilled was because I want this business to go beyond just portraits and weddings.  I want epic photograph to be able to support and provide high quality, unique photographs for local businesses and organizations in Salt Lake City and beyond.

So with that said, the foundation that my friend Brad works for as their construction manager is the Kyle Korver Foundation.  Kyle Korver is a NBA player for the Utah Jazz and Kyle decided to use his status as an NBA player and his resources to help people in need.  I think it is awesome for someone in his position to do, and it just goes to show that he is a real, genuine guy that wants to do more than just play basketball.  He really has a heart for helping people.

Well, I met up with my friend Brad and Klayton Korver (Kyle’s little brother) and went over the details of the photo shoot.  We decided that we wanted to photograph Kyle building one of the rocking horses that the foundation is providing for kids in need and when Kyle arrived he went straight to work. Here are some of those photos.  Be sure to check the foundation’s website at http://www.kylekorverfoundation.com/

Thanks Kyle, Klayton and Brad for the awesome opportunity to support the foundation.

With college basketball season right around the corner, I felt it was time to reflect on my favorite college basketball players of all time. Honorable mentions: Emeka Okafor, Rip Hamilton, A.J. Price (just a little bit of Uconn love, more to come), Joe Alexander of WVU, Speedy Claxton of Hofstra, Ron Artest of St. Johns.

10. Wally Szcerbiak, Miami of Ohio- While I followed college basketball before hand, I fell in love with it during the 1999 NCAA Tourney. This is the year of Gonzaga, Duke, and Uconn. It is also the year of Wally World. I remember watching unknown Miami of Ohio becoming a Cinderella team, led by Szcerbiak, the Long Island native. I will never forget watching him drop 43 in the first round. Wally became one of the sensations of the tourney.

9. Kyle Korver, Creighton- Creighton, along with Zaga, is one team I never pick against in the first round of the tournament. Korver was amazing as a college player, just draining 3 point shots left and right. I am a sucker for three point shooters, and Korver was one of the best, as he led the underdog Bluejays in the tournament year after year. 

8. Khalid El-Amin, Uconn- El-Amin was a chubby point guard who was, in my opinion, the best point guard Uconn has had since I’ve started watching them. He led them over Duke in 1999, in what was suppose to be the “Duke Invitational”. My favorite moment of the El-Amin era, however, is when they went to Pitt and he was harrassed by the Pitt students, but when they won, he stood on top of the scorers table and let them know how he felt.

7. Adam Morrison, Gonzaga- Ok, I have to admit something here. I have always ragged on Morrison to my fellow blogger Leary, but to be honest, I loved watching him play. I was the biggest JJ Reddick hater, and I will always remain firm in Morrison was the best player in college during that period. Morrison was one of the best pure scorers in college basketball. All we need is for him to be a New York Knick with Lebron James in 2010, and you can lock up a NBA title.

6. Caron Butler, Uconn- I think the reason I love Butler so much was his background. A kid who was in trouble with the law his whole life in Wisconsin comes to Uconn and is nothing but the perfect college student and athlete for Calhoun. He was talented, did everything, and from the second I saw him play in college I knew he would be a good pro. 

5. Maurice Ager, Michigan State- Ager became one of my favorite in one of the best college games I ever saw, the 3 ot game versus Gonzaga. Ager and Morrison went shot for shot and both players left everything they had left in them on the court. Games like that show you how much heart players have, and Ager had tons of it. Watching him, he had all the tools. He shot the ball well and was athletic as hell. One of the more entertaining players I ever watched in college.

4. Mike Gansey, West Virginia- West Virginia-Wake Forrest. Fellow blogger Frank loved Wake and Chris Paul. Me and my friend J.R. rooted for WV just to bust his balls. Thats when I fell in love with Gansey. He went off for 29 points, 19 in the two overtimes, to lead WVU to a shocking win. He was the prototypical underdog college player, he was just somebody you had to root for. 

3. Charles Jenkins, Hofstra- Ok, obviously I gotta have a Hofstra kid here. Davis-Saab was considered, but I had to go with Jenkins. For anybody who doesn’t know him, you will very soon. Jenkins is the next talented guard from Hofstra, and as a junior, he is getting national recognition as a top player. CAA preseason co-player of the year, Jenkins electrifies the Hofstra crowd with his ability to get to the basket and carry the team on his back when he needs to. We love him here at Hofstra, and if he keeps working on his outside shot, a pro career is possible.

2. Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse- As a Uconn fan, I feel in love with Melo. He was the first of the one and done stars, but he was easily the best. Leading Cuse to a championship, he was dominate in all aspects, and you immediately knew he would be a star. He is at 2 because I could watch him play every single game and be entertained, knowing I was watching something special. 

1. Rashad Anderson, Uconn- My favorite college player ever was a bench player for Uconn. Anderson is the best 3 point shooter I ever saw in college. He’d come off the bench firing and he could miss 4 in a row then hit 8. They called him the microwave, cause he was instant offense. Hands down the most entertaining player I ever watched. Here is his best moment at Uconn, a 3 to send them into ot versus Washington, video is crappy though:

. 

Denver Magazine Has the Keys to This Seasons Success on Their Cover

Today marks the day that myself, a grown man, wakes up before sunrise and starts getting ready for my favorite day of the year. Like a child on Christmas, peaking around the tree and shaking boxes, I am gearing up for the Nuggets’ season opener against the Utah Jazz.

