Ballin’: Cruz Control
NBA February 29th. 2008, 11:52am
Penelope Cruz. The Lakers are cruising. Get it? Lame. But we’re under the weather, and these things happen.
San Antonio 97, Dallas 94: Timmy D had 31 points and collected 15 rebounds and the Spurs maintained a two-game lead over the Mavs in the Southwest. Dirk missed a shot to tie it, Brandon Bass missed a tip, and JT has his shot blocked by Bruce Bowen, all in the final 30 seconds.
Los Angeles Lakers 106, Miami 88: Ten wins in a row. When are these guys going to lose again? Let’s say there’s a 15 percent chance there’s a slip-up against the Blazers tonight and a 35 percent chance at losing at home against Dallas. If they pass both of those tests, you could be looking at a March 14 visit to New Orleans as the next potential loss. Jordan Farmar had 24 off the bench, but Luke Walton’s mid-air behind-the-back pass was more impressive.
New Jersey 120, Milwaukee 106: Six players scored in double figures for the Nets, led by 21 from Devin Harris. A little-discussed PG battle could be Harris vs. Marcus Williams, the lefty from UConn who is actually a really nice player, and, in our opinion, a better passer than Harris. Too bad the guard from Wisconsin trumps him in every other category.
125 Responses to “Ballin’: Cruz Control”
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February 29th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Harris isn’t better at stealing latptops.
Da da cha!
February 29th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Why is Wade still playing? The season is a wrap and he’s not 100%. It would be one thing if he was balling out, but he was just going through the motions last night. He finally showed up in the 2nd half, but the game was never in doubt. Riles should just shut him down.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:57 am
last night’s spurs/mavs game was incredible, duncan is the shit. he is about as consistent as it gets, look at his career numbers, theyre almost identical year in an year out.
bruce bowen is a punk bitch. terry shouldve beaten the shit out of him. when is the league going to do something about him cutting guys out from below?
great picture by the way.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Seabiscuit! Seabiscuit! Over Here!!
I’m not Seabiscuit, I’m Penelope Cruz
February 29th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
if your payin as much money to dwade as the heat is you better play his ass the whole season. and im sure the fans that go to the games and pay for the ticket want to see him play as well. so fuck shutting dwade down for the season. “oh dwade uh its not going as well this season as it has the 2 yrs before so you know what go ahead and take the rest of the season off….go play golf…your phones is ringing? its chuck? you know i bet its important you can just go….later dwade.”
February 29th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Sam Cassell is officially released. Bill Simmons’ next ten columns have already been written.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
mrejr…you assume that miami fans dont just show up when the team is good. have you seen their arena (im sure you have, theyve been on national tv at least once a week this entire season)? the place is empty.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
AWESOME picture. Finally some love for a Cruz sister. I am still high on her sister Monica.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
If the Celtics get Cassell they will have the best bench in the NBA and will have a top five PG in the Eastern Conference, coming off the bench.
Cassell
Tony Allen
Eddie House
James Posey
Leon Powe
Big Baby
PJ Brown
Scott Pollard
The Celtics will have to put one of those guys in street clothes each night. Poor Brian Scalabrine can forget about being on the post season roster. Not that I care. Do feel bad for the guy though.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
That March 14 game between the Lakers and Hornets is part of my bachelor party!!!
February 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
i thought james posey and PJ brown were the same person.
scot pollard probably is gone. HEY KIDS! DO DRUGS! thats was classic.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Not that I particularly care about pro basketball, but I don’t see why they don’t take the top 16 teams league wide for their post-season tournament. Much more interesting that way, IMHO. You could probably make the same argument about the other leagues, but I think it’s most applicable in the NBA. Just my $0.02.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Nothing is lame about that pic.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Gone? Gone where? I expect him to be on the postseason roster spencer, he is the lone back-up at C. BUT, I couldn’t give you a name on that list who should be left off the roster. With Cassell there, perhaps Eddie House.
