Bleacher Report - Articles by Kyle

Beauty of the NBA Playoffs

Kyle — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:04:51 -0400

I’m out of hiding. With nothing original to say.

The NBA Playoffs are finally in progress allowing EVERY part of EVERY game to be over-analyzed in EVERY way.

The extra days between games not only gives rest to the players, but also results in an overambitious panel of journalists and bloggers to view each individual game like it was the only event of the century.

Every win seems like that team is bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, and every loss is the end of the world.

And I love it.

I can troll around the internet reading every article I can find about the Los Angeles Lakers following a win.

When the Lakers drop a game, I’ll continue to read about the Lakers, but I’ll be able to turn to how the Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, or any of those hated teams in Los Angeles have struggled or lost as a consolation.

If one of those rare nights when the Lakers lose and everyone wins happens, the usual routine of Jack Bauer on the DVR will be the perfect remedy.

Time to refresh the Google Reader.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

NBA Fans: Incorrigible Propositions

Kyle — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:56:08 -0400

Many NBA fans loyal to their team believe their perceptions to always be true; and if any event should occur to contradict their belief, they can always come up with an excuse or justification as to why it didn’t happen like they projected, myself included.

Last night’s Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers game proved no different among the two fan bases.

The Lakers Nation admitted defeat and acknowledged the Blazers outplayed the Lakers, but this sportsmanship does not go without additional comments like: the officiating was in the Blazer’s favor, Phil Jackson would have coached the game differently, it was the back end of a back-to-back, and the list goes on.

Last year’s loss in the NBA Finals left Laker fans admitting they got beat by a more physical and the better team at the time but also claim it would have been a different story and result if the Lakers had a healthy Andrew Bynum.

If the Lakers lose again this playoff season, it will most likely be attributed to lack of effort, focus, or chemistry.

Although Laker fans would probably spend their time defending Kobe Bryant because of the onslaught of reprimands and shots haters will be taking at him especially if LeBron James wins.

On the other hand, the Blazer’s fans went on about how talented and young their team is, experience doesn’t matter, they can win the Western Conference, they own the Lakers, and, again, the list goes on and on.

Had the Blazers lost this game or if they lose in the playoffs, they will remind everyone how they didn’t have Martell Webster. In addition, all of sudden the experience that didn’t matter in last night’s win will be flipped around and their fans will claim that their young team gained valuable experience in the process of losing.

This new found knowledge will combine with their skill set and all of a sudden the Blazer fans will claim they have the most talented and best team in the league and are set for a long run.

Yes, the Blazers have the most talent.

But this also begs the question of whether or not they are going to be able to keep this young core together. What is going to happen when these contracts start to end and other teams offer them more money?

Blazers fans go about claiming how close, tight knit, and loyal this team is to each other.

How naïve a statement this is.

How many collegiate players claim loyalty to representing their school only to end up jumping ship to the NBA? It goes without saying the NBA is worse. Try bringing up the name Elton Brand to any Los Angeles Clippers fan.

I’m not singling out the Blazers on this either.

The Lakers are going to have this exact scenario this summer when Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom become unrestricted free agents. When one of the Blazers players leaves or if Ariza and/or Odom leave, the fans will justify it with "the Association is a business and the players do what they have to do."

Should the Lakers or Blazers actually win the championship, the fans will be able to raise their heads high, tell everyone how their analysis was right all along and use it as evidence to support their team for all of next year just like the Boston Celtic fans have been using their title run throughout the duration of this season.

These incorrigible propositions or beliefs that loyal fans share for their team can never be altered and are beyond simple fact. Everything can be twisted and turned to their benefit or to justify what happened even if they don’t realize that is exactly what they are doing.

It’s a good thing the games are played and the fans don’t dictate who wins the NBA championship. There would be 30 champions every year.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

Sacramento Kings: Abandoned Loyalty

Kyle — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:11:11 -0400

Cowbells!

Food poisoning.

Cowbells ringing!

Questionable officiating.

Obnoxious and annoying cowbells!

Accusations that Los Angeles Lakers fans are lame and don’t get as loud during the playoffs as Sacramento Kings fans do for a regular season game.

Headache from cowbells…

A not-rivalry according to Mr. Kobe Bryant who claimed, “That wasn't a rivalry. The Kings never beat us.”

Not even a decade removed from this Kings era that got rowdier, louder, and looked forward to playing the hated Lakers more than anyone, the Kings have vanished.

Lakers games in Sacramento have turned into another home game. Half of last night’s crowd in the state capital was in purple and gold.

The loudest cheers of the night were for the Lake Show following the Machine’s dunk (a dunk that I still can’t get enough of). It even prompted Kobe to jokingly say, “I've seen it all. Sasha dunked on somebody. I'm ready to retire now.”

Kobe could retire and order all the cheeseburgers and cheesecakes he wants without fear of food poisoning now as he’s proud and confident to admit that:

“Nobody’s gonna mess with me now. There's nothing but Laker fans here now. It was basically a home game for us, it really was. Things have changed quite a bit."

Yes, things certainly have.

In fact, the Sacramento Kings, or should I say Sacramento Queens, should no longer be entitled to either name.

They should henceforth be known as the Sacramento Traitors.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

Kobe Bryant Jubilantally Cruising

Kyle — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:36:04 -0400

As stated by all media outlets numerous times, the Los Angeles Lakers seem to be cruising along while the rest of the NBA fights for first round home court advantage in the playoffs.