Now it is no secret that the Jazz fall somewhere between hemorrhoids and Brent Musburger on my “Things That Irritate me” list, so nothing would make my favorite day of the year like a victory tonight.

There has been a lot of buzz that this may be the breakout year for Melo. A lot of analysts have him high on their MVP radars already and I must agree. He has vowed to be more aggressive in taking the ball to the hole and now that the officials are giving him the calls, he will get even more trips to the free throw line.

Chauncey Billups, Denver’s favorite son, is more focused than ever and ready to pick up where he left off. With an entire offseason to work with the team and his uncanny ability to lead and produce, look for him to seal his fate in the Hall of Fame.

A few of the new faces who joined the team this season are lead by Arron Afflalo. Afflalo will look to be that defensive presence on the perimeter that was lost when Dahntay Jones left. Afflalo is a better scorer than Jones and through the preseason has looked to be everything Jones was as a defender.

Ty Lawson also joins the mix. The Nuggets are high on his abilities and look for him to back up Billups. Lawson has a very high basketball I.Q. and is going to be one of the fastest players with the ball in the NBA. He also has the advantage of learning the most difficult position in the game from one of the finest. Chauncey has taken Ty under his wing and is setting the young man up with all that he needs to become a great floor general.

Look for the Nuggets to beat up on the Jazz tonight as Utah is hindered with injuries yet again. With Kyle Korver and CJ Miles not playing and Ronnie Brewer questionable, the Jazz will be stretching their bench thin.

J.R. Smith will begin his seven game supension tonight for the Nuggets and his scoring will greatly be missed, so look for Afflalo, Lawson and either Nene or Kenyon Martin to step up big and take on some of that scoring load.

Con tanto Eurobasket tengo algo abandonada la NBA, así que haré un pequeño alto en el camino para hacer un repaso a alguna de las cosas que han pasado últimamente por allí. En otras palabras, la típica ración de noticias raras, estrambóticas o simplemente curiosas que tanto nos gustan a todos. Entre nuestros protagonistas se encuentran Deron Williams, Kyle Korver, los New York Knicks y Bonzi Wells. Sí, habéis leído bien: Bonzi Wells.

¡Qué bien se lo pasan los Jazz!: No, Deron Williams y Kyle Korver no quieren imitar el estilismo de Bruno (aunque Korver tiene un parecido ciertamente inquietante…).  Simplemente están jugando un partido de dodgeball ataviados con unas espectaculares camisetas de Cazafatantasmas de look retro que me han cautivado. Las imágenes pertenecen al torneo benéfico que prepararon los dos jugadores de los Utah Jazz hace unos días, y que atrajo a la nada despreciable cantidad de 40 equipos. Más fotos de este inenarrable pero simpático evento en Deronwilliams.net.

Bonzi Never Dies: Si alguien creía que la NBA había visto la malcarada jeta de Bonzi Wells por última vez, está muy equivocado. El que fuera ilustre miembro de los Jail Blazers y recorriera media NBA antes de cruzar el océano para ganar algo de dinerito en China está recuperando la forma en Chicago (junto a Dwyane Wade y Jermaine O’Neal, dicen), y utiliza su Twitter de forma descarada para intentar fichar por los Miami Heat. “Estoy intentando fichar por los Heat, pero es una cuestión política” o “Me encantaría jugar en Miami, seguro que podría echarles una mano” son sólo dos de sus tweets. O’Neal también está apoyando su campaña (“Espero que le fichen, creo que podría ayudarnos”), demostrando así que sigue teniendo la cabeza igual de mal amueblada que siempre. Sólo espero que Pat Riley no se dé por aludido, porque no creo que Wells fuera el jugador en el que estaba pensando Wade cuando pidió un equipo más competitivo…

Los Knicks, a la desesperada: Me estoy imaginando la escena en los despachos: Donnie Walsh se pregunta por qué tardaron tanto en ir a por Ramon Sessions, y busca un base con el que reforzar su equipo. Entra Charles Bonsignore, agente de jugadores, y le dice que sin duda una de las mejores opciones que hay ahora mismo en el mercado es uno de sus clientes, un base de 2,02 metros de altura que tiene un anillo de campeón. Walsh acepta rápidamente, sólo para darse cuenta de que el jugador del que habla Bonsignore es… Sun Yue. Sí, amigos, los Knicks han fichado al “Magic Johson chino”, con un contrato parcialmente garantizado, eso sí, y le probarán en el próximo training camp, al igual que harán con Gabe Pruitt, el ex de los Celtics. Lo paradójico de todo es que de quedarse Yue en el equiop, sería el único jugador con un anillo en los Knicks, pese a haber chupado banquillo toda la temporada. Qué cosas…

(Por cierto, que los Bucks no ejercieron su derecho de tanteo sobre la oferta de Minnesota por Sessions, y el ya ex jugador de Milwaukee será presumiblemente, y si Jonny Flynn no lo impide, el base titular del equipo el año que viene. La única buena noticia para una franquicia a la que la próxima temporada puede hacerse muy larga…)