In fact I think Doc would be using him more now if it wasn’t for a lingering ankle problem. I know Pollard is just a space eater but I think Rivers is saving him for the play-offs where his experience might give him an edge at times over Perkins, the Celtics only weak link and Perk is very strong defensively, so …..
February 29th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
yeah scot pollard is a jackass for saying that on tv spence. what ever happened to raef lafrentz. i thought he came out after pollard and was a little better than pollard.
i think the cassell aquisition is a great steal for the celtics if that goes through. they need more hustle players like scalabrine in the league, i love hustle players like that
February 29th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
@412: I think a better solution (although it will never happen) is to cut the NBA playoffs in half. Top 4 from each conference.
Top 5 PG in the East, Dorn?
Of the following, who is he better than:
1. Chauncey
2. Calderon
3. Rondo
4. Andre Miller
5. Gilbert or Bibby
6. Delonte (kidding)
February 29th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
412: great idea.
They should do the same thing with the NHL.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
take kg and ray allen away and rondo wouldnt be shit. remember rondo wasnt exactly a world beater last year…hell most of us didnt even know how to day his first name.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
You will never see the NFL do it 412. The AFC and NFC hand out championships. What are you going to do, hand the Lamar Hunt trophy to the Redskins or Bears? Just wrong.
Same with MLB. Are the Yankees going to be in the NL play-offs sometimes?
I see nothing wrong with how things are done. The team that finishes 9th in the West is like a bubble team in college basketball. OK maybe Syracuse is better than Marist but Marist is in the tourney anyways. I see no need to complain. Denver or Golden State isn’t winning the title this season so who cares if they get in or not? It is just the way the ball bounces. I am a Syracuse fan and I wasn’t happy that they missed out last season and I think I had a beef but after a day or two it was like, OK, they weren’t going to win it so how much did they really deserve to be there?
If you don’t make it, you won’t be missed, IMO. Yes it sucks for Denver that NJ or Atlanta or Chicago will get in but that is a Denver problem. Get better. You aren’t good enough to beat the top teams in the West so why should anyone care?
February 29th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
He was a rookie last year and the most productive rookie in his class, so maybe he wasn’t impressing the people that don’t watch games, but c’mon.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Gonzo – They probably should do the same thing with MLB as well. The NFL play-off system works fine, I think.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Would anybody really miss the presentation of the Lamar Hunt Trophy?
February 29th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
On a per minute basis, that is.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Nick, I will admit that I was completely wrong about Kobe winning Defensive player of the year honors. No, not because he isn’t deserving (did you see him last night…can you imagine another superstar in the league playing with 15 pt lead and still harrassing another superstar the way he did? Also – high comedy, Kobe getting into it with Wade and Ricky Davis in the 4th), but because I realized that 120 sports writers vote for the award, and not the NBA coaches.
Last year, Kobe got votes from 18 of the 29 eligible head coaches (You’re own coach can’t vote for you) for all-nba defense. But, only 1 sports writer out of 120 voted for Kobe, yet 40 other guys got more than that).
So you were right Nick, as long as sports writers have a say, Kobe will get screwed. Although, the tide might be turning on the MVP vote. He’s gaining more momentum than Obama!!
February 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
@cursed: Only thing I couldn’t figure out is why he played 41 minutes with a 15 point lead to start the 4th quarter. Fuck the heck is PJ doing?
February 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
yeah i have nothing against the nfl playoff system except it only allows the bears to paticipate once every five years. im sooooooo glad we resigned a undersized qb and are probably pay through the nose for berrian when he really isnt that good. yay high hopes this coming season.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
no, but being a conference champion has more prestige in the NFL than it does in the NBA.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Reggie Miller last night said the following: Can you imagine if Kobe and Wade swapped? There’s no way the Heat only have 10 wins. They would make the playoffs with Kobe.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Appeal to authority rears his ugly head again!!!
February 29th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
You’re right Nick. I posed the same question to my lonely self. No reason for Kobe to be in that game at the end..especially considering there was no chance at a triple double – like some superstars I know.