It’s a nice luxury to have, but the Lake Show have definitely become complacent and have been playing some ugly games. The Bench Mob can’t hold leads, and the starters play without a sense of urgency.

They appear to be doing just enough for what they perceive is adequate to get the win, which has resulted in a couple losses and an abundance of close games the past few weeks.

The Laker attitude has become contagious, resulting in my moseying right along with them. Winning or losing doesn’t hold the same weight anymore, as the biggest issue around here is Andrew Bynum.

Just like the players probably feel, the playoffs can’t come soon enough.

Although, this may be driving Phil Jackson and the coaching staff insane, at least the players are content.

One in particular has been more jubilant towards the media (especially compared to previous demands to be traded).

Kobe Bryant has been showing some personality and fun in his interviews.

Earlier in the year he declared that he could play for his hometown Philadelphia Eagles:

"I’d be a wide receiver. I’d be a bad [man] too. No more red zone issue. Just throw it over the top. I’m [Randy] Mossin’ it… Throw that ball up there, I’ll go get it. Knock my head off… I enjoy it, I love it."

Lamar Odom has also previously stated that he could play football as a quarterback but Kobe made it clear he’d want Donovan McNabb throwing the ball his way:

"If Lamar’s quarterback, I’m not playing. He’d try to run all the time, he ain’t got no arm. His arm ain’t strong enough."

More recently, a fan of LeBron James purchased a domain from GoDaddy to launch the website www.lebronisreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallygood.com promoting his MVP campaign.

Kobe obviously knew about the site as his response to wanting to win this year’s MVP was:

"I don’t think about it at all. It’s not something that crosses my mind. It didn’t cross my mind last year either. I really, really, really, really, really, really want that championship. I really, really, really want it."

In case it’s not obvious, Kobe responds by using “really” six times just like the website.

In addition, apparently Kobe doesn’t just think he could play wide receiver either. After all, in basketball he does play offense and defense.

In last night’s most recent edition of the Hallway Series which resulted in another Los Angeles Clipper defeat, Kobe described his defense on Eric Gordon on the last play of the game as:

"[Eric Gordon’s] just not getting the ball, it’s as simple as that. If I’m going to be a lock-down corner, I’m going to be a lock-down corner."

And finally, throw in a trash talking extravaganza with Ron Artest and some Ankle Insurance as well.

A far cry from the Big Aristotle but it’s good to know Kobe is in good spirits.

With five regular season games left and then the playoffs, hopefully the Lakers snap out of it and the Black Mamba we all know so well is unleashed.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

NBA Fans: Fluid Dilemmas

Kyle — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:43:31 -0400

Back on Mar. 29, following the Lakers' loss to the Hawks, I started saying that the Lakers should opt for rest rather than pursuing the best overall record.

Two days later, the Lake Show lost again to the Charlotte Bobcats, continuing the weirdest dominance by a below-average team against one of the Association’s best.

This further justified the argument that the Cavaliers were starting to run away with the best record and the Lakers should rest.

Three days after the Bobcat loss the Cavs have all of a sudden dropped games to the Washington Wizards (who treated the game as their NBA championship) and then earlier tonight got absolutely destroyed by the Magic (who wanted to bounce back from a disappointing home loss and show they belong in the NBA's elite).

This brought the Lakers within one game of the Cavs in the loss column and all of a sudden I’m rooting for the Lakers to keep the normal rotation and go for the season sweep against the Houston Rockets (which they successfully accomplished).

Now the Lakers are only one game behind the Cavs and it’s a race to the finish.

Another loss, and I’ll probably vow for rest again.

But my dilemmas of resting starters and rooting against the Cavs and Celtics are much simpler than the majority of fans.

As teams jockey for playoff position or try to get into the playoffs, the teams they are rooting for change on a nightly basis.

Last night on TNT, the Nuggets played the Jazz and the majority of the Western Conference was rooting for the Jazz to knock the Nuggets off the West’s two seed and top of their division.

Earlier tonight, everyone was rooting against the Jazz and for the Minnesota Timberwolves instead.

As the regular season comes to a close in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and the handful of teams fighting to get into the playoffs will be rooting for and against each other.

In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Hornets, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns will be doing the same.

In the meantime, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers stay primarily focused on each other while the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics do the same.

Too bad everyone but the Lakers can’t lose every night.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

Home Sweet Home for the Los Angeles Lakers

Kyle — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:44:39 -0400

Since the end of November, one of the biggest and most common issues or themes with the Los Angeles Lakers was their home heavy schedule.

From that early point in the regular season, it was known that for the remainder of the year they would have more road games than home games and was often used as a reason to downplay the Lakers’ early season success.

Four months later, the Lake Show have finished their last extended road trip with a decent, but not great, record of 5-2 and can finally say they have more home games than road games remaining (five of their last seven games are at home).

While this does not apply to a potential LeBron versus Kobe finals, this trend will hold all the way through the Western Conference finals.

Obviously, the Lakers failed to meet their goal of finishing as the overall number one seed but being in this situation could also be a blessing in disguise.

As everyone is saying, Phil Jackson really should take this opportunity to rest Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, and Kobe Bryant. I think Phil should even consider not just taking a page out of Gregg Popovich’s book but going one step further.

Earlier, Popo opted to rest Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili against conference rival Denver Nuggets.

