Tuesday, May 31, 2011
A few Tips to handle Sore Muscles
Someone You Ought To Know: Danielle Robinson
NBA fines Joakim Noah $50,000 for foul language
Recently, Kobe Bryant was fined $100,000 for saying almost the same thing, though in [...]
Margo Dydek, 7-foot-2 ex-WNBA player, dies at 37
Margo Dydek, a 7-foot-2 former WNBA player who led the league in blocks nine times, died Friday after being placed in a medically induced coma following a heart attack a week ago. She was 37.
Her death was confirmed to The Associated Press by Cathy Roberts, operations manager of the Northside Wizards in the [...]
Monday, May 30, 2011
Someone You Ought To Know: Danielle Robinson
Huskies will play Marquette, Duke at Madison Square Garden
basketball warm up songs basketball x\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s and o\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s
Why Mike Brown, as Laker coach, could work
Count me in as being more than a little shocked at the negative reaction to Mike Brown's hiring as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. I understand that everything could be set up to fail, here. And if you'll recall, nobody was harder on Brown's work with the Cleveland Cavaliers during his tenure there as I was. From the 2006 playoffs until his final days, I was beside myself at how terrible his offensive sets seemed to be, and save for one breath of fresh air during the regular season in 2008-09, it never really let up.
But it's the offseason for the Lakers, which is strange for them because it's still May. And the offseason is supposed to be full of optimism. Where every team is tied for first, even if four teams are still playing. And, really, why not go glass half-full with this? At least to start?
The thing that comes to mind when you think of Brown's time in Cleveland was the way that he let LeBron James seemingly run roughshod over his offensive sets, his locker room, and the whole Cavalier culture. The entourage was in the building, the ball was in LeBron's hands, and Brown was the first to go when things came crashing down way too early following playoff exits in 2009 and 2010. And all the leaks in the time since have shown Brown to be little more than someone who really wanted to keep his gig while currying favor with his best player, despite the 2008-09 Coach of the Year's formidable basketball smarts.
So, that wouldn't seem to be the sort of player you'd want to toss into the mix with the Los Angeles Lakers. A team featuring a player whose will and persona runs way stronger than LeBron's, which is made even worse by the fact Kobe Bryant isn't anywhere near the player James is these days (or next year), and complicated even further by the knowledge that Bryant wanted Brian Shaw to take over as the next Laker coach.
But hear me out. You too, Kobe.
You've never had a dork before. And I say this harboring the upmost respect for Mike Brown, a cool guy that could possibly beat me in arm wrestling (certainly this week, with my vertebrae in shambles), and a man who probably could not spend 35 minutes prattling on about Steely Dan demos while involving the works of E.B. White and Thoreau, as yours truly did to some poor soul last week.
Kobe's had, frankly, a bit of a dull sort in Del Harris. He's had an ex-player who was in over his head in Kurt Rambis, an ex-player who was in everyone's heads in Phil Jackson, an ex-player whose heart just wasn't in it in Rudy Tomjanovich, and a career assistant who knew that he wasn't long for the job in Frank Hamblen.
But he's never had a dork, before. This isn't to say that the fine men listed above didn't spend hours burrowing through game tape, but Brown is a younger guy that appreciates a good bit of Synergy in the same way that Phil Jackson appreciated "synergy situations." There is a relationship to be had, here.
Does Brown's hiring shove the triangle offense out of the picture, while rending someone like Derek Fisher useless? Well, Fish was pretty useless this year as it was, but that doesn't have to be the case. Nobody has abused the triangle more than Kobe, and his work in shattering its precepts this season and parts of last was akin to an art crime in my eyes.
But no NBA player, perhaps in history save for Scottie Pippen, understands the triangle better. And all Kobe did in 2004-05, with Phil Jackson gone, was lament its loss. And that's with Chris Mihm in the pivot. Not Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol.
So why can't Kobe, the player-coach if we ever saw one, run things offensively? Why can't he have the voice he's always wanted to have? Why can't those annoying sportswriter storylines come to life? "Away from Phil's shadow, Kobe Bryant grows up." Stuff like that. With, yes, the groundhog reference.
Geez, I'm such an appalling optimist sometimes.
Give it a whirl, Lakers fans. It's not like your team was listening to its last coach, anyway.
Warriors draft a contract of promises for their season-ticket holders
For roughly 15 years, Golden State Warriors owner Chris Cohan presided over a franchise that did everything in its power to hold things close to the vest and not reach out to fans. When Joe Lacob and Peter Guber took over the team this fall, they were welcomed warmly just by virtue of not being part of the old regime. They still had to prove themselves, but their Bay Area fans were ready to listen to their owners in a way they hadn't been for more than a decade.
For the most part, Lacob and Guber have been solid, although not without some stumbles along the way. To get some sense of the good work they're doing to foster better relationships with their fanbase, check out this contract they've sent out to all their season-ticket holders (via TrueHoop and TBJ). Or, if you hate links to photos, read the stipulations below.
1. THE CLUB will reach the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
2. THE CLUB will have a player participate in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.
3. THE CLUB will win 25 or more home games at Oracle Arena.
4. THE CLUB will honor a Risk-Free Renewal, with a 5% Interest Guarantee Option for the 2011-12 NBA season.
If the team fails to fulfill these promises, they will give their fans goodies ranging from the valuable (e.g. no ticket price increases for the 2012-13 season for No.1) to the marginal (an autographed All-Star-related gift for No. 2). In all honesty, several of these awards will probably happen even if the team meets all four goals. But it's still a notable gesture, because it shows that Lacob and Guber actually appreciate their fans, or at least know that they are important members of the franchise beyond the dollars they spend on tickets, concessions and merchandise.
