...another blog opens. Behold, the new and improved Upside and Motor:
UPSIDE AND MOTOR DOT COM.
I know, I know. These are exciting times. But update your RSS feeds everyone, change your bookmarks and your blogrolls, and go check out the new site. It's all nice and purty-like, and U&M is a member of the new Bloguin network along with some other quality bloggers.
Thanks for tagging along for the ride, readers. Hopefully this is only the beginning.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
These Are Selfish Times
What happened to Isiah Thomas today is not easy to digest. I think that's largely because on a very personal level, it makes me come to terms with the fact that it's not easy to be Isiah.
Here you have a guy that did a truly terrible job in almost all capacities with the Knicks. He embarrassed one of the league's most storied franchises on and off the court. He was eventually relieved from his post (although fully compensated). He is still employed by the team; he's basically paid to hang out in his office, do a little work, and stay away from the players.
That must be the life, right? No more overwhelming expectations and responsibility, just collect that paycheck and live the sweet life of making a living while being around the sport that you love. For an NBA legend, life sure seems easy.
Obviously, it's not. Everyone is bad at something. Isiah just happens to be bad at certain things he believes that he should have natural talent in. For one minute, put yourself in Isiah's shoes. Not just in the "Oh, even I could be a better GM!" kinda way, but I mean really empathize with the guy. Being a general manager is not an easy task. Add in the most critical media center in the world and you've got a disaster just waiting to happen. Every misstep is ridiculed, every mistake is magnified. But the thing that really makes it difficult to live in Zeke's shoes is a unanimous agreement of just how bad he was at his job. By the end of the Isiah era in NYC, there were no loyalists left. Everyone who had once supported Isiah had taken a step back, retracted their opinions, and crossed the line in the sand. You were either with Isiah or against him, and Isiah, after Dolan finally crossed that line, stood completely alone. "No man is an island." Well, no man wants to be an island. Some are forced to be one due to circumstance or misfortune. Isiah is by no means a victim in all this; he played a very active role in his own downfall. But the power of public opinion and the power of the media likely weighed heavily on one of the most confident and proud (or arrogant, depending on how you see it) players to ever wear an NBA uniform in a league full of confident and proud players.
To really put things in perspective, I thought about this blog. Writing about the NBA is the biggest hobby I have these days; it plays a huge role in my life, in ways both direct and indirect. I like my writing and I think I'm pretty good at this gig. But what if the general public (the readers) came to a concensus that I was the single worst NBA blogger on the entire interwebs. That's a crushing blow in and of itself, enough to make anyone cave in upon themselves, crush their confidence, and seriously make them investigate who they are and where they're going. Then, tack on the fact that all of my peers, all of those around the basketball blogosphere, generally consider me a laughingstock, a disgrace, and a punchline. I would exist only as a cheap joke. Finally, you take both of those substantial ego bruises and you make them omnipresent. Everytime I turn on the TV, some smartass SportsCenter anchor is cracking a joke at my expense. I get in the car and the local sports talk radio stations are skewering me, ripping me apart sentence by sentence. I open up the paper every day and there are criticisms of my daily actions, my decisions, and my logic. Compound all of this with entire websites dedicated to just how bad I am at doing something I love and personally feel that I'm pretty decent at, and you start to comprehend the tip of Isiah's iceberg.
Isiah dug his own grave in more ways than any of us can possibly begin to imagine. But he's human. Somewhere underneath the fame and the disconnect this is a proud man who puts up with shit from the peanut gallery daily. Regardless of whether that entails petty, witty remarks or violent, ardent disdain, that kind of life wears you down and it pierces you.
Those in Thomas' family are denying the reports' validity outright, and most of the MSM outlets are still publishing conflicting reports about what exactly happened. Most are carefully tiptoeing around the term "suicide," and that's understandable. But if Thomas did indeed overdose on sleeping pills, I don't see how it was accidental. You don't accidentally pop ten Lunesta in your mouth and call it a night, even if your better judgment has repeatedly been questioned.
Even if the reports are found to be false, this incident has definitely had an effect on me, just as it should have an effect on all of you. These are people, people. They can take jokes and they can dish it out just like we can. But at the end of the day, the human psyche is a very fragile thing.
Here you have a guy that did a truly terrible job in almost all capacities with the Knicks. He embarrassed one of the league's most storied franchises on and off the court. He was eventually relieved from his post (although fully compensated). He is still employed by the team; he's basically paid to hang out in his office, do a little work, and stay away from the players.
That must be the life, right? No more overwhelming expectations and responsibility, just collect that paycheck and live the sweet life of making a living while being around the sport that you love. For an NBA legend, life sure seems easy.
Obviously, it's not. Everyone is bad at something. Isiah just happens to be bad at certain things he believes that he should have natural talent in. For one minute, put yourself in Isiah's shoes. Not just in the "Oh, even I could be a better GM!" kinda way, but I mean really empathize with the guy. Being a general manager is not an easy task. Add in the most critical media center in the world and you've got a disaster just waiting to happen. Every misstep is ridiculed, every mistake is magnified. But the thing that really makes it difficult to live in Zeke's shoes is a unanimous agreement of just how bad he was at his job. By the end of the Isiah era in NYC, there were no loyalists left. Everyone who had once supported Isiah had taken a step back, retracted their opinions, and crossed the line in the sand. You were either with Isiah or against him, and Isiah, after Dolan finally crossed that line, stood completely alone. "No man is an island." Well, no man wants to be an island. Some are forced to be one due to circumstance or misfortune. Isiah is by no means a victim in all this; he played a very active role in his own downfall. But the power of public opinion and the power of the media likely weighed heavily on one of the most confident and proud (or arrogant, depending on how you see it) players to ever wear an NBA uniform in a league full of confident and proud players.
To really put things in perspective, I thought about this blog. Writing about the NBA is the biggest hobby I have these days; it plays a huge role in my life, in ways both direct and indirect. I like my writing and I think I'm pretty good at this gig. But what if the general public (the readers) came to a concensus that I was the single worst NBA blogger on the entire interwebs. That's a crushing blow in and of itself, enough to make anyone cave in upon themselves, crush their confidence, and seriously make them investigate who they are and where they're going. Then, tack on the fact that all of my peers, all of those around the basketball blogosphere, generally consider me a laughingstock, a disgrace, and a punchline. I would exist only as a cheap joke. Finally, you take both of those substantial ego bruises and you make them omnipresent. Everytime I turn on the TV, some smartass SportsCenter anchor is cracking a joke at my expense. I get in the car and the local sports talk radio stations are skewering me, ripping me apart sentence by sentence. I open up the paper every day and there are criticisms of my daily actions, my decisions, and my logic. Compound all of this with entire websites dedicated to just how bad I am at doing something I love and personally feel that I'm pretty decent at, and you start to comprehend the tip of Isiah's iceberg.
Isiah dug his own grave in more ways than any of us can possibly begin to imagine. But he's human. Somewhere underneath the fame and the disconnect this is a proud man who puts up with shit from the peanut gallery daily. Regardless of whether that entails petty, witty remarks or violent, ardent disdain, that kind of life wears you down and it pierces you.
Those in Thomas' family are denying the reports' validity outright, and most of the MSM outlets are still publishing conflicting reports about what exactly happened. Most are carefully tiptoeing around the term "suicide," and that's understandable. But if Thomas did indeed overdose on sleeping pills, I don't see how it was accidental. You don't accidentally pop ten Lunesta in your mouth and call it a night, even if your better judgment has repeatedly been questioned.
Even if the reports are found to be false, this incident has definitely had an effect on me, just as it should have an effect on all of you. These are people, people. They can take jokes and they can dish it out just like we can. But at the end of the day, the human psyche is a very fragile thing.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Season's Greetings: Charlotte Bobcats 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 38-44 (3rd in the Southeast Division, 9th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: D.J. Augustin, Alexis Ajinca, Shannon Brown, healthy Sean May, healthy Adam Morrison
Notable Losses: Jeff McInnis (THANK THE BASKETBALL GODS)
2008-2009 Team MVP: Gerald Wallace - Emeka Okafor would be very difficult to replace. Raymond Felton has become a part of this team and sometimes even plays as well as his talent indicates he should. Jason Richardson provides the otherworld scoring punch...but this team just seems 'off' when Gerald's not around. That's why this team has been in a continuous state of disarray practically since inception; Wallace hurls himself at the basket, in front of defenders, and into brick walls. Sometimes that means a shoulder injury and sometimes that means a concussion. Either way, the 'Cats just don't...pounce?... the same way without him.
Most Important Reserve: D.J. Augustin - The youngin's important, no matter how you slice it. Larry Brown pushed for Augustin over Lopez, so barring implosion he is going to be the point guard of this team. Sorry, Ray :( But Augustin's play and development will be essential to Charlotte's success both in the short-term and the long-term. Let's see what you've got.
Most Unheralded Asset: Jason Richardson - Like it/respect it/understand it or not, he's one of the league's most talented two-way players, especially compared to the rest of the shooting guard crop. Yes, I said two-way. And yes, I said most talented. J-Rich can be hellish on D at times (I mean that in a good way), and while he may not be the most disciplined defender in the world, his athleticism helps him compensate. You don't need me to tell you what this guy can do on offense: he throws it down with such force and such style and he shoots the hell out of the ball from deep. You can argue that he's not worth his contract, but you cannot say that this guy isn't a helluva offensive talent and anything less than a solid defender. I simply will not stand for it!
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
My friends: four score and seven years ago,
Larry Brown brought forth on this continent
A new/old strategem, troubled although
Conceived in lib'rty; brought his play'rs' torment.
Now he's engaged in a difficult trial,
Testing whether this team, or any team,
So youthful, lotteried, and versatile,
Can long endure playoff contending dreams.
In a larger sense, they must dedicate
Themselves to the playoff frontier,
And though we may forget the lengthy wait
We can never forget what they did here.
The 'Cats will be a team of playoff worth,
A little luck will earn a playoff berth.
The 'Cats are more than "America's Team,"
Each part as interesting as the whole,
Whether the rookie D.J. Augustin,
Or big Nazr, the offensive black hole.
Gerald "Crash" Wallace is all that is man,
And J-Rich nothing short of fantastic,
But who can forget where it all began?
'Meka's shot-blocking makes me ecstatic.
It's do or trade for young Raymond Felton,
And he's fully equipped to succeed,
It would be a shame if he was dealt when
The Charlotte Bobcats finally do the deed.
It doesn't stop there: Dudley, AmMo, May,
There's something beautiful 'n the disarray.
Player Preview Spotlight: Adam Morrison
Photo from Getty Images.The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
I know, I know, there's been much ado about both Morrison good ol' J.J. Redick lately, but for some strange reason I feel compelled to put digital ink to page on The Stache. There are basically three viewpoints when it comes to Morrison (Adam, not Van):
1. Dude, he was the worst player in the league. He's white, he's unathletic, and he's a waste of space. Cut him loose, man, just cut him loose. I mean the guy cried because he lost. Seriously.
2. Dude, sometimes rookies have bad years. It's cool. He was a great scorer in college, and he can be a good scorer in the pros if you just give him time. I know the he cried, but it's only because he's so passionate about the game!
3. Dude, I heard that guy sucks...and didn't he cry?
So yeah, there may be some nuances of argument that I'm neglecting, but you get the gist of it. I'm sure you'll find out shortly which camp I fall into.
His rookie year was certainly abyssmal. Catastrophic. Jeff McInnis-ian. There may not be a word in the English language that accurately describes just how awful it was. But year one is in the books, year two went down the drain, and now year two part B is about to begin. All I ask is this: what reason is there to cast Morrison aside now? Since when is one season an accurate sample size to determine a player's worth? Morrison won't be a star, and I wouldn't dare try to convince you that he will be. All I ask is that he be given a shot as a rotation player, because frankly, I think that's his place in the league. He's talented. So are plenty of other role players. Low-end projection, I think he could be a valuable reserve. He won't do anything groundbreaking aside from break off a high-scoring game every once in awhile, but he can help teams win games. High-end, I think he could be a very capable sixth man. I'm not sure that he'll ever reach the level of an above average starter, but allowing him to play off the bench grants him some wiggle room against the weaker competition of the second unit while still allowing him the time to fully utilize the many facets of his offensive game.
It's so easy to give up on Morrison right now. I know MJ isn't a fan anymore, and Woj wrote yesterday that the GOAT's trying to use the preseason to improve Morrison's trade value. That's perfectly fine. Morrison doesn't have to be a Bobcat. But he does have a place on a roster. Give him his year of being caught like a baby deer in the headlights of an Escalade. No one said the translation process was going to be easy. But Morrison's work ethic is the stuff of legend, and he's characteristically painted as a "student of the game." He's not withering away into nothingness just as he's not exploding into stratospheric levels of production, but he is improving, and this year will be markedly better than theyearthatshallnotbenamed.
Basketball is a game of positive feedback loops, after all. If you make shots and score well, then your all-around game becomes infused with an extra energy. You feed off your own success. That extra boost gets you more opportunities to score and increases your assertiveness, likely helping you to get to the foul line or to the basket. So on and so forth. Morrison's caught somewhere in the opposite cycle: his shot doesn't hit, so he collapses in upon himself. I sincerely think he's trying to jump-start his game, at times even just throwing up shots to see what can go in. But as a rookie with a "college game" in a league of a completely different style and much more capable defenders, you can't expect that to work. Give it time, man. Give it time.
And yeah, yeah, he cried.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Queen City Hoops
Bobcats Planet
Ball Don't Lie
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Ah, General Managers, How I Love Thee
There's been a lot of linking around the interwebs today to the infamous GM survey. I just wanted to take a minute of your time to point out a few of the highlights:
Which player does the most with least?
1. Bruce Bowen -- 12.5%
2. Reggie Evans -- 8.3%
Steve Nash -- 8.3%
Fabricio Oberto -- 8.3%
Mehmet Okur -- 8.3%
Luke Walton -- 8.3%
Others receiving votes: Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Udonis Haslem, LeBron James, Andre Miller, Paul Millsap, Kendrick Perkins, Luis Scola, Robert Swift, Kurt Thomas, David West
Okay, Bowen, Nash, Boozer, all the usual suspects, check, check...wait, LeBron fricking James? The guy is 6'20'' with arms the size of tree trunks, can crush a car with sheer will, and runs like a some combination of a cheetah, a gazelle, and a swan. My first instinct is that this is a joke. It has to be a joke. But I refuse to believe that GMs have a sense of humor.
Which rookie is the most athletic?
1. Derrick Rose -- 33.3%
2. Russell Westbrook -- 25.9%
3. Joe Alexander - 18.5%
4. Anthony Randolph -- 7.4%
Others receiving votes: Jerryd Bayless, Goran Dragic, DeAndre Jordan, Courtney Lee
This one I just couldn't believe. To prove myself wrong, I set out to watch some youtube highlight reels of Goran, and let me just say this: poppycock. Some of his moves are nice, but athletic? Eh? Really, now? When your highlight package includes you shooting a free throw, I refuse to include you in this category.
Which head coach makes the best in-game adjustments?
1. Gregg Popovich -- 28.0%
2. Larry Brown -- 20.0%
3. Rick Carlisle -- 12.0%
4. Eddie Jordan -- 8.0%
Don Nelson -- 8.0%
Doc Rivers -- 8.0%
Jerry Sloan -- 8.0%
Others receiving votes: Rick Adelman, Phil Jackson
Pwahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Eddie. Jordan. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Which active player will make the best head coach someday?
1. Eric Snow -- 24.0%
2. Sam Cassell -- 16.0%
3. Derek Fisher -- 12.0%
4. Darrell Armstrong -- 8.0%
Steve Nash -- 8.0%
Jacque Vaughn -- 8.0%
Others receiving votes: Shane Battier, Raja Bell, Luol Deng, Keyon Dooling, Chris Paul, Kurt Thomas
I'm not quite sure what to make of these. There's obviously a lot of point guards, some of the veteran players who characteristically play with intelligence, and then randomly, Deng and Dooling just thrown in there. As if it were nothing. Frankly I have no idea how these two would do as coaches, but I also have no idea how they made this list. Odd.
Who is the toughest player in the NBA?
1. Ron Artest -- 37.0%
2. Kobe Bryant -- 14.8%
3. Matt Harpring -- 7.4%
Chris Paul -- 7.4%
5. Manu Ginobili -- 5.6%
Others receiving votes: Raja Bell, Bruce Bowen, Joey Dorsey, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Andres Nocioni, Ben Wallace
Maybe it's just me, but the original K-Mart always struck me as a puppy dog in the body of a really big puppy dog. Awww, Kenyon just blocked a shot twice, sending it out of bounds. Aww, Kenyon's trying to guard Kobe. Aww, Kenyon's trying to pick fights to prove how tough he is. Maybe I'm being a little presumptuous (as always), but I just get this vibe from K. I'm not trying to pick a fight with the guy (good God, no), but I'm lightly placing it out there that it may, possibly, maybe, be a bit of an act.
