Derrick Rose with the Sick Crossover

Sun Setting in Phoenix?

(Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns)

It's more than tonight's 138-133 loss by the Phoenix Suns to the Denver Nuggets.  It's also more than the Suns current 8-9 record that supports my "Sun Setting in Phoenix?" title.  The moment Amar'e Stoudamire left for the New York Knicks, the critics began bashing his decision, saying that we would all see his true talents, or lack there of, without the help of Steve Nash.  I being one of those people, although not as harsh, thought the suffering would be felt by Amar'e alone, and never stopped to consider the affect it would have on Nash and the Suns.  The Suns do have a big man in the form of Robin Lopez, but he is currently injured, and beyond veterans Grant Hill and Jason Richardson, the Suns are not looking as competitive as they did a few seasons ago.

It's clear they can still score in the hundreds with the help of fast breaks and 3 pointers, but they have fallen short for years against teams like the Spurs and the Lakers, even with Amar'e on the roster.  With the Spurs and Lakers being possibly 2 of the best teams out West with their cores still intact, add to that Dallas, Utah and New Orleans all playing exceptional basketball, a 6th spot in the Western Conference might be the best possible outcome.

With all the above, Nash's back problems and his age, the rumors of him being traded begin to make perfect sense.  If the rumors are true, and he is traded to the New York Knicks, reunited with Amar'e and coach D'Antoni, that gives New York a chance at a conference title. That also gives the Suns a chance to rebuild without adding pieces to a team who's leader may be gone via trade or retirement.  Grant Hill is still in great shape and playing excellent basketball, but it is unlikely the Suns organization will try to rebuild around him.  Steve Nash is a Hall of Fame player, that is not up for debate, his career stats and awards solidify that.  However, if Steve Nash has any intentions of winning an NBA title, he will have to say goodbye to the Phoenix Suns and a tough Western Conference, and find himself a spot on an Eastern Conference contender with a solid core.

Kanye West "Power" feat. Dallas Mavericks

GREAT VIDEO OF THE DALLAS MAVERICKS TO KANYE WEST'S "POWER":

Blake Griffin: Narrow World Of Sports

VERY FUNNY MOCK INTERVIEW WITH NBA ROOKIE BLAKE GRIFFIN:

Raptors Make It 4 In A Row, Beat 76ers

(Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors)

Philadelphia 76ers 90  Toronto Raptors 106

The Toronto Raptors have been in the news over the summer for obvious reasons related to Chris Bosh going to Miami.  More recently they have been in the news for having traded point guard Jarrett Jack, David Anderson and Marcus Banks for Jerryd Bayless and veteran Peja Stojakovic from the New Orleans Hornets.  The Raptors were winners of 3 in a row coming into tonight's game versus Philadelphia, with their newly acquired players suiting up for the first time.

For a Raptors fan, such as myself, the game could not have started any better.  The Raptors never trailed during the 1st quarter shooting 65% with 10 assists in a "run and gun" style of play, which I think, should be their trademark. Newcomer Jerryd Bayless came off of the bench and played well, even hitting the buzzer beater to end the quarter.  Philidelphia seemed exhausted from their overtime loss the night before against the Washington Wizards and only shot 42%.

The second quarter offered much of the same, complete domination by the Raptors who were shooting 57% keeping Philadelphia shooting 42%.  By half time, Bargnani had 15 points and crowd favorite, Reggie Evans, had tied the team franchise record for rebounds in the first half of play, with 15.  The announcement was made and the ACC Arena, which as usual was in a frenzy, made it clear they appreciated their undersized rebounding talent.

However, in typical Toronto fashion, the second half had the fans holding their breath with a major a case of deja vu.  Toronto lead by 22 points at one point and were now up only 14 while Philadelphia chipped away, making their come back.  Moving away from scoring in the paint which got them the lead, and now settling for jump shots, the Raptors found themselves up only 10 points with only 5:00 minutes left in the game.  Had it not been for consecutive offensive rebounds, the Raptors would not have been able to pad the lead, winning the game by 16 points.