That might seem like a minor development, but it's pretty major given the context of the Cohan regime. Being treated like adults, or even just people whose fandom is valued, is a giant step forward. Lacob and Guber may flame out terribly as owners -- they haven't even been on the job for a year yet. For now, though, they're a welcome presence in Oakland.
Report: Gus Johnson to call Pac-12 football games
Sunday, May 29, 2011
German power forward Breunig visits UW
Isaiah Thomas shoots well ? very well ? at NBA combine
Ricky Rubio has reservations about coming to the NBA during a lockout
Over the past two years, the Minnesota Timberwolves have occasionally claimed that Spanish wunderkind Ricky Rubio was on the verge of ditching his homeland to come to the NBA. Never mind that general manager David Kahn made those claims with only circumstantial evidence, or that if Rubio really wanted to play in Minnesota, he would have done so when he was drafted in 2009.
A few weeks ago, Kahn and his band of merry men went to Barcelona to speak with their theoretical point guard. If they secured a commitment from Rubio for the 2011-12 season, it was not publicized. Now, franchise owner Glen Taylor says that Rubio has serious reservations about coming to the NBA with a lockout looming. From Charley Walters in the Pioneer Press (via PBT):
"That is the question," Wolves owner Glen Taylor said Monday. "He's asking how that (lockout) might affect him, if we don't play or if we will play. And our answer is, 'We won't know the answer to that question. You're going to have to make your decision before that.'
"We (NBA owners) are negotiating with the players right now. We're hopeful we'll play. But I don't want to guarantee him that because there's no way that I know that."
It would cost almost $1 million for Rubio to buy out his FC Barcelona contract. NBA rules prohibit a team from spending more than $500,000 toward a contract buyout. The Wolves are expected to contribute the limit.
"It's up to him to either pay them or finance it or whatever he can do," Taylor said of the remainder of the buyout. "He has given us indications that he's very interested. But until he signs, I'm really hesitant to say anything.
"But he's met with our guys, and it's been very positive. He's asked the right questions."
The problem for the Wolves, as Taylor's comments indicate, is that the answers to those "right questions" produce answers that Rubio doesn't like. There's little point in his spending $500,000 of his own money to get out of his Barcelona contract when he may only be on the court for a portion of an NBA season. Playing against the best players will help his development, but that might not be the case if the season gets cut to 50 games or fewer.
It's a risky move for Rubio when staying in Spain represents such a safe option. The Spanish ACB is the second-best league in the world, so it's not as if he'll be playing against a bunch of Jose Schmoes. Plus, there's a huge amount of questions in Minnesota right now: Young point guard Jonny Flynn is still on the roster, Luke Ridnour gets a lot of minutes, Kurt Rambis may not be the coach for much longer, and Kahn could be on his way out in a year or so, too. No player wants to enter a situation in that much turmoil.
The whole ordeal makes you wonder exactly when the Wolves and the NBA will be in good enough shape for Rubio to play for them. Will it be when the new collective bargaining agreement is finalized? Will Kahn have to get rid of all other competition at the point guard spot? Will Rambis have to go? Will Kahn have to be in a penal colony? These are rare questions to pose when discussing a draft prospect, but Rubio has shown enough reluctance to play for the franchise that they have to be asked. Maybe there's no other solution here than for Minnesota to trade his rights.
Will the Trail Blazers ask Brandon Roy to retire?
When the Portland Trail Blazers signed guard Brandon Roy to a maximum contract extension in August of 2009, he had just come off of a blockbuster season that saw him glide his way to a level of production that was just a step below Kobe Bryant's at his position out West. He had just turned 25 during the offseason, Greg Oden seemed due to come back, and life appeared rosy for the Blazers.
Oden, obviously, never really returned. And though the Blazers hung on to make the playoffs in the two seasons following, Roy's knees (a concern since his college days) began to significantly deteriorate. He was relegated to acting as an alternate bit-player/superstar last season, offering play that often reminded of his healthier days, while too often coming through with production that had you wondering whether or not Roy deserved his rotation spot. It was that bad.
This is why the Blazers might ask him to voluntarily walk away. From John Canzano:
A source familiar with the situation said Thursday that Portland figures it must deal with Roy's future if it's truly going to rejoin the league's contenders. Retirement for Roy is among the options they're considering.
The Blazers know they hold the distinction of being the only team in the Western Conference that hasn't won a first-round playoff series in the past 10 years (BDL note: !). So they're eager and acting with urgency.
Earlier in his piece, Canzano pointed out that whoever is doing the asking better be ready to "duck" after popping the question, advice I would also pass along.
It's no secret Roy won't be worth anywhere near the money he's making (a little over $68 million over the next four seasons), and if a doctor declares him medically unfit to play (and with his bone-on-bone, no cartilage-condition in his knees, he really is), then the Blazers would see his salary go off the books a year after his declaration. Roy could also un-retire after a year to join a new team, and the Blazers would still be off the hook for his salary.
But if 2010-11 has taught us anything, it's that Roy is a very, very proud individual, who isn't anywhere near even glancing in the direction that might lead him to think he's done. Even as a way to plant a seed in his mind, for something he might decide to do in two years, I can't think of any way this could possibly be seen as something worth discussing. There's already so much enmity between Roy and both his coaching staff and whatever remains of his front office there there's just no point in making it worse. Some might argue that the anger has reached a saturation point, but I still think there's something salvageable here.
Not on the court, though. Those knees just won't really improve much. Roy can take a long lockout break, keep up with the plasma therapy meant to encourage blood movement to those bones that are on bones, but things aren't really getting better.