Which player does the most with least?
1. Bruce Bowen -- 12.5%
2. Reggie Evans -- 8.3%
Steve Nash -- 8.3%
Fabricio Oberto -- 8.3%
Mehmet Okur -- 8.3%
Luke Walton -- 8.3%
Others receiving votes: Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Udonis Haslem, LeBron James, Andre Miller, Paul Millsap, Kendrick Perkins, Luis Scola, Robert Swift, Kurt Thomas, David West
Okay, Bowen, Nash, Boozer, all the usual suspects, check, check...wait, LeBron fricking James? The guy is 6'20'' with arms the size of tree trunks, can crush a car with sheer will, and runs like a some combination of a cheetah, a gazelle, and a swan. My first instinct is that this is a joke. It has to be a joke. But I refuse to believe that GMs have a sense of humor.
Which rookie is the most athletic?
1. Derrick Rose -- 33.3%
2. Russell Westbrook -- 25.9%
3. Joe Alexander - 18.5%
4. Anthony Randolph -- 7.4%
Others receiving votes: Jerryd Bayless, Goran Dragic, DeAndre Jordan, Courtney Lee
This one I just couldn't believe. To prove myself wrong, I set out to watch some youtube highlight reels of Goran, and let me just say this: poppycock. Some of his moves are nice, but athletic? Eh? Really, now? When your highlight package includes you shooting a free throw, I refuse to include you in this category.
Which head coach makes the best in-game adjustments?
1. Gregg Popovich -- 28.0%
2. Larry Brown -- 20.0%
3. Rick Carlisle -- 12.0%
4. Eddie Jordan -- 8.0%
Don Nelson -- 8.0%
Doc Rivers -- 8.0%
Jerry Sloan -- 8.0%
Others receiving votes: Rick Adelman, Phil Jackson
Pwahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Eddie. Jordan. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Which active player will make the best head coach someday?
1. Eric Snow -- 24.0%
2. Sam Cassell -- 16.0%
3. Derek Fisher -- 12.0%
4. Darrell Armstrong -- 8.0%
Steve Nash -- 8.0%
Jacque Vaughn -- 8.0%
Others receiving votes: Shane Battier, Raja Bell, Luol Deng, Keyon Dooling, Chris Paul, Kurt Thomas
I'm not quite sure what to make of these. There's obviously a lot of point guards, some of the veteran players who characteristically play with intelligence, and then randomly, Deng and Dooling just thrown in there. As if it were nothing. Frankly I have no idea how these two would do as coaches, but I also have no idea how they made this list. Odd.
Who is the toughest player in the NBA?
1. Ron Artest -- 37.0%
2. Kobe Bryant -- 14.8%
3. Matt Harpring -- 7.4%
Chris Paul -- 7.4%
5. Manu Ginobili -- 5.6%
Others receiving votes: Raja Bell, Bruce Bowen, Joey Dorsey, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Andres Nocioni, Ben Wallace
Maybe it's just me, but the original K-Mart always struck me as a puppy dog in the body of a really big puppy dog. Awww, Kenyon just blocked a shot twice, sending it out of bounds. Aww, Kenyon's trying to guard Kobe. Aww, Kenyon's trying to pick fights to prove how tough he is. Maybe I'm being a little presumptuous (as always), but I just get this vibe from K. I'm not trying to pick a fight with the guy (good God, no), but I'm lightly placing it out there that it may, possibly, maybe, be a bit of an act.
Blogger Previews: Northwest Division
Denver Nuggets
Jeremy: Pickaxe and Roll
Nick Sclafani: The Nugg Doctor
Minnesota Timberwolves
Derek Hanson & Staff: TWolves Blog
Andrew Thell: Empty the Bench
wyn: Canis Hoopus
Oklahoma City
xphoenix87: BallerBlogger
Zorgon: Blue Blitz
Royce: The Thunderworld
Portland Trail Blazers
Mookie: ...a stern warning
Benjamin Golliver: Blazers Edge
Coup and SJ: Rip City Project
Utah Jazz
UtesFan89: The Utah Jazz
Basketball John: SLC Dunk
Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The 1st Annual Upside and Motor Fantasy Basketball Classic
Almost two months ago, I sent an email to some of the most esteemed bloggers around the 'sphere to gauge interest in a bloggers-only fantasy basketball league. Those select few were invited to the 1st Annual Upside and Motor Fantasy Basketball Classic. 16 of the internet's best will be representing themselves and their blogs in some "friendly" competition that's sure to be awfully interesting.
The league is in traditional, 9-category (Points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, threes, field goal %, free throw %, turnovers) head to head format. But, there's a bit of a different spin: the active roster will only feature 6 spots: the traditional five positions and one Utility spot to be filled with any one player. Meet the competitors (in alphabetical order) (team names in bold and italics):
This motley assortment of basement-living blogger types completed an epic 12-round, 16 team draft. These are the results by round:
Or, if you want to see how each team turned out:
You can expect weekly standings with some commentary, as well as some other features on some of the other blogs. I fully expect to be trash talked to near-death. Lessgo!
But fist, a closer look at my team:
The league is in traditional, 9-category (Points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, threes, field goal %, free throw %, turnovers) head to head format. But, there's a bit of a different spin: the active roster will only feature 6 spots: the traditional five positions and one Utility spot to be filled with any one player. Meet the competitors (in alphabetical order) (team names in bold and italics):
- Will Brinson (FanHouse): Welcome to the Vujchine. A gentleman and a scholar, Brinson is a former fantasy "expert," and the first of many FanHousers.
- Loren (PurePoint): Gerald Green's Sock. Loren's underground. And something tells me that he's not only down with that, but that he embraces it. Power to you, Loren, and stick it to the man.
- Corn (Hardwood Paroxysm): Maxiell's Baby Food. He probably hates you. But not as much as he hates Jeff McInnis. Resident badass.
- Chip Crain (3 Shades of Blue): Hoosier Haddadi. Blogosphere "nice guy" who was doped up on medicine during the draft.
- Graydon Gordian (48 Minutes of Hell, Hardwood Paroxysm): The Iceman Cometh. Graydon Gordian's a real cool cat with a lot of this and a lot of that, which may or may not be enough for the rest of us to forgive him for being a Spurs fan. Graydon unfortunately couldn't make it to the draft, so his team was drafted by Robo-Graydon (aka Yahoo player rankings).
- Trey Kerby (The Blowtorch): PeelerDeleDumasLLC. Trey is a folk hero. Plain and simple. Evidence: he's too good for a FaceBook profile. Instead, he has a fan page. I'm weaving my own "W.W.T.D.?" bracelet right now.
- Holly MacKenzie (SLAM Online, Hardwood Paroxysm): StackJaxxx. Trying her best to make sure this isn't a boys' club (no girlz allowed!!), Holly probably assembed the most ridiculously awesome team in the modern fantasy sports era. She is too cool for school.
- Rob Mahoney (Upside and Motor, Hardwood Paroxysm): Popeye Jones All-Stars. Yours, truly.
- Matt McHale (Basketbawful, Deadspin): The Basketbawfuls. The Bawfulness himself. Needs no introduction.
- Ryan McNeill (Hoops Addict): Cabbage Blatche Kids. Fresh off his D-League tryout injury, Ryan may have to undergo arthroscopic surgery. He's currently seeking a second opinion. Didn't actually draft Blatche.
- Matt Moore (Hardwood Paroxysm, Ridiculous Upside, FanHouse): Neto's Happy Hour. The self-proclaimed "worst fantasy player of all-time" missed the first few round of the draft after falling victim to a cat nap. The computer responded with spite, picking Kobe Bryant and coming dangerously close to picking up Vince Carter. Technology is cruel indeed.
- Ryne Nelson (SLAM Online, Odenized): Ryne @ SLAM. The guy turned blogger turned video powerhouse turned phenom. Ryne's a swell guy, and contrary to popular belief, did not draft Greg Oden.
- Ben Q. Rock (Third Quarter Collapse): Free Marcin. May or may not have a man-crush on Jameer Nelson. Regardless, the highly esteemed TQC should serve as a shining example of exactly what an excellent team blog should look like.
- Rohan (At the Hive): At the Hive. He unfortunately had named his team "The Fighting Chris Pauls"...and then got the 14th pick in the draft. Ouch. Thought about drafting Ryan Bowen, but decided against it.
- Matt Watson (Detroit Bad Boys, FanHouse): Witty Team Name. Voted "Most Likely to "Accidentally" Draft Arron Afflalo in the First Round," resident Pistonian, and y'know, a damn fine writer.
- Tom Ziller (Sactown Royalty, FanHouse, The Sporting Blog, The Once and Future King): Shock and Hawes. The man, the myth, the legend. Wins the award for the best team name.
This motley assortment of basement-living blogger types completed an epic 12-round, 16 team draft. These are the results by round:
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chris Paul | FreeMarcin |
| 2. | Kobe Bryant | Neto's Happy... |
| 3. | Amare Stoudemire | Gerald Green... |
| 4. | LeBron James | PopeyeJones ... |
| 5. | Dirk Nowitzki | The Basketba... |
| 6. | Shawn Marion | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 7. | Josh Smith | WelcomeToThe... |
| 8. | Elton Brand | The Iceman C... |
| 9. | Dwyane Wade | Cabbage Blat... |
| 10. | Chris Bosh | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 11. | Kevin Garnett | Witty Team Name |
| 12. | Tim Duncan | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 13. | Allen Iverson | Shock & Hawes |
| 14. | Kevin Martin | At the Hive |
| 15. | Dwight Howard | StackJaxxx |
| 16. | Carlos Boozer | Hoosier Haddadi |
| Round 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Deron Williams | Hoosier Haddadi |
| 2. | Steve Nash | StackJaxxx |
| 3. | Chauncey Billups | At the Hive |
| 4. | Al Jefferson | Shock & Hawes |
| 5. | Baron Davis | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 6. | Caron Butler | Witty Team Name |
| 7. | Danny Granger | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 8. | Pau Gasol | Cabbage Blat... |
| 9. | Marcus Camby | The Iceman C... |
| 10. | Joe Johnson | WelcomeToThe... |
| 11. | Jose Calderon | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 12. | Rashard Lewis | The Basketba... |
| 13. | Yao Ming | PopeyeJones ... |
| 14. | Rudy Gay | Gerald Green... |
| 15. | David West | Neto's Happy... |
| 16. | Andrew Bynum | FreeMarcin |
| Round 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jason Richardson | FreeMarcin |
| 2. | Paul Pierce | Neto's Happy... |
| 3. | Brandon Roy | Gerald Green... |
| 4. | Antawn Jamison | PopeyeJones ... |
| 5. | Andre Iguodala | The Basketba... |
| 6. | Rasheed Wallace | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 7. | Jason Kidd | WelcomeToThe... |
| 8. | Carmelo Anthony | The Iceman C... |
| 9. | Gerald Wallace | Cabbage Blat... |
| 10. | Devin Harris | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 11. | Mehmet Okur | Witty Team Name |
| 12. | Vince Carter | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 13. | Hedo Turkoglu | Shock & Hawes |
| 14. | Michael Redd | At the Hive |
| 15. | Kevin Durant | StackJaxxx |
| 16. | Mike Dunleavy | Hoosier Haddadi |
| Round 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | LaMarcus Aldridge | Hoosier Haddadi |
| 2. | Stephen Jackson | StackJaxxx |
| 3. | Tyson Chandler | At the Hive |
| 4. | Emeka Okafor | Shock & Hawes |
| 5. | Andrew Bogut | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 6. | Corey Maggette | Witty Team Name |
| 7. | Andris Biedrins | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 8. | Josh Howard | Cabbage Blat... |
| 9. | Ron Artest | The Iceman C... |
| 10. | Al Horford | WelcomeToThe... |
| 11. | Chris Kaman | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 12. | Mo Williams | The Basketba... |
| 13. | Andre Miller | PopeyeJones ... |
| 14. | Mike Miller | Gerald Green... |
| 15. | Lamar Odom | Neto's Happy... |
| 16. | Peja Stojakovic | FreeMarcin |
| Round 5 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | David Lee | FreeMarcin |
| 2. | Brad Miller | Neto's Happy... |
| 3. | Jermaine O'Neal | Gerald Green... |
| 4. | Jamal Crawford | PopeyeJones ... |
| 5. | Ray Allen | The Basketba... |
| 6. | Greg Oden | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 7. | Tony Parker | WelcomeToThe... |
| 8. | Jason Terry | The Iceman C... |
| 9. | Tracy McGrady | Cabbage Blat... |
| 10. | Andrei Kirilenko | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 11. | T.J. Ford | Witty Team Name |
| 12. | Luol Deng | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 13. | Randy Foye | Shock & Hawes |
| 14. | Michael Beasley | At the Hive |
| 15. | Zach Randolph | StackJaxxx |
| 16. | John Salmons | Hoosier Haddadi |
| Round 6 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | O.J. Mayo | Hoosier Haddadi |
| 2. | J.R. Smith | StackJaxxx |
| 3. | Richard Hamilton | At the Hive |
| 4. | Samuel Dalembert | Shock & Hawes |
| 5. | Leandro Barbosa | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 6. | Richard Jefferson | Witty Team Name |
| 7. | Kevin Love | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 8. | Raymond Felton | Cabbage Blat... |
| 9. | Francisco Garcia | The Iceman C... |
| 10. | Troy Murphy | WelcomeToThe... |
| 11. | Ben Gordon | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 12. | Zydrunas Ilgauskas | The Basketba... |
| 13. | Gilbert Arenas | PopeyeJones ... |
| 14. | Kenyon Martin | Gerald Green... |
| 15. | Mike Bibby | Neto's Happy... |
| 16. | Kirk Hinrich | FreeMarcin |
| Round 7 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Marvin Williams | FreeMarcin |
| 2. | Al Harrington | Neto's Happy... |
| 3. | Beno Udrih | Gerald Green... |
| 4. | Jamario Moon | PopeyeJones ... |
| 5. | Anthony Parker | The Basketba... |
| 6. | Ronnie Brewer | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 7. | Thaddeus Young | WelcomeToThe... |
| 8. | Shane Battier | The Iceman C... |
| 9. | Charlie Villanueva | Cabbage Blat... |
| 10. | Raja Bell | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 11. | Rodney Stuckey | Witty Team Name |
| 12. | Al Thornton | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 13. | Amir Johnson | Shock & Hawes |
| 14. | Joakim Noah | At the Hive |
| 15. | Rajon Rondo | StackJaxxx |
| 16. | Jeff Green | Hoosier Haddadi |
| Round 8 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ramon Sessions | Hoosier Haddadi |
| 2. | Tayshaun Prince | StackJaxxx |
| 3. | Manu Ginobili | At the Hive |
| 4. | Mike Conley | Shock & Hawes |
| 5. | Jameer Nelson | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 6. | Nene Hilario | Witty Team Name |
| 7. | Rafer Alston | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 8. | Luke Ridnour | Cabbage Blat... |
| 9. | Ryan Gomes | The Iceman C... |
| 10. | Boris Diaw | WelcomeToThe... |
| 11. | Travis Outlaw | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 12. | Marcus Williams | The Basketba... |
| 13. | Derrick Rose | PopeyeJones ... |
| 14. | Nick Collison | Gerald Green... |
| 15. | Blake Ahearn | Neto's Happy... |
| 16. | Grant Hill | FreeMarcin |
| Round 9 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Antonio McDyess | FreeMarcin |
| 2. | Jerryd Bayless | Neto's Happy... |
| 3. | Paul Millsap | Gerald Green... |
| 4. | Monta Ellis | PopeyeJones ... |
| 5. | Drew Gooden | The Basketba... |
| 6. | Rudy Fernandez | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 7. | Jason Maxiell | WelcomeToThe... |
| 8. | Ricky Davis | The Iceman C... |
| 9. | Andrea Bargnani | Cabbage Blat... |
| 10. | Brandon Bass | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 11. | Yi Jianlian | Witty Team Name |