Instead of just resting Fish, Pau, and Kobe, Phil should not even bother taking the Lakers on the trek up north to play the Portland Trail Blazers.

Imagine the uproar by the Portland diehards especially after the Ariza and Fernandez incident. Pay all that money for the only game of the year they care about and there’s no opponent to play.

Kidding.

Just trying to light a fire somewhere.

After all, the past couple weeks have been boring at best (in a good way though). Despite the fact the Lakers look tired, disinterested, and aren’t showing the same energy or enthusiasm on even offense yet alone defense, they are cruising along.

But the Lakers are finally home so it’s time to rest up and refuel.

Come playoffs, hopefully they floor the accelerator with a rejuvenated Andrew Bynum all the way to the parade route on Figueroa!

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

Los Angeles Lakers: On Spring Break

Kyle — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:08:37 -0400

While the rest of Los Angeles ridicules Andrew Bynum’s latest actions, I think it pretty much sums up the past couple weeks.

Since Mar. 15, it’s safe to say that the Los Angeles Lakers followed the schooling schedules and went on spring break. Right on cue, they are on a road trip too.

Double-digit leads were blown against the Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and the New Jersey Nets.

Trevor Ariza decided defense on Andre Iguodala’s game-winning three wasn’t necessary nor was using his brain to consider fouling.

Kobe Bryant has shot 39.6 percent from the field during this span including games where he shot 6-for-10 and 2-for-4 from the free throw line.

Derek Fisher and Sasha Vujacic have been spending their time learning how to Twitter instead of practicing their shot, as can be seen in their hot and cold shooting performances.

The Bench Mob has been spotty at best as they’ve been inconsistent on offense and defense.

Phil Jackson is even canceling practices, endorsing rest.

Lamar Odom goes to a different school, as his spring break was earlier. His apparently started on Mar. 1 at Phoenix until he topped it off, serving his suspension against the Houston Rockets on Mar. 11.

And somewhere along the line Pau Gasol didn’t get the memo.

Andrew Bynum put an exclamation point on it all by partying at the Playboy Mansion.

With March coming to an end, I should hope the Lakers will be returning shortly and getting ready for the only season that matters, starting on Apr. 15.

Until then, keep the camera phones ready.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

Tiger Woods: The Trump Card

Kyle — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:42:12 -0400

The Elite 8 did just finish, right?

The Final Four is set and ready to go in Detroit, right?

But guess who’s on the homepage of ESPN and FOX Sports right now?

Tiger Woods.

Five strokes back to start the day? No problem.

Fifteen foot birdie on the 72nd hole for the win? No doubt.

In an otherwise ugly day of basketball, Tiger was Tiger.

When Michigan State gives Louisville a dose of its own Big East medicine by playing more physical and running straight through all the Louisville players, Tiger bullies his way back to the top of the golf world in roaring fashion as he frightens off the competition.

Michigan State didn’t have home-court advantage with Louisville playing 90 minutes away from home but gets to play the Final Four in their home state of Detroit, the first time this has happened since Duke in 1994.

It doesn’t matter where Tiger goes though. He has fans cheering and rooting for him everywhere. If Tiger goes to the Final Four and is shown on the JumboTron it won’t just be Spartan fans cheering, everyone in attendance would be.

Where North Carolina has more overall talent than Blake Griffin and Oklahoma allowing them to double team Blake, the rest of the golf world combined can’t keep Tiger down. If they all stood on the golf course, I’m confident he’d find a way to bank his shot in.

Today’s win put the Tar Heels in the Final Four for the 18th time, breaking their tie with UCLA for most Final Four appearances. I don’t need to mention what Tiger has done and is on pace to do as he completed his 66th victory today.

While the Los Angeles Lakers had one of those games where they couldn’t make a shot finishing at 35 percent field goal shooting, Tiger made clutch shot after clutch shot, none bigger than his 15-foot birdie to win on the last hole.

Kobe Bryant played through a jammed tendon in his foot, a torn tendon in his pinky and an upset stomach but couldn’t overcome it all to find a way to win.

We already know what Tiger did last year, winning the U.S. Open on a knee that required reconstructive surgery.

A common theme between the Mamba and Tiger?

Stealing the spotlight.

On Jan. 22, 2006, Kobe scored 81 points, taking the attention away from the NFL Playoffs and the upcoming Super Bowl.

Today was supposed to be all about March Madness and the Final Four but Tiger takes the headline.

The difference between Kobe’s and Tiger’s?

Kobe seemed to hit a series of home runs to win a game while Tiger hit those same homers and topped it off with a walk-off with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to win it all.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

The NBA: When a Win Can Be a Loss

Kyle — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:59:46 -0400

On January 31 at Memphis, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Grizzlies.

But the win became secondary and the only thing that mattered was the next day, when results would be known regarding Andrew Bynum’s injury, and we all know how that turned out.

Earlier tonight against the New Jersey Nets, the Lakers won again.

Pau Gasol had a spectacular game, Lamar Odom came up with some big rebounds, including a late tip-in off a Kobe Bryant miss, and Derek Fisher’s shot was falling.

Not only did they win, but they also have started their seven-game road trip 4-0 and clinched the No. 1 seed for the Western Conference playoffs.

But does any of this really matter?

Bryant went down with a sprained ankle in the last couple minutes of the first half. He came back after halftime and played his normal minutes, including a big third quarter.