So there's no point in making it worse. Even if it's the first in a series of small steps that lead the Blazers and Roy toward negotiating a buyout that allows him to play for another team, right away. With the front office upheaval, the raw nerve that was this spring's playoff run, and the ownership vs. labor force lockout looming, it just isn't a good time, y'know?
Not that there ever will be a good time to tell someone like Brandon Roy that you think he's finished as an NBA player.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Ricky Rubio has reservations about coming to the NBA during a lockout
Over the past two years, the Minnesota Timberwolves have occasionally claimed that Spanish wunderkind Ricky Rubio was on the verge of ditching his homeland to come to the NBA. Never mind that general manager David Kahn made those claims with only circumstantial evidence, or that if Rubio really wanted to play in Minnesota, he would have done so when he was drafted in 2009.
A few weeks ago, Kahn and his band of merry men went to Barcelona to speak with their theoretical point guard. If they secured a commitment from Rubio for the 2011-12 season, it was not publicized. Now, franchise owner Glen Taylor says that Rubio has serious reservations about coming to the NBA with a lockout looming. From Charley Walters in the Pioneer Press (via PBT):
"That is the question," Wolves owner Glen Taylor said Monday. "He's asking how that (lockout) might affect him, if we don't play or if we will play. And our answer is, 'We won't know the answer to that question. You're going to have to make your decision before that.'
"We (NBA owners) are negotiating with the players right now. We're hopeful we'll play. But I don't want to guarantee him that because there's no way that I know that."
It would cost almost $1 million for Rubio to buy out his FC Barcelona contract. NBA rules prohibit a team from spending more than $500,000 toward a contract buyout. The Wolves are expected to contribute the limit.
"It's up to him to either pay them or finance it or whatever he can do," Taylor said of the remainder of the buyout. "He has given us indications that he's very interested. But until he signs, I'm really hesitant to say anything.
"But he's met with our guys, and it's been very positive. He's asked the right questions."
The problem for the Wolves, as Taylor's comments indicate, is that the answers to those "right questions" produce answers that Rubio doesn't like. There's little point in his spending $500,000 of his own money to get out of his Barcelona contract when he may only be on the court for a portion of an NBA season. Playing against the best players will help his development, but that might not be the case if the season gets cut to 50 games or fewer.
It's a risky move for Rubio when staying in Spain represents such a safe option. The Spanish ACB is the second-best league in the world, so it's not as if he'll be playing against a bunch of Jose Schmoes. Plus, there's a huge amount of questions in Minnesota right now: Young point guard Jonny Flynn is still on the roster, Luke Ridnour gets a lot of minutes, Kurt Rambis may not be the coach for much longer, and Kahn could be on his way out in a year or so, too. No player wants to enter a situation in that much turmoil.
The whole ordeal makes you wonder exactly when the Wolves and the NBA will be in good enough shape for Rubio to play for them. Will it be when the new collective bargaining agreement is finalized? Will Kahn have to get rid of all other competition at the point guard spot? Will Rambis have to go? Will Kahn have to be in a penal colony? These are rare questions to pose when discussing a draft prospect, but Rubio has shown enough reluctance to play for the franchise that they have to be asked. Maybe there's no other solution here than for Minnesota to trade his rights.
Days of NBA Lives: Wherein Jared Dudley is delicious
At this point, seemingly half the NBA is on Twitter. It's a wild world of training updates, questions as to which movies they should go see, and explanations of their Call of Duty prowess. Every so often, though, you also get a picture into the more interesting aspects of NBA life. This feature is your window into that world.
Larry Sanders: I used to love the song "complicated" by avril lavigne..
Marcin Gortat: Margo dydek left us couple hours ago...REST IN PEACE!U were a great basketball player and even better person of the court.
Brandon Jennings: I thought I never do this, but #LBJ
Amar'e Stoudemire: In PHX watching the Heat vs Bulls game. Decided to stop by Majerle's an guess what i see.@JaredDudley619 http://lockerz.com/s/105075115
Mo Williams: I don't remember all this for graduating the 6th grade. The had graduation, a reception, went bowling, and a dance. Wow
You can also follow Eric Freeman on Twitter at @freemaneric.
Special Scorer: Nowitzki`s Playoffs by Dan Feldman
Warriors draft a contract of promises for their season-ticket holders
For roughly 15 years, Golden State Warriors owner Chris Cohan presided over a franchise that did everything in its power to hold things close to the vest and not reach out to fans. When Joe Lacob and Peter Guber took over the team this fall, they were welcomed warmly just by virtue of not being part of the old regime. They still had to prove themselves, but their Bay Area fans were ready to listen to their owners in a way they hadn't been for more than a decade.
For the most part, Lacob and Guber have been solid, although not without some stumbles along the way. To get some sense of the good work they're doing to foster better relationships with their fanbase, check out this contract they've sent out to all their season-ticket holders (via TrueHoop and TBJ). Or, if you hate links to photos, read the stipulations below.
1. THE CLUB will reach the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
2. THE CLUB will have a player participate in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.
3. THE CLUB will win 25 or more home games at Oracle Arena.
4. THE CLUB will honor a Risk-Free Renewal, with a 5% Interest Guarantee Option for the 2011-12 NBA season.
If the team fails to fulfill these promises, they will give their fans goodies ranging from the valuable (e.g. no ticket price increases for the 2012-13 season for No.1) to the marginal (an autographed All-Star-related gift for No. 2). In all honesty, several of these awards will probably happen even if the team meets all four goals. But it's still a notable gesture, because it shows that Lacob and Guber actually appreciate their fans, or at least know that they are important members of the franchise beyond the dollars they spend on tickets, concessions and merchandise.