El Cartero llegó, aunque fuera tarde: Si alguien se fijó en las caras que había entre el público el sábado en la ceremonia de introducción al Hall of Fame, sin duda echaría de menos a una: la de Karl Malone, el inseparable compañero de John Stockton en los Jazz durante los ochenta y los noventa. Se hacía extraño no ver al Cartero el día en que Stockton y Jerry Sloan entraban en el Hall of Fame. Todo tiene su explicación: al parecer el padrastro de Malone tenía graves problemas de salud, y eso impidió a Karl asistir a la ceremonia, pero no escaparse por unas horas para pasarse por Connecticut para saludar en persona a dos de las personas más importantes de su vida deportiva. Este hombre siempre queda bien con los suyos…

Y para acabar, dos regalitos en forma de vídeos. Por un lado en Basketbawful acaban de colgar un recopilatorio de los mejores anuncios protagonizados por el mismísimo Larry Bird, y debéis echarle un vistazo si sabéis lo que es bueno. Por otro lado, un vídeo que no es de la NBA, sino del Eurobasket. Como uno no tiene Gol TV y no puede ver los partidos que no son de España, se pierde jugadas como la siguiente, en la que Sofoklis Schortsianitis imita a Shaquille O’Neal (o a Daryl Dawkins, ya puestos) y está a punto de romper un tablero frente a Alemania. ¡Pero qué bicharraco, por Dios!

Bueno, a ver cómo queda ese grupo que cierra hoy sus partidos en Polonia, y de donde saldrá nuestro rival en cuartos (si ganamos a Polonia, claro)…

There has been some crazy NBA stuff over the summer thanks to the internet and mediums like Twitter, YouTube, UStream, etc.

Obviously, there’s been Stephon Marbury.

There’s also been a lot of Ron Artest.

To this date, nobody has put together something more humorous or naturally entertaining than Kyle Korver and Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz. The two players are putting together a dodgeball charity tournament to benefit The Christmas Box House, which provides temporary shelter for abused and neglected children in the Salt Lake area.

Last summer was all about Baron Davis and Steve Nash, but these two just took the crown for 2009, and did so while doing something for an awesome cause. This also helped me decide that I think Williams is now better than Chris Paul.

Of course, I still don’t know if I’d want Korver on my dodgeball team, based on this photo alone.

(via SLC Dunk and Ball Don’t Lie)

UPDATE: But wait! There are two more videos…

Special thanks to @nmiko and aznjustin2

With the shrinking salary cap and slumping economy, free agency is more painful for owners and players than in years past. Lots of team owners are less willing to spend big money on players, and many are still holding out hope to strike it big in the summer of 2010. Still, this summer seems to be a time for teams to capitalize on the financial woes of other franchises and load up on talent for a chance to win a title this upcoming season. No matter how well-intentioned, some teams end up looking foolish when things don’t go according to plan.

The Dallas Mavericks were practically dancing a dosey doe after inking center Marcin Gortat to a 5-year mid-level exception deal. Gortat was giddy at the prospect of competing with the underwhelming and overpaid Erick Damiper for a starting job. Magic GM Otis Smith said several times that the MLE is simply too much to pay a backup center, which is what Gortat would be if they matched the offer to retain the restricted free agent. As such, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Gortat was a Maverick. However, Smith didn’t show his hand and was able to pluck promising young PF Brandon Bass from the Mavericks starting at $4M a year. Thinking this would mean they would not match Gortat, they let Bass go as a consolation prize. Unfortunately for them, the Magic pulled a fast one and matched Gortat, suddenly leaving the Mavs’ frontcourt slim. Mavs GM Donnie Nelson cannot be happy with this situation, no matter how he spins it. Gortat is under too much demand to just let him walk, so the Magic could look to trade him when he is eligible in December. I bet that there will soon be a few GMs talking to the Magic to make their interest known for Gortat if they haven’t already done so.

The Portland Trailblazers are having a rough offseason. They have money to spend, but can’t seem to find a taker. Priority number one was Hedo Turkoglu, who agreed to terms on a 5-year, $50M deal. Portland was excited to get their man, but…they didn’t. Hedo ran to the Raptors for a bigger contract, which will happen from time-to-time. Still, the Blazers turned their focus to Jazz restricted FA Paul Millsap. This time, to improve their chances, the Trailblazers front-loaded the contract (signing bonus plus most of the first-year salary in a lump sum) so that Millsap will be paid over $10M after the seven-day matching period, no matter where he goes. Utah is still considering the offer, but the Blazers will be okay if the Jazz do match. Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge has to be the starter, and that’s a lot of cash to pay a player that will enter a frontcourt already crowded with Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden. Millsap would add some grit to their frontline, but it seems like Portland is spending money for the sake of spending money, all while not finding an explosive playmaker at the point…I guess Jerryd Bayless is their man. Meanwhile, they seem reluctant to extend Brandon Roy in a max deal that he deserves, which is a no-brainer in m book.

On the flip side, the Utah Jazz are already over the luxury tax before making a decision on Millsap. The Jazz didn’t expect to be in this position last year, as Carlos Boozer repeatedly said that he would explore his options in free agency this summer. Instead, Boozer unexpectedly joined Kyle Korver and Mehmet Okur in exercising player options to stay with the team, anticipating a cold free agent market. The Jazz were quietly willing to let Boozer walk and promote Millsap to the starting PF position, but it’s not as simple of a process now. The Jazz brass has told Boozer that they will look to deal him, which spells trouble for the Blazers. Matching Millsap will put the Jazz well over the cap, and the push to trade Boozer will intensify. There would be several takers for his expiring deal, including the Blazers. The Jazz could look to trade with a team currently under the cap (Thunder perhaps?) to lighten their salary load, or net some valuable assets in return. I don’t see the Jazz basically giving Boozer away a la Marcus Camby, so if the Jazz match he could head to Detroit or perhaps Chicago. Detroit may have more to offer the Jazz, as the Pistons are shaking things up as much as possible, even if it means overpaying for players (that’d be you Charlie V). Richard Hamilton would make the Jazz extremely dangerous offensively at every spot on the floor. More likely than not, the Jazz are going to be big spenders in 2009-10, whether they like it or not.