But is there anyone in Los Angeles that won’t want to know how Kobe is feeling when he wakes up tomorrow?

Personally, I’m not worried in the slightest bit.

From the look of how Kobe played and his lateral movement, I have no doubt that he will be fine and I expect him to be fully ready for the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

After all, he does have “ankle insurance” and has already shown he’ll play sick, injured or basically through anything.

But that doesn’t mean that one of the things I’ll be doing tomorrow is waiting for ESPN or the Los Angeles Times to have an update on Kobe’s status.

The entire NBA knows this feeling all too well this season with all the injuries.

Let the waiting resume.

Can I buy a close Sweet 16 game to pass the time?

Yawn.

Update: Thank you Kansas and Michigan St.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

NBA's MVP: The MVP of All MVPs

Kyle — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:24:00 -0400

Is there a greater individual award in today’s time than the National Basketball Association’s Most Valuable Player?

Does any athlete possess the array of overall talent basketball players possess?

Major League Baseball doesn’t even have a single MVP award, as there is one for the National League and one for the American League. Not to mention, there’s also a separate Cy Young Award for pitchers.

The National Football League has an MVP award, but it doesn’t draw the same attention as its basketball equivalent. This could be a result of players only playing on one side of the ball (offense or defense). As it ends up, the award has been dominated by offensive players; it’s been since 1986 that a defensive player (Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor) won.

College basketball has multiple awards on a national level, like the Naismith and Wooden Awards. Plus, there are individual awards within each specific conference; this proliferation dilutes the value of each.

College football, like college basketball, has multiple national awards, including the Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards, plus separate awards within the conferences.

Now, I won't argue that the Heisman Memorial Trophy isn't the most coveted recognition in college sports, but it has the same drawbacks as the NFL's MVP since it is dominated by offensive players and college football players only play on one side of the ball.

Individual sports like golf, tennis, and swimming have world rankings, but there is no defined annual "MVP" award.

Not that I'm trying to take away from the likes of Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Michael Phelps, who are just as talented (if not moreso) than even the best NBA players. But perhaps because these athletes are far and away better than the competition on a consistent basis, their success is assumed, as there is no debate or drama as to who the best is.

But consider the Association. The NBA has other awards, like Defensive Player of the Year and the All-NBA teams, but the MVP, by far, sits at the top of the heap.

The top NBA players are active on offense and defense and are a vital part of all of their team’s successes. They either have the ball in their hands or are guarding the other team’s best player when the game is on the line.

The players may deny that the MVP is important to them. They will always claim it is about the team winning games, but there has to be a part of them that wants to win the Maurice Podoloff.

Rivalries get richer based on who wins the award. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird practically killed each other on the court, And it looks like we are in for a treat these next few years with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul gunning for the No. 1 spot.

The award doesn’t just go to the best all around talent, either, or what many refer to as the “Most Outstanding Player.”

All positions have won the award within the past decade, including offensively-minded scorers and defensively-focused players that dominate other areas like rebounding and blocks.

Stan Van Gundy’s complaint that his center Howard doesn’t get noticed because he doesn’t do the flashy things that the King, Mamba, and Flash do will eventually be addressed.

Dwight will get his just like Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett got theirs.

In fact, in the past 10 years, guards won four times and forwards or centers won six.

That being said, this stretch run with more or less a dozen games left on the schedule should be appreciated for what it is. I must lump myself with those that know the race is over; LeBron won the award awhile ago.

But the season is far from over.

LeBron still has games against the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics.

Kobe has five games left on his road trip and a highly anticipated matchup at the Rose Garden.

Wade will challenge Dwight and his Magic, Paul and the Hornets, and the Celtics.

Dwight is going to try to stuff LeBron like he did Paul Pierce and still has another big man matchup against Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets.

Chris Paul will go at it with Tony Parker’s San Antonio Spurs and Jason Kidd’s Dallas Mavericks twice each. Plus, Steve Nash and Wade are lurking.

The NBA. Where amazing happens. Enjoy it.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

ESPN's NBA Analyst John Hollinger Is My "Kobe Bryant"

Kyle — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:03:31 -0400

I "love to hate" him. But I'm not talking about who you're thinking about.

Being from Los Angeles, I do not despise Kobe Bryant like the citizens of every other city in America do. But I can choose someone for whom I have those same feelings.

And that person is, without question, John Hollinger.

It’s amazing how this works: As much as Kobe is hated, the haters continue to watch him whenever he plays.

The same goes for me with Hollinger. As much as I disagree with him, I continue to read his articles on a daily basis.

And just as Kobe never lets down his haters, Hollinger never ceases to amaze me.

Kobe goes for 61 points, three rebounds and zero assists at Madison Square Garden, and the haters say he’s the same old selfish Kobe.

Hollinger claims LeBron James to be on Michael Jordan’s level, and I think this is ludicrous, seeing as how LeBron has zero rings and zero Finals wins. And it's not like the 2009 NBA Championship wouldn't put the "King" on par with Jordan’s pair of three-peats.

And to set the record straight on comparisons to Jordan, since day one, I have never compared Kobe to Jordan. Kobe, just like LeBron, will never be MJ.

I will agree with Hollinger that LeBron is having one of the best statistical seasons ever. He's a triple-double waiting to happen every time he steps on the court and should, without question, be awarded the MVP.