That might seem like a minor development, but it's pretty major given the context of the Cohan regime. Being treated like adults, or even just people whose fandom is valued, is a giant step forward. Lacob and Guber may flame out terribly as owners -- they haven't even been on the job for a year yet. For now, though, they're a welcome presence in Oakland.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Behind the Box Score, where Chicago is upset at itself
It's no great natural sin to fall at the hands of something superior to you. It's bound to happen in life, something like 999 times out of a thousand, and if you don't believe me, just try to catch up with the bird that just flew past your window. Actually, don't. I'm not entirely sure if I can be sued by your estate after making a suggestion along those lines.
Chicago is clearly the inferior team in this Eastern Conference final, but can it really claim to be playing to its potential? I'm not buying the Florida showcase as an example of such. Game 2, maybe, Miami was pretty brilliant down the stretch. But Game 3, with that timid offense and lacking defense?
And Game 4? Tuesday's dodgy showcase that featured a litany of missed chances near the rim, blown looks at wide-open threes, poor shot selection down the stretch, and careless turnovers when the going got real? Credit Miami, of course, but this was the sound of Chicago screwing up.
But Ironhead, isn't it really hard to make 25-footers when an inch or five (spread out over the only five shots you get in a game) can make the difference between champ and chump? No doubt, but that's what happens when you're trying to make the finals.
But Ironhead, isn't it really tough to rebound and score around the rim, when you can't jump as high as your defender, and wing-blocking maestros like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade loom large in your thought process? Even if they're not around, have you tried to squeeze a ball with a strong hand you don't trust, as you attempt to go back up with a loose ball you just worked your way toward? No doubt, but these are the chippies that need to fall more often than not, when you're trying to make the finals.
But Ironhead, can you understand what it's like to be guarded by some 6-9 freak that can both keep up in side-to-side drills with Rickey Green while still being able to touch the top of the backboard box like some version of Dwight Howard that can actually grow a beard? What else are you going to shoot over LeBron James? Well, that's the point. You don't shoot over him. You trust yourself and you see what happens when you turn the corner on him. Because you can.
But Ironhead, those in-bound plays are really tough to execute, and hanging onto the ball … actually, we kind of blew that one, Ironhead.
I know you did, Chicago. Which is why I come with scorn and disappointment. Not just as a fan, but as someone who knows what you're capable of. Just getting there isn't enough. Competing and throwing up your hands as you lament Miami's brilliance isn't going to work. You wanted these expectations, you worked toward these expectations, you personally said "why not me?," as you embraced these expectations, and you fell short of what was to be expected.
In a week's time, really, after Miami spent most of its season falling short of just about everything. That old Heat team, even though it approached 60 wins, was more than a disappointment. The Heat smacked of a group that had scorn for the game we love. I questioned their moral instincts in this realm, as they preferred the martyr role despite never actually winning anything. I questioned their offense, I questioned their defense, and I questioned their leadership.
And to me, as June approaches, I still wonder about their offense, defense and leadership. But I also understand that it apparently doesn't matter. And not in the, "it doesn't matter how you shoot at the end of close games if you make sure that there are no close games"-ideal.
These have all been close games, save for Game 1, and LeBron James has made sure that his Heat team has looked a step and a half ahead of Chicago. Erik Spoelstra has done wonders with misdirection and/or screen-and-roll work to make sure that James has the room to dominate, and even if we're a little wary of his L'il Riles-type interviews given both mid-game and postgame, the Heat coach has done a brilliant job with this team.
Chicago, despite its effort, can't claim as such. The Bulls claimed to be contenders, and they're not thinking, creating, nor acting upon the rewards they've been given. They know better, and they're playing the martyr. Shrugging their shoulders after the ball rims out. Because, what else are you supposed to do when 6-9 LeBron James closes out on your shot attempt?
You move past him. You make this an uncomfortable game, as you did before the weather grew warm. You treat the sport you love in the same way that the man who created it developed it did, as some cold-weather distraction for rowdy youths. You work, and act oblivious to your surroundings, when your opponent doesn't want to. You don't fall back on trying real, real hard relative to the circumstance.
You're above circumstance. You don't fall back on jumpers, fake Dick Barnett. You don't think twice about passes, Nervous Guy. And you don't point to those four pounds of sweat that you just worked off in 53 minutes of play as evidence enough of how much you care. We know you care. It's nearly June. You wouldn't be here if you didn't care. It's time for something more.
Good god, what a great thing Miami has going. What impressive consistency, finally, to match its considerable talent. I bow to this team. I really do.
Chicago? It has to start playing like it has its hands shoved into its coat pockets. It has to start playing like it can see its breath as it walks to its car. It has to stop mistaking activity for achievement, and realize the opportunity that it has earned through earlier achievements. And in spite of the remarkable work and activity level the Bulls came through with in Game 4 on Tuesday, I don't think they can honestly say they did justice that day.
They'll get one more chance to get it right. Because, believe me, Miami isn't going anywhere.
Column: Do Thunder and Russell Westbrook have a problem?
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks may have won on some levels after Thunder-Mavericks Game 2 with the decision to stick with guard Eric Maynor, but something may have been lost with his starting point guard Russell Westbrook, despite what is being said publicly. There may in fact be a problem.
How [...]
Video: Carlos Boozer raps on ‘Winning Streak (Bulls Anthem)’
There's a cliche that ballers want to be rappers and rappers want to be ballers. Like most cliches, this saying has stuck around because it's true. Every season, several players drop new hot tracks to indulge their musical dreams. Some attract controversy -- see Allen Iverson's work as Jewelz, for one -- but most are forgotten. However, some are so ridiculous that they stay remembered for decades, like Kobe Bryant's collaboration with Tyra Banks.