| 12. | Shaquille O'Neal | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 13. | Tyrus Thomas | Shock & Hawes |
| 14. | Louis Williams | At the Hive |
| 15. | Kelenna Azubuike | StackJaxxx |
| 16. | Luis Scola | Hoosier Haddadi |
| Round 10 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Spencer Hawes | Hoosier Haddadi |
| 2. | Hakim Warrick | StackJaxxx |
| 3. | Sean Williams | At the Hive |
| 4. | Andray Blatche | Shock & Hawes |
| 5. | Wilson Chandler | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 6. | Kyle Korver | Witty Team Name |
| 7. | Daniel Gibson | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 8. | Chris Wilcox | Cabbage Blat... |
| 9. | Matt Barnes | The Iceman C... |
| 10. | Russell Westbrook | WelcomeToThe... |
| 11. | Brook Lopez | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 12. | Chris Duhon | The Basketba... |
| 13. | Nate Robinson | PopeyeJones ... |
| 14. | Mickael Pietrus | Gerald Green... |
| 15. | Elton Brown | Neto's Happy... |
| 16. | Jeff Foster | FreeMarcin |
| Round 11 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Derek Fisher | FreeMarcin |
| 2. | Alando Tucker | Neto's Happy... |
| 3. | Kendrick Perkins | Gerald Green... |
| 4. | Roger Mason | PopeyeJones ... |
| 5. | Rashad McCants | The Basketba... |
| 6. | Linas Kleiza | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 7. | Mario Chalmers | WelcomeToThe... |
| 8. | Earl Watson | The Iceman C... |
| 9. | Andres Nocioni | Cabbage Blat... |
| 10. | DeShawn Stevenson | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 11. | Eric Gordon | Witty Team Name |
| 12. | Antonio Daniels | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 13. | Luther Head | Shock & Hawes |
| 14. | Cuttino Mobley | At the Hive |
| 15. | Marc Gasol | StackJaxxx |
| 16. | Jordan Farmar | Hoosier Haddadi |
| Round 12 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Udonis Haslem | Hoosier Haddadi |
| 2. | Stephon Marbury | StackJaxxx |
| 3. | Maurice Evans | At the Hive |
| 4. | Donte Greene | Shock & Hawes |
| 5. | Ronny Turiaf | Ryne @ SLAM |
| 6. | Darko Milicic | Witty Team Name |
| 7. | Joe Smith | Maxiell's Ba... |
| 8. | Jason Kapono | Cabbage Blat... |
| 9. | Ben Wallace | The Iceman C... |
| 10. | Sasha Vujacic | WelcomeToThe... |
| 11. | Eddy Curry | PeelerDeleDu... |
| 12. | Anderson Varejao | The Basketba... |
| 13. | Erick Dampier | PopeyeJones ... |
| 14. | Sebastian Telfair | Gerald Green... |
| 15. | Trevor Ariza | Neto's Happy... |
| 16. | Anthony Carter | FreeMarcin |
Or, if you want to see how each team turned out:
| FreeMarcin (Ben Q.) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (1) | Chris Paul |
| 2. | (32) | Andrew Bynum |
| 3. | (33) | Jason Richardson |
| 4. | (64) | Peja Stojakovic |
| 5. | (65) | David Lee |
| 6. | (96) | Kirk Hinrich |
| 7. | (97) | Marvin Williams |
| 8. | (128) | Grant Hill |
| 9. | (129) | Antonio McDyess |
| 10. | (160) | Jeff Foster |
| 11. | (161) | Derek Fisher |
| 12. | (192) | Anthony Carter |
Neto's Happy Hour (Moore) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (2) | Kobe Bryant |
| 2. | (31) | David West |
| 3. | (34) | Paul Pierce |
| 4. | (63) | Lamar Odom |
| 5. | (66) | Brad Miller |
| 6. | (95) | Mike Bibby |
| 7. | (98) | Al Harrington |
| 8. | (127) | Blake Ahearn |
| 9. | (130) | Jerryd Bayless |
| 10. | (159) | Elton Brown |
| 11. | (162) | Alando Tucker |
| 12. | (191) | Trevor Ariza |
Gerald Green's Sock (Loren) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (3) | Amare Stoudemire |
| 2. | (30) | Rudy Gay |
| 3. | (35) | Brandon Roy |
| 4. | (62) | Mike Miller |
| 5. | (67) | Jermaine O'Neal |
| 6. | (94) | Kenyon Martin |
| 7. | (99) | Beno Udrih |
| 8. | (126) | Nick Collison |
| 9. | (131) | Paul Millsap |
| 10. | (158) | Mickael Pietrus |
| 11. | (163) | Kendrick Perkins |
| 12. | (190) | Sebastian Telfair |
PopeyeJones AllStars (Rob) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (4) | LeBron James |
| 2. | (29) | Yao Ming |
| 3. | (36) | Antawn Jamison |
| 4. | (61) | Andre Miller |
| 5. | (68) | Jamal Crawford |
| 6. | (93) | Gilbert Arenas |
| 7. | (100) | Jamario Moon |
| 8. | (125) | Derrick Rose |
| 9. | (132) | Monta Ellis |
| 10. | (157) | Nate Robinson |
| 11. | (164) | Roger Mason |
| 12. | (189) | Erick Dampier |
The Basketbawfuls (Matt McHale) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (5) | Dirk Nowitzki |
| 2. | (28) | Rashard Lewis |
| 3. | (37) | Andre Iguodala |
| 4. | (60) | Mo Williams |
| 5. | (69) | Ray Allen |
| 6. | (92) | Zydrunas Ilgauskas |
| 7. | (101) | Anthony Parker |
| 8. | (124) | Marcus Williams |
| 9. | (133) | Drew Gooden |
| 10. | (156) | Chris Duhon |
| 11. | (165) | Rashad McCants |
| 12. | (188) | Anderson Varejao |
PeelerDeleDumasLLC (Trey) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (6) | Shawn Marion |
| 2. | (27) | Jose Calderon |
| 3. | (38) | Rasheed Wallace |
| 4. | (59) | Chris Kaman |
| 5. | (70) | Greg Oden |
| 6. | (91) | Ben Gordon |
| 7. | (102) | Ronnie Brewer |
| 8. | (123) | Travis Outlaw |
| 9. | (134) | Rudy Fernandez |
| 10. | (155) | Brook Lopez |
| 11. | (166) | Linas Kleiza |
| 12. | (187) | Eddy Curry |
WelcomeToTheVujchine (Brinson) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (7) | Josh Smith |
| 2. | (26) | Joe Johnson |
| 3. | (39) | Jason Kidd |
| 4. | (58) | Al Horford |
| 5. | (71) | Tony Parker |
| 6. | (90) | Troy Murphy |
| 7. | (103) | Thaddeus Young |
| 8. | (122) | Boris Diaw |
| 9. | (135) | Jason Maxiell |
| 10. | (154) | Russell Westbrook |
| 11. | (167) | Mario Chalmers |
| 12. | (186) | Sasha Vujacic |
The Iceman Cometh (Graydon) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (8) | Elton Brand |
| 2. | (25) | Marcus Camby |
| 3. | (40) | Carmelo Anthony |
| 4. | (57) | Ron Artest |
| 5. | (72) | Jason Terry |
| 6. | (89) | Francisco Garcia |
| 7. | (104) | Shane Battier |
| 8. | (121) | Ryan Gomes |
| 9. | (136) | Ricky Davis |
| 10. | (153) | Matt Barnes |
| 11. | (168) | Earl Watson |
| 12. | (185) | Ben Wallace |
Cabbage Blatch Kids (Ryan) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (9) | Dwyane Wade |
| 2. | (24) | Pau Gasol |
| 3. | (41) | Gerald Wallace |
| 4. | (56) | Josh Howard |
| 5. | (73) | Tracy McGrady |
| 6. | (88) | Raymond Felton |
| 7. | (105) | Charlie Villanueva |
| 8. | (120) | Luke Ridnour |
| 9. | (137) | Andrea Bargnani |
| 10. | (152) | Chris Wilcox |
| 11. | (169) | Andres Nocioni |
| 12. | (184) | Jason Kapono |
Maxiell's Baby Food (Corn) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (10) | Chris Bosh |
| 2. | (23) | Danny Granger |
| 3. | (42) | Devin Harris |
| 4. | (55) | Andris Biedrins |
| 5. | (74) | Andrei Kirilenko |
| 6. | (87) | Kevin Love |
| 7. | (106) | Raja Bell |
| 8. | (119) | Rafer Alston |
| 9. | (138) | Brandon Bass |
| 10. | (151) | Daniel Gibson |
| 11. | (170) | DeShawn Stevenson |
| 12. | (183) | Joe Smith |
Witty Team Name (Watson) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (11) | Kevin Garnett |
| 2. | (22) | Caron Butler |
| 3. | (43) | Mehmet Okur |
| 4. | (54) | Corey Maggette |
| 5. | (75) | T.J. Ford |
| 6. | (86) | Richard Jefferson |
| 7. | (107) | Rodney Stuckey |
| 8. | (118) | Nene Hilario |
| 9. | (139) | Yi Jianlian |
| 10. | (150) | Kyle Korver |
| 11. | (171) | Eric Gordon |
| 12. | (182) | Darko Milicic |
Ryne @ SLAM (guess?) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (12) | Tim Duncan |
| 2. | (21) | Baron Davis |
| 3. | (44) | Vince Carter |
| 4. | (53) | Andrew Bogut |
| 5. | (76) | Luol Deng |
| 6. | (85) | Leandro Barbosa |
| 7. | (108) | Al Thornton |
| 8. | (117) | Jameer Nelson |
| 9. | (140) | Shaquille O'Neal |
| 10. | (149) | Wilson Chandler |
| 11. | (172) | Antonio Daniels |
| 12. | (181) | Ronny Turiaf |
Shock & Hawes (GodZiller) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (13) | Allen Iverson |
| 2. | (20) | Al Jefferson |
| 3. | (45) | Hedo Turkoglu |
| 4. | (52) | Emeka Okafor |
| 5. | (77) | Randy Foye |
| 6. | (84) | Samuel Dalembert |
| 7. | (109) | Amir Johnson |
| 8. | (116) | Mike Conley |
| 9. | (141) | Tyrus Thomas |
| 10. | (148) | Andray Blatche |
| 11. | (173) | Luther Head |
| 12. | (180) | Donte Greene |
At the Hive (Rohan) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (14) | Kevin Martin |
| 2. | (19) | Chauncey Billups |
| 3. | (46) | Michael Redd |
| 4. | (51) | Tyson Chandler |
| 5. | (78) | Michael Beasley |
| 6. | (83) | Richard Hamilton |
| 7. | (110) | Joakim Noah |
| 8. | (115) | Manu Ginobili |
| 9. | (142) | Louis Williams |
| 10. | (147) | Sean Williams |
| 11. | (174) | Cuttino Mobley |
| 12. | (179) | Maurice Evans |
StackJaxxx (Holly) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (15) | Dwight Howard |
| 2. | (18) | Steve Nash |
| 3. | (47) | Kevin Durant |
| 4. | (50) | Stephen Jackson |
| 5. | (79) | Zach Randolph |
| 6. | (82) | J.R. Smith |
| 7. | (111) | Rajon Rondo |
| 8. | (114) | Tayshaun Prince |
| 9. | (143) | Kelenna Azubuike |
| 10. | (146) | Hakim Warrick |
| 11. | (175) | Marc Gasol |
| 12. | (178) | Stephon Marbury |
Hoosier Haddadi (Chip) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (16) | Carlos Boozer |
| 2. | (17) | Deron Williams |
| 3. | (48) | Mike Dunleavy |
| 4. | (49) | LaMarcus Aldridge |
| 5. | (80) | John Salmons |
| 6. | (81) | O.J. Mayo |
| 7. | (112) | Jeff Green |
| 8. | (113) | Ramon Sessions |
| 9. | (144) | Luis Scola |
| 10. | (145) | Spencer Hawes |
| 11. | (176) | Jordan Farmar |
| 12. | (177) | Udonis Haslem |
You can expect weekly standings with some commentary, as well as some other features on some of the other blogs. I fully expect to be trash talked to near-death. Lessgo!
But fist, a closer look at my team:
PopeyeJones AllStars (Rob) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | (4) | LeBron James |
| 2. | (29) | Yao Ming |
| 3. | (36) | Antawn Jamison |
| 4. | (61) | Andre Miller |
| 5. | (68) | Jamal Crawford |
| 6. | (93) | Gilbert Arenas |
| 7. | (100) | Jamario Moon |
| 8. | (125) | Derrick Rose |
| 9. | (132) | Monta Ellis |
| 10. | (157) | Nate Robinson |
| 11. | (164) | Roger Mason |
| 12. | (189) | Erick Dampier |
- LeBron James - LeBron was an easy pick at #4, after Paul, Amare, and Kobe were off the board. He gives me a nice cushion in pretty much every category except for TOs, 3's, FG%, and FT%. Despite playing multiple teams every year since LeBron's rookie year, I have never had him on a team. I'm pretty pumped, to say the least.
- Yao Ming - I decided to go with a center with my second pick, because I figured the options would be pretty limited later. Yao provides points, rebounds, blocks, FG%, and FT%, meaning I may actually be able to win one of the percentage categories if the rest of the roster pans out.
- Antawn Jamison - Power forward is one of the most important positions in fantasy basketball, and Jamison is top-notch. He doesn't turn the ball over much (meaning even with LeBron and Yao, I can win on a good week), he's set to see his points and rebounds stay at ridiculous levels with Gilbert still injured, and he bolsters my team in points, rebounds, FT%, and steals.
- Andre Miller - Both guard positions were a need for me at this point, so I decided to go with the position that is more difficult to fill. Miller and LeBron are a nice assists tandem, and Miller scores and rebounds reasonably well for his position.
- Jamal Crawford - Poised for a nice year under D'Antoni, in spite of his early struggles with the system. Crawford can score, score, score, is a willing passer (and has point guard eligibility), and can rack up the steals. Although, with this pick I'm basically punting FG%.
- Gilbert Arenas - I thought I'd take a chance on Gil. If he works out, I'll have a valuable trade chip in him or Miller. If not...well, I'll be in a bit of trouble.
- Jamario Moon - Moon was the best available option at bolstering rebounds, steals, and blocks with just one pick. Tack on the fact that the rotation in Toronto is as shallow as ever, and Moon seems poised to only see more time this season.
- Derrick Rose - I don't usually like to pick rookies, but Rose is just too talented to pass up. He'll score decently and provide some assists, but what I'm really counting on him for are the steals. Rose, let me introduce you to the world of kleptomania.
- Monta Ellis - I think this is where I went crazy. If both he and Gilbert return to form, my roster is ridiculous. If not...again, I'm basically screwed. But think about this: supposing I can tread water until the playoffs, I'd enter the playoffs with a starting lineup of Arenas, Ellis, LeBron, Jamison, and Yao, with Andre Miller/Jamal Crawford in the Util spot. Assuming they're all healthy, that is ridiculous.
- Nate Robinson - I like Nate's potential as a heavy rotation player or a potential starter once Duhon inevitably screws things up in NYC. If not, I hope he'll at least be an attractive trade chip to let me grab a need later. I'm not sure why I didn't go for depth here, considering I already have too many point guards. But at this point in the draft, like I said, I think I've already gone insane.
- Roger Mason - I'm kind of banking on him gaining status as a shooting guard. Right now he's solely a point, which doesn't really help me. But if he starts in Ginobili's stead (signs indicate that he will), he should gain SG eligibility in no time. Could turn out to be a good value pick.
- Erick Dampier - I need depth at center and power forward, and I didn't have many options. If Yao gets injured, I'm screwed. This roster has a lot of work to do.
Season's Greetings: Washington Wizards 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record:
Off-season Acquisitions: JaVale McGee, Juan Dixon, Dee Brown
Notable Losses: Roger Mason
2008-2009 Team MVP: Caron Butler - A healthy Gilbert changes things up a bit, but this is Caron Butler's team. The things he can do with the ball are phenomenal, and he's a game-changer on the defensive end as well. He's tough as...Tough Juice, a leader, and an elite player. Can't ask for much more than that. Oh yeah, and his blood may or may not be entirely made up of Mountain Dew. At least, until recently. Damn you, healthy diets!
Most Important Reserve: Andray Blatche - Nick Young and Juan Dixon are important in terms of the scoring they can provide, but few have as much weight on their shoulders as Blatche. Gilbert's injury garners most of the attention, but Haywood's injury may actually be just as detrimental. Gil has the chance to return and make an impact this season. Without him, the Wizards proved they can still stay competitive, especially if the matchups favor them (looking at you, Celtics). You can make up for the scoring you lose when Gil goes down. It's not easy, but it's possible. You can't easily replace the size and balance that Haywood provides this team. We'll see what Etan Thomas can do, but a lot is going to come down to what Blatche can provide. He's had his time to develop and it's time to cash in; the Wiz need to know what they have in Blatche.
Most Unheralded Asset: Antonio Daniels - It's not easy to keep the boat from a'rockin' in Gil's absence, but Daniels does so easily. He's a veteran presence and a calming presence in a topsy-turvy world, and one that should be much appreciated.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
The Wizards are officially cursed,
All conspiracy theorists, unite!
Arenas is out, and that's only the first,
Of the inj'ries that mark the Wizards' plight.