But at the same time, I absolutely loathe Hollinger's number systems. To me, PER, VA, and all his simulations are nothing more than over-analysis of box scores.

Does Hollinger’s system, AccuScore projections, or any other number system predict the Los Angeles Clippers beating the Boston Celtics?, the Charlotte Bobcats beating the Los Angeles Lakers, or the Washington Wizards beating the Cleveland Cavaliers?

The list of upsets could go on, which is why the games have to be played.

No number system can account for everything and each will in some way have a measure of unaccounted bias in certain areas. As ESPN’s TrueHoop acknowledged earlier today, the Celtics' defensive strategies and teamwork can never truly be reflected in any number analysis.

Following the Lakers victories over the Cavaliers and the Celtics, both on the road, Hollinger’s system kept the Lakers in third place in his Power Rankings.

He justified this by stating that “every game is just a binary result, a 1 or a 0, (so) a lot of information is lost.” This information includes many things, but he specifies scoring margin as one of the major factors in predicting success.

Just as Hollinger can over-analyze box scores, I can over-analyze Hollinger.

Having some background knowledge in computers, I’ll take Hollinger’s current rankings.

The Cavaliers have a scoring margin of 8.89 and the Celtics one of 8.21, which converts to 1000.11100011110101110000 and 1000.00110101110000101000, respectively, in a floating point conversion.

His same number system can be broken down to the same win or loss result—just a bunch of ones and zeros.

Everyone saying that this is ridiculous, unreasonable, unrealistic, preposterous, or any explicit words, well, that is exactly what I think of Hollinger’s system and my point is proven.

Regardless of the ill will towards Kobe’s game and style of play, the reasonable haters that don’t just say “rapist” at every turn will acknowledge Kobe’s professionalism, work ethic, and talent.

And I acknowledge that Hollinger is smarter than me on every level and is a statistical guru who is doing his best to develop a system that accounts for as many areas as possible.

But I still reserve the right to disagree with any number analysis.

In the end, I have it better than those who diss KB24.

Kobe haters have to spend unknown lengths of time hoping for the Mamba to have a game as a volume shooter, miss a clutch shot, be sued by a maid, or experience some other "catastrophe."

My wait is less than 24 hours away, as Hollinger’s PER Diem will be on ESPN’s NBA homepage by lunchtime tomorrow.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

NBA Season: Helter Skelter of a Finish

Kyle — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:13:50 -0400

Since the All-Star Break…

Twitter.

Shaq dancing.

Shaq and Kobe are co-MVPs of the All-Star Game.

Starbury disaster.

Tyson Chandler’s un-trade.

Nellie benches his veterans.

Detroit Pistons lose Allen Iverson and begin hitting their stride again.

Shaq feuds with Chris Bosh.

Shaq flops.

Shaq feuds with Stan Van Gundy.

Carmelo Anthony gets suspended for not coming out of a game.

The Boston Celtics lose someone to injury every game for what seems like a month.

Hard versus flagrant fouls.

Steve Novak hits a buzzer beater.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns failed to trade Wally Szczerbiak and Amare Stoudemire and both players get injured.

Carl Landry gets shot.

LeBron James misses a dunk against the Boston Celtics and then again against the Phoenix Suns.

Charlie Villanueva tweets at halftime.

Kobe reports for jury duty.

Tony Parker misses four free throws late in a game.

Kobe misses a dunk against the Golden State Warriors.

Add three months to Andrew Bynum’s original expected return day from injury.

Shaq tweets at halftime.

LeBron takes a picture on timer.

Shaq goes bowling.

Tracy McGrady is done and the Rockets end up peaking to the West’s two seed.

Gilbert Arenas is hinting at actually playing this season.

The All-Injured Team would win a championship if healthy.

Am I missing anything?

Conclusions…

One can only guess what’s in store for the playoffs.

The NBA will miss Shaq when he retires.

Masking Injuries: Is the Deception Worth the Reward?

Kyle — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:59:17 -0400

Andrew Bynum goes out last year with a knee injury and is supposed to be back just before the playoffs start, but ends up missing the entire year.

Andrew Bynum again goes out this year and was supposed to be back by the beginning of April, but is now scheduled to be back just in time for the playoffs and who knows, maybe longer.

Dominic James of the Marquette Golden Eagles is out for the year and then plays in a loss this past weekend in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The list could go on.

So while some teams give accurate injury reports, there are some that leave no hint as to how bad an injury is or give an accurate timetable for return.

Whose fault is it or who started it? In the recent era, Bill Belichick is the first name that comes to mind.

While I’m sure many others, like Phil Jackson, are involved in these mind games, Belichick is notorious for offering nothing as to the status of any of his players until they are suited and in the game or not.

Does this mind game with the media and opponents really work? I doubt it.

The drama behind injuries seem like nothing more than interesting media storylines.

Paul Pierce’s “injury” during the NBA finals, Kobe Bryant’s pinky, LaDainian Tomlinson during the past couple playoffs, Ty Lawson this past weekend, and now of course today’s news on Gilbert Arenas.

Not having a key player or playing with one that is not 100 percent, reincorporating a key player back from injury or opponent's defensive strategies knowing a key player is going to play or not can all be impacted by a player's injury status.

But it’s old news now and all that really matters is whether they are capable of playing or not.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

Rollercoaster Ride of a Pac-10 Season

Kyle — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:04:42 -0400

The Pac-10 excluding USC is down in NCAA football.