This newest entry, listenable in the video above, qualifies in that category. Throughout his career, Carlos Boozer has been best known as a productive player who maybe takes himself a little too seriously for his own good. So it comes as some surprise that he made a new song to celebrate the Bulls' regained status as a contender. From Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com:
In the new song "Winning Streak" (Bulls Anthem), Boozer raps the introductory bars before R&B singer Mario Winans starts a somewhat-catchy chorus and Chicago rap legend Twista takes over with a Bulls-themed rap that namedrops most of the team.
The song was first played at the United Center before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals and went viral the next day.
It is believed to be the first rap song that mentions Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.
If "somewhat-catchy" isn't the definition of damning with faint praise, then I don't know what is. Response has been mixed, to put it kindly. Twista must be a pretty huge Bulls fan if he agreed to be involved with a rapper of Boozer's ... well, let's be nice and say "inexperience."
Boozer's verse is typified by cliche, including an intro of "mic check one two one two," several references to crossovers, and a clunky allusion to Waka Flocka Flame's "Hard in Da Paint." Boozer has room to develop, clearly. That goes for how he sells himself, in addition to his flow and rhymes. Every rapper worth a darn uses something other than his full given name. Even "Boozaholic" or "Carlos, the Dwarf" would be an improvement.
Then again, maybe his hip-hop stylings will inspire his teammates to branch out, too. I hear Derrick Rose spits science like Shy Ronnie.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
What to do when having a stitch
LeBron James dealing with a cold entering Heat-Bulls Game 2
LeBron James did not sound like himself after Wednesday morning’s shootaround at the United Center.
The Miami Heat forward still sounded confident going into Wednesday night’s Game 2 of these best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls, he just spoke with noticeable congestion in his voice.
With temperatures [...]
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Video: Kevin Durant makes us feel sorry for Brendan Haywood
Man, oh man, Brendan Haywood. And man, oh MAN, Kevin Durant. The official play-by-play should list the reason for the post-hammering technical foul that Durant picked up as "manslaughter." Or at least "cruel and unusual punishment." (He got it for taunting. And jeez, wouldn't you taunt after doing that?)
I didn't think Taj Gibson's two-hand, full-frontal dominance on Dwyane Wade would get any competition for the postseason's best dunk. I definitely didn't think a legitimate challenger would come in the same bleedin' week. Oh, NBA Playoffs. You always provide.
These were just two ? a very, very emphatic two ? of Durant's 14 first-quarter points. That early offense helped his Oklahoma City Thunder stay within hailing distance of the Dallas Mavericks amid a white-hot opening frame that saw the home team pick up where it left off in Game 1, scoring 31 points and taking a five-point lead into the second quarter.
Durant cooled down a bit after the sizzling start, finishing the night with 24 points on 11-for-23 shooting to go with four assists and three rebounds. So did the Mavericks, who shot just 40.7 percent as a unit after the first quarter.
James Harden? Not so much. The lefty sixth man with the giant beard and the Paul Pierce pace chipped in 23 points on 6-for-9 shooting and hit four big 3-pointers, playing a major role in helping Oklahoma City score a 106-100 Game 2 road victory. With the win, the Thunder evens the Western Conference finals at one game apiece and wrests home-court advantage away from Dallas with the series set to head to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Saturday night.
Two nights after his near-perfect 48-point performance in Game 1, Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki came back to Earth a bit on Thursday night ? but only a bit. Nowitzki scored 29 points on 10-for-17 shooting and added five rebounds and five assists in a losing effort.
After the jump: Take a closer look at Durant's full-on facial through the magic of pictures.
The original video up above came via our man @Jose3030, as does this screen-cap, which serves as sort of a first-draft of the inevitable poster and gives us a sense of just how ludicrously high in the air Durant got on this:
Man, oh man.
And this full-size shot, courtesy of the fine folks at Getty Images, offers the best visual evidence yet that Kevin Durant's got arms long enough to keep the Almighty at the end of a stiff jab:
Yep, that confirms it. Durant's dunk was amazing no matter which way you look at it.
Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
• Derrick Williams thinks he can replace LeBron
• NBA hopeful's comments spark feud with player
• The highest paid coach in North America
Charles Barkley has been moved inside the arena. Sorry, Miami
Barkley has been criticized by Heat fans and by Dwyane Wade for having the audacity to pick the Chicago Bulls (a team with home-court advantage, one that won more games than anyone else in the NBA this season, and a group that swept the Heat in the regular season) in these conference finals. When Heat players and fans whined about that pick, Barkley called them "whiners," and then when Barkley showed up to American Airlines Arena on Sunday, two middle fingers came with him.
Especially after this exchange:
"They were telling me I suck," he said. "They were telling me I never won a championship. Like, 'Come on, give me something better than that, dude.'
"I always laugh at that statement, 'You didn't get a ring. 'I'm like, dude, you work at McDonald's. My life's a lot better than yours. You relax.'"
So he's been sent inside. And really, it's been a lovely year for Heat fans, hasn't it?
First they barely sold out several of the team's most important regular-season and early playoff games. Then they had to be sent out embarrassing "Fan Up" placards to beg them to, I dunno, show up on time and act interested at games. Now the drunken taunts of one had the entire Chicago Bulls bench up in arms during Game 3, and their insecure ribbing got to Barkley following the same contest.
Barkley's went inside, though. Via Ethan Skolnick, here's a shot of his seat. And Heat fans will have to busy themselves with other pursuits. Like, perhaps, trivia on the names of any former Miami Heat coaches, not including Pat Riley and "the guy they have now."
Quick Reminder: 1st Spalding Pro Camp in Germany ? two weeks to go!
Isaiah Thomas measures 5?10.25? in shoes at NBA draft combine
Behind the Box Score, where Dallas has taken over
Go ahead. You can call it a meltdown.