The city of roses. And power forwards.

Seriously, have they?

They have fifteen small forwards, a bunch of top quality back-up point guards, and a starting power forward angling for a contract extension. So why do you offer Paul Millsap a contract? A big one, at that. He’s an undersized power forward, and you’re going to lavish him with starter money. Why?

1. You want leverage when discussing a contract extension with LaMarcus Aldridge.

If this was the reason, it makes a perverse sense economically. Kind of. Sort of. They Blazers have established a strong argument for the semi-expendability of Aldridge, and it does mean they can low-ball him a little harder. But for that to appear logical, you’d have to ignore the $8m you’re potentially dishing out on a yearly basis to your back-up power forward.

Verdict? Makes No Sense.

2. You want to hurt the Jazz.

Portland and Utah share the same division. Perhaps Kevin Pritchard is aiming to injure his rival, either:

a) economically, by forcing them to match the Millsap offer. The contract offers an upfront payment of $10m, which could damage the cash-poor Jazz after having Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver recently re-up. Or:

b) in terms of talent, by taking a gritty, upside-heavy post banger away from the Jazz.

Verdict? Makes a tiny bit of sense.

3. You actually want Paul Millsap on your team.

The Blazers lucked out when Turkoglu fled north to the Raptors. They already have three talented small forwards on the roster (Travis Outlaw, Rudy Fernandez, and Nicolas Batum), so offering such a lofty contract to to an aging small forward like Hedo seemed ill-advised at best, absolutely nuts at worst.

So, with that now-spare cash, they want to bring in Millsap, who’ll compete for minutes with LaMarcus Aldridge? Really?

You can’t play Millsap at the centre (he’s generously listed at 6′8″, putting him in the Luis Scola-range for big men), and he can’t switch to small forward. Aldridge seems like a terrible fit at the already stacked three spot. So, where will the minutes come from?

Millsap, you’d think, could command 24 a game, at best). Including some time with Aldridge manning the five-spot — where he’s too weak, and too poor a rebounder, to really work. In essence, the Blazers would be paying a prized free agent big bucks to play a Carl Landry role.

Verdict? Makes absolutely no sense.

So, why’d they do it?

Posted By: Anton

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With rumors hot of a possible three-team trade involving Portland that could send Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer to Chicago, the Blazers have offered a deal to Boozer’s backup, Paul Millsap.

Portland has been very busy recently.  Besides the much-noted spurning by Hedo Turkoglu, the Bulls have asked for point guard Jerryd Bayless in the three-team trade proposition.  That becomes a problem now, as rookie point Patrick Mills broke a metatarsal in his right foot.  Then again, the Bulls are asking for Bayless because Kirk Hinrich would be heading to Portland.

The offer for Millsap was an interesting one, as the team drafted both Jeff Pendergraph and Dante Cunningham.  Pendergraph looks like a prototypical power forward while Cunningham could conceivably play a bit of both positions at forward.  Millsap did show freakish ability on the boards while at Louisiana Tech, and he is a young, promising player, but the question is if experience would serve Portland better at power forward.  While, the Blazers truly need help at small forward, and they are putting their money elsewhere.  If Portland really needed to use a young stud at power forward, they would’ve been fine sticking with LaMarcus Aldridge while having Greg Oden step up into starting duty at center.  Portland surely will be among the best inside if the Blazers get Millsap, but they still need to get a shooter inside.

As for Utah, they have one week to match Portland’s offer.  Rumors have it that the Jazz were shopping Boozer because they wanted Millsap as the long-term solution.  Now if the Jazz can’t match the Portland offer for Millsap, do they keep Boozer this year?   Furthermore, with Boozer entering his final year in his current contract, does Utah try to re-sign him?  I suggest Utah match Portland’s offer no matter what.  They then can trade Boozer and try to improve at shooting guard and small forward.  Kyle Korver and Andrei Kirilenko are solid, yet not truly spectacular players, and Ronnie Brewer has nice promise, but Utah won’t contend along with the best in the west (as several experts expected they would last year) if they don’t improve around elite point guard Deron Williams.  He and coach Jerry Sloan can’t do it by themselves on the elite level.

Most teams around the Association have enacted the same process for going about building a team that has a great chance of winning games. They use the same basic outline and then add a few spices to the mix in order to attain the ultimate glory.

The Quick Point Guard- The point guard position has shifted gears since the last decade. In the 90’s point guards were not expected to carve the defense like a turkey on Thanksgiving. Players like Andre Miller, Eric Snow, and Ron Harper ran the show after they tailored their games to be like Magic Johnson. Now, guys like Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, and Daren Williams rule the roost. Teams are looking to draft these types of players, like Ricky Rubio, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and Aaron Brooks are all getting their shot to lead teams in the NBA.