The Pac-10 goes undefeated in bowl season and all of a sudden isn’t so bad.

The Pac-10 is down in NCAA men’s basketball as their only wins are against each other.

The Pac-10 goes 5-1 in the first round of the NCAA tournament and surprises everyone.

The Pac-10 goes 0-2 on day three of the NCAA tournament including Coach Howland’s worst loss as head coach of the UCLA Bruins and Washington Huskies losing essentially on their home court.

Day four of the tournament? Arizona, Arizona St., and USC.

If they go 0-3, not two days after being praised by the likes of Dick Vitale and others, the Pac-10 is once again overrated and couldn’t compete with quality competition.

This endless cycle will probably never end either. The Pac-10 is the only true round robin league of the major conferences allowing teams to play everyone.

This is not like other bigger leagues where top tier teams may never play against each other and save themselves an additional loss.

But it doesn’t matter. The East Coast bias is forever going to be an influence.

And it probably should.

Every year Pac-10 football is referred to as “the Pac-10 excluding USC.”

USC has left the rest of their league in the dust and rightfully has separated themselves. USC’s biggest games don’t even come in conference anymore as it’s in their nonconference or bowl schedule.

And when USC does lose it was never a superior opponent but a mental mishap.

As for basketball, the west hasn’t won anything of late. UCLA is considered the class of Pac-10 basketball and how have they gone out?

With their worst losses of each season coming on their last game.

Run off the court by Florida, twice. Memphis controlled the tempo and UCLA never posed a major threat. And getting pounded and pushed over by Villanova in an embarrassing and humiliating fashion.

To top if off, Darren Collison says in his press conference, “I thought they were fouling too hard.”

Yes, you can say it. Darren Collison, and the rest of the Bruins for that matter, are sissies and if they are you might as well call the rest of the Pac-10 sissies as well.

The Pac-10 approached with any challenge and the result?

The Pac-10 excluding USC football gets out toughed, out matched, outplayed and every other synonym as they are sent home with another disgruntling loss.

“The Pac-10 excluding USC…” East Coast bias is contagious.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

From Las Vegas: Virginia Commonwealth and Golden State Win

Kyle — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:48:37 -0400

The Virginia Commonwealth Rams and Golden State Warriors won.

Only in Las Vegas, where the win and loss column means absolutely nothing and the spread means literally everything.

There’s tons of cheering and rooting—and even yelling during free throws, hoping for a miss—but it’s all based on the line. The loudest cheers and sighs came during the Gonzaga and Duke finishes, which ended up pushing so none of the bettors won.

And oh yea, Blake Griffin got the loudest cheers when he was thrown to the ground.

March Madness in Vegas is really exciting and lived to the motto of “Survive and Advance.” The higher seeds fell behind or gave up leads and did what they had to in order to eventually win, while the middle-range games gave us thrills and upsets.

Second to actually going to the games, I’d come back to Vegas every year for opening weekend of the tournament.

On to the Los Angeles teams: the UCLA Bruins and the Lake Show.

It actually does feel like they both lost. I really don’t feel all that excited. Not to be a downer, but the Bruins really only delayed their inevitable and eventual loss and are making their trip home a slower and more painful one.

At the same time though, they live to see another day. The “us against the world” mentality will really be in effect against Villanova in Philadelphia on Saturday and I am excited and looking forward to how they play.

At this point they have nothing to lose and everyone, including me, will predict them to fall short.

I’ve also had this idea that the Bruins would be better if Jrue Holiday moved to the point and Darren Collison became the shooting guard. While Holiday missed a few layups and had a couple of poor jump shots, he did have six assists to Collison’s two and made some nice moves to the basket.

A season of Holiday driving and dishing to Collison may have provided a better late-game shot than Collison’s layups being swatted, twice. This is assuming Holiday had developed the discipline to know when to take it or dish it back out, but that’s just my take.

Most importantly, thank you Collison for finally stepping up to a late-game challenge. Flawless defense on the last play of the game!

And the Lakers were obviously supposed to beat the Warriors and did. There’s nothing new that really needs to be said about the Lakers that I haven’t already mentioned recently or isn't being said on SportsCenter right now.

The short version: the Lakers need to stay focused for 48 minutes and Sasha Vujacic, the Machine, needs to shoot like that every night. Now the seven-game road trip begins.

Back to the tables.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com

NBA on ESPN: Weird and Weirder

Kyle — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:00:46 -0400

Original NBA scheduling had today marked for a favorable five hours on ESPN with Dwayne Wade’s Miami Heat going against the three Boston Hall of Famers. The new trio in Houston facing off against the team concept in the Detroit Pistons would follow.

How things have changed. Wade missed his first game of the season due to injury and K.G. and Ray Ray have been injured. This left the table open for The Truth to have a big game which he absolutely had to do to snap the Celtics two game skid.

According to the media, Wade’s supporting cast is supposedly inexperienced and incapable of competing against other teams without Flash. Turns out they aren’t as bad as advertised since they took the Celtics into overtime and it took a spectacular finish by Pierce for the Celtics to secure the win.

But the best part of this game was the Celtics’ headbands. Adidas made green Laker t-shirts to market for St. Patrick’s Day, but they didn’t stop there. The NBA followed it up with the Celtics wearing Laker gold colored headbands! What’s going on?

The next game was even weirder.