E'en at full strength the Wiz may have been outmatched,
An increasingly competitive East,
But they'd be playoff bound, no string's attached,
Now they find their playoff chances decreased.
It's no sure thing for this Washington team,
They'll have to claw and fight all season long,
And if Gil returns to his form supreme,
The Wiz may be unexpectedly strong.
I mean, the season's not o'er yet, I guess,
But the Wiz will have to do more with less.
It is hard to find a stronger trio,
Than Caron Butler, Antawn, and Gilbert,
Dropping thirty, for them, is like a free throw,
To these maestros, each game is a concert.
Young is fantastic, on offense at least,
DeShawn's antics a welcome diversion,
Andray Blatche shows that he could be a beast,
But his bursts are followed by reversion.
Antonio Daniels is essential,
In a world where Arenas is sidelined,
Pecherov ponders the existential,
Because he and the bench are intertwined.
A roster of players, characters, all,
But in D.C., the writing's on the wall.
Player Preview Spotlight: Antawn Jamison
Photo from Getty Images.The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
Antawn Jamison is both lauded and ignored. I think of all places to be in the NBA, Jamison's position (and it is by no means unique to only him) is one of the most complex, both in terms or on-court production and role in the greater scheme of the organization. Antawn is an All-Star, but he's the third best player on his team. He averages 20-10, but he's not larger than life. He's not a household name. But he produces tirelessly, creating opportunities for his team, scoring in a plethora of ways, and offering only all of himself. He doesn't complain and he doesn't squabble. Antawn Jamison is not petty or cocky, he is not overbearing or unforgiving. The guy is a leader. And on a team that features Gilbert Arenas, there needs to be a reserved leader who guides the team by example.
So often we talk about the "consummate professional," and Jamison very much embodies that ideal. He's active in the community, he's active on the boards (arguably the most workman-like task on the hardwood), and though he's capable of being a team's primary scorer, he doesn't demand the ball. Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler are immense talents. Truly immense. But Jamison is a different kind of beast that those two couldn't even hope to become. Jamison's nature is at once a blessing and a curse, an intersection of talent, production, leadership, and subordinance. Antawn is every bit as capable of being a primary scorer as Gilbert or Caron. I know it seems like it can't be true or shouldn't be true, but it is. Gil may be more exciting and Caron more rugged, but in terms of shear output Jamison can put points up with the best of them. Jamison may not necessarily match Arenas point for point, but the nature of the difference in their methods would surely favor Antawn. Agent Zero is clearly capable of coexisting with other stars, as is Jamison. The difference is that Gilbert succeeds in spite of other capable players around him. He wants the ball in his hands. He needs the ball in his hands. I'm not saying that he never passes, because it's obvious that he does. That dominant on-court identity is blessed, but also draining. And, although it seems infinite in nature, it is certainly limited. In his own way, Arenas is limited by his dominance, limited by the very thing that gives him strength.
I'm not saying that Antawn's game isn't limited in its own way, because it most certainly is. But the "limitations" of Antawn's game are merely extensions of his ability to not only coexist with his teammates' successes, but thrive. Jamison feeds off of the energy and play of his 'mates with the screens, the offensive rebounds, the cuts down the lane. His role on this team (and on the Mavs, for that matter) doesn't require him to create. So what does he do? He takes the role the team gives him, and he creates anyway. You can't just say he's like Marion, because he's not. Both are excellent in complimentary roles, but their games just aren't similar enough to warrant the comparison. Jamison defines his own on-court destiny through his flurry of floaters and runners, an array of jumpshots and post moves. He takes these aspects of his game, the more dominant traits of his on-court persona, and uses them to enhance his subordinate scoring role. That is a truly unique player. Jamison gets his props for what he does, but he isn't idolized like Arenas, or Wade, or even Marion. Part of me wonders why that is, and part of me already knows the answer.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Hardwood Paroxysm
SLAM
Ball Don't Lie
Season's Greetings: Miami Heat 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 38-44 (T-3rd in the Southeast Division, T-9th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: B-Easy Mike Beasley, Superintendent Mario Chalmers, James Jones, Jamaal Magloire (sigh...), Yakhouba Diawara
Notable Losses: Ricky Davis, Jason Williams, Earl Barron, Stephane Lasme, Kasib Powell
2008-2009 Team MVP: Dwyane Wade - Respect.
Most Important Reserve: Michael Beasley/Udonis Haslem - Signs point to Beasley starting the season on the bench, but you have to think that he'll be starting by season's end. Be it Beasley or Haslem though, they'll have to provide an awful lot off the bench because frankly, there's not much there.
Most Unheralded Asset: James Jones - Well yeah, he's injured. Assuming he makes a full recovery, he can be a great asset for this team. A great shooter from the small forward position will do wonders to complement Wade, especially one who's game seems to fit the Miami gameplan for the position to a T.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Reuters.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
The Miami Heat: renaissance by fire,
Last season's worst gains D-Wade and Beasley,
Davis deserted and J-Will retired,
The bench talent was left lacking; measly.
But it's good to know it can't get much worse,
Even if they're point-less and have no center,
With big additions, their fortunes reversed,
E'en if the current team isn't a winn'r.
Make no mistake: this squad is electric,
Even if they're not to be playoff bound,
Wade's a monster; Marion eclectic,
They're sure to amaze, amuse, and confound.
Not rebuilding, not contenders; between,
But anything is better than fifteen.
Wade is harder, better, faster, stronger,
To a degree that would make Daft Punk proud,
Sure, Beasley may be "the man" no longer,
But he'll succeed as much as he's allowed.
Marion's an asset: in game, in trade,
He'll help this team one way or the other,
They need young pieces to build around Wade,
And thus, their true potential discover.
For now, the supporting cast is quite thin,
In quality, though not in quantity,
Banks, Quinn, Chalmers, Blount, Anthony, Haslem,
Will play the 1 and 5 by committee.
An interesting roster, to be sure,
This Miami team will win as it matures.
Player Preview Spotlight: Michael Beasley
Photo from AP.The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
My relationship with one Michael Beasley has been a complicated one. At K-State, it was hard to ignore the stats and the highlights. Beasley was an incredible scorer and an incredible rebounder, but I took both of those things with a grain of salt. The ways in which he scored screamed college ball: flat footed rebounds and putbacks, shooting over shorter defenders, generally being more athletic than whoever was guarding him. Plus, with the rebounding, Beasley happened to play in the Big 12, the conference where having a real center is for suckers. Most of the teams in the conference rely on the small forward or power forward to pick up the rebounding slack, and Beasley was no exception. In so many runs, Beasley was the biggest player on the floor for his team. So you take that rebounding by position garbage and you throw it out the window...at least in regard to his college stats. He'll still be a good positional rebounder in the NBA, he just happens to play power forward.
The big question is: if his game is so "college ball," how is it going to translate to the NBA style? How is this guy going to succeed on the pro level if he relied so much on his height and athleticism in the NCAA? It's easy, actually: Beasley has incredible basketball instincts. This guy is a machine who was put on this earth to play basketball. He knows where to be on offense to get the ball and he knows where to be to help facilitate the flow of the offense. He knows where to be on defense to deter his opponent, even if he has a reputation for not always giving maximum effort. He instinctively knows where to be when the shot goes up. Center or no center, his college rebounding numbers were phenomenal. Fluke or no fluke, you don't get those kinds of numbers without having a good knowledge of the game.
The scoring will come naturally for B-Easy. He's a dead-eye shooter from midrange, and hopefully he'll develop some consistency on that NBA three. He has nice skills inside, but he's not particularly savvy as a back to the basket player. The nice thing about this team is that it doesn't matter. Wade is dynamic as a slasher, but he's also money in the low block/baseline area. The stepback jumper and the turnaround bank shot that Wade has in his arsenal give the Heat a Jordan-esque (yeah, I said it) post-up guard. I think that was the mistake that a lot of people made coming out of the 2003 draft. LeBron was supposed to be the new Jordan, and in some ways he is. He is "the chosen one," he's ascended to the best in the game, and a larger than life player and personality. He's as much icon as he is superstar. But LeBron's game is much more Magic than it is Jordan. Only if Magic was a truly ongodly freak of an athlete and a ridiculous scorer. Wade's game screams Jordan to me: one part wreckless, two parts unstoppable. Early in his career he didn't have the range (some might argue that he didn't late in his career, either), but he was still unguardable. You knew he was going to take it hard to the rim or take that pull-up jumper, but there was just nothing you could do. Carmelo is probably Bird, only more athletic and with less fire. Anthony has plenty of pride but none of the raw desire that made Bird one of the feistiest to play the game and undoubtedly willed him to win after win. But purely in terms of how his game manifests itself on the court, Melo definitely resembles Larry Legend. He doesn't have as much skill around the basket in terms of variety, but he's quicker and relies just as much on his midrange game. What's ironic is that Melo is about as thug life as it gets, while Bird is the ideal rural white player. Both home-grown, but each in their own way. I have no idea where all this puts Chris Bosh.
But the point of all of this is that Beasley need not be a "traditional" pivot. In fact, he's set to be a more offensively focused Shawn Marion. I doubt he will ever be the tenacious defender that Marion has become, but likewise Marion won't ever be the offensive dynamo that Beasley can potentially be. The thought of a developed B-Easy and Wade in his prime should be terrifying, especially with a serviceable point (Chalmers?) and center on the roster. Right now, that's the dream. This team isn't ready, but unlike last season, they're not lost, either. Marion, Wade, and Beasley are all proud players, and they'll insure that though the Heat falter, they won't freefall. Then, once Marion departs for different pastures (not necessarily greener), the new era will truly be underway. Get your Tivos ready, NBAers.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Hardwood Paroxysm
Deadspin/Basketbawful
Ball Don't Lie
Monday, October 20, 2008
Season's Greetings: Orlando Magic 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 53-29 (1st in the Southeast Division, 3rd in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Mickael Pietrus, Courtney Lee, Anthony Johnson, Dwayne Jones
Notable Losses: Carlos Arroyo, Keyon Dooling, Mo Evans, Pat Garrity, James Augustine
2008-2009 Team MVP: Dwight Howard - This is a rehashed assertion. I've never seen the guy play, but I remember someone in a fantasy league I was in one time saying he was good. Oh, and I saw the youtube vid of him doing that Superman dunk...THAT WAS SICK.
Most Important Reserve: Anthony Johnson - This is a sad testament to the state of Orlando's bench. Dooling and Arroyo, despite their individual flaws, aren't bad as back-ups. When both of your alternatives skip town leaving Jameer Nelson as a starter and Anthony Johnson to back him up, you're probably going to have some troubles. Nelson will probably be a fine player when all is said and done, but for now his inconsistency is enough to cause a good headache every now and then. Johnson will need to find his legs all season long to keep this show running when he subs in for Jameer, and he'll need to be able to hit his outside shots if this team isn't to miss a beat.
Most Unheralded Asset: Rashard Lewis - It's probably a product of being paid more money than I knew even existed in this country anymore, but Lewis is largely overlooked in favor of Hedo Turkoglu. I'd like to explain more, but...well, you'll see.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
Dwight Howard, sans cape, is still a hero,
For his teammates, the game’s a shooting drill,
Of course: when he takes flight, look out below!
He dominates through talent, might, and will.
As a team, the Magic stand just as tall,
A power among powers in the East,
The roster is built for the playoff haul,
In May we will see the true beast unleashed.
We’ve known that they’re good, but are they good enough,
The road to the Finals a bumpy one,
Come playoffs we’ll see if they have the right stuff.
One thing’s for sure: they’ve only just begun.
Now, the only option is to contend,
Same for all teams who can pass, score, defend.
I think I’ve flattered Dwight Howard plenty,
Besides: you know the man, you know his game,
Remind yourself – he’s just over twenty,
He has the gift, the drive, the height, the frame.
Sure, Rashard may be underutilized,
Much of the burden is on Hedo’s back,
The threesome leaves defenses brutalized
Punch-drunk from dunks and a long-range attack.
Jameer Nelson comes and goes with the wind,
Pietrus is a welcome addition,
J.J. Redick is simply chagrined,
Gortat’s a promising Magician.
Lee, Bogans, Cook, Battie, and what else?
A shallow roster is, itself, a cell.
Player Preview Spotlight: Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu (A Dialogue)
Photo from AP.
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
(The Scene: After Magic practice during training camp. The gang has just completed a laborious day of scrimmaging, defensive drills, and playbook analysis. As the team leaves from the film room, Hedo Turkoglu jogs down the hall to catch up to Rashard Lewis.)
Hedo: Rashahrd! Rashahrd! Wait up for one second, please!
Rashard: Yeah, yo Hedo, what's up?
Hedo: I just talked to Coach and he wanted me to tell you tatt I'm going to be playing da power forwarrrd poseetion on #6 and #8.
Rashard: ...That's kinda weird, but hey, whatever coach w-...wait a minute, those are the plays where I get to dribble.
Hedo: Yeah, about tatt...since I'm the Most Eemproved Player, I dec-, I mean we decideed tatt I should probably be doeeng all of tee dreebuhling from now on. It only makes sense. I'm tryeeng to become a point garde, you know.
Rashard: Well, I mean I don't want -- did you just say point guard?
Hedo: Of course.
Rashard: ...Alriiiight...well, like I was saying, I don't want to be a problem or anything-
Hedo: (Cryptically) No. No you do not want problem. I am sure of tatt.
Rashard: ...uhh, yeah, I don't want any problems here. So where is the 3 on those sets?
Hedo: You seet in tee corner and launch da tree point jumpers.
Rashard: Aww come on, man! That's the exact same thing I've got on #2-#5! I'm telling you, I can post up, I've got a nice pull-up, I've been working on my handle--
Hedo: Ey, ey, its not my deceesion. Coach said that I deeseyrve to shoot more, and dat you should be more weelling to be a team player. Nobody likes cancer, Rashahrd.
Rashard: Cancer? What???
Hedo: You know, how do you say, team...cancer...disease...
Rashard: Oh, you mean like a cancer to the team. I don't really think that I'm doing anything that hurts the te-
Hedo: Alright, eyggcellent. I'm glad to hear tatt you're on board. I shall see you later, Rashahrd.
Rashard: Well, that's not really what I was-
Hedo: (Glares.)
Rashard: Ye--yes, yes sir.
(End.)
*Oh, and yes, before you ask: Hedo Turkoglu really does speak like a cross between Count Chocula/Bela Lugosi and Vladamir Putin. Well, kind of. OK, maybe a little bit.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Ball Don't Lie
Season's Greetings: Atlanta Hawks 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 34-48 (5th in the Southeast Division, 12th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Mo Evans, Flip Murray, Thomas Gardner, Othello Hunter, Randolph Morris
Notable Losses: Josh Childress, Salim Stoudamire
2008-2009 Team MVP: Joe Johnson - The team comes and goes as JJ comes and goes. He creates for his teammates, goes nuts on unsuspecting defenders, and is generally a badass. But at the same time, he's not a point guard. He will be unselfish and he will help to facilitate the offense, but it's important that expectations be put on him as a scorer that distributes rather than a distributer who can score.
Most Important Reserve: Mo Evans - Josh Childress left some big shoes to fill. Mo Evans can't fill them. But boy, will it be fun to watch him try!
Most Unheralded Asset: Marvin Williams - I guess? The Hawks are actually pretty heralded all around these days, at least where it's deserved. The first round of last year's playoffs were a nice stage for Joe Johnson to do his bit, YouTube has been friendly to Josh Smith, and Al Horford had a ridiculous amount of support for the Rookie of the Year race last year. But Marvin Williams often seems like the odd man out in a lot of ways, and that's pretty unfortunate. The guy got stuck in the wrong draft class and was probably chosen by the right team, but he's a solid all-around player who's learning the game and improving. I don't know if he'll ever be that McGrady-Garnett lovechild a lot of folks invisioned, but he's an integral part of this team and has a long career ahead of him.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
The Hawks fin’lly broke through to the playoffs,
But Cinderella went home at ten ‘til,
Josh Smith may have gotten his big payoff,
Others move forward, Hawks on a treadmill.
They lost Josh Childress and signed stop-loss guards,
But the conference betters by the day,
Though they’re hardly battered, beaten, or marred,
Their postseason hopes have been led astray.
They’re still in the fight for the final spot,
But Josh and Joe will need to be unreal,
The Hawks will disappoint more oft than not,
Falling just short of the playoff ideal.
Don’t buy those playoff tickets yet, Hawks fans,
Wait ‘til your team gets a coach or a plan.
For a team with dim hopes for the season,
The players are just electrifying,
Hating Josh Smith falls just short of treason,
If you don’t think Horford’s f’real, you’re lying.
Marvin is solid, will only improve,
Joe Johnson is one cool customer,
Bibby somehow helps the team find its groove,
Going by the beat of his own drummer.