I kid LeBron, I kid…
February 29th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Damn right Nick…I preper the “appeal to authority” fallacy more than “appeal to sports beat writers that fall in love with their own superstar” fallacy.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Well Gilbert isn’t playing and I don’t consider him a PG anyways. You can’t lead the league in scoring and be a PG. IMO.
I would put Cassell on par with Bibby at this stage. Bibby doesn’t do a lot for him.
Chauncey, Calderon, Rondo/Miller, then Cassell is right there. If you want to say Bibby is better, OK. But would Cassell be next?
Funny story btw about the whole Sam and PJ Brown thing. Ever see a white guy that looks like some black NBA player? Happens to me here and there. Kind of running joke with my brother in law. Anyways I know this guy who is the white PJ Brown. Tall, skinny and a perfect match in the face. And I also know the white Sam Cassell. When we used to play ball he played exactly like him, has the same body type and again, great match in the face.
The kicker is, the white Sam and the white PJ are cousins.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
@CC: I preper neither.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
No, leave MLB the way it is. if they ever get rid of the DH, then maybe.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Dorn: Mo Williams getting any love from you? I may be in the minority but have always liked him.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
come on…eric snow is the best PG in the east.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
How about Raymond Felton? He usually had a great Ast per turnover ratio, unlike most of the players on that list…
February 29th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
ch4os…have you seen calderon’s assist to tunover ratio? its unbelievable.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I am not a fan of Mo Williams. He is all numbers, no substance. Factor in experience and I will take Sam over he or Felton. Cassell was a big part of those two rings in Houston and he has logged about 115 play-off games.
But keep in mind I am also talking about the role he will play on the Cs. I would probably want Felton if we are talking about who you want running your team in two years. The Celtics have Rondo so they don’t need Cassell to be the guy.
As far as the Celtcis go I would not want Mo Williams running this particular team. Disaster city IMO.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I know! I said unlike most of the players not all of them…
February 29th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Just curious, why is this Sam Cassell news a big deal?
he’s 38.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Kobe is better than Dwayne Wade? Gee, who knew?
Thank God Reggie Miller didn’t join the Celtics. I hate that guy.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Mo Williams is more a shooter than a playmaker. IMO i see him more a product of playing on a bad team…like Gerald Wallace…
BTW Dornoch, when you are going to update the Lakers record since the Gasol Trade. I say that because you were going ballastic after they were 1-1, so i’m eager to know why don’t you update it anymore……..
February 29th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
How old is Brett Favre or Chris Chellios?
Cassell is still averaging about 13 PPG and 5 assist. He brings the Celtics the one thing they don’t have, a decent back-up PG with play-off experience. Look at their bench if they get him? The team is now complete.
People are writing off the Celtics because all their big moves were 7-8 months ago but the team is still the best in the NBA (record wise and in pts differential).
I don’t know how the Mavericks getting Jason Kidd is any bigger of a deal. The Celtics are much more likely to win the championship.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Every team in the West has had a run CH40S. We’ll see how the Lakers fair in the play-offs. That is what that move was all about. I still don’t buy into them being the favorites and that was all I was ever saying. Gasol is 0-12 in play-off games in his career. Very few guys just all of a sudden win championships with no play-off wins under their belt.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I still think it is a shame so many comparisons are being made regarding Wade when he isn’t 100% and is playing on such a terrible team. A Healthy Wade would have this team in the playoffs also. Not to mention he didn’t play the first portion of the season when they were losing a lot.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
There are not many things I am certain of but one of them is that the Boston Celtics will not be representing the Eastern Conference in the Finals.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
omg, and I almost forgot, Penelope has wondrous boobs.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Dwight Howard is out for 4-6 weeks with a broken left toe
February 29th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Dornoch if the trade was all about the Playoffs, why do you go ballastic after a loss in Atlanta in OT? That doesn’t make sense… of course when that proves your point it’s worth making mention. Be coeherent…
February 29th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
irish is it true?