At halftime, Kwame Brown, yes KWAME BROWN, was leading the Detroit Pistons in scoring. Rasheed and Rip are injured and Mr. Big Shot was traded for the fake A.I. (as Alvin Gentry suggests in his Twitter by calling Andre Iguodala the “real A.I.”). Too bad Iverson is injured too.

On the Rockets’ side TMac is done for the season. And I’m not even going to go into how ugly of a game this was either.

But the end result? Not one, but a double overtime game that Houston was able to hang onto.

Turns out ESPN got what they wanted.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com/

Cleveland Cavaliers: Home Cookin

Kyle — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:57:28 -0400

“They all wear No. 23 and help him throw that [expletive] up in the air when he’s at the scorer’s desk. He gets away with murder, on top of it, on his home court.” –Phil Jackson

“You will not see, with the game on the line, a 3-second call in the last 10 seconds. That’s part of the reason they’re 30-1 at home. They’re a very good team, and when you get calls like that [expletive], you’re in pretty good shape.” –Stan Van Gundy

“It seemed like their bench or their coaching staff got into the ref’s ear about me being in the lane. Instead of letting the refs make the call, I guess the bench made the call.” –Dwight Howard

Cavaliers 30-1 or Cavaliers’ Officials 30-1?

Cavaliers 30-1. While inconsistent officiating can potentially change the momentum or possibly alter the outcome of a game, I believe everything eventually works itself out in the larger spectrum.

A game may be lost but eventually it will come back around and the losing team will be the beneficiary of a favorable late game whistle or lack-there-of in the future.

If it occurred for an entire 4th quarter in a game 6 of the playoffs then you might have a legitimate argument (any Sacramento Kings fans still around?).

Regardless, the Orlando Magic did not lose that game because of a random 3-second call. They failed to get the ball inside to Howard throughout a larger portion of the game and couldn’t get a defensive rebound off any of those late missed shots by the Cavs. Better execution and rebounding would have secured them that victory and this wouldn’t be an issue.

The simplest solution to end any debate about homecourt officiating?

Beat. The. Cavs.

Questions? Ask the Lakers.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com/

Los Angeles Lakers Thoughts, St. Patty's Day Edition: Too Much Green

Kyle — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:02:52 -0400

“I knew there was too much green in this building to win.” –Stu Lantz on the Laker loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. This picture is not from the game but you get the point.

Seriously. Who goes to any Laker game wearing green even if it is St. Patrick’s Day? Even Jack Nicholson of all people was sporting green Joker looking shoes. So the Lakers complete a sweep of the Texas teams and then once again resort to their usual drama.

It really isn’t a true Laker game these days until they’ve blown a double digit lead or had to come back from one but then again that’s the NBA and everybody makes their run.

Taking nothing away from Andre Iguodala’s game winner, which was impressive and a tough shot, but the Lakers played stretches where they had a ton of turnovers, no defense, no offense, didn’t rebound, lack of mental focus and oh, did I say A MILLION TURNOVERS.

Not to mention the Lakers had a foul to give and never used it on the last possession.

As Phil addressed earlier this week in the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers never showed that killer instinct that closes out games. Even with a big lead in the fourth the Lakers didn’t take care of business giving up 32 points in the quarter.

Kobe also had an off game for him which may have been a result of one of the few games he has been in foul trouble. All said and done it resulted in this loss.

Certain losses I can live with whether it is from unfortunate scheduling or a team treating the Lakers like it’s their championship game but this one truly is troubling. In no way does it worry me about their future or chances at an NBA championship but I cannot emphasize it enough, it really is just plain and simply disappointing.

But what’s done is done and hopefully they come out ready to run on Thursday when they host the Golden State Warriors.

On a side note, Phil Jackson is actually suggesting he’s going to be reducing the minutes of the starters so they are fresh for the playoffs. The Lakers would more than likely lose the best record race to Cleveland which is pretty much the only downside.

I doubt the Zen Master would reduce the minutes to the point they lose their fluidity. On the upside the Bench Mob would get more playing time together to hopefully work out their troubles and build their confidence. I guess we’ll find out what he decides to do within the next week or so.

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com/

Lakers Thoughts, St. Patty's Day Edition: Pinch Me All You Want

Kyle — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:56:42 -0400

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this shirt actually worn, and I certainly hope that I never do. If you can find me, pinch me all you want.

Like the Machine and the rest of Laker Nation, there’s no way I’m wearing green today, even if the Laker name or logo is on the garment. I’ll gladly wear purple and gold instead.

There’s a Laker home game tonight, thank goodness. I don’t know how the NBA schedulers managed to put zero Pacific Time home games on yesterday’s date, especially considering the dearth of sports coverage on television last night, but somehow they did.

Hopefully, the L.A. Bench Mob will actually start playing like we know they can. As Jordan Farmar points out in his Playboy blog, they’ve suffered some injuries and inconsistencies in the lineup, but it seems like they aren’t playing with the same intensity or sense of urgency they used to.

The entire team, for that matter, isn’t playing with passion, as they really do seem bored. Oftentimes defensive rotations are slow, and there is very inconsistent play at random stretches in games.

But the Lakers really need the Bench Mob to hit their stride, make their shots, and get some stops so that they can win some of these games and make a push for the best record in the NBA. The seven-game road trip is just around the corner, and it’d be nice to have a successful run without playing Kobe and Pau excessive minutes down the home stretch.

Go Lakers!