Just don't call it surprising. Or destructive. Or damning, or damaging, or poisonous. This was supposed to be what happened to Oklahoma City, if it kept playing like Oklahoma City. Because throughout the 43 minutes of Monday's Game 4 that saw Oklahoma City up 15 and coasting throughout, we still were shown two distinct Oklahoma City teams. One defended, got out in transition, and score effortlessly.
The other? Even in near-victory, it looked terrible.
And "the other" was well in charge down the stretch. Simple, obvious screen and roll basketball that was easily sussed out by Dallas. Kevin Durant either not working hard enough off the ball to develop good spacing or passing angles or a spot on the floor to work with, or Kevin Durant completely giving up on the play (even Daequan Cook seems to move more off the ball; and he was on the bench) after the initial screen and roll didn't work.
Credit Dallas, by the way. The moving feet of Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion were incredible, at any age, and Tyson Chandler was brilliant in his attempts to shade, well, just about anything that moved. Following without overplaying, in a way that I hope Joakim Noah watched from his hotel room in Florida.
The Thunder deserve a bit of guff, though. Scott Brooks has not been able to shake up that team's half-court offense, which was pretty miserable throughout. Because Dallas (read: Dirk Nowitzki) started hitting shots in the fourth quarter, OKC had no chances to run, and this is where the Thunder came to hide. It wasn't pretty.
Dirk was, by the way, very pretty.
I understand that he's been typically this brilliant in the years since everyone decided to slough him off following the Finals and then Golden State Warriors embarrassments of 2006 and 2007, but he really has changed during this postseason. There is a consistent potency and drive to his attack that, I'm sorry, wasn't there over the last two playoff runs. Maybe it's the difference between deciding to shoot after four spins around your defender (this year) versus two (the last few years; where Dirk still put up ridiculous scoring and efficiency numbers), or maybe it's just the luck of the matchups, but I remain in awe.
Because it should have been a hellish spring for Dirk. Nic Batum, Gerald Wallace, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Pau Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison; for whatever reason, on two difference sides of the ball, this lot should have been enough to drive Nowitzki's game down into the floorboards. These are matchups that had the potential for destruction.
And yet, playoff averages of 28.6 points on 51 percent shooting, and that's in a five-week strain of play that has seen his little buddies (be they J.J. Barea, Jason Kidd, or Jason Terry) dominate the ball for long stretches. The stats aren't much improved from the last few postseasons, but there is a difference, especially late. What last year was a "ooh, almost went down; still a good shot, though" is now a "how do you stop that?" He's closer to the rim, and as a result he's closer to the Finals.
(And, NBA nerds; he's doing this to Nick Collison! I know you know.)
Few basketball minds are as highly regarded as Doug Collins these days, but he had his Bulls running simplistic patterns that Detroit easily picked up on, as they fell at the hands of the Pistons in both the 1988, and 1989 playoffs. Phil Jackson took over after that, only to watch the same thing happen in 1990. Michael Jordan was 26 that year. People doubted, as nobody watching a team lose three straight years to the same team should, but it was just a learning experience.
Kevin Durant has led the NBA in scoring for the last two years, but now he's learning how to lead the playoffs in scoring while facing teams and rotations that can study him for days at a time. This isn't a shot at Durant, who dropped 29 but turned the ball over nine times in Game 4, but he doesn't go get to play the Knicks tomorrow. He won't be flying down to Houston to catch the Rockets as they play their fourth game in five nights. Shawn Marion will be there, again, in Game 5. He knows what kind of gum you chew, where Jason Kidd is going once you and Westbrook run a play together, and what look to give Tyson Chandler when Tyson doesn't help as much as he should.
And this is tough to get used to. These are things that Dirk Nowitzki, even after that brilliant turn in 2006, hasn't always warmed to. But for Oklahoma City, it's so early. It's so early.
For Dallas? It is so on.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Joakim Noah is caught using a gay slur
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah shouted a homophobic slur at a heckling fan on Sunday night (the video can be seen here), mainly because he decided he was going to act like an unmitigated idiot in that particular situation. There's no way around that level of in-the-moment stupidity. He's since "apologized" for saying, in his words, "something," but does he not really understand that contrition better come a little stronger than that, these days?
"I got caught up," Noah said. "I don't mean no disrespect to anybody."
"I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. Anybody who knows me knows that I'm not like that. I'm an open-minded guy. I said the wrong thing and I'm going to pay the consequences?deal with the consequences?like a man. I don't want to be a distraction to the team right now."
Noah awaits punishment after he and NBA officials met over the slur.
Joakim, did you not think, as TNT swathes all of American Airlines Arena in klieg lights and expensive cameras, that national TV wouldn't have a camera on as you stormed to the bench?
Did you not think, as LeBron James' longtime tormentor, that some moronic Heat fan would call you every name in the book?
Did you think, as someone who grew up in Hell's Kitchen, living in 2011, in the wake of what Kobe Bryant did at about the same exact spot at Staples Center last month, that this stuff is still passable?
Because it's not. And we're starting to hold athletes who say things like "**** you, ******!" to standards that rank, I don't know, a small step higher than the sort of vitriol and cursing that some troglodyte would spit Jackie Robinson's way back in 1947? Because it's the same thing, Joakim Noah. You're no different than that guy, spewing nonsense just because he's caught up in a sports game.
But, I know, like it was with Kobe, that it was because you were angry. Because that fan likely called you worse. Twice. After you picked up your second foul.
Don't care. Don't care, guy who is actually my favorite player. It was stupid and thoughtless and wrong and that word hurts people. That word reminds people of times and events in their lives that they shouldn't have to reflect upon during a basketball game, or while checking their Twitter feed, or while reading this website.