Mo and Flip will shoot, shoot, and shoot some more,
In classic Salim Stoudamire fashion,
There’s so much on this roster to adore,
Worst case: they’ll excite and play with passion.
Explosive, dynamic, and enthralling,
Flawed, linear; mediocrity calling.
Player Preview Spotlight: Acie Law IV
Photo from Getty Images.
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
When you talk about Acie Law's play, you have to be willing to take a fluid approach. After all, the guy has only played 56 games in his professional career, and just over 850 minutes.
But anyone who watched just a few games of Law's college career should be eager to tell you that he's a wonderful fit for the Hawks. This should probably be Mike Bibby's last season as a Hawk, and so it's incredibly important that Atlanta look forward to what kind of player should be filling that starting point guard role. Bibby's obviously had some success, but remains a bit of a shadow of his former self. He has trouble creating (good) shots for himself, has never been all that great as an individual playmaker, and his defense is average on a good day. But surrounded by a lineup featuring Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, and Al Horford, Bibby seems to fit in relatively well. All three forwards can provide some helpside shot blocking when Bibby inevitably loses his man, and Joe Johnson remains a strong one on one defender to contain a scorer at the 2. On offense, Johnson's ability to set up his teammates or create for himself or others based on penetration and drawing extra defenders. But, like so many other teams with do-it-all shooting guards, a competent point guard is essential to ensure that the playmaker has his legs and his wind at the end of the game, and to relieve some of the halfcourt pressure.
But this is about Acie. He's a scoring point guard, plain and simple, and no one will ever mistake him for anything else. He's not going to be the CP or the Deron that the Hawks missed out on in the draft, but he can still be an excellent player, especially with this core. Law is an excellent shooter even if he didn't show it last season, he's an able and willing passer (he just happens to be better at scoring), and just as important: he's a leader. Oh, and he just happens to have ice water flowing in his veins while he waits anxiously to rip out his opponent's heart.
He's already nailed a "dagger" three pointer from the corner this preseason. So the question becomes, what can Law offer this year? Well, as usual, that depends. Law was one of the most capable PGs coming out of the 2007 draft class: he was unable to be rattled, his jumper was silky smooth, and he was a mature 22 year-old. But then the unrattleable was rattled, and the rock steady, mature floor general looked very green. I wouldn't count on a repeat in year two.
He's not ready to be a starter yet, but he's probably a better alternative than Speedy Claxton (Who isn't?). He'll provide nice support for the Hawks this year off the bench and hopefully he'll tighten up the screws and figuring out his place in this league. That jumpshot and that leadership are pro-quality, make no mistake. It's just a matter of time before Law is a SportsCenter top 10 mainstay and a quality starter.
...Can you imagine four generations of your family being named Acie?
EDIT: Some essentail Acie Law reading.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Ball Don't Lie
SLAM
Outlet Pass (8/20/08)
- Stephen Jackson not only thinks the Warriors will make the playoffs, but notably leaves New Orleans off his list of playoff teams. He also throws out there that the Warriors should go after Marbury if the Knicks cut him loose, and that Boom heading to Clipperland worked out well for both parties. These are the reasons why I have come to love Stephen Jackson.
- If you thought your fantasy leagues were a little heated, imagine if the entry fee was $100,000 with a $1 million purse on the line. Wouldn't you just love to see a lopsided trade or a corrupt commish in that league?
- Delonte West is being treated for a mood disorder. This certainly won't be surprising to some people, but it's also not something to kid around about. Good luck, Delonte: we're all rooting for you.
- This is the best thing I can remember reading on the internet since the end of last season. While I love seeing GODE at his invincible, inimitable finest, it's good to see the soft underbelly of a young guy poised to face an enormous amount of pressure in his rookie year. The interview is as much about Oden as it is about the Blazers, and as is the case with most things: there's a certain beauty in the vulnerability.
- James Jones is going to be out for a spell. Spoelstra, D-League. D-League, Spoelstra. I hope you two will become fast friends.
- Arron "Spell Check" Afflalo has been pumpin' up the volume in the preseason while the rest of us have been gushing about Maxiell, Amir, and Stuckey in our season previews. Touche, Arron. Touche.
- The Wizards are really going to miss Brendan Haywood. Etan Thomas helps, but in the long run it's not going to help much. Javale McGee has been nice for the Wiz in the preseason so far, but he's not any kind of solution to Washington's center troubles at the moment. Entering 2008-2009, the Wizards were supposed to be solid/great at the two most important positions on the floor: point guard and center. glhf, Wizards.
- Baron Davis isn't wasting any time: he could be out up to six weeks with a finger injury. Somewhere in the world, Don Nelson and Stephen Jackson sit together in big comfy chairs wearing smoking jackets, smokin' down a stogie, cackling.
- It's all about the injuries this week. Deron Williams sprained an ankle in a preseason game against Chicago. No biggie, right? Well, apparently Deron was a little too preoccupied with his injury to bother with SLC's beat writers. To message boarders everywhere: do your job, and spread the word: OMG DERON'S OUT FOR THE SEASON!!!
- Gallinari could be starting his career in the D-League, which is pretty awesome (to everyone except Danilo, who seems less than thrilled at the prospect). The Knicks have never used the D-League before, and an NBDL team getting such a high draft pick is unprecedented. Ewing Jr. could be headed that way too, making the Reno Big Horns a pretty exciting team this season.
- FreeDarko's season previews of every single game are absolutely remarkable. Bang up job, gents.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Dan Dickau Waived After Just Two Preseason Games
Photo from AFP....It's things like this that make it so easy to be an NBA blogger. The punchlines just write themselves, I tell ya.
Don't let the world get you down though, Dan. I know Atlanta didn't like you, and Portland didn't like you, and New Orleans didn't like you, and Portland still didn't like you, and...you know where I'm going with this. But the point is: you'll always have a special place in my heart. Somewhere between Keon Clark and Darvin Ham, there's a little nook with your name on it. Come back home, Dan. Come back home.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Central Division Blogger Previews
Chicago Bulls
Nels: Give Me The Rock
Matt: Blog-a-Bull
Cleveland Cavaliers
Rock: Waiting For Next Year
FTS: Fear The Sword
David Friedman: 20 Second Timeout
Amar Panchmatia: Cavalier Attitude
Detroit Pistons
Brian Spencer: Empty the Bench
Natalie Sitto: Need4Sheed.com
Matt Watson: Detroit Bad Boys
Indiana Pacers
Tom: Indy Cornrows
Milwaukee Bucks
Jeramey Jannene: The Bratwurst
Frank Madden: BrewHoop
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Fitting a Really Fat, Square Peg into a Round Hole
Photo from Getty Images...annnnnd it totally makes me think that Reggie was grabbing something he shouldn't have.Just so you know, I'm pretty sure that I advocated trading Randolph to Memphis for god knows what in the name of cap space. Boy do the Knicks need that. But after seeing Randolph's production in the early going (I know, it's pre-season), to say I'm having second thoughts is an understatement.
The slated starting lineup is Duhon, Crawford, Richardson, Lee, and Randolph. There are some pretty glaring problems with that, and only one of them is named Chris Duhon. The other may or may not start with a Q and rhme with Linton Fichardson. I thought that long lost Ninja Turtle Zach Randolph might be among that group, but the more I hear from D'Antoni and the more I read about him in camp and beyond, I'm convinced this guy can not only play in D'Antoni's system, but thrive in it. I remember Will Leitch saying that as American fans of sports, we love redemption stories. We love giving everyone that isn't named O.J. or John Rocker a second chance to correct their mistake. With Zach, I guess you could argue that he's made quite a few mistakes and is probably on his fourth or fifth chance by now. But with the coaching situations in Portland and then in New York, I'm not sure how much deterrence he actually had. This is 100% wholesome assumption, but if that is indeed the case, is it possible that all Zach needed was the right coach?
Conditioning is a problem, but from what I understand, the effort is there. Zeebo is running and he's running hard. There will be criticisms about how he stops the ball, but I don't consider that to be as much of an issue. The guy can flat out score, and you're naive if you thought there weren't any ball-stoppers in Phoenix (don't make me play that rhyming game again). The important thing is that he's moving on the offensive end and not camping down on the block or in the high post. If Randolph is setting picks, cutting down the lane, or even flaring out on the pick and pop, he will be successful this season.
There's a strong chance that I'll look back on this post in a few months and either insist that I had hit my head that day or just deny that it ever happened. I hope not, but c'mon, this is Zach Randolph. But I've considered the Knicks opener a must-see since they hired Pringles, and this only fuels my desire to see just what this team can do. This team will be bad, and sometimes they'll be downright awful, but the valuation of Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson, and David Lee along with seeing how Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson, and now Randolph operate within the system make the old look, new era Knicks interesting, at the least.
Season's Greetings: Cleveland Cavaliers 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 51-31 (2nd in the Central Division, T-4th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Mo Williams, J.J. Hickson, Lorenzon Wright, Darnell Jackson
Notable Losses: Joe Smith, Damon Jones, Devin Brown, Dwayne Jones
2008-2009 Team MVP: LeBron James - I hear he's pretty good.
Most Important Reserve: The Boobie Gibson/Delonte West Two-headed Whirling Dervish of Shooting, Swagger, and Unadulterated Awesome - Nothing more need be said. But I will anyway: these guys are good basketball players, similar, and just the kinds of weapons LeBron needs. It's likely that the Cavs will start Wally at the two, so Boobie and Delonte will be gunning it from the pine and giving opposing head coaches headaches as their backups match-up against these two.
Most Unheralded Asset: Zydrunas Ilgauskas - The man is a machine. To get reliable production from the center position like Z has given the Cavs over the last decade is simply unheard of in today's NBA outside the typical powerhouse bigs. You expect that kind of consistency from a franchise center, not an oft-overlooked Vrussian Kosmonaut who is flat out better than you think.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
Offensive sets? LeBron, LeBron, LeBron,
No matter how you stack it, they’re simple.
On the fast break? LeBron, LeBron, LeBron,
Mo Williams’ presence is just a dimple.
Okay, a bit more: the guy is a stud,
But does that change Mike Brown’s offensive schemes?
Defense is nice, but the O is a dud,
Despite the presence of talent supreme.
Good D and LeBron always have a shot,
Even as the East gets strong’r by the day,
But it’s not what they are, it’s what they’re not
That could keep them from playing in late May.
This team is still solid, don’t get me wrong,
But I fear for them in an East so strong.
King LeBron James: you may have heard of him,
He’s only the best player in the game,
But from seven down the pickings are slim,
So many who can’t live up to their names.
Boobie’s got “it” and a nice paycheck, too,
He’s poised for a year of hitting big threes,
What will J.J. do in his Cavs debut?
Delonte West fills my heart with much glee.
Z is a rock; ever reliable,
But can Ben and Wally provide value?
Combined with LeBron, undeniable,
This squad, Mo-enhanced, are contenders true.
The Cavs potential rests on broad shoulders:
Lebron’s one year better, one year older.
Player Preview Spotlight: Sasha Pavlovic
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
Sasha Pavlovic is a ghost. For a year he seemed a Cleveland mainstay, teaming up with LeBron to bring the Cavs to the Finals. He was praised as a defender and an outside shooter, and seemed to complement James reasonably well. But just a few months and one holdout later, and Sasha is no longer a relevant part of the roster. Sure, he still gets minutes, and he put up comparable stats in '07-'08. But something was off. Sasha played differently, he played less efficiently (the notable statistical differences lie in his percentages), and he vanished without a trace. His minutes are forgotten as soon as he leaves the floor.
Were the Cavs that bad in 2007-2008 that they needed an irrelevant player to start for them at shooting guard? It's possible. Was Sasha's commitment to defense and tenacity some kind of media construction to make sense of how the Cavaliers were beating a team of the Pistons' caliber? Frankly, I don't know. Superficially, only two major events happened between Sasha's "breakout" year and the shade of his former self we saw last season: Sasha held out on his contract, and he grew out his hair (be careful, Boris Diaw). Somehow that development, as well as a few trades, shifted him from the starting two to fourth string behind West, Gibson, and Wally.
If Sasha's tale tells us anything, it speaks to the unspeakable unpredicatability of this business. As fans, we love to hear of competitive battles for the starting spot, the drama of the conflict between the two players, and the ultimate triumph and coronation of one player over the other. But a proud, tenacious player who was once the starter on an NBA Finals team finds himself buried within the depth chart of that same team just over a year later.
It also speaks volumes to the importance of timing and rhythm. The dance of basketball requires precision and practice in order to be executed to perfection (or even executed at an acceptable level), and Pavlovic's hold-out put him in a very uncomfortable situation. Not only does it unnecessarily create a divide between him and the rest of the roster, but it also creates a more real separation in terms of on-court chemistry and the ability to execute to the team's specifications. Conditioning is a big factor in such situations. But Pavlovic wasn't playing enough minutes to really be winded out there. Instead, he just seemed to have lost everything that made his game important. There was no tenacity and there was no emotion. Sometimes Sasha would seem stoic, but I'll be damned if you couldn't see the anger or the frustration written all over his face. He was Nocioni on ritalin in terms of his on-court personality. I mean that in both the most positive and the most negative ways possible.
But this...this is why no one dreams of being a defensive specialist. Even the most glamorous among them are either batshit crazy or tired journeymen who happened to find their niche. In the current evolution of the game, if you can't score, you are a liability. If you can't create your own shot in some way, you are a liability. And only certain teams are good enough to overcome that at one position, much less at multiple positions. In an earlier post I mentioned that if, as a young player, you can score, then you will have a place in this league. You may not always get minutes and it may not always be easy, but there will be a place for you on a roster. Contrast that with Pavlovic, who is under the Cavs employ for this season and next. Assuming he mimics last season's production and effort; would anyone be surprised if he disappeared into the sunset, free to roam the land of eternal free agency while he waits for Kevin McHale to return his calls? I don't think it's that big of a stretch, especially considering the constant influx of new, young, talent with seemingly endless potential to succeed on both ends of the court. I'm not saying the upcoming draft classes are all that strong, but a young player with "upside" usually triumphs over a known commodity that can only operate as a deterrent (Pavlovic isn't really a "stopper") and a spot up three point shooter.
I look forward to seeing whether ALEKSANDAR "Sasha" Pavlovic can re-establish his place on this team and in the league. I look forward to seeing if he can overcome his anti-Jerome James disappearance following playoff relevance. And I look forward to seeing whether or not Pav can prove me wrong outright about defensive specialists and their place in this league.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Ball Don't Lie
Waiting for Next Year
Cavalier Attitude
Fear the Sword
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Season's Greetings: Chicago Bulls 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 36-46 (4th in the Central Division, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Derrick Rose, Omer Askin, Elton Brown
Notable Losses: JamesOn Curry...if in your world you somehow consider him to be notable
2008-2009 Team MVP: Luol Deng - Deng will need to re-establish himself as a star. In the 2007 playoffs he was a hot ticket, lighting up everyone in sight. But he was derailed last season due to a variety of factors. A healthy Deng will make Derrick Rose's life easier, and should translate into a Bulls team that doesn't freefall into oblivion.
Most Important Reserve: Ben Gordon - Gordon's auditioning for damn near every GM in the league right now, trying to prove that he's worth what he says/insists/pleads/hopes he is. A motivated Gordon will likely mean consistent effort on both ends of the court, which will also serve to give Jerry Reinsdorf and John Paxson a good slap in the face.
Most Unheralded Asset: Kirk Hinrich - Last year was a big step back for Kirk, and he finds his value at an all-time low. But his ability to make plays from the shooting guard position is going to help ease Rose into the groove, and his ability to defend bigger guards as well as (hopefully) shoot over them will make him one of the most important Bulls this season.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
After last year, it can’t get any worse,
It’s funny how the first pick changes things,
The Bulls are hoping for fortunes reversed,
Don’t mean a thing if they ain’t got that swing.
The Bulls need to be confident again,
If they are to rise from the East’s cellar,
Addition of Rose; improvement within
Will decide if they are poor or stellar.
Del Negro needs some time to make things right,
And bandage up
Not this season, but the future is bright,
Great expectations for young Derrick Rose.
Expect the “new” Bulls to be much improved,
But no dancing in Chi to the playoff groove.
Luol Deng found his rising star smothered
The culprit? Injuries, timing, rhythm,
But this season you should see another
For Mister Deng it’s time to sink or swim.
Ben Gordon is living out of his car,
Tyrus Thomas still always looks confused,
One Joakim Noah is truly bizarre,
I mention how much I hate Larry Hughes?
Hinrich will need to adapt to the two,
Otherwise he’ll be trade rumor fodder,
Surprise, Drew Gooden’s career seems askew,
Rose is
The wiz kid has great years ahead of him,
The Bulls desp’rately need their roster trimmed.