Reggie was the story of the night, tieing Chris Bosh's record of 22 rebounds in a game, behind former Raptor Donyell Marshall's 24.  Andrea Bargnani is continuing to prove himself as the go to player on this team, scoring 24 points in just over 30 minutes of play.  Newly appointed starting point guard Jose Calderon had 16 points and 9 assists, while his new back up Jerryd Bayless finished with 13 points, making him the third highest scoring Raptor of the night.  Peja Sojakovic finished with 7 points in less than 10 minutes of play,

Tonight's win is the 4th in a row for a team that looks like they have finally found some rhythm and a style of play that best suits the roster.  The next 4 games wont be as easy as they face the Celtics, the Hawks, the Wizards and finish with the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Games most would have considered a write off, perhaps now, may not be so cut and dry.  We will just have to wait and see.

Blake Griffin Dunks On The Knicks

MONSTER DUNKS BY ROOKIE BLAKE GRIFFIN:

San Antonio Spurs, Old Reliable

(Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan)

In most season previews there was a common theme.  Finals predictions, up and coming teams, rookie of the year and the "Big 3".  Lakers were the favorite to win it all again, the Oklahoma Thunder and Kevin Durant were the new kids on the block, John Wall and Blake Griffin for rookie of the year and the Miami Heat along with the Boston Celtics "Big 3" debate continues.  These are definitely things to discuss in what is likely to be the most entertaining NBA season in years.  However, all this has the media over looking a team the encompasses all of the above.

Much like the Lakers, the Spurs have a veteran player in Tim Duncan who earned rookie of the year honors, while remaining on the same team he was drafted to in 1997, winning 4 championships in the process.  No one would consider the Spurs an up and coming team, but based on recent years performances, they have improved their play with some changes to their roster.  As far as "Big 3s" go, you would be hard pressed to find one with more chemistry than Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, all playing side by side since 2003.

So I ask myself this question.  Why is it that a championship team, with arguably 3 of the best players in the NBA, a Hall of Fame coach in Greg Popovich and a history of winning, never get mentioned as title contenders?  Now I would hate to get into the "reputation rant", blaming the media, marketing and a little fan ignorance as to why the Spurs get no respect, even though the above mentioned does play a part.  Between 2003 and 2007, the Detroit Pistons won 1 and San Antonio Spurs won 4 NBA titles.  The casual fan considered this to be "the boring basketball era", lacking the high flying highlights with too much focus on defense.  The hard working yet humble attitudes of both teams were in no way what some would consider marketable, nor were there any household names to follow.  Things have changed since then, and the sports fan in general has become more aware and has a better understanding of their preferred sport.

As of today, this 2010-2011 San Antonio Spurs team has the best record in the NBA at 12-1.  1st place in the Western Conference, Soutwest Division leaders and have won 11 straight games.  It would make no sense to say the San Antonio Spurs have surprised the teams they have played against.  I do suspect though that some teams may have underestimated them, blinded by the hype of other teams or perhaps believing that with age, the Spurs best years are behind them.  If that is the case, those who are to face the Spurs next should remind themselves who they are facing.  Between Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, they share 31 All NBA selections, 16 All-Star appearances and 7 All-Star game and finals MVP awards.

I have never hidden the fact that I am an advocate of the direction the NBA is headed, with focus on young athletic players with game speeds at their highest since I can remember.  However, I in no way am opposed to the "grind it out" style of basketball that teams like the Spurs can provide.  It is a proven way to win, and those that would underestimate proven talent and success to focus on hope and hype, are in for a big surprise, and likely a loss.

Raptors in trade talks with New Orleans Hornets

Jarrett Jack, Toronto Raptors

The topic of the day in Raptor land is more than likely about the possible trading of Jarret Jack and less about last night's win over the Houston Rockets.  With all honesty, you can't really blame the fans.  They have been screaming for change, and with today's deal likely to go down, I for one think it is a good deal and long over due.

The trade involves Toronto Raptors Jarret Jack, David Anderson and Marcus Banks.  Jarret Jack played the most out of the 3 players mentioned, splitting time at the point guard position with Jose Calderon.  David Anderson joined the team this summer and played a good supporting role off the bench.  With a reliable jump shot and rarely putting the team at risk with bad on the court decisions, he was great at filling the void left by the injured rookie Ed Davis.  Marcus Banks, a third string point guard, rarely saw minutes over the last few seasons, and although some fans may think he was never given a chance in Toronto, it was clear Calderon and Jack were the better players at that position.