So do what's right, don't hedge your apology, and use this as a chance to learn, and eventually to teach. As it was with Kobe, I really don't think the NBA should fine you for this, but I also know you have to make this right. Get going, Joakim.
UPDATE: Noah has been fined 50,000 dollars by the NBA for the outburst.
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Warriors draft a contract of promises for their season-ticket holders
For roughly 15 years, Golden State Warriors owner Chris Cohan presided over a franchise that did everything in its power to hold things close to the vest and not reach out to fans. When Joe Lacob and Peter Guber took over the team this fall, they were welcomed warmly just by virtue of not being part of the old regime. They still had to prove themselves, but their Bay Area fans were ready to listen to their owners in a way they hadn't been for more than a decade.
For the most part, Lacob and Guber have been solid, although not without some stumbles along the way. To get some sense of the good work they're doing to foster better relationships with their fanbase, check out this contract they've sent out to all their season-ticket holders (via TrueHoop and TBJ). Or, if you hate links to photos, read the stipulations below.
1. THE CLUB will reach the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
2. THE CLUB will have a player participate in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.
3. THE CLUB will win 25 or more home games at Oracle Arena.
4. THE CLUB will honor a Risk-Free Renewal, with a 5% Interest Guarantee Option for the 2011-12 NBA season.
If the team fails to fulfill these promises, they will give their fans goodies ranging for the valuable (e.g. no ticket price increases for the 2012-13 season for No.1) to the marginal (an autographed All-Star-related gift for No. 2). In all honesty, several of these awards will probably happen even if the team meets all four goals. But it's still a notable gesture, because it shows that Lacob and Guber actually appreciate their fans, or at least know that they are important members of the franchise beyond the dollars they spend on tickets, concessions, and merchandise.
That might seem like a minor development, but it's pretty major given the context of the Cohan regime. Being treated like adults, or even just people whose fandom is valued, is a giant step forward. Lacob and Guber may flame out terribly as owners -- they haven't even been on the job for a year yet. For now, though, they're a welcome presence in Oakland.
Enes Kanter skips out on three pre-draft interviews
To his credit, though, he seems to have a plan of attack for interviewing with his prospective employers: only visit with the ones he wants to play for. This should go great!
That's the report from ESPN's Andy Katz, via Chris Littmann on Twitter:
Interesting, @ESPNAndyKatz said Enes Kanter "stood up" Toronto, Milwaukee, Utah for interviews. Guess he won't interview with them at all.
Word is that Kanter is taken with the Wizards, the team led by his (kind of sort of) Kentucky friend John Wall. Washington, D.C., is a much larger market than any of the cities he skipped out on Friday, but they also may be several years away from success.
Kanter's Gambit here is pretty clear: He wants to force these teams to pass on him so that he can end up with a city and franchise he likes. It's a strategy Ricky Rubio employed in 2008 with poor results -- the Minnesota Timberwolves picked him and he has spent the last two years in Spain. Kanter can do much the same and possibly even avoid Rubio's state of limbo. Because he's not currently tied to any team, Kanter can choose to spend another year away from professional basketball and reenter the draft next season.
The problem there is that, given that he's already sat out a year and spent his last season of amateur ball facing below-average competition, it's likely that one more year on the sidelines would make Kanter a far less intriguing prospect. Teams like potential, but they also like proven results, and Kanter's draft profile in 2012 would be based on one stellar performance in the Nike Hoop Summit two years prior with nothing substantive to follow. Like all draft prospects, Kanter already requires a leap of faith. In 2012, it'd be more like an extreme base jump into a chasm of doubt. Kanter has some amount of leverage, but he might not be in quite as solid a situation as his behavior indicates.
Column: A New Dirk Nowitzki? Not So Much.
This just in: Dirk Nowitzki is now and has been a phenomenal postseason performer ? for years.
The lion?s share of NBA ?analysts? are hopping aboard the Charles Barkley bandwagon, lauding Dirk?s newfound mindset.
?This is a different Dirk Nowitzki.?
Really?
One of four players to post career playoff averages of 25 points and 10 rebounds [...]
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No Chemistry: Blazers Fire Cho by Kevin Pelton
Dirk Nowitzki sets a playoff free throw record, as the Mavs take Game 1
Well, we now know what Dirk Nowitzki was up to during Dallas' eight-day game-less stretch between the Western Conference semifinals and the Western Conference finals. Apparently our man was perfecting what might be the prettiest-looking jump shot in NBA history.
His set-shot, too, as Nowitzki drained an NBA playoff record 24 straight free throws. The Dallas Mavericks dumped the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night by a 121-112 score in the first game of the Western branch of the NBA's final four, and Dirk dropped 48 points while missing just three of 15 attempts from the field. The 32-year old All-Star took on all Thunder comers on his way to those 48 points, bringing rain as jumper after jumper dropped down from the Dallas rafters, and Oklahoma City could only marvel in return.
In fairness, the Thunder did a bit more than marvel. Just two days after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in a strenuous seven-game series that featured 356 minutes of play (read: four overtimes), the Thunder more than held their own against the higher-seeded Mavericks. Russell Westbrook constantly attacked the paint in the first half on his way to a 14-18 mark from the free throw line, and Kevin Durant nearly matched his Dallas doppelganger with 40 points of his own and 18 free throw makes. Oklahoma City just didn't have an answer for Nowitzki. They haven't been alone in that regard this year.
The Thunder weren't immune to the same sort of screen and roll attack that doomed the Los Angeles Lakers in their bid to repeat as NBA champions a week and a half ago. Jose Juan Barea seemed unstoppable as he drove below the free throw line time and time again, finishing with 21 points off the bench. And as is usually the case, Jason Terry warmed to the national TV cameras and came up with 24 points of his own. As it was when the Mavericks last made the Western Conference finals in 2006, Dirk had help.