Player Preview Spotlight: Drew Gooden
Photo from SI.
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
I don't really like Drew Gooden all that much. His game is too simple (and not effective enough to be some sort of anomaly), and frankly he isn't all that interesting. The only reason Gooden makes headlines anymore is to talk about facial hair or neck patches. Still, I think the guy gets a bit of a bad rap because his production statistically seemingly outweighs his on-court impact. Does Gooden seem like a double-double waiting to happen? I'll admit that even I'd be pessimistic if I didn't know about his unusual ability to pile up the boards. But when we talk about Shawn Marion, that ability is due to his athleticism, court savvy, and instincts. It, along with his defense and ability to create offensively, is what makes Marion a great player and a standout. But Gooden, despite averaging more than 8.5 rebounds per game over the last four years, is still seen as a bit of a fluke. They guy plays less than thirty minutes a game, and still manages to pile up impressive numbers in most relevant categories. On top of that, he has a surprisingly low turnover rate that is on par with the elites of his position such as Garnett and Duncan. You may have heard of them.
If you turn to the tape, his game is fairly limited. A lot of his scoring opportunities come off of offensive rebounds, which is a skillin and of itself -- one which is highly valued in all non-Drew Gooden contexts. He's not a reliable low post back-to-the-basket scorer, and a lot of teams don't need him to be. Well, the Bulls do, but you can't always get what you want. Besides, I'd consider him infinitely more likely to back down his defender and throw a hook shot over them than Tyrus Thomas is. So there. Defensively, Gooden is a capable defender. There are times where quicker players can get around him and there are times where he doesn't close out well on the fadeaway in the post, but I would not call him below average on that end. Add on his more than passable defensive rebounding and you would seem to have the makings of a great player.
Numbers can be deceptive but they can also be incredibly useful, and I fear that an irrational general dislike for Gooden's play may have skewed how the general public feels about him. He doesn't have Carl Landry's plucky heroism or Shawn Marion's freakish hops, but if you look beyond the soup-catcher and the stigma you might find yourself a pretty useful basketball player.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Hardwood Paroxysm
Give Me the Rock
Blog-a-Bull
Monday, October 13, 2008
Season's Greetings: Indiana Pacers 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 40-42 (3rd in the Atlantic Division, 8th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston, Roy Hibbert, Brandon Rush, Jarett Jack, Josh McRoberts, "Eddie Jones" (soon to be waived), Austin Croshere
Notable Losses: Jermaine O'Neal, Shawne Williams, Kareem Rush
2008-2009 Team MVP: Danny Granger - It's tough not to like him. He plays intelligently, his off-court life is invisible (a big improvement for this franchise), and most importantly: he's ridiculously productive, especially when you consider how young he is. I keep trying to find reasons to not believe in him, but I just...I just can't. rob + dannygranger 4ever <3 style="font-weight: bold;">
Most Important Reserve: Jarrett Jack - It will be important that the uptempo attack the Pacers employ won't miss a beat when Ford takes a breather or misses a game here and there due to injury, and Jack needs to be able to fill that void. He's a solid all-around player and tougher than you'd think, but he could definitely cut down the unforced errors. This season should be a good one for Jack, who is much more within his comfort zone as a backup.
Most Unheralded Asset: Roy Hibbert - He's an NBA-ready shot blocker and an active force in the paint on D. His offensive game still has a long way to go, but he can still be productive as a rookie and he's not afraid of anyone.
Poetry in Motion
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
Here we find the Pacers, one trade later,
Jermaine O’Neal is nowhere to be found,
An opportunity to be greater,
Despite the loss of a big man, renowned.
So much depends on young Danny Granger,
He’s shown that he’s ready to heed the call,
But T.J. Ford must not be a stranger
If Indy is to go to a run from a crawl.
One year ago they were just short of eighth,
With Ford and O’Neal nowhere in sight,
Attention Pacer fans: just keep the faith,
A prophet foretold – I HAVE SEEEEEEEN THE LIGHT!
Hear the gospel the Pacers are preaching,
This year, a playoff berth they'll be reaching.
In Pacerland, it’s all about rebirth,
Granger: the phoenix to rise from the flames,
T.J. will help; the quickest man on earth,
Happens to be a point who helps win games.
Mike Dunleavy has finally found his fit,
Troy Murphy too; he plays his role with poise,
Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert are legit,
Foster brings da funk, Rasho brings da noise.
Tinsley isn’t welcome here anymore,
But Ford and Jack are here to fill the void,
The team needs to develop that rapport
If a playoff spot is to be enjoyed.
Count on this squad for the seven or eight,
Granger’s a ball’r, and he’s not going to wait.
Player Preview Spotlight: Mike Dunleavy
Photo from AP.
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
He may not look it, but Mike Dunleavy is an enigma. AN ENIGMA, I tell you. Or at least he's always been one to me. In Golden State, it was easy to feel like he took himself way too seriously. Maybe that's the kind of melodrama that comes with being a semi-bust, but it made him easily hateable. I mean, do you remember that time he exploded against the Mavs over an offensive foul? But then, these little things start to seep into my psyche. Dunleavy laughing and messing around with his teammates. Dunleavy in a funny Duke student video (I can't seem to find it, anyone know what I'm talking about?). Dunleavy making a hilarious face while being completely plastered. Dunleavy throwing a comment about his soft Irish skin into a postgame interview. Dunleavy wearing an amazing leisure suit for retro night. I don't know if it's because he was traded to Indiana or if it was because he finally got that hair cut, but something changed. I don't know if it was Dunleavy, but I know that my perception of him has definitely taken a new shape. Say what you will about my assumptions; I guess I assumed a certain translation of Dunleavy's on-court persona in Golden State from his off-court persona. That's the tricky thing about the fanhood/blogging game -- those without access are forced to form their own ideas through the questions of others. It's not that their questions aren't good or that I could do any better. They're just not my questions, and as such I walk away with certain impressions.
And if for some reason you didn't watch that video I embedded above, go watch it. Now.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Hardwood Paroxysm
SLAM
Deadspin
Season's Greetings: Detroit Pistons 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 58-24 (1st in the Central Division, 2nd in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Kwame Brown (no punchline needed), Walter Sharpe, Rodney Stuckey's swagger
Notable Losses: Flip Saunders
2008-2009 Team MVP: Kwame Brown Chauncey Billups - Shouldn't surprise you. Year in and year out, Chauncey is the key cog of this team. 'Sheed may bring the unbridled passion and "wild card" status, but the heady play of Billups anchors this team on both ends.
Most Important Reserve: Jason Maxiell - I tend to agree with the metrics when I say that Amir Johnson will be an incredibly productive basketball player. But, he will make mistakes in his first season of serious playing time. On top of that, Wallace and McDyess aren't exactly spring chickens anymore. Either one of those guys could taper off a bit or see some nagging injuries. Maxiell may have been "snubbed" in terms of the starting 4, but his value on this team is incredibly apparent. Plus, I'm afraid of him.
Most Unheralded Asset: Walter Hermann - Fabio had a very productive stretch during his rookie year in Charlotte, but fell out of favor with new Bobcats' coach Sam Vincent and found himself struggling for time in Detroit as well. I'd be willing to bet that he wasn't up to the Pistons' defensive standards. But with a training camp in Detroit under his belt and the franchise looking to change things up, Hermann could see his fair share of opportunities this season.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
The more things change the more they stay the same,
The Pistons are “imploding,” “falling apart,”
And they’re still at the top of the game,
Same old story; for
But despite all of this, something is new,
Top-heavy Pistons a thing of the past,
The second unit brings depth and youth accrued,
Who hope to end the Pistons troubled past.
They consistently win, but they falter
‘Haps “troubled’s” unfair to the bottom tier,
It pains to fall just short of the altar,
But maybe ’09 is the Pistons’ year.
They’re worthy, they’re smart, they play as a team,
Never count out a Motor City dream.
From top to the bottom this team is strong,
Chauncey Billups as the head of the snake,
When he’s on his game, Rip can do no wrong,
An all-star backcourt does a contend’r make.
Sheed provides the heart and the timely D,
And Tayshaun provides the yin to his yang,
Amir Johnson has finally been freed,
Maxiell and Stuckey lead the bench gang.
But Mickety-Mac, Mickety-Mac-Dyess,
Hermann, and Affalo make their depth great,
Michael Curry’s job will be to entice
This abled roster before it’s too late.
Is inconsistency still
The more things change, the more they…well, y’know.
Player Preview Spotlight: Kwame Brown
Photo from SI.
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
I hate Kwame Brown. I think everyone does by now. Usually high draft picks who fall short of their promise still maintain some sort of cheeky charisma. Call it sympathy, call it pity, call it good ol' comedy. Whatever you want. But aside from being a punchline for how much I despise MJ as a suit, Kwame is utterly useless to me.
His time for excuses is over. I don't want to hear about the pressure of going #1 overall, coming straight out of high school, or small hands. When you somehow coax one of the greatest GMs in the game today to dish out some serious dough to put you in his team's uniform, you better produce. I'll be damned if Joe D's reputation is tarnished based on Kwame's account. My desire to see Brown succeed not suck lies solely in my interest in the Pistons team as a whole; a bizarre group of castaways and misfits who exude confidence, arrogance, competence, inconsistency, splendor, and ruin. That bundle of contradictions is exactly what I love about basketball, and Kwame is poised to piss all over the footsteps of my church. I am not a Pistons fan, per se. Sometimes I actively root against them. But as far as characters go in this wacky world we call the NBA, entire teams simply do not get much better. It only makes it that much better that Detroit is so successful and unsuccessful, so content in their accomplishments and so desperate to recreate and validate the joys of 2004.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
SLAM
Outlet Pass (10/13/08)
- Rick Carlisle gets his guy. I'm not sure what Shawne Williams is going to offer the Mavs at this point or where he lies on the depth chart due to how deep the Mavs are at the wing positions. The interesting thing is that despite all that depth, they still face the glaring weakness of being able to put a productive two guard on the floor who can effectively guard a dynamic scorer from the position. I'm not saying it's easy, but there needs to be improvement.
- D'Antoni went on a bit of a rant the other night on his teams' oft-criticized defense. Knickerblogger notes that the Suns were more average than bad on that end, and you've gotta feel for the guy; high volume points allowed turned the Suns defense into a punchline and a tagline, the easy way out for picking against the Suns and in turn, D'Antoni. I'd think it's probably a little old by now.
- Shortly after reading this, Jose Calderon reportedly said "Well...shit."
- Gilbert's interview with SLAM that hit the net last week is absolutely ridiculous. Nuts. Batso. And it reminded me of something that Truth About It also mentioned: Gil and Jamison have a pretty strong relationship. In terms of their on-court chemistry, that translates into something special.
- The Clippers hate old people. Well, Elgin Baylor thinks so at least. But you'd have to think that his potential case would be hurt a bit by the team's trade for Marcus Camby. Or employing Sam Cassell. C'mon Elgin, seriously?
- There have been whispers flying under the radar, but perhaps it's time that we seriously consider Kansas City as a potential NBA destination. It's no Vegas and it's certainly not China. The road to NBA basketball in KC is a long one, but fill up your tank and check your tires -- there aren't many NBA-worthy markets in the country left unexplored besides KC.
- Miss you, buddy. Don't forget to write!
- Pre-season is a strange time, filled with bizarre offensive explosions, unexpected struggles, abnormally cold temperatures, and plenty of minor injuries. Everyone's thankful for getting rid of the rust before the season starts up for real, but the Miami Heat should be especially thankful. I know it's not very nice to wish misfortune on other human beings, but Miami? The basketball gods may have just done you a huge favor.
- The more he writes, the more I'm convinced that Jamal Crawford's blog is the best player blog this side of Gil. It's not the most well-written blog in the world, but he oozes an honesty and a sincerity that makes it awfully hard to root against the guy...not that you ever wanted to anyway.
- Monta Ellis, please rise. The Warriors Management has sentenced you to thirty games suspension without pay...which is a lot more money than you'd think. Ziller also points out that for a guy who has been making the money of a second round pick (which Monta was, of course), this one definitely stings.
- Rookies are always looking to get noticed. You want your coaches, your peers, and the fans to take note of what you're doing on the court and respect you. Bill Walker has been getting some attention of the SportsCenter variety, but he may be getting a lot more of this kind of attention if he isn't careful.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Blogger Previews: Southwest Division
Jake Kerr: Mavs Moneyball
Houston Rockets
grungedave and UofTOrange: The Dream Shake
Memphis Grizzlies
Joshua Coleman: 3 Shades of Blue
New Orleans Hornets
Rohan: At the Hive
ticktock6 & mW: Hornets Hype
Ryan Schwan & Ron Hitley: Hornets247.com
Graydon Gordian: 48 Minutes of Hell
Friday, October 10, 2008
Season's Greetings: Milwaukee Bucks 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 31-51 (5th in the Central Division, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Joe Alexander, Malik Allen, T.J. Cummings, Matt Freije, Adrian Griffin, Ron Howard, Richard Jefferson, Damon Jones (temporarily), Kevin Kruger, Tyronn Lue, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Luke Ridnour, A Partridge in a Pear Tree
Notable Losses: Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons, Mo Williams, Desmond Mason, Royal Ivey, Awvee Storey, Jake Voskuhl, Michael Ruffin
2008-2009 Team MVP: Michael Redd - This one's a given. The guy's a dynamite scorer and the leader of this team whether you like it or not. He'll need to be all-world if the team is going anywhere. They're not. But he'll still be an all-league talent and a hell of a shooter.
Most Important Reserve: Charlie Bell? Luke Ridnour? Man, I don't even know. Strange times in Milwaukee.
Most Unheralded Asset: Andrew Bogut - He made big strides on defense last year, and that side of his game will be nurtured under Scott Skiles. He probably won't ever be the focal point of a team, but centers who can score effectively in the post, rebound, block shots, and give high fives to invisible teammates are hard to come by these days.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from AP.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
Scott Skiles is preaching defense in
But staying healthy all season is key;
No more sprains, spasms, and ankles balky,
For the Bucks to reach mediocrity.
Redd will shower down shots from all over,
And
But, long as the D remains bipolar,
Contenders will dismiss them on a whim.
There’s a lot to like, and reason to hope,
Just don’t expect much out of these Bucks yet,
They’re trying to reverse this downward slope,
In the new, improv’d East, they’re far from a threat.
For now, a step forward will be enough,
Making the playoffs would be far too tough.
Can Redd be “the man”? The jury’s still out,
But his shooting is undeniable,
Bogut’s emergence has removed some doubt
As his game becomes more reliable.
R-Jeff, if nothing else, is consistent,
Hyper-active on both sides of the ball,
Charlie V must learn to be persistent;
The mental game has been his tragic flaw.
Ramon Sessions is a revelation,
Alexander will be…interesting…
Provided you don’t have high expectations
Or minutes in key stretches investing.
1A and 1B will shoulder the load,
Unless Villanueva soon explodes.
Player Preview Spotlight: Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
The Bucks have fallen into an unfortunate trap: that of the almighty PPG. It's important that your core players be able to score the ball in some way, whether through setting up their own shot, hitting a three from the corner, or taking it all the way to the basket. And as long as the winner of the game is still decided by the team that scores the most points, general managers, fans, and scouts will continue to be deceived by the potential of points scored. The Rookie of the Year award stands testament to this, as it pretty much depends solely on whichever rookie has the opportunity to score the most points. It's not the rookie that is the most efficient. It's not the rookie with the biggest impact. But the rookie that puts the ball in the hoop the most. Flawed logic, to be sure, but it is what it is.And early in a player's career, they're often evaluated just as superficially. If you can score, you show "potential." If you can't, you're a role player. It's a simple formula that's made its way into collective basketball psyche. And, it's exactly where we find Richard Jefferson and Michael Redd.
The biggest criticism of Redd since his emergence is that his game doesn't facilitate being a primary option on offense. For what it's worth, I don't think Redd has been given a fair shake; if Redd had been surrounded by a few players whose talents didn't duplicate his own in the way that Mo Williams' did, we may be looking at a very different Bucks team today. But as it stands now, Michael Redd cannot lead this team as currently constructed to ours measures of success. Mostly because he and Richard Jefferson represent the same type of player: a player best suited as a primary scorer who can do a little bit of everything (see: the craftsman). Their skills are exceptional, but they need a contrast, not redundancy, to be successful. So often they are misconstrued as "complimentary players" because they need other talent around them to succeed. But could the same not be said of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, or Kevin Garnett? Or anyone to ever play the game for that matter? You need players of diverse skill sets who excel in different areas in order to succeed in this game, and the Bucks have done a great job of...well, not doing that.