February 29th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Since trading for Pau Gasol, the Lakers have a 14.1 point differential. The 72-win Chicago Bulls had a 12.3 differential.
Food for thought.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
How old is Brett Favre or Chris Chellios?
Cannot compare across sports.
Cassell is still averaging about 13 PPG and 5 assist. He brings the Celtics the one thing they don’t have, a decent back-up PG with play-off experience. Look at their bench if they get him? The team is now complete.
He’s a nice backup for 38. I don’t see how this team is “complete” though – it doesn’t have a stopper for LeBron, and I still don’t think it has as sturdy a frontline as the Pistons or Cavs. As for playoff experience … KG, Ray Allen, and Pierce have all been there.
People are writing off the Celtics because all their big moves were 7-8 months ago but the team is still the best in the NBA (record wise and in pts differential).
Who are these “people” writing off the Celtics? The East is a 3-team race between Boston, Detroit, and Cleveland, and I really haven’t seen anyone argue it any other way.
I don’t know how the Mavericks getting Jason Kidd is any bigger of a deal. The Celtics are much more likely to win the championship.
I think it’s a major stretch to compare the No. 5 assist man in NBA history – third in triple doubles – to Sam Cassell. But maybe that’s just me.
I’m not faulting the pickup – grab him, fine – but the idea that this is somehow a MASSIVE deal … i think it’s misleading. They were the East favorites without him.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
sorry bout that, i just had to bang someones head into my office door for saying dwight was hurt.
back to work
cant wait for some afternoon boobies TBL
February 29th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
irish…thats some funny shit.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
The East is a 3-team race between Boston, Detroit, and Cleveland, and I really haven’t seen anyone argue it any other way.
tbl- you need to start mentioning Orlando and i think i make valid arguments to put them in that class. also, Toronto is better than them at this point as well
February 29th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
god damnit i can never do these fucking things
TBL STOP HATING ON MY MAGIC put them in the class they deserve
dont make me pull out my dwight howard card on all these teams
February 29th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
what dwight howard card? that he can get in foul trouble easily against teams with deep frontcourts and then it’s a 20 point blowout the rest of the way?
February 29th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
dont start spence, im trying to have a low blood pressure afternoon. TBl is making me boil though with his nonsense in lack of talent in my squad
he is mad because my team is winning the division that he thought his team would hold down all year. no fuck that, the magic have been running shit. they have been holding up with the big dogs, and have favored well in the west.
TBL- answer me this, what is CLevelands record vs the EAST and what is Orlandos. thats right, the cleveland cavs are barely 500 when the Magic are almost 750.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
TBL- since you dont pay attention to any teams that you dont get on your local cable or want to post here. Check out the standings and records and all that good shit
http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Cnf.html
February 29th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
haha, irish, you know i was just tryin to piss you off.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
@Mo haters: This actually goes for everyone, but if someone puts up good or great numbers on a great team, then you can blow it off because his teammates were great(Manu Ginobili, Rajon Rondo-syndrome). If a guy puts up great numbers on a horrible team, then it’s because his teammates suck (Shareef Abdur Rahim back in the day or Chris Kaman). Just like to know for future reference, which is it?
Can’t we just agree that if a guy puts up good numbers, chances are he’s good…and if he doesn’t, chances are he sucks?
February 29th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
the wizards better hope for a lottery pick
February 29th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
The Wizards need a need medical staff more than they need a lottery pick.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
need a new*
February 29th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Nick when do you learn than people can have a different opinion than yours even if they are wrong?!?
I suppose that your e-mail was for me and Dornoch but i continue to say by watching him play 10 times a year, that he’s more a SG trapped in a PG body than a true PG. “Gilbert Arenas Syndrome???”, and in IMO his numbers are more a product of playing in bad teams. That’s my opinion, you have y
February 29th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
*your opinion. Fuck firefox….