But more importantly, Dallas had Dirk. He was the team's constant, scoring at will and making each possession count. He had more blocks (four) than three point attempts (zero), as Dallas put up an astonishing 133 points per 100 possessions (usually around 112 will lead the league) against an Oklahoma City Thunder squad that can appear dominant defensively at times.
The Dallas crowd also chanted "MVP," rather loudly, during most of Dirk's attempts. Nowitzki missed out on the award this year as Chicago's Derrick Rose won it, coming in sixth and well behind the fifth-placed Kevin Durant in the voting. But as he's averaged 28.5 points per game with Dallas racking up a 9-2 playoff record against Portland, Los Angeles, and now Oklahoma City, you'd have a hard time arguing against Nowitzki as this postseason's most valuable player.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Motivating Yourself
8 Attributes of a Good Rebounder
Bryan Colangelo is still explaining things
And in talking with Sportsnet Radio Fan 590 in Toronto soon after, Bryan needlessly tried to make everything all right. As if dropping from three to five in a terrible draft matters in the slightest.
On the idea that being at pick number five might be better than being at pick number three:
"I absolutely concur. You've kinda hit the nail on the head. After the top two picks and I might've said this last night talking to a few people, I think there is a very clear two picks and then there are several players that we like. If you were to ask me who number three was I'm not sure I would have the answer for you …
[…]
The benefit is, if I can look at this with a silver lining, there's going to be a little less of a cap charge for the fifth pick as opposed to the third pick. It's funny a lot of people kept saying you can't pick a guy at three that's too high. Well at five it becomes a little more palatable if you know what I mean."
Wait, what?
No, I don't know what you mean. You mean that in some ways it's better to have the fifth pick than the third because of the lessened pressure -- not on the player, mind you, but on the GM -- and legitimacy that would be placed on a fifth pick as opposed to a third pick? Mike Miller was the fifth pick in the previous Worst Draft Ever, do you think that's finally gotten to him as he fires up brick after brick in Miami this year? Is that why James Dolan won't fully hire Magic GM John Gabriel as Donnie Walsh's clear No. 2 in New York, because nobody can get past the idea that Mike Miller (crazy!) was the fifth pick in an NBA draft?
I follow the NBA for a living, and I can probably tell you maybe three out of the last 10 fifth picks in recent drafts. I can tell you plenty of bad GM moves off the top of my head. Or, worse, bad GM excuses, or ways they try to put something over on fans or media. And the cap charge? As Tas Melas noted the other day, the difference in salary between the third pick and fifth pick this year was 600,000 dollars. Hardly a game-changer even if you're under the cap in the offseason, something Toronto might be this summer (depending on where the cap falls).
Just stop. You're fine. You are allowed to answer with a "nah, not really" every so often while still being optimistic at the same time.
NBA Draft Lottery Tonight in New Jersey
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Oklahoma City Thunders On; Top Memphis In Game 7 to Move On 105-90
Video: Dirk Nowitzki teaches you how to be perfect
Dirk Nowitzki has always been locked in, but his scoring numbers actually took a bit of a dive in 2010-11. Dirk's field goal percentage went up, but he managed "only" 23 points per game on the Mavs after averaging 25.9 and 25 in the two years before that. The "slide" ended last month, though, as Dirk has shot to 28.5 points per game in the playoffs on 52 percent shooting. He's gotten to the line 103 times in 11 playoff games, there appears to be more arc on his shot than there was in years past, and last night he nailed an NBA playoff record 24-straight free throws.
Want to see all of them? Want to immediately feel like you can waltz out to the charity stripe and knock in 12 of your own from 15 feet? Well, here you are:
And, via SB Nation, here's Dirk's shot chart:
And if you think there's something new going on with his work in the playoffs, well, stop. Dirk averaged just under 27 points per game in his last three playoffs, and his True Shooting Percentage (which takes into account three-pointers and free throws) remains a lights out 64 percent, as it was during the 2009 and 2010 postseason. He's been this good, even if his team hasn't been.
But with the emergence of Jose Juan Barea and the defensive stylings of Tyson Chandler, the Mavs are a different outfit. Good thing, too. Because people were starting to forget just how brilliant Dirk Nowitzki is.
A few Tips to handle Sore Muscles
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Memphis’ Sam Young gets benched and has his car stolen
Think you've had a bad day? Think that your worst day is worth a tweet, a Facebook missive, an email or text to someone about how things went wrong? OK, try being Memphis Grizzlies guard Sam Young. Try working your tail off for the team you play for, only to be replaced in the starting lineup and have your demotion be credited endlessly on national TV for your team's return to form as it wins, following your trip to the bench.
Then try working through that very public bit of drama the same day that your car was stolen.
On Friday the 13th.
By, according to a Memphis TV station, "a man with dreads."
Yes, Sam Young left his Chevrolet Camaro running as he made a trip to the ATM in Memphis on Friday, the same day he was replaced in the Grizzlies' starting lineup by O.J. Mayo as the team won its Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Because the muscle car boasted an On-Star system that helped police track the vehicle, his Camaro was returned, but it was a needless bit of bad luck on a day that was particularly negatively noteworthy for the Grizzlies' wing.
And, worst luck of all? The "man with dreads" (we can't even be bothered to call them "dreadlocks," now?) is still at large.
OK, perhaps we're being a bit kind. It's not really bad luck when you leave a new car with a loud V8 running with the keys in it while you rush off to the ATM for cash. Nobody deserves to have their car pilfered, obviously, but Sam made it a little easier by leaving the keys in the ignition.
Or, as Memphis' own Box Tops once shouted, "you left the motor runnin' …"