They traded for Charlie Villanueva, who has a lot of "potential." But he's not the kind of player who's going to thrive alongside Redd and Jefferson. They drafted Joe Alexander, and I'm not sure what his role is supposed to be on this team. I've gone through a bit of a change of heart concerning Joe: at first what I decided was versatility, athleticism, and reason to be optimistic was later morphed into a lack of a coherent on-court identity. If expectations are true, the Bucks used the eighth pick in the draft on a hustle player who could score, but can't. Basically, they drafted Shawn Marion without the Shawn Marion.
So Milwaukee is staring down the barrel of having just two semi-stars (who may have been superstars in some alternate universe) and an ocean of "potential," with no real short-term means to right the ship. Scott Skiles has a long road ahead of him, and this year is only the beginning.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
SLAM
Hardwood Paroxysm
Season's Greetings: Toronto Raptors 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 46-36 (3rd in the Atlantic Division, 6th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Jermaine O'Neal, Roko Ukic, Hassan Adams, Nathan Jawai, Will Solomon
Notable Losses: T.J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Darrick Martin, Carlos Delfino, Primoz Brezec, Jorge Garbajosa, Linton Johnson, Juan Dixon
2008-2009 Team MVP: Chris Bosh - He's an amazing player. Truly. I don't see how he's not deserving of a "franchise player" tag at this point. His offense game is a hectic thing of beauty, awkward but effective. He's so elusive around the boards on both ends, and on the low block. Silky smooth. Yeah that's right, he's both hectic/awkward and silky smooth. You tell me how to go about guarding that.
Most Important Reserve: Andrea Bargnani - It's year three of the Bargs era, and he's gotta put it together. He doesn't have to be awesome, but he does have to be impressive. The Raptors are looking pretty vulnerable depth-wise at this point, so having a reliable scorer off the bench is going to be a must. There is no reason why Bargs can't lead the bench unit from the 3, the 4, or the 5 in some spots, and I just get one of those vibes that he's ready to finally grab a hold of his game and command his own destiny. Yeah.
Most Unheralded Asset: Chris Bosh - Gets plenty of love from Raptorland, but not many this side of Canadia grasp just how good he really is.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
And then there was one, a point guard departs,
It’s a new day and in Jermaine they trust,
But is this fading star the missing part?
If not, Raptors to Raptors, dust to dust.
With Jose Calderon they made their point,
A smart player who runs the team with ease.
Be weary: lest the Raptors disappoint,
O’Neal must play the role that this team needs:
Share the load, body up, and block shots too,
The newest Rap may guide
For Bosh alone cannot giants subdue,
True tests against Eastern powers await.
This team may yet surprise you with its fire,
For more than playoff spots this team aspires.
All roads go through Chris Bosh: the man, the myth,
But depth, no doubt, will be their biggest flaw,
Barring unworldly seasons first through fifth,
This squad is not prepared to win it all.
Kapono and Parker will stretch the D,
While J.O. and C.B. get down inside,
Bargnani’s development will be key,
To pres’rve what little he has left of pride.
Super Jamario is set to fly,
But will he learn to stay down on pump fakes?
Playoff success will their season define,
J.O., Bosh, Jose won’t have what it takes.
A great, new step in the right direction,
The Raps are poised for a resurrection.
Player Preview Spotlight: Anthony Parker and Jason Kapono
Photo from Reuters.
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
So I guess I cheated on this one, choosing two players for the spotlight. But alone, Kapono and Parker are ordinary. They're decent players, sure, but it's the contrast between them that makes them intriguing.
Let me start this spotlight off on a ridiculous tangent: After the industrial age, a lot of American thinkers turned to the realm of anti-Modernism. A sense of nostalgia, simplicity, and fear of what the 'age of the machine' might bring sparked backlash against the factory system, and a cry from the elite classes to abandon the American system of manufacturing in favor of a readoption of "the craftsman."
So what the hell does a snapshot of American history and industry have to do with Canada's foremost team of basketballers? If you haven't figured it out already, Jason Kapono is a cog in the American system of manufacturing and Anthony Parker is the craftsman.The American system was so effective because of its divergence from the traditional model in terms of structure and setting. By utilizing an assembly-line method and a primitive version of interchangable parts, unskilled laborers were rotated in and out with the assignment of completing their leg of the manufacturing process. Now, while it seems intuitive to call Jason Kapono a craftsman due to his ungodly ability to shoot from long range (it is certainly a craft, and he is certainly a skilled individual), think of the "craft" in terms of producing the variety of skills necessary to succeed in basketball. Kapono is incredible and efficient at doing one thing, but his skill alone does not win games. It helps, certainly. But Kapono also can't create his own shot or defend particularly well, meaning that in comparison to more complete swingmen he may indeed be classified as "unskilled" in the general sense. So Kapono needs those other parts in order to help assemble a coherent, complete whole of a game. He needs the open shots from double teams. He needs the set ups from his point guard. He needs all of those other contributions from the rest of the assembly line to assemble his product.
Contrast that with Anthony Parker. Parker, in total, has a more "complete game." He can set up his own shot, he's a better passer, he has a pretty good stroke on his jumper, and he's a decent defender. The problem with craftsmen, however, is that they can't all be good. You can try to build clocks for so long and it will certainly get easier, but maybe you're just not very good at assembling a particular series of gearse and cogs just right. Improvement is implied, but you may never have that mastery that the "unskilled worker" has; say what you will about the mindlessness of an assembly line, but I can guarantee that after even a short time working in such a situation, the worker becomes so incredibly effective and efficient and performing their one task, that a craftsman couldn't even hope to match them. Parker's an average player, but fancies himself among the most skilled of craftsmen. His moves resemble Kobe, but he doesn't grasp that everyone can't be fricking Kobe. This is exactly why the American system of manufacturing won out and produced three times as much as the traditional system. There are some craftsmen who are revolutionaries. There are some who are adept. And then there's the rest, a motley assortment of mediocrity, failure, and unfulfilled potential that generally produce more slowly or churn out inferior product.
This isn't meant to be gushing on Kapono and ripping on Parker, although I realize it's kind of sliding in that direction. Both players are severely flawed; Kapono in his one-dimensionality and Parker in the fact that he simply tries to do too much. One isn't necessarily that much better than the other, despite the fact that Kapono excels at one thing while Parker represents a jack of all trades ideal. But the most important thing to come to terms with is that there is a need for both of them. The efficiency of the manufacturing system is unparalleled, but there are some tasks that simply cannot be completed in such contexts. Craftsmen assemble parts of the whole to be pushed into the system and in turn, become part of the assembly line themselves, in a sense. In the context of the Raptors, it works out the same way. Kapono's determination to shoot the damn rock privileges him to succeed as a part of the whole, but Parker himself benefits from Kapono's production while simultaneously facilitating his ability to get off the shot. Basketball is truly a beautiful industry.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Raptors HQ
Hoops Addict
Cuzoogle
Ball Don't Lie
Thursday, October 9, 2008
So Yeah, About That...
Hey, remember that time where I said previews would start again on Thursday? OK, so you know I'd never lie to you guys. Well, I mean I kinda did this time, but it was sort of accidental.
In short: midterms > season previews. I wish it weren't the case, but it is. Sigh.
After two days off the job, there's going to be some serious catching up to do. Here is the remaining schedule of previews in case you're looking out for a particular team:
10/10: Raptors, Bucks, Pistons
10/13: Pacers, Bulls, Cavs
10/14: Magic, Hawks, Heat
10/15: Wizards, Bobcats, Grizzlies
10/16: Mavs, Spurs
10/17: Rockets, Hornets
10/20: Thunder, Blazers
10/21: Nuggets, Wolves
10/22: Jazz, Kings
10/23: Suns, Clippers
10/24: Warriors, Lakers
Sorry for the delay, folks.
In short: midterms > season previews. I wish it weren't the case, but it is. Sigh.
After two days off the job, there's going to be some serious catching up to do. Here is the remaining schedule of previews in case you're looking out for a particular team:
10/10: Raptors, Bucks, Pistons
10/13: Pacers, Bulls, Cavs
10/14: Magic, Hawks, Heat
10/15: Wizards, Bobcats, Grizzlies
10/16: Mavs, Spurs
10/17: Rockets, Hornets
10/20: Thunder, Blazers
10/21: Nuggets, Wolves
10/22: Jazz, Kings
10/23: Suns, Clippers
10/24: Warriors, Lakers
Sorry for the delay, folks.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Just In Case You Thought I Had Any Dignity Left
And on the third day, God Shammgod said "Let there be a Pacers Season Preview at HP."
And there was.
And it was good.
(By the way, U&M previews will resume tomorrow, so lace 'em up, people.)
And there was.
And it was good.
(By the way, U&M previews will resume tomorrow, so lace 'em up, people.)
Hello, This is the Emergency Broadcast System
Unfortunately, my season previews will have to be temporarily de-railed...for one day. Duty calls and all. But look forward to the last Atlantic Division preview (the Raps) as well as the beginning of the Central Division previews bright and early on Thursday.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
I've Never Been a Fan of Shame or Restraint
Preview fever has begun over at Hardwood Paroxysm, and I'll be sending you guys thataway not only to read my fine contributions to basketball and society as a whole, but also check out what Matt, Corn, Trey, Holly, and Graydon are cooking up.
Fortunately/unfortunately, to start the festivities you'll be indulged with two of my previews: the OKC Thunder and the Charlotte Bobcats (Yes, I willingly chose those teams). It should be a good time, and if nothing else you can look at the pretty pictures.
Fortunately/unfortunately, to start the festivities you'll be indulged with two of my previews: the OKC Thunder and the Charlotte Bobcats (Yes, I willingly chose those teams). It should be a good time, and if nothing else you can look at the pretty pictures.
Season's Greetings: Philadelphia 76ers 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 51-31 (2nd in the Atlantic Division, T-4th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Elton Brand, Marreese Speights, Kareem Rush, Donyell Marshall, Theo Ratliff, Royal Ivey
Notable Losses: Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, Jason Smith (injury)
2008-2009 Team MVP: Elton Brand - The guy's a baller. He'll make things easy for the Sixers in the half-court offense (an area in which they struggled mightily in last year's playoffs) and he'll create an incredible 1-2 shot-blocking punch with Sam Dalembert on defense. Brand is an incredible two-way player who should return to form this season.
Most Important Reserve: Lou Williams - Andre Miller's hardly a scorer, but the team needs to maintain the same output when he's off the floor. Williams is excellent at creating for himself and even playing off the ball a bit, but he'll need to improve a bit as a playmaker. He'll take baby steps forward this season in that department and he's still a burst of energy and quickness off the bench to keep opponents on their heels.
Most Unheralded Asset: Reggie Evans - Evans was remarkable against the Pistons in the playoffs, and he'll have his role significantly reduced with Brand's arrival. Still, Evans is as good as pure rebounders get in the league today, and random bursts of scoring are just gravy.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
Enter: the newest member of the club,
Brand makes the Sixers instant contenders,
But still quite unproven, ay, there’s the rub,
Still, pencil them in for playoff splendor.
From Brand to Sam, from Andre to Andre,
The team’s complete on both sides of the ball,
They’ll frustrate opponents play upon play,
Slow down or fast break; they’re sure to enthrall.
To win – perchance to dream of Finals bling,
Philly stands a good a chance as any,
Regardless of what this new season brings,
Their fortunes are certainly ascending.
Eighty two games to work out all the kinks,
Under bright playoff lights they’ll surge, not shrink.
Elton Brand stands much taller than his frame,
Altering shots and scoring points at will,
But don’t overlook Sam Dalembert’s game:
Rebounding, defending with poise and skill.
Iguodala fancies himself a star,
But he’ll excel in his supporting role,
Can Philly’s three point shooters raise the bar?
They’ll have to lest double teams take their toll.
Progress is the name of the game for Thad,
And Williams must continue to impress
For the Sixers to build on what they had,
Few things more important than bench success.
Miller, Marshall, Ratliff: the guiding lights,
Veteran drive pushing to highest heights.
Player Preview Spotlight: Samuel Dalembert
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
If Kendrick Perkins was such a pivotal cog in the Celtics' success last season, then Dalembert can only be more important for the Sixers. Sam is taller and has better reach. He's more gifted offensively and to this point has been a better shot blocker and rebounder. He notched a double-double average last season, and yet he finds himself poised for his best season yet.
Maybe he won't match his production from a year ago. But as an offensive option surely to be forgotten by the defenses swarming around Brand and Iguanadala, Sam Dalembert will see plenty of open layups and dunks just ripe for the taking. The real responsibility will be on Andre Miller and Sam's other teammates to spot him streaking to the basket. But all of this is only possible because of something within Dalembert. Something the Sixers have long been waiting for. Whatever it is, Dalembert's finally got it.
Don't pretend you didn't see it. Late last season and for stretches in the playoffs, something changed. The stat sheet won't show it and maybe this is just another argument on the laundry list of reasons why I'm insane. But Dalembert's game seemed altered: less awkward and mechanical. The moves he was putting into practice were melding into his arsenal rather than being covered in protective plastic wrap. Prior to this past season, I worried about Dalembert's on-court awareness; too often he seemed lost, or would be slow in rotation, or just look flat-out uncomfortable out there. But as the year progressed into April and May and into the playoffs, I feel like Dalembert finally understands his place in the offense. Credit Mo Cheeks if you will, but at 26 years old, Samuel Dalembert is a pretty damn good center. He'll probably never be an all-star. But if come June (this year or next, or the one after that, or the one after that...) the Sixers are parading through downtown Philly, who cares if Dalembert made an arbitrary trip to a defenseless exhibition game or not? Philadelphia's success is securely attached to Elton Brand's wide, likely ridiculously strong shoulders, but Dalembert is going to have to make his presence felt if the 76ers want to take a real shot at legitimacy this season.Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Season's Greetings: New Jersey Nets 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 32-50 (4th in the Atlantic Division, T-10th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Brook Lopez, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Julius Hodge, Jarvis Hayes, Eduardo Najera, Keyon Dooling, Yi Jianlian, Bobby Simmons, Brian Hamilton, Ryan Anderson
Notable Losses: Nenad Krstic, Richard Jefferson, Marcus Williams
2008-2009 Team MVP: Vince Carter - Sadly. The team's going to rise and fall at his whim based on his shot selection and defensive effort, and I say that in the most pessimistic way possible.
Most Important Reserve: Josh Boone - Yi seems set to start at the 4 alongside the "NBA ready" Brook Lopez, but someone's going to have to being energy and defense to the position off the bench (Boone may start on opening day, but Lopez was drafted to slide into that starter's role). Sean Williams is always an enigma in terms of his production, but Boone has shown a lot of promise. Entering his third season, it's time that he establishes some consistency. He can get up there to swat shots with the best of 'em, but his interior scoring and defensive discipline can use a little improvement. I've got high hopes for Boone this season; look for him to round into form.
Most Unheralded Asset: Bobby Simmons: He's definitely overpaid, so this title need not apply from a salary standpoint. Every season, as Simmons becomes more and more invisible, I want to talk about how he's fallen off. But when you really look at his game in comparison to his Most Improved Player season, not much has changed. He's a decent defender and has a fairly complete game, and can be a very consistent starter at the small forward position for the Nets this year. He won't wow like Jefferson does, but Simmons is an all-around solid player.
Poetry in Motion
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
Townshend said it best: “Who are you? Who? Who?”
The Nets a lost team in search of its soul,
Departed are franchise cornerstones two,
J-Kidd and
But not all is lost, there is hope in youth,
And the new-look Nets sure have that in spades,
Devin and Yi will have chances to prove
That the Nets got the better end of their trades.
Is this Vince’s team? Is he on his way out?
So many questions unanswered to date,
In the meantime, expect a playoff drought,
While all eyes look to
The Nets will be mediocre again.
Carter will need to provide the scoring
Without floating in and out of the game,
Harris keeps it anything but boring,
CDR – out to clear his dirtied name.
Yi’s impressive, but has a ways to go
Before he finds his potential fulfilled,
But along with Lopez, Williams, and Co.,
The Nets have young bigs around which to build.
The cast of role players is truly strange,
As if they’re posturing for a big run,
Dooling, Hodge, Najera, and Jarvis Hayes
Must know that their team will soon be outdone.
And their playoff push, though futile, gallant.
Player Preview Spotlight: Devin Harris
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and, as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
Devin Harris is pure, unbridled speed. Only, y'know, bridled. At least he was. Shackled by the confines of Avery Johnson's regime in Dallas, Lawrence Frank allowed Devin to test the waters of the one-man fast break late last season with reasonable success. But as long as the Nets try to slide Devin into Jason Kidd's pretty unique shoes, they'll crash headfirst into the limitations of his game.