On the Hornets side,  point guard Jerryd Bayless and forward Peja Stojakovic are the ones supposedly headed to Toronto.  The Hornets have been on fire this season without the help of these 2 players, and this trade should it go through, does great things for both teams, just at different times.

The Hornets get an immediate shot in the arm as far as performance goes with Jarrett Jack backing up All-Star Chris Paul, and Banks likely once again coming off the bench.  David Anderson should fit in nicely with the jump shot happy Hornets.  Anderson is in good health when compared to Peja Stojakovic, who has been suffering from nagging injuries over the last few years resulting in poor play.  The Raptors benefit is one that will pay dividends in the long term rather than propel them to a playoff spot this season.  The financial benefits of this trade, were it to go through, give the Raptors a $14 million expiring contract in Peja, the ability to trade Bayless with the $14 million trade exception received in the Bosh trade and $3 million in cash.  Add all that with a likely high 2011 draft pick and you have yourself a chance to seriously compete.

After months of Bryan Colangelo taking heat for the Bosh trade and his recent inability to put together a successful roster, he has shown he is one of the best at looking at the big picture.  Raptor fans should not kid themselves, the Raptors are going to remain near the bottom of the Eastern Conference this season.  The the only hopes of making the playoffs would based on some awful all around performances from all the teams ranked above them.  I do understand that no fan wants to feel that their team's season is hopeless after waiting all summer for it to begin.  I get that.  It's however also important as a fan to understand that this trade doesn't kill the Raptors on a competitive level.  They will win about the same amount of games predicted, and go into next year's draft ready to make a lot of noise.  Which right now, is better than a 8th playoff spot followed by a 1st round exit and losing a high draft pick. 

As a loyal Raptors fan, I hope this traded goes through.  What the Raptors have right now is not working, the only thing you can do is try to fix it.

2011 NBA All-Star Ballot Released

The 2011 NBA All-Star Ballot, for the game to be held in Los Angeles, was released yesterday.  Although I won't go through the entire list, I will make known my picks for each position.  What I noticed right away when looking at the list of players, was the fact that "the times they are-a changing".  Bob Dylan's classic tune was in no way related to basketball, but it sure does apply to the current NBA situation.  Names I would have once demanded be on the roster are now replaced by my desire to see the new and upcoming players, most of which have less than 10 years of experience in the league.

To be completely honest, I don't feel bad one bit and stand by my picks.  Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Vince Carter, Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Mike Bibby, Paul Pierce and many other veterans have put on great All-Star performances in the past, and the memories will last forever.  It's just that in my opinion, there are more than a fair share of great, new, young and exciting players that need to be put on display for the greater good of the sport and its growth.  So as I list my choices and you notice players without championship rings and MVP awards, understand my reasoning, but feel free to debate.  I actually encourage it, I may have missed something and would love to hear another person's point of view on the situation.

Either way, we are in for yet another great NBA All-Star weekend!

EAST GUARDS
DeMar Derozan..........Toronto Raptors
Brandon Jennings..........Milwaukee Bucks
Rajon Rondo..........Boston Celtics
Derrick Rose..........Chicago Bulls
Dwayne Wade..........Miami Heat
John Wall..........Washington Wizards

EAST FORWARDS
Chris Bosh..........Miami Heat
Danny Granger..........Indiana Pacer
LeBron James..........Miami Heat
Amar'e Stoudamire..........New York Knicks
Josh Smith..........Atlanta Hawks

EAST CENTERS
Dwight Howard..........Orlando Magic
Andrea Bargnani..........Toronto Raptors
Brook Lopez..........New Jersey Nets
Joakim Noah..........Chicago Bulls
Andrew Bogut..........Milwaukee Bucks

WEST GUARDS
Stephen Curry..........Golden State Warriors
Monta Ellis..........Golden State Warrirors
Russell Westbrook..........Oklahoma City Thunder
Chris Paul..........New Orleans Hornets
Deron Williams..........Utah Jazz