February 29th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Big Lead..while I agree with your sentiment…Cleveland’s problem is that not only do they not have a stopper for PP or Ray Allen now that Hughes is gone, they also don’t have a low post presence anymore (Z has seemingly lost all post moves – at least Gooden had the jump hook going for him) – Z’s essentially a jump shooter at this point, as is Joe Smith.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
@cursed, they don’t have a stopper? They have LeBron James!!! (sarcasm alert….)
February 29th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
@CH4OS: I don’t particularly care what people think about Mo; he’s a solid starter but by no stretch an All-Star or even fringe All-Star. Mine was more of a general question. Do good numbers only count on good teams? If so, I’ll rethink how I evaluate players.
On which teams do good numbers count? LAL, PHX, SAS, Utah, Detroit, Boston? Any others you’d care to add?
And if a guy has particulary bad numbers on a really bad team, should we just use the excuse that “why would he want to put up good numbers on a bad team? Put him on a good team, and he’ll flourish.” So is Kevin Garnett a good or bad player?
Gilbert put up good (never great) numbers in both GS (bad team) and then Washington (playoff team). Good or bad player?
@cursed: Allow me to offer up my first and hopefully last appeal to authority argument –
“Don’t make the mistake of dismissing Cleveland based on what you saw. The Cavaliers’ young shooter, Daniel Gibson, is still hurt. Anderson Varejao is still finding his sea legs after holding out to start the season. And the King’s new court is still learning how to jell.”
“‘I like them better,’ Rivers said.‘They scare me as much as any team in the NBA. They did before the trade, and even more now.‘”
My first and last appeal to authority. Do I think Rivers’ opinion is worth anything at all? No, I think it’s completely worthless. I’m fairly confident his comment came only because he just finished a game against the Cavs.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
im getting sick of Lebron this and LEbron that
The CAVS are 17-14 against the Eastern Conference this year. three games over 500. You call that a legit team. That shows you that even in a weak conference, they are barely winning games.
/ Cleveland Public enemy # 1
February 29th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
@cursed: Gooden had the jump hook going for him? He was atrocious on offense. He caught fire once every 10 games. You know this for a fact.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Nick…I know exactly the pros and cons to appealing to authority (hence me knowing that it is deemed a “fallacy” amongst the academic community). However, there’s a reason we defer to experts in our society…there’s a reason we have panels of “experts” rather than panels of “sports message board posters.” We all have our own informed theories or opinions, but if you’re asking me honestly, I’ll defer to people who are around the game on a more intimate level
February 29th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Regarding Gilbert, if these numbers aren’t great then I don’t know what great is. Check out 2005-06, 2006-07. His numbers improved substantially from what they were in Golden State to what he did in Washington, he was a decent to good player in GS, he became a great, max contract guy in Washington.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/gilbert_arenas/career_stats.html
February 29th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
@cursed: So you would consider the Cavs at least as dangerous as LAL, if not more so?
February 29th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
And no I don’t think he should get max money mostly because of his injury history but based on the market, which is how contracts are decided in the NBA, he deserves it and some team (better be the Wizards) will pay it.
If Rashard Lewis is worth max money, Gilbert Arenas definitely is.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
guys…come on, lebrizzy didnt play last night, lets keep the discussion on what happened in the NBA and not just the cavs.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Those numbers are the definition of good, not great. You’re being overwhelmed by the 28 PPG. He only shot 41%. Couple that with a bad A/TO ratio, and I struggle to find the greatness.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
The “if Rashard Lewis is worth…” argument is going to cripple some lucky franchise this summer. For the Cavs’ sake, let’s hope it’s one of the Eastern Conference teams.
You know who else received a max deal? Stephon Marbury. You know who’s better than Stephon Marbury? Just about everyone. Do they deserve max deals too?
February 29th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Dwight Howard card= me telling you how bad dwight will destroy your big man all game long, all year long for the next 15 years
tell me someone who can bang and hang with my boy
February 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
irish…rick smits.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I know Nick, my point is, Gilbert is not going to sign for anythign less than max money, I would say Gilbert is someone a lot of teams would like, they will cave in.