Harris is not a typical fast break point guard. Despite what Don Nelson wanted, he wasn't going to be Nash. Despite what Avery wanted, he wasn't going to be that structured, controlled point. Devin is probably the fastest player with the ball, baseline to baseline, in the entire league, which creates a pretty strange fast break situation. If in "normal" opportunities there is the primary fast break followed by a secondary break, Devin is on his own wavelength entirely. His primary strength on the break is to score the damn basketball through flat out sprinting to the basket. He's great at finishing after contact, and his fast-break playmaking is average, probably because he's not used to his teammates keeping pace with him.
He's more controlled than the wildfire of Barbosa and divergent from the tenacity of Iverson. His game is herky-jerky like a lightning bolt and similar in speed and destructive ability. But oddly enough...dude's Jackson Pollock.
The chaotic nature of Harris' one-man break. Action painting, which captured "not a picture, but an event" and acted as a "liberation from value - political, aesthetic, moral." Whether your evaluation of the metaphor is purely superficial (Devin's spontaneity, sudden changes in speed) or more liberal in interpretation, the parallels seem pretty apparent. And like Pollock, who eventually was met with critical acclaim despite early backlash against the seemingly pedestrian element of his works, what Harris represents is a different kind of beast that the basketball world isn't always prepared to grapple with.
Devin Harris is *gasp* one of those god-awful scoring point guards. But even in a world where Chauncey and Tony Parker can (and do) win championships, the distributing PG is a much more privileged identity. So I'm going to put this out there, and I know it's far from revolutionary: being a scoring point guard is not a sin. Devin Harris has plenty of flaws in his game, but the fact that he thinks to attack the rim is not one of them.
"It doesn't matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said."
-Jackson Pollock
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
About Basketball
Nets Daily (Review of magazine previews)
Hardwood Paroxysm
Monday, October 6, 2008
Season's Greetings: Boston Celtics 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 61-21 (1st in the Atlantic Division, 1st in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Darius Miles, Patrick O'Bryant, J.R. Giddens, Billy Walker, the Larry O'Brien trophy
Notable Losses: James Posey, P.J. Brown
2008-2009 Team MVP: Kevin Garnett - A elite defender, an offensive force...am I really justifying this?
Most Important Reserve: Darius Miles - Whether or not he can help Bostonians forget the loss of James Posey could be a deal-breaker. At least in terms of whether or not they win the East comfortably.
Most Unheralded Asset: Kendrick Perkins - Perk continues to anchor the paint, the defense, and well, be a beast. Too often he's a footnote of a footnote when it comes to defensive credit, but Perk really is the man.
Poetry in Motion
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
The Celtics face a long and lonely road,
That’s not impossible by any means,
For them I dedicate this simple ode,
The true contenders still wear Kelly green.
Posey’s long gone and P.J. - retired,
All rests on the shoulders of und’rsized bigs,
The key is maintaining that raw desire,
That helped them earn their championship digs.
One year older and one year wiser, too,
But with aching backs, sore knees, and the like,
Be it injuries or self’sh “rights” pursued,
Only they can halt the way to high’st heights.
Noblest defense honored the teams of yore,
A repeat cements their place’n Celtic lore.
So much depends on the Celtic givens,
Garnett a monster, and Pierce the damn truth,
Rondo and Perk, provided they’re driven,
Ray Allen must find his fountain of youth.
Giddens and Pat are question marks, riddles,
Rondo needs to nurture that jump’r with care,
How will Miles cope with being sixth fiddle?
If these play’rs answer, the trophy is theirs.
Powe and Glen Davis pack the punch needed,
House and Cassell aren’t gun-shy, but still,
Replacing James Posey and what he did -
A hindrance to their potential, fulfilled.
Only fools dishonor the champs, the best,
The surefire pick to fight against the West.
Player Preview Spotlight: Glen Davis
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
I'm not sure anyone knows quite what to make of Glen Davis. He outgrew the "Baby Shaq" nickname, becoming just a "Big Baby," but despite his wide frame he is just 6'9''. He has a shooting touch, but has reigned in his range in Boston and does his best to play as tweaked out as possible, bumping and pushing anything not wearing green. This is exactly why I love Glen Davis.
Post-Shaq, LSU churns out a particular kind of power forward: Stormile Swift. Tyrus Thomas. Anthony Randolph. I think you know where I'm going with this. Davis looks like Swift after he at Ty and Randolph. He piled up the points and the boards in college, and had a lot of success. But he is so antithetical of the hyper-athletic power forward prototype of the future that you have to pay attention. The game is getting smaller, they say. It's a guard's game, they say. Threes are fours, fours are fives, and fives are either versatile or in Europe (or probably not even there, anymore). Davis weighs almost three hundred pounds, doesn't handle the ball with ease or pass all that well. But when Doc Rivers waves his way at the end of the bench, there is little doubt that Big Baby is going to go in there and do his thang.
Davis doesn't really have a reliable back-to-the-basket game to speak of, but that's not to say that he doesn't have a place on the court as a big man. There's a certain chaos to his game; not in the way that Stephen Jackson wrecks the cosmos, or in the way that J.R. Smith is a revolutionary, but chaos in the sense that his singular goal on the court is to create a mania that only the Celtics can decipher. He bangs around under the basket for rebounds. He holds, he shoves. He's much more active on defense than you would ever anticipate. And that's the true beauty of this second-year second-rounder. With P.J. Brown out of the picture, I'm anxious to see if Big Baby will see the court more. The acquisition of Patrick O'Bryant would seem to hedge that hope, and Darius Miles may drown the possibility of Davis replacing some minutes from Posey's void. Plus, I'm sure Leon Powe would have something to say about all this.
Still, it perplexes me that Doc wasn't able to find more time for Davis in the playoffs (especially the Finals). It's as if he was afraid of the Frankenstein's monster in Baby's game: would the creature be unleashed on the Lakers by way of tenacious defense, hustle, and putbacks? Or would the monster turn on its creator with unforced turnovers, offensive fouls, and the murder of Doc's wife?
...OK, so the literary parallel isn't so concrete. But the duality of Davis remains. He has his flaws and his limitations. And you'd be an absolute fool not to see the wonder in them.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Celtics Blog
Green Bandwagon
Red's Army
Ballerblogger
Season's Greetings: New York Knicks 2008-2009 Season Preview
Welcome! Come one, come all, to the main event! It's season preview time, and Upside and Motor is ready to rock your world. The previews will be both concrete and lyrical in this magical world, both by numbers and by prose. To take a look at all the previews, click here.
Straight Up
Straight Up features all the stuff you actually want to see in your team previews: who are the new kids on the block, who skipped town, and where the team stands for the upcoming season. Along with my projection and standing for the upcoming season, it'll also feature three individual awards: Team MVP (let's not get into the debate over exactly what that means), the Most Important Reserve, and the Most Unheralded Asset.
Projected Record: 26-56 (5th in the Atlantic Division, 15th in the Eastern Conference)
Off-season Acquisitions: Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Ewing Jr., Chris Duhon, Anthony Roberson, Allan Houston, Dan Grunfeld
Notable Losses: Renaldo Balkman, Randolph Morris, ...Isiah Thomas
2008-2009 Team MVP: Jamal Crawford - He's always been a great scorer, the question was if his game chock full of contest pull-up jumpers and fadeaways would ever fly for a winning squad. D'Antoni will help teach Crawford when to shoot and when to pass (better late than never), and his percentages will be a bit prettier as a result. Look for Crawford to be the leader of this team...or maybe I've just been drinking a bit too much of the Crawford blog Kool-aid.
Most Important Reserve: Non-starting Small Forwards - Whether Quentin Richardson, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, or Jared Jeffries end up playing the bulk of minutes at the 3, the remaining small forwards will need to find ways to contribute. Chandler and Jeffries seem the most likely to be able to contribute on command coming off the pine, but who knows what the final rotation is going to look like. How this position shakes up could make a huge difference for the Knicks in terms of how they evaluate the 2008-2009 season.
Most Unheralded Asset: Quentin Richardson - He knows the system. He can shoot from deep. he can handle the ball. He can post up. But more importantly, at this point he should be sincerely trying to prove to the NBA that he's worth a damn. D'Antoni's system made him and the Knicks broke him down, but Q may be in line for a mini-renaissance of his own.
Poetry in Motion
Photo from Getty Images.
Poetry in Motion will feature my feeble attempts at mimicking the sonnets of one William Shakespeare, complete with a weak, liberal interpretation of iambic pentameter and an identical rhyme scheme. As they say, the NBA imitates art...I mean poetry...err, life imitates the NBA...or I imitate poetry while writing about the NBA. Something like that. Either way, each preview will contain two sonnets: one focusing on a wider, team outlook and another focusing on the roles and futures of individual players. Revel! Criticize! Enjoy!
The end of an era, but not so fast,
Patience is a virtue, so embrace it,
Before you take first, you have to be last,
You can’t build
Not all melancholy in NYC,
Biggest off-season acquisition: hope!
There’s a new groove with D’antones as emcee,
A vision, a plan, and a wider scope.
‘Tis more than a test of who stays, who goes,
For a coach’s legacy is at stake,
Will seven seconds or less be exposed?
Or will the scheme’s art prove ball for ball’s sake?
Note that a change of the guard is one thing,
But ‘til that guard departs, they shan’t be kings.
Curry starts slow, comes in out of shape,
Seems immovable, in every sense,
Steph still grows an orchard of sour grapes,
And neither helps the team’s woeful defense.
Zach Randolph is still a 20-10 rock,
Just one that erodes all its surroundings,
With Lee and Danilo playing time locks,
How is the rotation not confounding?
Nate Robinson shoulders more than you’d think,
And
Duhon stands on irrelevancy’s brink,
Is Allan Houston there to play or teach?
Crawford and Q need to bring more than threes,
If the Knicks are to earn their pedigree.Player Preview Spotlight: Nate Robinson
The Player Spotlight feature highlights just one of the many cogs that make up the team. They may not be the best player on the team and they may not be the most recognizable (or who knows, they may be both), but I can guarantee that they're interesting. Their game, their on-court persona, their role within the greater scope of the team. Something about the player in the spotlight deserves your attention, and as usual, I'm more than willing to point it out to you.
I'm undecided as to whether or not Nate Robinson will ever be a starting caliber PG in the league. He's quick as hell, can shoot the lights out when he's open, and calling him explosive when he's going to the rim may not be as accurate as calling him nuclear. And surprisingly, despite the occasional boneheaded maneuver, he's a pretty decent passer. But like so many of his peers among the point guard ranks, he suffers from being turnover prone and having poor shot selection. Oh, and there's the whole height thing. Being abnormally tall for your position makes you Magic Johnson or Yao Ming (...or Shawn Bradley, I guess). But being 5'9'' in the NBA doesn't exactly mean you're poised for success. It makes you a freak. It's not fair, and it really, really sucks.
Earl Boykins knew about this long before Nate (and obviously Spud before him) but if you're that short and playing professional basketball, you're no longer a point guard. You're probably not even a professional basketball player anymore. You're "that little guy." "Go get 'im, tiger!" "Look at that little guy go!" And let me tell you, it's not something you want to be in your profession. As cute as it is to be the underdog, everyone gets tired of it; the attention is nice but the constant acknowledgement that you don't deserve to win/play/be there is enough to drive any normal human being to the point of insanity. It could also give you a Napoleon Boykinsaparte-esque superiority complex, shooting their team out of a game in some effort to prove their worth to the league, the world, and probably themselves.
So as we enter into the 2008-2009 season, keep that in mind. Maybe in the back somewhere, safely tucked away. Then, in the front of your mind, keep the knowledge that Nate Robinson could be a pretty awesome player. He's got a world of talent and, at 24, he still has a long time to prove himself. Whether or not he can put the pieces of this ridiculously complicated jigsaw puzzle together is another question entirely but nonetheless one I will sincerely enjoy finding out the answer to. Saying that SSoL should facilitate Nate's game is easy. I mean that. A good shooting, quick point man who can explode to the rim might benefit from a fast break attack? Really, now? But the important thing is that it may not just facilitate Nate's game. It might transform it entirely. That's something much more exciting. I wish I could say that something within Nate would be triggered into some ridiculous metamorphosis. But more realistically, Robinson may be made into a real point guard (as opposed to a fake, scoring point, or a sideshow attraction of a short guy) out of sheer necessity. Marbury flew over the cuckoo's nest long ago and Chris Duhon is hardly more than a stop-loss (although, one might ask, how can you lose what you never had?). With the Knicks hopefully poised to make a run at a big-time free agent in 2010, will they have anything left to nab a decent starting point? No. Well, probably not. Thus, the grooming begins now. A system tailor-made for his strengths, an open-minded coach loyal to his point guard, and no real, visible competition. So here's to you, Mr. Robinson (now that's too easy), along with some sincere hope that when your chance to win that starting job once and for all lands in your lap, you'll be skilled, ready, and deserving.
Y'know, more deserving than when you stole the slam dunk title from Iggy. BURNNNN.
Season Previews, F'real
For those poor, conservative souls trapped in normativity, I'll make sure to send you to a few places where you can read through more conventional, in-depth season previews. Most of these links will be from team bloggers whose trade is knowing what there is to know about their respective teams, so tell your ears to perk up; it's time to listen.
Blogger Previews: Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics
Jeff Clark: CelticsBlog.com
Jim Weeks: Green Bandwagon
FLCeltsFan: LOY's Place
John Karalis: Red's Army
Dustin Chapman: Celtics 24/7
New Jersey Nets
Dennis Velasco: About Basketball
New York Knicks
Joey: Straight Bangin'
Seth Rosenthal: Posting and Toasting
Philadelphia 76ers
Dannie & Pete: Recliner GM
Jon Burkett: Passion and Pride
Toronto Raptors
Franchise: RaptorsHQ.com
Ryan McNeill: Hoops Addict
Cuzzy: Cuzoogle
Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com
Outlet Pass (10/6/08)
- This can only be a good thing. I truly mean that. I'm not so sure why officials and diehard fans alike have qualms about the expanded use of video replay (i.e. the early backlash against its use in baseball), but for the proposed uses it can only be awesome.
- I'm not quite sure what Moore's problem is, but he's kinda screwing up this blogging thing for the rest of us. When I signed up for this gig, I was under the impression it would only consist of cowering behind a keyboard, spewing opinion pieces, and generally sitting in some sort of basement. Interviews? I'm not sure that's for us bloggers to do, y'know. That whole access thing...bah humbug! (+1 for Jeff Potter though, and his internet savvy)
- On a similar note, Posting and Toasting has had some nice video of training camp. Question though: if you have extremely short hair, and I'm talking a few centimeters tops, why would you be that reserved about shaving your head? There are some things in this world I will never understand.
- Pretty big news that's been tossed and thrown about in the rumor mill for a little while now: Shaun Livingston is now a Heatman, giving them four, that's right, FOUR point guards capable of battling for minutes. Livingston and Chalmers obviously won't be immediate starters, but is it out of the question that either contends for that role mid-season if their play is strong enough? Or if Marcus Banks is Marcus Banksy enough? Stay tuned! (If this little two-year experiment actually pans out for Miami, things could be getting very scary for the rest of the league...)
- I'm not sure what to believe about Jamaal Tinsley anymore. He's going to Denver. He's not going to Denver. He's going Monday. He's not going...ever. I don't blame the Nuggets for pulling the old takesies-backsies on the deal, but can we get a good, honest resolution already?
- Requisite weekly Musselman link: Something truly shocking -- Ricky Davis, with a quote you would never believe would be attributed to Ricky Davis. He's selfish, he's not a winner, blah blah blah. But he's saying all the right things as a member of the Clips.
- Ben Gordon finally signed his qualifying offer. I don't even care anymore. OK, I do, but I think we've all said everything we need to say on the subject. Except this: Ben Gordon is a giant douche.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Barack Obama Has the Audacity to Hope, Wish for Grizzlies' Success
A local satirical newspaper, The Texas Travesty, featured some notable "summaries" of the keys to Obama and McCain's respective platforms.
(In case you're curious, McCain's counterpart bulleted list was "What is John McCain mavericking against?")
But what's this? What is that fantastic fourth bullet point on how Barack Obama is "inspiring hope?"
For those who can't read text through the poor lens of my phone's camera, it reads "Bringing the Memphis Grizzlies an NBA title." This unheralded aspect of Obama's goals for our fine country might even help the Barack Star take Tennessee...y'know, if Memphisians ever showed their Grizz some love. Sigh.
(In case you're curious, McCain's counterpart bulleted list was "What is John McCain mavericking against?")
But what's this? What is that fantastic fourth bullet point on how Barack Obama is "inspiring hope?"
For those who can't read text through the poor lens of my phone's camera, it reads "Bringing the Memphis Grizzlies an NBA title." This unheralded aspect of Obama's goals for our fine country might even help the Barack Star take Tennessee...y'know, if Memphisians ever showed their Grizz some love. Sigh.
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