The Defensive Stopper- An essential part to the success soup, the defensive stopper intimidates as well as frustrates the opponent’s main scoring threat. They play a little dirty and are usually hustle players that give all of their energy until the final horn sounds. Bruce Bowen utilized this role while with the Spurs and helped them win multiple titles, playing opposite the likes of Rip Hamilton, LeBron James, and Richard Jefferson. Ron Artest, Dahntey Jones, Shane Battier, Ben Wallace, Trevor Ariza, and Raja Bell have all heard their names mentioned when discussions of defense appear on the TV or Radio.

The Shooting Big Man- Partly due to a lack of the next Shaq, the Association is moving away from the dominant big man who does nothing but muscles his way into the lane for a shattering jam. Andrew Bogut, Andrea Barngani, Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, Mehmet Okur, Rasheed Wallace and Yao Ming will all step away from the basket and hit the 18-foot jump shot. There are exceptions to the rule, with Dwight Howard and Amar’e Stoudemire still dominating the low post.

The Foreign Guy- Most teams in today’s NBA will employ a foreign player who understands tidbits of English but is fluent in basketball. The strategy worked for the Lakers who had the services of Pau Gasol and Sasha Vujacic while they competed for their title. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker aided the Spurs on their numerous runs for an NBA title. Usually frustrating their fans by taking these largely unknown players with their first pick, they are hit or miss prospects. Guys like Nowitzki, Rudy Fernandez, Boris Diaw, Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, and Peja Stojakavic have had their opportunity to bring their game into the NBA.

The 3-Point Sniper- These assassins beyond the arc are a necessity on most NBA teams. Not always just in the game for their ability to hit clutch or debilitating 3-point shots, these players do have the unique ability to find the net from anywhere on the court. Players like Jason Kapono, Rashard Lewis, Michael Redd, Hedo Turkoglu, Ray Allen, Daniel Gibson, Peja Stojakavic, Chauncey Billups, Ben Gordon, J.R. Smith, and Kyle Korver are players that coaches warn about giving too much space on the floor.

The Superstar- Every team in the Association tries to attain one of these mythical creatures that influence every single game they play in. These are the types of players that cannot be stopped even when double or triple teamed. Men like Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant are the creams on the crop who help their team compete for championships.

The Supporting Actor- Every Batman needs a Robin in today’s Association. Every star player is said to need another player who can handle some of the scoring load and ease the strain that carrying a team causes for the star player. The most notable player in the last decade was Scottie Pippen, one of the 50 greatest players of all time. Pau Gasol played second fiddle to Kobe on this year’s Lakers championship team. Other notables include Tony Parker, David West, Shaq, Carlos Boozer, and Ron Artest.

The Presence in the Paint- Teams in the NBA are looking for either a dominant center or a bruising power forward to help with blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. The Magic and Lakers have their men (Howard and Bynum), and the rest of the league is copying their moves. The Cavaliers made a big splash this offseason with the acquisition of Shaq. The Grizzlies drafted Hasheem Thabeet to make opponents second-guess their decision to drive into the paint. Ben Wallace made millions of dollars perfecting the rebound with the Pistons. The inside presence not only presents defensive stops but leads to easy fast break opportunities on the other side of the ball.

The Sixth Man- No championship team plays only five quality players. The Lakers had Lamar Odom come off the bench to play quality minutes against Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard. James Posey earned some Finals MVP considerations with the Celtics. The Spurs continually bring Manu Ginobili off the bench for instant offense and energy. The best bench player is an integral part to any successful team and allows the coach to rest the team’s best players for an extended period of time.

The Scorer- If a team doesn’t have one of the few superstars in the league on their team they will try to employ the next best thing. The scorer dominates the ball offensively and is the first option at all times during the game. Players like Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Danny Granger, Gilbert Arenas, Kevin Martin, Dirk Nowitzki, and Andre Iguadala all score the greatest percentage of their team’s points.

The Hybrid- These fusion players are capable of playing more than one position and often cause matchup problems for opposing teams. They have the skill set of two or more positions and often cause severe migraines for the opposing coach. Dwyane Wade is one of the most successful players who embody the hybrid position. He can run the point or play his natural 2-guard position. Others, like Tayshaun Prince or Lamar Odom, can play many more roles. Players like Brandon Roy, OJ Mayo, Courtney Lee, Delonte West, Rodney Stuckey, and Tyreke Evans can all play the point or the 2-guard depending if the coach wants to play big or small ball.

Denver Nuggets – 54-28, 1st in Northwest, eliminated in Western Conference Finals
Nuggets salaries at HoopsHype

The Denver Nuggets had a spirited playoff run, and while Chauncey Billups is often credited for leading the charge, the supporting cast was just as important. Chris Andersen, Dahntay Jones and Anthony Carter are all unrestricted free agents and should be wanted back by the organization (Sonny Weems and Jason Hart are likely gone). SF Linas Kleiza was a forgotten man in Denver for a huge chunk of the season, but his playoff performances may have earned him another stint with the team. However, I feel that he is low on the priority list for Denver, below money management. Linas’ reduced role makes him expendable, so the Nuggets could opt not to extend a qualifying offer to him. However, if Jones walks, keeping Kleiza becomes more important. Expiring deals of Steven Hunter, Antonio McDyess and Renaldo Balkman can be used to fill any voids, though Denver seems to like Balkman’s energy. The Nuggets’ only draft pick is at #34, and an additional swingman or PF could be targeted. With the uncertainty of the SF spot on the team, look for a player like DaJuan Summers (Georgetown) or Danny Green (North Carolina) that can hit an open shot and defend.