WEST FORWARDS
Carmelo Anthony..........Denver Nuggets
Kevin Durant..........Oklahoma City Thunder
Blake Griffin..........Los Angeles Clippers
Kevin Love..........Minnesota Timberwolves
David West..........New Orleans Hornets

WEST CENTERS
Marc Gasol..........Memphis Grizzlies
Chris Kaman..........Los Angeles Clippers
Robin Lopez..........Phoenix Suns
Emeka Okafor..........New Orleans Hornets
Demarcus Cousins..........Sacramento Kings

The complete NBA All-Star Ballot can be found here: http://www.nba.com/2010/news/11/18/all-star-ballots-unveiled/index.html

"Like A Bosh" via The Basketball Jones Blog

I AM NOT A "BOSH HATER", BUT THIS IS FUNNY:

Best Dunks of '09-'10 NBA Season

HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST DUNKS OF THE '09-'10 SEASON:

NBA Crossover Mix

COOL VIDEO I FOUND OF SOME CROSSOVER KINGS AND THEIR VICTIMS! ENJOY!

8-0 Hornets have the best record in the NBA

The hype around this undefeated New Orleans team has gone from negative to the positive in a few short weeks.  As the pre-season was nearing, rumors of Chris Paul demanding a trade were flooding the internet.  "He said, she said" scenarios were part of the problem, with Paul making statements saying he had never requested a trade, while others said he had.  A "Big 3" scenario was the core of the stories, which had All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul joining Amar'e Stoudamire in New York with the Knicks.  It was a media nightmare for the Hornets seeing as how Chris Paul still has 2 years remaining on his contract, and to have an unhappy player perhaps not giving his all for 2 full years is nothing short of a disaster.  Add to all this a new general manager in Dell Demps and you have yourself the worst scenario you could possibly ask for going into the pre-season.

The Hornets lost 5 games in a row and finished 1-7 in the preseason. It almost seemed inevitable that this would go down as one of the worst Hornets seasons of the last few years. That couldn't have been further from the truth.  The Hornets won their first 3 regular season games against Milwaukee, Denver and San Antonio by an average of 6 points, with Chris Paul leading what seemed to be a newly energized Hornets team.  The Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks would be the next 3 teams to fall to the momentum driven Hornets, averaging 100 points a game and keeping their opponents scoring just under 90 points.  The Hornets would make easy work of the Blake Griffin lead Los Angeles Clippers and the more than capable Portland Trailblazers, beating one by 19 and the other by 20 points.

As the only remaining unbeaten team in the NBA, the Hornets have a franchise record for wins to begin the season.  As much as I love to give praise to Chris Paul, this current 8-0 record would be impossible without the other 4 starters.  Emaka Okafor, David West, Trevor Ariza and Marco Belinelli have shown that players who are given the right system and compatible teammates, can truly play great basketball, while showing their true skill and worth to a team.  Watching most of the Hornets games myself, its clear that team chemistry is the reason for this run, as they are 2nd place in team assists in the western conference, with nearly 23 per game.  The 7-3 Utah Jazz are 1st with about 24 team assists per game.

Division rivals the Dallas Mavericks are no slouches either.  They are 6-2 and have won 3 in a row coming into tonight's game versus the Hornets.  Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks will have the home crowd pumped and ready for a game that the entire NBA and all its fans will be watching.  Regardless of the outcome, New Orleans will no doubt be on everyones radar from now on.  They're on mine, and with good reason.

Wall or Griffin for NBA '10-11 Rookie of the Year?

(left John Wall and Blake Griffin)

Fans that debate about who is the best point guard in the NBA, are usually split down the middle 50/50.  The answer tends to be either Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Steve Nash depending on who you ask.  

 

When it comes to the NBA '10-11 rookie of the year, more people seem to be leaning towards John Wall as the sure winner over Blake Griffin, but it is still too early in the season to predict.  I will say however, that John Wall is at an advantage for the award based on the position he plays.  John Wall is a point guard and Blake Griffin is a power forward.  Wall will have the ball in his hands a lot more than Griffin, creating plays for teammates and himself.  Points, assists and steals will come easier for Wall, as his position on the court has him involved in nearly every play, offensively and defensively.  In 6 games Wall is averaging 19 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. 