Grunfeld is in a tough position, I am sure he will wary of giving Gilbert the max because of his propensity for getting injured, but another team will offer him the max and if he were to just let Gilbert walk, who trust me is in a Redskins town probably the most popular athlete in the area, he will have a public relations nightmare on his hands.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
dwayne schintzus
February 29th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
do i have to pull out the detlef shremph card?
February 29th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Nick, you have a good point but statistics never tell the all story, that’s why sometimes players perform well when they are on bad teams but on good teams they can’t be a second or third banana (like Shareef).
Watching the Bucks play (i must have seen 7/8 games this season) i have to say that Mo Williams can’t be a PG of a great team, is not a playmaker and he can’t run a halfcourt offense. There’s a reason Royal Ivey started 15 games this season and plays 20 minutes a night (even in Atlanta he didn’t play that much). Royal Ivey!!!
Maybe it was just the games i watched, but when they try to slow the tempo of the game to try to play inside to Andrew Bogut, Mo Williams seems to lose all his qualities. Then on defense he’s a liability but then i don’t know if that’s only him or a result of the team being one of the worst teams on all league…
February 29th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Shawn Kemp could bang with the best of them, both on and off the court.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
You would have to ask his teammates and his many baby mama’s how well he hung.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
@CBH: He *could* play hardball. I think the only teams with the money to offer him a max deal will be Memphis (who wouldn’t be interested) or Philly (who shouldn’t offer max). That leaves Washington in a favorable position. Of course if they lowball him, maybe he gets pissed and leaves. Regardless they shouldn’t max him out.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
ill be back later, i think shawn kemp just knocked me up.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
phlly ’shouldnt’ but they will. they always do.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Billy King isn’t the GM anymore, so maybe they wont. He is too busy being an expert analyst on ESPN.
Billy Kind and expert, bhaahhahahaha.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
tbl says The East is a 3-team race between Boston, Detroit, and Cleveland, and I really haven’t seen anyone argue it any other way.
tbl do you watch any Orlando games at all, or do you ever watch any Toronto games. Please watch the Knicks game tomorrow, i know you can get that game if your in NYC. See how such a hype like Eddy Curry has been turned into the breed of piece of shit center compared to Dwight Howard and his dominance of the paint area
February 29th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Both could be right, but that would make keeping Andre Miller at the trade deadline that much dumber. Par for Philly’s course, I suppose.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I agree with others who have stated that Orlando is a year away.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
irish, do you really believe the Magic can beat Boston or Detroit with Jameer Nelson running their offense?!?
Go and try to sign-and-trade Jose Calderon in the Off-Season…
February 29th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
@CH4: Calderon will be the key to the offseason. He’s worth whatever he gets. Toronto says they’ll match anything, though.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
2-2 vs Detroit this year
2-1 vs Boston this year
what else you got for me
February 29th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Nick, i will be shocked if Bryan Colangelo doesn’t match any offer anyone gives to Jose Calderon. I would not be surprised if he trades TJ Ford, but i don’t see many teams wanting to trade for a guy that can be forced into retirement when he gets hit.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I got what appears to be a 7 game, largely irrelevant sample.
Cavs went 2-0 versus SA last year. What’d that get them?
February 29th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Irish, I usually back you, but under your logic the Wizards are 2-1 vs. the Celtics this year, you don’t think they are going to beat the Celtics if they play in the playoffs do you?
February 29th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
its magic vs lakers in the finals baby… im the only one on this entire site that thinks the Magic is good and i love it. all the haters can keep hating while we get over looked
February 29th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I’m not even an NBA fan, but I find these threads fascinating for some reason. Kind of reminds me of the way fans used to argue about which bands were better in the old “Creem” magazine!
I probably just dated myself.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
412..if you rally break these threads down, there’s something much larger happening. I’m not sure what it is..but it’s somewhere in between Kobe/LeBron and free will/destiny.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Ballin is by far the most commented on and insightful post each day I believe.
412, was the magainze a precursor to Playboy and Hustler?
February 29th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
@Cursed: “GIVE US…US FREE!!”