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com/

NBA Stars Deferring in Crunch Time

Kyle — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:18:44 -0400

Going back to a popular article on 82games.com that discussed game-winning shots and each player’s respective field goal percentage in crunch time: Numbers don’t lie, and I won’t deny the fact that Kobe Bryant has missed more potential game-winners than anyone, as he’s taken plenty yet made only around 25 percent in the regular season. His Playoff numbers are a different story.

Here, I will try to explain why players like Travis Outlaw and Roger Mason Jr. have such high percentages in the clutch.

On a team like Portland, everyone is going to guard Brandon Roy as the No.1 defensive priority. As the clock winds down, he is more likely to attract a double- or triple-team in which case he’ll be swinging the ball to whoever is left open, and that could often be Outlaw.

Keep in mind that this passing of the ball doesn’t even guarantee the assist will go to Roy (or whichever superstar it may be) and such loose rules for the tracking of dimes are left for hockey.

But back to the point. The situation in San Antonio is similar. Ginobili, Parker and Duncan attract all the attention (and rightfully so), but that leaves Mason in a position to be open to get a good shot off.

As for those aforementioned Lakers, this is why Derek Fisher is so dangerous. He is often left camping behind the arc while Kobe attracts two or more players. If for whatever reason a reminder is needed, take a look at the infamous 0.4-second play at San Antonio in the ‘04 Playoffs, in which Kobe drew all the defenders off the top screen, leaving Fisher wide open for the short range jumper.

It was the same for big shots by Steve Kerr (the pass coming from Jordan) and all of Big Shot Rob’s long-range bombs.

In all of these cases, these clutch shots were made by non-superstars who have the luxury of having an extra second to release before the defense can rotate and close out effectively. Also take note of the superior talent and skill levels the superstars have that they are still able to score in crunch time and help lead their teams to victory despite the attention they draw.

With the percentages the way they are, it makes you wonder why the stars don’t pass the ball more. Then again, is anyone actually thinking about percentages when the game is on the line?

If Fisher is wide open, Kobe trusts him and will pass to him for the open jumper.

Otherwise, is there really anyone that wouldn’t want Kobe to take that shot?

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com/

NCAA Tournament: James Harden vs. Blake Griffin

Kyle — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:50:43 -0400

James Harden vs. Blake Griffin. I hope those teams make it through the first weekend for a Sweet 16 clash. Rick Barnes vs. Tubby Smith. This first round matchup of spectacular coaches should go down to the wire.

Aside from obvious powerhouse clashes or top ranked teams going at it, those two games should be something to see. Then again, this is March Madness, so every game should be intriguing as everyone is a quality opponent and anything can happen in any one game.

Best of luck to the Pac-10 teams.

While I don’t doubt Arizona beating Utah in a typical 5-12 upset, getting past Wake Forest and then Louisville is much less likely.

As for Washington, they should be able to beat Mississippi St. and Purdue/Northern Iowa in Portland. From there, I wouldn’t bet on Washington beating UConn.

If Cal can get by Maryland there’s no way they get by Memphis, barring a three-point miracle barrage for the ages.

Big name NBA players always have the potential to take over a tournament and this is hopefully the case with Arizona St. and James Harden. I would be disappointed with an early loss, but with the way Syracuse is playing I wouldn’t count it out. If Harden is able to carry his team, they could go deep in the tourney.

The same goes for Blake Griffin and Oklahoma, which is why I hope both of those teams make it past the first weekend.

And then there’s UNC. Hopefully the Tarheels haven’t been pulling a Florida and tanking the normal season just to blow everyone out convincingly in the tournament.

UCLA and USC.

The road looks tough for UCLA. No quality wins and numerous losses have resulted in a six seed in Philadelphia. I’m already hearing predictions of UCLA being upset by VCU, but they really should win. Coach Howland has plenty of time to prepare for them.

On the other hand, Villanova in Philly is going to be extremely difficult, and that’s probably being generous. If the Bruins can find their defense they will hopefully advance.

It seems to be a good thing to have Duke as the No. 2 seed in your side of the bracket, as they tend to lose early. If not playing Duke at that point, UCLA would face a rematch against Texas or a coaching duel with Minnesota.

Whatever the case, all of these games should be winnable, but that doesn’t mean it’ll happen. If the Bruins manage to get that far, Coach Howland’s protégé Jamie Dixon should be waiting.

USC has clearly had a rough season. They’ve suffered many injuries, but winning the Pac-10 tournament at full strength shows what the team is capable of. They have actually gone 8-0 at full strength and many are considering them a dark horse for the tournament, especially with Demar DeRozan finally coming around.

It won’t be easy though, as Boston College defeated UNC. Following BC would be Michigan St., which is a weak No. 2 seed, as the Big Ten was definitely down this year. Lying ahead should be Kansas, which would certainly be a tough but winnable game. And then they’d have a matchup against Big East champion Louisville.

Long story short, every game is just as winnable as it is losable, and no Pac-10 or any team from the west, for that matter, has displayed any form of dominance or indication of representing the west in Detroit.

And for the record, while I may make it seem like the Pac-10 could do well, if you asked me if I thought the Pac-10 was more likely to win all their first round games or lose, I’d pick lose.

But even then, the top teams have had setbacks and seem vulnerable. The coin flippers and mascot brackets probably stand a better chance of winning than the rest of us!

http://dribbledrive.wordpress.com/