Blake Griffin, on the other hand, plays the power forward position.  In lament terms, he is usually given the ball while posting up no more than 18ft away from the basket, with the intention to score or pass the ball if double teamed.  His height, 6'10, compared to Walls 6'4 is where his advantage lies.  This height advantage will give him increased rebounding on both ends and high percentage shots, coming from him setting up so close to the basket.  In 9 games Griffin is averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal.

Now when I say Wall has the advantage, it's not to say I don't think Blake Griffin is worthy of the award, I do.  I think this is the most exciting race for the award in years.  My belief is that when those who are responsible for the voting make their decision, they will see assists as being worth more than rebounds.  Assists are passes that result in points scored, where as rebounds, primarily offensive, count for second chance points, but not guaranteed.  Wall's highlights will include dunks, behind the back passes, 3 pointers, buzzer beaters, crossovers and he is sure to get several triple doubles throughout the season.  Blake's year will be highlighted by huge put back slams and dominating rebound performances.  Both players, if their numbers plateau or improve from today, are equally deserving of the award.

History may be of no help either when deciding the winner.  In the last 10 years, 5 Rookie of the Year award recipients were point guards and 3 of them were power forwards.  It may all come down to their respective teams records are at the end of the season.  Wall's Washington Wizards are currently 2-4 and Griffin's Los Angeles Clippers are 1-8.  Both franchises have been struggling the past few years, and these 2 future stars are just what they need to turn it all around.

I'll hold off on making my prediction, but will say this much, the NBA draft may have the most immediate impact to any one team in any given sport.  LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers can attest to that, and now is as good a time as any to watch these players develop.

Kobe Bryant & Jimmy Kimmel in COD: Black Ops Ad

Lebron James Nike Commercial / Cleveland Reply

HERE IS THE ORIGINAL COMMERCIAL:




HERE IS THE CLEVELAND FAN BASE REPLY:





I personally think LeBron James broke no NBA rules in his leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Was it the most professional and respectful way to leave the team, especially being the franchise player, no.

As personally attached as we may become to our favorite athletes, actors or musicians, it is still a business.  The amount of money donated during the televised "The Decision" where he announced he was leaving his current team, was quite commendable.  But I do disagree with statement of him not being a role model.  People become role models whether they like it or not. Whether you care or not is the real issue.

Definition of a Role Model:

An individual who is looked up to and revered by someone else. A role model is someone who other individuals aspire to be like, either in the present or in the future. A role model may be someone who you know and interact with on a regular basis, or may be someone who you've never met, such as a celebrity.

"With great power come great responsibility".  Uncle Ben (Parker)

Raptors lose at home to Warriors, 5th straight loss

(left to right) Head Coach Jay Triano, Forward Amir Johnson, GM Bryan Colangelo

Golden State Warriors 109  Toronto Raptors 102

Tonight I chose a picture that best represents all those responsible for the Toronto Raptors pitiful start to the season.  The head coach, the players (not just Amir) and the general manager are all to blame for the current situation the Raptors find themselves in.  

I had intended on going through a full play by play, but felt that if you watch even a little bit of Raptors basketball, you know what to expect in a loss.  Raptors started the game on an 8-0 run forcing Golden State to call an early time out, only to have the Warriors come out of the time out and go on their own 8-0 run.  The rest of the 1st half was full of fast and sometimes sloppy play from both teams, although the Warriors still managed to shoot 52% while the Raptors shot only 38%.  Golden State guard Monta Ellis had 16 points and Kleiza and Bargnani combined for 18 points for the Raptors.  Golden State rookie Jeremy Lin did what he was asked to do, play solid minutes with 3 points, 3 assists and 3 steals while giving Stephen Curry a much need rest from a troublesome right ankle.  Raptor David Anderson came off the bench with 6 points with a jump shot I'm beginning to expect to go in every time it goes up.