February 29th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
cbh49er…No, it wasn’t pr0n. It was the rock mag Lester Bangs wrote for many moons ago.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Oh well…I’ve gotten this far without hearing anything about Lost. But, I’ve gotta roll. Everyone have a nice weekend.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Oh you’re at a half day Friday job 412? Dammit it all to hell.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
TBL, who has someone to stop Lebron? Tony Allen can give him as much trouble as anyone. But stop him? Nobody has someone to stop Lebron, the player doesn’t exist so I don’t see how that is valid.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
dorn…its completely relevant, ask detroit last year, and allen isn’t the defender tayshaun is. the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season, i have no stats to back this up, but im sure you realize it.
plus, whos allen going to play in place of? not KG, PP, jesus shuttlesworth, probably not rondo and really youre going to go small? ugh…bad news.
i said this when we were debating this awhile ago, lets just wait and see, we have a monthish to the playoffs.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Nah…full day here. I just spent the better part of the week screwing off and am desperately trying to get shit done so as to eliminate work on the weekend. And now…I’m back on TBL looking for more boobage. Damnit…
February 29th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Pierce and Ray have to sit at some point, they can’t go all 48 minutes and with all the Celtics options on the bench, why over work them?
Tony Allen will be on the floor for 20+ minutes and if it is against Cleveland it will be 20 minutes that Lebron is playing.
I would disagree that Tony Allen is not as good as Prince. Sure I am a Celtic homer but I don’t see ANYONE who plays as good on the ball defense as Tony Allen in the league. It was his M.O at OSU when he was Big 12 MVP and continues to be today. I know people will think that is some ridiculous statement but I believe it. He isn’t good enough to stop Lebron. Neither is Prince. If you asked Kobe Bryant who was better, I strongly believe he would say Tony Allen.
BTW, Tony is my favorite player on the Celtics so yes I am biased. But the reason he became my favorite is because of what I said above. Point being, if Tony Allen wasn’t on the Celtics, I would NOT be claiming some other Celtic was the best defender in the league.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I always used to laugh when there was an annointed Kobe stopper every week. Ruben Patterson, then Doug Christie…now it’s Raja Bell and Bruce Bowen. I think Kobe has dropped 40 on each one multiple times. You just can’t shut down the greats in this league, you have to hope they have off nights.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I agree cursed. That is what I was saying about Lebron, nobody has a Lebron stopper so why criticize the Celtics over it?
That said I do think Tony Allen is just as good as Prince, Bell or anyone else. He may not get recognized for it but I think that is understandable when you play with guys nicknamed the Big 3.
I won’t call him a Kobe stopper but he gives Kobe as much trouble as anyone, IMO.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
dorn…im a tony allen fan myself, but best on-the-ball defender in the league? HAH. we all know that honor goes to adam morrison.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
@cursed: I think you’re forgetting Ira “Kobe Stopper” Newble. Get your foot underneath Kobe’s as he lands. Out for the rest of the game. It’s that easy.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I always though Eric Snow made Kobe work three times as hard to get his shots off. Eric Snow gets no respect in Cleveland for his part in their success the last three years..zero.
OF course, people also don’t realize that defense is half the game.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Good point Nick
February 29th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Eric Snow was another one, especially when he was in Philly. The D he and Aaron McKie played is what got them to the Finals.
LMAO spencer.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Eric Snow was 1st team All-D for about 5 years running.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
But since he wasn’t a 20+ PPG scorer or on championship winning teams, the coaches didn’t realize it.
February 29th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Snow made the second team once.
He was never on the 1st team.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/snower01.html
February 29th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Who were the 1st team guards that year Dorn? Out of curiosity
February 29th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Suprisingly Nick, I agree with some of what you are saying. Many good defenders do get the short shrift due to lack of exposure. However, that point is irrelevant to Kobe Bryant, who does play great defense and gets plenty of exposure while doing doing it.
Defenisve player of the year if coaches voted on that.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Kobe and Doug Christie.