Portland Trailblazers – 54-28, 2nd in Northwest, eliminated in First Round
Blazers salaries at HoopsHype

The Trailblazers crashed the playoff party this year, and gave us a glimpse at what they can become very soon. They are in an enviable position, with tons of cap room and young superstars in Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge that don’t make much money yet. Plus, they have a $9M expiring deal from the departed Darius Miles to deal, along with expiring players Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw that can contribute to a team looking for a role player. I’ve heard the Blazers linked to several free agents, including David Lee, Trevor Ariza and Andre Miller. A good team with a young core and no glaring holes should be a popular player in the market this offseason. With the #24, #33, #38, #55 and #56 selections in the draft, they are poised to pull the trigger on a big trade before or during the draft. For the picks they choose to keep, look for them to take the best player available.

Utah Jazz – 48-34, 3rd in Northwest, eliminated in First Round
Jazz salaries at HoopsHype

The Utah Jazz battled injuries all season and never seemed to reach their full potential. Now, the franchise is going to have to make some tough calls moving forward. PF Carlos Boozer has made it clear that he will explore his options this offseason, although he has not officially declined his player option. However, the Jazz may decide that they’d rather keep restricted free agent Paul Millsap instead. Millsap filled in well while Boozer was hurt, and it will be difficult financially to keep both. I think the better option is signing Millsap, who will be cheaper, plays better defense, and is far less injury-prone, and letting Boozer walk. C Mehmet Okur and SF Kyle Korver also have early termination options, so they could be faced with signing these important pieces as well. Ronnie Price, Jarron Collins, Brevin Knight and Morris Almond are all unrestricted free agents. After already exercising a team option on C Kyrylo Fesenko, PG Ronnie Price seems to be the only sure keeper in the bunch, serving as an energetic backup for Deron Williams. Money under the cap is getting tight, so replacing players lost to free agency in the draft is a focus. If North Carolina PF Tyler Hansbrough or Ohio State C BJ Mullens are there at #20, I see the Jazz jumping on one of those two.

Minnesota Timberwolves – 24-58, 4th in Northwest, missed playoffs
Timberwolves salaries at HoopsHype

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in a state of disarray right now, perhaps even more than when actually on the court. They let the firing of coach Kevin McHale linger until last week, and Kevin Love and Al Jefferson aren’t too happy. There have been rumors of trading one or both players, but they are likely untrue. The Timberwolves do have over $25M in expiring deals to ship out (the only possible keeper I see is SF Rodney Carney), and five picks in the draft, including three first-rounders (6, 18, 28). Sebastian Telfair plays well at times, but pairing a young PG with combo guard Randy Foye would give them a young backcourt to keep around. I see Minnesota going with a PG at #6, with Jonny Flynn (Syracuse), Stephen Curry (Davidson), Tyreke Evans (Memphis), and Brandon Jennings (Italy) all possibilities. If there, I think Flynn will be the best fit of this bunch, being a true point guard.

Oklahoma City Thunder – 23-59, 5th in Northwest, missed playoffs
Thunder salaries at HoopsHype

The Thunder are a young team, and not much is expected of them right now. but they’ve been drinking their milk, and are growing big and strong and could give some teams some trouble in a year or two. Kevin Durant is turning into a superstar, and he’s paired with young studs in Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green. The Thunder have good role players, but they could definitely use a good shooter at SG and a hulking presence in the middle; though nice players, Nenad Krstic and Nick Collison aren’t going to cut it. With lots of cap space, I see the Thunder going hard after SG Ben Gordon. He’d be a perfect fit with this team, and would be able to start. PG Shaun Livingston could get a look in the backcourt with Westbrook. He played well last season, and seemed to be gaining some quickness back after the chicken leg incident (NOT for the squeamish).
With their #3 pick, the Thunder have plenty of options. While the conventional choice will be  Georgetown C Hasheem Thabeet, I don’t think that’s a good pick. I’m not sold on Thabeet, and the Thunder apparently really like BJ Mullens, so much so that they could trade a lower first-round pick to Detroit to move up and snag him and Amir Johnson in the process. I think the best talent available at #3 is Arizona State’s James Harden, and he’s not a bad consolation prize is they lose the Ben Gordon sweepstakes. If Harden is gone, Spanish PG Ricky Rubio would allow Westbrook to slide over to SG.

There have been a lot of speculation by many sites this week on the different teams in the Valley.  Take a look at all the opinions.

• A Bradley fan that writes for the Examiner is having his own Fantasy draft of MVC players.  He took P’Allen Stinnett #1.  He evaluated the Valley coaches and gave Dana Altman the only A grade with Jim Les on the same level as Gregg Marshall.  He also conducted a survey on Valley favorites.  Now after reading all of this, I am getting the feeling he might be a Creighton fan hiding behind that Bradley cap.
• A new Southern Illinois fan website is around now and they took the Valley coach evaluation and took it a step farther by including the whole coaching staffs.  Dana Altman and his staff come out on top there while their own Chris Lowery and his staff come in at 6th.  They are about to put up a post on ranking the Valley basketball facilities/arenas.
• Creighton and Nebraska may be looking at Elliott Eliason from Chadron, but Tubby Smith and Minnesota are trying to lure him to the Gophers as well.
• Looks like Kenton Walker is headed to St. Mary’s.
• 3 new rule changes for next season.  It will be interesting to see how this affects all the charges Creighton players take.
• Will Kyle Korver’s record go down?  Well, kickball record that is.
• We all may know that Omaha is submitting a proposal to again host the 1st and 2nd rounds of the NCAA Tournament for one of the seasons in 2011, 2012, or 2013 well Wichita is now throwing their hat into the ring.