The second half had David Lee play solid all around basket for his Golden State team, and even with a run in the 3rd quarter from the Raptors, cutting a 20 point lead down to 5 in the fourth, the Raptors still fell flat.

It's easy for us bloggers, commentators and critics to criticize the play and performance of the organization when things don't go right, but the frustration from the paying fan comes from habits that have yet to be corrected after years of  pointing them out.

I get if the coach says something and the players don't listen, but that means you have to get a coach the players will listen to.  Former coach Sam Mitchell seemed to have given up on his players, based on his demeanor, before he was fired, but it's clear Jay Triano cares about this team.  It just seems like he can't get through to his players for whatever reason.  The preaching of defense is falling on deaf ears while certain players keep forcing up shots when they should be passing the ball.

The players also rely too much on jump shooting, even when they cut their opponents lead by going into the paint, scoring and getting fouled.  As skilled a jump shooting team as the Raptors are, when to shoot the jumpers is the major issue.  Also, during tonight's loss it was clear that Jose Calderon could have blown by rookie Jeremy Lin as much as he pleased, but only took advantage of the match up once or twice.  I hope it's not too late by time Raptors rookie Ed Davis hits the court, because the season is far from over, and it's obvious they are missing his pressence.

As far as GM Bryan Colangelo is concerned, he does have a knack for getting average to above average players added to he roster and buy into the system.  The Barbosa for Turkoglu deal alone shows he knows how to do his job, but the loss of Chris Bosh for essentially nothing, is him not coming through when it counts the most.  I knew 2 years ago Bosh would not resign.  I, as a loyal fan, Bosh supporter and fan of the NBA, I could not conjure up a scenario where Bosh would remain a Toronto Raptor.  I understand Bryan Colangelo getting mixed messages from Bosh, but it's part of his job as GM to see past that, read between the lines and focus on the bigger picture. 

Raptors are now 1-6 and sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference tied with the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Raptors next game is at home against the very same Bobcats, a game that will decide, for now at least, the worst team in the East.

New Orleans make it to 5-0 against the Miami Heat

Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets

Miami Heat 93  New Orleans Hornets 96

Last night I watched my first New Orleans Hornets game of the season.  Knowing that Chris Paul had a less than stellar 2009-10 season due to injury and lack of great play from teammates, I was 100% sure I was in for possibly the best game of the season until now.  With all the hype surrounding Miami's "Big 3" over the summer and all the rumors surrounding Chris Paul and Carmelo forming their own trio with Amare Stoudamire, it was safe to assume that Paul was playing with a chip on his shoulder.  I was one of those NBA fans who have Chris Paul and Deron Williams tied for best Point Gaurd in the league, with Steve Nash at 1A.  I have since changed my mind.

I will stray from giving a play by play about this game and lean towards a few major factors that swung this game in New Orleans direction, down to the final buzzer beater to maintain the lead and win the game.  The Hornets came into last night's game 4-0, having beat Milwaukee, Denver, San Antonio and Houston.  The Heat were 4-1 in blow outs against Philadelphia, Orlando, New Jersey and Minnesota, with their only loss coming at the hands of the Boston Celtics.  Much like all Miami games, home or away, the New Orleans Arena was sold out, and the playoff of atmosphere was in full swing.  I believe every Miami Heat game from now on will have this type of attention and passion from all fans, which above everyone else, is making NBA Comissioner David Stern very happy.

The Heat lead only once in this game, during the 4th quarter, in a dominating performance from Chris Paul and company.  The Hornets played the best basketball I have seen all season.  They had 6 players in double digits including Chris Paul's 13 points, 19 assists and Okafor's 26 points and 13 rebounds and shot just under 50% as a team.  The Heat were once again top heavy when it came to scoring with Wade scoring 28 points with 10 rebounds and Lebron's 20 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds.  Bosh chipped in with 15 points of his own, with a huge 3 pointer near the end of the 4th that could have been the winner for the Heat.

I now believe that Chris Paul is the #1 point guard in the NBA and Deron Williams and Steve Nash are tied for 2nd.  The back to back MVP awards for Nash would have some call me crazy, but feel free to let me know why I might be wrong or why you might agree with me.   This win bumped the Hornets to 5-0, giving them the best start in franchise history. You must also consider the players Chris Paul has on his team, which makes his achievements all the more impressive when compared to Steve Nash and Deron Williams.