A Friend On Facebook Hit Me Up About This One. These Dudes Look Like Twins

The Utah Jazz were dominated in the first two games of their series against the Los Angeles Lakers. They were so bad, in fact, that it appeared their home-court wouldn’t save them. Under the radar and hardly given a chance to compete, the Jazz answered the doubters, which included me, and pulled out a very impressive victory thanks to the play of power forward Carlos Boozer and point guard Deron Williams.

Utah held Los Angeles star Kobe Bryant scoreless throughout the first quarter, and took advantage of his ineffectiveness to nab a nine-point lead. The game tightened, but Bryant was still scoreless he made two free-throws with six minutes remaining in the half. The Jazz benefited greatly from Boozer’s aggressiveness on offense and on the boards; he scored 13 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the first two periods. Yet, despite his performance, Utah struggled, shooting under 40 percent as a team prior to intermission. Williams, in particular, had a hard time settling into a groove. He had only six points at halftime. For the Jazz to have a shot at getting back into the series, he would have to show up in a big way in the second half.

Williams scored the first two points by Utah in the third period–a free-throw with eleven minutes left and another with just over eight. Problem was, in between those baskets, the Lakers scored 13 points. Los Angeles had the perfect beginning to a second half on the road: silence the crowd early with a furious run. Los Angeles took a 13-point lead eight minutes into the quarter thanks to a 25-8 spurt. Utah was lifeless: Williams wasn’t scoring, and neither was Boozer. The Lakers, presumably after a angered Phil Jackson lit into them in the locker-room, stormed out of the gate, determined to send the Jazz to the brink with a 3-0 series lead.

Utah wouldn’t go away, however. The deficit was cut to eight on a three-pointer by Kyle Korver, then stayed at that margin entering the fourth quarter via a defensive stand on the final possession. It was the Jazz’s turn to go on a run. Their bench was splendid, accounting for all nine points to climb within two just two minutes into the period. Now, Los Angeles was on their heels, sloppily turning the ball over on offense and caught backpedalling on defense. Utah was aggressive and allowed to play their style at their pace. Second-string forward Matt Harpring gave the Jazz an added spark, dunking in transition, then hitting a mid-range jumper after a wayward three-point attempt by Bryant. Utah was dead in the water, playing lifeless basketball in the third period of a game they desperately needed, but now led.

They continued to grasp onto this slim, but satisfying margin. This was in large part because of Bryant’s horrible shooting display. He made only five shots from the field, while missing nineteen. Even though he was dreadful Los Angeles, puzzlingly had a terrific chance to win. Two free-throws by Bryant tied the score at 76 with a tad over five minutes remaining. Utah quickly answered, as Korver hit a three-pointer. With the score tied again, this time at 80, Boozer returned to his first half form and was extremely aggressive. He drove right into Lakers forward Pau Gasol, and made the ensuing free-throws then, once Lamar Odom responded with a layup, he received a stellar pass from Williams and sped to the hoop to grab the lead back.

Jackson called a timeout, and designed a play for Bryant, which worked to perfection. On the inbounds, Bryant slashed to the basket and scored immediately, forging a tie once more. Not surprisingly, Boozer answered right back. Upon receiving a pass by Korver, he spun around Gasol, met him at the rim, a dunked vehemently in his face. He was fired up, and so were the raucous fans, but 16 seconds still remained, and the lead was minimal.

Knowing this was not his night, Bryant unselfishly looked for his teammates. Of his six assists, none were more pivotal than on the ensuing play. Gasol set a pick at the top of the key, switching Boozer onto Bryant. Bryant swiftly glided into the lane, forced the defense to converge, then calmly dumped the ball off to Gasol, who cut to the hoop after setting the screen. Gasol, doing his best Boozer impersonation, slammed a dunk over a helpless Ronnie Brewer. Again, the game was tied. Not for long.

Prior to the final possession, Williams had made just two field goals. He dished nine assists, but missed five free-throws and committed four turnovers. Despite his surprisingly lackluster performance, there was no doubt that he would take the last shot. Dribbling up the court, he intensely directed traffic. Then, with the game-clock under six seconds, the third-year guard crossed over his defender, Derek Fisher. With Fisher left cemented to the floor, Williams hurried into the cluttered lane and drained a fall-away 10-footer. His third made basket was the biggest. A shot that won the game and gave the Jazz life in their bid to pull of the upset.

LA Lakers 86, Utah 88
     Lakers lead series 2-1

Fighting for their season, Utah finally came up with the goods on their home floor, holding off the Lakers in thrilling fashion. And that was a tough loss. I know I complained about our poor third quarters in the first two games, but I’ll take a good performance in quarters one, two, and four with a shitty third over one solitary good quarter coming out of halftime. Because that’s what we saw tonight, when the Lakers trailed throughout the first half before coming out like gangbusters in the third and jumping in front of Utah by as many as 13. Then, of course, we let the lead evaporate, as we always do, and this time we couldn’t hang on in the end. The two teams went back and forth in the final minutes, but Utah came up with the bigger plays, capped by Williams’ game-winning bucket with 2.2 seconds remaining. Kobe went for the win from an absurd distance when he probably had time to get a tad bit closer, but you know Kobe. He always thinks he can hit any and every shot, especially when the game is on the line, so he pulled up as soon as he got the ball and missed badly, setting everyone up for an intense battle in game four on Saturday.

The sole reason for Utah’s improved play tonight was Carlos Boozer. I think he’s a douchebag, to be quite honest, but he is one heck of a player when he decides to show up. And show up he did in this one, snatching 22 rebounds to go with his 23 points, including a monster in-your-face jam to put Utah up two in the waning seconds. The Lakers did a better job of shutting down Deron Williams, which I suppose is comforting, but we let the rest of the team get off instead. Just like other teams strategizing to contain Kobe, I think we’d be better off letting D-Will get his 30 as long as we hold guys like Korver, Harpring, and to a limited extent Boozer in check. One solitary player can be dangerous – no one knows that better than us – but I’d still take our odds against that one guy than against a full team of players who have gotten their shots working over the course of a full game of target practice. Hopefully we could still keep Williams from going nuts, but under no circumstances should their undersized front line have that big of a game against us again. 

On the Laker side, the offense was shit. Kobe had a god-awful game (5-for-24 for 18 points, and even that is generous), Pau looked positively human shooting 8-for-15 in pursuit of his 20 points, and we shot 36.8% as a whole. It reminded me over and over of that loss to Denver a little while back, when, despite the opposition playing a good game, we still had every chance to win it but couldn’t get our offense in gear. The same was true here. Hats off to Utah – they executed their offense much better at home and slugged it out with us down the stretch – but even at full tilt we had chances to take this one. Hell, if we could have just played them even in the fourth we would have walked out with an 8-point victory and a 3-0 advantage in the series. Instead, our offense never got off its fat ass as Kobe tried to shoot himself out of his slump and consequently hurt any rhythm we ever thought about getting. You can’t fault him too much, because more often than not he finds a way to come up with that big shot, but it didn’t happen tonight and it hurt the team’s momentum as well. 

So now we face the prospect of a contentious game four in a building where the Jazz feel supremely confident, more so now that they will be coming off a gritty win over the best the West has to offer. This could go two ways. It could energize Utah, convince them of their ability to hang with us, and boost them to another victory. Or it could be a nice slap in the face to our often complacent team, a much needed reminder that NBA teams – and playoff teams in particular – will beat you if you don’t bring your A-game and effort, in which case the Lakers rediscover their spark and whip the Jazz into submission. I tend to favor some version of the latter option, both in terms of what I want and in terms of what I predict. I still say this one will finish up in LA in game six. We’ll know about that soon enough.

Oh, and for the record, Utah fans are classless assholes. How the fuck do you boo a man who took an over $6 million pay decrease to live in a city where his infant daughter could receive treatment for fucking EYE CANCER?! What part of “retinoblastoma” don’t you idiots understand? I get it – you hate the Lakers. We’re damn good, so everybody does. But Fish didn’t just up and decide he’d ditch Utah and resign with LA out of nowhere. Your podunk-ass state couldn’t provide the kind of medical care his daughter needed, so he had to explore other options. He put his FAMILY FIRST, in a move Utah natives supposedly understand and respect, and sacrificed a significant portion of his income to get her the help she needed. So sorry it meant he ended up with a Lakers team that you will continue to lose to, but that’s life. Get over it. And a big FUCK YOU to any of the stupid cunts who booed him, or any of their apologists. Derek Fisher >>>>> you on his worst day.

Here’s the final minute or so of the game, in case you were on another planet and happened to miss it.

Oh, and one more thing. Am I the only one who sees Andrew Bynum sulking out there? Yeah, he’s coming back from an awful injury, but he gets pissy and whiney every time something doesn’t go his way. Sometimes I could swear he was TRYING to pick up his final two fouls as if to make some kind of point. I can forgive his being a step or two slow and getting in foul trouble that way, and Phil should find a way to work the rotation so he can play significant minutes at a time, regardless of the foul situation, but the woe-is-me stuff can go. Just my two cents.

With the playoffs underway, I thought it’d be relevant to point out some NBA lookalikes from our very own Laker team and their first round opponent, the Utah Jazz.

1)  T.I. and Trevor Ariza

2)  Jason Schwartzman and Sasha Vujacic/The Machine

3)  Kyle Korver and Ashton Kutcher

Bonus: Andy Garcia and Manu Ginobili

This one might be a stretch, but I’m gonna go ahead and say that a younger Andy Garcia and the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili look alike if you factor out Manu’s large nose.  I think it’s likely attributed to the fact that they both descend from Spanish-speaking countries.  Interestingly enough, Andy Garcia actually played basketball during high school according to Wikipedia.  There are also existing forum discussions about Chris and Shannon Brown resembling one another. I can see that.

Footnote: I say Lakers in 5.  Deron Williams might be a beast, but the Jazz lack defense and size. Their big man and big shooter Mehmet Okur is still not a hundred percent due to a strained hamstring. His appearance in tonight’s game remains questionable. Plus, statistics are grossly unfavorable for a first round upset. And is Shannon Brown the new bench X factor?  So far, yes.  All things considered, Salt Lake is a tough place to play so the Jazz will probably come out of the series with one victory.