Here are some highlights form the game.

Crossover Kings / NBA Fantasy Pool Week 2

I mentioned in a previous post that I would be keeping those who frequent my blog, an update on my fantasy team, so here it is.

My team, the "Crossover Kings", are in 2nd place out of 12 with 79.5 points.  The 1st place team sits on top with 80.5 points.  Stand out players from that 1st place team include Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, Eric Gordon, Kevin Garnett, Devin Harris and Ron Artest.  My "Crossover Kings" stars are Paul Pierce, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh and Andrew Bogut.

Out of the players mentioned, Chris Paul with averages of 21pts, 6 rebounds and 9 assists is doing great in fantasy land and reality, as the New Orleans Hornets are still unbeaten at 4-0.  Paul Pierce is not far behind with a 21 points and 7 rebounds per game average.

As a big fan of the Power Forward position, I made sure I got my hands on Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves.  I was a non believer through no fault of my own when it came to his skills.  The lack of air time and stats that didn't stand out among other players in his position, I assumed his praise was all hype.  However, while watching this past summer's FIBA Championship, I knew he was the real deal.  Averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds, Minnesota has only won 1 game so far, but placing last in the western conference last year, there is no where to go but up.

My worst 2 performers based on fantasy league scoring systems, are Brad Miller and Hedo Turkoglu.  With Miller playing around 33 minutes and Turkoglu with 24 minutes, combined they only average 12 points and 7 rebounds.  Not impressive at all.  Brad Miller who is a reliable player off the bench, is playing behind Yao Ming and Luis Scola, both go to guys on the 0-4 Houston Rockets.  Hedo Turkoglu, who came off a less than impressive season with the Toronto Raptors after leaving Orlando, has yet to get into rhythm with a team you would expect him to excel with.  The Phoenix Suns are a team full of talented jump shooters and lose very little steam when going to their bench.  The 1-3 record for the Suns is nothing to worry about right now, but its already clear that Toronto trading Turkoglu for Leandro Barbosa, benefited the Raptors far more than it did Phoenix.

It looks like I will need to make 2 trades if I want to stay near the top of this fantasy mountain.  With it still being early in the season, I might even wait until the end of the month before making a final decision.  Nothing would hurt more than dropping both players and have them start playing well once another team picks them up.  

I would recommend fantasy leagues to anyone from fans new to the sport to the hardcore, as it is a lot of fun, involves strategy, and keeps you involved and informed as well as helps you learn about the NBA throughout the season.

Try it, it's free!

Crossover Kings

-------------------------

Chris Paul

Chirs Bosh

Paul Pierce

Brad Miller

Hedo Turkoglu

Andrew Bogut

Udonis Haslem

Kirk Hinrich

Anderson Varejao

Chauncey Billups

Linas Kleiza

Kevin Love

Boris Diaw

Rookie John Wall Makes History

 

John Wall, Washington Wizards

Philadelphia 76ers 115  Washington Wizards 116

There was no doubt this night would come.  2010 1st pick in the draft John Wall was going to show us why he could be rookie of the year and turn the Wizards franchise around, much like Lebron James did for Cleveland.  At least we didn't have to wait too long.

The Wizards were hosting the Philadelphia 76ers at their season home opener with an 0-2 record.  Phileldelphia, with the 2nd pick in the 2010 draft Evan Turner, were 0-3 and also looking for their first win of the season.

The beginning of the first quarter was clearly controlled by the 76ers.  Great ball movement, 7 points on 7 assists and shooting 75% for most of the quarter.  All signs pointed to a long night for Washington.  It only took 5 minutes for the Wizards to be down 10 points and with 4:52 left in the quarter, they were already in the penalty, giving Philidelphia free throws on every foul.  It got to a point where the Wizards were down 14 points, but found it in them to go on a 18-5 run bringing down the margin to 1 point, 28-27.  Much of that run was fueled by Washington's Nick Young who scored 15 points in 14 minutes, much of those points scored in a back in forth 2nd quarter.  At half time the score was 50-48 in favor of the Wizards.

The 3rd quarter was all about momentum, as Wizards kept control most of it going on a 12-2 run, improving their ball movement and shot selection.  Philidelphia perhaps knowing they were in trouble, found it in them to go on a 6-0 run to end the 3rd, now down 6, 72-66.

During a hard fought 4th quarter by both teams, Washington would have possesion of the ball with 3.1 seconds left, down 106-103.  With the game on the line, the Wizards handed the ball to 2nd year player Cartier Martin for a contested 3 pointer.  Not a pretty looking shot, off balance and with a Andre Igoudala in his face, his jumper would still drop forcing the game into overtime.  Needless to say, the Verizon Center erupted with excitement and appreciation that their home team had no intention of giving up.

After a close OT quarter, with lots of free throws, it was Philadelphia's turn to try disappoint their opponent.  After 2 made free throws by Andray Blatche, the 76ers gave the ball to Andre Igoudala with 7.1 seconds, down 1 point, 115-114.  It was not meant to be.  Igoudala would miss his jump shot and the game was over.

The reference to John Wall making history was in his 31st assists in his first 3 games in the league.  No other player in NBA history has done that. Wall also had 29 points, 13 assists and 9 steals in the game.  He had plenty of help from Nick Young's and Andray Blatche's combined 43 points.

The 76ers did however put on a great show in their 4th consecutive loss of the season.  They shot 55%, Lou Williams had 30 points and 11 year veteran Elton Brand scored 21 before fouling out in the 4th.  Evan Turner, 2010 2nd draft pick, finished with 9 points and 6 rebounds.

The Rookie of the Year trophy winner, personally, is more exciting to me than this years MVP recipient.  Blake Griffin and John Wall will keep me glued to every Clippers and Wizards game from now on.  Not something I could have imagined myself saying a few years ago.

Toronto Raptors vs Sacramento Kings Nov. 1

Toronto Raptors 108  Sacramento Kings 111

For those who watched tonight's game will know exactly why I have chosen to post the picture above.  For those who didn't, I will break it down in the simplest of terms, so you too, can feel the same way Reggie Evans and all Toronto Raptors fans feel right now.

As an NBA fan 1st and a Raptors fan 2nd, looking at tonight's match up against the Sacramento Kings meant one simple thing, an easy win for the 1-1 Canadian franchise.  Losing to New York in a close home opener, then coming back to blow out the Cleveland Cavaliers by 20 two days later, this game started how most had expected it to.  Toronto lead 33-16 after the 1st quarter and ended the 1st half up by 11 points.  During the 1st half of play the Raptors scored 21 fast break points, Andrea Bargnani and Demar DeRozan combined for 32 points and Reggie Evans already had 12 rebounds.  Besides Tyreke Evans' 16 points, no other Kings player scored in double digits.

The 2nd half was much kinder to the Sacramento Kings as the Raptors fell back into some very bad old habits. Forcing shots without moving the ball and taking nothing but mid-range jump shots with very few attempts in the paint.  The Kings took advantage of this by going on an 8-2 run, closing the gap to 8 points with an intense ARCO Arena crowd now behind every play.  The 4th quarter would see the game tied 3 times with big shots from both teams, but ultimately ending with a 111-108 victory for the Kings.  Last years Rookie of the year Tyreke Evans ended the game with 23 points, while this years Rookie of the Year hopeful Demarcus Cousins finished with 16 points and 4 rebounds.

What makes this so frustrating as a Raptors fan, is that this loss could have easily been avoided.  Reggie Evans ended the game with 19 rebounds, 10 of which were offensive, out rebounding all 5 Sacramento Kings starters.  Demar Derozan tied his career best, scoring 24 points.  Add to that, 28 points from Andrea Bargnani, 31 points from Calderon and Kleiza, and all this was still not enough to maintain control of the game with a 17 point lead.

The next 3 games on the road are against the Utah Jazz, the 2009-2010 Championship Los Angeles Lakers and end the road trip taking on the Portland Trailblazers.  I think that list speaks for itself.